cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Mechanisms of Rat and Human Pancreatic Triglyceride Lipases

Dietary fats affect health and disease. The assimilation of dietary fats into the body requires that they be digested by lipases. One lipase, pancreatic triglyceride lipase, is essential for the efficient digestion of dietary fats. Pancreatic triglyceride lipase is the archetype of the lipase gene family that includes two homologues of pancreatic triglyceride lipase, pancreatic lipase-related proteins 1 and 2. In recent years, important advances have been made in delineating the mechanisms of lipolysis. The cDNA sequences encoding pancreatic triglyceride lipase and the related proteins have been described. The tertiary structure of human pancreatic triglyceride lipase has been determined alone and in a complex with colipase, a pancreatic protein required for lipase activity in the duodenum. This structural information has allowed the rational design of site-specific mutants of pancreatic triglyceride lipase. Together with the structural information, these mutants have greatly advanced our understanding of the molecular details governing lipolysis. This review describes these studies, which will eventually provide the background for the rational design of nutrition therapy in patients with pancreatic insufficiency and fat malabsorption.
The rare problem of late recurrence in neuroblastoma

Two-year disease-free survival is considered highly predictive of therapeutic success with neuroblastoma and death from neuroblastoma greater than 5 years after diagnosis is a rare event. We report of an unusual case of death from neuroblastoma 20 years after diagnosis; a literature review and discussion of this rare phenomenon of late recurrence is also included. Five additional cases of late recurrence, defined as greater than 5 years after diagnosis, were found in the literature with adequate detail to be reviewed. Advanced disease was present at diagnosis in five of six cases; three of six had disseminated disease. No age or sex differences were noted. A peculiar tencency for recurrence during the teenage years, preceded by a long disease-free interval, was also present in all cases, perhaps a reflection of maturational alterations in the immune system or hormonal changes that previously had suppressed extensive disease. This phenomenon of late recurrence in neuroblastoma, albeit rare, adds another facet to the clinical behavior of an enigmatic and therapeutically unyielding childhood tumor.
Group Homomorphism Generated Near-Rings and Rings: A Unity Not Fixing Each Element of the Group

Abstract Let (G, +) be a group, not necessarily abelian, and let K be a nontrivial subgroup of G. Let ℋ = ℋ(G, K) be the additive group generated by Hom (G, K). Then (ℋ(G, K), +, ○) is a d.g. near-ring. If K ≠ G, then ℋ(G, K) cannot contain the unity element of ℰ(G), the near-ring generated by End G. Surprisingly, examples exist which show it may indeed have a two-sided unity element. Conditions are developed involving G and K¯, the additive subgroup generated by ∪ {h(G) : h ∈ ℋ}, which characterize when ℋ(G, K) contains a one-sided or two-sided unity element. The cases when K¯ is abelian or an E-group are considered. As a consequence of this theory, connections between ℰ(G) and ℰ(K¯), via ℋ(G, K), are established. Numerous illustrative examples are given.
An analytical iterative algorithm for the prediction of special satellite orbit points with the Brouwer orbit theory

Employing a direct recursive algorithm in relation with analytical theories will yield a considerable saving in computer time, as opposed to simulating a point by point integration through repeated evaluations of the orbit theory. As a case in point, we shall compute the set of osculating orbiting elements corresponding to special events within the revolution of an artificial satellite.
Type 2 diabetes and risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

Diabetes is a major public health burden. Even a modest effect of diabetes on cognitive function has significant public health implications. Several lines of mechanistic evidence implicate a role of insulin and glucose metabolism on risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Population-based studies have shown that those with type 2 diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of cognitive impairment, dementia, and neurodegeneration. There are many mechanisms through which diabetes could increase risk of dementia, including glycemia, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, advanced glycation endproducts, inflammatory cytokines, and microvascular and macrovascular disease. This paper presents a review of the evidence on diabetes and increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, a discussion of different possible mechanisms, and remaining gaps in our knowledge.
Epigenetic gorges in fluvial landscapes

Epigenetic gorges form when channels that have been laterally displaced during episodes of river blockage or aggradation incise down into bedrock spurs or side-walls of the former valley rather than excavating unconsolidated fills and reinhabiting the buried paleovalley. Valley-filling events that promote epigenetic gorges can be localized, such as a landslide dam or an alluvial/debris flow fan deposit at a tributary junction, or widespread, such as fluvial aggradation in response to climate change or fluctuating base-level. The formation of epigenetic gorges depends upon the competition between the resistance to transport, strength and roughness of valley-filling sediments and a river's ability to sculpt and incise bedrock. The former affects the location and lateral mobility of a channel incising into valley-filling deposits; the latter determines rates of bedrock incision should the path of the incising channel intersect with bedrock that is not the paleovalley bottom. Epigenetic gorge incision, by definition, post-dates the incision that originally cut the valley. Strath terraces and sculpted bedrock walls that form in relation to epigenetic gorges should not be used to directly infer river incision induced by tectonic activity or climate variability. Rather, they are indicative of the variability of short-term bedrock river incision and autogenic dynamics of actively incising fluvial landscapes. The rate of bedrock incision associated with an epigenetic gorge can be very high (>1 cm/yr), typically orders of magnitude higher than both short- and long-term landscape denudation rates. In the context of bedrock river incision and landscape evolution, epigenetic gorges force rivers to incise more bedrock, slowing long-term incision and delaying the adjustment of rivers to regional tectonic and climatic forcing. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
"Targeting" Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: The Lessons Learned From BRCA1-Associated Breast Cancers

Breast cancer has long been recognized as a heterogeneous entity, with distinct subsets characterized by differences in tumor biology and response to therapy. With the advent of molecular profiling, we have gained a further appreciation of the heterogeneity of this complex disease. While the last decade has seen advances in the treatment of hormone receptor (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2/erb-B2 (HER2)-positive breast cancers, outcomes for women with estrogen receptor (ER)-, progesterone receptor (PR)-, and HER2-negative—or “triple-negative”—breast cancer (TNBC) remain poor. A better understanding of the shared biology of BRCA1-associated breast cancer and sporadic TNBC holds much promise for changing the outlook for women with this aggressive disease. This review focuses on our current understanding of the clinicopathological features of TNBC, therapeutic options and ongoing research efforts.
Habitat selection and host location by symbiotic shrimps associated with Sargassum communities: The role of chemical and visual cues

One of the most fundamental aspects of symbioses is how the symbionts establish the association. The Sargassum community is comprised of a unique and diverse assemblage of symbiotic organisms, most of which are likely seeking refuge. Host location of the Sargassum habitat by two of the most common invertebrate symbionts, Latreutes fucorum and Leander tenuicornis, was investigated. Based on our trials, neither shrimp species used chemical cues, in the absence of visual cues. Habitat selection of both shrimp species was also examined under a variety of conditions. Our results show that L. fucorum and L. tenuicornis can distinguish visually between different structures and habitats. Specifically, they selected live Sargassum over artificial Sargassum. Moreover, L. fucorum selected Sargassum natans over Sargassum fluitans when only visual cues were available, whereas large-sized L. tenuicornis selected S. fluitans under the same conditions. Conversely, habitat selection trials combining both chemical and visual cues resulted in no preference between the two Sargassum species by either shrimp species. Additional ecological factors that might influence habitat location and selection are discussed, and the importance of Sargassum in terms of pelagic fisheries management.
Bodily Proportions as Guides to Lineal Measurements among the Blackfoot Indians

Elderly Blackfoot informants a quarter century ago recalled certain bodily proportions used by craftsmen and women as guides to lineal measurement in prereservation days. Still other measurements of similar character appear to have been introduced to these Indians by white traders. [Blackfoot, Assiniboin, Omaha, measurements, arrow-making, trade goods]
An analysis of the industrial buying process by means of buying center communications

Illustrates a simple and practical method for analysing the communication flows in a buying centre. Presents an actual application that captures the organisational interactions necessary to secure approval for major purchase requests in a textile manufacturing company. Concludes that analysis and actual lead time to secure approval in the company resulted in information about the buying process that was contrary to the perception of the employees who initiated the purchase requests.
Entropic Forces in the Mechanics of Solids

Abstract The molecules that comprise biological structures are joined together by chemical bonds that are relatively weak com- pared to the ionic, covalent and metallic atomic bonds of traditional engineering materials. Both the large size of these molecules and the relatively low energies of these bonds account for the softness of the resulting material structures. When immersed in water at a temperature on the order of 35 °C, a biological membrane undergo random transverse fluctuations, driven by Brownian motion of the water molecules. If not constrained in any way, a soft elastic structure will deform so that the mean elastic energy induced just balances the mean entropic energy acquired through fluctua- tion. If the elastic structure is constrained kinematically, the forces necessary to maintain such constraints are entropic forces. The estimation of such forces, as well as some of their consequences, are discussed here, mainly for the case of bio-membranes with elastic bending resistance.
Medical education in ambulatory settings.

The factors that have encouraged an increasing shift of medical education and training from inpatient hospital wards to the ambulatory setting are likely to intensify during the 1990s. Changes in the patterns of disease, with a greater prevalence of chronic conditions caused by multiple risk factors, cost-containment pressures to limit length of hospital stay, growth of managed care organizations, hospital sponsorship of expanded ambulatory services onsite and offsite, and improved ambulatory diagnostic and treatment modalities, will all encourage the expansion of ambulatory care and the contraction of inpatient services. Lesky and Borkan1 in this issue of the Archives present a useful set of recommendations to help faculty make better use of the learning opportunities presented by the expansion of ambulatory care in academic medical centers. The authors address the special challenges of restricted time for patient care and teaching in a busy ambulatory setting and the isolation and vulnerability of
Determination of reaction volumes and polymer distribution characteristics of tobacco mosaic virus coat protein.

Abstract A method that allows the quantitative determination of reaction volumes from sedimentation velocity experiments in an analytical ultracentrifuge is presented. Combined with a second method for detecting pressure-induced depolymerization, general characteristics of polymer distributions may be probed. We show that it is possible to determine if a sample is in an equilibrium or metastable state of subunit association. Our approach to probe macromolecular aggregation systems by small pressure perturbations is not restricted to the use of centrifuges. This method has been applied to characterize certain aspects of the polymerization of tobacco mosaic virus coat protein (TMVP). There are at least two helical polymer conformations in RNA-free coat protein rods. The smaller, helix I, polymers are limited to sizes below about 70 subunits (four to five helical turns) and undergo some kind of cooperative conformational change before further subunits may be added indefinitely. In contrast to helix I, the larger helix II polymers occur as broader and skewed size distributions. Under moderately strong polymerization conditions, the equilibrium state can contain both types of helical rods. The reaction volume for the addition of trimers is −220 ml/mol for both types of helical polymers. These results are compared with the results of previous thermodynamic analyses of TMVP polymerization.
Separation of proteins from polyelectrolytes by ultrafiltration

Abstract Polyelectrolyte precipitation, while a potentially effective method for concentration and fractionation of proteins, may require subsequent removal of the polyelectrolyte. We report on a strategy of using ultrafiltration membranes to recover proteins in the permeate and polyelectrolyte in the retentate. p]Separation of polyacrylic acid (PAA) from proteins was successfully carried out using two different membranes. Proteins as small as lysozyme could be permeated with membrane MWCO of 1 X 10 5 , whereas larger proteins, such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), required the use of MWCO = 3 X 10 5 . Permeation of proteins was found to be dependent on parameters such as pH and ionic strength, which control protein/polyelectrolyte complexation, and stir rate, which controls concentration polarization. p]In order to determine the limits of applicability of the strategy, experiments were carried out with different molecular weight PAA both in the presence and absence of protein. In the presence of protein, PAA retention was high due to membrane fouling by the protein. In the absence of protein, PAAs of MW 6 permeated through both membranes to some extent.
Mission Accomplished…It's Learnable Now: Voices of Mature Challenged Spellers Using a Word Study Approach

This is the publisher's official version, also available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1598/JAAL.49.5.6
State Neutrality and the Ethics of Human Enhancement Technologies

Robust technological enhancement of core cognitive capacities is now a realistic possibility. From the perspective of neutralism, the view that justifications for public policy should be neutral between reasonable conceptions of the good, only members of a subset of the ethical concerns serve as legitimate justifications for public policy regarding robust technological enhancement. This paper provides a framework for the legitimate use of ethical concerns in justifying public policy decisions regarding these enhancement technologies by evaluating the ethical concerns that arise in the context of testing such technologies on nonhuman animals. Traditional issues in bioethics, as well as novel concerns such as the possibility of moral status enhancement, are evaluated from the perspective of neutralism.
Preoperative three-dimensional echocardiography to assess risk of right ventricular failure after left ventricular assist device surgery.

Abstract Background Right ventricular failure (RVF) is associated with significant morbidity after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) surgery. Hemodynamic, clinical, and 2-dimensional echocardiographic variables poorly discriminate patients at risk of RVF. We examined the utility of 3-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) right ventricular (RV) volumetric assessment to identify patients at risk for RVF. Methods and Results RVF was defined as the need for inotropic infusion for >14 days after LVAD surgery or the need for biventricular assist device support. Preoperative RV volumes and ejection fraction (EF) were measured, blinded to clinical data, from transthoracic 3DE full volume data sets in 26 patients. Baseline variables and 3DE RV indices were compared between patients with and without RVF. Twenty-four patients received continuous-flow LVADs, and 2 required biventricular support devices. Ten patients required prolonged inotropes after LVAD placement. Baseline characteristics associated with RVF included higher right atrial pressure, higher right atrial pressure to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ratio, and lower cardiac index and RV stroke work index (RVSWI). Echocardiographic indices associated with RVF included 3DE indexed RV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes (RVEDVI and RVESVI) and RV ejection fraction (RVEF). The relationship between 3DE quantification of RV volumes and the development of RVF was independent from RVSWI: RVEDVI: odds ratio (OR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00–1.33 (P = .04); RVESVI: OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01–1.28 (P = .03). Conclusions Quantitative 3DE is a promising method for pre-LVAD RV assessment. RV volumes assessed by 3DE are predictive of RVF in LVAD recipients independently from hemodynamic correlates of RV function.
Effects of puff adder venom on the coagulation mechanism—I. in vivo

Abstract A 22-year-old man bitten on the finger by a young puff adder (Bitis arietans) showed within 2 hr a slightly low platelet count, a slightly prolonged prothrombin time and a short euglobulin lysis time. Partial thromboplastin times (PTT) were accelerated. Rats injected with 100 μg of venom per rat intravenously, or 1000 μg intramuscularly showed depressed platelet counts (not prevented by heparin), prolonged PTT and low factor VIII levels. The results suggest that the venom has a direct destructive effect on platelets and on some of the other coagulation factors, particularly factor VIII. Intravascular coagulation, if it occurred in vivo, was of only minor significance.
Linearity of spatial integrations involving inhibitory interactions

Abstract The concept of linear spatial integration, embodied in Ricco's law, has been extended to situations involving inhibitory interactions. Spatial interactions affecting the perceived brightness and darkness of single, low contrast lines were examined for linearity. Some nonlinearities were observed which suggest a threshold of inhibition and, in some cases, occlusion of spatial summation. The pattern of interactions is similar to the patterns deduced from other types of experiments.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa C5-mannuronan epimerase: steady-state kinetics and characterization of the product.

Alginate is a major constituent of mature biofilms produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The penultimate step in the biosynthesis of alginate is the conversion of some β-D-mannuronate residues in the polymeric substrate polymannuronan to α-L-guluronate residues in a reaction catalyzed by C5-mannuronan epimerase. Specificity studies conducted with size-fractionated oligomannuronates revealed that the minimal substrate contained 9 monosaccharide residues. The maximum velocity of the reaction increased from 0.0018 s−1 to 0.0218 s−1 as the substrate size increased from 10 to 20 residues, and no additional increase in kcat was observed for substrates up to 100 residues in length. The Km decreased from 80 μM for substrate containing fewer than 15 residues to 4 μM for substrate containing over 100 residues. In contrast to C5-mannuronan epimerases that have been characterized in other bacterial species, P. aeruginosa C5-mannuronan epimerase does not require Ca2+ for activity, and the Ca2+-alginate complex is not a substrate for the enzyme. Analysis of purified, active enzyme by inductively coupled plasma-emission spectroscopy revealed that no metals were present in the protein. The pH dependence of the kinetic parameters revealed that 3 residues on the enzyme which all have a pKa of about 7.6 must be protonated for catalysis to occur. The composition of the polymeric product of the epimerase reaction was analyzed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, which revealed that tracts of adjacent guluronate residues were readily formed. The reaction reached an apparent equilibrium when the guluronate composition of the polymer was 75%.
OCEAN TURBINES — A RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT

This paper identifies factors that impact reliability and safety of ocean turbines. We describe how physical and environmental factors will impact the design of its machine condition monitoring (MCM) system. Environmental factors like fouling, corrosion, and inaccessibility of equipment sets this MCM problem apart from those encountered by wind turbines, hydroelectric plants, or even ship hulls and propellers. Fouling constitutes the primary and most persistent source of failure. In addition to compromising turbine efficiency and reliability, fouling reduces sensor data quality — masking faults that will ultimately lead to failure. Unmitigated fouling triggers a form of biological succession known as flocculation that may eventually attract threatened species of tortoises and cetaceans to this rotating machinery. We review and suggest refinements to a class of non-toxic biologically-inspired anti-fouling techniques known as engineered topographies. Advances in this area will enable turbines to operate in portions of the water column that maximize momentum flux while minimizing retrieval cost.
TH-C-T-617-04: Measurements and Monte Carlo Simulations of Dose Perturbations Due to Metallic Implants in Proton Radiotherapy

Purpose: To quantify the doseperturbation behind implanted metallic appliances and fiducials in protonradiotherapy.Method and Materials:Doseperturbations from stainless steel spheres of 6.4–15.9 mm diameter were investigated in proton therapy beams. Passive lateral spreading was combined with collimation to produce 17.8‐cm diameter fields. Penetration ranges were varied between 40 and 160 mm. Dose profiles were measured in planes perpendicular to the proton beam axis, at distances of 0–150 mm behind the implants, using radiographic film exposed to 0.4–0.5 mGy. The experiments were modeled in detail with Monte Carlo simulations that included hadron and electron transport physics. 120×106proton histories were simulated, corresponding to 8% or less statistical uncertainty. Results: Edge effects are most prominent at the highest proton beam energies and produce concentric perturbations of +/−10–40% for the implants considered here. Thick implants (w.r.t. the beam range) may stop the protons, leaving a zero dose shadow behind it. For thin and intermediate implants, the range loss in the implant produces a cone of dose enhancement of up to 20% directly behind the implant due to in increase in the stopping power values. In an air cavity, shadows reduce the dose by up to 60% at 15 cm distance downstream from the implant. The Monte Carlo simulations agree with the measurements to better than 8% in all cases and typically to within 4%. Additional simulations will be presented for implants of gold and tantalum, ranging in size from 0.8 to 3 mm. Conclusion: We have identified several representative cases in which implants produce significant doseperturbations. In such cases, a treatment plan should include suitable simulations or measurements to ensure that the implants do not result in cold spots in the tumor or hot spots in normal tissue.
Microzooplankton herbivory on the grand bank (Newfoundland, Canada) : a seasonal study

Grazing impact of microzooplankton on phytoplankton was investigated on the Grand Bank, Newfoundland, Canada, in April, July and October 1984, using a seawater dilution method. In April a large proportion of chlorophylla was in the microplankton size fraction (> 20µm) while in mid-summer and fall most was in the nanoplankton size fraction (< 20µm). Diatoms were the dominant phytoplankters in April, while undetermined flagellates and coccolithophores were abundant in other seasons. Major grazers were oligotrichous ciliates in all seasons. Instantaneous grazing rates on nanophytoplankton, as measured by changes in chlorophylla, varied from 0.12 to 0.43 d−1 and those on microphytoplankton from 0.19 to 0.68 d−1. Grazing rates did not change over 24 and 48 h intervals. This level of grazing corresponded to a daily loss of about 20 and 30% of standing stock of chlorophylla and about 50 and 70% loss of potential production in the two size fractions respectively. Taxon-specific grazing rates, calculated from microscopic enumeration, showed that small diatoms were grazed heavily, and their growth was controlled by grazing in late spring. In late summer and fall, undetermined flagellates and coccolithophores were also grazed at high rates but their growth rates were higher than the grazing rates, and therefore, were not controlled by microzooplankton. In general, microzooplankton grazed on whatever appropriate sized food was dominant in the experimental water. Their potential ability to control the growth of certain food species may be one of the causes determining the species composition of phytoplankton communities.
Internal-External Locus of Control and Environmental Cohesiveness

Subjects with high or low scores on Rotter's Social Reaction Inventory were required to solve word and nonsense anagrams. A significant interaction was found between the locus of control and the two types of anagrams, thus confirming the hypothesis that locus of control measures an individual's percep tion of the cohesiveness of the environment. In addition, word anagrams were found to be more difficult tn solve than nonsense anagrams.
THE WORLD'S CHAMPION MARKETERS: THE JAPANESE

Many experts attribute Japan's spectacular economic success to superior management techniques. But the real key to Japan's performance may be outstanding marketing skills.
Broadband LiTaO 3 guided-wave TE–TM mode converter

A guided-wave TE to TM mode converter was demonstrated in LiTaO (3). The input mode is Bragg scattered from a collinear electrooptically induced wave of off-diagonal polarizability which couples the TE and TM modes. Compared with LiNbO(3), LiTaO(3) provides a smaller birefringence and thus a larger phase match period and larger optical bandwidth. A novel electrode structure allowed a four-phase drive of the polarizability wave with only two applied voltages. TE-TM mode conversion efficiency of 95% was demonstrated with a 103-A optical bandwidth. Operation as a frequency shifter was confined to low conversion efficiencies due to fringing fields.
Perspectives in nanoscale plasma etching: what are the ultimate limits?

Plasmas have been widely utilized to pattern various materials, from metals to semiconductors and oxides to polymers, for a vast array of applications. The interplay between physical, chemical and material properties that comprises the backbone of plasma etching is discussed in this perspective paper, with a focus on the needed tools and approaches to address the challenges facing plasma etching and to realize the desired pattern transfer fidelity at the nanoscale.
Amiodarone route of administration, antipsychotic medication use

With this issue, JAPhA begins a new feature written by L. Douglas Ried, PhD, JAPhA Associate Editor. Research articles of APhA–APRS and APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA–APPM) members published in journals other than JAPhA will be highlighted. The purposes of highlighting these articles are to reinforce the importance of the research conducted by the Association’s scientists and to put in plain words how their research impacts pharmacy practice. To kick off this first installment, the research of two APRS section officers will be highlighted. The first article was coauthored by the chair of the Clinical Sciences section, James E. Tisdale, PharmD. In this article, the authors showed that patients’ amiodarone serum concentrations administered orally differed depending on the oral route of administration after esophagectomy. Jamie C. Barner, PhD, is a coauthor of the second article. Barner is the chair-elect of the Economic, Social and Administrative Sciences Section of APhA–APRS. Original research published 3 to 6 months before the current JAPhA issue will be featured. APhA–APRS and APhA–APPM members are encouraged to forward the PubMed citation or an electronic version of their article, as soon as it appears or ahead of print, to Dr. Ried at ried@cop.ufl.edu.
Frequency dependence of Shapiro steps in Josephson-junction arrays.

Presentation d'un modele analytique decrivant la dynamique d'un tableau carre N×N de jonctions Josephson sur-amorties en presence d'un champ magnetique produisant des quanta de flux 1/2 par maille unitaire (f=1/2) polarisee avec des courants continu et alternatif combines, injectes parallelement a une rangee des fonctions. En accord avec les experiences recentes et avec les simulations numeriques, on trouve les marches de Shapiro aux tensions correspondant aux multiples entiers (grandes marches) et aux multiples de demi-entiers (grandes marches fractionnaires) de N fois la tension de la marche de Shapiro de la fonction simple correspondante
A new observation in surface chemistry: the variation of liquid–solid–gas contact angle with change in gas pressure

Abstract The contact angles of water and of diiodomethane (DIM) on Teflon LFEP and on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and also on a copolymer of hydroxybutyrate and hydroxyvalerate, has been measured. It was found that the contact angle decreases with pressure, in all but one of the systems studied. The decrease in contact angle is appreciable (of the order of 0.2° per atmosphere), except for the case of water on PMMA.
Relationship between erythropoietin (EP) and erythropoiesis in chronic inflammation

The anemia associated with chronic inflammation results from failure of the erythroid marrow to increase its production sufficiently to compensate for a modest shortening of red cell survival. This defect in erythropoiesis was characterized by examining the quantitative relationship between EP production and erythropoietic response in rats with adjuvant-induced polyarthritis. EP production was measured my exposing rats to 0.5 atm. for 6, 9, 12, or 15 hours. The immediate post-hypoxic EP levels (assayed in post-hypoxic polycythemic mice and expressed as percent RBC 50Fe incorporation per ml. plasma) was as follows for groups of 5 rats: That the decrease of biologically active EP in adjuvant disease (AD) plasma was not due to an EP inhibor was demonstrated by failure of AD plasma, 1) to compromise the biologic activity of sheep EP, or 2) to suppress the erythropoietic response of exhypoxic mice to 10 hours of hypoxia. Finally, the responsiveness of the marrow to EP was quantitated in rats in whom ensogenous EP was suppressed. Exogenous EP elicited a linear doseresponse curve which did not differ for control and AD rats. These data suggest that the disturbance of erythroid homeostasis in chronic disease results from a relative insensitivity of EP elaboration to erythropoietic stimuli.
Role of Nondiagnostic Exercise-Induced ST-Segment Abnormalities in Predicting Future Coronary Events in Asymptomatic Volunteers

Background— Whether exercise-induced ST-segment depression <1 mm is an independent predictor of future coronary events (CEs) in asymptomatic subjects is unknown. Methods and Results— We performed maximal treadmill exercise tests on 1083 volunteers from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging who were free from clinical coronary heart disease. Exercise ST-segment changes were stratified by Minnesota code criteria: 11:1 (n=213), flat or downsloping ST depression ≥1 mm; 11:2 (n=66), flat or downsloping ST depression ≥0.5 mm and <1 mm; 11:4 (n=124), ST-J depression ≥1 mm with slowly rising ST segments; and 11:5 (n=69), minor ST depression (<0.5 mm) before exercise that worsened to flat or downsloping ST depression ≥1 mm during or after exercise. Risk of CE was compared with subjects with normal exercise ECG (n=611). Over a mean follow-up of 7.9 years, 76 subjects developed CEs (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, or coronary death). On univariate analysis, age (relative risk [RR]=1.07/year, P<0.0001), m...
The Structure and Prediction of Classes of Divorce Settlements Involving Dependent Children in a National Sample

Abstract The structure of divorce settlements involving children reflects complex decisions made by parents and the legal environment in which these decisions are made. With data from the National Survey of Families and Households, a latent class analysis of five settlement outcomes (physical custody, legal custody, visitation, child support and alimony) was used to assess five theoretical expectations about the structure of settlements. We identified four classes of settlements (traditional-mother custody, high-transfer mother custody, disengaged spouses, and joint custody)and found support for several of our theoretical expectations. Next, a multinomial logistic regression model of predictors of membership in the classes was estimated to test seven theoretical expectations derived from an integration of the conceptual frameworks of prior research that have focused on economic and legal dimensions of bargaining, gender, equity, and family structure. Several of these expectations are supported, but the mo...
Role of endogenous prostacyclin in myocardial blood flow regulation distal to a severe coronary stenosis.

To test the hypothesis that endogenous prostacyclin is required to maintain reduced arteriolar tone distal to a severe coronary arterial stenosis under basal conditions and during challenge with a vasoconstrictor eicosanoid such as thromboxane A2 10 closed chest, domestic swine were prepared with an artificial stenosis, which reduced the luminal diameter of the left anterior descending coronary artery by 80%. Haemodynamic variables, regional myocardial blood flow (microsphere method), and lactate metabolism were measured at control (1); after infusion of U46619 (thromboxane A2 mimetic) distal to the stenosis at 1 μg·min−1 for 10 min and 5 μg·min−1 for 10 min; at control (2); after indomethacin infusion distal to the stenosis; and after repeat infusion of U46619. At the end of the study the animal hearts were removed and their coronary vessels harvested for in vitro determination of prostacyclin (PGI2) production. Regional myocardial blood flow in all layers of the heart distal to the stenosis did not change compared with control during the initial 1 μg·min−1 dose of U46619 but was reduced significantly after the 5 μg·min−1 dose (≈20% vs control). Distal zone flow (all layers) returned to baseline at control (2) and remained unchanged after indomethacin infusion. Although distal zone flows were reduced significantly in response to the second 5 μg·min−1 dose, the reduction in each layer after indomethacin was comparable to that observed with the 5 μg·min−1 dose before indomethacin infusion. Finally, the in vitro production of PGI2 by coronary vessels was considerably impaired by indomethacin infusion. Accordingly, the results of the study indicate that endogenous prostacyclin is not required to maintain reduced arteriolar tone distal to a severe coronary arterial stenosis either at rest or in response to challenge with a vasoconstrictor substance such as thromboxane A2.
Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of neutron matter

Uniform neutron matter is approximated by a cubic box containing a finite number of neutrons, with periodic boundary conditions. We report variational and Green's function Monte Carlo calculations of the ground state of fourteen neutrons in a periodic box using the Argonne $\vep $ two-nucleon interaction at densities up to one and half times the nuclear matter density. The effects of the finite box size are estimated using variational wave functions together with cluster expansion and chain summation techniques. They are small at subnuclear densities. We discuss the expansion of the energy of low-density neutron gas in powers of its Fermi momentum. This expansion is strongly modified by the large nn scattering length, and does not begin with the Fermi-gas kinetic energy as assumed in both Skyrme and relativistic mean field theories. The leading term of neutron gas energy is ~ half the Fermi-gas kinetic energy. The quantum Monte Carlo results are also used to calibrate the accuracy of variational calculations employing Fermi hypernetted and single operator chain summation methods to study nucleon matter over a larger density range, with more realistic Hamiltonians including three-nucleon interactions.
Placental productions and expressions of soluble endoglin, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor-1, and placental growth factor in normal and preeclamptic pregnancies.

Context: Increased production of antiangiogenic factors soluble endoglin (sEng) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor-1 (sFlt-1) by the placenta contributes to the pathophysiology in preeclampsia (PE). Objective: Our objective was to determine the differences in endoglin (Eng), fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor-1 (Flt-1), and placental growth factor (PlGF) expressions between normal and PE placentas and sEng, sFlt-1, and PlGF production by trophoblast cells (TC) cultured under lowered oxygen conditions. Methods: TCs isolated from normal and PE placentas were cultured under regular (5% CO2/air) and lowered (2% O2/5% CO2/93% N2) oxygen conditions. sEng, sFlt-1, and PlGF productions were determined by ELISA. Protein expressions for Eng, Flt-1, and PlGF in the placental tissues were accessed by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis. Deglycosylated Eng, Flt-1, and PlGF protein expressions in placental tissues were also examined. Results: PE TCs produced significantly more sEng, sFlt-1, and PlGF compared with those from normal TCs (P < 0.05). Under lowered oxygen conditions, PE TCs, but not normal TCs, released more sEng and sFlt-1. In contrast, both normal and PE TCs released less PlGF (P < 0.05). Enhanced expressions of Eng and Flt-1, as well as glycosylated Eng and Flt-1, were observed in PE placentas. Immunoblot also revealed that TCs released glycosylated sFlt-1, but not sEng, in culture. Conclusions: PE TCs produce more sEng, sFlt-1, and PlGF than normal TCs. Lowered oxygen conditions promote sEng and sFlt-1, but reduce PlGF, productions by PE TCs. More glycosylated sEng and sFlt-1 are present in PE placentas. Trophoblasts release glycosylated sFlt-1, but unglycosylated sEng, in culture.
4-Hydroxytamoxifen Differentially Exerts Estrogenic and Antiestrogenic Effects on Discrete Subpopulations of Human Breast Cancer Cells

Functional heterogeneity within populations of breast cancer cells contribute to the seemingly paradoxical effects of antiestrogens and the development of antiestrogen “resistance.” Our objectives were to determine the degree to which T-47D cells may respond inappropriately (positively) to the antiestrogen 4-hydroxytamoxifen (HOT) alone, and whether all cells that respond to the stimulatory effects of estradiol-17β (E2) are inhibited by the addition of HOT. Single, living T-47D cells were transfected by microinjection with an estrogen response element (ERE)-driven luciferase reporter plasmid. Transfected cells were then treated with medium alone, HOT, E2 or a combination thereof on consecutive days, exposed to the substrate luciferin and subjected to quantification of photonic emissions reflective of ERE-stimulated activity. This analysis revealed a subpopulation of cells that exhibited increased ERE-driven photonic activity in response to HOT. In companion studies, E2-stimulated ERE activity was reversed (on average) with HOT addition. However, analysis of individual cells revealed that although HOT reduced photonic activity in the majority (89.2%) of E2-responsive cells, there was a small subset (10.8% of the population) that was stimulated by E2 + HOT co-treatment. Our data support the hypothesis that these cells possess an intrinsic “resistance” to antiestrogenic agents, and that this could contribute to the remodeling of tumor cell populations toward a “resistant’ phenotype.
Acoustic processing for estimating size of small targets

Abstract : A method is provided for estimating the size of an object from a region of a fluid medium when that object is emitting acoustic radiation of-known wavelength lambda on its own or as the result of being interrogated by acoustic pulses that reflect from the object. The acoustic radiation is monitored using a line array of N acoustic receivers such that N signals indicative of the acoustic radiation are generated. M time series summations are formed using the N signals. Each of the M time series summations is formed using a unique time delay predicated on a corresponding unique estimated speed of propagation of the acoustic radiation where M estimated speeds of propagation are defined. For an object in the region having a diameter D on the order of lambda, the M values will vary as a function of the M estimated speeds of propagation with the resulting distribution of the M values being indicative of diameter D.
Evidence for two competing defects in HgBa2CuO4+δ

Abstract The defect structure of HgBa 2 CuO 4+δ has been investigated by neutron powder diffraction. By varying the P(O 2 )'s over a wide range during annealing, the oxygen content can be modified to both underdope and overdope the compound. Our data give evidence for the presence of at least two defects that contribute to doping. The competition between the two defects results in a “plateau” in the region of maximum T c . This plateau can be explained by a change in the defect chemistry that results in a constant T c (at T c max ) for different amounts of total defect oxygen. This could be interpreted as being due to an electronic topological when the van Hove singularity is crossed.
A Preliminary Calendar of the Works of Terrence McNally

Playwright Terrence McNally (b. 3 November 1938) continues to be one of the most celebrated playwrights of his generation. However, the absence of a uniform edition of his works makes it difficult ...
Review article: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatitis C--risk factors and clinical implications.

Summary Hepatitis C and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are the two most common liver diseases in the Western hemisphere. It is therefore natural that these conditions often co-exist in the same individual. Hepatitis C, especially genotype 3, is often associated with hepatic steatosis. In subjects with genotype 3 infection, a sustained virologic response to treatment is associated with improvement in hepatic steatosis. The diagnosis of NAFLD in a subject with hepatitis C infection is based on the presence of hepatic steatosis. Most investigators require the presence of at least grade II steatosis to warrant a diagnosis of concomitant NAFLD because the significance of minimal steatosis is uncertain. The presence of steatohepatitis is surmised by the additional presence of Mallory bodies, cytologic ballooning and pericellular fibrosis. It is of paramount importance to exclude alcohol as a cause of these histologic findings in this population before a diagnosis of NAFLD is made. The presence of NAFLD in subjects with hepatitis C genotype 1 infection is most strongly associated with the presence of the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. The degree of hepatic steatosis correlates with the degree of hepatic fibrosis and the presence of concomitant steatosis is associated with more advanced fibrosis. The presence of cytologic ballooning confers an additional risk for increased fibrosis. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia have been associated with increased collagen production by hepatic stellate cells. Subjects with hepatitis C and NAFLD are more likely to be virologic nonresponders following anti-HCV therapy. The value of treating insulin resistance and NAFLD prior to antiviral therapy remains to be experimentally verified.
Size and Composition Distribution of Fine Particulate Matter Emitted from Wood Burning, Meat Charbroiling, and Cigarettes

A dilution source sampling system is augmented to measure the size-distributed chemical composition of fine particle emissions from air pollution sources. Measurements are made using a laser optical particle counter (OPC), a differential mobility analyzer/condensation nucleus counter (DMA/CNC) combination, and a pair of microorifice uniform deposit impactors (MOUDIs). The sources tested with this system include wood smoke (pine, oak, eucalyptus), meat charbroiling, and cigarettes. The particle mass distributions from all wood smoke sources have a single mode that peaks at approximately 0.1−0.2 μm particle diameter. The smoke from meat charbroiling shows a major peak in the particle mass distribution at 0.1−0.2 μm particle diameter, with some material present at larger particle sizes. Particle mass distributions from cigarettes peak between 0.3 and 0.4 μm particle diameter. Chemical composition analysis reveals that particles emitted from the sources tested here are largely composed of organic compounds. N...
Thermogravimetric and magnetic characteristics of some inorganic salts of dilituric acid

Abstract The thermolysis curves of the transition metal diliturates as well as those of copper, zinc, cadmium, ammonium and rubidium have been determined. These diliturates with the exception of ammonium and rubidium diliturates form hydrates. The oxides of the corresponding metals are obtained at relatively low temperatures. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show that these compounds are “essentially ionic” salts.
In Loring Park

To the Editor. —Although we are well aware that a poem is not meant to convey a scientific or medical account on a particular issue, we are concerned that attitudinal bias and misinformation can be perpetrated by your inclusion of "In Loring Park" 1 in JAMA . And my heart grows sad at the coming sorrow Of the hopeful eggs in your broken basket; They will never know the joy of the arrow's Prick come to waken them to their great task... While we would not presume to question Dr Coe's knowledge base concerning the sexuality and fertility potential of women with disabilities, we can state that in our work as specialists in disability medicine, it is a frequent and all-too-common occurrence for women with disabilities to be judged infertile and asexual by both society and the health care professions. With rare exceptions, most women with disabilities have the potential to
S U 3 Symmetry and the Existence of a Ninth Vector Meson

Baryon-baryon and baryon-antibaryon interactions are discussed within the framework of the $S{U}_{3}$-symmetric octet model without assuming $R$ invariance. Although this model, at least in the present version, contains a free parameter in the specification of the baryon-vector meson coupling, it turns out that the predictions of the model are not consistent with the experimental determinations of the baryon-vector meson coupling constants, if only exchanges of members of the vector meson octet are considered. As the simplest way of removing such discrepancy, the presence of a ninth vector meson is proposed, a unitary singlet, for which some experimental support is available.