cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adhesion of Pancreatic Beta Cells to Biopolymer Films

Dramatic reversal of Type 1 diabetes in patients receiving pancreatic islet transplants continues to prompt vigorous research concerning the basic mechanisms underlying patient turnaround. At the most fundamental level, transplanted islets must maintain viability and function in vitro and in vivo and should be protected from host immune rejection. Our previous reports showed enhancement of islet viability and insulin secretion per tissue mass for small islets ( 125 µm), thus, demonstrating the effect of enhancing the mass transport of islets (i.e. increasing tissue surface area to volume ratio). Here, we report the facile dispersion of rat islets into individual cells that are layered onto the surface of a biopolymer film towards the ultimate goal of improving mass transport in islet tissue. The tightly packed structure of intact islets was disrupted by incubating in calcium-free media resulting in fragmented islets, which were further dispersed into individual or small groups of cells by using a low concentration of papain. The dispersed cells were screened for adhesion to a range of biopolymers and the nature of cell adhesion was characterized for selected groups by quantifying adherent cells, measuring the surface area coverage of the cells, and immunolabeling cells for adhesion proteins interacting with selected biopolymers. Finally, beta cells in suspension were centrifuged to form controlled numbers of cell layers on films for future work determining the mass transport limitations in the adhered tissue constructs.
Computer vision for a robot sculptor

Before make computers can be active collaborators in design work, they must be equipped with some human-like visual and design skills. Towards this end, we report some advances in integrating computer vision and automated design in a computational model of 'artistic vision' -- the ability to see something striking in a subject and express it in a creative design. The artificial artist studies images of animals, then designs sculpture that conveys something of the strength, tension, and expression in the animals' bodies. It performs an anatomical analysis using conventional computer vision techniques constrained by high-level causal inference to find significant areas of the body, e.g., joints under stress. The sculptural form -- kinetic mobiles -- presents a number of mechanical and aesthetic design challenges, which the system solves in imagery using field-based computing methods. Coupled potential fields simultaneously enforce soft and hard constraints -- e.g., the mobile should resemble the original animal and every subassembly of the mobile must be precisely balanced. The system uses iconic representations in all stages, obviating the need to translate between spatial and predicate representations and allowing a rich flow of information between vision and design.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Luisa de Padilla's Lágrimas de la nobleza: Vice, Moral Authority and the Woman Writer

The cultural capital of early modern Spanish women writers has been well established by numerous scholars who have moved away from studying their subjects as marginal exceptions and given them thei...
Synthesis of equivalent dynamic laminate behavior by homogenization techniques

Abstract New homogenization techniques are applied to the well-known case of a linearly elastic, periodic laminate for one-dimensional elastic wave propagation. An equivalent constitutive description is synthesized exactly for a finite bandwidth on wave- number centered at zero. The equivalent forms are convolution products in time and space of field variables with generalized modulus and density. The results are verified for spectral content and compared with experimental data and exact solutions for a two-point boundary value problem.
Nonperturbative phenomena in semiconductor four-wave mixing spectra

Nonperturbative phenomena in four-wave mixing spectra of semiconductors are studied using the exact solution of a widely used phenomenological nonlinear equation of motion of the exciton polarization. It is shown that the Coulomb interaction, included in the nonlinearity, leads to two characteristic effects, which are essentially of dynamical origin\char22{}a split of the exciton peak and a nonmonotonous dependence of the response at the exciton frequency on the magnitude of the external field. Relations between the spectral features and the parameters of the system are obtained. It is found that the transition from perturbative to nonperturbative regimes is controlled by parameters inversely proportional to the decay rate. It implies that the condition of low excitation density does not necessarily warrant applicability of the perturbational approach.
Thematic Review Series: Sphingolipids. Cross-talk at the crossroads of sphingosine-1-phosphate, growth factors, and cytokine signaling,

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid that mediates a wide array of biologic effects through its interaction with a family of five G protein-coupled receptors. Cytokines and growth factors interact with this signaling pathway in a variety of ways, including both activation and regulation of the expression of the enzymes that regulate synthesis and degradation of S1P. Not only do many growth factors and cytokines stimulate S1P production, leading to transactivation of S1P receptors, ligation of S1P receptors by S1P can also transactivate growth factor tyrosine kinase receptors and stimulate growth factor and cytokine signaling cascades.XXX This review discusses the mechanisms involved in cross-talk between S1P, cytokines, and growth factors and the impact of that cross-talk on cell signaling and cell biology.
Anesthesia Ventilators: Better Options for Children

Mechanical ventilation of pediatric patients in the operating room is challenging. Infants require significantly smaller tidal volumes than adults and changes in delivered volume that would be clinically insignificant for an adult patient, can produce unintended hyper- or hypoventilation in children. The consequences of these unintended ventilation changes can produce hypoxemia, hypercarbia, or barotrauma. This article discusses unique aspects of pediatric ventilation in the operating room, limitations of traditional anesthesia machine technology, the features of modern anesthesia ventilators that circumvent these limitations, and presents several comparison studies.
Maternal depressive symptoms and participation in early intervention services for young children

Many young children with developmental delay who are eligible for early intervention (EI) services fail to receive them. We assessed the relationship between depressive symptoms in mothers, a potentially modifiable risk, and receipt of EI services by their eligible children. We conducted multivariable analyses of a nationally representative sample of children eligible for EI services at 24 months using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed at 9 and 24 months. Birthweight <1,000 g, genetic and medical conditions associated with developmental delay, or low scores on measures of developmental performance defined EI eligibility. Service receipt was ascertained from parental self-report. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic and child risk. Among the 650 children who were eligible to receive EI services as infants, 33.2% of children whose mothers were depressed received services compared to 27.0% whose mothers were not depressed (aOR 1.8; 95% CI 0.8, 4.0). Among the 650 children who became eligible to receive services as toddlers, 13.0% of children whose mothers were depressed received services compared to 2.6% whose mothers were not depressed (aOR 4.6, 95% CI 1.5, 14.6). Among children receiving EI services, prevalence of depressive symptoms was 23.0% for mothers whose children became eligible as infants and 57.5% for mothers whose children became eligible as toddlers. Depressive symptoms in mothers of children eligible to receive EI services did not appear to limit participation. EI programs may be an appropriate setting in which to address maternal depressive symptoms.
Experiments are the key to understanding socially acquired knowledge in cetaceans

We agree with Rendell and Whitehead that cetaceans acquire knowledge from caretakers and peers, and that a clear understanding of this process can provide insight into the evolution of mammalian cognition. The passive observational methods they advocate, however, are inadequate for determining what cetaceans know. Only by experimentally investigating the cognition of cetaceans can we hope to understand what they learn through social interactions.
Dithizone-14C labelling and characterization

[Thiocarbonyl-14C] Dithizone was prepared and characterized spectroscopically. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Articulation Without Oral Sensory Control

Oral sensory deprivation was induced in two subjects by nerve block injections, and the effect on articulation was investigated. Twenty-four bisyllabic words produced under control and nerve block ...
Laser Scanning And Facsimile At The New York Times

Once portrayed as being stifled by old technology and union-spawned work rule constraints, The New York Times Company's current aggressive leadership has both automated and gained new labor freedom. Now a half-billion-dollar communications company, the NYTCo is forging ahead technologically as rapidly as possible to expand and improve its products and services while also reducing costs. Multiple LogEtronics "flatbed" laser scan/ record facsimile systems are used to provide significant advantages for meeting these objectives. Nine LogE units are employed to transmit full-page broadsheet newspaper images to the pressroom in the main office building six floors away while simultaneously broadcasting via a private Collins digital radio system six miles across the Hudson River and the Jersey Palisades to a satellite printing plant. Either right-reading offset or wrong-reading letterpress images are created in multiple-size formats on a specially-coated "lasermask." This inexpensive laser mask shields and forms immediately-usable letterpress or offset press plates during traditional multiple exposures to uv light. At the same time, the mask provides an immediate backup image for plate remakes, if needed, regardless of whether the original pasteup is intact or available. The mask also provides an archival image for subsequent high-quality microform exposure. For the six-mile communications link Collins Radio division of North American Rockwell provided The Times with the first digital microwave radio it has sold to a non-common carrier. It can provide up to seven T-2 links of 6.312 megabits each.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
CT appearance of mesenteric saponification

Although saponification of the pancreas is a frequent finding on computed tomography, saponification of extrapancreatic mesenteric sites has not been previously recognized. A case is presented of acute pancreatitis in which serial scans over a four-year period documented calcifications in old extrapancreatic phlegmons. Saponification from pancreatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of mesenteric calcifications.
THE ROLE OF DURABILITY IN RELIABILITY-BASED DESIGN OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS FOR CIVIL STRUCTURES

Design guidelines for fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) used in critical structures must take into account the loss of stiffness and strength these materials experience in service over time. Reliability based design accounts for these losses by the use of reduction factors. These design reduction factors should include scientific and rational backing. In the civil infrastructure, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) load resistance factor design (LRFD) uses statistical methods in structural design, including a strength reduction factor for a particular combination of loads. This approach is very attractive for composite structures as it accounts for the service environment. In this paper, we propose a durability simulation method that combines LRFD and a material property evolution scheme to predict the future reliability of a FRP structure and allows one to rationally select reduction factors given a preselected probability of survival.
Partition detection and optimistic commit for dynamically reconfigurable distributed databases

This paper addresses the problem of providing reliability in face of network partitioning for a dynamically reconfigurable distributed database system with an underlying hierarchical network topology. Solutions to the problems of partition detection and the proper termination of transactions are suggested. Passive partition detection protocols designed to handle node failures and connections are presented. The basis for these protocols is the idea of maintaining multiple network servers across the network to ensure communication within any cluster of two nodes. In the process, a network server allocation algorithm is derived to meet this need. This paper also proposes a new transaction management model based on the idea of non-blocking partition processing. An extended quorum-based commitment protocol and an optimistic quorum-based termination protocol are developed to support this goal.
Preparation of Hyperbranched Polymer Films Grafted on Self-Assembled Monolayers

In this paper we report the preparation of thin films of new highly branched polymers which are relevant to boundary layer phenomena such as adhesion, wetting, and chemical sensing. Specifically, we synthesized surface-grafted, hyperbranched poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) films on self-assembled organomercaptan monolayers. These films grow in discrete steps, but unlike most layer-by-layer approaches, film thickness increase nonlinearly as a function of the number of layers because of the branched polymer architecture. Moreover, these polymer films contain a high density of carboxylic acid groups, which can selectively bind metal ions or serve as reactive sites for subsequent derivatization. Hyperbranched polymer films thus provide new platforms for chemical sensing applications and for tailoring polymer surface properties for a wide variety of technological applications. 24 refs., 4 figs.
Shape of cells and extracellular channels in rabbit cortical collecting ducts

Shape of cells and extracellular channels in the rabbit cortical collecting ducts. Superficial cortical collecting ducts of rabbits were examined by scanning electron microscopy and by computer-assisted morphometric analysis of transmission electron micrographs. The epithelium contains two cell types, principal and intercalated, which have similar surface concentrations for apical and basal cell membranes and which can be modeled as simple cuboidal cells. The epithelium also contains two distinct and markedly different systems of extracellular channels. One system, the lateral intercellular channels, is comparable to the spaces between simple cuboidal cells but is modified by laterally projecting microvilli and ridges that produce a 1.8-fold magnification of the lateral cell surfaces. Those surfaces are nearly identical in the two cell types and constitute 38% of all cell membranes facing extracellular channels. The other channel system, the basal infolded channels, is well developed only in the basal 40% of principal cells and constitutes 62% of all channel-associated membrane. Its unique feature is an exponential increase in surface area, which is reminiscent of all channel-associated membranes in proximal nephron segments and which can be modeled as the interdigitation of cellular leaflets entirely within the boundaries of single cells. Forme des cellules et des canaux extracellulaires dans le canal collecteur cortical du lapin. Des canaux collecteurs corticaux superficiels de lapins ont ete etudies par microscopie electronique a balayage et par analyse morphometrique sur ordinateur d'images de microscopie electronique par transmission. L'epithelium contient deux types cellulaires, des cellules principales et des cellules intercalaires, qui ont les memes surfaces membranaires apicales et basales et peuvent etre consideres comme de simples cellules cuboides du point de vue des modeles. L'epithelium contient aussi deux systemes de canaux extracellulaires distincts et tres differents. L'un, celui des canaux intercellulaires lateraux, est comparable a l'espace entre des cellules cuboides simples modifie par des microvilli a projection laterale et des cretes qui produiscent une augmentation de 1,8 fois des surfaces laterales des cellules. Ces surfaces sont tres semblables dans les deux types cellulaires et constituent 38% de toutes les membranes cellulaires qui bordent les canaux extracellulaires. L'autre systeme, celui des canaux basaux invagines, n'est bien developpe que dans la portion basale des cellules principales et constitue 62% des membranes associees a des canaux. Son caractere principal est l'augmentation exponentielle de la surface qui rappelle l'aspect des membranes associees a des canaux dans le nephron proximal et qui peut etre modelise comme les interdigitations de feuillets cellulaires a l'interieur des limites de chaque cellule.
Utilization of Essential Medications by Vulnerable Older People After a Drug Benefit Cap: Importance of Mental Disorders, Chronic Pain, and Practice Setting

OBJECTIVE: To identify specific characteristics of patients, physicians, and treatment settings associated with decreased receipt of essential medications in a chronically ill, older population following a Medicaid three-prescription monthly reimbursement limit (cap). DESIGN: Quasi-experiment with bivariate and multivariate regression. SETTING: Patients in the New Hampshire Medicaid program and their regular prescribing physicians. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred and forty-three chronically ill Medicaid enrollees with regular use of essential medications for heart disease, asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, seizure, or coagulation disorders who received an average of three or more prescriptions per month during the baseline year. MEASUREMENTS: Postcap patient-level change in standard monthly dose of essential medications compared with the baseline period, presence of 11 comorbidities (defined by regular use of specific indicator drugs), practice setting, and location of regular prescribing physician. RESULTS: The mean percentage change in standard doses of essential medications following the cap was −34.4%. Larger changes were significantly associated with several baseline measures: greater numbers of precap medications, greater numbers of comorbidities, longer hospitalizations, and greater use of ambulatory services. The three comorbidities associated with the largest relative reduction in essential drug use were psychoses/bipolar disorders, anxiety/sleep problems, and chronic pain. Patients of physicians in group practices, clinics, or hospitals tended to have smaller dose reductions than those whose physicians were in solo or small-group practice. CONCLUSIONS: Patients most at risk of reduced access to essential medications because of a reimbursement cap include those with multiple chronic illnesses requiring drug therapy, especially illnesses with a mental health component. Physicians in clinics or large group practices may have maintained patient medication regimens more effectively.
What explains recent changes in international monetary policy attitudes toward inflation? Evidence from developed countries

Abstract This paper identifies source(s) contributing to the recent international shift in monetary policy attitudes toward inflation. Data from 18 developed countries suggests that this shift is connected to the universal increase in policy responses to economic openness in the 1990s.
STRUCTURE/PROPERTY OBSERVATIONS FOR AL-TI-CR INTERMETALLIC ALLOYS

The microstructures and mechanical properties of single phase and multiphase alloys are reported for Al-rich intermetallic alloys containing up to 45 at. % Ti and as much as 68 at. % Cr. Among the individual phases formed in these alloys, TiAl and tau (Al67Cr8Ti25) had both the lowest hardnesses and the greatest resistance to cracking. Additionally, the presence of these two phases in multiphase alloys improved mechanical properties.
Imaging with terahertz pulses

Recently, a real-time imaging system based on terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy has been developed. This technique offers a range of unique imaging modalities due to the broad bandwidth, sub-picosecond duration, and phase-sensitive detection of the THz pulses. This paper provides a brief introduction of the state-of-the-art in THz imaging. It also focuses on expanding the potential of this new and exciting field through two major efforts. The first concentrates on improving the experimental sensitivity of the system. We are exploring an interferometric arrangement to provide a background-free reflection imaging geometry. The second applies novel digital signal processing algorithms to extract useful information from the THz pulses. The possibility exists to combine spectroscopic characterization and/or identification with pixel-by-pixel imaging. We describe a new parameterization algorithm for both high and low refractive index materials.
Acute pericarditis complicated by cardiac tamponade during pregnancy

A case of acute pericarditis, complicated by pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade, is described.
Clinical aspects of hepatitis B virus infection.

Adults with a healthy immune system who are exposed to hepatitis B virus (HBV) usually suffer from a mild acute infection. The likelihood of chronicity is only 5% but climbs as high as 90% in newborns and n the immunocompromised. Acute HBV infection can cause fulminant liver failure (case fatality rate of 80%). People with chronic infection tend to have no symptoms normal liver enzymes and normal or almost normal liver histology making diagnosis difficult. Active viral replication occurs in most people with active liver disease. People with persistent active replication are at higher risk of death from liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than those with inactive disease. HBV transmission occurs via sexual intercourse or blood or needle contact. In the US iv drug use is the major risk factor for HBV infection in adults. Prevention of HBV infection is through patient education and vaccination. Some people advocate universal HBV vaccination because it is often difficult to vaccinate high risk populations and to identify risk factors. Universal vaccination is not cost effective in low risk areas however e.g. the US and Europe. Treatment for chronic HBV infection is limited. Response to interferon therapy depends on low HBV DNA levels high transaminase levels and a history of acute hepatitis. Short- and longterm response rates tend to be low however (< 40% short term and much lower for longterm). Experimental drugs are thymosin and nucleoside analogues. Standard treatment for patients with end-stage chronic liver disease or fulminant hepatic failure is liver transplantation. High dose immune globulin is the best means to delay and prevent recurrent HBV infection in transplantation patients. Some problems with management of chronic HBV are prevention of HCC and recurrent HBV after transplantation. Variant viruses are mutations of the precore or of a surface gene. HIV/AIDS is often associated with HBV and hepatitis delta virus infection.
Landscape legacies of the African diaspora in Brazil

Geographers have been reticent on the role of the African diaspora in the contouring of Brazil's biological and cultural landscapes. Whereas paradigm shifts have occurred in regards to environmental stability in the tropical realm and the pristine nature of pre-Columbian landscapes, these have not translated to a rigorous reassessment of the geographical position of Africans and their descendants as active agents in landscape evolution. In this article, we briefly examine the historical development of black diaspora scholarship outside of geography. We review the contributions of geographers and others to understanding the floristic homogenization of the Atlantic world set in motion by European exploration and colonization. Finally, by highlighting recent findings on the dynamic role of forced African immigrants in the process of landscape transformation, we hope to stimulate further geographical inquiry, improve pedagogical materials and advance in a modest way a recovery of the African contribution to t...
HEIGHTENED SEXUAL INTEREST AND SLEEP DISTURBANCE

The study demonstrates a behavioral effect of selective sleep disturbance in normal human subjects. Ten male subjects were selectively REM-deprived for two nights by awakening them at the onset of REM sleep. In addition, there were baseline and non-REM awakening conditions. Heightened sexual interest was defined by the number of film frames (using a Mackworth camera) in which subjects fixated on parts of the female figure in photographs. The largest mean difference in sexual interest was found between baseline and REM-deprivation. Both the non-REM awakenings and REM-sleep deprivation enhanced sexual interest. The failure to demonstrate a significant difference between REM-deprivation and non-REM awakenings may be due to the fact that subjects were REM-sleep-deprived in both conditions. It is suggested that REM-sleep loss may lead to increased selective attention and preoccupation with any cues which are usually interesting.
THE USE OF ACQUISITIONS AND JOINT VENTURES BY U.S. BANKS EXPANDING ABROAD

We examine international bank expansions, which are classified as banking (scale related) or nonbanking (complementary) moves into developed or developing markets. The market responds favorably to expansions through joint ventures by U.S. banks, and insignificantly to expansions through acquisitions. Accounting and operating performances (for joint venture banks) and long-period holding returns (for acquisitions) show improvement in the two years following the announcement. Systematic risk declines for the sample overall, for acquisitions, and for expansions into developing countries. In general, scale or developing expansions are better pursued through acquisitions, whereas complementary or developed expansions are best pursued through joint ventures.
Experimental and observational studies of radiolarian physiological ecology: 3. Effects of temperature, salinity and light intensity on the growth and survival ofSpongaster tetras tetras maintained in laboratory culture

Abstract The mean growth, longevity and percent of S. tetras tetras producing swarmers in laboratory-cultures were examined as a function of variations in water temperature, salinity and the intensity of illumination. Radiolaria were grown as individuals in optically clear glass vials maintained in environmentally controlled water baths and observed daily by light microscopy. The optimum growth and longevity occurred at moderately warmer temperatures and higher salinities (e.g. 27.5°C and 40‰ salinity) where maximum survival was 23 days compared to 4 days at a temperature of 21°C and 30‰ salinity. At higher temperatures of 33°C and 36°C, the maximum longevity was 2 and zero days respectively. Light was required for production of reproductive swarmers, but not for growth. At temperatures near or below 15°C, the axopodia became aggregated together or remained permanently withdrawn incumbering food gathering. Few individuals produced reproductive swarmers at 15°C and none produced swarmers at a temperature of 10°C. These data indicate that S. tetras tetras may be restricted to warmer temperature water masses with an upper limit near 31°C. They survive better with higher salinity and warmer water (c. 28°C). Cold water and particularly dark conditions that occur at great depth, may not support large populations of S. tetras tetras since swarmer release is inhibited and, among other factors, food gathering is suppressed due to axopodial impairment.
Preferential benefit of implementation of a statewide trauma system in one of two adjacent states

Background: Implementation of Oregon's trauma system was associated with a reduction in the risk of death for hospitalized injured patients. An alternative explanation for improved outcome, however, is favorable concurrent temporal trends, e.g., new technologies and treatments. Patients and Methods: To control for temporal trends, seriously injured hospitalized patients in Oregon and Washington were compared before either state had a trauma system (1985-1988) and when only the Oregon trauma system had been implemented (1990-1993). The study group consisted of hospitalized injured patients aged 16 to 79 years with one or more index injuries in six body regions, i.e., head, chest, spleen/liver, femur or pelvis fracture, and burns. Hospital discharge claims data were analyzed, converting International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, discharge diagnosis codes to Abbreviated Injury Scale scores and Injury Severity Scores using a conversion algorithm. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the differential risk-adjusted odds of death in Oregon compared with Washington after adjustment for demographics, injury type, and injury severity. Results: Findings indicated no difference in the risk-adjusted odds of death between Oregon and Washington while both states functioned under an ad hoc trauma system (1985-1988). A significant reduction in the risk of death, however, was noted in Oregon for patients with an index injury and an Injury Severity Score > 15 compared with Washington (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.70-0.91) after trauma system implementation in Oregon (1990-1993). Specifically, reductions in the risk of death were demonstrated for patients with head injuries (adjusted OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.59-0.82) or liver/spleen injuries (adjusted OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.54-0.99). Conclusion: Assuming that the two states demonstrated similar concurrent temporal trends, the findings support the conclusion that improved outcomes among injured patients in Oregon may be attributed to the institution of a statewide trauma system.
Global quantitative analysis of phosphorylation underlying phencyclidine signaling and sensorimotor gating in the prefrontal cortex

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is an example of sensorimotor gating and deficits in PPI have been demonstrated in schizophrenia patients. Phencyclidine (PCP) suppression of PPI in animals has been studied to elucidate the pathological elements of schizophrenia. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PCP treatment or PPI in the brain are still poorly understood. In this study, quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis was performed on the prefrontal cortex from rats that were subjected to PPI after being systemically injected with PCP or saline. PCP downregulated phosphorylation events were significantly enriched in proteins associated with long-term potentiation (LTP). Importantly, this data set identifies functionally novel phosphorylation sites on known LTP-associated signaling molecules. In addition, mutagenesis of a significantly altered phosphorylation site on xCT (SLC7A11), the light chain of system xc-, the cystine/glutamate antiporter, suggests that PCP also regulates the activity of this protein. Finally, new insights were also derived on PPI signaling independent of PCP treatment. This is the first quantitative phosphorylation proteomic analysis providing new molecular insights into sensorimotor gating.
Genomic structure and embryonic expression of the rat type 1 vasoactive intestinal polypeptide receptor gene

The genomic structure of the rat vasoactive intestinal polypeptide type 1 receptor (VIPR I) gene was characterized using polymerase chain reactions (PCR) and DNA sequencing. These studies show that the rat VIPR I gene spans more than 20 kb of DNA sequence and includes thirteen exons separated by twelve introns, ranging from 0.2 to 4.5 kb. VIP is known to play an important role early in embryonic development. To elucidate the receptor-mediated biological functions of VIP in development, the temporal and spatial expression of VIPR I during rat embryonic development was examined in this study. Using in situ hybridization histochemistry with 35S-labeled riboprobe, VIPR I mRNA was detected as early as embryonic day 11 (E11), in the neuroepithelium, foregut, heart and in cells lining the blood vessels. From E14 through E18, VIPR I mRNA was detected in multiple tissues derived from all three germ layers. These include neuronal cells in brain and spinal cord (ectoderm); smooth muscle cells of intestines, cells lining the wall of the heart and blood vessels, kidney, adrenal gland (mesoderm); epithelial cells of airway and of liver (endoderm). The early onset and wide tissue expression of VIPR I suggests that binding of VIP to this receptor may play an important role in rat embryonic development.
Cooperative binding of oligonucleotides to DNA by triple helix formation: dimerization via Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds

[Introduction] Cooperative binding by proteins to DNA results in higher sequence specificity as well as greater sensitivity to concentration changes. We recently reported cooperative binding of two oligonucleotides at abutting sites by triple helix formation on double helical DNA. However, the enhanced binding observed was modest (a factor of 3.5) and likely due to favorable basestacking interactions between adjacent oligonucleotides and/or induced conformational changes propagated to adjacent binding sites. Thus, the issue arises whether cooperativity in oligonucleotide-directed triple helix formation can be enhanced by the addition of discrete dimerization domains. We report here the binding properties of oligonucleotides that dimerize by Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds and bind neighboring sites on double helical DNA by triple helix formation.
The first heart sound and the dynamic events in ventricular ectopic beats and in paced beats.

Abstract The electrocardiograms and clinical phonocardiograms of 27 patients presenting ventricular ectopic beats were studied, as well as the electrocardiograms, intracardiac phonocardiograms and pressure tracings from both ventricles of 11 patients presenting ventricular ectopic beats during catheterization. The electrocardiograms and clinical phonocardiograms plus the carotid tracings of 5 patients with artificially paced hearts were also studied. It was demonstrated that both the ectopic origin of the impulse and pacing prolong the interval between the onset of the QRS complex and the first heart sound (QRS-I interval) and that right ventricular ectopic origin or right ventricular pacing prolongs this interval more than left ventricular ectopic origin or left ventricular pacing. These facts are discussed and related to (1) altered modality of left ventricular activation (ventricular ectopic beats, paced beats); and (2) additional delay in left ventricular contraction occurring in the case of either right ventricular ectopic beats or hearts paced from the right ventricle, because the left ventricle is the only chamber that causes the first heart sound. No difference was found in the interval between the first two components of the first sound.
Intravenous Nourishment with Protein Carbohydrate and Fat in Man.

SummaryParenteral nutrition was carried out over a 17-day period in an adult male by means of intravenous injection of dextrose, casein digest (amino acids) and emulsified fat. It is believed that this is the first recorded instance of nutrition in man by the simultaneous administration of the 3 primary types of foodstuff.
Construction of an Integrated Surgical Suite in a Military Treatment Facility

ABSTRACT The OR has long existed as a highly specialized and distinct entity within a hospital. Recent technological advances have allowed the OR to be seamlessly integrated with the larger hospital and, in a virtual sense, with the world. The modern, integrated OR can enhance patients' surgical experiences, improve surgeons' control of OR technology, and increase OR efficiency by reducing surgical times. The Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California, is one of the first military health care systems in the southwest to build a fully integrated, voice-controlled OR. The renovation project transformed 12 ORs into fully integrated surgical suites. AORN J 89 (January 2009) 151–159. © AORN, Inc, 2009.
Isradipine Decreases the Hemodynamic Response of Cocaine and Methamphetamine: Results From Two Human Laboratory Studies

Background Massive hypertensive crises relating to cerebrovascular accidents such as strokes or ruptured aneurysms, or cardiovascular dysfunction and toxicity, are an important cause of morbidity and mortality associated with cocaine or methamphetamine use. Experimentally administered, pharmacologically effective doses of cocaine and methamphetamine may serve as a model for studying the effects of these drugs on hemodynamic response and for examining the potential utility of the antihypertensive and dihydropyridine-class calcium channel antagonist isradipine to block these effects. We therefore examined, in two separate experiments of similar design conducted contemporaneously, the hemodynamic effects of cocaine or methamphetamine in the presence and absence of isradipine. Methods In both experiments (total N = 31), isradipine pretreatment was provided to cocaine- or methamphetamine-dependent male and female subjects before intravenous administration of low and high doses of cocaine (0.325 or 0.650 mg/kg) or methamphetamine (15 or 30 mg), respectively, on separate test days. Results Both cocaine and methamphetamine administration produced predicted elevations in blood pressure (with peak response between 1 and 3 min after infusion). Apart from tachycardia, no arrhythmias were reported. Isradipine significantly reduced stimulant-associated increases in all measures of blood pressure except pulse pressure, but tended to enhance the effects of these drugs on heart rate. Conclusions Clinical studies are needed to determine whether isradipine is therapeutically efficacious in preventing hypertensive crises and the associated cerebrovascular and cardiovascular sequelae in cocaine- or methamphetamine-dependent individuals. As there is no established pharmacotherapy for treating cocaine or methamphetamine dependence, identification of a medication that reduces the harmful medical consequences of these drugs would be scientifically and clinically important.
Computational applications of nonextensive statistical mechanics

Computational applications of the nonextensive entropy S"q and nonextensive statistical mechanics, a current generalization of the Boltzmann-Gibbs (BG) theory, are briefly reviewed. The corresponding bibliography is provided as well.
Respiratory metabolism of sterile F1 beet armyworm moths, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract 1. 1. Oxygen consumption of normal and sterile F1 beet armyworm moths of both sexes was measured at 25 and 40°C at approximately 12 and again at 132 hr post-emergence. 2. 2. Rates of the sterile F1 offspring were comparable to control F1 moths under similar test conditions.
The symbolic distance effect in monkeys (Cebus apella)

In making comparative judgments about pairs of stimuli that are linearly ordered, human subjects usually respond faster the greater the separation between-the-items of a test pair—the symbolic distance effect. A similar result has been obtained for associatively related items, such as the alphabet. We report evidence for a distance effect in monkeys tested with pairs of items drawn from a five-item series with which they had considerable previous experience-in a serial learning setting. This finding provides independent evidence that in learning a serial list of items, monkeys acquire knowledge about the ordinal positions of the items. Analysis of the positive results obtained in Experiment 2 and of the failure to find a distance effect in Experiment 1 suggested that in learning a serial list, monkeys construct both an associative chain representation of the series and a spatial representation, with the latter supplying the spatial markers that convey positional information. This dual coding of sequential events, which may be rather general among mammals, probably supports a variety of cognitive competencies.
Convective Boiling in Silicon Microchannels With Localized Heating and Thermometry

While silicon microchannel heat sinks are promising for high heat flux integrated circuits, they have not reached their potential because microscale convective boiling is poorly understood. Previous work integrated sensors and heaters into a silicon chip to provide distributed thermometry, but did not specifically examine hotspots or thoroughly treat experimental uncertainty. This work microfabricates a single channel in a thinned silicon beam, instrumented with doped sensors and aluminum heaters, to study the wall temperature and fluidic response to flow boiling induced by non-uniform heating. Uncertainty analysis shows a need for better measurements of the fabricated channel including channel cross section and surface roughness. Refined data from this work will suggest improvements to existing boiling flow models, which may then be implemented into a design tool for optimizing boiling flow microchannel heat sinks.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Ligand influences on the structures of copper molybdate chains: hydrothermal synthesis and structural characterizations of [Cu(2,2′-bipyridine)Mo4O13] and [Cu(2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine)Mo2O7]

Abstract Through exploitation of hydrothermal synthesis, two new one-dimensional copper(II) molybdate chains containing a bidentate chelating and space filling ligand have been prepared. [Cu(bpy)Mo4O13] (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) (1), and [Cu(pyrpyrz)Mo2O7] (pyrpyrz = 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine) (2). The structure of 1 exhibits a one-dimensional chain of edge-and-corner-sharing {MoO6} octahedra, decorated with {Cu(2,2′-bpy)}2+ groups attached through bridging oxo-groups. The structure of 2 consists of an infinite {Mo2O7}2n−n ribbon of edge sharing molybdenum square pyramids and octahedra. The octahedral molybdenum centers are edge sharing to the copper octahedra which in turn corner share to the square pyramidal molybdenum centers. The nitrogen donors of the ligand occupy one axial and one equatorial site of the copper centers.
Geochemical processes contributing to the contamination of soil and surface waters in the Rio Conchos basin, Mexico

A geochemical characterization of the middle Rio Conchos basin is presented based on two contaminants, salts (Ca and Na) and toxic metalloids (As and Sb). Their content in surface water and sediment samples was determined, and their spatial distribution was mapped to show the relationship to each other, to the geology and hydrology, and to other potential factors affecting their distribution (i.e., prevailing winds). Correlation analyses between salts, toxic metalloids, and associated elements, and their spatial distribution aided in determining their sources, which included mines, rock outcrops, urban centers, irrigation waste water, and agricultural runoff. The salinity of the Rio Conchos reached a critical level after receiving waters of its contaminated tributary Rio Chuviscar and irrigation drain returns from the Irrigation District 005, but further downstream the water quality improved when it mixed with Ca-rich water, signifi cantly reducing its Na concentration. Based on its spatial distribution, the content of As in alluvial material was found to be associated with the presence of Ag-Pb mines and to a lesser degree to Oligocene ignimbrites. A correlation of As with Sb, Cu, and Bi suggests that natural sources are the dominant contribution of As within the area, although concentrations above permissible level for water were found in river water samples at a few places where sewage was also present, suggesting an additional (anthropogenic) important source of As. A characterization of natural sources affecting the chemistry of surface waters is a fi rst step toward understanding the natural processes taking place and for documenting natural background levels that are needed to predict the response of the environment to various human activities.
New Strategy for the Search of Natural Biologically Active Substances

The modern pharmaceutics actively screens an immense diversity of substances occurring in plants and other natural resources in the search for new effective medicinal agents. The Global Institute for Bioexploration (GIBEX) established by joint efforts of Rutgers University and the University of Illinois (United States) represents the organizational core of international scientific community whose activity is directed towards the search and development of new medicinal preparations from natural raw materials. The basis of GIBEX activity is the transfer of modern screening technologies to countries and geographical regions characterized by remarkable biodiversity. The GIBEX goals are to encourage the search for new natural biologically active substances, to maintain biodiversity, and to monitor the natural resources conservation.
A core trimer of the paramyxovirus fusion protein: parallels to influenza virus hemagglutinin and HIV-1 gp41.

The paramyxovirus fusion (F) protein mediates membrane fusion. The biologically active F protein consists of a membrane distal subunit, F2, and a membrane-anchored subunit, F1. We have identified a highly stable structure composed of peptides derived from the F1 heptad repeat A, which abuts the hydrophobic fusion peptide (peptide N-1), and the F1 heptad repeat B, located 270 residues downstream and adjacent to the transmembrane domain (peptides C-1 and C-2). In isolation, peptide N-1 is 47% alpha-helical and peptide C-1 and C-2 are unfolded. When mixed together, peptides N1 + C1 form a thermostable (Tm >90 degreesC), 82% alpha-helical, discrete trimer of heterodimers (mass 31,300 Mr) that is resistant to denaturation by 2% SDS at 40 degreesC. We suggest that this alpha-helical trimeric complex represents the core most stable form of the F protein that either is fusion competent or forms after fusion has occurred. Peptide C-1 is a potent inhibitor of both the lipid mixing and the aqueous content mixing fusion activity of the SV5 F protein. In contrast, peptides N-1 and N-2 inhibit cytoplasmic content mixing but not lipid mixing, leading to a stable hemifusion state. Thus, these peptides define functionally different steps in the fusion process. The parallels among both the fusion processes and the protein structures of paramyxovirus F proteins, HIV gp41, and influenza virus hemagglutinin are discussed, as the analogies are indicative of a conserved paradigm for fusion promotion among fusion proteins from widely disparate viruses.
Identification of Absorption Lines by Modulated Lower-Level Population: Spectrum of Na 2

Molecular absorption lines from a common lower level are intensity modulated by chopped-laser saturation of another line from that level. Populations of some other levels are also modulated by subsequent fluorescence. Both types of modulated lines are free of Doppler broadening. Also, collisional depopulation modulates absorption from rotational levels near the laser-depleted level. In ${\mathrm{Na}}_{2}$, we have identified 113 lines. Analysis of the $A$ state by Kusch and Hessel is confirmed and extended.