cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enoxaparin: a pharmacologic and clinical review

Introduction: Both arterial and venous thromboembolism constitute a significant disease burden worldwide, leading to major use of healthcare resources. As anticoagulants play a pivotal role in the treatment of these disorders, it is vital for healthcare providers to have sufficient knowledge of their biochemical and clinical attributes. Areas covered: Enoxaparin is one of the most commonly used low-molecular-weight heparins in a wide variety of thromboembolic disorders and has several advantages over unfractionated heparin. An analysis of its biophysical profile, with special emphasis on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, is undertaken in this article. In addition, most recent major clinical studies elucidating its role in common thromboembolic conditions are discussed, while keeping the historical perspective at hand. Readers will be able to understand the pharmacologic properties of enoxaparin with their clinical relevance for day-to-day use and critically analyze the amount and weight of s...
Solar EUV irradiances and indices

Abstract Information about the solar EUV spectrum and its temporal variability is essential for studies of the earth's upper atmosphere. Despite a data base which spans two solar cycles, neither the EUV irradiance variations associated with the eleven year solar activity cycle, nor the EUV spectral irradiance of the inactive (“quiet”) sun have yet been accurately determined. Because ground based solar observations have been made more frequently, and with a long term accuracy superior to that of EUV irradiance measurements, they have assumed an important role as indicators of solar activity in studies of the earth's thermosphere. In this paper, the solar EUV irradiance data base acquired over the past 25 years is briefly described. The extent to which emissions at different EUV wavelengths and ground based solar indices are similar, is examined statistically over time scales of the 27-day solar rotation, and less rigorously over the eleven year solar cycle. It is shown that the detailed temporal structure of the EUV irradiance variations is a complicated function of wavelength, and cannot be exactly reproduced by any of the traditional ground based indices, over either short or long time scales.
Luminal Chloride-dependent Activation of Endosome Calcium Channels PATCH CLAMP STUDY OF ENLARGED ENDOSOMES

Although Ca(2+) release from early endosomes (EE) is important for the fusion of primary endosomes, the presence of an ion channel responsible for releasing calcium from the EE has not been shown. A recent proteomics study has identified the TRPV2 channel protein in EE, suggesting that transient receptor potential-like Ca(2+) channels may be in endosomes. The submicron size of endosomes has made it difficult to study their ion channels in the past. We have overcome this problem by generating enlarged EE with the help of a hydrolysis-deficient SKD1/VPS4B mutant in HEK293 cells. Here we report the first patch clamp recording of a novel endosome calcium channel (ECC) in these enlarged EE. The ECC shows a similar pharmacology to that of the TRPV2 channel. In addition, the ECC has a unique chloride-dependent regulation; it is inhibited by the endosome luminal chloride with a K(50) of 82 mm.
Fibrin-based biomaterials: Modulation of macroscopic properties through rational design at the molecular level

Fibrinogen is one of the primary components of the coagulation cascade and rapidly forms an insoluble matrix following tissue injury. In addition to its important role in hemostasis, fibrin acts as a scaffold for tissue repair and provides important cues for directing cell phenotype following injury. Because of these properties and the ease of polymerization of the material, fibrin has been widely utilized as a biomaterial for over a century. Modifying the macroscopic properties of fibrin, such as elasticity and porosity, has been somewhat elusive until recently, yet with a molecular-level rational design approach it can now be somewhat easily modified through alterations of molecular interactions key to the protein's polymerization process. This review outlines the biochemistry of fibrin and discusses methods for modification of molecular interactions and their application to fibrin based biomaterials.
Chimeric proteins can exceed the sum of their parts: implications for evolution and protein design.

Chimeric analogs derived from pairs of homologous proteins routinely exhibit activities found in one or both parents. We describe chimeras of two glycoprotein hormones, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and human follitropin (hFSH), that exhibit activity unique to a third family member, human thyrotropin (hTSH). The results show that biological activity can be separated from hormone-specific amino acid residues. This is consistent with a model for the evolution of homologous ligand-receptor pairs involving gene duplication and the creation of inhibitory determinants that restrict binding. Disruption of these determinants can unmask activities characteristic of other members of a protein family. Combining portions of two ligands to create analogs with properties of a third family member can facilitate identifying key determinants of protein-protein interaction and may be a useful strategy for creating novel therapeutics. In the case of the glycoprotein hormones, this showed that two different hormone regions (i.e., the seat-belt and the intersubunit groove) appear to limit inappropriate contacts with receptors for other members of this family. These observations also have important caveats for chimera-based protein design because an unexpected gain of function may limit the therapeutic usefulness of some chimeras.
Payment and coverage issues affecting medical oncology

Medical oncologists continue to face significant issues in obtaining full payment for and coverage of their services by third-party payers. A number of issues raised by the Medicare fee schedule have, however, been at least partially resolved in a favorable manner. There continue to be problems in coverage of off-label drug uses and services associated with clinical trials. The impending reform of the health care system may improve the situation or it may give rise to further difficulties.
Paired analysis of urinary thromboxane B2 metabolites in humans

11-Dehydro-TxB2 and 2,3-dinor-TxB2 are products of the two major pathways of thromboxane metabolism in man. In this study we compared urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-TxB2 and 11-dehydro-TxB2 as indices of Tx biosynthesis in vivo. We performed three studies to assess i) the relative abundance of these two metabolites in the urine of healthy subjects, ii) their cellular origin under physiological conditions and iii) their relative formation during platelet activation. In healthy normal volunteers urinary 11-dehydro-TxB2 is more abundant than 2,3-dinor-TxB2 (792 +/- 119 pg/mg creatinine vs 106 +/- 21 pg/mg creatinine). Administration of a dose of aspirin selective for platelet cyclooxygenase (20 mg/day for 10 days) caused substantial and comparable suppression of both 11-dehydro-TxB2 (mean 82 +/- 4.9%) and 2,3-dinor-TxB2 (mean 79 +/- 6.9%). recovery of excretion of both metabolites after a nonselective aspirin regimen (325 mg BID for 3 days) corresponded to platelet life-span. Furthermore, excretion of both metabolites was increased in patients with severe atherosclerosis consistent with the known increase in platelet activation in this setting. Quantitative analysis of both urinary 11-dehydro-TxB2 and 2,3-dinor-TxB2 by GC-MS established that, in contrast to previous assumptions, 11-dehydro-TxB2 is the most abundant urinary metabolite of TxB2. The aspirin study demonstrates that platelets are the major source of both metabolites in urine, consistent with their increased excretion in severe atherosclerosis. Combined analysis of both metabolites will distinguish altered metabolism from increased biosynthesis of thromboxane A2.
Distinct requirements of hematopoietic stem cell activity and Nras G12D signaling in different cell types during leukemogenesis.

We previously showed that widespread expression of Nras G12D/G12D from its endogenous locus in mice leads to an acute myeloproliferative disease (MPD) with a complete penetrance, whereas bone marrow-specific expression of Nras G12D/G12D in recipient mice did not result in sustained MPD phenotypes but 100% penetrant acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (TALL). Such a phenotypic switch also is seen in the case of endogenous oncogenic Kras. Two possibilities might account for this observation and they are not necessarily mutually exclusive. First, the MPD phenotypes in primary Nras G12D/G12D mice might be a transient phenomenon attributable to microenvironmental factors that do not necessarily imply the potential for long-term maintenance in a hematopoietic-cell autonomous manner. Second, it is likely that MPD phenotypes are maintained by genetically altered hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Nras G12D/G12D signaling might substantially alter HSC behaviors (e.g. induce their proliferative exhaustion) s...
Shear-induced metallization

Abstract It is well known that compression causes insulators and semiconductors to become metallic when the concentration of the matrix atoms (or of impurity atoms) reaches a critical value given by the theories of Herzfeld, Mott, Hubbard, Edwards and Sienko, and others. It is argued here, based on the observed transitions in diamond-framework semiconductors, that microscopic shear strains are sometimes more important than dilatations. The simple theory of hybridized covalent bonds indicates that the energy gaps in these materials should vanish when compression causes the tetrahedral bond angle (109.5°) to increase to 148.2°. This is close to the average observed transformation angle of 149.2° (homopolar crystals). Implications for various phenomena are outlined.
Deformation of perovskite electronic ceramics — a review

Steady-state deformation of several important electronic ceramics, all having a perovskite structure, is reviewed and discussed in terms of their common prominent features. Of particular importance are the ferroelectric BaTiO{sub 3}, a leading candidate for electrodes in solid-oxide fuel cells, (La{sub 1-y}Sr{sub y}){sub 1-x}MnO{sub 3-{delta}} and the high-temperature superconductor YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x}. In all cases, deformation occurs by grain-boundary sliding accommodated by diffusion. Cations are the rate-controlling species and their diffusivities can be calculated and compared to existing tracer diffusion data. In some cases, the tracer diffusion coefficients have not been measured, but measurements of steady-state creep can provide these values.
Oral leukoplakia and adolescent smokeless tobacco use

The recent increase in smokeless tobacco (ST) use has prompted investigators to assess the health effects of ST use. This study attempted to evaluate the prevalence of oral leukoplakia among adolescent users and to determine factors associated with its presence. During their annual physical examination, 1116 teenaged football players (567 black, 546 white) answered a 34-question survey and received an oral screening examination. Results indicated that 0.5% of nonusers, 1.5% of previous users, and 13% of current users had clinically evident oral leukoplakia. Factors statistically associated with higher leukoplakia rates included history of ST use, regular ST use, years of ST use, and the weekly quantity consumed. Factors not associated included use of alcohol, use of cigarettes, type of ST used, and hours of ST use. One brand of snuff was found to be associated with a relative risk of leukoplakia higher than that of another brand of snuff. Overall, in ST users oral leukoplakia was six times more likely to develop than in nonusers. Earlier ages of ST use may lead to greater periods of use (in years) and to possible increases in deleterious long-term health effects in current adolescents.
Calcium influx mediates the voltage-dependence of sperm entry into sea urchin eggs.

Abstract Sperm entry was monitored in voltage-clamped sea urchin eggs following insemination in a variety of artificial seawaters. In regular seawater, maintaining the membrane potential at increasingly negative values progressively inhibits sperm entry. Reducing [Ca2+]o relieves the inhibition, shifting the sperm entry vs voltage relationship toward more negative potentials. Raising [Ca2+]o shifts the relationship in the other direction. Large changes in [Na+]o or [Mg2+]o do not affect sperm entry although changing [Na+]o dramatically changes the currents following sperm attachment. Applying one of seven different calcium channel blockers or replacing Ca2+ with Ba2+ or Sr2+ or microinjecting calcium chelators into the cytoplasm relieves the block to sperm entry at negative potentials. We conclude that the block to sperm entry at negative potentials is mediated by calcium which crosses the membrane and acts at an intracellular site.
The Effects of Proton-Defect Interactions on Radiation-Induced Interface-Trap Formation and Annealing

Interface-trap buildup and annealing are examined as a function of temperature, dose rate, and H2 concentration using a physics-based model. The roles of a number of common oxide defects in radiation-induced interface-trap buildup are evaluated under various conditions. Defects near the interface play a significant role in determining interface-trap buildup by trapping protons as proton concentration and temperature increase.
Effects of Analgesics on Bradykinin-Induced Writhing in Mice Presensitized With PGE2

The intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg/kg PGE2 (which by itself was inactive) enhanced the writhing response induced by a subnociceptive dose of bradykinin (BK, 0.5 mg/kg ip) in male mice. The BK1 agonist, DesArg9-BK and the BK1 antagonist DesArg9-Leu8-BK did not affect writhing. The BK2 agonists, Lys-BK and Tyr-BK, like BK, induced writhing in the PGE2-treated mice. On the other hand, the DPhe7-analogs of BK, which antagonize BK at the BK2 subtype of receptors, potently inhibited the writhing response induced by BK. The writhing was also inhibited by morphine, but in contrast, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) only weakly inhibited the writhing response in this assay, suggesting that the nociceptive effect of BK was not significantly dependent upon the biosynthesis of PGE2. These results suggest that the algesic effect of BK in this mouse model is mediated via a BK2 receptor subtype.
Different Domains of the AP-1 Adaptor Complex Are Required for Golgi Membrane Binding and Clathrin Recruitment

The assembly of clathrin-coated buds on the Golgi requires the recruitment of the heterotetrameric AP-1 adaptor complex, which is dependent on both guanine nucleotides and the small GTP-binding protein ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF). Here, we have investigated the structural domains of the AP-1 complex necessary for ARF-mediated translocation of the adaptor complex onto Golgi membranes and the subsequent recruitment of clathrin onto the membrane. Controlled proteolysis of purified AP-1, derived from bovine adrenal coated vesicles, was used to generate AP-1 core fragments composed of the amino-terminal trunk regions of the beta 1 and gamma subunits and associated mu 1 and sigma 1 subunits, and lacking either the beta 1 subunit carboxyl-terminal appendage or both beta 1 and gamma subunit appendages. On addition of these truncated fragments to AP-1-depleted adrenal cytosol, both types of core fragments were efficiently recruited onto Golgi membranes in the presence of GTP gamma S. Recruitment of both core fragments was inhibited by the fungal metabolite brefeldin A, indicative of an ARF-dependent process. Limited tryptic digestion of recruited, intact cytosolic AP-1 resulted in the quantitative release of the globular carboxyl-terminal appendage domains of the beta 1 and gamma subunits. The adaptor core complex remained associated with the Golgi membranes. Recruitment of cytosolic clathrin onto the Golgi membranes was strictly dependent on the presence of intact AP-1. Tryptic removal of the beta 1 subunit appendage prevented subsequent clathrin recruitment. We conclude that the structural determinants required for the ARF-mediated binding of cytosolic AP-1 onto Golgi membranes are contained within the adaptor core, and that the carboxyl-terminal appendage domains of the beta 1 and gamma subunits do not play any role in this process. Subsequent recruitment of cytosolic clathrin, however, requires an intact beta 1 subunit.
Psychological Contracts in Local Government A Preliminary Survey

Psychological contracts are agreements between managers and individual workers that aim to increase worker commitment and alignment with the needs of the organization. Psychological contracts clarify expectations,addr ess ambiguity, and attempt to ensure a reasonable balance between expectations (what one gets) and contributions (what one gives). Based on a national survey,this study finds that in about one half of U.S. citiesmostmanagers believe they have a psychological contract of some sort and that in about one fifth of cities,these understandings meet amore stringent definition of such contracts. Respondents report that utilizing the notion of psychological contracts improves understanding and agreement about employees’ and managers’ responsibilities and also increases openness in communication. Psychological contracts are associated with the use of performance enhancement strategies,and some respondents report that they increase loyalty and trust as well.
Ciliary body naevus

Purpose To describe clinical, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), and histopathologic characteristics of benign melanocytic tumors of the ciliary body. Design Consecutive case series. Methods Six patients with a pigmented ciliary body tumour underwent complete ophthalmic examination and UBM, with histopathologic examination carried out on three cases. Results Six patients presented with a pigmented iridociliary mass, with central displacement of iris root. UBM revealed a stromal mass arising in pars plicata and/or pars plana in all six with a cyst in three cases (intrinsic = 1 and extrinsic = 2). Iridocyclectomy was performed because of documented growth in three cases, and all three cases proved to be ciliary body spindle-cell naevus. The other three patients have remained stable. Conclusions On clinical basis and with available ancillary studies, ciliary body naevi cannot be reliably differentiated from ciliary body melanocytoma and ciliary body melanoma. Even with clinically documented growth, the lesions may prove to be ciliary body naevi.
SU‐C‐BRB‐02: Exploring the Correlation Between 3D Spatial Dose Distribution and Toxicity in Normal Tissue

Purpose: To explore the correlation between spatialdose distribution and toxicity of normal tissue by mapping 3D dose distribution onto a reference patient. Methods: In order to facilitate the direct correlation between dose to a certain tissue sub‐volume and toxicity, 3D dose distributions of a patient cohort are deformed onto a single reference patient using deformable image registration.Spatial Spearman rank correlations between warped dose and toxicity are then computed on a point‐by‐point basis over the entire voxel space of the reference patient. We illustrate this approach using a cohort of 37 right‐sided H&N cancers of the oropharynx regarding the endpoint of trismus. Patients were treated with definitive IMRT and concurrent chemotherapy with a prescription dose of 70 Gy between Jan. 2004 and April 2009 at MSKCC with a median follow‐up time of 34 months (range, 6–68). 12 patients developed trismus (Grade >=1). Dose volume histograms (DVH) of the mastication muscles were also exported to perform logistic regression. Results: The standard logistic regression model based on DVH derived parameters for contoured muscles provided a moderate Spearman correlation (Rs=0.45, p<0.05). Meanwhile, examining the 3D Spearman map reveals a region with high correlation (Rs=0.58, p<0.001). Interestingly, a close up view shows that this potentially ‘radio‐sensitive’ region is located on the contralateral side at the attachment point of the medial and lateral pterygoid muscles with the pterygoid plate. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of studying the spatial correlation between dose and toxicity in normal tissues. The validity of this method was demonstrated in H&N patients. This technique preserves the spatial information of the dose distribution and provides an unbiased approach to identify critical anatomic structures since it does not require prior assumptions about the organs at risk. In addition, this method is generic and can be extended to study other complication endpoints. Partially supported by NIH grant ROI CA85181
Estimating the atmospheric deposition of organochlorine contaminats to the Arctic

Abstract This work predicts the flux of several OC compounds: α- and γ-HCH, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), chlordane (cis- + trans- chlordane), diedlrin, p,p′-DDT and toxaphene, to the Arctic in the summer and winter. These estimates are based on known deposition mechanisms using atmospheric OC concentrations, gas-aerosol partition data, and OC physical properties typical of the polar environment.
Advances in Monoclonal Antibody Therapy of Cancer

Tumor-associated antigens can be seen as unique targets for the delivery of anti-cancer therapy. Monoclonal antibodies directed at such antigens are increasingly being seen as important biologic reagents that will complement the group of existing cytotoxic drugs. This report briefly overviews recent advances in the field of monoclonal antibody therapy of cancer and provides insight regarding the promises and limitations of this novel therapeutic approach.
Social death and political life in the study of slavery.

ABOARD THE HUDIBRAS IN 1786, in the course of a harrowing journey from Africa to America, a popular woman died in slavery. Although she was “universally esteemed” among her fellow captives as an “oracle of literature,” an “orator,” and a “songstress,” she is anonymous to historians because the sailor on the slave ship who described her death, the young William Butterworth, did not record her name. Yet he did note that her passing caused a minor political tumult when the crew herded the other enslaved women below decks before they could see the body of their fallen shipmate consigned to the water. This woman was no alienated isolate to be hurled over the side of the ship without ceremony. She had been, according to Butterworth, the “soul of sociality” when the women were on the quarterdeck. There she had knelt “nearly prostrate, with hands stretched forth and placed upon the deck, and her head resting on her hands.” Then, “In order to render more easy the hours of her sisters in exile,” the woman “would sing slow airs, of a pathetic nature, and recite such pieces as moved the passions; exciting joy or grief, pleasure or pain, as fancy or inclination led.”1 Around her the other women were arranged in concentric circles, with the innermost ring comprising the youngest girls, and the elderly on the perimeter—a fleeting, makeshift community amid the chaos of the slave trade. The first to die on that particular voyage, the woman was laid out on the deck while the sailors awaited flood tide to heave her overboard. The other women commenced a “loud, deep, and impressive” rite of mourning, often speaking softly to the corpse in the belief that the woman’s spirit would hear and acknowledge their wish “to be remembered to their friends in the other country, when they should meet again.” Before the ceremonies could reach a conclusion, the women and girls were ordered below, with the body left on the deck. Convinced that whites were cannibals and that the sailors “might begin to eat their dead favourite,” the Africans began a vehement protest. Fearing a general insurrection, the captain let several of the women out of the hold and had the corpse lowered into the water in their presence, “with the observance of rather more decency in the manner of doing it, than generally appeared in the funeral of a slave.” The protest subsided, the slaver eventually de-
On the core of the minimum cost steiner tree game in networks

A cost allocation problem arising from the Steiner Tree (ST) problem in networks is analyzed. This cost allocation problem is formulated as a cost cooperative game in characteristic function form, referred to as theST-game. The class ofST games generalizes the class of minimum cost spanning tree games which were used in the literature to analyze a variety of cost allocation problems. In general, the core of anST-game may be empty. We construct an efficient Core Heuristic to compute a “good” lower bound on the maximum fraction of the total cost that can be distributed among users while satisfying the core constraints. Based on the Core Heuristic, we also provide a sufficient condition for a givenST not to be optimal for the linear programming relaxation of an integer programming formulation of theST problem. The Core Heuristic was implemented and tested on 76 data sets from the literature (Wong's, Aneja's and Beasley's Steiner tree problems). Core points were found for 69 of these cases, and points “close” to the core were computed in the others.
Novel intelligent fault-tolerant adaptive control methodology for next generation energy systems

In this paper, we propose a novel intelligent fault tolerant adaptive control methodology for next generation energy systems. This architecture augments local controllers connected to energy systems such as renewable energy based power generators based on a robust Fault Tolerant Control (FTC). This local controllers interacts with an area controller for the monitoring and control of energy systems. To this end, a Dual Heuristic Programming (DHP) action-critic neural network architecture coupled with a predictive identifier is designed. The main objective of the area controller is to interact with the local controller to exchange information about the grid status and augment local controller based on an optimal control strategy. The controller performance is tested on a wind generating system two area power grid to control reactive power management at the common point of coupling (CPP). Simulation studies indicate that the proposed architecture is capable of improving the stabilization of the power grid in the presence of renewable energy resources.
Managing Multiple Roles in Embedded Environments: The Case of Aircraft Carrier Psychology.

How can a psychologist deployed as an embedded member of a small team or military unit ethically manage pervasive and uncomfortable multiple-role relationships? Embedded practice often enhances the psychologist's understanding of unit members' needs and the willingness of members to seek services. Yet it also ensures multiple roles with every member of the community and diminishes the psychologist's ability to use existing ethical strategies for minimizing both the development and management of multiple relationships. We highlight the dilemmas common to practice in embedded military units by describing aircraft carrier practice. We conclude with several recommendations for minimizing the probability of harm to clients in these contexts.
Finding the resources for summer learning programs

Research on summer learning losses has unambiguous implications for America: all children need learning opportunities in the summer. But how and when policymakers, educators, and youth service providers will fashion appropriate programming are far less clear. At the root of this problem is the need to vastly increase, stabilize, and coordinate resources for summer programming. Jane Sundius first outlines the current landscape of summer programs. She then goes on to make the case that two key strategies are necessary to securing sustainable increases in funding that will allow all children access to summer programming. The first is a national advocacy and public will-building campaign. The second is extensive, local, public-private planning to map existing summer resources and needs and to create blueprints for programming that serve all children in communities. Drawing on her experiences as a foundation program director, Sundius urges programs, foundation officials, and other stakeholders to expand their summer funding efforts beyond individual summer programs and to support, in addition, strategic communications and community planning efforts that are aimed at providing summer learning opportunities for all children.
Shaping the mammalian auditory sensory organ by the planar cell polarity pathway

The human ear is capable of processing sound with a remarkable resolution over a wide range of intensity and frequency. This ability depends largely on the extraordinary feats of the hearing organ, the organ of Corti and its sensory hair cells. The organ of Corti consists of precisely patterned rows of sensory hair cells and supporting cells along the length of the snail-shaped cochlear duct. On the apical surface of each hair cell, several rows of actin-containing protrusions, known as stereocilia, form a "V"-shaped staircase. The vertices of all the "V"-shaped stereocilia point away from the center of the cochlea. The uniform orientation of stereocilia in the organ of Corti manifests a distinctive form of polarity known as planar cell polarity (PCP). Functionally, the direction of stereociliary bundle deflection controls the mechanical channels located in the stereocilia for auditory transduction. In addition, hair cells are tonotopically organized along the length of the cochlea. Thus, the uniform orientation of stereociliary bundles along the length of the cochlea is critical for effective mechanotransduction and for frequency selection. Here we summarize the morphological and molecular events that bestow the structural characteristics of the mammalian hearing organ, the growth of the snail-shaped cochlear duct and the establishment of PCP in the organ of Corti. The PCP of the sensory organs in the vestibule of the inner ear will also be described briefly.
Bidirectional transport of glutathione in hepatocyte membranes: does glutathione efflux stimulate organic anion uptake?

We determined the trans effects of extracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) on the rate of efflux of endogenous labeled GSH from freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. The presence of GSH (10 mM) in the medium significantly stimulated the fractional rate of efflux of [35S]GSH from 5.2 to 12.6%/15 min (p < 0.01). This effect was concentration-dependent, had sigmoid type of kinetics (D50 of 0.32 mM), and was reversible upon removal of external GSH. trans-Stimulation (counter-transport) was also observed with 5 mM oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and ophthalmic acid (fractional [35S]GSH efflux: 13.4% ± 4.1 and 8.8% ± 2.3 in 15 min, respectively, compared with control: 4.7 ± 2.5/15 min). Bromosulphthalein-glutathione (BSP-GSH, 5 mM) in Krebs buffer inhibited the fractional [35S]GSH efflux (1.1%/15 min), whereas in Cl−--free buffer, GSH efflux was stimulated (14.2%/15 min) compared with control. trans-Stimulation was independent of chloride. BSP-GSH cis-inhibited and trans-stimulated the initial rate of GSH transport in basolateral-enriched membrane vesicles (bLPM) but not in canalicular-enriched membrane vesicles (cLPM). γ-Glutamyl compounds also cis-inhibited and trans-stimulated GSH transport in bLPM vesicles. GSH-depleted hepatocytes incubated with 10 mM [35S]GSH accumulated more GSH than repleted cells, but the initial rate of uptake of radioactivity was faster in repleted cells. In contrast, repleted hepatocytes incubated with tracer or 50 μM [35S]GSH did not take up GSH. Thus, the sinusoidal membrane GSH transporter exhibits low affinity kinetics with sigmoid features for both GSH uptake and trans-stimulation of efflux, explaining the lack of uptake of GSH at low physiologic extracellular concentrations. Therefore, our findings support and explain the widely held view that GSH transport is unidirectional under physiologic conditions. However, the efflux of GSH may also occur in exchange for the uptake of organic anions and γ-glutamyl compounds. (J Biol Chem 1992;267:22256–22264.)
2-Deoxy-d-ribose. I. A simplified preparation of 2-deoxy-d-ribose based on treatment of α-d-glucose monohydrate with solid calcium hydroxide

Abstract Heating α- d -glucose hydrate with an excess of solid calcium hydroxide under nitrogen at 115–120 ° for 1 hr. affords a mixture which, after removal of excess alkali, may be submitted to the Ruff degradation to give 2-deoxy- d -ribose as its anilide in a high state of purity in 8–9% yield. With these inexpensive materials and this simple procedure, relatively large quantities of 2-deoxy- d -ribose may easily be prepared using ordinary laboratory equipment.
Self-report measures of distractibility as correlates of simulated driving performance

The present study investigated the relationship between self-reported measures pertaining to attention difficulties and simulated driving performance while distracted. Thirty-six licensed drivers participated in a simulator driving task while engaged in a cell phone conversation. The participants completed questionnaires assessing their tendency toward boredom, cognitive failures, and behaviors associated with attention deficit and hyperactivity. Scores on these measures were significantly correlated with various driving outcomes (e.g., speed, lane maintenance, reaction time). Significant relationships were also found between one aspect of boredom proneness (i.e., inability to generate interest or concentrate) and self-reports of past driving behavior (moving violations). The current study may aid in the understanding of how individual differences in driver distractibility may contribute to unsafe driving behaviors and accident involvement. Additionally, such measures may assist in the identification of individuals at risk for committing driving errors due to being easily distracted. The benefits and limitations of conducting and interpreting simulation research are discussed.
A comparison of the human lumbar intervertebral disc mechanical response to normal and impact loading conditions.

Thirty-four percent of U.S. Navy high speed craft (HSC) personnel suffer from lower back injury and low back pain, compared with 15 to 20% of the general population. Many of these injuries are specifically related to the intervertebral disc, including discogenic pain and accelerated disc degeneration. Numerous studies have characterized the mechanical behavior of the disc under normal physiological loads, while several have also analyzed dynamic loading conditions. However, the effect of impact loads on the lumbar disc—and their contribution to the high incidence of low back pain among HSC personnel—is still not well understood. An ex vivo study on human lumbar anterior column units was performed in order to investigate disc biomechanical response to impact loading conditions. Samples were subjected to a sequence of impact events of varying duration (Δt = 80, 160, 320, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 ms) and the level of displacement (0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 mm), stiffness k, and energy dissipation ΔE were measured. Impacts of Δt = 80 ms saw an 18–21% rise in k and a 3–7% drop in ΔE compared to the 1000 ms baseline, signaling an abrupt change in disc mechanics. The altered disc mechanical response during impact likely causes more load to be transferred directly to the endplates, vertebral bodies, and surrounding soft tissues and can help begin to explain the high incidence of low back pain among HSC operators and other individuals who typically experience similar loading environments. The determination of a “safety range” for impacts could result in a refinement of design criteria for shock mitigating systems on high-speed craft, thus addressing the low back injury problem among HSC personnel.
Transition of failure modes in round-nosed mass-to-beam impact

Abstract The deformation and failure response of a long metal beam impacted by a rigid, round-nosed projectile is investigated numerically using a newly developed ductile fracture locus. Attention is focused on the transition of failure modes from the tensile dominated to shear dominated mechanism with increasing impact velocities. Effects of material ductility are highlighted by introducing two metals: 2024-T351 aluminum alloy and Weldox 460 E steel, which represent a less and a more ductile material, respectively. It is revealed that tensile tearing is a favorable failure mode for both materials at a velocity near the ballistic limit. The steel beam tends to break by tensile tearing while the aluminum beam fails by shear plugging at an impact velocity well above the ballistic limit. The energy dissipated in the target increases with the impact velocity, reaches a maximum value at or near the ballistic limit, and suddenly decreases just beyond the ballistic limit. The numerical findings are consistent with experimental observations given in the literature. The present paper provides an insight into the mechanics and mechanisms of ductile fracture in rigid mass impact on beam. At the same time, it is clearly demonstrated that the new fracture criterion is capable of capturing crack formation and distinct failure modes.
A method for quantifying the acoustic transfer function of a ducted rotor

This paper describes a method for analyzing the sound radiated by a low-speed axial flow ducted fan. The radiated sound depends on both the sound generated by the rotor and the geometry of the surfaces surrounding the source region. These surfaces act to modify the spectral content of the sound as perceived by an observer outside of the duct. The fan was considered as a compact region of axial dipole sources, so that the radiated sound could be described as the product of a frequency-dependent unsteady force and an effective transfer function. The primary goal of this study was to develop a method for quantifying the acoustic transfer function for this general class of system using radiated sound measurements. Microphone measurements were acquired of the radiated sound generated by a ten-bladed fan operating inside a finite length rigid duct. Two fundamental frequencies were found to be inherent in the system, one based on the parameters of the sound source, and the other based on the geometry of the duct. As previous studies have found, these two frequency scales allow for the separation of the radiated sound into source and transfer function spectra. A unique method for determining these separate functions is presented, with the primary assumption that the aeroacoustic sources follow a power law relationship with rotor tip relative speed. The resulting algorithm was shown to effectively quantify the acoustic transfer function. A set of mathematically defined input functions was used to evaluate the efficacy of the separation method. Additionally, the ducted rotor system was operated over a range of flow rates to produce different sound sources, and the transfer function calculated by the algorithm was found to be independent of this source mechanism.
The Short Road to Great Presentations. Peter Reimold and Cheryl Reimold. Piscataway, NJ: Wiley-IEEE Press, 2003, 342 pp., $39.95. ISBN 0-47128-136-0.

The subtitle of this text, How to Reach Any Audience Through Focused Preparation, Inspired Delivery, and Smart Use of Technology , sums up the two authors’ experience from years of teaching and giving workshops on presentations and provides a systematic approach for preparation of a presentation that should be read by anyone who teaches or has to make a presentation. Once the reader picks up this book, he or she will be hard-pressed to put it down. In preparation for a presentation, it will be invaluable because it clearly is a roadmap in itself and …
Providing Crop Disaster Assistance through a Modified Deficiency Payment Program

Federal income support programs provide producers with only a limited degree of income protection in the event of a widespread crop failure. As an alternative to supplemental disaster assistance, we propose a modification of the deficiency payments program in which a producer's payment would be based on the difference between a target revenue and the average revenue in the producer's region. A regional target revenue progam would provide improved individual income protection without promoting moral hazard and would limit regional revenue shortfalls, thereby eliminating the demand for supplemental disaster assistance and reducing government costs.
Some Aspects of Wind Power Statistics

Abstract Some of the problems of wind power statistics are examined. The exact relationship between the mean wind speed and the mean of the cube of the wind speed is discussed. The Weibull probability density function, a good model for wind speed distributions, leads to a Weibull model for the distribution of the cube of the wind speed. This model facilitates the computation of the mean and the standard deviation of the total wind power density, the usable wind power density, and the wind power density during the hours when an aerogenerator is operating. The Weibull model is applied to data from three Oregon wind power sites located in rugged terrain. It is concluded that the mean and standard deviation of the wind speed are the minimum statistics necessary for wind power estimates, that the Weibull model for the wind power density has many computational advantages, and that the existing wind power studies based solely on the total mean wind power density omit much valuable information about the wind powe...
Long‐standing exophytic mass in the right infratemporal region

An 80-year-old woman presented with a long-standing exophytic mass in the right temple region (Fig. 1). The mass had been increasing in size slowly and progressively over the last eight years. There was no history of pain or bleeding. She had no family history of cancer. On physical examination, the mass was 5 cm in maximum dimension, lobulated, and was tan-pink to red in color. It was soft to firm in consistency and was non-tender. (a) (b)
HIF-1α Mediates Isoflurane-Induced Vascular Protection in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Objective Outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) depends critically on delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) – a process driven primarily by vascular events including cerebral vasospasm, microvessel thrombosis, and microvascular dysfunction. This study sought to determine the impact of postconditioning – the phenomenon whereby endogenous protection against severe injury is enhanced by subsequent exposure to a mild stressor – on SAH-induced DCI. Methods Adult male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to sham, SAH, or SAH plus isoflurane postconditioning. Neurological outcome was assessed daily via sensorimotor scoring. Contributors to DCI including cerebral vasospasm, microvessel thrombosis, and microvascular dysfunction were measured 3 days later. Isoflurane-induced changes in hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1α)-dependent genes were assessed via quantitative polymerase chain reaction. HIF-1α was inhibited pharmacologically via 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) or genetically via endothelial cell HIF-1α-null mice (EC-HIF-1α-null). All experiments were performed in a randomized and blinded fashion. Results Isoflurane postconditioning initiated at clinically relevant time points after SAH significantly reduced cerebral vasospasm, microvessel thrombosis, microvascular dysfunction, and neurological deficits in wild-type (WT) mice. Isoflurane modulated HIF-1α-dependent genes – changes that were abolished in 2ME2-treated WT mice and EC-HIF-1α-null mice. Isoflurane-induced DCI protection was attenuated in 2ME2-treated WT mice and EC-HIF-1α-null mice. Interpretation Isoflurane postconditioning provides strong HIF-1α-mediated macro- and microvascular protection in SAH, leading to improved neurological outcome. These results implicate cerebral vessels as a key target for the brain protection afforded by isoflurane postconditioning, and HIF-1α as a critical mediator of this vascular protection. They also identify isoflurane postconditioning as a promising novel therapeutic for SAH.
Revisiting the relationship between tumour volume and diameter in advanced NSCLC patients: An exercise to maximize the utility of each measure to assess response to therapy.

Aim To revisit the presumed relationship between tumour diameter and volume in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, and determine whether the measured volume using volume-analysis software and its proportional changes during therapy matches with the calculated volume obtained from the presumed relationship and results in concordant response assessment. Materials and methods Twenty-three patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC with a total of 53 measurable lung lesions, treated in a phase II trial of erlotinib, were studied with institutional review board approval. Tumour volume and diameter were measured at baseline and at the first follow-up computed tomography (CT) examination using volume-analysis software. Using the measured diameter (2r) and the equation, calculated volume was obtained as (4/3)πr 3 at baseline and at the follow-up. Percent volume change was obtained by comparing to baseline for measured and calculated volumes, and response assessment was assigned. Results The measured volume was significantly smaller than the calculated volume at baseline (median 11,488.9 mm 3 versus 17,148.6 mm 3 ; p 3 versus 9198.1 mm 3 ; p = 0.0022), with a CCC of 0.7408. Response assessment by calculated versus measured volume changes had only moderate agreement (weighted κ = 0.545), with discordant assessment results in 20% (8/40) of lesions. Conclusion Calculated volume based on the presumed relationship significantly differed from the measured volume in advanced NSCLC patients, with only moderate concordance in response assessment, indicating the limitations of presumed relationship.
Beyond the playing field: sport psychology meets embodied cognition

In contrast to traditional views of the mind as an abstract information processor, recent theories of embodied cognition suggest that our representations of objects and events are grounded in action. In this review, I document recent behavioral and neuropsychological evidence in support of an embodied viewpoint, and I argue that sensorimotor experience plays a pivotal role in the embodied cognition framework. As such, not only can cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience inform sport psychology theory and research, but sport psychology (and motor skill expertise research in particular) is imperative for advancing theories of embodied cognition.
Human Gut Microbial Degradation of Flavonoids: Structure−Function Relationships

The relationship between chemical structure and gut microbial degradation rates of 14 flavonoids, flavone, apigenin, chrysin, naringenin, kaempferol, genistein, daidzein, daidzin, puerarin, 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone, 6,4'-dihydroxyflavone, 5,4'-dihydroxyflavone, 5,3'-dihydroxyflavone, and 4'-hydroxyflavone, was investigated by anaerobically fermenting the flavonoids with human gut microflora (n = 11 subjects). Degradation rates for the 5,7,4'-trihydroxyl flavonoids, apigenin, genistein, naringenin, and kaempferol, were significantly faster than the other structural motifs. Puerarin was resistant to degradation by the gut microflora. Extensive degradation of flavonoids by gut microflora may result in lower overall bioavailability than those flavonoids that are slowly degraded because rapidly degrading flavonoids are less likely to be absorbed intact.