cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conservation of Cdc14 phosphatase specificity in plant fungal pathogens: implications for antifungal development

Cdc14 protein phosphatases play an important role in plant infection by several fungal pathogens. This and other properties of Cdc14 enzymes make them an intriguing target for development of new antifungal crop treatments. Active site architecture and substrate specificity of Cdc14 from the model fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScCdc14) are well-defined and unique among characterized phosphatases. Cdc14 appears absent from some model plants. However, the extent of conservation of Cdc14 sequence, structure, and specificity in fungal plant pathogens is unknown. We addressed this by performing a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Cdc14 family and comparing the conservation of active site structure and specificity among a sampling of plant pathogen Cdc14 homologs. We show that Cdc14 was lost in the common ancestor of angiosperm plants but is ubiquitous in ascomycete and basidiomycete fungi. The unique substrate specificity of ScCdc14 was invariant in homologs from eight diverse species of dikarya, suggesting it is conserved across the lineage. A synthetic substrate mimetic inhibited diverse fungal Cdc14 homologs with similar low µM Ki values, but had little effect on related phosphatases. Our results justify future exploration of Cdc14 as a broad spectrum antifungal target for plant protection.
High Efficiency Bandwidth VHF Electrically Small Antennas Through Direct Antenna Modulation

The increasing need to improve the bandwidth and efficiency in antennas is a continuous topic of research in RF systems. However, when it comes to physical platforms that are electrically small relative to the desired frequency of operation, balancing miniaturization, bandwidth, and efficiency is challenging and often counterintuitive. To overcome these challenges, this article proposes utilizing a direct antenna modulated (DAM) electrically small antenna (ESA). Here, we propose using efficiency–bandwidth (EB) product in theoretically analyzing and in measuring the improvement of DAM over a conventional capacitively loaded loop antenna (CLLA). To quantify the benefits of DAM, a prototyped antenna with DAM ( $0.0275\lambda \times 0.0251\lambda$ ) was designed and it successfully transmits a binary-frequency shift keying (BFSK) signal centered at 75 MHz. Though transistor parasitics reduce the possible EB product improvement, $\boldsymbol {\beta }$ , of DAM, measurements show the key importance of maintaining proper switching synchronization to achieve system bandwidths beyond the antenna’s impedance bandwidth. The DAM system achieves significant measured EB product improvement, ${\beta }$ , up to 5 over bit rates of 700 kb/s–7 Mb/s.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Primary Jaw Lesions at Massachusetts General Hospital

Purpose To review the demographic data, presenting symptoms, location, radiographic findings, treatment, and prognosis of pediatric jaw lesions in children treated at a single academic institution. Patients and Methods A retrospective medical record review was undertaken of patients younger than 18 years who presented to the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children between 2006 and 2018 with a primary jaw lesion. Results About 164 patients were identified. The most common lesions were giant cell tumors (n = 25), odontogenic keratocysts (n = 24), simple bone cysts (n = 19), odontomas (n = 17), fibrous dysplasia (n = 11), and dentigerous cysts (n = 11). Fifty-one patients (30.7%) were asymptomatic. About 94% were referred by their dentist, outside oral and maxillofacial surgeon or orthodontist. Most common presenting symptoms were swelling (66.9%), pain (32.5%), tooth mobility (17.5%), and neurosensory change (6.6%). Mandibular location was most common (72.3%). Radiographically, most were well-circumscribed radiolucencies with mean size of 2.9 cm (range, 0.7 to 15.6). Treatment varied from excisional biopsy to wide composite resection. Mean follow-up time was 38 months (range, 1 to 204). Recurrence was found in 21%. Conclusions Pediatric jaw lesions are often asymptomatic and discovered incidentally by dental practitioners on routine examination. Clinical features (age, gender, location, and radiographic appearance) can help narrow the differential and expedite treatment. It is important that clinicians involved in the care of children be familiar with the wide differential diagnosis and management considerations of primary jaw lesions.
Translation and linguistic validation of the Female Genitourinary Pain Index in Spanish

We sought to develop a Spanish translation of the Female Genitourinary Pain Index (GUPI) and to validate this instrument in US Latina women. Translation back-translation was performed to create the initial Spanish version. Bilingual women with pelvic and/or genitourinary pain were recruited from clinical sites and social media. Participants reported demographics and completed the Female GUPI in both English and Spanish. Agreement was assessed for each item, subscale and total score. Additionally, we performed cognitive debriefing interviews to further test face validity. A consensus group of bilingual physicians and healthcare personnel utilized comments from the interviews to create a final Spanish version. Thirty-four participants completed the questionnaire. Their average age was 33 years, 80% reported attending some college, and 20% reported an undergraduate degree or higher. Most were born in mainland USA (57%) or Mexico (27%). Agreement for the pain, urinary and quality of life subscales between the English and Spanish versions of the measure were excellent (0.91, 0.89 and 0.92, respectively) with 0.96 agreement for the measure as a whole. Despite favorable psychometrics, preferences for alternate wording were reported over 50 times. Based on that feedback, a consensus group was formed, which recommended changes to 13 of the 15 items, 3 of which required complete rewriting. The Spanish Female GUPI is strongly correlated with the English original; however, participants reported the language was overly complex. Translation and validation should include review of the measure and feedback by the target audience for optimal clarity and readability.
Autism in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflecting on Loss and Resilience

This chapter explores resilience in an era of COVID-19 as it relates to social workers’ role in supporting mental health among autistic people during and after this pandemic. Ableism is identified as a key theme that impacts resilience. The author suggests that shared experiences of loss associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may foster greater empathy and awareness for social workers in working with this group of people. Recommendations for identity-affirming interventions that address this sense of loss and foster resilient coping are also discussed.
The Politics of Identity and Teaching Information Literacy in Political Science

This chapter is an autobiographical essay about how and why my teaching pedagogy incorporates the politics of identity when teaching information literacy in undergraduate political science courses at a public university in Texas. Throughout my upbringing and schooling, there were countless times when I missed out on important information or was given incorrect or incomplete information because of prejudices, stereotypes, and discrimination. Since many of my students have had similar experiences, my syllabi, course content, lesson plans, and assessments aim to be more inclusive, collaborative, and fair. My teaching pedagogy starts by asking “What’s missing?” and “What should I not do?” I then combine elements of “mainstream” and “unconventional” pedagogical approaches to facilitate my students’ professional and personal development.
Tumor Necrosis Factor and Other Cytokines as Mediators of Clinical Sepsis

The clinical management of sepsis has benefited from breakthroughs in antimicrobial chemotherapy as well as other pharmacologic and technologic means of critical care support. Despite such advances, the course of patients suffering sepsis remains unpredictable and often protracted [1]. Disruptions of immunologic and metabolic homeostasis are well recognized sequelae of sepsis that contribute to the morbidity and mortality of chronic sepsis. In addition, variables related to the clinical status of patients prior to the onset of sepsis also appear to impact on the acute manifestations of sepsis.
Differential Associations and Compulsive Crimes

Chapter I reported a number of interpretive errors that have arisen because readers have not understood what Sutherland apparently was trying to say, and Chapter V reported some of the principal criticisms of Sutherland’s theory. It is only necessary to observe here that two of the important types of criticism are related both to each other and to the question of whether a small segment of all criminal behaviour, “compulsive crime,” can be handled by the theory of differential association.
Hsf1 is required for the nuclear translocation of p53 tumor suppressor.

Although the p53 tumor suppressor is most frequently inactivated by genetic mutations, exclusion from the nucleus is also seen in human tumors. We have begun to examine p53 nuclear importation by isolating a series of mutant cells in which the temperature-sensitive murine p53Val135 mutant is sequestered in the cytoplasm. We previously showed that that three of them (ALTR12, ALTR19, and ALTR25) constituted a single complementation group. Here, we found that ALTR12 cells are more sensitive to heat stress than either ALTR19 or ALTR25 and that there was a complete lack of induction of Hsp70 in response to heat shock. Western blot analysis showed no expression of the Hsf1 transcription factor, and neither heat shock nor azetidine could induce p53 nuclear localization in ALTR12 cells but did in parental A1–5 cells. Suppression of Hsf1 in A1–5 cells with quercetin or an Hsf1 siRNA reduced p53 nuclear importation and inhibited p53-mediated activation of a p21 reporter. Most convincingly, p53 nuclear importation could be restored in ALTR12 cells by introducing an exogenous Hsf1 gene. Collectively, our result suggests that Hsf1 is required for p53 nuclear importation and activation and implies that heat shock factors play a role in the regulation of p53.
W-test for the Weibull distribution

A new goodness-of-fit test for the two-parameter Weibull distribution or extreme-value (smallest element) distribution with unknown parameters is presented in this paper. The test statistic is based on similar principles used in the derivation of the well known W test for normality. The test statistic is simple to compute and requires no table of constants. Percentiles and power for a wide variety of alternative distributions are estimated via simulation. A comparison of the proposed test with the Mann-Scheuer-Fertig procedure shows that the power of the test for the former is as high or higher than that for the latter.
Optimizing with Constraints: A Case Study in Scheduling Maintenance of Electric Power Units

A well-studied problem in the electric power industry is that of optimally scheduling preventative maintenance of power generating units within a power plant [1, 3]. The general purpose of determining a maintenance schedule is to determine the duration and sequence of outages of power generating units over a given time period, while minimizing operating and maintenance costs over the planning period, subject to various constraints. We show how maintenance scheduling can be cast as a constraint satisfaction problem and used to define the structure of randomly generated non-binary CSPs. These random problem instances are then used to evaluate several previously studied backtracking-based algorithms, including backjumping and dynamic variable ordering augmented with constraint learning and look-ahead value ordering [2].
Anomalous currents in SCFT4

We analyse the critical behaviour of anomalous currents in N=1 four-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories in the context of electric-magnetic duality. We show that the anomalous dimension of the Konishi superfield is related to the slope of the beta function at the critical point. We construct a duality map for the Konishi current in the minimal SQCD. As a byproduct we compute the slope of the beta function in the strong coupling regime. We note that the OPE of the stress tensor with itself does not close, but mixes with the Konishi operator. As a result in superconformal theories in four dimensions (SCFT 4 ) there are two central charges; they allow us to count both the vector multiplet and the matter multiplet effective degrees of freedom. Some applications to N=4 SYM are discussed.
A novel laminin-induced LPA autocrine loop in the migration of ovarian cancer cells

We have reported previously that levels of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) are elevated in the blood and ascites from patients with ovarian cancer. LPA stimulates proliferation of ovarian cancer cells and has been proposed as an autocrine growth factor. Here, we show that a novel autocrine loop of LPA promotes the migration of ovarian cancer cells, which is a critical step of tumor metastasis. We report that laminin, but not other extracellular matrix proteins, induces LPA production in ovarian cancer cells. A neutralizing antibody against beta1 integrin and a calcium-independent phospholipase A2-specific inhibitor, HELSS, block both LPA production and the haptotactic activity of laminin. Exogenously added LPA restores the migratory ability of HEY ovarian cancer cells to laminin. These data suggest that laminin-induced cell migration is mediated by LPA. We further show that a specific receptor for LPA, LPA3, is required for mediating the chemotactic activity of LPA. In addition, we show that cytosolic PLA2 is required for cell migration and its activation is phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase-dependent. These findings have revealed a new mechanism of crosstalk between a beta1 integrin receptor and a G protein-coupled receptor.
SAGE is far more sensitive than EST for detecting low-abundance transcripts

Isolation of low-abundance transcripts expressed in a genome remains a serious challenge in transcriptome studies. The sensitivity of the methods used for analysis has a direct impact on the efficiency of the detection. We compared the EST method and the SAGE method to determine which one is more sensitive and to what extent the sensitivity is great for the detection of low-abundance transcripts. Using the same low-abundance transcripts detected by both methods as the targeted sequences, we observed that the SAGE method is 26 times more sensitive than the EST method for the detection of low-abundance transcripts. The SAGE method is more efficient than the EST method in detecting the low-abundance transcripts.
Monolithically integrated quantum dot laser and silicon nitride waveguide for high temperature optical interconnects

The monolithic integration of quantum dot lasers with low loss silicon nitride single mode waveguides for high temperature operation is demonstrated. The losses in the coupled system have been measured and analyzed.
Increased photon-counting efficiency for multispectral imaging using rotational spectrotomography

Multi-spectral imaging can be powerful tool for medical diagnostics. Many time resolved or low-light-level applications require large photon throughput to distinguish between areas of normal and diseased tissues. The throughput of a dispersive, imaging spectrometer is often much less than unity and consequently limits sensitivity. Common multi-spectral approaches use either (1) narrow band filters to isolate 2D spatial images for each spectral wavelength channel or (2) a slit spectrograph to image one spatial and one spectral dimension as the slit is scanned across the object. Both of these approaches are inefficient because photons outside the filter passband or the slit area are not detected. A new imaging technique called spectro- tomography collects all available photons and employs computer tomography to reconstruct the 3D data cube of the image. A rotational spectro-tomographic imager has been designed with a circular aperture, objective-grating camera that is rotated in steps around its optical axis. A sequence of images is obtained with fixed steps in camera angle by rotation and lens focal-length by zooming. These images provide a sufficient number of 2D projections of the 3D data cube for accurate reconstruction. Both direct Fourier transform and filter- backprojection algorithms have been developed for tomographic reconstructions. The data cube of a broad spectrum object with 64 spectral bands and 64 X 64 spatial resolution elements has been used as the test case for a numerical example of the technique.
QCD and Hadronic Physics

The analysis of many current experimental issues requires a firm understanding of mixing between hadronic states and the dynamics of light degrees of freedom. Unfortunately this is not forthcoming. I outline recent theoretical progress in lattice gauge theory and in models of QCD which attempt to address these issues.
Does an Experiential Based Project Improve Design Education

Students of engineering can significantly improve their comprehension of the theoretical and mathematical topics of design education if they are coupled with hands-on design and build projects. In this paper, several projects are discussed that are used to promote experiential learning in the Design of Mechanical Systems course. Projects implemented include natural frequency analysis of a cantilever beam and a buckling analysis. Each of the projects utilize a paradigm in which computational methods are used to reinforce analytical findings presented in class, followed by a design challenge for which students are required to design, build and then experimentally validate the performance of the design. The design challenge is structured such that analytical results give insight as to what features of the design could be changed to get the intended result, but, require the use of computational tools like ANSYS to obtain solutions due to the complex geometries involved. Once the design is complete, students fabricate it in the machine shop and then experimentally measure how closely the performance of their design came to the intended goals of the design challenge. Preliminary results indicate that students prefer these types of lab projects and that the retention of concepts covered with experiential project based labs is actually better than the retention of concepts observed in conventional labs.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Organic hydroperoxide-dependent oxidation of ethanol by microsomes: Lack of a role for free hydroxyl radicals

Organic hydroperoxides can replace NADPH in supporting the oxidation of ethanol by liver microsomes. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the role of hydroxyl radicals in the organic hydroperoxide-catalyzed reaction. Maximum rates of ethanol oxidation occurred in the presence of either 0.5 mM cumene hydroperoxide or 2.5 mM t-butyl hydroperoxide and were linear for 2 to 4 min. The Km for ethanol was about 12 mM and Vmax was about 8 nmol ethanol oxidized/min/mg microsomal protein. Besides ethanol, the organic hydroperoxides supported the oxidation of longer-chain alcohols (1-butanol), and secondary alcohols (isopropanol). The organic hydroperoxide-supported oxidation of alcohols was not affected by several hydroxyl-radical scavengers such as dimethylsulfoxide, mannitol, or 2-keto-4-thiomethylbutyrate which blocked NADPH-dependent oxidation of alcohols by 50% or more. Iron-EDTA, which increases the production of hydroxyl radicals, increased the NADPH-dependent oxidation of ethanol, whereas desferrioxamine, which blocks the production of hydroxyl radicals, inhibited the NADPH-dependent oxidation of ethanol. Neither iron-EDTA nor desferrioxamine had any effect on the organic hydroperoxide-supported oxidation of ethanol. Cumene-and t-butyl hydroperoxide did not support microsomal oxidation of hydroxyl-radical scavengers. These results suggest that, in contrast to the NADPH-dependent oxidation of ethanol, free-hydroxyl radicals do not play a role in the organic hydroperoxide-dependent oxidation of ethanol by microsomes. Ethanol appears to be oxidized by two pathways in microsomes, one which is dependent on hydroxyl radicals, and the other which appears to be independent of these oxygen radicals.
Feedback-dependent modulation of isometric force control: an EEG study in visuomotor integration.

Abstract The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine the cortical mechanisms underlying visuomotor integration in an experiment directly manipulating visual feedback (control-signal gain) as participants executed a grasping task. This was accomplished by assessing human electroencephalograms in both time and frequency domains and relating these measures to the performance accuracy of isometric force control. The basic experimental manipulation consisted of subjects controlling a grip dynamometer and the subsequent force trace displayed on a computer monitor at various magnitudes of force output and control-signal gain. Several findings from this study were of interest. First, the effects of control-signal gain and its interplay with the magnitude of force were most evident across the parietal and frontocentral electrode locations – areas specifically related to multi-modal sensory evaluation (parietal lobe) and higher-order movement control (supplementary and mesial premotor areas). Second, electroencephalography (EEG) measures in the time domain, i.e., slow-wave potentials, were sensitive to control-signal gain only during the ramp phase of force production (period of reaching the target force), not the static phase (period of maintaining the target force level). Third, EEG measures within the frequency domain (event-related desynchronization), unlike the slow-wave potential measures, were sensitive to control-signal gain during the static phase of force production – a sensitivity that was directly related to improvements in the accuracy of isometric force control. The findings of this investigation are described in relation to the existent literature on human visuomotor integration with special attention paid to the distinct spatial and temporal electrocortical patterns exhibited under varying degrees of visual feedback and magnitudes of force output during grasping.
Strategies to stabilize compact folding and minimize aggregation of antibody-based fragments.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have proven to be useful for development of new therapeutic drugs and diagnostic techniques. To overcome the difficulties posed by their complex structure and folding, reduce undesired immunogenicity, and improve pharmacoki- netic properties, a plethora of different Ab fragments have been developed. These include recombinant Fab and Fv segments that can display improved properties over those of the original mAbs upon which they are based. Antibody (Ab) fragments such as Fabs, scFvs, diabodies, and nanobodies, all contain the variable Ig domains responsible for binding to specific antigenic epitopes, allowing for specific targeting of pathological cells and/or molecules. These fragments can be easier to produce, purify and refold than a full Ab, and due to their smaller size they can be well absorbed and distributed into target tissues. However, the physicochemical and structural properties of the immunoglobulin (Ig) domain, upon which the folding and conformation of all these Ab fragments is based, can limit the stability of Ab-based drugs. The Ig domain is fairly sensitive to unfolding and aggregation when produced out of the structural context of an intact Ab molecule. When unfolded, Ab fragments may lose their specificity as well as establish non-native interactions leading to protein aggregation. Aggregated antibody fragments display altered pharmacokinetic and immunogenic properties that can augment their toxicity. Therefore, much effort has been placed in understanding the factors impacting the stability of Ig folding at two different levels: 1) intrinsically, by studying the effects of the amino acid sequence on Ig folding; 2) extrinsically, by determining the environmental conditions that may influence the stability of Ig folding. In this review we will describe the structure of the Ig domain, and the factors that impact its stability, to set the context for the different approaches currently used to achieve stable recombinant Ig domains when pursuing the development of Ab fragment-based biotechnologies.
Frequency-tunable micromechanical oscillator

An experimental method, employing a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) as an actuator and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as a motion detector, was developed to study microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and has been applied to study microfabricated cantilever beams. Vibrations actuated by an ac voltage applied to the piezodrive are transferred to the sample by the STM tip, which also provides a constraint at the drive location, altering the fundamental mode of the oscillation. A continuous change in the resonant frequency of the cantilever is achieved by varying the position of the STM tip. In contrast to the few percent tunability previously demonstrated for MEMS oscillators, we have varied the cantilever frequency over a 300% range.
Luminescence and gain around 1.3 /spl mu/m in PbS quantum dots

Summary form only given.Strong luminescence and gain is observed for PbS quantum dot (QD) doped glasses at the 1.3 /spl mu/m communications wavelength under CW and pulsed laser excitation, respectively, at 980 nm. This observation generates new interest in PbS QDs as promising candidates as an alternative to Er-doped amplifiers for communications applications. Thermal treatment of an oxide molten glass is an inexpensive method to manufacture semiconductor quantum dot doped glasses with well-defined exciton peaks and small. Inhomogeneous broadening. The PbS QDs studied here have radii much smaller than the bulk exciton Bohr radius providing strong quantum confinement effects. As a result, the exciton resonances can be tuned to the communication wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.55 /spl mu/m by varying the QD size.
Delving deeper: MCL-1's contributions to normal and cancer biology

BCL-2 molecules are regulators of programmed cell death and defects in this pathway contribute to human diseases. One family member, MCL-1, is unique because its expression is tightly regulated and it is essential for promoting the survival of myriad cellular lineages. Additionally, MCL-1 promotes the maintenance of normal mitochondrial morphology and energy production. Dissection of these functions revealed recently that they depend on separate mitochondrial sublocalizations. MCL-1's antiapoptotic activity is restricted to the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM), whereas its function in mitochondrial physiology requires localization to the matrix. These findings provide an attractive model for how MCL-1's diverse functions may contribute to normal cell homeostasis and function. MCL-1 is highly amplified in human cancer, suggesting that these functions may contribute to malignant cell growth and evasion of apoptosis.
Christian Elites of the Peloponnese and the Ottoman State, 1715–1821:

This paper examines the political ‘system’, behaviour and attitudes of Christian landed elites in the Ottoman Peloponnese in the decades preceding the Greek Revolution of 1821. Particular attention...
Clinical and immunologic analyses of 103 patients with common variable immunodeficiency.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) or hypogammaglobulinemia is a heterogeneous primary immunodeficiency disease in which B cells produce little or no antibody. Since the disease is relatively rare and the spectrum of associated illnesses is broad, patients are given care by a variety of specialists. Thus it has been difficult to determine the incidence of specific complications. In these studies we analyzed 103 consecutively referred CVI patients of age range 3–71 years (average, 29 years) who were followed for a period of 1–13 years (total of 750 patient years). The average serum IgG was 174.4 mg/dl for untreated patients and 301 mg/dl for patients treated with intramuscular immunoglobulin at the time of the first visit. The average IgA was 14.5, and the average IgM was 80.7, with no difference between or after immunoglobulin treatment. About one-half of the patients had T-cell dysfunction, but lymphocyte stimulation responses were inversely related to age, which implies worsened T-cell immunity with age. Serum IgG and IgA levels were found to be statistically associated (P=0.008), and serum IgG was related to lymphocyte stimulation with concanavalin A (P=0.01). By 1986, 79 patients were alive, 23 had died, and 1 could not be located. Recurrent bacterial illnesses were common to all patients, and 22% had developed chronic lung disease, 22% autoimmune disease, 15% cancer, 13% hepatitis, and 9% malabsorption. Autoimmune disease was more common in females, and cancer was more likely to develop in the fifth and sixth decades. In 11% of the group, other family members were found to be immunodeficient (hypogammaglobulinemic or IgA deficient). Nine patients died of respiratory insufficiency (with or without other complications), and seven patients died of cancer. These data provide valuable information about the immunologic abnormalities and the spectrum and frequency of illnesses associated with hypogammaglobulinemia.
Effects of potential dietary inhibitors of endogenous DNA damage on mutagenesis and lipid peroxidation in lacZ mice

The effects of a nine month administration of dietary: (1) 3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (D3T), (2) N-acetylcysteine (NAC), (3) antioxidant vitamin mix, (vitamin C+E), (4) free radical scavenger, amifostine, and (5) calorie restriction, (CR), on mutagenesis and lipid peroxidation in lung, kidney, spleen and liver of lacZ transgenic mice were examined. These agents/diets were chosen because they might inhibit certain proposed mechanisms of endogenous damage to DNA. The agents were added to a high fat, reduced antioxidant AIN-76 diet, to better approximate a Western style diet than the conventional AIN-76 diet. As the lacZ gene is not expressed, mutations in that gene are neutral, and simply accumulate over time. The mutant fractions in control mice increased about 50–100%. Most of the agents inhibited to various extents the age-related increase in mutagenesis in lung, kidney, and/or spleen, but no inhibition was observed in liver. There was no significant effect of age on lipid peroxidation levels in controls, possibly reflecting steady state turnover of lipid peroxidation products. Almost all of the treatments except D3T inhibited lipid peroxidation in most organs to different degrees. The vitamin C+E mix was the most effective at inhibiting lipid peroxidation, but a single most effective inhibitor of mutagenesis could not be discerned. Some associations were observed between the reduction in lipid peroxidation and the inhibition of mutagenesis. The results are consistent with a partial role for oxidative stress in the age-related increase in mutagenesis. These observations may have implications for chemoprevention of carcinogenesis. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Structural studies of electrodeposited and sprayed thallium-oxide films

In this paper, we report transport and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements on Tl-based superconducting films prepared by two non-vacuum techniques: electrodeposition and spray pyrolysis. For electrodeposition, a conducting Ag layer was used on insulating substrates such as (LaAlO3) LAO to enable electroplating the Tl-oxide precursor films. The behaviour of the Ag layer after processing the precursor films has never been understood. We resolved this issue by performing TEM analysis of several processed electroplated Tl-oxide films. In this paper, we also report on the TEM analysis of MgO nanoparticle-incorporated spray pyrolysis films. Spray pyrolysis films were prepared with and without MgO nanoparticles. MgO nanoparticles were included in the spray pyrolysis films to improve the flux pinning and critical current densities of the Tl-1223 films.
Procainamide-induced pulmonary fibrosis after orthotopic heart transplantation: a case report and literature review

A 33-year-old African-American woman was bridged to heart transplantation with a left ventricular assist device. She had a 14-month history of heart failure secondary to viral cardiomyopathy. The patient's refractory ventricular tachycardia was treated with intravenous procainamide owing to the patient's history of amiodarone-induced thyroiditis. After orthotopic cardiac transplant, she experienced prolonged respiratory failure. Serial computed tomography evaluation of the lung revealed diffuse bilateral ground-glass opacities and septal thickening. Bronchoscopies with tissue biopsies were performed with no conclusive results. Specimen samples displayed septal fibrosis with loose fibromyxoid tissue and some hobnail nodularities with no indication of granulomas, neutrophilic infiltration, malignancy, or fungal, viral, or bacterial growth. Histopathological evaluation of the lung wedge biopsy supported a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis and noted interstitial fibrosis with areas of focal alveolar hemorrhage and increased macrophage infiltration. Antinuclear body was found to be negative. After in-depth evaluation of the patient's medication history, procainamide was identified as the cause of the toxicity. As procainamide-induced lung fibrosis is relatively uncommon, we present this case to highlight procainamide's potential harm and the need for careful monitoring in postsurgical patients.
An Apology for a Religion of the Melancholic

This article is a study of depression and melancholia from the psychoanalytic perspective. Starting with the issue of levels and categories involving the phenomena of depression and melancholia, it elucidates the particular nature of the melancholic loss; the fact that the melancholic’s problem has to do with language; the view of the melancholic subject as a default subject; and the question of desire in melancholia and its trajectory toward recovery, eventually leading to a hopeful imagination concerning the innermost human desire. Three Lacanian psychoanalytic theories (Darian Leader (2009); Colette Soler (2006); Slavoj Zizek (2006)) are used to support my arguments; Suah Bae (2003, 2004) provides fascinating fictional truths that witness to the melancholic’s inner world; and Donald Capps (2000) renders a decisive help in my pastoral psychological reading of all of these writers.
Wrong-sign muon appearance with an ICARUS-like detector at a neutrino factory

Abstract We describe the signals from a neutrino factory beam in an ICARUS/NOE-like detector. We discuss the detection of (a) ν e →ν μ and (b) ν e →ν τ and the backgrounds. Wrong-sign leptons from various deep inelastic neutrino processes will not be serious for (a) but may limit the detection of (b) depending on the oscillation amplitude.
Digestibility of Modified Milk Proteins: Nutritional Implications

Abstract Chemical changes in the structure of several milk proteins were quantitated and the effects on digestibility evaluated using a number of in vitro techniques developed in our laboratory. An assay for digestibility was developed and standardized incorporating immobilized gastric, pancreatic, and intestinal mucosal proteinases and peptidases and thereby simulating in vivo digestion. The method displayed a direct relationship to digestibilities determined in human feeding studies. Various degrees of racemization were induced in a number of proteins and quantitated with the aid of a bioreactor containing coimmobilized D-amino acid oxidase and catalase. Digestibility values were directly related to the degree of racemization and to the amount of lysinoalanine. In a separate study of these proteins, various degrees of Maillard reaction were induced, and the available lysine was quantitated using the fluoro-metric o -phthalaldehyde method. Digestibility values determined for these modified proteins were also directly related to the amount of available lysine. A bioreactor containing various immobilized proteinases and peptidases catalyzed complete hydrolysis of a number of proteins including β-lactoglobulin. Because this method does not degrade residues such as tryptophan and methionine nor hydrolyze aldosyl lysine to give unmodified lysine, analysis of these hydrolysates yields more nutritionally meaningful chemical scores. In summary, these techniques appear to be useful for quantitating and monitoring changes in the structures of proteins resulting from processing and storage, which affect their nutritional quality.
Optimization of large homogeneous air Cherenkov arrays and application to the design of a 1–100 TeV γ-ray observatory

Abstract At the time large air Cherenkov arrays are being discussed for future γ-ray observatories, we review the relationship between the targeted capabilities and the main design parameters taking into account construction costs. As an example application, we describe a telescope array optimized for observations between 1 TeV and a few 100 TeV and use detailed simulations to estimate its performances in comparison to science objectives.
Anti-cholinesterase activity of 1-α-acetylmethadol: Relationship to bradycardia

Abstract 1. 1. 1-α-Acetylmethadol (LAAM) and its major metabolites, 1-α-acetylnormethadol (N-LAAM) and 1-α-acetyldinormethadol (DN-LAAM), were shown to exert significant anticholinesterase activity in preparations of guinea pig heart homogenate, guinea pig plasma, purified acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) and purified butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8), P 2. 2. LAAM and congeners did not decrease heart homogenate cholinesterase activity at low concentrations (5 × 10−6M) which produce bradycardia in vitro that can be blocked completely with atropine. 3. 3. The data suggest that cholinesterase inhibition does not contribute to the bradycardia effected by lower concentrations of LAAM. However, cholinesterase inhibition may contribute to LAAM-induced bradycardia at higher concentrations.
Does Spontaneous Breakdown of Symmetry Imply Zero-Mass Particles?

The implication of massless bosons from a proof by Goldstone, Salam, and Weinberg is shown to have a nonrelativistic analog that yields a massless boson excitation independent of model used. The operators and the invariance property relevant to the theory of superconductivity are used explicitly. It is concluded that there exists no general proof, independent of model and method of calculation, that establishes the existence of zero-mass particles in field theories with spontaneous breakdown of symmetry, but there are neventheless classes of field theories wherein-zero-mass panticles occur in consequence of the broken symmetry. (R.E.U.)
Universal multiple outlier hypothesis testing

The universal multiple outlier hypothesis testing problem is studied in two settings. In the first setting, each outlier can be arbitrarily distributed, and the number of outliers is fixed and known. In the second setting, the number of outliers is unknown at the outset. Nothing is known about the typical and outlier distributions other than that they are different and have full supports. For the first setting, a universally exponentially consistent test is proposed, and its achievable error exponent is characterized. The limiting error exponent achieved by such test is analyzed as the number of coordinates goes to infinity, and it is shown that the test also enjoys universally asymptotically exponential consistency. For the second setting, it is shown that with the assumption of outliers being identically distributed and the exclusion of the null hypothesis, a test based on the generalize likelihood principle is universally exponentially consistent.
Schizophrenic subjects show deficient inhibition but intact task switching on saccadic tasks

Abstract Background: Schizophrenic patients have executive function deficits, presumably on the basis of prefrontal cortex dysfunction. Although they consistently show impaired inhibition, the evidence of a task switching deficit is less consistent and is often based on performance of neuropsychological tests that require several cognitive processes (e.g., the Wisconsin Card Sort Test [WCST]). We investigated inhibition and task switching using saccadic tasks to determine whether schizophrenic patients have selective impairments of these executive functions. Methods: Sixteen normal and 21 schizophrenic subjects performed blocks of randomly mixed prosaccade and antisaccade trials. This gave rise to four trial types: prosaccades and antisaccades that were either repeated or switched. Response accuracy and latency were measured. Schizophrenic subjects also performed the WCST. Results: Schizophrenic subjects showed abnormal antisaccade and WCST performance. In contrast, task switching was normal and unrelated to either antisaccade or WCST performance. Conclusions: The finding of intact task switching performance that is unrelated to other measures of executive function demonstrates selective rather than general impairments of executive functions in schizophrenia. The findings also suggest that abnormal WCST performance is unlikely to be a consequence of deficient task switching. We hypothesize that inhibition and task switching are mediated by distinct neural networks, only one of which is dysfunctional in schizophrenia.
The Limitations of Legitimation and Fordism and the Possibility for Socialist Reforms

(1991). The Limitations of Legitimation and Fordism and the Possibility for Socialist Reforms. Rethinking Marxism: Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 27-60.
Application of high‐performance liquid chromatography/chemical reaction interface mass spectrometry for the analysis of conjugated metabolites: A demonstration using deuterated acetaminophen

The combination of a universal high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) interface (UI) and the element and isotope-selective capabilities of the chemical reaction interface (CRI) has potential as a comprehensive analysis system for drug conjugates. In this work, we found equal sensitivity for model compounds as their sulfate or glucuronide conjugates. We examined urine and bile samples from Syrian golden hamsters after dosing with (2H4)acetaminophen (D4-APAP), with particular emphasis on the rich range of conjugated metabolites that are known to be produced. Seventeen metabolites were quantified from a single chromatogram of urine; 14 were conjugates. With a combination of authentic standards, selective hydrolysis, and sulfur-selective CRIMS detection, at least partial identification of most of these metabolites was accomplished. The glutathione conjugate of APAP appears the dominant metabolite in bile. The quantitative pattern of APAP metabolism found here is consistent with literature values. It does appear that this HPLC/UI/CRIMS combination has substantial ability to carry out comprehensive metabolite determinations, especially for conjugated species.
Playland Revisited: Growing Is Not Necessarily for Noses Only

(1996). Playland Revisited: Growing Is Not Necessarily for Noses Only. Journal of Research in Childhood Education: Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 82-88.
Phase 1 trial of concurrent erlotinib, celecoxib, and reirradiation for recurrent head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an active and well tolerated regimen in recurrent head and neck cancer (HNC). In the current phase 1 trial, the authors sought to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and efficacy of concurrent erlotinib and celecoxib as a radiosensitizing regimen. METHODS: Fourteen patients with previously irradiated HNC with no distant metastases who required reirradiation were eligible. Treatment consisted of daily erlotinib 150 mg and twice daily celecoxib (escalated from 200 mg to 600 mg using a 3 + 3 design with an expanded cohort at the MTD) starting on Day 1 and was continued during radiation. Daily radiation was started on Day 15, and maintenance erlotinib was recommended. RESULTS: The recommended phase 2 dose of celecoxib was 400 mg. Three dose-limiting toxicities included late in-field orocutaneous fistula (Dose Level 2), osteonecrosis (Dose Level 3), and trismus (Dose Level 3). Acute grade ≥3 toxicities were uncommon and included mucositis (21%) and dermatitis (14%). At a median follow-up of 11 months, the 1-year locoregional control, progression-free survival, and overall survival rates were 60%, 37%, and 55%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent erlotinib, celecoxib, and reirradiation was a feasible and clinically active regimen in a population of patients with recurrent HNC who had a poor prognosis. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Effect of Acetate on Esterase C Activity During the Growth Cycle of Paramecium

SYNOPSIS Enhanced esterase C activity could be demonstrated by starch gel electrophoresis in various stocks of Paramecium spp. (P. primaurelia stocks 90 and 540, P. biaurelia stock 93, P. tetraurelia stock 29. P. pentaurelia stock 87, P. octaurelia stocks 31 and 300, and P. multimicronucleatum species 3, stock 8 MO) grown in Adaptation Medium. This esterase, however, was barely detectable when they were cultivated in Axenic Medium. Addition of trypticase to Adaptation Medium resulted in reduction of esterase C in the ciliates. This effect is ascribable to Na acetate present in trypticase. Since esterase C increased with the decrease in acetate concentration (as estimated by gas-liquid chromatography) during growth of Paramecium, acetate appears to be utilized by the cells. Sensitivity of esterase C to acetate occurs in all 6 species of Paramecium examined. Different stocks within a species may have different levels of sensitivity; in one case this is genetically determined. The results emphasize the importance of controlling and manipulating growth conditions for the assessment of inter- and intraspecies variations in the isozymes of Paramecium.
NMR and sedimentation studies of a polymeric steric stabilizer for alumina

The sedimentation behavior of alumina powder has been studied in the presence of poly-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (PVP/VA) in both thermodynamically “good” and “poor” solvents for the PVP homopolymer. PVP/VA provides higher sediment densities than does its PVP homopolymer counterpart. Solutionstate 13C-T1 spin-lattice relaxation measurements were made on analogous mixtures both with and without alumina powder. The NMR results suggest that the PVP/VA copolymer is anchored to the alumina powder surface by means of VA moieties, whereas the PVP moieties extend into the continuous phase of the slurry medium. Thus, the higher settling densities that are observed in the presence of PVP/VA can be attributed to a steric stabilization mechanism. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
“Comparing guideway transit implementation plans, including the impact on road traffic”

A methodology for comparing phased implementation plans for a new fixed guideway transit system in an urban area is presented. Four assumptions are made: (1) the guideway system replaces existing or planned bus service, (2) superior service on the new system results in increased ridership when compared to buses; (3) presence of the guideway facility redirects outward urban growth resulting in additional ridership, and (4) conversely, the absence of any action on the new guideway facility reinforces a diffuse urban growth pattern that creates an irreversible loss of transit ridership. The economic comparision of alternative plans includes total as well as “relative” inflation of principal cost components. A key feature of the proposed methodology is including in the comparisons the costs of private automobile mileage that could have been replaced by transit. These costs are expressed as “fuel” and “all other” automobile costs; favorable transit system implementation schedules can then be identified as a fu...
Reawakening Malthus: empirical support for the Smail scenario.

Editor's Note: In the November issue of the Journal, Kenneth Smail presented the third and final part of his series on Malthus and human population growth. Here, Jeffrey McKee offers additional thoughts on population and its impact on biodiversity and extinction history. Am J Phys Anthropol 122: 371–374, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.