cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Ridden with a Welsh Goat”: Parson Evans' Correction of Windsor's English Condition

The early modern English theater engaged its diverse audiences in the imaginative construction of a cohesive British community from a wealth of regional, religious, ethnic, class and gender cohorts. Spurred on by the demands of numerous masters, including the highly competitive marketplace, playhouses produced myriad narratives that rehearsed and broadcast innovative variations on social cohesion and cultural identity. This essay explores how ideologies of ethnicity and gender in The Merry Wives of Windsor divide and structure community and more particularly how the strategic use of ethnic constructs, especially as marked by dialect in the Welsh parson Hugh Evans, helps to create, defend, and reproduce the distinctive English character of Windsor. This process “logically” justifies the imposition of a hierarchical social structure that will include the Welsh and, indeed, rely on them, but resist admitting them as equals in a newly-imagined and substantially anglicized British nation. (A. M. O.)
Studies on the mitochondrial oligomycin-insensitivt ATPase. I. An improved method of purification and the behavior of the enzyme in solutions of various depolymerizing agents.

Abstract A new method is described for the preparation of beef-heart mitochondrial ATP-ase. The method consistently gives high yields of enzyme with high activity. The enzyme appears to be homogeneous by several criteria. We have used solutions of phenol-acetic acid-urea, urea alone, guanidine hydrochloride and sodium dodecylsulfate to depolymerize the enzyme. Several subunits are revealed by these techniques. We have tentatively proposed that there are four components in the ATPase complex, with molecular weights of about 8,000, 12,500, 25,000, and 55,000. The heaviest component has been isolated in homogeneous form.
Selenoprotein W accumulates primarily in primate skeletal muscle, heart, brain and tongue.

The human selenoprotein W coding region with the selenocysteine codon (TGA) changed to a cysteine codon (TGT) was fused to six histidine codons (at its 3′ end), cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector (pTrc99a), and the corresponding mutated selenoprotein W was expressed in bacteria. The protein was purified by Ni-NTA agarose column and reverse phase HPLC. Polyclonal antibodies raised against this protein were used in Western blots to determine tissue distribution of selenoprotein W from rhesus monkeys fed a commercial chow. Selenoprotein W was found in several tissues with highest amounts in skeletal muscle and heart (muscle 6 fold greater than liver) and lowest levels in liver, but selenium concentrations were highest in kidneys (10 fold greater than muscle) and lowest in skeletal muscle. Northern blots using a human selenoprotein W cDNA probe indicated that mRNA levels were highest in monkey skeletal muscle and heart (2-2.5 fold greater than in liver), which is similar to the pattern found with a human multiple tissue Northern blot. However, as in the monkey, selenium concentrations were highest in human kidney and lowest in skeletal muscle and heart. Thus, selenoprotein W protein levels correlated with selenoprotein W mRNA levels but not with tissue selenium concentrations.
Involvement of dopaminergic neuronal cystatin C in neuronal injury‐induced microglial activation and neurotoxicity

Factors released from injured dopaminergic (DA) neurons may trigger microglial activation and set in motion a vicious cycle of neuronal injury and inflammation that fuels progressive DA neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. In this study, using proteomic and immunoblotting analysis, we detected elevated levels of cystatin C in conditioned media (CM) from 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium and dieldrin-injured rat DA neuronal cells. Immunodepletion of cystatin C significantly reduced the ability of DA neuronal CM to induce activation of rat microglial cells as determined by up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, production of free radicals and release of proinflammatory cytokines as well as activated microglia-mediated DA neurotoxicity. Treatment of the cystatin C-containing CM with enzymes that remove O- and sialic acid-, but not N-linked carbohydrate moieties markedly reduced the ability of the DA neuronal CM to activate microglia. Taken together, these results suggest that DA neuronal cystatin C plays a role in the neuronal injury-induced microglial activation and neurotoxicity. These findings from the rat DA neuron-microglia in vitro model may help guide continued investigation to define the precise role of cystatin C in the complex interplay among neurons and glia in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
Abstract 1831: Interrogating HER2+ plasticity and lapatinib resistance with MicroEnvironment MicroArrays

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Treatment of HER2+ breast cancer with the targeted therapeutic lapatinib has shown promising results, but faces the major obstacles of de novo and acquired resistance in clinical use. Much of this resistance can be attributed to intratumoral heterogeneity, giving rise to drug resistant cell populations. An important factor of intratumoral heterogeneity is spatial heterogeneity of cancer cells, which results in differential contact with extra cellular matrix (ECM) proteins, stromal cells, and growth factors and signaling molecules within the tumor microenvironment. This can variably alter the intracellular signaling network of cancer cells, modulating cellular plasticity and drug response. To assess the effect cellular interactions with the microenvironment has on lapatinib resistance, we are utilizing MicroEnvironment MicroArrays (MEMA), which consist of combinations of functional ECMs, growth factors, and cytokines printed onto a solid surface, allowing for the simultaneous interrogation of thousands of unique microenvironments in a single assay. We have grown HER2+ breast cancer cells on the MEMA spots, treated with lapatinib, and measured functional response to each protein combination by immunofluorescent assay and high throughput image acquisition and analysis. By focusing on markers of proliferation, apoptosis, and cellular subtype differentiation, we have identified protein combinations that confer resistance to lapatinib. One of the combinations that came out of this preliminary screen is the desmosome protein Desmoglein II and the growth factor HGF, which continued to drive proliferation of HER2+ cells in the presence of lapatinib. Validation experiments found that on their own these two proteins could modulate the differentiation status of HER2+ cells, and combined to provide resistance to lapatinib treatment in traditional cell culture assays. In addition, the extent of drug resistance provided by protein interaction was found to be strongly linked to the differentiation status of the HER2+ cells. Both HGF and Desmoglein II are reported to be important in the progression of breast cancer, but their effect in combination is a novel finding from the use of MEMA analysis. We plan to utilize RNAseq analysis to inform a probabilistic computational model of network signaling to determine what pathways are enhanced by the microenvironment factors, and siRNA knockdown or small molecule inhibitors of identified pathway nodes can then determine which interactions can be targeted to restore drug sensitivity. Citation Format: Spencer Watson, James Korkola, Juha Rantala, Joe Gray. Interrogating HER2+ plasticity and lapatinib resistance with MicroEnvironment MicroArrays. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1831. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1831
TDP-43 repression of nonconserved cryptic exons is compromised in ALS-FTD

Cytoplasmic aggregation of TDP-43, accompanied by its nuclear clearance, is a key common pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD). However, a limited understanding of this RNA-binding protein (RBP) impedes the clarification of pathogenic mechanisms underlying TDP-43 proteinopathy. In contrast to RBPs that regulate splicing of conserved exons, we found that TDP-43 repressed the splicing of nonconserved cryptic exons, maintaining intron integrity. When TDP-43 was depleted from mouse embryonic stem cells, these cryptic exons were spliced into messenger RNAs, often disrupting their translation and promoting nonsense-mediated decay. Moreover, enforced repression of cryptic exons prevented cell death in TDP-43–deficient cells. Furthermore, repression of cryptic exons was impaired in ALS-FTD cases, suggesting that this splicing defect could potentially underlie TDP-43 proteinopathy.
Redefining Content-Area Literacy Teacher Education: Finding My Voice through Collaboration.

In this essay, Roni Jo Draper reflects upon her professional journey as a content-area literacy teacher educator, describing how she first became a literacy teacher educator and how she later came to collaborate with a group of teacher educators who specialize in disciplines such as music, theater, and mathematics. Drawing upon ethnographic data from the group's participatory action research project, she explains how their collaboration shaped her understanding of her own professional role and expanded her definitions of texts, content-area literacy, and literacy itself. Informed by insights she gained through the project, Draper argues that content-area literacy instruction should promote mastery of the intellectual discourse within a particular discipline. She also suggests ways to increase collaboration between literacy and content-area specialists working in the field of teacher education.
Benzyl Isothiocyanate-Induced DNA Damage Causes G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) has been shown to inhibit chemically induced pancreatic cancer in experimental animals. However, the mechanism responsible for the anticancer effects of BITC is not clearly understood. In this study, we tested whether BITC treatment would affect the growth of Capan-2 human pancreatic cancer cells. BITC (10 micromol/L) treatment caused marked phosphorylation of H2A.x (2.6-fold) and permanent damage to Capan-2 cells. BITC-mediated G2/M arrest was associated with up-regulation of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Waf1/Cip1) and the activation of checkpoint kinase 2, whereas the expressions of other G2/M regulatory proteins, including CyclinB1, Cdc2, and cell division cycle 25C (Cdc25C), were down-regulated by 19, 51, and 70%, respectively, compared with control. These changes resulted in a 55% inhibition of Cdc2 kinase activity. In addition, the decline in the expression of Cdc25C was completely blocked when the cells were treated with lactacystin (proteasome inhibitor) prior to BITC treatment. However, G2/M arrest and apoptosis induced by BITC were partially blocked by pretreatment of cells with lactacystin. Taken together, the results of this study suggest the involvement of multiple signaling pathways targeted by BITC in mediating G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in Capan-2 cells and warrant further investigation.
The initiation of development at fertilization (Review)

As seen, important advances have now been made in understanding the beginning of development at fertilization. Free calcium and pHi level changes result from a sperm-mediated breakdown of PPI with production of IP3. The resultant calcium increase, either alone or in concert with diacylglycerol, activates the Na(+)-H+ exchange and a consequent cytosolic pHi level increase. The calcium increase is responsible for the NADP change (via NAD kinase) and possibly the change in G6PD. These two changes could be involved solely in producing NADPH for fertilization membrane hardening or these changes could also have some role in the later initiation of DNA synthesis. The finding that other enzymes assayed in permeabilized cells also evince large changes in activity suggests that a global change may be occurring with important portents for cell activity. The role of calcium in furthering subsequent synthetic events, however, is unclear since no calcium target has yet been described that is necessary for the subsequent specific synthesis of proteins, as cyclins, or for the initiation of DNA synthesis. The pHi level increase, in concert with increased calcium, might be sufficient to start off protein synthesis and subsequent cyclin accumulation. However, the pHi level increase, independently of protein synthesis, can initiate new DNA synthesis. These independent events converge in the putative activation of MPF by cyclin, which then starts off the first mitotic cycle. Other independent events are associated with the sperm entry, cortical modifications, fertilization membrane elevation and the numerous changes leading to the fusion of the sperm and egg nucleus in the egg center. Fertilization represents one of the best studied examples of how a covert developmental program is made overt by an external messenger. The challenges for the near future are to explain how sperm-egg contact leads to PPI hydrolysis and how pHi level changes (and Cai level changes?) lead to the initiation of the cell cycle. The challenge for the distant future is describing how this program is set up during oogenesis.
Frequency-dependent endor spectroscopy. Absolute signs of the hyperfine elements of triplet states

Abstract A new method for determining the absolute signs of the hyperfine elements of triplet states using frequency-dependent electron—nuclear double resonance spectroscopy is described and applied to 3 (n, π*) 13 C-benzophenone- d 10 in the single crystal host 4,4′-dibromodiphenylether.
Analysis of the D-region products of H-2q using monoclonal antibodies reveals the expression of a new class I-like molecule.

To analyze how many D-region-encoded molecules could be detected inH-2q, we produced a panel of nine monoclonal antibodies from AKR (KkDk) anti-AKR.M (KkDq) immunizations. All of the Dq region antibodies cross-reacted on Dd and/or Ld, and all except one cross-reacted on Db, confirming the previously observed serologic and amino acid sequence homology between theD-region products ofH-2d,H-2b, andH-2q. All of these monoclonal antibodies precipitated 46 000 dalton molecules from both cell-surface-labeled and biosynthetically labeled BIO.AKM spleen cells, indicating that all were reactive with class I-like molecules. Sequential immunoprecipitation analysis with one of these antibodies, 66-3-5, reveals the presence of a previously unidentified class I-like molecule. Tryptic peptide map analysis reveals that this molecule may be the product of a newly describedH-2Dq-region gene.
Lipid-independent Secretion of a Drosophila Wnt Protein

Wnt proteins comprise a large class of secreted signaling molecules with key roles during embryonic development and throughout adult life. Recently, much effort has been focused on understanding the factors that regulate Wnt signal production. For example, Porcupine and Wntless/Evi/Sprinter have been identified as being required in Wnt-producing cells for the processing and secretion of many Wnt proteins. Interestingly, in this study we find that WntD, a recently characterized Drosophila Wnt family member, does not require Porcupine or Wntless/Evi/Sprinter for its secretion or signaling activity. Because Porcupine is involved in post-translational lipid modification of Wnt proteins, we used a novel labeling method and mass spectrometry to ask whether WntD undergoes lipid modification and found that it does not. Although lipid modification is also hypothesized to be required for Wnt secretion, we find that WntD is secreted very efficiently. WntD secretion does, however, maintain a requirement for the secretory pathway component Rab1. Our results show that not all Wnt family members require lipid modification, Porcupine, or Wntless/Evi/Sprinter for secretion and suggest that different modes of secretion may exist for different Wnt proteins.
Growth and survival parameter estimates and relation to RpoS levels in serotype O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

Aims This study analysed the growth and survival of 18 strains of the six serotypes of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145) most frequently implicated in human illness and compared them with Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain ATCC43895. Methods and Results The data from growth in Luria–Bertani broth (LB)-HCl (pH 4·0, 4·5, 4·8), LB-lactate (pH 4·5 and 4·8) and LB-NaCl (5%, 7%) were fitted to modified Gompertz equations to enable quantitative comparisons across strains and media conditions. Serogroup O45 strains had growth rates that were equal to or significantly greater than the O157:H7 control strain in all growth conditions tested. The growth rate was independent from the maximum growth achieved, but three strains (103A, 121A and 45B) had significantly faster growth and greater maximum cell densities in LB-NaCl 5% (strain 103A), LB-HCl pH 4·0 (strain 121A) and LB-NaCl 7% (strain 45B). Survival in LB-HCl pH 3·0 of four strains (103C, 111B, 26B and 26C) was significantly greater and five strains (26A, 45A, 111A, 121A and 145A) were significantly reduced in comparison with the O157:H7 control strain. None of the STEC strains had greater survival in LB-NaCl 12% than the O157:H7 control strain. A significant association was found between the exponential phase, but not stationary phase, RpoS level and survival of STEC. Conclusions Some STEC strains had growth or survival properties that exceeded those of the O157:H7 control strain, but none of the non-O157 STEC had both significantly greater growth and survival properties. STEC survival was associated with the exponential-phase RpoS level. Significance and Impact of the Study Results from this study define the variability in growth and survival of STEC strains that will be useful defining food product formulations and process interventions to control STEC. The presence of exponential phase σs expands the significance of this alternative sigma factor.
Combination resonances in the non-linear response of bowed structures to a harmonic excitation

A second-order uniform expansion is obtained for the response of a bowed structure (systems with quadratic and cubic non-linearities) to a combination resonance. The results show that combination resonances of the difference type can never be excited. Moreover, the results show that the steady state amplitudes depend strongly on the second-mode excitation amplitude f2. Two threshold values ζ1 and ζ2 for f2 are identified. When f2 ζ2, combination resonances are always excited, and when ζ2 ⩽ f2 < ζ2, combination resonances may or may not be excited, depending on the initial conditions. The results also show that combination resonances are very sensitive to the addition of a first-mode excitation amplitude f1. For a certain range of values of f1f2 and the phase angle τ between the two excitations, combination resonances are quenched and the response consistes essentially of the linear response. The quenching of combination resonances has been verified by numerically integrating the original differential equations in the presence as well as the absence of internal resonances. The analysis also identifies a range of values of f1f2 and τ for which the response is significantly enhanced; this result has also been verified by numerically integrating the original equations in the presence as well as the absence of internal resonances.
Chronic GvHD decreases antiviral immune responses in allogeneic BMT.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) is associated with functional immunodeficiency and an increased risk of opportunistic infections in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). We used a parent to F1 model of allogeneic BMT to test the hypothesis that cGvHD leads to impaired antigen-specific antiviral immunity and compared BM transplant recipients with cGvHD to control groups of allogeneic BM transplant recipients without GvHD. Mice with and without cGvHD received a nonlethal dose of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) +100 days after transplantation. Recipients with cGvHD had more weight loss and higher viral loads in the spleen and liver. MCMV infection led to greater than 25-fold expansion of donor spleen–derived MCMV peptide–specific tetramer-positive CD8+ T cells in blood of transplant recipients with and without cGvHD, but mice with cGvHD had far fewer antigen-specific T cells in peripheral tissues and secondary lymphoid organs. The immunosuppression associated with cGvHD was confirmed by vaccinating transplant recipients with and without cGvHD using a recombinant Listeria expressing MCMV early protein (Lm-MCMV). Secondary adoptive transfer of lymphocytes from donor mice with or without cGvHD into lymphopenic congenic recipients showed that cGvHD impaired tissue-specific homing of antigen-specific T cells. These results indicate that cGvHD causes an intrinsic immunosuppression and explain, in part, the functional immunodeficiency in allogeneic transplant recipients.
The effects of clonidine premedication and scalp infiltration of lidocaine on hemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy and skull pin head-holder insertion during skull base procedures.

Abstract This study was designed to determine if oral clonidine or lidocaine, injected into the scalp before head-holder (H-H) insertion, would attenuate the hemodynamic effects associated with intubation and H-H placement. Thirty-four patients undergoing skull base procedures were randomized to four groups. Group 1 received clonidine 5 mcg/kg po before surgery with 10 to 15 ml of 1% lidocaine infiltrated at pin insertion sites; Group 2 received clonidine with saline infiltration; Group 3 received a placebo preoperatively and had lidocaine infiltrated at pin sites; and Group 4 received a placebo with saline infiltrated. All patients had a standard anesthetic titrated to a 10 to 14 Hz EEG endpoint during laryngoscopy and H-H placement. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was similar between groups during intubation, but heart rate (HR) increased in patients who did not receive clonidine. H-H application increased HR and MAP in Group 4. HR also increased after H-H placement in patients who received oral clonidine, while patients receiving scalp lidocaine or both clonidine and scalp lidocaine had little change in either value. Clonidine attenuated HR increases after laryngoscopy but not after H-H placement. Lidocaine injected at the pin sites reduced HR, and MAP increased after H-H insertion. The combination of oral clonidine and scalp lidocaine blunted hemodynamic responses to both intubation and H-H placement.
AN EXAMPLE OF ROBUSTLY OPTIMAL MONETARY POLICY WITH NEAR-RATIONAL EXPECTATIONS

This paper considers optimal monetary stabilization policy in a forward-looking model, when the central bank recognizes that private-sector expectations need not be precisely model-consistent and wishes to choose a policy that will be as good as possible in the case of any beliefs that are close enough to model-consistency. It is found that commitment continues to be important for optimal policy, that the optimal long-run inflation target is unaffected by the degree of potential distortion of beliefs, and that optimal policy is even more history-dependent than if rational expectations are assumed. (JEL: E52)
Redundancy in multidimensional deconvolution and phase retrieval

It is shown that multiple blind deconvolution and phase retrieval in three or more dimensions are overdetermined problems if the image or Fourier amplitude, respectively, is measured continuously (or, equivalently, is sampled at the Nyquist rate). A sampling scheme is derived that removes the overdeterminancy and allows a measure of the redundancy to be defined. This indicates that phase retrieval and deconvolution are more stable, with respect to noise and partial information, with increasing dimensionality.
PCNA: structure, functions and interactions

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) plays an essential role in nucleic acid metabolism as a component of the replication and repair machinery. This toroidal-shaped protein encircles DNA and can slide bidirectionally along the duplex. One of the well-established functions for PCNA is its role as the processivity factor for DNA polymerase delta and epsilon. PCNA tethers the polymerase catalytic unit to the DNA template for rapid and processive DNA synthesis. In the last several years it has become apparent that PCNA interacts with proteins involved in cell-cycle progression which are not a part of the DNA polymerase apparatus. Some of these interactions have a direct effect on DNA synthesis while the roles of several other interactions are not fully understood. This review summarizes the structural features of PCNA and describes the diverse functions played by the protein in DNA replication and repair as well as its possible role in chromatin assembly and gene transcription. The PCNA interactions with different cellular proteins and the importance of these interactions are also discussed.
Use of quality indicators to evaluate the care of patients with localized prostate carcinoma

BACKGROUND The goal of quality assurance in health care is to preserve and improve patient care. Recently, RAND developed a set of evidence-based candidate indicators for evaluating the quality of care for patients with localized prostate carcinoma; however, the feasibility and sensitivity of these indicators have not been tested in a clinical setting. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of measuring these quality indicators and to determine their sensitivity to change in practice patterns over time. METHODS One hundred sixty-eight men who presented in either 1995 or in 2000 and were treated for localized prostate carcinoma were selected randomly from the University of Michigan tumor registry. A combination of electronic data base review and explicit chart review was used to assess the feasibility of measuring compliance for each indicator. For each indicator in which assessment was feasible, compliance with the RAND indicators was determined for patients in both years. Multivariate regression analysis was used to adjust for potential confounding effects of disease stage, tumor grade, prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, patient age, and therapy. RESULTS Based on review of available clinical data, measurement of compliance was feasible for 19 of 22 RAND candidate quality indicators (86%). For five indicators, significant differences in documentation (compliance) were detected between 1995 and 2000 (P < 0.05). Treatment received and higher PSA levels were associated independently with documentation of compliance for several indicators (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Measurement of the majority of the RAND quality indicators for the treatment of patients with localized prostate carcinoma was feasible, and improvements in several indicators were observed between 1995 and 2000. Demonstration of such variation, even within a single institution, suggests that the indicators are sufficiently sensitive to detect differences in practice patterns. Cancer 2003;97:1428–35. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11216
All-reflective snapshot hyperspectral imager for ultraviolet and infrared applications.

Snapshot hyperspectral imaging simultaneously acquires spatial and spectral information about a scene. We report on the first, to our knowledge, all-reflective snapshot hyperspectral imager in the form of a computed tomography imaging spectrometer (CTIS). The reflective design allows for instrument simplicity for applications in the ultraviolet and infrared. To realize a CTIS in a reflective Offner configuration, a reflective two-dimensional computer-generated hologram grating is fabricated on a convex spherical substrate by direct-write electron-beam lithography. Furthermore, a reconfigurable reflective field stop is implemented with a micromirror array to provide high-contrast spatial–spectral filtering, region-of-interest selection, and spatial structure formation.
Clinical Management of Seizures in Avian Patients

Abstract An avian patient with a history of seizure activity presents a therapeutic and diagnostic challenge to veterinary practitioners. Understanding the stages and types of seizures can aid in differentiating seizures from other types of neurologic abnormalities (e.g., syncope, narcolepsy, vestibular disease). Principal causes of seizure activity in birds include nutritional, traumatic, toxic exposure, cardiovascular, neoplastic, metabolic, and idiopathic. The key to developing an effective treatment plan is to determine the underlying etiology of the seizure activity. Treatment of status epilepticus and idiopathic epilepsy are discussed along with client education and communication, which both serve as cornerstones of successful avian seizure therapy.
Ipecac syrup abuse, morbidity, and mortality: isn't it time to repeal its over-the-counter status?

Abstract Purpose To review and address the abuse of ipecac, describing its epidemiology, toxicity, clinical characteristics, and laboratory assessment. Methods A Medline search (1980–2003) for Ipecac abuse and Ipecac toxicity, n=34. Results Ipecac abuse occurs predominantly among adolescent and young adult females who are either experimenting with purging or have an eating disorder. Psychiatric comorbidity is common. Death can occur and is usually of cardiac origin. Morbidity includes myocarditis with arrhythmias, myositis, gastroesophageal pathology, including Mallory Weiss tears, diarrhea, and metabolic abnormalities (alkalosis, hypokalemia, dehydration). The injuries can reverse with cessation of ipecac use. A high index of suspicion is needed for early detection. Classic findings are abnormal EKG and echocardiography and/or elevation of muscle enzymes (CPK, adolase). Emetine, the alkaloid in ipecac, can be confirmed in serum, urine, and tissue by high performance liquid chromatography. Conclusions Ipecac abuse is dangerous, even deadly. However, if abuse is discontinued, cardiac and muscle damage tends to reverse. Were ipecac syrup to remain an over- the-counter medication, or become a prescription medication, more stringent warning labels ought to be included and further education be provided about its toxicity and potential for abuse. Removing ipecac from the over-the-counter category would best eliminate its potential for abuse.
A note on the use of a stochastic mammillary compartmental model as an environmental safety model

Environmental safety testing typically requires procedures for extrapolating from the relatively high experimental to the very low use doses of potentially harmful substances. In the present paper, a stochastic mammillary compartmental model for environmental safety testing is proposed and extrapolation procedures based on its dose-response relationship are developed. The proposed model is a direct generalization of one of the basic safety models, the one-hit model, in that a harmful reaction is assumed to occur if at any time any of the peripheral compartments attains a specified threshold of particles. Consideration of a closed model yields an upper bound on the probability of attaining a certain threshold level, thus providing a conservative procedure for extrapolating to a low dose, while a lower bound obtained from a related open model provides a useful monitoring device as to the sharpness of the upper, bound. The extrapolation procedure is illustrated with simulated data and approximations for initial values are developed.
Design of high-bandwidth high-precision flexure-based nanopositioning modules

Abstract This paper presents the design of a single degree-of-freedom high-bandwidth high-precision nanopositioning module for high-throughput nanomanufacturing applications. Compared with widely used lumped-compliance mechanisms (using notch-flexure hinges) and distributed-compliance mechanisms (using compliant flexure beams), this nanopositioning module adopts a hybrid compliant-notch-flexure-based structure. This flexure design decouples the performance requirements for the structural bandwidth and parasitic accuracy that are correlated in the lumped-compliance mechanisms and distributed-compliance mechanisms. The parallelogram hybrid compliant-notch-flexure-based structure enables simultaneous achievement of a higher structural bandwidth and a smaller parasitic motion. The behavior of the nanopositioning module is analyzed theoretically with respect to its design parameters and performance objectives. Finite element analysis is adapted to study the dynamic responses and parasitic displacement of the designed nanopositioning module. The results from the theoretical and FEA analysis demonstrate the effectiveness of the hybrid compliant-notch-flexure design over commonly used lumped-compliance mechanisms and distributed-compliance mechanisms, especially when a high structural bandwidth is required for high-throughput nanomanufacturing applications.
Applications of polarimetry to target/clutter discrimination in millimeter-wave radar systems

The discrimination of stationary ground targets from ground clutter with an airborne millimeter-wave radar sensor is discussed. Specifically, discrimination figures of merit, target and clutter statistics, radar resolution cell sizes, the use of polarization, and the probability of false-target density are discussed.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A new criterion for the identification of micrometeor impact sites on aluminized glass

Hypervelocity micrometeor impact sites identification on aluminized glass, using conchoidal pattern as criterion in analysis
Pulse Coupled Neural Networks and Image Morphology for Mammogram Preprocessing

Given that over 230,000 women in the United States alone will contract breast cancer, resulting in over 39,000 deaths and that there will be an estimated 458000 such deaths worldwide, the early detection and management of breast cancer is a significant problem. Currently, mammography provides the dominant front-line screening procedure. To assist in the interpretation of mammograms, a variety of computer aided diagnostic algorithms have been developed. A critical step in most of these algorithms is to remove image artifacts and isolate the breast from the mammogram background. This study explores the use of a biologically inspired model, the Pulse Coupled Neural Network, to form candidate image segments that, when combined with standard image morphology operators, can be used to remove image acquisition artifacts and isolate the breast profile in the mammogram.
Sodium aluminate leaching and desilication in lime-soda sinter process for alumina from coal wastes

Sodium aluminate in the sinter produced from coal wastes using the lime-soda sinter process can be leached with dilute alkaline solutions. The extraction of alumina by leaching with water and sodium hydroxide solutions was comparable to extraction by leaching with Na2CO3 solutions. However, leaching with water dissolved the least amount of silica. The optimal conditions for water leaching were determined to be temperatures of 60 to 70 °C and times of 30 to 40 minutes. The sodium aluminate solution obtained under these conditions readily responded to desilication with Ca(OH)2 suspensions at atmospheric pressure, reducing the silica-to-alumina ratio to less than 10-3, which is lower than the specification for reduction-grade alumina.
A Paradoxical Result in Estimating Regression Coefficients

This article presents a counterintuitive result regarding the estimation of a regression slope coefficient. Paradoxically, the precision of the slope estimator can deteriorate when additional information is used to estimate its value. In a randomized experiment, the distribution of baseline variables should be identical across treatments due to randomization. The motivation for this article came from noting that the precision of slope estimators deteriorated when pooling baseline predictors across treatment groups.
Neuronal Fiber Composition of the Corpus Callosum Within Some Odontocetes

Odontocetes (toothed whales) evolved from terrestrial mammals approximately 55 million years ago and have since remained on a unique evolutionary trajectory. This study used formalin-fixed tissue and light microscopy to quantify the size and number of fibers along the corpus callosum of the bottlenose dolphin (n = 8). Two other species, the Amazon River dolphin (n = 1) and the killer whale (n = 1), were included for comparison. A large amount of variation in the shape and area of the corpus callosum was observed. The odontocete corpus callosum is a heterogeneous structure with variation in fiber size and density along the length of the corpus callosum in all specimens examined. Using the species with the largest sample size, the bottlenose dolphin, comparisons by sex and age (sexually mature verses immature) were made for the area of the corpus callosum, five subregions, and fiber densities. Although no sex differences were detected, age appeared to affect the size, shape, and fiber composition of the bottlenose dolphin corpus callosum.
Negative refraction and self-collimation in the far infrared with aligned carbon nanotube films

Abstract This study demonstrates the far-infrared self-collimation and low-loss transmission of aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) films or arrays. The anisotropic dielectric functions of the CNT array is modeled using the effective medium theory considering the degree of alignment. The spectral regions where hyperbolic dispersion is satisfied are in the far-infrared. In the hyperbolic regime, energy propagates inside the CNT film along the optical axis for nearly all incidence angles. The self-collimation effect is also examined for tilted CNT thin films by tracing the Poynting vector trajectories. Low-loss transmission is explored to understand the impact of alignment on the penetration depth and transmission through the film. In conjunction with the surface radiative properties, the self-collimation and transmission characteristics are distinguished between the two hyperbolic bands of the CNT film. The insight obtained from this work may lead to the utilization of CNT arrays in polarization filtering and infrared imaging.
Steady-state kinetics and mechanism of LpxD, the N-acyltransferase of lipid A biosynthesis.

LpxD catalyzes the third step of lipid A biosynthesis, the (R)-3-hydroxymyristoyl-acyl carrier protein (R-3-OHC14-ACP)-dependent N-acylation of UDP-3-O-[(R)-3-hydroxymyristoyl]-α-d-glucosamine [UDP-3-O-(R-3-OHC14)-GlcN]. We have now overexpressed and purified Escherichia coli LpxD to homogeneity. Steady-state kinetics suggest a compulsory ordered mechanism in which R-3-OHC14-ACP binds prior to UDP-3-O-(R-3-OHC14)-GlcN. The product, UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine, dissociates prior to ACP; the latter is a competitive inhibitor against R-3-OHC14-ACP and a noncompetitive inhibitor against UDP-3-O-(R-3-OHC14)-GlcN. UDP-2-N-[(R)-3-Hydroxymyristoyl]-α-d-glucosamine, obtained by mild base hydrolysis of UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine, is a noncompetitive inhibitor against both substrates. Synthetic (R)-3-hydroxylauroyl-methylphosphopantetheine is an uncompetitive inhibitor against R-3-OHC14-ACP and a competitive inhibitor against UDP-3-O-(R-3-OHC14)-GlcN, but (R)-3-hydroxylauroyl-methylphosphopantetheine is also a very poo...
3-D Inversion of Gravity Gradiometer Data

We present the development of an algorithm for inverting multi-component gravity gradiometer data to recover three-dimensional (3-D) distributions of density contrast for salt imaging. The algorithm is a direct adaptation of the author’s earlier work on 3-D inversion of magnetic data. The underlying method is based upon a regularized inversion that constructs a density contrast distribution having minimum structure, and the inverse solution is obtained by minimizing a model objective function subject to the data and bound constraints on the model. Because of the mathematical equivalence between the magnetic data and the gravity gradiometer data, much of the magnetic algorithm is directly applicable to the inversion of gravity gradiometer data. However, there remain a number of issues that are unique to the gradiometer data and to the problem of salt imaging. This paper presents the general algorithm and then focuses on different algorithmic aspects to deal with its application.
Determination of the physiological dimer interface of the PhoQ sensor domain.

Abstract PhoQ is the transmembrane sensor kinase of the phoPQ two-component system, which detects and responds to divalent cations and antimicrobial peptides and can trigger bacterial virulence. Despite their ubiquity and importance in bacterial signaling, the structure and molecular mechanism of the sensor kinases is not fully understood. Frequently, signals are transmitted from a periplasmic domain in these proteins to the cytoplasmic kinase domains via an extended dimeric interface, and the PhoQ protein would appear to follow this paradigm. However, the isolated truncated periplasmic domain of PhoQ dimerizes poorly, so it has been difficult to distinguish the relevant interface in crystal structures of the PhoQ periplasmic domain. Thus, to determine the arrangement of the periplasmic domains of Escherichia coli PhoQ in the physiological homodimer, disulfide-scanning mutagenesis was used. Single cysteine substitutions were introduced along the N-terminal helix of the periplasmic region, and the degree of cross-linking in each protein variant was determined by Western blotting and immunodetection. The results were subjected to periodicity analysis to generate a profile that provides information concerning the Cβ distances between corresponding residues at the interface. This profile, together with a rigid-body search procedure, side-chain placement, and energy minimization, was used to build a model of the dimer arrangement. The final model proved to be highly compatible with one of the PhoQ crystal structures, 3BQ8, indicating that 3BQ8 is representative of the physiological arrangement. The model of the periplasmic region is also compatible with a full-length PhoQ protein in which a four-helix bundle forms in the membrane. The membrane four-helix bundle has been proposed for other sensor kinases and is thought to have a role in the mechanism of signal transduction; our model supports the idea that signaling through a membrane four-helix bundle is a widespread mechanism in the transmembrane sensor kinases.
FLEXIBLE URETEROSCOPES: A SINGLE CENTER EVALUATION OF THE DURABILITY AND FUNCTION OF THE NEW ENDOSCOPES SMALLER THAN 9Fr

Purpose: Flexible ureteroscopes smaller than 9Fr are widely used in endourology. We systematically evaluated the functional durability of these instruments in the clinical setting.Materials and Methods: We performed ureteronephroscopy 92 consecutive times in 84 patients at our hospital using a flexible Storz model 11274AA, ‡ ‡Karl Storz Endoscopy, Tuttlingen, Germany. Circon-ACMI model AUR-7, § §Circon Corp., Santa Barbara, California. Wolf model 7325.172 ∥ ∥Richard Wolf GmbH, Knittlingen, Germany. and Olympus model URF/P3 ureteroscope ¶ ¶Olympus Optical Co., Melville, New York.. Preoperatively and postoperatively we evaluated all flexible ureteroscopes for luminosity, irrigant flow at 100 mm. Hg, number of broken image fibers and active deflection range. During the procedure a record was kept of the duration that the endoscope remained in the urinary tract, average irrigation pressure, method of insertion, various devices used within the working channel, need for lower pole access, and surgeon overall im...
Urease activity of microbial biomass in soils

Separation of the diAerent pools of enzyme activity in soils (intra- and extracellular) is needed to assess the contribution of the microbial community to specific enzyme reactions. Microbial biomass C and N were determined by the chloroform fumigation method, and urease activity was assayed at the optimal pH (THAM buAer, pH 9.0) in 10 surface soils before and after chloroform fumigation. The activities of total urease (intra- and extracellular; after chloroform fumigation without toluene treatment), extracellular urease (before chloroform fumigation without toluene treatment) and intracellular urease (activity of the microbial biomass), i.e. (total activity minus extracellular activity) were significantly correlated with microbial biomass C (r=0.84**, 0.97*** and 0.84**, respectively) and N (r=0.76**, 0.80** and 0.66*, respectively). The C-to-N ratios of the soils ranged from 8.6 to 18.1, and those of the microbial biomass ranged from 5.2 to 30.3. The urease activity of the microbial biomass, expressed as a percent of total urease activity, ranged from 37.1 to 73.1% (avg=54.0%). The remaining activity (26.9‐ 62.9%, avg=46.0%) was extracellular. When toluene was used as a plasmolytic agent in the non-fumigated soils, the urease activity increased from 21.4% to 65.9% (avg=46.6%). When expressed mg ˇ1 microbial biomass C (specific activity), the urease activity of the microbial biomass ranged from 80 to 419 (avg=164) m gN H4 + ‐N mg ˇ1 Cmic 2h ˇ1 . The total urease activity and the activity of the microbial biomass were underestimated, because the activity of purified Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) urease was decreased by 29% after fumigation with chloroform. Using the activity of 1 mg of protein of Jack bean urease as a reference and correcting for the 29% of the urease denatured by chloroform fumigation, the urease protein equivalent in soils ranged from 1.9 to 12.0 mg kg ˇ1 of soil (avg=5.3 mg kg ˇ1 of soil). # 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Using Videotape to Add an Asynchronous Delivery Option to Regular Classroom Instruction

Student schedules are often at odds, forcing them to miss needed classes due to time conflicts. Departments have limited faculty resources, and cannot offer courses every term at times to meet every need. This paper describes the use of instruction via videotape to offer students an option for taking courses when they cannot attend at the scheduled time. Delivery of instruction by videotape is not new; this paper describes efforts to adapt this method to specific circumstances and student needs. This has resulted in higher course enrollments when videotape and traditional sections are combined for teaching load purposes, and has permitted students to complete graduation requirements when, without this option, they would have been delayed due to scheduling conflicts.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Maternal correlates of stability and change in infant‐mother attachment

The relations between maternal control style, sensitivity, and childrearing attitudes on one hand and the stability of the infant-mother attachment relationship on the other were examined in a sample of 38 mother-infant dyads. The mother-child pairs were observed during a structured play session and in Ainsworth's Strange Situation when the infants were 12 and 20 months old, a developmental period characterized by increased autonomous functioning. Our results suggested that infants whose mothers had nonpunitive childrearing attitudes, were sensitive, and supportive of their infants' striving toward autonomy remained, or became, secure in their attachment relationship over their second year of life. Mothers who were more punitive, more controlling, and less sensitive had infants who either remained or became insecurely attached across this developmental period. While previous research has linked attachment stability to socioeconomic factors, the present investigation points to the importance of more subtle interactive variables to the understanding of the attachment relationship.