cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing Potential Functionality of Catechol- O -methyltransferase (COMT) Polymorphisms Associated with Pain Sensitivity and Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an enzyme that plays a key role in the modulation of catechol-dependent functions such as cognition, cardiovascular function, and pain processing. Recently, our group demonstrated that three common haplotypes of the human COMT gene, divergent in two synonymous and one nonsynonymous position, are associated with experimental pain sensitivity and onset of temporomandibular joint disorder. In order to determine the functional mechanisms whereby these haplotypes contribute to pain processing, a series of in vitro experiments were performed. Haplotypes divergent in synonymous changes exhibited the largest difference in COMT enzymatic activity because of reduced amount of translated protein. The major COMT haplotypes varied significantly with respect to mRNA local stem-loop structures such that the most stable structure was associated with the lowest protein levels and enzymatic activity. Site-directed mutagenesis that eliminated the stable structure restored the amount of translated protein. These data provide the first demonstration that combinations of commonly observed alleles in the coding region of the human COMT gene can significantly affect the secondary structure of corresponding mRNA transcripts, which in turn leads to dramatic alterations in the translation efficiency of enzyme crucial for a variety of essential functions. The protocols applied to the study of these molecular genetic mechanisms are detailed herein.
The B-Theorem and Locally Unbalanced Groups

In Section 3.3, we have given an overview of the proofs of the B- and U-theorems. In particular, we have noted that, in effect, these proofs amount to reductions to the solution of certain standard form problems (Hypothesis S). In the present chapter we expand this sketch to a full outline.
Cortisol relates to regional limbic system structure in older but not younger adults

We investigated if the relationship between age and regional limbic system brain structure would be moderated by diurnal cortisol output and diurnal cortisol slope. Participants aged 23-83 years collected seven salivary cortisol samples each day for 10 consecutive days and underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Age, sex, cortisol, and an age x cortisol interaction were tested as predictors of hippocampal and amygdalar volume and caudal and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) thickness. We found significant interactions between age and cortisol on left and right amygdalar volumes and right caudal ACC thickness. Older adults with higher cortisol output had smaller left and right amygdalar volumes than older adults with lower cortisol output and younger adults with higher cortisol output. Older and younger adults with lower cortisol output had similar amygdalar volumes. Older adults with a steeper decline in diurnal cortisol had a thicker right caudal ACC than younger adults with a similarly shaped cortisol slope. Hippocampal volume was not related to either cortisol slope or output, nor was pallidum volume which was assessed as an extra-limbic control region. Results suggest that subtle differences in cortisol output are related to differences in limbic system structure in older but not younger adults.
A prospective analysis of symptom burden for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase treated with frontline second- and third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Background Treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is effective but needs to continue for several years, possibly indefinitely. Although generally safe, TKI may have hitherto poorly recognized effects in the quality of life (QoL) of such patients. Methods We prospectively measured the symptom burden of patients with chronic phase CML enrolled on frontline TKI trials with dasatinib, nilotinib, or ponatinib. A total of 219 patients were enrolled and filled out the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI)-CML questionnaire before the start of therapy and during follow-up at defined time points of 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. Results The median age was 50 years. Longitudinal analysis showed relatively stable symptom severity scores over time. Fatigue was the most common symptom in all three cohorts, both prior to the start of therapy and during therapy, including after achievement of deep molecular remission. Work was the most affected component of daily living. Overall patients tolerated therapy well with improvement of their symptoms from baseline, with few dose reductions related to toxicity or symptomatology. Although 31% of the patients who completed MDASI-CML achieved complete molecular remission by 24 months of treatment, nearly 90% experienced persistent mild symptoms. Conclusion Side effects related to TKIs may impact the quality of life in patients with CML-CP. Further studies should investigate factors (comorbidities, concomitant medications, dose and schedule, etc) associated with these symptoms and interventions that may improve the patients' QoL, including treatment discontinuation when safely feasible.
Feldspar-brine alteration at high-temperatures

Abstract A magmatic volatile phase (MVP) may be exsolved from a silicate melt through decompression during ascent and/or the crystallization of anhydrous mineral phases. MVPs are commonly chloride-rich fluids and are hypothesized to induce hydrothermal alteration in and around igneous intrusions. Feldspars are common alteration products in these systems with K-feldspar (potassic alteration zone) often found in areas directly above cupolas of the igneous intrusions. Albite-bearing alteration assemblages are found generally on the flanks of the intrusions, below the cupolas, or more distally. Mineral alteration reactions near the intrusion are likely influenced wholly or partially by a subcritical, vapor undersaturated high-salinity liquid phase (brine). Whereas the K-feldspar-MVP system is well studied, there is a dearth of data on albite-brine systems at elevated temperatures and pressures. This study addressed mineral phase stability and equilibrium brine compositions in the albite-andalusite-quartz-brine system (65 wt% NaCl equivalent; NaCl-HCl-H2O) at 600, 650, and 700 °C and 80 MPa. The stable mineral phases were ascertained through an examination of crystal morphology, optical microscopy, and by chemical compositions. The albite + andalusite + quartz + brine phase boundary was found to be at CNaClbrine/CHClbrine molality values of 87.5 ± 12.5, 67.5 ± 7.5, and 40 ± 10 at 600, 650, and 700 °C, respectively. Apparent equilibrium constants, not accounting for activity coefficients, for the reaction: albite + HCl = 0.5 andalusite + NaCl +2.5 quartz +0.5 H2O were calculated as 70 ± 10, 54 ± 6, and 32 ± 8 at 600, 650, and 700 °C, respectively. The alteration of albite to andalusite occurs at much lower HCl concentrations than is required to alter K-feldspar to andalusite for equivalent concentrations of chloride salts. Thus, HCl concentrations of brines within the potassic and/or sericitic alteration zones can be much higher than in albite-bearing alteration zones. The data presented in this study indicate that albite-rich mineral zones on the flanks of igneous intrusions are most likely produced by a low-acidity fluid with an elevated C NaCl fluid /CKClfluid. Fluids that meet these specifications, and may be significant sources of sodic alteration, include non-magmatic fluids flowing towards the intrusion or a descending magmatic brine depleted in cations and metals by mineral alteration reactions near the cupola. Although the sodic alteration zone is unlikely to host significant concentrations of metals in porphyry ore systems, it can provide significant constraints on metasomatic reactions and fluid flow pathways. Sodic and sodic-calcic alteration sequences in iron-oxide‑copper‑gold deposits are likely produced by a low-acidity, saline fluid and, unlike porphyry systems, correlate with high metal contents which indicate that the precipitation mechanisms controlling ore distribution in these systems may not be as dependent on neutralization reactions as in potassic and sericitic alteration sequences.
Working with Indigenous Communities: The Original Caretakers of Crops and Crop Wild Relatives

Indigenous peoples are numerous, both in population and the number of distinct cultures across North America. They have managed plants in natural and agricultural environments for thousands of years in North America. Many of these domesticated, cultivated, and wild plants remain important within the indigenous cultures and across the globe. In order for these resources to be used to their full potential, there is a need for cooperative governance of the plants as well as the need to treat each tribe/First Nation as an individual government entity. Select case studies from the Northern Great Lakes region illustrate the ongoing natural resource management by tribal/First Nation governments in an effort to demonstrate strategies that researchers might employ to achieve productive working relationships with these original caretakers of crops and crop wild relatives.
Portable Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Research Presents a Unique Perspective in Wound Care Management

As the first comparative study that looks into the performances of portable negative pressure wound therapy devices, the author has helped us to gain a more complete understanding of their advantag...
Critical Role of Cytosolic DNA and Its Sensing Adaptor STING in Aortic Degeneration, Dissection, and Rupture

Background: Sporadic aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD), caused by progressive aortic smooth muscle cell (SMC) loss and extracellular matrix degradation, is a highly lethal condition. Identifying...
Quantitative phase-field modeling of solute trapping in rapid solidification

Abstract A quantitative phase-field model is developed for prediction of solute trapping for solidification velocities relevant to the additive manufacturing. An anti-trapping flux is proposed to generate a chemical potential jump independent of the interface width and consistent with the sharp interface continuous growth (CG) model. The thin-interface analysis up to the second order is implemented to quantitatively parametrize the phase-field model based on the material properties for both full and zero solute drag limits of the CG model. As a benchmark example, the experimental data on Si-9at.%As (Kittl et al., Acta Materialia, 2000) is used to compare the partition coefficient and kinetic undercooling predicted by this phase-field model with those of the CG model. Our results, especially with the full-drag limit, present a very good agreement with the experimental data and theoretical models for solidification velocities up to the diffusive velocity. Unlike other phase-field models, this proposed model predicts accurate partition coefficient and kinetic undercooling for a wide range of solidification velocities, and the results are less sensitive to the diffusive interface width, enabling quantitative simulations in larger length scales. The model performance in prediction of the cellular growth is highlighted by showing that the primary dendritic arm spacing is also weakly dependent on the diffusive interface width.
Low-Loss Nanoslot Waveguides for Sensing Fabricated in a CMOS Foundry

We demonstrate propagation loss as low as 0.3 dB/cm and high-fidelity sensing in foundry-fabricated silicon nitride nanoslot waveguides designed for wavelengths be-tween 700 nm and 1600 nm.
Reliability Evaluation of Solar PV System Incorporating Insolation-Dependent Failure Rates

This paper presents an improved method for reliability evaluation of a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system, where special consideration is given to the effects of variable solar insolation. Along with the negative impacts on reliability due to variable generation, the presence of variable solar insolation affects the power loss and junction temperature of power electronic components, which in turn impacts their failure rate. In this paper, a power loss model for PV power electronic components is developed to account for the aforementioned effect, which is integrated into the reliability model based on discrete convolution. The analytical reliability model is developed using a three-dimensional outage model that accounts for outage states due to array failure, string failure, and solar insolation change. The outage model is used to construct a PV capacity outage probability and frequency table (COPAFT), which along with conventional generation COPAFT, is convolved with the load levels. The efficacy of the proposed method is demonstrated on the modified IEEE RTS-79 system.
Maturation of Synaptic Transmission at End-Bulb Synapses of the Cochlear Nucleus

Neurons of the avian nucleus magnocellularis transmit phase-locked action potentials of the auditory nerve in a pathway that contributes to sound localization based on interaural timing differences. We studied developmental changes in synaptic transmission that enable the end-bulb synapse to function as a synaptic relay. In chick, although the auditory system begins to function early in embryonic development, maturation of audition around the time of hatching suggested that synaptic transmission in the cochlear nucleus of young chicks may undergo further developmental changes. Synaptic physiology was investigated via patch-clamp recordings from bushy cells in brainstem slices during stimulation of auditory nerve fibers at 35 degrees C. Compared with embryonic synapses (embryonic day 18), post-hatch chicks (post-hatch days 1-11) exhibited high probability of firing a well timed postsynaptic action potential during high-frequency stimulation of the auditory nerve. Improvements in reliability and timing of postsynaptic spikes were accompanied by a developmental increase in steady-state EPSCs during stimulus trains and a decline in the extent of synaptic depression. Synchrony of EPSCs during stimulus trains improved with age. An increased pool of synaptic vesicles, lower release probability, larger and faster transmitter quanta, and reduced AMPA receptor desensitization contributed to these changes. Together, these factors improve the ability of cochlear nucleus magnocellularis neurons to faithfully transmit timing information encoded by the auditory nerve.
Borrowing constraints, income expectations and the Euler equation: Theory and evidence

Abstract Using the Euler Equation, I show that under borrowing constraints consumption growth will depend not only on contemporaneous expected income, as the model with ‘rule-of-thumb’ consumers predicts, but also on future expected income. Historical data confirm this insight.
The role of N3-ethyldeoxythymidine in mutagenesis and cytotoxicity by ethylating agents.

Abstract The significance of DNA ethylation at the central hydrogen-bonding site (N3) of thymine was investigated using an in vitro DNA replication system. The system utilized a primed template in which the 3'-end of the primer is eight nucleotides away from N3-ethyldeoxythymidine (N3-Et-dT), present at template position 26 from the 3'-end. The 34-nucleotide template corresponds to a specific DNA sequence at gene G of bacteriophage phi X174. DNA synthesis products were quantitated by electrophoretic separation and autoradiography. At 10 microM dNTP and 0.5 mM Mn2+, N3-Et-dT blocked DNA synthesis by Escherichia coli polymerase I (Klenow fragment): 60% after incorporating a nucleotide opposite N3-Et-dT (incorporation-dependent blocked product) and 39% 3' to N3-Et-dT. DNA replication past the lesion (post-lesion synthesis) was negligible. Post-lesion synthesis increased using higher concentrations of dNTP, reaching 68% at 200 microM dNTP. DNA sequencing revealed that dA was incorporated opposite N3-Et-dT in the incorporation-dependent blocked product. In the post-lesion synthesis product, dT was exclusively incorporated opposite N3-Et-dT. Formation of the N3-Et-dT.dA base pair at the replication fork terminated DNA synthesis, while the N3-Et-dT.dT base pair formed at the 3'-end of the growing chain was extended, leading to an A.T----T.A transversion mutation. The results suggest a dual role for the N3-Et-dT lesion, contributing in part to the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of ethylating agents. These studies provide a basis for understanding the activation of oncogene neu by A.T----T.A transversion mutation in rat neuroblastomas induced by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea.
Antiviral, Antifungal and Antibacterial Activities of a BODIPY-Based Photosensitizer

Antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI) employing the BODIPY-based photosensitizer 2,6-diiodo-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-8-(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)-4,4′-difluoro-boradiazaindacene (DIMPy-BODIPY) was explored in an in vitro assay against six species of bacteria (eight total strains), three species of yeast, and three viruses as a complementary approach to their current drug-based or non-existent treatments. Our best results achieved a noteworthy 5–6 log unit reduction in CFU at 0.1 μM for Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC-2913), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (ATCC-44), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (ATCC-2320), a 4–5 log unit reduction for Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC-19606 (0.25 μM), multidrug resistant A. baumannii ATCC-1605 (0.1 μM), Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC-97 (0.5 μM), and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC-2146 (1 μM), and a 3 log unit reduction for Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 (ATCC-700084). A 5 log unit reduction in CFU was observed for Candida albicans ATCC-90028 (1 μM) and Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC-64538 (0.5 μM), and a 3 log unit reduction was noted for Candida glabrata ATCC-15545 (1 μM). Infectivity was reduced by 6 log units in dengue 1 (0.1 μM), by 5 log units (0.5 μM) in vesicular stomatitis virus, and by 2 log units (5 μM) in human adenovirus-5. Overall, the results demonstrate that DIMPy-BODIPY exhibits antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal photodynamic inactivation at nanomolar concentrations and short illumination times.
Packaging of coliphage lambda DNA: I. The role of the cohesive end site and the gene A protein

Abstract The cohesive ends of the DNA of bacteriophage λ particles are normally formed by the action of a nuclease on the cohesive end sites (cos) of concatemeric λ DNA (reviewed by Hohn et al., 1977). The nuclease also cuts the cos site of an integrated prophage, and DNA located to the right is preferentially packaged into phage particles. This process occurs with approximately the same efficiency and rate in a single lysogen as in a tandem polylysogen. Thus, the rate of cos cutting does not increase when the number of cos sites per molecule increases, an hypothesis that has been proposed to explain why cohesive ends are not formed in circular monomers of λ DNA. We propose instead that the interaction of Ter with cos is influenced by the configuration of the DNA outside of cos during packaging, and that this configuration is different for circular monomers than for other forms of λ DNA. A model that gives rise to such a difference is described. We also found that missense mutations in the λ A gene changed the efficiency of packaging of phage relative to host DNA. This was not the case for missense mutations in several phage genes required for capsid formation. Thus, the product of gene A plays a role in determining packaging specificity, as expected if it is or is part of the nuclease that cuts λ DNA at cos.
Characterization of glassy state relaxations by low pressure carbon dioxide sorption in poly(methyl methacrylate)

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres were swollen in methanol vapor, the swelling penetrant was quickly evacuated, and the subsequent relaxation of the polymer under vacuum was monitored by determination of the rate of settling of rapidly measured low pressure pseudoequilibrium CO2 sorption isotherms. The decrease in CO2 sorption capacity occurred very rapidly at short times, but the final stages of consolidation were protracted. In all cases, the microspheres were under vacuum between isotherm determinations. A single relaxation time is not sufficient to describe the relaxation processes characterized by the time-dependent sorption measurements. The sorption relaxation curves are similar in shape to volume relaxation curves for glassy polymers following imposition of a large pressure or temperature step change. The observed similarity between the sorption relaxation curves and classical volume relaxation curves is consistent with the notion that the excess sorption capacity introduced by methanol preswelling results from excess unrelaxed volume introduced into the glass by the quickly removed alcohol. As the excess volume relaxes, the excess sorption capacity decreases. One can, therefore, monitor the subtle process of consolidation using CO2 as a probe of the excess volume introduced by the swelling perturbation. Subatmospheric pressure CO2 sorption isotherms measured between 20 and 40°C for two different diameter microsphere samples (5436 A and 1453 A) for pressures up to 700 mm Hg were concave to the pressure axis. Such general isotherm shapes can be described by a two-term expression consisting of a Henry's law term and a Langmuir term. The Langmuir term, which arises due to unrelaxed volume in the nonequilibrium glass, is responsible for the observed concavity in the sorption isotherm. Annealing the sample, increasing the temperature of the sorption experiment closer to the Tg of the PMMA or permitting the preswollen sample to relax tends to reduce the concavity of the isotherm relative to the corresponding case for sorption in the preswollen sample measured at 25°C. This trend is presumably a consequence of the reduction in unrelaxed volume in the glass which attends either annealing, approaching the glass transition temperature of the polymer, or consolidation of excess volume following exposure to a swelling penetrant.
NMR chemical shifts and structure refinement in proteins

Computation of the 13C alpha chemical shifts (or shieldings) of glycine, alanine and valine residues in bovine and Drosophila calmodulins and Staphylococcal nuclease, and comparison with experimental values, is reported using a gauge-including atomic orbital quantum-chemical approach. The full approximately 24 ppm shielding range is reproduced (overall r.m.s.d. = 1.4 ppm) using 'optimized' protein structures, corrected for bond-length/bond-angle errors, and rovibrational effects.
Effects of early hypo- and hyperthyroidism on development of rat cerebellar cortex. IV. The parallel fibers.

Abstract Parallel fiber growth was studied during the postnatal period and adulthood in controls and rats made hypo- or hyperthyroid from birth, using a lesioning and degeneration staining method for the direct determination of parallel fiber length. In control animals, parallel fiber growth was rapid from 10 to 30 days of age, followed by a period of much slower growth into adulthood, when parallel fibers reached a maximum length of approximately 5 mm. Hypothyroidism retarded parallel fiber development, especially at 15 and 30 days, resulting in permanently shorter parallel fibers in at least one lobule (IV). Hyperthyroidism accelerated and prolonged growth of parallel fibers, producing adult fibers as much as 1.5 mm longer than controls (lobule V). The possible functional significance of this effect is discussed. The consequences of neonatal hypo- and hyperthyroidism for the synaptic capacity of adult parallel fibers was also examined using the rapid Golgi method. Parallel fibers of hypothyroid animals were dificient in the density of varicosities (sites of synapses with Purkinje cells) along their surface. In combination with the reduced length of these axons, this resulted in a deficit in the total number of synaptic sites per parallel fiber, a result consistent with our previous finding of a general synaptic hypoplasia in the hypothyroid molecular layer. Hyperthyroidism, while stimulating increased parallel fiber growth, did not change the density of varicosities along the parallel fibers. The increased length of these axons, however, did produce an increase in the total number of synaptic sites per parallel fiber. This finding substantiates our previous prediction that, due to the pronounced deficit in granule cells, each parallel fiber must make more than the normal number of synapses in order to achieve the normal synaptic density observed in the adult hyperthyroid molecular layer. This raises the possibility that hyperthyroidism may change the rate of synaptogenesis mainly as a consequence of the stimulation of axonal (and dendritic) growth rather than by affecting synaptogenic events directly. Implications for hormonal control of rates of axonal growth and synaptogenesis in the developing cerebellum are considered, as well as possible mechanisms responsible for these effects.
The Federal Courts' Involvement in the Reform of Political Parties:

IT IS hardly debatable that the rules governing political parties and electoral politics in America have changed considerably during the past two decades. A partial catalogue of changes includes the quadrennial reforms of the Democratic party, greater access to the ballot by independent and third-party candidates, declines in the use of patronage politics, alterations in financing federal campaigns, and broader participation in the nomination of candidates at every level. As a result, the words used to explain the collapse of Frank Skeffington's political machine in the 1956 novel, The Last Hurrah "all the rules and playing conditions had changed" (O'Connor 1956: 331) probably have been uttered in defeat and in the expectation of victory by many contemporary politicians. This is not the first time that rules and playing conditions have changed, but it is striking how consciously conceived and philosophically based the current changes have been. That is not to suggest that such factors as advancing technology and shifting political and social attitudes have been insignificant; one cannot discount the impact of television or the various social factors that help explain the decline in party identification. Nor is it to suggest that the changes are proof that history can be molded according to a preexisting idea. Nevertheless, few of the changes have been accidental and many reflect deliberate efforts by political activists committed to a "new age of political reform" (Bickel 1968). The reforms have focused on the procedures and rules of electoral politics, but the broader goal of many reformers has been to replace the Madisonian model, with its emphasis on representation, checks and balances, and a labyrinthine complexity, with a reformed democracy that is more open, direct, and egalitarian. The reform movement has been "another in a long series of conflicts between two interpretations of the fundamental American principles of the 'consent of the governed': direct democracy (or populism) and representative decisionmaking" (Ceaser 1982: 3). The current reform movement is unique in the degree to which it has taken place in the federal courtroom. The Supreme Court's pronouncement that one-person, one-vote is the constitutionally correct model of democracy set the stage for, if it did not actually initiate, this new age of reform (Baker v. Carr, 1962; Reynolds v. Sims, 1964). In addition to a steady stream of apportionment litigation, the federal courts have adjudicated when both unsuccessful reformers and victims of reform elsewhere in the politi-
meso Substituent Effects on the Geometric and Electronic Structures of High-Spin and Low-Spin Iron(III) Complexes of Mono-meso-Substituted Octaethylporphyrins

Introduction of a single meso substituent into ClFeIII(OEP) or K[(NC)2Fe(OEP)] results in significant changes in the geometric and/or spectroscopic properties of these complexes. The mono-meso-substituted iron(III) complexes ClFeIII(meso-Ph-OEP), ClFeIII(meso-n-Bu-OEP), ClFeIII(meso-MeO-OEP), ClFeIII(meso-Cl-OEP), ClFeIII(meso-NC-OEP), ClFeIII(meso-HC(O)-OEP), and ClFeIII(meso-O2N-OEP) have been isolated and characterized by their UV/vis and paramagnetically shifted 1H NMR spectra. The structures of both ClFeIII(meso-Ph-OEP) and ClFeIII(meso-NC-OEP) have been determined by X-ray crystallography. Both molecules have five-coordinate structures typical for high-spin (S = 5/2) iron(III) complexes. However, the porphyrins themselves no longer have the domed shape seen in ClFeIII(OEP), and the N4 coordination environment possesses a slight rectangular distortion. These high-spin, mono-meso-substituted iron(III) complexes display 1H NMR spectra in chloroform-d solution which indicate that the conformational chan...
Studies of the phase transition in a model of tin telluride

Abstract We have constructed a fully-specified model of a diatomic crystal showing a soft-mode phase transition, loosely patterned on tin telluride. The model can be used to test the accuracy of different techniques for studying the phase transition. Here we apply the self-consistent phonon theory (SCI). Using this theory, we do find a soft mode in the high-temperature, cubic phase, and the free energy shows the Landau form, consistent with a mean-field theory of a second-order phase transition. However, the frequency of the soft mode calculated in the self-consistency iterations does not go to zero at the phase transition. It is pointed out that, even within the SC1 approximation, the frequencies associated with the response functions of the crystal should include additional contributions, corresponding to cubic and bubble-diagram shifts. With these contributions included, the frequency does go to zero at the transition. The shape of the spectral function is also discussed.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MINNESOTA COUPLE COMMUNICATION PROGRAM: A REVIEW OF RESEARCH*

Findings from a review of 19 research studies on the Minnesota Couple Communication Program (CCP) indicate that CCP has an immediate positive effect on communication behavior and relationship satisfaction. CCP does not alter reported levels of self-disclosure or self-esteem. Positive changes due to CCP persisted at follow-up in some studies, but evidence of the durability of effects is weak. While research on CCP has improved over the last ten years, future research is needed on the issues of maintenance of effects, the types of individuals and couples with whom CCP is most effective, and the specific program components which are most crucial for improving marital communication skills.
Preparing T cell growth factor from rat splenocytes.

Maintenance of antigen-specific T cell lines or clones in culture requires rounds of antigen-induced activation separated by phases of cell expansion 1,2. Addition of interleukin 2 to the culture media during the expansion phase is necessary to prevent cell death and sufficient to maintain short-term T cell lines but has been shown to increase Th1 polarization 3. Replacement of interleukin 2 by T cell growth factor (TCGF) which contains a mix of cytokines is more effective than interleukin 2 in maintaining long-term T cell lines in vitro 3. Moreover, TCGF can easily be prepared in large amounts in the laboratory and is much cheaper than recombinant interleukin 2. Here, we show how to prepare TCGF from rat splenocyte culture supernatants. For this procedure, we harvest spleens from naive Lewis rats euthanized for thymus and blood collection. We prepare single-cell suspensions from the spleens, lyze the red blood cells by osmotic shock, and seed the splenocytes in culture medium. The cells are stimulated with concanavalin A, a mitogen that non-selectively activates all rat T lymphocytes, inducing the production of cytokines. The culture supernantant is collected 48 hours later andexcess concanavalin A is bound to alpha methyl mannoside to prevent it from activating T cell lines to which TCGF will be added. The TCGF is then sterile-filtered, aliquoted, and stored at -20°C.
Regeneration of supraspinal axons after transection of the thoracic spinal cord in the developing opossum, Didelphis virginiana

When the thoracic spinal cord of the North American opossum is transected early in development, supraspinal axons grow through the lesion. In the experiments reported here, we asked whether regeneration of cut axons contributes to such growth. Fast Blue (FB) was injected into the lumbar cord on postnatal day (PD)5, 8, 15, or 20. Five days later, FB was removed by gentle suction, and the spinal cord was transected at thoracic levels. Fourteen days later, rhodamine B dextran was injected between the site of the FB injection and the lesion. The pups were maintained for an additional 7-10 days before killing and perfusion. We assumed that supraspinal neurons that contained FB survived axotomy and those that contained both FB and rhodamine B dextran supported regenerating axons. In the PD5 group (lesioned at PD10), regenerative growth was documented for axons originating in all of the supraspinal nuclei that innervate the lumbar cord by PD10. When the injections were made at the later ages, however, neurons that supported regenerative growth were fewer in number and regionally restricted. In some cases, they were limited primarily to the red nucleus, the medullary raphe, and the adjacent reticular formation. Our results show that regeneration of cut axons contributes to growth of supraspinal axons through the lesion after transection of the thoracic cord in developing opossums and that the critical period for regenerative growth is not the same for all axons.
Multiplication Operators on the Iterated Logarithmic Lipschitz Spaces of a Tree

In this article, we characterize the bounded and the compact multiplication operators between distinct iterated logarithmic Lipschitz spaces, and between the Lipschitz space and an iterated logarithmic Lipschitz space of an infinite tree. In addition, we provide operator norm estimates and show that there are no isometries among such operators.
Parallelization of Snort on a multi-core platform

We design and test a multithreaded Snort which uses flow pinning as a major optimization. The insights derived in improving Snort's performance will apply generally to any parallel networking application that uses flow pinning as an optimization.
Sex Steroids and Renal Disease Lessons From Animal Studies

Epidemiological studies have shown that male sex is an independent risk factor for the development and progression of renal disease, and men progress to end stage renal disease (ESRD) faster than premenopausal women in such diseases as autoimmune glomerulonephritis, hypertensive glomerulosclerosis, and polycystic kidney disease.1–3 Although the age-related decline in renal function is also faster in men, women become more susceptible to renal diseases after menopause.4 Insight from in vitro studies and animal models suggest that sex steroids play pivotal roles in modifying the progression to ESRD. Because there is a paucity of data in humans showing the mechanisms by which sex steroids impact renal disease, most of the studies discussed this review will be in animals, mainly rats. Furthermore, determining the roles of sex steroids in various diseases has been done using gonedectomized animals; however, although gonadectomy removes more than sex steroids and most studies only replace the sex steroid of interest, these are still the best studies in which to evaluate mechanisms responsible for sex differences in renal disease. Studies in postmenopausal women will also be kept to a minimum in this review because it is likely that sex steroids change action with aging, as suggested by the Women’s Health Initiative study. Estrogen receptors (ER) are present in the kidney, although their localization in nephron segments has not been fully elucidated. Mesangial cells contain both ERα and ERβ,5 as do endothelium and vascular smooth muscle cells.5–7 Whether the newly described transmembrane estrogen receptor, GPR30,8 is present in kidneys has not been determined. Ovariectomy (ovx) of Dahl salt sensitive rats (DS) caused decreases in ERα but increases in ERβ expression in the renal cortex and medulla,9 whereas ovx in salt resistant (DR) rats caused decreases in cortical and increases in medullary ERα, and …
Modifying perfusion, nutrition, and stress to promote wound healing in patients with acute wounds ☆ ☆☆

Tissue injury is common among patients in acute care settings. The subsequent response to injury, wound healing, follows an intricate but well-defined sequence that, under normal conditions, proceeds to satisfactory repair. However, because of the complexity of the healing response, several factors can intervene to impair normal healing. As a better understanding of how diverse factors influence healing is gained, the use of interventions that modulate these factors becomes possible and potentially beneficial. This article reviews knowledge of perfusion, nutrition, and stress as they relate to healing in patients experiencing acute wounds. Therapeutic implications based on current research are discussed.
Effects of facultative symbionts and heat stress on the metabolome of pea aphids

We examined metabolite pools of pea aphids with different facultative symbiont infections, and characterized their effects on aphid metabolism in baseline and heat stress conditions. The bacterial symbiont Serratia symbiotica protects aphid hosts from the detrimental results of heat stress and shields the obligate symbiont Buchnera from effects of heat. We investigated whether broad effects on metabolism might correlate with this protection. Both facultative symbiont infection and heat treatment had large effects on the aphid metabolome. All three pea aphid facultative symbionts had similar effects on aphid metabolism despite their evolutionary diversity. Paradoxically, heat triggers lysis of many S. symbiotica cells and a correlated rapid reduction in S. symbiotica titres within aphid hosts. We conclude that facultative symbionts can have substantial effects on host metabolic pools, and we hypothesize that the protective effects of S. symbiotica may reflect the delivery of protective metabolites to aphid or Buchnera cells, after heat exposure.
CONFIRMING RESPONSE EFFECTIVENESS: AN OVERVIEW AND GUIDE TO OPERATIONAL MONITORING

ABSTRACT Monitoring is a common, if generally implicit, part of spill response. However, there are no general guidelines for designing and carrying out spill response monitoring. With a few notable exceptions, as in shoreline assessments, monitoring rules are made up as the response progresses. Important rules of monitoring, such as those concerning adequate controls, are often left out or remain ill-defined, leading to unjustified product claims. As a result, there is often considerable debate and confusion about the effectiveness of protection and cleanup actions as well as the need to move on or terminate the response. A framework has been developed to help make monitoring an explicit process in spill response management. This framework forces (1) clear identification of the objectives of prevention and cleanup strategies, (2) selection of meaningful and useful end points, to quickly document effectiveness, (3) an appropriate strategy (statistical or otherwise) for collecting and reporting needed feedb...
Glutathione adduct formation with microsomally activated metabolites of the pulmonary alkylating and cytotoxic agent, 3-methylindole

Abstract Incubations with goat lung and liver microsomes were conducted to trap with exogenous glutathione (GSH) the electrophilic intermediate produced via cytochrome P -450-dependent metabolic activation of 3-methylindole (3MI). Microsomal incubation mixtures with [ 14 C]3MI, a NADPH-generating system, and [ 3 H]GSH produced a dual-labeled adduct which was isolated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Reactive 3MI intermediates were also trapped with cysteine. Adduct formation increased in proportion to the concentration of either thiol. Covalent binding of activated 3MI metabolites to microsomal protein was inversely related to adduct production. There were both qualitative and quantitative differences in the formation of GSH adducts by lung and liver microsomes. In the presence of 2 m m GSH, the adduct was produced at a rate of 1.8 nmol/mg protein/min by lung microsomes but only at 0.1 nmol/mg protein/min by hepatic microsomes. The addition of cytosolic fractions containing glutathione S-transferase activity increased GSH adduct formation by approximately 30%. These results support the view that electrophilic 3MI intermediates are trapped by conjugation with GSH, and that organ-selective toxicity is primarily due to much faster rates of cytochrome P -450 oxidation of 3MI in the lung than in the liver.
An ultrastructural study of nerve terminal degeneration in muscle spindles of the tenuissimus muscle of the cat.

Muscle spindles in the tenuissimus muscle of the cat were studied between 12 and 168 h after cutting or freezing the nerve to this muscle. Degenerative changes in sensory and motor nerve terminals on intrafusal muscle fibres were observed using the electron microscope. Comparisons were made with spindles from unoperated or sham-operated cats.
Vancomycin in infants and children: a review of pharmacology and indications for therapy and prophylaxis

Although used only rarely and cautiously by paediatricians in the past because of fear of toxicity, vancomycin has become part of the clinician's armamentarium to treat serious infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, and for specific prophylaxic indications. The pharmacokinetics in infants and children have been recently studied and, while the new information has been helpful in determining more precisely correct doses, more data are needed, especially in young infants. The relatively new roles for vancomycin in the prevention of bacterial infection also require further clarification.
Airway inflammation despite loss of bronchial hyper-responsiveness after multiple ozone exposures

The effect of single and multiple exposures to ozone (O3) on airway responsiveness and inflammation was examined in guinea pigs. Airway responsiveness, measured as acetylcholine concentration needed to increase baseline airway resistance (RL) by 250% (PC250), increased 1 h after exposure to ozone at 3 ppm for 3 h (-log PC250 from 3.88 +/- 0.17 to 4.78 +/- 0.18; P < 0.05), but returned to baseline at 8 h. An increase in neutrophil numbers was found at 8 h in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). After O3 exposure on 4 successive days, baseline RL increased and airway responsiveness decreased at 1, 8 and 72 h (-log PC250 = 2.88 +/- 0.17, 2.83 +/- 0.10 and 3.12 +/- 0.08, respectively, compared to control value of 3.48 +/- 0.05). Repeated exposures to O3 also increased neutrophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and in bronchial submucosa. Thus, single exposure to O3 caused a rapid and transient increase in airway responsiveness, while multiple exposures induced a rapid but prolonged decrease in airway responsiveness associated with persistent bronchoconstriction. Both single and multiple exposures induced airway inflammation as evidenced by an increase in neutrophil influx. These studies demonstrated a dissociation between ozone-induced changes in airway responsiveness and neutrophil influx, and indicate that multiple exposures to O3 induce persistent bronchoconstriction with airway hyporesponsiveness.
Human Hippocampal and Parahippocampal Theta during Goal-Directed Spatial Navigation Predicts Performance on a Virtual Morris Water Maze

The hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices exhibit theta (θ) oscillations during spatial navigation in animals and humans, and in the former are thought to mediate spatial memory formation. Functional specificity of human hippocampal θ, however, is unclear. Neuromagnetic activity was recorded with a whole-head 275-channel magnetoencephalographic (MEG) system as healthy participants navigated to a hidden platform in a virtual reality Morris water maze. MEG data were analyzed for underlying oscillatory sources in the 4–8Hz band using a spatial filtering technique (i.e., synthetic aperture magnetometry). Source analyses revealed greater θ activity in the left anterior hippocampus and parahippocampal cortices during goal-directed navigation relative to aimless movements in a sensorimotor control condition. Further analyses showed that left anterior hippocampal activity was predominantly observed during the first half of training, pointing to a role for this region in early learning. Moreover, posterior hippocampal θ was highly correlated with navigation performance, with the former accounting for 76% of the variance of the latter. Our findings suggest human spatial learning is dependent upon hippocampal and parahippocampal θ oscillations, extending to humans a significant body of research demonstrating such a pivotal role for hippocampal θ in animal navigation.
Molecular dynamics simulations of cold atmospheric plasma interactions with lipid bilayers

Cold atmospheric plasmas generate many reactive species that may degrade the cell wall and induce cell death. Models of species generation have been conducted for various plasmas, particularly for air plasmas1. Oxidative species, including OH radicals, O, O 2 , O 3 , and H 2 O 2 , are some of the most effective species in damaging cell walls2. Assessing and controlling the impact of these species on lipid membranes is complicated by an incomplete understanding of the species generated by a given plasma and the subsequent biophysical action with cell membranes and walls. We apply molecular dynamics (MD) to assess plasma-membrane interactions as a first step to guiding plasma device design. A well-established computational technique for studying membrane level interactions, MD simulations have been used to analyze reactive oxygen species interactions with bacterial cell wall peptide chains2,3. Particle in a box models and atomistic structures enable the simulation of highly accurate interactions. The Large Scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS) and the ReaxFF subroutine are very effective in membrane interactions simulations at both atomistic and coarse grained levels4. Here, we apply LAMMPS and ReaxFF to assess the interactions of various densities and energies of oxidative species with cell membranes. We further benchmark coarse grained models against atomistic simulations to enable more rapid screening of the membrane level interactions of various species to better guide future plasma simulations. Implications of direct (with membrane electric field) and indirect (without membrane electric field) application will be assessed.
Learning theory: a driving force in understanding orbitofrontal function.

Since it was demonstrated the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is critical to reversal learning, there has been considerable interest in specifying its role in flexible, outcome-guided behavior. Behavioral paradigms from the learning theory tradition, such as outcome devaluation, blocking, Pavlovian to instrumental transfer, and overexpectation have been a driving force in this research. The use of these procedures has revealed OFC’s unique role in forming and integrating information about specific features of events and outcomes to drive behavior and learning. These studies highlight the power and importance of learning theory principles in guiding neuroscience research.
SOD1 aggregates in ALS: Cause, correlate or consequence?

Increased expression of wild-type SOD1 in mice with ALS does not slow disease progression or diminish the pathological changes in motor neurons.