cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental changes of glucocorticoid receptors in the rat pancreas.

Abstract Glucocorticoids are known to play a role in the maturation of the exocrine pancreas. The exact mechanism of glucocorticoid action in pancreatic ontogeny is, however, not clear. The present study characterized and quantitated the binding of [ 3 ]dexamethasone to cytosol fractions from pancreata of rats at various ages. Trunk blood samples from these rats were also checked for levels of free and bound corticosterone. Specific and saturable bindings for dexamethasone were found in pancreatic cytosol fractions from newborn suckling and adult rats. Competition studies showed a preference for steroids with glucocorticoid activity. Specific binding was relatively low in pancreatic cytosol from newly born and 1-day old pups. A significant rise was seen after day 15. Cytosolic binding capacities were greatest from pancreata obtained from pups at weaning (3rd to 5th weeks). Values then declined toward the adult level. Scatchard analysis revealed a single class of binding sites with a dissociation constant ( K d ) of 7.3 (±1.1)x 10 −8 M and number of binding sites equalled to 1.29 (±0.18) × 10 −13 mole/mg of cytosolic protein in adult rat pancreas. Pancreata from 25- and 15-day old rats had K d s of 3.4 (±0.8) × 10 −8 M and 2.7 (±0.7) × 10 −8 M with the number of binding sites equal to 1.77 (±0.21) × 10 −13 mole/mg protein and 1.31 (±0.16) × 10 −13 mole/mg protein respectively. Total plasma corticosterone concentration was low before day 10. It rose significantly by day 15, peaked at day 25, and then declined after weaning. About 5–15% of corticosterone during weaning and about 20–30% before and after weaning were in the free form. The peak level of dexamethasone binding corresponded to an increase in the plasma corticosterone level during weaning. This suggests a close relationship between plasma corticosterone levels and pancreatic glucocorticoid receptors. Both may, therefore, play a role in pancreatic development in the rat.
Land Tenancy and Non-Contractible Investment in Rural Pakistan

Commitment failure lies at the core of incomplete contract theory, yet its quantitative significance has rarely been assessed. Using detailed plot-level data from rural Pakistan, we find that non-contractible investment is underprovided on tenanted land, even after controlling for the endogeneity of leasing decisions. Our evidence also indicates that moral hazard in investment effort alone cannot explain this inefficiency. Instead, imperfect commitment appears to be the driving mechanism, since even plots taken on fixed rent contracts where all the rent is paid upfront receive lower investment than owner-cultivated plots. We further show that a considerable portion of the variation in tenancy duration, and hence in the security of tenure, is due to heterogeneity across landlords. One interpretation of this finding is that landlord reputation is important in mitigating hold-up.
Diversity of inhibitory neurotransmission through GABAA receptors

In the brain, highly connected and heterogeneous GABAergic cells are crucial in controling the activity of neuronal networks. They accomplish this task by communicating through remarkably diverse sets of inhibitory processes, the complexity of which is reflected by the variety of interneuron classification schemes proposed in recent years. It is now becoming clear that the subcellular localization and intrinsic properties of heteropentameric GABA A receptors themselves also constitute major sources of diversity in GABA-mediated signaling. This review summarizes some of the factors underlying this diversity, including GABA A receptor subunit composition, localization, activation, number and phosphorylation states, variance of GABA concentration in the synaptic cleft, and some of the presynaptic factors regulating GABA release.
Simulations of a protein crystal: Explicit treatment of crystallization conditions links theory and experiment in the streptavidin-biotin complex

A 250 ns molecular dynamics simulation of the biotin-liganded streptavidin crystal lattice, including cryoprotectant molecules and crystallization salts, is compared to a 250 ns simulation of the lattice solvated with pure water. The simulation using detailed crystallization conditions preserves the initial X-ray structure better than the simulation using pure water, even though the protein molecules display comparable mobility in either simulation. Atomic fluctuations computed from the simulation with crystallization conditions closely reproduce fluctuations derived from experimental temperature factors (correlation coefficient of 0.88, omitting two N-terminal residues with very high experimental B-factors). In contrast, fluctuations calculated from the simulation with pure water were less accurate, particularly for two of the streptavidin loops exposed to solvent in the crystal lattice. Finally, we obtain good agreement between the water and cryoprotectant densities obtained from the simulated crystallization conditions and the electron density due to solvent molecules in the X-ray structure. Our results suggest that detailed lattice simulations with realistic crystallization conditions can be used to assess potential function parameters, validate simulation protocols, and obtain valuable insights that solution-phase simulations do not easily provide. We anticipate that this will prove to be a powerful strategy for molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules.
Stimulation of calcitonin synthesis and release in vitro by calcium and dibutyryl cyclic AMP

IT has been proposed that the physiological action of calcitonin is to prevent or diminish postprandial hypercalcaemia1. This is accomplished by inhibition of bone resorption2, of the tubular reabsorption of calcium3, and of the intestinal absorption of calcium4. Secretion or release of the hormone by parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland is mediated by calcium5–7 and by gastrointestinal hormones including gastrin and pancreozymin8,9. Secretion is apparently influenced by the adenylate cyclase system 7,10 and hormonal regulation presumably is mediated by cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP).
Waterspout Wind, Temperature and Pressure Structure Deduced from Aircraft Measurements

Abstract During September 1974 in the Lower Florida Keys, the first successful penetrations of mature waterspouts were accomplished by a specially instrumented research aircraft. Throughout the course of each penetration, the measurement system recorded the temperature, the pressure and the three-dimensional velocity field near and within the visible funnel. Multiple penetrations of both cyclonic and anticyclonic waterspouts in various life-cycle stages were achieved. The results indicate that the waterspout funnel structure exhibits 1) a warm central core region, 2) positive vertical velocities of 5–10 m s−1 outside of the warm core, and 3) tangential velocities and horizontal pressure gradients with characteristics similar to but with magnitudes greater than those of the dust devil. A scale analysis of each term in the governing equations of motion suggests a simplified set of modeling equations. The simple Rankine-combined vortex model with cyclostrophic flow explains approximately 75% of the total mea...
Fracture of drawn tungsten wires

Conditions that govern the process of fracture in fibrous material were examined with fine, heavily deformed tungsten wires. In particular, the nature of interaction between fiber rupture and delamination in the fracture process was determined by deforming wires under different loading conditions. This was accomplished by testing fine wires under simple uniaxial and “bend-and-stretch” loading conditions so that the effective stress state could be altered in the deforming fibers. Results of mechanical testing and scanning electron microscopy examination indicated that the process of fracture was controlled by fiber rupture but only to the extent that it could be accommodated by the delamination of fiber interface. The degree of the delamination process in turn was dependent on the magnitude of the radial stress in outer fibers. This view point was supported by an experiment with wires that contained surface flaws.
NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE FLOW OVER A DISK UNDERGOING UNSTEADY MOTION

Abstract The unsteady wake of a disk subjected to deceleration after starting from rest has been investigated both experimentally and numerically. Experiments were conducted in water for Reynolds numbers of 8 300 and 12 400. The flow field remained axisymmetric throughout the short duration of the test after the start-up. A numerical simulation has been performed using the axisymmetric vortex method developed by one of the authors. The time-dependent global wake structure and the drag time history were compared and very good agreement was shown between the experiment and the numerical simulation.
Endogenous Diurnal and Nocturnal Activity of Guard Cells as Indicated by Stomatal Aperture and Protoplasmic Streaming

The hourly stomatal apertures on epidermal strips of Antirrhinum majus, Rheum rhaponticum, Vicia faba, and Zebrina pendula fixed by Lloyd's technique were compared with the number of stomata found to contain streaming at the same time. With all four species there was an indication of an endogenously controlled rhythm in stomatal opening with both increases and decreases in aperture and streaming during daytime hours in either the light or dark. A similar endogenously activated rhythm was also found at night in Rheum and Vicia. Some relationships exist between changes in stomatal aperture and streaming. Streaming in guard cells may only be a byproduct of metabolism, but as such, it serves the useful purpose as a mixer of chemical activity.
Joint Ownership of a Convex Technology: Comparison of Three Solutions

A given set of agents jointly own and operate a decreasing returns to scale technology (with a single input and a single output). They all contribute some input and receive some of the output. What first best allocation is equitable? We discuss three allocation mechanisms. The Equal Benefits solution gives every agent the same benefit, computed at the supporting price. The Equal Returns solution equalizes returns (output shares/input contributions) across agents. The Constant Returns Equivalent solution gives every agent his indirect utility level at some common price of output relative to input. A lower and an upper bound on individual welfares play a key role in these axiomatic characterisation results.
Fabrication and optical characterization of imaging fiber-based nanoarrays.

Abstract In this paper, we present a technique for fabricating arrays containing a density at least 90 times higher than previously published. Specifically, we discuss the fabrication of two imaging fiber-based nanoarrays, one with 700 nm features, another with 300 nm features. With arrays containing up to 4.5 × 10 6 array elements/mm 2 , these nanoarrays have an ultra-high packing density. A straightforward etching protocol is used to create nanowells into which beads can be deposited. These beads comprise the sensing elements of the nanoarray. Deposition of the nanobeads into the nanowells using two techniques is described. The surface characteristics of the etched arrays are examined with atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe the arrays. The 300 nm array features and the 500 nm center-to-center distance approach the minimum feature sizes viewable using conventional light microscopy.
Polymorphic Characters and Phylogenetic Analysis: A Statistical Perspective

Most data used in phylogenetics display variable degrees of intraspecific (or intrataxon) character polymorphism. The most important classes of intraspecific polymor? phism include variable allele frequencies (for DNA sequences or allozyme data), variable phenotypic means (for morpho? metric data), and different ontogenetic states among individuals (for developmen? tal data) (Mabee and Humphries, 1993). Polymorphism has a special interpretation in phylogenetics. In this paper, I adopt a commonly accepted phylogenetic meaning of the term polymorphic (as recently defined by Mabee and Humphries, 1993) as the presence of more than one character state within a terminal taxon.
A carbon-13 and lithium-6 nuclear magnetic resonance study of lithium perchlorate/poly (ethylene oxide) electrolytes

Abstract 13C and 6Li high-resolution solid-state NMR techniques are used to characterize the morphology and dynamics of LiClO4/ poly(ethylene oxide) )(PEO) electrolytes. 13C spectra and relaxation are sensitive to the polymer morphology and the local chain motions. The 6Li magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR technique offers a detailed quantitative structural picture of the lithium atoms. At low concentrations of LiClO4 in PEO, where the conductivity rises with increasing concentration, the number of dissociated lithium ions is apparently the determining factor. At higher concentrations the observed drop in conductivity is associated with an increase in ion-ion interactions as well as decreased ion mobilities due to a lack of available sites on the polymer and due to decreasing polymer chain mobility. The number of dissociated lithium ions therefore is less important at these concentration.
Ideas for postclinical conferences

Abstract Are students learning in your postclinical conferences or "counting the minutes" until they are done? There are many outcomes of learning that can be achieved in a clinical conference if planned in advance. The purposes of this article are to provide guidelines for nursing faculty in planning postclinical conferences for their courses and suggest varied types of conferences that can be used in them.
Intermediary metabolism of the lens: A historical perspective 1928–1989

Abstract This is a chronological review focused on glycolysis, the hexose-monophosphate shunt, and the citric acid cycle in the crystalline lens.
Naloxone alters the local metabolic rate for glucose in discrete brain regions associated with opiate withdrawal

The current 2-deoxy-d-[1-14C]glucose investigation was performed to test the hypothesis that endogenous opioids influence basal synaptic activity within discrete brain regions. To examine this hypothesis, the effects of naloxone (1.0 mg/kg s.c.) on local cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (LCMRglu) in 84 brain regions were compared to saline controls. The specificity of naloxone's effects for opioid receptors was assessed by the coadministration of the opiate agonist morphine in a separate group. In naloxone-treated rats, there was a significant decrease in LCMRglu in the locus coeruleus (LC) and an increase in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CAMY), supporting a tonic influence of endogenous opioids on these regions. These metabolic changes were reversed by coadministered morphine, indicating that naloxone's metabolic actions are specific for opioid receptors. Based on the role of the LC and CAMY in opiate withdrawal, the present results suggest a subthreshold naloxone precipitated withdrawal from endogenous opioids. Although morphine administered alone significantly reduced LCMRglu in 16 brain regions, these did not include the LC or the CAMY. These results identify brain regions in which synaptic activity is under tonic modulation by endogenous opioids.
Polarized Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering from Aligned Silver Nanowire Rafts

Flat arrays (rafts) of aligned silver nanowires were fabricated by electrodepositing silver in the nanopores of highly ordered anodic alumina templates and then releasing the silver nanowires and depositing them on an oxidized, single-crystal silicon surface. SERS spectra were recorded from Rhodamine 6G molecules adsorbed onto the rafts. The SERS spectra showed striking polarization dependence according to the relative disposition of the E-vector with respect to the nanowires' axes. The observations can be adequately described by the classical electromagnetic (EM) response of the strongly interacting metal nanowires to the optical fields when surface plasmon resonances are induced. The discussion relates these observations to the origin of the giant surface enhanced Raman effect with single-molecule detectivity as well as to possible strategies that one might use to construct systems that predictably and repeatedly produce such giant EM fields.
The delay and worry experience of African American women with breast cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To examine the delay in seeking treatment and worry experiences of African American women with breast cancer. DESIGN Descriptive, correlational. SETTING Urban northeastern United States. SAMPLE 60 African American women diagnosed with breast cancer. METHODS Consenting participants completed the worry subscale of the Ware Health Perception questionnaire and a Demographic and Illness-Related Information Sheet during a one-hour personal interview. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Delay in seeking treatment, worry about breast cancer and symptoms, and sociodemographic characteristics. FINDINGS Contrary to the literature, participants reported short patient and provider delay. As a result of little variability in delay, predicting those for whom worry was a deterrent or a motivator to seek prompt treatment was not possible. CONCLUSIONS Although delay does exist, African American women with sociodemographic characteristics similar to white women who do not delay are likely to have similarly short symptom durations. Further study to determine who is helped and who is hurt by worry and other possible intervening factors would be useful. Including biologic characteristics such as tumor staging and hormone receptor information in future studies would allow for a closer examination of stage at diagnosis and biologic influence. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Interventions with African American women cannot assume that delay exists. Strategies that consider both individual and cultural group differences are essential to the early seeking of a diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer symptoms among African American women.
Vitamin E stimulates trabecular bone formation and alters epiphyseal cartilage morphometry.

The effects of dietary vitamin E (VIT E) and lipids on tissue lipid peroxidation and fatty acid composition, epiphyseal growth plate cartilage development, and trabecular bone formation were evaluated in chicks. A 2×2 factorial design was followed using two levels (30 and 90 IU/kg of diet) of dl-α-tocopheryl acetate and two different dietary lipids. The basal semipurified diet contained one of the following lipid treatments: anhydrous butter oil (40 g/kg)+ soybean oil (60 g/kg), [BSO], or soybean oil (100 g/kg), [SBO]. After 14 days of feeding, the level of α-tocopherol in plasma was higher and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were less in plasma and liver of chicks supplemented with 90 IU of VIT E compared with those given 30 IU of VIT E. Body weights and tibiotarsal bone lengths were not affected by the dietary treatments Saturated fatty acids (14:0, 15:0, 16:0, 17:0, and 18:0) were increased in tibiotarsal bone of chicks fed the BSO diet. In contrast, total polyunsaturated fatty acids and the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids were higher in plasma of chicks fed SBO compared with the values from chicks fed BSO. The thickness of the entire growth plate cartilage and the lower hypertrophic chondrocyte zone was significantly greater in chicks fed 90 IU/kg of VIT E. Kinetic parameters on bone histomorphometry indicated that mineral apposition rate was higher in chicks fed 90 IU/kg of VIT E. The interaction effect between the VIT E and BSO treatments led to the highest trabecular bone formation rate among the groups. These data suggest that VIT E protects against cellular lipid peroxidation in cartilage to sustain normal bone growth and modeling.
Reconstitution of enzymatic activity from fragments of M1 RNA

Certain fragments of M1 RNA, the catalytic subunit of RNase P from Escherichia coli, either have no enzymatic activity at all or have altered substrate specificity compared with that of the intact catalytic RNA. After simple mixing in vitro, many of these fragments of M1 RNA can reassociate with other fragments to form complexes that have enzymatic activity typical of wild-type M1 RNA. Furthermore, inactive M1 RNA molecules with internal deletions can be complemented in vitro by other inactive derivatives of M1 RNA that have nonoverlapping deletions. Thus, two inactive molecules of M1 RNA can interact to form an active RNA enzyme. Functional attributes can be assigned to various regions of M1 RNA when the reconstitution process is combined with assays for activity with different substrates.
Phospholipids, Dietary Supplements, and Chicken Eggs: An Inquiry-Based Exercise Using Thin-Layer Chromatography.

This inquiry-based experiment is designed for organic or biochemistry undergraduate students to deduce the identity of phospholipids extracted from chicken eggs and dietary supplements. This is achieved using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) data, a series of guided questions of increasing complexity, and provided relative retention factor (Rf) values for phospohlipids. Colorful visualization agents are used that selectively reveal phospholipids with specific functional groups on TLC plates. The novelty in this experiment lies in the students’ ability to use the colorful patterns on the developed plates and compare the spot locations to a list of Rf values without the need for phospholipid standards. Furthermore, the use of krill oil and fish oil provide a unique aspect where an additive purported to be a good source of phospholipids, krill oil, is tested against fish oil (seemingly similar, yet negative for phospholipids). A prelaboratory assignment familiarizes students with concepts of TLC and phospholi...
Factorizing speaker, lexical and emotional variabilities observed in facial expressions

An effective human computer interaction system should be equipped with mechanisms to recognize and respond to the affective state of the user. However, spoken message conveys different communicative aspects such as the verbal content, emotional state and idiosyncrasy of the speaker. Each of these aspects introduces variability that will affect the performance of an emotion recognition system. If the models used to capture the expressive behaviors are constrained by the lexical content and speaker identity, it is expected that the observed uncertainty in the channel will decrease, improving the accuracy of the system. Motivated by these observations, this study aims to quantify and localize the speaker, lexical and emotional variabilities observed in the face during human interaction. A metric inspired in mutual information theory is proposed to quantify the dependency of facial features on these factors. This metric uses the trace of the covariance matrix of facial motion trajectories to measure the uncertainty. The experimental results confirm the strong influence of the lexical information in the lower part of the face. For this facial region, the results demonstrate the benefit of constraining the emotional model on the lexical content. The ultimate goal of this research is to utilize this information to constrain the emotional models on the underlying lexical units to improve the accuracy of emotion recognition systems.
The relation of body fat mass and distribution to markers of chronic inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relation of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) to various measures of body fat and body fat distribution and to investigate whether these relations were explained by differences in insulin sensitivity. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Cross-sectional analysis of the IRAS (Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study), a large (n=1559) tri-ethnic population (non-Hispanic whites, African-Americans and Mexican-Americans) across different states of glucose tolerance. MEASUREMENTS: Glucose tolerance (oral glucose tolerance test), insulin sensitivity (frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test and minimal model analysis), assessment of body fat mass and distribution (weight, girths, bioelectrical impedance), subclinical atherosclerosis (B-mode ultrasonography of carotid artery intima-media thickness, IMT), CRP (highly sensitive immunoassay), fibrinogen (standard assay). RESULTS: Both CRP and fibrinogen were related to all measures of body fat. Strong correlations (correlation coefficient r≥0.35) were found between CRP and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and adipose body mass, respectively. The associations were consistent in non-diabetic and type-2 diabetic subjects, were generally stronger in women, and were only moderately attenuated by the prevailing insulin sensitivity (SI). In a multivariate linear regression model waist circumference explained 14.5% of the variability of circulating CRP levels (P=0.0001), BMI 0.4% (P=0.0067), and SI 1.7% (P=0.0001). Common carotid artery IMT was related to CRP and fibrinogen in men, but not in women, and was attenuated after adjusting for BMI or waist. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that measures of body fat are strongly associated with circulating levels of CRP and fibrinogen. These associations were not explained by lower SI in obese subjects. Chronic, subclinical inflammation may be one pathophysiological mechanism explaining the increased risk of atherosclerotic disease associated with adiposity.
Investigation of the Physics of Transduction in Nafion / Ionic Liquid Composite Membranes

Ionomeric polymer actuators based on Nafion membranes exhibit large bending motion (1%) under the application of small voltages (1-5 V). Actuation in these materials is believed to arise from the field-induced motion of mobile charges when a voltage is applied. In order for this charge motion to occur, the material must be swollen with a diluent, typically water. However, dehydration of the water limits the lifetime of these actuators in non-aqueous environments. Recently, highly stable ionic liquids have been demonstrated as viable diluents for these actuators. In the current paper, the physics of transduction in these ionic liquid-swollen Nafion membranes are investigated. Small-angle X-ray scattering reveals that the structure and properties of the ionic liquid have a strong influence on the morphology of the composites. Infrared spectroscopy is used to probe the ion associations within the films and shows that the ionic liquids are able to effectively mobilize the counterions of the Nafion membrane. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is also used to investigate the composites and reveals that the mobility of the counterions increases as the content of ionic liquid within the membrane is increased. The results of these characterizations are compared to an experimental investigation of transduction in Nafion / ionic liquid composites to form an interpretation of the mechanisms of actuation. This comparison reveals that the counterions of the Nafion membrane are the primary charge carriers and that it is the motion of these mobile charges that gives rise to the actuation behavior of the films.
Airborne di-Butyl and di-(2-Ethylhexyl)-phthalate at Three New York City Air Sampling Stations

Abstract Since some phthalate esters may be teratogenic, it is Important that ambient concentrations of these compounds should be established for proper medical evaluation. The 1975 yearly average concentrations of di-butyl phthalate at three air sampling stations in New York City (Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island) were 3.73, 5.69 and 3.28 nanograms per cubic meter respectively. The yearly average concentrations of di(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate for the same period at the corresponding stations were 10.20,16.79 and 14.20 nanograms per cubic meter respectively. The data were obtained by a G.C.-M.S. technique.
On the equations of facilitated diffusion

THE PROCESS in which a permeant molecule crosses a solution barrier both by means of passive diffusion and by being carried on a molecular carrier which itself diffuses passively is called facilitated diffusion. The process has been invoked as a model in chemical engineering [l, 7, 191, and in biology [20, 211. We are interested in the mathematics of the facilitated diffusion of oxygen and carbon monoxide with the carriers hemoglobin and myoglobin. The mathematical equations governing the simultaneous chemical reaction and diffusion of several molecular species have been known for a long time [3], and are commonly referred to as reaction-diffusion equations. When applied to the steady-state facilitated diffusion of a substrate reacting reversibly with and diffusing in a solution slab of carrier molecules, they may be reduced to a single nonlinear ordinary differential equation for one molecular species [l]. We shall call such an equation a Wyman’s Equation [24]. Consider the reaction
Primary undifferentiated carcinoma arising from the retroperitoneum: a case report.

A 35-year-old woman, gravida 1, para 1, underwent cesarean section in her 39th week of pregnancy. At the time of operation, multiple retroperitoneal tumors were found. Postoperative computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple solid tumors, each approximately 3–5 cm, in the right pelvic retroperitoneal space. Total resection of the tumors was performed without any macroscopic residual. A systematic workup for the primary tumor from which the retroperitoneal tumors may have metastasized failed to demonstrate any responsible tumor. We therefore assumed it to be a primary retroperitoneal tumor. The histopathologic features of the tumors were consistent with small-cell carcinoma. Two months postoperatively, recurrent tumors in the right inguinal and common iliac regions were detected. Since chemotherapy with irinotecan hydrochloride or paclitaxel did not produce any beneficial effect, a second tumor reduction surgery was performed 8 months after the initial operation. Four months after the second operation, a third operation including total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and tumor resection in the contralateral iliac region were done. Afterward, a new recurrent tumor appeared along the aorta up to the left supraclavicular node. The patient died 19 months after the first operation.
ICAP-1, a Novel β1 Integrin Cytoplasmic Domain–associated Protein, Binds to a Conserved and Functionally Important NPXY Sequence Motif of β1 Integrin

The cytoplasmic domains of integrins are essential for cell adhesion. We report identification of a novel protein, ICAP-1 (integrin cytoplasmic domain- associated protein-1), which binds to the 1 integrin cytoplasmic domain. The interaction between ICAP-1 and beta1 integrins is highly specific, as demonstrated by the lack of interaction between ICAP-1 and the cytoplasmic domains of other beta integrins, and requires a conserved and functionally important NPXY sequence motif found in the COOH-terminal region of the beta1 integrin cytoplasmic domain. Mutational studies reveal that Asn and Tyr of the NPXY motif and a Val residue located NH2-terminal to this motif are critical for the ICAP-1 binding. Two isoforms of ICAP-1, a 200-amino acid protein (ICAP-1alpha) and a shorter 150-amino acid protein (ICAP-1beta), derived from alternatively spliced mRNA, are expressed in most cells. ICAP-1alpha is a phosphoprotein and the extent of its phosphorylation is regulated by the cell-matrix interaction. First, an enhancement of ICAP-1alpha phosphorylation is observed when cells were plated on fibronectin-coated but not on nonspecific poly-L-lysine-coated surface. Second, the expression of a constitutively activated RhoA protein that disrupts the cell-matrix interaction results in dephosphorylation of ICAP-1alpha. The regulation of ICAP-1alpha phosphorylation by the cell-matrix interaction suggests an important role of ICAP-1 during integrin-dependent cell adhesion.
Pulsed field gradient-spin echo NMR studies of water diffusion in a phospholipid model membrane.

Water diffusion in the lamellar phase of egg phosphatidylcholine (egg PC)-water was studied by 1H NMR using the pulsed field gradient-spin echo method. The curvature of diffusion plots obtained with egg PC-water mixtures indicates that water diffusion is highly anisotropic with respect to lipid lamellae. This was confirmed by measurements made on macroscopically aligned egg PC-water as a function of orientation that categorically establish DII/DI >> .1, where the respective subscripts refer to parallel and perpendicular to the lipid bilayer. A smooth, monotonic dependence on water concentration was observed for water diffusion in aligned egg PC-water, varying at 25 degrees C from DII = 1.2 x 10(-10) m2 s 1 at n = 4.9 mol water/lipid to DII = 4.0 x 10(-10) m2 s-1 at n = 18.6 mol water/lipid. The diffusion is approximately a factor of 10 slower than in pure water because of water binding and restriction to translational motion within the aqueous layer. No evidence for a sudden drop in water diffusion coefficient at a specific water content, as previously reported with egg PC-water mixtures (Lange and Gary Bobo. 1974. J. Gen. Physiol 63:690–706), was detected. A morphological reorganization of lamellar domains, which in random orientational distribution comprise lipid-water mixtures, is the likely explanation. The study of aligned lipid-water systems is manifestly preferable.
Morphological analysis of fine particle mixtures

Abstract Three analytical methods are used to estimate the morphological composition of binary and ternary powder particle mixtures. These are the mean value correlation method, the discrimination analysis method and a newly developed combination matrix method. The most accurate technique is the combination matrix method, which gave an estimate of the morphological composition of a mixture with a 0.04 × 10−2 mean squared error.
Differential interaction of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 analogues and their 20-epi homologues with the vitamin D receptor.

Abstract An important focus of structure-function studies of synthetic ligands for the vitamin D receptor (VDR) concerns the chiral center at carbon 20 of the steroid side chain; 20-epi analogues are 100-10,000 times more potent transcriptionally than the natural hormone 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25-(OH)2D3). We have compared the binding properties of three pairs of analogues either with a natural (N) or 20-epi (E) orientation. In intact cells, 45-60% of VDR·N-analogue complexes, but only 5-20% of VDR·E-analogue complexes, dissociated over a 3-h interval. The two groups of ligands induced distinct changes in VDR conformation as revealed by protease clipping assays. Mapping of ligand-VDR binding activity by deletions indicated that amino acids 420-427 were important for high affinity of VDR·N-analogue complexes, but not for VDR·E-analogue complexes. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that residues 421 and 422 were essential for 1α,25-(OH)2D3-induced conformational changes, high affinity of 1α,25-(OH)2D3 for VDR, and transcriptional activity, but not for binding of its 20-epi analogue. In contrast, deletion of residues 396-427 abolished binding of 1α,25-(OH)2D3, but binding of its 20-epi analogue was still detectable. The results suggest that the ligand-binding domain of VDR has multiple and different contact sites for the two families of side chain-modified ligands, resulting in VDR·ligand complexes with different half-lives and transcriptional activities.
Novel sampling strategies for x-ray fluorescence computed tomography

X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) is a synchrotron-based imaging modality employed for mapping the distribution of elements within slices or volumes of intact specimens. A pencil beam of external radiation is used to stimulate emission of characteristic X-rays from within a sample, which is scanned and rotated through the pencil beam in a first-generation tomographic geometry. While this line-by-line acquisition is slow, it does provide remarkable flexibility in sampling, since the sampling intervals and patterns are not limited by detector hardware as they are in many imaging modalities. In this work we discuss several ways of exploiting this flexibility to increase imaging speed without sacrificing image quality. This includes: (1) scanning only the half of the object nearest the detector while rotating through 360 degrees, (2) performing so-called interlaced sampling in which the sampling patterns at even and odd projection views are offset relative to one another, and (3) performing 3D helical scanning in which only the half of the object nearest the detector is scanned. The helical sampling is coupled with a novel Fourier-based interpolation scheme we have previously introduced for helical CT.
Congenital syphilis mimicking child abuse

It has been reported that fractures complicating congenital syphilis can mimic child abuse. We present such a finding in an 8-week-old infant who presented with paralysis of the left arm.
A syndrome of lymphoblastic lymphoma, eosinophilia, and myeloid hyperplasia/malignancy associated with t(8;13)(p11;q11): description of a distinctive clinicopathologic entity [see comments]

We report two patients with a distinctive biphenotypic hematologic disorder characterized by lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL), eosinophilia, and myeloid malignancy and/or hyperplasia associated with a t(8;13)(p11;q11) chromosomal translocation in both bone marrow and lymph node specimens. Both patients presented with lymphadenopathy pathologically classified as LBL with a T-cell immunophenotype, myeloid hyperplasia of the bone marrow, and peripheral blood eosinophilia. The first patient achieved clinical complete remission after receiving several regimens of chemotherapy and remains disease-free 16 months after undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. The second patient developed progressive lymphadenopathy despite several courses of chemotherapy directed against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Eight months after his initial presentation, he developed acute myelogenous leukemia that was refractory to therapy. Comparison of these patients with four similar cases recently reported in the literature suggests that this constellation of findings constitutes a distinctive clinicopathologic syndrome. Molecular analysis of the t(8;13) translocation breakpoint may identify genes located in this region and provide insight into the pathogenesis of this interesting biphenotypic hematologic malignancy.
Children's Perceptions of Variously Reprimanded Transgressors

Abstract This study assesses age-related changes in children's perceptions of transgressors subjected to varied reprimands. Twelve children at each of three school grade levels (first, third, sixth) watched one of four sequences in which a boy violated a given rule and was then exposed to one of three types of reprimand (retributive, restitutive, explanatory) or no reprimand. The children judged the transgressor by locating him on a scale from extremely good to extremely bad, and by predicting other morally related behaviors. Analyses of variance showed that statistically significant variations in children's judgments of the transgressors are attributable to reprimand type and to grade level of Ss. Results are interpreted as indicative of children developing the view that reprimand brings about behavior change, and does not simply convey the negative evaluation of the reprimander.
Distributions of high-density lipoprotein particle components in human follicular fluid and sera and their associations with embryo morphology parameters during IVF

BACKGROUND: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the sole lipoprotein present in follicular fluid (FF). The objectives of this study were to examine HDL lipid composition and associated enzyme activities in FF and serum and to relate these levels to embryo morphology parameters in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). METHODS: Serum and FF were prospectively obtained from 60 women undergoing IVF. HDL lipids, apolipoprotein AI (ApoAI), paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and paraoxonase 3 (PON3) activities were determined. Bivariate analysis and ordinal logistic regression models were employed to examine the associations between biochemical measures and embryo morphology parameters [embryo cell number (ECN) and embryo fragmentation score (EFS)] as surrogate markers of oocyte health. RESULTS: All biochemical parameters were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in FF than serum except PON3 levels which were significantly higher. FF-HDL cholesterol (OR 0.66, 95%CI 0.46-0.96) and ApoAI (OR 0.13, 95%CI 0.03-0.97) levels were negative predictors for EFS; however, their effects were not independent and the level of one moderated the effect of the other. Limited to Day 3 embryo transfers, FF-PON1-arylesterase activity was a significant positive predictor for ECN (OR 1.09, 95%CI 1.01-1.17). CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, our data suggests that HDL and its component proteins within FF may play protective roles in the health of the human oocyte and subsequent early embryo development. We describe for the first time the activities of PON1 and PON3 in FF. We suspect that PON3 activity may be locally generated due to higher activities in FF compared with serum.
A GBS culture collected shortly after GBS prophylaxis may be inaccurate.

Objective: To determine whether a vaginal–rectal culture obtained after antibiotic therapy has begun accurately detects pre-existing colonization with group B streptococcus (GBS). Methods: A prospective cohort study of women presenting at in labor who were known to be colonized with GBS were recruited. A GBS culture was obtained prior to administration of intravenous penicillin prophylaxis and repeated 2 hours following the first dose of penicillin. The two results were compared. Results: Eighty subjects were recruited. Complete results were obtained for 61 (76 %) subjects. Of these, 47 (77 %) had a GBS positive on initial culture. Persistence of GBS 2 hours after antibiotic exposure was seen in 30/47 (64 %). Conversion from GBS positive to GBS negative status was seen in 17/47 (36%). Conclusions: A vaginal–rectal culture for GBS performed after antibiotic prophylaxis has commenced may not accurately reflect a patient’s GBS colonization status.
Effect of High Dietary Copper on the Ceca of Chicks

Including 120 to 250 mg./kg. additional copper in practical broiler rations significantly affected the cecal appearance. The ceca were distended and the contents were darker in color and more pasty in consistency, compared to controls. Adding monensin sodium, gentian violet, or ferrous sulfate alone or in combination with copper to the ration did not significantly change the appearance of the ceca. Copper concentrations in the cecal contents reached levels above 5000 mg./kg., suggesting that the mechanism of action of copper in changing the appearance of the ceca may be related to an inhibition of normal fermentation that occurs in this part of the gastrointestinal tract. Sulfate, chloride and carbonate forms of copper all significantly changed cecal appearance, but the oxide did not, nor did a non-copper containing sulfate source. Macroscopic appearance of the gizzard lining and the proventriculus was also significantly changed by adding 240 mg./kg. copper to the diet, and liver weight and lipid content of liver dry matter were significantly increased. 3 references, 5 tables.
Subfertility and prepregnancy overweight/obesity: possible interaction between these risk factors in the etiology of congenital renal anomalies.

BACKGROUND Maternal subfertility and high body mass index (BMI) are both associated with adverse reproductive outcomes, including some birth defects. One study reported an association between subfertility and renal anomalies (Li, 1999). METHODS We defined subfertility as the mother's report that she sought fertility treatment from a doctor/clinic, and high BMI as a prepregnancy BMI ≥25. We included 169 infants with renal anomalies (renal agenesis [n = 41], obstructive defects [n = 117], and duplication defects [n = 11]) and 2763 infants without defects who were born in 1968–1980 in metropolitan Atlanta, after excluding mothers who reported diabetes. Conditional logistic regression (matching variables: race, birth hospital, and birth period) was used to obtain effect estimates (adjusted for maternal age and gestational age). RESULTS Subfertility was more common among case-mothers (11.8%) than control-mothers (7.8%), high BMI was similar among case-mothers (11.2%) and control-mothers (10.9%), and joint exposure (subfertility and high BMI) was reported by 3% case-mothers and 0.7% of control-mothers. Joint exposure to subfertility and high BMI was associated with renal anomalies (odds ratio [OR] = 5.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0–16.3). All case-mothers who reported a joint exposure had infants with obstructive renal anomalies (OR = 8.5; 95% CI = 2.9–24.7). There was no association observed for either exposure alone (subfertility and low BMI, or high BMI and no subfertility) for either all renal anomalies or obstructive defects. CONCLUSIONS Women who are overweight/obese and experience subfertility may be more likely to have an infant with an obstructive renal anomaly. Further exploration of possible biologic mechanisms is needed. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2003. Published © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comparison of the electrophysiologic effects of intravenous and oral verapamil in patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

Abstract The electrophysiologic effects of intravenous verapamil (a bolus dose of 0.15 mg/kg body weight followed by infusion of 0.005 mg/kg per min) were compared with those of oral verapamil (80 mg every 6 hours for 48 hours) in eight patients who had paroxysmal Supraventricular tachycardia. The mechanism of tachycardia was atrioventricular (A-V) nodal reentry in four patients and A-V reentry utilizing an accessory pathway for retrograde conduction in the remaining four. The electrophysiologic effects of oral and intravenous verapamil were similar. Both preparations significantly prolonged anterograde effective and functional refractory periods of the A-V node (p The results of acute drug testing with intravenous verapamil can be extrapolated to predict the electrophysiologic results and response to long-term therapy with oral verapamil.
Structure-Function Analysis of Dynein Light Chain 1 Identifies Viable Motility Mutants in Bloodstream-Form Trypanosoma brucei

The flagellum of Trypanosoma brucei is an essential and multifunctional organelle that is receiving increasing attention as a potential drug target and as a system for studying flagellum biology. RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown is widely used to test the requirement for a protein in flagellar motility and has suggested that normal flagellar motility is essential for viability in bloodstream-form trypanosomes. However, RNAi knockdown alone provides limited functional information because the consequence is often loss of a multiprotein complex. We therefore developed an inducible system that allows functional analysis of point mutations in flagellar proteins in T. brucei. Using this system, we identified point mutations in the outer dynein light chain 1 (LC1) that allow stable assembly of outer dynein motors but do not support propulsive motility. In procyclic-form trypanosomes, the phenotype of LC1 mutants with point mutations differs from the motility and structural defects of LC1 knockdowns, which lack the outer-arm dynein motor. Thus, our results distinguish LC1-specific functions from broader functions of outer-arm dynein. In bloodstream-form trypanosomes, LC1 knockdown blocks cell division and is lethal. In contrast, LC1 point mutations cause severe motility defects without affecting viability, indicating that the lethal phenotype of LC1 RNAi knockdown is not due to defective motility. Our results demonstrate for the first time that normal motility is not essential in bloodstream-form T. brucei and that the presumed connection between motility and viability is more complex than might be interpreted from knockdown studies alone. These findings open new avenues for dissecting mechanisms of flagellar protein function and provide an important step in efforts to exploit the potential of the flagellum as a therapeutic target in African sleeping sickness.