cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mycoplasma Neurolyticum Membranes: A T-Independent Antigen in the Rat

Our understanding of the mechanisms involved in B cell activation, proliferation and differentiation to immunoglobulin secreting cells has been facilitated by the use of T-independent and T-dependent antigens. The majority of these studies have used the murine system and only recently, the rat. Because membranes isolated from Mycoplasma neurolyticum are potent B cell mitogens in the rat and some T-independent antigens also activate DNA synthesis in B cells, the in vitro and in vivo antibody responses induced by M. neurolyticum membranes in T-deficient rat systems were examined. The three groups of rats used, i.e., nude; anti-thymocyte serum-treated, neonatally-thymectomized (ATS-Tx); and normal Fischer 344 produced a non-polyclonal antibody response against the membranes. Spleen cell cultures that were T cell deficient and B cell enriched produced plaque-forming cells against the Mycoplasma membranes. Antibody production was depleted upon removal of Sephadex G-10 adherent cells. The antibody response is comprised of both antigen-specific and polyclonal responses. Lipoglycan, found in the aqueous phenol extract of the membranes, is the mitogenic fraction of the membranes, and this study suggests that it may also be the T-independent antigenic component of the M. neurolyticum membranes.
Covalent attachment of lysine to commercial restriction endonucleases

In the present work lysine was coupled through a water-soluble carbodiimide to several restriction enzymes. The work was carried out to assess the effects on enzyme activity of attaching a small molecule to the enzyme carboxyl groups, with the intent of using carboxyl groups for subsequent immobilization of restriction enzymes on solid supports. Lysine was coupled to Eco RI, Bam HI, and Bgl I with partial to complete retention of enzyme activity. The commercial enzymes contained a large relative concentration of bovine serum albumin (BSA). Therefore, commercial Eco RI, a sample of electrophoretically pure Eco RI, and some high purity BSA each were separately labeled with3H-lysine and the products separated by dialysis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. For the commercial Eco RI preparation, 0.9 µmol of lysine was attached to each µmole of the enzyme fraction; lysine was attached to the BSA and enzyme fractions in the ratio 2.3. The results agreed reasonably well with the amount coupled to the high purity Eco RI and the high purity BSA. The results suggest that carbodiimide coupling through enzyme carboxylic acid groups may be a useful approach for subsequent immobilization of restriction enzymes on solid supports.
Insulin-Like Growth Factors in the Peripheral Nervous System

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) play an integral role in development, growth, and survival. This article details the current understanding of the effects of IGFs in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) during health and disease, and introduces how the IGF system regulates PNS development and impacts growth and survival of PNS cells. Also discussed are implications of IGF signaling in neurodegeneration and the status and prospects of IGF therapies for PNS conditions. There is substantial support for the application of IGF therapies in the treatment of PNS injury and disease.
Neutralization sensitivity of a simian–human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2N) isolated from an infected rhesus macaque with neurological disease

Abstract Simian–human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) chimerae, after in vivo passage in monkeys, can induce acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-like illness and death. A monkey infected with the molecularly cloned, pathogenic SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2 exhibited multifocal granulomatous pneumonia as well as progressive neurological impairment characterized by tremors and pelvic limb weakness. SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2N was isolated from brain tissue explants and characterized. Viruses with the envelope glycoproteins of SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2N exhibited increased sensitivity to soluble CD4 and several neutralizing antibodies compared with viruses with the parental SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2 envelope glycoproteins. By contrast, viruses with SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2 and SHIV-HXBc2P 3.2N envelope glycoproteins were neutralized equivalently by 2G12 and 2F5 antibodies, which are rarely elicited in HIV-1-infected humans. A constellation of changes involving both gp120 and gp41 envelope glycoproteins was responsible for the difference in susceptibility to neutralization by most antibodies. Surprisingly, the gain of an N-linked glycosylation site in the gp41 ectodomain contributed greatly to neutralization sensitivity. Thus, the environment of the central nervous system, particularly in the context of immunodeficiency, allows the evolution of immunodeficiency viruses with greater susceptibility to neutralization by antibodies.
Surviving the digital transition: Maintaining UHF microphone systems for the future

A direct sequence spread spectrum implementation was developed in an effort to extend the operational lifetime of legacy analog wireless audio equipment. These legacy devices have an uncertain future due to spectrum reallocation and repurposing in the United States. Through the development of a drop-in module incorporating spread spectrum techniques, aging analog equipment can benefit from audio integrity preservation and isolation from other devices and services operating on the UHF band. By extending the operational lifetime of existing wireless equipment, this approach could reduce electronic waste.
The contributions of the α2β1 integrin to vascular thrombosis in vivo

The alpha 2 beta 1 integrin serves as a receptor for collagens, laminin, and several other nonmatrix ligands. Many studies have suggested that the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin is a critical mediator of platelet adhesion to collagen within the vessel wall after vascular injury and that the interactions of the platelet alpha 2 beta 1 integrin with subendothelial collagen after vascular injury are required for proper hemostasis. We have used the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin-deficient mouse to evaluate the contributions of the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin in 2 in vivo models of thrombosis. Studies using a model of endothelial injury to the carotid artery reveal that the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin plays a critical role in vascular thrombosis at the blood-vessel wall interface under flow conditions. In contrast, the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin is not required for the formation of thrombi and pulmonary emboli following intravascular injection of collagen. Our results are the first to document a critical in vivo role for the alpha 2 beta 1 integrin in thrombus formation at the vessel wall under conditions of shear following vascular injury.
Part of a Complete Breakfast: Cereal Characters of the Baby Boom Era Tim Hollis. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2012.

Part of a Complete Breakfast: Cereal Characters of the Baby Boom Era Tim Hollis. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2012.The colorful dust jacket of Tim Hollis's Part of a Complete Breakfast says it all: in the upper-left corner tilts Toucan Sam with his bright yellow and orange beak, and the bottom features a 1960s-style console television with the fronts of boxes of Cap'n Crunch, Pink Panther Flakes, Alpha-Bits, Fruity Pebbles, Freakies, King Vitamin, Froot Loops, and Apple Jacks lined up in two vivid rows. On each box appears a cereal character familiar to any member of the baby-boom generation who ate cereal or watched television in its first decades. Hollis, a baby boomer himself, pays tribute to the era in which he grew up in a 4,200-squarefoot addition to his house near Birmingham, Alabama, which he has turned into a museum of 1960s childhood memorabilia. Included in the museum are numerous displays of vivid cereal character memorabilia, including boxes, premiums, toys, and advertisements. Almost all of the images in Hollis's highly visual book come from artifacts in his museum of nostalgia.Hollis likes nostalgia. He is an avid collector and author of twenty-one books that chronicle popular culture and history topics such as Walt Disney records, local children's television shows, Florida tourism advertising, and knee-slapping rural comedies. His book on cereal characters fits nicely into the mix and addresses an area of advertising, television and animation history, and children's culture that has gone relatively undocumented. Hollis is not an academic, and his book includes no citations, although it does have a bibliography of about two dozen sources, as well as YouTube sites that carry classic cereal commercials. He also notes that Duke University now houses the archives of the Benton and Bowles advertising agency, which handled the General Foods/ Post account for decades, and has several of its cereal commercials on its Web site at http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/.What Hollis offers is a decade-by-decade approach to mascot-driven cereal advertising geared to children. He begins with a chapter titled "Breakfast Pals: The World before Television," which covers the birth of the cereal industry in America. In 1854, immigrant Ferdinand Schumacher started a small company that ground oats, which Americans regarded as food for horses, into oatmeal. Hot cereals pre-dated cold ones in America, and the first trademarked cereal character was the William Penn look-alike that appeared in the late 1870s on round containers of Quaker Oats, developed by Henry Crowell of Ravenna, Ohio. Cream of Wheat followed suit, with a smiling African-American chef in its early advertisements. It did not take long for more cereals to enter the market, including Kellogg's Corn Flakes, packaged around 1907 in boxes adorned with a lovely young woman dubbed the Sweetheart of the Corn, and Force, a wheat product heralded by a cartoon character named Sunny Jim. …
Cancer pain in the elderly hospice patient

To assess the relationship between subjective pain assessment and other clinical variables in geriatric hospice patients with cancer, we performed a retrospective record review and observation of home visits for patients treated by a community-based hospice with three satellite offices covering the state of Rhode Island. From a sample of 537 patients with terminal cancer admitted during 1990, 239 patients 65 years of age and older were identified. Of the 239 patients, 89% survived 90 days or less, and 21% lived 7 days or less. Upon admission, 55% of the sample reported pain, with 44% reporting pain in the range from discomfort to excruciating. Of those patients not reporting pain upon admission, 55% went on to experience pain that subsequently required medication management. There were no relationships between the patients' reporting of pain on admission and subsequent survival time, between the length of time from initial diagnosis to hospice admission and the patients' reporting of pain intensity, and between the complaints reported by the study sample and those reported by a comparison group of younger, terminally ill cancer patients. There were also no statistically significant differences between under and over age 65 groups in terms of survival after admission.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Marxism and Ethics: Freedom, Desire, and Revolution

Ethics and History Paul Blackledge, Marxism and Ethics: Freedom, Desire, and Revolution (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2012) If anything sets Marx apart from his predecessors in the f...
The use of intraoperative cystoscopy in major vaginal and urogynecologic surgeries

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to examine the frequency of significant intraoperative cystoscopic findings during major vaginal reconstructive and urogynecologic surgeries. Study Design: The records of 526 consecutive women who underwent routine cystoscopy with intravenous injection of indigo carmine at the time of their urogynecologic and major vaginal reconstructive procedures between January 1, 1997, and April 20, 2001, were reviewed. We determined the incidence of significant cystoscopic findings and their effect on intraoperative management. Two-tailed t tests and logistic regression analyses were used to compare characteristics between the groups with and without significant cystoscopic findings. Results: During the 526 operations, 26 significant findings (4.9%) were unsuspected before cystoscopy and 15 (2.9%) of these findings were operative injuries that required intervention. Seventy-nine subjects (15.0%) had no anti-incontinence operation performed. Of these patients, there was one partial ureteral obstruction from an anterior colporrhaphy (1.3%). Seven of 184 Burch procedures (3.8%) resulted in injuries to the lower urinary tract, of which 3 (1.6%) required intervention that were unrecognized before cystoscopy. Seven of the 15 cases resulting in changes in intraoperative management were caused by anterior colporrhaphy sutures (2.0% of all anterior colporrhaphies). There were no unrecognized injuries that caused morbidity after surgery. There were no significant differences between patients with abnormal and normal cystoscopic findings in regard to mean age, weight, parity, estimated blood loss, previous surgery, or previous incontinence surgeries. No complications or morbidity occurred as a direct result of intraoperative cystoscopy. Conclusion: Intraoperative cystoscopy with intravenous indigo carmine is a safe and effective way to detect injury of the lower urinary tract. Cystoscopy detected unsuspected operative injuries in 2.9%. In cases that did not involve anti-incontinence procedures, the rate of injury was 1.3%. With a significant rate of detection, cystoscopy allows for immediate recognition and easier repair of lower urinary tract injury, lowering the patient's risk for morbidity. Anterior colporrhaphy was the most common cause of unrecognized ureteral compromise. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1466-72.)
Strict Consecutive-k-out-of-n:F Systems

A method is given for calculating the failure probability function for consecutive-k-out-of-n:F systems which operate in such a way that isolated strings of failures of length less than k (which do not cause system failure) do not occur, or are immedately corrected; ie, when system failure occurs it is because all failures present are in strings of length at least k.
THE FLUORESCENCE EFFICIENCIES OF THE CN VIOLET BANDS IN COMETS

We have carried out calculations of the fluorescent equilibrium of the CN molecule in the solar radiation field as a function of heliocentric radial velocity and distance. The detailed rotational line intensities of the CN violet 0–0 band have been recalculated for radial velocities between −60 and +60 km s −1 and at 10 distances in steps of √ 2 from 0.25 to 5.7 AU. Comparisons with observed CN violet 0–0 band profiles yield reasonable agreement and remaining discrepancies are well understood. Based on the derived equilibrium rotational level populations of the ground state, 1–1 band rotational line intensities were also calculated. Total band fluorescence efficiencies for the violet Δν = 0 sequence are tabulated for the above range of distances and velocities, permitting the interpolation to any given comet’s observational circumstances. These fluorescence efficiencies, L/N ,o r “g-factors,” needed to reduce CN emission band fluxes to CN abundances, are also accessible via a Web-based service. The values at any heliocentric distance vary by about a factor of two with varying velocities, but the specific structure of this variation with velocity changes dramatically with distance.
Boundary matters: Impact of finite boundary to packet delay performance in mobile data networks

Although the research of mobile data networks has gained significant attention lately, little have been done to study the impact of finite network boundary in such networks. To understand how finite cell boundary affects the delay performance, we analyze the delay problem from the packet movement point of view. We first divide the network scenarios into three categories based on the value of the expected packet propagation speed v and derive the upper and lower bounds for their expected packet delay, respectively. Then, we show that the packet delay scales linearly when v 0 and v = 0 when the boundary effect is absent. Simulation results verify our analysis and show that the boundary effect in fact increases the delay performance for both v > 0 and v = 0.
Quantitation of intracellular membrane-bound enzymes and receptors in digitonin-permeabilized cells.

The distribution of membrane-bound receptors and enzymes between the cell surface and the cell interior can be determined without solubilization or gross disruption of cell organelles in the presence of the nonionic detergent digitonin. This steroid glycoside permeabilizes cells, releases cytoplasmic proteins with subunit molecular weights up to 200,000, and allows exogenous molecules to gain access to intracellular receptors. All cell types examined were affected similarly by digitonin. Permeabilization was complete within 2 min at 0 degree C and did not require the continued presence of digitonin. A characteristic amount of protein (approximately 50%) was lost between 0.02 and 0.08% (w/v) digitonin. Three independent systems were examined: the insulin receptor in 3T3 fibroblasts and the asialoglycoprotein receptor and the Na+/K+-ATPase in rat hepatocytes. In each case an increase in the specific activity of enzyme/receptor occurred over a range of detergent concentration in which the retention of cell protein was constant and virtually no solubilization of membrane-bound activity occurred. The binding of 125I-asialo-orosomucoid to rat hepatocytes at 0 degree C in the presence of digitonin was linear with cell number and kinetically indistinguishable from binding to intact cells. Receptors exposed by digitonin were shown to be intracellular by light microscopic examination of permeabilized cells first treated with antiserum to the receptor and then with a second antibody horseradish peroxidase conjugate. The use of digitonin has many advantages over procedures which require total cell disruption or solubilization to assess intracellular receptors. The technique has already been valuable in studies on recycling and endocytosis mediated by the asialoglycoprotein receptor (P.H. Weigel and J.A. Oka (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 5095-5102) and should also be useful in studies with other membrane-bound receptors and enzymes in other cell types.
Relation among HPA and HPG neuroendocrine systems, transmissible risk and neighborhood quality on development of substance use disorder: Results of a 10-year prospective study ☆

Abstract Background Research has shown involvement of hormones of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis in the regulation of behaviors that contribute to SUD risk and its intergenerational transmission. Neighborhood environment has also been shown to relate to hormones of these two neuroendocrine systems and behaviors associated with SUD liability. Accordingly, it was hypothesized that (1) parental SUD severity and neighborhood quality correlate with activity of the HPG axis (testosterone level) and HPA axis (cortisol stability), and (2) transmissible risk during childhood mediates these hormone variables on development of SUD measured in adulthood. Methods Transmissible risk for SUD measured by the transmissible liability index (TLI; Vanyukov et al., 2009 ) along with saliva cortisol and plasma testosterone were prospectively measured in boys at ages 10–12 and 16. Neighborhood quality was measured using a composite score encompassing indicators of residential instability and economic disadvantage. SUD was assessed at age 22. Results Neither hormone variable cross-sectionally correlated with transmissible risk measured at ages 10–12 and 16. However, the TLI at age 10–12 predicted testosterone level and cortisol stability at age 16. Moreover, testosterone level, correlated with cortisol stability at age 16, predicted SUD at age 22. Conclusion HPA and HPG axes activity do not underlie variation in TLI, however, high transmissible risk in childhood predicts neuroendocrine system activity presaging development of SUD.
Component-specific electromechanical response in a ferroelectric/dielectric superlattice.

The electronic and electromechanical properties of complex oxide superlattices are closely linked to the evolution of the structure and electrical polarization of the component layers in applied electric fields. Efforts to deduce the responses of the individual components of the superlattice to applied fields have focused on theoretical approaches because of the limitations of available experimental techniques. Time-resolved x-ray microdiffraction provides a precise crystallographic probe of each component using the shift in wave vector and change in intensity of superlattice satellite reflections. We report in detail the methods to measure and analyze the x-ray diffraction patterns in applied electric field and their application to a 2-unit-cell BaTiO{sub 3}/4-unit-cell CaTiO{sub 3} superlattice. We find that the overall piezoelectric distortion is shared between the two components. Theoretical predictions of the electromechanical properties of a superlattice with the same composition constrained to tetragonal symmetry are in excellent agreement with the experiments. Lattice instability analysis, however, suggests that the low-temperature ground state could exhibit antiferrodistortive rotations of TiO{sub 6} octahedra within and/or at the interfaces of the CaTiO{sub 3} component.
Transoral robotic surgery to resect skull base tumors via transpalatal and lateral pharyngeal approaches.

Robot-assisted surgery in the field of head and neck has been gaining popularity due to appeal in using minimally invasive approaches, obtaining excellent visualization, and overall low risk. Reports among multiple different specialties have also shown reduction in surgery duration, recovery time in the intensive care unit, and overall time of hospitalization stays when compared to classic open procedures [1]. Techniques for resecting skull base cancers are traditionally performed through large incisions and require mobilization of large amounts of tissue. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) may provide a more accurate means to treat head and neck and skull base cancer, while allowing for decreased levels of morbidity and decreased levels of adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy. Reports on the development of TORS application to anterior skull base masses have previously described in small case descriptions in preclinical experimental canine and cadaver models using transcervical or suprahyoid ports [2–4]. Subsequently, TORS was applied to a small case series and feasible in 9 of 10 patients with parapharyngeal space tumors with no carotid encasement or bone erosion [5]. The objective of this study is to discuss feasible approaches using transoral robotic surgery (TORS) to access the anterior and lateral skull base and describe a novel approach for nodal dissection in the retropharyngeal space.
Moving pictures and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis show linear DNA molecules from chloroplasts and mitochondria

The structure of the cytoplasmic genomes in plants has been investigated by using fluorescence microscopy to make moving pictures of ethidium-stained DNA fractionated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and emerging from organelles lysed within gelled agarose. For watermelon chloroplasts, PFGE fractions contained linear molecules representing monomeric to tetrameric lengths of the unit genome (155 kilobase pairs, kb) and linear DNA of at least 1,200 kb, whereas circular molecules were clearly identified only with chloroplast agarose inserts. For pea, the oligomeric series extended only to the trimer. Most of the DNA from watermelon mitochondria was in the form of 50–100 kb linear molecules with some DNA of at least 1,200 kb, but no band was seen at the size of this genome (330 kb) and no circular molecules were identified in either PFGE fractions or mitochondria embedded in agarose. Most mitochondrial DNA from cauliflower also consisted of 50–100 kb linear molecules with some much longer linear forms, but no genome-sized (220 kb) PFGE band was evident. The possible relevance of the very long linear DNAs to previous cytological and genetic observations is discussed.
The hyper-reinnervation of rat skeletal muscle

This study examines muscle recovery and related changes in the motor unit population of 'hyper-reinnervated' rat skeletal muscle. Medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles were hyper-reinnervated by either cutting the MG nerve and implanting it on the MG muscle together with additional hind limb nerves, or by crushing the MG nerve and excising the medial portion (50-70%) of the MG muscle. Our findings were that muscles hyper-reinnervated with multiple nerves recovered muscle mass and strength more fully than did the self-reinnervated muscles, more motor units were formed (up to three times the normal number were found), and the mean motor unit size was significantly smaller. A relatively small percentage of muscle fibers became polyneuronally innervated. In contrast, the number of motor units that were formed in the muscle reduction experiments were not significantly larger than was expected considering the mass of the muscles. We conclude that hyper-reinnervation improves muscle recovery, it may be a useful technique for improving function in denervated muscle, and may serve to provide added sources of EMG control signals in some amputees.
Glucocorticoid resistance in inflammatory diseases

Summary Glucocorticoid resistance or insensitivity is a major barrier to the treatment of several common inflammatory diseases—including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory distress syndrome; it is also an issue for some patients with asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Several molecular mechanisms of glucocorticoid resistance have now been identified, including activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways by certain cytokines, excessive activation of the transcription factor activator protein 1, reduced histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2) expression, raised macrophage migration inhibitory factor, and increased P-glycoprotein-mediated drug efflux. Patients with glucocorticoid resistance can be treated with alternative broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory treatments, such as calcineurin inhibitors and other immunomodulators, or novel anti-inflammatory treatments, such as inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 4 or nuclear factor κB, although these drugs are all likely to have major side-effects. An alternative treatment strategy is to reverse glucocorticoid resistance by blocking its underlying mechanisms. Some examples of this approach are inhibition of p38 MAP kinase, use of vitamin D to restore interleukin-10 response, activation of HDAC2 expression by use of theophylline, antioxidants, or phosphoinositide-3-kinase-δ inhibitors, and inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and P-glycoprotein.
Promises and Challenges of Scaffolded Instruction

Scaffolded instruction refers to teachers (a) challenging students to engage in tasks that they are unable to complete independently and (b) providing the support needed to enable students to share...
Early onset of stabilizing strategies for gait and obstacles: Older adults with Down syndrome

Our goal was to examine the gait patterns of older adults with Down syndrome (DS) for precocious stabilizing adaptations during comfortable over-ground walking and in more challenging conditions. Twelve participants with DS and 12 with typical development (TD) were matched for height, weight and age (range 35-62 years). We used a six-camera motion capture system to assess foot trajectories over obstacles. Participants first walked at their preferred speed over a 5.3 m instrumented gait mat (unperturbed condition). Subsequent walking trials included perturbations mid-walkway: (a) minimal obstacle to step over (12 cm high), (b) moderate obstacle to step onto with both feet and then off (standard step), and (c) maximum obstacle to step onto with only one foot and over with the other (standard step). Adults with DS walked slower with shorter, wider strides while spending more time in both stance and double support. These adaptations increased during the moderate and maximal perturbations. They stepped with the minimal perturbation obstacle further forward in their crossing step and produced a lower, flatter trajectory of the lead foot, with less dorsiflexion at crossing. This strategy decreased trailing toe clearance but did not alter leading heel clearance. The combined effects of ligamentous laxity, low tone, obesity, inactivity and physiological decrements associated with aging lead to these stability-enhancing adaptations at a younger chronological age in adults with DS. We believe intervention to increase overall stability will be beneficial in helping adults with DS maintain optimal functional mobility and health.
Typed Closure Conversion for Recursively-Defined Functions

Much recent work on the compilation of statically typed languages such as ML relies on the propagation of type information from source to object code in order to increase the reliability and maintainabilty of the compiler itself and to improve the efficiency and verifiability of generated code. To achieve this the program transformations performed by a compiler must be cast as type-preserving translations between typed intermediate languages. In earlier work with Minamide we studied one important compiler transformation, closure conversion, for the case of pure simply-typed and polymorphic ?-calculus. Here we extend the treatment of simply-typed closure conversion to account for recursively-defined functions such as are found in ML. We consider three main approaches, one based on a recursive code construct, one based on a self-referential data structure, and one based on recursive types. We discuss their relative advantages and disadvantages, and sketch correctness proofs for these transformations based on the method of logical relations.
Complex I and ATP synthase mediate membrane depolarization and matrix acidification by isoflurane in mitochondria.

Short application of the volatile anesthetic isoflurane at reperfusion after ischemia exerts strong protection of the heart against injury. Mild depolarization and acidification of the mitochondrial matrix are involved in the protective mechanisms of isoflurane, but the molecular basis for these changes is not clear. In this study, mitochondrial respiration, membrane potential, matrix pH, matrix swelling, ATP synthesis and -hydrolysis, and H2O2 release were assessed in isolated mitochondria. We hypothesized that isoflurane induces mitochondrial depolarization and matrix acidification through direct action on both complex I and ATP synthase. With complex I-linked substrates, isoflurane (0.5 mM) inhibited mitochondrial respiration by 28±10%, and slightly, but significantly depolarized membrane potential and decreased matrix pH. With complex II- and complex IV-linked substrates, respiration was not changed, but isoflurane still decreased matrix pH and depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential. Depolarization and matrix acidification were attenuated by inhibition of ATP synthase with oligomycin, but not by inhibition of mitochondrial ATP- and Ca2+-sensitive K+ channels or uncoupling proteins. Isoflurane did not induce matrix swelling and did not affect ATP synthesis and hydrolysis, but decreased H2O2 release in the presence of succinate in an oligomycin- and matrix pH-sensitive manner. Isoflurane modulated H+ flux through ATP synthase in an oligomycin-sensitive manner. Our results indicate that isoflurane-induced mitochondrial depolarization and acidification occur due to inhibition of the electron transport chain at the site of complex I and increased proton flux through ATP synthase. K+ channels and uncoupling proteins appear not to be involved in the direct effects of isoflurane on mitochondria.
A Note on Localization and Specialization

ABSTRACT Analysts and policy makers frequently measure industrial localization andregional specialization. However, they rarely examine the nation’s full array of industries orregions. So local indices, appropriate for speciﬁc industries or selected regions, are typically esti-mated. But in some instances global indices would be preferable in order to assess the wider fea-tures of the entire space-economy. This article constructs global indices from the local indicesalready used in assessing localization and specialization. Global localization and global special-ization are shown to be identical when all local indices use the dissimilarity logic. Two-digit stan-dard industry codes manufacturing data, taken from the U.S. during 1958–1995, are used toillustrate the results. The values of these global coefﬁcients, like their local constituents, are shownto vary with geographic scale. The discussion addresses spatial distributions (evenness) but notgeographic arrangements (clustering). Introduction
MRI signal hyperintensities and treatment remission of geriatric depression

Abstract Background White matter abnormalities may interfere with limbic–cortical balance and contribute to chronic depressive syndromes in the elderly. This study sought to clarify the relationship of SH to treatment response. We hypothesized that patients who failed to remit during a 12-week controlled treatment trial of escitalopram would exhibit greater SH burden than patients who remitted. Methods The participants were 42 non-demented individuals with non-psychotic major depression and 25 elderly comparison subjects. After a 2-week single blind placebo period, subjects who still had a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) of 18 or greater received escitalopram 10 mg daily for 12 weeks. Remission was defined as a HDRS score of 7 or below for 2 consecutive weeks. FLAIR sequences were acquired on a 1.5 T scanner and total SH were quantified using a semi-automated thresholding method. Results The patient sample consisted of 22 depressed patients who achieved remission during the study and 20 depressed patients who remained symptomatic. ANCOVA, with age and gender as covariates, revealed that depressed subjects had greater total SH burden relative to non-depressed controls. Furthermore, patients who failed to remit following escitalopram treatment had significantly greater SH burden than both patients who remitted and elderly comparison subjects, whereas SH burden did not differ between depressed patients who remitted and elderly comparison subjects. Limitations Patients were treated with a fixed dose of antidepressants and the index of SH is an overall measure that does not permit examination of the relationship of regional SH to treatment remission. Discussion SH may contribute to a “disconnection state” both conferring vulnerability to and perpetuating late-life depression.
Report of the ACR task force on medical liability reform in radiology

The ACR Board of Chancellors commissioned a task force to investigate the issue of needed reforms in medical liability as it relates to the specialty of radiology. This article relates the task force deliberations and recommendations.
Development of glomerulations in younger women with interstitial cystitis.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the consistency of cystoscopic findings with hydrodistension in younger women with a clinical diagnosis of interstitial cystitis. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients aged younger than 26 years old at the time of initial cystoscopy and hydrodistension at a single institution. Data included approximate duration of symptoms, development of visible terminal hematuria, presence of ulcers, and semiquantitive evaluation of degree of glomerulations (negligible, moderate, diffuse), and bladder capacity under anesthesia. Results Eighteen women aged 15 to 25 years old (mean, 17.5 years) were identified. The mean duration of symptoms was 38 months, with an estimated mean age of onset of 16 years. No patient had Hunner’s ulcers, and 13 had visible terminal hematuria with moderate-to-diffuse glomerulations. Ten women had repeat cystoscopies, and the mean time to repeat cystoscopy was 17 months. Three women underwent repeat cystoscopy and initially had a relatively normal bladder mucosa, with none or only rare glomerulations, but moderate-to-diffuse glomerulations were seen on the subsequent cystoscopy in addition to the development of terminal hematuria. One patient, conversely on subsequent cystoscopy, showed resolution of glomerulations. Conclusions Interstitial cystitis symptoms can develop before an age where adult urologists or primary care physicians familiar with the diagnosis and treatment are usually involved with care. The cystoscopic appearance of the bladder wall after hydrodistension may not be constant over time, and the absence of initial findings of glomerulations or terminal hematuria does not preclude further development of these hallmarks of the disease on subsequent evaluation.
Beginning the assessment institute and building global networks

Abstract The globalization of science and scholarship and the worldwide massification of post-secondary/tertiary education is creating an atmosphere that is at once competitive between and collaborative among colleges and universities. Because of the importance of these institutions to the shared economic futures of individuals and countries, there are increasing concerns on the part of many stakeholders related to quality, particularly as institutions create collaborative relationships that span international boarders. This focus has led to an amplified emphasis on accountability, most notably through standards and testing. While no one system of quality assurance and accountability is perfect, global universities have much to learn from each other. The purpose of this article is to present a rationale and description for a transatlantic institute for assessment in higher education, offering participants the opportunity to discuss these issues and to begin the development of an international network of a...
Complexity of the MIP map algorithm for perspective texture warping

The MPEG4-based visual presentation is a scene presentation, which is composed of multiple visual objects. The MPEG-4 standard allows viewers to interactively change their viewing positions relative to a scene. Therefore, an MPEG4- compliant graphical rendering device should be able to transform a decoded video object in 3D space according to viewer's viewing position. This type of texture transformation is known as perspective texture warping.
Prism Adaptation to Moving and Stationary Target Exposures

The magnitude of proprioceptive adaptation and visual adaptation to prism displacement was assessed for various target conditions during either observed, active or passive arm movements. Active arm movement was found superior to passive arm movement in the production of proprioceptive aftereffects and visual aftereffects. In addition, observation of a stationary target or a moving target during prism exposure produced significant proprioceptive adaptation for a passive arm viewing condition while enhancing such adaptation magnitude for an active arm movement situation. With no target present during prism exposure, significant proprioceptive adaptation was only found with active movement. The greatest visual aftereffect was produced when a moving target was observed during prism exposure. The results are interpreted in terms of an information-availability model of perceptual adaptation.
Congenital non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia variants with primary and secondary pyruvate kinase deficiency. II. Enzymatic studies.

Summary. Some metabolic effects associated with defective pyruvate kinase (PK) in two variants of congenital non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia with primary PK and primary adenosine triphosphatase (ATP-ase) (Mg++) deficiency respectively were compared. In one patient with a low erythrocyte ATP level, decreased PK activity appeared together with the irreversible loss of its sensitivity to fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP), independently of the experimental conditons. In the second patient, the decrease in PK activity associated with an elevated erythrocyte ATP level was a secondary effect, due to primary ATP-ase (Mg++) deficiency. Removal of excessive amounts of ATP, by dialysis of haemolysates or their in-vitro treatment with ATP-ase, increased PK activity to the normal range and restored its sensitivity to the stimulatory effect of FDP. Similar effects could be obtained after i.v. administration of magnesium laevulinate. Under these in vivo conditions the ATP level was normalized after a transient rise in ATP-ase activity, the PK activity increased and its sensitivity to FDP reappeared.
Crystal Structure of a UBP-Family Deubiquitinating Enzyme in Isolation and in Complex with Ubiquitin Aldehyde

The ubiquitin-specific processing protease (UBP) family of deubiquitinating enzymes plays an essential role in numerous cellular processes. HAUSP, a representative UBP, specifically deubiquitinates and hence stabilizes the tumor suppressor protein p53. Here, we report the crystal structures of the 40 kDa catalytic core domain of HAUSP in isolation and in complex with ubiquitin aldehyde. These studies reveal that the UBP deubiquitinating enzymes exhibit a conserved three-domain architecture, comprising Fingers, Palm, and Thumb. The leaving ubiquitin moiety is specifically coordinated by the Fingers, with its C terminus placed in the active site between the Palm and the Thumb. Binding by ubiquitin aldehyde induces a drastic conformational change in the active site that realigns the catalytic triad residues for catalysis.
Telithromycin: The first ketolide antimicrobial

Abstract Background: Telithromycin is the first of the ketolide antibacterials to receive US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for clinical use. It is approved for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB), and acute maxillary sinusitis (AMS) in adults. Objective: This article reviews the mechanism of action, in vitro antimicrobial activity, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, clinical efficacy, safety, and drug-interaction profile of telithromycin. Methods: Relevant studies were identified through a search of the English-language literature indexed on MEDLINE (1990–March 2005) using the terms telithromycin and HMR 3647 , a review of the reference lists of identified articles, and a review of the briefing document prepared by the manufacturer of telithromycin for presentation to the FDA Anti-infective Drugs Advisory Committee. A search of abstracts from the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (2001–2004) also was performed. Results: The results of in vitro susceptibility studies suggest that telithromycin provides coverage against the key respiratory pathogens, both typical and atypical. In addition, telithromycin may be useful against multidrug-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and against Haemophilus influenzae , irrespective of β-lactamase production. In randomized, double-blind, comparative trials (against amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefuroxime axetil, clarithromycin, moxifloxacin, or trovafloxacin), telithromycin had comparable efficacy to its comparators in the empiric treatment of CAP (4 studies), AECB (3 studies), and AMS (3 studies). Telithromycin is dosed at 800 mg (two 400-mg tablets) QD in community-acquired respiratory tract infections (RTIs). No dose adjustment is required in the elderly, patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency, or patients with hepatic insufficiency. The majority of adverse events associated with telithromycin were mild to moderate, with gastrointestinal effects (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting) being the most commonly reported, followed by headache and dizziness. Telithromycin has been associated with elevations in hepatic transaminases and prolongation of the electrocardiographic QTc interval, although the significance of these findings is not known. Telithromycin is also a strong inhibitor of and substrate for the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 isozyme. Therefore, it is important to monitor for potential drug interactions with medications that prolong the QTc interval or are metabolized by the CYP system. Conclusions: Telithromycin appears to be a useful option for the empiric treatment of community-acquired RTIs in adults. It may be particularly useful in the outpatient setting in areas with high rates of penicillin- and macrolide-resistant S pneumoniae ; it may also be an alternative agent for patients who are allergic to β-lactams and live in areas with a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant S pneumoniae or for those who have failed to respond to β-lactam- or macrolide-based therapy.
Joint inversion in coupled quasi-static poroelasticity

Geodetic surveys now provide detailed time series maps of anthropogenic land subsidence and uplift due to injection and withdrawal of pore fluids from the subsurface. A coupled poroelastic model allows the integration of geodetic and hydraulic data in a joint inversion and has therefore the potential to improve the characterization of the subsurface and our ability to monitor pore pressure evolution. We formulate a Bayesian inverse problem to infer the lateral permeability variation in an aquifer from geodetic and hydraulic data and from prior information. We compute the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate of the posterior permeability distribution and a Gaussian approximation of the posterior. Computing the MAP estimate requires the solution of a large-scale minimization problem subject to the poroelastic equations, for which we propose an efficient Newton-conjugate gradient optimization algorithm. The covariance matrix of the Gaussian approximation of the posterior is given by the inverse Hessian of the log posterior, which we construct by exploiting low-rank properties of the data misfit Hessian. First and second derivatives are computed using adjoints of the time-dependent poroelastic equations, allowing us to fully exploit transient data. Using three increasingly complex model problems, we find the following general properties of poroelastic inversions: Augmenting standard hydraulic well data by surface deformation data improves the aquifer characterization. Surface deformation contributes the most in shallow aquifers but provides useful information even for the characterization of aquifers down to 1 km. In general, it is more difficult to infer high-permeability regions, and their characterization requires frequent measurement to resolve the associated short-response timescales. In horizontal aquifers, the vertical component of the surface deformation provides a smoothed image of the pressure distribution in the aquifer. Provided that the mechanical properties are known, coupled poroelastic inversion is therefore a promising approach to detect flow barriers and to monitor pore pressure evolution.
Germanium sequestration by soil: Targeting the roles of secondary clays and Fe-oxyhydroxides

Abstract Germanium is a trace element that behaves similarly to silicon and shows promise as a tracer of silicate weathering processes. Sequestration of Ge by clay minerals is thought to be the dominant mechanism responsible for Ge/Si fractionation during weathering. In some environments, Ge may be sequestered by iron-oxyhydroxides. We examine Ge behavior in soils along a well-characterized climate gradient on the Hawaiian island of Maui to clarify the relationship between Fe geochemistry and soil Ge / Si ratios. All of the sites are developed on basaltic lavas and tephras approximately 400 ky old, are highly Si-depleted, and have Ge / Si ratios higher than parent material. Sites experiencing less than ∼3300 mm rain/yr host oxidized, highly weathered basaltic soils, in which Fe is present as secondary Fe-oxyhydroxide minerals. In contrast, the wetter sites (> 3340 mm/yr) show extensive Fe reduction, mobilization, and loss. We show that Ge sequestration is independent of Fe redox behavior along the gradient, and thus precipitation of Fe-oxyhydroxides is not a major factor contributing to Ge / Si fractionation during weathering. Instead, elevated soil Ge / Si ratios reflect partitioning of Ge into secondary clay minerals, plus additional retention of Ge by refractory non-silicates.