cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermoelectric lab-on-a-chip ELISA

We report a new, thermoelectric method for performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a microfluidic device. The concentration of the analyte is determined by measuring the heat of an enzymatic reaction between glucose and glucose oxidase using thin-film antimony/bismuth thermopile. The feasibility of lab-on-a-chip thermoelectric ELISA is demonstrated by measuring the concentration of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG) in urine samples from amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice. The detection method is based on formation of a complex between 8OHdG, anti-8OHdG capture antibody and glucose oxidase linked IgG antibody. The complex is immobilized at the lower channel wall of the microfluidic device, over the measuring junctions of the thermopile. The amount of heat detected by the thermoelectric sensor is inversely proportional to the concentration of 8OHdG. Standard calibration curve was created using synthetic 8OHdG. The regression line equation of the standard calibration curve was used to estimate the concentration of 8OHdG in mouse urine.
Premaxillary-maxillary suture fusion and anterior nasal tubercle morphology in the chimpanzee.

The anterior nasal spine (ANS) is considered by some to be a unique characteristic of modern humans; however, it has been reported to occur in chimpanzees. Among human populations, ANS size correlates with facial prognathism and timing of premaxillary-maxillary sutural fusion, which may have implications for models of midfacial growth. To investigate these questions, skulls from 55 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) (29 male, 26 female), ranging in age from infants to adults, were examined. None of the 55 specimens examined had a true ANS, but a number of specimens exhibited raised anterior nasal prominences or tubercles (ANT) on the nasal surface of the premaxilla. Female specimens had significantly (P less than .05) more ANTs and more extensive fusion of both the palatal and facial components of the suture than did the male specimens. Results from the present study document the presence of an ANT in a sample of chimpanzee crania and are consonant with associations predicted by a septal-traction model of midfacial growth.
A cytological study of micronuclear elongation during conjugation in Tetrahymena

Micronuclear elongation is the first major event in a series of nuclear changes occurring during the sexual stage of the life cycle of Tetrahymena. Beginning at about one hour after cells of complementary mating types have conjugated, the micronucleus leaves its recess in the macronucleus and swells slightly. This is accompanied by a reorganization of its chromatin from a reticular to a solid body. In the next stage the micronucleus assumes an egg shape, a development concomitant with the appearance of microtubules. While the chromatin “spins out” from the dense body, and microtubules increase in number, the nucleus assumes a spindle shape. During the elongation, which increases the length of the nucleus some fifty fold, microtubules are prominent in clusters just internal to the nuclear membrane, and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the nucleus. When elongation is completed the nucleus is curved around the macronucleus. Internally, partially condensed strands of chromatin are located off-center, towards the macronuclear side, and the density of the microtubules is diminished. At all the stages, DNA is located throughout the nucleus; neither discrete chromosomes nor synaptonemal complexes are seen. Occasionally cytoplasmic membrane systems are seen fused to the nuclear envelope which retains the typical appearance of a double membrane with pores.
Hypnosis-provoked nonepileptic events in children

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the use of hypnotic suggestion as a means of precipitating nonepileptic events in children while they are undergoing video electroencephalographic monitoring (VEEG) for differential diagnosis of seizurelike behavior. Methods Nine children aged 8–16 years were referred for VEEG to differentiate between epileptic seizures and nonepileptic events. All subjects underwent psychiatric consultation. Hypnosis was attempted in all subjects to try to provoke typical seizurelike events. Results In eight of nine patients, their typical seizurelike events were provoked by hypnosis. In all eight children, video and EEG analysis of the provoked events demonstrated them to be nonepileptic. No epileptiform abnormalities were present on interictal EEGs. No epileptic seizures occurred. Conclusion Hypnosis is a useful and ethical means of provoking psychogenic nonepileptic events in children. Hypnotic suggestion should be considered as a provocative method when possibly psychogenic nonepileptic events have not occurred spontaneously during diagnostic evaluation.
Diffusion of sodium salicylate and salicylic acid within hydrophilic ointments. Measurement with a new diffusion cell.

A cell has been designed to measure diffusion of medicaments within dermatologic vehicles to eliminate the influence of an external medium which differs from the vehicle. The cell consisted of two Lucite plastic compartments separated by a cellophane membrane. A medium containing a medicament was placed in one compartment and diffusion occurred into the other compartment which contained the same vehicle without the medication. The cell was used in a study of the diffusion of sodium salicylate and salicylic acid in various components of hydrophilic ointments made with three nonionic surface-active agents: Tween 40, Atlas G-7596-J, and Brij 35.
Rational points on the unit sphere

It is known that the unit sphere, centered at the origin in ℝ n , has a dense set of points with rational coordinates. We give an elementary proof of this fact that includes explicit bounds on the complexity of the coordinates: for every point ν on the unit sphere in ℝ n , and every ν > 0; there is a point r = (r 1; r 2;…;r n) such that: One consequence of this result is a relatively simple and quantitative proof of the fact that the rational orthogonal group O(n;ℚ) is dense in O(n;ℝ) with the topology induced by Frobenius’ matrix norm. Unitary matrices in U(n;ℂ) can likewise be approximated by matrices in U(n;ℚ(i))
Emerging applications for zebrafish as a model organism to study oxidative mechanisms and their roles in inflammation and vascular accumulation of oxidized lipids.

Abstract With the advent of genetic engineering, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were recognized as an attractive model organism to study many biological processes. Remarkably, the small size and optical transparency of zebrafish larvae enable high-resolution imaging of live animals. Zebrafish respond to various environmental and pathological factors with robust oxidative stress. In this article, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms involved in oxidative stress and antioxidant response in zebrafish. Existing applications of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors allow imaging, in real time, of the production of H2O2 and studying its involvement in inflammatory responses, as well as activation of the oxidation-sensitive transcription factors HIF and NRF2. Oxidative stress, combined with hyperlipidemia, leads to oxidation of lipoproteins, the process that contributes significantly to the development of atherosclerosis in humans. Recent work found that feeding zebrafish a high-cholesterol diet results in hypercholesterolemia, vascular lipid accumulation, and extreme lipoprotein oxidation. Generation of a transgenic zebrafish expressing a green fluorescent protein-tagged human antibody to malondialdehyde (MDA)-modified LDL makes possible the in vivo visualization of MDA epitopes in the vascular wall and testing of the efficacy of antioxidants and dietary interventions. Thus, using zebrafish as a model organism provides important advantages in studying the roles of reactive oxygen species and lipid oxidation in basic biologic and pathologic processes.
Neutron-scattering investigation of the phonons in intermediate-valence Sm 0.75 Y 0.25 S

Neutron-scattering techniques have been used to measure the phonons in intermediate-valence ${\mathrm{Sm}}_{0.75}$${\mathrm{Y}}_{0.25}$S. Anomalies are found in the shape of the phonon dispersion curves and in the phonon widths that are attributable to mixed-valence effects. Phonon positions and widths are shown as a function of temperature. The greatest phonon softening and the largest phonon widths are found at the valence transition that occurs at 200 K. A screened-rigid-ion model has been used to fit the phonon dispersion curves. The model reproduces the general shape of the phonon dispersion data but fails to account for the anomalies.
Induction of long-term protective effects against heterologous challenge in SIVhu-infected macaques.

A group of three rhesus macaques were inoculated with SIV isolated from a human (SIVhu) accidentally exposed and infected with SIVsm. Extensive sequence analyses of SIVhu obtained from the human and macaques following infection indicated the presence of truncated nef. Not only did nef fail to repair itself in vivo postinfection (p.i.), but instead, further mutations added additional stop codons with increasing time p.i. Infection of these animals was associated with minimal acute viral replication, followed by undetectable plasma viral loads and only intermittent PCR detection up to 5 years p.i. The three SIVhu infected and three control monkeys were then challenged with the heterologous highly pathogenic SHIV89.6p. All three controls became infected and showed rapid declines in peripheral CD4(+) lymphocytes, disease, and death at 10 and 32 weeks p.i., respectively. In contrast, all three animals previously infected with SIVhu are healthy and exhibit stable CD4(+) lymphocyte levels and undetectable plasma viral loads at >20 months post-SHIV89. 6p challenge. Only transient, low levels of SHIV replication were noted in these animals. Whereas responses to SIVgag/pol were noted, no evidence for SIV/SHIV envelope cross-reactivity was detected by antibody or CTL analyses, suggesting that the protective immune mechanisms to the heterologous challenge isolate were most likely not directed to envelope but rather to other viral determinants.
Anaphylaxis to dill.

Background Allergic symptoms caused by spices and herbs are infrequent and usually mild, although occasionally, severe allergic reactions do occur. Symptoms of pruritus, rhinitis, cough, and edema have been reported to spices including curry, paprika, pepper, and mustard. To our knowledge, this is the first case of confirmed dill allergy, and the patient had severe allergic symptoms. Objective It is important to alert physicians to the possibility of allergic reactions caused by dill. Methods and Results The patient, who has a history of allergic rhinitis, developed symptoms of oral pruritus, tongue and throat swelling, urticaria, and immediate vomiting and diarrhea following ingestion of foods cooked with dill and subsequently with inhalation of foods prepared with dill. Skin testing with fresh dill preparation was positive. Conclusion These findings confirm that dill can cause IgE-mediated reactions.
On the Alleged Metaphysical Superiority of Timelessness

In his recent study Time and Eternity, Brian Leftow maintains that timeless existence is metaphysically superior to temporal existence (Leftow (1991), p. 278). He argues at great length that timeless beings have a higher degree of existence, in view of their truer presence and greater unity, than temporal beings and are therefore metaphysically superior to them.1 It follows that it would most befit God, as a perfect being, to be timeless. In this paper I wish to assess Leftow’s arguments in support of his claim.
Lake-Effect Rain Events

Abstract Seven years of autumnal (September–November) precipitation data are examined to determine the characteristics of lake-effect precipitation downwind of Lake Erie. Atmospheric conditions for each lake-effect event are compiled and the mean atmospheric environment for rain events is constructed and compared to conditions for lake-effect snow events. It is found that lake-effect precipitation occurs approximately one out of every five days with a diurnal peak in precipitation intensity during the afternoon and evening. The greatest number of lake-effect days occurs in October followed by November and then September. Comparison of these results to regional precipitation climatologies strongly suggests that the season of lake enhanced precipitation begins in late summer. Precipitation is predominantly rain throughout September and October and snow after the first week of November. A transition period of both rain and snow occurs in early November. Analysis of thunder events for the 7-yr period show a l...
Pyogenic granuloma in Barrett's esophagus mimicking esophageal carcinoma

A 31-year-old white man with a history of testicular carcinoma and lymphoma developed severe reflux esophagitis with stricture formation requiring repeated dilatation. Barrett's esophagus was histologically confirmed. The Barrett's mucosa was observed endoscopically and became polypoid, mimicking an esophageal carcinoma. The polyp was evaluated by endoscopic ultrasonography and ultrasonically guided aspiration cytology. It was managed by snare cautery removal, which showed a pyogenic granuloma.
Coarse-grained peptide modeling using a systematic multiscale approach.

A systematic new approach to derive multiscale coarse-grained (MS-CG) models has been recently developed. The approach employs information from atomistically detailed simulations to derive CG forces and associated effective potentials. In this work, the MS-CG methodology is extended to study two peptides representing distinct structural motifs, α-helical polyalanine and the β-hairpin V5PGV5. These studies represent the first known application of this approach to peptide systems. Good agreement between the MS-CG and atomistic models is achieved for several structural properties including radial distribution functions, root mean-square deviation, and radius of gyration. The new MS-CG models are able to preserve the native states of these peptides within ∼1 A backbone root mean-square deviation during CG simulations. The MS-CG approach, as with most coarse-grained models, has the potential to increase the length and timescales accessible to molecular simulations. However, it is also able to maintain a clear connection to the underlying atomistic-scale interactions.
A Theoretical Model of Enlarging Intracranial Fusiform Aneurysms

The mechanisms by which intracranial aneurysms develop, enlarge, and rupture are unknown, and it remains difficult to collect the longitudinal patient-based information needed to improve our understanding. We submit, therefore, that mathematical models hold promise by allowing us to propose and test competing hypotheses on potential mechanisms of aneurysmal enlargement and to compare predicted outcomes with limited clinical information—in this way, we may begin to narrow the possible mechanisms and thereby focus experimental studies. In this paper, we present a constrained mixture model of evolving thin-walled, fusiform aneurysms and compare multiple competing hypotheses with regard to the production, removal, and alignment of the collagen that provides the structural integrity of the wall. The results show that this type of approach has the capability to infer potential means by which lesions enlarge and whether such changes are likely to produce a stable or unstable process. Such information can better direct the requisite histopathological examinations, particularly on the need to quantify collagen orientations as a function of lesion geometry.
GL(n, q) and Increasing Subsequences in Non-Uniform Random Permutations

Connections between longest increasing subsequences in random permutations and eigenvalues of random matrices with complex entries have been intensely studied. This note applies properties of random elements of the finite general linear group to obtain results about the longest increasing and decreasing subsequences in non-uniform random permutations.
NHAMCS: does it hold up to scrutiny?

In this month’s Annals, we have an unprecedented look at the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) from inside the National Center for Health Statistics. McCaig and Burt explain what NHAMCS can and cannot tell us and provide a glimpse of the survey’s future. NHAMCS is the largest extant national emergency department (ED) database, the data source for more than 90 articles in Annals alone. The popularity of NHAMCS with researchers is likely due to the rigor of the sampling methods—which permit reconstitution of a population that resembles the entire US population—and its availability online at no cost. Unfortunately, a series of recent articles suggests that despite these appealing features, problems with data quality in NHAMCS render some conclusions based on these data questionable at best. In this editorial, I examine these problems and explain how well-meaning investigators may reach erroneous conclusions and unintentionally mislead readers. Additionally, I will propose steps that investigators should take when preparing to use the NHAMCS database in articles submitted to Annals (Table). All databases used for research, including the large national probability samples such as NHAMCS, must satisfy 2 basic tenets; they must not be prone to sampling bias and the data must be accurate. Although NHAMCS receives high marks on the former, several articles raise doubts about the latter. An argument is only as strong as its weakest link, and the high marks NHAMCS scores for its sampling methods mean little if its data-gathering process receives a D grade for reliably and accuracy.
Petri Net Based Search Directing Heuristics for Test Generation

The use of Petri nets to model the register transfers and change of control states in a sequential machine described in a Computer Hardware Design Language (CHDL) with the aim of guiding state space searches is proposed. Each fault to be detected defines a set of goal nodes for the state space search. These goal nodes together with a CHDL description of the circuit are used to generate a Petri Net (PN). Two guidance mechanisms are derived from the PN: heuristic cost value and input vector guidance. For each machine state encountered during the state space search, a heuristic cost value is computed using a state vector derived from the PN. The PN also contains information about input vectors that are associated with each control state. The most important of these are selected based on an established criteria. The heuristic cost value and input vectors are used to guide test generation searches. In three case studies, the method provides results superior to those previously reported both in guidance accuracy and computational requirements.
Public Policy, the Public Interest, and Agricultural Economics

This is a particularly appropriate year for review of agricultural economics in relation to public policy. The quadrennial Presidential election heightens our perceptions of major national public policy issues and the governmental process. It is a year of economic recovery and comparative stability, affording an opportunity to reflect upon the turbulent events of the past four years and longer term economic and food policy issues. And it is a year which foreshadows public debate on new farm commodity price legislation.
Estimation for an M/G/∞ queue with incomplete information

SUMMARY We consider the estimation of the arrival rate and holding distribution of a discrete time queue using only information about the size of the queue. Arrivals are not matched to departures so that direct observations of the holding times are not available. We study two estimators, quickly computed moment estimators and maximum likelihood estimators based on an entropy-motivated geometric approximation. This approximation lends the problem a Markovian structure that permits use of algorithms designed for estimating hidden Markov models. Under the assumed model, the resulting maximum likelihood estimators are efficient, but the difficulty of their calculation increases exponentially with the number of parameters. Simulations show that the root mean squared error of maximum likeilihood estimators is about 25% smaller than that of moment estimators. Simulations also show how the absence of direct observations of holding times reduce the power of tests for detecting deviations from simple models.
Characterization and analysis of sales data for the semiconductor market: An expert system approach

Chip purchasing policies of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of laptop computers are characterized by similarity measures and probabilistic rules. Our main goal is to build an expert system for predicting purchasing behavior in the semiconductor market. The probabilistic rules and similarity measures are extracted from data of products bought by the OEMs in the semiconductor market over twenty quarters. We present the data collected and different qualitative data mining approaches to analyze and extract rules from the data that best characterize the purchasing behavior of the OEMs. Our analysis of the similar product selection shows that there are two main groups of OEMs buying similar products. Using our probabilistic rules, we obtain an average score of approximately 95% reconstructing quarterly data for a one year window.
Cultural Evolution: Interpersonal Influence, Issue Importance, and the Development of Shared Attitudes in College Residence Halls

This article investigates cultural evolution in four college residence halls. Up to four attitude surveys were completed by 1,252 participants in a semester. Participants' attitudes became more similar to those living closest to them over time as a result of localized interpersonal influence processes. Correlations between attitudes also increased with time as these cultural attributes grew increasingly interdependent. These basic findings support the predictions of dynamic social impact theory. However, these effects were stronger for more important issues even when controlling for discussion. These findings are likely the result of (a) individual-level selective attention to personally important information, (b) greater attitude-behavior consistency for important issues, and/or (c) nonlinear attitude change processes for important issues as suggested by the catastrophe theory of attitudes. These results suggest that intrapsychic processes as well as interpersonal processes contribute to cultural evolution.
Multisatellite observations of resonant hydromagnetic waves

Long period geomagnetic pulsations with periods between about 10 and 600 s have been observed by ground magnetometers for over 100 years. Dungey (1954) suggested that these pulsations might be hydromagnetic waves resonating on geomagnetic field lines. One of the most recent techniques employed to examine pulsations and to test pulsation theory has been that of multispacecraft observations. A review is attempted to show how multisatellite observations have been used to provide new insight in the generation mechanisms, propagation characteristics, and resonant properties of magnetospheric pulsations. Some studies show how measurements of the plasma environment both in the vicinity of the waves and elsewhere have enabled tests of resonance theory in ways which were not previously possible with single satellite measurements.
A logical revolution (keynote)

Mathematical logic was developed in an effort to provide formal foundations for mathematics. In this quest, which ultimately failed, logic begat computer science, yielding both computers and theoretical computer science. But then logic turned out to be a disappointment as foundations for computer science, as almost all decision problems in logic are either undecidable or intractable. Starting from the mid 1970s, however, there has been a quiet revolution in logic in computer science, and problems that are theoretically undecidable or intractable were shown to be quite feasible in practice. This talk describes the rise, fall, and rise of logic in computer science, describing several modern applications of logic to computing, include databases, hardware design, and software engineering.
Actin grips: Circular actin-rich cytoskeletal structures that mediate the wrapping of polymeric microfibers by endothelial cells

Interaction of endothelial-lineage cells with three-dimensional substrates was much less studied than that with flat culture surfaces. We investigated the in vitro attachment of both mature endothelial cells (ECs) and of less differentiated EC colony-forming cells to poly-e-capro-lactone (PCL) fibers with diameters in 5-20 μm range ('scaffold microfibers', SMFs). We found that notwithstanding the poor intrinsic adhesiveness to PCL, both cell types completely wrapped the SMFs after long-term cultivation, thus attaining a cylindrical morphology. In this system, both EC types grew vigorously for more than a week and became increasingly more differentiated, as shown by multiplexed gene expression. Three-dimensional reconstructions from multiphoton confocal microscopy images using custom software showed that the filamentous (F) actin bundles took a conspicuous ring-like organization around the SMFs. Unlike the classical F-actin-containing stress fibers, these rings were not associated with either focal adhesions or intermediate filaments. We also demonstrated that plasma membrane boundaries adjacent to these circular cytoskeletal structures were tightly yet dynamically apposed to the SMFs, for which reason we suggest to call them 'actin grips'. In conclusion, we describe a particular form of F-actin assembly with relevance for cytoskeletal organization in response to biomaterials, for endothelial-specific cell behavior in vitro and in vivo, and for tissue engineering.
Regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt and nuclear factor‐kappa B signaling pathways in dystrophin‐deficient skeletal muscle in response to mechanical stretch

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling pathways play a critical role in mediating survival signals. In this study we have investigated how loss of dystrophin (the primary cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy) modulates the activation of PI3K/Akt and NF-kappaB signaling pathways in skeletal muscle in response to mechanical stimulation. Activation of Akt was significantly higher in diaphragm muscle from dystrophin-deficient mdx mice compared to normal mice at both prenecrotic and necrotic states. Higher activation of Akt was also observed in cultured dystrophin-deficient primary myotubes differentiated in vitro. Application of passive mechanical stretch ex vivo synergistically increased the activation of Akt in diaphragm of mdx mice. Stretch-induced activation of PDK-1 and PI3K were also higher in diaphragm of mdx mice compared to normal mice. Pretreatment of diaphragm with PI3K inhibitor LY294002 blocked the activation of Akt in normal and mdx mice. Higher activation of Akt was associated with increased phosphorylation of its downstream targets glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta), FKHR, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Treatment of diaphragm muscle with LY294002 inhibited the stretch-induced activation of IkappaB (IkappaB) kinase (IKK) and NF-kappaB transcription factor in normal and mdx mice. Mechanical stretch also reduced the interaction of HDAC1 with RelA subunit of NF-kappaB in diaphragm muscle. Finally, cellular levels of Bcl-2, cIAP1, and integrin beta1 and activation of integrin linked kinase were higher in diaphragm muscle of mdx mice compared to normal mice. Taken together, our data suggest that loss of dystrophin and/or mechanical stretch results in the up-regulation of P13K/Akt and NF-kappaB signaling pathways in skeletal muscle.
Development of in vivo somatic mutation system using antibody against hemoglobin: preparation and use of an anti-hemoglobin antibody for identifying C57BL/6 red cells in artificial mixture of DBA/2 and C57BL/6 red cells.

Abstract A cellular specific-locus mutation test is described for detecting mutant cells in mammals. The test is based upon the use of specific anti-C57BL/6J mouse hemoglobin antibody that binds hemoglobin “single” (hemoglobin s, present in C57BL/6J mouse) and not hemoglobin “diffuse” (hemoglobin d, present in DBA/2J mouse). Attempts to purify such antibody from pony and rabbit antisera through cross-absorption were unsuccessful. Immunization of LP/J mouse with C57BL/6J hemoglobin produced antiserum that reacted with s hemoglobin but not with d hemoglobin. In a fluorescent antibody technique, this antibody was found to label fixed red blood cells from C57BL/6J mice but not from DBA/2J mice. In a mixture of C57BL/6J and DBA/2J red cells, the C57BL/6J cells could be differentiated by their bright fluorescence from the non-fluorescent DBA/2J cells. Reconstruction experiment with artificial mixtures of DBA/2J and C57BL/6J cells showed that s hemoglobin bearing cells could be detected in DBA/2J red cells at frequencies as small as 0.4×10−6. Thus, the system is sensitive enough to detect d → s mutation in DBA/2J mice. Amino acid comparison of the globin chains of s and d hemoglobins shows that our antibody can probably detect mutations leading to a substitution of serine or proline by alanine at β20 position and/or a substitution of threonine by alanine at β139 position.
Experimental Test of Electron-Scattering Sum Rules for Carbon

The cross section for scattering of electrons off carbon has been measured at laboratory angles of 3.3\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, 6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, and 12\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for incident energies of 1 to 5 GeV. The measured cross sections are in good agreement with the sum rules describing this process.
Measuring total body water in peritoneal dialysis patients using an ethanol dilution technique.

Measuring total body water in peritoneal dialysis patients using an ethanol dilution technique. Background The accuracy with which total body water (TBW) is estimated is a direct determinant of the reliability of Kt/V urea measurements in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Ethanol dilution has been previously shown to be a reliable measure of TBW. Advances in breath alcohol technology make this a feasible clinical tool. Methods We gave 19 fasting chronic PD patients 0.3 g/kg of ethanol (EtOH) orally on two separate occasions. Breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs), determined by dual-beam infrared analysis, were recorded at baseline and periodically thereafter until BrACs were less than 0.01%. The TBW was then determined by standard pharmacokinetic techniques. Results TBW measurements were reproducible, with a mean between-run difference of -0.004 liter/kg (95% limits of agreement -0.040 to 0.032 by Bland-Altman). The Watson equations tended to underestimate TBW, with a mean difference EtOH-Watson) of +30. liters ( SD 4.0 liters, P = 0.004) and a mean absolute difference of 4.1 liters ( SD 2.7 liters, range -4.4 to 9.5 liters). Kt/V was calculated from dialysate and urline collection, using V as determined from TBW estimated from EtOH and Watson. The mean Kt/V(EtOH) was 2.31 ( SD 0.50) compared with 2.46 ( SD 0.52) using Watson. The mean absolute differences between the two Kt/V estimates was 0.26 ( SD 0.20, range -0.87 to 0.57), with Kt/V overestimated by Watson in 14 patients. EtOH was well tolerated, and the procedure was completed in about four hours. Conclusions Measuring V by the BRAc technique does not require blood sampling, is reliable, and is reproducible. It is a potentially useful method for a periodic determination of volume that may allow for more accurate Kt/V measurement in PD patients.
Activation of Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Proteins in the Absence of Scap in Drosophila melanogaster

The escort factor Scap is essential in mammalian cells for regulated activation of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs). SREBPs are membrane-bound transcription factors. Cells lacking Scap cannot activate SREBP. They are therefore deficient in the transcription of numerous genes involved in lipid synthesis and uptake; they cannot survive in the absence of exogenous lipid. Here we report that, in contrast to mammalian cells, Drosophila completely lacking dscap are viable. Flies lacking dscap emerge at ∼70% of the expected rate and readily survive as homozygous stocks. These animals continue to cleave dSREBP in some tissues. Transcription of dSREBP target genes in dscap mutant larvae is reduced compared to wild type. It is greater than in mutants lacking dSREBP and remains responsive to dietary lipids in dscap mutants. Flies lacking dscap do not require the caspase Drice to activate dSREBP. This contrasts with ds2p mutants. ds2p encodes a protease that releases the transcription factor domain of dSREBP from the membrane. Larvae doubly mutant for dscap and ds2p exhibit phenotypes similar to those of ds2p single mutants. Thus, dScap and dS2P, essential components of the SREBP activation machinery in mammalian cells, are dispensable in Drosophila owing to different compensatory mechanisms.
A ward-based pharmacist intervention reduced emergency department visits and drug-related readmissions in elderly patients.

Source Citation Gillespie U, Alassaad A, Henrohn D, et al. A comprehensive pharmacist intervention to reduce morbidity in patients 80 years or older: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med....
Designing the Process Evaluation for the Collaborative Planning of a Local Turning Point Partnership

This study describes the design of the process evaluation of a collaborative effort among community partners to address health issues in central Oklahoma. The design is an application of a sound process evaluation planning framework that integrates the components of context, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, implementation, recruitment, barriers, and maintenance. The planning framework also provides guidance regarding the steps of designing and implementing the process evaluation. This planning process was conducted by utilizing a participatory research approach. At the end of the planning phase, the evaluation team accomplished the following: (a) development of an evaluation plan, (b) development of evaluation instruments (i.e., surveys, interview guides, observation forms), and (c) development of evaluation questions and process objectives. The information derived from this study can be valuable to practitioners and researchers involved in the planning of community partnerships or coalitions and interested in process evaluation that takes place in community settings.
Malignant Catarrhal Fever Virus: Characterization of a United States Isolate and Development of Diagnostic Assays

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a severe lymphoproliferative disease of certain domestic and wild ruminants. Two distinct but closely related viruses cause clinically indistinguishable syndromes in susceptible ruminant species: wildebeest-associated MCF virus (WA-MCFV) and sheep-associated MCF virus (SA-MCFV). Neither the pathogenesis nor the epidemiology of SA-MCF is understood, primarily because of a lack of adequate detection methods for the etiologic agent or antibody against that agent. Work designed to develop these tests has been under way in our laboratory. To obtain basic information about the virus, the in vitro growth properties of a US isolate of MCF virus were studied and its major viral proteins identified and characterized by a panel of monoclonal antibodies generated against the isolate. A monoclonal antibody to a broadly conserved epitope of MCF virus was identified, and a competitive-inhibition ELISA (CI-ELISA) was developed for detection of anti-MCF antibody in sheep and other ruminants. The monoclonal antibody (15-A) reacted with an epitope located on a glycoprotein complex, which was present in all isolates of MCF virus examined. Antibody from a wide variety of ruminants infected with MCF virus of both sheep and wildebeest origin competed with the monoclonal antibody 15-A for the epitope, which was not present on 14 other common ruminant viruses. The assay detected antibody in inapparently infected sheep, and in cattle, deer, and bison with clinical MCF. A PCR assay for DNA of the sheep-associated virus was developed, based on previously reported primers. Comparative studies demonstrated that the CI-ELISA was specific for MCFV antibody and that the PCR was more reliable for diagnosis of clinical MCF.
Issues in Interest Rate Management and Liberalization: Comment on Leite and Sundararajan

IWOULD LIKE to comment on one part of the excellent and concise survey by Leite and Sundararajan' of issues in interest rate management. Perhaps the comment-which relates to the section on open market policies-may seem excessively technical or involve the splitting of hairs. However, the article appears designed to provide persuasive policy advice, and I believe the monetary policy discussion runs the risk of misleading policymakers in certain important respects. The authors clearly and correctly state the conditions under which a monetary aggregate or an interest rate should be the preferred target for monetary authorities. They also make it clear that because of multiple disturbances-some stemming from conditions in the financial sector, others from conditions affecting the demand for goods and services-and imperfect information, the policy authorities can adopt a strategy of continuously reviewing their target settings. The authors then go on to state the following:
Hypercompetition and Strategic Planning in the Retail Food Industry

Abstract Much has been written about the changing competitive structures often caused by the advent of new technology or the entry of nontraditional competitors into the market. These new realities suggest a changing perspective on what constitutes competitive strategy, including a view arguing that competitive differential advantage is not sustainable and therefore companies must face up to this reality in their strategic planning. This paper examines food retailing and assesses competitive change within food retailing. The paper goes on to look at D'Aveni's 7-S model and determine its applicability to strategy development in food retailing. Suggestions for strategy formulation within food retailing are given and applications proposed.
A comparison of focused cellular manufacturing to cellular manufacturing and job shop

The purpose of this study is to compare a focused cellular manufacturing environment with traditional cellular manufacturing, and job shop environments. We define focused cellular manufacturing as a configuration scheme that groups components by end-items and forms cells of machines to fabricate and assemble end-items. In addition, this research includes three levels of batch sizes and two levels of set-up times in its performance criteria which few researchers in this area have done. The results indicate that the focused cellular manufacturing scheme has a batching advantage. This advantage dominated the balanced machine utilization benefit of the job shop configuration scheme and out weighed the set-up time reduction advantage of the cellular manufacturing scheme for average end-item completion times and average work-in-process inventory levels. The cellular manufacturing and job shop schemes overcame the batch size advantage only when batch sizes were small or set-up times were large.
Relocalization of the PIN1 Auxin Efflux Facilitator Plays a Role in Phototropic Responses

Recently, we reported that the basal localization of the PIN1 auxin efflux facilitator protein is disrupted in hypocotyls of Arabidopsis mdr ( pgp ) mutants grown in the dark or unidirectional light ([Noh et al., 2003][1]). Molecular genetic and physiological evidence indicates that PIN1 is required
Gas chromatography of fatty acids

Lipids in foods contain a wide variety of fatty acids differing in chain length, degree of unsaturation, position and configuration of double bonds and the presence of special functional groups. Modern capillary gas chromatography offers excellent separation of fatty acids. Fused-silica capillary columns with stationary phases of medium polarity and non-polar methylsilicone stationary phases successfully separate most of the natural fatty acids. Special applications, such as the separation of complex cis-trans fatty acid mixtures and cyclic fatty acids, required particular chromatographic conditions, including the use of very long capillary columns or more polar stationary phases. The derivatization methods for the preparation of fatty acid esters also need to be optimized to obtain accurate quantitative results. This paper reviews the derivatization techniques, capillary columns and stationary phases commonly used in the gas chromatography of fatty acids in food.
Nondestructive measurement of stress in ferromagnetic steels using harmonic analysis of induced voltage

Abstract A method for nondestructively measuring mechanical stresses in ferromagnetic steels was explored by applying a sinusoidal magnetic field to the materials and analysing the harmonic content of the resulting voltage induced in a sensing coil. The uniaxial stress dependence of the third harmonic amplitude was investigated along with the feasibility of separating stress effects from the effects of variations in material properties such as hardness, grain size and tempering temperature. The results obtained from SAE 4340 steel and AISI 410 stainless steel with various grain sizes, hardnesses and yield strengths showed that it is feasible to reduce the effects of material property variations by using the anisotropy in the harmonic amplitude as a stress indicator and thus to measure stresses in components made of ferromagnetic steels.
Current-based diagnosis for gear tooth breaks in wind turbine gearboxes

Gearbox faults constitute a significant portion of all faults and downtime in wind turbines (WTs). Current-based gearbox fault diagnosis has significant advantages over traditional vibration-based techniques in terms of cost, implementation, and reliability. This paper derives a mathematical model for a WT drive train consisting of a two-stage gearbox and a permanent magnet (PM) generator, from which the characteristic frequencies of gear tooth breaks in generator stator current frequency spectra are clearly identified. A adaptive signal resampling algorithm is proposed to convert the variable fault characteristic frequencies to constant values for WTs running at variable speeds. A fault detector is proposed for diagnosis of gear tooth breaks using statistical analysis on the fault signatures extracted from the stator current spectra. Experimental results on a real gearbox are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed model and method for diagnosis of gear tooth breaks.
Chromospheres in metal deficient field stars

The chromospheric structure of red giant stars with metal deficient atmospheres presents a fundamental observational and theoretical problem for atmospheric theory. Moreover, the occurrence and rate of mass loss from these stars have consequences for the theory of stellar evolution of low mass stars in globular clusters. This paper reports some results from a systematic program to assess the presence and character of chromospheric line profiles and their variations, and to obtain quantitative measurements of radiative losses from chromospheres. Such data are needed to constrain semi-empirical models of these atmospheres. Three metal deficient field stars have been observed both in the ultraviolet and optical spectral regions: HD 165195, HD 110281, and HD 232078. High dispersion spectra near the Ha transition were obtained with the echelle spectrograph and reticon detector at the F. L. Whipple Observatory of SAO. These stars were observed twice in 1983, separated by a two month interval. IUE spectra were also obtained using the long wavelength cameras in low dispersion mode. Observations of the three stars are discussed below. HD 165195 The Ha cores show strong asymmetry indicating outward motion both in the May 1983 and July 1983 spectra. The velocity of the core center is blue-shifted by -3.4 and -1.8 km s -I, but these -i values differ from zero just at the 3 km s uncertainty of the velocity measurement. No emission is present in the May observations whereas emission on the red wing of the line (modified by telluric absorption) is present in July. This contrasts with Mallia and Pagel's (1978) discovery of a blue emission wing in August 1977. The IUE long wavelength, low resolution spectra: LWR 11703 (6 Oct. 1981); LWP 1909 (27 June 1983); and LWR 16543 (7 Aug. 1983) show broad absorption in the Mg II region (A2800), no sign of an emission core (although at low resolution, this would be hard to detect in such a hot star) and no indication of changes in the line profile beyond the noise in the spectrum. An upper limit to the Mg II flux is given in Table i.
3D reconstruction of microstructure in a commercial purity aluminum

Abstract The topic of reconstruction of polycrystalline microstructures is briefly reviewed. An example is given of using orientation maps to reconstruct digital microstructures with a representation of a polycrystal structure that includes crystallographic orientation information. The method uses packing of ellipsoids to approximate the grain structure, coupled with Voronoi tessellation. For the example of hot rolled commercial purity aluminum that was chosen, the highly elongated grain shapes required stretching of the tessellation in order to match the observed aspect ratios.
Expression of P0 glycoprotein in CNS glia: effects of overexpression in N20.1 cells.

To examine effects of expression of the PNS myelin P0 glycoprotein in glial cells of CNS lineage, we transfected murine N20.1 glial cells with a rat P0 cDNA. A stably transfected cell line expressing high levels of P0 message showed P0 immunostaining, along with changes in morphology. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified the predicted rat P0 sequence in the transfected N20.1 cells and further revealed low levels of mouse P0 message in the nontransfected cells and in primary mouse astrocytes. This is the first evidence of endogenous expression of message for P0 glycoprotein in CNS glia. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the expression of rat P0 mRNA in the transfected N20.1 cells, at levels about 400 times greater than murine P0 in nontransfected cells. A 27-kD band was detected in the transfected cells by Western blot with P0 antibody, but not in mock-transfected or nontransfected N20.1 cells. Immunocytochemistry following permeabilization showed intracellular vesicular localization of P0 in the cytoplasm and perinuclear rings in transfected cells, with a similar pattern but much lower levels in nontransfected cells. Faint surface staining for P0 protein without permeabilization was seen only on the transfected cells. A few transfected cells with membrane sheets stained more intensely for surface P0. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to determine if P0 overexpression altered expression of other myelin-related genes compared with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); the ratios of myelin basic protein (MBP)/GFAP and proteolipid protein (PLP)/GFAP were increased 2- to 3-fold in the P0-transfected cells. We conclude that P0 overexpression alters N20.1 gene expression and cell morphology, and shifts the cells from astroglial to oligodendroglial phenotype. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.