cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resistance to Nitric Oxide-induced Necrosis in Heme Oxygenase-1 Overexpressing Pulmonary Epithelial Cells Associated with Decreased Lipid Peroxidation

Increased expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) increases NO resistance in several cell types, although the biochemical mechanism for this protection is unknown. To address this issue, we have measured different molecular markers of nitrosative stress in three stably transfected cell lines derived from the human lung epithelial line A549: two lines that overexpress rat HO-1 (L1 and A4), and a control line with the empty vector (Neo). Compared with the control Neo cells, L1 and A4 cells had, respectively, 5.8- and 3.8-fold greater HO activity accompanied by increased resistance to NO-induced necrosis. Compared with the Neo control, the HO-1-overexpressing cells also showed significantly less lipid peroxide formation and decreased perturbation of transition metal oxidation and coordination states following a cytotoxic NO exposure. These effects were blocked by the HO-1 inhibitors Zn- and Sn-protoporphyrin IX. In contrast, HO-1 overexpression did not significantly affect total reactive oxygen or nitrogen species, the levels of the nucleobase deamination products in DNA (xanthine, inosine, and uracil) following NO exposure, or NO-induced protein nitration. While increased HO-1 activity prevented NO-induced fluctuations in transition metal homeostasis, addition of an iron chelator decreased NO toxicity only slightly. Our results indicate that lipid peroxidation is a significant cause of NO-induced necrosis in human lung epithelial cells, and that the increased NO survival of L1 cells is due at least in part to decreased lipid peroxidation mediated by HO-1-generated biliverdin or bilirubin.
Necrotizing pneumonitis caused by 5‐fluorouracil infusion. A complication of a hickman catheter

The authors report the case of a patient with a Hickman catheter that migrated into the lung parenchyma. The resultant inadvertent infusion of 5-fluorouracil caused necrotizing chemical pneumonitis. Possible mechanisms of catheter migration include the lateral orientation of the catheter tip and the partial thrombosis of the innominate vein and superior vena cava. The patient recovered but had residual contraction fibrosis of the right upper lobe of the lung.
Solidification using a baffle in sealed ampoules: Ground-based experiments

Six InSb crystals doped with Te or Zn were grown to provide the reference data for the analysis of the space experiments conducted at the International Space Station within the solidification using a baffle in sealed ampoules (SUBSA) investigation. The dopant concentration was measured using the Hall Effect, 4-point probe and Atomic Absorption methods. The dopant segregation profiles in all crystals grown on Earth demonstrate the presence of strong convective mixing in the melt.
Using the PRISM to Compare the Explanatory Value of General and Role‐Contextualized Trait Ratings

In an earlier work (Wood & Roberts, 2006), the Personality and Role Identity Structural Model (PRISM) was proposed as a model for organizing the relations between diverse self-perceptions, with a person's general identity ("how I am in general") organized above diverse role identities (e.g., "how I am as an employee"), which in turn is organized above role-specific behaviors and experiences (e.g., typical interactions with coworkers). In the present article, I argue that despite the fact that role trait measures are often much more related to role behaviors than general trait measures in cross-sectional analyses, general trait measures better capture the dispositional causes of a person's role behavior. In support of this, a brief study is presented illustrating how general traits may be better predictors than role-contextualized trait ratings of the evolution of an individual's experiences or behaviors within a given context. Finally, I contend that the basic framework of the PRISM, where a person's behaviors and identities within multiple contexts are assessed simultaneously and longitudinally alongside general personality ratings, is necessary to make strong statements concerning the nature of the relationships between personality traits and role experiences.
Coarctation of the Aorta: Midterm Outcomes of Resection With Extended End-to-End Anastomosis

Background We began using the technique of resection with extended end-to-end anastomosis for infants and children with coarctation of the aorta in 1991. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the midterm outcomes of this technique, specifically determining the incidence of and risk factors for transcatheter or surgical reintervention. Methods A retrospective analysis of the cardiac surgery database was performed to identify all patients who had a diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta with or without ventricular septal defect and had resection with extended end-to-end anastomosis from 1991 to 2007. Perioperative course and follow-up with physical examination, echocardiogram, and cardiology evaluation were obtained. Results From 1991 through 2007, 201 patients had repair of coarctation of the aorta with resection with extended end-to-end anastomosis. The median age was 23 days, and the median weight was 4.0 kg. Surgical approach was by left thoracotomy in 157 patients (78%) with a mean cross-clamp time of 18 ± 4 minutes. Median sternotomy approach was used in 44 patients (22%) to repair a hypoplastic transverse aortic arch (n = 16) or because of associated ventricular septal defect (n = 28) with a mean circulatory arrest time of 14 ± 9 minutes. Early mortality occurred in 4 patients (2.0%). Three patients (1.5%) required early arch revision: 2 intraoperatively and 1 on postoperative day 1. Follow-up data were available for 182 patients (91%) with a mean follow-up of 5.0 ± 4.3 years (908 patient-years). Reinterventions (n = 8; 4.0%) included three balloon angioplasties and five reoperations; 75% of the reinterventions occurred in the first postoperative year. Hypoplastic transverse aortic arch was not a risk factor for reintervention ( p = 0.36), but was a risk factor for mortality ( p = 0.039). Aberrant right subclavian artery was the only risk factor for recoarctation ( p = 0.007). Conclusions Repair of coarctation of the aorta with resection with extended end-to-end anastomosis has a low early mortality, effectively addresses transverse arch hypoplasia, and at midterm follow-up has a low rate of reintervention for recurrent coarctation.
Active Image Restoration With A Flexible Mirror

The 30 by 5 cm aperture telescope described uses six moveable mirrors to compensate for phase distortions induced by the atmosphere. A feedback system is used to adjust the mirrors in real time to maximize the intensity of light passing through a narrow slit in the image plane. Using the telescope, diffraction-limited images of objects were obtained, using both laser and white light, through 250 meters of turbulent atmosphere.
Bcl-xL Blocks Activation of Related Adhesion Focal Tyrosine Kinase/Proline-rich Tyrosine Kinase 2 and Stress-activated Protein Kinase/c-Jun N-terminal Protein Kinase in the Cellular Response to Methylmethane Sulfonate

The stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) is induced in response to ionizing radiation and other DNA-damaging agents. Recent studies indicate that activation of JNK is necessary for induction of apoptosis in response to diverse agents. Here we demonstrate that methylmethane sulfonate (MMS)-induced activation of JNK is inhibited by overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL, but not by caspase inhibitors CrmA and p35. By contrast, UV-induced JNK activity is insensitive to Bcl-xL. The results demonstrate that treatment with MMS is associated with an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase (RAFTK)/proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2), an upstream effector of JNK and that this phosphorylation is inhibited by overexpression of Bcl-xL. Furthermore, overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant of RAFTK (RAFTK K-M) inhibits MMS-induced JNK activation. The results indicate that inhibition of RAFTK phosphorylation by MMS in Bcl-xL cells is attributed to an increase in tyrosine phosphatase activity in these cells. Hence, treatment of Bcl-xL cells with sodium vanadate, a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, restores MMS-induced activation of RAFTK and JNK. These findings indicate that RAFTK-dependent induction of JNK in response to MMS is sensitive to Bcl-xL, but not to CrmA and p35, by a mechanism that inhibits tyrosine phosphorylation and thereby activation of RAFTK. Taken together, these findings support a novel role for Bcl-xL that is independent of the caspase cascade.
Phase-shift error as a result of molecular alignment distortions in a liquid-crystal point-diffraction interferometer.

We report the observation of nematic director distortions around the diffracting element of a liquid-crystal point-diffraction interferometer. The observed director field distortions are similar to those reported in the literature for other liquid-crystal guest–host systems. We show how the alignment distortion changes as a function of the voltage applied to the liquid-crystal cell, leading to an observed phase-shift error. Tailoring of surface anchoring conditions and judicious choice of phase-shift algorithm can improve device accuracy.
Microtubule Networks Modulate Cellular Susceptibility to Aβ-Mediated Toxicity

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is the most common cause of dementia. The self-assembly of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) into ordered aggregates, including oligomers and fibrils, is a major hallmark of AD. As we age, significant alterations in our cellular structure, with implications for cellular mechanics, occur. An example of such changes are alterations in the structure of microtubules within cells. As aging is the largest risk factor for the development of AD, we investigated the role of microtubule structure on a cell's ability to cope with exposure to Aβ. Microtubules in GT1-7 cells were systematically altered using a variety of microtubule-altering drugs. Nocodazole and cholchicine were used to disrupt microtubules; paclitaxel was used to stabilize microtubules. The effectiveness of the drugs to change microtubule structure was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and mechanical measurements using an atomic force microscope. Control cells and cells with altered microtubule structure were then exposed to monomeric and oligomeric solutions of Aβ, as confirmed by several assays. Next, we determined the extent of Aβ binding to cells using flow cytometry, cell death using a variety of toxicity assays, and Aβ-induced changes in cell mechanical properties. We found that altering microtubule structure had little effect on the ability of Aβ to bind cells. However, Aβ-related toxicity was enhanced when cells had disrupted microtubule networks, indicating that they were more sensitive to exposure to Aβ. Cells that had their microtubule networks chemically stabilized were more resistant to Aβ-related toxicity.
Characterization and elimination of redundancy in recursive programs

Many well-known functions are computed by interpretations of the recursion schemaprocedure f(x) ;if p(x)then return a(x)else return b(x,f(c1(x)),…,f(cn(x)))Some of these interpretations define redundant computations because they lead to multiple calls on f with identical argument values. The existence and nature of the redundancy depend on properties of the functions ci. We explore four sets of assumptions about these functions. We analyze directed acyclic graphs formed by merging the nodes of the computation tree for f(x) which are known to be equal for each set of assumptions. In each case there is a transformed program which computes f(x) without redundancy, provided that certain additional assumptions about p, a, and the ci are satisfied. The transformed programs avoid redundancy by saving exactly those intermediate results which will be needed again later in the computation. These programs are all valueless recursive procedures which leave intermediate and final results in specified global locations; in each case recursion can be eliminated without use of a stack. We compare the storage requirements of the transformed programs, discuss the applicability of these transformations to an automatic program improvement system, and present a general criterion for establishing the existence of redundancy.
Mind-Body Skills Group Experience: A Case Report

d e d 1 a 1 a b NTRODUCTION osa considered it a divine intervention that she saw a flyer on he bathroom wall of her school building. At that time, she was esperate and needed help. The purpose of the flyer was to ecruit women with history of abuse to participate in a mindody skills group (MBSG), pilot research project. Rosa called the tudy coordinator, and a face-to-face interview was set up to etermine her eligibility for the study.
Metropolis in the Making: Los Angeles in the 1920s. Ed. by Tom Sitton and William Deverell. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001. xii, 371 pp. Cloth, $55.00, isbn 0-520-22626-7. Paper, $22.50, isbn 0-520-22627-5.)

Contributors: Clark Davis, Mike Davis, William Deverell, Michael E. Engh, S.J., Douglas Flamming, Philip Goff, Greg Hise, Doug Monroy, Becky M. Nicolaides, Laurie Pintar, Nancy Quam-Wickham, Steven J. Ross, Matthew W. Roth, Tom Sitton, David Charles Sloane, Jules Tygiel
Cathodic Protection of Direct Buried Transformers

An introduction to corrosion and cathodic protection theory leads to a discussion of this corrosion control technique as applied to direct buried transformers. Results of laboratory and field testing have provided necessary data on how to properly apply cathodic protection to direct buried distribution transformers.
Accelerating Math Development in Head Start Classrooms

Teachers implemented a 6-week classroom intervention designed to promote emergent math skills and math interest in preschool-aged children. Teachers in experimental classrooms incorporated math-relevant activities into their daily routine during circle time, transitions, mealtime, and small-group activities. Control classrooms engaged in their typical activities. After the program, experimental children scored significantly higher than control children on a standardized test of math ability and enjoyed math activities more than the control children, as measured by both teacher and self-report. Teachers rated the program as highly satisfactory and reported that they increased their own enjoyment and skill in implementing math activities in their classrooms. The intervention effects were largely accounted for by substantial gains by boys, whereas girls showed much smaller program response. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Iron reduction in the sediments of a hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer

Abstract Sediments sampled at a hydrocarbon-contaminated, glacial-outwash, sandy aquifer near Bemidji, Minnesota, were analyzed for sediment-associated Fe with several techniques. Extraction with 0.5 M HCl dissolved poorly crystalline Fe oxides and small amounts of Fe in crystalline Fe oxides, and extracted Fe from phyllosilicates. Use of Ti-citrate-EDTA-bicarbonate results in more complete removal of crystalline Fe oxides. The average HCl-extractable Fe(III) concentration in the sediments closest to the crude-oil contamination (16.2 μmol/g) has been reduced by up to 30% from background values (23.8 μmol/g) as a result of Fe(III) reduction in contaminated anoxic groundwater. Iron(II) concentrations are elevated in sediments within an anoxic plume in the aquifer. Iron(II) values under the oil body (19.2 μmol/g) are as much as 4 times those in the background sediments (4.6 μmol/g), indicating incorporation of reduced Fe in the contaminated sediments. A 70% increase in total extractable Fe at the anoxic/oxic transition zone indicates reoxidation and precipitation of Fe mobilized from sediment in the anoxic plume. Scanning electron microscopy detected authigenic ferroan calcite in the anoxic sediments and confirmed abundant Fe(III) oxyhydroxides at the anoxic/oxic boundary. The redox biogeochemistry of Fe in this system is coupled to contaminant degradation and is important in predicting processes of hydrocarbon degradation.
Homeostatic drive counteracting selection for positive and negative phototaxis and geotaxis inDrosophila pseudoobscura

Tested in Hirsch-Hadler mazes,Drosophila pseudoobscura is on the average geoneutral and photoneutral. Strongly geo- and photopositive and geo- and photonegative populations can be obtained by artificial selection, but upon relaxation of the selection they tend to relapse toward neutrality. This genetic homeostasis is due to natural selection favoring neutrality. Experiments are described in which artificial selection for positivity and for negativity was deliberately made so weak that it only counterbalanced the natural selection or “homeostatic drive” and the effects of cross-migration. Under these conditions, the behavior of the population artificially selected for positivity diverges only slightly from that of the population selected for negativity, but, at least in females, both populations move closer to neutrality.
Attention does more than modulate suppressive interactions: attending to multiple items

Directing attention to a visual item enhances its representations, making it more likely to guide behavior (Corbetta et al. 1991). Attention is thought to produce this enhancement by biasing suppressive interactions among multiple items in visual cortex in favor of the attended item (e.g., Desimone and Duncan 1995; Reynolds and Heeger 2009). We ask whether target enhancement and modulation of suppressive interactions are in fact inextricably linked or whether they can be decoupled. In particular, we ask whether simultaneously directing attention to multiple items may be one means of dissociating the influence of attention-related enhancement from the effects of inter-item suppression. When multiple items are attended, suppressive interactions in visual cortex limit the effectiveness with which attention may act on their representations, presumably because “biasing” the interactions in favor of a single item is no longer possible (Scalf and Beck 2010). In this experiment, we directly investigate whether applying attention to multiple competing stimulus items has any influence on either their evoked signal or their suppressive interactions. Both BOLD signal evoked by the items in V4 and behavioral responses to those items were significantly compromised by simultaneous presentation relative to simultaneous presentation, indicating that when the items appeared at the same time, they interacted in a mutually suppressive manner that compromised their ability to guide behavior. Attention significantly enhanced signal in V4. The attentional status of the items, however, had no influence on the suppressive effects of simultaneous presentation. To our knowledge, these data are the first to explicitly decouple the effects of top-down attention from those of inter-item suppression.
Perceived Threat and Authoritarianism

There has been a long history of work on authoritarianism that has looked at the role of societal threat. Much of the empirical research in this tradition has relied on aggregate data to examine the relationship between societal threat and authoritarian attitudes and behaviors. Our analysis uses individual-level data and a range of perceived threat measures to better understand the dynamics of authoritarianism and threat. We also move beyond the hypothesis of a direct relationship between threat and authoritarianism, and hypothesize instead that the relationship involves interaction effects: societal threat activates authoritarian predispositions. As predicted, our analysis finds no evidence of a direct effect of societal threat but significant evidence of an interaction between authoritarian predispositions and perceived threat. We consider the implications of these results for our understanding of authoritarianism.
Direct Detection of Abortive RNA Transcripts in Vivo

During transcription initiation in vitro, prokaryotic and eukaryotic RNA polymerase (RNAP) can engage in abortive initiation—the synthesis and release of short (2 to 15 nucleotides) RNA transcripts—before productive initiation. It has not been known whether abortive initiation occurs in vivo. Using hybridization with locked nucleic acid probes, we directly detected abortive transcripts in bacteria. In addition, we show that in vivo abortive initiation shows characteristics of in vitro abortive initiation: Abortive initiation increases upon stabilizing interactions between RNAP and either promoter DNA or sigma factor, and also upon deleting elongation factor GreA. Abortive transcripts may have functional roles in regulating gene expression in vivo.
Proline in fascioliasis: III. Activities of pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid reductase and pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid dehydrogenase in Fasciola.

Abstract Activities of Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid dehydrogenase and Δ1 pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid reductase were measured in homogenates of Fasciola and compared to the activities of these enzymes in mammalian liver. The dehydrogenase could not be detected in Fasciola. However, the activity of the worm reductase which catalyzes the final step in the production of proline was four times that of the mammalian liver reductase. The worm enzyme was further purified and the Km determined to be about 0·18 mM. Except for lack of inhibition by proline the Fasciola enzyme resembles that of mammalian liver. The high activity of the fluke enzyme and its inhibition by high levels of NAD+ support the suggestion that high proline production in Fasciola is linked to maintenance of redox potential.
Wheat Cultivar Performance and Stability between No-Till and Conventional Tillage Systems in the Pacific Northwest of the United States

In Washington, over fifty percent of the wheat produced under rainfed conditions receives less than 300 mm of annual precipitation. Hence, a winter wheat-summer fallow cropping system has been established to obtain adequate moisture for winter wheat production. Current tilled fallow systems receive significant soil erosion through both wind and water. As a result, no-till chemical fallow systems are being adopted to mitigate erosion concerns. The objective of this study was to evaluate current Pacific Northwest cultivars under no-till chemical fallow and tilled fallow systems to identify cultivars adapted to a late-planted no-till system. Twenty-one cultivars were planted in a split-plot design with fallow type as the main plot and genotype as the sub-plot. Four replications were planted at two locations over three years. Data was collected on heading date, grain yield and grain volume weight. Analysis of variance was conducted on data from each year and location. Results were significant for all traits. Cultivars in the late-planted no-till system yielded an average of 39% less than the tilled fallow system. It is evident that cultivars vary in their adaptability and yield stability across production systems. Chukar and Eltan displayed the highest levels of yield stability, and growers who wish to plant winter wheat in a late-planted no-till system may benefit from choosing these cultivars.
Fine-needle aspiration cytology of intraductal papillary-mucinous tumors: a retrospective analysis.

Intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor (IPMT) of the pancreas has become the accepted terminology for a group of mucin-producing epithelial proliferations lying within ectatic segments of the main pancreatic duct or its large branches. These neoplasms generally are associated with an indolent course, characteristic endoscopic ultrasonographic (EUS) findings, and a variable histo- and cytomorphology ranging from hyperplasia to carcinoma. Cytological specimens obtained by endoscopic ultrasound-guided or percutaneous fine-needle aspiration (FNA) are characterized by a background containing abundant mucin in which are entrapped single or loosely cohesive clusters of neoplastic cells characteristically showing a goblet-cell morphology. The degree of nuclear atypia, cell crowding, and cell shape varies between smears within a single case and between cases. Cytomorphological examination, when coupled with EUS features, is accurate for the diagnosis of these lesions but often it underdiagnoses the grade of the neoplasm. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2005;32:16–20. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Intrathecal Sufentanil and Epidural Bupivacaine for Labor Analgesia: Dose-Response of Individual Agents and in Combination

Backgrounds and Objectives Combinations of local anesthetics and opioids are frequently used during spinal and epidural analgesia for the relief of labor pain. This combination allows for a dose-sparing effect which may reduce potential side effects or toxicity. The precise nature of the interaction between opioids and local anesthetics in the clinical setting, i.e., additivity versus synergism, has not been established. This trial was designed to utilize a validated technique of analysis of drug interactions, isobolography, to investigate this interaction. Methods One hundred healthy laboring patients at term receiving a combined spinal and epidural technique were divided into nine groups as follows: intrathecal sufentanil 2, 5, or 10 μg (2 mL volume) and epidural saline (10 mL); epidural bupivacaine 5, 12.5, or 25 mg and intrathecal saline (2 mL volume); or combination of 1, 2.5, and 5 μg intrathecal sufentanil plus 2.5, 6.25, or 12.5 mg epidural bupivacaine, using similar volumes, respectively. All drugs were administered in a randomized, double-blind fashion. Pain relief scores were assessed 20 minutes after drug injection, and isobolographic analysis was utilized to determine the nature of the interaction. Results The ED50 of intrathecal sufentanil alone was 2.3 μg (95% CI 1.7-3.2), and the ED50 for epidural bupivacaine was 24 mg (95% CI 12-50). The combined sufentanil and bupivacaine fractional dose ED50 (in fractions of the single-dose ED50 values) was found to be approximately one-third and one-tenth of the single drug fractional dose, respectively; sufentanil 0.85 μg (0.36) and bupivacaine 2.2 mg (0.09). The duration of analgesia was nearly equivalent in all sufentanil-alone groups (83, 102, and 99 minutes); a dose-response effect was more apparent in the bupivacaine group (35, 42, and 74 minutes; P = .006) and the combination group (60, 79, 101 minutes; P = .028). Isobolography showed the combination dose to lie well within the area of synergism; however, the 95% confidence limits cross the line of additivity thus a pure additive interaction cannot be excluded. Conclusions Markedly reduced doses of these drugs in combination can be used to provide adequate analgesia during labor compared with either single drug alone.
Nucleolus-organizing microchromosomes of Gallus domesticus☆

Abstract Additional evidence is presented that the microchromosomes are important genetic components in Callus domesticus since at least 12 participate in nucleolus organization. None of the larger chromosomes, the first five pairs and the Z, participate in this function.
Capturing Value through Secrecy: A Process-Oriented Model of Secret Keeping in Organizations

This paper considers an under-researched phenomenon – secret keeping in organizations. To improve understanding of this complex phenomenon, we develop a process model that identifies how secret keeping in organizations occurs through six distinct stages: Origination, Elaboration, Maintenance, Review, Disruption, and Termination. When developing this model, we consider the forces that move knowledge through the secret keeping process, with an emphasis on identifying the drivers that determine the trajectory of a secret across each of its stages. The proposed model provides a generative framework that serves as a foundation for future empirical and theoretical research.
Genetic localization of the Ca2+ channel gene CACNG2 near SCA10 on chromosome 22q13.

Summary: Purpose: Voltage-dependent calcium channel mutations have been associated with spinocerebellar ataxia in humans (SCA6) and with ataxia, progressive cerebellar degeneration, and epilepsy in mice (tottering, lethargic, and stargazer). A novel autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia syndrome with epilepsy (SCA10) was recently mapped to chromosome 22q13. The human ortholog of the mouse stargazer locus, the calcium channel γ subunit gene CACNG2, also is located in this region. Because the phenotypes of stargazer mice and SCA10 patients were similar, consisting of both cerebellar ataxia and seizures, we hypothesized that CACNG2 was a likely candidate for the SCA10 locus. Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based assays were developed for two polymorphic microsatellite markers near CACNG2. The location of CACNG2 was determined by linkage and haplotype analysis of the genotypes of 22 individuals from a human pedigree segregating SCA10. Results: SCA10 was previously localized distal to marker D22S1177 on chromosome 22q13. We determined that CACNG2 was linked to D22S283 and D22S1177 with the marker order: centromere-D22S283-bcmDLB1 (CACNG2)–D22S1177-D22S423-telomere. Thus CACNG2 is located proximal to the SCA10 recombinant interval. Conclusions: Here we report the first genetic linkage of CACNG2 on chromosome 22q13 and exclude it as a candidate for SCA10. In addition, our data clarify the relation between the physical and genetic linkage maps of this region and will facilitate isolation of the SCA10 gene.
"Near miss" death in obstructive sleep apnea: a critical care syndrome.

Objective The objective of this study was to alert critical care physicians to the syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea with respiratory failure ("near miss" death) and to elucidate characteristics that might allow earlier recognition and treatment of such patients. Design We examined clinical and laboratory characteristics of eight patients with obstructive sleep apnea presenting to the ICU with respiratory failure. These characteristics were compared with those of eight stable apnea patients of similar severity but without a history of presentation with respiratory failure. Setting Medical ICU and pulmonary outpatient clinic at the Houston Veterans Administration Medical Center, a teaching hospital affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. Patients Eight patients with obstructive sleep apnea who presented in, or developed, acute respiratory failure requiring tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation were matched to eight stable obstructive sleep apnea outpatients from the chest clinic. Measurements and main results The records of these 16 patients were reviewed and multiple characteristics that might predict these obstructive sleep apnea patients prone to respiratory failure and death (called the "near miss" death group; n = 8) were examined. The mean age of the near miss group was 57 yrs. All eight patients presented with respiratory acidosis (mean pH 7.22), hypercarbia (mean PaCO2 82 torr [10.9 kPa]), and hypoxemia (mean PaO2 45 torr [6.0 kPa]). Six of the eight patients had concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as determined by clinical characteristics and spirometry. Predisposing factors included facial trauma, lower respiratory tract infections or bronchospasm, and use of pain medication. All but one of the near miss subjects had awake hypercarbia (mean PaCO2 49 torr [6.5 kPa]) and hypoxemia (mean PaO2 58 torr [7.7 kPa]) during periods of clinical stability while only two controls had concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and none had hypercarbia. The prevalence of a history of wheezing and prior hospitalization for "respiratory problems" were greater in the near miss group. Once cured of apnea, no patient presented with recurrence of respiratory failure in follow-up ranging from 6 to 80 months, and cor pulmonale recurred in only one patient during subsequent onset of central apneas. Conclusion Patients with obstructive sleep apnea who have concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or hypercarbia and hypoxemia are more prone to develop severe respiratory failure and probable death than those patients with apnea alone. The current study shows that recurrent respiratory failure and presumably mortality from this acute complication can be reversed with effective treatment of the obstructive apnea.
Tinnitus and insomnia.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the effects of insomnia on tinnitus severity and to determine how this relationship may evolve with the passage of time. Materials and Methods: Questionnaires were mailed to patients before their initial appointment at the Oregon Health Sciences University Tinnitus Clinic between 1994 and 1997. These questionnaires requested information pertaining to insomnia, tinnitus severity, and loudness. During their initial appointment, patients received counseling, education, and reassurance about tinnitus; audiometric and tinnitus evaluations; and treatment recommendations. Follow-up questionnaires were mailed to 350 patients 1 to 4 years (mean = 2.3 yr) after their initial appointment at the clinic. Results: One hundred seventy-four patients (130 men, 44 women; mean age 55.9 yr) returned follow-up questionnaires. Although many of these patients improved in both sleep interference and tinnitus severity, a significant number (43) reported on the follow-up questionnaire that they continued to have difficulty sleeping. Reported loudness and severity of tinnitus were significantly greater for this group than for groups of patients who reported that they never or only sometimes have difficulty sleeping. The relationship between sleep disturbance and tinnitus severity became more pronounced with the passage of time. Conclusions: Insomnia is associated with greater perceived loudness and severity of tinnitus. These findings underscore the importance of identification and successful treatment of insomnia for patients with tinnitus. (Am J Otolaryngol 2000;21:287-293. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company)
Evolution of the solenoid-actuated left ventricular assist system: integration with a pusher-plate pump for intra-abdominal implantation in the calf.

The performance of an implantable left ventricular assist system (LVAS) utilizing a pulsed solenoid energy converter and a pusher-plate blood pump has been characterized in vitro and in vivo. A microprocessor-based electronic control system makes the LVAS completely self-regulating over the range of operating conditions and provides considerable flexibility in various assist modalities. Over forty thousand hours of in vitro and in vivo operating experience has been accumulated with current systems, and significant progress has been achieved in system durability and reliability. A new toggle latch has provided nearly a year of failure-free operation on the bench, without measurable wear. Energy converter efficiencies of 50% have been demonstrated. In vivo evaluation has been highlighted by an animal experiment still in progress after nearly four months of fault-free, continuous synchronous pumping.
Multiplying the electron storage capacity of a bis-tetrazine pincer ligand

An unexpected doubling in redox storage emerging from a new pincer ligand upon bis-ligation of iron(II) is described. When tetrazine arms are present at the two ortho positions of pyridine, the resulting bis-tetrazinyl pyridine (btzp) pincer ligand displays a single one-electron reduction at ca. −0.85 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Complexation to iron, giving the cation Fe(btzp)22+, shows no oxidation but four reduction waves in cyclic voltammetry instead of the two expected for the two constituent ligands. Mossbauer, X-ray diffraction and NMR studies show the iron species to contain low spin Fe(II), but with evidence of back donation from iron to the pincer ligands. CV and UV-Vis spectroelectrochemistry, as well as titration studies as monitored by CV, electronic spectra and EPR reveal the chemical reversibility of forming the reduced species. DFT and EPR studies show varying degrees of delocalization of unpaired spin in different species, including that of a btzp−1 radical anion, partnered with various cations.
Multiculturalism: Some principles and issues

a "melting pot" in which differences would gradually disappear began to adjust to a perspective of our society as a kind of "salad bowl" wherein each group reflected its unique identity and its American experience. While a multicultural view of society and education has not fully taken hold, the concept has provided educators with a framework in which to advocate program development and change that is not based on a deficit model of students and
Effect of Intraplant Insect Movement on Economic Thresholds

A simulation model was constructed to examine the effects of intraplant spatial dynamics of the lepidopteran pest complex of cabbage on direct damage to the marketable parts of the plant. Diurnal fluctuations in microclimate for different parts of the crop canopy were simulated with sine functions. Larval development rates for each species were simulated with logistic functions of temperature, the development process with time-varying distributed delays, and feeding rates with exponential functions of temperature and larval age. Larval transition probabilities within the crop canopy were modeled with either constants or definite integrals of the Beta probability density function, the shape parameters of which were modeled as functions of temperature. The model provided a good fit to data on changes in intraplant distribution of these larvae and intraplant distribution of feeding damage. Evaluation of model predictions suggests that a threshold population density used for management decisions should not be static, but should be a complex function of species, larval age distribution, and forecast temperatures. A model like the one presented here could serve as that complex function.
Adaptive control of the interaction of segmentation and pattern classification: A pilot study applied to automatic recognition of continuous speech

In the recognition of complex patterns it is becoming more apparent that segmentation (object isolation) and pattern classification cannot be performed by independent procedures. A pilot study is described which employs feedback to control the interaction of segmentation and segment classification in a system under development for automatic recognition of continuous speech. The potential advantages of employing such interaction in this work are discussed and data are presented which indicate that this approach is promising.
Absolute and relative Weyl theorems for generalized eigenvalue problems

Abstract Weyl-type eigenvalue perturbation theories are derived for Hermitian definite pencils A - λ B , in which B is positive definite. The results provide a one-to-one correspondence between the original and perturbed eigenvalues, and give a uniform perturbation bound. We give both absolute and relative perturbation results, defined in the standard Euclidean metric instead of the chordal metric that is often used.
Molecular Dynamics Exploration of Properties in the Liquid-Vapor Interfacial Region

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of liquid-vapor interfaces were performed to determine mean property variations and property fluctuations in the liquid-vapor interfacial region at various reduced temperatures. The interfacial region typically has a thickness on the order of a few nanometers for systems of practical interest. The system’s initial conditions were specified as a bulk liquid region sandwiched between two bulk vapor regions. Simulations were run using a Lennard-Jones 6-12 potential function between the atoms with appropriate parameters for Argon atoms. As the simulation was performed, interfacial region property data was collected over time. The resulting property data are shown to establish trends similar to those indicated by theoretical and experimental results reported elsewhere. The peak fluctuations of mass density and free energy density were determined to be approximately equal in magnitude when normalized with the difference in their respective bulk values at a given temperature. These fluctuations were found to increase rapidly with temperature. The fluctuations in the interfacial thickness and interfacial position follow a functional dependence on temperature similar to that exhibited by the mean value of interfacial thickness. In addition to exploring fluctuations in the interfacial region, two new methods were developed to determine interfacial tension through methods involving integration of excess free energy density across the interfacial region. These techniques were shown to yield mean results similar to theoretical predictions and those using conventional techniques. In addition, the time required for computation using the new techniques is significantly reduced due to less computational time per step and fewer required steps for convergence to a mean value.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Novel approach to therapeutic drug monitoring of nevirapine in pediatric HIV infected patients

Background Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of nevirapine (NVP) in children is important due to the use of NVP in HIV preventive and treatment regimens. Adequate trough levels of NVP predict successful therapy whereas low levels are correlated with higher viral loads. Our previous studies did suggest that saliva might be useful for non-invasive TDM of several antiretroviral drugs. The aim of this study was to determine total and free levels of NVP in plasma of HIV-infected children and compare them with saliva levels. Methods 20 pediatric patients (median age 8.2 yrs) on therapy with NVP were studied. Unbound NVP was separated by ultrafiltration and NVP levels were determined by a tandem-mass spectrometry using the Applied Biosystems/Sciex API-2000. Within-run precision was below 7% and between-day precision was below 10%. Accuracy ranged 95%-105%. Linear regression analysis was used through PRISM program. Results The correlation of saliva to total and free plasma levels of NVP was significant with r values of 0.971(NVPSal= 0.587× NVPtotalPl +444.5, p<0.001) and 0.969(NVPSal= 1.23× NVPfreePl+584.0, p<0.001. Total and free plasma levels of NVP showed a significant correlation with a r value of 0.949(NVPfreePL=0.419× NVPtotalPL+144.2, p<0.001. Conclusions This study shows a significant linear correlation between total saliva and both bound and unbound (free) plasma NVP levels. The levels of NVP in saliva correlate significantly with plasma values and may be useful for non-invasive TDM of NVP. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P97–P97; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2005.01.001
Macroeconomic adjustment and human nutrition

Abstract The macroeconomic adjustments made by most developing countries over the past decade to cope with economic crises have in many cases had severe effects on the poor. These effects have often been ignored in planning, but it is important to address them, both to avoid human suffering and to facilitate economic growth. This article provides a brief synthesis of current knowledge about the short-term effects of macroeconomic adjustment policies on the nutritional status of the poor, and proposes action to improve the nutrition effects of future adjustment programmes.
Interaction of Charged Vortex Rings with a Superfluid Helium Surface

Electrons carried by vortex rings toward a free surface in liquid ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ are found to evaporate from the surface with an energy independent of the ring energy. The energy of the electron is found to depend upon the amount of charge stored near the surface. We find also that the percentage of the ring current which crosses the surface depends on temperature, ring energy, and conditions at the surface. Finally, we hypothesize a trapped state near the surface and analyze our results in terms of the lifetime of this state.
Characterization of Co(III) EDTA-Reducing Bacteria in Metal- and Radionuclide-Contaminated Groundwater

The Waste Area Grouping 5 (WAG5) site at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has a potential to be a field site for evaluating the effectiveness of various bioremediation approaches and strategies. The site has been well studied in terms of its geological and geochemical properties over the past decade. However, despite the importance of microorganisms in bioremediation processes, the microbiological populations at the WAG5 site and their potential in bioremediation have not been similarly evaluated. In this study, we initiated research to characterize the microbial populations in WAG5 groundwater. Approximately 100 isolates from WAG5 groundwater were isolated and selected based on colony morphology. Fifty-five unique isolates were identified by BOX-PCR and subjected to further characterization. 16S rRNA sequences indicated that these isolates belong to seventeen bacterial genera including Alcaligenes (1 isolate), Aquamonas (1), Aquaspirillum (1), Bacillus (10), Brevundimonas (5), Caulobacter (7), Dechloromonas...
Stability, toxicity and differential cellular uptake of protein passivated-Fe3O4 nanoparticles

We have explored the mechanism and differential uptake of BSA coated Fe3O4nanoparticles (NPs) by different cancerous and isogenic cell types.
Reinforced Pressure Sensor for Marine Environment

Pressure measurements in marine environment are of utmost importance to better understand the ocean processes, for maritime security and even for tsunami wave detection. In this work, a MEMS reinforced piezoresistive pressure sensor with packaging and protective coatings was tested to achieve both higher sensitivity and larger full scale span compared to conventional single diaphragm. By eliminating large deflections and non-linearities, the reinforced design showed about 15% higher sensitivity and twice the operating range. Further, reliability of protective coatings was evaluated in real ocean conditions.
FQMR: A Flexible Quasi-Minimal Residual Method with Inexact Preconditioning

A flexible version of the QMR algorithm is presented which allows for the use of a different preconditioner at each step of the algorithm. In particular, inexact solutions of the preconditioned equations are allowed, as well as the use of an (inner) iterative method as a preconditioner. Several theorems are presented relating the norm of the residual of the new method with the norm of the residual of other methods, including QMR and flexible GMRES (FGMRES). In addition, numerical experiments are presented which illustrate the convergence of flexible QMR (FQMR), and show that in certain cases FQMR can produce approximations with lower residual norms than QMR.
The reproduction of racial inequality: how crime affects housing turnover

This study examines the microlevel process of housing turnover between Blacks and Whites to assess whether crime plays an important role in the racial transition of neighborhoods. The study uses a unique, longitudinal version of the National Crime Survey in which each dwelling's close neighbors are identified. After controlling for household characteristics and the characteristics of their close neighbors, crime occurring in nearby areas is found to increase the chances of White-to-Black turnover while decreasing the chances of Black-to-White turnover. This change occurs even though the directly victimized houses do not necessarily have a probability of racial turnover different than that of other houses nearby. The findings suggest the presence of structural constraints that limit the housing opportunities for Blacks and constrain their choice of residence to comparatively unsafe neighborhoods. They also indicate that “White avoidance,” in which Whites systematically bypass high-crime neighborhoods, is important in maintaining the relationship between race and crime.