cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why Chief Justice Roy Moore and the Alabama Supreme Court Just Made the Case for Same-Sex Marriage

The Alabama Court of the Judiciary should remove Roy Moore from the Supreme Court of Alabama for a second and final time. Over ten years after being ousted from the Alabama Supreme Court, Chief Justice Moore is embroiled in yet another controversy that involves disregarding the federal courts and creating chaos in the legal system. In fact, Moore recently stated that he would ignore the Supremacy Clause and not respect a U.S. Supreme Court decision invalidating same-sex marriage bans. That statement brings back memories of Governor Wallace’s infamous stand at the schoolhouse door. At least Wallace had a change of heart later in life and distanced himself from his “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever” speech. Moore has not learned his lesson. But he will soon, when the U.S. Supreme Court rules that same-sex marriage bans violate the Equal Protection Clause. If, as Moore has suggested, he would not follow a ruling by the Supreme Court in favor of same-sex marriage, the Alabama Court of the Judiciary should dismiss him from the bench immediately.Moore’s behavior, not to mention the ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court in Ex Parte State of Alabama ex. rel. Alabama Policy Institute is akin to a bad movie sequel that should have never been made and rightfully bombs at the box office. Technically, the Alabama Supreme Court did not err in disregarding the federal court’s order. The fact that it did so is troubling. Even more troubling are the legal gymnastics that the Court engaged in to achieve what even a casual observer knew would be a decision reaffirming traditional marriage. Ironically, the Court’s decision – and the legal jujitsu it employed – makes the best possible case for same-sex marriage. Among other things, the decision threatens to disrupt the country’s delicate system of cooperative federalism, undermine the rule of law, and tar the judiciary with the taint of arbitrariness.Make no mistake: this case is not about states’ rights. It is about the integrity of the judicial system, which rises and falls on the public’s perception that judges are impartial and objective decision-makers, not self-interested actors who view the law as a vehicle to impose their policy predilections on citizens. This article summarizes the Alabama Supreme Court’s 148-page decision and explains why it was motivated by politics and ideology, not law and justice. The decision represents animus toward same-sex couples and a continuation of Alabama’s long history of drawing arbitrary classifications that enshrine discrimination into the law. For these and other reasons, the Alabama Supreme Court's decision makes the best case in favor of a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that same-sex marriage bans violate the Equal Protection Clause.
Peptide and Protein Hormones, Peptide Neurotransmitters, and Therapeutic Agents

Over 50% of all current drugs and perhaps an even higher percentage of drug targets have as their major target receptors/acceptors for which the native ligand/recognition motif is a peptide. Furthermore, most targets for drugs are proteins or conjugated proteins. Peptide hormones and neurotransmitters constitute a very large number of these ligands and almost all of them are important in a wide variety of diseases. Thus robust methods for the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of peptides, proteins, peptide analogs, and peptidomimetics are needed. In this chapter we briefly discuss the major synthetic, structural, conformational, and topographical considerations that go into peptide design of peptide analogs, derivatives, and mimetics that can serve as drug candidates. We then provide a selected discussion on the design of four different examples of peptide hormone and neurotransmitter ligands, and conclude with a brief discussion of future perspectives in this critically important area of current and future drug research. Keywords: melanotropins; melanocortin receptors; parathyroid hormone; oxytocin; enkephalin; delta opioid receptors; delta opioid ligands; receptor-selective ligands; receptor selectivity; conformation; topography-cyclic constraints; conformational constraints; binding affinity; bioassays; agonists; antagonists; inverse agonists; ϕ; ψ space; chi space; peptide conformation; peptide topography
Fatigue damage development in new fibre metal laminates made by the VARTM process

This paper investigates the tensile and fatigue properties of a newly developed fibre metal laminate (FML) manufactured using the vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM) method. This manufacturing method allows the glass fibre reinforced epoxy and 2024-T3 aluminium FML to be prepared at lower cost than conventionally manufactured FMLs. However, in order for the resin to infiltrate the FML, the metal sheets need to be perforated. These perforation holes act as crack initiators and reduce the FML's performance. Tension and fatigue test results of three different designs are reported and compared to mechanical property predictions. Additionally, single sheet Al alloy specimens were tested in order to analyse the influence of the drilling method.
Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire

The article reviews the book "Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire," by William T. Cavanaugh.
Characterization of patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa for collagen VII therapy

Dystrophic EB (DEB) is a blistering skin disease caused by mutations in the gene (COL7A1) encoding type VII collagen (C7). DEB can be inherited by either dominant (DDEB) or recessive (RDEB) mechanisms. RDEB results in severe wounds and scarring, as well as extracutaneous manifestations such as esophageal strictures, chronic anemia, and pseudosyndactyly. DDEB is generally a milder form, with fewer and less severe blisters.(1)
Presolar Grain Studies: Recent Progress and Development

Since the discovery of presolar grains, a wealth of information on nucleosyntehsis in stars mixing in stellar ejecta has been accumulated from studies of these grains. The progress in the studies of presolar grains has been made by developments of new techniques and new types of instruments. We will review the advances that brought about these progresses and consider future directions of the studies.
Improved survival after acute myocardial infarction in Patients with advanced Killip class

Background: The continuing applicability of the Killip classification system to the effective stratification of long-term and short-term outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and its influence on treatment strategy calls for reanalysis in the setting of today's primary reperfusion treatments. Hypothesis: Our study sought to test the hypothesis that Killip classification, established on admission in patients with acute Ml, is an effective tool for early prediction of in-hospital mortality and long-term survival. Methods: A series of 909 consecutive Olmsted County patients admitted with acute MI to St. Marys Hospital, Mayo Clinic, between January 1988 and March 1998 was analyzed. Killip classification was the primary variable. Endpoints were in-hospital death, major in-hospital complications, and post-hospital death. Results: Patients analyzed included 714 classified as Killip 1,170 classified as Killip II/III, and 25 classified as Killip IV. Increases in in-hospital mortality and prevalence of in-hospital complications correspond significantly with advanced Killip class (p < 0.01), with in-hospital mortality 7% in class I, 17.6% in classes II/III, and 36% in class IV patients (p < 0.001). Killip classification was strongly associated with mode of therapy administered within 24 h of admission (p < 0.01). Killip IV patients underwent primary angioplasty most commonly and were less likely to receive medical therapy. Conclusions: Killip classification remains a strong independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and complications, and of long-term survival. Early primary angioplasty has contributed to a decrease in mortality in Killip IV patients, but effective adjunctive medical therapy is underutilized.
The making of a maggot: patterning the Drosophila embryonic epidermis

Cell fates are instructed by signals emitted from specialized cell populations called organizers. The study of epidermal patterning in Drosophila is contributing novel insights concerning the establishment and action of such organizers. Juxtaposed rows of cells express either the wingless or hedgehog signaling molecules and thereby act as organizers of segment pattern. These signals mediate a mutually re-enforcing interaction between the two rows of cells to sustain organizer function. In a distinct and subsequent phase, wingless and hedgehog act to specify the fates of cells.
The electrical resistance of a graph captures its commute and cover times

View an n-vertex, m-edge undirected graph as an electrical network with unit resistors as edges. We extend known relations between random walks and electrical networks by showing that resistance in this network is intimately connected with the lengths of random walks on the graph. For example, the commute time between two vertices s and t (the expected length of a random walk from s to t and back) is precisely characterized by the effective resistance Rst between s and t: commute time = 2mRst. Additionally, the cover time (the expected length of a random walk visiting all vertices) is characterized by the maximum resistance R in the graph to within a factor of log n: mR ≤ cover time ≤ O (mR log n). For many graphs, the bounds on cover time obtained in this manner are better than those obtained from previous techniques such as the eigenvalues of the adjacency matrix. In particular, using this approach, we improve known bounds on cover times for various classes of graphs, including high-degree graphs, expanders, and multi-dimensional meshes. Moreover, resistance seems to provide an intuitively appealing and tractable approach to these problems.
A Novel Platelet Activating Factor Receptor Antagonist Reduces Cell Infiltration and Expression of Inflammatory Mediators in Mice Exposed to Desiccating Conditions after PRK

Purpose. To study the contribution of a novel PAF receptor antagonist LAU-0901 in the modulation of the increased inflammatory response in mice exposed to dessicating conditions (DE) after PRK. Methods. Eighty 13-14 week old female Balb/C mice were used. They were divided into two groups: One group was treated with LAU-0901 topical drops. The other group was treated with vehicle. In each group ten mice served as controls and ten were placed in DE. The other twenty mice underwent bilateral PRK and were divided in two additional groups: ten mice remained under normal conditions (NC) and the other ten were exposed to DE. After 1 week all animals underwent in vivo confocal microscopy, immunostaining and western blotting analysis. Results. Confocal microscopy showed an increased number of reflective structures in the corneal epithelium after PRK and exposure to DE in eyes treated with vehicle as compared to eyes treated with LAU-090). Significant decrease of COX-2 and Arginase I expression and reduced alpha SMA cells was observed after PRK and exposure to DE in eyes treated with LAU-0901. Discussion: Exposure of mice to a DE after PRK increases the epithelial turnover rate. PAF is involved in the inflammatory cell infiltration and expression of inflammatory cytokines that follow PRK under DE.
Acrylamide exposure induces a delayed unscheduled DNA synthesis in germ cells of male mice that is correlated with the temporal pattern of adduct formation in testis DNA.

A study of meiotic and postmeiotic germ-cell-stage sensitivity of male mice to induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) by acrylamide showed that DNA repair could be detected in early spermatocytes (after the last scheduled DNA synthesis) through about mid-spermatid stages. No DNA repair could be detected in later stages. The maximum UDS response was observed 6 hr after i.p. exposure and was about 5 times greater than the response measured immediately after treatment. This is the longest delay between chemical treatment and maximum UDS response yet observed in mouse germ cells. There was a linear relationship between the UDS response and acrylamide exposure from 7.8 to 125 mg/kg. By using 14C-labeled acrylamide it was determined that the temporal pattern of adduct formation in testes DNA paralleled that of the UDS response, with maximum binding occurring 4 to 6 hr after exposure. In contrast, the temporal pattern of adduct formation in liver DNA showed maximum binding within 1 to 2 hr after exposure and was an order of magnitude greater than that found for the testis DNA.
The Dilemma for Academic Librarians with Collection Development Responsibilities: A Comparison of the Value of Attending Library Conferences versus Academic Conferences

Due to limitations imposed on professional travel, librarians with collection responsibilities must often choose between attending library conferences or relevant academic conferences. An illustrative comparison of the limitations and advantages of the American Library Association annual meeting and the annual conference of the American Political Science Association reveals that neither type of event can be responsibly ignored. Strategies for resolving this dilemma are suggested.
Row and column finite matrices

Consider the ring of all κ x κ column finite matrices over a ring R. We prove that each such matrix is conjugate to a row and column finite matrix if and only if R is right Noetherian and κ is countable. We then demonstrate that one can perform this conjugation on countably many matrices simultaneously. Some applications and limitations are given.
Consistent Beliefs in Extensive Form Games

We introduce consistency of beliefs in the space of hierarchies of conditional beliefs (Battigalli and Siniscalchi) and use it to provide epistemic conditions for equilibria in finite multi-stage games with observed actions.
Resonance Raman Investigation of the R481 Mutants of Cytochrome c Oxidase from R. sphaeroides

The enzymes of the heme-copper oxidase superfamily have a highly conserved arginine residue (R438, R481, and R473 of the bovine, R. sphaeroides, and P. denitrificans cytochrome c oxidases, respectively), which is located close to the heme-propionate substituents of the heme a and heme a3 moieties. To explore the structural and functional implications of this conserved arginine, we used resonance Raman spectroscopy to study the heme vibrational spectra of the R481 mutant proteins (R481H, R481Q, and R481L) of cytochrome c oxidase from R. sphaeroides. All the mutants showed significant down-shifts in the C=O stretching vibrational frequencies of the heme a and a3 formyl substituent groups in the fully oxidized state, while they showed up- and down-shifts of the a and a3 formyl C=O stretching modes, respectively, in the fully reduced state. On the basis of these observations, the role of the conserved arginine will be discussed.
A sensitive, specific radioisotope assay for l-glutamine-d-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase

A sensitive and specific radioassay for L-glutamine-D-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase (EC 5.3.1.19) activity is presented. Picomoles of product are measurable, and the assay can be applied to systems having limited quantities of available protein, particularly in extracts of either cell or organ cultures. The assay is at least 10,000 times more sensitive under K/sub 1/ concentrations of fructose 6-phosphate than the modified Elson-Morgan colorimetric assay and 20 times more sensitive under saturating conditions of fructose 6-phosphate. As little as 0.5 ..mu..g of cell-extract protein will yield measurable product. In contrast, 280 ..mu..g of crude-extract protein from colon is required with the modified Elson-Morgan colorimetric assay.
Oil bioremediation in a high and a low phosphorus soil

Phosphorus (P) content may influence bioremediation of soils contaminated with crude oil. A soil testing high in plant available P (Weswood, 194 mg P kg−1 soil) and one testing low in plant available P (Lufkin, 2 mg P kg−1 soil) were selected for laboratory experiments on oil biodegradation. Plant available P content was determined using acidified ammonium acetate at pH 4.2 as the soil extractant. Soils were amended with 3, 6, and 9% crude oil by weight and incubated for 120 d at 25°C. Treatments consisted of a factorial arrangement, with soil, N, P, and oil concentration as factors. Addition of P without N generally did not enhance biodegradation. Addition of N without P approximately tripled the quantity of oil degraded. Addition of P and N together did not increase biodegradation of oil more than addition of N alone when oil concentration was 3%. At 6 and 9% oil concentrations, CO2 evolution increased for both soils by adding P and N together in comparison to adding N alone, and total petroleum hydroca...
Potassium Exchange in the Dog Heart in Situ

Coronary perfusion with constant flow and constant specific activity permitted an estimate of the transmembrane fluxes of potassium in both directions in the dog heart in situ. The determination of efflux was based on the washout characteristics. Perfusion pressure and coronary flow within the limits studied have little influence on efflux. The estimate of influx involved correction of experimental data using the efflux from the same experiment and is therefore less accurate; it is subject to changes due to alterations in collateral blood supply of the perfusion area. The efflux varies by 50% from heart to heart, averaging 0.68 mEq K+/kg and min at an average heart rate of 130 beats/min. Changes in heart rate reveal that 1.65 µEq K+/kg are exchanged per beat above the resting flux of the nonbeating heart; the latter was estimated by extrapolation to be 0.55 mEq K+/kg and min.
Trace Analysis of Marine Organisms: A Comparison of Activation Analysis and Conventional Methods1

A comprehensive review has been made of the abundance values reported for all trace elements in seaweed, mollusks, crustaceans, fishes, and in sea water. The sensitivities of standard spectrophotometric and flame photometric techniques for such analyses have been compared with the sensitivities expected from activation analysis techniques. Activation analysis eliminates the problem of contamination by reagents and is particularly useful for the analysis of minute traces. While it is not an all purpose method for every element, it does show promise of increasing the detection sensitivity for a number of elements by factors of 10, 100, or more as well as making possible the discovery of elements not previously found in marine organisms, such as elements of the ruthenium of platinum groups and indium. (auth)
A fading Meckel’s diverticulum: an unusual scintigraphic appearance in a child

We describe the case of a 13-month-old boy with significant rectal bleeding in which the 99mTc pertechnetate scan showed an initial focus of uptake in the left iliac fossa, which faded rapidly at 15 min. At surgery an ulcerated Meckel’s diverticulum was found. We therefore highlight the need to consider a Meckel’s diverticulum in cases where this atypical scintigraphic appearance is seen.
Production of a monoclonal antibody directed against the nerve growth factor receptor from sympathetic membranes

Spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with a plasma membrane-enriched fraction from rabbit sympathetic ganglia were fused with the mouse myeloma NS1. A hybrid clone was obtained that produced monoclonal antibody directed against the receptor for nerve growth factor (NGF). The antibody, identified as IgG, was able to immunoprecipitate solubilized NGF receptor in the presence or absence of bound NGF. The antibody bound specifically to sympathetic membranes with high affinity but did not affect the binding of 125I-NGF to its receptor in sympathetic or sensory neurons or PC12 cells.
The mitochondrial theory of aging: Insight from transgenic and knockout mouse models

A substantial body of evidence has accumulated over the past 35 years in support of a role for oxidative damage to the mitochondrial respiratory chain and mitochondrial DNA in the determination of mammalian lifespan. The goal of this review is to provide a concise summary of recent studies using transgenic and knockout mouse models with altered expression of mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes (MnSOD (Sod2Tg and Sod2(+/-)), thioredoxin 2 (Trx2(+/-)), mitochondrial targeted catalase (mCAT) and mutant mice models that have been genetically manipulated to increase mitochondrial deletions or mutations (Polgamma(D257A/D257A) mutant mice) to examine the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress in aging. The majority of studies using these strategies do not support a clear role for mitochondrial oxidative stress or a vicious cycle of oxidative damage in the determination of lifespan in mice and furthermore do not support the free radical theory of aging. However, several key questions remain to be addressed and clearly more studies are required to fully understand the role of mitochondria in age-related disease and aging.
Needs assessments can identify scores on HRQOL questionnaires that represent problems for patients: an illustration with the Supportive Care Needs Survey and the QLQ-C30

Purpose A barrier to using HRQOL questionnaires for individual patient management is knowing what score represents a problem deserving attention. We explored using needs assessments to identify HRQOL scores associated with patient-reported unmet needs.
Extracellular and intracellular crystal deposition in plasma cell myeloma

![Figure][1] A 68-year-old man presented with pain and malaise. Laboratory studies showed pancytopenia, hypercalcemia, increased creatinine, and proteinuria. Serum protein electrophoresis revealed an M-spike (0.2 g/dL) and immunofixation confirmed λ-light chain. Bone marrow showed sheets of
Influence of Indented Wire Geometry and Concrete Parameters on the Transfer Length in Prestressed Concrete Crossties

A study was conducted to determine the variation in the transfer length of prestressed concrete railroad ties with different indented wire geometries and different concrete properties, including slump and release strength. The study included 12 different reinforcement wire types that are used in concrete railroad ties worldwide.This paper presents the results from transfer length measurements on 96 pretensioned concrete members that were cast in the laboratory. In order to replicate the wire-to-concrete proportions commonly used in prestressed concrete railroad ties, small (3 1/2″ (88.9 mm) × 3 1/2″ (88.9 mm)) prestressed concrete prisms were fabricated and each contained four 5.32-mm-diameter indented wires. A special jacking arrangement was used to ensure that each of the wires was tensioned to the same jacking force.The wires were initially tensioned to 7000 pounds (31.14 kN) each, and the transfer of prestress force into the members was accomplished by a gradual release method replicating the one used in most prestressed concrete crosstie manufacturing plants. The study consisted of two phases. In the first phase, 36 concrete prisms were cast to investigate the effect of different wire indent geometry in a 6-inch (152.4mm) slump concrete mix with 4500 psi (31.03 MPa) release strength.In the second phase, a total of 60 prisms were used to investigate the effect of 4 different concrete parameters with a select group of 5 indented wire types. The second phase included concrete release strengths of 3500 psi (24.13 MPa) and 6000 psi (41.37 MPa), and concrete consistencies (slumps) of 3 (76.2) and 9 inches (228.6 mm).The results have shown that there is a significant variation in transfer lengths for the different indented wires at the same release strength. Additionally, the results show that the transfer lengths decreased significantly with modest increases in the concrete release strength. However, there was no correlation observed between transfer lengths and different concrete slumps for mixes having the same water-to-cementitious (w/c) ratio. For each concrete pour, the splitting tensile strength and modulus of elasticity were measured at the time of prestress transfer. All wire indents were measured according to ASTM A-881 [1] and the results of both phases are presented.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Lucian Leape on Patient Safety in U.S. Hospitals

Purpose:To describe and discuss the status of patient safety in U.S. hospitals. Methods:Personal interview. This report is part of a series of discussions with a leading expert on patient safety. Findings and Conclusions:Some improvements have been made in the past 10 years. But changes have not been adequate. Continuing barriers include the punitive environment in hospitals, physicians' denial of the scope of the problem, lack of national leadership, and lack of systems thinking.
FAST Miles: Benefits and Financial Feasibility of Multimodal Investment and Pricing Strategy

In America's large and severely congested metropolitan areas, carpools and express bus service could attract many more riders if buses and car-pools could operate between residential areas and job centers on free-flowing highways that provided premium service opportunities. FAST Miles attempts to eliminate recurring congestion on limited-access highway systems by using a possibly more publicly acceptable form of road pricing, along with an integrated multimodal strategy to encourage shifts of solo-driving commuters to alternative modes. Every motorist would get a share of free peak period use of FAST highway facilities, "already paid for" through his or her taxes, through a limited number of FAST Miles credits. FAST Miles could be self-financing and generate a surplus that could be used for expansion of transportation capacity. It could also introduce new possibilities for public-private partnerships for the efficient and effective provision of metropolitan transportation services, including expansion of ...
Autophagy and lipids: tightening the knot

The degradation of intracellular components in lysosomes, also known as autophagy, participates in a broad range of cellular functions from cellular quality control to cellular remodeling or as mechanism of defense against cellular aggressors. In this review, we focus on the role of autophagy as an alternative source of cellular energy, particularly important when nutrients are scarce. Almost since the discovery of autophagy, it has been known that amino acids obtained through the breakdown of proteins in lysosomes are essential to maintaining the cellular energetic balance during starvation. However, it is only recently that the ability of autophagy to mobilize intracellular lipid stores as an additional source of energy has been described. Autophagy contributes thus to modulating the amount of cellular lipids and allows cells to adapt to lipogenic stimuli. Interestingly, this interplay between autophagy and lipid metabolism is bidirectional, as changes in the intracellular lipid content also contribute to modulating autophagic activity. In this review, we describe the recent findings on the contribution of autophagy to lipid metabolism in different tissues and the consequences that impairments in autophagy have on cellular physiology. In addition, we comment on the regulatory role that lipid molecules and their modifying enzymes play on different steps of the autophagic process.
Ordinal quantification of the concept of technology through pooled consensus

This paper explores the possibility of combining multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis with the Delphi method to allow for the ordinal quantification of important attributes of technology. To demonstrate implementation of this method, 18 scientists and managers, with 227 pooled years of relevant industrial experience, were asked to assess the application of several pharmaceutical drug delivery technologies to particular prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) products. Study participants were only asked to think about variables intrinsic to the concept of technology (here, differentiation, sophistication, and development cost) and to assume exogenous variables such as price as background constant. For comparable sets of technology-product combinations participant evaluations were used to assess the following pilot MLR model in which: Market share = a +βd Differentiation +βS Sophistication +βc Development Cost. For OTC products, Differentiation, and to some extent Sophistication, were found to be the most important significant independent variables. For Rx products, Sophistication was the major significant independent variable. These findings make sense considering that OTC products are sold directly to end users whereas Rx products are dispensed through physicians or pharmacists. Further studies are warranted to see if given the statistical superiority of pooled consensus over individual forecasts, the method described here might also be used to help choose revenue-maximizing products and to discover relevant product development principles.
Neuro-fuzzy modeling of human welder's response to 3D weld pool surface in GTAW

Understanding and modeling of welder response to 3D weld pool surface help develop intelligent welding robotic systems and better train welders. In this paper, a welder's adjustment on the welding current as a response to the 3D weld pool surface as characterized by its width, length, and convexity is studied. A vision sensing system is developed to real-time measure the specular 3D weld pool in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). Experiments are designed to produce random changes in the welding speed resulting in fluctuating 3D weld pool surface. Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) model is developed for the human welder response in order to correlate the current adjustment to the 3D weld pool surface. To justify the use of the neuro-fuzzy model, linear model has also been fitted and compared. It is found that the proposed ANFIS modeling can derive detailed correlation between the human welder's responses and the weld pool geometry and help better understand the nonlinear response of the human welder to 3D weld pool surfaces.
Framingham Heart Study 100K project: genome-wide associations for cardiovascular disease outcomes

National Institute of Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (N01-HC 25195); National Health Institutes National Center for Research Resources Shared Instrumentation grant (ISI0RR163736-01A1)
Extracellular matrix roles during cardiac repair

The cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a platform for cells to maintain structure and function, which in turn maintains tissue function. In response to injury, the ECM undergoes remodeling that involves synthesis, incorporation, and degradation of matrix proteins, with the net outcome determined by the balance of these processes. The major goals of this review are a) to serve as an initial resource for students and investigators new to the cardiac ECM remodeling field, and b) to highlight a few of the key exciting avenues and methodologies that have recently been explored. While we focus on cardiac injury and responses of the left ventricle (LV), the mechanisms reviewed here have pathways in common with other wound healing models.
Human pituitary growth hormone: immunochemical investigations of biologically active fragments.

Abstract Guinea pig antisera to human growth hormone were tested for their ability to recognize the two biologically active fragments of the hormone produced by human plasmin digestion and a synthetic active fragment. A precipitin line was obtained with native human growth hormone, plasmin-treated human growth hormone, and its NH 2 -terminal fragment (residues 1–134). In the microcomplement-fixation and radioimmunoassay experiments, the NH 2 -terminal plasmin fragment (residues 1–134) showed a greater immunoreactivity than the COOH-terminal plasmin fragment (residues 141–191). This, in turn, was more active than the synthetic fragment (residues 95–136).
Canadian dairy policy and the returns to federal dairy cattle research

Abstract The economic surplus approach is used to estimate the returns to federal investments in dairy cattle research in Canada. A national supply function is estimated using time series data. Lagged research expenditures are included as explanatory variables in the model, facilitating the calculation of marginal as well as average benefits from research. Simulation analysis is used to study the effects of product market distortions associated with Canadian dairy policy as well as of the marginal excess burden on the rates of return to research and on the distribution of research benefits. Returns were found to be high at the margin. Distortions in the product market had a small effect on the overall returns to dairy cattle research but had a large impact on the distribution of research benefits. Rate of return estimates were found to be indicative of underinvestment even when the marginal excess burden was taken into account.
Preattentive Processing, Poststimulus Elaboration, and Memory for Emotionally Arousing Stimuli

ABSTRACT Christianson (1992) proposed two mechanisms to explain emotionally enhanced memory: preattentive processing and poststimulus elaboration. Experiment 1 examined these processes by instructing participants to perform (1) a concurrent distractor task, (2) a continuous distractor task, or (3) both while viewing the negatively arousing, positively arousing, and neutral pictures. Recall of negatively arousing pictures showed a small decline in one of the distractor conditions, indicating that elaboration plays a minor role in remembering these pictures. Experiment 2 partially replicated Experiment 1 with an intentional learning instruction to investigate whether participants in Experiment 1 were anticipating a recall test. For all three picture types, recall declined in the continuous distractor task condition, indicating that elaboration played a role, even when the pictures were negatively arousing. Overall, these results were consistent with the notion that remembering negatively valenced stimuli is...
Conditional symmetries and exact solutions of one reaction-diffusion-convection equation

We give a complete description of Q-conditional symmetries for a nonlinear reaction-diffusion-convection equation. The obtained Q-conditional operators are used for the construction of exact solutions of some equations encountered in applied problems.
Spectroscopy of jet-cooled Ag2Au

Abstract Resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy has been used to study the supersonically cooled metal cluster, Ag 2 Au. One electronic band system has been observed, with the origin band at 17525 cm −1 . Vibronic progressions have been found and analyzed using a least-squares fitting procedure. The molecule is assigned as belonging to the C 2v point group in both the ground and the excited eletronic states, and vibrational progressions in both of the two totally symmetric (a 1 ) vibrational modes have been identified, giving values of ω′ 1 = 200.15 ± 0.49 cm −1 and ω′ 2 = 111.28 ± 0.62 cm −1 for the excited electronic state of the 107 Ag 109 Ag 197 Au isotopic modification. Anharmonicities x ′ 11 , x ′ 12 , and x ′ 22 are also reported for the excited electronic state, along with lifetime measurements for several vibronic levels. This work also places the ionization potential of Ag 2 Au in the range 5.00 ⩽ IP (Ag 2 Au) ⩽ 6.42 eV.
Predicting an SF-6D Preference-Based Score Using MCS and PCS Scores from the SF-12 or SF-36

Background The SF-6D preference-based scoring system was developed several years after the SF-12 and SF-36 instruments. A method to predict SF-6D scores from information in previous reports would facilitate backwards comparisons and the use of these reports in cost-effectiveness analyses.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation Downregulates a Potassium Current in Rat Olfactory Bulb Neurons and a Cloned Kv1.3 Channela

: We are studying the regulation of ion channels by protein tyrosine kinases (TKs) using olfactory bulb neurons (OBNs) and a cloned voltage-dependent potassium channel, Kv1.3, as models. Rat OBNs, which express Kv1.3 channels, had whole-cell outward currents that were suppressed by picomolar quantities of margatoxin and showed a slow inactivation that increased over a 10-min period. These same pharmacological and kinetic properties were found also in human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cells transfected with rat Kv1.3 cDNA. The insulin receptor TK was detected in the OB by Western analysis. Exogenous application of insulin was found to suppress whole-cell outward current in all OBNs tested. Perfusion of the nonreceptor Src kinase likewise suppressed outward current. Current was not suppressed with heat-inactivated Src or when adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was excluded from the pipette solution. The membrane permeant tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, pervanadate, was found to suppress current in a subset of neurons, implying the presence of an endogenous tyrosine kinase in these neurons. Using site-directed mutagenesis of six tyrosine residues contained within good recognition motifs for tyrosine phosphorylation, we constructed conservative Y to F mutations in the Kv1.3 cDNA and expressed the Kv1.3 channels in HEK 293 cells. We found that Tyr449 is a target for both the pervanadate- and Src-induced suppression of Kv1.3 current; Tyr111, 112 and 113 are also important for modulation by pervanadate; and Tyr137 is a target for modulation by Src. In summary, tyrosine phosphorylation of Kv1.3 and related channels may be involved in the modulation of OBN excitability.
Base compositional bias and phylogenetic analyses: a test of the "flying DNA" hypothesis.

Abstract Phylogenetic methods can produce biased estimates of phylogeny when base composition varies along different lineages. Pettigrew (1994, Curr. Biol. 4:277–280) has suggested that base composition bias is responsible for the apparent support for the monophyly of bats (Chiroptera: megabats and microbats) from several different nuclear and mitochondrial genes. Pettigrew's “flying DNA” hypothesis makes several predictions: (1) that metabolic constraints associated with flying result in elevated levels of adenine and thymine throughout the genome of both megabats and microbats, (2) that the resulting base compositional bias in bats is sufficient to mislead phylogenetic methods and account for the support for bat monophyly from several nuclear and mitochondrial genes, and (3) that phylogenetic analysis using pairwise distances corrected for compositional bias should eliminate the support for bat monophyly. We tested these predictions by analyzing DNA sequences from two nuclear and three mitochondrial genes. The predicted base compositional bias does not appear to exist in some of the genes, and in other genes the differences in AT content are very small. Analyses under a wide diversity of criteria and models of evolution, including analyses that take base composition into account (using log-determinant distances), all strongly support bat monophyly. Moreover, simulation analyses indicate that even extreme bias toward AT-base composition in bats would be insufficient to explain the observed levels of support for bat monophyly. These analyses provide no support for the “flying DNA” hypothesis, whereas the monophyly of bats appears to be well supported by the DNA sequence data.
PULMONOLOGIST: A computer-based diagnosis system for pulmonary diseases

Abstract PULMONOLOGIST is a prototype expert system designed as a decision-making aid for physicians in providing accurate diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases. Disease information in the system has been encoded in the form of rules and schemata. The system has been developed using the expert system building tool ART (Automated Reasoning Tool) from Inference Corporation. This paper gives a brief introduction to the expert system concept, and includes a detailed description of the diagnosis system. This system will be tested against clinical data in future studies. 6kw]Expert system; Knowledge base; Schemata; Rules
Imaging of acute pyelonephritis in the adult

The diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis in adults is predominantly made by a combination of typical clinical features of flank pain, high temperature and dysuria combined with urinalysis findings of bacteruria and pyuria. Imaging is generally reserved for patients who have atypical presenting features or in those who fail to respond to conventional therapy. In addition, early imaging may be useful in diabetics or immunocompromised patients. In such patients, imaging may not only aid in making the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis, but more importantly, it may help identify complications such as abscess formation. In this pictorial review, we discuss the role of modern imaging in acute pyelonephritis and its complications. We discuss the growing role of cross-sectional imaging with computed tomography (CT) and novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques that may be used to demonstrate both typical as well as unusual manifestations of acute pyelonephritis and its complications. In addition, conditions such as emphysematous and fungal pyelonephritis are discussed.
Fractographic Analysis of Delayed Failure in Soda‐Lime Glass

Fractographic analysis of soda-lime bars which failed under dead weight loading shows that the fracture mirror to initial flaw size ratio is a function of time under load, but that the mirror to critical flaw size ratio is a constant. The mirror constants are the same in delayed and rapid failure. The experimental results correlate with fracture mechanics predictions of time-to-failure based on subcritical crack growth. Scatter of the data about the prediction is discussed in terms of variations in flaw geometry.
Effect of hCGB-tt immunization on ovarian morphology in hamsters implanted with human chortocarcinoma

Abstract Histological analysis of ovaries from hamsters immunized with hCGB-tt and implanted with human choriocarcinoma has shown that the gonadotropic activity of hCG was neutralized for 5 days of tumor growth. In control immunized hamsters, hCG secreted from the tumor induced the formation of large, cystic follicles, thecal luteinization and an increase in ovarian masn from Days 1–10 of tumor growth. In contrast, ovatian morphology in hCGB-tt immunized hamsters on Days 1–5 of tumor growth resembled that of non-tumor bearing hamsters. Normal follicular growth and corpora luted formation were observed despite the secretion of hCG by the tumor. Gonadotropic stimulation, as indicated by the presence of cystic follicles, was not evident until Day 10 of tumor growth in hamsters immunized with hCGB-tt. hCGB-tt immunization did not affect ovarian structure or the normal eatrus cycle in hamsters without tumors. These results indicate that the biological activity of hCG in vivo can be inhibited by active immunization with hCGB-tt.
Competitive nucleosome reconstitution of polydeoxynucleotides containing oligoguanosine tracts.

Abstract The ability of synthetic polydeoxynucleotides composed of oligoguanosine tracts of increasing length to form nucleosomes has been determined by several reconstitution procedures. When the presence of nucleosomes is determined by resistance to nuclease digestion, a protected band of approximately 150 base-pairs is detected only with difficulty for polymers containing long tracts of contiguous guanosines. However, when assayed by a shift in the electrophoretic mobility of radiolabeled polymers exchanged at 0.7 m -NaCl with authentic nucleosomes, all polymers tested are seen to form nucleosomes. Quantitative competitive reconstitution shows that the length of the tracts per se does not adversely affect their propensity to form nucleosomes, since even 150 base-pair poly(dG) · poly(dC) forms nucleosomes as well as heterogeneous-sequence DNA. However, the ability to form nucleosomes does depend on the length of the polymer repeating unit.
Binswanger's disease--revisited

Two decades ago, Binswanger's disease was an obscure disorder unfamiliar to the great majority of neurologists and of doubtful existence and dubious importance even to those who had heard of the entity. Before Schoene and I reported [1] the clinical features of five pathologically confirmed and six clinically diagnosed cases of what we called Binswanger's disease in Neurology in 1978, we first presented the material at a vascular research conference at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The senior clinical neurologists and neuropathologists in attendance (Drs. Raymond Adams, C. Miller Fisher, and E. Pierson Richardson) were skeptical of Binswanger's disease as an entity and of our cases as probable examples. Among our initial 11 cases, only two had had CT; the other clinically studied patients had had pneumoencephalography [1]. During the past 15 years, the proliferation of neuroimaging and the advent of MRI have led to a dramatic change in neurologists' attitudes toward white matter ischemic disease. White matter abnormalities are ubiquitous in the elderly, but many patients with so-called leukoaraiosis do not have vascular dementia. The presence of these white matter abnormalities and their significance has brought Binswanger's disease onto center stage, but the disorder remains very controversial. Debated topics without clear agreement include the definition of the disorder and its appropriate name; the clinical diagnosis of the condition, especially separation from nonvascular causes of white matter changes; and its pathogenesis and treatment. Dementias, including vascular dementias, are an important public health problem that is becoming more common and important as the population ages. Microangiopathic vascular dementia of the Binswanger type is a common cause of vascular dementia and invalidism. During the past decade, much new information, many case reports, and several reviews [2-4] have been published. My intent is to review succinctly the major known features of Binswanger's disease, …
Thermochemistry of the benzyl and allyl radicals and ions

Abstract We have studied the thermochemistry of the resonantly stabilized radicals, C6H5CH2 and CH2CHCH2 and their corresponding cations and anions. A flowing afterglow/selected ion flow tube instrument has been used to measure the rates of reaction: C6H5CH3 + CH3O− ⇌C6H5CH2− + CH3OH C6H5CH3 + CD3O− ⇌C6H5CH2− + CD3OH C6D5CD3 + CH3O− ⇌C6D5CD2− + CH3OD C6D5CD3 + CD3O− ⇌C6D5CD2− + CD3OD CH2CHCH3 + HO− ⇌CH2CHCH2− + H2O The ratio of the rate constants gives a free energy change for each reaction and use of the established gas phase acidity of CH3OH or H2O provides values for the acidities. We calculate the entropy changes, ΔacidS300(C6H5CH3) and ΔacidS300(CH2CHCH3), to extract values for ΔacidH300(C6H5CH3) and ΔacidH300(CH2CHCH3). Earlier photoelectron experiments have provided ionization potentials and electron affinities for the benzyl and allyl radicals. Use of the IPs and EAs, together with the enthalpies of deprotonation, provides values for the C H bond enthalpies at 300 K and the C H bond energies at 0 K. These bond energies are used to compute the heats of formation of the radicals and ions as well as the cation hydride affinities, HA (all values in kcal mol−1): C6H5CH2−H CH2CHCH2−H ΔacidG300(R−H) 374.9 ± 0.2 383.8 ± 0.1 ΔacidH300(R−H) 382.3 ± 0.5 391.1 ± 0.3 DH300(R−H) 89.8 ± 0.6 88.8 ± 0.4 D0(R−H) 88.1 ± 0.6 87.4 ± 0.4 ΔfH0(R) 54.1 ± 0.6 44.4 ± 0.5 ΔfH300(R) 49.7 ± 0.6 41.4 ± 0.4 ΔfH0(R−) 33.1 ± 0.6 33.1 ± 0.5 ΔfH300(R−) 28.7 ± 0.5 30.1 ± 0.4 ΔfH0(R+) 221.3 ± 0.6 231.6 ± 0.7 ΔfH300(R+) 216.8 ± 0.6 228.9 ± 0.6 HA0(R+) 237.9 ± 0.7 254.7 ± 0.7 HA300(R+) 239.5 ± 0.6 258.9 ± 0.7 In addition, we find ΔacidG300(C6D5CD3) = 377.0 ± 0.3 kcal mol−1.
Transfinite numbers and native american cosmology: a course about infinity

This paper describes a course about infinity for second-year students who are not mathematics majors. The course involved readings from mathematical and non-mathematical sources, class discussion, weekly papers, and final projects ranging from traditional term papers to original musical scores.