cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Variations in the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current and Straits of Florida Volume Transport

Abstract Twelve years of monthly mean positions of the northern boundary of the Loop Current in the eastern Gulf of Mexico from satellite and in situ data have been compared with coincident 1977–1988 estimates of volume transport in the Straits of Florida in the subseasonal frequency band 15−1 to 5−1 cycles per month. Volume transport estimated from Cuba minus Florida sea level difference in this frequency band accounts for 69% of the variance in volume transport estimated from the Florida-Grand Bahama Island submarine cable. On average, the Loop Current has a dominant period of 11 months whereas the volume transport is dominated by annual spectral energy; little significant coherence squared occurs between them. The maximum northward penetration of the Loop Current occurs on average in winter when the volume transport is a minimum, but this is an artifact of the sampling epoch. This negative relationship is most pronounced for 1979–1981 when transport is characterized as unimodal, but for 1984–1985 and 1...
Implementing remote evaluation

Remote evaluation (REV) is a construct for building distributed systems that involves sending executable code from one computer to another computer via a communication network. How REV can reduce communication and improve performance for certain classes of distributed applications is explained. Implementation issues are discussed. REV is incorporated into a high-level programming language by defining its syntax and its semantics. The compile-time and run-time support for REV is discussed in both heterogeneous and homogeneous systems and compared to that needed by a remote procedure call implementation. Sample performance measurements are included. Experience with a prototype REV implementation is summarized. >
Pain intensity assessment in older adults: Use of experimental pain to compare psychometric properties and usability of selected pain scales with younger adults

Objectives To determine: (1) the psychometric properties and utility of 5 types of commonly used pain rating scales when used with younger and older adults, (2) factors related to failure to successfully use a pain rating scale, (3) pain rating scale preference, and (4) factors impacting scale preference. Methods A quasi-experimental design was used to gather data from a sample of 86 younger (age 25-55) and 89 older (age 65-94) adult volunteer subjects. Responses of subjects to experimentally induced thermal stimuli were measured with the following pain intensity rating scales: vertical visual analog scale (VAS), 21-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Verbal Descriptor Scale (VDS), 11-point Verbal Numeric Rating Scale (VNS), and Faces Pain Scale (FPS). Results All 5 pain scales were effective in discriminating different levels of pain sensation; however the VDS was most sensitive and reliable. Failure rates for pain scale completion were minimal, except for the VAS. Although age did not impact failure to properly use this pain intensity rating scale, but rather those conditions more commonly associated with advanced age, including cognitive and psychomotor impairment did. The scale most preferred to represent pain intensity in both cohorts of subjects was the NRS, followed by the VDS. Scale preference was not related to cognitive status, educational level, age, race, or sex. Conclusion Although all 5 of the pain intensity rating scales were psychometrically sound when used with either age group, failures, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, scale sensitivity, and preference suggest that the VDS is the scale of choice for assessing pain intensity among older adults, including those with mild to moderate cognitive impairment.
Histone Acetylase GCN5 Enters the Nucleus via Importin-α in Protozoan Parasite Toxoplasma gondii

The histone acetyltransferase GCN5 acetylates nucleosomal histones to alter gene expression. How GCN5 gains entry into the nucleus of the cell has not been determined. We have mapped a six-amino acid motif (RKRVKR) that serves as a necessary and sufficient nuclear localization signal (NLS) for GCN5 in the protozoan pathogen Toxoplasma gondii (TgGCN5). Virtually nothing is known about nucleocytoplasmic transport in these parasites (phylum Apicomplexa), and this study marks the first demonstrated NLS delineated for members of the phylum. The TgGCN5 NLS has predictive value because it successfully identifies other nuclear proteins in three different apicomplexan genomic databases. Given the basic composition of the T. gondii NLS, we hypothesized that TgGCN5 physically interacts with importin-α, the main transport receptor in the importin/karyopherin nuclear import pathway. We cloned the importin-α gene from T. gondii (TgIMPα), which encodes a protein of 545 amino acids that possesses an importin-β-binding domain and armadillo/β-catenin-like repeats. In vitro co-immunoprecipitation experiments confirm that TgIMPα directly interacts with TgGCN5, but this interaction is abolished if the TgGCN5 NLS is deleted. Taken together, these data argue that TgGCN5 gains access to the parasite nucleus by interacting with TgIMPα. Bioinformatics analysis of the T. gondii genome reveals that other components of the importin pathway are present in the organism. This study demonstrates the utility of T. gondii as a model for the study of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking in early eukaryotic cells.
Pharmacogenetic tools for the development of target-oriented cognitive-enhancing drugs

The identification of the anatomical and physiological substrates involved in the regulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex function in humans provided the basis for the understanding of mechanisms involved in cognitive and executive function under normal as well as pathological conditions. In this context, substantial evidence indicates that alterations in monaminergic function in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex significantly contributes to the cognitive impairments present in schizophrenia, attention deficit disorders, and other neuropsychiatric conditions. The development of a number of compounds that selectively increase extracellular dopamine (DA) concentrations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex but not in subcortical areas by either blocking its metabolism or reuptake, or increasing its release, or that directly activate postsynaptic DA-1 receptor mechanisms provided powerful pharmacotherapeutic tools to mitigate the cognitive deficits brought about by the dopaminergic alterations of the prefrontal cortex. More recently, the findings that polymorphisms of the catecholamine-O-methyl-transferase gene may also modify the effect of these drugs on the prefrontal cortex points toward a more specific genotype-based neuropsychopharmacology for the treatment of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia as well as in a number of other neuropsychiatric conditions. The ability of these compounds to increase DA load selectively in the frontal cortex and not on subcortical systems allows a targeted intervention without the stimulant-like effects observed with older drugs used to treat those conditions.
Microphotonics: Playing with atoms

Researchers in London have produced a scalable microphotonic chip that can optically detect and address individual atoms. The end result could be atom–photon chips capable of complex, system-level functionality.
Modeling the control of planar cell polarity.

A growing list of medically important developmental defects and disease mechanisms can be traced to disruption of the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway. The PCP system polarizes cells in epithelial sheets along an axis orthogonal to their apical–basal axis. Studies in the fruitfly, Drosophila, have suggested that components of the PCP signaling system function in distinct modules, and that these modules and the effector systems with which they interact function together to produce emergent patterns. Experimental methods allow the manipulation of individual PCP signaling molecules in specified groups of cells; these interventions not only perturb the polarization of the targeted cells at a subcellular level, but also perturb patterns of polarity at the multicellular level, often affecting nearby cells in characteristic ways. These kinds of experiments should, in principle, allow one to infer the architecture of the PCP signaling system, but the relationships between molecular interactions and tissue-level pattern are sufficiently complex that they defy intuitive understanding. Mathematical modeling has been an important tool to address these problems. This article explores the emergence of a local signaling hypothesis, and describes how a local intercellular signal, coupled with a directional cue, can give rise to global pattern. We will discuss the critical role mathematical modeling has played in guiding and interpreting experimental results, and speculate about future roles for mathematical modeling of PCP. Mathematical models at varying levels of inhibition have and are expected to continue contributing in distinct ways to understanding the regulation of PCP signaling. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2011 3 588–605 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.138 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
Schottky barrier instabilities due to contamination

We reported here a systematic study of the annealing‐induced changes in the barrier height of Schottky barrier diodes fabricated on atomically clean and contaminated surfaces. Al, Ag, Au, and Cr/GaAs(110) diodes were fabricated by in situ deposition on clean n‐type GaAs(110) surfaces prepared by cleavage in ultrahigh vacuum and on contaminated surfaces prepared by cleavage and exposure to the atmosphere for ∼1–2 h. This study demonstrates that the as‐deposited barrier height and the annealing‐induced changes in the barrier height of diodes formed with an interfacial layer of contamination are distinctly different from the characteristics of diodes formed on clean semiconductor surfaces. The presence of an interfacial layer of contamination is found to significantly degrade the stability of the diode’s barrier height to annealing.
WE-A-301-08: In Vivo Evaluation of a Strategy to Reduce Partial Scan Reconstruction Artifacts in Myocardial Perfusion Computed Tomography

Purpose: The quantitative accuracy of CT numbers in myocardial perfusion computed tomography (MPCT) is degraded by artifacts arising from the use of partial scan reconstruction (PSR), which is used in cardiacCT to improve temporal resolution. PSR artifacts appear because of inconsistencies in the angular range of projection data used for PSR. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the ability of targeted spatial frequency filtration (TSFF) to reduce PSR artifacts in animal studies. Methods: TSFF superposes the high frequency information from a PSR, which contains optimal temporal resolution, with the low frequency information from a full (360‐deg) scan, which contains optimal CT number accuracy. We scanned 4 pigs with an MPCT protocol that had x‐rays continuously on, using 120kVp and 90mAs/rotation. Animals were scanned under two conditions: locked and unlocked. In the locked condition, the animal's heart was paced in synchrony with gantry rotation, guaranteeing consistent angular ranges in the projection data for the desired position in the RR interval. This avoids PSR artifacts. In the unlocked condition, cardiac pacing was not used, leading to variations in the angular projection range associated with any specific point in the RR interval. Filtered backprojection was used to reconstruct partial and full scans at 70% of the RR interval. Time attenuation curves (TACs) were calculated in the myocardium and back muscle. Results: TACs in the back muscle, which should have been flat, had a mean standard deviation of 13.9HU, 2.29HU and 1.12HU over all 4 animals, for the unlocked, locked and unlocked+TSFF conditions, respectively. For the myocardium, the root mean squared error was 5.9HU and 2.45HU for the unlocked and unlocked+TSFF corrected images with respect to the gold standard (locked condition). Conclusions: The TSFF algorithm effectively suppressed PSR artifacts in vivo, improving the accuracy of CT numbers in MPCT. This work was supported in part by the American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship No. 10PRE2560028 and by the NIH Opus CTImaging Resource Construction Grant No. R018898.
The psychosocial implications of pre-emptive transplantation.

Pre-emptive (primary) renal transplantation is occurring with greater frequency as pediatric transplant centers attempt to initiate renal replacement therapy at a time best designed to optimize growth and development in children. Psychosocial benefits of performing pre-emptive transplant are highlighted by an intervention before the child has symptoms of uremia and, thus, develops a selfimage as a “sick patient with end-stage renal disease”, avoidance of dependence on machine technology, avoidance of a change in parenting that may occur with fears about dialysis, and maintenance of an orientation toward future goals. In addition, the child will likely have less loss of school time and less disturbance in previously established social patterns. Difficulties that may be enhanced in pre-emptive transplantation arise from potentially decreased involvement of the child and family in the medical (transplant) care system prior to transplantation. The two major issues of concern are: (1) optimal education regarding patient (family) responsibility toward quality care of the graft recipient; (2) the accurate assessment of coping skills coupled with the development of optimum psychosocial support from the health care workers and community support services. The provision of a good educational and supportive program is time consuming and financially draining. We must develop creative approaches to these areas in order to enhance each child's opportunity for family and community interaction, as well as physical well-being.
Chemical bonding interactions in Zr2Al

Abstract The electronic structure of Zr2Al with the Ni2In-type structure has been calculated by the method of W. Kohn and N. Rostoker (Phys. Rev. 91, 1111 (1954)). The results include densities of states, both total and partial, and resolved according to the angular momentum quantum number, and calculated electron densities presented so as to display directional bonding characteristics of electrons in the valence and conduction regions of energy. It is concluded that: (1) the principal bonding involves aluminum s-type orbitals; (2) the aluminum p-type orbitals are principally nonbonding; and (3) the metallic interactions are principally between zirconium atoms.
Relation Between Growth of Pneumococcus III and Concentration of Capsular Polysaccharide Appearing in Culture Filtrates.

SummaryThe concentration of capsular polysaccharide appearing in blood-broth culture filtrates following the growth of a highly virulent, standardized strain of Pneumococcus III, was determined pho...
Optimal N-caps for N-terminal helical templates: effects of changes in H-bonding efficiency and charge.

A family of efficient helix-initiating N-terminal caps X-Hel is introduced that expand the scope and versatility of the previously reported reporting conformational template Ac-Hel, (Kemp, D. S.; Allen, T. J.; Oslick, S. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 6641−6657) and a working principle for predicting cap performance is described, based on structurally specific intramolecular hydrogen bond formation. Replacement of the N-acetyl by urethane, urea, or sulfonamide generated less efficient polypeptide helix inducers. The N-formyl cap is found to be equivalent to the N-acetyl and may provide more convenient quantitative helix reporting properties. Anionic N-caps derived from the series X = -O2C-(CH2)n-CO, 0 ≤ n ≤ 3, are superior to N-acetyl, as are N-acylglycyl and N-acyl-β-aspartyl. The latter pair of caps permit introduction of the X-Hel functionality within a polypeptide chain, allowing control of helicity of a peptide sub-sequence. Applications of these capping functions are discussed. This work has been focu...
CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA.

Posterolateral congenital diaphragmatic hernia (Bochdalek's hernia, CDH) that presents in the neonatal period is often manifest as life-threatening respiratory distress due to mechanical compression of the cardiopulmonary system by herniated viscera. Most patients can be supported through surgical reduction and repair with standard neonatal techniques. Postoperatively, many develop severe, refractory persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) after a variable period of adequate oxygenation. Despite aggressive ventilatory and pharmacologic maneuvers, a significant number of these infants develop fatal hypoxia and acidosis. At our institution, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used as a therapy of last resort in 12 moribund infants with PPHN and respiratory failure after repair of CDH. There were 7 survivors. All long-term survivors [6] were totally weaned from ventilatory support; all met the criteria for nonsurvival as defined by Bohn et al. [2]. Eight patients (4 survivors) had no PaO2 greater than 100 torr postoperatively. ECMO can relieve the hypoxic and metabolic stimuli that aggravate pulmonary hypertension and provide cardiopulmonary support. It is the treatment of choice for infants who are deteriorating in the face of maximum conventional therapy after surgical correction. Lesions that were formerly denoted nonsurvivable can be effectively treated. It is urged that this therapy be used whenever necessary to sustain the life of an infant who has survived operation, regardless of whether the patient has demonstrated a “honeymoon” period, PaO2 greater than 100 torr, or any other factor conventionally thought to delineate survivable from nonsurvivable lesions. Such practices may exclude patients with survivable lesions from life-saving therapy.
Acute and Chronic Digitalis Toxicity: Presentation and Treatment

Although digitalis toxicity is commonly encountered, it can easily be mistaken because of its many manifestations. Recognition of toxicity depends on an awareness of the difference between an acute digitalis overdose and chronic digitalis toxicity. The gastrointestinal, central nervous, and cardiac conduction systems are most commonly involved. Ventricular ectopy and arrhythmias are common with chronic toxicity, while disturbances of sinus impulse formation, A-V blocks, and nodal arrhythmias are seen with both acute and chronic digitalis toxicity. Treatment is mainly supportive, except in acute poisoning, in which case attempts must be made to clear as much drug as possible from the gastrointestinal tract.
External shaping of laser pulse trains

Abstract Two simple passive systems are presented for modifying the gaussian pulse train envelope produce by a dye-mode-locked Nd: YAG laser oscillator. The first system truncates the gaussian to produce a flat-topped envelope; the second system sharpens the envelope to a triangular form. The second system is analyzed as an intensity-dependent filter.
The Meaning and Relevance of Video Game Literacy

In his article "The Meaning and Relevance of Video Game Literacy" Jeroen Bourgonjon argues that video gaming deserves scholarly attention as a social practice and a site for meaning-making (and thus learning). Based on an overview of contemporary trends in literacy and cultural studies, he further argues that video games cannot be approached like traditional text forms, serve as an important frames of reference for young people, and call for informed decision-making in the context of culture, education, and policy. He provides an integrative perspective of video game literacy by collecting theoretical insights about the distinctive dimensions and elements, and situating them in Bill Green's sociocultural 3D model of literacy, determining the operational, cultural, and critical aspects of video game literacy.
Estimation of protein secondary structure from the laser Raman amide I spectrum.

A new method for estimating protein secondary structure from the laser Raman spectrum has been developed whereby the amide I Raman band of a protein is analyzed directly as a linear combination of amide I bands of proteins whose secondary structures are known. For 14 proteins, analyzed by removing each one from the reference set and analyzing its structure in terms of the remaining proteins, the average correlation coefficients between the Raman and X-ray diffraction estimates of helix, β-strand, turn, and undefined were 0·98, 0·98, 0·82 and 0·35, respectively. Significant correlations were also observed for distinctions between α-helix (0·98) and disordered helix (0·82), and between parallel (0·82) and antiparallel (0·97) β-sheets. The average standard deviation of these Raman estimates from the X-ray values is less than 4%. In addition, a singular value analysis of 20 Raman amide I spectra indicates that there may be as many as nine significant independent pieces of information present in the amide I region.
Dimensional effects on the transition from ignition to flame spread in microgravity

Three-dimensional (3-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) simulations of the transition from radiative ignition on a solid fuel to flame spread in an imposed wind were performed in microgravity. Two-dimensional flames were found to quench (due to poor oxygen supply) more easily (i.e., at larger wind speeds) than 3-D flames. Results from the 2- and 3-D simulations were compared during the transition phase at wind speeds that ultimately lead to quenching of the 2-D flame but survival of the 3-D flame. In all locations near and in the flame, oxygen mass flux was larger in the 3-D flames and dominated by diffusion (as opposed to convection). Oxygen was supplied to the core of the 3-D flame due to diffusion from the sides of the flame (in a cross-wind direction). Diffusion in the 2-D flame was limited to directions parallel to the wind. This cross-wind diffusion was most significant at early times during transition when the flame was small and had a relatively large curvature. The 3-D flame, therefore, required less oxygen supply from an external wind to undergo transition to flame spread. Once flame spread was established there was little difference between the 3-D flames (in the centerline plane) and 2-D flames, due to the decreased curvature of the three-dimensional flame relative to the curvature during ignition and transition.
Diffusion-weighted MR Imaging of the Kidneys and the Urinary Tract

There is currently a growing interest in applications of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the abdomen and pelvis. DWI provides original functional information where the signal and contrast are determined by the microscopic mobility of water. DWI can provide additional information over conventional MR sequences, and could potentially be used as an alternative to contrast-enhanced sequences in patients with chronic renal insufficiency at risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. We provide an overview on basic physics background on DWI applied to the kidneys, and we summarize the current available data, including our recent experience.
Induced Sezary syndrome PBMCs poorly express immune response genes up-regulated in stimulated memory T cells

Background Dysfunctions in memory T cells contribute to various inflammatory autoimmune diseases and neoplasms. We hypothesize that investigating the differences of genetic profiles between resting and activated naive and memory T cells may provide insight into the characterization of abnormal memory T cells in diseases, such as Sezary syndrome (SS), a neoplasm composed of CD4+ CD45RO+ cells.
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from partially mismatched related donors as therapy for primary induction failure acute myeloid leukemia

The outcome of acute myeloid leukemia patients with primary refractoriness to conventional chemotherapy is extremely poor. Allogeneic bone marrow transplants with matched sibling or matched unrelated donors provide 10-20% disease-free survival in this setting. We analyzed our transplant experience using readily available partially mismatched related donor (PMRD) in patients with primary induction failure (PIF) AML. Between March 1994 and December 1998, 13 patients with PIF AML were transplanted from 0-3 HLA antigen mismatched donors. All 12 evaluable patients engrafted at a median of day +16. Ten (77%) patients survived at least 100 days after transplant. Acute GVHD (grade II) was observed in one of 12 patients. Chronic GVHD was seen in one of 10 patients surviving beyond day 100. The major cause of failure was relapse of disease in six occurring 3-12 months after PMRD BMT. Three patients are alive without disease 14, 36 and 45 months post BMT with Karnofsky scores of 100%. The actuarial 3-year probabilities of relapse and disease-free survival were 0.54 and 0.19, respectively. We concluded that a PMRD graft is a viable option, comparable to the use of matched related or unrelated donors, in patients with PIF AML in whom time is of the essence.
Preliminary evaluation of high-performance liquid chromatography with photoconductivity detection for the determination of selected pesticides as potential food contaminants

The applicability of the Tracor Model 965 photoconductivity detector to the determination of a variety of pesticide chemicals, particularly polar and/or thermally labile compounds which are troublesome in gas chromatographic analysis, has been investigated. The effects of various operating parameters (e.g., mobile phase composition, flow-rate and irradiation wavelength) on signal-to-noise output for selected compounds have been evaluated. A comparison of photoconductivity responses with those obtained from a UV detector connected in tandem was made for selected reference standards and food sample extracts. The photoconductivity detector was found to be suitable for the determination of pesticide residues at sub-parts-per-million levels. The linearity and reproducibility of response are adequate for practical quantitative applications.
Paving the Way: New York Road Building and the American State, 1880-1956

Most historians have credited New Deal initiatives in economic regulation and social welfare policy with bringing about the modern American state. Michael Fein now reveals the surprising story of how road building paved the way to the modern state during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and how public works policy emerged as a third critical pillar in support of state building."Paving the Way" shows that the growing transportation needs of a steadily industrializing nation reconfigured state politics, bringing about a revolution in governance as it reshaped the landscape. Examining state and local policy developments from half a century before the New Deal, Fein describes how the transition from rutted wagon trails to smooth highways shifted road-maintenance responsibility from local residents to state engineers. Focusing on New York State, a national leader in infrastructure development, Fein demonstrates that its citizens gradually became more comfortable with state bureaucracy because it resulted in better roads.This conferral of political legitimacy on state engineers by the general populace proved instrumental in the consolidation of engineers' power, translating their professional expertise into a new kind of politics. Fein charts five distinct road-building policy regimes to explain how a basic function of governance - providing public ways - evolved from 1880 to 1956. He also explores the contested nature of these regime changes, as cycling and automobile clubs, construction and real estate interests, hard-nosed agrarians, urban bosses, and professional engineers sought to shape highway policy to their advantage.Fein argues that these state-local power negotiations were important rehearsals for the overall centralization of bureaucratic authority in the mid-twentieth century. Although other traditionally local policy concerns such as education and social welfare would undergo similar transformations, road building was the first major policy area in which older relations between citizens and governing institutions were replaced by modern intergovernmental arrangements."Paving the Way" reminds us that what we take for granted today as a basic function of government bureaucracy was once an open and even controversial question. It offers a new perspective on federal power, arguing that the modern American state rested on the rise of a more complex federalism than has been supposed.
Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumors of the Mediastinum

Nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the mediastinum represent a rare subset of both mediastinal tumors and germ cell cancer. Before cisplatin- based chemotherapy, the outlook for these patients was grim. Recent reports utilizing cisplatin-based chemotherapy with adjuvant surgery when necessary have demonstrated a considerable improvement in outcome.
Autoproteolytic Activation of Pro-Caspases by Oligomerization

Initiation of apopotosis requires the conversion of procaspases to mature caspases. Here we show that oligomerization of pro-caspases is sufficient to induce proteolytic generation of mature caspase subunits and activation of their cell death activity. Deletion of the protein interaction motif DED from pro-caspase-8 greatly suppresses its apoptotic activity. Cell death activity can be restored by oligomerization of pro-caspase-8 protease domains by two heterologous inducible oligomerization systems. Induced oligomerization also activates the apoptotic activity of pro-caspase-1 but not pro-caspase-3. In vitro, oligomerization leads to pro-caspase processing to from the mature caspase subunits; this processing requires the intrinsic caspase activity of zymogens and proceeds via a novel order of cleavage events.
On the value of pairwise constraints in classification and consistency

In this paper we consider the problem of classification in the presence of pairwise constraints, which consist of pairs of examples as well as a binary variable indicating whether they belong to the same class or not. We propose a method which can effectively utilize pairwise constraints to construct an estimator of the decision boundary, and we show that the resulting estimator is sign-insensitive consistent with respect to the optimal linear decision boundary. We also study the asymptotic variance of the estimator and extend the method to handle both labeled and pairwise examples in a natural way. Several experiments on simulated datasets and real world classification datasets are conducted. The results not only verify the theoretical properties of the proposed method but also demonstrate its practical value in applications.
Effect of vaginal lubricants on sperm motility and chromatin integrity: a prospective comparative study

Objective To evaluate the effect of vaginal lubricants Pre∼Seed, FemGlide, Astroglide, and Replens on human sperm motility and chromatin integrity. Design Prospective, comparative, in vitro study. Setting Andrology laboratory at tertiary care hospital. Patient(s) Thirteen normozoospermic donors. Intervention(s) Semen samples from 13 subjects were incubated in human tubal fluid media (HTF) controls and 10% (vol/vol) of Pre∼Seed, FemGlide, Astroglide, and Replens lubricants. After 30 minutes, progressive sperm motility was assessed by light microscopy. Semen samples of 12 patients were placed in positive control (HTF), negative control (10% K-Y Jelly lubricant), and 10% vol/vol Pre∼Seed and FemGlide lubricants. After 4 hours culture, spermatozoa were analyzed for percent DNA fragmentation index with use of the acridine orange–based sperm chromatin structure assay. Main Outcome Measure(s) Sperm motility and percent DNA fragmentation index. Results Percent motility did not differ significantly between HTF controls and Pre∼Seed, whereas FemGlide, Replens, and Astroglide lubricants demonstrated a significant decrease in motility. There was no significant difference in percent DNA fragmentation index between the HTF controls and Pre∼Seed, but a significant decline in sperm chromatin quality occurred with FemGlide and K-Y Jelly. Conclusion Pre∼Seed does not cause a significant decrease in progressive sperm motility or chromatin integrity in contrast to other lubricants used by couples.
Magnetic Response Versus Lift Height of Thin Ferromagnetic Films

The interaction between a magnetic force microscope (MFM) tip and ferromagnetic films of Ni, Co90Fe10 and Py with in-plane magnetization has been investigated. The measured interaction, due to the magnetizing of the films by the MFM tip field, was determined by the phase shift of the cantilever response. The tip-film separation or lift height dependent phase shift was found to be independent of the saturation magnetization of the ferromagnetic film. The result is identical for all three films and micromagnetic simulations give similar results. The reason is at a given tip-sample separation the tip induced magnetization of the film creates a demagnetization field which is equal in magnitude to the tip field at that separation.
Degraded Gaussian multirelay channel: capacity and optimal power allocation

We determine the capacity region of a degraded Gaussian relay channel with multiple relay stages. This is done by building an inductive argument based on the single-relay capacity theorem of Cover and El Gamal. For an arbitrary distribution of noise powers, we derive the optimal power distribution strategy among the transmitter and the relays and the best possible improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) that can be achieved from using a given number of relays. The time-division multiplexing operation of the relay channel in the wideband regime is analyzed and it is shown that time division does not achieve minimum energy per bit.
In vivo recovery with products of very high purity — assay discrepancies

Summary. In view of reports of FVIII assay discrepancies in post-infusion plasma samples depending on methods used, we compared FVIII results run by each of four different methods following infusion of rFVIII (Kogenate®). Nine persons with haemophilia A were infused with each of two lots of product. Plasma samples were obtained at baseline, and at 10 min, 30 min, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 14, 30 and 48 h post-infusion for measurement of FVIII. FVIII assay methods were chromogenic, and one-stage APTT using three different types of activators: micronized, silica, ellagic acid, and kaolin. The same reference plasma standard was used throughout. Results demonstrated a consistent difference in FVIII values, with chromogenic assays being considerably higher than those run by one-stage assays. The discrepancy was greatest when kaolin was the activator. These results point out the problems in attempting to determine the “correct” FVIII level in patient plasma samples following infusion of high purity FVIII preparations. Potential “pitfalls” include the standard used for defining product potency, the methods, reagents, instrumentation and standards used in assaying plasma samples and, in some instances, the characteristics of the product itself. This situation has considerable cost implications, potential impact on patient care, and makes it difficult to compare results between laboratories.
Modifications of luteinizing hormone biosynthesis and release by gonadotropin-releasing hormone, cycloheximide, and actinomycin D.

In the first experiment, the influence of synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on the time course of [3H]glucosamine ([3H]GA) and [14C]alanine ([14C]A) incorporation into LH by quartered rat anterior pituitary glands and the sequence of release of radiolabeled and total immunoreactive LH (IR-LH) was investigated. Radiolabeled LH was measured by immunoprecipitation and total IR-LH was measured by RIA. After lag periods of 5 and 20 min, respectively, incorporation of [14C]A and [3H]GA into tissue LH increased linearly for 4 h. GnRH stimulated incorporation of [3H]GA only. The ratio of [14C]A-LH to [3H]GA-LH (14C:3H ratio) in the tissue decreased significantly with time and with GnRH treatment. In the second experiment, replenishment of GnRH in the medium every 0.5 h elevated the release rate (release during each sequential 0.5 h) of both [3H]GA and [14C]A-labeled LH within 1.5 h. The release rate of radiolabeled LH increased linearly until 3.5 h. The 14C:3H ratio in LH released during each time i...
Tumour necrosis factor-alpha regulates expression of the CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) alpha and beta and determines the occupation of the C/EBP site in the promoter of the insulin-responsive glucose-transporter gene in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

We have demonstrated previously that treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) results in a rapid (4 h) and significant (75â€“80%) reduction in the rate of transcription of the GLUT4 gene. Control of GLUT4 gene transcription has been suggested at least in part to reside with the CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) family (alpha beta and delta isoforms) of transcription factors. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays we have examined the ability of TNF to alter the occupation of the C!EBP site in the GLUT4 promoter. The data suggest that in fully differentiated adipocytes the C/EBP site is a ligand for predominantly alpha/alpha homodimers; however after exposure to TNF a shift in occupancy of the site occurs and the ligands become alpha/beta heterodimers and beta/beta homodimers. Partner selection in dimer formation appears to be controlled by selective translocation of the beta-isoform from the cytosol to the nucleus after exposure of the cells to TNF. Originally published Biochemical Journal Vol. 338 No. 3 Mar 1999
THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE RIBOSOME AND ITS COMPONENTS

▪ Abstract Exciting progress has been made in the last decade by those who use physical methods to study the structure of the ribosome and its components. The structures of 10 ribosomal proteins and three isolated ribosomal protein domains are known, and the conformations of a significant number of rRNA sequences have been determined. Electron microscopists have made major advances in the analysis of images of ribosomes, and microscopically derived ribosome models at resolutions approaching 10A are likely quite soon. Furthermore, ribosome crystallographers are on the verge of phasing the diffraction patterns they have had for several years, and near-atomic resolution models for entire ribosomal subunits could emerge from this source at any time. The literature relevant to these developments is reviewed below.
An Immunogenomics Approach to Understanding Periparturient Immunosuppression and Mastitis Susceptibility in Dairy Cows

Studies comparing in vivo and in vitro functional capacities of leukocytes from non-parturient and periparturient dairy cows have provided substantial evidence that systemic and local mammary immune defenses are deficient around parturition. This evidence has lead to the reasonable hypothesis that immune deficiency underlies the heightened mastitis susceptibility of periparturient cows. Nutrition and vaccine studies substantiate this hypothesis, showing that dietary antioxidant supplementation and rigorous immunization regimes can bolster innate and humoral immunity to the point that mastitis severity and time for return to normal milk production are reduced. However, completely effective resolution of this significant production disease has not been achieved because so little is understood about its complex etiology. In particular, we possess almost no knowledge of how or why immune cells responding to parturient physiology end up with deficient functional capacities. Fluctuations in reproductive steroid hormones and chronic shifts in neuroendocrine hormones with roles in nutrient partitioning and appetite control may affect the expression of critical leukocyte genes in periparturient dairy cows. A thorough understanding of leukocyte biology during periparturition would seem a critical goal for future development of effective mastitis prevention strategies. Recently, our group has begun to use cDNA microarray technology to explore bovine leukocyte RNA for global gene expression changes occurring around parturition. We are working within the context of a hypothesis that the physiology of parturition negatively affects expression of critical genes in blood leukocytes. In the current study we initiated hypothesis testing using leukocyte RNA from a high producing Holstein cow collected at 14 days prepartum and 6 hours postpartum to interrogate a cDNA microarray spotted with >700 cDNAs representing unique bovine leukocyte genes. This analysis revealed 18 genes with ≥1.2-fold higher expression 14 days prepartum than 6 hours postpartum. BLASTN analysis of these genes revealed only one that can be considered a classical immune response gene. All other repressed genes were either unknown or putatively identified as encoding key proteins involved in normal growth and metabolism of cells. Given the critical roles of these repressed genes in normal cell functions, we may have identified good candidates to pursue with respect to periparturient immunosuppression and mastitis susceptibility.
Ising and Spin orders in Iron-Based Superconductors

Motivated by recent neutron scattering experiments, we study the ordering of spins in the iron-based superconductors $\mathrm{LaFeAs}({\mathrm{O}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{F}}_{x})$, assuming them in proximity to a Mott insulator in the phase diagram. The ground state of the parent system with $x=0$ is a spin-density wave with ordering wave vector $\stackrel{P\vec}{Q}=(0,\ensuremath{\pi})$ or $(\ensuremath{\pi},0)$. Upon raising the temperature, we find that the system restores SU(2) symmetry, while an Ising symmetry remains broken, explaining the experimentally observed lattice distortion to a monoclinic crystal structure. Upon further temperature increase, the spins finally disorder at a second transition. The phase transition driven by doping with charge carriers similarly splits into an $\mathrm{O}(3)$ transition and an Ising transition with $z=3$ at larger doping.
Removing Third Molars: A Review for the General Practitioner

This article reviews data on the prophylactic removal of third molars and outlines surgical extraction procedures and postoperative care.
Fabric-Based Active Electrode Design and Fabrication for Health Monitoring Clothing

In this paper, two versions of fabric-based active electrodes are presented to provide a wearable solution for ECG monitoring clothing. The first version of active electrode involved direct attachment of surface-mountable components to a textile screen-printed circuit using polymer thick film techniques. The second version involved attaching a much smaller, thinner, and less obtrusive interposer containing the active electrode circuitry to a simplified textile circuit. These designs explored techniques for electronic textile interconnection, chip attachment to textiles, and packaging of circuits on textiles for durability. The results from ECG tests indicate that the performance of each active electrode is comparable to commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes. The interposer-based active electrodes survived a five-cycle washing test while maintaining good signal integrity.
Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of multidrug-resistant Salmonella anatum isolated from horses.

Salmonella anatum is a common cause of salmonellosis, an important infectious disease in horses of all ages. These infections range in severity from asymptomatic colonization to serious life-threatening septicemia. In horses, the most common forms of clinical disease are acute enterocolitis with severe diarrhea and septicemia with or without diarrhea. Stress, transportation, hospitalization, antimicrobial therapy, colic, and surgery are risk factors associated with the development of clinical disease. Salmonella typhi-, murium is the serotype isolated most frequently from horses; other frequently isolated serotypes include S. agona, S. anatum, S. krefeld, S. newport, and S. typhimurium var. copenhagen. In the spring of 1991, multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. anatum was cultured from 2 septicemic foals referred for treatment to the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (UWVMTH). Subsequently, 7 more isolates were cultured from horses treated at the UWVMTH and/or an Illinois veterinary clinic. The present report includes the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of these MDR S. anatum. A total of 20 strains of S. anatum were examined for this study. Between April 1991 and August 1992, S. anatum was isolated from 3 septicemic foals and 3 adult horses referred for treatment to the UWVMTH. These animals were referred either from a clinic located in Illinois or by veterinarians from other locations in Illinois and Wisconsin. Two S. anatum isolates were obtained directly from the National Veterinary Service Laboratory (NVSL), Ames, IA. These isolates were from 2 additional horses treated at the Illinois clinic during the spring of 1991. In June 1991, 6 isolates of S. anatum were cultured from an environmental study of the Illinois clinic. Five isolates were obtained from stalls, 1 from a mineral oil bucket, and 1 from a horse being treated at the clinic. In addition, 5 different strains of S. anatum that were obtained at the UWVMTH between August 1986 and May 1991 from horses, cows, and the necropsy room drain were included in this study. These 20 isolates were the only strains of S. anatum cultured at the UWVMTH between August 1986 and August 1992. All strains were stored at -70 C. The isolates were identified using a commercial biochemical strip and were serotyped by NVSL and/or the Central Animal Health Laboratory, Madison, WI. All isolates were serotyped as S. anatum. An automated microbiology system was used to determine minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of tetracy-
PS3-39: What Are Seniors Doing to Promote Healthy Aging?

Background/Aims We describe the percentages of seniors taking health actions to promote healthy aging; how well they are achieving recommended goals; and whether healthcare provider advice influences behavior.
Managed Care and Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

Physicians and other healthcare professionals must become more active advocates for patients in this new era of for-profit managed care. We must, for example, add our voices to those of organizations such as the AHA and the ACC that speak out on behalf of persons with cardiovascular disease and institutions that advance knowledge through education and research.1 2 During the early 1990s, for-profit managed care swept over the American landscape like a flood, washing away medical traditions and disrupting doctor-patient relationships. By now, the fast-moving currents of managed care have reached virtually every heart specialist and every cardiac patient in the nation. The unique doctor-patient relationship, built on a centuries-old foundation of altruism and trust, has been undermined.3 Individual patients seeking personalized care are sometimes pushed around like pawns on a chessboard. Meanwhile, doctors sometimes confront hastily constructed but effective barriers that disrupt or destroy long-standing relationships with their patients and their peers. Most readers of Circulation would agree that American cardiology is a brilliant achievement based on the integration of research advances, technological and pharmaceutical innovations, and highly trained clinicians.4 Heart patients are living longer and better lives as a result of this fertile union and enhanced emphasis on risk factor reduction. Not everyone shares this optimistic view, however, especially those managed care executives whose main goal is to spend less on health care in order to reward their investors and attract new business. The most aggressive leaders of for-profit managed care often seem unconcerned with the ideals and institutions that physicians and patients used to take for granted.5 They discount the unique mission and special needs of America’s academic health centers, the factories of new knowledge that are a crucial component of this nation’s remarkably productive biomedical research enterprise. Health care, in this …