cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A transition from proliferative to membranous glomerulonephritis in chronic serum sickness.

Transition of proliferative to membranous glomerulonephritis in chronic serum sickness. Chronic serum sickness glomerulonephritis was induced in rats by daily i.v. administration of bovine serum albumin (BSA). Previous studies have shown that the disease progresses through three discrete stages: mild, moderate and severe. The diffuse, proliferative necrotizing glomerulonephritis of severe chronic serum sickness, which is accompanied by a decreased glomerular filtration rate and increased glomerular permeability to macromolecules, has an inevitable fatal outcome. In the experiments reported here, BSA injections were discontinued at the transition from moderate to severe glomerulonephritis, a point which was identified by decreased sodium excretion. Retrospectively, rats could be divided into two categories. Some, called non-survivors, continued to exhibit sodium retention. Those animals progressed rapidly to end-stage renal disease and died within two weeks of the cessation of antigen injections. Others, called survivors, returned to sodium balance and remained alive for many months. The development of progressive membranous glomerulonephritis, with prominent spike formation and disappearance of glomerular hypercellularity, was noted in all survivors. That change in histopathology occurred in the absence of both circulating BSA and precipitating antibodies to BSA. The transition of proliferative to membranous glomerulonephritis was accompanied by partial recovery of glomerular function, although proteinuria persisted. Maintenance of severe proteinuria did not appear to depend on an active immunological process.
Experimental Validation of Performance Limits and Design Guidelines for Small Antennas

The theoretical limit for small antenna performance that was derived decades ago by Wheeler and Chu governs design tradeoffs for size, bandwidth, and efficiency. Theoretical guidelines have also been derived for other details of small antenna design such as permittivity, aspect ratio, and even the nature of the internal structure of the antenna. In this paper, we extract and analyze experimental performance data from a large body of published designs to establish several facts that have not previously been demonstrated: (1) The theoretical performance limit for size, bandwidth, and efficiency are validated by all available experimental evidence. (2) Although derived for electrically small antennas, the same theoretical limit is also generally a good design rule for antennas that are not electrically small. (3) The theoretical predictions for the performance due to design factors such as permittivity, aspect ratio, and the internal structure of the antenna are also supported by the experimental evidence. The designs that have the highest performance are those that involve the lowest permittivity, have an aspect ratio close to unity, and for which the fields fill the minimum size enclosing sphere with the greatest uniformity. This work thus validates the established theoretical design guidelines.
Effects of marsh management on fisheries organisms: the compensatory adjustment hypothesis

An overview of data including numbers of species, numbers of individuals, biomass, and average weight per individual from three studies of differing marsh management systems in southwestern Louisiana indicate that populations of managed systems are generally maintained despite partial restrictions on organism movements due to water control structures. At some high level of restriction, perhaps in systems completely leveed and managed for specific target organisms, recruitment and subsequent export may be drastically reduced. However, we suggest that below a critical level of restriction, recruitment, growth, and eventual export approach normal levels. Restrictions may select for or against certain species, but the replacement of those selected against may maintain the overall fishery productivity of the system. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY069 00014
Transient response measurement of kink effect in InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMTs

The kink effect in InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMTs is examined in the time domain with the use of voltage pulses applied to the drain of the device. The transient response shows opposite slopes below and above the kink voltage associated with carrier capture and emission. The results are found to be consistent with frequency-domain dispersion measurements made on the output resistance. The causes and time constants of the transients are discussed.
Mda-7/IL-24 induces apoptosis of diverse cancer cell lines through JAK/STAT-independent pathways.

Experimental evidence documents that the MDA-7/IL-24 protein (an IL-10 family cytokine) binds to IL-20 and IL-22 receptor complexes resulting in the activation of JAK/STAT signaling pathways. Recent published reports utilizing human blood derived primary lymphocytes have provided additional confirmatory evidence relating to the cytokine properties of this molecule. A notable attribute of mda-7/IL-24 is its cancer cell-specific apoptosis inducing capacity, which currently remains incompletely understood. Treatment with distinctive tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Genistein and AG18) or a JAK-selective inhibitor (AG490) did not prevent Ad.mda-7 induced apoptosis in diverse cell lines. In addition, there is no apparent correlation between patterns of expression of IL-20R1, IL-20R2, and IL-22R mRNA and susceptibility to Ad.mda-7 in different cell lines. Furthermore, Ad.mda-7 is able to induce killing in STAT/JAK deficient cells. In contrast, treatment with the p38(MAPK) selective inhibitor SB203580, partially inhibited apoptosis induced by Ad.mda-7 in different cell lines. These results demonstrate for the first time that signaling events leading to susceptibility to Ad.mda-7 induced apoptosis, might be tyrosine kinase independent and can thus be distinguished from its cytokine function related properties mediated by the IL-20/IL-22 receptor complexes that require JAK/STAT kinase activity.
Beyond the "July Effect".

July is an exciting time at an academic medical center. With each new intern class comes fresh energy, inspiration, idealism, hope, and aspiration to help, learn, and heal. But, with these aspiring physicians also comes anxiety. Interns are writing orders for the first time. Nursing staff are working with unfamiliar new physicians. Faculty members try to anticipate errors before they happen. July is a period of first impressions and growth from practical experience. Residents develop familiarity with the electronic health record system, learn how to admit and discharge a patient, adapt to an increased sense of responsibility, and learn from each challenging and rewarding interaction with patients, families, and ancillary staff.
Text mining: finding nuggets in mountains of textual data

Text mining applies the same analytical functions of data mining to the domain of textual information, relying on sophisticated text analysis techniques that distill information from free-text documents. IBM’s Intelligent Miner for Text provides the necessary tools to unlock the business information that is “trapped” in email, insurance claims, news feeds, or other document repositories. It has been successfully applied in analyzing patent portfolios, customer complaint letters, and even competitors’ Web pages. After defining our notion of “text mining”, we focus on the differences between text and data mining and describe in some more detail the unique technologies that are key to successful text mining.
Gas–liquid mass transfer in a high pressure bubble column reactor with different sparger designs

Abstract The gas–liquid mass transfer in a 0.162 m high pressure stainless steel bubble column was investigated using three different gas sparger designs. An oxygen-enriched-air dynamic method and an optical oxygen probe technique were implemented to measure k 1 a values in the bubble column reactor. Using the interfacial area ( a ) values measured by a four-point optical probe technique at similar conditions ( Xue, 2004 ), the k 1 values were estimated. Axial dispersion model (ADM) and continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) model were used to calculate k 1 a as a fitted parameter with the measured data. The ADM gave better fits to the experimental data than the CSTR model, especially at high axial locations for the bubble column used with a large L / d c ratio. The sparger design was found to have a noticeable effect on k 1 a in the low gas velocity range ( u g 0.15 m / s ) but only a slight effect in the high gas velocity range ( u g > 0.20 m / s ) . The sparger design showed almost no effect on the liquid side mass transfer coefficient, k 1 , at high gas velocity ( u g = 0.30 m / s ) , where no significant variations of the bubble size distribution and hydrodynamics were obtained using different sparger designs. Although the k 1 a values increased with the operating pressure, the pressure change from 0.1 to 0.4 MPa yielded lower k 1 values, as a result of the reduced bubble size. However, as the pressure further increased to 1.0 MPa, the a and k 1 a values increased, while the k 1 values negligibly decreased. In addition to the pressure and sparger design effects, the superficial gas velocity had effect of increasing the k 1 values, while such effect became small and flattened out at high superficial gas velocities.
Tetrabenzanthanthrenes by mitigation of rearrangements in the planarization of ortho-phenylene hexamers

In general, ortho-phenylene hexamers are not good substrates for oxidative planarization because of competing backbone rearrangements. However, by first planarizing the ends, a target tetrabenzanthanthrene has been obtained by oxidation in good yield. DFT calculations suggest that the larger polycyclic aromatic subunits of the preplanarized substrate increase the rate of planarization relative to that of rearrangement. By implication, it may be possible to prepare graphene structures that cannot be made directly from simple polyphenylenes by instead designing precursors with larger polycyclic aromatic moieties. The photophysical properties of the tetrabenzanthanthrene core indicate that it may have promise as a functional chromophore.
Mammaglobin-A cDNA vaccination of breast cancer patients induces antigen-specific cytotoxic CD4+ICOShi T cells.

Mammaglobin-A (Mam-A) is a 10 kDa secretory protein that is overexpressed in 80 % of primary and metastatic human breast cancers. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that Mam-A cDNA vaccine can induce Mam-A-specific CD8 T cell responses and mediate regression of human breast cancer xenografts in NOD/SCID mice. In this article, we present our results on a phase I clinical trial of a Mam-A cDNA vaccination in breast cancer patients with stage-IV metastatic disease, including the impact of vaccination on the expression of the inducible co-stimulator molecule (ICOS) on CD4 T cells. Specimens from seven patients with stage-IV metastatic cancer were available for these analyses. Patients were vaccinated with a Mam-A cDNA vaccine on days 0, 28, and 56, and immune responses were assessed at serial time points following vaccination. At 6 months following the first vaccination, flow cytometric analysis demonstrated a significant increase in the frequency of CD4+ICOShi T cells from 5 ± 2 % pre-vaccination to 23 ± 4 % (p < 0.001), with a concomitant decrease in the frequency of CD4+FoxP3+ T cells (regulatory T cells [Treg]) from 19 ± 6 to 10 ± 5 % (p < 0.05). ELISpot analysis of CD4+ICOShi sorted T cells demonstrated that following vaccination the cytokines produced by Mam-A-specific T cells switched from IL-10 (78 ± 21 spm pre-vaccination to 32 ± 14 spm 5 months post-vaccine p < 0.001) to IFN-γ (12 ± 6 spm pre-vaccination to 124 ± 31 spm 5 months post-vaccine p < 0.001). The ratio of CD4+ICOShi T cells to CD4+FoxP3+ T cells increased from 0.37 ± 0.12 before vaccination to 2.3 ± 0.72 (p = 0.021) following vaccination. Further, these activated CD4+ICOShi T cells induced preferential lysis of human breast cancer cells expressing Mam-A protein. We conclude that Mam-A cDNA vaccination is associated with specific expansion and activation of CD4+ICOShi T cells, with a concomitant decrease in Treg frequency. These encouraging results strongly suggest that Mam-A cDNA vaccination can induce antitumor immunity in breast cancer patients.
Psychoeducational and family therapy in relapse prevention

Recent shifts to briefer hospitalization and an emphasis on community care have emphasized the significance of patient-family interactions in this phase of treatment. Psychoeducational family programs designed to increase medication compliance and effectiveness in coping with stressors have been successful in reducing the risk of relapse in the first year following hospital discharge. Various models for family intervention are discussed and their strengths and weaknesses evaluated.
Nanoscale clustering of RGD peptides at surfaces using Comb polymers. 1. Synthesis and characterization of Comb thin films.

Theoretical and experimental studies were conducted to elucidate the structure and properties of amphiphilic comb polymer thin films presenting nanoscale clusters of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides for control of cell adhesion on biomaterials. Combs comprised of a poly(methyl methacrylate) backbone and short poly(ethylene oxide) side chains were synthesized, and peptides were tethered to the side chain ends to create nanoscale peptide clusters. In thin films, comb polymers containing ≥30 wt % six to nine unit PEO side chains completely resisted adhesion of a model fibroblast cell line in the presence of 7.5% serum over 24 h. These same polymers modified with RGD peptides elicited tunable cell adhesion when mixed with unmodified combs in varying proportion. A self-consistent field lattice model of the interface between comb polymer films and water predicts an organization of the top molecular layer of comb polymer with the backbone oriented parallel to the interface in quasi-two-dimensional confinement and hydr...
Transactional Sex and the HIV Epidemic Among Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM): Results From a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Engagement in transactional sex has been hypothesized to increase risk of HIV among MSM, however conflicting evidence exists. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing HIV prevalence among MSM who engaged in transactional sex to those who did not (33 studies in 17 countries; n = 78,112 MSM). Overall, transactional sex was associated with a significant elevation in HIV prevalence (OR 1.34, 95 % CI 1.11-1.62). Latin America (OR 2.28, 95 % CI 1.87-2.78) and Sub-Saharan Africa (OR 1.72, 95 % CI 1.02-2.91) were the only regions where this elevation was noted. Further research is needed to understand factors associated with sex work and subsequent HIV risk in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Likelihood inference about the point of change in a regression regime

Abstract The relative marginal likelihood function is given for the unknown point at which a polynomial regression model changes, where the data consists of a sequence of independent ordered pairs of observations. The interpretation of a likelihood function is considered first, and then it is shown how the marginal likelihood function can be used to make inferences about the parameter of interest, eliminating other unknown parameters of the probability distribution. The relative marginal likelihood function of the change point is applied to two examples: (1) discharge data of the Nile River, and (2) an artificially generated set of data. Comparison of the likelihood inference with the results of intervention analysis is made for the first example.
Framework for the reliable generation and control of analysis idealization

Abstract This paper examines the sources of idealizations commonly employed during the application of engineering analysis, and indicates the techniques available to control the errors they introduce. A framework is presented of a modeling system that can support the various levels of analysis idealization control. Methodologies for the use of such a system in the design and analysis of airframes and plane elasticity problems are discussed. Finally, comparisons of the computational efficiency of automated, adaptive analysis techniques to control the discretization error in the energy norm for plane elasticity problems are presented.
Nonlinear dispersive special type of the Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation ZK(n,n) with compact and noncompact structures

In this paper we study nonlinear dispersive special type of the Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation with positive and negative exponents. The approach depends mainly on the sine-cosine algorithm. Compactons, solitary patterns, solitons, and periodic solutions are formally derived.
Al(F.C.C.) :Al3Sc (L12) interphase boundary energy calculations

gave g(100)<g(110)<g(111) with values of 32.5, 51.3 and 66.3 mJ/m 2 , respectively. LTE calculations of the excess grand potential of the (100) interface predicted a nearly temperature independent interfacial energy below 400 K that decreased modestly above 400 K. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations produced a compositional diAuseness of about 4 atomic layers separating the two bulk phases. Because the spatial extent of this region is very similar to the classically determined critical nucleus dimensions extracted from nucleation rate data, it is concluded that critical nuclei of Al3Sc are most likely of nonclassical design at high undercooling. # 1998 Acta Metallurgica Inc.
Modeling Oxidizing Scrubbers for Odor Control

In an oxidizing scrubber for odor control, the odorant is absorbed in a scrubber and must be oxidized to allow steady-state operation. The rate of absorption depends on the Henry's law coefficient, the gas- and liquid-phase mass transfer coefficients, and the rate of the oxidation reaction. The effect of a liquid-phase reaction on the liquid-phase mass transfer is often expressed in terms of an enhancement factor. Pseudo-first-order reaction rates were estimated for chlorination reactions for selected odorants. For simple amines and ammonia, the pseudo-first-order reaction rate is very fast, resulting in high enhancement factors for typical values of the mass transfer coefficients and odorant liquid-phase diffusion coefficients. For phenol and toluene, the reaction rate is relatively slow, and the enhancement factor is very close to unity.
Speciation and Mechanistic Studies of Chiral Copper(I) Schiff Base Precursors Mediating Asymmetric Carbenoid Insertion Reactions of Diazoacetates into the Si-H Bond of Silanes

[Cu(CH3CN)4](PF6) and the chiral C2-symmetric diimine ligand (1R,2R)-bis((2,6-dichlorobenzylidene)diamino)cyclohexane (R,R-1) (1.2 equiv) mediate asymmetric carbenoid insertion of aryl diazoesters into the Si−H bond of silanes in good to high yields and levels of enantiocontrol. Dichloromethane solutions of [Cu(CH3CN)4](PF6)/R,R-1 afford yellow crystals of [CuI(R,R-1)(CH3CN)·CuI(R,R-1)(CH3CN)2·CuI2(R,R-1)3](PF6)4·2CH2Cl2·3Et2O, which feature three distinct copper complexes in the crystal lattice. 1H NMR and electrospray ionization MS (ESI-MS) studies establish that only [CuI(R,R-1)(CH3CN)]+ is present in solution in high yields. Upon addition of stoichiometric PhC(N2)CO2Me, cations [CuI(R,R-1)(C(CO2Me)Ph)]+ and [CuI(R,R-1)(C(CO2Me)Ph)(CH3CN)]+ are detected by ESI-MS, consistent with the presence of a copper−carbenoid moiety. The catalytically active precursor is most likely a mononuclear unit of the type [CuI(R,R-1)(CH3CN)n]+, as suggested by the linearity of plots relating the enantiomeric excess (ee) of...
Studies of the nature of Cu2+ and Pb2+ binding sites in soil humic substances using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

We have investigated the binding environments of Cu{sup 2+} and Pb{sup 2+} complexed by soil humic substances using synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy. With the assistance of bond network analysis, analysis of X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and radial structure functions derived from extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra of Cu-humate at pH 4, 5, and 6 yielded a tetragonally-distorted octahedral binding environment for Cu with 4 O atoms at an average distance of 1.94 {angstrom}, 20 atoms at an average distance of 2.02 {angstrom}, and 4 C atoms at an average distance of 3.13 {angstrom}. Analysis of Pb-humate samples at pH 4, 5, and 6 yielded 4 O atoms at average distances between 2.46 {angstrom} to 2.32 {angstrom} and 2 C atoms at an average distance of 3.26 {angstrom} for Pb. We interpret the presence of C atoms in the second atomic shell of the metal binding site as evidence that both C{sup 2+} and Pb{sup 2+} form innersphere complexes with soil humic substances. Within the pH range 4-6, there is no significant change in the structure of the binding sites for either Cu or Pb. 65 refs., 8 figs., 5 tabs.
Phase I and pharmacologic study of liposomal daunorubicin (DaunoXome).

We have completed a phase I and pharmacology study of liposomally-encapsulated daunorubicin (DaunoXome). Of 32 patients entered, 30 were evaluable. No toxicity was encountered at the initial doseescalation steps from 10 to 60 mg/m2. At 80 mg/m2, two patients manifested grade 2 neutropenia. At least grade 3 neutropenia occurred in all patients receiving 120 mg/m2. Alopecia and subjective intolerance were mild. Cardiotoxicity was not observed except for an episode of arrhythmia in a patient with lung cancer and prior radiation. Only one minor objective response was observed in this population of refractory solid tumors. Pharmacokinetics differed from those of the free drug with no detection of daunorubicinol. We recommend future phase II studies with a dose of 100 mg/m2 in previously treated and 120 mg/m2 of DaunoXome in previously untreated patients with solid tumors.
Golden section search method for determining parameters in Robertson-Stiff non-Newtonian fluid model

Abstract A numerical scheme that seeks a direct evaluation of the three parameters A, B, and C in the Robertson and Stiff model describing the rheological behavior of drilling fluids and cement slurries, is presented. The simple numerical scheme renders the Robertson and Stiff model eassy to use. The importance of this scheme lies in the fact that although the Robertson and Stiff model has been proven to be one of the better rheological models for describing the behavior of drilling fluid and cement slurries, it has found very little application in the drilling industry partly because of the relative difficulty in evaluating the model parameters. This scheme would alleviate this problem. Data from five different fluids have been used to validate the scheme and in each case, a very good match was observed. Apart from the fact that this scheme is simpler and more accurate than the geometric mean/graphical method recommended by Robertson and Stiff, it has a uniqueness which is absent in the use of the graphical method.
Dissociation of Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Early Associative Learning

Wistar rat pups were trained in an olfactory associative conditioning task on postnatal Day 6, 12, or 20. The training consisted of 20 pairings of a novel odor (peppermint) with footshock (1.5 mA, 1 s) with an intertrial interval of 3 min. Additional pups were trained in either unpaired or naive control conditions. On the day following training, pups were either tested for their behavioral response to the conditioned odor in a two-odor choice test, or injected with 14C-2-deoxyglucose and exposed to the odor for examination of olfactory bulb neural responses to the odor. The results demonstrate that, although pups at all ages learned to avoid the odor, only pups trained during the first postnatal week had a modified olfactory-bulb glomerular-layer response to the odor. These results suggest that although olfactory memory is correlated with modification of olfactory bulb glomerular layer function in newborns, these changes are not required for normal memory in older pups.
Response spectrum method for nonclassically damped systems

Abstract For nonclassically damped systems a modal superposition method which makes use of complex mode shapes and frequencies is presented in a companion paper [1]. The method is extended into a response spectrum formulation in this paper. Each complex mode shape and its conjugate result in two real vectors. These vectors, when multiplied, to the displacement spectral value and the velocity spectral value, respectively, give two response vectors. A method of combining these responses from various modes is presented. It is shown that the velocity spectrum is approximately equal to the displacement spectrum, when expressed in the same units, in the intermediate frequency range only. A method of estimating the velocity spectrum from the displacement spectrum is presented. Nine coupled primary-secondary systems subjected to 12 earthquake ground motions were analyzed using the proposed response spectrum method, and the results were compared against those from the direct time history method. From the 108 analyses, 8 displacements and 9 forces per analysis, the mean error was found to be less than 1%, and the standard deviation of the percent error in the order of 10. The error is of the same order as is normally encountered in the response spectrum analysis of the classically damped systems.
Computer simulation of gas generation and transport in landfills II: Dynamic conditions

Extensive simulations have been carried out to study generation of landfill gases by biodegradation of wastes and their transport in a model landfill, using a comprehensive three-dimensional model developed in Part I of this series. The model has been developed for a four-component gas mixture, and takes into account the effect of heterogeneity in the landfill's morphology, as well as that of the surrounding soil. It accounts for the presence of gas extraction wells with an arbitrary spatial distribution. The model is utilized for investigating the dynamic behavior of a landfill, and in particular pressure build-up, under a variety of conditions. These include, for example, the cases in which some of the extraction wells are shut down, or new wells are drilled. It is shown that the spatial distribution of the permeability has a very strong effect on the dynamic behavior of a landfill, whereas mechanical dispersion, manifested by effective dispersion coefficients that depend on the flow velocities, has virtually no effect. Thus, development of an accurate data base for the spatial distributions of the permeability, porosity, and other morphological characteristics of a landfill, in addition to its transport and reaction properties, is essential for accurate forecasting of the landfill's behavior, including identifying the areas with large amounts of methane and a potential for explosion. Limited comparison of the model's predictions with experimental data for a particular landfill indicates the potential of the model for predicting the dynamic behavior of large landfills.
Density Functional Calculations on Disaccharide Mimics: Studies of Molecular Geometries and Trans-O-glycosidic 3JCOCH and 3JCOCC Spin-Couplings

Density functional theory (DFT) using the B3LYP functional and the split-valence 6-31G* basis set has been used to investigate the structures and conformations of four β-[1→4]-linked disaccharide mimics, 1−4. Systematic functional group substitution at sites near the glycosidic linkage was used to evaluate the effects of sterics and interresidue hydrogen bonding on the preferred glycosidic torsion angles φ and ψ. Using DFT-optimized geometries, the same hybrid functional, and a specially designed basis set, vicinal NMR scalar coupling constants involving carbon (3JCOCH, 3JCOCC) across the glycosidic linkages of 1−4 were calculated as a function of the φ and ψ torsion angles, and the resulting torsional dependencies were compared to recently reported experimental Karplus curves for these coupling pathways (Bose, B.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 11158−11173). The new computational data are in excellent agreement with experimental results and confirm the general shape of the experimental curves. For 3...
Themes and variations of viral small terminase proteins.

In this issue of Structure , Roy and colleagues present the structure of bacteriophage P22′s small terminase protein, providing evidence that the dsDNA is threaded through the central channel of the complex.
Evidence for a functional role of RNA in centrioles

Basal bodies, purified from Chlamydomonas and Tetrahymena, were exposed to various enzymatic treatments and then assayed for their ability to nucleate aster formation upon injection into eggs of Xenopus laevis. Untreated basal bodies injected into frog eggs act as centrioles and induce the formation of asters. The aster-inducing activity of basal bodies was eliminated by treatment with proteolytic enzymes and ribonucleases. Aster-inducing activity was not affected by DNAse and a number of other enzymes. The effect of proteolytic digestion on aster-inducing activity appeared to be directly correlated with the degree of structural damage to the basal body. Low concentrations of pancreatic ribonuclease A, ribonuclease T1, and S1 nuclease also completely abolished aster-inducing activity, although these enzymes had no effect on basal body structure. Ribonuclease-treated basal bodies remained capable of supporting microtubule elongation in vitro. Preliminary evidence indicates that basal bodies from Chlamydomonas and Tetrahymena contain about 5 x 10(-16) g of RNA which co-band with basal bodies and aster-inducing activity by equilibrium density gradient sedimentation. We conclude first, that centrioles contain RNA which is required for initiation of aster formation, and second, that the centriole activity or ability to assemble a mitotic aster is separable from the basal body activity, or ability to serve directly as a template for microtubule growth.
A molecular mechanism for biological calcification.

Abstract A general mechanism for calcification in biological systems is outlined which consists of organization of macromolecules and simultaneous or subsequent binding of alkali cations (principally Ca 2+ ) by the molecules to create compartments with higher pH values than the bulk phase of the solution. The higher pH value in this microcompartment would raise the concentration of PO 4 3− and OH − to an extent sufficient to induce their precipitation with Ca 2+ .
Agmatine induced NO dependent rat mesenteric artery relaxation and its impairment in salt-sensitive hypertension

Abstract l -Arginine and its decarboxylated product, agmatine are important mediators of NO production and vascular relaxation. However, the underlying mechanisms of their action are not understood. We have investigated the role of arginine and agmatine in resistance vessel relaxation of Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats. Second or 3rd-order mesenteric arterioles were cannulated in an organ chamber, pressurized and equilibrated before perfusing intraluminally with agonists. The vessel diameters were measured after mounting on the stage of a microscope fitted with a video camera. The gene expression in Dahl rat vessel homogenates was ascertained by real-time PCR. l -Arginine initiated relaxations (EC 50 , 5.8 ± 0.7 mM; n = 9) were inhibited by arginine decarboxylase (ADC) inhibitor, difluoromethylarginine (DFMA) (EC 50 , 18.3 ± 1.3 mM; n = 5) suggesting that arginine-induced vessel relaxation was mediated by agmatine formation. Agmatine relaxed the SD rat vessels at significantly lower concentrations (EC 50 , 138.7 ± 12.1 μM; n = 22), which was compromised by l -NAME ( l -N G -nitroarginine methyl ester, an eNOS inhibitor), RX821002 (α-2 AR antagonist) and pertussis toxin (G-protein inhibitor). The agmatine-mediated vessel relaxation from high salt Dahl rats was abolished as compared to that from normal salt rats (EC 50 , 143.9 ± 23.4 μM; n = 5). The α-2 A AR, α-2 B AR and eNOS mRNA expression was downregulated in mesenteric arterioles of high-salt treated Dahl hypertensive rats. These findings demonstrate that agmatine facilitated the relaxation via activation of α-2 adrenergic G-protein coupled receptor and NO synthesis, and this pathway is compromised in salt-sensitive hypertension.
Evolutionary Mismatch as a General Framework for Land Use Policy and Politics

Patterns of human land use (LU) necessarily transform the land systems that sustain and contain them. Importantly, the impacts of such transformations are not isolated in space and time. LU management decisions that are made at a given geographic unit regularly impact both human and nonhuman well-being beyond the spatiotemporal boundaries of that unit. To superintend the conflicts that arise out of such circumstances, human LUs are generally subject to institutional regulations. As patterns of socio-ecological interactions change over time, these LU institutions require reform or replacement, as extant rules or LUs can become maladapted to new environmental conditions. The current paper defines this situation—in which a LU that was established in a given environment becomes dysfunctional when relevant environmental factors are changed—as a LU mismatch. It then develops a framework for studying the policy and politics of LU mismatches through the lens of evolutionary (mismatch) theory. The framework provides a means for understanding the origins and nature of LU mismatches, and, in turn, it implicates leverage points for public policy intervention. We conclude by exploring how the framework offers a relatively nonpartisan discursive frame for stakeholders to employ in LU mismatch planning and political arenas.
Difference Equations and Divisibility Properties of Sequences

There are many different ways of defining a sequence in terms of solutions to difference equations. In fact, if a sequence satisfies one recurrence then it satisfies an infinite number of recurrences. Arithmetic properties of an integral sequence are often studied by direct methods based on the combinatorial or algebraic definition of the numbers or using their generating function. The rational generating function is the main tool in obtaining various difference equations with coefficients and initial values exhibiting divisibility patterns that can imply particular arithmetic properties of the solutions. In this process, we face the challenging task of finding difference equations that are relevant to the divisibility properties by transforming the original rational generating function. As a matter of fact, it is not necessarily the simple difference equation that helps the most in proving the properties. We illustrate this process on several examples and a sequence involving a p -sected binomial sum of ...
Clinical Management of the NIDDM Patient: Impact of the American Diabetes Association Practice Guidelines, 1985–1993

OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of the American Diabetes Association9s (ADA9s) standards of care for patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) on practice patterns among university-based endocrine physicians and fellows. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study represents a retrospective chart-based review of 790 patients with NIDDM conducted by endocrine fellows in training at 42 academic institutions. By using an ADA guidelines-based questionnaire, patient management and adherence to the guidelines were assessed by reviewing charts dating ≥3 years before, the year of, and 3 years after the guidelines9 publication. All calculations were performed using the McNemar test, and all P values are two-sided. RESULTS The ADA standards of care have not had the significant impact in the clinical training setting that was anticipated. Deficiencies were noted in all aspects of the diabetic patient encounter and did not improve significantly following publication of the guidelines, except in the areas of foot care, eye examination, and lipid screening. Major deficiencies exist in areas of quality assurance and chart documentation, and these did not improve over time. CONCLUSIONS New strategies must be devised to increase awareness and implementation of these guidelines, both to enhance patient care and to improve the training of future diabetes caregivers.
Reinforcing thermosets with crystallizable solvents

This study demonstrates an approach to generate reinforcement in thermosetting polymers through crystal growth of crystallizable solvents. Emphasis is to identify the reaction conditions, which lead to suitable reinforcement in selected compounds. Crystallization behavior and miscibility of dimethylsulfone (DMS) in diglycidylether of bisphenol-A epoxy monomer was investigated. Small angle laser scattering and optical microscopy were utilized to monitor phase separation and crystallization of DMS at different isothermal conditions during the cure process. It is shown that DMS crystals grow anisotropically to form faceted geometries and demonstrate possible structures to anchor into the epoxy matrix. The growth mechanism and the agility of crystals are shown to be affected by the cure reaction as well as depth of supercooling. A completely cured sample with 15 wt % DMS shows a broad map of rich morphologies from nanoscale particles to uniformly distributed macroscale, discontinuous fiber-like crystals generated only by altering the curing conditions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 840–849, 2010
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Medical Outcomes Study – Social Support Survey: Examining the Factor Structure Among Victimized Women on Probation and Parole

Women in the justice system are a highly marginalized population that are disproportionately affected by violent victimization and psychological distress. Social support is a key mechanism in understanding these experiences. However, rigorous psychometric testing of existing social support instruments is scant and to date there are no studies specifically testing instruments for use with justice involved women. In order to address this gap, the present study sought to confirm the factor structure of the 12- and 4-item Medical Outcomes Study – Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), a widely used measure of social support. Confirmatory factor models were estimated via robust weighted least squares and polychoric correlations among a sample of 406 victimized women on probation and parole. Findings supported the use of the 4-item version of the MOS-SSS as a reliable, valid, and extremely parsimonious measure of social support among victimized women on probation and parole.
Discovering dysregulated phenotype-related gene patterns

With the abundance of vast amounts of "-omic" biological data from multiple sources that span diverse biological processes, approaches for answering critical questions become a vital mission. To grasp more comprehensive view of the biology of the organism, recent research has focused on integrating multiple sources of data. This integration provides more insights and helps reduce the impact of problems each source may have. Recent research showed that differentially expressed, or dysregulated, patterns of interacting proteins exhibit more interesting properties with respect to many complex phenotypes. In this work we follow an integrative approach by combining the physical protein-protein interaction, PPI, network with gene expression data for a number of diseases and phenotypes. In this study, we propose an algorithm for mining Dysregulated Phenotype-Related interacting genes, DPRs. Experimental results on 88 Human gene expression datasets that were annotated by employing UMLS mapping demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm in discovering biologically and statistically significant DPRs.
Patients on party drugs undergoing anesthesia

Purpose of review Drug abuse, especially with designer drugs, continues to grow, involving a wide demographic range. Consequently, anesthesiologists may be involved in the care of patients under the acute and chronic influence of a myriad of substances. In addition to the usual physiological damage to vital organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, and immune system) new evidence of permanent damage in regions of the brain responsible for memory and pain mediation is emerging. As drug use continues to increase, anesthesiologists must learn to detect drug abusing patients and avoid known interactions. This article will attempt to review the recent literature on this subject. Recent findings Cocaine, marijuana, ethanol, and heroin top the list of abused drugs, alone and in combination. The combined effects of these drugs can be synergistic in creating cardiovascular instability and toxicity. Because combinations create synergy in dopamine and serotonin transmission, addiction is possibly faster, more entrenched, and more difficult to treat. Anesthesiologists are now becoming involved in many of the rapid detoxification procedures to combat/treat addiction. Only limited research has addressed the newer designer drugs, but case reports regarding hyperthermia, cerebral edema, cerebral vasospasm, and lethal interactions with commonly used medications such as beta-blockers implicate the need for awareness in anesthesia personnel. Summary Drug abuse continues to be a major problem facing our society. Anesthesiologists encounter emergency cases in which ‘party drugs’ have clearly been used, and may also be anesthetizing patients in whom abuse is present but unrecognized. Understanding how illicit drugs interact with anesthetic agents is of paramount importance.
Trajectory sensitivity to rawinsonde data resolution

Abstract Meteorological measurements collected during the Cross Appalachian Tracer Experiment (CAPTEX) were used to evaluate the sensitivity of trajectory calculations to variations in the spatial and temporal density of rawinsonde data. Data resolution was systematically adjusted in order to separately evaluate the effects of enhanced spatial and temporal resolution. Variable mixed layer, constant layer, and constant level trajectories were more sensitive to increases in spatial resolution than to increases in temporal resolution. For mixed layer, 0–400-m layer and 400-m level trajectories, sensitivity to combined increases in both spatial and temporal rawinsonde data resolution was dominated by the effects of spatial resolution alone. This dominance was not observed for trajectories calculated at higher levels and layers. Trajectory case studies corresponding to two CAPTEX tracer releases were presented. These examples illustrate the potential effects of a single additional measurement at an existing National Weather Service rawinsonde station, and the importance of specifying the initial transport wind accurately.
Quiet time variability of the geosynchronous magnetic field and its response to the solar wind

[1] We present a survey of the variability of the geosynchronous magnetic field strength on the dayside using observations by the GOES satellites over a period exceeding 4 years. Only intervals of reduced geomagnetic activity, as defined by Dst > −20 nT, were considered in this study. The magnetic field strength data were filtered with a passband of 1.7 mHz to 17 mHz (1–10 minutes), a process that eliminates the diurnal variation of the field strength and the effects of most of the higher frequency (>17 mHz) ultralow-frequency (ULF) waves. The geosynchronous field strength appears to exhibit the greatest variability in the prenoon sector for spiral interplanetary magnetic fields (IMF) and in the postnoon sector for orthospiral IMF, suggesting that pressure pulses generated in the foreshock/bow shock region may have a significant influence on the geosynchronous field. The seasonal dependence of the variability was determined to be positively correlated to the seasonal dependence of ground-based observations of magnetic impulse events. The response of the variability of the geosynchronous magnetic field strength around local noon to solar wind parameters was also studied. Here, we observed that the variability was strongly affected by changes in the solar wind dynamic pressure but was seemingly independent of the northward/southward direction of the interplanetary magnetic field. However, for high solar wind dynamic pressures, the variability was found to be greater for northward IMF than for southward IMF.
The Latino Assumption: A Research Note

The Latino assumption refers to the presumption that individuals residing in the United States and its commonwealths who have descended from Latin American countries and Spain constitute a homogeneous panethnic social identity. Inappropriately studying individuals of Latin American and Spanish descent as a homogeneous group in leisure research may result in threats to internal validity, statistical conclusion, and external validity. This article examines these issues and the historical context of the Latino assumption.
Comparison of intravenous valproate versus intramuscular dihydroergotamine and metoclopramide for acute treatment of migraine headache.

Objective.—To determine the effectiveness and tolerability of intravenous valproate for the acute treatment of migraine headache with or without aura (International Headache Society diagnostic criteria 1.1 and 1.2) compared with intramuscular metoclopramide 10 mg followed 10 minutes later by intramuscular dihydroergotamine 1 mg. Background.—Divalproex sodium is approved for prophylaxis of migraine headache. We studied the possible effectiveness of intravenous sodium valproate for the treatment of acute migraine headache. Valproate offers a treatment option for patients with migraine who recently have used a triptan or dihydroergotamine, theoretically avoiding the risk of drug interactions or cardiovascular complications. Design/Methods.—In an open-label randomization, patients with an established diagnosis of migraine with or without aura were administered either intravenous valproate or intramuscular dihydroergotamine with metoclopramide to treat moderate-to-severe migraine headache of 24 to 96 hours' duration. Forty patients alternately received either 500 mg intravenous valproate or 10 mg metoclopramide intramuscularly followed by 1 mg dihydro- ergotamine. Patients rated severity of headache and the presence or absence of nausea, photophobia, or phonophobia at baseline, and at 1, 2, 4, and 24 hours. Results.—With intravenous valproate, 50% of patients reported headache improvement from moderate or severe to none or mild at 1 hour following treatment, 60% reported such improvement at 2 hours, 60% at 4 hours, and 60% at 24 hours. Corresponding improvement rates for dihydroergotamine were 45% at 1 hour, 50% at 2 hours, 60% at 4 hours, and 90% at 24 hours. Intravenous valproate and intramuscular dihydroergotamine provided similar relief from associated migrainous symptoms (nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia) during the first 4 hours following treatment. While none of the patients who received intravenous valproate experienced drug-related side effects during treatment, 15% of patients who took dihydroergotamine experienced one or more episodes of nausea and diarrhea during the first 4 hours of treatment. Conclusions.—Intravenous valproate is similar in effectiveness to dihydroergotamine/metoclopramide as abortive therapy for prolonged moderate-to-severe acute migraine headache. Although the results were not statistically significant (P = .3635), intravenous valproate appears to offer a safe, effective, and well-tolerated treatment for patients with acute migraine. Relative to dihydroergotamine/metoclopramide, however, headache relief was not as likely to be sustained at 24 hours as with intravenous valproate.