cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of heme oxygenase in the small intestinal epithelium.

Abstract Heme oxygenase activity was examined in the epithelial cells of the small intestine in male Sprague-Dawley rats. As with liver and spleen, the highest specific activity of this enzyme was found in the microsomal fraction of these cells. Substrate kinetics, analysis of cofactor requirements, and other biochemical characteristics suggested further similarities between heme oxygenase in the small intestine and liver. Enzyme activity was differentially localized longitudinally within the small intestine, with the highest specific activity occurring in the region approximately 15 to 30 cm beyond the pylorus. The effects of diet on the basal levels of heme oxygenase in the proximal small intestine were also examined. Although intestinal cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase activity, as determined by benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase, was greatly reduced (65–90%) in animals maintained on a semipurified control diet compared with standard cereal-based chow, there were no differences observed in heme oxygenase activity between the two dietary treatment groups. The activity of intestinal heme oxygenase could be increased, however, by oral treatment with several metal compounds that are known to affect hepatic heme metabolism when administered parenterally. The enzyme activity was also potently inhibited by tin (Sn4+) protoporphyrin administered orally or parenterally.
Effects of cooperative vs individualistic learning experiences on interpersonal attraction between learning-disabled and normal-progress elementary school students

Abstract The effects of cooperative and individualistic learning experiences were compared on (1) interpersonal attraction between nonhandicapped fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students and learning-disabled peers and (2) achievement. Students participated in a language arts class lasting 90 min a day for 17 days. The results indicate that greater interpersonal attraction between the learning-disabled and normal-progress students and higher achievement resulted in the cooperative than in the competitive condition.
Referent Role and Styles of Handling Interpersonal Conflict

Abstract This study explored the relationship between referent role (superior, subordinate, and peer) and the styles of handling interpersonal conflict (integrating, obliging, dominating, avoiding, and compromising). These styles were measured by the Rahim (1983c) Organizational Conflict Inventory-II with a national random sample of managers (N = 1,219). The results of a multiple discriminant analysis indicated that the respondents were mainly obliging with superiors, integrating with subordinates, and compromising with peers. To a lesser extent, they were compromising and dominating with superiors and avoiding with subordinates.
EFFECT OF MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDE ADDITION ON BAKED TORTILLA CHIPS AND THEIR STORAGE PROPERTIES1

The effects of mono- and diglycerides on textural properties of baked tortilla chips were studied. The rheological properties and moisture content of tortilla chips were also studied to investigate storage properties. The rheological values increased with the addition of emulsifiers. Fracturability of tortilla chips increased up to 35.0% with addition of mono- and diglycerides and hardness increased up to 42.7%. Rheological properties decreased linearly with increasing concentration. Similar results were observed for the tortilla chips that were held at room temperature for storage. The control chips picked up moisture during storage, with the moisture content of chips increasing from 18.33% to 22.48% after 4 weeks of storage. The moisture content of tortilla chips prepared with mono- and diglycerides did not increase during storage.
Cylex Scores May Predict Risk for Infection in the First Year Following Heart Transplantation

Purpose The average Cylex score (CS) is lower in heart transplant (HTx) patients (pts) prior to infectious episodes, but the impact of a change in CS on the risk of subsequent infection is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine if a change in CS in HTx pts would impact the risk of subsequent infections. Methods and Materials We evaluated 1,567 pairs of CS from 331 HTx pts in their 1st yr. CS Results The risk of future infection was highest in pts in Group 2 (normal to low CS) at 12.5% and lowest in Group 4 (normal to normal CS) at 4.7%. Group A pts (subsequent low CS) had a 47% higher rate of infection than Group B pts (subsequent normal CS; 9.2% vs 4.9%, p=0.001). Infections were viral (n= 14), bacterial (n= 14), fungal (n= 12), parasitic (n=2), and other (n= 5). Average time to infection for Groups A and B were similar (18 ± 23 days vs 26 ± 23 days, p=0.116). Conclusions Maintaining CS > 200 is associated with a 47% reduction in infection risk compared to CS 200 may prevent infections in HTx pts. Further study is needed to confirm these findings. Cylex Group Any-Treated Infection Group A 52/566 (9.2%) Group 1, n (%) (Cylex 22/326 (6.8%) Group 2, n (%) (Cylex ≥ 200, Cylex 30/240 (12.5%) Group B 49/1,001 (4.9%) Group 3, n (%) (Cylex 12/216 (5.5%) Group 4, n (%) (Cylex ≥ 200, Cylex ≥ 200) 37/785 (4.7%) P-value (Group A vs Group B) 0.001
Dynamical systems and phase plane analysis of protease-clay interactions

Protease, a common extracellular enzyme in soils, was adsorbed onto smectite and bentonite clays exchanged with both Na and Ca cations. Initial concentrations and residual activity of the enzyme were studied together with a new approach to adsorption modeling and an introduction to the technique of phase plane analysis. Protease adsorption reached a maximum level of 0.34 mg mg-1 on the Na-exchanged smectite and a minimum of 0.20 mg mg-1 on the Ca-exchanged bentonite. The inhibition study of protease activity within the clay matrix showed that the enzyme retained a maximum of 9.9% (Na-exchanged smectite) and a minimum of 0% (Ca-exchanged bentonite) of its original activity. As opposed to the classic Langmuir and Freundlich model description, a general form, the Langmuir−Freundlich isotherm in combination with phase plane analysis, was used. The model appeared to agree well with the adsorption data of all four of the enzyme/clay complexes. The use of phase plane analysis was shown to be a powerful tool in e...
BMI and health status among adults with asthma.

Background: A convincing body of literature links obesity with a higher risk for developing adult-onset asthma. The impact of obesity on asthma severity among adults with pre-existing asthma, however, is less clear. Methods and Procedures: In a prospective cohort study of 843 adults with severe asthma, we studied the impact of BMI on asthma health status. Results: The prevalence of obesity and overweight were 44% (95% confidence interval (CI) 41–47%) and 28% (95% CI 25–32%). The obese BMI group was associated with a higher risk for daily or near daily asthma symptoms than was the normal BMI group (odds ratio (OR) 1.81; 95% CI 1.10–2.96). Compared to the normal BMI group, generic physical health status was worse in the overweight (mean score decrement −2.42 points; 95% CI −4.39 to −0.45) and the obese groups (−6.31 points; 95% CI −8.14 to −4.49). Asthma-specific quality of life was worse in the underweight (mean score increment 8.66 points; 95% CI 2.53–14.8) and obese groups (4.51 points; 95% CI 2.21–6.81), compared to those with normal BMI. Obese persons also had a higher number of restricted activity days that past month (5.05 days; 95% CI 2.90–7.19 days). Discussion: It appears that obesity has a substantive negative effect on health status among adults with asthma. Further work is needed to clarify the precise mechanisms. Clinicians should counsel dietary modification and weight loss for their overweight and obese patients with asthma.
SSCP analysis and sequencing of the human prion protein gene (PRNP) detects two different 24 bp deletions in an atypical Alzheimer's disease family

Alzheimer`s disease (AD) is a progressive, degenerative neurological disorder of the central nervous system. AD is the fourth leading cause of death in elderly persons 65 years or older in Western industrialized societies. The etiology of AD is unknown, but clinical, pathological, epidemiological, and molecular investigations suggest it is etiologically heterogeneous. Mutations in the amyloid protein are rare and segregate with the disease in a few early-onset familial AD (FAD) families. Similarities between AD and the unconventional viral (UCV) diseases, and between the amyloid and prion proteins, implicate the human prion protein gene (PRNP) as another candidate gene. Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis was used to screen for mutations at this locus in 82 AD patients from 54 families (30 FAD), vs. 39 age-matched controls. A 24-bp deletion around codon 68 that codes for one of five Gly-Pro rich octarepeats was identified in two affected sibs and one offspring of one late-onset FAD family. Two other affected sibs, three unaffected sibs, and three offspring from this family, in addition to one sporadic AD patient and three age-matched controls, were heterozygous for another octarepeat deletion located around codon 82. Two of the four affected sibs had features of PD, including more » one who was autopsy-verified AD and PD. Although these deletions were found infrequently in other AD patients and controls, they appear to be a rare polymorphism that is segregating in this FAD family. It does not appear that mutations at the PRNP locus are frequently associated with AD in this population. 54 refs., 4 figs. « less
Arteriolar and Venular Remodeling Are Differentially Regulated by Bone Marrow-Derived Cell-Specific CX3CR1 and CCR2 Expression

The chemokine receptors CCR2 and CX3CR1 are critical for the recruitment of “inflammatory” and “resident” monocytes, respectively, subpopulations that differentially affect vascular remodeling in atherosclerosis. Here, we tested the hypothesis that bone marrow-derived cell (BMC)-specific CCR2 and CX3CR1 differentially control venular and arteriolar remodeling. Venular and arteriolar lumenal remodeling were observed by intravital microscopy in mice with either CCR2 or CX3CR1 deficient BMCs after implantation of a dorsal skinfold window chamber, a model in which arterioles and venules lumenally enlarge in wild-type (WT) mice. Arteriolar remodeling was abolished in mice with either CCR2 or CX3CR1-deficient BMCs. In contrast, the loss of CX3CR1 from BMCs, but not CCR2, significantly reduced small venule remodeling compared to WT controls. We conclude that microvascular remodeling is differentially regulated by BMC-expressed chemokine receptors. Both CCR2 and CX3CR1 regulate arteriole growth; however, only BMC-expressed CX3CR1 impacts small venule growth. These findings may provide a basis for additional investigations aimed at determining how patterns of monocyte subpopulation recruitment spatially influence microvascular remodeling.
Plant E3 Ligases: Flexible Enzymes in a Sessile World

Since its discovery in the late 1970s, the ubiquitin proteasome pathway appears to be omnipresent in many research fields. Although originally discovered in animals, the pathway has a very central role in plants, which may be correlated to their sessile lifestyle. E3 ligases function as flexible and highly diverse key regulators within the pathway by targeting substrate proteins for ubiquitylation, and often proteolytic degradation via the 26S proteasome. This review provides a concise overview on the most common classes of E3 ligases so far described in plants, and emphasizes recent findings regarding these interesting and flexible enzymes and their diverse functions in plant biology. E3 ligases comprise a highly diverse and important group of enzymes that act within the 26S ubiquitin proteasome pathway. They facilitate the transfer of ubiquitin moieties to substrate proteins which may be marked for degradation by this step. As such, they serve as central regulators in many cellular and physiological processes in plants. The review provides an update on the multitude of different E3 ligases currently known in plants, and illustrates the central role in plant biology of specific examples.
Cardio-respiratory studies in pre- and post-operative funnel chest (pectus excavatum).

1) Cardio-respiratory studies on infants are impractical. 2) Simple operative interference is advisable before the sternum becomes fixed in the retracted position, approximately at a biological age of 18 to 24 months. Such a procedure has thus far uniformly obviated the occurrence of adverse cardio-respiratory physiology in later years. 3) The extent of abnormal cardio-respiratory physiology in pectus excavatum is dependent upon four factors: (a) position assumed by the heart, (b) total decrease in the A.P. diameter of the chest, (c) degree and shape of depression of the sternal segments, and (d) age. 4) Respiratory symptoms predominate throughout all age groups. Psychologic complaints are primarily noted in the second decade of life. Cardiac symptoms manifest themselves late in the course of the disease. They are apparently less influenced by surgery than either respiratory or psychologic deviations which are prone to be benefited by operation. 5) Determination of maximum breathing capacity is the best single test of the status of respiratory physiology in funnel chest. Decreased capacity may be noted before the patient himself is symptomatically affected. Repeated determinations may indicate progress of the disease preoperatively and comparative postoperative studies show what operation has accomplished. 6) Electrocardiographic studies are often reported abnormal but no findings peculiar to pectus excavatum are noted. In our series there were three instances entirely attributable to pectus excavatum in which improved postoperative tracings were obtained. 7) Determination of maximum breathing capacity and electrocardiographic tracings are valuable adjuncts in evaluating the status of an individual with pectus excavatum. 8) Cardiac catheterization studies are planned. They should give a better understanding of the disturbed physiology in pectus excavatum.
Human chronic wounds treated with bioengineered skin: histologic evidence of host-graft interactions.

Abstract Bioengineered skin is being used to successfully treat a variety of wounds. Randomized controlled clinical trials have shown that a living bilayered skin construct (BSC), consisting of human neonatal keratinocytes and fibroblasts in a collagen matrix, was able to accelerate complete closure of both venous and diabetic ulcers. BSC was particularly effective in difficult-to-heal wounds of long duration. In patients treated with BSC, no obvious signs of gross clinical rejection were observed. Testing of these treated patients showed no BSC-specific immune response and no immune response to bovine collagen or alloantigens expressed on keratinocytes and fibroblasts. However, very little is known about the histologic changes that occur after BSC has been placed on human wounds. We report our preliminary histologic observations in this uncontrolled study of a cohort of 11 patients with 14 wounds treated with BSC in whom biopsy specimens of the grafted sites were obtained at least 2 weeks after application of the construct. The etiology of these ulcers varied from arterial or venous disease to an extensively and poorly healing burn wound. Histologically, thickening of the grafted bioengineered skin was seen in all samples where residual BSC could be identified. Mucin deposition was noted in the dermal layer of the wounds and BSC in 13 of the 14 specimens examined. Unexpectedly, and in spite of good clinical outcome, 4 of the 14 specimens exhibited a foreign body-like granulomatous response. There was no history of prior exposure to BSC in the 4 patients who had a granulomatous response. These early histologic observations suggest that stimulatory interactions develop between BSC and the wound. The consistently found deposition of mucin may point to a fetal pattern of wound repair associated with the neonatal cells in BSC. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;46:524-30.)
A class of continuous nonlinear complementarity problems

The concept of continuous nonlinear complementarity is defined. Basic properties and existence theorem are proven. Applications to continuous linear and nonlinear programming are presented. Kuhn-Tucker type conditions are established.
Direct Inhibition of Hypoxia-Inducible Transcription Factor Complex with Designed Dimeric Epidithiodiketopiperazine

Selective blockade of hypoxia-inducible gene expression by designed small molecules would prove valuable in suppressing tumor angiogenesis, metastasis and altered energy metabolism. We report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a dimeric epidithiodiketopiperazine (ETP) small molecule transcriptional antagonist targeting the interaction of the p300/CBP coactivator with the transcription factor HIF-1α. Our results indicate that disrupting this interaction results in rapid downregulation of hypoxia-inducible genes critical for cancer progression. The observed effects are compound-specific and dose-dependent. Controlling gene expression with designed small molecules targeting the transcription factor-coactivator interface may represent a new approach for arresting tumor growth.
Confirmation of the Prevalence and Importance of a 12-Lead Investigation for Diagnosis

We investigated 500 consecutive, unselected electrocardiograms of outpatients for interatrial block (IAB) using all 12 leads rather than the usual recommendation in the literature, which is lead II, sometimes with another lead. IAB had been reported in 2 widely separated large general hospitals in >40% of 1,000 patients in sinus rhythm in each. Because the P waves in IAB (duration ≥110 ms) generally have low amplitude despite their excessive width, we used magnifying graticules and, for greater specificity, a minimal duration of ≥120 ms. Four hundred sixty-nine patients remained after excluding those with atrial arrythmias or technically poor tracing. Two hundred three of these patients (40.6%) had IAB. Had we used lead II alone, only 110 cases would have been identified, which would have meant overlooking almost 1/2 the cases with this lesion, which is important (1) as a predictor of atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias, and (2) represents a large, dysfunctional left atrium. Leads V 3 and V 4 yielded larger numbers of IAB than lead II. (The slightly smaller prevalence than in the 2 cited studies may be due to our using 1/2 the number of patients.) Electrocardiographic interpreters should seek IAB in all 12 leads and consider its anatomic functional and predictive correlates.
Norepinephrine-induced elevation of acetyl coenzyme A in rat pineal glands in culture.

Abstract A micromethod for the determination of acetyl coenzyme A was developed and the relationship between the concentration of acetyl coenzyme A and the activity of rat pineal serotonin N -acetyltransferase was studied. Acetyl coenzyme A was determined by converting it into N -acetylserotonin using rat liver serotonin N -acetyltransferase. Subsequently, the hydroxy group of N -acetylserotonin was O -methylated by hydroxyindole- O -methyltransferase and S -[methyl- 3 H]adenosyl- l -methionine to form [ 3 H]melatonin, which was then conveniently separated from S -[methyl- 3 H]adenosyl- l -methionine by thin-layer chromatography. The amount of radioactivity in melatonin is a measure of acetyl coenzyme A concentration. This method is sensitive and specific, since it can detect as low as 5 pmol of acetyl coenzyme A but not structurally related substances such as coenzyme A, adenosine diphosphate, cysteamine, d -panthothenic acid, or sodium acetate. After treating cultured rat pineal glands with l -norepinephrine (10 μ M) for 6 hr, the concentration of acetyl coenzyme A was increased significantly from 3.26 ± 0.37 to 10.24 ± 0.93 pmol/gland, while the activity of serotonin N -acetyltransferase increased 68-fold. This result suggests that acetyl coenzyme A may play an important role in the norepinephrine-induced induction of serotonin N -acetyltransferase. Sensitivity and adaptability of this method can be utilized to measure acetyl coenzyme A in discrete regions of rat brain and in experimental conditions in which micromeasuremenf of acetyl coenzyme A may be required.
A survey of Alberta physicians' use of and attitudes toward face masks and face shields in the operating room setting.

Background There is little evidence that surgical mask use by physicians in the operating room (OR) reduces surgical site infections (SSIs), but masks do protect the wearer from potentially infectious splashes. Face shields offer even more protection because they cover the eyes, but they may be perceived as offering less protection to the patient than do masks. The objectives of this study were to ascertain if there were predictors to determine which OR physicians are continuing to use masks and what their reasons are for doing so, and which OR physicians would accept face shields and their reasons for doing so. Methods We surveyed the province of Alberta's surgeons, general practice (GP) surgeons, anesthesiologists, and GP anesthetists to determine how many physicians in the OR wear surgical masks, their reasons for wearing surgical masks (ethical, legal, protection of the patient, protection of the wearer), and if they believe that face shields offer more protection to the patient or to the wearer. We also sought to examine which demographic factors affected their responses. The data were examined with χ 2 analysis to assess the relationships of age and practitioner type, and for various outcome variables. A significance level of P Results The sex of the physician did not affect his/her responses. Older physicians believe that the OR team has an ethical and legal responsibility to wear surgical masks; masks are worn to prevent the spread of disease, not because it is tradition to do so; masks protect the wearer more than do face shields; and wearing face shields alone will subject the patient to higher rates of SSIs. Surgeons are more likely than are anesthesiologists to wear surgical masks in the OR and wear a surgical mask and a face shield if the patient has risk factors for a blood borne infection. Conclusions According to our survey, age and profession were the most important variables that affected the potential use of surgical masks and face shields. Younger OR physicians likely would be amenable to using face shields in addition to masks in the OR to protect themselves from exposure to blood or bodily fluids.
Cholesterol Oxidation Products in Some Muscle Foods

Cholesterol oxidation products were estimated in some meat products by capillary gas chromatography after trimethylsilylation. Peak identities were confirmed by mass spectrometry. Freeze-dried pork, stored in contact with air at 22°C for ca. 3 yr, revealed 7α- and 7β-hydroxycholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, α- and β-epoxide and cholestane-triol. The total concentration of oxidation products reached almost half of the remaining cholesterol content with 7-ketocholesterol as the predominant species. Some oxidation products were noted at a few ppm levels in broiled beef steaks, but not in precooked beef products. As rancidity development advanced in comminuted and cooked meats during storage, the oxidation of cholesterol became apparent.
Structure-activity correlations of amines inhibiting active uptake of paraquat (Methyl viologen) into rat lung slices

Abstract Analysis of amine structure with respect to inhibitory potency utilized a new method for determining equipotent inhibitor concentrations of paraquat uptake by lung slices. Fifteen N -alkyl homologues of paraquat (viologens) were tested and inhibition of lung uptake of paraquat was found to be a function of the inductive effect and steric bulk of groups attached to the nitrogens of 4,4′-bipyridyl. Several classes of amine inhibitors were examined. Polyamines were generally more potent than compounds containing only one quaternizable nitrogen at pH 7.4. α, ω-Diaminoalkanes were the most potent inhibitors of paraquat accumulation by lung slices.
Electrodynamics simulations of surface plasmon behavior in metallic nanostructures

Realistic finite-difference time-domain simulations are carried to learn how to understand and control localized surface plasmons (LSP's) and traveling surface plasmon polaritons (SPP's) in metallic nanostructures. We show how to control the spatio-temporal behavior of LSP hot spots in cone-shaped metal nanoparticles. We discuss how to intensify and lengthen SPP's in thin metallic films. Finally, we discuss the relative roles of LSP's and SPP's in thin metal films with nanoscale holes and slits.
Low cost extraction and isothermal amplification of DNA for infectious diarrhea diagnosis.

In order to counter the common perception that molecular diagnostics are too complicated to work in low resource settings, we have performed a difficult sample preparation and DNA amplification protocol using instrumentation designed to be operated without wall or battery power. In this work we have combined a nearly electricity-free nucleic acid extraction process with an electricity-free isothermal amplification assay to detect the presence of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) DNA in the stool of infected patients. We used helicase-dependent isothermal amplification (HDA) to amplify the DNA in a low-cost, thermoplastic reaction chip heated with a pair of commercially available toe warmers, while using a simple Styrofoam insulator. DNA was extracted from known positive and negative stool samples. The DNA extraction protocol utilized an air pressure driven solid phase extraction device run using a standard bicycle pump. The simple heater setup required no electricity or battery and was capable of maintaining the temperature at 65°C±2°C for 55 min, suitable for repeatable HDA amplification. Experiments were performed to explore the adaptability of the system for use in a range of ambient conditions. When compared to a traditional centrifuge extraction protocol and a laboratory thermocycler, this disposable, no power platform achieved approximately the same lower limit of detection (1.25×10−2 pg of C. difficile DNA) while requiring much less raw material and a fraction of the lab infrastructure and cost. This proof of concept study could greatly impact the accessibility of molecular assays for applications in global health.
Local stresses and elastic constants at the atomic scale

In this paper, we examine the problem of deriving local stress measures and associated elastic constants for a region containing a fixed number of atoms that is part of a larger body. By means of an expansion of the local interatomic potential energy, we derive expressions for the local second Piola–Kirchoff stress and the associated elastic constants. We relate these to other previously derived atomic scale stress measures. Numerical calculations are presented for the case of an oversized inclusion embedded in an otherwise perfect face-centred cubic crystal.
The Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI)

There is rapidly increasing demand for very-high-performance networked communication for workstation clusters, distributed databases, multiprocessors, industrial data acquisition and control systems, shared access to distributed data, and so on. Higher-bandwidth hardware using the traditional protocols is not sufficient. Even at 100 Mb/s, and certainly at 250 Mb/s, throughput for many applications is so limited by delays due to architecturally induced inefficiencies, such as software overheads (often hundreds of microseconds), that higher bandwidth generally raises cost without improving performance. A new approach to communication is required, one that can eliminate the delay due to software overheads, if we are to reap the full benefit of the far higher bandwidths that modern hardware can provide. The SCI solves this problem by using the distributed-shared-memory paradigm, typically offering submicrosecond delays and bandwidths currently in the range of 1250 to 8000 Mb/s per network node. The article first reviews the general properties that an appropriate system architecture should have, and introduces an architectural model, the local area multiprocessor, distinguished by its shared-memory performance and its ability to handle LAN-style distances. These desired properties are then considered in more detail, and practical design decisions are made, illustrated by the evolution of the ISO/ANSI/IEEE standard Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI) as it addressed these issues. Finally, the current status of the various SCI follow-on and support projects is reported.
Efforts toward the total synthesis of a jatrophane diterpene

Abstract A significant effort toward the model study of jatrophane skeleton has been made. To synthesize an important synthon, Horner–Emmons–Wadsworth olefination was attempted.
The Politics and Practice of Alternative Teacher Certification.

Purpose: Alternative routes to teacher certification, such as California’s Intern Program, have increasingly gained support in the past decade. A significant and growing percentage of all new teachers, close to 30% in California, now enter classrooms through alternative paths and are considered highly qualified under No Child Left Behind. This research examines program designs and market strategies resulting from the subsidies provided to public and private intern programs in California. Research Design: This research is a conceptual analysis of qualitative data from 11 case studies. Findings: Intern programs are created by combining financial subsidies and regulations. An economic theory of subsidized and regulated service provision explains variations in program design and implementation. California’s policy framework produces four distinct intern program designs that depend on program operators’ response to two questions: (a) whether priority goes to serving school districts seeking teachers or to cand...
Political change and course of schizophrenia in East Germany, 1984–1994

Background: We tested the hypothesis that the political change occurring in East Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 affected patients with long-term schizophrenia, resulting in more and longer hospitalisations. Methods: In two samples in East Germany (120 patients in East Berlin, 70 patients in Chemnitz) and in a control group from West Berlin (40 patients), hospitalisations for each month between November 1984 and October 1994 were assessed. Each sample included all schizophrenia patients who were in continuous treatment in the given community mental health centre throughout the full observation period. Results: Hospitalisation indices were not higher after November 1989 than before in any of the groups. Conclusions: There is no evidence that political change in East Germany negatively affected the course of long-term schizophrenia as assessed by hospitalisations. If consistent medical care is provided, characteristics of the political system may have less impact on the course of schizophrenia than is sometimes assumed.
Biotinylated Analogue of the Spin-Trap 5,5-Dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide for the Detection of Low-Abundance Protein Radicals by Mass Spectrometry

Protein radicals are implicated in oxidative stress and are associated with a wide range of diseases and disorders. In the present work, we describe the specific application of a newly synthesized nitrone spin trap, Bio-SS-DMPO, for the detection of these highly reactive species by mass spectrometry (MS). Bio-SS-DMPO is a biotinylated analogue of the spin-trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) that allows for specific capture of the protein(s)/peptide(s) labeled by the spin-trap on a (strept)avidin-bound solid matrix. The disulfide bond in the linker arm joining biotin to DMPO can be cleaved to release captured spin-adduct peptide from the solid matrix. This (strept)avidin-based affinity purification reduces the complexity of the samples prior to MS analyses, thereby facilitating the location of the sites of spin trap addition. In addition, the biotin moiety on the spin-trap can efficiently be probed with (strept)avidin-conjugated reporter. This offers an effective means to visualize the presence of...
MEYER WAVELET REGULARIZATION

ABSTRACT In this paper, we introduce a regularization procedure based on band limited orthogonal wavelets–-the Meyer wavelets–-for a class of convolution equations of the first kind. A regularizer based on these wavelets which maps into the wavelet subspace Vm is introduced. The regularizer is then used to solve the problem in the case where the kernel and . Discrete versions of the original problem as well as of the regularizer are introduced as well. Numerical aspects of this procedure are discussed and several examples presented.
Short-term inhibition of the Na–H exchanger limits acidosis and reduces ischemic injury in the rat heart

Introduction: Pharmacologic inhibition of the Na–H exchanger prior to and during ischemia has been shown to protect the ischemic heart by reducing Na–H exchange. However, pH regulation in the ischemic heart is primarily mediated by other pH regulatory mechanisms, such as metabolite efflux and sodium-coupled HCO3− influx, which may compensate for a reduction in Na–H exchange by increasing proton efflux. We hypothesized that short-term pharmacologic inhibition of the Na–H exchanger would result in increases in other compensatory pH regulatory mechanisms and thereby limit acidosis during ischemia and reduce ischemic injury. Methods: In order to test this hypothesis, we exposed isolated perfused rat hearts to ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA, 3 μM) for 40 min, followed by 10 min of EIPA-free perfusate and 30 min of global ischemia (termed CTL/EIPA hearts). The effects of this intervention were compared to hearts perfused with either glucose alone (CTL) or EIPA 3 μM for 10 min before ischemia (EIPA). Ischemic injury was measured using creatine kinase (CK) release on reperfusion, while pH and metabolic effects were measured using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The effect of this intervention on recovery from an acid load was assessed using an NH4Cl pre-pulse in bicarbonate-containing Krebs-Henseleit as well as HEPES buffer. Results: Both CTL/EIPA and EIPA hearts had marked reduction in ischemic injury (CK control 1191±116 IU/g dry weight; CTL/EIPA 406±42 IU/gdw; EIPA 333±78 IU/gdw), as well as significantly reduced end-diastolic pressure on reperfusion. Intracellular pH was higher in the CTL/EIPA hearts (end-ischemic pH = 6.34±0.05) compared to either control (5.86±0.02) or EIPA hearts (6.01±0.02), while pH recovery on reperfusion was markedly slowed in the CTL/EIPA hearts. CTL/EIPA hearts had rapid ATP depletion during ischemia, but PCr recovery comparable to EIPA hearts. Acidification on exposure to NH4Cl was increased in the presence of HEPES, but pH recovery was not altered by short-term exposure to EIPA. Conclusions: These data show that short-term inhibition of the Na–H exchanger altered pH regulation in the ischemic heart, resulting in reduced acidosis and slow pH recovery on reperfusion, coupled with reduction in ischemic injury and end-diastolic pressure on reperfusion. These findings are consistent with short-term exposure to EIPA accelerating ATP depletion during ischemia, as well as limiting proton efflux during reperfusion.
The effect of metal surface condition on the anodic oxidation of tantalum

Abstract When tantalum is anodized at constant current two different types of behavior are observed, depending on whether the metal surface is rough or polished. With polished sheet, an efficiency of 98 per cent is obtained up to the spark voltage, and no change in the character of the oxide surface is observed. With rough sheet, apparent efficiencies greater than 100 per cent are observed above a critical voltage depending on the nature of the original metal surface. In addition, minute depressions are observed on the surface of the oxide film. The same behavior is observed for many different dilute aqueous solutions. It is suggested that minute bubbles, formed at points of electrical breakdown, result in a decrease in effective area and hence an apparent efficiency greater than 100 per cent. The depressions result when the oxide grows up around the bubbles. These effects appear to be the result of a rough surface rather than the presence of impurities.
Residual Radiation Studies for Medium Energy Proton Accelerators

Residual radiation levels to be encountered in medium energy proton accelerators at high beam intensity are evaluated. Excitation function data were obtained for the production of the most probable radionuclides. A computer code that takes into account the change of cross sections as the beam penetrates the target material was used to compute residual radiation dose rates for carbon, aluminum, iron, and copper as functions of bombardment time and cooling time.
The separation of substances in timothy pollen extract producing allergic skin reactions from those producing hemagglutination reactions

Abstract The hemagglutination of rabbit red blood cells coupled to timothy pollen extract by diazo bonds was explored as in vitro assay for timothy allergen during fractionation and purification procedures. We found that rabbit red blood cells coupled to the fraction of timothy pollen precipitated by 20 per cent saturated ammonium sulfate were agglutinated by sera of patients allergic to timothy pollen, but that this fraction gave very weak skin test reactions. The fraction soluble in 49 per cent but precipitated by 55 per cent saturated ammonium sulfate gave low hemagglutination titers, but strongly positive skin tests. Passive transfer tests indicated that the hemagglutinating factor is distinct from reagin and blocking antibody. The separation of the fraction in timothy pollen producing hemagglutination from the fraction producing the skin reaction indicated that reagin and the antigen in timothy pollen responsible for the skin reaction are not involved in the hemagglutination reaction.
Folding studies of a linear pentamer peptide adopting a reverse turn conformation in aqueous solution through molecular dynamics simulation

Type II reverse turn conformation has been shown to play a role in protein folding. In this study, reversible folding of a linear pentamer peptide YPGDV, which was determined by NMR experiments to have a significant population (50%) of a type II turn conformation in aqueous solution, was simulated in water with atomic detailed representation for both the peptide and solvent molecules at 300 K using the self-guided molecular dynamics (SGMD) simulation. During a 2 nanosecond (ns) SGMD simulation starting from a fully extended conformation, the peptide folds into a type II turn-like conformation and then undergoes unfolding and refolding several times. A cluster analysis method was developed based on conformational population and used to analyze the trajectories of the 2 ns SGMD simulation and of other simulations in this study. Five major conformational clusters were obtained from the 2 ns SGMD simulation and the most populated conformational cluster is a type II reverse turn-like conformation. The structur...
Improving TCP performance over optical burst-switched (OBS) networks using forward segment redundancy

Random contentions occur in optical burst-switched (OBS) networks because of one-way signaling and lack of optical buffers. These contentions can occur at low loads and are not necessarily an indication of congestion. The loss caused by them, however, causes TCP at the transport layer to reduce its send rate drastically, which is unnecessary and reduces overall performance. In this paper, we propose forward segment redundancy (FSR), a proactive technique to prevent data loss during random contentions in the optical core. With FSR, redundant TCP segments are appended to each burst at the edge and redundant burst segmentation is implemented in the core, so that when a contention occurs, primarily redundant data are dropped. We develop an analytical throughput model for TCP over OBS with FSR and perform extensive simulations. FSR is found to improve TCP's performance by an order of magnitude at high loads and by over two times at lower loads.
A computationally simple bivariate survival estimator for efficacy and safety

Both treatment efficacy and safety are typically the primary endpoints in Phase II, and even in some Phase III, clinical trials. Efficacy is frequently measured by time to response, death, or some other milestone event and thus is a continuous, possibly censored, outcome. Safety, however, is frequently measured on a discrete scale; in Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group clinical trial E2290, it was measured as the number of weekly rounds of chemotherapy that were tolerable to colorectal cancer patients. For the joint analysis of efficacy and safety, we propose a non-parametric, computationally simple estimator for the bivariate survival function when one time-to-event is continuous, one is discrete, and both are subject to right-censoring. The bivariate censoring times may depend on each other, but they are assumed to be independent of both event times. We derive a closed-form covariance estimator for the survivor function which allows for inference to be based on any of several possible statistics of interest. In addition, we derive its covariance with respect to calendar time of analysis, allowing for its use in sequential studies.
Building Chemical Ontology for Semantic Web Using Substructures Created by Chem-BLAST

Efficient and user friendly ontologies are crucial for the effective use of chemical structural data on compounds. This paper describes an automated technique to create a structural ontology for compounds like ligands, co-factors and inhibitors of protein and DNA molecules using a technique developed from Perl scripts, which use a relational database for input and output, called Chem-BLAST Chemical Block Layered Alignment of Substructure Technique. This technique recursively identifies substructures using rules that operate on the atomic connectivity of compounds. Substructures obtained from the compounds are compared to generate a data model expressed as triples. A chemical ontology of the substructures is made up of numerous interconnected 'hubs-and-spokes' is generated in the form of a data tree. This data-tree is used in a Web interface to allow users to zoom into compounds of interest by stepping through the hubs from the top to the bottom of the data-tree. The technique has been applied for a 2-D and 3-D structural data for AIDS1; b ~60,000 structures from the PDB 2,3. Recently, this technique has been applied to approximately 3,000,000 compounds from PubChem4,5,6. Plausible ways to use this data model for the Semantic Web are also discussed.
Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans as Adhesive and Anti-invasive Molecules SYNDECANS AND GLYPICAN HAVE DISTINCT FUNCTIONS

ARH-77 cells do not adhere to type I collagen and readily invade into collagen gels, but following expression of the transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-1, they bind collagen and fail to invade. We now show that cells transfected with syndecan-2 or syndecan-4 also bind collagen and are non-invasive. In contrast, cells transfected with the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteoglycan glypican-1 do not bind to collagen and remain invasive, even though glypican- and syndecan-expressing cells have similar surface levels of heparan sulfate, and their proteoglycans have similar affinities for collagen. Analysis of cells expressing syndecan-1-glypican-1 chimeric proteoglycans reveals that inhibition of invasion requires the extracellular domain of syndecan but not its transmembrane or cytoplasmic domain. Surprisingly, cells bearing a chimera composed of the glypican extracellular domain fused to the syndecan transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains bind to collagen but remain invasive, implying that adhesion to collagen is not by itself sufficient to inhibit invasion. Apparently, the extracellular domain of syndecan-1, presumably by interacting with cell-surface signal transducing molecules, directly regulates complex cell behaviors such as motility and invasiveness. These results also show for the first time that syndecans and glypicans can have distinct functions, even when expressed by the same cell type.
Introduction: The Role of Ideas and the End of the Cold War

The end of the Cold War helped to prompt new interest in the study of ideas in international politics. Once the province of a few dedicated researchers on the fringes of the discipline, scholarship on the role of ideas now occupies an important place in the mainstream of North American and especially European international relations research. The five articles in this special issue of the journal are intended to move the research agenda on ideas and the end of the Cold War to a new level of rigor. They develop new models of how ideas affected the outcome and, in so doing, take stock of this event to refine our understanding of how ideas work in international politics. Although we seek a deeper understanding of the end of the Cold War itself, we also use this seminal case to clarify and advance the debate over the role of ideas in international politics more generally.
Transfer of Energy from Electrons to Atoms.

In the preceding paper(1) we have assumed that the electric dipole induced in an atom by a passing electron has the value corresponding to a static field which is equal to the instantaneous field of the electron. This is, however, not quite exact. Due to the rapid variation of the field there will be some sort of a time lag. The deflections will therefore be smaller than calculated in section A of preceding paper. But the most important result of the more rigorous calculation is that it yields an approximation to the transfer of energy which escaped our attention while we were using the approximation method A in the mentioned publication.(1)
Vibrational Absorption and Circular Dichroism of Mono- and Dimethyl Derivatives of 6,8-Dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane

Ab initio density functional theory (DFT) is used to analyze the vibrational unpolarized absorption and circular dichroism spectra (below 1500 cm-1) of seven derivatives of 6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane. Two are methyl derivatives, two are methyl-d3 derivatives, and three are dimethyl derivatives. DFT calculations use hybrid functionals (B3LYP and B3PW91), the 6-31G* basis set, and, in predicting circular dichroism spectra, GIAO basis sets. The two functionals give qualitatively similar spectra. Comparison of predicted and experimental spectra permits assignment of the majority of the fundamentals of the seven molecules (excluding C−H stretching modes). Vibrational circular dichroism intensities are in good overall agreement with experiment, consistent with previously assigned absolute configurations. Spectra are also predicted using the Hartree−Fock/self-consistent field (HF/SCF) and MP2 methodologies. MP2 spectra are similar in accuracy to DFT spectra. HF/SCF spectra are of much lower accuracy and are i...