cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Apolipoprotein(a): structural and functional consequences of mutations in kringle type 10 (or kringle 4–37)

The size polymorphism of Lp(a) is well recognized. It is now apparent that there is an additional polymorphism resulting from mutations occurring at the kringle level. One of these mutations involves a trp72 to arg substitution in apo(a) kringle type 10 and is attended by a defective binding of Lp(a) to immobilized lysine/fibrin. Other mutations affecting the other amino acids of the «lysine-binding pocket» may have similar functional consequences and may be important at the clinical level in terms of thrombogenesis
Behavioral intervention for self-stimulatory, attending and seizure behavior in a cerebral palsied child

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of a behavioral treatment package and anti-convulsant medication for reducing self-stimulation and seizure activity, and for improving attention in a 7-yr-old white male. During baseline (A), no direct contingencies for the target behaviors were applied. In the B phase, hand overcorrection for self-stimulation and differential reinforcement of attentional responses and behaviors incompatible with self-stimulation were arranged. Carbamazepine (tegretol) was added to the behavioral program in the BC phase. Medication was later withdrawn while behavioral strategies remained in effect. The results showed rapid and significant improvements in all target symptoms during all phases of behavioral treatment, while introduction and withdrawal of medication did not result in any significant changes. Effects were maintained at 8 months' follow-up.
Supersonic inviscid flow—a three-dimensional characteristics approach

Abstract Supersonic inviscid flow over nonaxisymmetric bodies is considered. A new version of the method of reference planes is used. In this version, a near characteristics-streamlines coordinate system and a highly efficient numerical integration scheme is developed. The CFL condition is rigorously satisfied on the flow. Several sample calculations are presented.
Isolation of 2,4-dimethyldocosanoic acid from the lipids of tubercle bacillus

A fraction of methyl ester of tubercle acids, principally in the mol wt range of C20toC25, contained in excess of twenty components; however, all the major bands save two could be classified as belonging to one of the three homologous series: n-alkanoates, 10-methylalkanoates, phthienoates (2,4,6-trimethyl-2-alkenoates). The component in one unassigned band is in such small concentration in the tubercle lipids that it remains unclassified; however, the other previously unknown component has been isolated and identified as the C24-mycosanoic acid (2,4-dimethyldocosanoic acid), the first acid of this type isolated from the tubercle lipids. It is assigned the 2L,4L-configuration on the grounds that this configuration is required in the biogenetic precursor of the abundant C27-phthienoic acid. DL-2,4-Dimethyldocosanoic acid was synthesized for comparison with the natural product.
Searching and gradualness.

Abstract Consider the elements of the power set S as the alternatives in a search space. Each element of the set has a value and the goal of a search is to find an element with near-minimum value. If high-valued elements of cardinality i (recall that elements of S are themselves sets) are subsets of high-valued elements of cardinality i + 1, then the search space has a king of gradualness that should facilitate search. A search algorithm might generate a series, S ′(1), … S ′( k ) of samples in S , where all the elements in S ′ ( i ) have cardinality i . I propose a class of search algorithms, where each algorithm A ( j ) generates S ′( i + 1) by emphasizing the j lowest-valued elements in S ′( i ). I then define search space gradualness and search algorithm performance and formally relate gradualness and performance.
Radiative decays of excited Λ Q baryons in the bound state picture

It is shown that, in the bound state picture, the {Lambda}{sub {ital c}}(2593){r_arrow}{Lambda}{sub {ital c}}{gamma} and {Lambda}{sub {ital c}}(2625){r_arrow}{Lambda}{sub {ital c}}{gamma} decays are severely suppressed. On the other hand, for their bottom counterparts, which are predicted to have masses of 5900 and 5926 MeV, respectively, they may have significant radiative branching ratios. The {Lambda}{sub {ital b}}(5926){r_arrow}{Lambda}{sub {ital b}}{gamma} mode possibly dominates over the strong decay mode, while the {Lambda}{sub {ital b}}(5900) resonance lies below the strong decay threshold and can only decay radiatively. The isospin allowed {Lambda}{sub {ital Q}}{sup {asterisk}{asterisk}}{r_arrow}{Sigma}{sub {ital Q}}{gamma} mode is expected to be small. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Numerical Simulation of Etching and Deposition Processes

Accurate numerical simulation of microscopic surface topography evolution can facilitate the development of various etching and deposition processes for microelectronics applications. We have used numerical simulator SHADE, which is based on the shock-tracking method for surface evolution, to simulate processes that involve simultaneous etching and deposition. Examples are taken from two applications: conformal metal liner formation by the ionized magnetron sputter deposition process and Pt etching by ion beam and reactive ion etching processes. The numerical methods used for simulation and comparison between the simulation results and experimental observations are presented.
Evidence forE-vector and light intensity pattern discrimination by the teleostDermogenys

1. Azimuth orientation in the halfbeak fishDermogenys was studied in the laboratory to find out whether its spontaneous heading directions in a vertical beam of linearly polarized light involve perception of thee-vectorper se or merely of concomitant light intensity patterns. Responses were tested with polarized and unpolarized light as well as with either a uniform white screen horizontally surrounding the experimental vessel or with one divided into black and white alternating quadrants. 2. Measured as counts within 10 °, 45 ° or 90 ° sectors through 180 ° the fish's azimuth orientation was random with unpolarized light and the white surround (Fig. 2). 3. In contrast significant preferential orientation was shown in the presence of linearly polarized light and the white surround (Fig. 3). The 10 ° sector centered on the plane of vibration had the most counts (Fig. 3A). Combining the data into four sectors each 45 ° in extent makes clear a significant predominance of orientation parallel to thee-vector (Fig. 3B) as do the total counts for parallel and perpendicular quadrants (Fig. 3D). 4. With the black and white quadrants combined with unpolarized light preferential orientation was clearly shown toward the light sectors (Fig. 4A, B). Since maximum differential scattering from a linearly polarized light beam is perpendicular to the plane of vibration the positive sign of this phototactic response ofDermogenys is evidence that the observed orientation parallel to thee-vector cannot also be a similar response to intensity pattern. Hence the plane of vibration must be perceived through a distinct information channel and polarotaxis is different from phototaxis. 5. Tests with linear polarized light combined with the black and white surround proved that phototaxis predominated over polarotaxis under our experimental conditions and that the interaction between the two types of behavior in this case was not a simple additive one (Fig. 4C-F).
Use of psychotropic drugs in patients with peptic ulcer

Abstract With appropriate precautions, psychotropic agents can be used in the considerable number of patients requiring concurrent treatment for peptic ulcer, and especially its primary form, duodenal ulcer. After discussing the recent advances in the treatment of ulcers, particularly the striking gains achieved with the H 2 receptor blockers, the authors examine the coordination of that treatment with the administration of antianxiety agents, antidepressants, neuroleptics, and lithium. They also assess the extent to which certain psychotropics themselves have a favorable effect on the evolution of ulcers.
Colocalization of GH, TSH and prolactin, but not ACTH, with βLH-immunoreactivity: evidence for pluripotential cells in the ovine pituitary

Increasing evidence suggests that multihormonal cells in the pituitary gland may be more commonplace than previously thought. This has forced us to reconsider our classical view of cell populations in the pituitary gland. Studies so far have focused almost exclusively on the rat, and there is a dearth of information on other species. Our first objective was to determine whether a subpopulation of gonadotropes also express somatotropin in the ewe, as reported in the rat. In addition, we sought to determine whether gonadotropes express any of the other known pituitary hormones. Finally, we investigated whether the stage of the estrous cycle influenced the occurrence of these pluripotential gonadotropes. We found that a small population of βLH-immunoreactive cells also expresses immunoreactive GH, prolactin and TSH. No gonadotropes colocalized with ACTH. Significantly (P<0.001) more gonadotropes expressed GH during the luteal (10.7±0.4%) than the late follicular (5.4±0.3%) phase but there was no difference between the luteal and follicular phases in the proportion of gonadotropes expressing prolactin (follicular: 5.7±0.7%; luteal: 5.5±0.6%) or TSH (follicular: 3.1±0.7%; luteal: 4.2±0.5%). Similarly, there was a significant (P<0.05) difference in the proportion of GH-immunoreactive cells expressing βLH immunoreactivity in the luteal (5.9±0.3%) and follicular (3.4±0.5%) phases but no difference in the proportion of prolactin- (follicular: 2.2±0.7%; luteal: 2.0±0.8%) or TSH-immunoreactive cells (follicular: 9.6±3.7%; luteal: 10.8±2.9%) expressing βLH. The specific function of these multihormonal gonadotropes in sheep remains to be determined.
Are pharmacology and constructivist psychotherapy mutually exclusive

Abstract The argument is made that pharmacological therapy and constructivist psychotherapy have no common ground and are mutually exclusive. Therapeutic examples are then offered of how drug and talk therapies interact, in a effort to see whether there is a common ground after all. Some of the incompatabilities can be minimized by changing the amount of control the patient has over the medication, but the displacement of “the problem” from life in the world to chemicals in the brain is a more intransigent difference between the 2 practices. Basic conceptual differences involve definitions of helping as well as problems, suggesting that this issue is yet another example of cultural ambivalence toward technology.
Effect of Restricted Nutrition on Puberty in the Lamb: Patterns of Tonic Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Secretion and Competency of the LH Surge System*

The effects of undernutrition on the timing of puberty and regulation of LH secretion by the inhibitory and stimulatory feedback action of estradiol were examined in female sheep. The first experiment determined that maintenance of low BW (ca., 20 kg, four lambs) between 10 and 45 weeks of age prevented initiation of ovulation at the usual time (30 weeks of age). Ad libitum feeding of such growth-retarded lambs (n = 7) resulted in rapid catch-up growth and onset of reproductive cycles. The second experiment determined the effects of level of nutrition on tonic LH secretion in the presence and absence of inhibitory steroid feedback. Detailed LH patterns were obtained from agonadal lambs (ovariectomy at 20 weeks) that either remained undernourished (ca., 20 kg, 10–39 weeks of age) or were initially undernourished (10–27 weeks) and subsequently fed ad libitum (28–39 weeks). In undernourished lambs (n = 7), LH pulse frequency was slow, and only an occasional LH pulse was detected in the absence of steroid neg...
Pre-pregnancy weight and excess weight gain are risk factors for macrosomia in women with gestational diabetes

Pre-pregnancy weight and excess weight gain are risk factors for macrosomia in women with gestational diabetes
Worming into genetic instability

A study of roundworms shows that genomic mutations occur surprisingly frequently, and that the kinds of changes involved differ from those predicted. Are genomes inherently less stable than previously suspected?
Dialécticas Espaciais na Cidade Contemporânea e o poder integrador do desenho urbano

O presente artigo propoe uma analise das dinâmicas de urbanizacao emergentes das transformacoes estruturais do pos-fordismo. Examinam-se os aspectos formais da reorganizacao do espaco urbano e as contradicoes inerentes a sua actual producao num contexto de urbanismo "pos-modernista". Face a crescente despacializacao da esfera publica, e a crescente privatizacao do espaco publico, propoe-se a recuperacao das morfologias espaciais rejeitadas pelo modernismo, enquanto contributo fundamental do planeamento fisico contemporâneo para o reforco da comunicacao e da coesao social.
Hypnic Headache: Another Indomethacin-Responsive Headache Syndrome?

Hypnic headache syndrome is a benign, recurrent, late-onset headache disorder that occurs exclusively during sleep. Lithium has been reported to be an effective treatment, but the side effects of this medication are sometimes prohibitive, particularly in the elderly. Other drugs have been reported to be effective in this disorder, including caffeine, flunarizine, and verapamil. Recently, indomethacin has been reported to effectively suppress hypnic headaches. We report the response of seven patients with hypnic headache who were treated with indomethacin. Hypnic headache syndrome appears to represent yet another headache disorder in which there is sometimes an impressive response to indomethacin.
Interrelationships between psychological factors, overweight, and blood pressure in adolescents

Abstract Relationships between psychological factors and physical factors such as body mass, overweight, and blood pressure were examined in a sample of black and white adolescents enrolled in health science courses. Black female adolescents were significantly more overweight and obese than either other group. Psychological factors were not significantly associated with body mass (weight/ height 2 ) for females. A small percentage of the variance in body mass for black (6%) and white (4%) males was explained by Trait Anger, the frequent experience of anger and the intensity of anger (S-Anger-Reaction/TP) in pressure situations. Trait Anger also significantly ( p p
Modeling AlGaInP-Au Lasers in Photodynamic Therapy for Tumors and Cancers

This work develops multi-parametric models to compute coupling coefficients of semiconductor-metal lasers at around 633 nm for photodynamic therapy. Numerical results computed by the photonic and the optical methods have excellent agreements.
Risk Changes around Calls of Convertible Bonds

We examine changes in equity and asset betas around convertible bond calls and report two major findings. First, calling firms exhibit an increase in asset betas following the call. We argue that the finding is consistent with the implications of the sequential financing theory but not of the backdoor equity financing theory. Second, abnormal returns at call announcements are negative only for the subsample of firms that also exhibit an increase in equity beta. We conclude that risk changes help explain the market reaction to convertible bond calls.
Alpha-adrenergic receptor blockade by phentolamine increases the efficacy of vasodilators in penile corpus cavernosum.

Alpha-adrenergic receptor blockade by phentolamine increases the efficacy of vasodilators in penile corpus cavernosum
Biological sample preparation and 41Ca AMS measurement at LLNL

Abstract Calcium metabolism in biology may be better understood by the use of 41Ca tracer, although requiring detection by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Methodologies for preparation of urine samples and subsequent AMS measurement were investigated. Novel attempts at preparing CaH2 were unsuccessful, but CaF2 of sufficient purity could be produced by precipitation of calcium from urine as oxalate, followed by separation of calcium by cation exchange chromatography and washing the CaF2 precipitate. The presence of some remaining impurities could be compensated for by selecting the appropriate accelerated ion charge state for AMS. The use of projectile X-rays for isobar discrimination was explored as an alternative to the conventional d E d x detector.
The Effects of English as a Second Language Courses on Language Minority Community College Students

English as a second language (ESL) courses seek to address a primary barrier to college success for language minority students: second language issues that can inhibit their success in college-leve...
One-stage repair of aberrant left brachiocephalic artery and coarctation of the aorta in right aortic arch

The combination of right aortic arch with aberrant left brachiocephalic artery and aortic coarctation is very rare. Here, we report the case of a 3.1-kg neonate with multiple malformations who received detailed preoperative anatomical definition by chest computed tomography (CT) scan and eventually underwent one-stage repair at the age of 17 days. The surgical technique included left brachiocephalic artery detachment and its end-to-end anastomosis to the branch of a monofurcated pulmonary homograft used to treat the aortic arch coarctation simultaneously. Postoperative control chest CT scan performed 3 months postoperatively revealed optimal repair. Considerations on imaging and surgical technique are reported.
A phase II clinical trial of neoadjuvant ketoconazole and docetaxel chemotherapy before radical prostatectomy in high risk patients.

Purpose: Patients with high risk prostate cancer (prostate specific antigen greater than 20 ng/ml, Gleason score greater than 7, or clinical stage T2b or greater) have been shown to have a 30% to 40% biochemical recurrence rate after definitive local therapy. Looking for improvement on these outcomes, we conducted a phase II clinical trial examining the combination of ketoconazole and docetaxel in the neoadjuvant setting before radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: A total of 22 patients with clinically localized, high risk prostate cancer were enrolled in the study. For 12 weeks they were treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel and ketoconazole, with dosing based on phase I data. Patients were monitored for tolerance of therapy and dosing adjustments were made for significant toxicities. Radical prostatectomy with extended lymph node dissection was subsequently performed and patients were followed postoperatively for biochemical recurrence.Results: At a median followup of 18 months 8 patients remained ...
Virtual Team Meetings: Reflections on a Class Exercise Exploring Technology Choice

Students find that choosing the appropriate technology for a virtual team meeting is not as simple as it first appears. The authors describe a class exercise used to demonstrate the benefits and dr...
Machine Vision as a Materials Conservation Technology

Conservation of archaeological monuments and artifacts is in need of precise and efficient techniques for materials condition evaluation in order to ensure accurate diagnosis followed by effective curative intervention. Machine Vision , already extensively used in the manufacturing industry, is introduced as a preservation technology to fulfill that need. Material degradation manifests itself as localized variations in the optical response (e.g., color & intensity) from the affected surface. Once captured through an appropriate recording device, the image of the surface is documented, enhanced, analyzed and displayed by use of Digital Image Processing (DIP) techniques. The resulting map of materials condition for the surface is demonstrably comprehensive, quantitative & accurate , and the process is fast and economical. Field work was done at the site of Mayan ruins in Tulum, Mexico, on the shore of the Caribbean sea. This paper focuses on a piece of structural rock having a large number of surface pores as the primary form of degradation. Employing DIP procedures, the material condition of the surface is quantitatively represented and characterized in terms of size as well as spatial distribution of the damage features. On a theoretical note, it is postulated that the sand from the beach, airborne by the sea breeze, had been the principal erosion agent. And a phenomenological model of the weathering mechanism has been developed centering on the fluid mechanical concept of terminal velocity. Close agreement between the field work data and the theoretical construct demonstrates the additional merit of the adapted technology as enabling a verifiable, and hence more meaningful, diagnosis of the weathering mechanism.
Design and scheduling of mesh array of hardware unifiers for large-scale unification

We propose a hardware unification array consisting of k × n fourconnected unification units to be used to speed up the process of finding suitable bindings for common variables among the predicates in a logic program. Four different algorithms (SIMPLEX, PCC, PwFLP and CP) to perform unification in the array are presented and their performances compared. The final level of unification in scheduling multiple arrays is found to be the most expensive, deserving the highest degree of hardware support.
Leukocyte filtration and miniature perfusion during arrested heart CABG on a Jehovah's Witness patient.

Bloodless surgery and a reduction in the use of allogeneic blood products has long been the standard of care in medicine. Many individuals in our communities have demanded this form of surgical tre...
Fast detection of anionic components in sugar and wine samples using a novel device based on capillary zone electrophoresis

Abstract The quality of sugar and wine are dependent on the processing steps that are involved to remove extraneous components of starting materials, sugar canes, sugar beets and grapes. Many of the residual components present in the final product such as organic acids (malate, oxalate, formate, acetate, pyroglutamate, etc.) and inorganic ions (nitrate, nitrite, chloride, sulfate, sodium, potassium, calcium, etc.) may influence on the quality. There is a need for the development of new devices that can detect these multiple species in near-real time so that each of the processing steps can be monitored effectively. Preliminary data are presented here on the applicability of such a near real-time detection device that is based on the principles of capillary zone electrophoresis to monitor organic acid and anionic impurities in white sugar and wine samples at concentration levels that are required to meet national and international standards. Applicability of this device to monitor water pollutants is also discussed.
Genetic Enhancement and Theosis: Two Models of Therapy

The author argues that to think theologically about genetic enhancement is to think prayerfully about how to locate all one’s uses of medicine, recognizing that they must all be lodged in the Christian struggle to holiness. He is critical of the essays in this issue because they often appear to take on a scholastic life of their own outside of the all-consuming struggle to salvation of Christians across the millennia.
Group Sequential Monitoring of Clinical Trials with Multivariate Outcomes

In clinical trials with staggered patient entry, the results become available sequentially. For scientific and ethical reasons, such clinical trials are often monitored for potential early stopping. This paper addresses the issues of monitoring clinical trials using multivariate outcomes. Monitoring procedures which account for the multiplicity from repeatedly applying the significance testing as well as from correlation of multivariate outcomes are proposed to preserve the overall significance level. The repeated measures of the same outcome variable over time as one form of multivariate outcome are first considered. A semiparametric approach to conduct interim analyses in longitudinal clinical trials using the generalized estimating equations of Liang and Zeger (1) is taken. By incorporating the consistently estimated variance structure of the repeated measures into the generalized estimating equations, it is shown that the monitoring procedure is more sensitive in detecting treatment differences. It is...
Linear random vibration by stochastic reduced-order models

A practical method is developed for calculating statistics of the states of linear dynamic systems with deterministic properties subjected to non-Gaussian noise and systems with uncertain properties subjected to Gaussian and non-Gaussian noise. These classes of problems are relevant as most systems have uncertain properties, physical noise is rarely Gaussian, and the classical theory of linear random vibration applies to deterministic systems and can only deliver the first two moments of a system state if the noise is non-Gaussian. The method (1) is based on approximate representations of all or some of the random elements in the definition of linear random vibration problems by stochastic reduced-order models (SROMs), that is, simple random elements having a finite number of outcomes of unequal probabilities, (2) can be used to calculate statistics of a system state beyond its first two moments, and (3) establishes bounds on the discrepancy between exact and SROM-based solutions of linear random vibration problems. The implementation of the method has required to integrate existing and new numerical algorithms. Examples are presented to illustrate the application of the proposed method and assess its accuracy. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of sorption and degradation in the herbicidal function of isoxaflutole

BACKGROUND: The fate of isoxaflutole (IFT) in soil is closely related to soil sorption. Sorption and transformation of IFT were investigated in laboratory incubations with four soils, and these results were used to interpret greenhouse studies using IFT to control several weed species. RESULTS: Degradation proceeded by previously observed pathways to form diketonitrile (DKN) and benzoic acid (BA) derivatives, as well as traces of unidentified products. Over the course of the incubation, DKN was the dominant active form of the herbicide present in the experimental system, and was thus critical to the soil activity of the herbicide for weed control. CONCLUSION: Control of most weed species appeared to be a function of both sorption and biodegradation of DKN, with greatest weed control being observed in soils in which a significant portion of the DKN that was formed persisted and remained bioavailable over the course of the incubation.
Arsenic Exposure and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence

Arsenic exposure is a likely cause of blackfoot disease and a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis. The authors performed a systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence on the association between arsenic and cardiovascular outcomes. The search period was January 1966 through April 2005. Thirteen studies conducted in general populations (eight in high-arsenic areas in Taiwan, five in other countries) and 16 studies conducted in occupational populations were identified. Exposure was assessed ecologically in most studies. In Taiwan, relative risks comparing the highest arsenic exposure category with the lowest ranged from 1.59 to 4.90 for coronary disease, from 1.19 to 2.69 for stroke, and from 1.66 to 4.28 for peripheral arterial disease. In other general populations, relative risks ranged from 0.84 to 1.54 for coronary disease, from 0.69 to 1.53 for stroke, and from 0.61 to 1.58 for peripheral arterial disease. In occupational populations, relative risks ranged from 0.40 to 2.14 for coronary disease mortality and from 0.30 to 1.33 for stroke mortality. Methodologic limitations, however, limited interpretation of the moderate-to-strong associations between high arsenic exposure and cardiovascular outcomes in Taiwan. In other populations or in occupational settings, the evidence was inconclusive. Because of the high prevalence of arsenic exposure, carefully performed studies of arsenic and cardiovascular outcomes should be a research priority.
Optimization of Digital Image Correlation for High-Resolution Strain Mapping of Ceramic Composites

Digital image correlation (DIC) is assessed as a tool for measuring strains with high spatial resolution in woven-fiber ceramic matrix composites. Using results of mechanical tests on aluminum alloy specimens in various geometric configurations, guidelines are provided for selecting DIC test parameters to maximize the extent of correlation and to minimize errors in displacements and strains. The latter error is shown to be exacerbated by the presence of strain gradients. In a case study, the resulting guidelines are applied to the measurement of strain fields in a SiC/SiC composite comprising 2-D woven fiber. Sub-fiber tow resolution of strain and low strain error are achieved. The fiber weave architecture is seen to exert a significant influence over strain heterogeneity within the composite. Moreover, strain concentrations at tow crossovers lead to the formation of macroscopic cracks in adjacent longitudinal tows. Such cracks initially grow stably, subject to increasing app lied stress, but ultimately lead to composite rupture. Once cracking is evident, the composite response is couched in terms of displacements, since the computed strains lack physical meaning in the vicinity of cracks. DIC is used to identify the locations of these cracks (via displacement discontinuities) and to measure the crack opening displacement profiles as a function of applied stress.
Delivery of Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotide as Inhibitor of 5-Hydroxytryptamine Reuptake*

Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides can control the expression of disease-causing protein by selectively blocking protein transcription. The objective of this work was to block the expression of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter protein, thereby reducing the rate of 5-HT transport and resulting in the resetting of serotonergic neurotransmission. Biodegradable microparticles were used to enhance the stability and cellular delivery of oligodeoxynucleotides. Antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (rSERT) was entrapped in biodegradable poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) microparticles. The in-vitro stability of rSERT and physicochemical properties of the microparticles were evaluated. The inhibition of 5-HT reuptake was evaluated in RBL-2H3 cells. Microparticle size was favorable for cellular uptake. Preparative steps had no effect on the stability of oligonucleotide. rSERT-loaded microparticles decreased (27 ± 3%) the rate of [3H]5-HT uptake without significantly affecting the affinity of [3H]5-HT for the transporter.
Optical and biometric relationships of the isolated pig crystalline lens

Abstract Aim: To investigate the interrelationships between optical and biometric properties of the porcine crystalline lens, to compare these findings with similar relationships found for the human lens and to attempt to fit this data to a geometric model of the optical and biometric properties of the pig lens. Methods: Weight, focal length, spherical aberration, surface curvatures, thickness and diameters of 20 isolated pig lenses were measured and equivalent refractive index was calculated. These parameters were compared and used to geometrically model the pig lens. Results: Linear relationships were identified between many of the lens biometric and optical properties. The existence of these relationships allowed a simple geometrical model of the pig lens to be calculated which offers predictions of the optical properties. Conclusions: The linear relationships found and the agreement observed between measured and modeled results suggest that the pig lens confirms to a predictable, preset developmental pattern and that the optical and biometric properties are predictably interrelated.
Two conceptions of happiness: Contrasts of personal expressiveness (eudaimonia) and hedonic enjoyment.

Aristotle's concept of eudaimonia and hedonic enjoyment constitute 2 philosophical conceptions of happiness. Two studies involving combined samples of undergraduate and graduate students (Study 1, N = 209; Study 2, N = 249) were undertaken to identify the convergent and divergent aspects of these constructs. As expected, there was a strong positive correlation between personal expressiveness (eudaimonia) and hedonic enjoyment. Analyses revealed significant differences between the 2 conceptions of happiness experienced in conjunction with activities for the variables of (a) opportunities for satisfaction, (b) strength of cognitive-affective components, (c) level of challenges, (d) level of skills, and (e) importance. It thus appears that the 2 conceptions of happiness are related but distinguishable and that personal expressiveness, but not hedonic enjoyment, is a signifier of success in the process of self-realization. The qualities deemed to represent optimal, healthy, or effective psychological functioning have been a perennial concern within personality psychology. However, work on optimal functioning has generally been carried out within diverse theoretical systems with few efforts made to interrelate or integrate concepts proposed as optimal within the different theories. Four such constructs are (a) a sense of personal identity (Erikson, 1963, 1968—ego analytic theory), (b) self-actualization (Maslow, 1968,1970—humanistic theory), (c) an internal locus of control (Rotter, 1966—social learning theory), and (d) principled moral reasoning (Gilligan, 1982, Kohlberg, 1969—cognitive developmental theory). In an analysis of the philosophical underpinnings of these constructs, I (Waterman, 1981, 1984) have demonstrated that they share individualistic philosophical assumptions regarding the role of self-realization as a component of optimal psychological functioning. The philosophical theory that corresponds to the perspectives advanced with regard to each of the four constructs, and that is foundational to claims made for each, is eudaimonism.
Effective Stiffening and Damping Enhancement of Structures with Strongly Nonlinear Local Attachments

We study the stiffening and damping effects that local essentially nonlinear attachments can have on the dynamics of a primary linear structure. These local attachments can be designed to act as nonlinear energy sinks (NESs) of shock-induced energy by engaging in isolated resonance captures or resonance capture cascades with structural modes. After the introduction of the NESs, the effective stiffness and damping properties of the structure are characterized through appropriate measures, developed within this work, which are based on the energy contained within the modes of the primary structure. Three types of NESs are introduced in this work, and their effects on the stiffness and damping properties of the linear structure are studied via (local) instantaneous and (global) weightedaveraged effective stiffness and damping measures. Three different applications are considered and show that these attachments can drastically increase the effective damping properties of a two-degrees-of-freedom system and, to a lesser degree, the stiffening properties as well. An interesting finding reported herein is that the essentially nonlinear attachments can introduce significant nonlinear coupling between distinct structural modes, thus paving the way for nonlinear energy redistribution between structural modes. This feature, coupled with the well-established capacity of NESs to passively absorb and locally dissipate shock energy, can be used to create effective passive mitigation designs of structures under impulsive loads. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4005005]
Control of intra-oesophageal and intra-gastric pH with proton pump inhibitors in patients with Barrett's oesophagus

Abstract Background. A significant percentage of patients with Barrett's oesophagus (BE) will continue to manifest abnormal intra-oesophageal pH profiles regardless of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Aims. We conducted a prospective study in order to determine whether a change in PPI therapy would alter intra-oesophageal and intra-gastric acid suppression in BE patients. Patients. Seventeen Helicobacter pylori-negative BE patients (16 males, 1 female; mean ± S.D. age, 63.5 ± 13.2). Methods. Twenty-four-hour pH monitoring was performed on omeprazole or lansoprazole, followed by repeat pH monitoring on rabeprazole at a dose titrated for symptom relief. Patients completed validated symptom and health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) surveys while on and off therapy. Results. Ten (59%) of the 17 patients had abnormal baseline intra-oesophageal pH profiles. Oesophageal pH monitoring values on rabeprazole were abnormal in five out of five (100%) of the omeprazole cohort and three out of five (60%) of the lansoprazole cohort that had abnormal pH profiles on initial testing. Intra-gastric pH control was inadequate in BE patients on all PPIs; the mean percentage time with intra-gastric pH below 4.0 was 46% on omeprazole, 71% on lansoprazole and 51% on rabeprazole (p = 0.25). All of the patients demonstrated the phenomenon of nocturnal acid breakthrough while undergoing PPI therapy. Conclusions. Change in PPI therapy did not alter intra-oesophageal or intra-gastric control in patients with BE.
Revisiting and rethinking the rewriting of nursing history.

L'histoire des infirmieres est repensee dans le contexte de nouvelles structures sociales, de traditions culturelles et de suppositions de genre en legitimant ce qui etait autrefois percu comme un message radical
Developing a 30-m grassland productivity estimation map for central Nebraska using 250-m MODIS and 30-m Landsat-8 observations

Abstract Accurately estimating aboveground vegetation biomass productivity is essential for local ecosystem assessment and best land management practice. Satellite-derived growing season time-integrated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (GSN) has been used as a proxy for vegetation biomass productivity. A 250-m grassland biomass productivity map for the Greater Platte River Basin had been developed based on the relationship between Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) GSN and Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) annual grassland productivity. However, the 250-m MODIS grassland biomass productivity map does not capture detailed ecological features (or patterns) and may result in only generalized estimation of the regional total productivity. Developing a high or moderate spatial resolution (e.g., 30-m) productivity map to better understand the regional detailed vegetation condition and ecosystem services is preferred. The 30-m Landsat data provide spatial detail for characterizing human-scale processes and have been successfully used for land cover and land change studies. The main goal of this study is to develop a 30-m grassland biomass productivity estimation map for central Nebraska, leveraging 250-m MODIS GSN and 30-m Landsat data. A rule-based piecewise regression GSN model based on MODIS and Landsat (r = 0.91) was developed, and a 30-m MODIS equivalent GSN map was generated. Finally, a 30-m grassland biomass productivity estimation map, which provides spatially detailed ecological features and conditions for central Nebraska, was produced. The resulting 30-m grassland productivity map was generally supported by the SSURGO biomass production map and will be useful for regional ecosystem study and local land management practices.
Flight activity of USDA-ARS Russian honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) during pollination of lowbush blueberries in Maine.

Flight activity was compared in colonies of Russian honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), and Italian bees during commercial pollination of lowbush blueberries (principally Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) in Washington Co., ME, in late May and early June in 2003 and 2004. Colonies of the two stocks were managed equally in Louisiana during autumn through early spring preceding observations in late spring each year. Resulting average populations of adult bees and of brood were similar in colonies of the two bee stocks during pollination. Flight during pollination was monitored hourly on 6 d each year by counting bees exiting each colony per minute; counts were made manually with flight cones on 17 colonies per stock in 2003 and electronically with ApiSCAN-Plus counters on 20 colonies per stock in 2004. Analysis of variance showed that temperature, colony size (population of adult bees or brood), and the interaction of these effects were the strongest regulators of flight activity in both years. Russian and Italian bees had similar flight activity at any given colony size, temperature, or time of day. Flight increased linearly with rising temperatures and larger colony sizes. Larger colonies, however, were more responsive than smaller colonies across the range of temperatures measured. In 2003, flight responses to varying temperatures were less in the afternoon and evening (1500–1959 hours) than they were earlier in the day. Russian colonies had flight activity that was suitable for late spring pollination of lowbush blueberries.
Multiple biomarkers for predicting cardiovascular events: lessons learned.

Few topics in cardiology have generated as much recent debate as the use of biomarkers in primary prevention. It is widely acknowledged that conventional Framingham risk factors, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and smoking, do not identify all patients who will develop cardiovascular events.
Diagnostic Toxicology for the Food Animal Practitioner

Successful use of a diagnostic toxicology laboratory requires a complete understanding of the case in question. Different types of evidence must be integrated, including a thorough clinical and environmental history, observation of clinical signs, necropsy results, analytical chemistry findings, and occasionally, bioassay. The history and clinical/pathologic findings help identify the source of the toxicant, affected organ systems, and a list of rule-outs. If a systematic approach is accompanied by proper sample management, the practitioner optimizes the ability to handle complex poisoning cases in a successful and professionally rewarding fashion. The possibility of residues in food animal products must be considered in working up the toxicology case.
Web annotator

The World Wide Web is increasingly becoming an integrated extension of users' computing environments, with content indexed and retrieved through Web browsers. Web browsers are increasingly being used as computer science curriculum delivery mechanism, for both books delivered as local content on CD ROMs as well as server-based material.Traditional computer science curriculum has often been presented through static printed media. What has been printed ahead of time in books or handouts can not be changed. Any changes would have to be attached externally by way of scribbled notes or explanations on the board. The Web gives us the technological affordances to change that, both for students and teachers.The original page remains unchanged, however the user's version of the page is filtered, adding, subtracting and changing web page elements, giving an enhanced view. A demonstration version of the Web Annotator can be downloaded from: http://logos.cs.uic.edu/Annotator.
Abstract 1468: MTA2 enhances breast cancer metastasis via regulation of the cytoskeleton and rho signaling pathways

Metastasis tumor associated (MTA) 2 is a component of the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylation complex and is implicated in regulating gene expression through its associated histone deacetylase activity. We have previously found that MTA2 enhanced the anchorage independent growth phenotype of estrogen receptor alpha (ER)-positive cells, implicating a potential role in metastasis. As MTA2-overexpression in these cells also resulted in an estrogen independent phenotype, we hypothesized that MTA2-overexpression may similarly enhance the aggressiveness of ER-negative cells. We found that MTA2-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells were more invasive through Matrigel, had enhanced soft-agar colony formation activity compared with vector controls, and demonstrated increased migration in wound healing assays. Furthermore, we found that MTA2 overexpression resulted in rapid systemic metastases when grown as orthotopic xenografts, while vector control cells failed to form metastases, in the same time period. Microarray analysis revealed enrichment for genes regulating the cytoskeleton and cell-environment interactions, which was validated using a previously published microarray dataset. We found that the negative regulator of the Rho pathway, Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor alpha (RhoGDI-alpha), was also decreased in expression at the protein level in the MTA2-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells. We found that blocking signaling through the Rho pathway by either using a Rho Kinase inhibitor or by overexpressing RhoGDI-alpha significantly reduced the soft-agar colony forming ability of MTA2-overexpressing cells. We examined the effect of MTA2 and RhoGDI-alpha expression in a retrospective breast cancer microarray dataset and found that patients classified as MTA2-high and RhoGDI-alpha-low had significantly earlier recurrence compared with all other patients. These data indicate that MTA2-overexpression results in an increase in the metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. These results have potential clinical implications as patients who have the MTA2-high/RhoGDI-alpha-low phenotype are at increased risk for early recurrence. In conclusion, our data show that MTA2 and RhoGDI-alpha enhances breast cancer metastasis possibly by promoting invasiveness and anchorage independent growth and survival. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1468. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1468
The molecular biology of HIV. Insights into pathogenesis and targets for therapy.

The knowledge of HIV molecular biology has increased rapidly during the past 10 years. This article presents an outline of HIV molecular biology and discusses the stages of the viral life cycle and the many viral and cellular functions required for viral replication. These essential functions serve as targets for existing and potential therapeutic agents; the details of the viral life cycle provide insights into HIV pathogenesis.
Living with the Plague: Life through the Lens of Material Culture and Artifacts

Historical research needs to better incorporate material objects and artifacts which help shape one’s understanding of history. Written accounts do not always show the complete picture of life during the bubonic plague; in fact bones and artifacts add further chapters to Western Europe’s story of the plague. From the fourteenth to the seventeenth century, few societies in Europe escaped the devastation of the disease. As a result of plague outbreaks, social changes occurred as people attempted to cope with the epidemic. Many studies reflect how society was affected by the bubonic plague. However, no comprehensive research explores how material objects and archaeological remains reflect the social changes in Europe. Therefore, I first conducted research by delving into first-hand accounts of the period and scholarly investigation describing the significance of primary documents within the larger history of the epidemic . Next, I examined museum collections and published archaeological findings to determine the relationship between first-hand accounts and material objects, and what they reveal about social life during outbreaks of the bubonic plague. In conclusion, the material objects and archaeological finds emphatically told their own tales of life during the outbreaks, and create a better understanding of social changes during the bubonic plague.