cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell division in Agmenellum quadruplicatum: Evidence for the negative control by a protein

A high temperature conditional snake mutant, strain D1, of Agmenellum quadruplicatum was isolated which immediately stopped dividing following a shift to 41°C following treatment with nitrosoguanidine. This mutant was stimulated to divide at 41°C by the addition of inhibitors of RNA or protein synthesis: rifampicin, streptomycin, puromycin and chloramphenicol. Each of these inhibitors exhibited a discrete concentration optimum. The optimal concentration of chloramphenicol for cell division corresponded to the minimal concentrations necessary for the rapid inhibition of protein synthesis. The ability of chloramphenicol and other inhibitors to induce cell division in filaments decayed rapidly upon shifting to 30°C. These results are interpreted as evidence for a protein acting as a negative regulator late in the cell cycle. At 41°C, DNA was found distributed as a continuous zone throughout the length of the filaments. The addition of inhibitors of protein or RNA synthesis resulted in a rapid condensation of this nuclear material into multiple discrete nuclear regions suggesting that the negative control may be at the level of nuclear compartmentalization.
Differential oncogene amplification in tumor cells from a patient treated with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil☆

Abstract Peritoneal cells were derived from a patient (PK) with adenocarcinoma of the colon during the course of cisplatin/ 5 -fluorouracil ( 5 -FUra) treatment. Resistance to cisplatin and 5 -FUra, characterized by a lack of response to chemotherapy and continued growth of the tumor, was concomitantly associated with a 2–4 -fold increase in DNA copy number for dTMP synthase and dihydrofolate reductase. There was a corresponding amplification in DNA copy number of the c- myc ( 2× ), H-ras ( 4× ), and c- fos ( 15× ) oncogenes. Cytogenetic studies revealed an iso ( 13 q) chromosome, but failed to show any double minutes or homogeneously staining regions. In addition, drug-resistant tumor cells from PK and another patient (HG) displayed enhanced expression of dTMP synthase, c- fos and DNA polymerase β when compared to normal colon tissue and the HCT 8 human colon carcinoma cell line. These results suggest that elevated oncogene DNA and gene expression may be involved in the development of cisplatin resistance.
The potential functional interaction of biglycan and WISP-1 in controlling differentiation and proliferation of osteogenic cells.

Biglycan (BGN) and WISP-1 are 2 extracellular matrix proteins that bind to each other and colocalize in mineralizing tissue. Here we show that WISP-1 abrogates the repression of proliferation in bone
The School Lunch Program and Nutrient Intake: A Switching Regression Analysis

The nutrient impact of the school lunch program is examined, using the basic sample of the National Food Consumption Survey. The results clearly indicate the program's substantial positive effect on nutrient consumption by both low income and high income children. Moreover, the nutrient impact of school lunch participation is shown to be greater for low income children.
Molecular cloning and functional characterization of chick lens fiber connexin 45.6.

Abstract The avian lens is an ideal system to study gap junctional intercellular communication in development and homeostasis. The lens is experimentally more accessible in the developing chick embryo than in other organisms, and chick lens cells differentiate well in primary cultures. However, only two members of the connexin gene family have been identified in the avian lens, whereas three are known in the mammalian system. We report here the molecular cloning and characterization of the third lens connexin, chick connexin45.6 (ChCx45.6), a protein with a predicted molecular mass of 45.6 kDa. ChCx45.6 was encoded by a single copy gene and was expressed specifically in the lens. There were two mRNA species of 6.4 kilobase (kb) and 9.4 kb in length. ChCx45.6 was a functional connexin protein, because expression in Xenopus oocyte pairs resulted in the development of high levels of conductance with a characteristic voltage sensitivity. Antisera were raised against ChCx45.6 and chick connexin56 (ChCx56), another avian lens-specific connexin, permitting the examination of the distribution of both proteins. Immunofluorescence localization showed that both ChCx45.6 and ChCx56 were abundant in lens fibers. Treatment of lens membranes with alkaline phosphatase resulted in electrophoretic mobility shifts, demonstrating that both ChCx45.6 and ChCx56 were phosphoproteins in vivo.
SARA LEVEL IS A DETERMINANT OF AGR ACTIVATION IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

The control of virulence determinant expression in Staphylococcus aureus is a complex process involving global regulatory loci such as sar and agr. The sar locus consists of a 372 bp sarA open reading frame (ORF) preceded by a triple promoter region interspersed with two putative smaller ORFs (ORF3 and ORF4). The triple promoter system yields three overlapping sar transcripts (sarA, sarC and sarB of 0.56, 0.8 and 1.2 kb respectively). We have recently shown that the SarA protein binds to the agr promoter region to stimulate the transcription of RNAII and RNAIII, two major transcripts encoded within the agr locus. To assess the role of the region upstream of sarA in agr expression, we evaluated the contribution of ORF3 and ORF4 to SarA protein expression and to agr activation by introducing nonsense mutations into the respective ORFs. Northern analysis of sar mutant clones containing these mutations carried on a shuttle plasmid revealed that all three sar-related transcripts are present. Using anti-SarA monoclonal antibodies with defined epitopes in a competitive ELISA to determine the SarA protein level, we found that the introduction of a stop codon in ORF3 on a shuttle plasmid carrying the intact sar locus in a sar mutant led to a significant decrease in SarA protein level compared with the non-mutated control. The effect of a nonsense mutation in ORF4 on SarA levels is much less. Likewise, an analogous sar mutant clone with a deletion in ORF3 also displayed a lower SarA level than its intact counterpart. The reduction in SarA expression correlated with a lower level of agr activation in the corresponding sar mutant clone. These data suggest that ORF3, and to a lesser degree ORF4, may affect agr expression by modulating SarA protein expression.
“Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies”;: Situational exigencies for interpersonal deception

Seventy‐five subjects recorded all instances of interpersonal deception over a three week period. The 940 acts of deception were coded according to type and frequency, motivation, and characteristics of recipients. Seven types emerged with lies accounting for 81% of all deceptive acts recorded. The frequency of deception was 4.2 acts of deception per subject per week, substantially less than in previous studies. The sixteen motivation categories revealed important differences from patterns identified in earlier studies. A cross tabulation of motivation categories and recipient categories revealed statistically significant patterns. The study also identified five situational exigencies affecting how deception is used as a problem‐solving strategy.
Stubborn: a medium access protocol for expert assistants in distributed control systems

A novel implementation is presented, the Stubborn protocol, which provides the right compromise to obtain a balanced and near-optimal performance under both normal (control) operation and transient (emergency) conditions. It is based on the following simple principle: stations make access attempts as in the usual 1-persistent CSMA/CD (carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection). In case of collision, a station with priority higher than zero will not interrupt transmission, but will exercise its right to extend the collision for a period proportional to its priority level. The station that persists longer will be able to start 'clean' transmission as soon as all others have desisted. The algorithm is complemented with tie-breaking procedures. >
A practical Bayesian framework for backpropagation networks

A quantitative and practical Bayesian framework is described for learning of mappings in feedforward networks. The framework makes possible (1) objective comparisons between solutions using alternative network architectures, (2) objective stopping rules for network pruning or growing procedures, (3) objective choice of magnitude and type of weight decay terms or additive regularizers (for penalizing large weights, etc.), (4) a measure of the effective number of well-determined parameters in a model, (5) quantified estimates of the error bars on network parameters and on network output, and (6) objective comparisons with alternative learning and interpolation models such as splines and radial basis functions. The Bayesian "evidence" automatically embodies "Occam's razor," penalizing overflexible and overcomplex models. The Bayesian approach helps detect poor underlying assumptions in learning models. For learning models well matched to a problem, a good correlation between generalization ability and the Bayesian evidence is obtained.
Effects of subunit occupancy on partitioning of an intermediate in thymidylate synthase mutants.

Experimental evidence for a 5-exocyclic methylene-dUMP intermediate in the thymidylate synthase reaction was recently obtained by demonstrating that tryptophan 82 mutants of the Lactobacillus casei enzyme produced 5-(2-hydroxyethyl)thiomethyl-dUMP (HETM-dUMP) (Barret, J. E., Maltby, D. A., Santi, D. V., and Schultz, P. G. (1998) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120, 449-450). The unusual product was proposed to emanate from trapping of the intermediate with ! -mercaptoethanol in competition with hydride transfer from H4folate to form dTMP. Using mutants of the C-terminal residue of thymidylate synthase, we found that the ratio of HETM-dUMP to dTMP varies as a function of CH2H4folate concentration. This observation seemed inconsistent with the conclusion that both products arose from a common intermediate in which CH2H4folate was already bound to the enzyme. The enigma was resolved by a kinetic model that allowed for differential partitioning of the intermediate formed on each of the two subunits of the homodimeric enzyme in forming the two different products. With three C-terminal mutants of L. casei TS, HETM-dUMP formation was consistent with a model in which product formation occurs upon occupancy of the first completely bound subunit, the rate of which is unaffected by occupancy of the second subunit. With one analogous E. coli TS mutant, HETM-dUMP formation occurred upon occupancy of the first subunit, but was inhibited when both subunits were occupied. With all mutants, dTMP formation occurs from occupied forms of both subunits at different rates; here, binding of cofactor to the first subunit decreased affinity for the second, but the reaction occurred faster in the enzyme form with both subunits bound to dUMP and CH2H4folate. The model resolves the apparent enigma of the cofactor-dependent product distribution and supports the conclusion that the exocyclic methylene intermediate is common to both HETM-dUMP and dTMP formation.
Effects of propylthiouracil on the growth of young male guinea pigs.

THYROPARATHYROIDECTOMY of the young rat has been found to result in a general dwarfing (Hammett, 1929; Salmon, 1936, 1938). Following thyroidectomy (Scow and Simpson, 1945), rats developed slowly; differentiation was possible in the absence of the thyroid, but growth proceeded at a slower rate, with retarded opening of the eyes, late eruption of the teeth, and delayed pubescence. Thiouracil or thiourea treatment of young rats (Hughes, 1944; Williams, Weinglass, Bissell, and Peters, 1944; Leathern, 1945, 1946; Barker, 1949) resulted in dwarfing or growth retardation. No significant effect was observed on the relative weights of the pituitary, gonads, kidneys, spleen, liver, or adrenals. Propylthiouracil treatment of young rats (Goddard, 1948) also resulted in growth retardation with no effect on general health, sexual maturation, hematology, or behavior. In all the cases cited above, where goitrogenic drugs were used to induce a hypothyroid state, the thyroid glands showed a large increase in weight.
A New Medicare End-Of-Life Benefit For Nursing Home Residents

Many elderly people spend their final days in nursing homes. For them, high-quality end-of-life care is an important component of their overall care. Unfortunately, the Medicare hospice benefit—the primary source of palliative care coverage for Medicare beneficiaries—is a poor fit with the nursing home setting. We recommend creating a separate end-of-life Medicare benefit for nursing home residents based on documented need for services that neither requires physicians to certify a person’s prognosis, nor requires beneficiaries to choose it or to agree to forgo curative care. Nursing homes would be paid directly for end-of-life care services and held accountable for their quality.
Analysis of the functional conservation of ethylene receptors between maize and Arabidopsis

Ethylene, a regulator of plant growth and development, is perceived by specific receptors that act as negative regulators of the ethylene response. Five ethylene receptors, i.e., ETR1, ERS1, EIN4, ETR2, and ERS2, are present in Arabidopsis and dominant negative mutants of each that confer ethylene insensitivity have been reported. In contrast, maize contains just two types of ethylene receptors: ZmERS1, encoded by ZmERS1a and ZmERS1b, and ZmETR2, encoded by ZmETR2a and ZmETR2b. In this study, we introduced a Cys to Tyr mutation in the transmembrane domain of ZmERS1b and ZmETR2b that is present in the etr1-1 dominant negative mutant and expressed each protein in Arabidopsis. Mutant Zmers1b and Zmetr2b receptors conferred ethylene insensitivity and Arabidopsis expressing Zmers1b or Zmetr2b were larger and exhibited a delay in leaf senescence characteristic of ethylene insensitive Arabidopsis mutants. Zmers1b and Zmetr2b were dominant and functioned equally well in a hemizygous or homozygous state. Expression of the Zmers1b N-terminal transmembrane domain was sufficient to exert dominance over endogenous Arabidopsis ethylene receptors whereas the Zmetr2b N-terminal domain failed to do so. Neither Zmers1b nor Zmetr2b functioned in the absence of subfamily 1 ethylene receptors, i.e., ETR1 and ERS1. These results suggest that Cys65 in maize ZmERS1b and ZmETR2b plays the same role that it does in Arabidopsis receptors. Moreover, the results demonstrate that the mutant maize ethylene receptors are functionally dependent on subfamily 1 ethylene receptors in Arabidopsis, indicating substantial functional conservation between maize and Arabidopsis ethylene receptors despite their sequence divergence.
A model for interpreting the tracer labeling of interendothelial clefts.

We extended the model describing the low molecular weight electron dense tracer wake in the interendothelial cleft and surrounding tissue to describe the time-dependent transport of intermediate size solutes of 1.0–3.5 nm radius by convection and diffusion in an interendothelial cleft containing a fiber matrix. This model provides a quantitative basis on which to reinterpret electron microscopic studies of the distribution of tracers such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP; molecular weight=40,000; Stokes radius =3.0 nm) along the interendothelial cell cleft from the lumen to the tissue for example, we show that, in contrast to our results with low molecular weight tracers, the wake of large molecular weight tracers on the abluminal side of the junctional strand is not likely to be detected, because the concentration of the tracer is predicted to be very low in most experiments. Thus the lack of a tracer such as HRP on the abluminal side of the junctional strand and in the tissue is not as strong evidence against the presence of a cleft pathway as suggested previously. The model does provide the basis for the design of experiments to locate both the principal molecular sieve and breaks in the junctional strand from the standing gradient on the luminal side of the junctional strand. An important experimental variable is the pressure in the vessel lumen which can be varied between 0 and 30 cm H2O to change the contributions of diffusive and convective transport to transcapillary exchange through the interendothelial cleft. This approach will also allow the testing of models for transcapillary pathways for large molecules by measuring the distribution of fluorescent tracers across the microvessel wall and in the tissue surrounding the microvessel using confocal microscopy.
Treatment Provider’s Perceived Effectiveness of Probation and Parole A Case Study

In the fall of 2005, the state of Missouri launched a three-prong assessment of the relationship between probation and parole and three of their stakeholders: police, courts, and treatment providers. The Division of Probation and Parole was interested in identifying these perceptions as they implement the Missouri Reentry Process (MRP). The MRP promotes the formation of interdependent working relationships between stakeholders and probation and parole. Before these relationships can be fostered or improved, an assessment of the current relationship was necessary. This article focuses on the 2nd year's project that involved a web-based, statewide survey of treatment providers. The purpose of the study was to conduct a utilization-focused evaluation to ascertain treatment providers' perceptions of probation and parole's service delivery. The descriptive statistics examined and described broad perceptions of the relationship. Bivariate analysis was conducted to determine whether a relationship existed between different dimensions such as education level, facility staff size, and other variables such as perceived support for treatment and whether probation and parole officers participate in information-sharing meetings. An overall favorable perception of probation and parole was apparent from the survey results. Statistically significant results for several dimensions of the relationship between probation and parole officers and treatment providers were found. These statistically significant results provided insight into the effectiveness of probation and parole's service delivery. The article concludes with a presentation of policy implications.
Combination Megestrol Acetate, Oxandrolone, and Dietary Advice Restores Weight in Human Immunodeficiency Virus

BACKGROUND We examined changes in total body weight (TBW) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) during prolonged combination weight-gaining therapy and dietary advice in HIV. DESIGN This was a cohort study of patients initially randomized to single agent therapy for 2 months, megestrol acetate (800 mg daily), or oxandrolone (10 mg twice daily), followed by both agents and dietary advice for 5 months. METHODS Two community health clinics and 1 urban infectious disease clinic were included, as were HIV-positive adult patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy with documented 5% weight loss. TBW and HRQL were measured after 7 months (7 m). RESULTS Twenty-nine of 39 participants completed 7 m. The average sample age was 40 years, 75% were male, and 52% were of color at enrollment. Baseline mean TBW and body mass index (BMI) were 62.5 kg and 21 kg/m(2), respectively. Net gains in TBW, lean body mass, and fat during the 7 m were 5.3 kg (8.5% of baseline), 2.1 kg, and 3.1 kg, respectively (p < .01 for each). BMI increased to 23.1 kg/m(2) (p < .01). Dietary intake increased by 467 kcal/day (p = .03). Physical health improved by 5.7 (100-point scale, p < .01), and mental health was unchanged (-4.2, p = .11). In multivariable models, female gender (p < .01), lower baseline HIV viral load (p = .03), and increasing age (p < .01) were associated with TBW gain. Injection drug use (p < .01) and higher baseline HIV viral load (p < .01) were associated with reduction in physical health. CONCLUSIONS Prolonged combination therapy with megestrol acetate, oxandrolone, and dietary advice could reverse weight loss and low BMI associated with incomplete viral suppression and improve physical health.
SL1 trans splicing and 3'-end formation in a novel class of Caenorhabditis elegans operon.

Many Caenorhabditis elegans genes exist in operons in which polycistronic precursors are processed by cleavage at the 3′ ends of upstream genes and trans splicing 100 to 400 nucleotides away, at the 5′ ends of downstream genes, to generate monocistronic messages. Of the two spliced leaders, SL1 is trans spliced to the 5′ ends of upstream genes, whereas SL2 is reserved for downstream genes in operons. However, there are isolated examples of what appears to be a different sort of operon, in which trans splicing is exclusively to SL1 and there is no intercistronic region; the polyadenylation signal is only a few base pairs upstream of the trans-splice site. We have analyzed the processing of an operon of this type by inserting the central part of mes-6/cks-1 into an SL2-type operon. In this novel context, cks-1 is trans spliced only to SL1, and mes-6 3′-end formation occurs normally, demonstrating that this unique mode of processing is indeed intrinsic to this kind of operon, which we herein designate “SL1-type.” An exceptionally long polypyrimidine tract found in the 3′ untranslated regions of the three known SL1-type operons is shown to be required for the accumulation of both upstream and downstream mRNAs. Mutations of the trans-splice and poly(A) signals indicate that the two processes are independent and in competition, presumably due to their close proximity, raising the possibility that production of upstream and downstream mRNAs is mutually exclusive.
The Predictive Value of Selected Job Rewards on Occupational Therapists' Job Satisfaction in Ambulatory Care Settings

Using a perceived reward model of overall job satisfaction, this study utilized a correlational research design with multiple regression analysis to determine the predictive power of extrinsic rewards and intrinsic rewards, collectively and individually, as determinants of overall job satisfaction among registered occupational therapists (OTR) working full-time in ambulatory care settings. The intrinsic rewards (task involvement and task autonomy), collectively and individually, were perceived to be significant overall job satisfaction determinants. General working conditions was the only significant extrinsic reward. Given the demand for OTRs in ambulatory care settings, a better understanding of factors that influence overall job satisfaction among OTRs could prove beneficial in developing appropriate recruitment and retention job design strategies.
First-line natalizumab in multiple sclerosis: rationale, patient selection, benefits and risks

Natalizumab (NTZ) is a highly effective disease modifying therapy for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite evidence to support its use as first-line therapy, risk of NTZ-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) has largely contributed to it being relegated to a second-line position. Recent preliminary data may allow for a more accurate analysis of JC virus (JCV) risk stratification of a given patient’s PML risk. Herein we propose an algorithm to help guide clinicians through this decision-making process. We recommend that NTZ be considered for first-line use in JCV antibody negative MS patients, JCV ‘low positive’ MS patients without prior exposure to immunosuppression and for a limited period (12–24 months) in JCV ‘high positive’ MS patients with an aggressive disease course . We caution against first-line use in JCV antibody ‘high positive’ patients beyond 12–24 months and any JCV antibody positive patient with a history of prior immunosuppression.
Una crónica no anunciada: El «otro» latino en el ámbito teatral de Estados Unidos

Este ensayo se concentra en la contribucion al arte escenico de las comunidades latinas en Estados Unidos de miembros de «otros» grupos nacionales (venezolanos, dominicanos, peruanos, argentinos, etc.) que estan rompiendo con los patrones impuestos por la produccion de los tres grupos mayoritarios: los mexico-americanos, los puertorriquenos y los cubano-americanos. La produccion artistica de este «nuevo» grupo inmigratorio ocupa un «espacio sensorial» en el que diferentes gramaticas, representando algunas veces disimiles indicadores culturales, se encuentran entreverados de manera yuxtaposicional. El intentar rastrear una genealogia geografi ca se problematiza pues es obvio que no se puede hablar, entre otras cosas, de «discontinuidades culturales». Las manifestaciones teatrales de este «otro» grupo son constitutivas de un canon alternativo, que reta cualquier lectura simplista o esfuerzo de clasifi cacion en una produccion nacional cerrada, dando paso a un acercamiento critico, como el que intentamos aqui, mas «globalizado».
SMARCB1 deletion by a complex three-way chromosomal translocation in an extrarenal malignant rhabdoid tumor

Rhabdoid tumors (RTs) are highly aggressive malignant neoplasms of early childhood that arise in the kidney, brain, and extrarenal sites. The disease is genetically defined by biallelic disruption of the SMARCB1/INI1/SNF5 tumor suppressor gene, a core component of the ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling SWI/SNF complex. The molecular changes leading to SMARCB1 alterations in RTs are heterogeneous, including germline or constitutional inactivating mutations, partial or total gene deletions, copy number neutral loss of heterozygosity, and, less commonly, reciprocal translocations. We report a novel three-way chromosomal rearrangement, which was identified by conventional cytogenetic and sequential fluorescence in situ hybridization studies as the underlying molecular mechanism of the loss of SMARCB1 in an extrarenal RT. This case highlights the heterogeneity of genetic events that may lead to the loss of SMARCB1 and the development of RTs.
An Analysis of Industrial-Organizational Psychology’s Indifference to Labor Unions in the United States

Although many writers have bemoaned psychology’s indifference toward labor unions, there has been little critical analysis of why this indifference exists. In this article, several explanations that have been offered to explain this indifference are identified and evaluated. These explanations are: (i) limited access to relevant data; (ii) limited financial rewards;(iii) early psychologists’ attitudes toward unions; and (iv) the failure to appreciate power differences between workers and management. The history of psychology in the US is compared with the history of sociology and economics in order to investigate the viability of these hypotheses. It is concluded that the two crucial reasons for the neglect of labor union issues by applied psychologists are the psychologists’ reluctance to address the presence of conflict between employers and employees and the dearth of early, pro-union psychologists.
Eschewing Obfuscation? Campaigns and the Perception of U.S. Senate Incumbents

Campaigns play a central role in a democracy. I examine the effect of campaigns on the perception of the ideological positions of incumbent senators. The results demon- strate that incumbents affect voter perception both through their actions in office and on the campaign trail. Using the 1988 Senate Election Study, I find that the perceived loca- tion of incumbents depends on their roll call voting records, the perceived position of their party and the voter's own position. More crucial is the finding that candidates can affect the clarity of these perceptions through their campaign strategies. Incumbents who stress issues increase the clarity of voter perceptions, while challengers' attacks on incumbents reduce clarity. While elections alone increase clarity, these effects are small in comparison to the effect due to candidate campaign strategies. The results remind us that to understand the politics of elections we must incorporate candidate strategy in our models.
Detailed film coefficient measurement on a simple large-scale semiconductor package geometry

Detailed measurements of the surface film coefficient for a scaled-up package model are described. The importance of Reynolds number (Re) and Grashof number (Gr) for a correlation of Nusselt number is provided at the high end of the Reynolds number range applicable to the electronics cooling problem. The model surfaces are heated by driving a direct current through thin stainless steel strips that cover the surface. The temperature distribution on the underneath side of the strips is measured at approximately 180 locations by the use of resistive temperature sensors. The local heat transfer coefficient is obtained by performing an energy balance temperature sensor. An automatic data acquisition system is used for all temperature measurements. The results show the level of Gr/Re/sup 2/ at which buoyancy forces become important for modeling the electronics component heat transfer problem as well as the features of the Nusselt number distribution over the package and board surface. >
Proceedings of a Consensus Conference for the Management of Patients with Urea Cycle Disorders

In an effort to develop standards for the treatment of patients with urea cycle disorders, a consensus conference was held in Washington, DC, from April 27-29, 2000. Conference participants included physicians, scientists, nurses, dieticians, and a genetic counselor, all experts in their various medical fields in these diseases. Representatives from the Food and Drug Administration and the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation, a parents support group, also participated in the conference. The goals set forth for the conference were to (1) reach a consensus on diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for urea cycle disorders with the most up-to-date information and the experience of experts in the field, (2) establish a collaborative network of health care professionals to advance the cause of patients with urea cycle disorders in the areas of clinical management and research, and (3) provide help to health care providers in the recognition and management of these complex disorders by publishing the proceedings of the conference in a widely read journal. The articles that follow this introduction represent the current state of knowledge on the topics addressed in the conference and a summary of the discussions that followed each of the presentations. With input from all the participants, we tried to cover those topics that were believed to be the most relevant both to the experts and to patients. As the reader will appreciate, many unresolved and controversial issues pertaining to treatment have yet to be studied by rigorous scientific methods. On the other hand, there are many issues on which the panel agreed. In many instances the availability of reliable information on the respective topics determined whether consensus could be reached.
Oxygen radicals in capsaicin-induced bronchoconstriction

The role of oxygen radicals in capsaicin-induced bronchoconstriction was investigated using scavengers of the radicals. A total of 48 guinea pigs weighing 293 +/- 7 g were employed in this study, which consisted of two phases. In phase 1, 35 anesthetized paralyzed animals were divided into five groups: group 1A, control (n = 6); group 1B, chronic dimethylthiourea (DMTU, n = 12); group 1C, acute DMTU (n = 6); group 1D, superoxide dismutase (n = 4); and group 1E, catalase (n = 7). All animals were injected with capsaicin (16 micrograms/kg iv), and changes in respiratory compliance and maximal expiratory flow rate were used as indicators of bronchoconstriction. The capsaicin injection caused a marked airway spasm that was significantly ameliorated by chronic DMTU pretreatment, but no amelioration was noted with the other treatments. An additional study for group 1C was performed using a double dose of DMTU. Again no amelioration was found. In phase 2, 13 animals were divided into two groups: group 2A, substance P (SP, n = 7) and group 2B, chronic DMTU + SP (n = 6). There was no significant difference in SP-induced bronchoconstriction between animals in these two groups. These data suggest that capsaicin-induced airway constriction is modulated by oxygen radicals which may augment mainly on the biosynthesis and/or axonal transport of tachykinins.
A fluorescent and halochromic indolizine switch

An indolizine heterocycle switches from a nonemissive to an emissive form upon protonation. The co-entrapment of this molecular switch and a photoacid generator in polymer films allows the imprinting of fluorescent patterns in the resulting materials. These operating principles permit the writing and reading of information under optical control.
The detection of platelet antibodies using a modified platelet immunofluorescence test.

The development of sensitive immunofluorescent technics for the detection of platelet antibodies has stimulated renewed interest in the field of platelet immunology. However, the analysis of multispecific sera containing both HLA and platelet-specific antibodies requires cumbersome absorption technics and relatively large quantities of serum. In this report we describe the feasibility of screening sera from muciparous women and multitransfused patients for platelet-specific antibodies using blocking inhibition with a murine monoclonal antibody against HLA A, B, and C antigens followed by platelet immunofluorescence Platelet immunofluorescence detected anti-A antibodies in sera from some blood group O donors. Known HLA antibodies usually were detectable by platelet immunofluorescence, but false-positive reactions occurred frequently. Analysis of sera from recipients of multiple platelet transfusions revealed that 47/78 (60.2%) were positive by platelet immunofluorescence. After blocking inhibition-persistent fluorescence was observed with 11/29 sera (37.9%), suggesting the presence of platelet-specific antibodies. Absorption studies performed on two of these sera revealed that antibody activity was removed by absorption with platelets but not lymphocytes. Platelet immunofluorescence combined with monoclonal antibody blocking inhibition proved to be a valuable tool to distinguish between HLA and platelet-specific antibodies
MATRIX MANAGEMENT IN HOSPITAL PHARMACY DEPARTMENTS

The results of a nationwide survey to determine the managerial structures of selected hospital departments are reported. A questionnaire was mailed in August 1990 to a random sample of 1792 hospital pharmacy directors. The survey included questions on hospital bed capacity and ownership and on the managerial structures used for several departments and services, including pharmacy, satellite pharmacy, home health care, and hospice care. Recipients were asked to indicate a centralized management structure if decisions were made by a single individual; decentralized if the responsibility was distributed down the hierarchy; functional if departments were grouped according to specialties, skills, and knowledge; and matrix if the vertical hierarchy was overlaid by lateral mechanisms of authority. A total of 567 usable responses were received, for a response rate of 31.6%. Across departments, the most frequently reported type of management was centralized. Functional systems and systems that included a combination of features were cited least often. Of the pharmacy departments, 24.5% had decentralized management. Matrix management was used for 11.8%, 9.7%, 7.0%, and 4.7% of the pharmacy, home health-care, hospice-care, and satellite pharmacy departments, respectively, and was used more often in large hospitals than small hospitals. Pharmacy departments in nonprofit hospitals tended to use decentralized management more often than those in for-profit institutions. Centralized management was used most frequently by pharmacy departments, followed by decentralized and matrix management structures. Few pharmacy directors reported plans to implement matrix management.
Effects of pretreatment with phenylephrine and ephedrine on maternal and neonate in combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for cesarean section of patient with severe preeclampsia

Objective To observe the effects of pretreatment with phenylephrine and ephedrine on MAP,HR of maternal and neonate during combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for cesarean section with severe preeclampsia.Methods 60 parturients with severe preeclampsia,ASAⅡ ~ Ⅲ,under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for cesarean section were equally randomized into phenylephrine group(group P,25 μg /min,n = 20),ephedrine group(group E,2 mg /min,n = 20) and control group( group C,normal saline,n = 20). 0. 5% bupivacaine 6. 0 mg was given through subarachnoid space after successfully puncturing in L2 ~ 3 intervertebral space. Blood pressure was maintained near80% baseline by adjusting the drug infusion rate. MAP and HR were monitored at the time points of 1,3,5,7,10,12,15 min after drug administration,and vomiting and dizziness were recorded. Blood samples of maternal artery,umbilical artery and vein were collected immediately after delivery for blood gas analysis and detection of lactate and glucose and Apgar score of neonate was assessed. Results The HR in group P was lower than that of group E at the time points of5,7,10,12,15 min and that of group C at the time points of 3,5,7,10,12,15 min. The MAP in group P was higher than that of group C at the time points of 3,5,7 min,and the MAP in group E was higher than that of group C at the time points of 3,5,7 min. The incidences of vomiting and dizziness in group P and group E were lower than those of group C. Conclusion It is an effective measurement to stable maternal hemodynamics and improve the prognosis with phenylephrine and ephedrine on maternal and neonate during combined spinal epidural anesthesia for cesarean section with severe preeclampsia.
The Effect of Spironolactone on the Renal Arterioles Remoderling in Nω-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester(L-NAME)/salt induced hypertensive rats

Objective To determine the effect of spironolactone, a nonselective aldosterone antagonist on renal arterioles remoderling in Nω-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester(L-NAME) and salt induced hypertension . Methods Thirty male SD rats were randomly received tap water group C(n7), L-NAME (50 mg/kg·d)(group L n7), L-NAME (50 mg/kg·d) plus spironolactone (20 mg/kg·d) (group S n8), or L-NAME (50 mg/kg·d) plus high dose of spironolactone (100 mg/kg·d) (group B n8). All rats were fed with 1 salt water except group C. Eight weeks later all the rats were sacrificed and the left kidney was separated. Plasma aldosterone level was measured. The renal rascular vessel chamber diameter (CD), area(CA), the vessel middle layer thickness(MT) and area(MA) and the ratio of middle layer thickness to chamber diameter(M/C) were calculated. The ratio of middle layer fiber area to middle layer area was determined. Results There were significant differences in the tail blood pressure among the four groups (F19.799, P0.001). Hypertension was established in group L,S,B. The blood pressure in group B were lower than that in group L and S(P0.05). Significant differences were found in the CD(F6.314,P0.003), MT(F11.363,P0.001), CA(F4.592,P0.012), M/C(F22.544,P0.001)and the fibrosis in the middle layer(F18.729,P0.001)of the renal arterioles among the four groups. Conclusion Spironolactone prevent the renal arterioles remoldeling in Nω-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester(L-NAME) and salt induced hypertensive rat. This favorable effect was analogous in both low and high doses of spironolactone and appeared to be independent of the blood pressure.
Platelet Retention in Glass Bead Columns: Further Evidence for the Importance of ADP

Plasma of normal heparinized blood contained 0.284 µ M ± SD 0.097 (ADP + ATP) with an ATP:ADP ratio of 2.5:1. Plasma from thrombocytopenic blood contained only 0.106 µ M ± 0.073 (ADP + ATP). Blood with normal platelet retention released 0.234 µ M ± 0.187 (ADP + ATP) during passage through a glass bead column, with an ATP:ADP ratio of 1.6:1. Significantly less was released in blood with low retention, i.e., samples from patients with von Willebrand’s disease, thrombasthenia, or thrombocytopenia, and some samples from normal individuals. Thus, nucleotides in the plasma of pre- and postcolumn blood appear to be derived from platelets; their release within glass bead columns is closely associated with normal platelet retention. Since release occurred at room temperature and was not prevented by acetylsalicylic acid or accompanied by measurable release of 14 C-serotonin, the classic release reaction may not have been responsible. The low retention in platelet-rich plasma was variably increased by adding 0.5 µM ADP, an increase at least partly due to trapping of preformed aggregates. Retention in undisturbed blood was markedly inhibited by creatine phosphokinase with creatine phosphate (CPK-CP) and moderately inhibited by apyrase I (ATPase:ADPase 0.8:1) at an ADP-removing activity between 1 and 5 U/ml, indicating that ADP is essential for retention. At less than 1 U/ml, both apyrase I and II (ATPase: ADPase 2.8:1) enhanced retention in undisturbed blood, but CPK-CP was still inhibitory. These results suggest that enhancement is due to conversion of released ATP to ADP, as shown to occur in studies of platelet aggregation with ATP and ADP. At less than 1 U/ml, all three enzymes protected against the inhibitory effect of disturbance; this protection was marked with apyrase II, moderate with apyrase I and slight with CPK-CP. These observations provide additional evidence that ADP is responsible for the low retention caused by disturbance of the blood.
The Anatomy of a Peripatetic Child Psychiatry Researcher

As I understand my assignment, it is to answer two questions: (1) How did you get to be a researcher in child psychiatry? (2) What was behind the actual research studies? I accepted it because it offered the rare opportunity to look back and see how I got here and to give credits where they belong, particularly as there have been so many important influences along the way. It is a process that creates humility and a debt of gratitude, payable only by passing on what I have learned.
Oil-Soluble Polymer Brush Grafted Nanoparticles as Effective Lubricant Additives for Friction and Wear Reduction.

The development of high performance lubricants has been driven by increasingly growing industrial demands and environmental concerns. Herein, we demonstrate oil-soluble polymer brush-grafted inorganic nanoparticles (hairy NPs) as highly effective lubricant additives for friction and wear reduction. A series of oil-miscible poly(lauryl methacrylate) brush-grafted silica and titania NPs were synthesized by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. These hairy NPs showed exceptional stability in poly(alphaolefin) (PAO) base oil; no change in transparency was observed after being kept at −20, 22, and 100 °C for ≥55 days. High-contact stress ball-on-flat reciprocating sliding tribological tests at 100 °C showed that addition of 1 wt % of hairy NPs into PAO led to significant reductions in coefficient of friction (up to ≈40 %) and wear volume (up to ≈90 %). The excellent lubricating properties of hairy NPs were further elucidated by the characterization of the tribofilm formed on the flat. These hairy NPs represent a new type of lubricating oil additives with high efficiency in friction and wear reduction.
Giα but not Gqα is linked to activation of p21ras in human airway smooth muscle cells

Airway smooth muscle hypertrophy contributes to the narrowing of asthmatic airways. Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases is an important event in mediating cell proliferation. Becaus...
Designing an AI Elective to Encourage Undergraduate Research.

This paper describes the design and execution of a roboticsthemed AI elective at a small liberal arts institution. An important goal of the course is to spark and nurture students’ interest in pursuing related research while still undergraduates. To this end the curriculum turns the usual structure of a survey course on its head, pushing many fundamental topics later in the term so that students receive an early, thorough exposure to an important, recent algorithm known as Monte Carlo Localization (MCL). By starting with MCL, the de facto standard on cutting-edge mobile platforms, students have a touchstone from which to base novel projects and the time to do so. This work relates both the positive and negative experiences we have had with this approach.
Damming the Rivers — I: The Irrigation Imperative

We examine the irrigation imperative in this chapter in the context of two transboundary river basins in the South Asian region — the Indus basin located in the region’s western sector and the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) basin in its eastern sector. We focus, for illustrative purposes, on the bilateral relations of three of these basins’ riparian states — India and Pakistan in relation to the Indus river system, and India and Bangladesh in relation to the GBM river system. In this chapter, we are concerned with the problem of allocating water shares of transboundary rivers among co-riparian states in the face of compelling agricultural needs — with the critically important link, in other words, between transboundary freshwater resources and food security. Faced with hefty and rapidly growing populations in the Indus and GBM basins, the governments of these three states have had no choice but to give food security high priority on their policy agendas; and, given the exceptionally high importance of irrigated agriculture in the rural economies of all three states, this meant that high priority had also to be given to water availability for irrigation. As we will soon take note of, water availability for irrigation is substantially affected by a variety of water management practices, not only by water storage and diversion capacity (the building of dams and barrages). It is such capacity, however, that has been given central importance by many of the region’s economic planners.
Hypertrophy changes 3D shape of hiPSC-cardiomyocytes: Implications for cellular maturation in regenerative medicine.

Advances in the use of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes for heart regeneration and in vitro disease models demand a greater understanding of how these cells grow and mature in 3-dimensional space. In this study, we developed an analysis methodology of single cardiomyocytes plated on 2D surfaces to assess their 3D myofilament volume and its z-height distribution, or shape, upon hypertrophic stimulation via phenylephrine (PE) treatment or long-term culture (“aging”). Cardiomyocytes were fixed and labeled with α-actinin for confocal microscopy imaging to obtain z-stacks for 3D myofilament volume analysis. In primary neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs), area increased 72% with PE, while volume increased 31%. In hiPSC-cardiomyocytes, area increased 70% with PE and 4-fold with aging; however, volume increased significantly only with aging by 2.3-fold. Analysis of z-height myofilament volume distribution in hiPSC-cardiomyocytes revealed a shift from a fairly uniform distribution in control cells to a basally located volume in a more flat and spread morphology with PE and even more so with aging, a shape that was akin to all NRVMs analyzed. These results suggest that 2D area is not a sufficient measure of hiPSC-cardiomyocyte growth and maturation, and that changes in 3D volume and its distribution are essential for understanding hiPSC-cardiomyocyte biology for disease modeling and regenerative medicine applications.