cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early contrast enhancement of the liver: exact description of subphases using MRI.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe the subphases of early post-contrast enhancement of the liver, using vessel enhancement patterns, and correlate these findings with enhancement patterns of abdominal organs. Materials and Methods A total of 114 patients who underwent gadolinium-enhanced abdominal magnetic resonance imaging examinations constituted the final study group, of which 56 were women (age range, 3–94 years; mean, 50 years) and 58 were men (age range, 6–85 years; mean, 54 years). Early post-contrast sequences in all patients were evaluated retrospectively by two reviewers for the determination of the presence of contrast enhancement in predetermined major vessels of the abdomen and qualitative and quantitative extent of enhancement of the renal cortex, spleen, pancreas and liver. Based on the overall findings, subphases of early contrast enhancement of the liver were described and quantitative extent of enhancement of organs was correlated with subphases of early contrast enhancement of the liver. Mann–Whitney U test and one-way unbalanced analysis of variance tests were used for the comparisons. Results Early hepatic arterial phase was observed in 14/114 patients, mid-hepatic arterial phase in 23/114 patients, late hepatic arterial phase in 33/114 patients, splenic vein only hepatic arterial dominant phase in 20/114 patients and hepatic arterial dominant phase in 24/114 patients. There was an overall association between the subphases of enhancement and the quantitative extent of enhancement for all studied organs ( P Conclusion The evaluation of vessel and organ enhancement patterns has allowed the characterization of five different subphases in early post-contrast enhancement of the liver. The quantitative extent of enhancement of abdominal organs also demonstrated significant correlation with these five subphases.
Fluorescence polarization characteristics of the complexes between ethidium bromide and rRNA, tRNA, and DNA.

Abstract Fluorescence polarization studies show that the rotational relaxation times for ethidium bromide intercalated in tRNA, rRNA, or DNA increase in that order and are quite different. Polarization is strongly affected by salt concentration and by association of nucleic acid with protein. Evidence for a change in rotational characteristics above the transition temperature of 32 ° is presented. Fluorescence properties of use in intracellular investigations with ethidium bromide are described.
CTLA4 is associated with susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.

Abstract We comprehensively screened CTLA4 for novel genetic variations in patients with MS. We studied genetic variations by association methods in a population-based sample of 122 sporadic patients with MS and 244 age-, gender- and ethnicity-matched controls, and by linkage and family-based association methods in 395 individuals from 59 American multiplex pedigrees with 141 affected individuals. Being homozygous for AT 8 (common) allele of the 3′(514) microsatellite (OR: 1.69; CI: 0.99–2.86) and for the common 5 ′ (318) * C/E1(49) * A/3′(514 * AT 8 haplotype (OR: 1.96; CI: 1.13–3.39) was associated with increased susceptibility to MS in Olmsted County. The genotype frequencies of other individual polymorphisms were not significantly different between cases and controls. A pooled analysis of association studies revealed an odds ratio of 1.28 (95% CI: 1.01–1.63; p =0.043) for 5 ′ ( − 318)*C homozygotes and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.08–1.51; p =0.005) for the 3 ′ (514) * AT 8 allele. We did not detect linkage with MS susceptibility in multiplex families. We did not find a strong association with age at onset, disease course or severity. CTLA-4 is associated with susceptibility to MS.
New planar substrates for the in situ synthesis of peptide arrays.

The performance of new cellulose membranes, aminofunctionalized via a PEG spacer, as a solid support in the synthesis of peptide arrays is described. The new membranes are stable to trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and strong aqueous base for days. These properties extend the scope of synthesis considerably, e.g., more efficient side chain cleavage protocols can be applied which yielded peptides of improved purity. For the first time, cellulose membranes with a loading as high as 5 μmol/cm2 were accessible. Additionally, newly developed polypropylene membranes with hydroxy- or amino functionalities were successfully employed for the SPOT synthesis of peptides and phosphopeptides. The membranes are compatible with antibody binding as well as enzymatic phosphorylation assays.
Pretherapeutic sources of interference in articulatory retention

Abstract Ten children demonstrating initial /r/ articulatory errors learned and relearned meaningful and nonsense word responses to pictorial stimuli in order to examine interference effects on articulatory retention. The number of trials required for learning, as well as for relearning the two types of responses were recorded and compared. Results, which appear attributable to proactive inhibition factors, indicated poorer retention for the meaningful responses. The findings suggest that care be taken in the selection of criterion levels for articulation therapy.
The neutron cross section standards evaluations for ENDF/B-VI

Abstract The neutron cross section standards are now being evaluated as the initial phase in the development of the new ENDF/B-VI file. These standards evaluations are following a somewhat different process compared with that used for earlier versions of ENDF. The primary effort is concentrated on a simultaneous evaluation using a generalized least squares program, R-matrix evaluations, and a procedure for combining the results of these evaluations. The ENDF/B-VI standards evaluation procedure is outlined, and preliminary simultaneous evaluation and R-matrix results are presented.
Staying afloat: A history of maritime passenger industry marketing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to recount the history of the marketing of the maritime passenger industry (known today as the cruise industry). This is a unique industry that has survived and thrived for almost 175 years despite dramatic environmental changes. This history focuses on passenger shipping in and out of the USA first from/to European ports, later focusing on cruises from the USA to the Caribbean, today’s most popular cruise destination. Design/methodology/approach – This study adapts the Hollander et al. (2005) approach and incorporates primary data such as fare lists, advertisements and promotional materials, as well as secondary data from a variety of expert works and government reports. Findings – This study finds that the industry’s marketing history can be divided into six periods or phases: immigration and luxury (mid-nineteenth century to 1914); World War I (1914-1918); tourism, alcohol and luxury (1918-1939); World War II (1939-1946); jet age emergence (1946-1970); and cruising for all (1970 to the present day). Continuing industry growth; increasing focus on new geographic, and every-smaller demographic and psychographic markets; promotional emphasis on cuisine and activities; and positioning as a mass-consumed luxury are trends for the future. Research limitations/implications – Space constraints limit the information mostly to Europe-to-North America sailings of British and German transatlantic lines early in the paper, and to USA-to-Caribbean cruises in later phases. Practical implications – This study illustrates how an industry can completely reinvent all elements of its marketing strategy in response to changing social and technological forces. It adds to a growing body of industry marketing histories. Originality/value – Although much has been written about maritime history, no known work has examined the history of the marketing of the maritime passenger industry. It augments the growing body of industry-specific marketing histories.
The problem of student acceptance of evolution

This paper reviews the question of why the presentation of evolution in class frequently does not achieve acceptance of the evolutionary theory. In general, problems are twofold. Firstly, students may come to this particular topic with strong preconceptions, often based on specific religious teachings. Secondly, teachers may or may not bring an informed and/or dedicated approach to the teaching of evolution, relating to what they themselves were taught. Additional to our review of this topic and its problems, we suggest the use of a simple ‘test’ formulated, not on trying to impose knowledge and belief of evolution on the student, but on directing students towards the application of information on evolution to material already familiar to them. In this process, it is hoped that students will naturally incorporate at least some of the ideas of evolution into their own belief systems. Students are thus encouraged to assess or reassess evolution in terms of what they already consider to be true from their ow...
Alpha Asymmetry in Infants at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders

An emerging focus of research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) targets the identification of early-developing ASD endophenotypes using infant siblings of affected children. One potential neural endophenotype is resting frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha asymmetry, a metric of hemispheric organization. Here, we examined the development of frontal EEG alpha asymmetry in ASD high-risk and low-risk infant populations. Our findings demonstrate that low and high-risk infants show different patterns of alpha asymmetry at 6 months of age and opposite growth trajectories in asymmetry over the following 12 months. These results support the candidacy of alpha asymmetry as an early neural ASD endophenotype.
Hemi gap junction channels in solitary horizontal cells of the catfish retina

1. Solitary horizontal cells were isolated from catfish retinas and their membrane current was recorded with a whole-cell voltage clamp. Reducing the extracellular Ca2+ concentration produced a current that could be suppressed by dopamine. This Ca(2+)- and dopamine-sensitive current is hereafter termed I gamma. The voltage dependence, cytoplasmic regulation, and permeability of the I gamma channel suggest that it is half of a gap-junction channel. 2. I gamma was voltage and time dependent. In the steady state, the current-voltage relation displayed outward rectification at voltages more depolarized than 0 mV and a negative resistance region at voltages more hyperpolarized than -15 mV. The reversal potential was 3.3 +/- 1.5 mV when NaCl was the predominant extracellular salt and potassium-D-aspartate was the predominant intracellular salt. 3. The size of I gamma depended on the extracellular Ca2+ concentration. I gamma was maximal at external Ca2+ concentrations below 10 microM, half-maximal at 220 microM-Ca2+, and reduced to less than 4% of its maximum amplitude at external Ca2+ concentrations above 1 mM. Increasing the extracellular Ca2+ concentration reduced the amplitude of I gamma without changing the shape of the current-voltage relation or the kinetics of inactivation. Thus, rectification does not result from a voltage-dependent block by extracellular Ca2+. 4. Patches of cell membrane were voltage clamped in both the cell-attached and excised-patch configurations. In the cell-attached configuration, the addition of dopamine to the solution outside the patch pipette blocked the opening of channels within the membrane patch. Thus, dopamine closes I gamma channels by initiating an intracellular messenger cascade. In the excised-patch configuration, a maximum conductance of 145 pS was measured while Cs+ and tetraethylammonium+ (TEA+) were the only monovalent cations on both sides of the membrane. 5. The ability of dopamine to suppress I gamma was blocked by introducing an inhibitor of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, PKI5-24, into the cytoplasm. Thus, the action of dopamine is mediated by a pathway that includes the activation of a cyclic AMP-dependent kinase. 6. I gamma was suppressed by nitroprusside, an agent which activates guanylate cyclase and increases the intracellular cyclic GMP concentration. The effect of nitroprusside was not altered by the intracellular application of PKI5-24. Thus, nitroprusside suppresses I gamma through a pathway that does not include the activation of a cyclic AMP-dependent kinase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Regulation of immunity to Ostertagia ostertagi.

Abstract Knowledge of bovine immune response to ostertagiasis is important to understanding the mechanisms of innate and acquired immunity to this economically important helminth parasite that infects cattle worldwide. Infection causes both antibody and cellular immune responses. Evidence shows that Ostertagia possesses excretory-secretory (ES) molecules that may regulate immune cell responses that affect acquired immunity and pathophysiological changes to infection. Ostertagia can down-regulate antibody and cellular immune responses. One of these ES regulatory molecules is a lectin that causes eosinophil chemataxis. In addition to its antigenicity, this regulatory molecule serves as a means of communication between the parasite and cells of the host immune system. It is suggested that, lacking this type of communication, Ostertagia infection may not be readily recognized by the host immune cells. A hypothesis is proposed for the mechanisms of acquired immunity to Type I ostertagiasis. Regulatory molecules of Ostertagia ES are suggested as suitable vaccine candidates.
Tryptophan mutants of troponin C from skeletal muscle An optical probe of the regulatory domain

We have generated a series of chicken skeletal muscle troponin C mutants to study the conformation of the regulatory domain in the N-terminal half of the molecule. These mutants each contained a single Trp at position 22 (helix A), 52 (linker of helices B and C), or 90 (central helix). Some of these mutants also contained additional mutations to introduce a single Cys at a desired position. The mutants were characterized by molecular graphics and CD and found to have a minimum of structural perturbations when compared with the native structure. They also retained the ability to regulate myofibrillar ATPase activity. The fluorescence of Trp22 was sensitive to Ca2+ binding only to the regulatory sites, whereas Trp52 and Trp90 responded to Ca2+ binding to both the regulatory and the Ca2+/Mg2+ sites. The tryptophan quantum yield (Q) of all Trp22-containing mutants was very high (0.33) in the absence of bound Ca2+, compared to that of L-tryptophan in aqueous solution (0.14). Q decreased 25% upon binding of Ca2+ to the regulatory sites. The quantum yields of Trp52 and Trp90 in apo mutants were close to 0.14. In the presence of bound Ca2+ at the regulatory sites, the quantum yield of Trp52 decreased 16%, whereas that of Trp90 increased 25%. Results from acrylamide quenching of the fluorescence of the three Trp residues indicated that Trp22 was the least exposed and Trp52 was the most exposed, consistent with other spectral data that Trp22 was in a relatively nonpolar environment and Trp52 was in a highly polar environment. The ability of Trp52 and Trp90 to sense Ca2+ binding to sites located at both domains suggests inter-domain communication in the protein. These single Trp TnC mutants provide specific signals for probing Ca2+-induced conformational changes in the regulatory domain.
Efficient estimation and local identification in latent class analysis

Estimators which are efficient in the sense of having minimum asymptotic variance are obtained for the structural parameters of Lazarsfeld's latent class model of latent structure analysis. Sufficient conditions for the local identification of the structural parameters are also presented.
The role of laparoscopy in preoperative staging of esophageal cancer

Background: Diagnostic laparoscopy has been used to determine resectability and to prevent unnecessary laparotomy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the role of laparoscopy in conjunction with computed tomography (CT) scan in staging patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: From March 1995 to October 1998, 59 patients with biopsy-proven esophageal cancer underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with concurrent vascular access device and feeding jejunostomy tube placement. Results: Laparoscopy changed the treatment plan in 10 of 59 patients (17%). Of the patients with normal-appearing regional or celiac nodes, 78% were confirmed by biopsy to be tumor free, whereas 76% of patients with abnormal-appearing nodes were confirmed by biopsy to have node-positive disease. Conclusions: Diagnostic laparoscopy is useful for detecting and confirming nodal involvement and distant metastatic disease that potentially would alter treatment and prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer.
Can Creativity Make a Difference? Leveraging the Creative Work Environment to Impact Performance in Annual Revenues of Architectural Firms

Creativity remains an elusive, intangible contributor to workplace performance despite emphases from psychoeconomic approaches. Few empirical studies investigate creativity’s influence on organizational performance in a manner applied to practice or have differentiated creative versus non-creative domains. It has also been proposed that organizations have yet to establish management frameworks maximizing their creative capital. This study examines responses to an e-survey from staff of five top ranked U.S. architectural practices (N = 90). Study findings identify potential differences between creative versus non-creative domains, factors impacting creativity in the workplace, and the relationship between organizational creativity and annual revenues.
Properties of liver glycogen isolated in density gradients of sodium iothalamate.

Abstract A technique is described for isolation of highly purified liver glycogen by centrifuging through density gradients of sodium iothalamate. Sodium iothalamate (the salt of 5-acetamido-2,4,6-triiodo-N-methylisophthalamic acid) in stock solution (80% w v ) has a density of 1.499 g/cc. Density varies linearly with refractive index providing a useful measure of density gradients. In gradients formed during prolonged ultracentrifugation, glycogen bands isopyenically at 1.46–1.48 g/cc. Using simple discontinuous gradients, glycogen from crude liver homogenates bands at the interface of iothalamate layers of 1.46 and 1.40 g/cc after 4-hr centrifugation at 40,000 rpm in a titanium 50 rotor. After removal of iothalamate by dialysis, the isolated glycogen retains its aggregate structure as shown by rate-zonal centrifugation in linear iothalamate density gradients from 1.12–1.28 g/cc. The purity of the product is shown by electron microscopy and spectrophotometry. The branched structure of the glycogen polymer was intact as determined by an absorption maximum of glycogen-iodine complexes at 480 mμ. The isolated product contains approximately 6% residual protein which may represent attached glycogen-metabolizing enzymes.
SU-E-P-03: Independent Verification of the RPC TomoTherapy Audit Results

Purpose: MD Anderson Radiological Physics Center (RPC) routinely evaluates the calibration of linear accelerators using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and more recently optically‐stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs).The RPC continues to use TLDs for the annual TomoTherapy audits.In the past, an RPC measurement was 6.2% low compared to our institution planned dose.Therefore, we have constructed an RPC duplicate phantom and we have altered the design to accommodate an OSLD and an A1SL ionization chamber in order to examine the quality of the RPC TomoTherapy audit. Methods: The RPC TomoTherapy Calibration Phantom consists of an acrylic cylinder with TLD capsules inserted in the center of the cylinder.A TomoTherapy treatment plan is generated to deliver a uniform dose of 600 cGy to an approximately 10 cm long by 2.5 cm diameter target that holds the TLDs.Two more treatment plans are generated for the in‐house TomoTherapy Calibration Phantom; one for the OSLD and another for the A1SL ionization chamber. The beam energy and output calibration were checked prior to irradiating the phantoms. All Plans are delivered at the same time the RPC Phantom is irradiated for consistent comparison of the results. Results: The results obtained with the in‐house phantom were well within 2% of the calculated dose. The OSLD dose measurement was 1.8% from the dose calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS). The dose measured by the A1SL ionization chamber was only 1% from calculated. The repeated RPC measurement differed by only 2.8% from the calculated one. Conclusion: We have manufactured an independent and similar dose verification phantom for testing the quality and reproducibility of the RPC TomoTherapy Calibration results. The phantom proved to be well suited for the evaluation of the overall machine calibration and for benchmarking the results of the RPC QA Audit. Institutions preparing for participation in the credentialing process will find this tool very helpful.
Changes in Earth's radiation balance between 1985 and 2012

Since the turn of the century, surface temperatures on Earth have continued to increase, but at a slower rate than between 1985 and 1999. This is despite increasing greenhouse gas emissions due to human activity. Consistent with the steadily increasing strength of the greenhouse effect, Allan et al. find that heating of the planet—measured as the difference between the amount of sunlight absorbed by Earth and the longwave radiative energy emitted to space—was greater between 2000 and 2012 than during the earlier time period, 1985–1999, despite the slowing rate of surface warming.
Polymeric micelles in oral chemotherapy

Oral administration of anticancer agents is preferred by patients for its convenience and potential for use in outpatient and palliative setting. In addition, oral administration facilitates a prolonged exposure to the cytotoxic agents. Enhancement of bioavailability of emerging cytotoxic agents is a pre-requisite for successful development of oral modes of cancer treatment. Over the last decade, our studies have focused specifically on the utilization of large (MW>10(5)) and non-degradable polymers in oral chemotherapy. A family of block-graft copolymers of the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) Pluronic(R) polyethers and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) bound by carbon-carbon bonds emerged, wherein both polymeric components are generally recognized as safe. Animal studies with Pluronic-PAA copolymers demonstrated that these molecules are excreted when administered orally and do not absorb into the systemic circulation. The Pluronic-PAA copolymers are surface-active and self-assemble, at physiological pH, into intra- and intermolecular micelles with hydrophobic cores of dehydrated PPO and multilayered coronas of hydrophilic PEO and partially ionized PAA segments. These micelles efficiently solubilize hydrophobic drugs such as paclitaxel and steroids and protect molecules such as camptothecins from the hydrolytic reactions. High surface activity of the Pluronic-PAA copolymers in water results in interactions with cell membranes and suppression of the membrane pumps such as P-glycoprotein. The ionizable carboxyls in the micellar corona facilitate mucoadhesion that enhances the residence time of the micelles and solubilized drugs in the gastrointestinal tract. Large payloads of the Pluronic-PAA micelles with weakly basic and water-soluble drugs such as doxorubicin and its analogs, mitomycin C, mitoxantrone, fluorouracil, and cyclophosphamide are achieved through electrostatic interactions with the micellar corona. Mechanical and physical properties of the Pluronic-PAA powders, blends, and micelles allow for formulation procedures where an active is simply dispersed into an aqueous Pluronic-PAA micellar formulation followed by optional lyophilization and processing into a ready dosage form. We review a number of in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrating that that the oral administration of the cytotoxics formulated with the Pluronic-PAA copolymer micelles results in enhanced drug bioavailability.
A filtration model for large pore nuclepore filters

Abstract A computer model has been developed to predict the collection efficiency of a large pore Nuclepore filter. The model was applied to a 12-μm pore diameter filter, and collection efficiency was studied for operation in the cut point diameter range of 2–3.5 μm and as a function of flow rate, particle specific gravity, and filter thickness and porosity. Particle fractionation was sharpened at higher flow rates and specific gravities, and was unaffected by small variations in filter thickness and porosity. Experimental collection efficiencies verified the filter performance as predicted by the model for most flow rates and particle sizes of interest. The experimental data indicate that the theory begins to overpredict the efficiency at higher flow rates and larger particle diameters.
Ion trapping on vortex lines in rotating 3He-4He mixtures

The trapping lifetime and mobility of positive and negative ions on vortex lines in 3He-4He mixtures have been measured in the temperature range between 0.1 and 1.3 K. The binding energy of the positive ion is found to be reduced by the 3He, and the mobility of both ion species is lowered, providing evidence that the 3He condenses at the vortex core. The negative ion trapping lifetime is smaller than that of the positive ion in the region 0.3–0.5 K, indicating that the bubble structure may be modified by the presence of the condensed 3He. At 0.3 K the negative ion lifetime increases sharply, in qualitative agreement with theoretical models predicting an increase in the bubble radius at that temperature.
HERBERT McCLOSKY AND FRIENDS REVISITED 1980 Democratic and Republican Party Elites Compared to the Mass Public

McClosky's classic study of party leaders and followers is replicated and extended using 1980 data on party elites, party followers, and the mass public. Dramatic interparty differences emerge in terms of liberalism-conservatism and views on public policy issues. As in the McClosky study, party elites tend to take relatively extreme issue positions, while the mass public continues to occupy a centrist position.
One side of a deletion breakpoint from the Drosophila melanogaster genome contains a transposable element

Abstract The deletion-fusion fragment of the Drosophila melanogaster X-chromosome deficiency Df (1) N5419 was cloned in a λ phage vector. DNA on the genetic left side of the fusion contains sequences homologous to the roo family of transposable repetitive elements. Restriction mapping data are consistent with the right end of the roo element being situated near the breakpoint. The deficiency is of spontaneous origin, and it is possible that transposition of the roo element was involved in the deletion event.
Accelerator internal target experiments using a supersonic gas jet

Abstract Internal gas jet targets allow a high degree of flexibility in the design of experiments to study beam-target interactions in circular accelerators. Ultra-thin targets in the range 1–100 ng/cm 2 can be produced at essentially any available beam energy. Since the beam passes through the target approximately 10 5 times per second, the effective target thickness can be comparable to that of a typical thin foil. We have performed a number of experiments at both FNAL and the Brookhaven AGS utilizing mixed and pure gas jet targets to study proton-nucleus collisions. With thousands of hours of experience using a variety of pure and mixed gas targets, we have demonstrated that such a target facility is not only readily adapted to the physical constraints of the accelerator but also offers a wide choice of targets and detector array possibilities. In addition, a target normalization technique is presented utilizing p-p elastic scattering from the hydrogen component of the mixed gas targets.
Channel catfish glutathione S-transferase isoenzyme activity toward (±)-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9, 10-epoxide

The glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) detoxify a number of environmental carcinogens and epoxide intermediates. In the present study, we examined the capacity of channel catfish GSTs to detoxify environmental epoxides, in particular, (±)-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE), the highly mutagenic and carcinogenic epoxide intermediates of benzo[a]pyrene metabolism. Channel catfish hepatic cytosolic GSTs catalyzed the conjugation of BPDE with GSH, but not aflatoxin B1-8,9-epoxide (AFBO), the carcinogenic epoxide intermediate produced during aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) metabolism. Channel catfish cytosolic GSTs were also active toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB, a non-specific GST substrate), δ5-androstene-3, 17-dione (δ5-ADI, a predominantly α class GST substrate) 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene (DCNB, a predominantly μ-class GST substrate), and ethacrynic acid (ECA, a predominantly; π-class GST substrate). Catfish cytosolic GST(s) showed moderate immunological cross-reactivity to polyclonal antibodies against rat α and π class GST isozymes, and limited immunological cross-reactivity to a rat μ class polyclonal antibody. Isoenzymes of GST were purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from channel catfish hepatic cytosol by affinity chromatography and chromatofocusing. The major isoenzymes were tentatively identified as CC-1, CC-2 and CC-4, and a minor GST was identified as CC-5, based in order of decreasing apparent isoelectric points of chromatofocusing. In addition, an acidic fraction of the affinity-purified GSTs was isolated but not analyzed. When the GST isoenzyme fractions were characterized in terms of catalytic activity toward BPDE, all GST isoforms tested exhibited detectable GST-BPDE activity. However, the specific activity of CC-4 toward BPDE was 7- and 17-fold greater than that of CC-1 and CC-2, respectively. CC-4 also displayed the highest activity toward CDNB. The results of this study indicate that the GST-BPDE activity in channel catfish liver cytosol is apparently due to the presence of one or more GST isoenzymes with high specific catalytic activity toward BPDE. The expression of GSTs with high BPDE activity may play a contributing role in the apparent resistance of channel catfish to environmental hepatocarcinogenesis.
Leaching of nitrogen forms, cations, and metals as influenced by compost amendment to a candler fine sand

Abstract Leachability of nitrogen forms, cations, and metals was evaluated in an entisol amended with compost. In this study, sugarcane filter cake (SF) and municipal solid waste plus biosolids (MSW + BSD) compost were applied to a Candler fine sand (hyperthermic, uncoated Typic Quartapsamments) at rates equivalent to 200 kg N ha‐1(on air‐dry weight basis) and intermittently leached with deionized water in 220 mL fractions for a total of 1,760 mL. The concentrations of NO3‐N in leachate were below 10 mg L‐1 (maximum contaminant limit of NO3‐N; drinking water quality standards) for both compost sources. Leaching of most elements was greater from the soil amended with SF as compared to that with MSW + BSD. The highest concentrations of most elements (except P, Fe and Al) were observed in the second or third leachate fractions. The cumulative amount of NO3‐N recovered in 1760 mL leachate accounted for 2.9 and 2.7% of total N applied using SF and MSW + BSD, respectively. Florida Agricultural Experiment Statio...
Emotion regulation and cortisol reactivity to a social-evaluative speech task

Summary Background Previous laboratory studies have found a relationship between experimentally manipulated emotion regulation strategies such as suppression and reappraisal and cardiovascular reactivity. However, these studies have not examined trait forms of these strategies and cortisol responses. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between trait suppression, reappraisal, and cortisol reactivity to a social-evaluative speech task. Methods Participants completed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire [ERQ; Gross, J.J., John, O.P., 2003. Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 85, 348–362] to assess trait suppression and reappraisal and were asked to complete a speech task in front of an evaluative audience. They provided five saliva samples throughout the duration of the session to assess cortisol response patterns. Results Consistent with hypotheses, trait suppression predicted exaggerated cortisol responses to the speech task, with those scoring higher on suppression exhibiting greater cortisol reactivity. High levels of trait reappraisal also predicted exaggerated cortisol reactivity to the speech task. Conclusions Findings suggest that certain emotion regulation strategies such as suppression and reappraisal predict heightened cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor. Future studies should examine the psychological mechanisms through which these emotion regulation strategies affect cortisol response patterns.
The time constants for the electric stimulation of nerve an muscle fibers by point electrodes

For the same nerve or muscle fiber the chronaxy measured using a small electrode located inside the fiber, is different from the chronaxies measured using the same electrode located in the volume conductor outside the fiber. Furthermore, measured chronaxies increase with the distance between the electrode and the fiber. A mathematical formula that relates the time constant of the strength duration curve with the parameters of the system composed by the electrode, the volume conductor and the fiber is used to explain the aforementioned differences for unmyelinated nerve and skeletal muscle fibers. For both extracellular and intracellular electrodes, the time constant is an increasing function of a characteristic length. This length is obtained from a relation between the unstable stationary solutions of Nagumo's nonlinear cable equation and the polarizing effect of the electrodes on the fiber. In the case of extracellular electrodes, the characteristic length is defined as the measure of an interval of influence constructed from the activating function. In the case of point intracellular electrodes,the characteristic length is defined by a construction done with the help of the only bounded but not constant stationary solution of Nagumo's equation
Numerical modeling of turbulent combustion in premixed gases

The influence of the exothermic process of combustion on the turbulent flow field where it occurs is studied by a numerical analysis based on Chorin's random vortex method. The algorithm models the action of elementary turbulent eddies and provides information on their cumulative effects without any distortion due to the computational technique. Mechanical effects of the exothermic process are manifested by a significant change in the density of the flowing substance, and they are modeled by a set of properly distributed volume sources. The technique is applied to the particular case of a combustion tunnel of rectangular cross-section where the flame is stabilized behind a back-facing step. For the sake of simplicity, the analysis is restricted by a formidable array of idealizations. The results mimick nonetheless quite well the essential features of large scale turbulent pattern observed experimentally by means of schlieren photography with the use of a lean propane-air mixture as the flowing substance in the combustion tunnel.
The periosteal hinge flap in the subperiosteal cheek-lift

The ability to effectively correct the aging of the midface has been substantially improved with the use of a subperiosteal approach. The pioneering work in this area has focused on elevation of the midface while minimizing possible complications related to lower eyelid malposition. Because the face ages in a vertical direction, attempts to correct the clinical findings in the aging face have focused on procedures that created vertical lift to reposition the midface soft tissues at a more youthful level. It was this concept that stimulated the periosteal hinge flap as a method of reliably suspending the midface vertically. Combined with procedures to minimize lower lid retraction, this technique has produced substantial midface rejuvenation while minimizing possible sequelae and complications related to the lower eyelid and lateral orbital region. Fixation of the inferior retinaculum of the lateral canthal tendon in the form of a canthopexy, or a canthoplasty, has provided a reliable means of stabilizing the lower lid while minimizing the variables encountered in a more complicated canthoplasty.
RNA-seq analysis revealed novel genes and signaling pathway associated with disease resistance to avian influenza virus infection in chickens

ABSTRACT Avian influenza virus (AIV) is a type A virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae. Avian influenza virus infection can cause significant economic losses to the poultry industry, and raises a great public health threat due to potential host jump from animals to humans. To develop more effective intervention strategies to prevent and control AIV infection in poultry, it is essential to elucidate molecular mechanisms of host response to AIV infection in chickens. The objective of this study was to identify genes and signal pathways associated with resistance to AIV infection in 2 genetically distinct highly inbred chicken lines (Fayoumi, relatively resistant to AIV infection, and Leghorn, susceptible to AIV infection). Three-week-old chickens were inoculated with 107 EID50 of low pathogenic H5N3 AIV, and lungs and trachea were harvested 4 d postinoculation. Four cDNA libraries (1 library each for infected and noninfected Leghorn, and infected and noninfected Fayoumi) were prepared from the lung samples and sequenced by Illumina Genome Analyzer II, which yielded a total of 116 million, 75-bp single-end reads. Gene expression levels of all annotated chicken genes were analyzed using CLC Genomics Workbench. DESeq was used to identify differentially expressed transcripts between infected and noninfected birds and between genetic lines (false discovery rate 2). Of the expressed transcripts in a total of 17,108 annotated chicken genes in Ensembl database, 82.44 and 81.40% were identified in Leghorn and Fayoumi birds, respectively. The bioinformatics analysis suggests that the hemoglobin family genes, the functional involvements for oxygen transportation and circulation, and cell adhesion molecule signaling pathway play significant roles in disease resistance to AIV infection in chickens. Further investigation of the roles of these candidate genes and signaling pathways in the regulation of host-AIV interaction can lead new directions for the development of antiviral drugs or vaccines in poultry.
Kindergarten schedules: Effects on teachers' ability to assess academic achievement

Abstract A study was conducted to compare the effects of kindergarten schedules on teachers' ability to assess end of the year achievement. Subjects included 72 children attending “full-day” kindergarten, 70 children attending “alternate-day” kindergarten, and 53 children attending “half-day” kindergarten. Thirty teachers participated in the study. At the end of the academic year the Metropolitan Readiness Test (MRT) was administered to all children. Teachers were asked to rate the children's academic achievement prior to the administration of the MRT. Findings indicated that teachers' ratings of academic performance were positively and significantly related to children's scores on the MRT for the full-day and half-day teaching schedules. Teachers' ratings of children's achievement in the alternate' day kindergarten were not significantly related to their MRT scores. There were also significant differences between teachers' teaching in the alternate-day schedule and those teaching in the other two schedules in their ability to accurately assess end of the year performance on the MRT. Teachers teaching in the full-day and half-day schedules were more accurate in their ratings as compared to the alternate-day teachers. Implications for kindergarten assessment are discussed.
Decision support flexible manufacturing systems

Abstract The justification of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) is a topic that has gained a lot of attention due to the strategic effect it has on the competitive stature of industrial firms. The decision to convert to FMS should follow a pattern of feasibility assessments, cost/benefit analysis where consideration of issues such as increased quality, productivity and capability as well as tangible benefits takes place. Difficulties, however, arise in the modeling of the behavior of the proposed FMS. This paper introduces the design of a decision support framework that aids the strategic planner in simulating the performance of proposed FMS and in determining the parameters that affect the costs and benefits, tangible and intangible, of such a system. The decision support system (DSS) allows the user to use subjective evaluations of benefits accruing from intangible considerations of new product design, faster turnaround on design-to-market cycles and new marketing strategies in fragmented markets. The DSS enhances the examination of issues such as changing demand, varied tasks and routings, job and machine flexibility, etc. which affect costs and benefits. It performs these important functions by allowing for the development of scenarios that aid in the evaluation of the effect of the conversion from non-flexible to flexible manufacturing on the organization's financial position.
Perceptions of familial risk in those seeking a genetic risk assessment for Alzheimer's disease.

Perceived risk is a complex concept that influences the genetic counseling process and can affect client coping and behavior. Although the association between family history and risk perception is well recognized in the literature, no studies have explored this relationship specifically in those seeking genetic susceptibility testing for a common chronic condition. REVEAL is a randomized trial assessing the impact of APOE disclosure and genetic risk assessment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Using baseline REVEAL data, we hypothesized that there would be a significant association between the degree of AD family history and risk perception of AD, and that this relationship would be stronger in those who believed that genetics is a very important AD risk factor. In our sample of 293 participants, we found that a higher self-perceived risk of AD was associated with strength of family history of AD (p < 0.001), belief in genetics as an important AD risk factor (p < 0.001), being female (p < 0.001) and being Caucasian (p = 0.02). These results are the first to demonstrate the association between family history and risk perception in persons volunteering for genetic susceptibility testing for a common complex disease.
What do we do now? Workflows for an unpredictable world

Workflow systems permit organization of many individual subtasks into a cohesive whole, in order to accomplish a specific mission. For many government and business missions, these systems are used to manage repetitive processes, such as large data-processing and exploitation pipelines. Government missions with strong interactions with the real world are extremely dynamic, as are all missions dealing with error-prone or changing data streams. We contribute a vision for discovery of new steps in adaptive workflow systems, suitability functions that can discover candidate alternatives, and a way forward for sourcing options for decision-makers, without the strong assumptions required by previous work. As data-processing workflows are shared, the sharing entities may find that certain parts of the workflow must be adapted to the new environment of mission. Extremely dynamic environments call for capabilities that support agile operations and pipeline sharing by making it possible to choose relevant actions when a situation invalidates the assumptions of current execution. We adapt some work in schema matching towards this problem, citing key differences between the two sets of challenges.
A Computer Controlled Laboratory Model of a Three-Area, Tieline Power Flow System

A laboratory model of a three-area tieline power flow system is described in this paper. A DEC 11/03 minicomputer and three Motorola M6800 microprocessors are used to acquire data and control tieline power flow. Algorithms are presented that implement data acquisition and permit various control strategies. Student interest in the Power Systems - Machinery Laboratory is greatly enhanced with this model and its related computer-controlled design projects, and this interest continues with further model development of economic dispatch, stability and fault analysis and other area control problems.
A common functional consequence of tumor-derived mutations within c-MYC.

The relevance of changes to the coding sequence of the c-MYC oncogene to malignancy is controversial. Overexpression of a pristine form of MYC is observed in many cancers and is sufficient to drive tumorigenesis in most contexts. Yet missense changes to MYC are found in ~50% of Burkitt’s lymphomas, aggregate within an amino-terminal degron important for proteasomal destruction of MYC, and where examined profoundly enhance the tumorigenic properties of MYC in vitro and in vivo. Much of the controversy surrounding these mutants stems from the limited number of mutations that have been evaluated and their clustering within a single region of the MYC protein; the highly-conserved Myc box I (MbI) element. Here, by analysis of extant genomic data sets, we identify a previously unrecognized hotspot for tumor-associated MYC mutations, located in a conserved central portion of the protein. We show that, despite their distal location in MYC, mutations in this region precisely phenocopy those in MbI in terms of stability, in vitro transformation, growth-promoting properties, in vivo tumorigenesis and ability to escape p53-dependent tumor surveillance mechanisms. The striking parallels between the behavior of tumor-derived mutations in disparate regions of the MYC protein reveals that a common molecular process is disrupted by these mutations, implying an active role for these mutations in tumorigenesis and suggesting that different therapeutic strategies may be needed for treatment of lymphomas expressing wild type versus mutant forms of MYC protein.
Continuous magnetization curves of a single crystal of vanadium with a resistivity ratio of 25

We report on the continuous magnetization curves of a single crystal of vanadium having a resistivity ratio of 25. Our method is based on the electronic integration of the difference signal induced across two idential coils, one of which contains the specimen, as the external magnetic field is cycled over the operating range. The magnetization curves are analyzed to obtain the values of the Ginzburg-Landau parameters kappa/sub 1/ and kappa/sub 2/ as functions of temperature. The lower and upper critical fields as well as the thermodynamic critical field are also given as functions of temperature. The experimental data are compared with the theoretical calculations of Eilenberger and others.
Moving Beyond Surrogate Endpoints in Cell Therapy Trials for Heart Disease

Cell therapy for heart disease began clinically more than a decade ago. Since then, numerous trials have been performed, but the studies have been underpowered, focusing primarily on low-risk patients with a recent myocardial infarction. Many data have accumulated on surrogate endpoints such as ejection fraction, but few clinical conclusions can be drawn from such studies. We argue here that the time is right for targeting larger and/or higher-risk populations for whom there is some expectation of being able to influence mortality or rehospitalization.