cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of a Unique Protein Scaffold for Maquettes

Heme proteins serve a wide variety of functions in the biological milieu.1 Our approach to the study of protein structure function relationships is to use insight drawn from nature to design and synthesize minimal peptides which fold, assemble, and incorporate cofactors.2-8 Molecular maquettes2 are functional synthetic proteins which are simplified versions of their biological counterparts. This strategy is aimed to provide direct insight into protein design,9-18 cofactor incorporation,19-21 structure and function properties of redox proteins, and establishment of in situ catalytic properties. The four R-helix bundle22,23 has been successfully used in this manner for construction of maquettes containing hemes,2,7 porphyrin dimers,3 flavins,4 iron sulfur clusters,5 and amino acid radicals.6 Several of the heme-containing maquettes have been analyzed by NMR spectroscopy and show properties atypical of native-like structure. This Communication describes recent progress toward the design and structural characterization of a native-like maquette scaffold. Like the majority of designed proteins24 the prototype heme protein maquette,2 H10H24 (Ac-CGGGELWKL‚HEELLKK‚FEELLKL‚HEERLKK‚L-CONH2), shows characteristics associated with non-native protein structure. We have explored computationally and experimentally the effect of substituting leucine residues with conformationally restricted â-branched and/or aromatic amino acids to increase hydrophobic core packing specificity. Since the three internal heptad a positions25 (H10, F17, and H24) of H10H24 are engineered for heme binding and R27 is designed to modulate the heme redox potential, the best candidates for redesign were the leucine residues L6, L13, and L20 (see Figure 1A). Initial studies have focused on exchanging L6 for isoleucine and L13 for phenylalanine. Single and double variants at these two helix positions (H10H24-L6I, H10H24-L13F, and H10H24-L6I,L13F) were prepared,26 and the effect of these substitutions on the coiledcoil thermodynamic stability and structural specificity determined. This series of maquettes displays a continuum of changes ranging from the poorly ordered and least stable prototype H10H24 to the uniquely structured and most stable double variant H10H24-L6I,L13F.
Alteration of neutrophil (PMN) function by heparin, dexamethasone, and enalapril

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a seemingly divergent class of pharmacologic agents, each having been reported to suppress intimal hyperplasia, on neutrophil (PMN) function. Human PMNs were isolated and exposed for 30 min to either saline or one of three different pharmacologic agents, each tested at three different concentrations: Group 1, saline (control, n = 14); Groups 2–4, heparin (5000 units, n = 8; 2500 units, n = 6; 1250 units, n = 6) respectively; Groups 5–7, dexamethasone (4 mg, n = 8; 2 mg, n = 6; 1 mg, n = 6), respectively; and Groups 8–10, enalapril (1.25 mg, n = 8; 0.62 mg, n = 6; 0.31 mg, n = 6). Superoxide anion production was measured by the reduction of cytochrome c in a spectrophotometric assay. Chemotaxis was evaluated by the number of PMNs migrating across a filter using a Neuro Probe chamber. Phagocytosis was determined by the ingestion of opsonized zymosan particles by PMNs. Serum obtained from each PMN donor was used both to opsonize the zymosan and as a chemoattractant in the chemotaxis assay. No agent, at any dose, significantly changed superoxide production when compared to control cells. All three agents significantly inhibited PMN chemotaxis at every dose tested (P < 0.01). In the phagocytosis assay, both heparin (at high and intermediate doses) and enalapril (at all doses) significantly reduced phagocytic activity (P < 0.01); however, dexamethasone (at high and intermediate doses) produced a marked stimulation (P < 0.01). We conclude that: (1) in vitro incubation of PMNs with heparin and enalapril inhibits chemotaxis and phagocytosis but has no effect on the production of superoxide anion, and (2) dexamethasone also inhibits chemotaxis and has no effect on superoxide anion production but causes a marked stimulation of PMN phagocytosis.
An approximate bootstrap technique for variance estimation in parametric images

Parametric imaging procedures offer the possibility of comprehensive assessment of tissue metabolic activity. Estimating variances of these images is important for the development of inference tools in a diagnostic setting. However, these are not readily obtained because the complexity of the radio-tracer models used in the generation of a parametric image makes analytic variance expressions intractable. On the other hand, a natural extension of the usual bootstrap resampling approach is infeasible because of the expanded computational effort. This paper suggests a computationally practical, approximate simulation strategy to variance estimation. Results of experiments done to evaluate the approach in a simplified model one-dimensional problem are very encouraging. Diagnostic checks performed on a single real-life positron emission tomography (PET) image to test for the feasibility of applying the procedure in a real-world PET setting also show some promise. The suggested methodology is evaluated here in the context of parametric images extracted by mixture analysis; however, the approach is general enough to extend to other parametric imaging methods.
Measurement of Ulnar Variance From the Lateral Radiograph: A Comparison of Techniques

Purpose To determine the reliability of measuring ulnar variance on lateral wrist radiographs and to compare this technique with previously described methods. Methods Ulnar variance was measured in 100 normal wrist radiographs using the methods of perpendiculars, central reference point, and the lateral radiograph by 3 surgeons on 2 occasions. Intraobserver repeatability and agreement between raters and methods were assessed and compared. Results Intra- and interobserver reliability and agreement were both excellent using all 3 methods within a ± 1.0-mm cutoff. However, there was substantial pairwise disagreement in measures of ulnar variance between all 3 methods. Conclusions This study demonstrates that, for measurement of ulnar variance, the methods of perpendiculars, central reference point, and lateral radiographic measurement each have clinically acceptable intraobserver repeatability and interobserver agreement. Despite their independent reliability, each method of radiographic determination of ulnar variance had considerable disagreement with the other methods, indicative of inherent inaccuracies in the techniques. The lateral radiograph uniquely allows for visualization of the amount of ulnar head protruding proximal or distal to the concave lunate facet and allows for a rapid estimation of pronosupination, which is known to affect ulnar variance. Clinical relevance Determination of ulnar variance can be an important component of surgical decision making in various pathological conditions of the hand and wrist. Traditionally, it has been measured through methods using the posteroanterior wrist radiograph, but there are potential shortcomings with these methods, and use of the lateral radiograph may provide a more clinically relevant picture of ulnar variance. This study shows that measurement from the lateral radiograph provides similar reliability to previously accepted techniques.
Methods for Reducing Microbial Contamination of Wheat Flour and Effects on Functionality

Recent food-borne illness outbreaks have been attributed to the consumption of raw wheat flour. This has caused many in the grain industry to rethink the assumption that wheat flour will undergo heat treatment (e.g., baking, cooking, frying, etc.) before consumption. Ozone, heat, and irradiation are among the treatments that have been explored as possible means of inactivating microorganisms in flour. In general there is a tradeoff between the destruction of microorganisms and the effects on the functional properties of wheat flour: moderate treatments that do not negatively affect flour functionality have little impact on microbial inactivation, while severe treatments are very effective at reducing bacteria but also reduce flour functionality. Research in this area is necessary and urgent to provide safe products for consumers.
Effects of simulated acid rain and ozone on foliar chemistry of field-grown Pinus ponderosa seedlings and mature trees.

Abstract We investigated the additive and interactive effects of simulated acid rain and elevated ozone on C and N contents, and the C:N ratio of one-year-old and current-year foliage of field-grown mature trees and their half-sib seedlings of a stress tolerant genotype of ponderosa pine. Acid rain levels (pH 5.1 and 3.0) were applied weekly to foliage only (no soil acidification or N addition), from January to April, 1992. Plants were exposed to two ozone levels (ambient and twice-ambient) during the day from September 1991 to November 1992. The sequential application of acid rain and elevated ozone mimicked the natural conditions. Twice-ambient ozone significantly decreased foliar N content (by 12–14%) and increased the C:N ratio of both one-year-old and current-year foliage of seedlings. Although similar ozone effects were also observed on one-year-old foliage of mature trees, the only statistically significant effect was an increased C:N ratio when twice-ambient ozone combined with pH 3.0 rain (acid rain by ozone interaction). Enhancing the effect of twice-ambient ozone in increasing the C:N ratio of one-year-old foliage of mature trees in June was the only significant effect of acid rain.
Fault tolerance in deductive knowledge bases

In databases the issues of integrity, recovery, and concurrency control, although they refer to different problems, are strongly related. All of them are of fundamental importance to ensure the correctness of database systems. Although sizable literature has been published regarding these subjects for databases, no work has been reported on the similar subjects for knowledge base systems. In this paper we consider generalizing the existing techniques to deductive knowledge bases. We identify the differences between databases and knowledge bases, and define the notion of transaction for knowledge bases. Since chain effects may exist in such systems, we propose a version of lock-based concurrency control algorithm and a version of optimistic concurrency control scheme to ensure the consistence of knowledge bases. We also propose appropriate recovery schemes to reassure the reliability of knowledge bases.
Pharmacokinetics of artemisinin delivered by oral consumption of Artemisia annua dried leaves in healthy vs. Plasmodium chabaudi-infected mice.

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance The Chinese have used Artemisia annua as a tea infusion to treat fever for >2000 years. The active component is artemisinin. Previously we showed that when compared to mice fed an equal amount of pure artemisinin, a single oral dose of dried leaves of Artemisia annua (pACT) delivered to Plasmodium chabaudi-infected mice reduced parasitemia at least fivefold. Dried leaves also delivered >40 times more artemisinin in the blood with no toxicity. The pharmacokinetics (PK) of artemisinin delivered from dried plant material has not been adequately studied. Materials and methods Healthy and Plasmodium chabaudi-infected mice were oral gavaged with pACT to deliver a 100 mg kg−1 body weight dose of artemisinin. Concentrations of serum artemisinin and one of its liver metabolites, deoxyartemisinin, were measured over two hours by GCMS. Results The first order elimination rate constant for artemisinin in pACT-treated healthy mice was estimated to be 0.80 h−1 with an elimination half-life (T½) of 51.6 min. The first order absorption rate constant was estimated at 1.39 h−1. Cmax and Tmax were 4.33 mg L−1 and 60 min, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 299.5 mg min L−1. In contrast, the AUC for pACT-treated infected mice was significantly greater at 435.6 mg min L−1. Metabolism of artemisinin to deoxyartemisinin was suppressed in infected mice over the period of observation. Serum levels of artemisinin in the infected mice continued to rise over the 120 min of the study period, and as a result, the T½ was not determined; the Cmax and Tmax were estimated at ≥6.64 mg L−1 and ≥120 min, respectively. Groups of healthy mice were also fed either artemisinin or artemisinin mixed in mouse chow. When compared at 60 min, artemisinin was undetectable in the serum of mice fed 100 mg AN kg−1 body weight. When plant material was present either as mouse chow or Artemisia annua pACT, artemisinin levels in the serum rose to 2.44 and 4.32 mg L−1, respectively, indicating that the presence of the plant matrix, even that of mouse chow, had a positive impact on the appearance of artemisinin in the blood. Conclusions These results showed that artemisinin and one of its drug metabolites were processed differently in healthy and infected mice. The results have implications for possible therapeutic use of pACT in treating malaria and other artemisinin-susceptible diseases.
The Bandit King: Lampiao of Brazil

What Jesse James was to the United States, Lampiao was to Brazil, and then some. With a band that at times numbered a hundred or more, this notorious bandit confronted state armies on more than equal terms and cowed political bosses, virtually dominating large sections of his native northeastern backlands during the 1920s and 1930s. Although Lampiao was often brutal and merciless, his occasional acts of compassion, together with his exploits, have made him a folk figure in Brazil. Based on contemporary news accounts, archival materials, and extensive interviews by the author, this book presents the first systematic and reliable account of the famed desperado. Examining Lampiao's career from his boyhood in Pernambuco to his death at Angicos, Chandler sorts fact from fiction and places the bandit in the context of the backlands, where in the early part of this century becoming a "cangaceiro" (bandit) was as natural and attractive to the son of a tenant or small farmer as taking a degree in law or medicine was for the sons of the Recife or Salvador elite. Chandler sees Lampiao and other "cangaceiros" as the inevitable products of a lawless society in which frontier conditions reminiscent of the American West persisted far into the twentieth century.
Some Requirements in Equipment and Technics for Vectorcardiography

To reduce the effects of extraneous potentials caused by muscle tremor, sweating, and interference from power circuits, it is desirable to restrict the frequency range of the cathode ray vectorcardiograph. Mathematical analysis of idealized waves and experiments with a photoelectric electrocardiographic generator indicate that a frequency range between the half-power frequency of 0.8 to 80 cycles per second is satisfactory for proper reproduction of most vectorcardiograms. Many investigators construct the vectorcardiogram graphically from the electrocardiogram. In this study it is shown that, unless simultaneous electrocardiograms recorded at greater than usual paper speed are used, such vectorcardiograms may be incorrect.
New Tetrahymena basal body protein components identify basal body domain structure

Basal bodies organize the nine doublet microtubules found in cilia. Cilia are required for a variety of cellular functions, including motility and sensing stimuli. Understanding this biochemically complex organelle requires an inventory of the molecular components and the contribution each makes to the overall structure. We define a basal body proteome and determine the specific localization of basal body components in the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila. Using a biochemical, bioinformatic, and genetic approach, we identify 97 known and candidate basal body proteins. 24 novel T. thermophila basal body proteins were identified, 19 of which were localized to the ultrastructural level, as seen by immunoelectron microscopy. Importantly, we find proteins from several structural domains within the basal body, allowing us to reveal how each component contributes to the overall organization. Thus, we present a high resolution localization map of basal body structure highlighting important new components for future functional studies.
A count-rate model for PET scanners using pixelated Anger-logic detectors with different scintillators

A high count-rate simulation (HCRSim) model has been developed so that all results are derived from fundamental physics principles. Originally developed to study the behaviour of continuous sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) detectors, this model is now applied to PET scanners based on pixelated Anger-logic detectors using lanthanum bromide (LaBr3), gadolinium orthosilicate (GSO) and lutetium orthosilicate (LSO) scintillators. This simulation has been used to study the effect on scanner deadtime and pulse pileup at high activity levels due to the scintillator stopping power (?), decay time (?) and energy resolution. Simulations were performed for a uniform 20 cm diameter ? 70 cm long cylinder (NEMA NU2-2001 standard) in a whole-body scanner with an 85 cm ring diameter and a 25 cm axial field-of-view. Our results for these whole-body scanners demonstrate the potential of a pixelated Anger-logic detector and the relationship of its performance with the scanner NEC rate. Faster signal decay and short coincidence timing window lead to a reduction in deadtime and randoms fraction in the LaBr3 and LSO scanners compared to GSO. The excellent energy resolution of LaBr3 leads to the lowest scatter fraction for all scanners and helps compensate for reduced sensitivity compared to the GSO and LSO scanners, leading to the highest NEC values at high activity concentrations. The LSO scanner has the highest sensitivity of all the scanner designs investigated here, therefore leading to the highest peak NEC value but at a lower activity concentration than that of LaBr3.
Psychological regression with illness.

Abstract Illness creates a loss of autonomy, and the reaction of many patients is regression—the use of immature defense mechanisms. Anger, excessive praise or undue criticism of the physician, and over-dependence on the physician may be signs of regression. Physicians frequently pay insufficient attention to regressive phenomena in their patients lest their recognition force them to confront their own vulnerability. But the denial of regressive behavior can cause problems: the patient's emotional needs go unmet, problem patients are created, and the physician who denies his or her own emotional needs may in turn become a problem patient upon becoming ill.
Providing ART to HIV Seropositive Persons Who Use Drugs: Progress in New York City, Prospects for "Ending the Epidemic".

New York City has experienced the largest HIV epidemic among persons who use psychoactive drugs. We examined progress in placing HIV seropositive persons who inject drugs (PWID) and HIV seropositive non-injecting drug users (NIDU) onto antiretroviral treatment (ART) in New York City over the last 15 years. We recruited 3511 PWID and 3543 NIDU from persons voluntarily entering drug detoxification and methadone maintenance treatment programs in New York City from 2001 to 2014. HIV prevalence declined significantly among both PWID and NIDU. The percentage who reported receiving ART increased significantly, from approximately 50 % (2001–2005) to approximately 75 % (2012–2014). There were no racial/ethnic disparities in the percentages of HIV seropositive persons who were on ART. Continued improvement in ART uptake and TasP and maintenance of other prevention and care services should lead to an “End of the AIDS Epidemic” for persons who use heroin and cocaine in New York City.
Infographic Aesthetics: Designing for the First Impression

Information graphics, or infographics, combine elements of data visualization with design and have become an increasingly popular means for disseminating data. While several studies have suggested that aesthetics in visualization and infographics relate to desirable outcomes like engagement and memorability, it remains unknown how quickly aesthetic impressions are formed, and what it is that makes an infographic appealing. We address these questions by analyzing 1,278 participants' ratings on appeal after seeing infographics for 500ms. Our results establish that: 1) people form a reliable first impression of the appeal of an infographic based on a mere exposure effect, 2) this first impression is largely based on colorfulness and visual complexity, and 3) age, gender, and education level influence the preferred level of colorfulness and complexity. More generally, these findings suggest that outcomes such as engagement and memorability might be determined much earlier than previously thought.
Anesthesia and ventilation for the uremic child

This article reviews the management of the uremic child from the perspective of an anesthesiologist and cardiopulmonary clinician. The acute stresses of anesthesia, surgery, and mechanical ventilation mandate a systematic, functional approach to addressing rapidly progressing complications that may occur in these patients. Chronic renal failure may be the result of many different renal diseases, but most share common implications during anesthesia [1, 2]. Furthermore, anesthesia can be associated with acutely decreased function of both normal and diseased kidneys [3].
Spatial Linkages and Subcontracting Relationships among High-Technology Industries in the Northeast Ohio Region

In this paper the input, sales, and subcontracting linkages for a sample of high-technology establishments in Northeast Ohio are described. Viewed from theoretical perspectives on subcontracting, the types of linkages which these establishments maintain and the spatial extent of their subcontracting arrangements are investigated. Inputs to the production process and sales of intermediate and final goods are also examined to identify the regional and interregional patterns of activities. These establishments maintain the bulk of their linkages with the durable goods industries of the industrial heartland. Subcontracting transactions are confined largely to Northeast Ohio and the other major metropolitan industrial regions of the Midwest. Sales of products are more geographically dispersed, both interregionally and internationally. These findings demonstrate that interfirm transactions are both numerous and geographically specific. They support theoretical statements about the structure and extent of transa...
An incubation chamber for the simultaneous, on-slide treatment of brain sections with different reagents

The design and use of a new microscope slide incubation chamber is described. The chief advantage of this device is that it allows the simultaneous incubation of tissue sections which are mounted on glass slides, either together with the same reagent, or individually with different reagents. Simple construction makes this chamber durable, reliable, and inexpensive. Advantages and disadvantages of this device, as well as, other published devices are discussed.
POSTSYNAPTIC TARGETS OF GABAERGIC BASAL FOREBRAIN PROJECTIONS TO THE BASOLATERAL AMYGDALA

Recent studies indicate that the basolateral amygdala, like the neocortex and hippocampus, receives GABAergic inputs from the basal forebrain in addition to the well-established cholinergic inputs. Since the neuronal targets of these inputs have yet to be determined, it is difficult to predict the functional significance of this innervation. The present study addressed this question in the rat by employing anterograde tract tracing combined with immunohistochemistry at the light and electron microscopic levels of analysis. Amygdalopetal axons from the basal forebrain mainly targeted the basolateral nucleus (BL) of the amygdala. The morphology of these axons was heterogeneous and included GABAergic axons that contained vesicular GABA transporter protein (VGAT). These axons, designated type 1, exhibited distinctive large axonal varicosities that were typically clustered along the length of the axon. Type 1 axons formed multiple contacts with the cell bodies and dendrites of parvalbumin-containing (PV+) interneurons, but relatively few contacts with calretinin-containing and somatostatin-containing interneurons. At the ultrastructural level of analysis, the large terminals of type 1 axons exhibited numerous mitochondria and were densely packed with synaptic vesicles. Individual terminals formed broad symmetrical synapses with BL PV+ interneurons, and often formed additional symmetrical synapses with BL pyramidal cells. Some solitary type 1 terminals formed symmetrical synapses solely with BL pyramidal cells. These results suggest that GABAergic neurons of the basal forebrain provide indirect disinhibition, as well as direct inhibition, of BL pyramidal neurons. The possible involvement of these circuits in rhythmic oscillations related to emotional learning, attention, and arousal is discussed.
Scale-up of membrane systems from lab data

Abstract A procedure for evaluating the consistency of lab data obtained from batch experiments is presented. Basic design equations are then developed for batch, fed-batch, once-through, and feed-and-bleed membrane systems, and methods for incorporating the lab performance data into the designs are explained. The results show how process design and operating variables such as membrane area, feed rate and composition, and retentate composition are related in the different system configurations.
Good and Bad Bacteria Fight for Iron in the Gut

Parents with multiple children can attest that there’s always a fight for the last piece of candy or serving of a favorite dessert. Just like human siblings, bacteria fight for coveted nutrients too. Iron—an essential nutrient for most living organisms—is often at the center of fights between humans and pathogenic bacteria and, now, between individual bacteria in the iron-limited environment of the inflamed intestine. Bacteria in the Enterobacteriaceae family are particularly good at circumventing host factors that limit access to iron during inflammation, and many strains have accumulated iron acquisition proteins in an “arms race” against other bacteria and the host. The pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ( S. Typhimurium) uses virulence factors to trigger inflammation and has iron acquisition and metabolic capabilities that give it a growth advantage in the inflamed gut. The probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 strain does not trigger inflammation, but also has an arsenal of iron acquisition elements that is comparable with or superior to many pathogens. Deriu and colleagues hypothesized that E. coli Nissle might protect hosts by competing with pathogens for limiting micronutrients such as iron. To test this hypothesis, they evaluated the effect of wild-type E. coli Nissle and E. coli Nissle mutants with deficient iron uptake on S. Typhimurium colonization and mucosal inflammation in acute and chronic mouse models of colitis. Wild-type E. coli Nissle decreased S. Typhimurium colonization regardless of whether it was administered before, during, or after S. Typhimurium inoculation, whereas iron-uptake mutants had no effect on S. Typhimurium levels. Restoration of iron uptake in a mutant E. coli Nissle strain renewed the probiotic’s competitive advantage. Last, in an interesting twist, the authors showed that both wild-type E. coli Nissle and iron-uptake mutant Nissle strains have anti-inflammatory effects on the intestinal mucosa that appeared to be unrelated to their effect on S. Typhimurium. This study provides compelling evidence that probiotics can benefit their host by engaging in direct competition with harmful bacteria for limiting micronutrients such as iron. At the same time, the study adds to existing research showing that E. coli Nissle and other probiotics likely affect hosts by more than one mechanism. Additional studies are needed to clarify the relative importance of interbacterial competition for micronutrients versus host immune modulation in determining overall probiotic efficacy. It may also be time to reexamine the effect of chronic oral iron supplementation on gut microbial communities and the risk of intestinal disease. E. Deriu et al ., Probiotic bacteria reduce Salmonella Typhimurium intestinal colonization by competing for iron. Cell Host & Microbe 14 , 26–37 (2013). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/fulltext/S1931-3128%2813%2900223-0
Remembering all that and then some: Recollection of autobiographical memories after a 1-year delay

We have previously shown that repeated retrievals of remote autobiographical memories over the course of one month led to an overall increase in reported detail (Nadel, Campbell, & Ryan, 2007). The current study examined the retrieval of those same memories 1 year later in order to determine whether the level of detail remained stable or whether the memories returned to their original state. Participants reported even more details than they had recalled at least 1 year earlier, including new details that were reported for the first time. This finding was consistent across both multiple and single retrieval conditions, suggesting that the critical factor leading to the increase in recall was the passage of time. These findings provide evidence for long-term effects of repeated retrieval on memory content.
Dispersion of ventricular repolarization in the voltage domain.

Dispersion of ventricular repolarization, assessed as QT dispersion in the ECG or by multiple monophasic action potential (MAP) recordings, is defined as the difference between the earliest and latest repolarization. It is thus measured in the time domain. However, myocardial refractoriness is primarily a function of the membrane potential during phase 3 repolarization. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to measure dispersion of ventricular repolarization in the voltage domain and to study its relation to VF inducibility. To further validate this concept, the effects of chronic amiodarone treatment on the voltage dispersion were assessed. MAPs were recorded simultaneously at 10 epicardial and endocardial sites in isolated rabbit hearts, both under baseline conditions (n = 8) and after chronic amiodarone treatment (n = 8). Repolarization dispersion in the voltage domain was calculated as the difference between the highest and lowest repolarization level of all 10 MAPs at 10-ms steps, starting from the MAP plateau level to complete repolarization. Plotting these voltage differences along the time axis resulted in a dispersion curve, which rose during early repolarization, reached a peak during phase 3 repolarization, and thereafter declined toward zero. There was a close correlation between VF vulnerability in response to electrical field stimuli and the time during which voltage dispersion was maximal (r = 0.828, P < 0.0001). Amiodarone caused a right-ward shift of both the dispersion curve (P = 0.007) and VF vulnerability (P = 0.025), but did not change the magnitude nor the shape of the voltage dispersion curve and its relation to VF vulnerability. Repolarization dispersion in the voltage domain describes an alternate approach for evaluating the heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization and may help to characterize arrhythmia susceptibility under experimental conditions.
Cooperative diversity in wireless relay networks with multiple-antenna nodes

In [1], the idea of distributed space-time coding was proposed to achieve a degree of cooperative diversity in a wireless relay network. In particular, for a relay network with a single-antenna transmitter and receiver and R single-antenna relays, it was shown that the pairwise error probability (PEP) decays as (log P/P)R where P is the total transmit power. In this paper, we extend the results to wireless relay networks where the transmitter, receiver, and/or relays may have multiple antennas. Assuming that the transmitter has M antennas, the receiver has N antennas, the sum of all the antennas at the relay nodes is R, and the coherence interval is long enough, we show that the PEP behaves as (1/P)min{M,N}R, if M ne N, and (log1M/P/P)MR, if M = N. Therefore, for the case of M ne N, distributed space-time coding has the same PEP performance as a multiple-antenna system with min{M, N}R transmit and a single receive antenna. For the case of M = N, the penalty on the PEP compared to a multiple-antenna system is a log1M/ P factor, which is negligible at high SNR. We also show that for a fixed total transmit power across the entire network, the optimal power allocation is for the transmitter to expend half the power and for the relays to share the other half with the power used by each relay being proportional to the number of antennas it has
Metabolism of Glucose-l-14C and Glucose-6-14C by Testis Tissue from Cryptorchid and Testosterone Propionate

Testicular tissue slices from normal and 30-day cryptorchid rabbits and from rabbits treated with 60 mg of testosterone propionate/day for 30 days were incubated with 0.2 μc of either glucose-l-14C or glucose-6-14C. Histological examination revealed only Sertoli and interstitial cells in the cryptorchid testes, whereas testes from testosterone propionate treated animals showed normal spermatogenesis in the absence of normal interstitial elements. Activity of 14CO2 from glucose-l-14C did not differ significantly between the treatment groups, indicating a similar level of pentose cycle activity in the interstitium and in the tubules. Both differed significantly from control levels, indicating interdependence between the 2 parts of the testes for normal metabolic processes. There was effect of the treatment on 14CO2 activity derived from glucose-6-14C. {Endocrinology 82: 183, 1968)
Transforming the Academy

Two articles in this issue of the journal address transforming specific dimensions of higher education. Bruch et al. present a multicultural approach to institutional transformation while Allen and Ester discuss collaborative curricular transformation. These articles are timely as colleges and universities increasingly face issues and problems that require more than piecemeal responses and adaptations to change. In the book, Taking the reins: Institutional transformation in higher education, Eckel and Kezar (2003) presented a research-based model for change built from the analyses of 23 diverse institutions. These institutions engaged in various projects of transformation as part of a longitudinal project of the American Council on Education. Through detailed, qualitative analyses, the authors construct a “Mobile Model” featuring five core strategies essential for transformation: senior administrative support, collaborative leadership, flexible vision, staff development, and visible action. While the book captures institutional change and change strategies, an equally important question centers on the process of affecting change broadly, across the entire landscape of higher education. Without doubt, federal funding (Pell Grants), specific legislation (Title IX), and court cases (Brown vs. Board of Education) can have widespread impact, but what are the other mechanisms for educational change? I would suggest that the five strategies above, combined with persistence and belief in the centrality of students, is the answer. Transformation of the first-year of college has been a career-long pursuit of John N. Gardner, the former director of the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition TM (http://www.sc.edu/fye/) and the current executive director of the Policy Center on the First Year of College (http://www.brevard.edu/fyc). Early in his career, Gardner was invited to create and implement a first-year seminar at the University of South Carolina (USC). This was a pivotal event in his career as he came to understand and advocate for the importance of first-year experiences. As director of
The anterior eyelid crease approach to the orbit.

Purpose of review The anterior lid crease approach to the orbit allows the surgeon access to the superior orbital compartments through an upper eyelid incision giving excellent exposure with minimal damage to normal structures. Because the incision is in the lid crease, scarring is minimal. This route into the orbit has gained popularity in recent years and has been used by multiple different surgical subspecialties. Recent findings Historically, the eyelid approach to the orbit has been used mainly by ophthalmic plastic surgeons for removal of intraconal and extraconal orbital tumors, orbital fracture repair and optic nerve sheath fenestration. In recent years, other surgical subspecialties have adopted this technique for surgical access to adjacent structures such as the skull base and frontal sinuses. In addition, adjunctive devices, such as the endoscope, are being employed along with the eyelid crease incision to further improve surgical outcomes by decreasing wound size and increasing visualization of the orbital anatomy. Summary The use of upper eyelid crease for access to the orbit allows excellent surgical exposure to the superior orbit and adjacent structures with outstanding cosmetic outcome.
Management of lake sturgeon on the Winnebago System ‐ long term impacts of harvest and regulations on population structure

Summary The Winnebago System, Wisconsin, supports one of the largest self sustaining stocks of lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, in North America. Winter spearing harvest of the Winnebago sturgeon population has been actively regulated since 1903 and actively assessed since the 1940's. While historic population assessments have shown a steady increase in sturgeon densities in the system, recent surveys indicated overexploitation of adult females. From 1991–97, 13714 sturgeon were assessed through harvest and spawning surveys to characterize the status of the current population, and historical data from DNR files were reassembled and analyzed to discern population trends over the last 40 years. A summary of management actions since 1903 was completed and reviewed in the context of long term population trends. 1991–97 annual harvests averaged 1337 sturgeon with adult females comprising 46% of the annual harvests from 1991–96 and 34% of the harvest in 1997 following a reduction in the minimum size limit. With the higher size limit, estimated annual exploitation of adult females was 2 to 3 times higher than that of adult males. Historic harvest and population trends showed the benefits of conservative bag limits and harvest season lengths combined with strict law enforcement, and habitat protection, which resulted in an estimated 58% reduction in the annual harvest between 1955 and 1965 and a four fold increase in legal stock densities from 1955 to 1990. The analyses of the historic data reinforced the necessity of standardized long term harvest and population assessments for effective management of sturgeon populations and fisheries. Public involvement is also identified as an integral component to effective sturgeon management.
The 46-kDa nucleoside triphosphatase of rat liver nuclear scaffold represents the N-terminal portion of lamins A/C

The major nucleoside triphosphatase (NTPase) of rat liver nuclear scaffold (NS) or envelope, which is thought to participate in nucleocytoplasmic transport, has been identified via photoaffinity labeling as a 46-kDa polypeptide. This 46-kDa protein was purified by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and cleaved with trypsin. The resulting peptides were purified by HPLC and five were microsequenced. All five peptides appear to be derived from the N-terminal region of lamins A/C. Subsequent experiments with photolabeled NS showed that the 46-kDa polypeptide was selectively immunoprecipitated by antiserum specific to lamins A/C and by affinity-purified anti-lamin antibodies. Photolabeling of nuclei prepared in the presence of protease inhibitors showed predominant labeling of the 46-kDa polypeptide, suggesting that it is an integral nuclear constituent and not an artifact produced during NS preparation. Use of protease inhibitors throughout purification of NS increased the specificity of photolabeling of the 46-kDa band by significantly reducing photolabeling of smaller molecular weight components, which arise by proteolysis. Anti-lamin antibodies also produced a significant inhibition of NTPase activity in NS. These results suggest that the N-terminal portion of lamins A/C represents the 46-kDa NTPase, which, according to previous reports, may participate in RNA transport.
DR*W201/P65 Tetramer Visualization of Epitope-Specific CD4 T-Cell during M. tuberculosis Infection and Its Resting Memory Pool after BCG Vaccination

Background In vivo kinetics and frequencies of epitope-specific CD4 T cells in lymphoid compartments during M. tuberculosis infection and their resting memory pool after BCG vaccination remain unknown. Methodology/findings Macaque DR*W201 tetramer loaded with Ag85B peptide 65 was developed to directly measure epitope-specific CD4 T cells in blood and tissues form macaques after M. tuberculosis infection or BCG vaccination via direct staining and tetramer-enriched approach. The tetramer-based enrichment approach showed that P65 epitope-specific CD4 T cells emerged at mean frequencies of approximately 500 and approximately 4500 per 10(7) PBL at days 28 and 42, respectively, and at day 63 increased further to approximately 22,000/10(7) PBL after M. tuberculosis infection. Direct tetramer staining showed that the tetramer-bound P65-specific T cells constituted about 0.2-0.3% of CD4 T cells in PBL, lymph nodes, spleens, and lungs at day 63 post-infection. 10-fold expansion of these tetramer-bound epitope-specific CD4 T cells was seen after the P65 peptide stimulation of PBL and tissue lymphocytes. The tetramer-based enrichment approach detected BCG-elicited resting memory P65-specific CD4 T cells at a mean frequency of 2,700 per 10(7) PBL. Significance Our work represents the first elucidation of in vivo kinetics and frequencies for tetramer-bound epitope-specific CD4 T cells in the blood, lymphoid tissues and lungs over times after M. tuberculosis infection, and BCG immunization.
Depression: Diagnosis and Management for the Primary Care Physician

Background: Much has been learned in recent years about the diagnosis and treatment of depression, a serious, commonly overlooked psychiatric illness often seen initially by the primary care physician. The objective of this article is to review the diagnosis and treatment of depression in primary care practice. Method: Relevant articles on depression were identified by a comprehensive MEDLINE search and classified into the following categories: diagnosis and screening, nonpharmacologic therapy, pharmacologic therapy, newer antidepressant agents, and maximizing antidepressant therapy. The importance to primary care practice was considered in determining the significance of each article reviewed. Results: Because no laboratory tests exist for depression and no biological markers can be measured routinely, the diagnosis of depression must be made with a number of reliable depression scales and questionnaires that can be completed quickly in the primary care setting. The considerable overlap between depressive and anxiety disorders further complicates an accurate diagnosis. Remission (i.e., absence of symptoms) is the ultimate goal of therapy for patients who have depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Many patients can be treated safely and effectively for depression in the primary care setting with pharmacologic therapy, which, if completely successful, can lead to full remission of the disorder.
Computer simulation of mode evolution in long pulse FELs

Abstract The longest pulse FEL to date is presently under construction. The bandwidth will critically depend on the optical mode interaction. The set of coupled, nonlinear equations for modes evolution are solved numerically. Due to the strong mode coupling in long pulse FELs, the outcome is single mode operation.
Construction of low-dimensional assemblies of nanoparticles

A two-step method for constructing nanometre-scale architectural structures of nanoparticles on a solid surface is demonstrated. The method depends on physical processes between a colloid of nanoparticles and a hydrophobic surface that contains recess patterns. The effects of sedimentation of particles and of dewetting of the surface result in deposition of nanoparticles only within the patterns. This method has been used to generate spatially confined monolayers of nanoparticles, to assemble a small number of particles to each point of a 2D array and to construct 1D chains of interconnected particles on a surface. This versatile method can be used to generate architectural structures on a solid surface on various length scales.
Endoscopic vaginoscopy in the dog

Vaginoscopy is a useful diagnostic procedure for evaluating the nature and extent of disease in the vestibule and vagina of female dogs. Using flexible or rigid endoscopes improves the operator's capability to detect disease because of improved illumination and magnification while facilitating vaginal distension. The size of the scope should be appropriate for the size of the patient. Although a variety of positions are suitable, we place anesthetized dogs in dorsal recumbency to minimize inadvertent contamination of the operative field with feces. If the urinary tract will also be examined, evaluate the urethra and urinary bladder first and then the vagina. After the reproductive tract is examined, tissue biopsies can be obtained for microscopic evaluation.
Summary of Presentation from the Targeted Therapy in Lung Cancer Meeting

New pathways are being identified now on a regular basis, and novel agents are being tested in a wide variety of clinical trials for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Excitement over progress in one area is tempered naturally by disappointing results in other areas. Each year, leading lung cancer experts meet in Santa Monica to discuss the progress in the field of molecularly targeted therapy in non-small cell lung cancer. Annual conferences similar to the one held in Santa Monica serve mainly as a catalyst to promote new ideas and foster active collaboration. We have invited participants to provide very brief succinct summaries of the presentations for this supplement. The articles in this supplement should be viewed more as meeting reports than as exhaustive and comprehensive review articles.
Neural factors account for strength decrements observed after short-term muscle unloading

Strength decrements observed after extended (4–6 wk) periods of muscle unloading are associated with significant atrophy. Because early (up to 2 wk) strength gains from resistance exercise are rela...
Terahertz photoconductivity and plasmon modes in double-quantum-well field-effect transistors

Double-quantum-well field-effect transistors with a grating gate exhibit a sharply resonant, voltage tuned terahertz photoconductivity. The voltage tuned resonance is determined by the plasma oscillations of the composite structure. The resonant photoconductivity requires a double-quantum well but the mechanism whereby plasma oscillations produce changes in device conductance is not understood. The phenomenon is potentially important for fast, tunable terahertz detectors.
101.7-Tb/s (370×294-Gb/s) PDM-128QAM-OFDM transmission over 3×55-km SSMF using pilot-based phase noise mitigation

Record capacity transmission of 101.7-Tb/s (370×294-Gb/s) is performed over 3×55 km SSMF using PDM-128QAM-OFDM modulation and pilot-based phase noise mitigation. Achieved spectral efficiency of 11 bits/s/Hz is the highest reported to date for WDM transmission.