cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prolonged α-Tocopherol Deficiency Decreases Oxidative Stress and Unmasks α-Tocopherol-dependent Regulation of Mitochondrial Function in the Brain

Vitamin E is the major lipid-soluble chain-breaking antioxidant in mammals and plays an important role in normal development and physiology. Deficiency (whether dietary or genetic) results in primarily nervous system pathology, including cerebellar neurodegeneration and progressive ataxia (abnormal gait). However, despite the widely acknowledged antioxidant properties of vitamin E, only a few studies have directly correlated levels of reactive oxygen species with vitamin E availability in animal models. We explored the relationship between vitamin E and reactive oxygen species in two mouse models of vitamin E deficiency: dietary deficiency and a genetic model (tocopherol transfer protein, Ttp-/- mice). Both groups of mice developed nearly complete depletion of α-tocopherol (the major tocopherol in vitamin E) in most organs, but not in the brain, which was relatively resistant to loss of α-tocopherol. F4-neuroprostanes, an index of lipid peroxidation, were unexpectedly lower in brains of deficient mice compared with controls. In vivo oxidation of dihydroethidium by superoxide radical was also significantly lower in brains of deficient animals. Superoxide production by brain mitochondria isolated from vitamin E-deficient and Ttp-/- mice, measured by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, demonstrated a biphasic dependence on exogenously added α-tocopherol. At low concentrations, α-tocopherol enhanced superoxide flux from mitochondria, a response that was reversed at higher concentrations. Here we propose a mechanism, supported by molecular modeling, to explain decreased superoxide production during α-tocopherol deficiency and speculate that this could be a beneficial response under conditions of α-tocopherol deficiency.
Response of Titanium-Isopropoxide-Based Heterogeneous Amphiphilic Polymer Catalysts for Transesterification

Transesterification is a widely used reaction in the chemical industry. Currently, industrial-scale transesterification is primarily performed via homogeneous catalysts. Because of downstream separation issues, there is a need for effective heterogeneous catalysts. However, heterogeneous catalysts introduce the drawback of mass-transfer limitations into the reaction system. The substrates associated with transesterification form a three-phase system that is inherently immiscible in each other with liquid/liquid/solid (L/L/S) interfaces. This study was conducted to ascertain the behavior of a solid catalyst that has amphiphilic properties in the transesterification system. It was hypothesized that the amphiphilic catalyst, depending upon its degree of polymerization, would orient itself at the interface of the two immiscible liquids, forming an emulsion. The catalytic active site, in the mean time, would catalyze the transesterification reaction. In this study, the catalytic aspects of the titanium-isoprop...
Serum immunoglobulin measurement during the first year of life and in immunoglobulin-deficiency states.

Serum immunoglobulin concentrations at several age intervals during the first year of life have been determined by a capillary immunoprecipitation technique. Immunoglobulin G was present in cord sera and declined during the first six months of life, following which an increase to almost three-fourths of the normal adult level was observed in the next six months. Immunoglobulin A was absent in the cord serum and progressively increased, reaching a level by one year of age approximately one-fifth that of the adult. Immunoglobulin M was present in most cord sera studied and steadily rose to one-half of adult levels by 52 weeks of age. Serum immunoglobulin determinations for selected immunologic deficiency states are reported.
Calcium binding decreases the stokes radius of calmodulin and mutants R74A, R90A, and R90G

Calmodulin (CaM) is an intracellular cooperative calcium-binding protein essential for activating many diverse target proteins. Biophysical studies of the calcium-induced conformational changes of CaM disagree on the structure of the linker between domains and possible orientations of the domains. Molecular dynamics studies have predicted that Ca4(2+)CaM is in equilibrium between an extended and compact conformation and that Arg74 and Arg90 are critical to the compaction process. In this study gel permeation chromatography was used to resolve calcium-induced changes in the hydrated shape of CaM at pH 7.4 and 5.6. Results showed that mutation of Arg 74 to Ala increases the R(s) as predicted; however, the average separation of domains in Ca4(2+)-CaM was larger than predicted by molecular dynamics. Mutation of Arg90 to Ala or Gly affected the dimensions of apo-CaM more than those of Ca4(2+)-CaM. Calcium binding to CaM and mutants (R74A-CaM, R90A-CaM, and R90G-CaM) lowered the Stokes radius (R(s)). Differences between R(s) values reported here and Rg values determined by small-angle x-ray scattering studies illustrate the importance of using multiple techniques to explore the solution properties of a flexible protein such as CaM.
Pharmacokinetic Study of a Patient Intoxicated with 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid and 2-Methoxy-3,6-dichlorobenzoic Acid

A simultaneous pharmacokinetic study of two chemicals has been conducted on a clinically stabilized human who had intentionally ingested a mixture of 2,4-D and Dicamba. The information developed can be useful to the clinical toxicilogist in the management of similar cases.
Endovascular retrieval of intracardiac inferior vena cava filters: a review of published techniques.

Endovascular retrieval of intracardiac or intrapulmonary inferior vena cava (IVC) filters provides a less-invasive alternative to surgery; however, only a few publications provide details describing this approach. The authors searched the medical literature and identified 42 endovascular attempts in 35 publications. There were 29 successful retrievals from the heart ( n = 28) and pulmonary artery ( n = 1), with only one reported fatality. Of the 13 failed attempts, there were three reported deaths. The authors of 19 reports provided details of their technique. The endovascular approach provides a reasonable alternative treatment to surgical removal of intracardiac or intrapulmonary IVC filters.
GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION OF AXIAL AND LATERAL FILAMENTS IN BATRACHOSPERMUM SIRODOTII (RHODOPHYTA)1

Development of the vegetative gametophyte of Batrachospermum sirodotii Skuja was examined with light and both transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Patterns of wall growth were followed using the Calcofluor White ST pulse-chase method. Thallus structure was analysed in terms of the pattern of development of the apical, periaxial and pleuridial initials that generate the axial and whorled lateral filaments characteristic of Batrachospermum. Apical cells of axial filaments elongate initially by tip growth with the nucleus maintaining a distal position. Nuclear division is horizontal. One daughter nucleus migrates basipetally and a thin, convoluted annular septum and perforate-occluded pit connection are then formed. Elongating axial cells subsequently extend by wall deposition at the base of the cell. Periaxial cells are initiated laterally and elongate primarily by tip growth while the nucleus remains within the axial cell. The nucleus then migrates to the boundary between the initial and the axial cell, divides, and one daughter nucleus moves into the initial and the other back into the axial cell. A slightly irregular annular septum and simple-occluded pit connection are then formed. Pleuridial cell initials begin as terminal to subterminal protuberances on periaxial or pleuridial cells. They first extend by tip growth and later by bipolar band growth. The nucleus remains within the parent cell as the pleuridial initial expands and a narrow septal ring is formed between the two cells. It then migrates through the septal ring into the initial and divides transversely. One nucleus passes back into the parent cell and a thick, flat septum and perforate-occluded pit connection are formed. It is concluded that the potentially indeterminate axial filaments and the determinate lateral pleuridia represent distinct developmental types in Batrachospermum.
Wavelength dependence of the absolute Raman gain coefficient for the Q(1) transition in H 2

The absolute Raman gain for the Q(1) vibrational Raman transition in H2 at 4155 cm−1 has been measured at pump (Stokes) wavelengths of 532 (683), 477 (594), and 307 (351) nm using a pulsed pump and a cw probe laser, both of which were single frequency. Good agreement is found between the measured and calculated Raman steady-state gain coefficients. Empirical formulas are derived to calculate the Raman gain as a function of wavelength, density, and temperature.
FC13-08 - Not polypharmacy, just symptomatic treatment

The concept of polypharmacy has generated much argument and this is has now come to a head with specific symposia and now a CINP thematic meeting. Briefly, those in academia, pharmacy and general adult practice tend to frown on this whereas the forensic members rely on it. Steven Stahl has even famously called it “the dirty little secret”. More recently the concept of rational polypharmacy has arisen where the clicinician can justify his prescriptions. All of this depends on treating a named condition eg schizophrenia. Indeed affective disorders are often treated with polypharmacy and many physical conditions are routinely given polypharmacy. If we assume that Kraepelin was wrong about his original assertion that there is a schism and whether other conditions are also not proven like personality disorders, then patients can simply be treated by their symptoms without a diagnosis. There are many advantages to this like the abolition of stigma but more importantly this allows the use of traditional drugs used for other conditions like lithium or anti manic agents to be used as required according to response rather than for specific diagnoses. There are other advantages eg in research and especially genetics. The presentation examines this in detail with some real life examples.
Bland embolization versus radioembolization for treatment of multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma

Purpose To compare overall survival rates after treatment of multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bland versus radioembolization. Materials and Methods Review of our procedural database revealed 44 patients treated with radioembolization for HCC between 9/2007 and 2/2012. From 9/05 to 2/2009, 84 patients were treated with bland embolization for HCC. Patients with unifocal disease, portal vein thrombosis, extrahepatic disease, or Okuda stage III disease were excluded from subsequent analysis. The final study population consisted of 29 patients who underwent bland embolization (24 males, mean age 63 years) and 29 patients who underwent radioembolization (20 males, mean age 69 years). Clinical records were retrospectively reviewed. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test. Results A total of 31 bland embolization procedures were performed in 29 patients. Thirty-seven radioembolization procedures were performed in 29 patients. The 6 and 12 month survival rates for patients undergoing bland embolization were 86% and 71% respectively, compared to 83% and 60% for patients undergoing radioembolization (p=0.057). Analysis of Okuda staging revealed that 31% of patients undergoing bland embolization were stage I compared to 86% of patients undergoing radioembolization (p Conclusion In this retrospective study, bland embolization and radioembolization demonstrated comparable overall survival rates for patients with multifocal HCC and without portal vein thrombus. However, the patients treated with bland embolization in this study had a higher Okuda disease stage than those treated with radioembolization.
Correlations between concentrations of elements in plants

INTEREST in the cycling of the elements through ecosystems has increased in recent years, and numerous plant species have been analysed. It can be assumed that elements do not cycle independently in vegetation because they are involved in the basic structure and function of cells, which have similar biochemical pathways. Thus concentrations of different elements must be correlated. Little attention has been given to the relationships between concentrations of elements within or across a variety of species. This is undoubtedly because the chemical composition of individuals within a species may vary considerably from one site to another1. The ratio of different elements may be relatively unaffected by this geographic variation because natural vegetation can absorb and accumulate nutrients selectively2 maintaining a balance of intracellular concentrations to optimise metabolism, protein synthesis and tissue production. If concentrations of elements were correlated across a variety of species from different sites, this would indicate a relatively constant ratio between concentrations of elements among plant cells. I report here correlations between concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and potassium, across a variety of species, which seem to be based on biochemical similarities between elements in cell metabolism.
Non-fatal sports and recreational violent injuries among children and teenagers, United States, 2001–2003

BACKGROUND: An estimated 2.7 million non-fatal unintentional sports and recreational injuries are treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments (EDs) annually. However, little is known about the number of sports and recreational injuries resulting from violent behavior. METHODS: Data for 2001-2003 on sports and recreational injuries were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP)-a national sample of 66 U.S. EDs. National estimates and rates of persons treated for violence-related sports and recreational injuries in EDs are compared to those treated for unintentional sports and recreational injuries. Types of injuries and injury circumstances are described. RESULTS: During the study period, an estimated 6705 (8.3 per 100,000; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 6.3-10.3) children and teenagers with violence-related sports and recreational injuries were treated in U.S. EDs annually, compared to 2,698,634 children and teenagers with unintentional sports and recreational injuries. Thus, violent behavior accounted for 0.25% of sports and recreational injuries. The highest incidence rate (13.6 per 100,000) for violence-related sports and recreational injuries was for children aged 10-14 years. Most patients with violence-related sports and recreational injuries were treated and released from the ED. A majority of those with violence-related sports and recreational injuries were injured to the head/neck region (52.2%), of which 24.1% were treated for traumatic brain injuries. Most violent injuries resulted from being pushed or hit (65.6%); the most common sports and recreational activity varied by age: playground (65.2%) for children Language: en
The Feasibility of Establishing an International Financial Center in Shanghai

This article examines the feasibility of establishing an international financial center in Shanghai by 2020. It analyzes the national regulations and incentives that need to be implemented and evaluates whether the financial market liberalization measures undertaken so far by China meet the requirements for the success of this strategy. It concludes that elevating Shanghai to a primary international financial center providing multiple financial services to domestic and foreign clients is decades away under the sequential approach to liberalization. However, in the short run, Shanghai can emerge as a regional financial center catering essentially to the funding needs of Chinese businesses.
Implicit data structures for weighted elements

Several new data structures are presented for dictionaries containing elements with different weights (access probabilities). The structures use just one location in addition to those required for the values of the elements. The first structure supports a worst-case search time that is within a constant multiplicative factor of optimal, in terms of the rank of the weight of the desired element with respect to the multiset of weights. If the values of the elements that comprise the dictionary have been drawn from a uniform distribution, then a variation of this structure achieves average search times that are asymptotically very good. Similar results are established for data structures which handle the case in which the intervals between consecutive dictionary values also have access probabilities. Lower bounds are presented for the worst-case search complexity.
Variation of edema scores from herd-year, age, calving month, and sire.

Edema was scored by herd personnel in six Holstein herds in North Carolina. Scores ranged from 1 (none) to 5 (extremely severe) at calving and at 1 and 2 wk postpartum. Mean scores and standard deviations were 2.91 +/- .71 at calving, 2.12 +/- .71 at 1 wk, and 1.54 +/- .64 at 2 wk. Total score, the sum of the three ratings for each calving, averaged 6.57 +/- 1.89. Scores differed by herd-year and lactation but not by month of calving. Heritabilities within first, second, and grouped later (greater than or equal to 3) lactations were estimated by paternal half-sister covariance analyses from two subsets of the data. The first data set included sires with 5 or more daughters; the second, sires with 10 or more daughters. Heritabilities averaged .13 for first lactations, .10 for second lactations, and .12 for later lactations. When adjusted to underlying normal distribution, heritabilities were increased. These heritabilities suggest that progeny tests based on 50 or more daughters should identify bulls transmitting more persistent edema. The desirability of such progeny tests depends on the relative importance and economic impact of reduced edema severity in the dairy cattle population.
Growth modulation of human prostatic cancer cells by interleukin-1 and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist.

Abstract The effects of interleukin-1 (IL-1α or IL-1β) on androgen-dependent LNCaP and androgen-independent JCA-1 human prostatic cancer cell proliferation were investigated. IL-1α or IL-1β induced a dose dependent growth reduction by 50–80% as determined by cell cycle phase distribution, cell number and clonal growth in short and long term cultures. IL-1 negated the androgen growth effect on equal molar basis but the androgen receptors were not blocked by IL-1. The presence of intracellular IL-1 receptors was detected by flow cytometry and the IL-1 mediated growth reduction could be blocked with a 500 fold excess of the IL-1 receptor antagonist (hIL-1ra), revealing a growth control involving IL-1, hIL-1ra, androgen and their receptors.
An effective cancer vaccine modality: Lentiviral modification of dendritic cells expressing multiple cancer-specific antigens

Viral modification of dendritic cells (DCs) may deliver a "danger signal" critical to the hypo-reactive DCs in cancer patients. Using three highly differentially expressed hepatoma tumor-associated antigens (TAAs): stem cell antigen-2 (Sca-2), glycoprotein 38 (GP38) and cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 (RABP1), we explored the therapeutic potential of the DCs modified with lentiviral vectors (LVs). Preventive and therapeutic injection of the LV-TAA-DC vaccine into tumor-bearing mice elicited a strong anti-tumor response and extended survival, which was associated with tumor-specific interferon-gamma and cytotoxic T cell responses. In vivo elimination of the LV-TAA-DCs by a co-expressed thymidine kinase suicide gene abrogated the therapeutic effect. The modification of DCs with LVs encoding multiple TAAs offers a great opportunity in cancer immunotherapy.
The Literary Corpus of George of Laodicea

This article deals with issues relating to the literary corpus of George of Laodicea. A brief description of the known contents of George’s corpus is provided at the outset in order to correct incomplete or inaccurate lists that appear elsewhere. Two topics are then discussed in more detail. First, reports about George’s lost anti-Manichaean treatise are examined in order to further our understanding of him and his place in the fourth-century Church. It is suggested that he is one of the founders of the Christian anti-Manichean tradition. Second, in response to recent denials of his authorship of the Homoiousian letter written in the summer of 359 on the part of Jeffrey Steenson, Winrich Lohr, and Xavier Morales, it is argued that George played the primary role in its composition.
Temperature effects on axonal conduction in Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun) and Carcinus maenas (L.).

1. 1. Temperature-dependent parameters of axonal conduction were investigated in the fifth pereiopod of the two ecologically divergent portunid crabs, Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun) and Carcinus maenas (L.). 2. 2. The cold block point for axonal conduction in C. sapidus is considerably higher than that for C. maenas, while heat block points are not significantly different. 3. 3. Q10 for conduction velocity for individual fibers within a species are different; average Q10 values between the two species are not statistically different. 4. 4. Cold block preparations show hysteresis of conduction velocity. 5. 5. The results from nerve preparations can be correlated with the response of intact animals to normal environmental temperatures.
Dynamic coverage of time-varying environments using a mobile robot — A communication-aware perspective

In this paper, we study the problem of dynamic coverage of a number of points of interest, in a time-varying environment, using a mobile robot. We consider the scenario where the uncertainty at any point of interest, that is not being sensed by the onboard sensor of the robot, is continuously growing. The robot is then tasked with moving along periodic trajectories, continuously sensing the points of interest and transmitting its gathered sensory data to a remote base station. We assume realistic fading channels between the robot and the base station. We then consider a piecewise linear periodic trajectory for the robot and propose a novel approach, based on sequentially solving a mixed integer program and a nonlinear program, to optimally design the trajectory and the TX power profile of the robot. We consider two different cases of a passive and an active robot. Our results show how sensing and communication objectives can be combined to prevent the instability of the coverage task, in realistic fading environments.
Pain in infancy: Neonatal reaction to a heel lance

A combined single subject and group design was used to investigate changes in heart rate and crying in response to a heel lance, non-invasive tactile stimulation and baseline periods in 10 male and 10 female infants, each in their second full day of life. Heart rate was measured with an electrocardiogram. Percentage of time crying was computed from observations of audiotapes. Results for individual subjects indicated that heart rate and percentage of crying were consistently increased by the heel lance but that there was often wide baseline variability in the two measures. Analysis of variance indicated that responses to heel lance were higher than responses to tactile stimulation which were in turn higher than responses to baseline for both heart rate and percentage of crying (P less than 0.01). No significant sex differences were found. It was suggested that the increases in heart rate and crying in the context of a tissue damaging stimulus indicated that the infants experienced pain and that pain in infants can be reliably measured in clinical settings.
The welcome wound: emerging from the il y a otherwise

This essay is an analysis of the inverted intentionality that is arguably the central notion in the phenomenology of Emmanuel Levinas. The primal horizon for all human meaning is the brute fact of undifferentiated being, the il y a experienced impersonally as insomnia and weight. The first exit from this world devoid of meaning, subjectivity, and objectivity is that of the psychism or conatus essendi, the self which places itself at the center and makes everything else a means to its own ends. But there is another exit, subsequent developmentally but more fundamental ontologically, and in this sense more truly first. It is the emergence of the responsible self, decentered by the proximity of the other. With help from St. John of the Cross and Jean-Paul Sartre this emergence, in which meaning is “prior to my Sinngebung” and arises in intentional acts directed toward me rather than arising from me, is explicated.
Teachers' knowledge of students' knowledge in mathematics problem solving: correlational and case analyses

This study examined the relationship of teachers' knowledges of students' knowledge to teachers' mathematics instruction and to students' mathematics problem solving. First-grade teachers (N=20) participated in a 4-week workshop in which they were given access to research-based knowledge on children's mathematics learning. Teachers were observed for 16 days throughout the school year. In May, teachers completed interviews and questionnaires about their knowledge and beliefs; their students completed achievement tests
A reevaluation of the fluorescence of the core chlorophylls of Photosystem I

Abstract Surfactants induced changes in the 77 K fluorescence spectra of thylakoid membranes and of various Photosystem I (PS I) core chlorophyll-protein complexes isolated from higher plants and a thermophilic cyanobacterium. Triton X-100, sodium dodecyl sulfate and, to a much lesser extent, dodecyl maltoside shift the 735 nm fluorescence of PS I in higher plant thylakoids to much shorter wavelengths, while in the cyanobacterium at the same ratios of surfactant/chlorophyll, a shift of only a few nanometers occurs. A higher plant PS I core complex, having a chlorophyll P -700 of approx. 65, and a P-700-chlorophyll a-subunit I complex ( chlorophyll P -700 approx. 40) emit maximally in the 670–685 nm region in the presence of Triton or sodium dodecyl sulfate. However, when the surfactants associated with these complexes were exchanged for dodecyl maltoside, a reversible shift to 721–725 nm occurred in their emission maxima, but there was no change in their biochemical compositions. The unaltered wavelength maximum of the fluorescence of PS I core complex is likely to be close to 725 nm. Shifts of the emission spectrum caused by surfactants indicate the importance of controlling the type and amount of surfactant present to prevent an artifactual wavelength maximum being obtained for a complex. The data explain why different maxima have been reported for essentially identical PS I core chlorophyll-protein preparations, and indicate that the origin of PS I core complex fluorescence does not change as chlorophyll molecules are extracted from PS I core complex by Triton.
Extremity of Judgment and Personality Variables: Two Empirical Investigations

Summary The purpose of these studies was to examine the relationships between extremity of judgment and certain personality variables related to information processing: cognitive differentiation, cognitive style, discrimination, dogmatism, and information processing self-confidence. Two independent samples (673 and 498 female heads of households drawn from a major metropolitan area in the U.S.) rated product advertisements and department stores. The hypotheses—that individuals with less differentiated cognitive structure, the simplifiers, narrow categorizers, dogmatics, and those with greater information-processing self-confidence would make more extreme judgments—received statistically significant, although weak, support from the analysis using Pearson product-moment correlation.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE GRAVITY METHOD OF CALCULATING THE DEPTH TO THE PRE-CENOZOIC SURFACE IN YUCCA FLAT, NEVADA TEST SITE*

Thirty-eight gravity method estimates of the depth to the pre-Cenozoic surface under Yucca Flat are used to determine the statistical accuracy associated with the gravity method. Results indicate that the gravity method tends to overestimate the depth to the pre-Cenozoic surface, on the average, by 3.5 m with a standard deviation of 75.2 m. No significant change of this statistical estimate was observed with (1) depth, (2) location, or (3) date when the gravity-method estimate was made.
New methodology for early-stage, microarchitecture-level power-performance analysis of microprocessors

The PowerTimer toolset has been developed for use in early-stage, microarchitecture-level power-performance analysis of microprocessors. The key component of the toolset is a parameterized set of energy functions that can be used in conjunction with any given cycle-accurate microarchitectural simulator. The energy functions model the power consumption of primitive and hierarchically composed building blocks which are used in microarchitecture-level performance models. Examples of structures modeled are pipeline stage latches, queues, buffers and component read/write multiplexers, local clock buffers, register files, and cache array macros. The energy functions can be derived using purely analytical equations that are driven by organizational, circuit, and technology parameters or behavioral equations that are derived from empirical, circuit-level simulation experiments. After describing the modeling methodology, we present analysis results in the context of a current-generation superscalar processor simulator to illustrate the use and effectiveness of such early-stage models. In addition to average power and performance tradeoff analysis, PowerTimer is useful in assessing the typical and worst-case power (or current) swings that occur between successive cycle windows in a given workload execution. Such a characterization of workloads at the early stage of microarchitecture definition helps pinpoint potential inductive noise problems on the voltage rail that can be addressed by designing an appropriate package or by suitably tuning the dynamic power management controls within the processor.
A reproducible method for evaluating radiographic changes in periodontal defects.

A standardized radiographic method has been presented for evaluating longitudinal changes in periodontal defects. The technique employs metallic endosseous implants, radiopaque pocket probes and markings on the tooth to provide constant points of reference from which accurate interpretation of diagnostic radiographs may be made. The data suggest that inherent in this method is a very small degree of variability, and that it may be a more useful technique to incorporate in future clinical investigations than conventional use of the periodontal probe.
Castleman disease in the pediatric neck: a literature review.

ObjectiveTo investigate the common features of cervical pediatric Castleman disease.Data SourcesLiterature review of pediatric patients with cervical Castleman disease.Review MethodsOnline medical journal databases were searched for patients aged 18 years or younger. Eighteen published studies were found, comprising 29 patients.ConclusionsAn asymptomatic or slowly enlarging neck mass was the most common presentation. No sex differences were noted. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates a homogeneous, isointense to slightly hyperintense T1-weighted signal and high signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging. Lymphoma was the most common differential diagnosis. All patients were treated with complete surgical excision and diagnosed as hyaline-vascular type on histology, except for 1 patient for whom histologic type was not reported. No reports of multicentric disease, plasma cell, or mixed histology were found. No recurrences were reported.Implications for PracticeIn this article, we provide the largest known ...
Pyridoxal-5′-phosphate as the catalyst for radical isomerization in reactions of PLP-dependent aminomutases

PLP catalyzes the 1,2 shifts of amino groups in free radical-intermediates at the active sites of amino acid aminomutases. Free radical forms of the substrates are created upon H atom abstractions carried out by the 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical. In most of these enzymes, the 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical is generated by an iron-sulfur cluster-mediated reductive cleavage of S-adenosyl-(S)-methionine. However, in lysine 5,6-aminomutase and ornithine 4,5-aminomutase, the radical is generated by homolytic cleavage of the cobalt-carbon bond of adenosylcobalamin. The imine linkages in the initial radical forms of the external aldimines undergo radical addition to form azacyclopropylcarbinyl radicals as central intermediates in the catalytic cycles. In the case of lysine 2,3-aminomutase, the multistep catalytic mechanism is corroborated by direct spectroscopic observation and characterization of a product radical trapped during steady-state turnover. Analogues of the substrate-related radical having substituents adjacent to the radical center to stabilize the unpaired electron are also observed and characterized spectroscopically. A functional allylic analogue of the 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical is observed spectroscopically. A high-resolution crystal structure fully supports the mechanistic proposals. Evidence for a similar free radical mediated amino group transfer in the adenosylcobalamin-dependent lysine 5,6-aminomutase is provided by spectroscopic detection and characterization of radicals generated from the 4-thia analogues of the lysine substrates. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Pyridoxal Phospate Enzymology.
Symmetric three-guide optical coupler with nonidentical center and outside guides

To obtain maximum power transfer efficiency from one outside guide to another in a three-guide coupler, the differences among the propagation constants of the three propagating modes must be equal, i.e., \beta_{A} - \beta_{C} must equal \beta_{C} - \beta_{B} . This is not the case when all three guides are identical. By increasing either the width or index of the center guide relative to the outside guides, the differences between the propagation constants can be made equal. This can result in a significant increase in power transfer from one outside guide to the other. With equal spacing between the propagation constants of the modes, overall power transfer efficiency is limited only by radiation losses at the input and output of the three-guide coupler, due to the imperfect match between the mode shape of the input and output guides and the shape of the linear combination of the three modes of the coupler which best matches it. For couplers with reasonable guide spacing to guide width ratios S and reasonable confinement, this loss is usually small, and power transfer efficiencies for power transfer from one outside guide to another can approach 100 percent. For example, with correctly adjusted β's, power transfer efficiency in a three-guide coupler with S = 1 can be as high as 99.8 percent. Even with S = 0.5 , efficiencies can be as high as 97.8 percent.
American Idol and the Music Classroom: A Means of Critiquing Music:

music concepts. Idol-perhaps other music educators have similar sentiments about the program-and I've heard many reasons given as justifications for not using its content as a resource for studying music. However, in recent years I've sought creative ways to connect the content of my music program with my students, whose musical interests are somewhat different than my own. One creative way to pique student interest and help students develop skills for analyzing music and music performances is through the American Idol television program. Discussions arising from lessons using this program have yielded significant educational rewards for my students. As music classrooms experience an increase in the number of students from a
Using Operational Analysis in Simulation: A Queueing Network Example

The calculation of certain performance measures in queueing network simulation using operational analysis is presented. A systematic approach to the gathering of output and calculation of performance measures for quantitative system-performance analysis is demonstrated. The assumptions used in operational analysis to derive performance-measure relationships are verifiable by examining the output generated by the simulation. Any errors in assumptions revealed by the output may be measured, and these error measures used to determine correction terms. The performance-measure relations may still be used, even when the assumptions upon which they are based are in error, by adding these correction terms to the performance-measure values obtained. The results will be exact values for the performance measures over the period of the simulation. Calculations of performance measures, error measures and correction terms are illustrated with an example queueing network simulation.
Interview: Advancing translational research in breast cancer

Kornelia Polyak speaks to Alisa Crisp, Commissioning Editor: Kornelia Polyak obtained her MD degree in 1991 from the Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Medical School in Szeged, Hungary, and her PhD degree in 1995 from Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences/Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY, USA. Polyak completed her postdoctoral training in Baltimore (MD, USA) at the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center in the laboratory of Bert Vogelstein and Ken Kinzler. Polyak joined the faculty of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (MA, USA) and Harvard Medical School (MA, USA) in 1998 as Assistant Professor of Medicine and was promoted to Professor in 2011. The focus of her laboratory is to investigate the molecular basis of breast tumor evolution, with special emphasis on the role of the microenvironment and intratumor diversity in these processes. Her work focuses on identifying molecular alterations between normal and cancerous breast tissue using various technologies, determining their consequences and utilizing them t...
Physiologic Disposition and Metabolic Fate of Indomethacin Analogs I: 1-p-Chlorobenzylidenyl-5-methoxy-2-methylindene-3-acetic Acid

The title compound was well absorbed after oral administration to the dog and rat. About 70-90% of a single dose was excreted in the urine and feces in 4 days, with fecal elimination being predominant. Peak plasma levels were observed in both species at 1-2 hr. after oral administration. The plasma half-life was 1-2 and 4 hr. in the dog and rat, respectively. The compound was widely distributed but not concentrated in rat tissues and was highly bound to plasma proteins. About 35-44% of the dose was excreted in dog and rat bile, with excretion in the dog appearing to be inversely proportional to dose. The acyl glucuronide of the title compound was identified as a major metabolite in dog bile. Significant localization of the title compound and/or its metabolites in inflamed rat tissue was also demonstrated.
Role of Escherichia coli DNA Polymerase I in Conferring Viability upon the dnaN159 Mutant Strain

The Escherichia coli dnaN159 allele encodes a mutant form of the beta-sliding clamp (beta159) that is impaired for interaction with the replicative DNA polymerase (Pol), Pol III. In addition, strains bearing the dnaN159 allele require functional Pol I for viability. We have utilized a combination of genetic and biochemical approaches to characterize the role(s) played by Pol I in the dnaN159 strain. Our findings indicate that elevated levels of Pol I partially suppress the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of the dnaN159 strain. In addition, we demonstrate that the beta clamp stimulates the processivity of Pol I in vitro and that beta159 is impaired for this activity. The reduced ability of beta159 to stimulate Pol I in vitro correlates with our finding that single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gap repair is impaired in the dnaN159 strain. Taken together, these results suggest that (i) the beta clamp-Pol I interaction may be important for proper Pol I function in vivo and (ii) in the absence of Pol I, ssDNA gaps may persist in the dnaN159 strain, leading to lethality of the dnaN159 DeltapolA strain.
Detecting and estimating signals in noisy cable structures, I: neuronal noise sources

In recent theoretical approaches addressing the problem of neural coding, tools from statistical estimation and information theory have been applied to quantify the ability of neurons to transmit information through their spike outputs. These techniques, though fairly general, ignore the specific nature of neuronal processing in terms of its known biophysical properties. However, a systematic study of processing at various stages in a biophysically faithful model of a single neuron can identify the role of each stage in information transfer. Toward this end, we carry out a theoretical analysis of the information loss of a synaptic signal propagating along a linear, one-dimensional, weakly active cable due to neuronal noise sources along the way, using both a signal reconstruction and a signal detection paradigm. Here we begin such an analysis by quantitatively characterizing three sources of membrane noise: (1) thermal noise due to the passive membrane resistance, (2) noise due to stochastic openings and closings of voltage-gated membrane channels (Na+ and K+), and (3) noise due to random, background synaptic activity. Using analytical expressions for the power spectral densities of these noise sources, we compare their magnitudes in the case of a patch of membrane from a cortical pyramidal cell and explore their dependence on different biophysical parameters.
From the Inside Out: Environmental Agency Views about Communications with the Public

Relatively few studies have examined risk communication with the public from the viewpoint of the staff of institutions attempting such communications. This paper reports results of interviews with managers and staff of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, on their programs' current and ideal communications with the public. Q analysis revealed two orthogonal perspectives on current program communications, the Enthused and the Constrained views. The primary focus of their divergence was on the matter of commitment and support for such communications. The Enthused group felt that they had attitudinal support from program culture and managers; the Constrained group focused on the lack of concrete operational support in terms of time, money, and expertise. These differences between the two groups did not appear to be associated with gender, managerial status, education, communication training, or organizational unit. When ideal program communications were discussed, the focus was on the need for all kinds of commitment and support (i.e., culture, managers, time, money, building expertise through training), as well as on more proactive and responsive communication. Both perspectives agreed that communication with the public is essential to their programs' success, trying new ways to communicate is worthwhile, scientific bases for decisions are not compromised by communication, and communication is not delegated to specialists. While varying ideas were held of the public's capacity and interest in communication, citizens were largely not held responsible for communication problems.
The role of phonological working memory in phonological alexia

Patients with phonologic alexia show impaired pseudoword (PW) reading, and frequently are impaired in reading functors and words with affixes. Phonological alexia has been attributed to a disturbance in the orthography to phonology reading route. Alternatively, it has been hypothesized that the deficit is one of phonologic processing not specific to reading, consistent with the frequent concomitant impairment in PW repetition (Friedman, 1995). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of one aspect of phonologic processing, phonologic working memory (pWM), to the reading deficit in patients with phonological alexia. Specifically, we hypothesized that the greater the reading impairment, the greater impairment would be seen on a phonologic working memory task. Digit span and spatial span are often used to measure working memory; digit span purportedly measures phonologic working memory, and spatial span measures visuo-spatial working memory. In this study scores on digit and spatial span were compared to scores on word reading, pseudoword reading and pseudoword repetition.
Sheen Screen, a Miniaturized Most-Probable-Number Method for Enumeration of Oil-Degrading Microorganisms

Sheen Screen is a miniaturized method for enumerating oil-degrading microorganisms. The technique relies on the ability of oil-degrading microorganisms to emulsify oil when provided as a sole carbon source in 24-well tissue culture plates. Sediments that actively respire hydrocarbons have high numbers of Sheen Screen-positive microorganisms.
Activation of hexafluoroethane by calcium atoms

Abstract Cocondensation of calcium atoms and hexafluoroethane yields a black powder that evolves hydrogen, methane, ethyne, and other unsaturated hydrocarbons upon hydrolysis.
Prevalence and determinants of subclinical brain infarction: The Northern Manhattan Study

Objective: Risk factors for subclinical brain infarcts (SBI) have not been well studied, especially in Hispanic and black populations who may be at higher risk for vascular disease. We examined the prevalence and determinants of SBI in a multiethnic community cohort. Methods: The Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS) includes 892 stroke-free participants who underwent brain MRI. Baseline demographic and vascular risk factor data were collected. The presence of SBI was determined from the size, location, and imaging characteristics of the lesion based on fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) T1 and T2, and proton density MRI sequences. We calculated the prevalence of SBI and cross-sectional associations with sociodemographic and vascular risk factors, using logistic regression to adjust for relevant covariates. Results: Among 892 subjects (mean age 71.3 years), 158 (17.7%) had SBI (13.5% had 1 lesion, 4.3% had >1 lesion). Of the total 216 infarcts, most were small ( 75: 26.1%), was increased among men (21.3% vs 15.2% in women), and was increased among blacks (24.0% vs 18.1% in whites and 15.8% in Hispanics). The presence of SBI was independently associated with older age (per year: OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.09), male sex (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.61), and hypertension (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.35 to 3.22) adjusting for age, sex, race-ethnicity, and vascular risk factors. A significant interaction (p = 0.002) between race and age was observed such that younger black subjects had greater odds of having SBI. Conclusions: SBI were detected in nearly 18% of subjects in a multiethnic community-based cohort. Age, male sex, and hypertension were independently associated with SBI. Subclinical cerebral infarcts are more prevalent than symptomatic infarcts and may increase the true public health burden of stroke.