cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of endogenous MMTV proviruses in murine mammary cajncer induced by chemical carcinogen

A study was undertaken to determine whether activation of expression of silent endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) proviruses may occur during tumor induction by a chemical carcinogen. A series of transplantable mammary tumors induced in BALB/c mice by treatment with dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene (DMBA), pituitary isograft, or both was examined. The results obtained suggest that chemical carcinogens may induce mammary tumors through more than one pathway. Two of 9 tumor lines produced virus-specific products at levels above those observed during the course of normal mammary gland development. One tumor contained high levels of MMTV-specific envelope [3.8 kilobase (kb)] and genomic length (8.9 kb) RNAs. This tumor expressed core- and envelope-related proteins detectable by immunoblotting (including p28, gp52, and gp36), displayed an acquired provirus with a restriction map different from those of described exogenous MMTV strains, and contained abundant virus particles. The other tumor that expressed high levels of MMTV gene products contained envelope-specific (3.8 kb) and long-terminal-repeat-specific (1.6 kb) messages but no full-length RNA. It exhibited an aberrant 39 kDa, envelope-related protein, but no virus particles. Methylation data implicated the usually silent endogenous Mtv-8 provirus as the source of the abnormal envelope protein. None of the tumors expressed RNA from the putative mammary oncogenes, int-1 or int-2. We propose that chemical carcinogens may activate different cellular genes by mutation and that, in a subset of DMBA-induced mammary tumors, the target genes include endogenous MMTV proviruses that are normally not expressed. The effect on provirus expression varies from tumor to tumor, but is stable over passage of a given tumor. MMTV may be of etiological importance in the genesis of those DMBA-induced tumors which contain high levels of MMTV-specific products, but its action in the BALB/c system is not mediated through enhanced expression of the int-1 or int-2 preferred integration regions.
The Effect of Dexamethasone on the Edema of Focal Cerebral Ischemia

The effect of large dosages of dexamethasone on the edema of cerebral ischemia and infarction in the squirrel monkey after temporary occlusion of the middle cerebral artery is reported. There was no difference between the ten monkeys treated with dexamethasone and the 11 control animals in clinical course, mortality, morbidity, histological appearance, or amount of edema associated with this ischemic lesion. The differences in the electron microscopic and pathophysiological findings of the edema from ischemia secondary to single major vessel occlusion and in the edema from an intracranial mass lesion are reviewed. The possible therapeutic or pharmacological effects of steroids are considered along with available data on lysosomes in the brain. At the present time, there is no justification for the use of large doses of dexamethasone in the treatment of cerebral infarction.
Passport to Intercultural Enhancement: Students’ Openness to Diversity

American tertiary institutions engender in students an openness to racial and cultural diversity. Freshman Year Experience Curriculum Committee has chosen Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi for the common reader for 2011- 2012 school year. While all students in the program are required to read the book, the role of the book in the different sections may be different. The aim of this paper is to study Macon State College Freshman year students’ perceptions of and openness to diversity and cultural awareness.
Realization of dual-channel organic field-effect transistors and their applications to chemical sensing

We report on the realization of dual-channel organic field-effect transistors (FETs). These devices have a four-terminal configuration with a polymeric semiconductor p-channel, a small molecule semiconductor n-channel, and a polymeric gate dielectric. The polymeric p-channel and the small molecule n-channel are coupled across the gate dielectric. Both the p-FET and the n-FET exhibit acceptable device characteristics at ∣VDS∣⩽50V and ∣VG∣⩽50V, in which the performances of the p-FET and the n-FET are comparable. The p-FET and n-FET respond to isopropyl alcohol and ethanol vapors with significant sensitivities.
Cross-code comparisons of mixing during the implosion of dense cylindrical and spherical shells

We present simulations of the implosion of a dense shell in two-dimensional (2D) spherical and cylindrical geometry performed with four different compressible, Eulerian codes: RAGE, FLASH, CASTRO, and PPM. We follow the growth of instabilities on the inner face of the dense shell. Three codes employed Cartesian grid geometry, and one (FLASH) employed polar grid geometry. While the codes are similar, they employ different advection algorithms, limiters, adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) schemes, and interface-preservation techniques. We find that the growth rate of the instability is largely insensitive to the choice of grid geometry or other implementation details specific to an individual code, provided the grid resolution is sufficiently fine. Overall, all simulations from different codes compare very well on the fine grids for which we tested them, though they show slight differences in small-scale mixing. Simulations produced by codes that explicitly limit numerical diffusion show a smaller amount of small-scale mixing than codes that do not. This difference is most prominent for low-mode perturbations where little instability finger interaction takes place, and less prominent for high- or multi-mode simulations where a great deal of interaction takes place, though it is still present. We present RAGE and FLASH simulations to quantify the initial perturbation amplitude to wavelength ratio at which metrics of mixing agree across codes, and find that bubble/spike amplitudes are converged for low-mode and high-mode simulations in which the perturbation amplitude is more than 1% and 5% of the wavelength of the perturbation, respectively. Other metrics of small-scale mixing depend on details of multi-fluid advection and do not converge between codes for the resolutions that were accessible.
Chloroform-Induced Cytolethality in Freshly Isolated Male B6C3F1Mouse and F-344 Rat Hepatocytes

Abstract Chloroform is carcinogenic in rodents but is not mutagenic or DNA reactive. Chloroform-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents is believed to be secondary to events associated with cytotoxicity and cell proliferation. Understanding the mechanisms of chloroform toxicity may provide insights into the mechanisms of carcinogenicity. The goal of these studies was to characterize the cytotoxicity of chloroform in male B6C3F 1 mouse and F-344 rat hepatocytes in vitro. We used an in vitro suspension-culture system that reproduced the exposure of the liver to chloroform and the expression of toxicity in vivo. Simulations of a physiologically based dosimetry model for chloroform indicated that the livers of mice and rats were exposed to chloroform concentrations up to 5 mM for 3 h after hepatotoxic doses of chloroform. Freshly isolated male mouse and rat hepatocytes were exposed to chloroform in sealed flasks and then cultured for 24 h as monolayers. Following a 2- or 3-h exposure in suspension, chloroform induced concentration-dependent cytotoxicity (lactate dehydrogenase release) in culture at concentrations higher than 1 mM. Cytolethality was not increased under reduced oxygen tension, indicating that reductive metabolism does not contribute to chloroform-induced toxicity. A threshold of 1 mM chloroform was also found for glutathione (GSH) depletion, with a 50% depletion at 3.8 mM after 2 h. Addition of dithiothreitol, a reducing agent, did not prevent chloroform-induced toxicity, indicating that oxidation of sulfhydryl groups is not critical for toxicity. The lack of protein sulfhydryl group depletion is consistent with this conclusion. Cotreatment with the cytochrome P450 inhibitor 1-phenylimidazole prevented both cytolethality and GSH depletion, indicating that metabolism is necessary for chloroform-induced toxicity. Both species exhibited similar sensitivity toward chloroform toxicity, indicating that toxicity is not sufficient to explain different susceptibility in heptocarcinogenicity. As chloroform metabolism is saturated in the micromolar range, our results indicate that both metabolism and exposure of the liver cells to high concentrations of chloroform are required for toxicity.
Multivariate case-control study of survival following transurethral resection of prostate.

Abstract Although prevalence of preooperative mortality following transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has steadily declined as reported in several review studies, it has been suggested that with extended follow-up after TURP, mortality exceeds that of an age-matched population. The sample selected for this study was drawn from a data base of 2,005 men who entered a urologic health-screening program. The sample included a group of 25 patients who underwent TURP and a group of 50 age-matched control patients with symptoms of prostatism. Patients were followed for six years, a total of 450 observed person-years. Multivariate analyses based on a general linear model approach for the dependent variable of survival were used to assess gains in predictive efficiency due to combinations of TURP versus control, time, and patient variables. F-ratio hypothesis tests of coefficients of multiple determination for the models indicated that TURP did account for a significant amount of the variability of survival but only after five years of follow-up. However, a far larger proportion of the variance in survival was explained by other patient variables of age, preoperative risk, comorbidity factors, and postoperative urinary disease after all effects due to TURP, follow-up years, and operation cohort years were held constant in the survival prediction equation.
Cloning, expression, and purification of 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase from Mus musculus

Folate metabolism is necessary for the biosyntheses of purine nucleotides and thymidylate and for the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine, a cofactor required for cellular methylation reactions and a precursor of spermidine and spermine syntheses. Disruption of folate metabolism is associated with several pathologies and developmental anomalies including cancer and neural tube defects. The enzyme 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFS, EC 6.3.3.2) catalyzes the ATP-dependent conversion of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate to 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate, and has been shown to affect intracellular folate concentrations by accelerating folate degradation. Mammalian MTHFS proteins described to date are not stable and no recombinant mammalian MTHFS protein has been successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. The three-dimensional structure of MTHFS has not been solved. The cDNA coding for Mus musculus MTHFS was isolated and expressed in E. coli with a hexa-histidine tag. Milligram quantities of recombinant mouse MTHFS were purified using metal affinity chromatography and the protein was stabilized with Tween 20. Mouse MTHFS has a molecular mass of 23kDa and is 84% identical in amino acid sequence to the human enzyme. Activity assays confirmed the functionality of the recombinant protein, with Km =5 microM for (6S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate and Km=769 microM for Mg-ATP. This is the first example of a mammalian form of MTHFS expressed in E. coli that yielded sufficient quantities of stable purified protein to allow for detailed characterization of its three-dimensional structure and kinetic properties.
Towards a reliable method for predicting the rheological properties of multiphase fluids

Abstract Measurement of the constitutive behavior of multiphase fluids is one of the most interesting and difficult problems in rheology. The boundary element method is particularly suited to modeling the flow of such fluids because of the relative ease of representing their complex geometry accurately without excessive meshing difficulties. Many papers have been published on the subject, but to the author's knowledge, the literature on the actual implementation of such methods is scarce. Here, a parallel implementation of a code based on the completed double layer boundary integral equation, with Barnes–Hut multipole acceleration, is described briefly. After determining the level of mesh refinement required to obtain convergent results, the code is used to predict the rheological behavior of suspensions of rigid particles of different shapes. The effect of concentration and spatial distributions on the rheological behavior of the suspensions is investigated. It is found that the properties of suspensions of rigid particles are correctly predicted for concentrations up to 30% solids, while at higher concentrations accurate predictions require excessively fine discretization. A new hybrid numerical-asymptotic technique is proposed, which produces a significant improvement in accuracy accompanied by a reduction in computational cost.
Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure reduces presynaptic dopamine neurotransmission in the mouse nucleus accumbens

Abstract Background Increasing evidence suggests that chronic ethanol exposure decreases dopamine (DA) neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), contributing to a hypodopaminergic state during withdrawal. However, few studies have investigated adaptations in presynaptic DA terminals after chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure. In monkeys and rats, chronic ethanol exposure paradigms have been shown to increase DA uptake and D2 autoreceptor sensitivity. Methods The current study examined the effects of ethanol on DA terminals in CIE exposed mice during two time-points after the cessation of CIE exposure. DA release and uptake were measured using fast scan cyclic voltammetry in NAc core slices from C57BL/6 J mice, 0 h and 72 h following three weekly cycles (4 days of 16 h ethanol vapor/8 h room air/day + 3 days withdrawal) of CIE vapor exposure. Results Current results showed that DA release was reduced, uptake rates were increased, and inhibitory D2-type autoreceptor activity was augmented following CIE exposure in mice. Conclusions Overall, these CIE-induced adaptations in the accumbal DA system reduce DA signaling and therefore reveal several potential mechanisms contributing to a functional hypodopaminergic state during alcohol withdrawal.
Flow Characteristics of the Spitz‐Holter Valve

Experiments in vitro to measure flow using a static pressure head give inconstant results due to the inertia of the valve cusps. A system using a fluctuating pressure gives consistent results for each valve, but different valves differ widely. The low pressure valve (sub-dural) gives higher flow rates at all pressures than the normal pressure valve, but the flow through all valves at a mean pressure of 100 mm. water is so low as to be useless, never being higher than 25 ml/day. Thus it is of no value to discuss the cut-off pressure of valves. Flow rises steeply with increase of pressure; at a mean pressure of 200 mm. water a low pressure valve may pass between 300 and 500 ml./day while a normal pressure valve may pass up to 150 ml./day. The working environment of the valve is very variable, but a typical pressure tracing from the lateral ventricle of a hydrocephalic shows waves synchronous with the heart of amplitude of 12 mm. water. When the child is at rest but conscious, slower waves of 20 seconds' duration and amplitude of 40 mm. water appear. The resting pressure is no different whether the child is lying quietly or sucking a teat. Crying may cause a rise of 300 mm. water or more in peaks of 5–20 seconds. The venous chambers above the diaphragm show fluctuation between — 100 and + 50 mm. water while resting, while below the diaphragm pressures range from + 20 to +100 mm. water. Crying produces a rise in pressure synchronous with, but not so great as that in the lateral ventricle. The posture of the patient affects the pressure; raising the body to an angle of 30° increases the pressure gradient by 100 to 150 mm. water. Pumping the valve manually gives an output of about 7 ml./100 pumps.
Electrochemical characteristics of Ti–6Al–4V alloy in 0.2 N NaCl solution: I. Tafel slopes in quasi-passive state

Abstract Tafel slopes of Ti–6Al–4V alloy in 0.2 N NaCl solution at the rate-determining (rd) interface in the quasi-passive potentiodynamic region have been determined by means of potentiostatic holds interrupted by short potentiodynamic tests every 10 min. The results show that the Tafel slopes increase with potential, and that the potential drop at the rd interface in the quasi-passive state increases with rising overpotential, and then decreases during a subsequent potentiostatic hold. The quasi-passive state is a dynamic equilibrium process between the film formation and the ion-transfer reaction at the rd interface. A model for the kinetics of the experimental potentiodynamic polarization is presented.
Magnetic relaxation switch detection of human chorionic gonadotrophin.

Functionalized nanoparticle contrast agents, also known as magnetic relaxation switches (MRS), were prepared to detect protein A and the β subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG-β). Antibodies were attached to cross-linked iron oxide (CLIO) nanoparticles using standard peptide chemistry. Protein A was used as a simple model analyte, as it is naturally multivalent and can bind multiple CLIO-IgG simultaneously. The addition of PA to CLIO-IgG resulted in transverse relaxation time (T2) shortening compared to a blank control as seen by NMR relaxometry measurements. Analyte-induced aggregation was confirmed by light scattering particle size analysis. A two-particle system was designed to measure hCG-β, as it is not multivalent and requires conjugation of a matched pair of monoclonal antibodies to CLIO (referred to as C95 and C97). Measurement of hCG-β is important, as elevated serum levels are associated with malignancies including testicular and ovarian cancers. The addition of hCG-β to C95 and C97 res...
Evaluación de diferentes valores de referencia espirométricos para el diagnóstico de alteración restrictiva en población chilena

A finales de los anos 80 se planteo la necesidad de disponer de valores de referencia espirometricos (VRE) nacionales, ya que los utilizados en esa epoca (Knudson) subestimaban los valores en nuestra poblacion. Posteriormente, al utilizar VRE nacionales, se ha observado un aumento de los diagnosticos de restriccion falsos positivos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la probabilidad de hacer el diagnostico de restriccion a traves de la espirometria, segun diferentes valores de referencia utilizando como gold standard la medicion de la capacidad pulmonar total (CPT). Material y Metodo: Se analizaron las espirometrias de pacientes mayores de 59 anos, estudiados ademas con volumenes pulmonares por tecnica de dilucion de helio durante el ano 2004. Como criterio de restriccion se utilizo el valor inferior a CPT teorica menos 1,64· RSD (desviacion standard del residuo) con respecto a los valores teoricos de la comunidad europea. Se analizaron las espirometrias de los mismos pacientes con diferentes VRE y se calcularon diferentes indicadores estadisticos de pruebas diagnosticas. Resultados: Se evaluaron 91 casos con edad promedio de 72 anos (rango 60 a 89) encontrando verdadera restriccion en 35 de ellos (38%). Al utilizar VRE nacionales la sensibilidad (S) fue de 86%, la especificidad (E) de 59% y la probabilidad postest (PPT) de 57%. Con NHANES III la S fue de 54%, la E de 91% y la PPT de 79%.Con Knudson la S fue de 49%, la E de 93% y la PPT de 81% mientras que con Platino la S fue de 49%, la E de 77% y la PPT de 57%. Se concluye que existe una gran diferencia en la probabilidad de diagnosticar restriccion segun el VRE utilizado, de manera similar a lo publicado por otros autores
Adjusting Syntactic Structures to Varied Levels of Audience.

Existing research indicates that syntactic complexity of sentences increases with grade/age in both free writing and controlled rewriting, and that subjects, when presented passages written at either less or more complex levels, rewrite it to roughly their natural complexity level. Since previous research did not ask subjects to write at higher or lower levels, in the present research subjects wrote (1) as they normally write, (2) for a beginning reader, and (3) as a superior writer could write. Results from subjects at grade 6, college freshmen, and college upperclassmen indicate that grade 6 subjects do not distinguish audience levels, while college subjects distinguish only lower and own levels. Some indications were found that upperclass college subjects make some adjustments to the “superior” audience.
Electromagnetic Signature Study of a Power Converter Connected to an Electric Motor Drive

This paper investigates the stray magnetic and electric fields of a multifunctional power converter operation while connected to a system involving an induction motor. The impacts of the switching techniques on the radiated fields of the converter were studied for the purpose of electromagnetic interference (EMI) evaluation and fault detection. This was achieved through the inspection of the magnetic and electric fields. Two of the most commonly used switching techniques were implemented through a hardware-in-the-loop system studied in terms of the stray. Various fault and failure conditions were applied to the converter to monitor the converter condition through the stray field observations. A coil and a rod antenna were connected to an EMI receiver to capture the fields. The fields were employed in further analyses. The harmonics and interharmonics of the stray fields were studied in detail for system monitoring purposes. The importance of this paper is to enable the evaluation of the optimum switching pattern for lower EMI field levels from the converter and for condition monitoring and fault diagnosis purposes.
Is quetiapine a drug of abuse? Reexamining the issue of addiction

Background: The abuse and diversion of pharmacological agents with CNS mechanisms of action is an important concern from governmental, regulatory, public health and safety perspectives. In recent y...
Diagnosis of leptospirosis: a reemerging disease of companion animals

Canine leptospirosis has been known since 1899. Widespread use of canine leptospiral vaccines decreased the incidence of infection dramatically and reduced clinical attention to the disease. However, leptospirosis recently has reemerged as an important cause of febrile illness, and hepatic and renal disease in dogs. Feline leptospirosis is rare although the incidence of infection is higher than is recognized. Diagnosis of leptospirosis is difficult and no single diagnostic test provides optimal sensitivity or specificity. A combination of procedures, including serological assays and tests to detect the presence of leptospires in tissues or body fluids, is recommended.
Middle ear packing: comparison of materials in an animal model of mucosal trauma.

Objective. To compare absorbable gelatin sponge (AGS) with an injectable esterified hyaluronic acid (EHA) as middle ear packing material after mucosal trauma.Study Design. Randomized, blinded, and controlled study.Setting. Tertiary university-based hospital.Subjects and Methods. Twenty-three guinea pigs underwent middle ear surgery with mucosal trauma performed on both ears and one ear packed with either EHA or AGS. Contralateral ears were used as nonpacked paired controls. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds were measured preoperatively and repeated at 1, 2, and 6 weeks postoperatively. Macroscopic and microscopic analysis measured inflammatory reaction in each group.Results. ABR threshold changes from baseline in the EHA and both control groups were minor. Threshold levels were higher in the AGS group compared with the AGS control group. This trend was seen in each frequency tested at each time interval. Macroscopic analysis showed tympanic membrane perforation was rare, effusions were common i...
Magma under Long Valley Caldera

Concerning the Long Valley Meeting Report (Eos, January 19, 1988, p. 43), in the section describing the presentation of results from the teleseismic imaging experiment, it is stated that “…subsequent questions by meeting attendees brought out the idea that the [low-velocity] anomaly [beneath the caldera] could also be heavily influenced by fractured and hydrothermally altered rocks to depths of 4 – 5 km.” For several reasons, we think that this comment is a significant misrepresentation of facts.
The effect of a monetary incentive in increasing the return rate of a survey to family physicians.

The barrage of requests family physicians receive to complete mail surveys often results in physicians who are unwilling, or unable due to time constraints, to complete each survey they receive. Thus, to obtain an acceptable response rate, state-of-the-art mail survey techniques must be used. This article reports the results of the use of a modest($1) monetary incentive to increase a survey response rate. A random sample of 600 American Academy of Family Physicians members were mailed a survey of firearm safety counseling; half received a $1 incentive whereas the remaining half served as a control group. The response rate in the incentive group was 63% compared to 45% in the control group [X2 (1, N = 251) = 16.0, p < .0011. Further, the use of the incentive appears to be more cost-effective than a thirdfollow-up (postcard reminder) mailing.
EXPOSURE TO ACROLEIN BY INHALATION CAUSES PLATELET ACTIVATION

Acrolein is a common air pollutant that is present in high concentrations in wood, cotton, and tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust and industrial waste and emissions. Exposure to acrolein containing environmental pollutants such as tobacco smoke and automobile exhaust has been linked to the activation of the coagulation and hemostasis pathways and thereby to the predisposition of thrombotic events in human. To examine the effects of acrolein on platelets, adult male C57Bl/6 mice were subjected acute (5ppm for 6h) or sub-chronic (1ppm, 6h/day for 4days) acrolein inhalation exposures. The acute exposure to acrolein did not cause pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress, dyslipidemia or induce liver damage or muscle injury. Platelet GSH levels in acrolein-exposed mice were comparable to controls, but acrolein-exposure increased the abundance of protein-acrolein adducts in platelets. Platelets isolated from mice, exposed to both acute and sub-chronic acrolein levels, showed increased ADP-induced platelet aggregation. Exposure to acrolein also led to an increase in the indices of platelet activation such as the formation of platelet-leukocyte aggregates in the blood, plasma PF4 levels, and increased platelet-fibrinogen binding. The bleeding time was decreased in acrolein exposed mice. Plasma levels of PF4 were also increased in mice exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Similar to inhalation exposure, acrolein feeding to mice also increased platelet activation and established a pro-thrombotic state in mice. Together, our data suggest that acrolein is an important contributing factor to the pro-thrombotic risk in human exposure to pollutants such as tobacco smoke or automobile exhaust, or through dietary consumption.
Model Systems versus Outgroups Alternative Approaches to the Study of Head Development and Evolution

There is widespread recognition of a recent coming together of developmental and evolutionary biology in the study of problems of mutual interest. Contemporary studies into the development and evolution of the head largely comprise two parallel approaches, or research strategies the model systems approach and the comparative approach. The two strategies share the same general goal—greater understanding of cranial development and evolution—but typically emphasize different problems, ask different questions, and employ different methods, reflecting the contrasting backgrounds and biases of each group of investigators, there has been relatively little true synthesis. Each strategy is making important and valid contributions, but both have limitations. Resolution of many fundamental and long-standing problems in cranial development and evolution will require a combined approach that incorporates the technical and conceptual strengths of each discipline.
Thionate versus Oxon: Comparison of Stability, Uptake, and Cell Toxicity of (14CH3O)2-Labeled Methyl Parathion and Methyl Paraoxon with SH-SY5Y Cells

The stability, hydrolysis, and uptake of the organophosphates methyl parathion and methyl paraoxon were investigated in SH-SY5Y cells. The stabilities of (14CH3O)2-methyl parathion (14C-MPS) and (14CH3O)2-methyl paraoxon (14C-MPO) at 1 μM in culture media had similar half-lives of 91.7 and 101.9 h, respectively. However, 100 μM MPO caused >95% cytotoxicity at 24 h, whereas 100 μM MPS caused 4−5% cytotoxicity at 24 h (∼60% cytotoxicity at 48 h). Greater radioactivity was detected inside cells treated with MPO as compared to MPS, although >80% of the total MPO uptake was primarily dimethyl phosphate (DMP). Maximum uptake was reached after 48 h of 14C-MPS or 14C-MPO exposure with total uptakes of 1.19 and 1.76 nM/106 cells for MPS and MPO, respectively. The amounts of MPS and MPO detected in the cytosol after 48 h of exposure time were 0.54 and 0.37 nM/106 cells, respectively.
Modeling of Semi-Solid Powder Processing for a Closed Die Compaction

Semi-solid powder processing (SPP) is a promising technique in the fabrication of composite materials. Former work has experimentally shown that SPP was able to synthesize composite materials with reduced load and high efficiency. However, limited work was found in the modeling of the SPP. In this work, SPP was modeled with Shima-Oyane’s model and compared with experimental data in a closed die compaction setup. The evolution and distribution of the density and stress were analyzed. The model prediction agreed with the experimentally measured values. As the compaction pressure increased, the density gradient in the axial compaction direction decreased, while the stress gradient increased.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Conjugated linoleic acids alter the fatty acid composition and physical properties of egg yolk and albumen.

Effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the fatty acid composition of different egg compartments after storage were studied. Four dietary treatments [supplemented with safflower oil (SAFF, control group), DHA, CLAs plus DHA (CAD), and CLAs alone] were administered to Single Comb White Leghorn (SCWL) laying hens. Eggs from the different treatment groups were collected and stored for 10 weeks at 4 °C before analysis. Fatty acids from the yolk (yolk granules and plasma), egg albumen, and vitelline membrane were analyzed by gas chromatography. The yolk of eggs from hens given CLAs had significantly higher amounts of saturated fatty acids, typically 16:0 and 18:0, but lower amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) compared to eggs from the control group (SAFF). CLA content was highest in the yolk and present in both neutral and polar lipids, with the greatest concentrations in neutral lipids. DHA was incorporated mainly into yolk polar lipids. Lipids in yolk ...
Patterns, risk factors and treatment associated with PICC-DVT in hospitalized adults: A nested case-control study.

Abstract Background Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are associated with upper extremity-deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, patterns, risk factors and treatment associated with this event remain poorly defined. Objective To determine patterns, risk factors and treatment related to PICC-DVT in hospitalized patients. Design, Setting & Patients Between 2012–2013, consecutive cases of ultrasound-confirmed, symptomatic PICC-DVT were identified. For each case, at least two contemporaneous controls were identified and matched by age and gender. Patient- and device-specific data were obtained through electronic-medical records. Using variables selected a priori, multivariable logistic regression models were fit to the outcome of PICC-DVT, comparing cases to controls. Results 909 adult hospitalized patients (268 cases, 641 controls) were included in the study. Indications for PICC placement included long-term intravenous antibiotic therapy (n = 447; 49.1%), in-hospital venous access for blood draws or infusion of medications (n = 342; 44.2%), and total parenteral nutrition (n = 120; 6.7%). Patients with PICC-DVT were more likely to have a history of venous thromboembolism (OR 1.70, 95% CI = 1.02-2.82) or have undergone surgery while the PICC was in situ (OR 2.17, 95%CI = 1.17-4.01 for surgeries longer than two hours). Treatment for PICC-DVT varied and included heparin bridging, low molecular weight heparin only and device removal only; the average duration of treatment also varied across these groups. Compared to 4-Fr PICCs, 5- and 6-Fr PICCs were associated with greater risk of DVT (OR 2.74, 95%CI = 0.75-10.09 and OR 7.40 95%CI = 1.94-28.16, respectively). Patients who received both aspirin and statins were less likely to develop PICC-DVT than those that received neither treatment (OR 0.31, 95%CI = 0.16-0.61). Receipt of pharmacological DVT prophylaxis during hospitalization showed a non-significant trend towards reduction in risk of PICC-DVT (OR = 0.72, 95%CI = 0.48-1.08). Conclusion Several factors appear associated with PICC-DVT. While some of these characteristics may be non-modifiable, future studies that target potentially modifiable variables to prevent this adverse outcome would be welcomed.
An epithelial target site in experimental graft-versus-host disease and cytokine-mediated cytotoxicity is defined by cytokeratin 15 expression

Abstract The identity of cells within squamous epithelia that represent primary targets in acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) has been an enigma. Murine effector T cells implicated in the alloresponse by Vβ complementarity-determining region-3 spectratype analysis were detected with a Vβ-specific monoclonal antibody within discrete microdomains of tongue (lingual) squamous epithelium. These microdomains, termed rete-like prominences (RLPs), are similar to the rete ridges of human skin. Cells forming the basal layer of RLPs and of human skin rete ridges were shown to express a distinctive pattern of keratin expression defined by antibodies to cytokeratin 15 (K15). In experimental murine GVHD elicited across minor histocompatibility antigen barriers (miHA), early lesions involved selective apoptosis and loss of K15+ staining within lingual RLPs. An in vitro organ culture model designed to investigate target cell injury by short-term exposure to tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β, mediators relevant to GVHD, showed a similar pattern of apoptosis and loss of K15+ reactivity within RLPs. In aggregate, these findings establish a novel cytoskeletal marker for target epithelial subpopulations that should facilitate evaluation of mechanisms of host cell injury in GVHD. These data may also enable the development of therapeutic approaches to abrogate disease at the level of target cell blockade.
The potential role of 'non-rheumatic’ therapies in rheumatic disease

The relationship between inflammation and insulin resistance is complex and not fully understood. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease, which is known to be associated with insulin resistance. In the previous issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy, Ormseth and colleagues report the results of an 8-week trial of pioglitazone, an agent commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, upon the DAS-28 (disease activity score using 28 joint counts). Modest improvements in the DAS-28 CRP (DAS-28 C-reactive protein) were shown, with no effect on DAS-28 ESR (DAS-28 erythrocyte sedimentation rate). Other variables that improved with pioglitazone were the CRP, IL-6, and patient-reported assessment of global health. The authors discuss the contribution of insulin resistance to the inflammation noted in rheumatoid arthritis.
Identity of the amino acid residues involved in C3bi binding to the I-domain supports a mosaic model to explain the broad ligand repertoire of integrin alpha M beta 2.

Abstract Interactions between the complement degradation product C3bi and leukocyte integrin alpha(M)beta(2) are critical for host defense against foreign pathogens and in tumor cell surveillance. To gain insight into the mechanism by which the alpha(M)I-domain of the integrin interacts with C3bi, detailed mapping of the C3bi binding site was undertaken. Previous mutagenesis studies had implicated five small structural segments within the alpha(M)I-domain in recognition of this ligand. Sets of three amino acids within the five implicated segments were mutated to the corresponding alpha(L)I-domain residues. Then, within the affected mutants, single point mutations were introduced to precisely define the requisite residues. Ultimately, H148, F150, Q204, L205, R208, T211, T213, I256, P257 were identified as being critical for C3bi binding. A synthetic peptide approach confirmed the involvement of the specified residues with the complex midsegment, Q204-I215, in C3bi recognition. Furthermore, the alpha(D)I-domain, which has a low intrinsic affinity for C3bi, acquired high affinity for the ligand when the implicated residues were inserted. The residues necessary to engage C3bi reside on or adjacent to the cation binding MIDAS site of the alpha(M)I-domain. The amino acids involved in C3bi binding are distinct from those involved in interaction of previously mapped ligands with the alpha(M)I-domain. This divergence supports a mosaic model, in which different ligands engage different amino acids to bind to alpha(M)I-domain, accounting for the broad recognition capacity of integrin alpha(M)beta(2).
Fast String Kernels using Inexact Matching for Protein Sequences

We describe several families of k-mer based string kernels related to the recently presented mismatch kernel and designed for use with support vector machines (SVMs) for classification of protein sequence data. These new kernels -- restricted gappy kernels, substitution kernels, and wildcard kernels -- are based on feature spaces indexed by k-length subsequences ("k-mers") from the string alphabet &#931. However, for all kernels we define here, the kernel value K(x,y) can be computed in O(cK(|x|+|y|)) time, where the constant cK depends on the parameters of the kernel but is independent of the size |&#931| of the alphabet. Thus the computation of these kernels is linear in the length of the sequences, like the mismatch kernel, but we improve upon the parameter-dependent constant cK = km+1|&#931|m of the (k,m)-mismatch kernel. We compute the kernels efficiently using a trie data structure and relate our new kernels to the recently described transducer formalism. In protein classification experiments on two benchmark SCOP data sets, we show that our new faster kernels achieve SVM classification performance comparable to the mismatch kernel and the Fisher kernel derived from profile hidden Markov models, and we investigate the dependence of the kernels on parameter choice.
Endothelial Nuclear Factor κB in Obesity and Aging Is Endothelial Nuclear Factor κB a Master Regulator of Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is a major characteristic of type 2 diabetes mellitus and develops in multiple organs, including skeletal muscle, liver, adipose tissue, and heart.1 Insulin resistance is caused by obesity and therefore establishes an important causal relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.2 Insulin resistance also develops in aging, but this process is less well understood. Obesity is a complex physiological state, with alterations in lipid metabolism, dysregulated production of hormones, ectopic accumulation of fat, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic low-grade inflammation.3,4 All of these abnormalities may independently cause insulin resistance and affect glucose homeostasis, which make insulin resistance equally as complex as obesity itself. Article see p 1122 Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is a complex of transcription factors that regulate cytokine gene expression and the inflammatory response. NF-κB is normally sequestered in the cytoplasm by inhibitory proteins (IκB) and becomes activated in response to various stimuli (eg, tumor necrosis factor-α, lipopolysaccharide, fatty acids) when IκB is phosphorylated by IκB kinase-β and degraded, leading to nuclear translocation of NF-κB.5 It is clear that NF-κB plays a major role in obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance as evidenced by mechanistic and therapeutic findings. Toll-like receptor signaling is stimulated by fatty acids and mediates NF-κB activation and inflammatory response in obese animals.6 Liver-selective activation of NF-κB increases hepatic production of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β, and causes insulin resistance in mice.7 Proinflammatory cytokines exert endocrine and paracrine effects to activate stress kinase signaling and downregulate insulin signaling in skeletal muscle and liver.8,9 Conversely, chronic treatment of high-dose aspirin and salicylate, which are potent inhibitors of NF-κB and inflammation, improves insulin sensitivity in diabetic humans and animal models.10,11 Anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, also prevents insulin resistance …
The l/f noise characteristics of a Schottky Junction Transistor: an ultra-low power, radiation hardened sub-threshold MESFET

This paper is concerned with the 1/f noise characteristics of a new sub-threshold device configuration, the Schottky junction transistor (SJT). Results from 2 mum gate length SJTs confirm the expected sub-threshold d.c. behavior. Room temperature measurements of the drain current noise power spectrum and the gate referred noise power spectrum are presented. Although still not optimized the prototype SJTs demonstrate good low-frequency 1/f noise characteristics
Purification, Characterization, and Expression of Multiple Glutamine Synthetases from Prevotella ruminicola 23

The Prevotella ruminicola 23 genome encodes three different glutamine synthetase (GS) enzymes: glutamine synthetase I (GSI) (ORF02151), GSIII-1 (ORF01459), and GSIII-2 (ORF02034). GSI, GSIII-1, and GSIII-2 have each been heterologously expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli. The subunit molecular mass of GSI was 56 kDa, while GSIII-1 and GSIII-2 were both 83 kDa. Optimal conditions for γ-glutamyl transferase activity were found to be 35°C at pH 5.6 with 0.25 mM Mn(2+) ions (GSI) or 37°C at pH 6.0 (GSIII-1 and GSIII-2) with 0.50 to 1.00 mM Mn(2+) ions. GSIII biosynthetic activity was found to be optimal at 50 to 60°C and pH 6.8 to 7.0 with 10 mM Mn(2+) ions, while GSI displayed no GS biosynthetic activity. Kinetic analysis revealed K(m) values for glutamate and ammonium as well as for hydrolysis of ATP to be 8.58, 0.48, and 1.91 mM, respectively, for GSIII-1 and 1.72, 0.43, and 2.65 mM, respectively, for GSIII-2. A quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR assay (qRT-PCR) revealed GSIII-2 to be significantly induced by high concentrations of ammonia, and this corresponded with increases in measured GS activity. Collectively, these results show that both GSIII enzymes in P. ruminicola 23 are functional and indicate that GSIII-2, flanked by GOGAT (gltB and gltD genes), plays an important role in the acquisition and metabolism of ammonia, particularly under nonlimiting ammonia growth conditions.
Compensatory Evolution in Rifampin-Resistant Escherichia coli

This study examines the intrinsic fitness burden associated with RNA polymerase (rpoB) mutations conferring rifampin resistance in Escherichia coli K12 (MG1655) and explores the nature of adaptation to the costs of resistance. Among 28 independent Rif(r) mutants, the per-generation fitness burden (in the absence of rifampin) ranged from 0 to 28%, with a median of 6.4%. We detected no relationship between the magnitude of the cost and the level of resistance. Adaptation to the costs of rif resistance was studied by following serial transfer cultures for several Rif(r) mutants both in the presence of rifampin and in the absence. For cultures evolved in the absence of rifampin, single clones isolated after 200 generations were more fit than their ancestor; we saw no association between increased fitness and changes in the level of rifampin resistance; and in all cases, increased fitness was due to compensatory mutations, rather than to reversion to drug sensitivity. However, in the parallel evolution experiments in the presence of rifampin, overall levels of resistance increased as did relative fitness-for all strains save one that had an initially high level of resistance. Among the evolved clones tested, five (of seven) demonstrated increased transcription efficiency (assessed using a semiquantitative RT-PCR protocol). The implications of these results for our understanding of adaptive molecular evolution and the increasing clinical problem of antibiotic resistance are discussed.
E PUR SI MUOVE

I am not sure that integrating classical and relational psychoanalysis is what Dr. Varga’s excellent and thought-provoking paper is about. Probably the day is gone when schools in psychoanalysis have the kind of clearly defined borders that promote integration. This paper stands well on its own, without needing to be an integration of anything. I am of the opinion that Varga’s ideas fit within the expansive reach of contemporary Freudian analysis, and probably colleagues who talk a different language about (but not with) patients would arrive at the same conclusion. When two schools are reductively defined in order to finesse a contrast, neither fares well, because each becomes limited and then operates to claim turf the other is seen as owning. Traditional analysts have spent decades piecing together perspectives on the analytic relationship, and the same is true for relational psychoanalysis with respect to analyzing transference. Both schools may well be equally stereotyped in this instance; we can do without any of it. I could certainly nitpick along the lines of the paper’s prevailing assumptions about schools, but actually I find myself seeking rather the opposite, breaking free of schools if possible. If I had to sum up one overall and dominant reaction, it would not be that the ideas are wrong, or that my way of doing things is better. Rather, it is that there is too much of the pars pro toto in it for my taste. Parts stand in for wholes. Categories end up bullying around processes. E pur si muove—and yet it moves. This is not a surprise, because it is a dramatically ambitious paper, taking aim at the essential aspects of clinical theory dominating all of our thinking. I want to frame my responses in the form of questions. I hope that in Varga’s response he will be able to build upon my questions so as to clarify for readers his points of
Agarose gel method: its usefulness in assaying factor VIII inhibitors, evaluating treatment and suggesting a mechanism of action for factor IX concentrates

Plasmas from 14 patients with factor VIII inhibitors, 10 haemophiliacs and four non-haemophiliacs, were assayed by both the agarose gel and Bethesda methods. Good correlation was observed in 34 samples from 13 patients, but there was poor correlation in three samples from a single haemophilic patient. The sensitivity of the method was increased by diluting normal platelet rich plasma (PRP) with congenital factor VIII deficient plasma. With this modification, as little as 0.4 of a Bethesda unit (Bu) could be measured accurately. The agarose method is easier to perform and requires much less technician time than the Bethesda assay (Ba). Inhibitory activity can be measured even in the presence of large amounts of transfused factor VIII or factor IX concentrates. To study the effect of factor IX concentrates on the inhibitor, the method was modified by incorporating into the gels plasmas specifically deficient in either factor VII, IX or X. Our data suggest that factor VII is probably responsible for the 'bypassing' activity of factor IX concentrates.