cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Muscle fibre growth dynamics in diploid and triploid rainbow trout

The effect of triploidy on muscle fibre growth was determined by comparing hyperplasia and hypertrophy of white muscle fibres in all-female, diploid and triploid rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (100–400 mm total length). Conventional morphometry and protein and DNA concentrations were used to assess muscle fibre hyperplasia and hypertrophy in white muscle samples derived from an anterio-dorsal location. Muscle fibre distributions were significantly different between triploids and diploids in trout <300 mm. The proportion of fibres <20 μm was higher in diploids than in triploids and the proportion of fibres in the 20–40 μm category was higher in triploids than in diploids. This indicates that the hyperplastic fibres of triploids are larger than those of diploids. Larger hyperplastic fibres in triploids are probably due to the combined effect of increased nuclear size in triploids and the relatively high nucleus: cell ratio observed in small muscle fibres. These larger fibres may be less favourable to cellular metabolic exchange because of their smaller surface area to volume ratios, and perhaps account for reduced viability and growth observed in triploids during early life stages. On the other hand, the lack of difference in the distribution of fibres <20 μm between diploids and triploids at larger body size ranges (301–400 mm) imply that triploid trout may have higher rates of new fibre recruitment and growth capacity at these sizes. There was no difference between diploid and triploid trout in the mean size of muscle fibres; however, the number of fibres per unit area was reduced by 10% in triploids. No differences were observed in protein or DNA concentrations in muscle tissues between the two genetic groups. Since triploid nuclei have 1·5 times more DNA than diploid nuclei, this deviation from the expected muscle DNA concentration (1·3–1·4 times more DNA in triploids when the 10% reduction in fibre density is considered) suggests that the number of nuclei per muscle fibre is reduced. In both diploids and triploids, mean fibre size increased with body length while fibre density decreased. Similarly, protein concentration in the muscle tissue increased and DNA concentration declined with increasing body length. Protein/DNA ratio was strongly and positively correlated with fibre size. These results demonstrate that changes in DNA and protein concentrations can be used to assess hyperplasia and hypertrophy in muscle tissues. However, the morphometric procedure provides better insight into muscle fibre growth as it enables the direct visualization and analysis of muscle fibre distribution patterns.
Insuring Redevelopment at Contaminated Urban Properties

Environmental insurance (EI) can facilitate the redevelopment of potentially contaminated sites in distressed urban areas by providing a means to manage the environmental and financial risks at the...
REACTION KINETICS PARAMETERS DESCRIBING DISPLACEMENT BY ACIDS OF STRUCTURAL METALLIC IONS FROM CLAY MINERALS

Abstract Chemical kinetics parameters describing reactions of naturally-occurring clay minerals with acids were determined using batch reaction and analytical techniques. Clay minerals included sodium montmo-rillonite, kaolinite, and illite, reacting with hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid. Two acid concentrations were examined at 50 and 70°C. Displacement by acids of aluminum and magnesium from clays was found to follow pseudo-first order kinetics. Data analysis verified the batch reaction technique for determining kinetics parameters of acid-clay reactions and demonstrated acid neutralization by naturally-occurring clays. For reactions of sodium montmorillonite with hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid, reaction rate coefficients for displacement of aluminum ranged from 1·73 × 10−4 kg/mol-hr at 50°C to 3·02 × 10−3 kg/mol-hr at 70°C. Displacement of magnesium from sodium montmorillonite by these acids occurred at rates ranging from 3·68 × 10−4 kg/mol-hr at 50°C to 1·12 × 10−2 ...
Magnetospheric substorms and solar flares

Assuming that basic plasma processes associated with magnetospheric substorms and solar flares are similar and thus assuming also that a flare ribbon is produced by the impact of field-aligned current-carrying electrons on the chromosphere, a chain of processes leading to solar flares is considered, including the dynamo process in the photospheric level in the vicinity of bipolar sunspots, the formation of a sheet current in the lower coronal level, the interruption of the sheet current, the subsequent diversion of it to the chromosphere, the development of a potential drop along magnetic field lines, the acceleration of current-carrying electrons and their impact on the chromosphere, producing a pair of flare ribbons.
Ecological analyses of Nitidulidae: seasonal occurrence, host choice and habitat preference

Temporal, chemical and spatial separation of nitidulid beetles (Coleoptera) were examined with baited traps over two seasons (1989 and 1990) in temperate North America. In both years, Stelidota geminata (Say), Carpophilus lugubris Murray, Glischrochilus fasciatus (Olivier) and Glischrochilus quadrisignatus (Say) comprised 95-99% of all nitidulid beetles collected. These species were collected in greatest numbers in July, except for C. lugubris, which was collected in high numbers in July and late September in 1990. Peaks in trap catch were preceded, in most cases, by high percentages of gravid females. Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) was the only nitidulid species that showed a significant preference for Candida krusei-inoculated fruit and vegetable baits over aseptic baits in 1989. For three of the four dominant species, the response to baits was broad : C. lugubris was the only species that exhibited a specialized response to one substrate over the entire trapping period in both years. G. quadrisignatus showed a seasonal or local specialization to maize baits in the spring of 1989 and at two of the three locations in the spring of 1990. There was a clear division in habitat preference for the dominant species : C. lugubris and G. quadrisignatus occurred almost exclusively in agricultural settings, whereas G. fasciatus occurred predominantly in woodlots. Numbers of S. geminata fluctuated seasonally, showing a preference for woodlots early and late in the season and a preference for agricultural settings throughout most of the summer. Less common nitidulid species also displayed habitat preferences. Although the Nitidulidae have had a longer association with climax communities than with ruderal communities, the diversity of nitidulid beetles was similar in the two habitat types. This may be because many of the resources these beetles use for food and oviposition sites in climax communities are ephemeral and closely related to the resources that they use in ruderal communities (i.e. wild versus domesticated strawberries, wild versus domesticated cherries and hawthorn fruit versus apple).
Quantum interference and multilevel aspects of paraelectric defect relaxation processes

The transition rates governing the relaxation behavior of paraelectric defect systems are usually treated as if they could be compounded from knowledge of the rates for simple reorientations of the defects from one directed state to another. For transitions between tunneling states, however, quantum interference, in general, plays a role. In addition to quantum interference, the generally multilevel structure of paraelectric defect energy levels causes observable rates to be related in a complicated way to the rates connecting pairs of levels separately. Both these problems are investigated for the example of a $〈111〉$ defect system in a [100] electric bias field. It is found that quantum interference and multilevel effects are most marked for low-bias fields (for which bias splitting is less than or of the order of zero-bias tunneling splittings) and low temperatures where one-phonon relaxation processes dominate. Both this low-temperature case and the high-temperature Arrhenius-like limiting rate case are investigated.
Hemodynamic profiles of prostaglandin E1, isoproterenol, prostacyclin, and nifedipine in experimental porcine pulmonary hypertension

Background and Methods We compared the hemodynamic effects of four vasodilators in experimental embolic pulmonary hypertension in a randomized controlled trial, using nine pigs weighing 16 to 23 kg. After anesthesia induction and cannulation with arterial, central venous, and thermodilution output pulmonary artery catheters, animals were repetitively embolized with glass beads (60 to 160 μ) in order to establish pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary artery pressure [PAP] doubled from baseline). Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), isoproterenol, prostacyclin (PGI2), and nifedipine were compared at doses producing equivalent reduction in systemic BP. Results Only PGE1 and PGI2 decreased both PAP and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). PGE1 decreased PAP from 39 ± 1 to 33 ± 1 mm Hg; prostacyclin decreased PAP from 38 ± 1 to 31 ± 1 mm Hg and produced the largest increase in cardiac output (Qt). Isoproterenol did not change PAP, markedly increased heart rate (162 ± 8 to 216 ± 11 beats/min), and resulted in significant arrhythmias. Nifedipine increased PVR from 1044 ± 113 to 1125 ± 100 dynesec·cm-5 and decreased Qt. Conclusion Vasodilators demonstrate unique hemodynamic drug profiles. Isoproterenol infusion is characterized by tachycardia and arrhythmias. Both PGE1 and PGI2 effectively decrease PAP and PVR. Nifedipine depressed Qt significantly in this glass-bead embolization model of acute pulmonary hypertension. (Crit Care 1991; 19:60)
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Women: US Food and Drug Administration Meta-analysis of Patient-Level Data

Importance Women were underrepresented in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) trials for heart failure (making up about 20% of enrollees). Combining individual patient data from multiple clinical trials would enable assessment of CRT benefit in women. Objective To evaluate whether women with left bundle branch block (LBBB) benefit from CRT-defibrillators (CRT-D) at a shorter QRS duration than men with LBBB do. Design, Setting, and Participants Individual patient data were pooled from 3 CRT-D vs implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) trials (4076 patients) enrolling predominantly patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II heart failure and follow-up to 3 years. The effect of CRT-D compared with ICD on outcomes was assessed using random effects Cox proportional hazards. Main Outcomes and Measures Time to heart failure event or death (primary) and death alone (secondary). Results Women benefited from CRT-D more than men. The main difference occurred in patients with LBBB and a QRS of 130 to 149 milliseconds. In this group, women had a 76% reduction in heart failure or death (absolute CRT-D to ICD difference, 23%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.24, [95% CI, 0.11-0.53]; P P = .03), while there was no significant benefit in men for heart failure or death (absolute difference 4%; HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.60-1.21]; P = .38) or death alone (absolute difference 2%; HR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.49-1.52]; P = .60). Neither women nor men with LBBB benefited from CRT-D at QRS shorter than 130 milliseconds, while both sexes with LBBB benefited at QRS of 150 milliseconds or longer. Conclusions and Relevance In this population of patients with primarily mild heart failure, women with LBBB benefited from CRT-D at a shorter QRS duration than men with LBBB. This is important because recent guidelines limit the class I indication for CRT-D to patients with LBBB and QRS of 150 milliseconds or longer. While guidelines do give a class IIa indication to patients with LBBB and a QRS of 120 to 149 milliseconds, the present findings are important to communicate because women are less likely to receive CRT-D than men are. This study exemplifies the potential public health and regulatory science value of combining data from multiple clinical trials submitted to the FDA.
ROLE OF LIPID SYNTHESIS, CHAPERONE PROTEINS AND PROTEASOMES IN THE ASSEMBLY AND SECRETION OF APOPROTEIN B‐CONTAINING LIPOPROTEINS FROM CULTURED LIVER CELLS

SUMMARY 1 Apolipoprotein B (apoB) is necessary for the assembly and secretion of both chylomicrons from the small intestine and very low-density lipoprotreins (VLDL) from the liver. ApoB is also the major protein in low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and is the ligand for the LDL receptor. Studies in humans suggest that increased production of apoB-containing lipoproteins, particularly VLDL, is a common abnormality in dyslipidaemias. 2 Studies in primary and long-term cultures of hepatocytes and hepatoma cells indicate that a significant proportion of newly synthesized apoB is rapidly degraded and that this is the major mechanism for regulation of apoB secretion. The availability of newly synthesized lipids, particularly triglyceride and cholesteryl ester, appears to be a critical factor in targeting apoB for secretion rather than degradation. 3 ApoB is an atypical secretory protein in that cotranslational translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, a feature of all secretory proteins, seems to slow or stop in the absence of adequate lipid availability (or in the absence of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein), allowing for rapid degradation of apoB. 4 The degradation of apoB seems to be facilitated by the association of nascent apoB with the major cytosolic chaperone protein, heat shock protein 70. Additionally, degradation of nascent apoB appears to occur, to a large degree, via the proteasomal pathway for degradation of cytosolic proteins.
Studies on the mechanisms of the sporicidal action of ortho‐phthalaldehyde

Aims: To determine the mechanism of killing of spores of Bacillus subtilis by ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), an aromatic dialdehyde currently in use as an antimicrobial agent. Methods and Results: OPA is sporicidal, although spores are much more OPA resistant than are vegetative cells. Bacillus subtilis mutants deficient in DNA repair, spore DNA protection and spore coat assembly have been used to show that (i) the coat appears to be a major component of spore OPA resistance, which is acquired late in sporulation of B. subtilis at the time of spore coat maturation, and (ii) B. subtilis spores are not killed by OPA through DNA damage but by elimination of spore germination. Furthermore, OPA-treated spores that cannot germinate are not recovered by artificial germinants or by treatment with NaOH or lysozyme. Conclusions: OPA appears to kill spores by blocking the spore germination process. Significance and Impact of the Study: This work provides information on the mechanism of spore resistance to, and spore killing by, the disinfectant, OPA.
Operative Techniques in Infective Endocarditis

Twenty-six of 163 patients with infective endocarditis treated between 1969 and 1979 required operation. The consequences of infection in these 26 patients included leaflet destruction, annular "ring" abscess, fistula formation with ventricular and atrial septal perforation, and myocardial abscess with heart block. Surgical principles used to repair these abnormalities successfully were excision of necrotic tissue, valve replacement, repair of annular defects, and closure of perforations. Temporary and permanent cardiac pacing were used also. The operative mortality was 13%.
Docking interactions in protein kinase and phosphatase networks

To achieve high biological specificity, protein kinases and phosphatases often recognize their targets through interactions that occur outside of the active site. Although the role of modular protein-protein interaction domains in kinase and phosphatase signaling has been well characterized, it is becoming clear that many kinases and phosphatases utilize docking interactions - recognition of a short peptide motif in target partners by a groove on the catalytic domain that is separate from the active site. Docking is particularly prevalent in serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases, and is a versatile organizational tool for building complex signaling networks; it confers a high degree of specificity and, in some cases, allosteric regulation.
Cell death in health and disease.

Cell death is clearly an important factor in development, homeostasis, pathology and in aging, but medical efforts based on controlling cell death have not become major aspects of medicine. There are several reasons why hopes have been slow to be fulfilled, and they present indications for new directions in research. Most effort has focused on the machinery of cell death, or the proximate effectors of apoptosis and their closely associated and interacting proteins. But cells have many options other than apoptosis. These include autophagy, necrosis, atrophy and stepwise or other alternate means of self-disassembly. The response of a cell to a noxious or otherwise intimidating signal will depend heavily on the history, lineage and current status of the cell. Many metabolic and other processes adjust the sensitivity of cells to signals, and viruses aggressively attempt to regulate the death of their host cells. Another complicating factor is that many deathassociated proteins may have functions totally unrelated to their role in cell death, generating the possibility of undesirable side effects if one interferes with them. In the future, the challenge will be more to understand the challenge to the cell from a more global standpoint, including many more aspects of metabolism, and work toward alleviating or provoking the challenge in a targeted fashion.
How can ontogeny help us to understand the morphology of anuran pectoral girdle

The ontogenetic development of the pectoral girdle in seven anuran species (Xenopus laevis, Discoglossus pictus, Bombina bombina, Bombina variegata, Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo and Rana dalmatina) was studied using cleared and stained specimens. The epicoracoid cartilage was found to develop in two different ways resulting in an arciferal or firmisternal type of the pectoral girdle. In the arciferal one, the epicoracoid originates from a medial prolongation of the procoracoid cartilage and broadly overlaps its counter part during further development. In the firmisternal pectoral girdle, the epicoracoids are formed by the widened cartilaginous medial edges of the coracoids that fuse together along the midline. Polarization of ontogenetic characters shows, that omosternum evolves inside Anura, and the type of sternum occurring in basal Anura seems to be an apomorphy of all Batrachia. The sternal elements have a single or paired rudiment, their development is connected with M. rectus abdominis or a zonal area and they remain cartilaginous or ossify during postmetamorphic development. An occurrence of omosternum in Barbourulabusuangensis was described for the first time.
Four dimensional studies in Earth space

A system of reference which is directly related to observations, is proposed for four-dimensional studies in earth space. Global control network and polar wandering are defined. The determination of variations in the earth's gravitational field with time also forms part of such a system. Techniques are outlined for the unique definition of the motion of the geocenter, and the changes in the location of the axis of rotation of an instantaneous earth model, in relation to values at some epoch of reference. The instantaneous system referred to is directly related to a fundamental equation in geodynamics. The reference system defined would provide an unambiguous frame for long period studies in earth space, provided the scale of the space were specified.
Size-Dependent Superparamagnetic Properties of Mn Spinel Ferrite Nanoparticles Synthesized from Reverse Micelles

MnFe2O4 nanoparticles in a size range of 4−14 nm have been synthesized from water-in-toluene reverse micelles by using sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (NaDBS) as surfactant. The blocking temperature, saturation magnetization, and coercivity of the nanoparticles are clearly size-dependent. The blocking temperature increases from 20 to 250 K when the mean size of the nanoparticles increases from 4.4 to 13.5 nm. The coercivity at 20 K increases from 30 to 300 Oe with increasing nanoparticle size. The field-dependent magnetization hysteresis disappears above the blocking temperature. Due to high saturation field, the saturation magnetization of the nanoparticles has been obtained by the extrapolation of the magnetization vs 1/H plot to 1/H = 0. The saturation magnetization decreases with decreasing nanoparticle size. The high saturation field and the size-dependent saturation magnetization suggest the existence of a magnetically inactive layer on MnFe2O4 nanoparticles. The linear fitting of the saturation magn...
Rock rheology and sharpness of folds in single layers

Abstract Many folds in rocks display angular profiles with sharp hinges and straight limbs. Previous studies by many authors have demonstrated that such fold shapes in multilayers result from an intrinsic anisotropy possessed by layered or foliated rocks. Our results of two-dimensional finite-element modeling show that folds with sharp hinges and straight limbs may also develop in isolated competent layers under suitable rheological conditions. Two basic material properties that affect fold shape are non-linearity and anisotropy. Viscous-plastic flow, power-law flow (strain-rate softening), and strain softening are three types of non-linear behavior. All lead to folds with sharp hinges and straight limbs. Anisotropy has a similar influence on fold geometry. Angularity of folds in isolated competent layers increases with increasing non-linearity of the layer or increasing anisotropy of the layer, and a quantitative relationship between fold angularity and degree of non-linearity or anisotropy may be established. Virtually identical angular fold shapes may be produced by either non-linear or anisotropic layer behavior. The strain distribution associated with these shapes is very different, however. For non-linear behavior, strain is focused in the fold hinges and minimal on the limbs, and for anisotropic behavior the reverse is the case, with shear in the limbs being dominant. These differences suggest that it should be possible to distinguish non-linear from anisotropic rheological behavior using layer shape and strain pattern.
Prone positioning for acute respiratory distress syndrome in the surgical intensive care unit: who, when, and how long?

Abstract Background. We evaluated the effects of prone positioning (PP) on surgery and trauma patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods. Patients with ARDS were studied. Exclusion criteria were contraindications to PP. Patients were evaluated in the supine position and after being turned to the PP. After 6 hours, patients were returned to the supine position for 3 hours. One hour after each position change, arterial and mixed venous blood was drawn and analyzed for blood gases and pH, and hemodynamics were measured. Results. Over 20 months, 27 patients met the criteria, and 20 of the patients were entered into the study. On day 1, 18 of 20 patients (90%) responded with an increase in PaO2 during PP. On day 2, 16 of 17 patients (94%) responded; on day 3, 15 of 16 patients responded (94%); on day 4, 11 of 13 patients responded (85%); on day 5, 8 of 8 patients responded (100%); and on day 6, 4 of 5 patients responded (80%). Pa o 2/F io 2 and Qs/Qt were significantly improved (P o 2/F io 2 of more than 20%. Conclusions. PP improves oxygenation in ARDS for 6 days with few complications. (Surgery 2000;128:708-16.)
Durability of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer nanocomposites in an alkaline environment

This study was conducted to determine the effect of clay content in GFRP (glass-fiber-reinforced polymer) composite samples as they were aged in an alkaline solution. Two kinds of GFRP composite samples were prepared. One was E-glass-fiber-reinforced vinyl ester polymer, and the other was nano-GFRP composites prepared with the addition of 1 and 2 wt% of montmorillonite clay to the polymer matrix. These samples were aged in alkaline solution of pH 13.2 with and without sustained load. The load was 1335 N or 18.7% of the tensile strength of the composite samples. The aging was evaluated by measuring the reduction in tensile strength after 6 months. Also, absorption of alkaline solution into the plain and nano-GFRP samples was investigated so as to elucidate the diffusion behaviors. It was found that for a short exposure time (e.g. 1 month) and without sustained load, dispersing 2 wt% of the nanoclay in the polymer matrix of the GFRP samples reduces the diffusivity by 39%. However, with the application of sustained load, the glass fiber composite samples deteriorate more with increasing clay content. The reduction in tensile strength was 7.1%, 12.1%, and 18.1% for the samples containing 0, 1, and 2 wt% of clay, respectively. J. VINYL. ADDIT. TECHNOL., 12:25–32, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers
Thermal Characterization of Polybutadiyne

Abstract Butadiyne was thermally polymerized from the vapor phase onto substrate polyethylene, poly(vinylidene fluoride), polytetrafluoro-ethylene, and fluorinated ethylene propylene films at 20°C. The reaction is characterized as an initial absorption of monomer into the film followed by polymerization in the condensed state. A postpolymerization thermal reaction of the polybutadiyne pendant ethynyl groups was conducted over a 120 to 470°C temperature range with a subsequent surface electrical resistivity decrease to 7 × 1011 ohm/square. The reaction of the pendant acetylenic groups was monitored by DSC and IR spectroscopy and found to be more complex than an intramolecular conversion of an acetylenic polyene to a polyacene structure.
$p p$ Resonances: A Link Between Nuclear and Hadronic Excitations

Evidence of resonant behavior has recently been discovered in $p\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering, and possibly also in $n\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering. In particular, the $p\ensuremath{-}p$ data indicate the existence of $^{1}D_{2}$, $^{3}F_{3}$, and $^{1}G_{4}$ resonances at energies of approximately 2140, 2260, and 2430 MeV. The correlation between increasing $l$ values and increasing energies that is observed in these resonances suggests a form of rotational motion. Since a virtually bound nucleon-nucleon state represents the low-mass limit of a multinucleon (nuclear) system, we logically expect the rotational behavior of this dinucleon state to follow the known systematics of nuclear physics. The rotational motion is highly nonadiabatic for this very light dinucleon system, so that an $l(l+1)$ energy interval rule is expected to apply, where $l$ is the orbital angular momentum quantum number. In support of this idea, we show experimental data plots which reveal that (1) rotational bands in very light nuclei and in the dinucleon follow the expected $l(l+1)$ interval rule, and (2) the experimental moments of inertia of the rotating bandheads exhibit the expected ${A}^{\frac{5}{3}}$ behavior, where $A$ is the atomic weight. We can extend these concepts even farther by formally sorting the observed baryon and meson resonances into nonadiabatic rotational bands. When we do this, we discover that the experimental moments of inertia of these hadron rotational bands, plotted as a function of the bandhead masses, extrapolate smoothly into the moments of inertia of the very light atomic nuclei. Applying the $l(l+1)$ energy interval rule to the observed $^{1}D_{2}$, $^{3}F_{3}$, and $^{1}G_{4}$ $p\ensuremath{-}p$ resonances, and then extrapolating to $l=0$ to obtain the mass of the unobserved $p\ensuremath{-}p$ bandhead, we discover that it corresponds to a virtual $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\pi}$ bound state, which is a characteristic hadronic excitation. Hence the $p\ensuremath{-}p$ resonances form a direct and unique experimental link between nuclear and hadronic excitations: The $p\ensuremath{-}p$ rotational levels, which are nuclear in origin, can be used to pinpoint the mass of the $p\ensuremath{-}p$ bandhead excitation, which is hadronic in origin. The ${C}_{\mathrm{LL}}$, $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{L}$, and $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{T}$ measurements carried out at Argonne are crucial in the identification of these rather weak $p\ensuremath{-}p$ resonances. Unfortunately, the low-energy limit of these Argonne measurements falls above the predicted energy values of the (unobserved) $l=0$ and $l=1$ levels in the $p\ensuremath{-}p$ rotational band. Thus the present results suggest the usefulness of extending the ${C}_{\mathrm{LL}}$, $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{L}$, and $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{T}$ experiments at Argonne from the present lower limit of 1.0 GeV/c down to at least 0.8 GeV/c.
The London-van der Waals interaction in the presence of evanescent waves

The London-van der Waals potential experienced by an atom under reflection from an atomic mirror is modeled as a quantum dipole-dipole interaction between the atomic dipole induced by the evanescent wave and its image dipole in the dielectric mirror. The quantum dipole-dipole interaction arises from the combined effect of the evanescent field and spontaneous emission. It depends on the electronic structure of the atom and is described by an effective non-Hermitian Hamiltonian that yields dissipative effects under reflection. The analytical expression obtained here preserves the power-law dependence of the static van der Waals interaction at distances close to the wall, but its long-distance behavior reflects that of the evanescent wave.
Parallel Wire Susceptibility Testing for Signal Lines

A technique is presented which can be utilized to establish a standardized procedure for performing conducted susceptibility testing on signal lines at the component and/or the subsystem level. Typical military specifications require that the test function be injected to the test lines via a susceptibility transformer, a coupling capacitor, or a standardized network, such as the line stabilization network (LSN). Although these methods may be adequate for testing of power line susceptibility, they present several disadvantages when utilized in signal lines, such as impedance loading, the requirement for physical insertion, and proximity to the load. These disadvantages become more pronounced at RF where the signal developed across the input of the test specimen may be considerably lower than the signal injected at the physical insertion point. A technique that overcomes these deficiencies utilizes a coupling jig that 1) does not require a physical connection, and 2) provides a known coupling across the input impedance of the package being tested-thus simulating, in a very realistic manner, interference coupling as it may occur in a system. A general expression for coupling prediction and a computer solution for various values of load impedances are presented.
Inhibition of Wilms' tumor growth by intramuscular administration of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-4 plasmid DNA

Extracellular matrix (ECM) degrading matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) lead to ECM turnover, a key event in cancer growth and progression. The tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) limit the activity of MMPs, which suggests their use for cancer gene therapy. Here we report that systemic administration of naked TIMP-4 DNA significantly inhibited Wilms' tumor growth in nude mice. TIMP-4, whose expression was lost in Wilms' tumor, inhibited the growth of G401 Wilms' tumor cells at a concentration lower than those required for MMP inhibition. This inhibition was associated with internalization of exogenous recombinant TIMP-4. Electroporation-mediated intramuscular injection of TIMP-4 expression plasmid resulted in sustained plasma TIMP-4 levels and significant tumor suppression. Our data demonstrate a tumor suppressive effect of TIMP-4 against Wilms' tumor and the potential utility of intramuscular delivery of TIMP gene for treatment of kidney derived cancers.
Determination of Acetone Concentration in Arterial Blood by Vapor Phase Chromatography of Alveolar Gas

The concentration of acetone in arterial blood may be determined by vapor phase chromatographic analysis of alveolar gas. Alveolar gas may be considered as a biological specimen preferable to blood. It is easily obtained, does not require anticoagulant or refrigeration for storage, and analysis by vapor phase chromatography is speedily and easily achieved.
fMRI evidence for strategic decision-making during resolution of pronoun reference

Abstract Pronouns are extraordinarily common in daily language yet little is known about the neural mechanisms that support decisions about pronoun reference. We propose a large-scale neural network for resolving pronoun reference that consists of two components. First, a core language network in peri-Sylvian cortex supports syntactic and semantic resources for interpreting pronoun meaning in sentences. Second, a frontal–parietal network that supports strategic decision-making is recruited to support probabilistic and risk-related components of resolving a pronoun's referent. In an fMRI study of healthy young adults, we observed activation of left inferior frontal and superior temporal cortex, consistent with a language network. We also observed activation of brain regions not associated with traditional language areas. By manipulating the context of the pronoun, we were able to demonstrate recruitment of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during probabilistic evaluation of a pronoun's reference, and orbital frontal activation when a pronoun must adopt a risky referent. Together, these findings are consistent with a two-component model for resolving a pronoun's reference that includes neuroanatomic regions supporting core linguistic and decision-making mechanisms.
Expanding research on the racial disparity in medical treatment with ideas from sociology

While hundreds of studies document racial differences in the use of medical procedures in the United States, by comparison little is known about the causes of these differences. This gap in knowledge should serve as a call to sociologists who, drawing on their disciplinary tradition of studying inequality, could improve understanding of the disparity. This article offers suggestions about how medical sociologists in the USA might bring sociology to the study of racial disparities in medical treatment. The article begins by reviewing the existing approaches to understanding the racial disparity in medical treatment. After considering the extant research and its limits, the article goes on to describe how a few specific concepts from sociology - cultural capital, social networks, self-presentation and social distance, all framed in a race critical framework - and more diverse methodological approaches can advance studies of the racial disparity in medical treatment
The distribution of cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity in the hippocampal formation of the guinea pig: Localization in the mossy fibers

Immunocytochemical techniques were used to localize cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8)-like immunoreactivity in the hippocampal formation of the guinea pig. As in the rat, CCK immunoreactive perikarya are most dense in and around the stratum pyramidale, within the superficial cell layer of the subiculum, and within the polymorph zone of the hilus. Immunoreactive axons are observed within and loosely surrounding the stratum pyramidale, within the stratum lacunosum moleculare, and diffusely distributed across the subiculum. In contrast to the rat, the mossy fiber system also exhibited significant CCK immunoreactivity. The latter system has previously been demonstrated to contain enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in the guinea pig. The present results suggest, therefore, that the enkephalin-like and CCK-like substances either coexist within the mossy fiber boutons or are present within separate subpopulations of the mossy fibers.
A short hook-lengths bijection inspired by the Greene-Nijenhuis-Wilf proof

Abstract The celebrated Frame-Robinson-Thrall (Canad. J. Math. 6 (1954) 316–324) hook-lengths formula, counting the Young tableaux of a specified shape, is given a short bijective proof. This proof was obtained by translating the elegant Greene-Nijenhuis-Wilf proof (Adv. in Math. 31 (1979) 104–109) into bijective language.
Deposition of complement components in the cutaneous lesions of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.

Abstract By immunofluorescent techniques, deposits of C3 and properdin were found along the basement membranes in the cutaneous lesions of three of six patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis; candida antigen was found with C3 and properdin in the lesion of one. Immunoglobulin and C4 were not found in any specimen. Soluble Candida albicans components and intact organisms were found to be capable of activating the alternative complement pathway. The findings suggest that the intense inflammatory infiltrates in the lesions of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis occur as a consequence of complement activation. It is proposed that soluble products are released from the infecting organisms in the epidermis, diffuse to the upper dermis, and directly activate complement there by the alternative pathway, resulting in the release of complement-derived chemotactic factors. Activation of complement in this manner and the resulting inflammatory infiltrates do not rid the hosts of the infecting organisms as the cutaneous infections persist for months if untreated. However, the inflammatory infiltrate may prevent the organisms from invading more deeply into the skin.
Chapter 52 – Mediator Antagonists

Publisher Summary Inflammatory mediators contribute to the pathophysiology of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suggesting that antagonists of mediator receptors or inhibitors of their synthesis would be beneficial in treatment. However, a large number of mediators are involved and many mediators share similar effects on the airways, inhibitors of single mediators may have had little or no clinical benefit to date. Anti-leukotrienes are mainly indicated for the treatment of asthma, and LTB4 inhibitors, such as LTB4 receptor antagonists, have no effect in asthma and are being considered for the treatment of COPD. Despite many years of continuing efforts by pharmaceutical companies, only one class of mediator antagonists, the anti-leukotrienes, has become established in the treatment of asthma, representing the first new class of therapy for asthma introduced in more than 40 years. So far, there has been no mediator antagonists introduced for the treatment of COPD. 5-lipoxigenase (5-LO) is a critical enzyme involved in the generation of leukotrienes. Inhibitors of 5-LO may be classified as direct inhibitors of the enzyme and indirect inhibitors that interfere with a nuclear membrane docking protein, 5-LO activating protein (FLAP) that is necessary for enzyme activation. Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) is produced by activated mast cells and is a relatively selective marker for mast cells, and two G-protein-coupled receptors, DP1 and DP2 mediate many of its effects. Although thromboxane production is increased in asthma and thromboxane analogs are potent bronchoconstrictors in asthmatic patients, there is no convincing evidence that thromboxane receptor (TP) antagonists or thromboxane synthase inhibitors are effective in asthma. In addition to reviewing the antileukotrienes, the chapter also reviews other classes of mediator antagonists that have failed to show beneficial effects or those currently under-investigation.
Male Courtship Persistence in the Greenhouse Whitefly, Trialeurodes Vaporariorum Westwood (Homoptera : Aleyrodidae)

The courtship behavior of whiteflies was examined, focusing particularly on the manner in which males maximized their fertilization rate by optimizing their time expenditure per female. Some males adopted a sneak male strategy in which they approached courting pairs and without preliminary courtship movements attempted copulation. The chief function of this strategy may have been to disrupt other males' courtships. 'Traditional courtship' was described and found to be sequentially invariable. However, if a female performed a maintenance activity during courtship, males had a significantly lower probability of success and had to court for a much longer time to improve their chances. Most males, including naive ones, persisted rather than abandoned these females. Persistence was seen as a strategy by which males could induce females with high sexual response thresholds to mate. Males reduced the primary cost of persistence, a lower encounter rate with other females, by integrating into their courtship strategy the way in which probability of insemination varied with courtship time invested. They neither courted for too short a time nor did they persist past the point of diminishing returns. Females appeared to assess males on the basis of courtship stamina and intensity. Recently mated females would remate only if the male performed a superior courtship in these respects. By copulating with males that performed more vigorous courtships, a female presumably improved the quality of her sperm store. This would increase her reproductive success because the resultant female offspring would receive a superior genetic complement from their haploid father, and the resultant male grandchildren would, on the average, possess the same desirable qualities that made their grandfather successful.
Retransplantation of liver: Primary graft nonfunction and hepatitis C virus are associated with worse outcome

It is not known whether the outcome of liver retransplantation (re-LT) is dependent on the indication for re-LT or cause of liver disease. In this study, our aim is to compare the outcome of re-LT in adults with that of primary liver transplantation (PLT) and determine whether the outcome of re-LT is dependent on its indication. United Network for Organ Sharing data from 1988 to 2001 were used for the study. Of 34,267 patients who met our inclusion criteria, 761 patients underwent re-LT for primary graft nonfunction (PGNF; group 1), 3,428 patients underwent re-LT for other reasons (group 2), and 30,078 patients underwent PLT (group 3). There was a greater incidence of PGNF (9.4% v 4.0%; P <.001) and regrafting (23.1% v 7.4%; P <.001) in the re-LT groups compared with the PLT group. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding risk factors, showed significantly lower short- and long-term patient and graft survival in the re-LT groups compared with the PLT group. Kaplan-Meier survival showed lower patient and graft survival in group 1 compared with group 2. However, only graft, not patient, survival was lower in group 1 by Cox regression analysis when adjusted for other risk factors. Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who underwent re-LT had lower patient and graft survival compared with those without HCV infection, and HCV was an independent predictor of mortality after re-LT. Re-LT was associated with a greater rate of complications and lower patient and graft survival compared with PLT. Re-LT for PGNF and HCV infection was associated with lower patient and graft survival compared with re-LT for other causes.
Analysis and Design of Fanout-Free Networks of Positive Symmetric Gates

Art algorithm is presented for assigning functmns to gates in a fanout-free network so that a gwen function is reahzed Since the method is tabular, ~t IS easily programmed As long as the gates used are symmetric and positive the synthesis technique can be tadored to the particular set of gates available, for example, AND, OR, and majority gates It is shown that the functions realized by such networks are a proper subset of the set of unate functions but not of threshold functions Also, ~t is shown that the fanout-free functions that are threshold realizable are exactly those reahzed by the cascade, a special case of the fanout-free network
Variability in Minority School Performance: A Problem in Search of an Explanation

This article traces historically the different research approaches in educational anthropology. In doing so, the author presents a theoretical approach to minority school performance based on the important differences that arise from a minority community's experiences in the postschool opportunity structure and how minority community members' perceptions of dismal future opportunities influence their perceptions of and response to schooling. MINORITY EDUCATION, SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, MICROETHNOGRAPHY
Flexible semiparametric analysis of longitudinal genetic studies by reduced rank smoothing

In family-based longitudinal genetic studies, investigators collect repeated measurements on a trait that changes with time along with genetic markers. Since repeated measurements are nested within subjects and subjects are nested within families, both the subject-level and measurement-level correlations must be taken into account in the statistical analysis to achieve more accurate estimation. In such studies, the primary interests include to test for quantitative trait locus (QTL) effect, and to estimate age-specific QTL effect and residual polygenic heritability function. We propose flexible semiparametric models along with their statistical estimation and hypothesis testing procedures for longitudinal genetic designs. We employ penalized splines to estimate nonparametric functions in the models. We find that misspecifying the baseline function or the genetic effect function in a parametric analysis may lead to substantially inflated or highly conservative type I error rate on testing and large mean squared error on estimation. We apply the proposed approaches to examine age-specific effects of genetic variants reported in a recent genome-wide association study of blood pressure collected in the Framingham Heart Study.
Matrix attachment regions as targets for retroviral integration

Background The randomness of retroviral integration has been debated for many years. Recent evidence indicates that integration site selection is not random, and that it is influenced by both viral and cellular factors. To study the role of DNA structure in site selection, retroviral integration near matrix attachment regions (MARs) was analyzed for three different groups of retroviruses. The objective was to assess whether integration near MARs may be a factor for integration site selection.
Children's understanding of adverbs denoting degree of likelihood

Two studies were conducted to examine children's understanding of three terms that denote different degrees of likelihood: possibly, probably and definitely. In Study I, children in preschool, and first, third and fourth grade completed a comparison task involving pairs of likelihood terms. Twelve stories were created that described the likelihood that each of two children would participate in an activity, and subjects judged which of the two children actually participated. In Study 2, children in preschool, and first, third and fifth grade evaluated separate statements describing three different children, each of whom was said to have a different estimate of the likelihood that a scary event depicted in a movie would actually occur. Subjects rated how scared each of the three children felt. The results of the two studies revealed that preschoolers showed very little comprehension of the meaning of any of the three words, but by fourth grade the majority of children distinguished among all three terms. Children understood the distinction between definitely and both of the other terms (possibly, probably) better than they understood the distinction between possibly and probably. This finding is consistent with research on the development of children's understanding of probability concepts. Unexpectedly, the distinction between probably and definitely seems to emerge at a younger age than the distinction between possibly and definitely. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for communicating verbal messages to children.