cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonmelanoma cutaneous malignancy with regional metastasis.

Abstract Objective and study design We performed a retrospective study of 28 patients to evaluate the management and outcome of regional metastasis from nonmelanoma cutaneous malignancies. Results There were 25 squamous cell, 1 basal cell, and 2 eccrine carcinomas. The most common primary locations were the temple, ear, and cheek. Median interval from primary resection to regional metastasis was 9 months, and such were commonly of the parotid, level IB, and level IIA nodes. Twenty-four patients underwent parotidectomy and/or neck dissection; 19 patients, postoperative radiation. Ten patients (36%) died from the disease, 2 patients (7%) have persisting disease, 5 (18%) have died from intercurrent disease, and 11 (39%) have no evidence of disease (minimum follow-up, 22 months; median, 34 months). Conclusions and significance Nonmelanoma cutaneous malignancies with regional metastasis have a poor prognosis despite aggressive therapy. When high-risk characteristics are detected, examination of the nearest “sentinel node,” prophylactic lymphadenectomy, and/or regional irradiation might be justified; further study is warranted.
Temperature coefficient of resistance for p- and n-type silicon

Abstract The temperature coefficient of resistance for n- and p-type silicon has been calculated between −50 and 125°C for a wide range of concentrations and levels of compensation. These results provide a useful guide for the design of silicon integrated resistors.
Effect of extended use of single anabolic steroids on urinary steroid excretion and metabolism

Abstract Long-term use of single anabolic steroids by weightlifters and body builders at dosages ≥ 25 mg per 24 h resulted in reduced excretion of urinary androgen metabolites, androsterone and etiocholanolone, compared to values prior to anabolic use. The excretion of major urinary metabolites of glucocorticoids was not affected by anabolic use. Urinary excretion of anabolic steroids or anabolic metabolites averaged 20–25% of total anabolic steroid administered. The major excreted metabolites of methandrostenolone, nandrolone, oxandrolone and oxymetholone were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry based on the major mass spectral ion peaks.
2,3-Bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,3-butadiene as a reagent for the synthesis of the azatricyclic core of (+/-)-halichlorine.

An efficient stereocontrolled route to the azatricyclic core of an advanced halichlorine intermediate is described. Reaction of the oxime derived from 2-(oxo-cyclopentyl)acetic acid ethyl ester with 2,3-bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,3-butadiene gives rise to a 7-oxa-1-azanorbornane cycloadduct in high yield. The formation of the bicyclic isoxazolidine arises from conjugate addition of the oxime onto the diene to afford a transient nitrone that then undergoes an intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition. Treatment of the cycloadduct with 5% Na/Hg results in reductive nitrogen−oxygen bond cleavage to furnish a spirocyclic piperidinone, which was further elaborated to an advanced intermediate employed in an earlier synthesis of halichlorine.
Combined administration of duloxetine (DU) and lorazepam (LO): A pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) study

Background/Aims DU is a relatively balanced and potent dual inhibitor of norepinephrine and serotonin transporters, indicated for depression and targeted for female stress urinary incontinence. To assess possible DU-LO interaction, a randomized, double-blind, two-period, crossover study was conducted in 16 healthy subjects. Methods DU (60mg BID) or placebo was given for 8 days; LO (2 mg BID) was given from Day 5 to Day 8. PK profiles (DU and LO) were obtained on Day 4 (DU alone) and Day 8 (DU+ LO or LO alone). Critical Flicker Fusion Threshold (CFFT), Multiple Choice Reaction Time (MCRT), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and the Bond and Lader Scale (BL) were administered at regular intervals on Days 4, 5 and 8. Immediate and Delayed Word Recall tests were performed on Days 4 and 8. Results No significant PK interaction was detected. On Day 4, DU alone produced small but statistically significant impairments of vigilance on DSST, MCRT and subjective alertness (BL) but no effect on other parameters. Compared to LO alone, LO+DU (Day 5) led to a decreased vigilance on DSST, MCRT and BL without altering the amnestic effects of LO. The difference between the two combinations overall tended to remit from Day 5 (first LO dose) to Day 8. Conclusions These data suggest that caution should be exercised when LO and DU are co-administered due to the potential for an increase in LO-induced sedation. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P65–P65; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.12.141
Postaortic Valve Replacement Bradycardia Induced Torsades de Pointes

The authors present an unusual case of torsades de pointes (Tdp) in an elderly woman with a history of aortic stenosis, status post aortic valve replacement. She was admitted for atrial fibrillation with a slow ventricular response. At the time of admission, the patient was asymptomatic and not taking any medications known to be associated with QT prolongation. During hospitalization, she developed episodes of Tdp without any provocable cause. This case highlights the occurrence of Tdp secondary to conduction disturbance caused by aortic valve surgery.
Effects of Prolonged Exposure to Ammonia on Fertilized Eggs and Sac Fry of Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Abstract Effects of ammonia on fertilized eggs and resulting sac fry of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) were tested at concentrations of un-ionized ammonia ranging from 0.05 to 0.37 mg/liter (as NH3 - N). Exposure was continuous throughout the incubation period and for 42 days thereafter. There was no differential egg mortality or effect on incubation period. The lowest concentration of 0.05 mg/liter NH3 - N caused some retardation of early growth and development and 0.1 mg/liter caused similar but more severe effects throughout most of the test period. Hypertrophy of secondary gill lamellae epithelium occurred at 0.19 mg/liter. Karyolysis and karyorrhexis occurred in the same tissue at 0.28 mg/liter. Pale coloration and blue-sac disease occurred in sac fry at concentrations of 0.19 mg/liter and higher. The estimated incipient LC50 (lethal threshold concentration) for rainbow trout sac fry was 0.25 mg/liter NH3 - N.
Application of Carbon Nanotubes to Thermal Interface Materials

Improvements in thermal interface materials (TIMs) can enhance heat transfer in electronics packages and reduce high temperatures. TIMs are generally composed of highly conductive particle fillers and a matrix that allows for good surface wetting and compliance of the material during application. Two types of TIMs are tested based on the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs): one mixed with a commercial TIM product and the other only CNTs and silicone oil. The materials are tested using an in-house apparatus that allows for the simultaneous measurement of temperature, pressure, heat flux, and TIM thickness. Results show that addition of large quantities of CNTs degrades the performance of the commercial TIM, while the CNT-silicone oil mixtures showed improved performance at high pressures. Thickness and pressure measurements indicate that the CNT-thermal grease mixtures are more compliant, with a small increase in bulk thermal conductivity over the range of tested pressures. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4003864]
Reduction of radiation damage by mechanical vibration inDrosophila melanogaster

Mechanical vibration (100 Hz) following irradiation (4000r) exerts a repairing effect on radiation induced damage. Productivity and sex-ratio differences inDrosophila melanogaster were less severely affected in a group, the male parents of which had been both inadiated and vibrated than in a positive control group, the male parents of which were subjected to irradiation only. Repair of radiation induced damage may have been facilitated by vibration by increasing oxygen utilization and/or metabolism. Previous work suggests that vibration induced mutations were repaired to an extent greater than expected. Synthesis of enzymes of importance during repair, stimulated (induced)via a general stress response as a result of radiation damage, may permit immediate initiation of repair of vibration induced damage.
Pumping tests in nonuniform aquifers — The radially symmetric case

Abstract Traditionally, pumping-test-analysis methodology has been limited to applications involving aquifers whose properties are assumed uniform in space. This work attempts to assess the applicability of analytical methodology to a broader class of units with spatially varying properties. An examination of flow behavior in a simple configuration consisting of pumping from the center of a circular disk embedded in a matrix of differing properties is the basis for this investigation. A solution describing flow in this configuration is obtained through Laplace-transform techniques using analytical and numerical inversion schemes. Approaches for the calculation of flow properties in conditions that can be roughly represented by this simple configuration are proposed. Possible applications include a wide variety of geologic structures, as well as the case of a well skin resulting from drilling or development. Of more importance than the specifics of these techniques for analysis of water-level responses is the insight into flow behavior during a pumping test that is provided by the large-time form of the derived solution. The solution reveals that drawdown during a pumping test can be considered to consist of two components that are dependent and independent of near-well properties, respectively. Such an interpretation of pumping-test drawdown allows some general conclusions to be drawn concerning the relationship between parameters calculated using analytical approaches based on curve-matching and those calculated using approaches based on the slope of a semilog straight line plot. The infinite-series truncation that underlies the semilog analytical approaches is shown to remove further contributions of near-well material to total drawdown. In addition, the semilog distance-drawdown approach is shown to yield an expression that is equivalent to the Thiem equation. These results allow some general recommendations to be made concerning observation-well placement for pumping tests in nonuniform aquifers. The relative diffusivity of material on either side of a discontinuity is shown to be the major factor in controlling flow behavior during the period in which the front of the cone of depression is moving across the discontinuity. Though resulting from an analysis of flow in an idealized configuration, the insights of this work into flow behavior during a pumping test are applicable to a wide class of nonuniform units.
N−H and N=C Bond Formation via Germanium(III) Diradicaloid Intermediates and C−S Bond Cleavage in Reactions of the Digermyne Ar′GeGeAr′ (Ar′ = C6H3-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-Pri2)2) with Azides

Reactions of the digermyne Ar′GeGeAr′ (Ar′ = C6H3-2,6(C6H3-2,6-Pri2)2) (1) with four different azides R′N3 (R = Me3Sn, nBu3Sn, PhSCH2, or 1-adamantanyl) are described. Treatment of 1 with Me3SnN3 o...
Membrane Topology of the Murine Fatty Acid Transport Protein 1

The murine fatty acid transport protein (FATP1) was identified in an expression cloning screen for proteins that facilitate transport of fatty acids across the plasma membranes of mammalian cells. Hydropathy analysis of this protein suggests a model in which FATP1 has multiple membrane-spanning domains. To test this model, we inserted a hemagglutinin epitope tag at the amino terminus or a FLAG tag at the carboxyl terminus of the FATP1 cDNA and expressed these constructs in NIH 3T3 cells. Both tagged constructs produce proteins of the expected molecular masses and are functional in fatty acid import assays. Indirect immunofluorescence studies with selective permeabilization conditions and protease protection studies of sealed membrane vesicles from cells expressing epitope-tagged FATP1 were performed. These experiments show that the extreme amino terminus of tagged FATP1 is oriented toward the extracellular space, whereas the carboxyl terminus faces the cytosol. Additionally, enhanced green fluorescent protein fusion constructs containing predicted membrane-associated or soluble portions of FATP1 were expressed in Cos7 cells and analyzed by immunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation. These experiments demonstrate that amino acids 1–51, 52–100, and 101–190 contain signals for integral association with the membrane, whereas residues 258–313 and 314–475 are only peripherally membrane-associated. Amino acid residues 191–257 and 476–646 do not direct membrane association and likely face the cytosol. Taken together, these data support a model of FATP1 as a polytopic membrane protein with at least one transmembrane and multiple membrane-associated domains. This study provides the first experimental evidence for topology of a member of the family of plasma membrane fatty acid transport proteins.
Small proteoglycans of cartilage: Confirmation of their presence by non-disruptive extraction

Abstract Previous studies have characterized a uniquely small proteoglycan, retarded on Sepharose 6B chromatography, in extracts of cartilage prepared by homogenization of the tissue in neutral salt. Since shear forces generated during such homogenization may disrupt some proteoglycans, however, the significance of the small proteoglycan has been questioned. The present study shows for the first time that small proteoglycans, similar in hydrodynamic size and composition and immunologically identical to those extracted by homogenization in sodium acetate, are present also in a cartilage extract prepared without homogenization. The results suggest strongly that the small proteoglycans exist in vivo and are not artifacts of the extraction procedure.
The potentiating effects of ethanol on the blue light depolarization of the retinal pigment epithelium.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is the site of two major effects of ethanol. In humans, ethanol produces a slow damped oscillation in the steady electrical potential of the eye, which is generated primarily by the RPE. It has also been shown that ethanol potentiates the reversible, depolarizing effect of blue light on the transepithelial potential (TEP) of the isolated RPE. The present study demonstrates that in addition to the depolarizing effect of blue light on the TEP, a secondary, compensatory potential arises, which functions to maintain the TEP. The magnitude of the secondary response varies somewhat among preparations. It appears that ethanol eliminates or reduces the secondary, compensatory potential change which results in a large depolarization of the TEP when the RPE is irradiated with blue light. Microelectrode studies reveal that ethanol hyperpolarizes both the apical and basal membranes of the RPE with a greater effect noted in the apical membrane. This would account for the corneal positive potential elicited by ethanol in the human eye. Brief exposures (2–3 min) of blue light, after administration of 0.5% ethanol, results in a large (25–30 mV) depolarization of both membrane potentials as compared with 3 to 5 mV in untreated tissue. On the basis of our observations, it is hypothesized that some of the potentiating effects of ethanol in combination with other agents may result from an interference with a cellular adaptive response to impaired respiration rather than an additive effect on a common mechanism.
Microarray analysis of ageing-related signatures and their expression in tumors based on a computational biology approach

Ageing and cancer have been associated with genetic and genomic changes. The identification of common signatures between ageing and cancer can reveal shared molecular mechanisms underlying them. In this study, we collected ageing-related gene signatures from ten published studies involved in six different human tissues and an online resource. We found that most of these gene signatures were tissue-specific and a few were related to multiple tissues. We performed a genome-wide examination of the expression of these signatures in various human tumor types, and found that a large proportion of these signatures were universally differentially expressed among normal vs. tumor phenotypes. Functional analyses of the highly-overlapping genes between ageing and cancer using DAVID tools have identified important functional categories and pathways linking ageing with cancer. The convergent and divergent mechanisms between ageing and cancer are discussed. This study provides insights into the biology of ageing and cancer, suggesting the possibility of potential interventions aimed at postponing ageing and preventing cancer.
Modulation by Atrial Natriuretic Factor of Receptor-Mediated Cyclic AMP-Dependent Responses in Canine Pulmonary Artery During Heart Failure

Abstract 1. Pacing-induced congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs is associated with increased plasma levels of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and inhibition of receptor-mediated cyclic AMP-dependent relaxation in isolated pulmonary arteries (PA). Since ANF is known to be negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase, we studied cyclic AMP-mediated relaxation to isoprenaline (Iso) and arachidonic acid (AA) in PA from control dogs (C), dogs with pacing-induced CHF (CHF) and dogs with bilateral atrial appendectomy and CHF (ATR APP+CHF). 2. In CHF, plasma ANF levels increased from a baseline of 80 +/- 8 pg ml-1 to 283 +/- 64 pg ml-1 (P < 0.05), but the ATR APP+CHF group failed to show this increase (67 +/- 7 pg ml-1 vs 94 +/- 15 pg ml-1, P = NS). Plasma ANF levels, however, did not influence myocardial dysfunction in CHF. 3. The relaxation of 49 +/- 5% to 1 microM Iso in C was reduced to 23 +/- 4% in CHF (P < 0.05), but relaxation of 49 +/- 12% was observed in the ATR APP+CHF group (P = NS vs C). Relaxation responses to 10 microM AA were as follows: 77 +/- 5% (C, n = 8), 27 +/- 8% (CHF, n = 10, P < 0.05 vs C), and 93 +/- 5% (ATR APP+CHF, n = 5). The presence of CHF, or the plasma ANF levels, did not affect responses to cyclic GMP-mediated relaxing agents in PA. 4. These data indicate that the myocardial performance in CHF is not influenced by plasma ANF levels. However, altered cyclic AMP-mediated relaxation in PA during CHF is, in part, modulated by circulating ANF levels.
Adaptive optics for array telescopes using piston-and-tilt wave-front sensing

A near-infrared adaptive optics system operating at about 50 Hz has been used to control phase errors adaptively between two mirrors of the Multiple Mirror Telescope by stabilizing the position of the interference fringe in the combined unresolved far-field image. The resultant integrated images have angular resolutions of better than 0.1 arcsec and fringe contrasts of more than 0.6. Measurements of wave-front tilt have confirmed the wavelength independence of image motion. These results show that interferometric sensing of phase errors, when combined with a system for sensing the wave-front tilt of the individual telescopes, will provide a means of achieving a stable diffraction-limited focus with segmented telescopes or arrays of telescopes.
Selective protection of high affinity [3H] choline uptake sites by hemicholinium-3 against N-ethylmaleimide binding in Limulus synaptosomes

1. Synaptosomes from Limulus central nervous system (CNS) were preincubated with the sulfhydryl reagent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) both in the presence and in the absence of hemicholinium-3 (HC-3), a competitive inhibitor of sodium-dependent high affinity choline transport. 2. Synaptosomes preincubated with HC-3 and NEM together retained a significantly higher level of high affinity [H]choline uptake (P < 0.05) than did those that were incubated with only NEM. 3. Additionally, the synaptosomes incubated simultaneously with HC-3 and NEM also retained a significantly larger population of available binding sites for [H]NEM binding upon subsequent exposure to [H]NEM than did synaptosomes incubated with only NEM. 4. The results indicate the possible use of HC-3 as a protective binding agent for the specific labeling of high affinity choline transport protein.
Akt inhibitor MK-2206 promotes anti-tumor activity and cell death by modulation of AIF and Ezrin in colorectal cancer

Background There is extensive evidence for the role of aberrant cell survival signaling mechanisms in cancer progression and metastasis. Akt is a major component of cell survival-signaling mechanisms in several types of cancer. It has been shown that activated Akt stabilizes XIAP by S87 phosphorylation leading to survivin/XIAP complex formation, caspase inhibition and cytoprotection of cancer cells. We have reported that TGFβ/PKA/PP2A-mediated tumor suppressor signaling regulates Akt phosphorylation in association with the dissociation of survivin/XIAP complexes leading to inhibition of stress-dependent induction of cell survival.
Detection of Local Changes of Mineral Metabolism within the Jaws of Rabbits by Bone Scanning

Bone scanning with technetium-99m-labeled polyphosphate and a scintillation camera were used to follow the mineral metabolism associated with the reformation and eruption of previously extracted posterior rabbit teeth. Uptake of technetium-polyphosphate was significantly higher throughout the phase of active tooth eruption.
Confluently persistent deques via data structuaral bootstrapping

We introduce data-structural bootstrapping, a technique to design data structures recursively, and use it to design confluently persistent deques. Our data structure requires O(log* k) worst-case time and space per deletion, where k is the total number of deque operations, and constant worst-case time and space for other operations. Further, the data structure allows a purely functional implementation, with no side effects. This improves a previous result of Driscoll, Sleator, and Tajan (in "Proceedings 2nd Annual ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, 1991," pp. 89-99).
Smoldering Combustion and Ground Fires: Ecological Effects and Multi-Scale Significance

Although fires in wetlands would seem to be rare or impossible by definition, these ecosystems do occasionally experience fire. A common feature of fires in wetlands is smoldering combustion in organic soils, such as peat and muck. Increasing occurrence and size of these events from the Arctic to the tropics has been matched by increasing research interest, yet our understanding of smoldering lags behind that of flame-based combustion. Smoldering fires represent hazards to human health and safety locally, and global ecological concerns due to their potential for carbon release. Additionally, ecological effects of smoldering ground fires are generally perceived to be negative, particularly where their historical frequencies are thought to be low. This synthesis describes some aspects of smoldering combustion, and discusses some of the particular ecological aspects of ground fires, focusing on examples from the southeastern United States. We suggest that despite the well-recognized negative aspects of ground fires, there may exist under-recognized ecological benefits that should be further studied and weighed against known hazards posed by these events.
The radiocarbon age of calcite dissolving at the sea floor: Estimates from pore water data

Abstract We measured the radiocarbon content and stable isotopic composition of pore water and bottom water ΣCO2, sedimentary organic carbon, and CaCO3 at two sites on the Ceara Rise, one underlying bottom water that is supersaturated with respect to calcite (Site B), the other underlying undersaturated bottom water (Site G). The results were combined with pore water O2, ΣCO2, and Ca2+ profiles (Martin and Sayles, 1996) to estimate the radiocarbon content of the CaCO3 that is dissolving in the sediment mixed layer. At Site G, the CaCO3 that is dissolving in the upper 2 cm of the sediments is clearly younger (richer in 14C) than the bulk sedimentary CaCO3, indicating that nonhomogeneous CaCO3 dissolution occurs there. The case for nonhomogeneous dissolution is much weaker at the site underlying supersaturated bottom water. The results indicate that nonhomogeneous dissolution occurs in sediments underlying undersaturated bottom water, that the dissolution is rapid relative to the rate of homogenization of the CaCO3 in the mixed layer by bioturbation, and that the dissolution rate of CaCO3 decreases as it ages in the sediment mixed layer. The results support the hypothesis, based on solid phase analyses, that the preferential dissolution of young (i.e., radiocarbon-rich) CaCO3 leads to a pattern of increasing radiocarbon age of mixed-layer CaCO3 as the degree of undersaturation of bottom water increases Keir 1984 , Broecker et al 1991 .
Cochlear microinjection and its effects upon auditory function in the guinea pig

Microinjection through the round window membrane has been found to represent a method for vector delivery in intracochlear gene transfer in animal models but breaches the round window membrane, making it necessary to evaluate animals for possible postinjection hearing loss. In the present study healthy guinea pigs were evaluated for their baseline click auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds. Each animal was then injected with saline via the round window membrane. After 1 week auditory function was evaluated by click ABR. Animals with increased ABR thresholds were retested at 4 weeks. Animals with 1-week postoperative ABRs similar to baseline were not retested. Results showed that postoperative ABR thresholds in five animals (71%) remained unchanged from baseline, while two animals had increases of 20–¶25 dB in ABRs after 1 week but recovered baseline ABRs after 4 weeks. The mean baseline ABR threshold was ¶25.7 dB and was 27.9 dB after 1 week after injection. The difference between preoperative and 1-week postoperative averages was not significant (P = 0.707). In this preliminary study saline microinjection through the round window membrane did not cause permanent hearing loss in the guinea pigs tested, and any damage caused by microinjection appeared to be reversible.
Compression, nonstoichiometry and bulk viscosity of wuestite

New and existing data on the elasticity of wuestite which indicate virtually no correlation between the bulk modulus and stoichiometry are summarized. There appears, however, to be a systematic difference between static and dynamic measurements. This behavior suggests the presence of a frequency dependence to the bulk modulus that can be formally ascribed to a finite bulk viscosity of Fe(1-x)O. Such an effect has not previously been described in oxide or silicate minerals, and it presumably is caused by pressure-induced changes in defect ordering and subsequent relaxation within the incommensurate structure of wuestite.
A mathematical derivation of the exchange of a labeled substance between a liquid flowing in a vessel and an external compartment

A situation is considered in which a fluid containing a substance flows through a vessel at a constant rate, the substance being permeable to the vessel wall. In the region outside the vessel there is supposed to be rapid mixing in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the vessel but no mixing longitudinally. The solution for the spatial distribution at any time is given for the case of an arbitrary initial distribution along the vessel length in the absence of an input. The solution is also given for the case of a single impulsive input, the concentration being initially zero everywhere.
Diagnosis and management of Candida and other fungal infections of the head and neck

Fungi are common inhabitants of the oral and nasal mucosa, and therefore the differentiation between colonization and pathogenicity in the setting of upper respiratory tract infection symptoms can be difficult. Fungal head and neck infections occur in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised persons, and patients with neutropenia, diabetes mellitus, corticosteroid use, and HIV infection are particularly susceptible to serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Invasive fungal head and neck infections generally require extensive surgical debridement and prolonged systemic antifungal therapy, and frequently carry a poor prognosis when the underlying immunosuppression cannot be corrected. In contrast, noninvasive fungal head and neck infections often respond to short courses of systemic or topical antifungal therapy, or require limited surgical debridement alone.
Simplified technique for subnanosecond pulse generation and injection mode-locking of a XeCl laser

A line narrowed XeCl oscillator/amplifier has been used to generate pulses of ≤100 ps duration by a combination of stimulated Brillouin scattering and optical breakdown. In addition, a Brillouin mirror has been used to control the amplified spontaneous emission in an injection mode-locked XeCl oscillator.
The exosome in lung diseases: Message in a bottle.

In this issue Lev€anen et al demonstrate that exosomes isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) contain microRNAs (miRNAs) that are different in asthmatic patients compared with healthy volunteers. Exosomes are membranous nanovesicles of 30 to 100 nm in size, which arise from endosomal compartments called multivesicular bodies (MVBs). During the biogenesis of exosomes, the membranes of MVBs invaginate, forming intraluminal vesicles. Fusion of the MVBs with the plasma membrane releases these vesicles into the extracellular fluid, after which they are referred to as exosomes. They have been suggested to carry communications between cells, allowing for cells to exert biological functions at distant sites. Most of the studies on exosomes have been done on hematopoietic cells. However, recent studies have shown that many cells of different origin and in various organs can produce exosomes. In the lung these cells include macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, and epithelial cells. Exosomes have been detected in body fluids, such as saliva, breast milk, BALF, blood, urine, and ascites. A breakthrough in exosome research was the finding of their nucleic acid contents, such as messenger RNA, small noncoding miRNA, and mitochondrial DNA, which can be transported to other cells. The presence of RNA, including miRNA, has been confirmed in exosomes from various sources. miRNAs are emerging as new therapeutic targets and diagnostic makers for a range of disorders, including lung diseases. There is evidence from mouse models of asthma and inflammation that miRNAs are critical regulators of specific pathogenic events. However, their contribution to human disease remains to be unraveled, for the most part. The investigative team who conducted the current study had previously showed that exosomes from BALF of subjects with asthma differs in phenotype and function compared with that from healthy subjects. Exosomes from asthmatic patients displayed higher levels of exosome-associated markers. No major differences were observed between BALF exosomes before and after allergen provocation. The effect of exosomes to promote leukotrienes (LTs) and IL-8 release in bronchial epithelial cells was significantly increased in asthmatic patients, and the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 antagonist montelukast reduced exosome-induced IL-8 secretion.
Esophageal metastasis from a peripheral lung carcinoma masquerading as a primary esophageal tumor

A 65-year-old man presented with progressive dysphagia, which proved to be the first clinical manifestation of a peripheral lung carcinoma (secondary to a submucosal metastasis in the esophagus). The lung tumor, hidden by the diaphragm on chest x-ray, was not suspected until a thoracotomy was done. Although dysphagia is known to be the first manifestation of bronchogenic carcinomas, such presentation in a case of a peripheral lung carcinoma has not been well described. This case is reported with a review of the literature for cases with dysphagia secondary to a metastatic tumor in the esophagus.
The thermodynamic properties of methanol–water association and its effect on solute retention in liquid chromatography

Employing density data reported for a range of methanol–water mixtures measured at different temperatures, the methanol–water association constant was calculated at each temperature. The standard free enthalpy and entropy of association were then determined from the linear relationship that exists between the logarithm of the association constant and the reciprocal of the absolute temperature. It is shown that the standard free enthalpy is very high for simple association, viz., 1.916 kcal mol−1, and the standard free entropy of distribution was 2.05 cal K−1 mol−1. These values indicate strong association and the relatively low standard free entropy shows a comparatively small change in molecular freedom after association. This indicates that the solvents are probably strongly associated with themselves when not associating with each other. Using the thermodynamic parameters and molar volumes derived from the calculation, the volume fractions of unassociated methanol, unassociated water and methanol–water associate were calculated for a range of initial methanol–water mixtures at different temperatures. The association decreased fairly rapidly with increased temperature as would be expected. From the calculated composition of the ternary mixtures, together with published retention data for the distribution coefficients of a series of aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic acids between methanol–water mixtures and hexadecane, it is shown that dispersive interactions are almost exclusively controlled by the volume fraction of free unassociated methanol. It is also shown that the other components (the methanol–water associate and the free water) exert significant control only over polar interactions.
Meta-Analysis: Methodology, Utility, and Limitations:

Meta-analyses are statistical methods to evaluate large numbers of clinical trial data sets to answer specific clinical questions. Meta-analyses can be performed when large clinical trials are not ...
Self-Assembled Virus-like Particles with Magnetic Cores

Efficient encapsulation of functionalized spherical nanoparticles by viral protein cages was found to occur even if the nanoparticle is larger than the inner cavity of the native capsid. This result raises the intriguing possibility of reprogramming the self-assembly of viral structural proteins. The iron oxide nanotemplates used in this work are superparamagnetic, with a blocking temperature of about 250 K, making these virus-like particles interesting for applications such as magnetic resonance imaging and biomagnetic materials. Another novel feature of the virus-like particle assembly described in this work is the use of an anionic lipid micelle coat instead of a molecular layer covalently bound to the inorganic nanotemplate. Differences between the two functionalization strategies are discussed.
Single system ureteral ectopia in boys associated with bladder outlet obstruction.

AbstractPurpose: Ureteral ectopia is frequently associated with dysplasia of the associated renal segment in girls with ureteral duplication. However, single system ureteral ectopia is an uncommon anomaly more frequently noted in boys. We report on 6 boys with single system ureteral ectopia into the prostatic urethra above the verumontanum, who presented with radiological and clinical findings of bladder outlet obstruction.Materials and Methods: Antenatal ultrasound in 3 boys demonstrated renal abnormalities and postnatal studies suggested the diagnosis of posterior urethral valve obstruction. Older boys presented with symptoms suggestive of bladder outlet obstruction.Results: An ectopic ureter inserting into the prostatic urethra was noted in all 6 boys. The distal ureter was dilated elevating the bladder neck causing outlet obstruction. Surgical management consisted of nephrectomy and transurethral endoscopic incision of the distal ureter or nephroureterectomy with reconstruction of the prostatic urethr...
Conditions for Party Leadership: The Case of the House Democrats.

Political power in Congress, all observers agree, is highly decentralized. The factors chiefly responsible for this are also well known: weak national parties (in the Congress this results in strong constituency ties and weak leadership sanctions over members) and a highly developed division of labor through the committee system. A leadership endowed with few opportunities to punish and reward, coupled with specialization by policy area, inevitably produces an institution with numerous and disparate centers of power. Just as inevitably the politics of such an institution is compounded of persuasion, bargaining, and logrolling.' As weak as the legislative parties are, however, they still provide the major organizing force in Congress. Roll-call vote analyses have demonstrated this,2 and a recent study of the
Central brightening due to constructive interference with, without, and despite dielectric resonance.

Purpose: To aid in discussion about the mechanism for central brightening in high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), especially regarding the appropriateness of using the term dielectric resonance to describe the central brightening seen in images of the human head. Materials and Methods: We present both numerical calculations and experimental images a t3To f a35-cm-diameter spherical phantom of varying salinity both with one surface coil and with two surface coils on opposite sides, and further numerical calculations at frequencies corresponding to dielectric resonances for the sphere. Results: With two strategically placed surface coils it is possible to create central brightening even when one coil alone excites an image intensity pattern either bright on one side only or bright on both sides with central darkening. This central brightening can be created with strategic coil placement even when the resonant pattern would favor central darkening. Results in a conductive sample show that central brightening can similarly be achieved in weakly conductive dielectric materials where any true resonances would be heavily damped, such as in human tissues. Conclusion: Constructive interference and wavelength effects are likely bigger contributors to central brightening in MR images of weakly conductive biological samples than is true dielectric resonance.
Table-lookup based Crossbar Arbitration for Minimal-Routed, 2D Mesh and Torus Networks

Crossbar arbitration - which determines the allocation of output ports to packets in the input queues - is a performance-critical stage in the overall performance of routers for input-queued networks. The overall performance of crossbar arbitration depends on two metrics: (a) matching power - the ability of the arbiter to maximize the number of matches between requesting inputs and free outputs and (b) arbitration throughput - the number of such matches per unit time. Ideally, crossbar arbitration should maximize both metrics. Unfortunately, implementing high performance matching schemes compromises arbitration throughput. Similarly, simpler arbitration mechanisms that deliver high arbitration throughput offer lower matching power. The major contribution of this paper is the design of a table-lookup based crossbar arbitration mechanism - TabArb - that delivers superior matching and high arbitration throughput for minimal-routed, two dimensional mesh and torus networks. The two key innovations of TabArb are: (a) it forwards multiple requests from each input port to multiple output ports to expose adequate matching potential and (b) it employs precomputed tables that store maximum cardinality matches for all possible request combinations. Our technique improves the saturation throughput of adaptive routed mesh network by 14.8%. It offers little improvement for the DOR router due to limited opportunity.
Manipulation of endogenous adenosine affects seizure susceptibility

A1 adenosine receptors in rat prepiriform cortex (PPC) play an important role in the inhibition of bicuculline methiodide (BMI)-induced convulsions. In the present study, we evaluated the manipulation of endogenous adenosine in this brain area as a strategy to effect seizure suppression. All compounds evaluated were unilaterally microinjected into the PPC. Focal administration of 5′NH25′dADO and dilazep were found to be highly efficacious as anticonvulsants with respective ED50 values of 2.6±0.8, and 5.6±1.6 nmol. In contrast, 2′DCF was both less potent and less efficacious. These results suggest that accumulation of endogenous adenosine may contribute to seizure suppression, and that adenosine kinase and adenosine transport may play a pivotal role in the regulation of extracellular levels of adenosine in the CNS. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Rent Seeking into the Income Distribution

This paper uses cross-sectional data from the 50 U.S. states to explore the impact of specialinterest groups on the distribution of income. Holding educational attainment, median income, state government expenditures relative to gross state product, population density, race and other factors constant, we find that incomes are distributed more unequally (the Gini coefficient is higher) in states where interest groups have greater influence on the political process. Combined with a further result suggesting that public spending tends to level the income distribution, ceteris paribus , a key empirical implication of the analysis is that interest groups promote inequality primarily through off-budget channels.
Enhanced Fibroblasts Functions in a New Family of Hierarchically Organized Nanohybrid Elastomers

Fibroblasts functions in a new family of nanohybrid network elastomers with high strength-at-break involving pressure-induced curing and short chain cross-links of inorganic nanostructures have been investigated. The concept of chemical design and synthesis involves covalently linking nanometer-sized titania with a bi-functional agent, acrylic acid, which has a carboxylic group to coordinate with titania and a vinyl group to form short chain cross-links as an integral part of the silicone network structure elastomer. Interestingly, the cell–substrate interactions in the hybrid network structure elastomer are significantly different from those observed in stand alone silicone. The origin of intriguing differences in cell–substrate interactions in terms of cell attachment, viability, and proliferation and assessment of proteins actin, vinculin, and fibronectin are addressed and attributed to physico-chemical properties (topography and hydrophilicity) and to the presence of nanocrystalline titania. The end outcome of the study is a new family of soft tissue implants with desired (enhanced cell functions) and bulk properties (long term stability–high strength-at-break). The integration of cellular and molecular biology with material science and engineering described here provides an insight into the ability to modulate cellular and molecular reactions in promoting osteoinductive signaling of surface adherent cells, in the present case, fibroblasts for soft tissue reconstruction.
Another look at moral panics: The case of satanic day care centers

Moral panics reveal something of interest about social structure, social process, and social change, and the satanic day care moral panic of the 1980s certainly is no exception. This article begins by presenting an overview of that moral panic, using data from a sample of 15 of the over 100 day care centers that comprised it, to illustrate salient points about its timing, trigger and target, content, spread, and denouement. The article then asserts that the satanic day care moral panic also reveals that classical moral panic theory is in need of some revision if it is to retain its explanatory and analytical power in a complex, modern, social world. Specifically, an updated theory needs to account for empowered folk devils, pluralistic social reactions, and symbolic and contradictory social ends.
A Cross-Linguistic Perspective on the Relation Between Temporary Memory Skills and Early Reading Ability

This study of Japanese second graders reveals that, like successful readers of the alphabet, good beginning readers of Japanese excel in memory for linguistic material. It documents significant associations between children's reading ability, memory for Hiragana, Kanji, and spoken nonsense words, but not between these measures and memory for photographs of faces. However, unlike good readers of the alphabet, good readers of Japanese may further excel in one form of nonlinguistic memory. Japanese children's reading ability and their memory for Kanji both associate with their memory for visual nonsense designs. The implication is that linguistic memory skills may contribute to successful acquisition of all orthographies, whereas the importance of nonlinguistic memory skills can vary.
Modeling Uncertainty in Single-Copy Assays for HIV

We present a simple computational model of measurement accuracy for single-copy sensitivity assays (SCA) of HIV RNA that was developed from first principles. The model shows that the SCA is significantly right-skewed. Measured virus concentrations of 1 and 10 virions/ml had overlapping 95% confidence intervals and were statistically indistinguishable.
Measurements of large scale disturbances in rectangular wall jets

Detailed measurements of the velocity field and wall surface pressure distribution of a tone-generating wall jet were obtained in the Ames 7- by 10-foot Wind Tunnel and anechoeic chamber. The jet issued from a 0.508 cm by 10.16 cm nozzle adjacent to a 3.81 cm wall, with an initially parabolic velocity profile at the exit. The jet was operated at Reynolds numbers, R, of 4910, 7740, and 9410. At R = 4910 and 7740, the flow appeared as a double-rowed vortex array which formed upstream of the edge and convected downstream without change in structure. At R = 9410, apparent vortex pairing occurred at the edge location. These flow characteristics were observed in both velocity field measurements and flow visualization records. The unsteady vorticity field of the jet was computed from phase-averaged hot-wire anemometer measurements of the velocity field. The associated acoustic field was estimated by the method of Green's functions, and was found to be similar to measurements of the sound field. These observations tend to support theoretical predictions that vortex shedding at the edge tends to cancel the effect of acoustic sources in other parts of the flow field.
Professional Development + Coaching = Enhanced Teaching: Increasing Usage of Math Mediated Language in Preschool Classrooms

In an effort to determine the most efficacious manner to deliver professional development training to early childhood educators, this study investigated the effect of a 2-h workshop followed by side-by-side classroom coaching. Twelve early childhood educators with 4-year degrees teaching in a university child development center participated in the study. The twice weekly classroom observations were analyzed for the use of math mediated language. Results indicate a 56% increase of math mediated language following the professional development; however, the greatest increase (39% increase over professional development condition) occurred during the side-by-side coaching phase of the treatment. These results corroborate previous findings that implementation of teaching strategies presented in professional development trainings can be enhanced by coaching teachers on the use of the strategies.