cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Choice of DMEM, formulated with or without pyruvate, plays an important role in assessing the in vitro cytotoxicity of oxidants and prooxidant nutraceuticals

There is much interest in the positive health effects of nutraceuticals, in particular, polyphenols, which have both antioxidant and prooxidant characteristics. Pyruvate, a scavenger of hydrogen peroxide, is a component in some, but not in all, commercial formulations of cell culture media, Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium in particular. This study showed that the cytotoxicities to human fibroblasts of hydrogen peroxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, and various prooxidant nutraceuticals were lessened in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium formulated with pyruvate, as compared to the same medium but formulated without pyruvate. Intracellular glutathione was unaffected in cells treated with hydrogen peroxide in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium formulated with pyruvate, as compared to medium formulated without pyruvate. In these studies, intracellular glutathione was analyzed in acid-soluble cell extracts by determining the oxidation of reduced glutathione by 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) to glutathione disulfide, with the formation of the yellow chromagen, 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid, measured spectrophotometrically at 412 nm and by the visualization of reduced glutathione in cells stained with the fluorescent dye, Cell Tracker™ Green 5-chloromethylfluorescein diacetate. A survey of various cell culture media, formulated with and without pyruvate, confirmed that the level of added hydrogen peroxide was greatly lessened in those media formulated with pyruvate. This study suggested that the pyruvate status of Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium be specified in the experimental design, especially in studies involving oxidative stress.
Lipoid nephrosis complicated by homologous serum jaundice.

Summary The clinical and pathologic findings on a 3-year-old girl, who developed fatal fulminant infectious hepatitis from the administration of plasma as treatment for a clinically “pure” lipoid nephrosis, are described. The plasma was administered four and one-half months before death, and the remission occurred two months before death. The only significant histologic renal alterations were scattered adhesions of the glomerular loops with focal thickening of the basement membrane.
Use of spectral/cepstral analyses for differentiating normal from hypofunctional voices in sustained vowel and continuous speech contexts.

Purpose In this study, the authors evaluated the diagnostic value of spectral/cepstral measures to differentiate dysphonic from nondysphonic voices using sustained vowels and continuous speech samp...
Protection against lethal Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus infection by cell-free supernatant obtained from immune spleen cells

Considerable effort has been directed at unraveling the mechanisms underlying protection and recovery in acute viral infections. Various factors, including antibody, interferon, lymphokines and certain lymphocyte and macrophage cell constituents, have been shown to play a role in host recovery. We have previously studied an adoptive transfer system in experimental VEE virus CNS infection in a mouse model, and shown that both T cells and B cells exert an influence in protecting the host from lethal CNS infection with this virus. Because of the complexity involved in the adoptive transfer of protection, we sought a simpler and more easily defined experimental approach to dissect the various factors responsible for protection in our model. We here report that immune cell-free supernatant, derived from mice immunized with vaccine against VEE virus, exerts as much protection as the whole cell transfer system against lethal VEE virus infection. Such cell-free supernatant allowed us to look more closely at individual host immune factors in their relationship to protection against infection. Studies herein reported demonstrate that the protection conferred by immune cell-free supernatants is not dependent on neutralizing antibody or interferon, but rather appears to be related to the presence of both interleukin-1 and -2 and the activation and potentiation of NK cell activity against VEE virus.
Poster 7: Memory for Temporal Sequences for the Early Detection of Cognitive Changes in Preclinical Huntington's Disease

Previous research implicates the prefrontal cortex in memory for temporal order. Since frontal-striatal circuits are disrupted early in Huntington's disease (HD), temporal order memory may be particularly sensitive to neuropathological changes in preclinical HD. Eighteen presymptomatic gene carriers, 18 age- and sex-matched normal controls, and 18 non-gene–carriers were administered a visuospatial temporal order memory task on a computerized radial eight-arm maze. Presymptomatic gene carriers were assigned to two groups consisting of presymptomatic gene carriers less than five years away from estimated age of onset (HD Close group, n = 10) and presymptomatic gene carriers more than five years away from estimated age of onset (HD Far group, n = 8). On the study phase, the participant was shown a random sequence of circles presented one at a time at the end of each of the eight arms. On the choice phase, the participant was presented with a circle at the end of two of the study phase arms and was asked to choose the circle that occurred earlier in the sequence. Parametric manipulations of the temporal metric were carried out by systematically changing the temporal separation lag between the two circles in the choice phase. As expected, all groups showed superior performance on distal temporal separation lags compared to proximal temporal separation lags. However, the HD Close group demonstrated impairments relative to the HD Far group, non-gene–carriers, and normal controls on more proximal temporal separation lags ( p
HIV/AIDS and Economic Development: Evidence from Thirty-Nine Sub-Saharan Countries

This paper (1) examines whether there is a bilateral relationship between HIV/AIDS and economic development; (2) estimates the impact of HIV/AIDS on economic development; and (3) identifies some of the factors affecting the spread of HIV/AIDS. Analyses are based on data from 39 sub-Saharan African countries for the period 1989-1998. HIV/AIDS negatively impacted economic development, with no evidence of a reciprocal relation. Expenditures on health and education as well as political freedom had positive impacts on development, but negative impacts on HIV/AIDS incidence. Expenditures on female education impacted development and HIV/AIDS incidence.
Lime incrustingHapalosiphon intricatus (Cyanophyceae) and phosphate availability in a Florida cave

Hapalosiphon intricatus (Cyanophyceae) with lightly calcified sheaths, is the dominant filamentous alga reported from a humid, dimly-lighted limestone cave in northcentral Florida (USA). Within the limestone substrate, hydroxyapatite is the form of the phosphate mineral providing nutrient to the algae.
Synthesis and electrochemical properties of a new class of boron-containing n-type conjugated polymers

Several electron-deficient polymers containing the 9,10-diboroanthracene unit have been synthesized and characterized. Electrochemical study shows that they have high electron affinities. Photoluminescence of rr-P3HT is quenched in the presence of one of the polymers in the solid state, demonstrating the potential utility of this class of polymer as powerful n-type materials in organic photovoltaic devices.
The Elephant in the Room: Failings of Current Clinical Endpoints in Kidney Transplantation

In this opinion piece, we address the limitations of the two most common clinical endpoints in kidney transplantation trials (acute rejection and renal function) and attempt to offer a reasonable framework by which to find true and reliable early endpoints that reflect long-term outcomes. Other potential endpoints tested in recent years, including the use of genomic and proteomic markers are still in development. Until other reliable endpoints are established, it is important to understand what can be inferred from ongoing studies that utilize these endpoints and what further information we need to derive ‘true’ surrogate endpoints. We consider evaluation of current markers using the ‘Prentice criteria’, which bases assessment of endpoints as true surrogates on four primary rules. Based on our assessment, progress in understanding the safety and efficacy of new therapies and interventions in kidney transplantation will remain limited with current makers. Prospectively, we advocate: (i) significant caution in extrapolating long-term outcomes from currently utilized clinical markers, (ii) use of traditional hard endpoints whenever feasible and (iii) dedication of efforts for more data collection on specific disease entities and greater diligence in determining the onset of deleterious processes.
Preventing Drug and Alcohol Abuse

We know that some societies and some cultures have less alcoholism and drug abuse than others. Their experience suggests that children do best when they grow up in a community that uses alcohol, tobacco, and drugs responsibly, with parents who have equally responsible attitudes about these chemicals and expectations that their children will follow suit, and with low peer pressure for abuse. If we can develop a common goal of responsible use of these chemicals within our polymorphous society, we may be able to reduce, and even prevent, some alcohol and drug abuse in America.
School library resource centers: a comparison of the US, UK, and France in 1980

(1982). School library resource centers: a comparison of the US, UK, and France in 1980. International Library Review: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 447-454.
Plasma-Enhanced Copolymerization of Amino Acid and Synthetic Monomers

In this paper we report the use of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) for the simultaneous deposition and copolymerization of an amino acid with other organic and inorganic monomers. We investigate the fundamental effects of plasma-enhanced copolymerization on different material chemistries in stable ultrathin coatings of mixed composition with an amino acid component. This study serves to determine the feasibility of a direct, facile method for integrating biocompatible/active materials into robust polymerized coatings with the ability to plasma copolymerize a biological molecule (l-tyrosine) with different synthetic materials in a dry, one-step process to form ultrathin coatings of mixed composition. This process may lead to a method of interfacing biologic systems with synthetic materials as a way to enhance the biomaterial–tissue interface and preserve biological activity within composite films.
Did Hayek have a monetary theory of business cycles

Joseph Schumpeter, a careful reader of Hayek, categorized Hayek’s theory of economic cycles as non-monetary. Almost every other source, including Hayek himself, categorized the theory as monetary. The issue turns on the concept of causality being used. The question of what causality concept to apply to complex phenomena has substantive implications for economic theory. A simple concept of causality, appropriate to the study of some physical phenomena, will mislead when applied to complex phenomena. We provide examples of errors in analysis that follow from the wrong choice of a causal paradigm.
Accommodation of α-Substituted Residues in the β-Peptide 12-Helix: Expanding the Range of Substitution Patterns Available to a Foldamer Scaffold

β-Amino acid oligomers composed exclusively of homochiral trans-2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (ACPC) residues and/or related pyrrolidine-based residues are known to favor a specific helical secondary structure that is defined by 12-membered ring CO(i)- -H−N(i+3) hydrogen bonds (“12-helix”). The 12-helix is structurally similar to the familiar α-helix and therefore represents a source of potential α-helix-mimics. The 12-helix will be most useful in this regard if this conformational scaffold can be employed to arrange specific sets of protein-like side chains in space. Here we examine whether the 12-helix tolerates insertion of acyclic β-amino acid residues bearing a substituent in the α-position (“β2-residues”). Seventeen homologous β-peptide heptamers have been prepared in which one to four β2-residues reside among ACPC and/or pyrrolidine residues. Circular dichroism comparisons suggest that β2-residues have a lower 12-helical propensity than do residues preorganized by a five-membered ring, as expe...
Influence of Dietary Protein Level and Amino Acid Composition on Chick Performance

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE National Research Council (1960) recommends that a chick starting diet contain a minimum of 20 percent crude protein. It is common practice in the broiler industry to feed diets containing 22 percent or more protein in order to obtain maximal chick growth and feed efficiency. Assuming that the improved performance is due to additional amounts of critical essential amino acids, it seems logical that crystalline amino acids might be a more efficient means of supplying the most limiting amino acids in the diet. The use of crystalline amino acids in this manner may result, not only in diets containing a lower protein content than is presently recommended, but also in a diet that is more favorably balanced in essential amino acids. In addition, ingredients having a high energy content could partially replace intact protein sources which are relatively low in energy. Studies concerning the partial replacement of dietary…
Hiding Information in Flash Memory

This paper introduces a novel information hiding technique for Flash memory. The method hides data within an analog characteristic of Flash, the program time of individual bits. Because the technique uses analog behaviors, normal Flash memory operations are not affected and hidden information is invisible in the data stored in the memory. Even if an attacker checks a Flash chip's analog characteristics, experimental results indicate that the hidden information is difficult to distinguish from inherent manufacturing variation or normal wear on the device. Moreover, the hidden data can survive erasure of the Flash memory data, and the technique can be used on current Flash chips without hardware changes.
Synthesis of soluble, thylakoid, and envelope membrane proteins by spinach chloroplasts purified from gradients

Abstract Intact spinach chloroplasts that had been purified on gradients of silica sol incorporated [ 35 S]methionine into soluble and membrane-bound products, using light as the sole energy source. The labeled chloroplasts were lysed osmotically and fractionated on a discontinuous gradient of sucrose into the soluble fraction and the thylakoid and envelope membranes. About 29% of the radioactivity in the chloroplast was recovered in the soluble fraction, 59% in the thylakoid membranes, and 0.1% in the envelope membranes. The products of protein synthesis in the different fractions, as well as in the whole chloroplast, were analyzed by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. There were two zones of radioactivity in the gels of the soluble fraction, the major zone coincident with the large subunit of ribulose diphosphate carboxylase at a molecular weight of about 50,000. The thylakoid membranes contained five labeled polypeptides, the most active having a molecular weight of about 31,000. The envelope membranes contained a major radioactive component of a molecular weight of about 50,000 and two other minor components.
Field method for the determination of insoluble or total hexavalent chromium in workplace air.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health method 7703 is a portable field procedure for the analysis of workplace air filter samples for hexavalent chromium (CrVI) content immediately after the samples are collected. The field method prescribes CrVI extraction from air filter samples with an ammonium sulfate/ammonium hydroxide extraction buffer using ultrasonic extraction (UE). Strong anion-exchange solid-phase extraction (SAE-SPE) is then used to separate CrVI from trivalent chromium and other interferences. Portable spectrophotometric measurement of CrVI is then conducted using the 1,5-diphenylcarbazide (DPC) method. However, it has been found that the ammonium extraction buffer does not adequately bring insoluble CrVI compounds into solution during the UE process. Thus, it was deemed necessary to modify the field method so that it would provide acceptable recoveries for insoluble CrVI compounds. To this end, a more alkaline extraction solution—sodium carbonate/sodium bicarbonate buffer—was ...
The inherited errors of the thyroid system

Summary Some of the inborn errors of the thyroid system are reconsidered after reflection on old studies and in the light of some new information. The peroxidase defect is seen as at least four distinct entities with deficient iodination of tyrosyl residues of thyroglobulin as the final common expression. Three of these may be allelic for thyroid peroxidase, but the fourth, the Pendred syndrome, is almost surely not. Present information does not seem to allow for three separate errors which in the past have been designated as ‘coupling defect’, ‘thyroglobulin synthesis defect’, and the syndrome of ‘abnormal plasma iodoprotein’. Patients with the syndrome of thyroid hormone unresponsiveness differ in different kindreds. The disorders may or may not be allelic. Recent findings on the molecular mechanism of thyroid hormone action promise an early understanding of the nature of this disorder, perhaps as an error in the protein of nuclear chromatin which binds the hormone. Other inborn errors of the thyroid are briefly mentioned.
The coordination chemistry of phosphonites

Abstract Transition metal complexes of phosphonites are of interest as catalysts because transition metal complexes of the closely related phosphines (PR 3 ), phosphinites (PR 2 XR), and phosphites (P(XR) 3 ) have excellent catalytic properties for a variety of organic transformations. However, there has been surprisingly little research on the coordination chemistry of phosphonites. To help in remedying this deficiency, we have begun a study of the coordination chemistry of phosphonite ligands. In this project, seven new phosphonite ligands of the type RP(OR′O) (R = phenyl, 2-thienyl; ORO = 1,1′-bi-2-naphthoxy, 4- tert -butylphenoxy, and catechoxy) and their cis -Mo(CO) 4 complexes have been synthesized. The complexes have been characterized by 31 P, 13 C, and 1 H NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystal structures of four of the complexes have also been determined.
Developmental expression of vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylase activity in zebrafish embryos: effect of warfarin.

Abstract ABSTRACT Vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylation is an essential posttranslational modification required for the functional activity of coagulation proteins such as factors VII, IX, X, and prothrombin. Warfarin, an inhibitor of vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylation, was used in earlier work on adult zebrafish to provide evidence for the presence of vitamin K-dependent carboxylase in zebrafish. Here we demonstrate the presence of vitamin K-dependent carboxylase activity in zebrafish by directly assaying the microsomal fraction prepared from adult, unfertilized eggs, and embryos from different developmental stages. Gamma-carboxylase activity was detected both before and after fertilization of embryos and the activity levels remained relatively constant from 6 h postfertilization (hpf) through other advanced stages of development. The expression of activity in the early embryos (0–6 hpf) may be due to the presence of maternal protein since the activity was detected even in the unfertilized eggs. Gamma-carboxylase activity in the eggs as well as early embryos suggested that vitamin K-dependent carboxylase is important throughout development. The detection of vitamin K-dependent carboxylase mRNA by RT-PCR and inhibitor studies using warfarin confirmed these activity results. Further, these studies provide a basis for selecting warfarin-resistant zebrafish mutants in order to find genes regulating gamma-carboxylase activity including the yet unidentified vitamin K–epoxide reductase.
Reduction in pH and Fermentation Time of Meat Mixtures Containing Dry Acid Whey

The effect of various concentrations of dry acid whey on the pH of ground beef and pork and on fermentation activity of 11 commercial starter cultures added to a beef summer sausage formulation was determined. For every 1% (w/w) addition of dry acid (pH 4.0) whey, a reduction in meat pH of 0.11–0.13 resulted, independent of meat species, initial pH or fat content. Use of 3.5% (w/w) dry acid whey in conjunction with 1% dextrose resulted in a l–2 hr reduction in the time required for the summer sausage mixture to reach pH 5.0 compared to a mixture without whey. Dry acid whey as a direct acidulant in fermented sausages could result in a savings of time and energy in manufacturing.
Fractures of posterior teeth in adults

Examined were 191 patients with 206 fractures of posterior teeth. The number of fractures occurring in each arch was almost equal. The mandibular first molar was most frequently fractured. Fewer fractures occurred in teeth with more conservative restorations.
Charged versus neutral interfaces in III–V/Ge quantum wells

Abstract We discriminate between the charged and neutral character of Ge/III–V semiconductor interfaces by examining the band discontinuities across each interface in AlAs-Ge-GaAs(001) and GaAs-Ge-AlAs(001) single quantum well structures as a function of Ge thickness in the 2–16 monolayer range and comparing them with those of individual, isolated Ge-GaAs(001), Ge-AlAs(001), GaAs-Ge(001) and AlAs-Ge(001) heterojunctions. All structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy at 360°C and examined in situ by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. While ideally abrupt polar heterovalent interfaces are predicted to be charged, we find that all of the observed deviations from the commutativity and transitivity rules of heterojunction band offsets are consistent with the establishment of inequivalent, neutral IV/III–V and III–V/IV interfaces.
Temporal variability in egg production rates of Acartia tonsa Dana in Long Island Sound

Abstract The relationship between week-by-week variations in the in situ egg production rates of Acartia tonsa Dana and changes in chlorophyll concentration in several size fractions was investigated by incubating adult females in natural sea water for 24-h periods. Our results indicate that the egg production of A. tonsa in Long Island Sound was better related to the 10 μm chlorophyll size fraction than to the total chlorophyll concentration. The −1 · day −1 ) in early August when less than 0.5 μg chlorophyll 1 −1 was observed in the 10 μm chlorophyll a size fraction. Following destratification in late August, the “fall” diatom bloom occurred and egg production rates increased to the maximum observed rate of 56.6 eggs · female −1 · day −1 . At this time, the concentration of the 10μm chlorophyll size fraction was 5.5 μg 1 −1 . Maximum egg production rates were observed at chlorophyll concentrations as low as 0.8 μg 1 −1 in the 10 μm size fraction.
Effects of Iron and Nitrogen Limitation on Sulfur Isotope Fractionation during Microbial Sulfate Reduction

Sulfate-reducing microbes utilize sulfate as an electron acceptor and produce sulfide that is depleted in heavy isotopes of sulfur relative to sulfate. Thus, the distribution of sulfur isotopes in sediments can trace microbial sulfate reduction (MSR), and it also has the potential to reflect the physiology of sulfate-reducing microbes. This study investigates the relationship between the availability of iron and reduced nitrogen and the magnitude of S-isotope fractionation during MSR by a marine sulfate-reducing bacterium, DMSS-1, a Desulfovibrio species, isolated from salt marsh in Cape Cod, MA. Submicromolar levels of iron increase sulfur isotope fractionation by about 50% relative to iron-replete cultures of DMSS-1. Iron-limited cultures also exhibit decreased cytochrome c-to-total protein ratios and cell-specific sulfate reduction rates (csSRR), implying changes in the electron transport chain that couples carbon and sulfur metabolisms. When DMSS-1 fixes nitrogen in ammonium-deficient medium, it also produces larger fractionation, but it occurs at faster csSRRs than in the ammonium-replete control cultures. The energy and reducing power required for nitrogen fixation may be responsible for the reverse trend between S-isotope fractionation and csSRR in this case. Iron deficiency and nitrogen fixation by sulfate-reducing microbes may lead to the large observed S-isotope effects in some euxinic basins and various anoxic sediments.
Photonic crystals: Photons and electrons confined

Researchers have demonstrated the first photonic-crystal system with light emitters that experience three-dimensional photonic and electronic confinement.
Carbon isotopes support the presence of extensive land floras pre-dating the origin of vascular plants.

Abstract Multiple lines of evidence indicate that Earth's land masses became green some 2.7 Ga ago, about 1 billion years after the advent of life. About 2.2 billion years later, land plants abruptly appear in the fossil record and diversify marking the onset of ecologically complex terrestrial communities that persist to the present day. Given this long history of land colonization, surprisingly few studies report direct fossil evidence of emergent vegetation prior to the continuous record of life on land that starts in the mid-Silurian (ca. 420–425 Ma ago). Here we compare stable carbon isotope signatures of fossils from seven Ordovician–Silurian (450–420 Ma old) Appalachian biotas with signatures of coeval marine organic matter and with stable carbon isotope values predicted for Ordovician and Silurian liverworts (BRYOCARB model). The comparisons support a terrestrial origin for fossils in six of the biotas analyzed, and indicate that some of the fossils represent bryophyte-grade plants. Our results demonstrate that extensive land floras pre-dated the advent of vascular plants by at least 25 Ma. The Appalachian fossils represent the oldest direct evidence of widespread colonization of continents. These findings provide a new search image for macrofossil assemblages that contain the earliest stages of land plant evolution. We anticipate they will fuel renewed efforts to search for direct fossil evidence to track the origin of land plants and eukaryotic life on continents further back in geologic time.
Direct Effect of Testosterone and Its 5α-Reduced Metabolites on Pituitary LH and FSH Release in Vitro: Change in Pituitary Responsiveness to Hypothalamic Extract

A continuous flow incubation (perifusion) system was used to' examine the effect of testosterone (T) and three of its 5α-reduced metabolites, dihydrotestosterone(DHT), 5α-androstane- 3α,17β-diol (3α-Adiol) and its 3β-epimer (3β-Adiol) on LH and FSH release, induced by hypothalamic extract (HE). In the absence of steroids, successive identical pulses of HE, of 10 min duration each, administered at hourly intervals over a 8-hr period, caused highly reproducible release of LH and FSH. In experimental perifusions, the amounts of LH and FSH released in response to standard 10-min pulses of HE administered at hourly intervals during the continuous infusion of steroid for 4-6 hr were compared with the responses of the same pituitaries to the standard test pulses of HE givenbefore the start of the steroid infusion and after its cessation. All the androgens tested altered pituitary responsiveness. At the 0.1 and 1.0 µxg⁄ml dose level there were differences between the steroids in the way they influenced the respon...
AMPed up immunity: how antimicrobial peptides have multiple roles in immune defense

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are widely expressed and rapidly induced at epithelial surfaces to repel assault from diverse infectious agents including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Much information suggests that AMPs act by mechanisms that extend beyond their capacity to serve as gene-encoded antibiotics. For example, some AMPs alter the properties of the mammalian membrane or interact with its receptors to influence diverse cellular processes including cytokine release, chemotaxis, antigen presentation, angiogenesis and wound healing. These functions complement their antimicrobial action and favor resolution of infection and repair of damaged epithelia. Opposing this, some microbes have evolved mechanisms to inactivate or avoid AMPs and subsequently become pathogens. Thus, AMPs are multifunctional molecules that have a central role in infection and inflammation.
Breastfeeding Mothers’ Experiences Using a Supplemental Feeding Tube Device: Finding an Alternative:

Strategies promoting initiation and successful continuation of breastfeeding are important in facilitating the breastfeeding experience. However, unique difficulties with breastfeeding may occur that necessitate specific interventions, to prevent early weaning and promote satisfaction with the breastfeeding experience. Special devices have been recommended and used to help women overcome various breastfeeding problems. A supplemental feeding tube device (SFTD) is a device that permits supplemental nourishment for infants while still preserving the breastfeeding goals of the mother. The purpose of this naturalistic study was to describe the experiences of breastfeeding mothers who used SFTDs to establish, reestablish, or supplement infant feeding at the breast. From the findings, 3 groups of themes emerged: seeking a solution, managing the challenges, and forming opinions. The underlying theme identified by all of the participants in the study was "finding an alternative." Women found the SFTD to be an acceptable alternative that facilitated their breastfeeding experience.
Barbiturate tolerance and dependence: Effects on synaptosomal sodium transport and membrane fluidity

DBA mice were fed lab chow containing phenobarbital for seven or eight days. Upon withdrawal of the phenobarbital diet, dependence was evidenced by appearance of hypothermia, handling-induced convulsions and lethal seizures. Functional tolerance was determined by injecting phenobarbital into mice treated with the phenobarbital diet or a pair-fed control diet and measuring the brain concentration of phenobarbital at the time of loss of righting reflex and the time of regaining righting reflex. Both measures demonstrated that chronic consumption of phenobarbital resulted in functional tolerance. When the diet was withdrawn for two days, tolerance was no longer present, indicating a rapid reversal of the adaptive changes. The veratridine-stimulated uptake of 24Na by isolated brain synaptosomes was used as a measure of membrane function. Sodium uptake was inhibited in vitro by pentobarbital and ethanol, and the inhibitory effects of these drugs were attenuated by chronic in vivo phenobarbital treatment. The fluidity of brain synaptic plasma membranes was estimated by the fluorescence polarization of the fluorescent probe molecules 1-(4-trimethylammonium phenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene. Synaptic membranes from mice treated chronically with phenobarbital did not differ from those of control mice with regard to either the baseline fluorescence polarization of the probes or the decrease in fluorescence polarization produced by in vitro exposure to phenobarbital or ethanol. Taken together, these results indicate that although chronic phenobarbital ingestion resulted in tolerance and dependence (studied in vivo), and adaptation of sodium channels (studied in vitro), there was no evidence that these changes were due to alterations in the membrane physical properties.
Nitroxide decomposition: Implications toward nitroxide design for applications in living free-radical polymerization

Nitroxides bearing an α-hydrogen decompose upon heating in a bimolecular reaction. A new mechanism is proposed for the decomposition of t-butylisopropylphenyl nitroxide (TIPNO) involving the formation of a head-to-tail dimer, single electron transfer to form an oxammonium salt, epimerization to the corresponding nitrone, and elimination to form a conjugated oxime. This mechanism may provide insights into designing new nitroxides for use in controlled polymerization. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 697–717, 2006
MCL-1, a member of the BCL-2 family, is induced rapidly in response to signals for cell differentiation or death, but not to signals for cell proliferation

mcl-1 was identified as an "early-induction" gene that increases in expression during the differentiation of ML-1 human myeloblastic leukemia cells. The mcl-1 gene product proved to be a member of the bcl-2 gene family and, like bcl-2, to have the capacity to promote cell viability. The pattern of expression of mcl-1 has now been characterized, the aim being to determine whether increased expression is consistently associated with differentiation-induction and whether expression is also associated with other changes in proliferative state or cell viability. Expression of the mcl-1 mRNA was found to increase rapidly in ML-1 cells exposed to inducers of monocyte/macrophage differentiation (phorbol esters or lymphocyte conditioned medium), but not cells exposed to an inducer of granulocyte differentiation (retinoic acid). Expression also increased rapidly in response to certain cytotoxic agents (colchicine and vinblastine), but did not increase during serum stimulation or growth-arrest in reduced serum. Increased expression of mcl-1 occurred during the initiation of cell differentiation or death and was not inhibited by cycloheximide, in agreement with the designation of mcl-1 as an early-induction gene. Increased transcription contributed to the increase in expression, and turnover of the mcl-1 mRNA was rapid. These findings suggest that mcl-1 may serve as a modulator of cell viability that can undergo rapid upregulation as well as downregulation, with upregulation harbingering the initiation of cell differentiation or death.
A comparison of theoretical and experimental results in flame spread over thin condensed fuels in a quiescent, microgravity environment

Flame spread over thin cellulosic fuel in a quiescent, microgravity environment of a 50/50 volumetric mixture of oxygen (oxygen mass fraction 0.53) and nitrogen at 152 kPa (1.5 atm) has been analyzed theoretically, and the results are compared to a recently conducted experiment in the microgravity environment on board a Space Shuttle flight. Experimental results suggest that the fuel preheat zone upstream of the gas-phase flame is followed by a constant temperature pyrolysis zone, which is followed by a large zone of surface reaction. Because the theory does not treat surface reaction, results of the theory apply only to regions close to the flame leading edge. Although CO2 and H2O radiation is included in the theory, the absorption and emission of radiation by the fuel surface is modeled only approximately. The theory compares well with experiment near the flame leading edge. The flame spread rate, peak surface temperature, and gas-phase temperature at two different locations are predicted within 5%. The success of the theory leads to the conclusion that the flame structure near the flame leading edge determines the flame spread rate and that gas-phase radiation plays a significant role in quiescent, microgravity flame spread.
Screening for domestic violence during pregnancy

Domestic violence is an international social issue and significant cause of trauma. Pregnant women are at risk for intentional trauma and pose unique challenges for care. Patients are often not truthful about the mechanism of injury and are reluctant to seek care. Prenatal and postpartum care can be adversely affected if the woman continues in the abusive relationship. A careful approach to screening all pregnant trauma patients is presented to help clinicians with assessment for intentional trauma.
Study of wire rope systems for seismic protection of equipment in buildings

Abstract Wire rope isolators have found numerous applications in the shock and vibration isolation of military hardware and industrial machinery. In this study, the usefulness of these devices for the seismic protection of equipment in buildings is investigated. Installation methods of entirely supporting equipment on wire rope isolators and of combining them with locked casters are studied experimentally and analytically. It is found that the use of wire rope isolators in stiff configurations may substantially improve the seismic response of equipment in comparison to other installation methods. Mathematical models for describing the hysteretic behaviour of wire rope isolators are developed and experimentally calibrated and verified. Analytical predictions of seismic response are shown to agree well with experimental results.
LEEM/STM STUDIES OF NONREACTIVE AND REACTIVE GROWTH ON SILICON SURFACES

The nucleation and growth behavior of two very different systems are studied by low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The first is a nonreactive system of Pb growth on the Si(100) surface at room temperature and the second is a reactive system in which nitride layers are formed on Si(111) during reaction with NH3 at high temperatures. In both cases, the mobilities of the diffusing species have a strong influence on the resulting growth morphologies.
Taking advice from intelligent systems: the double-edged sword of explanations

Research on intelligent systems has emphasized the benefits of providing explanations along with recommendations. But can explanations lead users to make incorrect decisions? We explored this question in a controlled experimental study with 18 professional network security analysts doing an incident classification task using a prototype cybersecurity system. The system provided three recommendations on each trial. The recommendations were displayed with explanations (called "justifications") or without. On half the trials, one of the recommendations was correct; in the other half none of the recommendations was correct. Users were more accurate with correct recommendations. Although there was no benefit overall of explanation, we found that a segment of the analysts were more accurate with explanations when a correct choice was available but were less accurate with explanations in the absence of a correct choice. We discuss implications of these results for the design of intelligent systems.
Modeling Associations Among Multivariate Longitudinal Categorical Variables in Survey Data: A Semiparametric Bayesian Approach

This paper proposes a semiparametric Bayesian framework for the analysis of associations among multivariate longitudinal categorical variables in high-dimensional data settings. This type of data is frequent, especially in the social and behavioral sciences. A semiparametric hierarchical factor analysis model is developed in which the distributions of the factors are modeled nonparametrically through a dynamic hierarchical Dirichlet process prior. A Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is developed for fitting the model, and the methodology is exemplified through a study of the dynamics of public attitudes toward science and technology in the United States over the period 1992–2001.
Properties of soluble α-chymotrypsin in neat glycerol and water

UV scanning of α-chymotrypsin dissolved in neat glycerol and water showed no significant differences in its spectra at pH 7.8. Fluorescence scanning revealed a strong dependence on pH values (between 5.9 to 10.5) of the maximum wavelength emission in water and no pH-dependence in 99% glycerol supplemented with 1% of appropriate buffers. The profile of α-chymotrypsin activity dissolved in water-glycerol mixtures with phenyl acetate as substrate displayed two maximum: highest peak was found at 100% water, and the second one was observed in 99% glycerol concentration with about 40% of the relative activity. Optimum pH of the soluble α-chymotrypsin in glycerol showed a displacement of 1 pH/U towards the alkaline side compared to water at pH 8.0. Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis using kinetic measurements of the thermal stability of α-chymotrypsin showed a higher inactivation rate in neat glycerol as compared to water in 30 to 45°C range, however, when temperature increases enzyme stability in glycerol is better than water. Thermostability of trypsin and α-chymotrypsin dissolved in glycerol at 100°C showed a half reaction time of approximately 7 and 20 h, respectively, and less than 1 minute in aqueous buffer for both enzymes.
Optimizing Selection of Credit Portfolios

Our ability today to construct a great number of portfolios that all satisfy the same set of static collateralized debt obligation (CDO) investment guideline, can potentially introduce credit hot spots that will not be detected by traditional rating agency measures. As more and more CDO market participants recognize these risks, they are turning to market-based measures such as bond and loan prices and debt-equity models to parse credit aberrations in credit portfolios and detect selection biases. Various market-based information and models will be helpful in CDO and cash-based portfolio selection. New asset selection tools for structured credit products allow investors to benchmark the performance of seasoned CDO tranches.
Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin on endothelial cell apoptosis

Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin on endothelial cell apoptosis. Background Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) induces endothelial cell growth and angiogenesis in vitro The mechanisms are unknown. Because an increase in endothelial cell survival could play a role in this process, we examined the effect of rHuEPO on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced apoptosis in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAECs). Methods Four groups of cells were studied. The first group was preincubated in serum-free medium followed by treatment with LPS. The second group was preincubated with rHuEPO followed by LPS. The third group was treated with only rHuEPO. Control cells were cultured in the absence of rHuEPO and LPS. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometric DNA analysis, propidium iodide staining, cellular DNA fragmentation by ELISA, and gel electrophoresis. Results LPS-treated cells showed an increase in hypodiploid DNA (36.4 ± 6.1%) compared with controls (9.8 ± 3.3%, P P P P Conclusions These results suggest that rHuEPO prevents LPS-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells. This protective effect could be an important factor in the action of rHuEPO on vascular endothelium.
The urban technology systems experiment: A case study in the utilization of scientific and technical information in urban policy-making

Abstract City governments are often reluctant to utilize relevant scientific and technical information. The article discusses one effort to improve communications and knowledge in this area, the Urban Technology System (UTS) experiment, sponsored by Public Technology, Incorporated. The article is divided into three sections: the background and overview of the experiment, a description of the program's activities in its first 3 yr, and a subjective evaluation of the contribution of UTS. The main conclusions are that the program has had its successes, but that systematic evaluation is necessary.
Sex-, Diet-, and Cancer-Dependent Epistatic Effects on Complex Traits in Mice

The genetic basis of quantitative traits such as body weight and obesity is complex, with several hundred quantitative trait loci (QTLs) known to affect these and related traits in humans and mice. It also has become increasingly evident that the direct effects of these QTLs vary considerably depending on factors such as the sex of the individuals and their dietary environment, and we were interested to know whether this context-dependency also applies to indirect epistatic effects of QTLs as well. We therefore conducted a genome scan to search for epistatic effects on 13 different weight and adiposity traits in an F2 population of mice (created from an original intercross of the FVB strain with M16i, a polygenic obesity model) that were fed either a control or a high-fat diet and half of which harbored a transgene (PyMT) that caused the development of metastatic mammary cancer. We used a conventional interval mapping approach with SNPs to scan all 19 autosomes, and found extensive epistasis affecting all of these traits. More importantly, we also discovered that the majority of these epistatic effects exhibited significant interactions with sex, diet, and/or presence of PyMT. Analysis of these interactions showed that many of them appeared to involve QTLs previously identified as affecting these traits, but whose direct effects were variously modified by indirect epistatic effects of other QTLs depending on the sex, diet, or PyMT environment. It was concluded that this context dependency of epistatic effects is an important component of the genetic architecture of complex traits such as those contributing to weight and obesity.
When big is beautiful

A year before it has fully completed its first 10-metre telescope, billed as the largest in the world, the W. M. Keck Foundation has decided to fund a second, identical telescope only 80 metres away. But this is no sign of mere profligacy. Rather the idea is to take advantage of modem optics to use the two together as an infrared and optical interferometer to give astronomical images of unprecedented quality.
Differential Influences on Latino Electoral Participation

Relying on the Voter Supplement File of the November 2000 Current Population Survey (CPS), this study assesses sociodemographic influences on the registration status and turnout of Latino citizens in the United States. Latinos' deficits on socioeconomic status and social-connectedness largely account for their lower levels of participation. This study also provides a thorough assessment of whether and of how the influences on electoral participation differ between Anglos and Latinos. Noteworthy findings emerge. Whereas formal education and marriage demonstrate greater influence on the participation of Anglos, Latinos reap greater participatory benefits from age.
File Marshal: Automatic extraction of peer-to-peer data

Digital forensic investigators often find peer-to-peer, or file sharing, software present on the computers, or the images of the disks, that they examine. Investigators must first determine what P2P software is present and where the associated information is stored, retrieve the information from the appropriate directories, and then analyze the results. File Marshal is a tool that will automatically detect and analyze peer-to-peer client use on a disk. The tool automates what is currently a manual and labor intensive process. It will determine what clients currently are or have been installed on a machine, and then extracts per-user usage information, specifically a list of peer servers contacted, and files that were shared and downloaded. The tool was designed to perform its actions in a forensically sound way, including maintaining a detailed audit trail of all actions performed. File Marshal is extensible, using a configuration file to specify details about specific peer-to-peer clients (e.g., location of log files and registry keys indicating installation). This paper describes the general design and features of File Marshal, its current status, and the plans for continued development and release. When complete, File Marshal, a National Institute of Justice funded effort, will be disseminated to law enforcement at no cost.
FDTD Modeling of Finite Electromagnetic Source over Periodic Structure via a Spectral Expansion Approach

A novel three-dimensional (3D) time-domain method is proposed to model the interaction between finite size electromagnetic source over infinite periodic structure. The method is based on a periodic FDTD method in conjuncture with the spectral expansion of the finite electromagnetic source. Using this method, only a single periodic cell needs to be modeled in FDTD simulations. Several periodic structures are simulated by this proposed method. It is shown that this method can significantly reduce the required computer memory and CPU time.