cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic reduction of inositol triphosphate (InsP₃) increases tolerance of tomato plants to oxidative stress.

Main conclusion We demonstrate here that the reduction of InsP3, the key component of the phosphoinositol pathway, results in changes in ROS-scavenging machinery and, subsequently, increases the tolerance of tomato plants to light stress. Different plant stress signaling pathways share similar elements and, therefore, ‘cross-talk’ between the various pathways can exist. Links between the phosphoinositol signaling pathway and light signaling were recently found. Tomato plants expressing InsP 5-ptase and exhibiting reduction in the level of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (InsP3) demonstrated enhanced tolerance to stress caused by continuous light exposure. To understand the molecular basis of observed stress tolerance in tomato lines with decreased amount of InsP3, we monitored the expression of enzymatic antioxidants as well as important factors in light signaling associated with non-enzymatic antioxidants (secondary metabolites). Here, we demonstrated that InsP 5-ptase transgenic plants accumulate less hydroxide peroxide and maintain higher chlorophyll content during stress caused by continuous light exposure. This observation can be explained by documented activation of multiple enzymatic antioxidants (LeAPX1, SICAT2, LeSOD) at levels of gene expression and enzymatic activities during continuous light exposure. In addition, we noticed the up-regulation of photoreceptors LePHYB and LeCHS1, key enzymes in flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, transcription factors LeHY5, SIMYB12, and early light-inducible protein (LeELIP) genes in transgenic tomato seedlings exposed to blue or red light. Our study confirmed the existence of a correlation between phosphoinositol signaling pathway modification, increased tolerance to stress caused by continuous light exposure, activation of ROS-scavenging enzymes, and up-regulation of molecular activators of non-enzymatic antioxidants in InsP 5-ptase expressing tomato lines.
The cost-effectiveness of a smoking cessation program for out-patients in treatment for depression.

Aims Smoking cessation programs are highly cost-effective. The cost-effectiveness of programs for psychiatric patients may be affected by differences in cost, efficacy, survival and quality of life. We evaluated cost-effectiveness of a program for smokers being treated for depression. Design A randomized trial compared brief contact to a stepped smoking cessation program in 322 cigarette smoking mental health out-patients. We determined the intervention's direct cost. Because smoking cessation may affect short-term use of mental health care, we used administrative databases and self-report to find mental health-care cost. Findings The 163 individuals randomized to stepped care received an average of $346 of smoking cessation services, including $221 for computer-mediated assessments of readiness to quit, and $124 for counseling, nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion. The cessation program was used by 53 participants. Total cost of smoking cessation and mental health services was $4805 in the stepped care group and $4173 in the brief-contact care group (not significantly different). After 18 months of follow-up, the stepped care group had 5.5% greater abstinence from smoking. Smoking cessation services cost $6204 per successful quit. Cessation services and mental health care cost was $11 496 per successful quit. Conclusion If smoking cessation yields 1.2 years additional life, the cessation services cost $5170 per life-year, and cessation services and mental health care cost $9580 per life-year. Even if quitting does not increase survival of depressed individuals as well as in other smokers, the stepped care intervention is likely to be regarded as cost-effective.
Pharmacist-led shared medical appointments for multiple cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes.

PurposeTo assess whether VA MEDIC-E (Veterans Affairs Multi-disciplinary Education and Diabetes Intervention for Cardiac risk reduction[EM DASH] Extended for 6 months), a pharmacist-led shared medi...
A device to identify muons at high energies

Abstract Muons may be distinguished from hadrons by their lack of strong interactions in a hadron-shower calorimeter. Pulse-height spectra are shown for various arrangements of up to four shower sampling probes at momenta of 13.9 and 20.1 GeV/ c . Implications for the performance at higher energies are discussed.
Effects of auditory feedback of varying information content on the self-control of heart rate.

Summary The relative efficacy of auditory feedback, varying in the amount of information contained in the feedback signal, for the self-control of heart rate (HR) was determined by comparing groups of 10 Ss who received either: (a) continuous proportional feedback, (b) discontinuous proportional feedback, (c) binary feedback, (d) heart sounds, or (e) no feedback. At each of two sessions Ss were given eight trials in each direction on which they were to raise or lower their HR. Without regard to the amount of information contained in the signal, presentation of auditory feedback aided Ss in raising HR relative to Ss who received no feedback; however, feedback did not yield an advantage in lowering it. These results suggest that perhaps the informing quality of feedback is multidimensional and also that perhaps the mechanisms involved in acceleration and deceleration of HR may be different.
Pseudo-Spikes Are Common in Histologically Benign Lymphoid Tissues

T cell receptor gene rearrangement is a classic marker of T cell clonality and is a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of T cell lymphomas and leukemias. Rearranged V-J gene segments amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are traditionally analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We and others have analyzed TCR-γ PCR products using capillary gel electrophoresis, which produces single nucleotide resolution and provides improved diagnostic sensitivity over conventional methods. However, with this marked increase in resolution and sensitivity, it is necessary to re-define normal variation of TCR-γ gene rearrangement in control tissues to allow appropriate interpretation of monoclonality if present. Using DNA capillary gel electrophoresis, we examined the spectrum of normal patterns for TCR-γ in a variety of T-cell-rich, histologically benign tissue types, including spleen, lymph node, tonsil, and blood, and compared this with the patterns in T cell lymphoma samples. We defined relative peak heights as h1/h2, where h1 represents the peak height of the largest peak above the normally distributed population, and h2 represents the peak height of the normally distributed curve. We found spikes in almost 20% of histologically benign samples with relative peak heights that were more than 0.5 and up to 1.5. We designated these as pseudo-spikes, because they may be mistaken for monoclonal spikes. In contrast, the relative peak height of the T cell lymphoma samples that showed clonal rearrangement was much higher than that of the pseudo-spikes, being at least 2 in 11/11 and at least 3 in 10/11 cases. Our data suggest that peaks with relative height of at least 3 represent a true clonal population in diagnostic samples. Peaks with relative heights of less than 1.5 may be insignificant, while peaks with relative heights between 1.5 to 3 may warrant further evaluation. Although capillary gel electrophoresis is superior in assessing T cell clonality, caution must be exercised when interpreting results, because pseudo-spikes appear to be common in benign tissues with lymphoid populations and are not necessarily indicative of clonal malignant T cell population.
Some remarks on the optimal choice of finite element grids

Abstract The results of Prager's Note [1]of similar title are discussed and expanded. By minimizing the potential energy associated with an assumed approximate deformation field, general criteria are developed for the optimal grid spacing of bars under varying axial forces and of beams under lateral loads, both with arbitrary variation of the cross section. It is shown that Prager's tentative energy criterion is indeed confined to the special case treated in his Note, as originally conjectured by himself. For constant cross section all optimality conditions assume a simple and easily realizable form. It is shown that in this case the computed nodal displacements are exact, irrespective of the grid spacing or of the value of the potential energy. Nevertheless, optimal spacing is still useful in reducing the average error in the computed stress values.
Does "incessant" ovulation increase risk for early menopause?

Abstract OBJECTIVE: We attempted to determine whether gynecologic histories differ in women who have and have not experienced an early menopause. STUDY DESIGN: A group f 344 "case" women whose average age at menopause was 42.2 years and an age-matched group of 344 "control" women still menstruating or menopausal after age 46 were selected from a survey of 10,606 women aged 45 to 54 years for interviews about their reproductive history. RESULTS: Case women were more likely to have had menarche at or before age 11, had shorter cycle lengths, had fewer pregnancies with live births, and had more frequent pelvic operations including unilateral oophorectomy and multiple cesarean sections. Case women had a greater number of presumed ovulatory cycles, as estimated from age at menarche, average cycle length, and years of anovulation associated with pregnancies or oral contraceptive use. In a multivariate model including smoking status and body mass index, ovulatory cycles were a significant predictor of early menopause, especially after an estimated 300 ovulations. CONCLUSION: The reproductive histories of women who experienced an early menopause suggest a pattern of more rapid oocyte loss ("incessant" ovulation).
Structural requirements for binding of bovine tRNATrp with avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase

Avian DNA polymerases use host tRNATrp as the primer for transcription. Bovine tRNATrp has been previously shown to be a biologic substitute for the avian primer. A bovine tRNATrp fragment has been identified as having a high binding affinity for the polymerase. The fragment is assigned to be 67 nucleotides, and contains most of the elements required to maintain the secondary and tertiary structure of tRNATrp.
Analysis of polyatomic spectra using tunable laser-induced fluorescence: applications to the NO2 visible band system

Abstract By exciting NO 2 with a narrow band, pulsed, dye laser in the region between 5934 and 5940 A, we have obtained a partial rotational analysis of a K = 0 sub-band of a 2 B 2 ← 2 A 1 transition. In addition, we find evidence for a 2 B 1 ← 2 A 1 transition in this region. By measuring the decay of resolved fluorescence features, we have determined the lifetimes of these two states, and find that they are markedly different.
Organization of adeno-associated virus DNA in latently infected Detroit 6 cells.

The DNA of a human dependovirus, adeno-associated virus (AAV), integrates into the cellular genome under conditions nonpermissive for viral DNA replication. The AAV DNA can be rescued from the cellular genome by superinfection with a helper virus, e.g., adenovirus. To characterize the organization of the proviral DNA in greater detail, we isolated three proviral subfragments from a latently infected human cell line. Our findings, based on sequence analysis, restriction enzyme mapping, and genomic blots, demonstrate that the viral terminal repeats (trs) are present at or near the cellular/viral DNA junctions, but significant deletions of the tr sequences have occurred. One of the proviral clones has extensive rearrangements which apparently occurred by nonhomologous recombination. The tail-to-tail arrangement of one of the proviral clones is consistent with limited DNA replication prior to integration by a mechanism similar to that seen in a productive infection. Although there are BamH1 fragments in the cell line we have characterized, which are the right size to have come from a head-to-tail tandem repeat, critical double digests show no evidence for the presence of a head-to-tail tandem repeat of wild-type proviral DNA. Use of probes derived from the flanking cellular DNA enabled us to determine that in this cell line the viral DNA had integrated into a site composed of nonrepetitive sequences.
Pulsed excimer laser deposition and characterization of ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films were prepared by excimer laser ablation on platinum coated silicon substrates. The composition of the films showed dependence on the fluence at low energy densities (<2 J/cm2), and less dependence on the ablation fluence was observed beyond a fluence of 2 J/cm2. A correlation among the fluence, ablation pressure, and substrate temperature has been established. Crystalline perovskite PZT films showed a dielectric constant of 800–1000, a remnant polarization of 32 μC/cm2, and a coercive field of 130 kV/cm. Films showed fatigue behavior that may be used in a device, and a close comparison of fatigue behavior between the films deposited at different energy densities indicated a better fatigue behavior for a fluence of 4 J/cm2.
Guidelines for design, testing, production and construction of semi-flowable SCC for slip-form paving

A new type of self-consolidating concrete (SCC), semi-flowable SCC (SFSCC), has been developed for slip-form paving construction. Several field applications of the SFSCC have been conducted. Based on the research results, guidelines for SFSCC mix design, testing, production and construction are developed. This paper provides an overview of the guidelines. In this paper, SFSCC mix design methodology, quality control test methods and special requirements for paving equipment and operations as well as post-placement techniques are presented.
Azulene Analogs of Pharmacologic Agents

The synthesis of a series of azulene-1-carboxylic acid esters is described. These esters are to be screened for pharmacologic activity.
An analysis of contributions and contributors to Public Choice and the Journal of Law and Economics; 1973-1987*

Several conclusions may be drawn from the information we have presented here. First and without doubt, the University of Chicago is by far the most dominant force overall, and is particularly so with respect to the production of pages and papers published in the Journal of Law and Economics. The George Mason-Virginia Tech influence is strong with respect to Public Choice, but is not, in our opinion, dominant. One does not necessarily need to be located at a large, research-oriented school in order to publish in either journal, but these schools are the source of most contributions. This is particularly true of the JLE but significantly less so for PC. The source of contributions is very broad, but top 50 institutions account for the lion's share. Contributions by persons employed at foreign institutions are important, particularly for PC. The analysis of papers and pages by degree schools of authors reveals that, while economists dominate, other disciplines are important, especially political science with respect to PC; law and business-related disciplines for JLE. These data also show that, while Chicago faculty contribute only marginally to PC, Chicago graduates exert a very strong influence. The influence of Chicago on the JLE is really notable when we rank institutions by the total contributions of both faculty and graduates, and when we rank the top 25 contributors to each journal. We hope that this paper will provide information useful to those interested, for whatever reason, in institutional and individual publishing performance with respect to the two journals. For us, the process has been difficult and time consuming, but also greatly interesting and rewarding.
Vulvar leiomyosarcoma in pregnancy.

To our knowledge, this is the first case of vulvar leiomyosarcoma occurring during pregnancy to be reported. The neoplasm was resected immediately after a term vaginal delivery. A wide local excision of the vulva with bilateral superifical inguinal node sampling was performed 6 weeks post partum. Four previous cases of vulvar sarcoma occurring in pregnancy are reviewed. The need to perform biopsy of vulvar lesions during pregnancy is emphasized. (AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1990;162:164-6.)
Texture Measurements for the Automatic Classification of Imagery

The stated purpose is to demonstrate the applicability of texture measurements for making distinctions between classes of imagery. Multispectral images obtained from aircraft and satellites have been successfully delineated into land use classes on the basis of density in the different spectral bands. However, spatial patterns can add additional information to improve classification accuracy. A comparison is made between the results obtained using five texture algorithms for separating land use classes using ERTS imagery. The transforms evaluated are the Karhunen-Loeve, the fast Fourier, the Walsh-Hadamard, the Slant, and a digital matched filter.
Soluble proteins of winter wheat crown tissues and their relationship to cold hardiness

Abstract Soluble proteins from crown tissue of Minturki and Ponca winter wheats were studied as the plants cold hardened and dehardened. Cold hardiness measurements by a specific conductivity method indicated that Minturki was hardier than Ponca. The soluble proteins were fractionated by elution of DEAE-cellulose columns with NaCl solutions of varying molarity. There was no relationship between cold hardiness and the amount of protein eluted with 0·05 M, 0·1 M and 0·2 M NaCl. Correlation coefficients indicated that percentages of protein in the 0·3 M fraction increased as cold hardiness increased, that precentages of protein in the 1 M fraction decreased as cold hardiness increased, and that these two fractions may be related to cold hardiness. No association was found between cold hardiness and total soluble protein eluted from the columns. Seventeen amino acids were found in the protein from the 1 M fraction for both Minturki and Ponca. Ratios to glycine for given amino acids were similar between varieties and showed little variation from sampling date to sampling date, indicating that amino acid composition was the same for both varieties and did not change with cold hardening and dehardening.
Carp versus cranium: a fishy story

Issues of drowning or near drowning in aquatic sporting have received considerable attention in the literature; however, there is not a lot of attention to nonsubmersion injuries such as water tubing. Water tubing is similar to water skiing but with much less control by the rider, leaving the rider at the mercy of the driver or any obstacle in their path. This report describes unusual events surrounding the injury of a 5-year-old boy enjoying water fun with his father on his boat. The importance of adequate safety precautions during aquatic recreational activities will also be highlighted.
Protein Kinase Cϵ Regulates γ-Aminobutyrate Type A Receptor Sensitivity to Ethanol and Benzodiazepines through Phosphorylation of γ2 Subunits

Ethanol enhances gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) signaling in the brain, but its actions are inconsistent at GABA(A) receptors, especially at low concentrations achieved during social drinking. We postulated that the epsilon isoform of protein kinase C (PKCepsilon) regulates the ethanol sensitivity of GABA(A) receptors, as mice lacking PKCepsilon show an increased behavioral response to ethanol. Here we developed an ATP analog-sensitive PKCepsilon mutant to selectively inhibit the catalytic activity of PKCepsilon. We used this mutant and PKCepsilon(-/-) mice to determine that PKCepsilon phosphorylates gamma2 subunits at serine 327 and that reduced phosphorylation of this site enhances the actions of ethanol and benzodiazepines at alpha1beta2gamma2 receptors, which is the most abundant GABA(A) receptor subtype in the brain. Our findings indicate that PKCepsilon phosphorylation of gamma2 regulates the response of GABA(A) receptors to specific allosteric modulators, and, in particular, PKCepsilon inhibition renders these receptors sensitive to low intoxicating concentrations of ethanol.
The new millennium program architecture and access to space

The new millennium program (NMP) validates technologies that will support future NASA earth and space science missions. NMP flight validates as many subsystem- and system-level technologies as funding permits. If the program can be designed, or architected, around the use of cost-effective access-to-space (ATS) accommodations, NMP's cost for access to space will be reduced and more technologies can be flown. Examples of alternative ATS accommodations are: less-expensive spacecraft and launch vehicles, space platforms other than free-flying spacecraft, synergies with other projects, partnering with unrelated missions, and back-to-basics networking with colleagues through conferences and other venues. This paper introduces a trade space from which these options may be discussed. The advantages vary with the type of NMP mission (subsystem or system). This preliminary look at the option space focuses on two alternative approaches: using less-expensive spacecraft and partnering with other missions. Less-expensive spacecraft can provide a platform for flying NMP subsystem technologies, and partnering with other missions can be a cost-effective approach for NMP system-level technology validations
Efficient testing strategies for bit- and digit-serial arrays used in digital signal processors

The use of bitand digit-serial arrays in digital designs is attractive, because of the large savings in chip area that are possible with such designs as well as the comparative ease with which such designs can be conceived and fabricated. These arrays are used extensively in digital signal processing applications and are part of circuits generated by silicon compilers. A number of bitand digit-serial architectures have been proposed by Jasica et al. [l], Scanlon and Fuchs [2], Kanopoulos [3], Lyon [4], Denyer and Renshaw [5], and Hartley and Corbett [6]. Test generation for such arrays is a difficult problem due to the presence of internal system states that are neither directly controllable nor observable. The erroneous system states can mask errors activated by a test sequence unless the test sequence is carefully designed for the bitand digit-serial array to be tested. Breuer [7] studied the problem of fault detection in linear cascades of identical machines. He derived strong necessary and sufficient conditions for such cascades to be testable by two or three uniform (preset) experiments. Test sequences for two bit-serial multipliers are presented by Davis et al. [8]. An ad hoc procedure based on exhaustive simulation of all faulty truth tables of a full adder
Viral Sensing of the Subcellular Environment Regulates the Assembly of New Viral Replicase Complexes During the Course of Infection

Replication of plus-stranded RNA [(+)RNA] viruses depends on the availability of coopted host proteins and lipids. But, how could viruses sense the accessibility of cellular resources? An emerging concept based on tombusviruses, small plant viruses, is that viruses might regulate viral replication at several steps depending on what cellular factors are available at a given time point. I discuss the role of phospholipids, sterols, and cellular WW domain proteins and eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) in control of activation of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and regulation of the assembly of viral replicase complexes (VRCs). These regulatory mechanisms might explain how tombusviruses could adjust the efficiency of RNA replication and new VRC assembly to the limiting resources of the host cells during infections.
In vivo biodegradation and biocompatibility of PEG/sebacic acid-based hydrogels using a cage implant system

Comprehensive in vivo biodegradability and biocompatibility of unmodified and Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide-modified PEG/Sebacic acid based hydrogels were evaluated and compared to the control material poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) using a cage implantation system, as well as direct subcutaneous implantation for up to 12 weeks. The total weight loss after 12 weeks of implantation for unmodified PEGSDA and RGD-modified PEGSDA in the cage was approximately 42% and 52%, respectively, with no statistical difference (p> 0.05). The exudate analysis showed that PEGSDA hydrogels induced minimal inflammatory response up to 21 days following implantation, similar to the controls (empty cage and the cage containing PLGA discs). Histology analysis from direct subcutaneous implantation of the hydrogels and PLGA scaffold showed statistically similar resolution of the acute and chronic inflammatory responses with development of the fibrous capsule between the PEGSDA hydrogels and the control (PLGA). The cage system, as well as the histology analysis, demonstrated that the degradation products of both hydrogels, with or without RGD peptide modification, are biocompatible without statistically significant differences in the inflammatory responses, as compared to PLGA.
Conflict resolution—simulation language

Abstract Simulation is used as a tool for aiding in resolving conflicts between negotiating parties. A computer based general simulation language “NEGOTIATE” is partially developed and is used in modeling and simulating situations of conflicts. The user uses commando to simulate scenarios and to specify the issues of conflict/ negotiation, the current status of each and its functional ranking for each opposing party. However “NEGOTIATE” is in its early stage of development , the results achieved so far promise a great potential in resolving many of the situations of conflict.
BETWEEN SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS: THE ‘STRANGE’ LIBERALISM OF THE FRENCH DOCTRINAIRES

Evaluation de la pertinence de la pensee politique des doctrinaires francais en general, et de Guizot en particulier, concernant les themes suivants : la relation entre la politique et la philosophie, l'imagination historique et sociologique, le pouvoir politique, la theorie des nouveaux moyens de gouvernement et la politique du centre. Defenseurs d'un liberalisme non-conventionnel dans le contexte historique de la France post-revolutionnaire, l'A. montre que l'originalite de Guizot, Royer-Collard, Remusat et Barante, contrairement aux pensees contemporaines telles que le liberalisme deontologique de Rawls, est de souligner la necessite d'ajuster les institutions politiques a l'etat social, et donc d'etablir la democratie sur une theorie de la societe, une theorie des principes et une theorie de la morale
Constitutive internalization of G protein-coupled receptors and G proteins via clathrin-independent endocytosis.

Although agonist-dependent endocytosis of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as a means to modulate receptor signaling has been widely studied, the constitutive endocytosis of GPCRs has received little attention. Here we show that two prototypical class I GPCRs, the β2 adrenergic and M3 muscarinic receptors, enter cells constitutively by clathrin-independent endocytosis and colocalize with markers of this endosomal pathway on recycling tubular endosomes, indicating that these receptors can subsequently recycle back to the plasma membrane (PM). This constitutive endocytosis of these receptors was not blocked by antagonists, indicating that receptor signaling was not required. Interestingly, the G proteins that these receptors couple to, Gαs and Gαq, localized together with their receptors at the plasma membrane and on tubular recycling endosomes. Upon agonist stimulation, Gαs and Gαq remained associated with the PM and these endosomal membranes, whereas β2 and M3 receptors now entered cells via clathrin-dependent endocytosis. Deletion of the third intracellular loop (i3 loop), which is thought to play a role in agonist-dependent endocytosis of the M3 receptor, had no effect on the constitutive internalization of the receptor. Surprisingly, with agonist, the mutated M3 receptor still internalized and accumulated in cells but through clathrin-independent and not clathrin-dependent endocytosis. These findings demonstrate that GPCRs are versatile PM proteins that can utilize different mechanisms of internalization depending upon ligand activation.
The impact of intraoperative shunting on early neurologic outcomes after carotid endarterectomy

Background Although the need for intraoperative shunting during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is intensely debated, relatively few studies have compared the neurologic outcomes of patients undergoing CEA with or without shunts. The objective of our analysis was to determine the impact of intraoperative shunting during CEA on the incidence of postoperative stroke. Methods The 2012 CEA-targeted American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used for this analysis. The preoperative and operative characteristics of patients undergoing CEA with or without intraoperative shunting were compared. From this overall sample, propensity score techniques were then used to match patients with or without intraoperative shunting for a number of variables, including age, degree of ipsilateral and contralateral carotid stenosis, presence of several anatomic or physiologic risk factors, anesthesia modality, and use of patch angioplasty vs primary arteriotomy closure. The 30-day postoperative mortality and combined stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) rates of this matched cohort were then compared. A similar analysis was also performed on a subgroup of patients with severe stenosis or occlusion of the contralateral carotid artery. Results A total of 3153 patients were included for initial analysis (2023 "no-shunt" patients vs 1130 "shunt" patients). From this overall sample, propensity score matching yielded a cohort of 1072 patients with or without intraoperative shunt placement who were well matched for all known patient- and procedure-related factors. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative stroke/TIA between the two groups of this matched cohort (3.4% in the no-shunt group vs 3.7% in the shunt group; P = .64). Analysis of a similarly well matched subgroup of patients with severe stenosis or occlusion of the contralateral carotid artery demonstrated a statistically nonsignificant increase in the incidence of postoperative stroke/TIA with the use of intraoperative shunting (4.9% in the no-shunt group vs 9.8% in the shunt group; P = .08). Conclusions There is no clinical benefit to intraoperative shunting during CEA, even in patients who may be at high risk for intraoperative cerebral hypoperfusion due to severe stenosis or occlusion of the contralateral carotid artery.
The effect of the MDCK cell selected neuraminidase D151G mutation on the drug susceptibility assessment of influenza A(H3N2) viruses.

Abstract Propagation of influenza A(H3N2) viruses in MDCK cells has been associated with the emergence of neuraminidase (NA) variants carrying a change at residue 151. In this study, the pyrosequencing assay revealed that ∼90% of A(H3N2) virus isolates analyzed (n = 150) contained more than one amino acid variant (D/G/N) at position 151. Susceptibilities of the virus isolates to zanamivir and oseltamivir were assessed using the chemiluminescent and fluorescent NA inhibition (NI) assays. In the chemiluminescent assay, which utilizes NA-Star® substrate, up to 13-fold increase in zanamivir-IC50 was detected for isolates containing a high proportion (>50%) of the G151 NA variant. However, an increase in zanamivir-IC50s was not seen in the fluorescent assay, which uses MUNANA as substrate. To investigate this discrepancy, recombinant NAs (rNAs) were prepared and tested in both NI assays. Regardless of the assay used, the zanamivir-IC50 for the rNA G151 was much greater (>1500-fold) than that for rNA D151 wild-type. However, zanamivir resistance conferred by the G151 substitution was masked in preparations containing the D151 NA which had much greater activity, especially against MUNANA. In conclusion, the presence of NA D151G variants in cell culture-grown viruses interferes with drug susceptibility assessment and therefore measures need to be implemented to prevent their emergence.
Honesty's the best policy

Science a la Mode: Physical Fashions and Fictions. By Tony Rothman. Princeton University Press: 1989. Pp.207. $19.95, £12.50.
Mouthguards in sport activities: history, physical properties and injury prevention effectiveness

Three systematic reviews were conducted on: (i) the history of mouthguard use in sports; (ii) mouthguard material and construction; and (iii) the effectiveness of mouthguards in preventing orofacial injuries and concussions. Retrieval databases and bibliographies were explored to find studies using specific key words for each topic. The first recorded use of mouthguards was by boxers, and in the 1920s professional boxing became the first sport to require mouthguards. Advocacy by the American Dental Association led to the mandating of mouthguards for US high school football in the 1962 season. Currently, the US National Collegiate Athletic Association requires mouthguards for four sports (ice hockey, lacrosse, field hockey and football). However, the American Dental Association recommends the use of mouthguards in 29 sports/exercise activities. Mouthguard properties measured in various studies included shock-absorbing capability, hardness, stiffness (indicative of protective capability), tensile strength, tear strength (indicative of durability) and water absorption. Materials used for mouthguards included: (i) polyvinylacetate-polyethylene or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer; (ii) polyvinylchloride; (iii) latex rubber; (iv) acrylic resin; and (v) polyurethane. Latex rubber was a popular material used in early mouthguards but it has lower shock absorbency, lower hardness and less tear and tensile strength than EVA or polyurethane. Among the more modern materials, none seems to stand out as superior to another since the characteristics of all the modern materials can be manipulated to provide a range of favourable characteristics. Impact studies have shown that compared with no mouthguard, mouthguards composed of many types of materials reduce the number of fractured teeth and head acceleration. In mouthguard design, consideration must be given to the nature of the collision (hard or soft objects) and characteristics of the mouth (e.g. brittle incisors, more rugged occusal surfaces of molars, soft gingiva). Laminates with different shock absorbing and stress distributing (stiffness) capability may be one way to accommodate these factors. Studies comparing mouthguard users with nonusers have examined different sports, employed a variety of study designs and used widely-varying injury case definitions. Prior to the 1980s, most studies exhibited relatively low methodological quality. Despite these issues, meta-analyses indicated that the risk of an orofacial sports injury was 1.61.9 times higher when a mouthguard was not worn. However, the evidence that mouthguards protect against concussion was inconsistent, and no conclusion regarding the effectiveness of mouthguards in preventing concussion can be drawn at present. Mouthguards should continue to be used in sport activities where there is significant risk of orofacial injury.
Docking Challenge: Protein Sampling and Molecular Docking Performance

Computational tools are essential in the drug design process, especially in order to take advantage of the increasing numbers of solved X-ray and NMR protein–ligand structures. Nowadays, molecular docking methods are routinely used for prediction of protein–ligand interactions and to aid in selecting potent molecules as a part of virtual screening of large databases. The improvements and advances in computational capacity in the past decade have allowed for further developments in molecular docking algorithms to address more complicated aspects such as protein flexibility. The effects of incorporation of active site water molecules and implicit or explicit solvation of the binding site are other relevant issues to be addressed in the docking procedures. Using the right docking algorithm at the right stage of virtual screening is most important. We report a staged study to address the effects of various aspects of protein flexibility and inclusion of active site water molecules on docking effectiveness to ...
Hypertension in Diabetes: Treatment Considerations

Treatment of blood pressure in the patient with diabetes remains a challenge. While data extrapolated from many trials seemed to imply that lower blood pressures leads to more favorable cardiovascular outcomes, this paper reviews newer trials designed to treat to blood pressure targets below 130/80 mmHg in patients with long term established diabetes, which showed that this goal may prove more harmful than helpful. In clinical practice this may be less relevant due to the fact that less than half of patients are even at the goal of 130/80. The interaction between glucose control and blood pressure control are also discussed, emphasizing the importance of multifactorial treatment. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2011;13:314–318. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Recurrent herpes simplex virus and the acceleration of the wasting syndrome: report of case

F or most patients, recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) represents a painful inconvenience. How­ ever, for patients with a compromised immune system, acute problems become serious.1'3 As 30,000 cases of AIDS are reported each year,4 it seems likely that dentists will be treating more HSV. Studies have shown that the prevalence of antibodies to HSV is 50% to 80% in immunocompromised individuals,5-6 compared with 20% to 40% prevalence in the general population.7 In addition, some patients with AIDS experience extreme weight loss, a problem exacerbated by the pain caused by HSV which is severe enough to cause people to eat less.
The world in 2010: many new entrants

The future scenario presented in this article offers a view of true facilities‐based competition in 2010. By this date, the continued investment in infrastructure development had ensured an increased rate in bandwidth provision and gradual extension of broadband service to the home across the USA, while end point technologies and conduits to the desktop proliferated. This scenario envisions two types of entrants: new forward‐thinking green‐field entrepreneurs and facilities owners who had previously not been involved in the communications provision (eg gas, water, electrical utilities). The main conclusion of the article is a recognition that competition requires open standards and interoperability. Facilities‐based competition requires clearly defined interface points where new competitors can connect customers. In this scenario two physical points of interconnection (at the curb and at the IXC/IAP) are envisioned. A policy prediction which is embedded in the scenario as an enabler of open interconnection is that economic necessity spurs democratic leaders to shorten the extension of copyright, and declare overly broad software patents void. An understated assumption is that political and economic leaders address the conflicts between information as property, as privacy (private information), and as speech (political information) in a timely and balanced manner. Luckily only the provision of interconnection is necessary for the scenario to be feasible. The well‐noted reality that the information industry will not approach its potential until issues of security, reliability and privacy are adequately addressed underlies this scenario. Some battles will remain in 2010: concepts of ownership and autonomy with respect to information adequate to the information revolution are being challenged by the genetics revolution.
A useful general two-mill circuit model

Abstract A circuit is proposed which consists of two mills, four classifiers and three stream splitters. It is shown that this circuit reduces to a number of simpler circuits of industrial interest. A program was written to compute the steady-state performance of this general circuit assuming first order mill and classifier models. The overfilling correction was appropriately incorporated. This program enables the effect of different ways of connecting two mills to be investigated as a function of make-up feed size distribution and desired product specifications, for given mill and classifier models.
Energy transfer from an excited dye molecule to the surface plasmons of an adjacent metal.

The probability for direct energy transfer from a dye molecule to the surface plasmons (SP) on a nearby metal is calculated using the classical Sommerfeld model. For 600-nm emission from a dipole-oriented ⊥ to an Ag surface, the peak SP coupling probability is 93% at a distance of 120 nm from the metal. The coupling is demonstrated in experiments with an Ag film between a rhodamine–methanol solution and a high-index prism. The SP-coupled radiation produces an intense cone of radiation in the prism, each frequency component of which satisfies the SP dispersion relation.
Early pregnancy failure: beware of the pitfalls of modern management

The evolution of the diagnosis and management of women with an early pregnancy loss has been a success story. The mortality from ectopic pregnancy has objectively been decreased in the past few decades. However, modern management has resulted in a new set of issues. Over-interpretation of a single ultrasound, misunderstanding of the utility of serial hCG values, and inappropriate use of methotrexate can result in iatrogenic complications. Modern management has successfully improved the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy before rupture; it should now also focus on ensuring that an intrauterine pregnancy is not interrupted as a result of diagnosis and treatment. This article reviews some of the pitfalls of the modern management of early pregnancy failure and introduces a series of articles on the subject.
Strychnine Sulfate and Piracetam: Lack of Effect on Learning in the Rat

Strychnine sulfate and piracetam: lack of effect on learning in the rat. The effects of post-trial administration of piracetam and strychnine sulfate were examined using learning tasks. In the first procedure, a discrimination task was employed. In terms of two parameters used to assess drug effects on the acquisition of the discrimination, neither strychnine nor piracetam facilitated learning. The second task used to assess learning was acquisition of a conditioned avoidance response. Rats were trained in a shuttle box to avoid electric shock upon the presentation of an auditory stimulus. Six experiments were performed in an attempt to demonstrate facilitation of learning by post-trial injection of strychnine. Drug-treated animals did not differ significantly from controls in their acquisition of the avoidance response in any of the six experiments. Because control groups from the individual experiments did not differ significantly among themselves, data from all experiments were combined. In all, 8 doses of strychnine were tested, ranging from 0.005 to 0.60 mg/kg. Analysis of variance showed no significant differences between any of the treatment conditions, nor was there evidence of a graded dose-effect relationship. The present results do not support the conclusion that strychnine or piracetam facilitate learning.
Pelagic larvae of New England intertidal gastropods II. Anachis avara

The egg case, pelagic larvae, and young juvenile of Anachis avara Say, a species of prosobranch gastropod belonging to the family Columbellidae, are described and figured from specimes reared in the laboratory.
Interspike intervals under the constraint of linear synaptic integration and background synaptic activity

Previous work [1] using a one-compartment steady-state computer model of a neuron shows how combinations of two active dendritic conductances can produce a linear dendritic response over a voltage range of ca. 15 to 22 mV. Here we extend this linearization issue to a dynamic, non-steady state situation for a neuron model with a soma, dendrite and distal compartment. It is known that synaptically-induced voltage pulses that originate in distal compartments will be both attenuated and broader by the time they reach the soma due to the passive cable properties of neurons. Additionally, neurons in intact brains are not isolated but are under constant synaptic bombardment. While a single synaptic event will not significantly affect the cell properties, thousands of such events will significantly change the integrative properties of neurons [2]. Due to the reduction in membrane resistance caused by synaptic activity, attenuation of individual voltage pulses is even stronger in the presence of background synaptic activity. This study shows that the presence of active conductances distributed along the cell membrane can mitigate some of the effects of electrical filtering on voltage pulses propagating to the soma, even in the presence of background synaptic activity. We consider three uniformly distributed conductances found in pyramidal cells of the forebrain: persistent sodium current (INaP) [3,4], hyperpolarization-activated mixed cation current (Ih) [5], and A-type potassium current (IKA) [6]. Added to an otherwise passive cell, select combinations of these voltage-activated ion channels can generate linear synaptic integration over the entire interspike interval (ISI) membrane potential range, that is from rest (here -72 mV) to threshold (here roughly -45 mV). In the presence of various levels of background synaptic activity, the ratio of these active conductances changes and contributes to the inverse ISI effect. Under the constraint of linear synaptic integration, the length of the ISI is seen to be inversely related to the intensity of the background synaptic activity. This inverse relationship results from a decrease of the effective time constant of the cell by increased levels of membrane conductance induced by the combination of synaptic activity and active conductances.
Connective tissue growth factor (CCN2, CTGF) and organ fibrosis: lessons from transgenic animals

In recent months, four different systems have been reported in the literature in which CCN2 transgenes were individually expressed in podocytes, hepatocytes, cardiomyocytes or respiratory epithelial cells to achieve overexpression in, respectively, the kidney, liver, heart, or lung. These transgenic systems have provided valuable information about the contribution of CCN2 to fibrosis in vivo and have begun to reveal the complexities of the underlying mechanisms involved. On the one hand, studies of these animals have revealed that CCN2 overexpression does not necessarily lead directly to fibrotic pathology but may cause severe non-fibrotic tissue damage due to its other effects on cell function (e.g. heart). On the other hand, overexpression of CCN2 in concert with signaling pathways associated with development (e.g. lung) or fibrosing injuries (e.g. kidney, liver) can lead to the initiation or exacerbation of fibrosis. The significance of these studies is discussed in the context of the requirement for interactions between CCN2 and co-stimulatory factors in the microenvironment for the manifestation of CCN2-dependent fibrosis.
Diseases and disorders of aging: an hypothesis.

Abstract The definition of two classes of age-associated diseases and disorders (age-dependentand age-related) is offered to provide an utilitarian hypothesis with preventive, therapeutic, and research implications. Age-dependent diseases and disorders are defined as those whose pathogenesis appears to involve the normal aging of the host. Mortality and morbidity from age-dependent diseases and disorders (e.g. coronary artery disease and Alzheimer's disease) increase exponentially. Age-related diseases and disorders, on the other hand, have a temporal relationship to the host but are not necessarily related to aging processes. They occur at a specific age and then decline in frequency or continue at less than an exponential rate of increase (e.g. multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). A model is presented for this hypothesis which relates aging processes to age-dependent diseases and disorders.