cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stochastic WNT signaling between nonequivalent cells regulates adhesion but not fate in the two-cell leech embryo

Abstract Background: In the leech Helobdella robusta , an annelid worm, the early pattern of cell divisions is stereotyped. The unequal first cleavage yields cells AB and CD, which differ in size, cytoplasmic inheritance, normal fate, and developmental potential. Results: Here we report a dynamic and transcription-independent pattern of WNT signaling in the two-cell stage of H. robusta . Surprisingly, HRO-WNT-A is first expressed in a stochastic manner, such that either AB or CD secretes the protein in each embryo. This stochastic phase is followed by a deterministic phase during which first AB, then CD expresses HRO-WNT-A. When contact between the cells is reduced or eliminated, both AB and CD express HRO-WNT-A simultaneously. Finally, bathing embryos in anti-HRO-WNT-A antibody during first cleavage reduces the adhesion between cells AB and CD. Conclusions: Our findings show that the stochastic phase of HRO-WNT-A signaling in the two-cell stage of Helobdella is negatively regulated by cell-cell contact and that this early signaling affects cell adhesion without affecting cell fate. We speculate that the primordial function of wnt class genes may have been to regulate cell-cell adhesion and that the nuclear signaling components of the wnt pathway arose later in association with the evolution of diverse cell types.
A randomized trial of microdose leuprolide acetate protocol versus luteal phase ganirelix protocol in predicted poor responders

We performed a randomized trial to compare IVF outcomes in 54 poor responder patients undergoing a microdose leuprolide acetate (LA) protocol or a GnRH antagonist protocol incorporating a luteal phase E 2 patch and GnRH antagonist in the preceding menstrual cycle. Cancellation rates, number of oocytes retrieved, clinical pregnancy rates (PR), and ongoing PRs were similar between the two groups.
Studies of the effects of O-methylation on the pyrolysis behaviour of four coals

Abstract O-methylation of coal was found to exhibit a noticeable effect on the pyrolysis behaviour of the original coal. Significant increases in tar yields and a low-temperature fraction, 150–300 °C, were found for the low-rank O-methylated coals. It is proposed that methylation prevents formation of new ether cross linkages through water elimination reactions of hydroxyl functional groups thus allowing for the release of a low-temperature fraction as well as a higher temperature tar. KBr studies of CD 3 labelled O-methylated coals using CD 3 I as the methylating agent have resulted in the identification of three distinct i.r. absorptions in the C-D stretching region which have been assigned to methylated phenolic, methylated carboxylic and methylated aliphatic hydroxyl groups. Pyrolysis studies of the O-methylated coals have resulted in better insight into the decomposition mechanisms of different methylated hydroxyl functional groups. Methanol or formaldehyde are seen to be the principle products from the pyrolysis of methylated carboxylic and aliphatic hydroxyls. Decomposition of methylated phenolic groups occurs at a slightly higher temperature and produces principally methane and carbon monoxide.
Elucidation of a Diurnal Pattern of Catechin Exudation by Centaurea stoebe

The exudation of secondary metabolites at phytotoxic concentrations has been proposed as a mechanism of invasion for some exotic plant species. Catechin is a natural flavanoid implicated in the potential allelopathic interactions of Centaurea stoebe. However, recent studies have shown that catechin is highly unstable and not likely to accumulate in growing medium at phytotoxic concentrations. All previous studies that investigated the allelopathic potential of catechin assumed a continuous exudation of this compound by C. stoebe. Contrary to this, but similar to many other plant secondary metabolites, we hypothesized that catechin exudation may exhibit a pulsed pattern that could facilitate its transient accumulation. Further, we aimed at optimizing a more sensitive detection technique. We tested the hypothesis by quantifying the diurnal pattern of catechin release by C. stoebe in a hydroponic system. Using sample processing, based on a solid phase extraction technique, and more sensitive fluorescent detection parameters, we were able to quantify catechin in the picomolar range from the growing medium. Catechin exudation exhibited a possible diurnal rhythm with respect to light intensity, with the highest concentration at 6 h after exposure to sunlight. Catechin also was found to undergo a degradation reaction resulting in a transient abundance of pyrocatechol in our system.
Dynamic stability characteristics of liquid-filled shells

A Galerkin Finite Element formulation for the dynamic stability analysis of liquid-filled shells is given in this paper. The coupling among the axial and circumferential modes is investigated. The dynamic stability characteristics of two liquid-filled storage tanks subjected to vertical, horizontal and rocking seismic excitations are presented. It is shown that a tall tank tends to buckle at distinct frequencies; and for cos θ-type ground excitation, cos 2θ, cos 3θ and cos 4θ are the dominant modes of failure. On the other hand, in a broad tank, buckling regions overlap each other. In particular, for cos θ-type ground excitation, the dominant buckling modes are cos 6θ to cos 9θ, and also cos 12θ to cos 14θ.
Adenovirus E1A products suppress myogenic differentiation and inhibit transcription from muscle-specific promoters

The primary function of the adenovirus ElA-region genes is to activate other adenoviral genes during a permissive viral infection by modifying the host cell transcriptional apparatus1,2. Host cell immortalization, or transformation by the whole adenoviral early region, presumably results as a consequence of these modifications. Both transcriptional activation and transcriptional repression of non-adenoviral genes by the E1A proteins have been reported3–9. It is currently not clear which, if either, of these activities contributes to host cell transformation and immortalization. Although there may be a physiological impact of some ElA-stimulated host cell genes10–12, in many cases the functional significance is unclear, No common target sequences have been recognized in stimulated cellular genes and it has recently been proposed that in many cases, particularly involving newly transfected genes, available 'TATA-box' sequences may be the opportunistic beneficiaries of ElA assistance as a secondary consequence of ElA primary functions within the host cell nucleus1,13. ElA-mediated transcriptional repression appears to be a more specific process insofar as common core elements are shared by the ElA-suppressed SV40, polyoma B, IgG heavy-chain and insulin enhancers9. In the present communication we report that the complete myogenic programme of L8 and C2 myoblasts can be blocked by the introduction of constitutively expressing ElA genes, and show that the transcriptional induction of muscle-specific genes is inhibited. In particular, the promoter-inducing activities of well-defined elements that are required for the muscle-specific expression of the two sarcomeric a-actins, and which normally bind cellular trans-acting factors, become targets for E1A suppression. The results support the hypothesis that the suppression of differentiation by ElA products is effected by an ElA-mediated block in the transcriptional activation of cellular genes by specific developmentally regulated cis-acting promoter elements.
Duality of two-point functions for confining potentials

An analog to the scattering matrix describes the spectrum and high-energy behavior of confined systems. We show that for nonrelativistic systems this S matrix is identical to a two-point function which transparently describes the bound states for all angular momenta. Confined systems can thus be described in a dual fashion. This result makes it possible to study the modification of linear trajectories (originating in a long-range confining potential) due to short-range forces which are unknown except for the way in which they modify the asymptotic behavior of the two-point function. A type of effective-range expansion is one way to calculate the energy shifts.
Mental Illness and Deviant Behavior: Unresolved Conceptual Problems

(1966). Mental Illness and Deviant Behavior: Unresolved Conceptual Problems. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 436-448.
Assessment of the utilization of the antisense RNA strategy to identify essential genes in heterologous bacteria

We employed an antisense RNA approach to identify essential genes common in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by cloning a random library of Streptococcus mutans chromosomal DNA into an expression vector and transforming Escherichia coli. Twelve out of 27 E. coli transformants with growth defective phenotypes contained individual structural genes of S. mutans in the antisense orientation relative to the E. coli promoter. Thirty-three percent of these transformants (4/12) corresponded to the genes (gyrA, ileS, rplE and yihA orthologs) which are essential for bacterial viability.
γ-Secretase Cleavage and Binding to FE65 Regulate the Nuclear Translocation of the Intracellular C-Terminal Domain (ICD) of the APP Family of Proteins†

Regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) produces amyloid β-protein (Aβ), the probable causative agent of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and is therefore an important target for therapeutic intervention. However, there is a burgeoning consensus that γ-secretase, one of the proteases that generates Aβ, is also critical for the signal transduction of APP and a growing list of other receptors. APP is a member of a gene family that includes two amyloid precursor-like proteins, APLP1 and APLP2. Although APP and the APLPs undergo similar proteolytic processing, there is little information about the role of their γ-secretase-generated intracellular domains (ICDs). Here, we show that APLP1 and 2 undergo presenilin-dependent RIP similar to APP, resulting in the release of a ∼6 kDa ICD for each protein. Each of the ICDs are degraded by an insulin degrading enzyme-like activity, but they can be stabilized by members of the FE65 family and translocate to the nucleus. Given that modu...
Anterior Segment Upper Lobe Tuberculosis in the Adult: Occurrence in Primary and Reactivation Disease

Nine patients with pulmonary tuberculosis involving predominantly or exclusively the anterior segment of one or both upper lobes were seen over a five-year period. The incidence of anterior segment upper lobe tuberculosis was 6.3 percent of 142 patients presenting with pulmonary tuberculosis during the same time period. Five of the nine patients with anterior segment upper lobe involvement had reactivation disease. An increased incidence of advanced age, diabetes, associated malignant neoplasms, alcoholism, and steroid use were noted in those patients with anterior segment involvement, although only the occurrence of diabetes was statistically significant. We suggest vigilance with regard to the diagnosis of tuberculosis in patients who are elderly, diabetic, or alcohol abusers, particularly where the roentgenographic appearance of anterior segment upper lobe involvement would tend to favor an alternative diagnosis. (Chest 1990; 97:384–88)
Effect of fenfluramine on reinstatement of food seeking in female and male rats: implications for the predictive validity of the reinstatement model.

Rationale and objectives Relapse to old unhealthy eating habits while dieting is often provoked by stress or acute exposure to palatable foods. We adapted a rat reinstatement model, which is used to study drug relapse, to study mechanisms of relapse to palatable food seeking induced by food-pellet priming (non-contingent exposure to a small amount of food pellets) or injections of yohimbine (an alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonist that causes stress-like responses in humans and non-humans). Here, we assessed the predictive validity of the food reinstatement model by studying the effects of fenfluramine, a serotonin releaser with known anorectic effects, on reinstatement of food seeking.
In vivo characterization of extracellular GABA release in the caudate nucleus and prefrontal cortex of the rhesus monkey

Extracellular gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) levels were measured in the caudate nucleus and the prefrontal cortex of the rhesus monkey brain using in vivo microdialysis under isofluorane gas anesthesia. Evoked GABA release was investigated for voltage sensitivity and calcium (Ca2+) dependency. There was a multifold increase in extracellular GABA levels following local perfusion with: (1) high potassium (50 mM, KCI), (2) veratridine (10 microM), and (3) the GABA releasing agent and uptake blocker, (-) nipecotic acid (1 mM). Release of GABA was significantly reduced when veratridine or (-) nipecotic acid were coinfused in Ca(2+)-free cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Coinfusion of nipecotic acid with TTX (10 microM) also resulted in attenuation of evoked GABA release. These results suggest that GABA levels recovered using in vivo microdialysis, from the caudate nucleus and the prefrontal cortex in the rhesus monkey, derive in significant part from vesicular pools and the exocytotic process is both Ca(2+)-dependent and voltage-sensitive.
Testing the relationship between job stress and satisfaction in correctional nurses.

Background: Correctional nurses function in a high stress environment due to the nature of their clients and the primacy of environmental security. Job stress and satisfaction are theorized relational concepts that influence intent to stay and turnover as described in the anticipated turnover model. An.increased understanding of the nature and sources of stress and satisfaction provides necessary information about correctional nursing. Objective: To (a) replicate an earlier study of correctional nurses to determine whether similar findings could be duplicated in a study of prison nurses from another state and (b) test the concepts of stress and satisfaction as represented in the anticipated turnover model. Methods: Using the Index of Work Satisfaction and the Nurse Stress Index, a correlational mail survey was designed to assess job stress and satisfaction among 454 nurses in a northeastern state prison system. Results: Overall stress scores were not significantly different from the original study despite differences in demographic characteristics. Highest to lowest mean scores on actual sources of satisfaction include physician nurse interaction, autonomy, professional status, task requirements, organizational policies, and pay. Satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the original study. An inverse relationship exists between job stress and satisfaction among correctional nurses. Job stress was a significant predictor of job satisfaction, supporting the theorized conceptual relationship between job stress and job satisfaction as described in the anticipated turnover model. Discussion: Stress levels and the top two sources of stress were essentially the same for both groups of correctional nurses. Sources of satisfaction are ranked similarly but subscale and overall scores indicate that the nurses in the replication study were more dissatisfied. Findings validate the theoretical proposition in the anticipated turnover model that job stress is a major predictor variable in explaining job satisfaction.
Ocular surface squamous neoplasia masquerading as superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis

To report a case of ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) masquerading as superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis (SLK). A 62-year-old woman was referred with foreign body sensation, irritation, photophobia and decreased vision in the left eye. She was initially treated for 10 months with intermittent topical corticosteroids for a presumed diagnosis of SLK. She underwent excisional biopsy of the superior conjunctiva and was found, on histopathologic evaluation, to have OSSN with moderate to marked dysplasia. This is the first reported case of OSSN masquerading with signs and symptoms of SLK. Any ocular surface lesion refractory to standard medical treatment should raise suspicion for a malignant process and warrant further cytologic or histopathologic evaluation.
Description and implementation of a quality control program in an imaging-based clinical trial.

Rationale and Objectives The American College of Radiology Imaging Network is participating in the National Lung Screening Trial, a large, multicenter, randomized controlled trial, comparing multidetector helical computed tomography (MDCT) versus chest radiography (CXR) in screening for lung cancer. Because the threshold for detection of disease is an inherent function of image quality, and consistent image quality is necessary to track changes in suspicious findings, our purpose was to develop an image quality control (QC) program across all clinical sites for both modalities. Materials and Methods The primary goals of the QC program include standardization of imaging protocols, certification of imaging equipment, and ongoing, periodic evaluation of the equipment calibration and image quality. Minimum standards for equipment and standardized cross-platform acquisition protocols are achieved via radiologist and physicist attestation forms and web-distributed technique charts, respectively. Imaging equipment performance standards are implemented through an initial machine certification process that includes equipment calibration. Ongoing assessment of equipment performance and calibration, as well as adherence to established imaging protocols. is accomplished via periodic submission of calibration records and phantom images. Participant-specific image acquisition parameters are entered into a web-based centralized database and variations from established protocols are automatically flagged for review. Participant radiation dose can be estimated from the image acquisition parameters applied to the imaging equipment calibration measurements. A radiologist visual review committee also evaluates participant images for diagnostic quality. Data are collected from 23 independent centers, representing 14 models of MDCT scanners from four manufacturers, and CXR systems that include film-screen, computed radiography, and direct digital radiography systems. Results Widespread imaging protocol variation in extant clinical practice—as well as variability in equipment technology, image acquisition parameters, manufacturer terminology, and user interface—have required careful standardization as a prerequisite to trial participation and ongoing image QC. Acceptable ranges for image acquisition parameters have been refined to accommodate continuously evolving equipment platforms and the scope of participant size and body habitus. Conclusion Standardization of imaging protocols is a critical component of image-based clinical trials, predicated on ongoing dialogue between sites and a centralized review committee.
Assessing the IQ-earnings link in environmental lead impacts on children: Have hazard effects been overstated?

Studies in the 1990s by Schwartz and by Salkever provided the bases for measuring the earnings impacts of IQ decrements due to lead exposure for children, and many subsequent regulatory, policy guidance, and academic analyses adopted the estimates from these studies. Results by Salkever implied somewhat greater impacts of IQ decrements, but have been contested, in a series of more recent critical review articles, as overestimates of the negative impacts on children׳s future earnings caused by IQ decrements due to lead exposure. This paper examines the contentions of proponents of this overstatement hypothesis, the applicability of the evidence they offer, and the results from an additional important study from 1998 heretofore overlooked in the literature. Results of this examination indicate that the evidence for the overstatement hypothesis is seriously flawed. Studies cited to support this hypothesis (1) often report only evidence on wage impacts and thus ignore IQ impacts on hours of work and work participation rates, (2) give lesser weight to or completely exclude population groups that show relatively higher IQ impacts (e.g., women), and (3) give substantial weight to pre-1980 wage and earning data, thereby omitting the influence of recent upward trends in skill differentials in earnings and increasing returns to education. Because of these and other deficiencies, available evidence does not substantiate the overstatement hypothesis. In contrast, recent evidence overlooked by the proponents of this hypothesis suggests that the results reported by Salkever understate the actual strength of the negative IQ impacts from lead exposure.
A facility neighborhood search heuristic for capacitated facility location with single-source constraints and flexible demand

We consider a generalization of the well-known capacitated facility location problem with single source constraints in which customer demand contains a flexible dimension. This work focuses on providing fast and practically implementable optimization-based heuristic solution methods for very large scale problem instances. We offer a unique approach that utilizes a high-quality efficient heuristic within a neighborhood search to address the combined assignment and fixed-charge structure of the underlying optimization problem. We also study the potential benefits of combining our approach with a so-called very large-scale neighborhood search (VLSN) method. As our computational test results indicate, our work offers an attractive solution approach that can be tailored to successfully solve a broad class of problem instances for facility location and similar fixed-charge problems.
Precision of Iodine Quantification in Hepatic CT: Effects of Reconstruction (FBP and MBIR) and Imaging Parameters

In hepatic CT imaging, the lesion enhancement after the injection of contrast media is of quantitative interest. However, the precision of this quantitative measurement may be dependent on the imaging techniques such as dose and reconstruction algorithm. To determine the impact of different techniques, we scanned an iodinated liver phantom with acquisition protocols of different dose levels, and reconstructed images with different algorithms (FBP and MBIR) and slice thicknesses. The contrast of lesions was quantified from the images, and its precision was calculated for each protocol separately. Results showed that precision was improved by increasing dose, increasing slice thickness, and using MBIR reconstruction. When using MBIR instead of FBP, the same precision can be achieved at 50% less dose. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the quantification precision in hepatic CT imaging using iterative reconstructions.
Controlled Lagrangian particle tracking error under biased flow prediction

In this paper we model the controlled Lagrangian particle tracking (CLPT) error for marine vehicles moving in an ocean flow field, with guidance from ocean models. We linearize the error about the nominal modeled trajectory of the system and derive an exact expression for the linearized error in the case of constant modeled ocean flow. We show that this simple error model can be used to estimate error in predicted positions of autonomous vehicles, using data from a field deployment of autonomous underwater gliders in Long Bay, SC, in winter 2012.
PETS AS TRANSITIONAL OBJECTS : THEIR ROLE IN CHILDREN'S EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Children's use of pets as transitional objects and the contributions of pets to children's emotional well-being were examined. The sample included 94 boys and 80 girls in preschool through Grade 5; 70% were current pet owners, and 30% were not pet owners. Each participant was individually interviewed using a structured interview format of 20 questions for current pet owners and three questions for non-pet owners to assess perceptions about the role of friendships between animals and humans, shared activities between children and pets, ways animals and humans communicate love for one another, types of verbal and nonverbal communication and interactions between animals and humans, and ways animals provide love, security, and emotional support to humans. Analysis indicated that children perceive their pets as special friends, important family members, and providers of social interactions, affection, and emotional support. Results are discussed in terms of the parallels between children's use of inanimate transitional objects and their use of pets as transitional objects.
Auld Lang Syne [Microwave Surfing]

In July 1922, when the information department of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (ATT US$1.50 per year), the field of electrical communication was still in its infancy.
Phase resetting and frequency entrainment of essential tremor.

Abstract Step and sinusoidal forcings were delivered to the wrists of 10 patients with advanced essential tremor using a computer-controlled torque motor. Consistent (type 0) phase resetting was produced in only 5 patients, whereas all 10 patients exhibited harmonic and 2: 1 subharmonic entrainment of essential tremor. These results indicate that the oscillator of essential tremor is coupled to the stretch-reflex arc. Irregularity in the tremor rhythm and postperturbation mechanical-reflex oscillations obscured the phase of essential tremor, thereby impeding the computation of phase resetting curves. Sinusoidal forcings circumvented these problems, but frequency entrainment was produced only by forcings at frequencies within ±1 Hz of the tremor frequency and its second harmonic. Resonance accompanied frequency entrainment and probably plays a role in the clinical expression of tremor.
An efficient job scheduling algorithm for mixed turnaround and deadline applications

Abstract Computer job scheduling is often performed with little understanding of the formal properties of the jobs being scheduled. One reason for this is that optimal solutions for job scheduling on computers are difficult to obtain if the job stream has mixed objectives, i.e., it consists of some jobs whose turnaround time has to be minimized and others whose deadlines must be met. A practical algorithm for scheduling mixed job streams on monoprogrammed computers, with potential application to a multiprogramming environment, is presented. The algorithm takes into account variable cost rates for each job. Experimental results illustrate the efficiency of the algorithm in terms of both its proximity to optimal solutions and its low computational complexity.
BRIDGING THE DISCONNECTION BETWEEN APPLIED RESEARCH AND PRACTICE: A REVIEW OF TREATMENTS THAT WORK: EMPIRICALLY SUPPORTED STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING CHILD BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS BY ED CHRISTOPHERSEN AND SUSAN MORTWEET

In recent years, behavior analysts have lamented a disconnection between applied research and practice. In their book, Treatments That Work: Empirically Supported Strategies for Managing Child Behavior Problems, Christophersen and Mortweet (2001) have attempted to bridge this gap for medical and behavioral health providers alike by describing empirically supported treatments, derived from behavior therapy and its application, that are specifically designed for challenging problems commonly seen in typical children. The book is clearly intended for both primary care physicians and behavior therapists, and in this article, we review the extent to which the book meets the needs of each. Discussion centers on the extent to which the book can meet the need for both technical precision and conceptual breadth in training of behavior therapists. We conclude that, in making explicit the connections between research and practice, the authors have provided a useful clinical teaching tool and have also raised important questions about how best to establish collaborative relationships with physicians and promote the use of behavioral technology in primary care.
Some Considerations of the Effect of Radiation on the Performance of Liquid Fuel Rockets

Equations have been developed for estimating the temperature rise, caused by the absorption of radiant energy, of a small volume element of cool gas or of a liquid droplet moving along the axis of a cylindrical chamber. The absorbing material was assumed to move with constant velocity and to be surrounded at all times by hot radiating gases distributed uniformly throughout the cylindrical chamber. A sample calculation has been carried out for an absorbing volume element of gas moving with a linear velocity of 1.15×104 cm/sec. through a cylindrical chamber (30 cm in length and 14 cm in diameter) filled uniformly with graybody emitters at 3000°K and 20 atmos. pressure. The mass emissivity of the radiating gases was chosen to be 40 sq. cm/g. The upper limit for the temperature rise of the moving gases, caused by the absorption of radiant energy, was found to be about 100°K for the chosen conditions.
Evidence for a Splenic Release Factor of Platelets in Chronic Blood Loss Plasma of Rabbits

Summary. Rabbits subjected to chronic blood loss with iron supplementation raised their platelet count and megathrombocyte number 1.7x and 2.1 x above baseline, respectively. In similarly treated splenectomized animals, no significant response was obtained. When chronic blood loss plasma was injected into recipient animals there was a rise in platelet count and megathrombocyte number of 1.8 x and 3.4 x respectively compared to animals injected with control plasma. In similarly treated splenectomized animals no such rise was obtained; neither was there a rise in platelet count or megathrombocyte number in intact recipient animals when chronic blood loss plasma was obtained from splenectomized animals. It is concluded that the thrombocytosis of chronic blood loss requires the presence of an intact spleen. The data suggest the presence of a release factor which requires the spleen for its elaboration as well as expression.
Regulation of osteoblast gene expression and phenotype by polylactide-fatty acid surfaces

Cell function is influenced by surface structure and molecules. Molecules that enhance cellular differentiation can be applied to tissue scaffold surfaces to stimulate endogenous tissue regeneration. The application of this approach to bone implants yields surfaces coated with factors (proteins, peptides, etc...) that promote the differentiation of osteoblasts, the cells that make bone. Increased bone formation leads to increased healing and union of the implant with endogenous bone. To obtain better control over surface coating we developed PLLA copolymers with allyl (PLLA-co-DAG) and 3-hydroxypropyl (PLLA-co-HP) side chains to which we can attach functional groups. Given the potential of fatty acids being able to incorporate into lipid bilayers and/or influence gene expression, we grafted different fatty acid side chains to PLLA-co-HP by esterifying the corresponding fatty acids with the PLLA-co-HP 3-hydroxypropyl side chains. The effects of the polymer modifications on osteoblasts were then evaluated. While cellular morphology differed between surface coatings, they did not reflect changes in cellular phenotype. Changes in gene expression were most evident with arachidonate and 3-hydroxypropyl side-chains which exhibited osteoblast differentiating capabilities. Linoleate, myristate, oleate, and stearate ester side-chains did not have a significant influence on osteoblast phenotype. Growth characteristics of osteoblasts did not differ between the fatty acid copolymer films, although cells grown on PLLA-co-HP exhibited a trend toward increased growth. Taken together our findings demonstrate that surface fatty acid composition can impact osteoblast phenotype.
Biotin reagents for antibody pretargeting. Synthesis, radioiodination, and in vitro evaluation of water soluble, biotinidase resistant biotin derivatives.

As part of our development of antibody pretargeting for cancer therapy, an investigation has been conducted to examine the stability of water solubilized, radioiodinated biotin derivatives toward biotinidase degradation in mouse and human serum. Eight new biotin derivatives were synthesized to conduct the study. The biotin derivatives synthesized contained (1) the biotin moiety, (2) a water solubilizing linker moiety, (3) p-iodobenzoate or p-tri-n-butylstannylbenzoate moieties, and (4) in some of the compounds, N-methyl or α-methyl containing moieties were added to block biotinidase activity. The linker moiety, 4,7,10-trioxa-1,13-tridecanediamine, 5, was included in the biotin derivatives to improve their water solubility, and it also functioned as a 17 A spacer between the biotin and the benzoyl moieties. Four of the new biotin derivatives (12, 14, 22, and 23) contained a p-tri-n-butylstannylbenzoyl moiety as precursors which could be radioiodinated in the last synthetic step. The other four biotin deriv...
Semiclassical estimation of the radiative mean lifetime of an electron in a (Landau) bound state in a uniform magnetic field

We give a simple semiclassical derivation of the radiative mean lifetime \ensuremath{\tau}(${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{r}}$) of an electron in a bound state in a uniform magnetic field B, that is, in a Landau state. The state is characterized by two quantum numbers ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{r}}$ and ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{l}}$ and by the velocity component ${\mathit{v}}_{\mathit{z}}$ of the electron parallel to B, but \ensuremath{\tau} is independent of ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{l}}$ and ${\mathit{v}}_{\mathit{z}}$; ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{r}}$ and ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{l}}$ are the right and left circular Landau quantum numbers. The approach used is similar to that which has been applied in the semiclassical estimation of the radiative mean lifetime \ensuremath{\tau}(n,l) of an electron in a hydrogenlike state with quantum numbers n and l. As in that case, the results become exact only in the limit in which the relevant quantum number(s)---in the present case ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{r}}$---approach infinity, but \ensuremath{\tau}(${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{r}}$) is reasonably accurate even for ${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{r}}$ rather small. ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathit{z}}$, the z component of the orbital angular momentum of an electron in the field B=Be${\mathrm{^}}_{\mathit{z}}$, need not normally be considered, since the equation of motion is known. (The equation is gauge independent and only the rate of change of ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathit{z}}$ is necessary to estimate the mean lifetime.) However, since the change in ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathit{z}}$ accounts for the angular momentum given up to the photon which is radiated and since ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathit{z}}$ is formally gauge dependent, it is worth studying by itself. We evaluate ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathit{z}}$ in several ways; in one evaluation, the field B=Be${\mathrm{^}}_{\mathit{z}}$ is simulated by a magnetic monopole placed at a great distance from the circulating electron. We find that ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathit{z}}$ is half the mechanical orbital angular momentum and therefore that the field contribution to the total angular momentum cannot be omitted when applying angular momentum conservation.
Preparation and Sintering Behavior of Fine‐Grained A12O3‐SiO2 Composite

A fine, uniform Al2O3-SiO2 powder was prepared by heterocoagulation of narrow Al2O3 and SiO2 powders. This composite powder was dispersed, compacted, and fired in air at 900 to 1580 C for 1 to 13 h. Full density was achieved at 1550 C with the formation of a mullite phase. Relative densities of 83 percent and 98 percent (0.3 micron grain size) were measured for samples sintered at 1200 C for 13 h and at 1400 C for 1 h, respectively. 9 references.
Indirect shoot organogenesis from leaves of Dieffenbachia cv. Camouflage

A novel protocol for indirect shoot organogenesis of Dieffenbachia cv. Camouflage was established using leaf explants excised from in vitro shoot cultures. The frequency of callus formation reached 96% for explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (1962) basal medium supplemented with 5 μM thidiazuron and 1 μM 2,4-dichlorophenozyacetic acid. The number of shoots regenerated was high, with up to 7.9 shoots produced per callus cultured on basal medium supplemented with 40 μM N6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenine and 2 μM indole-3-acetic acid. Regenerated shoots rooted well in a soilless substrate, acclimatized ex vitro at 100%, and grew vigorously under shaded greenhouse conditions. Somaclonal variations in leaf variegation, color, and morphology have been observed in regenerated plants.
Open Access: Staying Up to Date

The implementation of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Public Access Policy brought the subject of open access to the forefront in the minds of both librarians and researchers. This article provides a brief overview of the NIH Public Access Policy and other issues pertaining to scholarly publishing and open access. A number of online resources for staying current are described.
Protein kinase C-δ (PKC-δ) and PKC-α mediate Ca2+-dependent increases in CNP mRNA in human vascular cells

C type natriuretic peptide (CNP) functions as a paracrine/autocrine vasoprotectant. CNP mRNA is up-regulated in human vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) by PDGF-BB via a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent pathways, and by general PKC activation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). In this report we examine the calcium dependence and isotype specificity of these PKC/CNP pathways. The PKC-δ-specific inhibitor rottlerin blocked the increase in CNP mRNA and immunoreactive CNP following treatment of aortic SMC (AoSMC) with PDGF-BB. A 300-400-fold PMA-induced elevation of CNP transcript levels in AoSMC and a ~40-fold increase in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) were reduced by PKC-α- and PKC-δ-, but not PKC-β-specific inhibitors. siRNA silencing of PKC-δ reduced PDGF-, but not PMA-stimulated CNP transcript in SMC. Inhibition of intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization abolished a PMA-stimulated increase in CNP transcript in both SMC and HAEC. The results of this study show that PDGF increases CNP in SMC via a protein kinase C-δ-dependent pathway. In contrast, PMA increases CNP expression using PKC-α- and PKC-δ-pathways in both SMC and HAEC. A 8-10-fold greater PMA-induced increase in CNP transcript in SMC than in HAEC suggests that smooth muscle cells could be selectively targeted for CNP up-regulation by PKC-α- and PKC-δ-activators.
The admissibility of hypnotic evidence in u.s. courts

For the past two decades, the American judiciary has confronted the admissibility of hypnotic evidence in criminal prosecutions. These courts have uniformly rejected the admissibility of out-of-court statements made while an individual is in hypnosis. In contrast, the courts divided sharply over the admissibility of hypnotically refreshed testimony. Some courts adopted a per se rule of exclusion; these courts, however, also carved out exceptions for testimony based on prehypnotic memory and testimony of the accused. Courts admitting hypnotically refreshed testimony adopted three different positions: (a) a "credibility" approach, which left the reliability issue to the jury; (b) a "discretionary admission" approach, which left the reliability issue to the trial judge; and (c) a "procedural safeguards" approach. In addition, constitutional concerns played an influential role in some of these cases. This diversity in the case law often resulted from a judicial failure to understand the scientific research on hypnosis. Courts have also considered the use of hypnosis as a basis for expert testimony about an accused's mental state. Unless the advantages of hypnotically refreshed testimony are significant, why add more problems?
π Diffraction dissociation from nuclei and the A1 resonance

An independent-particle model has been used within the framework of Glauber’s theory to describe the π diffraction dissociation from nuclei. An analysis of the experimental data on π→πϱ of the Orsay-Milan-Saclay and Berkeley collaboration has been carried out in terms of this model. The main purpose is to investigate the nature of the A1 enhancement. The following two hypotheses have been considered: 1) A1 as a πϱ resonance and II) A1 as a system of two uncorrelated particles π and ϱ. The results of the present analysis favour the hypothesis of a πϱ resonance and indicate\(\sigma _{{\rm A}_1 } \mathcal{N} \simeq \sigma _{\pi \mathcal{N}} \). A crucial test for the nature of A1 has been proposed on the basis of the nuclear-absorption effect. The method can also be applied for the identification of the Q-meson.
Formation of a cross-linking complex of dinitrogenase reductase-activating glycohydrolase (DRAG) with membrane proteins from Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores

Association of dinitrogenase reductase-activating glycohydrolase (DRAG) with membrane proteins of chromatophores has been investigated. The formation of a multicomponent complex between DRAG and membrane proteins was demonstrated in the presence of glutaraldehyde and EDC/NHS (N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride/hydroxy-2,5-dioxopyrrolidine-3-sulfonic acid sodium salt). Complex formation was observed both in native chromatophore membrane and in chromatophores treated with 0.5 M NaCl in the presence of homogeneous DRAG and glutaraldehyde in cross-reaction. The molecular weight of the complex was around 200 kD, which is consistent with the association of DRAG with three or more chromatophore membrane proteins. A specific complex with molecular weight of about 75 kD was formed only in the presence of EDC/NHS in the cross-linking reaction. It was demonstrated that ammonium transport protein and P11 protein are possible candidates for association with DRAG in chromatophore membranes.
In vitro evaluation of the reliability of the Root ZX electronic apex locator

Aim An experimental comparison of the Root ZX apex locator with the real measurement of the root canal length was carried out using a saline gel to simulate the periodontium. Methodology Lengths were taken when the needle reached the 0.5 mark and the Apex mark on the meter. These measurements were then compared with a calculated reference length representing the real length of the root canal. Reliability was assessed using Student’s t-test. Precision was assessed using the mean and standard deviation of differences. Results The Root ZX gave measurements within a range of 0.5 mm in 84.72% of the cases. The intra-operator and inter-operator variabilities were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusions The Root ZX is not capable of detecting the ‘0.5 mm from the foramen’ position and thus, should only be used to detect the foramen (major diameter).
Similar muscle protein synthesis rates in young men and women: men aren't from Mars and women aren't from Venus.

men have more muscle than women, and several attempts have been made to determine the physiological mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon by measuring the rates of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and breakdown (MPB) without much luck so far. Except for one group of investigators who reported
Triple jeopardy: impact of partner violence perpetration, mental health and substance use on perceived unmet need for mental health care among men

Objectives To examine the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, serious mental illness, and substance use and perceived unmet need for mental health treatment in the past year among men in the general population using the behavioral model for health-care use (Aday and Anderson in Health Serv Res 9:208–220, 1974; Andersen in A behavioral model of families’ use of health services, 1968; Andersen in Med Care 46:647–653, 2008).
Establishment of Latent Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection in Resistant, Sensitive, and Immunodeficient Mouse Strains

Productive infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 is limited by both innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether these mechanisms also play a role in the establishment of latent HSV infection. First we examined the trigeminal ganglia (TG) of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), interferon-gamma knockout (GKO), and beige (a strain deficient in natural killer cell activity) mice following ocular inoculation with HSV. Although infection of SCID mice was invariably lethal, we consistently found latently infected neurons in the TG of these animals at 2-4 days postinoculation. HSV infection of GKO and beige mice, while not lethal, was characterized by a greater number of productively infected TG neurons and/or a delay in the time to peak productive infection compared to C57BL/6 controls. However, as assayed by both in situ hybridization for LAT expression and quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) for viral DNA, we found that HSV established a latent infection in GKO and beige mice as efficiently as in C57BL/6 controls. We subsequently examined the TG of "HSV-sensitive" strains of mice (Swiss-Webster, CBA, and BALB/c) following ocular infection with HSV. At the peak of acute ganglionic infection the number of productively infected TG neurons in each of these mouse strains was about sevenfold greater than in the "HSV-resistant" strain C57BL/6, consistent with previously reported differences in susceptibility to lethal challenge with HSV. However, as assayed by both in situ hybridization for LAT and Q-PCR for viral DNA, we found that HSV established a latent infection in Swiss-Webster, CBA, and BALB/c mice as efficiently as in C57BL/6 controls. We conclude that HSV efficiently establishes latent infection in the TG of mice in the absence of innate and adaptive immune mechanisms that are essential for limiting productive viral infection.
Effect of enteral and parenteral feeding in malnourished rats with E. coli-Hemoglobin adjuvant peritonitis☆

Abstract Protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) in rats was produced by 14 days of feeding a 2% agar protein depletion diet. Refeeding by dextrose-amino acid solution, parenterally or enterally in comparable amounts, resulted in greater weight gains of iv fed animals compared to orally fed rats, but comparable total body nitrogen and nitrogen balance. When Escherichia coli -hemoglobin adjuvant peritonitis was induced after 14 days of iv or enteral feeding, rats fed the iv solution orally had a significantly improved survival over intravenously fed cohorts. These experiments suggest that resistance to peritonitis of malnourished rats repleted with dextrose-amino acid solution is improved by oral feeding and unchanged by iv administration of substrate.
Dynamics of internet Visibility: Mutual Benefits for Distinguished Alumni and Alma Mater?

Every college and university institutional advancement office would like to point to eminent alumni, living or deceased, as part of the institution's cultural legacy. However, little is known about the dynamics of how eminent alumni influence the reputations of their alma maters, particularly in the age of the internet. Has the internet created a new set of conditions that can level the playing field, providing new opportunities for younger institutions with few claims to eminent alumni? Or does the internet merely magnify advantages that older, well-established and endowed institutions already enjoy? This paper addresses this issue with new data on the internet visibility of institutions and their most eminent alumni, that is, US presidents.
The substrate specificity of glutamic acid dehydrogenase

Abstract An enzyme present in chicken liver, beef liver, and pig kidney has been found to catalyze a diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN)-dependent oxidation of l -leucine. Crystalline l -glutamic acid dehydrogenase is found to bring about the same reaction. The data obtained so far support the contention that the oxidation of leucine, as well as other l -α-amino acids, may be attributed to the nonspecific action of l -glutamic acid dehydrogenase. Its optimum pH varies with the substrate and is 8.4 for glutamate but 9.8 for leucine.
Next Generation ROADM architecture and design

Next Generation ROADM design that supports Colorless Directionless and Contentionless (CDC) architecture and supports Flexible grid is described. Benefits of CDC Flexible grid ROADM architecture are discussed. Tradeoffs between different aspects of design are presented.