cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus of the rat: cytoarchitecture, cytochemistry, and some extrapyramidal connections of the mesopontine tegmentum.

The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTn) was originally defined on cytoarchitectonic grounds in humans. We have employed cytoarchitectonic, cytochemical, and connectional criteria to define a homologous cell group in the rat. A detailed cytoarchitectonic delineation of the mesopontine tegmentum, including the PPTn, was performed employing tissue stained for Nissl substance. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunostained tissue was then analyzed in order to investigate the relationship of cholinergic perikarya, dendritic arborizations, and axonal trajectories within this cytoarchitectonic scheme. To confirm some of our cytoarchitectonic delineations, the relationships between neuronal elements staining for ChAT and tyrosine hydroxylase were investigated on tissue stained immunohistochemically for the simultaneous demonstration of these two enzymes. The PPTn consists of large, multipolar neurons, all of which stain immunohistochemically for ChAT. It is present within cross-sections that also include the A-6 through A-9 catecholamine cell groups and is traversed by catecholaminergic axons within the dorsal tegmental bundle and central tegmental tract. The dendrites of PPTn neurons respect several nuclear boundaries and are oriented perpendicularly to several well-defined fiber tracts. Cholinergic axons ascend from the mesopontine tegmentum through the dorsal tegmental bundle and a more lateral dorsal ascending pathway. A portion of the latter terminates within the lateral geniculate nucleus. It has been widely believed that the PPTn is reciprocally connected with several extrapyramidal structures, including the globus pallidus and substantia nigra pars reticulata. Therefore, the relationships of pallidotegmental and nigrotegmental pathways to the PPTn were investigated employing the anterograde autoradiographic methodology. The reciprocity of tegmental connections with the substantia nigra and entopeduncular nucleus was investigated employing combined WGA-HRP injections and ChAT immunohistochemistry. The pallido- and nigrotegmental terminal fields did not coincide with the PPTn, but, rather, were located just medial and dorsomedial to it (the midbrain extrapyramidal area). The midbrain extrapyramidal area, but not the PPTn, was reciprocally connected with the substantia nigra and entope-duncular nucleus. We discuss these results in light of other cytoarchitec-tonic, cytochemical, connectional, and physiologic studies of the functional anatomy of the mesopontine tegmentum.
Calibration of fiber optic based surface plasmon resonance sensors in aqueous systems

Abstract This manuscript addresses two issues with calibration of surface plasmon resonance sensors which can track refractive index changes to measure correlated bulk properties. First, employing non-air references do not return the traditional parabolic dip in the SPR spectra; instead the returned SPR spectra are more ‘derivative’ in shape. Investigated are five different ways to calibrate SPR spectra when non-air references are employed. The minimum hunt method (MHM) calculates the position of this minimum by fitting a parabola to the curve. MHM is shown to consistently achieve prediction errors of 3×10 −4 RI units (RIU) using an air reference and a RI calibration set of aqueous sucrose samples measured with an Abbe refractometer accurate to 1×10 −4 RIU. Use of principal component regression (PCR) with air or water references generates prediction errors at best the same as MHM but worse as the concentration range of samples increases. Second, a method for calibrating SPR spectra across a wide temperature range is presented. It is shown that this method is capable of successfully mitigating the effect of temperature drifts up to 20 °C. MHM was subsequently used to predict the concentration of 0.00–6.99 wt.% KCl (aq) samples between 6 and 29 °C, a range found in surface ocean waters. Prediction error as small as 0.073 wt.% correlates to 2×10 −4 RIU shows MHM holds over a wide dynamic range.
Dextran-sulfate cellulose adsorption for lowering Lp[a]☆

Abstract Dextran sulfate selectively adsorbs lipoproteins that contain apolipoprotein-B100, including those associated with apolipoprotein-a, from human plasma with high affinity. Dextran sulfate immobilized on cellulose is incorporated into the Liposorber® LA-15 system (Kaneka Corporation, Osaka, Japan). This system was evaluated in a nine-center controlled study of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) who had not responded adequately to diet and drug therapy. There were 54 patients with heterozygous FH: 45 randomized to treatment, 9 controls) and 10 patients with homozygous FH, all of whom received LDL apheresis. Removal of both LDL and Lp[a] was specific and highly efficient, > 90% of theory. Plasma LDL and Lp[a] concentrations were effectively lowered by repetitive LDL apheresis during the study and returned to baseline levels 3 to 4 weeks after the last apheresis treatment. The kinetics of the LDL rebound fit a simple one-pool kinetic model with a constant synthetic rate and constant fractional catabolic rate. The kinetics of the Lp[a] rebound are more complex and may require a model that includes a large extravascular Lp[a] pool in slow equilibrium with the plasma pool.
The competitive inhibition of hyaluronidase.

Alburn and Whitley (1) have presented kinetic data which indicate that the inhibition of hyaluronidase by heparin is competitive. The application of kinetic methods to the hyaluronidase system is difficult since the enzyme catalyzes both the transglycosidation of the reaction products as well as the initial hydrolysis of the ,&hexoseamidic bond of the substrate. Under conditions in which the action of hyaluronidase upon hyaluronate was zero-order, so that the interaction between enzyme and reaction products was greatly reduced, and hence transglycosidation (2) was minimized, the nature of the inhibitory action of some common mucopolysaccharides was investigated.
Circadian clocks in the ovary

Clock gene expression has been observed in tissues of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. Whereas the contribution of hypothalamic oscillators to the timing of reproductive biology is well known, the role of peripheral oscillators like those in the ovary is less clear. Circadian clocks in the ovary might play a role in the timing of ovulation. Disruption of the clock in ovarian cells or desynchrony between ovarian clocks and circadian oscillators elsewhere in the body may contribute to the onset and progression of various reproductive pathologies. In this paper, we review evidence for clock function in the ovary across a number of species and offer a novel perspective into the role of this clock in normal ovarian physiology and in diseases that negatively affect fertility.
Classifying simple closed curve pairs in the 2-sphere and a generalization of the Schoenflies theorem

Abstract A classification theory is developed for pairs of simple closed curves ( A , B ) in the sphere S 2 , assuming that A ∩ B has finitely many components. Such a pair of simple closed curves is called an SCC-pair, and two SCC-pairs ( A , B ) and ( A ′ , B ′ ) are equivalent if there is a homeomorphism from S 2 to itself sending A to A ′ and B to B ′ . The simple cases where A and B coincide or A and B are disjoint are easily handled. The component code is defined to provide a classification of all of the other possibilities. The component code is not uniquely determined for a given SCC-pair, but it is straightforward that it is an invariant; i.e., that if ( A , B ) and ( A ′ , B ′ ) are equivalent and C is a component code for ( A , B ) , then C is a component code for ( A ′ , B ′ ) as well. It is proved that the component code is a classifying invariant in the sense that if two SCC-pairs have a component code in common, then the SCC-pairs are equivalent. Furthermore code transformations on component codes are defined so that if one component code is known for a particular SCC-pair, then all other component codes for the SCC-pair can be determined via code transformations. This provides a notion of equivalence for component codes; specifically, two component codes are equivalent if there is a code transformation mapping one to the other. The main result of the paper asserts that if C and C ′ are component codes for SCC-pairs ( A , B ) and ( A ′ , B ′ ) , respectively, then ( A , B ) and ( A ′ , B ′ ) are equivalent if and only if C and C ′ are equivalent. Finally, a generalization of the Schoenflies theorem to SCC-pairs is presented.
Hamiltonian formulation of the anomalous chiral Schwinger model

We construct the hamiltonian formulation of the anomalous chiral Schwinger model, which has recently been shown to yield a consistent unitary theory. The impact of the anomaly on the constraints of the system is exhibited and the system is quantized using an appropriate hamiltonian consistent with the constraints.
Determination of the rate constant and product channels for the radical–radical reaction NCO(X 2Π) + C2H5(X 2A″) at 293 K

The rate constant and product branching ratios for the reaction of the cyanato radical, NCO(X 2Π), with the ethyl radical, C2H5(X 2A″), have been measured over the pressure range of 0.28 to 0.59 kPa and at a temperature of 293 ± 2 K. The total rate constant, k1, increased with pressure, P(kPa), described by k1 = (1.25 ± 0.16) × 10−10 + (4.22 ± 0.35) × 10−10P cm3 molecule−1 s−1. Three product channels were observed that were not pressure dependent: (1a) HNCO + C2H4, k1a = (1.1 ± 0.16) × 10−10, (1b) HONC + C2H4, k1b = (2.9 ± 1.3) × 10−11, (1c) HCN + C2H4O, k1c = (8.7 ± 1.5) × 10−13, with units cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and uncertainties of one-standard deviation in the scatter of the data. The pressure dependence was attributed to a forth channel, (1d), forming recombination products C2H5NCO and/or C2H5OCN, with pressure dependence: (1d) k1d = (0.090 ± 1.3) × 10−11 + (3.91 ± 0.27) × 10−10P cm3 molecule−1 s−1. The radicals were generated by the 248 nm photolysis of ClNCO in an excess of C2H6. Quantitative infrared time-resolved absorption spectrophotometry was used to follow the temporal dependence of the reactants and the appearance of the products. Five species were monitored, HCl, NCO, HCN, HNCO, and C2H4, providing a detailed picture of the chemistry occurring in the system. Other rate constants were also measured: ClNCO + C2H5, k10 = (2.3 ± 1.2) × 10−13 , NCO + C2H6, k2 = (1.6 ± 0.11) × 10−14, NCO + C4H10, k4 = (5.3 ± 0.51) × 10−13, with units cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and uncertainties of one-standard deviation in the scatter of the data.
Reduced-intensity umbilical cord blood transplant for older adult patients.

recently addressed the role of unrelated UCBtransplantsforolderpatientsandreportedthattheresultsof UCB transplants carried out in 43 adult patients olderthan 55yearswerecomparabletothoseobtainedfrom 47matched related donor transplants.The 3-year probabilityof progression-free survival was 34% in UCB transplantscompared with30%in matched related donor transplantsand suggested that HLA-mismatched UCB could be analternative graft source for older patients who need atransplantbutdonothaveamatchedrelateddonor.We have carried out an analysis of the results of olderpatients who have undergone reduced-intensity mis-matched UCB transplant in our program. Nine olderpatients, median age 60 years (range 48–77 years) havereceivedmismatchedUCB;78%ofthesepatientsreceivedtwo UCB units to optimize the cell dose. Two patientsreceived one HLA-mismatched, four patients two HLA-mismatched and three patients three HLA-mismatchedgrafts. Clinical characteristics of these patients and theinfused UCB units are shown in Table 1. There were sixmale patients and three female patients. Their medianweight was 72kg (range 60–98kg). Eight patients hadAML,twowithprimaryrefractoryAML,andonepatienthadadvancedrefractoryCLL.Fourpatientshadhemato-poietic cell transplantation comorbidity scores of X2before transplant.
Ethical Thinking and Sustainability in Role-Play Participants

Purpose. Can games provide a holistic understanding of the ethical decision-making process related to sustainability and environmental management? Method. Thirty participants, 18 to 34 years old, were recruited. Twenty were then randomly assigned to play a popular role-playing game, which raises an issue of whether to drain or preserve a virtual lake. Ten participants were assigned to a control condition, which involved a written version of the lake dilemma. Using a researcher-developed coding scheme, this study compared the ethical thinking skills and thought processes used to approach the lake scenario. Findings. Control condition participants more frequently chose to drain the lake than game condition participants. The top-ranked thought processes used by the control condition participants were reasoning-related only, whereas the top-ranked thought processes used by the game condition participants were both reasoning- and empathy-related, which may have related to their greater likelihood to preserve the lake. While, most game participants chose to preserve the lake 75%, game participants chose the ?negative? choice in this scenario more often than any other non-sustainability related scenario provided in the game. Implications. This study helps us to understand how people think through sustainability-related scenarios, and how to use games for policy making and education.
Enhancement of Glycine Receptor Function by Ethanol Is Inversely Correlated with Molecular Volume at Position α267

Abstract Glycine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptors are members of the “superfamily” of ion channels, and are sensitive to allosteric modulation byn-alcohols such as ethanol and butanol. We recently demonstrated that the mutation of Ser-267 to Ile in the α1 subunit abolished ethanol regulation of glycine receptors (Gly-R). In the present study, a pair of chimeric receptors was studied, in which a 45-amino acid domain comprising transmembrane domains 2 and 3 was exchanged between the Gly-Rα1 and γ-aminobutyric acid ρ1 subunits. Detailed pharmacologic analysis of these chimeras confirmed that this domain of the Gly-R confers enhancement of receptor function by ethanol and butanol. An extensive series of mutations at Ser-267 in the Gly-Rα1 subunit was also prepared, and the resulting homomeric receptors were expressed and tested for sensitivity to glycine, and allosteric modulation by alcohols. All of the mutant receptors expressed successfully in Xenopus oocytes. Mutation of Ser-267 to small amino acid residues such as Gly or Ala produced receptors in which glycine responses were potentiated by ethanol. As we have reported previously, the mutant Gly-Rα1 (Ser-267 → Ile) was completely insensitive to ethanol; mutation of Ser-267 to Val had a similar effect. Mutation of Ser-267 to large residues such as His, Cys, or Tyr resulted in inhibition of Gly-R function by ethanol. These results demonstrate that the size of the amino acid residue at position α267 plays a crucial role in determining the functional consequences of allosteric modulation of the Gly-R by alcohols.
Clinical challenges within the aging hemophilia population

Older patients with hemophilia face many challenges related not only to hemophilia but also to general comorbidity associated with aging. Patients with hemophilia often have known risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, which may counteract any protective effects bestowed by the hypocoagulable state. Arthritis and joint disease are common and contribute to disability and pain. The high prevalence of chronic HCV infection has led to an increased risk for liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. Renal function and urological disorders are a concern in these patients, and issues related to sexuality are an important but often-overlooked issue. The use of routine procedures for general health maintenance in the elderly (e.g. colonoscopy) can be more complex in patients with hemophilia due to the inherent risk of bleeding, and serious disorders such as malignancy can be overlooked if signs of abnormal bleeding are attributed to hemophilia, rather than to cancer. Prospective studies are needed to address these challenges so that evidence-based guidance can be given to clinicians who treat older patients with hemophilia.
Studies on the abstraction of small molecules from organometallic compounds by Rh(PPh3)3Cl

Abstract The synthetic utility of Rh(PPh 3 ) 3 Cl for the abstraction of small molecules from some cyclopentadienyl iron carbonyl complexes is discussed with attention to mechanism. Terminal carbonyl and thiocarbonyl ligands are found to be removed preferentially. Experimental evidence suggests that the reaction proceeds by nucleophilic attack on the coordinated ligand by Rh(PPh 3 ) 2 Cl.
Behavior and substrate selection during larval settling in the lobster Homarus americanus

ABSTRACT During the molt from third- to fourth-stage, larvae of Homarus americanus metamorphose into their adult form and pigmentation. In the course of the fourth stage, their pelagic life changes to a benthic existence. Artificial substrate choice experiments and qualitative illumination experiments show that during the early fourth stage the phototactic response reverses from positive to negative. Together with positive thigmotaxis, this results in a choice of dark crevices. Among natural substrate choices, preferential settlement occurred on macroalgal-covered rocks, followed by rocks on sand, mud, and sand. Moreover, when no choice was given, settling occurred most rapidly on macroalgal-covered rocks (34 h), followed by scattered rocks on sand (38 h), and mud (62 h); no settling occurred on sand even two weeks after the last animal had settled on all other substrates. These animals continued to explore the sand substrate with dives to the bottom. Although mud was not a preferred substrate in choice tests, the animals that chose mud and those that were presented only with mud settled successfully and were immediately efficient in their burrowing behavior, constructing U-shaped tunnels even in the center of the aquarium without using a pebble or rock as a starting point. These laboratory tests confirm field observations that lobsters can successfully exploit a variety of substrates. They show that a substrate with preformed crevices is preferred for settling, but other substrates can be manipulated to make suitable burrows.
The relationship between student sojourner perceptions of intercultural competencies and previous sojourn experience

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between perceived intercultural competence and sojourn experience. Three groups of student sojourners with varying amounts of intercultural experience (none, less than three months, 3–12 months) completed an 18-item questionnaire measuring four general areas of intercultural competence, drawn from previous literature. First, sojourner ratings were submitted to factor analysis which confirmed the four conceptual dimensions found in previous literature, with slight modifications: Awareness of Self and Culture, Awareness of Implications of Cultural Differences, Interpersonal Flexibility and Ability to Facilitate Communication. Scales were constructed from the individual items and ratings of the three sojourner groups were compared on ratings of their perceived competence on the four dimensions. Results of the statistical analysis revealed significant differences among the three groups on two of the four dimensions of intercultural competence: Sojourners with the most intercultural experience (3–12 months) rated their ability significantly higher than those with no experience on: Awareness of Self and Culture, and Ability to Facilitate Communication. Results are examined for implications for future research and application.
Studies of carboniferous pteridosperm seeds: the relationship of the integument and nucellus in Pachytesta gigantea

Abstract Specimens of the medullosan ovule Pachytesta gigantea possess internal ribs which extend from the chalaza up to the level of the pollen chamber. These internal ribs are present adjacent to the primary ribs on the inner surface of the integument and appear histologically similar to the sclerotesta. The cuticle of the endotesta and the nucellus closely conform to the internal ribs in shape and the shrinkage pattern exhibited by the cuticular membranes suggests that the cuticle of the nucellus and cuticle of the endotesta may have been fused to one another along the internal ribs at some stage of development. The implications of this possible nucellar—integumentary fusion are discussed relative to the classification and phylogeny of Paleozoic seeds.
A decade of change in abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in the United States: Have we improved outcomes equally between men and women?

Objectives Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair has undergone vast changes in the last decade. We reviewed a national database to evaluate the effect on utilization of services and rupture rates. Methods From the Centers for Medicare Services (CMS), a 5% inpatient sample was obtained for 1994 to 2003 as beneficiary encrypted files (5% BEF) and as a limited data set file after 2001. Files were translated into Microsoft Access by using a custom program. Queries were performed using International Classification of Diseases (9th Revision) (ICD-9) diagnosis codes 441.3 (ruptured AAA) or 441.4 (non-ruptured AAA) and ICD-9 procedure codes 38.34, 38.36, 38.44, 38.64, 39.25, 39.52 for open, and 39.71 (available after October 2000) for endovascular repair. The 5% BEF totals were multiplied by 20 to calculate yearly volumes. Total cases were divided into the yearly CMS population of elderly Medicare recipients for repair rates per capita and are reported as cases per 100,000 elderly Medicare recipients. Statistics were performed using χ 2 , Student's t test, nonparametric tests, and multiple regression analysis; P ≤ .05 was considered significant. Results Elective AAA repairs declined from 94.4/100,000 in 1994 to 87.7/100,000 in 2003. AAA rupture surgery declined from 18.7/100,000 (1994) to 13.6/100,000 (2003). Rupture repairs from 1994 to 2003 decreased by 29% for men and by 12% for women ( P P P P P P P Conclusions Improvements in AAA management in the last decade have decreased aneurysm-related deaths and reduced the incidence of aneurysm ruptures, with a lower utilization of services. Women, however, continue to have a consistently higher mortality for open and ruptured AAA repair and are less likely to return to home after either.
The peculiar journey of a selfish chromosome: mouse t haplotypes and meiotic drive

Mouse t haplotypes are descendents of a variant form of chromosome 17 that evolved the ability to propagate itself at the expense of the wild-type homolog from heterozygous +/t males. Although once enigmatic, these widespread selfish chromosomes have revealed many of their secrets in response to a combined assault with molecular, genetic and phylogenetic techniques. This review summarizes the current understanding of t haplotypes and their raison d'etre.
Retinoic acid modulates the subcellular localization of small ubiquitin-related modifier-2/3 (SUMO-2/3) in the testis.

ABSTRACT: Covalent attachment of small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) to target proteins is an important posttranslational mechanism controlling diverse cellular functions. Recently, hypo- or hyper-sumoylation by SUMO-2/3 was shown to play a crucial role in male reproduction. However, the regulation of SUMO-2/3 in the testis remains unknown. Here, we report that the subcellular localization of SUMO-2/3 changes during testicular development. SUMO-2/3 was mainly found localized in the nucleus of Sertoli cells and gonocytes early in testicular development, but the localization shifted to the cytoplasm in Sertoli and germ cells after meiotic initiation. This change in the subcellular localization was mimicked both in testes of postnatal day 10 (P10) rats injected with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and in organ cultures of testes from P10 rats treated with ATRA. These results suggest that retinoic acid might have a role in controlling the subcellular localization of SUMO-2/3. Moreover, treatment of Sertoli cells with a retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA)–specific agonist changed the subcellular localization of SUMO-2/3 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Furthermore, disruption of the retinoic acid receptor alpha (Rara) gene in the testis resulted in alteration of SUMO-2/3 subcellular localization, indicating that its protein RARA might have a role in the nuclear trafficking of SUMO-2/3. Because many SUMO target proteins are usually modified en masse after a biological stimulus, our results suggest that dysregulation of SUMO-2/3 subcellular localization could easily be a pleiotropic contributing factor that can cause a male sterility phenotype in Rara-null mice.
Mitigating systematic measurement error in comparative effectiveness research in heterogeneous populations.

BACKGROUND Accurately understanding treatment effectiveness across heterogeneous populations requires equivalent measurement across the population. Measurement bias refers to the possibility that individuals with identical health respond dissimilarly to questions about their health as a function of their ethnicity or another variable. Without establishing equivalent measurement, the field cannot comparatively evaluate what works best for whom, draw strong conclusions about disparate outcomes, and support evidence-based practice and policy. METHODS Using data from a representative sample of the 2001-2002 US, the application of multiple-group multiple-indicator, multiple-cause, models to evaluate and correct for measurement bias was described. Analyses investigated whether 10 items operationalizing alcohol abuse provided equivalent measurement across different education and income levels for white (n = 16,480), black/African-American (n = 4139), and Hispanic (n = 4893) individuals. RESULTS Analyses uncovered a complex pattern of measurement bias across educational attainment, poverty status, and minority status. Ignoring bias, black/African-Americans and Hispanics appeared to have significantly more alcohol abuse-related behavior than whites. After adjusting for bias, whites and Hispanics demonstrated comparable levels of alcohol abuse and black/African-Americans had significantly lower levels of alcohol abuse than whites. CONCLUSIONS Measurement bias can lead to erroneous conclusions about alcohol abuse across race and ethnicity. This would subsequently bias research that comparatively examines the correlates of alcohol abuse and research that investigates the comparative effectiveness of alcohol abuse treatments across these groups. Using model-based estimates can mitigate errors like these and lead to more accurate conclusions across heterogeneous populations.
Key articles and guidelines relative to intensive care unit pharmacology--2004.

Compilations of key articles and guidelines in a particular clinical practice area are useful not only to clinicians who practice in that area, but to all clinicians. We compiled pertinent articles and guidelines pertaining to drug therapy in the intensive care unit setting from the perspective of an actively practicing critical care pharmacist. This document also may serve to stimulate other experienced clinicians to undertake a similar endeavor in their practice areas.
The stable phylogenetic distribution of the recently evolvedl-phenylalanine-inhibited isozyme of 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase in enteric bacteria

Escherichia coli and some other enteric bacteria possess three regulatory isozymes of 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate (DAHP) synthase, each of which is inhibited by one aromatic amino acid. Thel-phenylalanine-sensitive isozyme of DAHP synthase has evolved most recently since it is absent in all other members of the Gram-negative cluster that contains enteric bacteria as a subcluster. A comprehensive survey of enteric genera was carried out to determine whether the newly evolved isozyme is a stable, conserved trait. The results obtained show that all the genera of the contemporaryEnterobacteriaceae family possess the recently evolved phenylalanine-sensitive isozyme in addition to the tyrosine-and tryptophansensitive isozymes of DAHP synthase. However, physiological manipulation was usually necessary to derepress the tryptophan-sensitive DAHP synthase in order to demonstrate its presence.
Reimplantation of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery From the Pulmonary Artery Without Mitral Valve Repair

Background Early establishment of a two-coronary artery system has become the standard surgical approach in patients with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. Improved surgical outcome is related to better perioperative management and surgical techniques. The need for mitral valve repair is still controversial, however. We report our long-term results with aortic implantation of the left coronary artery. Methods Between January 1992 and July 2005, 23 patients who had severe left ventricular dysfunction and mitral insufficiency underwent aortic implantation of the left coronary artery. Mean age and weight were 5 ± 3 months (range, 2 to 14 months) and 5 ± 1.5 kg (range, 3.2 to 7 kg). Repair was accomplished by creating a wide anastomosis between the left coronary artery and aorta that was augmented with autologous pericardium to avoid tension and distortion of the anastomosis. None of the patients had concomitant mitral valve repair. Results There were no operative or late deaths. One patient required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 86 hours and another for 100 hours because of sustained ventricular tachycardia and respiratory insufficiency. A younger age ( p = 0.04). During a mean follow-up of 78 ± 30 months (range, 6 to 156 months) all patients were in the New York Heart Association functional class I. Serial echocardiograms showed complete recovery of left ventricular function in all patients within 6 months. Mitral valve function was normal in 17 patients and mildly impaired in 6. The mean shortening fraction increased from 0.2 ± 0.05 preoperatively to 0.43 ± 0.07 postoperatively ( p = 0.03), and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension decreased from 44 ± 7 mm preoperatively to 29 ± 8 mm postoperatively ( p = 0.02). Conclusions Aortic implantation of the left coronary artery results in complete recovery of left ventricular function and no late mitral valve dysfunction.
Free vibration behavior of spinning shear-deformable plates composedof composite materials

The theory accounts for geometric nonlinearity in the form of the Von Karman strains and the effects of rotatory inertia. The plate is permitted to have an arbitrary orientation offset from the axis of rotation. A finite element model is developed. The mode shapes as functions of angular velocity, pitch angle, and sweep angle are presented.
Stressed-out B cells? Plasma-cell differentiation and the unfolded protein response

Plasma cells operate as factories where large quantities of Ig heavy and light chains are made and assembled into functional antibodies. The finished products are shipped out with impressive efficiency. A major component of the machinery necessary for high-rate antibody secretion is an elaborate network of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the site of antibody biosynthesis. Recent discoveries have provided insights into how this expansive secretory machinery is built, equipped and maintained. The unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway, a stress-induced signaling cascade emanating from the ER, regulates the expression and activity of X-box binding protein 1, a transcription factor required for plasma-cell development. The UPR pathway therefore senses conditions in the ER--the very compartment where antibodies are formed--and directs events required for humoral immunity.
Hydrothermal Shrinkage and the Ageing of Collagen

NATIVE collagen fibres are held in an extended, crystalline position by hydrogen bonds between the adjacent chains of a polypeptide helix with three strands1. These hydrogen bonds rupture when collagen is heated in water and the structure collapses into a randomly coiled form. The length of a collagen fibre after complete contraction is only about a quarter of its initial extended length. This hydrothermal contraction of collagen occurs because of an internal molecular re-arrangement. This has been useful in studying collagen structure, and has also been studied to examine the effects of ageing on collagen. A tendon fibre from a rat 2 years old will contract on heating and lift a weight of 5 g, but a tendon fibre from a rat 4 months old fails to contract at all under such a load. The temperature at which shrinkage begins, Ts, has occasionally been reported to increase with age, but the finding is not consistent.
Wear data from friction pairs for microscale piezoelectric actuators

This paper presents friction and wear data from a series of physical tests on numerous friction pairs. The tests were designed to simulate the loads, motions, and conditions typical in microscale piezoelectric actuator applications. The friction pairs tested included various combinations of steels, ceramics, and surface-treated steels. Both high-cycle tests and low-endurance tests were performed and the optimum friction pairs for these applications were identified based on high friction, low wear, and low roughness.
Pollen capture and wind-induced movement of compact and diffuse grass panicles: implications for pollination efficiency

Les effets du vent sur la pollinisation etudiee chez Setaria geniculata et Agrostis hiemalis
An Optimized Azimuthal Scanning Platform for TIRF and HILO Imaging

Due to its ability to selectively excite fluorophores near a substrate, Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy has gained a prominent role in biological imaging and is particularly well-suited for cell membrane studies and in vitro single molecule assays. Similarly, a highly inclined laminated optical sheet (HILO) has been used for high S/N imaging away from the glass-water interface. Although rapid azimuthal scanning of the laser beam has been shown to confer certain advantages, namely fringe reduction and better uniformity of illumination, the effects of optical design on field-of-view and TIRF quality has not been systematically studied. Using commercial ray tracing software, we demonstrate how various choices in the optical system design affect each of these parameters. Using these simulations as a guide, we have built a simple circular scanning microscope for TIRF and HILO imaging using a standard inverted microscope, an XY galvanometer scanner and inexpensive lab-built driver electronics and software. Microscope design was optimized to provide a large field of view without compromising TIRF quality and the performance is demonstrated under demanding conditions (high background fluorescence). Finally, we demonstrate that circle-scanned TIRF is successful for a wide range of applications, including live-cell studies, single molecule assays and super-resolution microscopy.
Polymorphisms of human cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase☆

Human liver cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7) cDNAs were isolated from a human liver cDNA library. A full-length cDNA has 2901 nucleotides which encode a typical P450 polypeptide of 504 amino acid residues. Two different sequences of codon 100, TTT (Phe) and TCT (Ser), were identified in cDNA clones. In addition, codons 347 and 385 are GAT (Asp) and GAC (Asp) in all cDNA clones, whereas those reported previously (FEBS Lett. 268, 137–140, 1990) are AAT (Asn) and AGC (Ser), respectively. Since there is only one 7α-hydroxylase gene in the human genome, it is likely that polymorphisms at the codon 100 of cDNA clones arise from two different alleles in the 7α-hydroxylase gene of this human liver.
Depth dose characteristics of elongated fields for electron beams from a 20-MeV accelerator.

In a Therac‐20 linear accelerator, 6–20 MeV electron beams are normally produced by shaping a scanned electron beam through primary x‐ray collimators and secondary electron trimmers. The collimator settings range continuously from 2 to 30 cm. Depth dose and field flatness parameters were measured for small elongated fields of the various electron energies. Depth dose of narrow fields defined either by the machine’s collimator or lead cutouts agreed with data predicted from small square fields using the ‘‘square‐root’’ method.
The role of the le fort I maxillotomy in the management of incompletely resected pituitary macroadenomas.

Objective: The options available for the treatment of a nonsecreting pituitary macroadenoma that has been incompletely resected include reoperation, fractionated radiation therapy, and radiosurgery. Reoperation in this setting may be hindered by the same obstacles that prevented a complete resection during the initial surgical procedure, and should prompt consideration of an alternate approach or exposure. Methods: Between January 1998 and December 2003, 10 consecutive patients were referred to the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center for the evaluation of a nonsecreting pituitary macroadenoma that measured 3 cm or greater in diameter despite having undergone an attempt at a complete resection elsewhere. Each of these patients was reoperated using a Le Fort I maxillotomy to enhance the exposure provided by a traditional transsphenoidal approach. Results: A total or near total (> 95%) resection was achieved in each case. One patient required reoperation for the repositioning of a fat graft to treat a cerebrospinal fluid fistula and one patient experienced a worsening of anterior pituitary function postoperatively. Five patients noted improved vision and no patient experienced further visual loss. Three patients have required subsequent treatment of small foci of recurrent or progressing tumor with stereotactic radiation therapy. No patient has received fractionated radiation therapy. Conclusion: The added exposure provided by a Le Fort I maxillotomy facilitates the resection of pituitary macroadenomas that have been incompletely resected by a traditional transnasal, trans-sphenoidal approach.
The superfluid 4He analog of the RF SQUID

We describe the theory, design, fabrication, and performance of a super fluid ^4He device which is the analog of the superconducting RF SQUID. This device is a sensitive rotation detector and is used to sense the rotation of the Earth. We also describe the experimental developments and observations which lead to the construction of this successful device.
Membrane raft association of the Vpu protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 correlates with enhanced virus release

Abstract The Vpu protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is known to enhance virion release from certain cell types. To accomplish this function, Vpu interacts with the restriction factor known as bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST-2)/tetherin. In this study, we analyzed whether the Vpu protein is associated with microdomains known as lipid or membrane rafts. Our results indicate that Vpu partially partitions into detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) fractions when expressed alone or in the context of simian–human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) infection. The ability to be partitioned into rafts was observed with both subtype B and C Vpu proteins. The use of cholesterol lowering lovastatin/M-β-cyclodextrin and co-patching experiments confirmed that Vpu can be detected in cholesterol rich regions of membranes. Finally, we present data showing that raft association-defective transmembrane mutants of Vpu have impaired enhanced virus release function, but still maintain the ability to down-regulate CD4.
Cross-Cultural Similarities and Differences in Characteristics Attributed to Entrepreneurs: A Three-Nation Study

This study examines characteristics attributed to entrepreneurs in three countries and identifies similarities and differences in entrepreneurial characteristics across countries. Business students...
Procurement: Academia's Stepchild

There has been a continuing debate among procurement, marketing, and management educators as to the proper "intellectual home "for procurement. In the following two articles, two leading procurement educators address this issue and offer their opinions and observations.We hope that these articles will help acquaint many of you with the tremendous changes and challenges in the field of procurement and stimulate your support for increasing emphasis on this rapidly evolving discipline.
A Voronoi Finite Element Study of Fatigue Life Scatter in Rolling Contacts

Microlevel material failure has been recognized as one of the main modes of failure for rolling contact fatigue (RCF) of bearing. Therefore, microlevel features of materials will be of significant importance to RCF investigation. At the microlevel, materials consist of randomly shaped and sized grains, which cannot be properly analyzed using the classical and commercially available finite element method. Hence, in this investigation, a Voronoi finite element method (VFEM) was developed to simulate the microstructure of bearing materials. The VFEM was then used to investigate the effects of microstructure randomness on rolling contact fatigue. Here two different types of randomness are considered: (i) randomness in the microstructure due to random shapes and sizes of the material grains, and (ii) the randomness in the material properties considering a normally (Gaussian) distributed elastic modulus. In this investigation, in order to determine the fatigue life, the model proposed by Raje et al. ("A Numerical Model for Life Scatter in Rolling Element Bearings," ASME J. Tribol., 130, pp. 011011-1-01101}-10), which is based on the Lundberg-Palmgren theory ("Dynamic Capacity of Rolling Bearings," Acta Polytech. Scand., Mech. Eng. Ser., 1(3), pp. 7-53), is used. This model relates fatigue life to a critical stress quantity and its corresponding depth, but instead of explicitly assuming a Weibull distribution of fatigue lives, the life distribution is obtained as an outcome of numerical simulations. We consider the maximum range of orthogonal shear stress and the maximum shear stress as the critical stress quantities. Forty domains are considered to study the effects of microstructure on the fatigue life of bearings. It is observed that the Weibull slope calculated for the obtained fatigue lives is in good agreement with previous experimental studies and analytical results. Introduction of inhomogeneous elastic modulus and initial flaws within the material domain increases the average critical stresses and decreases the Weibull slope.
Using the Arts to Improve Life in the City

One can imagine an arts enthusiast saying to the worried mayor of a large city which is suffering substantial unemployment: “I know of an ‘industry’ that can supply many jobs for the unemployed of the city and strengthen the city’s economy. Oddly enough, this ‘industry’ itself suffers from a great deal of unemployment. It is largely unorganized; in fact, it is hardly an ‘industry’ in the usual economic meaning of the term. It is the laissez-faire economist’s dream of an open labor market. Everyone can enter the industry and many, many do. The more job opportunities that appear, the more additional workers are drawn in and declare themselves as unemployed in it.”
Current and emerging trends in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer

Despite current screening recommendations, colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of death from cancer in both men and women combined and will result in an estimated 52,180 deaths in the year 20(t7 [11. Metastases are the mNor cause of death in patients with colorectal c~mcer, with 20% to 70% of patients developing liver metastases and 10% to 20% of patients developing lung metastases [2]. After several years of limited progress, many new treatment options for patients with metastatic colorectal c~mcer have been approved over the last few years with the median survival time having doubled in the last decade. Continued development and refinement of treatment options continue to be evaluated as exemplified by the consideration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in potential resectable liver metastases. Current advances in chemotherapy regimens have also allowed resection of previously unresectable metastases in some patients [3,4]. First-line chemotherapy options for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer include 1 of 3 standard regimens: irinotecan combined with infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV), oxaliplatin combined with infusional 5-FU and I ~V, ~md for patients that may be poor candidates for irinotecan or oxaliplatin-based therapy, 5-FU and IN alone [51. ~Ihe oral fluoropyrimidine, capecitabine, has also been introduced mad has been evaluated as a potential substitute fl~r intravenous 5-FU. Capecitabine is metabolized to 5-FU with prior studies in both local and advanced colorectal cancer showing similar efficacy but improved safety profiles when compared with bolus 5-FU [6,7]. ~[t~e addition of newer targeted molecular therapies, such as bevacizumab and cetuximab, may significantly enh~mce the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy at the cost of mild increases in toxicity [8,91. Panitumumab is the most recent molecular therapeutic to receive US Food and Drug Administration (Fl)A) approval as a single agent in previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer patients [10]. Current goals for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer are to indMdualize selection and sequencing of treatment options to achieve maximum antitumor activity while limiting toxicity. ~Ihe development and refinement of chemotherapy approaches to achieve these goals are areas of significmlt research interest. Several clinical trials have recently been conducted to evaluate the eflicacy ~md safety of new chemotherapy regimens for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. ~II~is paper reviews recent studies that have evaluated the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, including options available for patients with unresectable disease, with an emphasis on treatment regimens.
Perfect coherence preservation in an atom interferometer perturbed by optical standing wave pulses acting as a kicked rotor

We experimentally studied the effect of standing wave pulses on an atom interferometer. Despite the external field perturbations the coherence is perfectly preserved for the conditions similar to quantum resonances of a quantum kicked rotor.