cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 12 kDa protein in chicken serum antigenically cross-reactive with, but unrelated to, beta2-microglobulin

A protein, isolated from chicken serum, showed the following β2-microglobulinlike properties; an apparent molecular size of 12000 Mr, predominantly β-sheet secondary structure, and antigenic cross-reaction with human β2-microglobulin. However, amino acid composition analysis and partial amino acid sequence analysis showed that this molecule was not only not a β2-microglobulin, but was unrelated to any other known class of protein.
Effects of Improving the Reliability of the GPA on Prediction Generally and on Comparative Predictions for Gender and Race Particularly

The reliability of a method of adjusting grade point averages for differences in departmental grading standards was examined, as were the effects of such adjustments on the predictive validity of high school grades, SAT scores, and achievement test scores. The index of differential grading standards for all on-time graduates of the Dartmouth College class of 1986 was quite reliable, and its use in adjusting grade averages increased predictive validity, reduced its erosion over years, reduced the apparent underprediction of women, and improved predictions for blacks. Differential group enrollment in courses in the science division seems to account for much of the effect of adjustment on grades. Improvement in the reliability of the criterial grade averages also was shown to have similar effects on gender and race prediction in another data set
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in prostate disease : diagnostic possibilities and future developments

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a relatively new technique for studying membrane and intracellular metabolic events occurring in cancer. A series of transrectal probes were used for performing MRS and subsequently for integrated MRS/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the prostate. Studies using transrectal 31P/1H MRS showed that it can characterize metabolic differences between normal and malignant prostates. Specifically, malignant prostates are characterized by low levels of phosphocreatine and citrate and high levels of phosphomonoesters relative to normal glands. These findings were verified in biochemical studies of prostate biopsies. The images obtained by transrectal coil techniques were superior to images obtained by the conventional body coil technique. In the future, the integration of 1H imaging and multi-volume localization techniques (spectroscopic imaging) will allow the acquisition of metabolic maps of the prostate which may eventually be useful in diagnosis and in management of patients with prostate cancer.
An analysis of mechanical cardiac assistance

Abstract The effect of three methods of cardiac assistance on mean systolic pressure, mean diastolic pressure, and aortic end-diastolic pressure were analyzed theoretically in a mathematical model of the arterial system. The results indicate that: (i) The intra-aortic balloon performs better when it is large and when deflation begins before the onset of systole; the rates of inflation and deflation and the balloon shape and location are of lesser importance; the balloon is more effective when the aorta is stiffer, indicating balloon assist might be more useful in older people. (ii) Left heart bypass has little effect on mean diastolic pressure and produces only small reductions in mean systolic pressure; pressure-volume work is reduced in proportion to the bypass flow; the time-tension index is not materially reduced and aortic end-diastolic pressure is increased. (iii) Counterpulsation through the femoral arteries is very sensitive to timing; femoral counterpulsation is less effective than the intra-aortic balloon because the balloon can be inflated and deflated more rapidly than blood can be removed in and out of the circulation system.
Truncation Mutations in the Transactivation Region of PAX6 Result in Dominant-Negative Mutants

PAX6 is a transcription factor with two DNA-binding domains (paired box and homeobox) and a proline-serine-threonine (PST)-rich transactivation domain. PAX6 regulates eye development in animals ranging from jellyfish to Drosophila to humans. Heterozygous mutations in the human PAX6 gene result in various phenotypes, including aniridia, Peter's anomaly, autosomal dominant keratitis, and familial foveal dysplasia. It is believed that the mutated allele of PAX6 produces an inactive protein and aniridia is caused due to genetic haploinsufficiency. However, several truncation mutations have been found to occur in the C-terminal half of PAX6 in patients with Aniridia resulting in mutant proteins that retain the DNA-binding domains but have lost most of the transactivation domain. It is not clear whether such mutants really behave as loss-of-function mutants as predicted by haploinsufficiency. Contrary to this theory, our data showed that these mutants are dominant-negative in transient transfection assays when they are coexpressed with wild-type PAX6. We found that the dominant-negative effects result from the enhanced DNA binding ability of these mutants. Kinetic studies of binding and dissociation revealed that various truncation mutants have 3-5-fold higher affinity to various DNA-binding sites when compared with the wild-type PAX6. These results provide a new insight into the role of mutant PAX6 in causing aniridia.
Representation of Sounds in Auditory Cortex of Awake Rats (Dissertation)

This thesis is divided into six chapters (following Introduction). Each chapter was intended to be self-contained, so they do not have to be read in the order they are presented. Second chapter (Sec. 2) contains a detailed description of experimental techniques: surgery, recording, and training techniques we used in awake head-fixed rats. We have also included a detailed description of all sets of stimuli we used to probe neurons, analytical methods used to analyze data, and description of computational models used in other parts of the thesis.Third chapter (Sec. 3) focuses on description of single-neuron responses in primary auditory cortex of awake head-fixed rats. The primary emphasis of this part is on the sparse representation of various auditory stimuli we used to probe neurons, and the heterogeneity of responses of single neurons. To characterize population responses to sound in the auditory cortex we asked the question "What is the typical response to acoustic stimuli?" instead of what is usually asked "What is the stimulus that evokes a response?" We found that the population response was sparse, with many unresponsive neurons. In addition, the responsive neurons showed a great variety of responses. This heterogeneity of neuronal responses ("response zoo," courtesy of Anthony M. Zador) was, however, surprisingly well characterized by lognormal distribution of firing rates. The observation that firing rates in awake auditory cortex were lognormally distributed was even more interesting given the observation of lognormal distribution of synaptic weights in the cerebral cortex.The fourth chapter (Sec. 4) focuses on mechanisms which could give rise to lognormal distribution of firing rates, as well as synaptic weights. We proposed specific types of correlations among synaptic connections, and formulated a multiplicative learning rule which led to the observed distributions. We were also able to characterize intracellular activity of neurons in awake auditory cortex. The fifth chapter (Sec. 5) contains analysis of so-called up and down states in awake auditory cortex. We show that up and down states—the "signature" subthreshold dynamics so often described in various cortical areas of anesthetized animals—were rare in the primary auditory cortex of awake rats, instead, subthreshold dynamics was consisted of brief, infrequent fluctuations of membrane potential.The experiments described and analyzed in chapters 2—-4 were conducted in naive awake rats. As behavior or attention can influence neuronal activity even in primary sensory areas, we developed a setup for head-fixed behavior. In the sixth chapter (Sec. 6) we describe the sound discrimination task we have used to study behavior in head-fixed rats. We present a comparison of basic behavioral parameters between restrained and unrestrained rats, as well as evidence of nonauditory modulations of single neuron activity in auditory cortex.
High efficiency packed column supercritical fluid chromatography of sulfonylurea herbicides and metabolites from large water samples

Five sulfonylurea herbicides were separated by SFC on both a 25 cm and a 1.6 meter packed column. The former produced rapid analysis, the latter allowed high resolution of a complex mixture containing the solutes of interest. The solutes were simultaneously detected with UV, nitrogen-phosphorus (NPD), and electron capture (ECD) detectors. Peaks of breakdown products of sulfonylureas were characterized by their UV spectra and the presence or absence of nitrogen and chlorine from their NPD and ECD response. Both parent and breakdown products of sulfonylureas were on-line extracted from large water samples with detection limits as low as 50 parts per trillion.
Ictal Spiking Patterns Recorded from Temporal Depth Electrodes Predict Good Outcome After Anterior Temporal Lobectomy

Summary: Purpose: Investigators have shown that the presence of ictal spiking (IS) recorded from temporal depth electrodes is associated with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS). We investigated the relation of IS to seizure control and pathology after anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL). Methods: All patients undergoing intracranial ictal monitoring from a single institution since 1989 were identified. Those who did not undergo ATL or had postoperative follow-up of <1 year were excluded. All received at a minimum bilateral temporal depth electrodes. Ictal recordings were reviewed for the presence of IS, and the proportion of seizures with IS was determined for each patient. Outcome was determined by using Engel's classification. Surgical specimens were reviewed for pathology. Statistics used were X2, Fisher exact test, and Wilcoxon rank sum. Results: Forty patients with 571 seizures were reviewed. In 292 seizures from 32 patients, IS was seen. Outcomes were 24 class I (22 with IS), five class II (four with IS), three class III (one with IS), seven class IV (four with IS), and one lost to follow-up (with IS). Pathologic review revealed 25 with MTS, 22 of whom had IS. The presence of IS was associated with class I outcomes (p = 0.04), but not MTS (p = 0.06). Patients with class I outcomes had a significantly greater proportion of seizures with IS (mean, 0.58 ± 0.3) compared with other outcomes (mean, 0.30 ± 0.3, p = 0.02). Conclusions: The presence of IS and higher proportion of seizures with IS correlated with good seizure outcome after ATL. This information may be used in preoperative counseling.
Impact of intensity-modulated radiotherapy on acute hematologic toxicity in women with gynecologic malignancies.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the impact of intensity-modulated whole pelvic radiotherapy (IM-WPRT) on acute hematologic toxicity (HT) in gynecology patients. Methods and Materials: Between February 2000 and June 2001, 36 patients (24 cervix, 12 uterus) received IM-WPRT. The target consisted of the upper vagina, parametria, uterus, and presacral and pelvic lymph nodes. Using commercially available software, seven or nine coplanar IM-WPRT plans were generated. The planning goals were to irradiate the target while minimizing the dose to the small bowel, bladder, and rectum. Pelvic bone marrow (BM) was not a constraint in the planning process. The variables analyzed included white blood count (WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), platelets, and hemoglobin (Hgb) obtained before and weekly during RT. As a comparison, the HT in 88 patients (44 cervix, 44 uterus) treated to the same target volume and total dose (45 Gy) with conventional four-field WPRT was analyzed. In addition, the medullary spaces within the pelvic bones in 10 women were contoured and the average dose-volume histograms representing the pelvic BM were compared between the two groups. Results: IM-WPRT patients had a lower median age ( p = 0.008), higher percentage of squamous histologic features ( p = 0.04), and were more likely to receive chemotherapy (CTX) ( p = 0.02) than were the WPRT patients. No differences were seen in the baseline WBC, ANC, platelet, or Hgb levels between the two groups. Grade 2 or greater WBC, ANC, and Hgb toxicity was seen in 19.4%, 9.1%, and 8.6% of the IM-WPRT patients, respectively. Comparable rates were seen in the WPRT patients (WBC 21.6%, p = 0.79; ANC 8.3%, p = 0.91; Hgb 9.2%, p = 0.94). No Grade 2 or greater platelet toxicity was seen in either group. Significant HT was infrequent in women treated with RT alone and was comparable in the two groups. In contrast, WPRT + CTX patients experienced more Grade 2 or greater WBC toxicity (60% vs. 31.2%, p = 0.08) and developed lower median WBC (2.8 vs. 3.6 μg/dL, p = 0.05) and ANC (1874 vs. 2669, p = 0.04) nadirs than did IM-WPRT + CTX patients. Moreover, CTX was held more often in the WPRT group secondary to HT (40% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.06). Although Grade 2 or greater ANC (23.5% vs. 15.3%) and Hgb (35.2% vs. 15.2%) toxicity were lower in the IM-WPRT + CTX group, these differences did not reach statistical significance ( p = 0.58 and p = 0.22, respectively). The comparison of pelvic BM dose-volume histograms revealed that IM-WPRT planning resulted in significantly less BM volume being irradiated compared with WPRT planning, particularly within the iliac crests. Conclusion: IM-WPRT has a favorable impact on the risk of acute HT in gynecology patients, particularly in those receiving CTX. Future work is needed to optimize BM sparing in these patients to reduce the risk of significant HT further.
TAMVEC Mode Selection System

The basic concept in the design of the TAMVEC Mode Selection System is described. An explanation of the beam line logic sequence and circuitry illustrate the flexibility in control of beam line equipment and the built-in features for protection of personnel and equipment. Application of the mode switching concept to the automatic sequencing of six, 9KW dual-quadrupole power supplies for powering thirteen quadrupole doublets with full polarity reversal is presented.
Differential near-edge coherent diffractive imaging using a femtosecond high-harmonic XUV light source.

Element-specific contrast enhancement in tabletop coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) is demonstrated by employing an ultrafast extreme ultraviolet (XUV) light source with tunable photon energy. By combining two measurements performed at energies below and above the Al L2,3 absorption edge, the spatial autocorrelation function of a micron-scale double pinhole in a 300 nm thick aluminum foil is retrieved despite a dominant background signal from directly transmitted light across the entire range of detectable diffraction angles. The fringe visibility in the diffraction patterns is 0 below the Al L2,3 edge, 0.53 ± 0.06 above the edge, and 0.73 ± 0.08 in the differential image that combines the two measurements. The proof-of-principle experiment demonstrates that the variations of XUV optical constants in the vicinity of an inner-shell absorption edge can be utilized to improve the chemical sensitivity and image reconstruction quality of laboratory-based ultrafast imaging experiments.
Inhalation Carcinogenicity of Alpha Halo Ethers: II. Chronic Inhalation Studies With Chloromethyl Methyl Ether

Rats and hamsters were exposed to 1 ppm of chloromethyl methyl ether six hours per day, five days per week, throughout their lifetime. Mortality and weight gain of the exposed animals paralleled that of the control animals. Malignant tumors of the respiratory tract were found in two rats. These were a squamous cell carcinoma of the lung with blood vessel invasion and an esthesioneuroepithelioma originating in the olfactory epithelium and invading the forebrain. One hamster was found to have an adenocarcinoma of the lung and another, a squamous papilloma of the trachea. A single exposed rat had a pituitary tumor of primitive cell type that may well have been coincidental.
The Effects of Task-Set Switching On Concurrent Verbal Protocol

Concurrent verbal protocol (CVP) is a common usability testing and analysis technique that requires people to continuously vocalize their thoughts as they complete a task. Given the widespread use of concurrent verbal protocols in applied domains, it is surprising how little is known regarding concurrent verbal protocol’s effect on task performance. In the current series of studies, we examined how concurrent verbal protocols affected performance on two tasks that required users to frequently switch between cognitive strategies. Data revealed that CVP slowed down participants in comparison with participants who completed tasks in silence. The number of strategy changes that were required to complete a task did not affect this performance decrement. We conclude by discussing the limitations of the experiments reported here, and with practical advice for usability experts who use CVP in their own work.
Expanding the History of the Black Studies Movement: Some Prefatory Notes

With a beginning remarkably different than conventional academic disciplines, Black Studies emerged on the American college campus amidst Black Power protests and student demands. Now more than forty years old, Black Studies exists as an established discipline constituted by a robust scholarly discourse, an ever-expanding body of innovative interdisciplinary literature, hundreds of collegiate programs at the undergraduate level, a growing number of graduate and doctoral programs, and some of the world’s most well-known intellectuals. This introduction—and special issue of the Journal of African American Studies—explores the origins and history of the Black Studies Movement in the United States. Our aim in this volume is to bring the political history to the forefront. Based on historical detail and deep archival research, the works ground the history of Black Studies in the radical Black politics of the late 1960s and 1970s, while emphasizing local materiality and ideological developments. The contributions in this special issue recover some of the names (and faces) of Black Studies’ founders, offering a range of perspectives on the movement to establish the field both within and without the American academy.
An Empirical Examination of the Warfare Metaphor with Respect to Pre-Service Elementary Teachers

Since its origination in the late nineteenth century, the warfare metaphor has been used to characterize the relationship between science and religion, especially orthodox Christianity. Though thoroughly discredited by historians of science, the ideological descendants of Thomas Huxley, who spoke of science in quasi-religious terms, have kept the warfare metaphor alive. On the other hand, there are substantial numbers of Christians who at least appear to oppose science given their high-profile opposition to the general theory of evolution. The research reported in this paper asked, “Does anti-science sentiment increase with increasing orthodox Christian belief?” Two validated, published instruments were used: The Thinking about Science Survey Instrument and the Christian Fundamentalist Belief Scale. The subjects for the study were 545 preservice elementary teachers. The analysis did not show that anti-science sentiment increases with increasing Christian belief. Subjects with strong Christian beliefs were found to be just as supportive of science, if not more so, than subjects with no Christian beliefs. The study concludes with a caution against projecting attitudes toward science “on the whole” based on attitudes specifically toward evolution when working with preservice elementary teachers. Such a projection could well be counterproductive. The study has implications for other modern countries having highly religious populations such as Turkey.
Studies of Growth Hormone/Insulin‐like, Growth Factor‐I in Polio Survivors

In the later years of life, many polio survivors develop post-polio syndrome manifested by progressive muscular weakness. Previous work by the authors showed low IGF-I level in polio survivors compared to age-matched controls. IGF-I concentration tended to be lower in polio survivors who were older, male, obese, and also in persons experiencing difficulty in the activities of daily living which were independent of other factors. IGF-I levels did not correlate with the subjective report of recent decline in functional status. Further studies of nocturnal GH secretion indicated that low IGF-I level was secondary to impaired growth hormone secretion. Low IGF-I levels in subjects with post-polio syndrome were corrected by physiologic doses of hGH and the response was dose dependent. Lesser dosage was required to normalize IGF-I level compared to standard dosages previously used in younger persons. Inasmuch as low IGF-I level resulting from GH deficiency is known to be associated with weakness, muscle atrophy, and decrease in aerobic work capacity, it is postulated that low IGF-I levels that occur in aging polio survivors may have an adverse effect on their neuromuscular function, and that hGH replacement may improve their functional status. Moreover, the new dose-response data may decrease the frequency of side effects in future hGH treatment of older adults.
Coalescing drops in microfluidic parking networks: A multifunctional platform for drop-based microfluidics

Multiwell plate and pipette systems have revolutionized modern biological analysis; however, they have disadvantages because testing in the submicroliter range is challenging, and increasing the number of samples is expensive. We propose a new microfluidic methodology that delivers the functionality of multiwell plates and pipettes at the nanoliter scale by utilizing drop coalescence and confinement-guided breakup in microfluidic parking networks (MPNs). Highly monodisperse arrays of drops obtained using a hydrodynamic self-rectification process are parked at prescribed locations in the device, and our method allows subsequent drop manipulations such as fine-gradation dilutions, reactant addition, and fluid replacement while retaining microparticles contained in the sample. Our devices operate in a quasistatic regime where drop shapes are determined primarily by the channel geometry. Thus, the behavior of parked drops is insensitive to flow conditions. This insensitivity enables highly parallelized manipulation of drop arrays of different composition, without a need for fine-tuning the flow conditions and other system parameters. We also find that drop coalescence can be switched off above a critical capillary number, enabling individual addressability of drops in complex MPNs. The platform demonstrated here is a promising candidate for conducting multistep biological assays in a highly multiplexed manner, using thousands of submicroliter samples.
Usefulness of echocardiographic measurement of bilateral pulmonary artery dimensions in congenital diaphragmatic hernia

In nine patients with left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) developing within 24 hours of birth, the authors measured the dimensions of the bilateral main pulmonary arteries by echocardiography, and investigated whether the left:right main pulmonary artery dimension ratio (PAD ratio) was a useful index for predicting pulmonary hypoplasia and persistent fetal circulation (PFC). Echocardiography was performed shortly after admission, the PAD ratio was calculated, and the clinical course of each patient was determined. When the PAD ratio was approximately 1.0, patients did not suffer from PFC and had little evidence of pulmonary hypoplasia. When the PAD ratio was low, the patients suffered from PFC and had pulmonary hypoplasia on the side of the hernia. Thus, the PAD ratio measured by echocardiography appears to be a useful index for predicting pulmonary hypoplasia and the risk of PFC in patients with CDH.
Crossover of placebo patients to intravenous immunoglobulin confirms efficacy for prophylaxis of bacterial infections and reduction of hospitalizations in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children

After completion of a placebo-controlled trial of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infection prophylaxis, patients were offered open label IVIG and optional participation in a follow-up study. The purpose of the follow-up study was to evaluate the IVIG effect in original placebo recipients and longevity of IVIG benefit in original IVIG recipients. Of 212 human immunodeficiency virus-infected children on study at trial closure, 148 (67 of 98 (68%) placebo and 81 of 114 (71%) IVIG patients) received open label IVIG for a mean of 16 months. When open label IVIG was begun, 45% were receiving trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (43% of placebo and 47% of IVIG patients) and 54% were receiving zidovudine (55% of placebo and 53% of IVIG patients). In patients who received placebo during the original study, the rate of serious bacterial infections was significantly lower after change to open label IVIG (estimated 15.8 fewer episodes/100 patient years; 95% confidence interval, 3.2 to 28.5; P = 0.014). Similar findings were observed for minor bacterial infections (estimated 61.2 fewer/100 patient years; 95% confidence interval, 29.2 to 93.3; P < 0.001) and hospitalizations (estimated 43.7 fewer/100 patient years; 95% confidence interval, 27.7 to 59.6; P < 0.001). Decreases were observed whether or not trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis was being given at the time open label IVIG was begun. In patients who received IVIG during the original study, no significant difference was seen in infections or hospitalizations after change to open label IVIG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Salvage of ischemic myocardium by prostacyclin during experimental myocardial infarction.

The effects of prostacyclin (PGI2) on infarct size and regional myocardial blood flow were studied in 28 anesthetized dogs subjected to 5 hours of coronary occlusion. A region of myocardial hypoperfusion was defined by injection of dye into the left atrium just before sacrifice. Infarct size was determined by planimetry of left ventricular slices after incubation in triphenyl tetrazo-Hum chloride. The animals received either PGI2in Tris buffer solution (20 to 40 ng/kg per min, n = 14) or Tris buffer alone (control, n = 14) beginning 10 minutes after anterior descending coronary artery occlusion. During PGI2infusion, mean arterial pressure decreased by 8%, but heart rate was unchanged. Infarct size was significantly less (p
Mechanism and functional significance of TRPC channel multimerization

Ca2+ signaling regulates many important physiological events within a diverse set of living organisms. In particular, sustained Ca2+ signals play an important role in controlling cell proliferation, cell differentiation and the activation of immune cells. Two key elements for the generation of sustained Ca2+ signals are store-operated and receptor-operated Ca2+ channels that are activated downstream of phospholipase C (PLC) stimulation, in response to G-protein-coupled receptor or growth factor receptor stimulation. One goal of this review is to help clarify the role of canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) proteins in the formation of native store-operated and native receptor-operated channels. Toward that end, data from studies of endogenous TRPC proteins will be reviewed in detail to highlight the strong case for the involvement of certain TRPC proteins in the formation of one subtype of store-operated channel, which exhibits a low Ca2+-selectivity, in contrast to the high Ca2+-selectivity exhibited by the CRAC subtype of store-operated channel. A second goal of this review is to highlight the growing body of evidence indicating that native store-operated and native receptor-operated channels are formed by the heteromultimerization of TRPC subunits. Furthermore, evidence will be provided to argue that some TRPC proteins are able to form multiple channel types.
History of Inuit community excretion of polychlorinated biphenyls recorded in sewage lake sediments.

Abstract Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is high among the Inuit resulting from ingestion of contaminated wild “country” foods. These contaminants originate in urban/industrial areas and reach the Arctic by long-range atmospheric transport. Ingested PCBs eventually equilibrate into various body components, including feces, which become an indication of body burden. Bulk domestic sewage residue from a community will accumulate PCBs from feces; long-term accumulated sediments from a sewage treatment system are a historical indicator of changes in community-wide PCB excretion. In this study, sediment cores were collected from the domestic sewage treatment lake, known as Annak, for the Inuit Hamlet of Sanikiluaq, Canada (established 1967), and were dated (Pb-210, Cs-137) and analyzed for 127 PCB congeners. We focused our attention on the 47 congeners that were observed consistently. Atmospheric and local inputs to a nearby lake accounted for local background. PCB inputs from sewage grew rapidly from the late 1960s until 1990. The maximum 47 congener ΣPCB excretion occurred in ∼1989 (11 116 ng person−1 d−1); all sewage PCB inputs were dominated by PCB 153, PCB 138 and PCB 180. PCB ingestion from a Sanikiluaq food survey in 1989 for 11 of the most highly concentrated PCB congeners (7270 ng person−1 d−1) was the same as our excretion estimate for the same congeners (7348 ng person−1 d−1) that year, suggesting that by the late 1980s, the ingested amount of PCB was similar to what was excreted every day, although the latter is a reflection of body burden and not short-term exposure.
Behavioral Specializations of SI and SII Cortex: A Comparative Examination of the Neural Logic of Touch in Rats, Cats, and Other Mammals

In what ways do passive touch and active touch require particular properties of cortical physiology? Because it is not easy to make predictions "bottom up" from neurophysiology and anatomy to behavior, there have been surprises in studying behavioral deficits following selective ablations of SI versus SII. For example, in earlier research on cats, unilateral ablation of SI unexpectedly had no effect on passive touch but did cause contralateral losses in posture and movement; it was ablation of SII plus subjacent cortex that led to contralateral losses in passive touch. In contrast, in a recent experiment with rats unilateral ablation of either SI or SII caused contralateral losses both in touch and postural reflexes. Some of the literature on dogs, monkeys, and humans suggests similarities with cats. To better understand these comparative findings, the following theoretical factors are considered: the degree of diffuseness versus specificity in brain input-output relations demanded or permitted by a behavior, the spatial and temporal scales of a behavior, the species' degree of encephalization, the need for stimulus generalization or functional equivalence of movements, and the relative sizes and sensitivities of different parts of the body. Hypotheses are also offered about why the evolution in rats of shortened forelimbs and increased vibrissal function may have entailed a peculiar compromise between active and passive touch and between functions of SI and SII.
Impact of Graupel Parameterization Schemes on Idealized Bow Echo Simulations

AbstractThe effect of changes in microphysical cooling rates on bow echo development and longevity are examined through changes to graupel parameterization in the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting Model (ARW-WRF). Multiple simulations are performed that test the sensitivity to different graupel size distributions as well as the complete removal of graupel. It is found that size distributions with larger and denser, but fewer, graupel hydrometeors result in a weaker cold pool due to reduced microphysical cooling rates. This yields weaker midlevel (3–6 km) buoyancy and pressure perturbations, a later onset of more elevated rear inflow, and a weaker convective updraft. The convective updraft is also slower to tilt rearward, and thus bowing occurs later. Graupel size distributions with more numerous, smaller, and lighter hydrometeors result in larger microphysical cooling rates, stronger cold pools, more intense midlevel buoyancy and pressure gradients, and earlier onset of surface-based rear...
SOLVENT DYNAMICS DERIVED FROM OPTICAL KERR EFFECT, DIELECTRIC DISPERSION, AND TIME-RESOLVED STOKES SHIFT MEASUREMENTS : AN EMPIRICAL COMPARISON

Abstract Data from the optical Kerr effect, time-resolved Stokes shift, and dielectric dispersion experiments on 21 common room temperature solvents are collected and compared. The correlation functions of the collective variables (polarizability, solvation energy, and dipole moment fluctations) responsible for each observable are first extracted from the experimental data and compared directly. In any given solvent the decay times of these various correlation functions are often vastly different. Such differences mainly result from the fact that intermolecular correlations affect the collective variables sampled by each technique in a different manner. To compare dynamics at a more basic level, power law relations are applied in an attempt to account for these correlations and to examine the extent to which the collective dynamics in these three experiments can be viewed as arising from the same underlying single-particle motions (primarily rotations). The Stokes shift and dielectric correlation functions can be reasonably inter-related in this manner, but the polarizability anisotropy monitored with Kerr experiments cannot be as simply related to the former two dynamics, probably due to the importance of collision-induced effects in the latter case.
Development of NiAl-based intermetallic alloys: effect of chromium addition

Abstract The mechanical behavior of dual-phase NiAl(Cr) microstructures, consisting of elongated primary NiAl grains aligned with an intergranular NiAl-Cr eutectic phase, produced by extrusion of a cast NiAl(Cr) alloy, has been examined. Chromium addition to create a dual phase NiAl-based aligned microstructure leads to large increases in the yield strength but no significant toughness improvement. This is achieved primarily by solid solution hardening and precipitation hardening. The constitutional hardening rate resulting from deviations from stoichiometry in the nickel-rich NiAl was estimated to be about 66 MPa per atomic per cent of nickel.
The Medial-tail Domain of Myosin-VI as a Dimerization Region

Myosin-VI has been one of the least-understood unconventional molecular motors due to its peculiar characteristics. For instance, each myosin-VI monomer has a short lever arm (∼10nm) which contains only two Calmodulins while taking large steps (∼36nm center-of-mass movements). Recently, the Spudich group proposed, based on bacterial expressed fragments, that the medial-tail domain of myosin-VI is a single alpha helix (∼10nm), which can account for its large step sizes if dimerization occurs after the medial-tail domain. They also suggested that dimerization is formed via the cargo-binding domain. However, these results are contrary to our previous paper that showed that a myosin-VI construct without the cargo-binding domain can dimerize and walk processively. To solve this paradox, we prepared a myosin-VI construct truncated in the middle of the medial-tail domain (940-construct). A FIONA assay showed that this construct does dimerize either via antibody induction or actin-saturation method, and it walks processively with the same step size as the full-length myosin-VI construct. These results suggest that the medial-tail domain of myosin-VI is involved in dimerization and imply that the proximal-tail domain must be the major contributor to the unexpectedly large step size.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
MORPHOLOGY, SEASONAL VARIATION, AND FUNCTION OF RESIN GLANDS ON BUDS AND LEAVES OF POPULUS DELTOIDES (SALICACEAE)'

When buds form in summer or early fall, modified stipules act as bud scales and their adaxial epidermis secretes a resin that fills the bud. This secretory layer collapses in the dormant bud. Immature leaves, stipules, and leaf primordia occupy the center of the bud; all lack functional resin glands. In spring, stipules of emerging leaves develop an adaxial palisadelike secretory epidermis that becomes more ridged longitudinally in successive stipules. Marginal teeth of the first leaves to emerge are covered with trichomes and lack a secretory epidermis. In successive leaves the teeth become glandular and secrete resin as the lamina unrolls. Later in the season, marginal leaf glands account for much of the resin. Unspecialized hydathodes or extrafloral nectaries occur proximal to each glandular tip. Guttation of water or nectar occurs here through stomata located above a vein ending. On the basis of field observations and a laboratory feeding experiment, the resin seems to function mainly as an insect repellent. It may also reduce water loss from young leaves.
Out in the Open: The Emergence of Viva Voce Voting in House Speakership Elections

We examine the internal politics that preceded the House adoption in 1839 of viva voce (voice) voting for Speaker and other House officers. First, we find that the struggles over the rule's adoption actually centered on the election of the House Printer. These struggles were tied to attempts by the two major parties to establish effective newspaper networks to assist in national political campaigns. Democrats generally favored public election of House officers, whereas Whigs generally opposed. In the short term, the change to public voting for Speaker and other House officers had the expected effect of instilling greater partisan regularity among House members. As sectional divisions grew in the nation at large, however, the public election of the Speaker made it increasingly difficult for House leaders to forge the transregional coalitions necessary to organize the House.
Lithium enhances secretion from large dense-core vesicles in nerve growth factor-differentiated PC12 cells

Considerable attention has been focused on the therapeutic role of lithium (Li) in bipolar disorders. Although no consensus has emerged, Li presumably influences the behavior of neurons that regulate mood and behavior. Using PC12 cells to study cellular and molecular actions of Li, we previously reported that Li modulates the expression of proteins associated with large dense-core vesicles (LDCVs; organelles typically containing monoamines, neuropeptides and other cargo proteins). The current investigation indicates that this enhanced expression of LDCV proteins correlates with an altered secretory phenotype in Li-treated cells. Immunoblotting detects significant increases in the cellular content and secretion of the LDCV cargo proteins chromogranin B and secretogranin II. Amperometry reveals an increase of spike number elicited by K+-depolarization of Li-treated cells but no change of spike amplitude or kinetics. Electron microscopy reveals no significant change in LDCV number per unit area in Li-treated cells. However, there is a significant increase (about 15%) in the diameter of LDCVs after Li. Thus, Li induces changes in the properties of LDCVs that culminate in augmented regulated secretion in nerve growth factor-differentiated PC12 cells. These results extend our understanding of Li-dependent changes of cellular function that may be germane to the therapeutic action of Li.
Systolic honks in young children

Three children with loud systolic honks were studied noninvasively with phonocardiography and echocardiography. It was shown that the precordial honk, like the late systolic mitral murmur and the clicking apical systolic sound, is part of a continuum of auscultatory sounds that result from a defect of mitral valve support and are classified under the general heading of mitral valve prolapse syndrome. Prolapse of one or both of the mitral valve leaflets is believed to cause the characteristic auscultatory findings of click, murmur or honk. The timing of these sounds in systole varies with different physiologic or pharmacologic maneuvers. Variations in the onset of prolapse are associated with changes in left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions.
Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in semen by the polymerase chain reaction in male members of infertile couples

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the presence of asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis infection by means of the polymerase chain reaction in male members of couples with previously undiagnosed infertility. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-eight infertile-couples who had negative cultures or negative results when tested by deoxyribonucleic acid probe for Chlamydia trachomatis in semen and cervical samples were studied. Semen samples were tested for Chlamydia trachomitis by means of the polymerase chain reaction. Sera from both partners were diluted 1 :128 and tested for immunoglobulin M antibodies to Chlamydia . Sera and ejaculated sperm were evaluated for the presence of antisperm antibodies. Semen analyses were also performed. RESULTS: Chlamydia trachomatis was identified in semen from 11 (39.3%) of the male partners. Its detection correlated with the presence in the ejaculate of motile sperm containing antisperm antibodies ( p Chlamydia trachomatis . Similarly, immunoglobulin G or immunoglobulin A antibodies to sperm were only detected in 5 (45.5%) of the spouses of men with Chlamydia in semen. Immunoglobulin M antibody to Chlamydia trachomatis was identified in only one of the men. However, antichlamydial immunoglobulin M antibodies were present in sera from 6 (54.5%) female partners of men with seminal Chlamydia trachomatis but in none of the other 17 women ( p CONCLUSION: Although undetected by culture of deoxyribonucleic acid probe of semen samples, Chlamydia trachomatis was nevertheless identified in semen of some symptom-free men by the polymerase chain reaction. This is probably a result of the increased sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction to detect Chlamydia trachomatis . The increased prevalence of an autoimmune response to sperm in men with this organism in their semen suggests that a subclinical chlamydial infection may activate an immune response to sperm. A similar association between Chlamydia trachomatis in semen and circulating antisperm antibodies in female partners indicates that Chlamydia may also induce an immune response to sperm in women. Infertility in these couples may be the result of a direct inflammatory response in the cervix or endometrium to repeated Chlamydia exposure or of the ability of Chlamydia to evoke an immune response to spermatozoa.
Pulmonary effects of head trauma.

Knowledge of the interrelation of the central nervous system-respiratory axis is crucial to the management of patients with head injuries with or without concomitant pulmonary-thoracic problems. Damage to the central nervous system (CNS) can result in unexplained hypoxemia, noncardiac pulmonary edema, altered patterns of respiration, and an increased risk of aspiration. The damaged thorax and lung can contribute to brain ischemia and rises in intracranial pressure. The treatment of one end of the CNS-respiratory axis is not without effect on the other end of the continuum. Corticosteroids, diuretics, mannitol, iatrogenic hyperventilation, barbiturates, and vasopressors are used in the management of patients with head trauma, but may have an impact on oxygenation and ventilation. When positive end expiratory pressure is used in the management of a pulmonary process, it should be optimized and used with caution while monitoring for its effect on intracranial pressure. Pulmonary toilet, while remaining a necessity, must be performed in a manner so as to minimize potential negative effects on the brain. Hyperoxia and hypothermia should be avoided. Mechanical ventilation should be used as dictated by the desired PaCO2 and not as a mandatory adjunct to endotracheal intubation. Language: en
Probing the Functional Heterogeneity of Surface Binding Sites by Analysis of Experimental Binding Traces and the Effect of Mass Transport Limitation

Many techniques rely on the binding activity of surface-immobilized proteins, including antibody-based affinity biosensors for the detection of analytes, immunoassays, protein arrays, and surface plasmon resonance biosensors for the study of thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of protein interactions. To study the functional homogeneity of the surface sites and to characterize their binding properties, we have recently proposed a computational tool to determine the distribution of affinity and kinetic rate constants from surface binding progress curves. It is based on modeling the experimentally measured binding signal as a superposition of signals from binding to sites spanning a range of rate and equilibrium constants, with regularization providing the most parsimonious distribution consistent with the data. In the present work, we have expanded the scope of this approach to include a compartment-like transport step, which can describe competitive binding to different surface sites in a zone of depleted analyte close to the sensor surface. This approach addresses a major difficulty in the analysis of surface binding where both transport limitation as well as unknown surface site heterogeneity may be present. In addition to the kinetic binding parameters of the ensemble of surface sites, it can provide estimates for effective transport rate constants. Using antibody-antigen interactions as experimental model systems, we studied the effects of the immobilization matrix and of the analyte flow-rate on the effective transport rate constant. Both were experimentally observed to influence mass transport. The approximate description of mass transport by a compartment model becomes critical when applied to strongly transport-controlled data, and we examined the limitations of this model. In the presence of only moderate mass transport limitation the compartment model provides a good description, but this approximation breaks down for strongly transport-limited surface binding. In the latter regime, we report experimental evidence for the formation of gradients within the sensing volume of the evanescent field biosensor used.
Distribution of natural killer cell activity in peripheral blood, cord blood, thymus, lymph nodes, and spleen and the effect of in vitro treatment with interferon preparation.

Abstract The distribution of spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity (Natural Killer Cell Activity—NK-Activity) was studied in peripheral blood from normal adult blood donors and in cord blood. The NK activity was also measured in the lymphoid organs: thymus, lymph nodes and spleen and the effect of human interferon preparation on the NK activity was measured. It is demonstrated that the NK activity in peripheral blood ranges from 25–80% specific cytotoxicity when measured on the erythroleukemic cell line K 562, while 30% of newborns do not have significant NK activity. The NK activity can be substantially enhanced in peripheral blood and in cord blood, slightly increased in spleen cells but not affected in thymus and lymph nodes following in vitro treatment with human interferon preparation. The study demonstrates that there are qualitative differences in the distribution of NK cells and their precursors in the different lymphoid organs.