cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Andrology: Classification of male factor infertility relevant to in-vitro fertilization insemination strategies using mannose ligands, acrosome status and anti-cytoskeletal antibodies

Polyvalent mannose ligands in the presence of free mannose act as zona pellucida agonists which rapidly induce acrosome exocytosis in competent motile human sperm from fertile donors following in-vitro capacitation. Quantification of the binding patterns of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled mannosylated albumins and of specific antisera which recognize mannose receptors and other related integral sperm membrane proteins as well as the incidence of induced acrosome exocytosis after capacitation has allowed us to identify three categories of male infertility. Category 1 males have normozoospermic semen parameters, their spermatozoa have elevated sperm cholesterol values and fail to fertilize oocytes in vitro after standard short-term incubations. These spermatozoa do not bind mannose ligands and do not show spontaneous or induced acrosome reactions, but treatments to remove cholesterol from the spermatozoa (e.g. prolonged incubation in the presence of sterol acceptors) confer the ability to fertilize. Cholesterol loading and unloading experiments have demonstrated the reversible character of sperm membrane properties in category 1 male infertility. Category 2 males have normal-appearing spermatozoa in semen which express mannose ligand receptors on incubation, but fail to undergo acrosome reactions in response to mannose treatment. Interestingly, all category 2 males identified in this study have clinical varicocele. Category 3 males have semen which may be normozoospermic or teratozoospermic with, in some cases, high percentages of tapering spermatozoa in the absence of clinical varicocele. Spermatozoa from category 3 men are deficient in a superfamily of integral membrane proteins whose cytoplasmic tails have myosin motors as identified by amino acid sequence analysis and anti-myosin antibody reactivity. Their spermatozoa do not express mannose ligand receptors or undergo induced acrosome reactions. Fertilization with category 2 and 3 semen is only achieved by micromanipulation procedures. These findings illustrate the practical application of basic research for infertility classification.
SART-type image reconstruction from overlapped projections

To maximize the time-integrated X-ray flux from multiple X-ray sources and shorten the data acquisition process, a promising way is to allow overlapped projections from multiple sources being simultaneously on without involving the source multiplexing technology. The most challenging task in this configuration is to perform image reconstruction effectively and efficiently from overlapped projections. Inspired by the single-source simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART), we hereby develop a multisource SART-type reconstruction algorithm regularized by a sparsity-oriented constraint in the soft-threshold filtering framework to reconstruct images from overlapped projections. Our numerical simulation results verify the correctness of the proposed algorithm and demonstrate the advantage of image reconstruction from overlapped projections.
The implementation of formal procedures in juvenile court processing of status offenders

Abstract Discriminant analysis of both observational and records data from two juvenile court systems is used to assess differences in the type and activities of the people involved in legal processing of status and nonstatus offenders. The analysis indicates that there are differences between the processing of the two categories of offenders; however, contrary to expectations, the most powerful discriminating variables (detention and petitioner) are not those related to the degree in which the justice system has implemented the formalities mandated by the Gault decision. It is concluded that statutory distinctions between legal categories of juveniles have virtually no relevance for the degree of formality with which these cases are processed by the courts.
Extrathymic tolerance of mature T cells: clonal elimination as a consequence of immunity.

Abstract The mechanism by which T lymphocytes are tolerized to self or foreign antigens is still controversial. Clonal deletion is the major mechanism of tolerance for immature thymocytes; for mature T cells, tolerance is considered to reflect anergy rather than deletion, and to be a consequence of defective presentation of antigen. This paper documents a novel form of tolerance resulting when mature T cells encounter antigen in immunogenic form. Evidence is presented that exposure of mature T cells to Mls a antigens in vivo leads to specific tolerance and disappearance of Mls a -reactive Vβ6 + T cells. Surprisingly, the clonal elimination of Vβ6 + cells is preceded by marked expansion of these cells. Thus, tolerance induction can be the end result of a powerful immune response. These data raise important questions concerning the relationship of tolerance and memory.
Rearrangement of N-Heterocylic Carbenes Involving Heterocycle Cleavage

In two similar but unrelated cases, a novel type of ring-opening reaction of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) was observed. These compounds may represent a general class of hitherto unknown decomposition products of NHCs.
Failure of ACAT inhibition to retard atherosclerosis.

Medical management of atherosclerosis is based on the control of its risk factors (dyslipidemia, hypertension, family history, and smoking) and predisposing conditions (e.g., the metabolic syndrome...
Erythropoietin Surprises: An Immune Saga

Erythropoietin (EPO) an erythropoietic stimulating agent also exerts effects on other cell systems. Nairz et al. (2011) now link EPO and intracellular signaling through the EPO receptor (EPOR) to innate immune cell activity via macrophages.
Bibliotherapy through puppetry: Socializing the young child can be fun!

Situations such as learning how to interact with others in a socially acceptable way, how to handle one's own feelings, and how to evolve as an individual while becoming a member of small friendship groups and the larger groups of the classroom constitute some of the developmental problems encountered by most children as they mature. Bibliotherapy, a process which can aid in the solution of personal problems through selected reading, can be combined with puppetry techniques to guide young children through these socially awkward or difficult situations. In addition to helping the child with the socialization process, many instructional benefits are realized. Among these are gaining an appreciation for good children's literature, gaining knowledge about story structures, increasing oral language fluency, and increasing the child's vocabulary.
Association of microsatellite pairs with segmental duplications in insect genomes

Segmental duplications (SDs), also known as low-copy repeats, are DNA sequences of length greater than 1 kb which are duplicated with a high degree of sequence identity (greater than 90%) causing instability in genomes. SDs are generally found in the genome as mosaic forms of duplicated sequences which are generated by a two-step process: first, multiple duplicated sequences are aggregated at specific genomic regions, and then, these primary duplications undergo multiple secondary duplications. However, the mechanism of how duplicated sequences are aggregated in the first place is not well understood. By analyzing the distribution of microsatellite sequences among twenty insect species in a genome-wide manner it was found that pairs of microsatellites along with the intervening sequences were duplicated multiple times in each genome. They were found as low copy repeats or segmental duplications when the duplicated loci were greater than 1 kb in length and had greater than 90% sequence similarity. By performing a sliding-window genomic analysis for number of paired microsatellites and number of segmental duplications, it was observed that regions rich in repetitive paired microsatellites tend to get richer in segmental duplication suggesting a “rich-gets-richer” mode of aggregation of the duplicated loci in specific regions of the genome. Results further show that the relationship between number of paired microsatellites and segmental duplications among the species is independent of the known phylogeny suggesting that association of microsatellites with segmental duplications may be a species-specific evolutionary process. It was also observed that the repetitive microsatellite pairs are associated with gene duplications but those sequences are rarely retained in the orthologous genes between species. Although some of the duplicated sequences with microsatellites as termini were found within transposable elements (TEs) of Drosophila, most of the duplications are found in the TE-free and gene-free regions of the genome. The study clearly suggests that microsatellites are instrumental in extensive sequence duplications that may contribute to species-specific evolution of genome plasticity in insects.
Reaction and adsorption on multifractal substrates

The simple diffusion-limited reactions A + A → 0 (reaction I) and A + B → 0 (reaction II) have been studied on lattices with a multifractal distribution of site occupation probabilities. For reaction I, ϱA ≈ t-α, and, for reaction II, ϱA ≈ t-β (for ϱA = ϱB), in the long time limit. The values obtained for the exponents α and β are consistent with the idea that α = 2/DW and β = 1/DW where DW is the fractal dimensionality of a random walk on the multifractal substrate. A quite different value is found for β if only one of the two species is allowed to move.
Identification of retinoic acid in a high content screen for agents that overcome the anti-myogenic effect of TGF-beta-1.

Background Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) is an inhibitor of muscle cell differentiation that is associated with fibrosis, poor regeneration and poor function in some diseases of muscle. When neutralizing antibodies to TGF-β1 or the angiotensin II inhibitor losartan were used to reduce TGF-β1 signaling, muscle morphology and function were restored in mouse models of Marfan Syndrome and muscular dystrophy. The goal of our studies was to identify additional agents that overcome the anti-myogenic effect of TGF-β1. Methodology/Principal Findings A high-content cell-based assay was developed in a 96-well plate format that detects the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) in C2C12 cells. The assay was used to quantify the dose-dependent responses of C2C12 cell differentiation to TGF-β1 and to the TGF-β1 Type 1 receptor kinase inhibitor, SB431542. Thirteen agents previously described as promoting C2C12 differentiation in the absence of TGF-β1 were screened in the presence of TGF-β1. Only all-trans retinoic acid and 9-cis retinoic acid allowed a maximal level of C2C12 cell differentiation in the presence of TGF-β1; the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril and 10 nM estrogen provided partial rescue. Vitamin D was a potent inhibitor of retinoic acid-induced myogenesis in the presence of TGF-β1. TGF-β1 inhibits myoblast differentiation through activation of Smad3; however, retinoic acid did not inhibit TGF-β1-induced activation of a Smad3-dependent reporter gene in C2C12 cells. Conclusions/Significance Retinoic acid alleviated the anti-myogenic effect of TGF-β1 by a Smad3-independent mechanism. With regard to the goal of improving muscle regeneration and function in individuals with muscle disease, the identification of retinoic acid is intriguing in that some retinoids are already approved for human therapy. However, retinoids also have well-described adverse effects. The quantitative, high-content assay will be useful to screen for less-toxic retinoids or combinations of agents that promote myoblast differentiation in the presence of TGF-β1.
Mitochondria: diversity in the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome

Recent studies have identified new roles for mitochondria in the regulation of autoinflammatory processes. Emerging data suggests that the release of danger signals from mitochondria in response to stress and infection promotes the formation of the inflammatory signaling platform known as inflammasomes. Activation of inflammasomes by damaged mitochondria results in caspase-1-dependent secretion of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, and an inflammatory form of cell death referred to as pyroptosis. Here, we review recently described mechanisms that have been proposed to be involved in mitochondria-mediated regulation of inflammasome activation and inflammation. In addition, we highlight how aberrant regulation of mitochondria-induced inflammasome activation centrally contributes to the inflammatory process that is responsible for obesity and associated metabolic diseases.
Presence of O6-Methylguanine acceptor protein in the tissues of different classes of vertevrates abd invertebrates

Abstract 1. 1. We have measured the ability of extracts of tissues from several species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibia and fish to demethylate adducts of O6-methylguanine in exogenous DNA by transfer of the methyl group to an acceptor protein. Our study also encompassed tissues from a smaller number of invertebrates, from arthropods, molluscs and annelids. 2. 2. The vertebrate tissues used were liver, brain, spleen and kidney. In the case of the invertebrates we sampled liver, neural tissue, gonads, digestive tract and hepatopancreas. 3. 3. There was no consistent change in the amount of acceptor activity per unit of protein or DNA going from cold-blooded to warm-blooded vertebrates. Liver invariably had the highest amount; this finding was not unexpected since metabolic processes in the liver are high, and good cellular protective mechanisms important. 4. 4. Inter-class comparisons within the vertebrates are highly speculative, and hindered by the fact that there is little information on carcinogenesis in animals other than rodents and humans. 5. 5. O6-methylguanine aeceptor activity was found in all the invertebrate tissues tested. The amounts were variable, 0.003–0.0051 fmol/μg cellular DNA, but the values fell within the range of those found in the tissues of vertebrates.
A review of porous squeeze films

Abstract Squeeze films between two fully lubricated plates, one of which has a porous facing, are reviewed. Fundamental equations and results are presented and important effects are discussed. Potential research areas for the future are also indicated.
Factors modifying the synthesis of dopamine from tyrosine in pedal ganglia of Mercenaria mercenaria (mollusca)

1. 1. The dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) contents of the ganglia of Mercenaria mercenaria expressed as ng. per ganglion were as follows: Pedal ganglion: 236±16 ng. DA 101± NG. 5-HT. Visceral ganglion: 76±3 ng. DA 116±7 NG. 5-HT. Cerebral ganglion: 37±5 ng. DA 107±15 ng. 5-HT. 1. 2. Pedal ganglia synthesize [14C]DA from [14C]tyrosine but do not form significant amounts of [14C]noradrenaline (NA). [14C]5-HT is also formed from [14C]tryptophan in pedal ganglia. 2. 3. Incubation of pedal ganglia in KCl-rich sea water accelerates synthesis of [14C]DA from [14C]tyrosine two- to threefold compared with controls. The specific activity of DA isolated from the K+-stimulation ganglia is corresponding increased. 3. 4. The acceleration of DA synthesis appears to take place at the tyrosine hydroxylation step. 4. 5. Synthesis of DA from tyrosine in pedal ganglia is inhibited up to 60 per cent by 10−4M DA in the medium.
Fate and transport of species in a linear reaction network with different retardation coefficients

A response function approach is used to generate semi-analytical solutions to model the transport of species within a first-order reaction network. If the retardation coefficients of these species are not the same, product species will either be delayed or displaced forward relative to the reactants. A novel approach is used to simulate linear, kinetic response functions (KRFs) for species in plug flow, then to integrate with the conservative residence time density function (E-curve) to yield a residence time density for the reacted species. This kinetic E-curve can be used with linear operator methods such as convolution to yield the semi-analytical solution for nonuniform inputs, nonideal mixing, and complex reaction networks. Closed-form analytical solutions are presented for the linear response functions for straight, three-member reaction networks in plug flow. Only irreversible reactions are considered. Several examples with various mixing conditions are shown and compared to other analytical solutions. Although the approach is related to other transfer function models, the kinetic residence time density is a transfer function that is generated directly from the plug-flow response functions and the numerical evaluation of the E-curve. The advantage is that a wide variety of mixing conditions and reaction networks may be considered without the need to generate analytical transfer functions for each species and mixing condition.
Advanced fuels for heavy-ion beam fusion

Abstract The potential of using advanced-fuel heavy-ion beam fusion is discussed as an avenue for achieving improved environmental and safety factors in a fusio
C 1 boundary regularity of planar infinity harmonic functions

We prove that if Ω ⊂ R is a bounded domain with C-boundary and g ∈ C(R), then any viscosity solution u ∈ C(Ω) of the infinity Laplacian equation (1.1) is C(Ω). The interior C and C-regularity of u in dimension two has been proved by Savin [20] and Evans-Savin [15] respectively. We also show that for any n ≥ 3, if Ω ⊂ R is a bounded domain with C-boundary and g ∈ C(R), then the solution u of equation (1.1) is differentiable on ∂Ω. This can be viewed as a supplementary result to the much deeper interior differentiability theorem by Evans-Smart [16, 17].
Kinetics of the OH Reaction with Methyl Chloroform and Its Atmospheric Implications.

The rate coefficients for the reaction of hydroxyl (OH) radicals with methyl chloroform (CH3CCI3) were measured between 243 and 379 kelvin with the pulsed photolysis—laserinduced fluorescence method. The measured rate coefficients at 298 and 277 kelvin were ∼20 and ∼15%, respectively, lower than earlier values. These results will increase the tropospheric OH concentrations derived from the CH3CCI3 budget analysis by ∼15%. The predicted atmospheric lifetimes of species whose main loss process is the reaction with OH in the troposphere will be lowered by 15% with consequent changes in their budgets, global warming potentials, and ozone depletion potentials.
The relevance of HLA antibody and a donor specific flow cytometry crossmatch to rejection and graft survival in cardiac allograft recipients

used to identify sensitized patients awaiting heart transplantation. Patients that have elevated PRA’s include multiparous women, those who receive numerous blood transfusions and those supported on cardiac assist devices awaiting transplant. The increase use of mechanical circulatory support ensures that patients with elevated PRA’s and positive crossmatches will become more common. Sensitized patients already have a prolonged waiting time. Consequentlly, we pretreated sensitized patients with plasmapheresis and IVIG immediately prior to transplantation and prospectively reviewed the effect of this treatment on frequency of rejection and survival. Procedure: Patients awaiting heart transplantation were prospectively crossmatched using flow cytometry. Sixteen patients (SENS) of 50 patients awaiting heart transplantation were found to be sensitized. These patients underwent plasmapheresis followed by 20 gm IVIG immediately prior to heart transplantation. The SENS group was compared to a matching group of patients with a PRA 10% (NONSENS). The patients were followed for one year. Using KaplanMeier Method and log rank test the two groups were compared in regards to the number of rejection episodes and survival. Results: Despite the SENS group having an elevated PRA, there was no difference in survival (p .30) or rejection (p .44) between the two groups at one year. However, those SENS patients with flow PRA class II negative has less rejection than those flow PRA class II positive (p 0.01). Conclusion: Preoperative plasmapheresis and IVIG in SENS patients awaiting heart transplantation is effective with no difference in occurrence of rejection or survival. This result may in the future eliminate the need for preoperative negative crossmatching. Longer follow up will determine if this finding continues to hold up. SENS patients with PRA class II positive are more susceptible to rejection and require closer monitoring.
Functional cavity dimensions of tear lipocalin.

Purpose. We calibrated the cavity of tear lipocalin with a series of fluorescent labeled lipids of increasing chain length and varying diameter. Methods. Cavity length was assessed with competitive fluorescent assays in which DAUDA was displaced from apo-tear lipocalin with ligands of increasing carbon chain lengths from C12-C24. The concentrations of competitors that inhibit 50% of the binding of DAUDA (IC 50) were compared. Functional diameters of tear lipocalin and s-lactoglobulin were estimated with fatty acids bearing fluorescent labels of various diameters. The cavity dimensions of other lipocalins were derived from their published crystal structure coordinates. Results. In tear lipocalin, the binding affinities of fatty acids increased up to a carbon chain length of 18 (22.5 A) but remained constant from C18-C24. The cavity length of other lipocalins in crystal form were similar to tear lipocalin in solution. Tear lipocalin showed decreased binding affinities with progressively increasing ring dime...
Lactose promoter mutation Pr115 activates an overlapping promoter within the lactose control region.

Abstract The Escherichia coli lac ‡ promoter mutation P r 115, an A · T to T · A transversion at +1 (the transcription initiation site of the lac wild-type and lac UV5 promoters), creates a new “−10 region”-like sequence starting at +1. We show that this mutation activates a new RNA polymerase binding site (P115) that overlaps with, and is shifted 12 base-pairs downstream from, the wild-type RNA polymerase binding site (P1). Nuclease S 1 mapping studies and RNA polymerase protection experiments in vitro indicate that, in the absence of CAP-cAMP, this new site is used preferentially over the P1 site. In vivo , β-galactosidase assays of the P r 115 mutation in combination with mutations of the P1 “−35 region” demonstrate that the P1 −35 region sequences are not involved in the interaction between RNA polymerase and P115 in the absence of CAP-cAMP; therefore P115 is an independent binding site. The presence of CAP-cAMP in vivo stimulates polymerase binding and initiation at P1, which serves to block polymerase from binding at P115.
Area-Selective ALD with Soft Lithographic Methods: Using Self-Assembled Monolayers to Direct Film Deposition

Area-selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a technique that can be used for fabricating 3D structures with dimensions down to the nanoscale. A patterned resist, typically a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), directs film deposition through area-selective ALD, leading to lateral patterning. This article will describe the overall approach to area-selective ALD, introduce the process of atomic layer deposition, and discuss the development of monolayer ALD resists. We will describe the results of studies which show that monolayers with a high degree of packing and hydrophobicity perform best in blocking ALD, and that resistance against ALD can be used as a sensitive probe of SAM quality. We further describe patterning of the SAM through soft lithography, in particular microcontact printing (μCP), for the area-selective ALD process, and compare the area-selective ALD processes for HfO2 and Pt ALD. The powerful patterning capability of μCP and the flexibility of area-selective ALD for various materials can im...
The projections of intracellularly labeled auditory nerve fibers to the dorsal cochlear nucleus of cats.

The cochlear nucleus receives incoming auditory nerve discharges, preserves or transforms the signals, and distributes outgoing activity to higher centers. The organization of auditory nerve input to the cochlear nucleus will heavily influence the mechanisms by which acoustic information is processed. In order to study structure-function relationships between auditory nerve and cochlear nucleus, the axonal arborizations of type I spiral ganglion cells were labeled with intracellular injections of horseradish peroxidase after first being electrophysiologically characterized by recording with a micropipette inserted into the axon. For each auditory nerve fiber, spontaneous discharge rate (SR) and a frequency tuning curve were determined. The tuning curve yielded the characteristic frequency (CF, that frequency to which the fiber is most sensitive) and CF threshold in dB SPL. Individual axonal arborizations including all terminal swellings were reconstructed through serial sections with the aid of a light microscope and drawing tube. On average, 13.4 ± 8.1% of the terminal swellings were found in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) and the remaining terminal swellings were located in the ventral cochlear nucleus. In the DCN, the terminal fields of auditory nerve fibers were restricted to layer III, contributed to cytoarchitectonic striations, and exhibited a systematic relationship between fiber CF and position along the strial (or long) axis of the nucleus. Computer-aided rotations revealed that the terminal fields were anisotropic, being flattened within the trans-strial axis. The maximal width of the terminal fields along the strial axis ranged from 31–321 μm and was inversely related to fiber CF and SR. Variation in the number of terminals or depth of the terminal field within layer III was not related to SR grouping or CF of the fiber. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Value of Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Supplementation of Broiler Rations

Abstract It has been shown that methionine hydroxy analogue will satisfy the methionine requirement of the chick (Bird, 1952; Gordon and Maddy, 1953). As part of an extensive program for testing the utility of methionine hydroxy analogue, experiments were carried out under conditions in which a high degree of control was maintained over temperature, light and other environmental factors. Data are presented to show that the type of experimental design employed demonstrates that the addition of low levels of methionine hydroxy analogue to practical broiler rations will give statistically significant improvements in feed efficiency. Experimetal work involving larger numbers of birds on floor trials or under field conditions will be reported subsequently. The basal diet used in this study was composed of soybean oil meal (44% protein) 35%, ground yellow corn 57.55%, alfalfa leaf meal 3.0%, dicalcium phosphate 1.975%, calcium carbonate 1.5%, iodized salt 0.5%, MnSO4 (70%) 0.025%. The following ingredients …
Phase-conjugate shear interferometer with multiple wavelengths

Optical phase conjugation and two-wavelength recording in a photorefractive crystal BaTiO 3 is used for real-time lateral-shear interferometry. Dispersion in uniaxial BaTiO 3 crystal is used to provide perfect phase matching for two gratings of different spatial frequencies. Theoretical predictions of possible geometries are experimentally verified. The magnification effect and modulation of diffraction efficiency due to recording-reconstruction with different wavelengths are also presented.
Thermal hyperalgesia in rat evoked by intrathecal substance P at multiple stimulus intensities reflects an increase in the gain of nociceptive processing.

Abstract Substance P (SP) is associated with primary afferent depolarization after a noxious or tissue-damaging peripheral stimulus and is proposed to be a ‘pain transmitter’. However, current work has shown that activation of spinal neurokinin receptors evokes few signs of ‘pain behavior’, but rather decreases nociceptive thresholds, suggesting a modulatory role through additive or multiplicative mechanisms. The current study addressed this question by examining the change in nociceptive threshold under three different radiant thermal stimuli after intrathecal SP administration in unanesthetized rats. With increasing stimulus intensity, the numerical change in withdrawal latency after intrathecal SP decreased, but the fractional change from baseline latency did not change, suggesting that SP increases the gain of spinal nociceptive processing.
Malignant melanoma. Primary surgical management (excision and node dissection) based on pathology and staging

The diagnosis of malignant melanoma is based on clinical grounds and a properly performed biopsy, preferably excision, so that the type of melanoma and the thickness can be assessed by methods described by Clark and Breslow. These facilitate clinical and pathologic staging. Excisions with conservative margins for thin lesions (less than 1.0 mm in thickness) and more extensive margins for thicker lesions are appropriate, The issue of elective lymph node dissection is controversial. Most authors agree it is not indicated for lesions less than 1.0 mm thick and may offer little advantage for lesions greater than 4.0 mm thick. Several retrospective studies show a survival advantage in patients with «intermediate» thickness melanomas who may have occult nodal metastases. However, there are prospective randomized clinical trials supporting the concept that positive lymph nodes are a manifestation of systemic disease, and survival is equivalent in patients who have subsequent therapeutic lymph node dissections. A procedure using intraoperative lymphatic mapping and selective lymphadenectomy may identify those patients who are likely to benefit from lymphadenectomy
Endothelial cell signaling during conducted vasomotor responses

ACh and KCl stimulate vasomotor responses that spread rapidly and bidirectionally along arteriole walls, most likely via spread of electric current or Ca2+ through gap junctions. We examined these ...
Coping Resources among Southeast Asian-American Adolescents

This study examines the relationships of gender and ethnic differences in the experiences of stressful life events, coping-specific responses, and self-reported depression. Seventy high-school aged respondents, 40 boys and 30 girls, responded to a self-reported questionnaire that asked questions on the perceived distress of related life events (i.e., person, family, peer, acculturation events), coping-specific responses, and depression. The findings provide important data on gender and ethnic variations in the ways Southeast Asian-American adolescents deal with life stress and depression. These findings have important implications for social work practice and future research on the psychosocial adjustment with both immigrant and ethnic children and adolescents.
Incorporating mobile computing into the CS curriculum (abstract only)

Computer Science (CS) educators are constantly reinventing introductory and advanced courses contextualized with new technology to better engage, retain students and increase their learning and motivation. Mobile and wearable computing are the most recent examples. However, while it is important to attract students into CS, it is equally vital to sustain student motivation by using pedagogical approaches contextualized to how students learn throughout the curriculum without losing fundamental, core concepts. Many educators have developed one-off courses employing new technology or a project-driven approach to engage students and transfer ready industry skills. Yet, too few have woven a combination of pedagogical approaches sensitive to how students learn with in-demand technology and skills contiguously throughout the upper-level curriculum and tied it to opportunities outside of the classroom. To ensure that CS educators are not simply adopting the newest technological fad at the expense of students learning and fundamental, core CS concepts, the CS education community must understand how mobile computing technology can be successfully leveraged to change education through measured, contextualized pedagogical approaches. To start facilitating this dialog, this Birds of a Feather session will provide a platform for the discussion of how mobile computing has been successfully (and unsuccessfully) incorporated into CS courses; the mobile platforms and tools used; and, the pedagogical utility of using mobile computing as a learning intervention. This project is partially supported by NSF DUE#1140781.
Calcium phosphate deposition from balanced salt solutions.

Minimal levels of calcium and phosphate ions necessary to induce mineral deposition within 24 hours at 37° from balanced salt solutions buffered in the physiological pH range are described. It is concluded that most physiological fluids apparently have the potential to form calcium phosphatede novo in the absence of any nucleating catalyst or inhibitory agent. The possible effects that external factors under cellular control may have upon this process are discussed.
The Effects of Social Disorganization: A Hierarchical Analysis of Perceived Incivilities in a Latino Community

Abstract Guided by the theoretical framework of quality of life and social disorganization, this study combined data from three independent sources (4,469 community surveys, Census Bureau, and police crime records) to simultaneously examine the influence of contextual characteristics (concentrated disadvantage, social isolation, and violent crime) on residents' perceived incivilities across 10 city council districts in San Antonio, Texas, net of citizen-level covariates. Several findings emerged from the Poisson hierarchical analysis. At the citizen-level, Latino, age, homeowner, perceived safety, and quality of life rating were significantly related to perceived incivility. At the council district level, all the contextual variables were positively and significantly associated with the outcome. Implications from these findings are considered.
Inhibition of the α-glycerophosphate shuttle in housefly flight muscle

Abstract The existence of an α-glycerophosphate shuttle permitting oxidation of exogenous NADH2 was demonstrated in housefly flight muscle. Six analogues of α-glycerophosphate were prepared and tested along with eleven cinnamic acid derivatives fro ability to block the shuttle. Only the ring-substituted cinnamic acids were effective. None of the compounds tested were toxic to houseflies.
Somatotrophin effects on fetal brain growth: Failure to replicate

Offspring of pregnant rats given purified growth hormone did not differ on three behavioral tests, in brain size, or in number of brain cells from offspring of those given a placebo. These findings are contrary to previous reports.
Vocal Fry May Undermine the Success of Young Women in the Labor Market

Vocal fry is speech that is low pitched and creaky sounding, and is increasingly common among young American females. Some argue that vocal fry enhances speaker labor market perceptions while others argue that vocal fry is perceived negatively and can damage job prospects. In a large national sample of American adults we find that vocal fry is interpreted negatively. Relative to a normal speaking voice, young adult female voices exhibiting vocal fry are perceived as less competent, less educated, less trustworthy, less attractive, and less hirable. The negative perceptions of vocal fry are stronger for female voices relative to male voices. These results suggest that young American females should avoid using vocal fry speech in order to maximize labor market opportunities.
Nonlinear geometric optics for multidimensional shocks I: Profile equations

Abstract We construct geometric optics expansions of high order for oscillatory multidimensional shocks, and then show that the expansions are close to exact shock solutions for small wavelengths. Expansions are constructed both for ψe, the oscillatory function defining the shock surface Se, and for ue±me, the solutions on each side of Se. The profile equations yield detailed information on the evolution of (ue±,ψe), showing for example how new interior oscillations are produced by nonlinear interaction between ue± and Se. In this first Note we set up the problem and obtain the profile equations.
Lossless compression of color-mapped images

In a color-mapped (pseudo-color) image, pixel values repre- sent indices that point to color values in a look-up table. Well-known linear predictive schemes, such as JPEG and CALIC, perform poorly when used with pseudo-color images, while universal compressors, such as Gzip, Pkzip and Compress, yield better compression gain. Recently, Burrows and Wheeler introduced the Block Sorting Lossless Data Com- pression Algorithm (BWA). The BWA algorithm received considerable attention. It achieves compression rates as good as context-based meth- ods, such as PPM, but at execution speeds closer to Ziv-Lempel tech- niques. The BWA algorithm is mainly composed of a block-sorting trans- formation which is known as Burrows-Wheeler Transformation (BWT), followed by Move-To-Front (MTF) coding. We introduce a new block transformation, Linear Order Transformation (LOT). We delineate its re- lationship to Burrows-Wheeler Transformation and show that LOT is faster than BWT transformation. We then show that when MTF coder is employed after the LOT, the compression gain obtained is better than the well-known compression techniques, such as GIF, JPEG, CALIC, Gzip, LZW (Unix Compress) and the BWA for pseudo-color images.
In vitro skin irritation assays: relevance to human skin.

The events occurring in primary skin irritation in vivo represent a complex series of chemical and physiological changes. Animals have been used to assess dermal irritation by observation of visible changes ranging from erythema and edema to corrosion and ulceration in the in vivo Draize rabbit skin test accepted by many regulatory agencies [Draize et al., 1944]. These responses, easily observed, are produced by diverse mechanisms.
Neuroepithelial bodies and growth of the airway epithelium in developing hamster lung

Clusters of small-granule endocrine cells, neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs), appear in the airway lining of pseudoglandular lungs, but their prenatal function has remained obscure. Transplacental labeling of S-phase cells in Syrian golden hamsters has allowed us to relate NEBs to patterns of replication in the surrounding endoderm. Two methods were used: (1) continuous exposure to 3H-thymidine for the last 25% (4 days) of gestation, and 2) 2-hr exposure to 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) on fetal day 15. 3H-thymidine incorporation was assessed in autoradiographs of neonatal lung by grain counting from 923 nonendocrine and 251 endocrine cells in 28 airway epithelial terrains, each centered on a NEB: 12 in the perihilar, 8 in the middle, and 8 in the distal third of the left axial bronchus. Grain densities for 10–25 nonendocrine cells on either side of the NEB were plotted vs. position relative to the endocrine cell cluster and analyzed by rank-order correlation and linear regression. Label was highest in cells closest to NEBs in all 12 terrains (P < 0.05–0.001) in the perihilar airway, in 3 of 8 terrains (P < 0.025–0.001) in the middle third of the bronchus, and in respective, pooled populations (P < 0.001). The effect was not demonstrable in the distal third of the airway. In the 15-day fetus 243 mm of airway perimeter were measured and 3,218 BrdU-labeled epithelial cells counted from sections through the entire length of the left axial airway and the lobar bronchus, intermediate, and terminal bronchioles of the infracardiac (IC) lobe. Overall, 43% of BrdU-labeled cells and only 24% of epithelium lay within 20 μm of NEBs. Preferential concentration of S-phase cells around NEBs was significant (P < 0.001) by X2 test at all airway levels. Net density of NEB-associated BrdU + cells was 10/mm of basal lamina in the trachea, rose distally along the left axial airway to 22/mm at the end of the undivided bronchus, and fell to 15/mm in the terminal channels. It was 9 cells/mm in terminal bronchioles of the infracardiac lobe. Regional differences in 3H-thymidine and BrdU labeling patterns can be correlated with differences in the age of NEBs. We conclude that NEBs regulate local cell proliferation in developing hamster airway, probably activated in a proximal-to-distal wave reflecting maturational changes in the NEBs along the same gradient. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Outlook for Cross-Laminated Timber in the United States

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a building system based on the use of massive, multi-layered solid wood panels. Although CLT as a construction system has been successful in Europe, only a handful of CLT projects have been built in the U.S. This manuscript presents the results from qualitative research, carried out with the objective of assessing the market potential and barriers to the adoption of CLT in the U.S. Insights from national and international experts were collected using semi-structured interviews. Topics included perceived benefits and disadvantages of CLT as a construction system, major barriers to its adoption in the U.S., and level of awareness about CLT among the architecture community.
Intellectuals and anti-intellectualism in twentieth-century American public discourse

Abstract At the close of a synoptic article on ‘The Rise of American Intellectual History’, John Higham recommended that his fellow scholars tum their attention to ‘widespread popular attitudes’, and trace the ‘rise, decline, or modification’ of concepts such as democracy, nationalism, individualism, class consciousness, race prejudice and anti-intellectualism1. Higham's piece appeared in The American Historical Review in 1951; it is not surprising that he included anti-intellectualism on the list, given its extensive use as a descriptive and a prescriptive term by his contemporaries.2 As were many American academics at mid-century, John Higham was troubled by the perceived growth of anti-intellectualism in public life; and he hoped to employ the tools of historical analysis to understand and, perhaps, to counter this trend.
Exponential convergence for attractive reversible subcritical nearest particle systems

Abstract In this paper we prove that there is exponential convergence to δ 0 for a class of nearest particle systems. The proof relies on reversibility and the “canonical path” ideas of Jerum and Sinclair. The result we prove is relevant to question eighteen of Liggett (1985, Chapter 7).
Are Washington Circle performance measures associated with decreased criminal activity following treatment

This study examines the association between adherence to during-treatment process measures of quality (defined as initiation and engagement in treatment as developed by the Washington Circle) and outcome measures (defined as arrests and incarcerations) in the following year. The data come from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services administrative data system linked to data from state criminal justice agencies. Clients who initiated a new episode of outpatient treatment and who engaged in treatment were significantly less likely to be arrested or incarcerated in the following year. Initiation of substance abuse treatment alone, without engagement in treatment, was not significantly associated with arrests or incarcerations. These findings validate the clinical importance of the Washington Circle performance measures of initiation and engagement. Applying the "process-of-care" measures can make a difference when they are used as a target for quality improvement in treatment facilities.
Variation of Silicate Dust Features with Phase

We present photometric and spectroscopic data on a subset of over 30 oxygen-rich Long Period Variable (LPV) stars which we have been monitoring between 8/95 & 4/97. With these data, we are attempting to ascertain the relationship of dust formation to optical period. Our ultimate goal is to determine what conditions lead to dust formation and destruction in these environments, and whether or not an evolutionary sequence can be inferred for AGB stars also based on their spectra and dust formation.
On the capacity region of fading Z-interference channels without CSIT

This work studies the capacity region of ergodic fading Gaussian interference channels, where only one of the users is subject to interference from the other user, and that channel state information is not available at transmitters (no CSIT). In particular, inner and outer bounds of the capacity region are obtained. The inner bound is achieved by artificially creating layers in the signaling of the interference-free user. The outer bound is developed by characterizing the trade-off between the rate gain of the interference-free user and the rate loss of the other user due to interference. Furthermore, the gap between the inner and outer bounds is no more than 12.772 bits per channel use per user, regardless of the signal-to-noise ratios and fading statistics.
Integrating resource utilization and temperature in metabolic scaling of riverine bacterial production

The study of metabolic scaling in stream ecosystems is complicated by their openness to external resource inputs. For heterotrophic bacteria, which are a large component of stream metabolism, it may be possible to integrate the effects of resource availability and temperature on production using metabolic scaling theory and the kinetics of extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) associated with the degradation of major nutrient pools. With this goal, we analyzed previously published data on EEA and bacterial production for two rivers in northwestern Ohio, USA. The EEA data included estimates of apparent Vmax, a measure of catalytic capacity, and apparent Km, a measure of available substrate concentration, for six extracellular enzymes (α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, aminopeptidase, protease, phosphatase, and acetyl esterase). Sampling was done over an annual cycle with a temperature range of 4–31°C, while EEA assays were conducted at 20°C. The EEA kinetic measures were scaled to ambient stream temperature usin...