cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4716: Mitochondrial DNA variants in colorectal adenomatous polyps

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Colorectal tumors mostly arise from sporadic adenomas (polyps). Polyps are defined as a mass of cells that protrudes into the lumen of the colon. Adenomatous polyps are benign neoplasms that, by definition display some characteristics of dysplasia and it has been well documented that polyps were benign tumors that may undergo malignant transformation. Adenomatous polyps have been classified into three histologic types, with increasing malignant potential; tubular, tubulovillous, and villous. The ability to differentially diagnose these colorectal adenomatous polyps is important for therapeutic intervention. To date, most efforts to identify genetic changes involved in adenomatous polyps have been focused on the nuclear genome. This study was designed to examine the relevance of mitochondrial genome alterations in the three adenomatous polyps. Using high resolution restriction endonucleases and PCR-based sequencing, fifty-seven primary fresh frozen tissues of adenomatous polyps (12 tubular and 5 matched surrounding normal tissues; 11 tubulovillous and 6 matched surrounding normal tissues and 14 villous and 9 matched surrounding normal tissues) obtained from the southern regional Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN) and Grady Memorial Hospital at Atlanta were screened with three mtDNA regional primer pairs. Results from our data analyses revealed the presence of forty-seven variants in these mitochondrial genes; COX I, II, ATPase 6, 8, CYT b and ND 5. Six of the 49 variants detected were previously unreported and the MITODAT database [#J01415] was used as a sequence reference. Notably, a somatic variant C8515G/T in the MT-ATP 8 gene was observed at a frequency of 100% (12/12) in tubular adenomas and a germline variant 8327delA in the ATP 8 gene was observed at a frequency of 100% (47/47) among the tissue samples of the three adenomatous polyps. A germline variant G9055A in the MT-ATP 6 gene had a frequency of 100% (34/34) in tubular and villous adenomas; no corresponding variant was in tubulovillous adenomas. Furthermore, variant A9006G at MT-ATP 6 gene was observed at 74% (6/23) frequency of villous adenomas only. Interestingly, the A9006G variant was absent in six of the villous tissue samples that were clinicopathological designated as “polyvillous adenomas”. Our current data provide a basis for continued investigation of certain mtDNA variants as predictors of the three adenomatous polyps in a larger number of clinicopathological tissue specimens. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4716.
Blind oral intubation: the development and efficacy of a new approach.

Abstract Study Objective: To develop an approach to blind oral incubation. With the aid of a fiberoptic laryngoscope and stylet within an endotracheal tube, a video camera, a monitor, and a recorder to correlate the effects of various manipulations of the airway on access to the trachea, a suitable approach was devised. We then evaluated its efficacy. Design: Randomized, prospective comparison of regimens. Setting: Inpatient surgery at a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Patients: One hundred adult patients with no known abnormalities of the upper airway by history or on physical examination, scheduled to undergo electives urgery, and without evidence of major cardiac disease or need for a rapid-sequence induction of anesthesia. Interventions: Fifty patients in each of two groups were given fentanyl 5 μg/kg intravenously (IV), followed 2 minutes later by thiopental sodium 5 mg/kg and succinylcholine 2 mglkg. Patients in Group 1 (the controls) were orally intubated via direct laryngoscopy using a Macintosh #3 blade. Patients in Group 2 (the experimentals) were intubated orally with the approach developed without the use of a laryngoscope. Intubations were deemed successful if they were performed within 1 minute after the mouth was opened. Measurements and Main Results: All the patients in Group 1 were successfully intubated within 1 minute, while 49 of the 50 patients in Group 2 were successfully intubated within 1 minute. Conclusions: Blind oral tracheal incubation can be successfully performed in a safe and effective manner after appropriate teaching of the technique.
Kummer's Criterion for the Special Values of Hecke L-Functions of Imaginary Quadratic Fields and Congruences Among Cusp Forms

Here, arrow (i) refers to our previous papers [9, 12] and [13], in which we have shown that a fixed primitive cusp form f of Sk(F I(N)) has congruences with other cusp forms of Sk(F~(N)) modulo the special value at s = k of a certain zeta function off . In this paper, we will construct the second arrow for the cusp form f associated with a Hecke character of an imaginary quadratic field K, and consequently obtain the third. Namely, in w167 6 we will show, as in the works of Coates-Wiles [3] and Robert [23], that the split primes of K which divide this special value are irregular in an appropriate sense. In this case, the zeta function o f f mentioned above is a Hecke L-function of K. Such a criterion of irregularity for Hurwitz numbers has already been obtained in [3] and [233. However, our result together with those of [3] and [23] does not cover all the L-values of Hecke L-functions of K whose algebraicity was given by Damerell [5] (for details, see below). Our method is analogous to that of Ribet [21] (see also Wiles [35]), who used congruences between cusp forms and Eisenstein series to prove the non-vanishing of certain eigenspaces (relative to the action of Gal(Q/Q)) of the p-primary part of the class group of the field of p-th roots of unity. By adopting this approach, we will obtain such an information of eigenspaces again in our case (see Theorem 0.1 below). To be more specific, let 2 be a Hecke character of K satisfying
Neophobia when feeding alone or in flocks in zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata

Abstract Abstract. Differences in the feeding behaviour of solitary and groups of three (flocks) adult male zebra finches were investigated. Neophobia (fear and avoidance of new things) was induced by presenting subjects with novel feeders and also adorning the feeders with different novel objects. The results showed that subjects in the flock entered the feeder and began feeding sooner than the solitary birds. The birds in the flock condition also entered the feeder sooner than solitary birds when novel objects adorned the feeder, although the magnitude of the difference depended on the specific object used. Because members of the flock could not directly observe the first member feeding, a 'social following' mechanism seems to describe best the behaviour of flock members, rather than local enhancement.
Juvenile justice reform and the courtroom workgroup: Issues of perception and workload

Abstract Criminal justice policies may be enacted, but the actual implementation of those policies depends upon those working on the frontline. Policies that affect how cases are processed in the courtroom can be thwarted by the efforts of courtroom workgroup members. The present study analyzed how courtroom workgroups adjusted to a new juvenile justice policy. Qualitative interviews demonstrated that while there was widespread agreement on the basic tenets of the reform, perceptions of the reform varied by confidence in workgroup membership. Further, the reform inherently increased the workload for some and decreased the workload for others. Those whose workload increased discussed subverting the reform effort in order to continue with business as usual. These findings demonstrated that effective policies must consider the needs of workgroups as adaptation of policies in actual practice depend upon workgroup members' support.
Dexamethasone rapidly induces Kv1.5 K+ channel gene transcription and expression in clonal pituitary cells

Abstract Glucocorticoids specifically increase Kv1.5 K + channel mRNA in normal and clonal (GH 3 ) rat pituitary cells. Here, we demonstrate that dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid agonist, rapidly induces Kv1.5 gene transcription, but does not affect Kv1.5 mRNA turnover t12 ≈ 0.5 hr) in GH 3 cells. Immunoblots indicate that the steroid also increases the expression of the 76 kd Kv1.5 protein 3-fold within 12 hr without altering its half-life (t12 ≈ 4 hr). In contrast, Kv1.4 protein expression is unaffected. Finally, we find that the induction of Kv1.5 protein is associated with an increase in a noninactivating component of the voltage-gated K + current. Our results indicate that hormones and neurotransmitters may act within hours to regulate excitability by controlling K + channel gene expression.
18F-labeled resin microspheres as surrogates for 90Y resin microspheres used in the treatment of hepatic tumors: a radiolabeling and PET validation study.

90Y-labeled resin microspheres (SIR-Spheres®) are currently used to treat patients with primary and metastatic solid liver tumors. This treatment is typically palliative since patients have exhausted all other standard treatment options. Improving the quality of life and extending patient survival are typical benchmarks for tracking patient response. However, the current method for predicting microsphere biodistributions with 99mTc-labeled macroaggregated albumin (MAA) does not correlate well with patient response. This work presents the development of a new 18F-labeled resin microsphere to serve as a surrogate for the treatment microsphere and to employ the superior resolution and sensitivity of positron emission tomography (PET). The 18F microsphere biodistributions were determined in a rabbit using PET imaging and histological review. The PET-based uptake ratio was shown to agree with the histological findings to better than 3%. In addition, the radiolabeling process was shown to be rapid, efficient and relatively stable in vivo.
TRP channels and analgesia

Since cloning and characterizing the first nociceptive ion channel Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), other TRP channels involved in nociception have been cloned and characterized, which include TRP Vanilloid 2 (TRPV2), TRP Vanilloid 3 (TRPV3), TRP Vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), TRP Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) and TRP Melastatin 8 (TRPM8), more recently TRP Canonical 1, 5, 6 (TRPC1, 5, 6), TRP Melastatin 2 (TRPM2) and TRP Melastatin 3 (TRPM3). These channels are predominantly expressed in C and Aδ nociceptors and transmit noxious thermal, mechanical and chemical sensitivities. TRP channels are modulated by pro-inflammatory mediators, neuropeptides and cytokines. Significant advances have been made targeting these receptors either by antagonists or agonists to treat painful conditions. In this review, we will discuss TRP channels as targets for next generation analgesics and the side effects that may ensue as a result of blocking/activating these receptors, because they are also involved in physiological functions such as release of vasoactive neuropeptides and regulation of vascular tone, maintenance of the body temperature, gastrointestinal motility, urinary bladder control, etc.
Pneumonia in infancy caused by Friedländer's bacillus

Summary Seven cases of atypical pneumonia admitted to Milwaukee Children's Hospitalin the spring of 1948 showed pure cultures of Friedlander's bacillus in material obtained from the throat. Streptomycin was an effective therapeutic agent in all of these cases.
Adolescent religiosity as a mediator of the relationship between parental religiosity and adolescent health outcomes.

Studies have demonstrated the positive impacts of both parent and adolescent religiosity on adolescent outcomes; however, the relationships among these variable have not been studied. Our study was conducted to assess whether adolescent religiosity mediates the relationship between parent religiosity and adolescent emotional and behavioral health outcomes. A sample of 491 late adolescents ages 18–22 completed surveys that assessed their parents’ religious practices, their own religious practices, deviant behaviors, and internalizing behaviors. Findings suggest that adolescent religiosity mediates the relationship between parents’ religiosity and adolescent health outcomes such as drug and alcohol use and depression.
Inter- and intra-dimensional dependencies in implicit phonotactic learning

Abstract Is phonological learning subject to the same inductive biases as learning in other domains? Previous studies of non-linguistic learning found that intra-dimensional dependencies (between two instances of the same feature) were learned more easily than inter-dimensional ones. This study compares implicit learning of intra- and inter-dimensional phonotactic dependencies. A series of six unsupervised implicit-learning experiments shows that a pattern based on agreement between two instances of the same feature is easier to learn than one based on correlation between instances of two different features. The results are interpreted as evidence for domain-general restrictions on the form of domain-specific learning primitives.
Nature of the Unfolded State of Ribonuclease A: Effect of Cis−Trans X−Pro Peptide Bond Isomerization†

The equilibrium unfolded state of disulfide-intact bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A is a heterogeneous mixture of unfolded species. Previously, four unfolded species have been detected experimentally. They are Uvf, Uf, UsII, and UsI which have refolding time constants on the millisecond, millisecond to second, second to tens of seconds, and hundreds of seconds time scales, respectively. In the current study, the refolding pathway of the protein was investigated under favorable folding conditions of 0.58 M GdnHCl, pH 5.0, and 15 degrees C. In addition to the above four unfolded species, the presence of a fifth unfolded species was detected. It has a refolding time constant on the order of 2 s under the conditions employed. This new unfolded species is labeled Um, for medium-refolding species. Single-jump refolding experiments monitored by tyrosine burial and by cytidine 2'-monophosphate inhibitor binding indicate that the different unfolded species refold to the native state along independent refolding pathways. The buildup of the different unfolded species upon unfolding of the protein from the native state was monitored by absorbance using double-jump experiments. These experiments were carried out at 15 degrees C and consisted of an unfolding step at 4.2 M GdnHCl and pH 2.0, followed, after a variable delay time, by a refolding step at 0.58 M GdnHCl and pH 5.0. The results of these experiments support the conclusion that the different unfolded species arise from cis-trans isomerizations at the X-Pro peptide bonds of Pro 93, 114, and 117 in the unfolded state of the protein. The rates of these isomerizations were obtained for each of these three X-Pro peptide bonds at 15 degrees C.
Conjugate heat transfer between a laminar impinging liquid jet and a solid disk

Abstract The conjugate heat transfer between a laminar free impinging liquid jet and a laterally insulated disk with arbitrary temperature or heat flux distribution prescribed on the non-impingement surface is investigated analytically. The local Nusselt number is found to depend upon the Prandtl number, Pr, of the fluid, the ratio of the fluid conductivity to the solid conductivity, k, the aspect ratio of the thickness to the radius of the disk, e, and the prescribed temperature or heat flux distribution. For a thick disk, e.g. e = 1, the prescribed temperature or heat flux has little effect on the local heat transfer coefficient. For a thin disk, however, the effect is considerable. Increasing the prescribed temperature or heat flux with the radial distance r from the stagnation point enhances the local heat transfer coefficient while decreasing the prescribed temperature or heat flux with r reduces it. The results also indicate that the local Nusselt number becomes higher when k is larger, other parameters being the same. For very small e, e.g. e = 0.001, the result is essentially the same as that where the boundary condition is imposed on the impingement surface (Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 32, 1361–1371 (1989)).
Substance P-containing neurons of the avian suprachiasmatic nucleus project directly to the nucleus of Edinger-Westphal

Retrograde and anterograde pathway tracing techniques were used in the pigeon to study afferent visual input from the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus to the nucleus of Edinger-Westphal (EW), the parasympathetic visceral efferent component of the oculomotor complex. Horseradish peroxidase injected into the EW retrogradely labeled numerous neurons in the contralateral SCN, a retinorecipient hypothalamic nucleus, as well as a few neurons in the ipsilateral SCN. Autoradiographic orthograde pathway tracing experiments confirmed that the SCN projects heavily upon the medial subdivision of the contralateral EW and lightly upon the medial subdivision of the ipsilateral EW. Some neurons of the SCN contain substance P and a substance P-positive plexus of fibers was seen in precisely that medial portion of the EW to which the SCN was found to project in the autoradiographic experiments. This substance P-positive fiber plexus in the medial EW was eliminated by bilateral electrolytic lesions of the SCN. These results show that the avian suprachiasmatic nucleus has a heavy contralateral and a much lighter ipsilateral projection to the medial subdivision of the EW and that this projection may be largely substance P positive. Previous studies have suggested that neurons of the medial EW specifically project to the neurons of the ciliary ganglion that control the choriocapillary blood flow of the eye. Since the SCN has been implicated in the control of circadian rhythms in vertebrates, the projection of the SCN to the EW may represent a pathway by which a circadian rhythmicity is imposed on choriocapillary blood flow. Alternatively or in addition, the SCN-EW pathway described in this paper may provide the central neural substrate for a homeostatic regulatory mechanism by which choriocapillary blood flow is controlled by the intensity of retinal illumination.
Analysis of the anisotropic dimension in the RIACT (II) multiple quantum MAS NMR experiment for I = 3/2 nuclei.

Abstract Numerical simulations of the anisotropic dimension of the Rotation-Induced Adiabatic Coherence Transfer (RIACT) MQ experiment have been performed as a function of the asymmetry parameter, η , for different spacings between the triple quantum (3Q) excitation and 3Q to single quantum (1Q) reconversion pulses. Large distortions of the spectra are observed, in comparison to the spectra obtained with 1D MAS NMR methods. The method is very sensitive to the relative orientation of the quadrupolar tensor and rotor axis, and signal can only be obtained from a maximum of 60% of the powder. The intensity varies with the spacing between the two pulses, t 1 , reaching a minimum of 30% when t 1 is either a multiple of a full rotor period ( nτ r ) or for ( n +1/2) rotor periods, for pulse lengths ( τ 1SL ) of a quarter of a rotor period. The maximum of 60% is obtained when t 1 = nτ r − τ 1SL . Experimental spectra were acquired for anhydrous Na 2 HPO 4 . Good fits were obtained between the experimental and simulated spectra, even for the non-rotor synchronized experiment, by choosing fixed values of t 1 . The simulations allowed the quadrupole coupling constants and asymmetry parameters to be extracted from the experimental data.
Adverse drug reaction surveillance and risk management.

Abstract ADR programs are most successful when developed from a multidisciplinary approach. Physicians and other health care workers should be encouraged to report and evaluate ADRs to potentially decrease risks involved in an ADR case. Management of ADRs should include prompt feedback of individual patient and grouped data for educational and risk management purposes. Risk managers should play a significant role in all aspects of an ADR surveillance program.
Electronic structure of disordered CuNi alloys

We present the complex energy bands and electronic densities of states in paramagnetic CuNi alloys. The calculations are based on the use of muffin-tin potentials within the framework of the average-$t$-matrix approximation. The theory is shown to predict reasonably the electronic spectrum over a wide range of energies and alloy compositions. The experiments to be discussed include photoemission measurements of the density of states and Dingle-temperature measurements of the damping of both the neck and belly orbits. The half-width of the Ni virtual bound state in Cu-rich CuNi alloys is discussed in detail.
Release of hyaluronidase during in vitro development of Ascaris suum from the third to fourth larval stage.

An enzyme that degraded glycosaminoglycan hyaluronic acid was released during in vitro development of Ascaris suum L3 to L4. The enzyme did not hydrolyze glycosaminoglycan chondroitin sulfate A. One molecular form of hyaluronidase was detected, with a molecular weight estimated at 47.8±8.6 kDa by sucrose density gradient centrifugation and at 55.0±1.3 kDa by substrate SDS-PAGE zymography. Activity of the enzyme was optimal between pH 5.0 and 6.0, and was present at neutral pH. Hyaluronidase activity was not affected by 5 mM concentrations of cupric sulfate, zinc chloride, calcium chloride, manganese chloride or EDTA. In addition, NaCl had no effect on enzyme activity at concentrations of 0.2–1.0 M. The highest level of hyaluronidase was present in culture fluid collected between days 4 and 6 of in vitro culture, and this period corresponded with that of the highest rate of increase in the percentage of L4. The presence or absence of hyaluronic acid plays a key role in basic developmental processes of vertebrates and is regulated, in part, by hyaluronidases. Developmental processes occurring during the transition of A. suum L3 to L4 may likewise depend on hyaluronidase. In addition, the infection process of a number of organisms, including some nematodes, depends on hyaluronidase. A. suum may likewise utilize hyaluronidase to facilitate larval migration within the host.
Iliac vein compression syndrome: An unusual cause of varicocele

Abstract Iliac vein compression syndrome is the phenomenon of nonthrombotic iliac vein obstruction caused by compression of left iliac vein between the right iliac artery and fifth lumbar vertebra. Affected patients usually present with unilateral leg edema. The condition is most often seen in women, in whom it may also be a cause of vulvar varicosities. Presented here is a case of idiopathic iliac vein obstruction associated with an ipsilateral varicocele in a young man. This varicocele was caused by multiple collateral venous channels and was resistant to surgical high ligation. This case illustrates an unusual cause of varicocele formation and an anatomic reason for failure of standard surgical therapy. (J VASC SURG 1993;18:1064-8.)
D'Alembert's proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra

Abstract D'Alembert's proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra (FTA), the first published, is still widely misunderstood. Typical of d'Alembert, his work is bold and imaginative but in need of significant repair. The proof is examined in detail, in both the 1746 and 1754 versions, along with commentary over 250 years and recent efforts to revive d'Alembert's reputation. A particular challenge is to work with algebraic equations while avoiding dependence on the FTA itself. A repaired version is offered.
Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

Background Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy is often considered by carriers of BRCA mutations who have completed childbearing. However, there are limited data supporting the efficacy of this approach. We prospectively compared the effect of risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy with that of surveillance for ovarian cancer on the incidence of subsequent breast cancer and BRCA-related gynecologic cancers in women with BRCA mutations. Methods All women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations identified during a six-year period were offered enrollment in a prospective follow-up study. A total of 170 women 35 years of age or older who had not undergone bilateral oophorectomy chose to undergo either surveillance for ovarian cancer or risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy. Follow-up involved an annual questionnaire, telephone contact, and reviews of medical records. The time to cancer in the two groups was compared by Kaplan–Meier analysis and a Cox proportional-hazards model. Results During a mean follow-up of 24.2 months...
Teamwork Assessment in Internal Medicine: A Systematic Review of Validity Evidence and Outcomes

OBJECTIVE Valid teamwork assessment is imperative to determine physician competency and optimize patient outcomes. We systematically reviewed published instruments assessing teamwork in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education in general internal medicine and all medical subspecialties.
Liquid crystal membranes for serum-compatible diabetes management-assisting subcutaneously implanted amperometric glucose sensors.

Membranes formed of thermodynamically stable cubic phase lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) could replace the presently used polymeric membranes, applied to reduce the flux of glucose in semicontinuous, subcutaneously implanted, user-replaced, miniature, amperometric glucose sensors, assisting in the management of diabetes. LLC-forming amphiphilic compounds set and toughen spontaneously after mixing with water, without undergoing chemical change. When applied by doctor-blading, they form membranes having three-dimensionally interconnected water channels of uniform diameter, with reproducible glucose transport-characteristics. We find that the best studied cubic phase LLCs, which are formed of monoolein and water, are not useful in their intended application because they are hydrolyzed by serum lipases. Those formed of phytantriol, a liquid at ambient temperature, and water, are not hydrolyzed but change their shape and size in a dehydration and rehydration cycle. Because glucose sensors are sterilized and s...
A Policy Framework for Collaborative Web Service Customization

A web service usually serves many consumers, with each consumer having its specific functional or nonfunctional requirements. The web service should be customizable to meet those requirements, as is especially apparent for complex web services with large granularity such as Software-as-Service (SaS). This paper proposes an approach to facilitating web service customization in the programatical way through the collaboration between service provider and consumer. A specification for declaring web service customization policies is defined based on the WS-Policy framework, through which service provider can declare the service?s customization capabilities. A service consumer can make customization requests within the scope defined by the customization policies. The customization requests are raised in structuralized customization directives. A web service consumption process and a supporting framework accompanied with customization policy are introduced accordingly. Finally, a case study is presented.
Corticotropin-releasing factor-induced immunosuppression in human and invertebrate immunocytes

1. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) appears to be a potentially important signal molecule in both vertebrate and invertebrate neuroimmune and autoimmunoregulatory processes. It appears to mimic the effects ofα-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) but has a longer duration of action. 2. α-Helical CRF, a specific inhibitor of CRF, antagonizes CRF-induced cellular immunosupression but is ineffective in altering MSH-induced immunosuppression. 3. Both human andMytilus immunocytes appear to have specific CRF receptors. 4. In another experiment, both CRF and MSH antagonize tumor necrosis factor stimulation of immunocytes. Again,α-helical CRF antagonizes only CRF activity, further suggesting the presence of a separate CRF receptor on these cells.
Cost‐effectiveness of different strategies of cytomegalovirus prophylaxis in orthotopic liver transplant recipients

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in liver transplant recipients and several different strategies of CMV chemoprophylaxis are in practice. A cost-effective analysis was performed to compare these strategies. A hypothetical cohort of liver transplant recipients was followed up for a year posttransplantation in a Markov model, as they made possible transitions to different states of health with respect to CMV infection and disease. Different strategies of chemoprophylaxis were compared. Cost per patient, yield in terms of gain in quality-adjusted stages, amount of time spent in the state of CMV disease, and CMV-related mortality were the outcome measures compared. Oral ganciclovir administered universally to all transplant recipients was the most favored strategy. Restricting prophylaxis to defined high-risk groups or extending the duration of prophylaxis beyond 3 months did not improve cost-effectiveness. The strategy of short-term, oral ganciclovir-based chemoprophylaxis for CMV in liver transplant recipients is cost-effective by current standards of healthcare interventions.
Characterization of yeastolate fractions that promote insect cell growth and recombinant protein production

Yeastolate is effective in promoting growth of insect cell and enhancing production of recombinant protein, thus it is a key component in formulating serum-free medium for insect cell culture. However, yeastolate is a complex mixture and identification of the constituents responsible for cell growth promotion has not yet been achieved. This study used sequential ethanol precipitation to fractionate yeastolate ultrafiltrate (YUF) into six fractions (F1–F6). Fractions were characterized and evaluated for their growth promoting activities. Fraction F1 was obtained by 65% ethanol precipitation. When supplemented to IPL-41 medium at a concentration of 1 g L−1, fraction F1 showed 71% Sf-9 cell growth improvement and 22% β-galactosidase production enhancement over YUF (at 1 g L−1 in IPL-41 medium). However, the superiority of F1 over YUF on promoting cell growth gradually diminished as its concentration in IPL-41 medium increased. At 4 g L−1, the relative activity of F1 was 93% whereas YUF was 100% at the same concentration. At 1 g L−1, four other fractions (F2–F5) precipitated with higher ethanol concentrations and F6, the final supernatant, showed growth promoting activities ranging from 32 to 80% as compared to YUF (100%). Interestingly, a synergistic effect on promoting cell growth was observed when F6 was supplemented in IPL-41 medium in presence of high concentrations of F1 (>3 g L−1). The results suggest that ethanol precipitation was a practical method to fractionate growth-promoting components from YUF, but more than one components contributed to the optimum growth of Sf-9 cells. Further fractionation, isolation and identification of individual active components would be needed to better understand the role of these components on the cell metabolism.
Dopamine oxidation facilitates rotenone-dependent potentiation of N-methyl-d-aspartate currents in rat substantia nigra dopamine neurons

Abstract Rotenone is a mitochondrial poison that causes dopamine cell death and is used as a model of Parkinson's disease in rodents. Recently, we showed that rotenone augments currents evoked by N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) by relieving voltage-dependent Mg2+ block in rat substantia nigra compacta (SNC) dopamine neurons. Because rotenone is well known to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), we conducted the present experiments to evaluate the role of ROS in mediating the effect of rotenone on NMDA current augmentation. Using patch pipettes to record whole-cell currents from SNC neurons in slices of rat brain, we found that the ability of rotenone (100 nM) to increase NMDA (3–30 μM) current was antagonized by the antioxidant agent n -acetylcysteine (1 mM). In contrast, mercaptosuccinate (1 mM), which blocks glutathione peroxidase and raises tissue levels of H2O2, mimicked rotenone by augmenting inward currents evoked by NMDA. Because oxidation of dopamine can also generate ROS, we explored the role of dopamine on this action of rotenone. We prepared dopamine-depleted midbrain slices from rats that had been pretreated with reserpine (5 mg/kg ip) and alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine (AMPT, 250 mg/kg ip). Dopamine depletion blocked the ability of rotenone (100 nM) to increase inward current evoked by NMDA (30 μM). Rotenone-dependent augmentation of NMDA current was also blocked by the monoamine oxidase inhibitor pargyline (100 μM) in slices prepared from normal rats. In contrast, the dopamine precursor levodopa potentiated the action of rotenone on NMDA current. These results suggest that ROS and/or dopamine oxidation products mediate the ability of rotenone to potentiate NMDA currents. Because excessive NMDA receptor stimulation can produce excitotoxicity, our results suggest that oxidative metabolism of dopamine might facilitate the neurotoxicity of rotenone.
Analysis of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Internalization Events in Cultured Cells

It has been demonstrated that foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) can utilize at least four members of the alpha(V) subgroup of the integrin family of receptors in vitro. The virus interacts with these receptors via a highly conserved arginine-glycine-aspartic acid amino acid sequence motif located within the betaG-betaH loop of VP1. While there have been extensive studies of virus-receptor interactions at the cell surface, our understanding of the events during viral entry into the infected cell is still not clear. We have utilized confocal microscopy to analyze the entry of two FMDV serotypes (types A and O) after interaction with integrin receptors at the cell surface. In cell cultures expressing both the alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta6 integrins, virus adsorbed to the cells at 4 degrees C appears to colocalize almost exclusively with the alphaVbeta6 integrin. Upon shifting the infected cells to 37 degrees C, FMDV capsid proteins were detected within 15 min after the temperature shift, in association with the integrin in vesicular structures that were positive for a marker of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In contrast, virus did not colocalize with a marker for caveola-mediated endocytosis. Virus remained associated with the integrin until about 1 h after the temperature shift, when viral proteins appeared around the perinuclear region of the cell. By 15 min after the temperature shift, viral proteins were seen colocalizing with a marker for early endosomes, while no colocalization with late endosomal markers was observed. In the presence of monensin, which raises the pH of endocytic vesicles and has been shown to inhibit FMDV replication, viral proteins were not released from the recycling endosome structures. Viral proteins were not observed associated with the endoplasmic reticulum or the Golgi. These data indicate that FMDV utilizes the clathrin-mediated endocytosis pathway to infect the cells and that viral replication begins due to acidification of endocytic vesicles, causing the breakdown of the viral capsid structure and release of the genome by an as-yet-unidentified mechanism.
Organic Trace Mineral Levels in the First 96-H Post-Hatch Impact Growth Performance and Intestinal Gene Expression in Broiler Chicks

Alterations in nutrient intake in the avian neonatal posthatch period can impact development, performance, and metabolism in adulthood. Very little is known about how mineral levels during the post-hatch period affect or “program” gene expression patterns later in life. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of post-hatch (0 to 96 h) dietary mineral supplementation on performance, tissue mineral content, and intestinal gene expression profiles in 21-day-old broiler chicks. One-day-old chicks were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups consisting of N (organic Zn, Cu, and Mn provided at 100 % of recommendations (National Research Council 1994)) and/or L (organic Zn, Cu, and Mn provided at 20 % of recommendations (National Research Council 1994)) diets fed in two intervals (days 1–4, days 5–21) as follows: (1)N–Lor (2)L–L. Performance parameters did not differ between treatments except that body weight gain was greater (P < 0.05) in L–L birds than N–L birds over the experimental period. Bone mineral content was similar for both treatments at day 21. Intestinal gene expression profiling was examined using the Affymetrix GeneChip Chicken genome array. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed differences in gene expression profiles between N and L treatments at day 5. At day 21, profiles were unique between N–L and L–L, suggesting that the diet fed until day 4 had an impact on gene expression patterns at day 21 even when birds were fed the same diets day 5–day 21. In this study, we demonstrated that diets fed for the 96 h post-hatch had long-term effects on gene expression, providing unique information as to why post-hatch diets are so important for the longterm bird health and productivity.
New architecture for MPEG-2 real-time encoding

A new architecture for real-time MPEG-2 encoding/decoding is presented in this paper. This architecture is based on an array of TI MVPs. The main feature of this architecture is its programmability. The inherent parallelism of the MPEG-2 algorithm is investigated in order to map it to the processor array. An I/O algorithm for the major encoding function, motion estimation, is developed to demonstrate the possibility of overlapping processing and I/O.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Application of SIMSTEX to Oligomerization of Insulin Analogs and Mutants

The propensity of various insulins and their analogs to oligomerize was investigated by mass spectrometric methods including measurement of the relative abundances of oligomers in the gas phase and the kinetics of H/D amide exchange. The kinetics of deuterium uptake show a good fit when the exchanging amides are placed in three kinetic groups: fast, intermediate, and slow. r-Human insulin, of the insulins investigated, has fewer amides that exchange at intermediate rates and more that exchange at slow rates, in accord with its higher extent of association in solution. We adapted PLIMSTEX (protein ligand interactions by mass spectrometry, titration, and H/D exchange) to determine protein/ligand affinities in solution, to determine self-association equilibrium constants for proteins, and to apply them to various insulin analogs. We term this adaptation SIMSTEX (self-association interactions using mass spectrometry, self-titration and H/D exchange); it gives affinity constants that compare well with the literature results. The results from SIMSTEX show that some mutants (e.g., GlnB13) have an increased tendency to self-associate, possibly slowing down their action in vivo. Other mutants (e.g., lispro and AspB9) have lower propensities for self-association, thus providing potentially faster-acting analogs for use in controlling diabetes.
Unique Aspects of Caring for Young Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in young women in the USA. Although breast cancer mortality has decreased overall, survival rates in young women remain lower than those in older women. Young women with breast cancer comprise a special population due to the aggressive biology of their tumors as well as their unique psychosocial concerns. Although general treatment principles are similar regardless of age, recent developments from research focused on younger women have provided new insights to guide treatment of this special population. This article will focus on these new developments in areas including endocrine therapy and fertility preservation as well as the unique treatment-related sequelae and psychosocial concerns among young women with breast cancer face.
Beyond neutral science

Biodiversity science is unusual in that an emerging paradigm is not based on a specific process, but rather depends largely on stochastic elements, perceived as neutral forces. Here I suggest that these forces, which have been justified, in part, by the concepts of symmetry and equalizing mechanisms, have application to the understanding of stochastic models but do not constitute forces that operate in nature. Another process now regularly classified as a neutral force, limited dispersal, represents a fundamental demographic process that is not neutral with respect to species differences, but rather differs among species in important ways. Finally, I suggest that the dramatic shift in ecological research to focus on neutrality could have a cost in terms of scientific understanding and relevance to real biodiversity threats.
Do trails affect relative abundance estimates of rainforest frogs and lizards

The selection of a sampling protocol is critical to study amphibian and reptile communities and in many instances researchers have combined the use of visual encounter surveys (VES) conducted on trails and off trails. The effect of human-made trails on relative abundance estimates of amphibians and reptiles has been assessed in a few temperate locations, but data are lacking for tropical sites. Our study was designed to address this issue by comparing abundance estimates of frogs and lizards on and off trails in a lowland rainforest in south-eastern Peru. We used nocturnal VES to sample frogs and lizards along transects established on trails and off trails in two different forest types. We found that the observed relative abundance estimates of frogs and lizards were affected by the location of transects (on trail vs. off trail) and the type of forest (floodplain forest vs. terra firme forest). We also found an interaction between the two main effects, indicating that the effect of transect location with respect to trails varies as a function of habitat. Observed frog abundances were higher on trails than off trails, indicating that studies that include VES on trails will bias relative abundance estimates in contrast to studies that include only VES off trails. We suggest that transects should be established only off trails, especially for monitoring studies because trail use by humans can have a strong influence on observed animal abundance.
Effects of precise arrays of pits on nucleate boiling

Abstract A photographic method for the manufacture of precise arrays of artificial pits was applied to flat plate copper heat transfer surfaces. The surfaces were then used to boil Freon 113 at one atmosphere pressure. The resulting nucleate boiling data indicate that surface microgeometry has a profound effect on the location of both the nucleate boiling curve and the burnout point. Extremely shallow or jagged edged pits were found to be much more efficient than well formed pits. The heat transfer efficiency was found to increase with increasing pit density up to an upper limit above which increasing pit density does not affect the nucleate boiling behavior.
A geometric theory for the QR, LU and power iterations.

We are concerned with the task of computing the invariant subspaces of a given matrix. For this purpose the $LU$, $QR$, treppen and bi-iterations have been presented, used, and studied more or less independently of the old-fashioned power method. Each of these methods generates implicitly a sequence of subspaces which determines the convergence properties of the method. The iterations differ in the way in which a basis is constructed to represent each subspace. This aspect largely determines the usefulness of the method.We show that the first four iterations produce exactly the same sequence of subspaces as do direct and inverse iteration started from appropriate subspaces. Their convergence properties are therefore the same and we present a complete geometric convergence theory in terms of the power method. Most previous studies have been algebraic in character. We show that Hessenberg matrices are associated with ideal starting spaces.The theory rests naturally in the setting of an n-dimensional space $...
An experimental investigation of the transient response of a water heat pipe

Abstract Experiments were performed to investigate the transient response of a water heat pipe to step changes in input power at different cooling rates. The copper heat pipe employs a double-layered, 150 mesh copper screen wick and its evaporator section was uniformly heated while the condenser section was convectively cooled. The time constants of the vapor temperature and the effective power throughput, for both heat-up and cool-down transients, were determined as functions of the electric power input and the water mass flow rate in the cooling jacket of the condenser section. Both the vapor and wall temperatures were measured at ten axial locations along the heat pipe.
Carcinoma of the biliary tree complicating Crohn's disease

A patient with long-standing Crohn's disease who subsequently developed carcinoma of the biliary tree is described. Biliary tract neoplasia may represent another extraintestinal complication of Crohn's disease, but its frequency of association is probably less than that of ulcerative colitis.
Fabrication of Microelectrode Arrays Having High-Aspect-Ratio Microwires

A method is described for the fabrication of arrays of conducting, high-aspect-ratio microelectrodes. The microelectrode arrays are fabricated by electrochemical deposition of metals, including Ni, Pt, and Rh, in microchannel glass templates having parallel, uniform, hollow channels. The metals completely fill the hollow channels, yielding highly uniform, 5.5-μm-diameter microelectrodes with aspect ratios up to 500. The microelectrodes are electrically insulated from one another by the glass template and the surface area of each array is >1 cm2. The surface of the electrode arrays can be polished to provide an array of disk electrodes or it can be etched with acid to remove the glass surrounding the electrodes, exposing an array of bare, solid wires. The high-aspect-ratio microelectrode arrays were fabricated to provide the electrical interface with an intraocular retinal prosthesis. The properties of the solid wire, metal microelectrode arrays are also well-suited for use in electrochemical trace analysi...
Developing an Experimental Analysis of Metacontingencies: Considerations Regarding Cooperation in a Four-Person Prisoner’s Dilemma Game

Cooperation is an important area of investigation for behavior analysis. The Prisoner’s Dilemma game (PDG) provides a useful scenario for studying cooperation in a behavior analytic paradigm. The PDG can be coupled with the concept of the metacontingency to investigate how various contingency arrangements support and promote cooperation in a group. Players in this experiment participated in a PDG and, in some conditions, were given the ability to fine other players but could not talk. The goal of this experiment was to investigate how players’ ability to fine one another affected the players’ patterns of cooperation, and whether fining itself was affected by the addition of a shared group consequence. The data show that participants cooperated in some conditions, but the fines did not seem to affect players’ rates of cooperation.