cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design Criteria For High Power Laser Systems

The rapid development of fields such as laser fusion has necessitated the construction of large, short pulse laser systems. In this paper some of the major design problems of high power glass lasers will be discussed and some possible solution presented.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The REM Sleep-Memory Consolidation Hypothesis

It has been hypothesized that REM (rapid eye movement) sleep has an important role in memory consolidation. The evidence for this hypothesis is reviewed and found to be weak and contradictory. Animal studies correlating changes in REM sleep parameters with learning have produced inconsistent results and are confounded by stress effects. Humans with pharmacological and brain lesion-induced suppression of REM sleep do not show memory deficits, and other human sleep-learning studies have not produced consistent results. The time spent in REM sleep is not correlated with learning ability across humans, nor is there a positive relation between REM sleep time or intensity and encephalization across species. Although sleep is clearly important for optimum acquisition and performance of learned tasks, a major role in memory consolidation is unproven.
Ant‐mounds as to temperature and sunshine

The ant Formica exsectoides F. builds mounds with some reference to sunlight, and measurements of internal temperatures have shown them higher in upper parts of the mound, but different in different faces of the mound—all higher than the earth outside the mound. Inside temperatures are not constant; they are due to the sunshine. The mound is so fabricated that the internal temperatures are conserved during the night. The ants make use of the differential internal temperatures for rearing broods. Some mounds show bilateral symmetry dependent upon sun exposure. Measurements of rate of running of these ants show a falling off with lower temperatures, and possibly this is one factor in the smaller development of northerly aspects of these mounds.
The demise of the lone author

As the average number of contributors to individual papers continues to rise, science's credit system is under pressure to evolve. Mott Greene's on-line essay on authorial trends appears this week in shortened form in print. The original is on Nature's history website. The bottom line for both is that — mathematicians excepted — the 'lone' author on a Nature manuscript is virtually a thing of the past.
Determination of serum acid phosphatase in Gaucher's disease using 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate.

Abstract We describe a new assay that is useful for identifying individuals who may be affected with Gaucher's disease. The assay involves the determination of serum acid phosphatase activity using the fluorogenic substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate. The assay measures acid phosphatase activity at pH 6.0 in the presence of 3.0 M 2-mercaptoethanol and requires a 5 μl serum sample and a 15-min incubation period. Under these conditions, 2-mercaptoethanol preferentially inhibited the acid phosphatase activity in control serum but did not inhibit the elevated acid phosphatase present in the serum of patients with Gaucher's disease. Using this assay, we observed a 5–50-fold elevation in serum acid phosphatase activity in 8 patients with the adult, non-neuropathic form of Gaucher's disease when compared to control serum assayed under the same conditions. Serum from several heterozygotes free from pathology exhibited normal acid phosphatase activity when assayed at pH 6.0 in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. Acid phosphatase activity in serum from patients with prostatic cancer can be distinguished from that in Gaucher serum on the basis of the well-documented sensitivity of the former to inhibition by sodium tartrate. A serum sample from a patient with Niemann-Pick disease exhibited a mild elevation in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity so that conclusive diagnosis of Gaucher's disease requires assaying leukocytes or fibroblasts from suspected patients for glucocerebroside :β-glucosidase activity.
Thick target neutron spectrum from the 9Be(p,n) reaction

HowardMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics,Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139SM. Grimes, TN. Massey, SI. Al-Quaraishi, D.K. Jacobs, and C.E. BrientOhio University, Department of Physics and Astronomy,Athens, Ohio 45701.J. C. YanchMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Nuclear Engineeringand Whitaker College of Health Sciences and Technology,Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139ABSTRACTThe thick target spectrum from the 9Be(p,n) nuclear reaction has been experimentally determined. The data areof use in thedesign of accelerator-based neutron beams for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy and BoronNeutron Capture Synovectomydue to the superior physical properties of beryllium targets compared with those made of lithium. The thick target spectrumof the reaction as a function of neutron energy and angle was measured at the Ohio University time-of-flight facility.Protonenergies of4.0, 3.7, 3.4, and 3.0 MeV were used. The neutron energy spectrum was measured using4 lithium glass detectorsat 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 110 degrees for 4.0 and 3.7 MeV protons, and at forward angles for 3.4 and3.0 MeV protons. Thetotal statistical error is less than 5%
Medical Student Education in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Excerpt A position paper ( 1 ) in this issue documents problems with education on the use of drugs in therapeutics. The number and potency of drugs have increased dramatically in the last 40 years....
Is there a role for antenatal TRH therapy for the prevention of neonatal lung disease

Unfortunately, surfactant therapy is not routinely available to infants in some parts of the world because of its cost. It is the hypothesis of this article that in situations where surfactant is not available, there may be a role for antenatal thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) plus glucocorticoid therapy. Data from randomized clinical trials, which compared therapy with antenatal glucocorticoid plus TRH to that with glucocorticoid alone were extracted and subjected to meta-analysis. The trials that incorporated surfactant therapy were analyzed separately from those in which surfactant was not used. In addition, because surfactant therapy was only available to some patients in the Australian ACTOBAT trial, each group analysis was performed with and without the ACTOBAT data. A characteristic of the earlier presurfactant trials is that few were designed for "intention to treat" analysis. In most of these studies, it was decided a priori to include babies who delivered within a specified time period after hormone therapy. The addition of TRH did not decrease respiratory distress syndrome in those trials in which surfactant therapy was used. In the presurfactant trials, respiratory distress syndrome was significantly decreased when "intention to treat" data were examined, as well as in those infants who delivered between 1 and 10 days after maternal therapy. There was also a significant decrease in oxygen dependency at 28 days after birth, and in oxygen dependency or death at this time, in those infants who delivered 1 to 10 days after treatment. Antenatal TRH had no significant effect of on neonatal complications such as air leak, intraventricular hemmorhage, patent ductus arteriosus, retinopathy of prematurity, or necrotizing enterocolitis. However, TRH did produce transient suppression of the pituitary thyroid axis. There were also a variety of transient complications in the mothers, including nausea, vomiting or flushing, light-headed feeling, and increased blood pressure. The authors conclude that the implementation of appropriate antenatal glucocorticoid treatment is the first priority. Once this has been established, the data presented here suggest that addition of antenatal TRH should be considered in those situations where surfactant is not available.
Using Multiconformation Continuum Electrostatics to Compare Chloride Binding Motifs in α-Amylase, Human Serum Albumin, and Omp32

Abstract Ions are a ubiquitous component of the cellular environment, transferring into cells through membrane-embedded proteins. Ions bind to proteins to regulate their charge and function. Here, using multiconformation continuum electrostatics (MCCE), we show that the changes of chloride binding to α-amylase, human serum albumin (HSA) and Omp32 with pH, and of α-amylase with mutation agree well with experimental data. The three proteins represent three different types of binding. In α-amylase, chloride is bound in a specific buried site. Chloride binding is strongly coupled to the protonation state of a nearby lysine. MCCE calculates an 11-fold change in chloride affinity between the wild-type α-amylase and the K300R mutant, in good agreement with the measured 10-fold change. Without considering the coupled protonation reaction, the calculated affinity change would be more than 10 6 -fold. In HSA, chlorides are distributed on the protein surface. Although HSA has a negative net charge, it binds more anions than cations. There are no highly occupied binding sites in HSA. Rather, there are many partially occupied sites near clusters of basic residues. The relative affinity of bound ions of different charges is shown to depend on the distribution of charged residues on the surface rather than the overall net charge of the protein. The calculated strong pH dependence of the number of chlorides bound and the anion selectivity agree with those of previous experiments. In Omp32, chlorides are stabilized in an anion-selective transmembrane channel in a pH-independent manner. The positive electrostatic potential in Omp32 results in about two chlorides and no cations bound in the transmembrane region of this anion-selective channel. The studies here show that with the ability to sample multiple binding sites and coupled protein protonation states, MCCE provides a powerful tool to analyze and predict ion binding. The calculations overestimate the affinity of surface chloride in HSA and Omp32 relative to the buried ion in amylase. Differences between ion–solvent interactions for buried and surface ions will be discussed.
Comparison of the effects of Bolus vs. slow infusion of 7.5% NaCl/6% dextran-70 in a model of near-lethal uncontrolled hemorrhage

Bolus infusion of of 7.5% NaCl/6% dextran-70 (HSD-B) improves outcome from controlled hemorrhage. In contrast, HSD-B during uncontrolled hemorrhage increases bleeding and short-term mortality. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of bolus vs. slow infusion of HSD in a near-fatal vascular injury hemorrhage model. Sixteen (15-20 kg) swine with 4-mm aortic tears were hemorrhaged to a pulse pressure of 5 mmHg. An ultrasonic flow probe was placed proximal to the aortic tear for continuous blood flow (AF) measurements. Group I (slow infusion; n = 8) was resuscitated with 8 mL/kg of HSD at 0.4 mL/kg/min. Group II (bolus infusion; n = 8) was resuscitated with 8 mL/kg of HSD at 1.33 mL/kg/min. In both groups, HSD infusion was followed by administration of 30 mL/kg of shed blood at 3 mL/kg/min. Hemorrhage volume and 90-min mortality were greater in group II (79+/-11 mL/kg; 75%) compared with group I (43+/-9 mL/kg; 12.5%) (P(Hem) < 0.001; P(Mort) = 0.04). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and AF were greater in group II compared with group I during the first 15 min of resuscitation. In group I, MAP, AF, cardiac indices, and O2 delivery gradually returned to baseline levels and were significantly greater than group II at 30 min and throughout the remainder of the protocol. In this model of near-lethal uncontrolled hemorrhage, slow infusion of HSD restored cardiodynamics while minimizing hemorrhage volume and mortality. Resuscitation regimens that cause early increases in blood flow and pressure may result in greater hemorrhage and mortality than those regimens that yield comparable flow and pressure increases late in resuscitation.
Higher prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients with carotid stenosis but without diabetes.

Abstract Background: We compared abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) prevalence in 3 groups of patients at the Hines Veterans Affairs Medical Center: (1) patients with 50% or more carotid stenosis, (2) patients with less than 50% stenosis, and (3) patients screened for the Aneurysm Detection and Management (ADAM) study. Methods: Of all the patients referred to the vascular laboratory for carotid duplex examination during a 12-month period, patients with 50% or more carotid stenosis underwent ultrasonography of the abdominal aorta unless they had a previous scan or previous aortic surgery (group 1, n = 374). Patients with less than 50% carotid stenosis who had been screened for ADAM comprised group 2 (n = 139). They were compared with all patients screened for ADAM at our center during the same time period (group 3, n = 2477). Results: AAA of 3.0 cm or more were present in 18.2%, 12.2%, and 7.2%of groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively; AAA of 4.0 cm or more were present in 8.3%, 5.8%, and 2.1% of groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Among patients with carotid stenosis, those patients without diabetes accounted for the observed increase in prevalence (21.9% ≥ 3.0 cm and 10.2% ≥ 4.0 cm vs 9.2% and 2.8% in patients with diabetes). Conclusions: The relative risk of AAA is 2 to 3 times greater in patients with carotid stenosis compared with patients undergoing routine screening. However, only patients without diabetes account for the increased prevalence. Selective AAA screening of patients who are not diabetic with carotid stenosis is recommended. (Surgery 1999:126:687-92.)
Large-Scale Syntheses of Several Synthons to the Dearomatization Agent {TpW(NO)(PMe3)} and Convenient Spectroscopic Tools for Product Analysis

A series of complexes of the form TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η2-arene) (where arene = benzene, anisole, dimethoxybenzene, trifluorotoluene, and naphthalene) are evaluated as practical synthons for the versatile dearomatization agent {TpW(NO)(PMe3)}, considering air stability, synthetic scalability, and substitution lability. Large-scale syntheses (9−30 g) are reported for several of these complexes as well as their precursors (TpW(NO)(CO2), TpW(NO)Br2, and TpW(NO)(PMe3)Br), and methods for spectroscopic characterization of composition and stereochemistry for the arene complexes (including JPW correlations) are summarized.
Au-delà de la solidarité féminine

Dans cet article, l’auteure examine la problematique de l’identite et de la difference dans la theorie feministe et le mouvement des femmes du Quebec. Les antecedents historiques et la situation actuelle des femmes noires au Quebec illustrent les lacunes des principaux modeles de theorisation feministe. Ces modeles ont toujours a rendre compte de la mesure dans laquelle le racisme, les divisions decoulant de caracteristiques ethniques, linguistiques et nationales, de pair avec l’appartenance a une classe sociale, faconnent differemment les situations d’oppression fondee sur le sexe que subissent les femmes ainsi que leur resistance a cette oppression. Une des tâches fondamentales que le mouvement des femmes du Quebec doit encore accomplir consiste a aborder la diversite du vecu des femmes et les divisions croissantes entre elles.
Client architecture for MPEG-4 streaming

As Web-based services increasingly include streaming media, broadband service providers must address the challenges inherent in the real-time delivery of high-bandwidth content over a best-effort network. The Multilevel Buffer Architecture is a buffering mechanism for MPEG-4 decoder players, providing a set of services for accommodating network jittering, precise A/V sync, and QoS management.
Ibrahim's story

The article details the personal and professional life of Ibrahim Muti'i (1920–2010), a well-known Uighur linguist. Through a series of interviews, Mr. Muti'i sketched the events he wanted to be remembered. Mr. Muti'i's life story corresponds with many of the significant events in Northwest China both in the Republican era (1911–1949) and the first decades of the People's Republic of China era.
Synthesis of the 1-Monoester of 2-Ketoalkanedioic Acids, for Example, Octyl α-Ketoglutarate

Oxidative cleavage of cycloalkene-1-carboxylates, made from the corresponding carboxylic acids, and subsequent oxidation of the resulting ketoaldehyde afforded the important 1-monoesters of 2-ketoalkanedioic acids. Thus ozonolysis of octyl cyclobutene-1-carboxylate followed by sodium chlorite oxidation afforded the 1-monooctyl 2-ketoglutarate. This is a cell-permeable prodrug form of α-ketoglutarate, an important intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA, Krebs) cycle and a promising therapeutic agent in its own right.
Determining the activation energy and volume for the onset of plasticity during nanoindentation

Nanoindentation experiments are performed on single crystals of platinum, and the elastic-plastic transition is studied statistically as a function of temperature and indentation rate. The experimental results are consistent with a thermally activated mechanism of incipient plasticity, where higher time-at-temperature under load promotes yield. Using a statistical thermal activation model with a stress-biasing term, the data are analyzed to extract the activation energy, activation volume, and attempt frequency for the rate-limiting event that controls yield. In addition to a full numerical model without significant limiting assumptions, a simple graphical approximation is also developed for quick and reasonable estimation of the activation parameters. Based on these analyses, the onset of plasticity is believed to be associated with a heterogeneous process of dislocation nucleation, with an atomic-scale, low-energy event as the rate limiter.
Use of Voltage-Sensitive Phosphatase to Investigate the Location of the PIP2-Binding Site on KCNQ2 Channels

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) is known to be necessary for the activation of KCNQ K+ channels. Many studies have investigated the location of the PIP2-binding site on those channels, which have strongly implicated binding to the C-terminus. Our lab has suggested the linker between helices A and B in the C-terminus of KCNQ2 to be the primary site of PIP2-binding, with K452, R459 and R461 shown as critical (Hernandez et al., 2008, JGP, 132). However, other labs have reported PIP2 interactions to be dependent on basic residues at the start of the C-terminus (Zhang et al., 2003, Neuron, 37; Thomas et al., 2011, JBC, 286). A histidine at 328 position in KCNQ2 and four residues (K354, K358, R360, and K362) in KCNQ1 have been suggested to interact with PIP2. Since three of those four residues are conserved in KCNQ2-5 channels, we investigated a potential role of those residues in PIP2-channel interactions for KCNQ2. We found mutations at analogous positions in KCNQ2 (K319A, R325A and K327A) to decrease whole-cell current amplitudes. However, use of a voltage-sensitive phosphatase from danio rerio, which dephosphorylates almost all PIP2 upon strong membrane depolarizations, revealed the PIP2 affinity of the K319A and K327A mutants to be increased, rather than decreased, as assayed by the rates of current decay upon depolarization to 120 mV, and subsequent current recovery at 30 mV. These results indicate that the decrease of KCNQ2 currents for all the mutants is likely not due to a lower PIP2 affinity for the channels. Indeed, unlike KCNQ1, charge neutralization mutations at the start of the C-terminus seem to augment PIP2-binding to channels, consistent with the previously-indentified linker between helices A and B to be the primary PIP2-binding site in KCNQ2 channels.
Nonmedical use of prescription opioids among teenagers in the United States: Trends and correlates

Abstract Purpose This article reports on trends and correlates of the nonmedical use of prescription opioids among youth. Methods Secondary analyses of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health were performed on youths, ages 12 to 17. Results Analyses revealed evidence of an emerging epidemic of opioid misuse among teenagers. Sub-groups of youth at particularly high risk include females, blacks, those of lower socio-economic status, and those who hold favorable attitudes toward illicit drugs, have detached parents, or have friends who use illicit drugs. Respondents' own use of other illicit drugs is the strongest predictor of their nonmedical use of prescription opioids. Conclusions Nonmedical use of prescription opioids is a recurrent epidemic and valuable lessons from past epidemics of this nature can be learned if historical data are studied. Prevention campaigns should target groups at risk for substance abuse and focus on improving family bonds and peer-resistance skills.
Social health and the forgiving heart: The Type B story

The evolution of the Type A hypothesis is well documented. The protective corresponding Type B construct has not evolved similarly. Using experiences from Friedman's Recurrent Coronary Prevention Project, on a speculative basis, four neglected protective processes are examined: uniqueness/self-esteem/autonomy, forgiveness, sociability, and “causal” wisdom attributions. A more integrative set of questions is proposed to expand our knowledge of adaptive fitness and success.
Utility of Butvar Support Film and Methylamine Tungstate Stain in Three-Dimensional Electron Microscopy: Agreement between Stain and Frozen-Hydrated Reconstructions

A random conical tilt reconstruction of negatively stainedSaccharomyces cerevisiaefatty acid synthase was used as a model to compute a three-dimensional reconstruction from untilted stain specimens of the molecules in multiple orientations using a three-dimensional projection alignment method. The resulting structure (24 A resolution) has a more uniform resolution than the initial structure and the handedness revealed in the random conical tilt method is preserved. In a similar approach, this model was used to compute a 21-A-resolution frozen-hydrated structure from untilted specimens of the molecules in multiple orientations. Even though the reconstructions are in close agreement, the stain structure appears to enhance the protein density associated with less robust features. These procedures significantly reduce the time and effort required to obtain a three-dimensional reconstruction from frozen-hydrated data with a resolution that is comparable to the best obtained by more laborious methods. The agreement between the stain and frozen-hydrated reconstructions affords convincing evidence concerning the validity of the structure and the information afforded by the two reconstructions significantly enhances the structural analysis of the molecule.
Atomic force microscopy of biochemically tagged DNA.

Abstract Small fragments of DNA of known length were made with the polymerase chain reaction. These fragments had biotin molecules covalently attached at their ends. They were subsequently labeled with a chimeric protein fusion between streptavidin and two immunoglobulin G-binding domains of staphylococcal protein A. This tetrameric species was expected to bind up to four DNA molecules via their attached biotin moieties. The DNA-protein complex was deposited on mica and imaged with an atomic force microscope. The images revealed the protein chimera at the expected location at the ends of the strands of DNA as well as the expected dimers, trimers, and tetramers of DNA bound to a single protein.
Congenital entropion with intact lower eyelid retractor insertion.

Abstract Congenital lower eyelid entropion is generally considered to result from improper development of the retractor aponeurosis insertion to the inferior portion of the tarsal plate. We treated three patients with this uncommon disorder. At operation, aponeurotic defects were anticipated and specifically sought, but in each case the lower eyelid retractors were inserted normally. In two patients, entropion was relieved by surgical disinsertion and then advancement of the retractors. In the third patient, who also had multiple concomitant facial and systemic developmental anomalies, improvement in the lower eyelid malpositions required a combination of procedures. The intraoperative findings in our patients demonstrate that disinsertion of the lower eyelid retractors is not a universal etiologic mechanism in congenital entropion.
Apolipoprotein E Promotes β-Amyloid Trafficking and Degradation by Modulating Microglial Cholesterol Levels *

Allelic variation in the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is the major risk factor of sporadic Alzheimer disease. ApoE is the primary cholesterol carrier in the brain. Previously, we demonstrated that intracellular degradation of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides by microglia is dramatically enhanced in the presence of apoE. However, the molecular mechanisms subserving this effect remain unknown. This study reports a mechanistic link between apoE-regulated cholesterol homeostasis and Aβ degradation. We demonstrate that promoting intracellular Aβ degradation by microglia is a common feature of HDL apolipoproteins, including apoE and apoA-I. This effect was not dependent on the direct interaction of apoE and Aβ. Regulation of Aβ degradation was achieved by solely manipulating cellular cholesterol levels. The expression and the activity of Aβ degrading enzymes, however, were not regulated by cholesterol. We observed that reducing cellular cholesterol levels by apoE resulted in faster delivery of Aβ to lysosomes and enhanced degradation. Moreover, apoE facilitated the recycling of Rab7, a small GTPase responsible for recruiting the motor complex to late endosomes/lysosomes. These data indicate that faster endocytic trafficking of Aβ-containing vesicles in the presence of apoE resulted from efficient recycling of Rab7 from lysosomes to early endosomes. Thus, apoE-induced intracellular Aβ degradation is mediated by the cholesterol efflux function of apoE, which lowers cellular cholesterol levels and subsequently facilitates the intracellular trafficking of Aβ to lysosomes for degradation. These findings demonstrate a direct role of cholesterol in the intracellular Aβ degradation.
Ultraviolet inactivation of heterorhabditid and steinernematid nematodes

Abstract Infective juveniles of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora exposed to medium-wave ultraviolet radiation (302 nm) were inactivated at radiation levels that did not affect Steinernema carpocapsae . Irradiated H. bacteriophora showed a significant delay in progeny emergence at an exposure of 1.5 min, a decline in reproductive capacity at 2 min, and loss of pathogenicity at 4 min. Negative effects were not noted until exposures of at least 6 min for S. carpocapsae . Complete inactivation of H. bacteriophora resulted following 4 min of irradiation, compared with 10 min for S. carpocapsae . The infective juvenile sheath, an additional cuticle retained from the second-stage molt, did not provide either nematode species with significant protection from uv inactivation. The poor uv stability shown by H. bacteriophora is consistent with the tendency of heterorhabditids to be less tolerant of environmental stress than steinernematids. Heterorhabditid nematodes appear to be among the most vulnerable of all entomopathogens to uv inactivation. Their application onto exposed surfaces such as foliage should be discouraged.
Symptom Management of Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Care of the patient with colorectal cancer incorporates treatment, management of symptoms from disease and treatment, and open communication with the patient from diagnosis to cure or death. Such comprehensive care requires a multidisciplinary team, and incorporation of the preferences of the patient.
The capacity of fetal calf serum to support a primary antibody response in vitro is determined, in part, by its reduced glutathione content

Abstract Fetal calf serum (FCS) is unique among mammalian sera in its ability to support a primary antibody response, in vitro , by murine spleen cells. Another property unique to FCS among mammalian sera is its content of the tripeptide, glutathione. Since glutathione has a number of physiological functions important to cell function and survival, we have studied the possible relationship between the glutathione content of FCS and the ability of FCS to support a primary antibody response, in vitro . Our findings indicate that the capacity of FCS to support the murine spleen cell primary antibody response, in vitro , is, in part a function of its reduced glutathione (GSH) content, since: (a) GSH concentration correlates directly and definitively with the capacity of a lot of FCS to support an antibody response; (b) oxidation of GSH by heating a supportive FCS diminishes the supportive capacity of that FCS; and (c) such a treated FCS can be reconstituted to full supportiveness by appropriate doses of GSH. We postulate that reduced glutathione achieves this effect by scavenging lipid hydroperoxides generated by the action of oxygen-derived free radicals in the cell cultures.
Appearance Motivation, Obsessive-compulsive Tendencies and Excessive Suntanning in a Community Sample:

Measures of appearance motivation, obsessive-compulsive tendencies and tanning attitudes and behavior were completed by 175 adults, ages 16-65, who were approached while suntanning. Participants who scored high in both appearance motivation and obsessive-compulsive tendencies most strongly endorsed the importance of having a tan, spent the most time in the sun, were least likely to use sunscreen and were more likely to use tanning beds. In contrast, low-appearance motivation combined with high obsession- compulsion was associated with safe-sun practices.
Isolation and Spectral Characterization of Coumarins in Florida Grapefruit Peel Oil

SUMMARY Nine coumarins were isolated from Florida grapefruit peel oil. Some of their physical properties are given. Bergamottin, limettin, bergapten, and two formylated coumarins found during this investigation have not been reported previously in grapefruit.
Electromagnetic lateral waves observed by earth-sounding radars

Electromagnetic waves refracted at the critical angle according to Snell's law give rise to the lateral wave. The low amplitude lateral wave is usually obscured by other waves when continuous wave sources are used. Using a pulsed source (radar) and continuously recording echoes reflected from within dielectric earth materials as a function of angle of incidence, records are produced which clearly show the lateral wave. In some earth‐probing applications, the lateral wave may predominate and proper identification of its characteristics is important.
Adhesion of Vi antigen and toxicity in typhoid vaccines inactivated by acetone or by heat and phenol.

The method of preparation of typhoid vaccine influenced the adhesion of Vi antigen to the bacterial cell and the serologic and protective activity of the vaccine. The acetone-inactivated vaccine 6A and vaccine L, inactivated by heat and phenol, possessed approximately equal amounts of Vi antigen, extractable in 0.85% NaCl; the antigens had equal protective activity for mice. After extraction, bacteria in vaccine 6A retained a significant amount of Vi antigen, which was demonstrable by serologic and immunologic tests, whereas the bacteria in vaccine L retained practically no Vi antigen. Vaccine 6A decreased in potency only 2.5-fold, and vaccine L decreased ninefold. Heating at 56 C during preparation of vaccine L did not affect the non-Vi protective factor(s) or the protective activity of extracted Vi antigen. The superior potency of vaccine 6A was attributed to fixation of the Vi antigen to the bacteria by acetone. Treatment of bacterial cells with acetone slightly reduced endotoxicity for mice and mouse lymphoid cells, but the difference between vaccine 6A and vaccine L was not significant. The results reflect the variable differences in the reactions of man to vaccine K and vaccine L observed in the field trials.
Biomarkers for MS: Unpuzzling the progressive multiple sclerosis puzzle

The past 20 years have seen dramatic advances in our understanding and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Diagnostic criteria have been refined, imaging has been applied to both MS diagnosis and longitudinal assessment, and 10 treatments have received US Food and Drug Administration approval, with more on the way. Neurologists can now make an MS diagnosis quickly and accurately. They can apply effective treatments to curtail inflammation, precisely monitor for continued inflammatory disease activity, and change treatments if active disease persists. Treatment paradigms now target no evident disease activity, also called disease activity free status.1
Location, Structure, and Density of States of NBTI-Induced Defects in Plasma Nitrided pMOSFETs

The authors utilize a combination of DC-IV measurements and very sensitive electrically-detected electron spin resonance measurements called spin-dependent recombination to observe NBTI-induced defect centers in SiO2 and plasma nitrided oxide (PNO)-based pMOSFETs. The paper present strong spectroscopic evidence that the dominating NBTI-induced defect observed in PNO-based devices is physically different than the Si/dielectric interface silicon dangling bond Pb0 and Pb1 defects observed in SiO2 -based devices. The observations strongly indicate that the NBTI-induced defects in the PNO-based devices are located in the near interfacial region, within the dielectric. It is also likely that these defects exhibit a far narrower density of states than the NBTI-induced P b0 and Pb1 defects in SiO2-based devices. The authors tentatively assign the NBTI-induced defect in the PNO devices as KN for NBTI
Dual adaptive control based upon sensitivity functions

A new adaptive dual control solution is presented for the control of a class of multi-variable input-output systems. Both rapidly varying random parameters and constant but unknown parameters are included. The new controller modifies the cautious control design by numerator and denominator correction terms. This controller is shown to depend upon sensitivity functions of the expected future cost. A scalar example is presented to provide insight into the properties of the new dual controller. Monte-Carlo simulations are performed which show improvement over the cautious controller and the Linear Feedback Dual Controller of [1] and [2].
Tandem repeats finder: a program to analyze DNA sequences

A tandem repeat in DNA is two or more contiguous, approximate copies of a pattern of nucleotides. Tandem repeats have been shown to cause human disease, may play a variety of regulatory and evolutionary roles and are important laboratory and analytic tools. Extensive knowledge about pattern size, copy number, mutational history, etc. for tandem repeats has been limited by the inability to easily detect them in genomic sequence data. In this paper, we present a new algorithm for finding tandem repeats which works without the need to specify either the pattern or pattern size. We model tandem repeats by percent identity and frequency of indels between adjacent pattern copies and use statistically based recognition criteria. We demonstrate the algorithm’s speed and its ability to detect tandem repeats that have undergone extensive mutational change by analyzing four sequences: the human frataxin gene, the human β T cell receptor locus sequence and two yeast chromosomes. These sequences range in size from 3 kb up to 700 kb. A World Wide Web server interface at c3.biomath.mssm.edu/trf.html has been established for automated use of the program.
Ethics and sciences.

A couple of points may be raised, which, it is hoped, may be helpful: First, the theme to which the research group addressed itself, "The Foundations of Ethics and Its Relationship to the Sciences," carries an assumption and implication which is open to question. This title seems to assume that "ethics" is singular, while the "sciences" are recognized as being many. There are many ethics, also, as is abundantly clear from their developmental history. What particuar ethic does the research group favor? Or has the group failed to consider this rather important matter? One gets the impression that the ethic assumed is the conventional "Judeo-Christian ethic." But what ethic is involved when "Michael Scriven argues that ethics itself is a science"? And which science? Second, scientists might think that a research effort, in order to be successful, would first review what has already been done in the field under study. The interrelations of the sciences and the various ethics have been studied and reported upon quite often during the past halfcentury. The problem of a scientific basis for an ethic was the subject of an AAAS symposium many years ago. An historical survey of ethical development might reveal many aspects of the relations between the sciences and the ethics. The history of the sciences also shows conceptual roots with the ethics. I hope that the future activities of the research group will take into account the historical background of their effort, as well as the matter of what particular ethic is being used as a standard for whatever value judgments are expressed. Chauncey D. Leake University of California San Francisco
Decentralized control of multimachine power systems

A novel decentralized dynamic output feedback controller is presented to deal with the transient stability of a class of multimachine power systems. The proposed decentralized control strategy employs local sliding mode observers to estimate the states of each machine, and the feedback gain matrix of each local controller is obtained by solving two linear matrix inequalities. In addition, local sliding mode observers are capable of reconstructing unknown interconnections between machines. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is illustrated by simulation of a three-machine power system.
Adenoviral human BCL-2 transgene expression attenuates early donor cell death after cardiomyoblast transplantation into ischemic rat hearts

Background— Cell transplantation for myocardial repair is limited by early cell death. Gene therapy with human Bcl-2 (hBcl-2) has been shown to attenuate apoptosis in the experimental setting. Therefore, we studied the potential benefit of hBcl-2 transgene expression on the survival of cardiomyoblast grafts in ischemic rat hearts. Methods and Results— H9c2 rat cardiomyoblasts were genetically modified to express both firefly luciferase and green fluorescent protein (mH9c2). The cells were then transduced with adenovirus carrying hBcl-2 (AdCMVhBcl-2/mH9c2). Lewis rats underwent ligation of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) to induce a sizable left ventricular (LV) infarct. Hearts were explanted and the infarcted region was restored using collagen matrix (CM) seeded with 1×106 mH9c2 cells (n=9) or AdCMVhBcl-2/mH9c2 cells (n=9). Control animals received CM alone (n=6) or no infarct (n=6). Restored hearts were transplanted into the abdomen of syngeneic recipients in a “working heart” model. Cell survival was evaluated using optical bioluminescence imaging on days 1, 5, 8, 14, and 28 after surgery. The left heart function was assessed 4 weeks postoperatively using echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. During 4 weeks after surgery, the optical imaging signal for the AdCMVhBCL2/mH9c2 group was significantly ( P <0.05) higher than that of the mH9c2-control group. Both grafts led to better fractional shortening (AdCMVhBcl-2/mH9c2: 0.21±0.03; mH9c2: 0.21±0.04; control: 0.15±0.03; P =0.04) and ejection fraction (AdCMVhBcl-2/mH9c2: 47.0±6.2; mH9c2: 48.7±6.1; control: 34.3±6.0; P =0.02) compared with controls. Importantly, no malignant cells were found in postmortem histology. Conclusion— Transduction of mH9c2 cardiomyoblasts with AdCMVhBcl-2 increased graft survival in ischemic rat myocardium without causing malignancies. Both AdCMVhBcl-2/mH9c2 and mH9c2 grafts improved LV function.
Advances in urologic oncology: results progress from successful interdisciplinary research.

Despite its relative rarity, GCT in the adult male serves as a model of curability. The appropriate use of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and multimodality approaches has been studied in randomized trials that have successfully established many treatment paradigms. de Wit and Fizazi 4 review the controversies and treatment options in the optimal management of clinical stage I seminoma and nonseminomatous GCTs, and provide a detailed overview of the clinical trial results with a discussion of the risks and benefits of surveillance, surgery, radiation therapy (for seminoma), and adjuvant chemotherapy. In the treatment of metastatic disease, the International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group’s risk algorithm established international agreement on the clinical features that constitute good, intermediate, and poor prognosis, 5 each of which has established standards of care. Kondagunta and Motzer 6 update the standards of care for the treatment of patients with both previously untreated and relapsed disease and address controversies such as the use of bleomycin in good-risk disease, the use of high-dose chemotherapy with stem-cell rescue, and postchemotherapy management of advanced seminoma. Oldenberg et al 7 review the risk factors associated with, and the clinical management of, late relapse, defined as disease recurrence 2 or more years after primary therapy. Once thought to be an exceedingly rare event, recent reports suggest that late relapses may be more common. An improved understanding of the genetic molecular events that are observed in GCT has emerged in the last two decades, beginning with the observation that an isochromosome of 12p (i[12p]) was frequently observed in GCT. Houldsworth et al provide an overview of the pathobiology of adult GCT, the role of 12p genes implicated in malignant transformation of germ cells, and insights into chemotherapy sensitivity and resistance. 8
Biobehavioral characteristics of infants with failure to thrive.

Failure to thrive (FTT) is a syndrome of growth failure that results in an infant who is behaviorally difficult. The current thinking is that FTT results from a problematic infant-mother interaction, with the infant making a significant contribution to the interactional process. It is possible that the behavioral characteristics of the infant with FTT may be related to underlying physiologic response patterns, specifically, activity of the autonomic nervous system. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among behavioral responsiveness, heart rate variability as a marker of autonomic nervous system activity, and nutritional status in infants with FTT. Infants with FTT were matched with healthy growing infants (n 5 14 pairs). Results from the study indicated that infants with FTT exhibited considerably more negative behaviors and exhibited low heart rate variability. It appears that there may be a physiologic basis to the behaviors that are exhibited by infants with FTT. Prospective research is needed to further clarify this relationship. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Discussion¿The Usefulness of Biotechnology Firms' Drug Development Status in the Evaluation of Research and Development Costs

Ely, Simko, and Thomas (hereafter, EST) examine the usefulness to investors of drug development information disclosed by start-up biotechnology firms with no marketable products. Drug research is a highly standardized multistage process monitored by the Food and Drug Administration. Providing information on intermediate R&D results might resolve investors’ uncertainty about a firm’s ability to generate future revenues from particular R&D projects, and might therefore affect their firm value assessment. EST find that clinical trial disclosures help investors assess the uncertainty of in-process drugs’ revenue potential, and that there exists a specific drug development stage at which investors start to treat R&D costs as probable future revenue-generating assets. I discuss the relevance and motivation of the research topic, the authors’ research design choices, the validity of the results, and future research.
Solution structures of chicken parvalbumin 3 in the Ca(2+)-free and Ca(2+)-bound states.

Birds express two β-parvalbumin isoforms, parvalbumin 3 and avian thymic hormone (ATH). Parvalbumin 3 from chicken (CPV3) is identical to rat β-parvalbumin (β-PV) at 75 of 108 residues. CPV3 displays intermediate Ca2+ affinity—higher than that of rat β-parvalbumin, but lower than that of ATH. As in rat β-PV, the attenuation of affinity is associated primarily with the CD site (residues 41–70), rather than the EF site (residues 80–108). Structural data for rat α- and β-parvalbumins suggest that divalent ion affinity is correlated with the similarity of the unliganded and Ca2+-bound conformations. We herein present a comparison of the solution structures of Ca2+-free and Ca2+-bound CPV3. Although the structures are generally similar, the conformations of residues 47 to 50 differ markedly in the two protein forms. These residues are located in the C helix, proximal to the CD binding loop. In response to Ca2+ removal, F47 experiences much greater solvent accessibility. The side-chain of R48 assumes a position between the C and D helices, adjacent to R69. Significantly, I49 adopts an interior position in the unliganded protein that allows association with the side-chain of L50. Concomitantly, the realignment of F66 and F70 facilitates their interaction with I49 and reduces their contact with residues in the N-terminal AB domain. This reorganization of the hydrophobic core, although less profound, is nevertheless reminiscent of that observed in rat β-PV. The results lend further support to the idea that Ca2+ affinity correlates with the structural similarity of the apo- and bound parvalbumin conformations. Proteins 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Nano-JKR force curve method overcomes challenges of surface detection and adhesion for nanoindentation of a compliant polymer in air and water

There are many challenges associated with adapting traditional nanoindentation methods to the study of compliant, hydrated biomaterials. These include issues related to surface detection, tip–sample adhesion, and fluid interactions. This study demonstrates that the nano-Johnson–Kendall–Roberts (JKR) force curve method can be used effectively in both air and water to overcome the challenges of surface detection and adhesion for nanoindentation of a compliant polymer. Indents were performed on poly(dimethyl siloxane) samples in air, water, and a detergent solution, with detergent used to reduce interfacial forces and provide baseline modulus measurements. The results demonstrated that errors due to adhesion dominated errors due to surface detection or fluid interactions and that JKR modeling could compensate for errors due to adhesion. Several JKR curve-fitting techniques were also evaluated, and all were found to result in moduli within 10% of the baseline moduli of the materials, demonstrating the robustness of this technique.
Conservation significance of America's newest system of protected areas: National Landscape Conservation System.

ABSTRACT: Using a dataset of special status animal species aggregated from NatureServe (2006), we assessed the conservation significance of the newest U.S. network of protected areas, the BLM-administered National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) composed of ∼11 million hectares of specially designated conservation areas. We examined the number of special status animal species that occur within the NLCS as compared to the number that would be predicted by area alone, occurrences within the NLCS as compared to other BLM lands, and the conservation implications of these species-area relationships. Our analyses suggest that the NLCS plays a significant role in the conservation of special status species and the natural ecosystems on which they depend.