cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quadrupole magnetic field-flow fractionation for the analysis of magnetic nanoparticles

Field-flow fractionation (FFF) is an analytical scale separation and characterizatio technique for macromolecules and particles. A quadrupole magnetic FFF device has bee constructed for analyzing magnetic nanoparticles. It is shown to give reproducible results and be capable of distinguishing between different lots of a commercial magnetic nanoparticle material.
A physical-chemical model for cellular uptake of fatty acids: prediction of intracellular pool sizes.

If the uptake of fatty acids by liver is a physical, not a biological, process, then the size and location of the intrahepatic pool of fatty acids can be predicted from uptake rates and thermodynamic data. The purpose of the experiments in this paper was to test the accuracy of this idea. Rat livers were perfused with (/sup 3/H) palmitate bound to (/sup 14/C) albumin, and the total amounts of palmitate removed from the perfusate were measured at 3-s intervals. The intrahepatic pools of palmitate calculated from these data were 13.8 and 23.0 nmol/g of liver at ratios of palmitate/albumin (mol/mol) (afferent side) of 2/1 and 4/1, respectively, in the steady state. The intrahepatic pools of palmitate calculated from the distributions of palmitate between membranes, H/sub 2/O, albumin, and fatty acid binding protein and the measured first-order rate constants for acyl-CoA ligases in mitochondria and microsomes were 12.1 and 34.6 nmol/g for perfusate ratios of palmitate/albumin of 2/1 and 4/1, in the steady state. Intrahepatic pools of palmitate measured after establishment of a steady-state rate of uptake were 15.0 and 31.8 nmol/g for these ratios of palmitate/albumin of 2/1 and 4/1.
Positive solutions and nonlinear eigenvalue problems for functional differential equations

Abstract Values of λ are determined for which there exist positive solutions of the n th -order functional differential equation, (−1) n − k u ( n ) ( t ) = λa ( t ) f ( u t ), 0 t u ( s ) = φ ( s ), − r ≤ s ≤ 0, and satisfying the boundary conditions, u ( i ) (0) = 0, 0 ≤ i ≤ k − 1, and u ( j ) (1) = 0, 0 ≤ j ≤ n − k − 1, where a and f are nonnegative valued.
The relationship between hostile attributional bias and aggressive behavior in preschoolers

Previously, K.A. Dodge and colleagues found an association between hostile attributional bias and aggressive behaviors among school aged children. The present study explored such an association among preschool aged children. Sixty-eight children (38 girls and 30 boys) with a mean age of 4.76 years participated in the study. Videotaped vignettes of children's social interactions were developed specifically for this age group to examine their attributional bias. Children's aggressive behaviors were assessed by teachers, using the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire. Results indicated that hostile/aggressive children were significantly more likely to possess a hostile attributional bias (p < .05) than less aggressive children. Results also indicated that preschoolers were capable of distinguishing between intentional and unintentional actions when stimulus materials used were concrete and familiar to them.
fOFFICE MICROLAPAROSCOPY UNDER LOCAL ANESTHESIA

Office laparoscopy under local anesthesia is especially suited to meet the current pressures of quality versus cost in an era of managed care. It is likely that this technique will soon become a major part of the practicing gynecologist's diagnostic operative armamentarium. Advantages of office microlaparoscopy under local anesthesia are realized by the practitioner, the patient, and the managed care provider. Office microlaparoscopy under local anesthesia is a safe, effective, and less costly tool for the evaluation of patients with many different indications. To date, the procedure has been primarily used for patients with infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and tubal ligation. The ease of scheduling, reduced costs, and rapid recovery suggest that it may be the preferred initial procedure for these patients.
Use of Candida tropicalis ATCC 9968 to Adjust the pH of a Natural Lactic Acid Fermentation of Cornmeal

After 3 days of a natural lactic acid fermentation of whole kernel cornmeal, the pH was 3.78 with a titratable acidity of 0.91% at 32°C (1:4 w/v solids to water). These solids were diluted (1:12 w/v), autocalved at 121°C for 15 min and fermented with C. tropicalis for 7 days at 32°C, bringing the pH to 6.5 and 0.03% acidity. After both fermentations, the % relative nutritive value increased significantly (from 74.09% to 81.22%) and so did riboflavin (from 0.22 to 0.56 mg/100g). Both thiamin and niacin decreased significantly (0.42 to 0.20 mg/100g and 2.13 to 1.94 mg/100g, respectively).
Control of asynchronous spectrum of linear systems with a two-sided dependence of blocks of complete column rank

We consider a linear periodic control system with a two-sided dependence of blocks of complete column rank in the nonstationary component of the coefficient matrix in the critical case. In this case, the nontrivial intersection of vector subspaces formed by linear spans of the columns in the blocks can be arbitrary. We assume that the control is given in the form of feedback linear in the state variables and is periodic with the period of the system. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the solvability of the control problem for the asynchronous spectrum, that is, the problem of finding a feedback coefficient such that the closed system has a strongly irregular periodic solution with the desired frequencies.
Altered sensitivity to d-methylamphetamine, apomorphine, and haloperidol in rhesus monkeys depleted of caudate dopamine by repeated administration of d-methylamphetamine

The long-term neurochemical and behavioral effects of repeated d-methylamphetamine (d-MA) administration were investigated using four male rhesus monkeys trained to lever-press for food on a DRL-40 s schedule of reinforcement. Dose-response curves for d-MA (0.0625–2.0 mg/kg), apomorphine (0.025–0.4 mg/kg), and haloperidol (0.005–0.04 mg/kg) on responding showed that repeated d-MA administration (0.5–16.0 mg/kg/day) decreased sensitivity to d-MA and to apomorphine but increased sensitivity to haloperidol. At 3–6 months after the last injection of d-MA, a 48.1% decrease in caudate dopamine (DA) was observed, with the frontal cortex, midbrain, and ponsmedulla showing no significant change. A trend toward increasing concentrations of norepinephrine was noted in the same brain areas, but only in the frontal cortex did this change reach significance. Specific binding of 3H-spiroperidol to caudate membrane preparations was not changed, while the Vmax of the caudate DA re-uptake process declined 32%, with no change in Km. These results suggest that exposure of DA neurons in the caudate nucleus to high concentrations of d-MA can lead to nerve terminal degeneration.
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION AND AORTIC BINDING OF DL-GLYCERALDEHYDE-C14.

Summary A study has been conducted of the in vivo tissue distribution of intravenously administered dl -glyceraldehyde-C 14 in male Wistar rats and of the in vitro glyceraldehyde-binding properties of segments of native bovine aortas and of aortic elastin. The data indicate that the aortic wall can selectively bind glyceraldehyde, which is a potent cross-linking (i.e., tanning) agent of both metabolic and dietary origin. The possibility is raised that such binding may provide a means toward a unified explanation for the pathogenesis of certain of the properties of the arteriosclerotic aortic wall.
Linear stationary control systems over a Boolean semiring: Geometric properties and the isomorphism problem

In the present paper, we consider linear stationary dynamical systems over a Boolean semiring B. We analyze the complete observability, identifiability, reachability, and controllability of such systems. We define the notion of a “graph of modules” of completely controllable, completely reachable Boolean linear stationary systems by analogy with the spaces of modules in the case of systems over fields. We give a graph-theoretic interpretation of systems of this class. We solve the isomorphism problem in this class of systems.
Gene microarray analysis of CD4-positive T cells in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS)

Abstract Rationale CRS is a common chronic disease, though knowledge of its pathophysiology is limited. CD4-positive T cells regulate a variety of inflammatory processes, infiltrate the sinus mucosa in CRS, and may play a pivotal role in the disease process. Methods We analyzed gene transcription in peripheral blood CD4-positive T cells purified from 3 CRS patients using the Affymetrix U133A GeneChip microarray. Three allergic rhinitis patients (AR), and 4 normal individuals (NC) were controls. Levels of gene transcription were normalized and compared statistically. CRS patients demonstrated >3 months sinus symptoms, negative skin prick tests, and mucosal thickening by rhinoscopy and CT scan. Results Among 14,036 genes analyzed, 43 transcripts were uniquely (not in AR or NC) and significantly (p Conclusions CD4-positive T cells from patients with CRS express unique sets of genes compared to those from NC or AR. Dysregulated gene expression and subsequent functional alteration in T cells may be implicated in the pathogenesis of CRS.
River blindness eliminated in Colombia.

The World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, is an impressive compound, high in the hills overlooking Lake Geneva, with the brightness of international dress and the bus...
Expression of Apo-3 and Apo-3L in primitive neuroectodermal tumours of the central and peripheral nervous system

Deregulation of apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis, spontaneous regression and treatment resistance of neuroblastoma. A newly recognised member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-family of death receptors known as Apo-3 has been mapped to human chromosome 1p36.3, a region commonly deleted in aggressive neuroblastoma. Based on its localisation and function, Apo-3 is a candidate for the putative neuroblastoma tumour suppressor gene. Therefore we analysed mRNA expression of the Apo-3 receptor/ligand (Apo-3/Apo-3L) system in a representative panel of 18 neuroblastoma cell lines, 41 primary neuroblastoma and 13 ganglioneuromas/ganglioneuroblastomas by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. We compared the level of expression with the well-established prognostic factors age, stage, histology, MYCN-amplification and TrkA expression, as well as outcome. For comparison, we studied Apo-3/Apo-3L expression in 27 central nervous system (CNS) primitive neuroectodermal tumours/medulloblastomas (PNET/medulloblastoma) and in six normal brain samples. Neuroblastoma cell lines with 1p deletion and MYCN-amplification expressed significantly lower levels of Apo-3 (P=0.009 and P=0.03, respectively) compared with neuroblastoma cell lines without 1p deletion or MYCN-amplification. The mean expression level of Apo-3L was significantly higher in ganglioneuromas/ganglioneuroblastomas compared with neuroblastomas (P=0.001) and in normal brain compared with PNET/medulloblastoma (P<0.0001). Expression of Apo-3L was significantly associated with survival in neuroblastomas (P<0.049) and in PNET/medulloblastomas (P=0.01). Expression of Apo-3 was significantly associated with survival in PNET/medulloblastomas (P=0.03). Thus, the Apo-3 receptor/ligand system might be involved in the regulation of apoptosis in neuroblastomas and PNET.
Equilibrium state of a classical fluid of hard rods in an external field

The external field required to produce a given density pattern is obtained explicitly for a classical fluid of hard rods. All direct correlation functions are shown to be of finite range in all pairs of variables. The one-sided factors of the pair direct correlation are also found to be of finite range.
Behavioral sleep medicine. An emerging subspecialty in health psychology and sleep medicine.

Abstract As the knowledge base in sleep disorders medicine has broadened, a subspecialty that we will refer to as “behavioral sleep medicine” area is emerging. This article will define this subspecialty area, provide some historical context for its emergence, review issues related to specialty training and clinical practice, and suggest needs for future research. The term “behavioral sleep medicine” was selected because it clearly denoted the two fields from which our subspecialty emerged (health psychology/behavioral medicine and sleep disorders medicine). It suggests much about our approach to training, clinical practice, and research, and it appropriately implies that the field is open to PhD sleep specialists, MD sleep specialists, and other health care providers with the relevant training. Formally, behavioral sleep medicine refers to the branch of clinical sleep medicine and health psychology that: (1) focuses on the identification of the psychological (e.g. cognitive and/or behavioral) factors that contribute to the development and/or maintenance of sleep disorders and (2) specializes in developing and providing empirically validated cognitive, behavioral, and/or other nonpharmacologic interventions for the entire spectrum of sleep disorders.
Methylphenidate infusion in euthymic bipolars: effect of carbamazepine pretreatment.

A number of studies have reported attenuation by lithium (Li) pretreatment of the activating and euphoriant effects of psychostimulants. In view of increasing interest in the therapeutic potential of carbamazepine (CBZ) in bipolar disorder, we examined the effect of CBZ pretreatment on methylphenidate-induced behavioral activation and euphoria. Seven euthymic bipolar subjects received 2 weeks of pretreatment with CBZ or placebo in a double-blind crossover design. After each pretreatment period, the subjects received methylphenidate, 30 mg i.v.; mood and behavior changes were monitored for a period of 5 hours after each infusion. Methylphenidate induced a striking psychostimulant effect that was not attenuated by CBZ pretreatment. Possible implications of this finding for the antimanic efficacy of CBZ and for mechanisms of action are discussed.
Research funding for radiation oncology: an unfortunately small sliver of an inadequate pie.

In this issue of the Red Journal, Steinberg and colleagues present a thoughtful description and discussion of the state of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) received by academic departments of radiation oncology in the United States (1). Strikingly, they find that only 1.6% of total NIH funding for cancer research is devoted to radiation oncology, even though it constitutes a major modality of treatment that is received by most cancer patients. This limited level of NIH support has important implications for the composition and vitality of the radiation oncology research workforce and for the direction and quality of research regarding one of the few known approaches for cancer treatment. Only one-third of the identified grants had principal investigators who held MD degrees, and the vast majority of grants awarded in radiation oncology were for radiation biology research. Yet, a recent comprehensive analysis of research needs in the field of radiation oncology identified several priority areas for research beyond radiation biology, including quality and safety of radiation delivery, communication, survivorship and toxicity management, comparative effectiveness, and value of radiation therapy (including comparison of outcomes after radiation with outcomes after other treatments and between different forms of radiation treatment) (2). Although private sources of research funding do exist (3), including foundations and industry, governmental funding remains the most important source of support for such endeavors. Concerns about conflicts of interest complicate industry-funded endeavors, and private funders often focus on short-term deliverables, making them less likely to fund the sorts of research that take many years to mature (4). Therefore, the finding that such a small share of the NIH’s cancer research budget supports radiation oncology research has important implications
The metabolism of tissues of thermally acclimated trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Abstract 1. 1. Tissues from cold-acclimated fish oxidized acetate and palmitate more rapidly than tissues from warm-acclimated fish. 2. 2. Red muscle converted acetate and palmitate to CO 2 at a faster rate than did white muscle. 3. 3. The rate of conversion of acetate to 14 CO 2 increased with incubation temperature, up to temperatures as high as 38°C.
Induction of neural-like cells and acetylcholinesterase activity in cultures of F9 teratocarcinoma treated with retinoic acid and dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate

Cultures of F9 embryonal carcinoma cells treated with retinoic acid showed partial differentiation to endoderm cells as previously reported [Strickland, S., and Mahdavi, V. (1978).Cell15, 393–403]. Addition of dibutyryl cAMP to cultures pretreated with retinoic acid led to a second distinctive change in the cell population, with the formation of many neural-like cells. The appearance of these cells coincided with large increases in specific acetylcholinesterase activity of the cultures. Provided the cultures had been exposed to retinoic acid for at least 48 hr beforehand, the morphological and enzymatic changes became apparent between 24 and 48 hr after the addition of dibutyryl cAMP. The changes proceeded more abruptly and extensively when cells were grown in nongelatinized culture dishes. On gelatin-coated surfaces, the differentiated cells occasionally showed local areas of ordered arrangements. It is suggested that this system may be useful in analyzing early events in neural differentiation.
Predictive Value of MRI‐Identified Mesial Temporal Sclerosis for Surgical Outcome in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: An Intent‐to‐Treat Analysis

Summary: Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accurately identifies mesial temporal selerosis (MTS), but prediction of successful surgical outcome ranges from 62% to 96% in published studies. Prior investigations only used patients who had received anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL), potentially overestimating the predictive value of MRI-identified MTS (MRI-MTS). Methods: The authors performed an intent-to-treat analysis of 90 consecutive patients assessed for possible ATL, including 13 who did not undergo ATL because of inconclusive intracranial ictal EEG. Four (31%) of these 13 patients had unilateral mesial temporal abnormalities on their MRIs. Results: The positive predictive value of MRI-MTS for seizure cessation decreased from 0.69 to 0.63 after adjustment for these additional false positive results. Four previous studies had revealed a positive predictive value of 0.75 (0.72 after similar adjustment). Conclusions: The authors conclude that the predictive value of MRI-MTS for outcome from ATL may be overestimated by small retrospective studies of highly selected postoperative patients.
Biosynthesis of dopamine and serotonin in the rat brain after repeated cocaine injections: a microdissection mapping study.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of chronic cocaine on dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) synthesis in several rat brain regions implicated in drug reinforcement. Male rats were treated twice daily with cocaine (15 mg/kg, ip) or saline for 1 week. After 42 hr of abstinence, rats were challenged with either cocaine (15 mg/kg, ip) or saline, followed by the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor 3-hydroxybenzylhydrazine (NSD-1015; 100 mg/kg, ip). Animals were decapitated 30 min after NSD-1015 and discrete brain regions were microdissected from 300 μm frozen sections. Postmortem tissue levels of 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and 5-hyroxytryptophan (5-HTP) were quantified by HPLC with electrochemical detection and used to estimate biosynthesis of DA and 5-HT, respectively. In chronic saline-treated rats, cocaine dramatically suppressed DA and 5-HT synthesis in all forebrain regions examined, including: medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, olfactory tubercle, and basolateral amygdala. The degree of inhibition ranged from 35-65% and was more pronounced in 5-HT neurons compared to DA neurons in the same tissue sample. In general, chronic cocaine did not significantly alter basal levels of DOPA or 5-HTP; a notable exception was lateral hypothalamus, where chronic cocaine reduced basal DA synthesis to 75% of control. After repeated cocaine injections, the synthesisiinhibiting effect of a challenge injection of cocaine was attenuated in many brain areas. These data suggest that whereas acute cocaine decreases DA and 5-HT synthesis in forebrain, chronic cocaine is not neurotoxic to DA and 5-HT neurons. In addition, the mechanism(s) mediating cocaine-induced suppression of monoamine synthesis may become desensitized by chronic exposure to the drug. Published 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Berezin transform and Laplace–Beltrami operator

Abstract We study the Berezin transform of bounded operators on the Bergman space on a bounded symmetric domain Ω in C n . The invariance of range of the Berezin transform with respect to G = Aut ( Ω ) , the automorphism group of biholomorphic maps on Ω, is derived based on the general framework on invariant symbolic calculi on symmetric domains established by Arazy and Upmeier. Moreover we show that as a smooth bounded function, the Berezin transform of any bounded operator is also bounded under the action of the algebra of invariant differential operators generated by the Laplace–Beltrami operator on the unit disk and even on the unit ball of higher dimensions.
Suppression of deep oxygen concentrations by Drake Passage

Abstract By establishing a zone free of topographic barriers, Drake Passage denies any net meridional geostrophic flow across the zone on isopycnal surfaces in the approximate interval of potential-density anomaly σ π = 27.5−27.8 mg cm −3 . It thus prevents the convective processes that occur in the Southern Ocean south of the zone from renewing water to the north of it in this density range by mean flow. Inasmuch as this interval coincides roughly with that of the oxygen-poor layers found at mid-depths in the South Indian and South Pacific Oceans, the Drake Passage constraint seems to contribute significantly to the suppression of oxygen concentrations in these layers.
Wives' work and psychological well-being: An extension of gove's social role theory of depression

The effectiveness of social role theory in explaining the relationship between wives' work (inside and outside the home) and psychological well-being is examined in reference to existing empirical patterns and alternative explanations. The theory is extended by the reorientation of its assumptions around central concepts and premises of the rational choice and social exchange framework: rewards, costs, cost reduction, alternative sources of gratification, and subjective evaluation of behavioral outcomes. Several mediating factors are integrated into the revised theory: help with housework and child care, work satisfaction, and participation in voluntary associations and social networks. The explanatory utility of the additional causal links proposed in the expanded theory is explored in a comparison of 50 employed wives and 50 housewives, all of whom have at least one preschool child living at home. The validity of the revised propositions is supported by the findings, which reveal no significant difference between the employed wives and the housewives in depression, health anxiety, or life satisfaction.
Effect of oxygen on the end-products of glycolysis in Rangia cuneata

Abstract 1. 1. The investigation reported here deals with the effect of oxygen on the utilization of U- 14 C-glucose by the clam Rangia cuneata, in vivo and in vitro . 2. 2. In vivo, Rangia utilizes oxygen for limited purposes, namely to oxidize NADH and to a minor extent succinate as indicated by the ratio of alanine to succinate produced over a period of 72 hr. 3. 3. When isolated mantle is incubated with U- 14 C-glucose in a medium saturated with oxygen, the glucose is converted nearly quantitatively into alanine while succinate formation is suppressed. The high yield of alanine is a strong indication that pyruvate is poorly oxidized or not oxidized at all under optimal aerobic conditions. Succinate fails to form under these conditions as the redox pair NADH/NAD is in a more oxidized state. 4. 4. Isolated mantle mitochondria do not oxidize pyruvate, malate or α-ketoglutarate as determined with the oxygen electrode. NADH and succinate are oxidized to some extent. When a large excess of cytochrome- c is added there is stimulation of oxygen uptake but only with NADH and succinate can it be considered significant. 5. 5. All the results are in harmony with the contention that Rangia and perhaps other bivalves satisfy their energy requirement mainly by anaerobic reactions utilizing oxygen when available only to a limited extent.
Real-time monitoring of branched rolling-circle DNA amplification with peptide nucleic acid beacon.

Molecular diagnostics based on DNA ampliWcation literally revolutionized biotechnology, health care, forensics, and biodefense [1,2]. Recently emerged techniques that quantify the ampliWed DNA in real time have further advanced these Welds [3–5]. A key element in the real-time ampliWcation methods are Xuorogenic probes, with molecular beacons being among the most useful [4]. Despite an assortment of detection formats, highly potent real-time monitoring of exponential DNA ampliWcation at a single temperature using molecular beacons has not yet been developed. We present here an innovative approach to this important goal. The approach is based on the rolling-circle DNA ampliWcation (RCA), an increasingly popular method for molecular diagnostics due to its simplicity and high speciWcity in the detection of nucleic acids, proteins, and other biomarkers [6]. In addition to DNA polymerase, DNA minicircle and a pair of primers required for exponentially branched RCA [7], our design employs a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) stemless molecular beacon [8,9] and a restriction enzyme, as shown in Fig. 1. Branched RCA reaction yields long double-stranded DNA amplicons generally inaccessible for probe hybridization. Given the unique duplex-invading ability of PNA oligomers [10,11], we assumed that a PNA beacon could rapidly bind the RCA products by strand displacement provided that these products are converted into short
Heart period variability in sleep

Abstract Analysis of heart period variability is a dynamic noninvasive technique to quantify the autonomic control over the heart period. We recorded electroencephalographic, electro-oculographic, electromyographic and electrocardiographic data from 10 normal subjects during sleep using an ambulatory polysomnographic monitor. R-R intervals were determined for 10 min segments of electrocardiographic data from wakefulness, stage 2 sleep, slow wave sleep and REM sleep. Average heart period, instantaneous changes greater than 50 msec and fractal dimension were calculated and the time domain and phase plots were depicted. The R-R interval time domain plots were subsequently analyzed using the discrete Fourier transform. We found sleep stage specific, time domain and frequency domain changes in heart period variability, particularly using spectral analysis of heart period. Increased power in the 0.2–0.4 Hz band was associated with stage 2 sleep when compared to awake and slow wave sleep states. Power in the 0.0–0.04 and 0.04–0.12 Hz bands was increased in association with REM sleep when compared to non-REM sleep, and slow wave sleep had diminished power in all frequency bands. Our results support other investigations demonstrating stage 2 sleep is associated with increased parasympathetic influences and REM sleep is associated with increased sympathetic and neurohumoral influences. We feel that spectral analysis of heart period variability is an effective noninvasive method to quantify changes in the autonomic influences over the heart during sleep.
Neighborhood Approaches to Urban Capacity Building

The authors argue that the solution of urban problems requires resources and powers far beyond those available to most local governments. Only through partnerships of all relevant actors—public officials, businessmen and neighborhood residents—can such issues be dealt with. Yet, partnerships are neither simple nor inevitable. They require hard work and usually the development of the capacities of all involved. Such capacity building for partnerships is on three levels: the development of the individual capacity to play partnership roles; the creation of interactive partnerships operating as local problem solvers; and the fostering of inter-partnership networks. Neighborhoods are seen as the building blocks of cities, serving as a locality of scale upon which the citizen can base his concerns and actions and within which partnerships can operate effectively. Specific recommendations are made, utilizing this policy context to build capacity for partnerships at the neighborhood level, particularly with regard to the Intergovernmental Personnel Act.
Nuclear DNA Content and Floral Evolution in Silene latifolia

Nuclear DNA content shows extensive intraspecific variation in plants, attributable to changes in levels of repetitive DNA. Since its discovery, repetitive DNA often has been regarded as `junk' or selfish DNA with little or no evolutionary significance at the individual level, except possibly a deleterious role stemming from its over-replication. However, recent works have pointed out that repetitive DNA may have an important impact on phenotypic selection through local or general modifications of gene expression. Phenotypic evolution has typically been studied using quantitative genetic techniques that treat underlying genetic effects as variance components. In previous work, we identified an among population negative correlation between nuclear DNA content variation, attributable to repetitive DNA, and calyx diameter, a phenotypic character with obvious ecological importance, in Silene latifolia. In the present study, we established a negative genetic relation between an AT-biased flow cytometric measure of nuclear DNA content and calyx diameter across lineages that had been subjected to selection for increases or decreases in calyx diameter. This finding suggests that new attention should be directed toward repetitive DNA as a basis for phenotypic variation and evolution.
Effect of Small-Scale Output Unsteadiness on Adjoint-Based Sensitivity

This paper investigates the impact of small-scale unsteadiness on adjoint-based output sensitivity analysis. In particular, when iterative methods for nonlinear flows fail to converge to a steady state, it is demonstrated that the resulting sensitivity analysis can be highly inaccurate, even when the unsteadiness in the outputs is small. The specific example considered is the viscous subsonic flow around an airfoil over a range of angles of attack. If a strengthened solver is used to solve the adjoint equation (even though the flow equations did not fully converge), it is demonstrated that the sensitivity of the lift with respect to angle of attack can vary significantly, due to linearizing about different solution iterates of the steady flow solver. Further, the unsteady iterates from the time-inaccurate steady-state solver to the time-accurate solution are compared. The unsteadiness of the time-accurate solution is markedly different from the iterate solutions of the steady-state solver. If a strengthened solver is applied to the nonlinear flow equations, steady solutions can be achieved whose lift is significantly different from the time-averaged lift of the time-accurate simulations. Time-accurate unsteady adjoint analysis is then shown to provide accurate sensitivities for the time-averaged lift.
Binding of indole compounds with modified albumins: Characterization of the indole binding site

Abstract The binding of indole compounds (skatole, acetyl- l -tryptophan, l -tryptophan, indolepropionate) with modified bovine plasma albumin at the primary site has been studied. Guanidination and acetamidination of the e-amino groups (80 and 95% reacted, respectively) or carboxymethylation of the imidazole groups (90% reacted) reduces but does not destroy binding of skatole and acetyl- l -tryptophan. Guanidination of 30% of the e-amino groups increases the association constants of skatole, acetyl- l -tryptophan, and l -tryptophan. Acetylation of 25% of the e-amino groups by acetic anhydride has little effect on the association of skatole and indolepropionate but completely blocks association of l -tryptophan and acetyl- l -tryptophan. Other evidence indicates that the group responsible for blocking the binding of indole compounds with the α-amino and α-acetamidyl groups present (i.e. l -tryptophan and acetyl- l -tryptophan) is an e-amino residue of lysine in an apolar environment at the binding site. The indole ring part of the binding site remained intact (as evidenced by skatole binding) in all modifications of albumin except preparations extensively acetylated with acetic anhydride.
Opposing Effects of Proline and Calcium Binding Lead to Plasticity in Adhesive Dimers of Neural-Cadheirn

Dimerization of neural-cadherins occurs via formation of calcium dependent strand-crossover structures, which leads to cell-cell adhesion in multicellular organisms. Strand-crossover dimer forms exclusively between the first N-terminal extracellular modules (EC1) of adhesive partners via swapping of their βA-sheets and docking of tryptophan-2 in the hydrophobic pocket. Prolines recurrently occur in proteins that form strand-crossover dimer and are believed to be the source of the strain in the monomer. N-cadherin has two proline residues in the βA-sheet. Our studies address two interesting questions; why is the dimerization in neural-cadherin calcium dependent, and do all three calcium-binding sites at the EC1-EC2 interface play a role in dimerization. To investigate these questions we mutated three important calcium-binding amino acids, D134, D136, and D103, and three amino acids in the βA-sheet W2, P5 and P6, in NCAD12, a construct containing EC1 and EC2. Spectroscopic and chromatographic experiments showed that the calcium-binding sites are occupied sequentially in the order of site3, then site2 and site1, and cooperativity between site2 and site1 is essential for dimerization. Studies on the P5A, P6A double mutant showed that the proline mutations increased the dimerization affinity by ∼ 20 fold and relieved the requirement for calcium in dimerization. Studies on W2A showed that the binding of calcium creates strain in the hydrophobic interaction between the hydrophobic pocket and W2 in the closed monomer, which is relieved upon formation of the strand-crossover dimer. In summary, our findings confirm that the hydrophobic interaction involving W2 is the source of calcium-dependent dimerization and the proline residues at βA-sheet act as a switch to control the dynamics of the equilibrium between monomer and dimer which is crucial for the plasticity of synapses.
Frontal plane knee mechanics and medial cartilage MR relaxation times in individuals with ACL reconstruction: A pilot study

Background The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate cartilage T1ρ and T2 relaxation times and knee mechanics during walking and drop-landing for individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R).
Relationship between mycorrhizal dependency and rate variables associated with P uptake, utilization and growth

Abstract A greenhouse investigation was undertaken to determine the relationship between mycorrhizal dependency of host species and rate variables associated with their P uptake, P utilization and growth. The results indicated that species that are marginally dependent on VAM fungi tend to have lower P utilization efficiency, higher P absorption rate and higher growth rates compared to moderately or highly VAM dependent species when they are not colonized by mycorrhizal fungi. The results also demonstrated that species differing in growth rates could differ in their mycorrhizal dependency even when they have similar root morphological characteristics.
Strained piezoelectric [111] multiple quantum wells: clamped or free?

Abstract We illustrate a procedure whereby the nonlinear optical response can be used to determine the strain distribution in properly engineered InGaAs/GaAs mukiple quantum well (MQW) structures with piezoelectric fields along the growth direction. We do this by fabricating two p-i(MQW)-n samples which are designed such that, if the materials are mechanically clamped, the quantum well exciton of one will shift to the blue upon optical excitation, whereas the quantum well exciton of the other will shift to the red. However, if the materials are mechanically free, the quantum well excitons of both samples will shift to the red. We illustrate the technique by determining that InGaAs/GaAs MQWs grown on [111]-oriented GaAs substrates are (as expected) mechanically clamped. That is, that we observe an excitonic blue shift in one sample, and a red shift in the other.
Measurement of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation: selective inhibition of adenylate kinase activity by P1,P5-di-(adenosine-5')-pentaphosphate.

Abstract A biochemical assay for the measurement of ATP synthesis coupled to electron transport in the presence of adenylate kinase was developed as an alternative to using the conventional Clark-type oxygen electrode. The assay utilizes P1,P5-di-(adenosine-5′)-pentaphosphate which is shown to be a competitive inhibitor with MgADP for rat liver mitochondrial adenylate kinase (Ki = 7.04 × 10−8 m ) and was found to have no effect on oxidative phosphorylation of either intact mitochondria or submitochondrial particles.
Solid-Phase Extraction of Aldicarb and its Metabolites from Water and Soil

Extraction methods using solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges are generally preferred over traditional liquid-liquid extraction methods when they are available. Solid-phase extraction methods require less preparative work, thus increasing sample through-put. A SPE method using a graphite carbon sorbent was developed to extract low concentrations (1-40 μg/L) of the polar pesticide, aldicarb [2-methyl-2-(methylthio)propionaldehyde O-(methylcarbamoyl) oxime], and its oxidative metabolites, aldicarb sulfoxide [2-methyl-2-(methylsulfinayl)propionaldehyde-O-(methylcarbamoyl) oxime] and aldicarb sulfone [2-methyl-2-(methylsulfonyl) propionaldehyde-O-(methylcarbamoyl) oxime] from water samples. The analytes were removed from a 150-mL water sample by the SPE cartridge and eluted with 2 mL of methanol. Recoveries from water for all three compounds exceeded 90% with coefficients of variation ranging from 3 to 9%. An extraction method was also developed to extract aldicarb and its metabolites from soil using water as the extractant. The analytes are then recovered from the water using the same SPE method referred to above. Recoveries from soil for all three compounds ranged from 80 to 95%. Our SPE method also worked well (recoveries >95%) for two other carbamates, methomyl [S-methyl N-[(methylcarbamoyl)oxy]thioacetimidate] and oxamyl [N',N'-dimethyl-N-[(methylcarbamoyl)oxy]-1-thiooxamimidate] tested and should work with other polar compounds once they are in the aqueous phase.
Release of Free Fatty Acids and Loss of Hill Activity by Aging Spinach Chloroplasts

The free fatty acid content of spinach chloroplasts, isolated at pH 5.8 to 8.0, has been found to vary between 3.1 and 5.5% of the total chloroplast fatty acids. When chloroplasts were incubated at room temperature for 2 hours, the free fatty acids increased by 42% and the Hill activity decreased by 70%. After 2 hours of incubation at 37°, the free fatty acids increased about 3-fold and the Hill activity decreased to almost 0. The addition of crystalline bovine serum albumin largely prevented the loss of Hill activity at room temperature and at 5°, but had little effect during incubation at 37°. Both the release of free fatty acids and the loss of Hill activity were pH dependent. The losses were the least during incubation at pH 5.8 and the greatest during incubation at pH 8.0. The major free fatty acids released at pH 5.8 were saturated, while those released at pH 7.0 or 8.0 were mainly the unsaturated acids, α-linolenic acid and hexadecatrienoic acid.
Localization of the thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia syndrome locus to a 1.4-cM region of 1q23.

Thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia (TRMA) is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by megaloblastic anemia, deafness, and diabetes mellitus. A genome scan previously established linkage of this disorder to 1q23 and haplotype analysis defined a 16-cM critical region. Molecular genetic analyses of four unrelated multiplex Iranian families inheriting TRMA confirmed linkage to the same region and identified recombinant chromosomes which permitted refinement of the critical region to a narrow 1.4-cM interval. The haplotypes of the families differed, consistent with at least two independent mutational events. This refinement of the TRMA locus to less than 10% of that previously published should markedly facilitate the identification and evaluation of positional candidate and novel genes which may cause this disorder.
Interleukin-12 Is Expressed by Infiltrating Macrophages and Synovial Lining Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis

TH1 cytokines have recently been detected in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). For this reason we studied the TH-1-promoting cytokine IL-12 in synovial membranes from patients with RA and OA. IL-12 transcripts and protein were analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. In addition, IL-12 transcripts were quantitated by competitive PCR. IL-12 transcripts (p40) were detected in 8 of 13 patients with RA and in 10 of 18 patients with OA. Their levels did not differ significantly between RA and OA. IL-12 heterodimer protein was detected by immunostaining using an anti-IL-12p70 mAb. Double labeling with anti-IL-12p70 and anti-CD68 mAbs showed that synovial lining cells and monocytes/macrophages expressed IL-12 p70 protein. The presence of IL-12 p70 protein in the synovial membranes of patients with RA and OA suggests that IL-12 may play an important immunoregulatory role in these diseases by perpetuating inflammation.
The economic realities of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent therapy in kidney disease

The administration of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in the United States provides a classic example of how economics drive practice. When epoetin was first approved for the treatment of anemia in 1989, its use in hemodialysis patients was very conservative as long as it was reimbursed at a single capitated rate of $40 irrespective of dose. Once epoetin was reimbursed at a rate of $11 per 1000 U in 1991, its use skyrocketed. Despite two iterations of clinical practice guidelines recommending subcutaneous (SC) over intravenous (IV) epoetin administration in hemodialysis patients based on ample evidence that the former is significantly more effective, 95% of hemodialysis patients in the United States receive epoetin IV because epoetin is a profit center for dialysis providers and Medicare has been willing to pay for it. Although darbepoetin is about twice as expensive as epoetin for the same therapeutic effect in patients with chronic kidney disease, darbepoetin has achieved significant market penetration despite the higher cost burden for patients with co-pays and data demonstrating that comparable dosing intervals can be achieved in a majority of patients treated with epoetin. It is likely that increased attention to costs of medications by providers through reimbursement bundling models, payment for performance systems, and competition by newer therapeutic agents will have a significant impact on current practice patterns.
A Third-Order Bandpass Frequency Selective Surface With a Tunable Transmission Null

We present the design and analysis of a frequency selective surface (FSS) capable of providing a third-order bandpass response. The transfer function of the proposed FSS has a transmission null, the frequency of which can be tuned to suppress strong interference signals with frequencies close to or within the main transmission band. The principles of operation of the device are presented along with an approximate analytical procedure for synthesizing the desired FSS response. Two prototypes are fabricated and characterized using a free-space measurement setup and the FSS's different modes of operation are experimentally demonstrated. Finally, the tuning performance of the FSS's transmission null is experimentally demonstrated in a WR-90 waveguide environment.
Semisynthesis of a glycosylated Im7 analogue for protein folding studies.

To establish a system to address questions concerning the influence of glycosylation on protein folding pathways, we have developed a semisynthetic route toward the immunity protein Im7. This fourhelix protein has been used extensively as model protein for folding studies. Native chemical ligation (NCL) affords an N-linked chitobiose glycoprotein analogue of Im7 with an Ala29Cys mutation. The semisynthetic approach relies on the solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) of N-terminal thioesters (including helix I), in glycosylated or unglycosylated form, in combination with the expression of the C-terminal fragment of Im7 (containing helices II−IV). Detailed kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of the protein folding behavior reveals that semisynthetic Im7 analogues are well suited for protein folding studies and that the folding mechanism of the glycoprotein of this Im7 variant is not significantly altered over the unglycosylated analogue.
Bronchiolitis and asthma: Possible common pathogenetic pathways

Abstract A discussion of possible mechanisms for virus-induced wheezing in normal and asthmatic children is presented. Presently attractive theories for immune injury in viral bronchiolitis include those which depend on pathology induced by types 1, 3, and 4 of Gell and Coombs. The continuum of viral bronchiolitis with virus-induced wheezing in young children who are labeled "asthmatic" argues for some common mechanism of bronchiolar obstruction.
The porosity dependence of the dielectric constant for sintered hydroxyapatite

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is the major mineral constituent of bone, and as such, the dielectric properties of HAp are of interest because electromagnetic fields have been shown to accelerate healing in bone fractures. In addition, an interest in the dielectric properties of HAp stems from the suggestion that electrically insulating HAp coatings might be used on implantable devices. In this study, the dielectric constant of polycrystalline hexagonal HAp was measured at nine different frequencies, from 45 kHz to 7.3 MHz for relative porosities ranging from 0.05 to 0.42. At a fixed frequency, the decrease in k as a function of increasing porosity is described well by an exponential function of porosity such that k = k0exp(−bP), where k0 is the dielectric constant at zero porosity and b is a constant. In addition, the entire data set of 108 data points (representing the 12 specimens of differing porosity measured at each of the nine frequencies) was fit to a candidate function formed from the product k0exp(−bP) and a simple expression relating frequency to the dielectric constant. The candidate function fit the data relatively well, with a coefficient of determination of 0.91. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 60: 643–650, 2002
Neutrino masses in three generation Calabi-Yau models

Abstract An analysis of neutrino masses in the framework of CP 3 ×CP 3 /Z 3 Tian-Yau model is given. It is shown that the three light generation neutrinos mix with two SU(3) C ×SU(2) L ×U(1) Y neutral exotic states which have masses in the TeV region. The resulting 5×5 neutrino mass matrix contains one light neutrino with mass 0(10 −6 eV). The remaining two neutrino masses have a theoretical lower limit. The resultant constraints on the theory from these limits are exhibited.