cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study of polyurethane foam by mid-infrared fiber Fourier transform infrared spectrometry

Today most of the flexible polyurethane foams are produced with the inclusion of silicone surfactants. To study the functions of surfactant, a large number of foams were produced with the use of various surfactants. ATR spectra of the stable foam were recorded. Reactions of the stable foam were monitored by mid-infrared fiber probes. In addition, physical properties of the produced foams were measured.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Homochiral ketals in organic synthesis. Diastereoselective cyclopropanation of α,β-unsaturated ketals derived from 1,4-D1-O-benzyl-l-threitol

Abstract 2-Cycloalken-1-one 1,4-di - O -benzyl -L-threitol ketals undergo efficient and diastereoselective cyclopropanation when treated with an excess of the Simmons-Smith reagent. For example, 2-cyclohexen-1-one 1,4-di - O -benzyl -L-threitol ketal gave in 90-98% yield a 9:1 mixture of diastereomeric cyclopropanes as established by 62.9 MHz 13C NMR spectroscopy and by hydrolysis of the mixture to (1 R ,6 S )-bicyclo[4.1.0] heptan-2-one. Sixteen other examples are presented which demonstrate the generality and predictability of the process for 2-cycloalken-1-one ketals, as wall as an unfortunate lack of diastereoselectivity for α,β-unsaturated 1,4-di- O -benzyl-L-threitol acetals.
Mechanics of random fiber networks—a review

This article presents a review of the current understanding of the mechanics of random fiber networks. The discussion refers to athermal fiber networks, for which the governing functional is the system enthalpy, as well as to molecular networks, in which thermal fluctuations are important. Fiber networks are broadly encountered in everyday life as paper, insulation and damping materials, and as the essential component of some consumer products, while molecular networks form the structure of biological and non-biological materials such as the cytoskeleton, connective tissue, gels and rubber. The mechanics of these materials is defined by the structure of the network and by the mechanical behavior of individual filaments. The structure is characterized by a number of parameters, such as the density, filament orientation, fiber waviness, density and nature of cross-links, which are discussed in the first part of the article. The constitutive behavior of individual filaments is defined by their bending and axial stiffness, and by the response to thermal fluctuations. The constitutive response of the cross-links plays a central role in defining the system-scale mechanical behavior. The analysis of the network mechanics is divided into two parts addressing cross-linked and entangled (non-cross-linked) networks. Both molecular and athermal cross-linked networks are discussed, while only the literature on athermal entangled networks is included. Flexible and semi-flexible fibers are considered, with special attention given to the second category. The constitutive behavior under small and large deformations, including attempts to define continuum representations of the discrete system, is reviewed. A number of open issues are discussed in closure.
On the construction of the Taub-NUT congruence

We describe how the null congruence tangent to the multiple Debever-Penrose direction of the Taub-NUT solution of Einstein's vacuum field equations may be constructed emanating into the future from a timelike world tube having normal cross sections. The curious shapes of the cross sections of the world tube are plotted, using a computer, for critical ranges of the parameterb/R0 whereb is the Taub-NUT parameter andR0 is the “radius” of the world tube. It is found that these cross sections can be maintained spatially compact only for some values ofb/R0.
Exudative Retinal Detachment and Scleritis in Polyarteritis

A 64-year-old white man, treated with systemic corticosteroids for five years, developed polyarteritis. He then developed a severe scleritis with an exudative retinal detachment in the right eye, which became blind and painful and was enucleated 23 months after onset of the scleritis. Histopathologic examination of the enucleated eye revealed granulomatous scleritis, chronic nongranulomatous uveitis, exudative retinal detachment, and perivasculitis of intrascleral, iris, ciliary body, and retinal blood vessels. Systemic findings were minimal and limited to elevated sedimentation rate, weight loss, mild anemia, and microscopic hematuria. Respiratory disease, severe kidney disease, hypertension, and arthritis were notably absent. A muscle biopsy established the diagnosis.
Classical Path Analysis of End-Grafted Dendrimers: Dendrimer Forest

I consider a brush consisting of dendritic polymer end-grafted by its initial segment to a flat, impenetrable surface, in both the molten and solvated cases. The parabolic profile of linear grafted brushes is maintained, but the distribution of the free tips is quite different from the linear brush case. In particular, free ends are comparatively buried in the brush or “forest” layer compared to linear chains, an effect which is magnified by going to higher and higher generations. There is no appreciable tendency for dendritic arms to fold backward into the layer, however. The results of the classical path analysis compare favorably to lattice self-consistent-field calculations on the same systems.
On the Stability of the Alexander Polymer Brush

We present a Lagrangian description of the deformations of flat Alexander polymer brushes. An Alexander brush is one in which all polymer chains are stretched from the base to the free surface of the brush. We analyze the linear stability of a grafted brush and a symmetric diblock lamella in a melt state. Both systems are unstable against plane-wave surface deformations of short wavelengths. Stability can be recovered with the introduction of a small but finite surface tension.
DNA binding and regulatory effects of transcription factors SP1 and USF at the rat amyloid precursor protein gene promoter

Two DNA elements which we have termed SAA and GAG have been shown to control expression of the rat amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene, and the region containing the SAA element has been shown to interact with nuclear proteins [Hoffman and Chernak (1994) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 201, 610-617]. In this report we study DNA sequences and proteins which influence the activity of the SAA element. An oligonucleotide containing the SAA element is specifically bound by nuclear proteins derived from rat PC12 cells, consistently forming four complexes designated C25, C30, C35 and C40 in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). We demonstrate that the C25, C30 and C40 complexes involve the binding of nuclear proteins to an SP1 consensus sequence located within the SAA element and that the C25 complex contains a protein antigenically related to the human SP1 protein. We establish further that the C35 complex requires a USF recognition site located within the SAA element and contains a protein antigenically related to the human upstream stimulatory factor (USF) protein. Using APP promoter/luciferase reporter gene constructs, we demonstrate that both the SP1 and the USF sites can play a role in the transcriptional activity of the SAA element. Finally, we show that complexes similar to the C25, C30 and C35 complexes are formed by rat cortex nuclear extracts and the SAA element in EMSA experiments, suggesting the relevance of our in vitro observations to the in vivo functioning of the rat APP promoter.
Translational activation of ethanol-inducible cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1) by isoniazid

The molecular mechanism of ethanol-inducible cytochrome P450(CYP2E1) induction by isoniazid was studied and compared to that of pyridine, an inducer of CYP2E1. Aniline hydroxylase and immunoreactive CYP2E1 protein were significantly induced by isoniazid without or with only slight activation of other cytochromes P450. In contrast, pyridine increased the activities of a broad range of P450s. The effects of two structural analogs of isoniazid, isonicotinamide and isonicotinic acid were also tested and found to have a markedly decreased ability to induce CYP2E1. The induction of CYP2E1 by isoniazid was not accompanied by an increased level of CYP2E1 mRNA, and was completely blocked by pretreatment with cycloheximide or sodium fluoride, inhibitors of mRNA translation. These data thus suggest that CYP2E1 induction by isoniazid is due to activation of CYP2E1 mRNA translation and that the hydrazide group on the pyridine ring of isoniazid is important both in the selective induction of CYP2E1 and for magnitude of effect.
Natriuretic Peptides Inhibit DNA Synthesis in Cardiac Fibroblasts

We have examined the effects of the natriuretic peptides on DNA synthesis in primary cultures of neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts. Binding analysis using 125I-labeled atrial natriuretic peptide identified a single class of high-affinity binding sites (Kd = 0.03 +/- 0.01 nmol/L) in these cells. Of these sites, 80% appear to be of the natriuretic peptide C receptor subtype, with the remainder being A and B receptor subtypes. Northern blot analysis confirmed the presence of all three natriuretic peptide receptors in these cells. Atrial natriuretic peptide (10(-7) mol/L) effected a modest but consistent reduction in both agonist- and stretch-stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation (17% to 41%). Moreover, brain natriuretic peptide (10(-7) mol/L), C-type natriuretic peptide (10(-7) mol/L), and des-[Gln18,Ser19,Gly20,Leu21,Gly22]-ANF 4-23-NH2 (10(-7) to 10(-6) mol/L) all proved capable of antagonizing growth factor-dependent [3H]thymidine incorporation (the inhibition ranged from 14% to 28%) and cell proliferation, suggesting that all three natriuretic peptide receptor subtypes are involved in the regulation of mitogenesis in these cultures. The inhibition by atrial natriuretic peptide was amplified by cotreatment with phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Similar reduction in [3H]thymidine incorporation was seen after treatment with 8-bromo-cGMP (10(-4) to 10(-3) mol/L) or nitroprusside (10(-4) to 10(-3) mol/L). These results suggest an important paracrine role for the natriuretic peptides in regulating fibroblast growth during cardiac hypertrophy.
Writing from Primary Documents: A Way of Knowing in History

Developing academic literacy involves learning valued content and rhetoric in a discipline. Within history, writing from primary documents to construct an evidenced interpretation of an issue requires students to transform both background and document knowledge, read and interpret historical documents, and manage discourse synthesis. The authors examine the potential of the Advanced Placement Document-Based Question as constructed and presented by an exemplary teacher to engage students in historical reasoning and writing. The authors analyzed how five students responded to four document-based questions over a year, tracing how organization, document use, and citation language indicate the degree to which writers transformed and integrated information in disciplinary ways. Students moved from knowledge telling (listing period and document content as discrete information bits) to knowledge transformation (integrating content as interpreted evidence for an argument). Students had difficulty learning to hand...
Five-Year Experience with Metallic Stents for Chronic Ureteral Obstruction

Purpose: We present 5 years of outcome data on metallic ureteral stents in a cohort of patients treated for chronic ureteral obstruction.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively identified and analyzed the records of all patients in whom a Resonance® Metallic Ureteral Stent was placed between early 2007 and late 2011 at our institution. We performed a descriptive analysis of key outcomes, including the failure and death rates, and stenting duration, defined as the time from initial stent placement to last stent failure or patient death. We also performed a secondary comparative analysis of patients with a benign vs malignant etiology of obstruction.Results: A total of 139 metallic stents were placed in 47 patients, including 27 (57%) with malignant and 20 (43%) with a benign etiology. Of the patients 15 (32%) had bilateral obstruction. Maximum followup was 59 months (mean 20, median 13, IQR 4–31). Stent failure occurred in 13 patients (28%), including 4 in the benign and 9 in the malignant group (p = 0.3...
Valsartan plus hydrochlorothiazide: a review of its use since its introduction

Introduction: This review focuses on the role of the fixed-dose combination (FDC) drug valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in the treatment of hypertension. Effective blood pressure control often is not achieved with monotherapy and, instead, requires combinations of drugs with different mechanisms of action to produce additive or synergistic effects. Areas covered: FDC valsartan/HCTZ enhances not only efficacy for blood pressure control but also provides beneficial effects on target organs beyond that expected from arterial pressure reduction alone. Data describe key clinical trial experiences with the FDC, with particular attention to efficacy and tolerability. Literature searches of these various topics were conducted in January 2011. There is evidence of potential benefits with this combination associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, left ventricular dysfunction and renal disease. The FDC is an effective treatment for patients with hypertension and is superior to monotherapy than either drug al...
Interspecies variation of compressive biomechanical properties of the meniscus

Various animal models have been used to investigate the normal and reparative properties of the knee meniscus. Yet, only limited data on meniscal biomechanical properties of various animals are available. It was therefore the objective of this study to compare measurements of meniscal biomechanical properties between six species: human, bovine, monkey, canine, sheep, and porcine. Uniaxial confined compression tests were conducted on 1-mm-thick, 4-mm-diameter meniscal discs, and the viscoelastic creep deformation was obtained. Two biomechanical parameters, the aggregate modulus (HA) and permeability (K), were found by implementing the linear biphasic theory and a newly developed nonlinear regression scheme. A one-way analysis of variance was conducted along with Student-Newman-Keuls comparison tests to assess the differences in these parameters among the species. Sheep menisci exhibited HA and K values most similar to human menisci. The water content of each specimen was also measured and correlated significantly with K. The interspecies variations found in material properties of the knee meniscus indicate the need for caution in extrapolating data on the biomechanical behavior of the human meniscus from animal models.
Attenuation of pulmonary afferent input by vagal cooling in dogs.

Abstract In open chest, artificially ventilated, anesthetized dogs, we examined the effect of vagal cooling on the pulmonary afferent input evoked by hyperinflating the lungs to 3 V T , recording the activity of slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors (PSRs), rapidly adapting receptors (RARs) and pulmonary C fibers rostral to the cooling platform. At 15°C and below, input in all three types of fiber was significantly reduced, attenuation being least marked in C fibers. Between 12°C and 7°C, attenuation of RAR input was significantly less than that of PSRs. At 7°C, virtually none of the hyperinflation-evoked increase in PSR activity and only 10% of that in RAPs passed the cooling platform - indeed RAR input was less than during normal ventilation at 37°C; by contrast, 40% of the hyperinflation-evoked increase in C fiber activity was still transmitted. Cooling had similar effects on C fiber input evoked by capsaicin. If reflexes are attenuated in proportion to the attenuation of afferent input, our results suggest that a hyperinflation-evoked reflex that survives vagal cooling below 6°C is almost certainly triggered by C fibers.
Synthesis and properties of a hoechst-like minor-groove binding agent tethered to an oligodeoxynucleotide

A small Hoechst-like DNA groove-binding fluorophore carrying a terminal bromoacetimido linker has been synthesized. Individual diastereomeric oligodeoxynucleotide dodecamers containing a thiol-based linker attached to an internucleotide phosphoramidate within a sequence of dA-dT residues were each covalently labeled with the new fluorophore. One isomer of the DNA-fluorophore conjugate (Isomer B) hybridizes to the complementary single-stranded target DNA and the presence of the tethered fluorophore results in both increased duplex stability and an enhanced fluorescent signal, presumably due to the fluorophore binding in the dA-dT rich minor groove. Duplex stability is increased by 2-3 degrees C and the fluorescence quantum yield for the fluorophore increases four-fold. In contrast, the other diastereomer (Isomer A) exhibits reduced helix stability (approximately 2 degrees C) and only slight changes in fluorescence intensity upon hybridization.
Motion of a Flexible Shallow Spherical Shell in Orbit

A mathematical model for the motion of a large, flexible shallow spherical shell in a circular orbit is presented. For small elastic displacements and attitude angles the linearized equations for the roll and yaw (out-of-plane) motions completely separate from the pitch (in-plane) and elastic motions. However, the pitch and only the axisymmetric elastic modes are seen to be coupled in the linear range. With the shell's symmetry axis following the local vertical, the structure undergoes a static deformation under the influence of gravity and inertia. Further, the pitch and roll motions are unstable due to the unfavorable moment of inertia distribution. A rigid dumbbell connected to the shell at its apex by a spring-loaded double-gimball joint is proposed to stabilize the structure gravitationally. A sensitivity study of the system response characteristics to the key system parameters is carried out.
Guest editorial—special issue on cloud computing

Cloud Computing has been receiving a lot of attention from both the academic community and the computing industry. As recently as four years ago, it was easy to find people who perceived cloud computing as the “buzzword of the day”, the latest computing fad soon to be replaced by a new idea promising to revolutionize the information world. Nowadays one can still find a lot of excitement and some hype around the term, but the discourse has shifted. There is a general acknowledgement that this new model for delivery of computing services has already had lasting impact in our industry and that it will continue to influence how computing resources are accessed and managed, how datacenters are built, and how business and economic models for computing services evolve. Much of the basis for Cloud Computing comes from a collection of many old and few new concepts in several research fields like Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA), virtualization, and distributed and grid computing. Cloud Computing introduces challenges and new possibilities in many aspects of computing, including Internet architecture, protocols, services, and applications. The computing community is in the process of refining and reframing problems and ap-
Proliferation behavior of E. coli in a three-dimensional in vitro tumor model

Advances in genetic engineering of non-pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) have made this organism an attractive candidate for gene delivery vehicle. However, proliferation and transport behaviors of E. coli in three-dimensional (3D) tumor environment are still unclear. To this end, we developed a novel microfluidics-based tumor model that permitted direct in situ visualization of E. coli in a 3D environment with densely packed tumor cells (B16.F10 or EMT6). The E. coli was engineered to co-express two proteinsinvasin and mCherry (inv+) so that they had the ability to enter mammalian cells and could be visualized viafluorescence microscopy. E. coli expressing mCherry alone (inv−) was used as the control counterpart. The inv− bacteria proliferated to a higher extent than inv+ bacteria in both the 3D tumor model and a 2D monolayer culture model. Meanwhile, the proliferation appeared to be tumor cell type dependent since bacteria did not proliferate as well in the EMT6 model compared to the B16.F10 model. These differences in bacterial proliferation were likely to be caused by inhibitors secreted by tumor cells, as suggested by our data from the bacterial-tumor cell monolayer co-culture experiment. The bacterial proliferation provided a driving force for E. coli spreading in the 3D interstitial space of tumors. These findings are useful for researchers to develop novel strategies for improvement of bacteria-mediated oncolysis or gene delivery in cancer treatment.
Book Review: The no asshole rule

CPNP members maintain a suggested reading list to provide information on peer recommended resources and convenient access to the highest quality neuropsychopharmacology publications. A reminder that if you shop with CPNP, by following the links below to Amazon, a small commission will be paid to CPNP which helps to financially support our mission to improve the minds and lives of individuals with psychiatric and/or neurologic disorders.
Hemifacial spasm and the facial nucleus

Spontaneous and associated hyperkinetic facial movements and contracture which follow injury to the seventh cranial nerve (postparalytic hemifacial spasm) or arise without known previous injury (cryptogenic hemifacial spasm) are pathological motor phenomena not found in the distribution of other cranial or somatic motor nerves. The commonly expressed hypotheses of pathogenesis--aberrant regeneration and fiber excitation by false synapse formation (ephapses) at the site of injury--cannot account for all aspects of these phenomena or for the uniqueness of such movements to the distribution of the seventh nerve. The suggestion is made that the existing diversity of facial motor behavior, which encompasses voluntary, emotional, and especially automatic, associated, and reflexive movements, is based on a unique central organization that sets it apart from other motor groups. I hypothesize that because of this organization, the changes following axonal injury--which include selective deafferentation, glial response, axonal sprouting, functional reconnection, and hyperexcitability from dendritic spike generation--can unmask and augment automatic, associated, and reflexive movements already present in the facial neuronal network to result in facial hyperkinesia.
Board Certification in Psychology: Insights from Medicine and Hospital Psychology

For physicians board certification is an accepted tradition that research suggests improves services and outcomes. In contrast, relatively few psychologists pursue board certification suggesting ambivalence or limited contingencies reinforcing it. The authors report on medical school and hospital-based psychologists’ attitudes toward board certification and current certification status. About one-fifth (21.7%) of the sample were certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology, a greater proportion than psychologists generally: Highest rates were seen in neuropsychology (7.5%), clinical psychology (6.4%), clinical child and adolescent psychology (3.2%) and clinical health psychology (2.8%). Few (<2%) reported their hospitals required board certification. Half recognized benefits to the profession for psychologists pursuing board certification, yet 70% opposed requiring it for their hospital-based practice. Forces seeking to promote healthcare quality ultimately may increase expectations for board certification. If consumers, employers, hospitals and managed care organizations demand board certification for health professionals, greater numbers of psychologists would likely seek it.
The integrin αVβ6 binds and activates latent TGFβ3

Transforming growth factors-β (TGFβ1, 2 and 3) are secreted in a complex with their propeptides (latency-associated peptide 1 (LAP1), 2 and 3). TGFβ signaling requires the dissociation of LAP and TGFβ, a process termed latent TGFβ activation. This process is a critical but incompletely understood step in the regulation of TGFβ function. In particular, the extent to which activation mechanisms differ among the three TGFβ isoforms is relatively unexplored. We show here that αVβ6 binds and activates latent TGFβ3.
Exploration of the versatility of ring opening metathesis polymerization: an approach for gaining access to low density polymeric aerogels

We report the preparation of low density polymeric aerogels using the ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) approach to copolymerize dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) with norbornene-based monomers (NB-R) employing a first generation Grubbs' ruthenium-based catalyst. The ROMP approach offers an attractive synthetic method that enables the fabrication of low-density (0.02–0.05 g cm−3), uniform thickness aerogel coatings on non-planar substrates. First, we explore the effect of crosslinking in the polymer backbone on the uniformity of the gel coatings formed under shear by either adding a multi-norbornene based crosslinker (NBn-R) to increase, or linear NB-R comonomers to decrease, the degree of crosslinking, respectively. We observed that adding linear monomers dramatically improved the uniformity of the gel films which we attribute to cross-linking induced changes in the rheological properties at the gel point. Second, the copolymerization of DCPD and NB-R with a different pendant group also causes a significant change in the morphology of the PDCPD-based aerogels by modifying the lengths of the strands in the fibrous polymer network. The effect of NB-R addition on the pore structure of the aerogels is discussed in the context of a molecular and interparticle crosslinking model. Finally, (bis)iodo-norbornene was synthesized to demonstrate the feasibility to fabricate functionalized aerogels by using our copolymerization approach. Our results highlight the potential of the ROMP-based copolymerization approach as a facile and versatile route to functionalized low density polymeric aerogels.
Long-term seasonal variation in the biological traits of benthic-macroinvertebrates in two Mediterranean-climate streams in California, U.S.A.

Summary 1. We investigated the seasonal variation of biological traits and the influence of interannual rainfall variability on this pattern. Using long-term survey data (6–19 years) from an intermittent and a perennial stream in the Mediterranean-climate region of northern California, we examined 16 fuzzy-coded biological traits (e.g. maximum size, life cycle duration, and mode of respiration). 2. Seasonal habitat variability is higher in the intermittent stream than in the perennial stream. During the winter and spring wet-season both streams flood; however, during the summer dry-season, the intermittent stream forms isolated pools in (occasionally drying completely). 3. Seasonal habitat variability influenced both taxonomic and biological trait composition. Distinct taxonomic communities were present in each season, particularly in the intermittent stream. The intermittent stream also exhibited more seasonal variation in biological traits than the perennial stream. 4. Despite statistically significant seasonal variation, trait composition was relatively stable among seasons in comparison with taxonomic composition and abundance. Taxonomic composition varied considerably between seasons, because of high seasonal and interannual replacement of taxa resulting from seasonal habitat changes. 5. The seasonality of taxonomic composition and abundance was sensitive to interannual rainfall variability. In dry years, the taxonomic composition of communities was more similar between seasons than in wet years, while trait composition was relatively insensitive to rainfall variability. 6. Despite high seasonal variation in abundance and taxonomic composition, biological traits of aquatic macroinvertebrates varied less and exhibited seasonal stability, which may be a result of the unpredictability and harshness of stream environments.
Transcatheter Treatment for Lower Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage

Modern transcatheter embolization has emerged as a viable option for the treatment of lower gastrointestinal (LGI) hemorrhage. Over the last decade, steady data has accumulated showing the safety and effectiveness of superselective microcoil embolization within the colon. In light of such results, the application of microcatheter-based skills has become more important in an algorithm for managing LGI bleeding. The purpose of this article is to discuss the modern embolization technique while also reviewing traditional and experimental transcatheter methods that may prove useful in the appropriate clinical settings. While recognizing that transcatheter therapy continues to evolve, the proposed indications for these current treatments are reviewed.
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-II: heritability and effect on brain morphology in schizophrenia

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-II: heritability and effect on brain morphology in schizophrenia
Controlled steroid delivery via bioabsorbable stent: safety and performance in a rabbit model.

BackgroundMiddle turbinate lateralization, adhesions, and inflammation are causes of suboptimal sinus patency following surgery. A bioabsorbable drug-eluting stent has been developed to maintain si...
Behavior of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions following intense ipsilateral acoustic stimulation.

Abstract Following presentation of brief, intense pure tones spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) were reduced in frequency and/or amplitude. The effects were highly tuned with exposures between 1 8 and 5 8 of an octave below the SOAE producing the maximum changes. Exposure frequencies above the SOAE had no effect. The degree of tuning observed depended upon the post-exposure time sampled, with sharpness maximal between 3 and 120 s post-exposure. The effects increased nonlinearly as exposure level and duration were increased. The recovery functions were biphasic, the first phase being rapid and non-monotonic over about 2 min, while the second phase was monotonie and slow, sometimes taking several hours. These data are consistent with changes in outer hair cell (OHC) function and support the hypothesis that OHC changes underlie behavioral temporary threshold shift (TTS).
Kinetic analyses of peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase from pancreatic islets

Abstract Peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM) plays an important role in the posttranslational processing of bioactive neuropeptides by participating in C-terminal amidation. We have examined PAM activity in the pancreatic islets of the anglerfish (AF), Lophius americanus . It was previously demonstrated that the cofactor requirements and pH optimum for the fish PAM are essentially identical to PAM obtained from other tissues and species. The present study was performed to examine the enzymatic characteristics of the fish islet PAM in more detail. One of the questions addressed was the suitability of the AF islet neuropeptide Y-like peptide, aPY-Gly, as a substrate for the islet PAM. Partially purified PAM from AF islet secretory granules was incubated with [ 125 I]aPY-Gly and the resulting products were analyzed by HPLC. The islet PAM readily mediated the formation of aPY-amide from aPY-Gly. PAM purified from bovine adrenal chromaffin granules also catalyzed the amidation of [ 125 I]aPY-Gly. The kinetic parameters of the islet PAM were examined using trinitrophenylated- d -Tyr-Val-Gly (TNP-D-YVG) and 4-nitrohippuric acid (4-NHA). The K m of the islet PAM was 25 ± 5 μ M for TNP-D-YVG and 3.4 ± 1 m M for 4-NHA. The competitive inhibitor of mammalian PAM activity, 4-methoxybenzoxyacetic acid, proved to be a potent inhibitor of the islet PAM as well, with an apparent K I of 0.06 m M . These results demonstrate that the AF islet PAM exhibits substrate compatibility, kinetic parameters, and inhibitor susceptibility quite similar to the characteristics of PAM from other tissues and species.
Utilizing pre-therapy clinical schema and initial CT changes to predict progression-free survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma on VEGF-targeted therapy: a preliminary analysis.

Abstract Objective Because of varying treatment effectiveness with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the association of prognostic pre-therapy clinical schema, initial post-therapy computed tomography (CT) findings, and combination thereof in predicting progression-free survival (PFS) was investigated. A predictive biomarker that combines clinical risk factors and CT imaging features associated with initial response to therapy would be useful in stratifying patients into risk groups to guide therapy, in designing and interpreting results of clinical trials, in planning risk-directed therapy, and in patient counseling. Early identification of poor responders using an imaging biomarker may reduce drug-related toxicity and cost and allow for a therapeutic intervention before disease burden significantly advances. Materials and methods For this institutional review board-approved HIPAA-compliant retrospective study, baseline data for 82 patients with metastatic RCC treated with sunitinib or sorafenib was obtained for risk stratification by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) criteria and criteria by Heng et al. (J Clin Oncol 2009;27:5794–9), (described here as “VEGF prognostic factors criteria”). The initial post-therapy CT was evaluated by Response Assessment Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), Choi criteria, and Morphology, Attenuation, Size, and Structure (MASS) criteria. Kaplan-Meier estimates of PFS (the reference standard) for each patient group and overall accuracy of each method and combined criteria were calculated. Results The MSKCC model, VEGF prognostic factors criteria, RECIST, MASS criteria, MSKCC + MASS criteria, and VEGF prognostic factors + MASS criteria each demonstrated significant differences in PFS among patient groups (P Conclusions A combination of pre-therapy clinical risk factors and CT imaging response by MASS criteria more effectively predicted PFS in patients with metastatic RCC on VEGF-targeted therapy than any single method.
High Affinity Carboxylate Binding Using Neutral Urea-Based Receptors with Internal Lewis Acid Coordination.

Uncharged receptors for anions and cations have many potential applications ranging from membrane transport carriers for ion-selective electrodes to reaction catalysts.1 As a consequence, there is a need to design and synthesize neutral receptors with high binding affinities and/ or high binding selectivities. Unlike cation receptors, there are essentially no examples of biotic, low molecular weight hosts for anions.2 Synthetic anion receptors have to be designed de novo using the principles of molecular recognition. The neutral anion-receptors reported to date have employed either Lewis acid-base,3 hydrogen bonding,4 and/or ion-dipole interactions.5 Most of the hydrogen bonding systems have used urea groups as the recognition motif. Urea-based hosts have been shown to associate with carboxylates, phosphates, and sulfonates to produce bidentate hydrogen-bonded complexes such as 1.4 In this paper we describe a structural design strategy that greatly improves the anion binding ability of neutral urea-based receptors. It is likely that this strategy can be incorporated into the designs of other amide-based molecular recognition systems. The formation of supramolecular complex 1 is driven primarily by hydrogen bonding and ion-dipole interactions.6,7 These bonding interactions can be strengthened by cooperative polarization of the urea group, which is accomplished by coordinating the urea carbonyl to a Lewis acid.8 A major design challenge is to ensure that the Lewis acid is held in the correct spatial orientation with a high effective molarity. One possible solution is the Lewis acid-urea conjugate 2. In line with our current interest in organoboron receptors,9 we designed boronate-urea 3 as a first-generation example of this receptor class. The valence bond structure for receptor 3 can be represented by two limiting forms, 3a or 3b. Prior to this study there was literature precedent to suggest that 3b would be the major resonance contributor.10
Color discrimination by computer

A color space metric that is useful for computer vision is developed. It can be applied to images sensed using color filters (e.g. R, G, B). This metric is defined in terms of the spectral characteristics of the filters and camera and accounts for their noise properties. The metric is designed to respond to material changes while remaining insensitive to geometric variation in the scene. The color distance function is derived as an estimate of the distance between normalized spectral power distributions. Components of this distance are weighted to account for sensor noise properties. A color metric has several possible uses in a computer vision system. It is useful for detecting color edges, classifying intensity edges, and estimating color variation within image regions. The usefulness of this color metric is demonstrated by evaluating its performance on real images. >
Ancient Egyptian: A Linguistic Introduction

The language of Ancient Egypt has been the object of careful investigation since its decipherment in the nineteenth century, but this is the first accessible account which uses the insights of modern linguistics. Antonio Loprieno traces Ancient Egyptian's historical development from Old Egyptian to Coptic, and, combining diachronic and synchronic viewpoints wherever possible, he looks at the hieroglyphic system and its cursive varieties (Hieratic and Demotic), the phonology of Classical Egyptian and Coptic, the phonology and syntax of the literary languages, and semantic and pragmatic constraints on syntax. He also looks at the genetic connections of Egyptian within the Afroasiatic family, especially with Semitic languages such as Akkadian, Arabic, and Hebrew. This book will be essential reading for linguists and Egyptologists alike.
The Transmission Of HIV: Exploring Some Misconceptions Related to Criminal Justice

This study examines the epidemiology and dynamics of HIV transmission in order to debunk a number of myths about AIDS that are related to criminal justice. The following misconceptions are refuted: 1) persons who work in the criminal justice system risk becoming infected with HIV as a result of the assaultive behavior of violent offenders; 2) female prostitutes are an important source of viral transmission in the United States; 3) female rape victims face a significant risk of becoming infected with HIV; 4) the AIDS virus is being transmitted with a high degree of regularity in prison; and 5) intravenous drug users (IVDU) will not modify their behavior to protect themselves from AIDS.
Catalysis of carbamate Hydrolysis by an antibody

Abstract We demonstrate that antibodies generated to a nitrophenylphosphonate hapten are able to catalyze hydrolysis of the corresponding ester 4 and carbamate 2 , but not the alternative carbamate 5 or amide 6 .
Post-hypoxia frequency decline in rats: sensitivity to repeated hypoxia and α2-adrenoreceptor antagonism

We tested the hypothesis that the post-hypoxia frequency decline of phrenic nerve activity following brief, isocapnic hypoxic episodes in rats is diminished by prior hypoxic episodes and α2-adrenoreceptor antagonism. Anesthetized (urethane), artificially ventilated (FIO2=0.50) and vagotomized rats were presented with two or three, 5 min episodes of isocapnic hypoxia (FIO2≈0.11), separated by 30 min of control, hyperoxic conditions. Phrenic nerve discharge, end-tidal CO2, and arterial blood gases were measured before during and after hypoxia. The average maximum frequency decline, measured 5 min after the first hypoxic episode, was 26±7 bursts/min below pre-hypoxic baseline values (a 70±16% decrease). By 30 min post-hypoxia, frequency had returned to baseline. Two groups of rats were then administered either: (1) saline (sham) or (2) the α2-receptor antagonist, RX821002 HCl (2-[2-(2-Methoxy-1,4-benzodioxanyl)] imidazoline hydrochloride; 0.25 mg/kg, i.v.). Isocapnic hypoxia was repeated 10 min later. In sham rats, the post-hypoxia frequency decline (PHFD) was significantly attenuated relative to the initial (control) response. However, PHFD was attenuated significantly more in RX821002-treated vs. sham rats (−3±3 bursts/min vs. −12±4 bursts/min @ 5 min post hypoxia for RX821002 and sham-treated, respectively; p<0.05). We conclude that the magnitude of PHFD is dependent on the prior history of hypoxia and that α2 adrenoreceptor activation plays a role in its underlying mechanism.
POLYMER SUBSTRATES FOR CONTROLLED BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS

The identification of a myriad of small peptide and carbohydrate lieands recognizes by cell surface receptors has generated enthusiasm for the use of these ligands of components of biomaterials dor controlling cellular interactions. Achiening control of cell interaations via ligand modification of materials also refquires that nonspecific interactions of cells with these materials due to supface adsorption of biological macromolecules is milimized. Polyetylene oxide (PEO) exhibits extraordinary inertness toward most biological macromlecules and is thus receiving increasing attention as a component of new materials for controlling cell behavior. Both surface and bulk modifications with PEO are being applied to develop a range of bland substrate material as vehicles for ligand immobilization.
Humiliation and the Political Mobilization of Masculinity

Islamist rhetoric about the humiliation of Islam and American rhetoric about national humiliation have been energized by disparate events in recent years, from the photographs of American soldiers in Mogadishu, Somalia to the invasion of Iraq, the “Innocence of Muslims” video to the attacks on 9/11. At the same time, there’s been an explosion of scholarship on humiliation as a driver of international conflict and political violence in general, and in relation to the bodies and minds of Muslims in particular. The link between humiliation and Muslims is thus a co-production between Islamists who continually invoke it and scholars from various disciplines and regions who regularly posit it. Yet there’s been very little analysis of humiliation in Islamist discourse; minimal effort to anatomize the ways in which this experience of humiliation is constructed to necessitate particular kinds of retaliatory action; and no attempt to theorize more broadly about patterns and discontinuities in how different rhetoric...
A Sea State-Dependent Spume Generation Function

The uncertainty of the sea spray generation function continues to obscure spray-mediated momentum and scalar fluxes, especially for intense wind conditions. Most previous studies assume a constant form (spectral shape) for the droplet distribution, even though a shift to smaller drops with increased wind forcing is expected. In this paper, a new generation function for spume drops is derived, but unlike previous studies, both its form and magnitude change with wind forcing. Fairly good agreement is found between this spume generation function and the limited data available. A potential explanation for the vast size differences among previous spume generation studies is also provided by distinguishing the drops formed at the surface from the drops transported vertically where measurements are routinely made.
Competitive Dominance by a Bacteriocin-Producing Vibrio harveyi Strain.

Vibrio (Beneckea) harveyi, a bioluminescent marine bacterium, has been shown to produce a bacteriocin-like substance the production of which is mediated by a plasmid. This substance is assumed to be proteinaceous because of its sensitivity to certain proteolytic enzymes. It is stable at low temperatures and can be concentrated by ammonium sulfate precipitation or negative-pressure dialysis. The molecular weight of the bacteriocin was determined to be 2.4 × 104 by molecular exclusion chromatography. Competition experiments indicated that bacteriocin-producing strains predominated over cured variants of the same strain in broth culture experiments. We studied several environmental parameters (pH, salinity, temperature, nutrient concentration) to determine their effects on the competitive advantage bestowed on a bacteriocin-producing strain. Under simulated free-living conditions, no competitive advantage attributable to bacteriocin production was observed. In a simulated enteric habitat, a bacteriocin-producing strain showed dramatic (>90%) inhibition of the sensitive strain within 24 h.
Is the supine pressor test an adequate means of predicting acute hypertension in pregnancy

The supine pressor test was performed on 207 nulliparous young women between the twenty-eighth and thirty-second weeks of gestation. The supine pressor test predicted pregnancy-induced hypertension in 78 per cent of those women who subsequently developed the condition. Ninety-six per cent of the women who failed to demonstrate a rise in diastolic pressure on position change remained normotensive throughout the remainder of the pregnancy.
Effect of time and storage temperature on cholinesterase activity in blood from normal and organophosphorus insecticide-treated horses

Delays between time of sampling and time of testing are common; therefore, the length of time that blood can be stored at various temperatures was evaluated for effects on cholinesterase activity. Six horses were treated with 16 g of trichlorfon per os, 6 horses were treated with 15 g of dichlorvos per os, and 10 horses were untreated controls. The cholinesterase activity in whole blood from each horse was measured using an adaptation of the Ellman calorimetric method. The blood from each horse was then divided into 3 groups and stored at 5 C (refrigerated), 20 C (room temperature), or 38 C (incubated). Subsequent cholinesterase activities were measured daily and then at weekly intervals. The cholinesterase activities did not significantly increase or decrease (P > 0.05) in the blood from the untreated horses until after 1 week for any of the 3 temperature groups. The cholinesterase activities did not significantly increase or decrease ( P > 0.05) in the stored blood from the trichlorfon-treated horses for 4 weeks in all 3 temperature groups. The cholinesterase activities sig- nificantly increased ( P < 0.05) in the stored blood from the dichlorvos-treated horses after 1 week when the blood was refrigerated and by 24 hours when the blood was stored at room temperature or incubated. Therefore, blood from normal or organophospha te-treated horses can be used for cholinesterase evaluation for up to 1 week when stored at 5 C. Inhibition of cholinesteras e (ChE) activity demon- strates a biosystem effect of the organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides. Although clinical signs of an- ticholinesterase toxicosis are not caused by decreased blood ChE activity, blood ChE activity is an indicator of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity within the nervous system. 2,3 Delays between time of blood col- lection and time of cholinesteras e evaluation are com- mon. The objective of this study was to determine the length of time that blood can be stored and still be used for reliable determination of ChE activity in hors-