cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arrest of pigment granule motion in erythrophores by quick-freezing.

We report the use of quick-freezing, as an alternative to conventional chemical fixation, to arrest the movement of pigment granules at various stages of the dispersion—aggregation cycle in Holocentrus erythrophores. During pigment aggregation, the granules in these cells move at up to 20 μm/sec, hence the structural changes underlying the movement are likely to be too fleeting to be captured faithfully by conventional aldehyde fixation. On the other hand, quick-frozen cells, when examined by freeze-etch electron microscopy, provide novel views of certain cytoplasmic components which appear to be involved in pigment granule movement, namely, fine (2- to 6-nm diameter) fibrils which link the granules to each other and to the radial array of microtubules. These fine crosslinking fibrils can be distinguished from thicker (8- to 15-nm diameter) strands of coherent granular material which pervade the cytoplasm of pigment-dispersed as well as pigment-aggregated cells. This granular matrix is removed by detergent permeabilization, after which it becomes apparent that the fine fibrils are insoluble and are distributed both within and distal to the aggregated pigment mass. The diameter of the specific fibrils does not change during pigment motion, which indicates that they are not contractile.
Structurally similar but functionally diverse ZU5 domains in human erythrocyte ankyrin

The metazoan cell membrane is highly organized. Maintaining such organization and preserving membrane integrity under different conditions are accomplished through intracellular tethering to an extensive, flexible protein network. Spectrin, the principal component of this network, is attached to the membrane through the adaptor protein ankyrin, which directly bridges the interaction between β-spectrin and membrane proteins. Ankyrins have a modular structure that includes two tandem ZU5 domains. The first domain, ZU5A, is directly responsible for binding β-spectrin. Here, we present a structure of the tandem ZU5 repeats of human erythrocyte ankyrin. Structural and biophysical experiments show that the second ZU5 domain, ZU5B, does not participate in spectrin binding. ZU5B is structurally similar to the ZU5 domain found in the netrin receptor UNC5b supramodule, suggesting that it could interact with other domains in ankyrin. Comparison of several ZU5 domains demonstrates that the ZU5 domain represents a compact and versatile protein interaction module.
Cilio-inhibitory effects of branchial nerve stimulation in the mussel, Mytilus edulis

Abstract 1. 1. Lateral ciliary activity was studied on isolated gill-branchial nerve-visceral ganglion preparations of the mussel Mytilus edulis . 2. 2. Electrical stimulation of the nerve at 2, 3, and 5 pulses per second and exposure to 5-hydroxytryptamine each accelerated ciliary beating. Each was blocked by prior treatment with bromolysergic acid diethylamide. 3. 3. Electrical stimulation of the nerve at 25 and 50 pulses period and exposure to dopamine each inhibited ciliary activity. Each was blocked by prior treatment with phenoxybenzamine. 4. 4. In addition to previously demonstrated cilio-excitatory fibres, the branchial nerve appears to contain cilio-inhibitory fibres with dopamine as a possible inhibitory neurotransmitter.
MMP-13 is over-expressed in renal cell carcinoma bone metastasis and is induced by TGF-β1

Bone metastasis occurs frequently in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients causing significant morbidity by stimulating excessive osteolysis, yet the mechanisms responsible have been little studied. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are over-expressed in many cancer types and are believed to play a role in bone metastasis, however, the expression of MMPs in RCC bone metastasis (RBM) has not been investigated. Due to their ability to degrade the main component of organic bone matrix, type I collagen, we investigated the expression of MMP-1, -2, -8, -9, and -13 in RBM. By quantitative (q)RT-PCR, expression of MMP-13 was significantly increased in RBM tissues relative to that in RCC and adjacent normal kidney while no differences in the expression of MMP-1, -2, -8, or -9 mRNA were observed. Correspondingly, increased expression of MMP-13 protein was also observed in RBM relative to RCC by immunohistochemical analysis. Intriguingly, the expression of MMP-13 in the human RBM cell line RBM1-IT4 was stimulated by TGF-β1, a growth factor abundant in the bone microenvironment and known to promote RBM-induced osteolysis in animals. Exposure of RBM1-IT4 cells to TGF-β1 increased MMP-13 mRNA levels as well as the latent and active forms of MMP-13 protein. Further, stable expression of a dominant-negative TGF-β type II receptor in RBM1-IT4 cells inhibited MMP-13 expression following TGF-β1 exposure. These data suggest that MMP-13 expression is elevated in RBM relative to primary RCC and adjacent normal kidney, and is regulated at the cellular level by TGF-β1.
Radiative transfer in random media with scattering

Abstract For time-independent transport in planar systems, a formalism is developed to treat radiative transfer in a statistical medium, including the scattering interaction, for a certain class of problems. In this development, the statistics of the mixture are allowed to be completely general. As a special case, the purely scattering rod problem described by homogeneous Markov statistics is treated in detail, and numerical results given. These results agree with those reported earlier based upon the method of invariant imbedding. In particular, the existence of a transmission window is confirmed for this problem.
Biomimetic hydrogels for tissue engineering of the intervertebral disc

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that aims to repair or regenerate lost or damaged tissues and organs in the body. One such area with significant medical applications is the degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD). The objective of this work is to generate a bioadhesive polymer that, in addition to bonding with tissue, can support and cell survival post•adhesion. A thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) scaffold with aldehyde-modified CS adhesive and extracellular matrix (ECM) loaded lipid vesicles was examined as a potential minimally invasive method for repair and regeneration of degenerated IVD tissue. Samples containing varying percentages of aldehyde-modified CS and presence or absence of ECM loaded lipid vesicles were evaluated for physiological relevant performance with porcine skin. Maximum stress and work of adhesion were calculated for each polymer formulation based on force-distance data. Currently, work is being done to investigate the biocompatibility of various polymer compositions to optimize polymer blends for maximum work, stress and biocompatibility for use in vivo.
Factors Influencing Whey Protein Gel Rheology: Dialysis and Calcium Chelation

Influence of dialyzable compounds on the Theological properties (shear stress and shear strain at failure) of heat-induced whey protein concentrate (WPC) and whey protein isolate (WPI) gels was examined. Dialyzing WPC and WPI suspensions prior to gelation increased the stress of two of three WPC gels and a WPI gel. Dialysis also significantly increased the strain of the same two WPC gels, normalizing all strain values. Replacement of calcium lost through dialysis did not significantly change gel rheology. However, chelating calcium caused a significant decrease in the stress of all gels: a minimum amount of calcium and/or a calcium complex appears to have a major role in whey protein gelation.
Design of unidirectional subwavelength slit coupler for THz surface plasmons

In this paper, we demonstrate a unidirectional subwavelength slit coupler at THz frequencies by using two-dimensional finite difference time domain (FDTD) modeling. The near-field light emitted from the narrow slit serves as a subwavelength-scaled excitation source. By placing a particular grating structure on one side of the slit, the light could be guided in only one direction. This unidirectional subwavelength slit coupler is amenable to incorporation into optical integrated circuits at THz frequencies.
Electronic and optical properties of a superlattice in a parabolic potential

The electronic and optical properties of a superimposed parabolic and superlattice potential are calculated within the local-density approximation for a range of superlattice periods d. For small d, the properties are similar to those of a parabolic quantum well containing electrons with effective masses corresponding to the underlying superlattice. The ``effective-mass approximation'' is valid in this regime. For larger d, the spacing of the ideal-parabolic-well energy levels becomes comparable to the superlattice miniband width, and the effective-mass approximation breaks down.
Preliminary X-ray data for aspartate aminotransferase from Escherichia coli.

Abstract Crystals of the aspartate aminotransferase from Escherichia coli ( aspC gene product) have been examined by X-ray analysis. The crystals grow as elongated rectangular prisms, with the symmetry of space group C222 1 . Unit cell dimensions are a = 156 A , b = 87.6 A , c = 80.6 A and α = β = γ = 90 ° . There is one protein subunit of molecular weight 43,600 per asymmetric unit.
Geographic variation in habitat structure for the wood warblers in Maine and Minnesota.

The habitats occupied by species of wood warblers (Emberizidae) were compared at two study areas, Itasca State Park, Minnesota and Mount Blue State Park, Maine. Univariate comparisons of each variable of habitat structure show geographic differences for each species of warbler. Habitats available were also different because small trees were always more dense in Maine than in Minnesota. The Black-throated Green Warbler had the most dissimilar habitat with 9 of 11 variables different at the two sites.
Evidence of a diffuse magnetopause boundary

Observational evidence is presented to show that the magnetosphere-magnetopause boundary was diffuse during the Pioneer 8 magnetopause traversal on Dec. 14 and 15, 1967. This boundary was characterized by proton fluxes of significantly lower intensity than those observed in the magnetosheath. In addition, the angles of flow associated with the fluxes at the boundary were more diverse than those observed in the magnetosheath. Proton energy spectra are presented to indicate the change in the spectral shape at the boundary. The observational evidence is consistent with calculations by Axford and Dryer of a viscous magnetopause boundary layer, which is a function of an anomalous nonclassical kinematic viscosity. The observational evidence presented for the diffuse magnetosphere boundary may also be consistent with Dungey's model reconnection of magnetic field lines and an open magnetosphere.
Validating satellite phenology through intensive ground observation and landscape scaling in a mixed seasonal forest

Phenology is a key component of monitoring terrestrial ecosystem variations in response to global climate change. Satellite-measured land surface phenology (LSP) has been widely used to assess large scale phenological patterns and processes. However, the accuracy of LSP is rarely validated with spatially compatible field data due to the significant spatiotemporal scale mismatch. In this study, we employ intensive field observations specifically designed to address this deficiency. High density/frequency spring phenological observations were collected in a mixed seasonal forest during 2008 and 2009. A landscape up-scaling approach was used to derive landscape phenology (LP) indices from plot-level observations in order to validate Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) based LSP. Results show that the MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) derived start of spring season (SOS) measure was able to predict LP full bud burst date with absolute errors less than two days. In addition, LSP derived SOS captured inter-annual variations and spatial differences that agreed with ground observations. Comparison of complete time series of LP and LSP revealed that fundamental differences exist between the two observation means, e.g., LP development had increased influence on LSP during the course of spring onset. Therefore, inferring continuous LP processes directly from LSP measures could be problematic. However, using LSP derived from techniques such as logistic curve modeling for extracting seasonal markers appears more promising. This study contributes to a more explicit understanding of the linkages between remotely sensed phenology and traditionally observed (ground-based) phenology.
Comparison of Soil P Test Procedures for St. Augustinegrass

St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secondatum (Walt.) Kuntze] is a home lawn grass widely used in the southern United States. At present, phosphorus (P) fertilization of St. Augustinegrass is based primarily on Mehlich 1 P test. One criticism of Mehlich 1 extractant is that it extracts some fraction of soil P pool that is not available to plants, whereas, iron (Fe) oxide P and water‐extractable P methods are reported to be better related to plant growth in some cases. Literature relative to the soil test procedure comparison for St. Augustinegrass was not found. The objective of this study was to evaluate Mehlich 1 P, Fe oxide P, and water‐extractable P to identify the most suitable soil test method for St. Augustinegrass growth. Established pots of ‘Floratam’ were subjected to P application of 0, 0.14, 0.27, 0.54, and 1.07 g m−2 every 4 wk for 12 wk. Measurements included tissue growth rates, tissue P concentration, soil Mehlich 1 P, Fe oxide P, and water‐extractable P concentrations. Phosphorus applicatio...
Depth adjacency and the Ponzo illusion

The effect of depth displacement of test bars from the induction wedge of the Ponzo illusion was investigated in two experiments. Either two wedges of opposite orientation were presented simultaneously, one at a near and the other at a far distance, or only one wedge was presented at either the near or the far distance. The test bars were stereoscopically either in the plane of the wedge or displaced from the wedge in distance. When the two wedges were presented simultaneously, the direction of the Ponzo illusion was determined by the wedge at the same perceived distance as the test bars. When only one wedge was present, stereoscopic displacement of the bars in front of, but not behind, the wedge decreased the magnitude of the illusion. The results are interpreted in terms of the adjacency principle.
Midesophageal Web in Adults

Stenotic webs in the midesophagus of adults are rare. Including the present patient, only 6 have been described in the literature in English. Clinical presentation is characterized by dysphagia and insidious weight loss in a patient usually over 40 years old. The cause of the lesion is unknown. Based on knowledge of the embryological development of the esophagus and the absence of microscopical inflammatory changes in true webs, a congenital rather than inflammatory basis seems likely. Treatment of midesophageal webs can be accomplished by dilation, divulsion through an esophagoscope, or transthoracic excision.
Order Dependence And Independence Of Weak Polarization Elements

The order dependence of weak polarization elements is investigated and it is shown that weak polarization elements are very weakly order dependent; if the diattenuation or retardance is a small term, the order dependence is a higher order term. This has particular application to the polarization properties of an arbitrary ray path through a sequence of antireflection coatings. The polarization properties are explored through expansion of Jones matrices into sums of Pauli spin matrices. It is shown that the polarization properties of a meridional ray path are independent of the order in which the interfaces are encountered, and that the ray path will act as a linear diattenuator aligned or perpendicular to the meridional plane and/or as a linear retarder aligned or perpendicular to the meridional plane. A skew ray does have order dependence in its polarization properties. Due to these order dependent terms, the ray path in general acts as an elliptical diattenuator and/or retarder, despite the fact that all individual interfaces act only as linear polarization elements.
Frank Macfarlane Burnet and the immune self.

La production d'anticorps contre des cellules considere que le systeme reticulo-endothelial est capable de reconnaitre les substances propres des substances etrangeres, et de provoquer une reponse immunitaire. Burnet (F.M.) decrit le concept de tolerance et les mecanisme qui induisent une immunite
The solar UV environment and bacterial spore UV resistance: considerations for Earth-to-Mars transport by natural processes and human spaceflight

The environment in space and on planets such as Mars can be lethal to microorganisms because of the high vacuum and high solar radiation flux, in particular UV radiation, in such environments. Spores of various Bacillus species are among the organisms most resistant to the lethal effects of high vacuum and UV radiation, and as a consequence are of major concern for planetary contamination via unmanned spacecraft or even natural processes. This review focuses on the spores of various Bacillus species: (i) their mechanisms of UV resistance; (ii) their survival in unmanned spacecraft, space flight and simulated space flight and Martian conditions; (iii) the UV flux in space and on Mars; (iv) factors affecting spore survival in such high UV flux environments.
Conduction intersubband (In,Ga)As/GaAs quantum dot infrared photodetectors

The authors report a 40-period (In,Ga)As/GaAs normal-incidence quantum dot infrared photodetector operating in the wavelength range 8–14 µm. A primary intersubband transition peak is observed at a wavelength of 12.5 µm (E0 → E1), and a secondary peak at 11.3 µm (E0 → E2). The measured intersubband energy spacing is in good agreement with calculations. The normal-incidence peak responsivity at the bias voltage of –6 V is ~0.17 A/W. The background-limited performance temperature of our devices is found to be 62 K.
Encapsulation of Silver Nanoparticles into Polystyrene Microspheres

Hydrogen reduction of a saturated silver(I) oxide solution at elevated temperatures in the presence of ∼200 nm polystyrene (PS) microspheres followed by acetone treatment lead to the encapsulation of the resulting silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) into the PS microspheres. Extinction spectra reveal an expected red-shift of the characteristic plasmon resonance frequency of Ag−PS core−shell particles due to the increase in the surrounding dielectric constant. The Ag−PS core−shell particles maintain their stability when redispersed back into water.
Dynamics, diagnosis and disposition of two cases of skyjacking☆

Abstract The paper deals with two individuals diagnostically removed from each other, indicating that dynamically skyjackers cannot be placed over a common denominator. Thus, there does not exist a “Skyjacker Syndrome”. Hopefully, air piracy will remain a short-lived episode in the history of aviation. Case No. 1, due to mental illness, was found incompetent to stand trial and was remanded to a federal institution for the mentally ill until reaching competency. Case No. 2 was found competent to stand trial. The jury did not recognize a psychiatric defense during his committing the felony of air piracy. He was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in the penitentiary.
The genome data base (GDB)—a human gene mapping repository

The types of gene mapping data and its organization in the Genome Data Base (GDB) recently established at Johns Hopkins Medical School are described. The database provides a continuous online environment for data perusal and editing and is used as the informatics core for running the human gene mapping workshops. Current development is primarily concentrated on extending the types of map object, means of defining map location, map storage and representation. Experimental data structures have been created that permit storage of any type of map information, physical or genetic.
In vivo studies on the basal and evoked release of cholecystokinin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide from cat cerebral cortex and periventricular structures

In cat, radioimmunoassay revealed high concentrations of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and cholecystokinin (CCK)_(approximately 10–90 ng/g wet weight tissue) in various regions of the cerebral cortex and in periventricular structures. Superfusion of cat cerebral cortex or perfusion from the lateral ventricle to the cisterna magna with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was carried out in cats anesthetized with chloralose-urethane. The superfusate was assayed for VIP-and CCK-like immunoreactivity (VIP-LI and CCK-LI) simultaneously. Basal efflux of VIP-LI was 13.8 ± 41 fmol/30 min/cm2 cortex and 31.6 ± 5.0 fmol/30 min in ventriculo-cisternal superfusate. Basal efflux of CCK-LI, assayed in the same superfusate sample, was 10.7 ± 2.5 fmol/30/min/cm2 cortex in cortical cup superfusate and 25.6 ± 4.4 fmol/30 min in ventriculo-cisternal superfusate. The addition of potassium (50 mM) and veratridine (7.5 × 10−5M) to the superfusate produced significant increases in the levels of VIP-LI in both ventricular and cortical effluents. The potassium evoked release of VIP-LI and CCK-LI was inhibited by the substitution of cobalt (4 mM) for the calcium ion in the perfusion media; basal efflux was not affected. Separation of immunoreactivity by gel filtration chromatography demonstrated the CCK-LI in cat cortical tissue co-chromatographed with the COOH-terminal 4,8,33 and 39 amino acid peptide fragments of CCK and with a larger molecule. In contrast, the immunoreactivity in cortical and ventricular superfusate obtained during basal and evoked release co-migrated with authentic CCK octapeptide. For VIP, all immunoreactivity in tissue extract of cerebral cortex existed as a single peak which co-migrated with authentic VIP-28. The molecular pattern in cortical superfusate corresponded to that found in tissue extract.
Laparoscopic antireflux surgery

Background The purpose of this paper is to review the experience of a community surgeon performing laparoscopic antireflux procedures (LAP). The experience has been difficult and at times unsettling, and underscores the need for advanced laparoscopic expertise not normally obtained performing laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Methods Sixty-one consecutive patients underwent attempted LAP. The preoperative evaluation is reviewed, and the length of operative times, conversion rates, complications, and patient satisfaction is discussed. Results Four patients were converted to an open procedure, and two more patients required later reoperation for dysphagia. While the operative times are shorter now, the technical difficulty in performing the procedure does not seem to be appreciatively decreasing. No deaths or esophageal perforations occurred; however, there were a large number of patients with varying degrees of troubling dysphagia that did not require reoperation but frequently required endoscopic gastroduodenoscopy (EGD) dilatation. No recurrence of reflux has been documented in the short 2-year follow-up period. Conclusions LAP is still the most difficult procedure that I perform, and the learning curve is at least 60 cases. Patient satisfaction is quite good as only three have mild “heartburn.” Dysphagia is a significant problem that has led to takedown of several short gastric vessels to obtain looser fundoplications around larger and larger bougies. Appropriate patient preoperative selection is paramount and the antireflux procedure should be tailored to the individual patient. Major complications have been reported elsewhere, but have not been seen in this review.
Effects on beam alignment due to neutron-irradiated CCD images at the National Ignition Facility

The 192 laser beams in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are automatically aligned to the target-chamber center using images obtained through charged coupled device (CCD) cameras. Several of these cameras are in and around the target chamber during an experiment. Current experiments for the National Ignition Campaign are attempting to achieve nuclear fusion. Neutron yields from these high energy fusion shots expose the alignment cameras to neutron radiation. The present work explores modeling and predicting laser alignment performance degradation due to neutron radiation effects, and demonstrates techniques to mitigate performance degradation. Camera performance models have been created based on the measured camera noise from the cumulative single-shot fluence at the camera location. We have found that the effect of the neutron-generated noise for all shots to date have been well within the alignment tolerance of half a pixel, and image processing techniques can be utilized to reduce the effect even further on the beam alignment.
Application example for evaluating networks considering correlation

Current approaches to network scheduling do not consider the correlation between activity durations. When activity durations are correlated, the variability of path and project durations may be increased. High variability in a project's duration increases the uncertainty of completing the project by a target date. The model NETCOR (NETworks under CORrelated uncertainty) has been developed to evaluate schedule networks when activity durations are correlated. The NETCOR model builds upon a factor-based procedure to indirectly elicit correlation. An activity duration model disaggregates the effect of uncertainty by factors from a duration distribution (grandparent) for each activity. Correlation is captured by a child-distribution approach that further breaks down the factor-subdistribution (parent) based on the factor conditions. This paper demonstrates the practical application of NETCOR to a current construction project: the Presidio Viaduct project. Using the same inputs, the program evaluation and review technique and several simulation analyses that do not consider correlation also are evaluated. Comparison of the results shows the significance of considering correlation in scheduling analysis.
A robotic future for bladder cancer

Robot-assisted radical cystectomy was fi rst reported in 2003 for bladder cancer. Up to now, about 200 cases of robot-assisted radical cystectomy have been reported from ten tertiary centres around the world. Less than 5% of invasive bladder cancers are currently treated with robotic cystectomy; however, this procedure has the potential for widespread application, similar to robotic prostatectomy. The two advantages of robot-assisted surgery are seven degrees of freedom of the instrument tips and ×10 magnifi cation of a three-dimensional image. The view of the surgical fi eld from the surgeon’s console is more realistic than that of conventional laparoscopy (ie, twodimensional image), thereby enabling the defi nition of minute structural details. This technique provides the surgeon with an opportunity to operate with extreme precision and enhanced dexterity, and allows visualisation from angles diffi cult to acheive with open surgery. Incision of the posterior peritoneum with dissection and ligation of the ureters is done bilaterally. The retrovesical space is developed with mobilisation of the bladder and prostate off the rectum (fi gure; A). Incision of the peritoneum lateral to the medial umbilical ligaments is done bilaterally. The medial umbilical ligaments are left intact at this time so the bladder remains suspended. Contralateral traction on the bladder will expose the lateral vascular pedicles of the bladder. An endovascular stapling device or hemo-lok clips can be used to secure the vascular pedicles and the endopelvic fascia is then opened (fi gure; B). Incision of the median and medial umbilical ligaments to release the bladder from the anterior abdominal wall is undertaken once the posterior dissection is complete. Suture ligation of the deep venous complex is done; a hemo-lock clip is placed
Hybrid approach to the comprehensive stage II operation in a subset of single-ventricle variants.

Abstract Objective The objective of a hybrid approach to staged palliation of single-ventricle anomalies is designed to minimize the trauma of the first stage. However, the second stage is a complex procedure that may negate the advantages of the first stage. We sought to devise a "hybrid" approach to the second stage when aortic outflow is expected to remain unobstructed. Methods The procedure involves a simple incision into the main pulmonary artery, dilation/stenting of the ductal continuation, formation of a stented baffle between the branch pulmonary arteries' orifices, and a bidirectional Glenn connection. It avoids dissection of the distal arch and ductal continuation and obviates the need for a Damus-Kaye-Stansel connection. We carried out this procedure in 2 patients, one with unbalanced atrioventricular canal and the other with mitral atresia. Results Both patients underwent an uncomplicated operative procedure. Both patients were successfully weaned from the ventilator, with no clinically evident neurologic injury. The first patient died of complications related to thrombosis of the left pulmonary artery before initiation of anticoagulation. The second patient is alive and well 1 year postoperation with no obstruction to either systemic or pulmonary flow and no baffle leak and good right ventricle function. Conclusions This hybrid comprehensive stage II operation appears feasible and technically simpler than the conventional comprehensive stage II procedure. It is applicable to a subset of single-ventricle cases in which aortic outflow is anticipated to remain unobstructed. We recommend early postoperative anticoagulation to avoid early left pulmonary artery thrombosis.
Effect of alpha 1-adrenergic blockade on canine ileal water, electrolyte, and glucose absorption.

Meal ingestion stimulates an increase in small intestinal water and electrolyte absorption. Endogenous norepinephrine may at least partially mediate this meal-stimulated proabsorptive response. Luminally administered α1-adrenergic agonists such as norepinephrine and phenylephrine cause significant small bowel absorption, which can be prevented by the selective α1-adrenergic antagonist terazosin. This study tested two hypotheses: (1) a meal stimulates ileal water, electrolyte, and glucose absorption; and (2) meal-stimulated ileal absorption is mediated via α1-adrenergic receptor activation. Absorption studies (N=27) were performed on dogs with 25-cm ileal Thiry-Vella fistulas (TVF). Perfusion with [14C]PEG was used to calculate absorption of water, electrolytes, and glucose from the TVF. Three groups were randomly studied over 4 hr: (1) terazosin alone, (2) meal alone, and (3) terazosin plus meal. Terazosin (10−4 M) was administered to the TVF in groups 1 and 3 following the first hour. A 480-kcal mixed canine meal was ingested at the end of the second hour in groups 2 and 3. Ileal water, electrolyte, and glucose absorption increased significantly in response to meal ingestion (P<0.05). Luminal terazosin did not significantly alter basal or meal-stimulated ileal absorption. In conclusion, meal ingestion stimulates ileal absorption of water, electrolytes, and glucose. Neither basal nor meal-stimulated ileal absorption is altered by α1-adrenergic receptor blockade. These data suggest that nonadrenergic neural pathways or humoral factors are the likely mediators of meal-induced intestinal absorption.
A new multipurpose cardiac catheter

Abstract A new cardiac catheter has been developed that obviates the need for the reintroduction of special catheters to perform different functions. The catheter measures all cardiovascular pressures, provides for blood oximetry sampling, permits the injection of contrast substances and indicator dyes, records intracardiac electrocardiograms, and provides a dipolar electrode for cardiac pacing.
Indirect determination of rooting depth and permanent wilting point

Abstract The relationship between production, rooting depth, permanent wilting point, soil water content and soil temperature was modeled. We hypothesized that shoot production would not be significantly correlated with soil water contents below permanent wilting or with soil water at depths below the rooting zone. Exposure, the accumulation of simultaneously suitable soil water and temperature conditions, was modeled as the product of a function of soil water and a function of soil temperature summed to a postulated rooting depth over the growing season. The two soil water functions included postulated values of permanent wilting point and rooting depth, while the four soil temperature functions considered the effects of soil temperature on production near the freezing point. The most probable rooting depth, permanent wilting point, and soil water and temperature functions used to model the exposure were those best correlated with production. These hypotheses were tested with data from two annual and one perennial communities in a semi-arid shrub steppe in Washington state, U.S.A. Results showed that the permanent wilting point was between −2.0 and −5.0 mPa, but the rooting depth was not well defined, possibly due to lack of soil water data below the rooting zone. The best combination of soil water and soil temperature functions was respectively soil water potential and frozen or unfrozen soil.
On place utility and the normative allocation of intra-urban migrants.

This paper arises out of the fact that place utility, a basic factor in behavioral conceptualizations of migration processes, has not been specified in operational terms. This is done here through a model that assigns intraurban migrants to destination areal units within the city, using a normative linear programming framework based on behavioral considerations. Measures of place utilities for each areal unit and of comparative place utilities for each pair-wise permutation of areal units are provided by the shadow prices of the dual of the linear programming model. The primal of the model allocates migrants so as to maximize the household’s gain from migration. This is measured by the increase in its realized aspirations with respect to a residence site, tempered by the search effort involved in acquiring the site. Implementation of the model utilizes both questionnaire and published data from Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the year 1966 to 1967. Conformity between predictions of the model and real-world characteristics is such that it is concluded that the basic form of the model is sound. It is also concluded that the posited relationships between place utility and behavior in searching for and selecting a new residential site are reasonable and can lead to valuable insights into place utility and its functioning in the intra-urban system. Due to some misallocation of migrant flows, however, we further conclude that the model should be revised into a recursive format for future use.
Educational Needs of Fisheries and Wildlife Professionals: Results of a Survey

Abstract Fisheries and wildlife employees of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Texas Parks and Wildlife responded to a survey that gathered information about their educational background and perception of the importance of 65 subjects typically taught in university fisheries and wildlife curricula. Respondents believed that subjects in their university education that dealt with fisheries and wildlife and ecology/natural resources were among the most important to job performance—as might be expected—but subjects regarding interpersonal interactions were equally important. Some of these latter subjects appeared to be underemphasized in college educations of the respondents, although the more recent graduates took more courses covering interpersonal interactions. Some differences in education and perception of importance existed among certain demographic groups. A strong correlation between education and perception of subject importance suggests that universities are able to exert considerabl...
Thermodynamics of dislocations and shock compression of solids

A thermodynamic theory of dislocations is developed to provide a unified account of adiabatic shear and melting observed in metals and minerals under shock-wave compression. The theory contains two significant features. The first is the differentiation of irreversible energy changes from those of equilibrium energy functions. The second is the inclusion of dislocation dilatation. When applied to shock compression, it reveals a thermodynamic condition of instability based upon a principle of positive-entropy production for irreversible processes. This instability may be identified as adiabatic shearing or heterogeneous melting in the plane of maximum shear. The numerical results for selected materials from metals and minerals are in agreement with experimental observations, and show that the shear yielding becomes critical at about half the melting temperature and the dislocation density of about ${10}^{15}$/${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$.
The Effect of Cervical, Uterine and Cornual Insemination on Fertility of the Dairy Cow

Summary The results of three different experiments, one involving the insemination of 6,600 cows with semen from 16 Holstein-Friesian bulls for the first time during the service period showed that, on a non-return to heat basis of assaying conception, equally satisfactory fertility was obtained from deposition of the diluted semen into the cervix, the body of the uterus or the uterine horns, when the inseminating tube was guided into the reproductive tract by the rectal technique. These results are in accord with recent observations on the rate and mode of spermatozoa travel in the cow and argue against the advisability of intra-uterine insemination when equally effective results may be obtained by the simpler and safer technique of intra-cervical insemination.
Effects of tomographic motion, slice thickness, and object thickness on film density

The experiment used the computer-aided CommCat model IS 2000 tomographic machine (Imaging Sciences International, Roebling, N.J.). The objective of the experiment was to study the influence of tomographic tube motion, tomographic slice thickness, and object thickness on film density. The experiment was conducted by x-radiating an aluminum step-wedge placed along the x-axis. Exposures were made for different tube motions and for different slice thicknesses. In linear horizontal and linear vertical motions, an increased slice thickness decreased film density. Slice thickness had a stronger effect on film density when the object to be x-radiated was thinner. In circular, elliptical, spiral, and hypocycloidal motions, changes in slice thickness had no noticeable effect on film density because the manufacturer had programmed the machine to produce approximately similar exposure times by increasing the x-ray tube velocity thickness had a greater effect on film density for circular, elliptical, spiral, and hypocycloidal tube motions than for linear horizontal and linear vertical tube motions. Clinical observation showed that except for the linear vertical motion (motion that was oriented in the same direction as that of the tube travel) all other motions produced a zone of diffusion along the edges of the steps of the step-wedge. An increase in slice thickness had an effect on film density. Slice thickness had a noticeable effect on film density in linear but not in multidirectional tomography. Object thickness had a greater effect on film density in multidirectional than in linear tomography.
Anti-CD47 antibody-mediated phagocytosis of cancer by macrophages primes an effective antitumor T-cell response.

Mobilization of the T-cell response against cancer has the potential to achieve long-lasting cures. However, it is not known how to harness antigen-presenting cells optimally to achieve an effective antitumor T-cell response. In this study, we show that anti-CD47 antibody–mediated phagocytosis of cancer by macrophages can initiate an antitumor T-cell immune response. Using the ovalbumin model antigen system, anti-CD47 antibody–mediated phagocytosis of cancer cells by macrophages resulted in increased priming of OT-I T cells [cluster of differentiation 8-positive (CD8+)] but decreased priming of OT-II T cells (CD4+). The CD4+ T-cell response was characterized by a reduction in forkhead box P3-positive (Foxp3+) regulatory T cells. Macrophages following anti-CD47–mediated phagocytosis primed CD8+ T cells to exhibit cytotoxic function in vivo. This response protected animals from tumor challenge. We conclude that anti-CD47 antibody treatment not only enables macrophage phagocytosis of cancer but also can initiate an antitumor cytotoxic T-cell immune response.
Single-cell pharmacokinetic imaging reveals a therapeutic strategy to overcome drug resistance to the microtubule inhibitor eribulin

Eribulin mesylate was developed as a potent microtubule-targeting cytotoxic agent to treat taxane-resistant cancers, but recent clinical trials have shown that it eventually fails in many patient subpopulations for unclear reasons. To investigate its resistance mechanisms, we developed a fluorescent analog of eribulin with pharmacokinetic (PK) properties and cytotoxic activity across a human cell line panel that are sufficiently similar to the parent drug to study its cellular PK and tissue distribution. Using intravital imaging and automated tracking of cellular dynamics, we found that resistance to eribulin and the fluorescent analog depended directly on the multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1). Intravital imaging allowed for real-time analysis of in vivo PK in tumors that were engineered to be spatially heterogeneous for taxane resistance, whereby an MDR1-mApple fusion protein distinguished resistant cells fluorescently. In vivo, MDR1-mediated drug efflux and the three-dimensional tumor vascular architecture were discovered to be critical determinants of drug accumulation in tumor cells. We furthermore show that standard intravenous administration of a third-generation MDR1 inhibitor, HM30181, failed to rescue drug accumulation; however, the same MDR1 inhibitor encapsulated within a nanoparticle delivery system reversed the multidrug-resistant phenotype and potentiated the eribulin effect in vitro and in vivo in mice. Our work demonstrates that in vivo assessment of cellular PK of an anticancer drug is a powerful strategy for elucidating mechanisms of drug resistance in heterogeneous tumors and evaluating strategies to overcome this resistance.
Best practices in the identification of gifted students with learning disabilities.

In recent years, researchers and practitioners have become increasingly interested in students who have both learning disabilities and intellectual gifts. Intellectually gifted students are defined as those who demonstrate outstanding ability to grapple with complexity, or superior academic potential. The definition of learning disability states that the level of performance in a particular academic area is substantially below what would be expected based on one's general intellectual ability and that this incongruity cannot be explained by lack of educational opportunity in that academic area. This article explores several controversial issues surrounding the identification of students as both gifted and learning disabled. How does a discrepancy manifest itself in a student who is intellectually gifted? Do gifted students with learning disabilities experience masking effects? How can we effectively identify intellectually gifted students with learning disabilities? In addition, we argue against the use of profile analysis to identify gifted students with learning disabilities. Finally, we propose guidelines for school psychologists to identify students with intellectual gifts and learning disabilities, and we provide suggestions for how to best serve this unique population of students within the school environment. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Genomic Signal Processing [Life Sciences]

Signal processing has played a major auxiliary role in medicine via the array of technologies available to physicians. Only a rapidly diminishing proportion of the population can recall medicine without computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound. In this capacity, signal processing serves only a supporting function. The future will be different. Like a factory, regulatory logic defines the cell as an operational system [1]: The roles of regulatory logic in the factory (or complex machine) and the cell are congruent because the key to the characterization of this logic lies in communication (between components) and control (of components)that is, in systems theory, which therefore determines the epistemology of the cell. Ipso facto, the mathematical foundations of biology, and therefore its translational partner, medicine, reside in the mathematics of systems theory. Hence, the roles of signal processing and the closely related theories of communication, control, and information will play constitutive functions as medicine evolves into a translational science resting on a theoretical framework.
The hedgehog regulated oncogenes Gli1 and Gli2 block myoblast differentiation by inhibiting MyoD-mediated transcriptional activation.

The mechanism by which activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway modulates differentiation and promotes oncogenesis in specific tissues is poorly understood. We therefore, analysed rhabdomyosarcomas from mice that were haploinsufficient for the Hh-binding protein, Hip1, or for the Hh receptor, Patched 1 (Ptch1). Transfection of the Hh-regulated transcription factor Gli1, which is expressed in a subset of mouse and human rhabdomyosarcomas, suppressed differentiation of myogenic rhabdomyosarcoma lines generated from Hip1+/− and Ptch1+/− mice. The closely related factor, Gli2, had similar effects. Gli1 and Gli2 inhibited myogenesis by repressing the capacity of MyoD to activate transcription. Deletion analysis of Gli1 indicated that multiple domains of Gli1 are required for efficient inhibition of MyoD. Gli1 reduced the ability of MyoD to heterodimerize with E12 and bind DNA, providing one mechanism whereby the Gli proteins modulate the activity of MyoD. This novel activity of Gli proteins provides new insights into how Hh signaling modulates terminal differentiation through inhibition of tissue-specific factors such as MyoD. This mechanism may contribute to the broad role of Hh signaling and the Gli proteins in differentiation decisions and cancer formation.