cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of cytokinin activities of the base, ribonucleoside and 5′- and cyclic-3′,5′-monophosphate ribonucleotides of N6-isopentenyl-, N6-benzyl or 8-bromo-adenine

Abstract The cytokinin activities of adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate, N6,O2″-dibutyryladenosine 3′,5−'monophosphate, 8-bromoadenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate, N6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate, and N6-benzyladenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate were determined in the tobacco bioassay and compared with the activities of the corresponding non-cyclic nucleotides, nucleosides and bases of the N6-isopentenyl-substituted, N6-benzyl-substituted, 8-bromo-substituted, and unsubstituted adenine series. In each of these series the cytokinin activities in decreasing order were: bases ⪢ nucleosides ⪖ nucleotides > cyclic nucleotides. All members of the N6-isopentenyl- substituted and N6-benzyl-substituted series were highly active cytokinins, reaching maximum activity at concentrations of 1 μM or less, whereas, as expected, all members of the unmodified adenine series were inactive in the tested concentration ranges of up to 180 and 200 μM for adenosine and adenine, and 40 μM for the adenine nucleotides. Members of the 8-bromo-substituted adenine series were much weaker cytokinins than the N6-substituted adenine derivatives but showed activity in the same sequence starting at a concentration of about 5 μM. Thus, in the cases of 8-bromoadenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate and N6,O2′-dibutyryl-adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate, both of which have been reported to promote cell division and growth of plant tissues, the cytokinin activity is related to the 8-bromo substituent and to the N6-butyryl substituent, respectively, rather than to the 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate moiety.
Stricture of the urethra in children.

Summary If we include the congenital variety, notably of the external urethral meatus, urethral stricture is of high incidence in children of both sexes. Back-pressure damage of the kidneys, and particularly when there is complicating renal infection, is the vital clinical consideration in urethral stricture. As the narrowing and blockage increase the renal damage is accelerated. Symptoms of stricture are essentially the same in the congenital or acquired varieties and are fundamentally due to obstruction. Congenital stricture of the external meatus is readily recognized by inspection alone, and by gentle, intelligent instrumentation all varieties of stricture elsewhere in the urethra can be readily identified. The most satisfactory treatment is periodic, progressive dilation with steel sounds; urethrotomy seldom should be required in urethral stricture in children and almost exclusively for the treatment of the traumatic variety.
MEMS/MOEMS failure location and characterization methods: the micromirror device

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the approaches used to determine the location, character, and origin of failed superstructure elements within the Digital Micromirror Device and relationally to other types of MEMS and MOEMS devices. Since the Digital Micromirror Device is a very large field of movable mirrors that are essentially identical in appearance, some of those methods will include the uses of: failure mapping, digital imaging techniques, and explanations of precautions needed to ensure the result of the analysis is a correct answer to the questions asked.
Can a Neutral Tachyon Field Exist

THE quantization of tachyon fields1,2 has been clarified by the work of Schroer3. He shows that the propagation is, in fact, causal so that previous experiments to detect tachyons4–6 are of doubtful relevance. We probably cannot make a proper assessment of their value until a quantization scheme is developed which includes interaction. If the tachyon field is neutral, however, interesting conclusions can be drawn from a classical and statistical treatment, without going into the intricacies of quantization. This communication will be concerned with some implications of such a field, first assuming that it is scalar and then discussing the case of a vector field, which is perhaps the more interesting.
Fatigue performance of Friction Stir Welded titanium structural joints

Abstract The Friction Stir Welding process for producing corner and T-joints out of 6 mm Ti–6Al–4V was developed in this effort using previous work on butt weld joints as a starting point. A limited number of corner joints were also subjected to a bending fatigue test to preliminarily assess the applicability of the process in producing fatigue critical structures. These results were also compared to predictions made by applying stress concentration factors to previously generated uniaxial butt joint test data. While additional testing is still required to obtain a higher degree of confidence in the conclusions of this study, it was found that the performance of these corner joints in fatigue could be compared to butt joint data when a geometrically based stress concentration factor is applied. Furthermore, these welded joints possessed equivalent fatigue performance relative to identical test specimens machined from wrought product forms, both bar and extrusion. Thus, from the perspective of fatigue design, this study has shown that Friction Stir Welding is able to produce structures with the same performance as currently made from wrought materials.
AMINOGLYCOSIDE OTOTOXICITY IN THE HUMAN

One hundred thirty-eight patient courses of tobramycin (tobra) and gentamicin (genta) were prospectively monitored for ototoxicity using weekly audiograms and electronystagmograms. Twice weekly drug serum levels and kidney function tests were determined. A pre, during, and post-therapy history was obtained and the results were analyzed to determine significant parameters of ototoxicity. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS on an IBM 370/3033 computer. Tobra showed less toxicity than genta but only the difference in vestibular toxicity was statistically significant. Significant associations with toxicity included the patient developing a high temperature, total dose, low hematocrit for tobra, high hematocrit for genta, high creatinine clearance with cochlear toxicity, high creatinine with nephrotoxicity, poor condition or critically ill, and duration of therapy greater than 10 days. Non-significant parameters included dose rate (mg/kg), serum levels, age, prior noise exposure, prior aminoglycosides, prior ear infections, non-aminoglycoside ototoxic drugs, underlying disease, or total number of high risks present. Ototoxicity was independent of nephrotoxicity.
Micrococcin: Acceptor-Site-Specific Inhibitor of Protein Synthesis

Micrococcin inhibited the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA at 13 mM Mg2+, but not at 6 mM Mg2+. The elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu)-dependent binding of aminoacyl-tRNA was inhibited appreciably by 7 μM micrococcin. The EF-G-dependent puromycin reaction of the ribosome-bound aminoacyl-tRNA, release of unesterified tRNA concomitant with translocation, and the EF-G-dependent evacuation of aminoacyl-tRNA from the acceptor site of the ribosomes were all sensitive to this antibiotic. It is concluded that micrococcin interacts with the acceptor site specifically and this interaction results in the dual action of this antibiotic, namely inhibition of translocation and the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA.
Genetics of Colonic Cancer

Research in hereditary forms of colorectal cancer (CRC) has increased almost logarithmically thanks in a major way to momentous discoveries in molecular genetics during the past decade. Between 10 and 20% of the total CRC burden is due to Mendelian-inherited CRC syndromes. The paradigm for hereditary CRC is familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), wherein the APC germ-line mutation has been identified. This has contributed to the elucidation of genomic and clinical heterogeneity within the syndrome, wherein an attenuated form of FAP has been identified as a result of intragenic mutations within this large APC gene. The most common form of hereditary CRC is hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Several mutator genes, namely hMSH2, hMLH1, hPMS1, hPMS2 and, more recently, hMSH6/GTBP, have been identified. These molecular genetic discoveries are providing new insights into the pathogenesis of CRC. Individuals within these kindreds who are harbingers of these germ-line mutations will benefit from screening and, one day, chemoprevention.
Exploring the deep continental crust by drilling

Although geology transcends national boundaries, geologists are not free of national influences. To the question “Is continental scientific drilling an idea whose time has come?,” answers might range from an enthusiastic “yes” in the Soviet Union and the Federal Republic of Germany, and a qualified “yes” in Sweden, to “We hope so” in Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere, but most likely “We don't know” in the United States. In August 1988 at Jaroslavl in the U.S.S.R., Y. A. Kozlovsky, Minister of Geology, challenged participants in the international seminar Superdeep Continental Drilling and Deep Geophysical Research with his proposal for Project GLOBUS, a very-large-scale collaborative study of Earth's crust [Kozlovsky, 1988; Sass and Barber, 1989]. GLOBUS would investigate the crust of all of the world's continents and oceans by a network of geophysical transects, supported by up to 50 deep (5–10 km), to superdeep (>10 km), research boreholes, situated at the nodal points of the net to calibrate the geophysical interpretations and serve as permanent crustal observatories (Figure 1).
Reduced responsiveness of HLA‐B27 transgenic rat cells to TGF‐β and IL‐10‐mediated regulation of IFN‐γ production

Background: We have reported that commensal luminal bacterial components induce an active in vitro IFN-γ response in mesenteric lymph node (MLN) and intestinal cells from specific pathogen-free (SPF) HLA-B27 transgenic (TG) rats with chronic colitis but not in cells from non-diseased SPF non-TG, germ-free (GF) non-TG or GF TG rats. Methods: The study examined IL-12 stimulation of MLN IFN-γ responses to luminal bacteria and regulation of these responses by suppressive cytokines. Results: Exogenous IL-12 significantly increased the bacterial lysate-induced IFN-γ response in SPF TG MLN cells, while bacterial lysate and IL-12 synergistically induced IFN-γ from low baseline levels in cells obtained from both SPF and GF non-TG rats, and in GF TG cells. TGF-β fully counteracted the effects of IL-12 and bacterial lysate on non-TG cells by almost completely inhibiting IFN-γ production. In contrast, TG cells were less responsive to TGF-β-mediated downregulation with a substantial residual IFN-γ response to IL-12 plus bacterial lysate. Further experiments showed that CD4+/CD25+ cells had no inhibitory effect on the IFN-γ production and were not required for TGF-β-mediated suppression. Addition of exogenous IL-10 also partially inhibited IFN-γ production by non-TG cells but did not affect TG cells. Conversely, exogenous IL-12 preferentially suppressed bacterial lysate-induced TGF-β and IL-10 production in TG rat cells. Conclusions: An attenuated response to regulatory signals leads to uncontrolled potentiated induction of effector IFN-γ responses to commensal bacteria in HLA-B27 TG rats that spontaneously develop chronic intestinal inflammation. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2008)
The Making of a Confederate: Walter Lenoir's Civil War – By William L. Barney

Professional historians of the Civil War have long recognized that slavery, as Abraham Lincoln said in his Second Inaugural Address, was “somehow the cause of the war.” The key word is “somehow”; t...
Evaluating piezoelectric hydraulic pumps as drivers for pulsatile pediatric ventricular assist devices

Piezohydraulic pumps are high power density motors, which can be theoretically miniaturized with minimal loss in power output. The feasibility of using piezohydraulic pumps in pulsatile pediatric ventricular assist devices is presented in this study. A theoretical analysis is presented to calculate the piezohydraulic pump dimensions needed to meet flow and pressure requirements. In addition, an existing piezohydraulic pump was incorporated into a ventricular assist device driver to drive a pulsatile pediatric 30-mL stroke ventricular assist device as a proof of concept. The driver was tested at heart rates ranging from 50 to 110 beats per minute in an in vitro mock circulation to characterize its performance. The maximum drive pressure was 33 kPa with a peak flow rate of 6 L/min against a 10-kPa back pressure. The maximum mean flow rate from the ventricular assist device outlet was 3 L/min at 100 beats per minute operation. These results compare well to commercially available systems that output between 2...
Genetic testing: Your genes and your job

This article examines issues related to worker's exposure to substances in the workplace that may cause genetic damage and the use of genetic testing to assess and monitor such damage. The discussion includes the scientific principles of genetic testing and its accuracy and predictive value. The applicability of existing federal and state legislation to genetic testing is explored. Also analyzed are various legal and ethical issues, including union and nonunion employees' rights, workers' compensation, common law remedies, privacy and confidentiality, and an applicant's or employee's right to know test results.
Uptake of glutathione by renal cortical mitochondria.

Transport of GSH into renal cortical mitochondria was studied. Mitochondria were highly enriched with little contamination from other subcellular organelles (as assessed by marker enzymes), they exhibited coupled respiration (respiratory control ratio greater than 3.0), and they had initial GSH concentrations of 5.71 +/- 0.65 nmol/mg protein (n = 47). Incubation of mitochondria with GSH in a triethanolamine, pH 7.4, buffer containing sucrose, potassium phosphate, MgCl2, and KCl, produced time- and concentration-dependent increases in intramitochondrial GSH content. Uptake was linear versus time for at least 2 min and exhibited kinetics consistent with one low-affinity, high-capacity process (Km = 1.3 mM, Vmax = 5.59 nmol/min per mg protein), although the results cannot exclude the presence of other, less quantitatively significant pathways. The initial rate of uptake of 5 mM GSH was not significantly altered by uncouplers (0.1 mM 2,4-dinitrophenol and 25 microM carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone) or by 1 mM ADP. In contrast, incubation with 1 mM ATP, 1 mM KCN, 0.1 mM or 1 mM CaCl2 inhibited uptake by 41, 39, 43, or 55%, respectively. GSH uptake was markedly inhibited by gamma-glutamylglutamate and by a series of S-alkyl GSH derivatives. Strong interactions (i.e., both cis and trans effects) were observed with other dicarboxylates (i.e., succinate, malate, glutamate) but not with monocarboxylates (i.e., lactate, pyruvate). Preincubation of mitochondria with GSH protected against tert-butyl hydroperoxide- or methyl vinyl ketone-induced inhibition of state 3 respiration. These results demonstrate uptake of GSH into renal cortical mitochondria that appears to involve electroneutral countertransport (exchange) with other dicarboxylates. Functionally, GSH uptake into mitochondria can protect these organelles from various forms of injury, such as oxidative stress.
Factory, Hazard, and Contamination: The Use of Metaphor in the Commercialization of Recombinant DNA

This paper examines the use of language and metaphor in the reception of recombinant DNA in the USA between 1973 and 1988. The Archives of Stanford University are used to show how changing images of production were conveyed, and how academic–industrial policies were shaped, in a rapidly advancing field of biotechnology.
Numerical Modeling of Contaminant Transport in Fractured Porous Media using Mixed Finite Element and Finite Volume Methods

A mathematical model for contaminant species passing through fractured porous media is presented. In the numerical model, we combine two locally conservative methods, i.e. mixed finite element (MFE) and the finite volume methods. Adaptive triangle mesh is used for effective treatment of the fractures. A hybrid MFE method is employed to provide an accurate approximation of velocities field for both the fractures and matrix which are crucial to the convection part of the transport equation. The finite volume method and the standard MFE method are used to approximate the convection and dispersion terms respectively. The model is used to investigate the interaction of adsorption with transport and to extract information on effective adsorption distribution coefficients. Numerical examples in different fractured media illustrate the robustness and efficiency of the proposed numerical model.
Nutritional Studies with Blattella germanica (L.) reared under aseptic Conditions. III. Five essential Amino Acids.

Amino acids, the main constituents of protein, are needed by animals for the synthesis of the new body tissue during growth and for the regeneration of old tissues in the adult. They take part in the formation of almost all substances in the body and perform an important function in many physiological processes. When these acids are not available to the animal in sufficient quantities, characteristic metabolic disturbances and pathological conditions result. Amino acids have a similar role in insect physiology and hence have an important bearing upon problems related to insect pathology, toxicology and ecology. Unfortunately, however, very few attempts have been made to investigate the importance of amino acids in the diet of insects.
Fabrication of dislocation-free Si films under uniaxial tension on porous Si compliant substrates

Abstract This paper presents a method for fabricating uniaxially as well as biaxially strained Si films on porous Si substrates. Single crystalline Si films of ~ 150 nm thickness on top of porous Si substrate can be routinely obtained by self-limiting anodization of heavily doped p-type substrates with epitaxially grown thin Si overlayers. The typical structure of our samples has the porous Si region in square shape in the center of the sample surrounded by bulk Si analogous to a picture in a frame. The porous Si region undergoes volume expansion upon oxidation at low temperature (~ 500 °C) in steam. The rigid bulk Si frame constrains the porous Si region preventing it from expansion along the direction of the substrate surface. The expansion can be either uniaxial or biaxial along the sample surface if two opposite stripes of bulk Si or all four sides are removed. In this report, we describe uniaxial tensile strain of 0.83% observed in a 150 nm thick Si film without dislocation or crack.
Information systems configuration by expert system: the case of maintenance management

Abstract Expert systems are a technique for transferring expertise from one group to another. In cases where there are few experts and many who need their services, expert systems can be cost effective. The development of maintenance management information systems is one such area. There are few experts in systems analysis and design of maintenance management information systems and a great many who need these systems, especially in a country with an aging equipment base and a shortage of capital to renew that base. This paper is a progress note concerning our plans, analysis, and conjectures in this area.
Micro-CT characterization of human trabecular bone in osteogenesis imperfecta

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic syndrome affecting collagen synthesis and assembly. Its symptoms vary widely but commonly include bone fragility, reduced stature, and bone deformity. Because of the small size and paucity of human specimens, there is a lack of biomechanical data for OI bone. Most literature has focused on histomorphometric analyses, which rely on assumptions to extrapolate 3-D properties. In this study, a micro-computed tomography (μCT) system was used to directly measure structural and mineral properties in pediatric OI bone collected during routine surgical procedures. Surface renderings suggested a poorly organized, plate-like orientation. Patients with a history of bone-augmenting drugs exhibited increased bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), and connectivity density (Eu.Conn.D). The latter two parameters appeared to be related to OI severity. Structural results were consistently higher than those reported in a previous histomorphometric study, but these differences can be attributed to factors such as specimen collection site, drug therapy, and assumptions associated with histomorphometry. Mineral testing revealed strong correlations with several structural parameters, highlighting the importance of a dual approach in trabecular bone testing. This study reports some of the first quantitative μCT data of human OI bone, and it suggests compelling possibilities for the future of OI bone assessment.
Can child maltreatment be predicted during the perinatal period: Evidence from longitudinal cohort studies?

Abstract The early identification of children who are at high risk for maltreatment would help clinicians direct scarce preventive resources towards families with the greatest needs. This report reviews 11 longitudinal studies in which subjects were categorized during the perinatal period into high-risk and non-high-risk children and then followed over time to determine the occurrence of at least one adverse outcome: maltreatment, non-organic failure-to-thrive, or relinquishment of the child by the parent. Three aspects of these studies are presented: (1) methodological issues in design, (2) statistical terms used in predictive studies, and (3) details of the 11 studies and a meta-analysis to determine whether accurate predictions of adverse outcomes were made. The results of the meta-analysis suggest that prediction is feasible; improvements, however, in the approach to the assessment of risk are necessary, including further development and use of a standardized clinical assessment.
Energy levels of a hydrogenic impurity in GaAs/Ga1-xAlxAs multiple-quantum-well structures with narrow barriers in a magnetic field.

A variational approach employing Gaussian-type trial wave functions and mixing of miniband states has been used to calculate the binding energies of the ground and first excited states of a hydrogenic donor in multiple-quantum-well structures consisting of a varying number of GaAs quantum wells separated by thin ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$As barriers with periodicities of 89 \AA{} (80-\AA{} well and 9-\AA{} barrier) and 49 \AA{} (40-\AA{} well and 9-\AA{} barrier). The dependence of the binding energies on two different positions (on center and on edge of the central well) was investigated. It was found that the binding energies did not change in any significant way beyond 15 periods for either of the structures investigated at zero magnetic field. Calculations were also performed for superlattice structures with 15 periods in the presence of a magnetic field applied perpendicular to the interfaces. Results have been compared with recent experimental measurements for donor transition energies in GaAs/${\mathrm{Ga}}_{0.7}$${\mathrm{Al}}_{0.3}$As superlattices. Very good agreement is obtained.
The Family Dance around Drug Abuse.

The article describes the interactivity of relationships and dynamics of a family with a chemically abusive member.
Implications of left ventricular asynergy

Abstract Ventricular asynergy, local disturbances in ventricular wall motion which disrupt the normal coordinated pattern of left ventricular contraction, is described in a group of patients. There are four distinct types of asynergy: (1) akinesis, or local absence of wall motion; (2) dyskinesis, or local expansile or paradoxical wall motion; (3) asyneresis, or geometric distortion or inequality of wall motion; and (4) asynchrony, or a disturbed temporal sequence of contraction. These local abnormalities are closely related to anatomic, electrocardiographic and biochemical zones of ischemia in coronary heart disease and are also seen in cardiomyopathy and with ectopic excitation and activation of the left ventricle. Although often associated with clinical and more frequently, laboratory evidence of cardiac failure, asynergy sometimes occurs in the absence of cardiac enlargement. Such morphologic abnormalities provide a functional basis for the hemodynamic disturbances seen in coronary heart disease and so poorly explained at postmortem examination. Thus, ventricular asynergy represents a dynamic abnormality appreciated only in life as a derangement of the integrated function of the left ventricle and represents an important cause of cardiac failure.
Long Term Gains from Early Intervention through Technology: An Eleven Year Report

This paper presents the findings of a longitudinal study that examines the effects of an early childhood intervention strategy which uses a technological and computer-based approach. The SCILS (Self Controlled Interactive Learning Systems) program at the Early Childhood Center at Drexel University appears to have had a positive long term effect on the students' learning, specifically the reading and reading comprehension scores of subjects through the ninth grade level.
First report of leaf curl on celery caused by Colletotrichum acutatum in the United States.

In June 2010 and July 2011, celery (Apium graveolens) samples cv. Tango were submitted to the Penn State Plant Disease Clinic from Franklin and Dauphin Counties, PA, respectively. Plants exhibited curling and twisting of leaves and petioles and dark, brownish-black necrotic lesions at the base of the plant, extending up the petioles. A fungal organism with morphology consistent to Colletotrichum acutatum J.H. Simmonds was isolated from plant lesion tissue excised from the Dauphin Co. sample. Grown on half strength potato dextrose agar (PDA), the colony had gray aerial mycelium and a pink reverse. Conidia were 5.1 to 14.5 × 2.6 to 5.1 μm, aseptate, hyaline, elliptical, with one or both ends slightly pointed, and formed from the mycelium or in dense orange masses of acervuli on the aerial surface of the culture. Setae were not present. To test pathogenicity, five 23-week-old plants of the cv. Sonora and five 11-week-old plants each of the cvs. Tango and Tall Utah were sprayed until runoff with a conidial su...
Cross-axis cascading of spectral dispersion.

We demonstrate a method of cascading multiple diffractive elements for improving the purity of spectral dispersion. The cross-axis cascade was implemented in a two-stage grating spectrograph, resulting in a hundredfold reduction of stray light and a high dynamic range up to −75 dB. The technique can be used for parallel spectral measurements and processing.
Dominant CD8+ T-Lymphocyte Responses Suppress Expansion of Vaccine-Elicited Subdominant T Lymphocytes in Rhesus Monkeys Challenged with Pathogenic Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus

CD8+ T lymphocyte responses play a central role in controlling human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in humans and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infections in nonhuman primates (18, 20, 29, 41). Naturally occurring virus-specific CD8+ T-lymphocyte responses typically focus on a limited number of dominant epitopes (52). However, accumulating data indicate that a broad cellular immune response, in which multiple viral epitopes are recognized by CD8+ T lymphocytes, confers better protection against viral replication than a restricted cellular immune response (26, 33). Therefore, it has been suggested that increasing the magnitude of subdominant epitope-specific responses may increase the breadth of a cellular immune response and provide enhanced protection against HIV/SIV replication. An understanding of the factors that influence the immunodominance hierarchy of viral epitopes will be needed to develop vaccination strategies that can generate the greatest breadth of virus-specific CD8+ T-lymphocyte responses. Differences in antigen processing, competition between epitope peptides for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules, T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, TCR affinity for peptide class I complexes, and immunodomination have been shown to contribute to the dominance of an epitope-specific response (6, 10, 24, 32, 45, 52). In addition, studies have shown that immunodominance patterns for T-lymphocyte epitopes may differ following a primary and secondary exposure to the same viral antigen (4, 5, 43). In the present study, we observed that Mamu-A*01+ rhesus monkeys primed with plasmid DNA and boosted with recombinant adenovirus (rAd) vaccines encoding SIVmac239 Gag-Pol-Nef and HIV-1 Env proteins generated Gag p11C- and Env p41A-specific CD8+ T-lymphocyte responses of comparable magnitude. However, while there was a significant expansion of Gag p11C-specific CD8+ T-lymphocyte populations following challenge with pathogenic simian-human immunodeficiency virus 89.6P (SHIV-89.6P), there was no significant expansion of the Env p41A-specific CD8+ T-lymphocyte populations. We hypothesized that factors influencing the relative immunodominance of the primed Gag p11C- and Env p41A-specific CD8+ T-lymphocyte responses after viral challenge may have contributed to the observed differences in their secondary expansion. In the present study, we sought to identify the potential factors contributing to this immunodominance.
Correction:Acquired hemophilia as the cause of life-threatening hemorrhage in a 94-year-old man: a case report.

Correction The list of authors of this article [1] was incorrect as published and should be as follows: Theodoros Kelesidis, Jonelle Raphael and Elizabeth Blanchard. Rekha Parameswaran did not approve the final version of the manuscript for publication and does not wish to be included as an author. In addition, Elizabeth Blanchard’s initials appeared incorrectly as BE in the authors’ contributions section. This section should read as follows: TK analyzed and interpreted the patient data and was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. JR analyzed the patient data and contributed in writing the manuscript. EB analyzed and interpreted the patient data and was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Gender differences and treatment outcomes among methadone patients in the drug abuse treatment outcome study

This study examined gender differences among 727 individuals in 21 methadone treatment programs. At treatment entry, a greater proportion of men abused alcohol, lived with their parents, were under legal supervision, and were employed; a greater proportion of women received public assistance, were depressed, had a substance-abusing spouse, and engaged in high-risk sexual behavior. Cocaine use was associated with continued heroin use for both men and women, regardless of treatment participation. Using alcohol, living with one's parents, and having a negative reference group were associated with poorer treatment outcomes among women who received methadone treatment during the follow-up period; criminal justice pressure was associated with abstinence for men who were not in treatment.
Maximal Zone Diagrams and their Computation

The notion of the zone diagram of a finite set of points in the Euclidean plane is an interesting and rich variation of the classical Voronoi diagram, introduced by Asano, Matousek, Tokuyama. Here, we define the more inclusive notion of a maximal zone diagram. The proof of existence of maximal zone diagrams depends on less restrictive initial conditions and is thus conveniently established via Zorn's lemma in contrast to the use of fixed-point theory in proving the existence of a unique zone diagram. A zone diagram is a particular maximal zone diagram satisfying a unique dominance property. We give a characterization for maximal zone diagrams which allows recognition of maximality of certain subsets called subzone diagrams, as well as that of their iterative improvement toward maximality. Maximal zone diagrams offer their own interesting theoretical and computational challenges.
Surgical therapy for adult obstructive sleep apnea

Despite advances in positive pressure therapy for obstructive sleep apnea, compliance continues to be a problem for many patients. Sleep apnea surgery is a viable option for patients who are intolerant of positive pressure therapy. This review will present the current state of art in sleep apnea surgery, including airway evaluation with fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy and lateral cephalometric radiograph, formulation of a surgical plan through a selection of procedures to address specific sites of obstruction, as well as discussion of published surgical outcomes.
Miscarriages of psychoanalytic treatment with suicidal patients.

The author describes a particularly perilous frontier on the psychoanalytic landscape‐ namely, the treatment of suicidal patients with serious personality disorders. Using a clinical example of egr...
Cortico-hippocampal interaction during up-down states and memory consolidation.

Sleep may promote the transfer of memories from hippocampus to cortex. New work shows that experiences are replayed during sleep in both brain regions and that replay in these two areas occurs synchronously.
γ-Ray induced lung adenocarcinoma in the mouse

A theoretical calculation of gamma-ray induced adenocarcinoma of mouse lung at low dose rates is performed. It is assumed that double strand breaks are the major damage to DNA and whose repair is about 99%. From the data of Ullrich and Storer, comparisons between theory and experiment yield the immunological efficiency which is relatively constant over the dose range 0-200 rads is about 50% of that for humans.
Nonradiative Energy Losses and Radiation Trapping in Neodymium‐Doped Phosphate Laser Glasses

Fluorescence radiation trapping and nonradiative energy losses from the Nd 3+ 4 F 3/2 state are reported for two widely used commercial phosphate laser glasses (LHG-8 and LG-770). The effects of hydroxyl-group, transition-metal (Cu, Fe, V, Co, Ni, Cr, Mn, and Pt), and rare-earth (Dy, Pr, Sm, and Ce) impurities on the 4 F 3/2 nonradiative decay rate in these glasses are quantified. Nd concentration quenching effects are reported for doping levels ranging from about 0.5 x 10 20 to 8.0 x 10 20 ions/cm 3 . The results are analyzed using the Forster-Dexter theory for dipolar energy transfer. Quenching rates for transition-metal ions correlate with the magnitude of spectral overlap for Nd emission (donor) and the metal ion absorption (acceptor). The nonradiative decay rates due to hydroxyl groups follow Forster-Dexter theory except at low Nd-doping levels (≤2 x 10 20 ions/cm 3 ) where the quenching rate becomes independent of the Nd concentration. The data suggest a possible correlation of OH sites with Nd ions in this doping region. The effects of radiation trapping on the fluorescence decay are reported as a function of sample size, shape, and doping level. The results agree well with the theory except for samples with small doping-length products; in these cases, multiple internal reflections from the sample surfaces enhance the trapping effect.
A novel method for the study of fluorescent probes in biological material during exposure to microwave radiation.

Abstract Instrumentation has been developed which allows the monitoring of fluorescnece in erythrocyte ghost membranes before, during, and after exposure to microwave radiation. Using non-fluorescent, UV-transmitting transmitting fiber optic cables, excitation light of specific wavelengths was delivered to a stirred sample undergoing irradiation (2450 MHz, CW) within a fluid-filled, temperature-controlled waveguide. Fluorescence was collected using an identical cable and transferred through appropriate filters to standard detecting, amplification and recording devices. We have used the fluorescent probe, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS)_to monitor the effect of mirowave radiation on the binding of calcium to erthrocyte ghosts. Microwave radiation at specific absorption rates of 10 and 200 mW/g had no effect on the binding of ANS to the membranes. Dose-responses curves also showed no influence of microwaves on calcium binding between 2.0 and 10.0 · 10 −4 M. In addition, experiments studying fluorescence energy transfer between intrinsic tryptophan residues and membrane bound ANS showed that intermolecular distance between donor and acceptor are also unaffected by microwave radiation. We have thus shown that 2450 MHz microwve radition at the specific absorption rates studies rates used does not interfere with the binding of calcium to erythrocyte ghosts or alter intermolecular distances intrinsic molecules and bound ANS.
Reduction of serum carnitine concentrations during anticonvulsant therapy with phenobarbital, valproic acid, phenytoin, and carbamazepine in children.

We determined four carnitine constituents (total and free carnitine and short-and long-chain fatty acid carnitine esters) in serum from 471 patients treated for convulsions with phenobarbital, vaiproic acid, phenytoin, and/or carbamazepine. The 471 patients were in eight treatment groups; four were treated with monotherapy and four with polytherapy. The means of all four carnitine constituents were significantly reduced in all treatment groups (except for free carnitine in four groups). Total carnitine was reduced by 23% to 48%, free carnitine by 9% to 45%, short-chain fatty acid carnitine by 46% to 64%, and long-chain fatty acid carnitine by 6% to 29%. Patient frequency of reduction for total carnitine was 20% of all patients (10% for free carnitine), 23% of patients receiving valproate (9% for free carnitine), 36% of those receiving phenobarbital (21% for free carnitine), 12% of those receiving phenytoin (8% for free carnitine), and 8% of those receiving carbamazepine (1% for free carnitine). Only for phenobarbital was there an inverse correlation between the serum concentration of the drug and that of carnitine concentration. One patient receiving carbamazepine had a 59% reduction in the total and a 65% reduction in the free carnitine concentration and a fivefold increase in long-chain fatty acid carnitine, values similar to those seen in neonatal lethal carnitine palmitoyl transferase II deficiency. It remains to be determined whether a reduction in serum carnitine values in patients receiving anticonvulsant therapy is of clinical consequence, whether the reduction is present in some patients before the start of therapy, when and by what mechanism carnitine levels may become reduced during therapy, and whether the reduction exists in the solid tissues of these patients.
Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Culturally Sensitive Interventions to Improve African Americans' and Non-African Americans' Early, Shared, and Informed Consideration of Live Kidney Transplantation: The talking about Live Kidney Donation (TALK) study

Background Live kidney transplantation (LKT) is underutilized, particularly among ethnic/racial minorities. The effectiveness of culturally sensitive educational and behavioral interventions to encourage patients' early, shared (with family and health care providers) and informed consideration of LKT and ameliorate disparities in consideration of LKT is unknown.
Circularized synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides serve as promoterless RNA polymerase III templates for small RNA generation in human cells

Synthetic RNA formulations and viral vectors are the two main approaches for delivering small therapeutic RNA to human cells. Here we report findings supporting an alternative strategy in which an endogenous human RNA polymerase (RNAP) is harnessed to make RNA hairpin-containing small RNA from synthetic single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. We report that circularizing a DNA template strand encoding a pre-microRNA hairpin mimic can trigger its circumtranscription by human RNAP III in vitro and in human cells. Sequence and secondary structure preferences that appear to promote productive transcription are described. The circular topology of the template is required for productive transcription, at least in part, to stabilize the template against exonucleases. In contrast to bacteriophage and Escherichia coli RNAPs, human RNAPs do not carry out rolling circle transcription on circularized templates. While transfected DNA circles distribute between the nucleus and cytosol, their transcripts are found mainly in the cytosol. Circularized oligonucleotides are synthetic, free of the hazards of viral vectors and maintain small RNA information in a stable form that RNAP III can access in a cellular context with, in some cases, near promoter-like precision and biologically relevant efficiency.
THE MECHANISM OF COPOLYMER RETENTION IN INTERACTIVE POLYMER CHROMATOGRAPHY. I. CRITICAL POINT OF ADSORPTION FOR STATISTICAL COPOLYMERS

A comprehensive analysis of interactive polymer chromatography is presented. Isocratic liquid chromatography of polymers at the critical eluent composition (the transition point where size-exclusion and adsorption interactions completely compensate each other) is currently used to separate functional oligomers and block copolymers. We have extended the concept of this critical elution chromatography to the cases of statistical copolymers as well as porous stationary phases with heterogeneous surfaces (viz., surfaces with both inert and active groups). The theory provides the quantitative condition for statistical copolymer chains to have a single adsorption-desorption transition point. The random copolymers with narrow chemical composition distribution (CCD) always posses such a point. For non-random copolymers this condition includes the comparison between the mean length of chain segments connecting the attractive walls of the pore and the chemical correlation segment characterizing the randomness of th...
Endovascular stent placement for right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit stenosis in the Norwood with Sano modification.

Objective. Conduit obstruction is increasingly recognized as a complication of the Sano modified Norwood procedure. We report our experience with stent placement to ameliorate conduit stenoses and prevent premature surgical intervention. Design. Records for all patients having undergone a Sano modified Norwood between September 2003 and December 2006 were reviewed. All patients with Sano conduit obstruction requiring stent placement were included. Sites of obstruction, method of stenting, pre- and poststent oxygen saturations, reinterventions, age at next surgery, and complications were collected and reviewed. Results. Forty-one patients underwent a Sano modified Norwood procedure, and 9 patients had stents deployed for conduit stenoses. The patients presented a median of 52 days following Norwood palliation. Twelve stents were successfully placed in 9 patients. In 8 patients, saturations improved from a median of 67.5% to 81% after stent placement (P = .0005). Arterial saturations were unavailable in 1 patient requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. No patients required reintervention after stent placement. The median age at their next surgery was 144 days. Seven patients underwent a successful bidirectional Glenn, 1 patient underwent a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, and 1 expired. Complications included hypotension during stent deployment and 1 episode of transient complete heart block. Conclusions. Transcatheter treatment of Sano conduit obstruction can be performed safely and results in immediate improvement in oxygenation, thereby allowing substantial delay of the cavo-pulmonary shunt.
Formation of InP nanoparticles by laser ablation in an aqueous environment

Abstract Indium phosphide (InP) semiconductor nanoparticles were obtained by laser ablation of a crystalline wafer in water. The transmission electron microscopy micrographs of the nanoparticles show that their size is in the range of 100 nm. In the Raman spectrum of the nanoparticles, the characteristic peaks of InP have been observed in the vicinity of 300 and 340 cm −1 . The binding energies as measured from the X-ray photoemission spectra are consistent with values for InP crystal as well as indium oxides.
A 41-year-old woman with progressive leg weakness and numbness, dizziness, and myalgia

A patient reported bilateral leg weakness more pronounced on the right side and tingling of the right leg extending below the knee. She had intermittent numbness in the same distribution areas particularly when walking. Occasionally she also had paresthesias in the right arm but never in the left leg. She had no sphincteric disturbance apart from mild stress urinary incontinence. She also had mild, nonradiating right lower back pain. She had intermittent vertigo (“the room is spinning”) when either sitting or walking. She had no hearing loss or tinnitus. She described gait imbalance, particularly when her eyes were closed. The patient also had diffuse body ache that was intermittent, affecting any area of the body, and was not related with activity. About a year before presentation, she experienced episodes of blurred vision in the right eye, lasting no longer than a few minutes, coming and going particularly after lunch. She felt like she had matter covering her eye, both with contact lenses and with glasses. She denied pain, discharge, tearing, or flashes of light. This symptom disappeared and her vision was normal. There was no history of skin rash, urine discoloration, or muscle stiffness. She had two sisters with Leigh disease, confirmed at an outside institution, one of whom died at age 33 years; the other was 38 years old and alive, but had cognitive impairment and was wheelchair-bound. Both sisters had onset of symptoms at age 8 years. The patient had no children. The parents had no neurologic problems and were not consanguineous. The patient had a history of hypertension, hypothyroidism, hysterectomy for benign pathology, and three right foot surgeries. She had never smoked or used illicit drugs and rarely used alcohol. Her medications were potassium chloride 10 mEq daily, paroxetine 50 mg daily, solifenacin succinate 10 mg daily, …
Effect of biologic mediators on ciprofloxacin accumulation by gingival fibroblasts.

Background: Human gingival fibroblasts actively accumulate fluoroquinolone antimicrobials. Because fibroblasts are prevalent in gingiva, they may help sustain therapeutic fluoroquinolone levels at that site. The purpose of this study was to determine whether mediators associated with infection or injury can enhance ciprofloxacin accumulation by gingival fibroblasts. Methods: Quiescent fibroblast monolayers were treated for 1, 6, or 24 hours with several concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2, or insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1. Transport was assayed by measuring cell-associated fluoroquinolone fluorescence. Results: All mediators significantly enhanced ciprofloxacin transport in a dose dependent manner (P <0.05; ANOVA). Except for TNF, this enhancement was associated with a decrease in the Km of ciprofloxacin transport. Maximal enhancement was observed with 10 ng/ml PDGF or FGF and 30 ng/ml TNF, TGF, or IGF. Brief (1 hour) treatment with TNF or FGF upregulated ciprofloxacin accumulation by a maximum of 13% to 14%, whereas TGF, PDGF, and IGF enhanced this process by 19% to 24%. All of the mediators enhanced ciprofloxacin accumulation by a maximum of 19% to 24% after 6 hours and 30% to 38% after 24 hours. The accumulation of other fluoroquinolones (e.g., gatifloxacin) was also slightly enhanced. Conclusions: Gingival fibroblasts treated with cytokines or growth factors accumulate significantly more ciprofloxacin than untreated controls. This provides a mechanism by which ciprofloxacin could be preferentially distributed to gingival wound or inflammatory sites, yielding local therapeutic levels that are more sustained than in serum.