cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in the plantaris muscle as an indicator of alterations in lean body mass of obese Zucker rats following prolonged energy restriction and subsequent partial recovery

To study the effects of a prolonged (80 day), severe (64% body mass loss) energy restriction and subsequent refeeding on skeletal muscle tissue, specifically the plantaris muscle, 21 genetically obese Zucker rats were selected for this study. Six rats were initially killed and served as baseline (BASE), then 15 rats underwent severe energy restriction for 80 days. Seven of these restricted rats (RESTRICT) were then killed and assessed while the other eight rats (REHAB) were fed a dry rehabilitation diet that provided 100% of the recommended energy and 1.5 times the recommended protein for growth. Once the REHAB rats had recovered approximately 45% of their original mass loss, these animals were then evaluated. Within 20 min after being killed, the plantaris muscles from each animal in each group had been removed, weighed, and frozen. Analyses included total plantaris mass, as well as differences in fiber diameters, esterase activity, and fiber type distributions between three groups (BASE, RESTRICT, and REHAB). The extreme body mass loss of 64% in genetically obese Zucker rats resulted in significant tissue weight loss and reduced fiber diameters in the plantaris muscle. Refeeding resulted in larger muscle fiber diameters that approached baseline values but an 11% difference in muscle weight remained and may be due to a decreased fiber number. Esterase activity seemed to indicate an initial fat utilization for the RESTRICT group, followed by suppressed esterase activity in the REHAB group, suggesting increased fat storage. No significant differences were found in fiber type distribution between BASE, RESTRICT, or REHAB animals.
Luminescent sulfur centers in alkali halides and other inorganic solids

Abstract Luminescent centers are formed by heating alkali halides in sulfur vapor. The similarity between their emission spectrum and the spectrum attributed to 0 2 - in alkali halides suggests that the centers are S 2 - molecule-ions. From the structure in the emission spectrum the ground state vibrational frequency is found to be 1.74 × 10 13 sec -1 .
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Morphology in a Fibrous Microenvironment With Length Scales Matching the Native Meniscus

The meniscus is a crescent shaped fibrocartilage in the knee comprised of a circumferentially aligned collagenous extracellular matrix (ECM) that functions to transmit load and enhance joint stability. The meniscus ECM varies as a function of region, where the inner meniscus is comprised of 70% collagen (60% type II vs. 40% type I), while the outer meniscus contains 80% collagen (99% type I) [1]. Similarly, cells within the inner meniscus are rounder and more ‘chondrocyte-like’, while those in the outer meniscus are elongated and ‘fibroblast-like’ [2]. Injury of the meniscus alters joint loading and hastens the onset of osteoarthritis. As meniscus healing is limited, there exists a need for functional meniscus replacements.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of recombinant Clostridium perfringens β2-toxin

Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive sporulating anaerobic bacterium that is responsible for a wide spectrum of diseases in animals, birds and humans. The virulence of C. perfringens is associated with the production of several enterotoxins and exotoxins. β2-toxin is a 28 kDa exotoxin produced by C. perfringens. It is implicated in necrotic enteritis in animals and humans, a disease characterized by a sudden acute onset with lethal hemorrhagic mucosal ulceration. The recombinant expression, purification and crystallization of β2-­toxin using the batch-under-oil technique are reported here. Native X-­ray diffraction data were obtained to 2.9 A resolution on a synchrotron beamline at the F2 station at Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) using an ADSC Quantum-210 CCD detector. The crystals belong to space group R3, with a dimer in the asymmetric unit; the unit-cell parameters are a = b = 103.71, c = 193.48 A, α = β = 90, γ = 120° using the hexagonal axis setting. A self-rotation function shows that the two molecules are related by a noncrystallographic twofold axis with polar angles ω = 90.0, ϕ = 210.3°.
Estimation of permanent noise-induced hearing loss in an urban setting.

The potential burden of noise-induced permanent threshold shift (NIPTS) in U.S. urban settings is not well-characterized. We used ANSI S3.44-1996 to estimate NIPTS for a sample of 4585 individuals from New York City (NYC) and performed a forward stepwise logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of NIPTS >10 dB. The average individual is projected to develop a small NIPTS when averaged across 1000–4000 Hz for 1- to 20-year durations. For some individuals, NIPTS is expected to be substantial (>25 dB). At 4000 Hz, a greater number of individuals are at risk of NIPTS from MP3 players and stereos, but risk for the greatest NIPTS is for those with high occupational and episodic nonoccupational (e.g., power tool use) exposures. Employment sector and time spent listening to MP3 players and stereos and participating in episodic nonoccupational activities associated with excessive noise levels increased the odds of NIPTS >10 dB at 4000 Hz for 20-year durations. Our results indicate that the risk of NIPTS...
''indnpride'': Online Spaces of Transnational Youth as Sites of Creative and Sophisticated Literacy and Identity Work

Abstract Transnational youth are increasingly engaged in online culture that not only transcends geographic distances and boundaries, but has also become an integral part of their identities and social realities. This article explores the significance of three transnational youth's uses of digital literacies. Specifically, we discuss the ways these youth present particular identities, including transnational identities, through the hybrid textual practices of online communication sites. We suggest that these technological sites are important and dynamic representational spaces for youth to engage in transformative literacy practices and identity work.
Effect of early castration on body weight, muscle growth, and bone characteristics of male Nicholas strain turkeys.

Body weight of male Nicholas strain turkeys, castrated at 8 to 10 d of age, averaged .60, 2.20, 5.26, 8.26, and 10.83 kg at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 wk of age, respectively. These weights did not differ significantly from those of sham-operated control birds, but were significantly less than those of unoperated controls at 12 and 15 wk of age. Pectoralis major weights of 15-wk-old castrated turkeys were not significantly different than the sham-operated controls, but were less than those of intact controls. Pectoralis weights, expressed as a percentage of BW, did not differ among these groups. There were no differences in tarsometatarsal lengths, weight, or percentage ash among the groups. The incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia ranged from 66.7 to 80.0%, with average scores ranging from 1.00 to 1.42, with no differences among groups. Plasma testosterone concentrations of unoperated and sham-operated controls averaged .16 and .26 ng/mL at 15 wk, whereas concentrations in 7 of 12 castrates were undetectable and amounts in the other 5 castrates averaged .03 ng/mL.
TEN INTO FOUR WON'T GO

Abstract It is shown that nontrivial spontaneous compactification of ten-dimensional N = 1 supergravity with or without Yang-Mills matter is not possible unless maximal symmetry (i.e. Lorentz invariance) is violated in the four-dimensional spacetime.
Efficient memory layout for packet classification system on multi-core architecture

Packet classification is primarily used by network devices, such as routers and firewalls, to do additional processing such as packet filtering, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) for a specific subset of network packets. In decision tree based packet classification system, packets are classified by searching in the tree data structure. Tree search presents significant challenges because it requires a number of unpredictable and irregular memory accesses. Since packet classification is per-packet operation and memory latency (caused by cache and TLB misses) is considerably high, any technique that can reduce cache and TLB misses can be useful in practice for improving lookup time in packet classification. In this paper, we present an efficient memory layout for the tree data structure which ensures the movement of data optimally among the different levels of the memory hierarchy on general purpose processors. In particular, for a given node size, the number of accessed cache lines (and memory pages) is minimized by our proposed memory layout resulting in less number of cache and TLB misses. This reduction directly contributes in improving the look up performance. The decision tree laid out in the proposed layout can also exploit the strong computing power of multi-core architecture by leveraging data- and thread-level parallelism. Experimental results on two different state-of-the-art processors show that significant performance improvements (40–55% faster) and near-linear speedup (3.8× on quad cores) on multi-core architecture is achievable by applying our proposed memory layout for the packet classification tree data structure.
PLASMA CATECHOLAMINE RESPONSES TO INTRAVENOUS GLUCOSE IN NORMAL MAN

ABSTRACT Plasma total catecholamine levels determined by a double isotope derivative method were increased approximately four-fold over basal three minutes following an intravenous 20 gram glucose pulse. This response appeared one minute after the insulin response and raises the possibility that endogenous catecholamine secretion may exert a damping effect upon acute insulin secretion during intravenous glucose tolerance testing.
Pupillodilator pathways in the brain stem of the cat: Anatomical and electrophysiological identification of a central autonomic pathway

Abstract Three pupillodilator pathways have been identified in the brain stem of the cat by means of electrical stimulation with microelectrodes. 1. (1) A descending, excitatory pathway which projects to the intermediolateral cell column (C8-T2) has been identified in the ventrolateral tegmentum. This pathway has been traced at successively caudal levels. It lies dorsolateral to the medial lemniscus at the collicular and pontine levels and next to the spinothalamic tract. At more caudal levels, the pathway moves to a position dorsolateral to the pyramidal tract. In the cervical spinal cord, it shifts to a superficial position in the lateral funiculus near the insertion zone of the dentate ligament. Axon degeneration studies confirm these results and indicate that very few fibers from the tegmentum reach the spinal cord directly. This pathway projects primarily in an ipsilateral manner. Some of the axons cross in the dorsal commissure of the spinal cord at the C8-T2 levels to reach the contralateral side. 2. (2) An ascending inhibitory pathway projecting to the Edinger-Westphal nucleus has been identified in the paramedian reticular formation of the medulla and pons. This pathway has been traced rostrally through the medial tegmental reticular formation in an area dorsal to the medial lemniscus. At rostral levels, it lies lateral to the interpeduncular nucleus. 3. (3) An ascending inhibitory pathway has been found to be associated with the lateral pupillodilator pathway. It seems probable that this system is involved in nociceptive reflex pupillary dilatation. Whether this pathway is part of the spinothalamic tract or is a separate pathway has not been settled.
A Comparison of Fluorescamine and Naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde Fluorogenic Reagents for Microplate-Based Detection of Amino Acids

The use of appropriate fluorometric derivatization procedures is of considerable importance for accurate determination of amino acids in biological samples and in metal-assisted peptide hydrolysis reactions. It is especially critical for the relative fluorescence intensities (RFI) of equal amounts of amino acids to be as similar as possible. While fluorescamine and naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde (NDA) have proven to be excellent fluorogenic reagents for amino acid detection, the effects of various factors such as organic solvent, buffer, and pH have never been rigorously evaluated with respect to normalizing the relative fluorescence intensities of individual amino acids. To this end, here we describe optimized fluorescamine and NDA derivatization reactions that enhance the accuracy of microplate-based detection of amino acids. For both fluorescamine and NDA, we have shown that the RFI values of 16 of 19 amino acids are greater than 70%. Although determination of tryptophan is problematic, this difficulty is overcome by the addition of beta-cyclodextrin to the NDA reaction. In principle, the optimized fluorescamine and NDA microplate procedures reported here can be utilized as complementary techniques for the detection of 19 of 20 naturally occurring amino acids.
Talk Is Cheap: The Value of Language in the World Economy-Illustrations from the United States and Quebec

Global economic restructuring modifies the traditional material value of language skills and stands to increasingly fragment labor along class and ethnic lines. Language deskilling, brought about by the international mobility of capital and technological change, has diminished the value of traditionally skilled labor. Yet labor, though weakened economically and politically, is not powerless. Two contrasting instances, examined through a common political-economic perspective, are considered: the U.S. meatpacking industry as exemplified in a Lexington, Nebraska, plant and the labor movement in the national economy of Quebec. These two cases illustrate the unity and diversity found in the contingent and uncertain process of global economic change. The Lexington example illustrates the process by which the language abilities of both immigrant and indigenous labor have been successfully deskilled. The Quebec instance illustrates the capacity of labor to utilize a common language and culture as a mobilization resource to diminish the devaluation of language and secure material gains. Possible future directions of change are considered in each instance.
Thermodynamic Properties and Aerosol Patterns in the Plume Downwind of St. Louis

Abstract An instrumented aircraft equipped to measure temperature, humidity, turbulence, Aitken nuclei, and wind speed and direction was used to examine the thermal and aerosol plumes downwind of St. Louis, Mo., for four case studies with moderate winds, under the auspices of Project METROMEX. Cross-wind patterns out to 140 km were flown upwind, over and downwind of the city. Meteorologically instrumented vans, one of which was equipped to launch radiosondes, were also employed. Thermodynamic perturbations in the mixing layer were limited to regions no more than 40 km (1.3 h travel time) downwind of the intense surface anomalies in the metropolitan area. The magnitude of the thermodynamic perturbations and their vertical extent are inversely related to the mixing layer wind speed. In all cases, St. Louis and the adjacent Alton-Wood River industrial complex produced distinct aerosol plumes out to 100 km or more, but never more than 4 h travel time. Forty-five percent reductions in visibility were consisten...
Response-Based Multimedia and the Culture of the Classroom: A Pilot Study of Kid's Space in Four Elementary Classrooms

There are several reasons to believe that multimedia environments may support and enhance language arts education (see, for example, Meskill and Swan, 1995 [18]; Swan and Meskill, 1995 [17]). This project of the National Research Center on English Learning and Achievement is concerned with the match, real and potential, between the attributes of multimedia technology and students' development of literary understandings in response-based learning contexts. The study set out to determine how software that is specifically designed to complement response-based approaches to reading and writing (Kid's Space) fared in four elementary classrooms. Precisely what factors influence the ways in which such software gets integrated into and used within diverse classroom contexts was the focus of our investigation. Results indicate that there is little doubt that it is a teacher's orientation to and incorporation of any technology that is paramount to its successful integration. One indication from this pilot is that t...
Salient critical points for meshes

A novel method for extracting the salient critical points of meshes, possibly with noise, is presented by combining mesh saliency with Morse theory. In this paper, we use the idea of mesh saliency as a measure of regional importance for meshes. The proposed method defines the salient critical points in a scalar function space using a center-surround filter operator on Gaussian-weighted average of the scalar of vertices. Compared to using a purely geometric measure of shape, such as curvature, our method yields more satisfactory results with the lower number of critical points. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach by comparing our results with the results of the conventional approaches in a number of examples. Furthermore, this work has a variety of potential applications. We give a direct application to the hierarchical topological representation for meshes by combining the salient critical points with the Morse-Smale complex.
Protective genes expressed in endothelial cells of second hamster heart transplants to rats carrying an accommodated first graft

: Accommodation refers to survival of a xenograft despite the presence of anti-donor organ antibodies and complement. We have recently shown that accommodation of a hamster heart transplanted to a rat receiving short-term cobra venom factor (CVF) and continuing cyclosporine A (CyA) therapy is associated with i) the expression in the endothelial cells (EC) and smooth muscle cells of the graft of a number of “protective” genes, ii) a prominent intragraft Th2 cytokine profile, and iii) the relatively heavy deposition of IgG2c antibodies on the EC of the graft. In contrast, rejecting grafts do not express the protective genes, have a Th1 cytokine profile, and apparently have lesser amounts of IgG2c. These findings are consistent with host factors (Th2 cytokines and IgG2c) contributing to xenograft accommodation. To test whether these host factors may predispose to the development of accommodation, we placed a second hamster heart into each of 12 rats carrying a surviving first heart; recipients were, at the time, receiving only CyA. Whereas first grafts transplanted to rats receiving only CyA survive for 3 to 4 days, 11 out of 12 second transplants survived more than 20 days, and the other survived for 7 days. Nine of the twelve were not rejected: of these, four were removed between day 35 and 132 for study, and the remainder are still beating at 35 to 52 days. The surviving second hearts we studied had accommodated in that the picture on immunopathology was the same as for surviving first hearts. We suggest that the Th2 cytokines and perhaps the IgG2c response are factors in allowing prolonged survival of the second grafts and, further, that these factors contribute to the expression in the EC and smooth muscle cells of the surviving second hearts of the protective genes.
The Reliability and Validity of a Sexual and Physical Abuse History Questionnaire in Female Patients with Gastrointestinal Disorders

Although the literature on the psychological and medical sequelae of sexual and physical abuse has been growing, researchers have made few attempts to standardize the measurement of abuse history. The authors of this article report the first standardization of a screening instrument to identify sexual and physical abuse in a medical population. Reliability was assessed using test-retest methodology, and validity was supported by comparison with an interview (criterion validity). The sample included 139 female patients in a gastroenterology clinic. Data indicate acceptable test-retest reliability of the sexual abuse instrument (81%) and 81% overall agreement between the questionnaire and the interview on any sexual abuse. In comparison, the authors found 77% agreement in test-retest reliability of the physical abuse questionnaire and 70% agreement between the questionnaire and the interview on physical abuse. From their analyses, they concluded that the sexual abuse questionnaire and, to a lesser extent, the physical abuse instrument have acceptable levels of reliability and validity. As a screening tool, the abuse measures could be used to identify women in clinic settings for further study.
The formation of cobalt silicates on Co/SiO2 under hydrothermal conditions

A Co/SiO2 catalyst recovered after both gas and liquid phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis exhibited significant decreases in the amount of reducible metal. Hydrothermal conditions similar to those occurring during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis were simulated in order to study compound formation in this Co/SiO2 catalyst. Hydrothermal treatment at 220°C led to a catalyst with lower reducibility, attributable to the formation of both reducible and nonreducible (<900°C) Co silicates. The formation of these compounds occurred only when metallic Co was present, was more pronounced in the presence of hydrogen, and was inhibited by air.
Group and individual performance on a single-stage task as a function of distribution of individual performance

Abstract In a test of predictions from a single-stage model of group problem-solving which considers initial performance, 263 college students solved a simple mathematical puzzle. They then solved the puzzle again individually or in one of four pair-groups: (a) two initially right subjects (RR), (b) one initially right and one initially wrong subject (RW), (c) two initially wrong subjects whose initial answers were the same (WWs), and (d) two subjects who had different wrong answers initially (WWd). Major results indicate that (1) neither WWs nor WWd pair-groups improved their performance relative to W subjects working independently; (2) performance of RR subjects did not decrease; and (3) the relative certainty of correctness of initial solution was an accurate predictor of performance in RW pair-groups.
On the optimality of a simplified multicharacteristic component inspection model

Abstract Inspection for multicharacteristic components is an important means to assure product quality. A component is inspected with respect to its characteristics of which non-conformance of one would result in the rejection of the component. Based on a cost-minimization model developed recently by Raoul et al., this paper develops a simplified version of the model to capture the cost implication of false rejection, false acceptance and inspection of the components. The simplified model is computationally more efficient than the earlier one. Optimality of the sequencing of characteristics to be inspected is explored. Based on the simplified model, the optimal number of cycles for inspection can be readily determined. A stopping rule is developed for the search of the optimal number of cycles. Sufficient conditions for performing one cycle of inspection or no multicharacteristic inspection at all are given. Finally, the results are extended to the case where the probabilities of defectives are random.
A comparison of two approaches to understanding consumer opinions of Biotechnology

Two approaches to risk communication about complex and controversial technology are compared through analysis of responses to a nationwide survey of 2,070 consumers conducted in the United States. Results indicate that key components of the cognitive science approach, which emphasizes the importance of information exchange, and the sociocultural approach, which emphasizes the importance of trust and perceived ethical legitimacy, complement one another as determinants of consumer opinion formation regarding complex and controversial technology. Implications for risk communication approaches regarding biotechnology are described
A Prospective Study for Upper-Extremity Cumulative Trauma Disorders of Workers in Aircraft Manufacturing

Occupational diseases affect 15 to 20% of all Americans. Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) account for 56% of all occupational injuries. The recognition and control of occupational injuries has become a major concern of employees, employers, medicine, and the federal government because of health risk and related costs. Upper-extremity CTDs are identified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health as one of the ten most significant occupational health problems in the United States. It is estimated by the year 2000 that 50 cents on the dollar will be spent on CTDs. Although enlightened aircraft employers have developed primary prevention strategies, primary prevention can never be expected to eliminate 100% of the cases. To evaluate several preventive activities, a CTD risk-assessment program was developed and implemented in cooperation with a major aircraft manufacturer employing over 8000 workers. This program was focused on objectively identifying the relationship of work and other activities to an individual worker experiencing CTDs. Early identification has been linked, when applicable, to intervention algorithms for medical care, job task modification, workplace accommodation, and training. A prospective study group of 212 workers who used rivet guns was placed into a four-way experimental design for ergonomic posture training, exercise training, and rivet-gun type (primary factors). A statistical model was developed for the level of CTD risk and evaluated using the SAS software program (SAS Institute, Inc, Carry, NC). Statistical analysis of the primary factors without regard to associated variables (covariates) demonstrated that only posture training had a beneficial risk reduction for the individual. The impact (beneficial or detrimental) for exercise training and for vibration-dampening rivet guns was probably obscured because of the large variability of the responses regarding the associated variables (covariates). When the covariates were analyzed in conjunction with the four experimental groups, a positive benefit from ergonomic posture training and exercise training was demonstrated for the following groups: the dominant han, time spend in an awkward position, number of standard rivets bucked, number of parts routed, number of parts ground, number of vibration-dampening rivets bucked, and newly hired individuals. A negative effect (increase in individual risk level) for current employees using a vibration-dampening rivet gun was demonstrated. This prospective study helps to identify the possible benefit of education and training for controlling CTDs and demonstrates the usefulness of being able to evaluate materials, methods, machines, and environments as they relate to the individual's risk level for the development of upper-extremity CTDs.
Morphological and electrophysiological properties of cat lumbar paravertebral neurones.

Abstract The morphological and electrophysiological properties of neurones in the 3rd, 4th and 5th cat lumbar paravertebral ganglia were studied in vitro utilising intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and intracellular electrophysiological recording techniques. Projections of neurones (T13-L5) were determined by in vivo HRP techniques. Two distinct soma morphologies were noted in all ganglia. Those whose long and short axes were approximately equal in length were designated as being ‘spherical’ and had a mean cross sectional area of 730 μm2. The remainder, whose long axis was at least 1.5 times the length of their short axis were called ‘fusiform’ and had a mean soma area of 540 μm2. The two cell types occurred in an approximate 2:1 ratio, respectively. The mean numbers of primary, secondary and tertiary dendrites for the population studied were 6.5, 6.3 and 3.4, respectively. Spherical cells had significantly more of each than fusiform cells as well as having a greater number of branch points and overall length of dendritic arbor. Neither cell type could be distinguished from the other based on the estimated number of fast excitatory postsynaptic potentials, the duration of the afterspike hyperpolarization or the duration of action potential discharge in response to 8–10-s depolarizing current pulses. The estimated number of synaptic potentials associated with both types of neurones (mean 10.6 ± 1.6) correlated inversely only with the soma diameters (see Materials and Methods). It is concluded that while cat lumbar paravertebral neuronal soma may be classified into two morphologically distinct types, this is not reflected in their electrophysiological profiles. In addition, these data suggest that cat lumbar paravertebral neurones have a dendritic appearance and a degree of convergence of synaptic input previously shown to occur in this system.
Combined treatment with EGFR inhibitors and arsenite upregulated apoptosis in human EGFR-positive melanomas: a role of suppression of the PI3K-AKT pathway

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is expressed, albeit at low or intermediate levels, in human melanomas at the different stages of tumor progression. Coexpression of EGFR with its ligand TGFalpha indicates their role in paracrine and autocrine growth regulation of melanomas. As it was previously observed for several types of cancer, specific inhibitors of EGFR-mediated signaling may reduce antiapoptotic properties of cancer cells and sensitize them to cytotoxic drugs. We recently reported that arsenite, particularly in combination with inhibitors of the PI3K-AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways, induces high levels of apoptosis in different melanomas. Since EGFR signaling operates via activation of the PI3K-AKT and MEK-ERK pathways, we suggested that the combination of arsenite and EGFR inhibitors might also effectively induce apoptosis in melanoma. Here, we demonstrate that a moderate concentration of arsenite (5-10 muM) indeed upregulates apoptosis induced by EGFR inhibitors in EGFR-positive melanomas. In contrast, induction of apoptosis in melanomas with negligible surface expression of EGFR or with defective EGFR signaling requires direct suppression of the PI3K-AKT and MAPK pathways by specific pharmacological inhibitors in the presence of arsenite. Under these conditions, metastatic melanoma cell lines undergo TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)- and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha)-mediated apoptosis. Taken together, these data provide additional approaches in sensitizing melanomas to the cytotoxic effects of specific inhibitors of survival pathways.
Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: clinical and economic benefits.

An estimated four million individuals in the United States have Alzheimer's disease (AD). This number is expected to more than triple by mid-century. Primary care physicians have a key role in evaluating older patients for early signs of dementia and in initiating treatment that can significantly retard its progression over the maximum period of time. That role and its challenges will inevitably grow along with the expected increase in the population aged 65 and older. The tendency for physicians to dismiss memory complaints as normal aging must be replaced by awareness of the need to assess and possibly intervene. Early intervention is the optimal strategy, not only because the patient's level of function will be preserved for a longer period, but also because community-dwelling patients with AD incur less societal cost than those who require long-term institutional placement. Institutionalization contributes heavily to the annual cost of care for AD in the United States, which is estimated to be $100 billion annually.
An iconic approach to communicating musical concepts in interstellar messages

Abstract Some characteristics of terrestrial music may be meaningful to extraterrestrial civilizations by virtue of the connection between acoustics and mathematics—both of which might be known by technologically advanced extraterrestrial intelligence. For example, a fundamental characteristic of terrestrial polyphonic music is found the number of tones used various scales, insofar as the number of tones represents a compromise between competing musical demands; the number of tones in a scale, however, also reflects some of the perceptual characteristics of the species developing that music. Thus, in the process of communicating something about the structure of terrestrial music through interstellar messages, additional information about human perceptual and cognitive processes can also be conveyed. This paper also discusses methods for sending signals that bear information through the form of the very frequencies in which the signals are transmitted. If the challenges of creating intelligible messages are greater than often thought, the advantage of reduced conventionality of encoding the message by using an iconic format of this sort may be of significant value. Such an approach would allow the incremental introduction of musical concepts, somewhat akin to the step-by-step tutorials in mathematics and logic that form the basis of Freudenthal's Lincos.
A Non-Continuum Model of Aligned, Long Fiber Composite Textile Preform Tensile Response

Stretch-broken fiber preforms provide composites with post-formable characteristics that may reduce the costs of manufacturing complex shapes. Research into fiber preform production methods provides a fiber length and dispersion predictor that is then used to predict forming inputs required to excite tensile elongation of the preform under the influence of various boundary conditions common to sheet-based forming. Fiber behavior is discussed separately from the influence of liquid-phase matrix material. A comparison is made between model results and tensile response measurements of performs for polyarylate-matrix composites.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Looking for a higgs boson of intermediate mass

Abstract It is pointed out that the ability to identify and reconstruct bottoms jets will be important for the identification of the Higgs boson at hadron colliders, if its mass is in the intermediate mass range (2MW>MH>MZ). We examine a particular tagging scheme.
Children's Cognitive Performance and Selective Attention Following Recent Community Violence

Research has shown robust relationships between community violence and psychopathology, yet relatively little is known about the ways in which community violence may affect cognitive performance and attention. The present study estimates the effects of police-reported community violence on 359 urban children’s performance on a computerized neuropsychological task using a quasi-experimental fixed-effects design. Living in close proximity to a recent violent crime predicted faster but marginally less accurate task performance for the full sample, evolutionarily adaptive patterns of “vigilant” attention (i.e., less attention toward positive stimuli, more attention toward negative stimuli) for children reporting low trait anxiety, and potentially maladaptive patterns of “avoidant” attention for highly anxious children. These results suggest that community violence can directly affect children’s cognitive performance while also having different (and potentially orthogonal) impacts on attention deployment depending on children’s levels of biobehavioral risk. Implications for mental health and sociological research are discussed.
Nonautonomous Regulation of Neuronal Migration by Insulin Signaling, DAF-16/FOXO, and PAK-1

Neuronal migration is essential for nervous system development in all organisms and is regulated in the nematode, C. elegans, by signaling pathways that are conserved in humans. Here, we demonstrate that the insulin/IGF-1-PI3K signaling pathway modulates the activity of the DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor to regulate the anterior migrations of the hermaphrodite-specific neurons (HSNs) during embryogenesis of C. elegans. When signaling is reduced, DAF-16 is activated and promotes migration; conversely, when signaling is enhanced, DAF-16 is inactivated, and migration is inhibited. We show that DAF-16 acts nonautonomously in the hypodermis to promote HSN migration. Furthermore, we identify PAK-1, a p21-activated kinase, as a downstream mediator of insulin/IGF-1-DAF-16 signaling in the nonautonomous control of HSN migration. Because a FOXO-Pak1 pathway was recently shown to regulate mammalian neuronal polarity, our findings indicate that the roles of FOXO and Pak1 in neuronal migration are most likely conserved from C. elegans to higher organisms.
Botulinum Neurotoxin a Blocks Synaptic Vesicle Exocytosis but Not Endocytosis at the Nerve Terminal

The supply of synaptic vesicles in the nerve terminal is maintained by a temporally linked balance of exo- and endocytosis. Tetanus and botulinum neurotoxins block neurotransmitter release by the enzymatic cleavage of proteins identified as critical for synaptic vesicle exocytosis. We show here that botulinum neurotoxin A is unique in that the toxin-induced block in exocytosis does not arrest vesicle membrane endocytosis. In the murine spinal cord, cell cultures exposed to botulinum neurotoxin A, neither K+-evoked neurotransmitter release nor synaptic currents can be detected, twice the ordinary number of synaptic vesicles are docked at the synaptic active zone, and its protein substrate is cleaved, which is similar to observations with tetanus and other botulinal neurotoxins. In marked contrast, K+ depolarization, in the presence of Ca2+, triggers the endocytosis of the vesicle membrane in botulinum neurotoxin A–blocked cultures as evidenced by FM1-43 staining of synaptic terminals and uptake of HRP into synaptic vesicles. These experiments are the first demonstration that botulinum neurotoxin A uncouples vesicle exo- from endocytosis, and provide evidence that Ca2+ is required for synaptic vesicle membrane retrieval.
Bioinformatic characterization of the 4-Toluene Sulfonate Uptake Permease (TSUP) family of transmembrane proteins

The ubiquitous sequence diverse 4-Toluene Sulfonate Uptake Permease (TSUP) family contains few characterized members and is believed to catalyze the transport of several sulfur-based compounds. Prokaryotic members of the TSUP family outnumber the eukaryotic members substantially, and in prokaryotes, but not eukaryotes, extensive lateral gene transfer occurred during family evolution. Despite unequal representation, homologues from the three taxonomic domains of life share well-conserved motifs. We show that the prototypical eight TMS topology arose from an intragenic duplication of a four transmembrane segment (TMS) unit. Possibly, a two TMS α-helical hairpin structure was the precursor of the 4 TMS repeat unit. Genome context analyses confirmed the proposal of a sulfur-based compound transport role for many TSUP homologues, but functional outliers appear to be prevalent as well. Preliminary results suggest that the TSUP family is a member of a large novel superfamily that includes rhodopsins, integral membrane chaperone proteins, transmembrane electron flow carriers and several transporter families. All of these proteins probably arose via the same pathway: 2→4→8 TMSs followed by loss of a TMS either at the N- or C-terminus, depending on the family, to give the more frequent 7 TMS topology.
Energy balance and plasma potential in low-density hot-filament discharges

Electron energy balance is shown to play an important role in determining the plasma potential in low-density hot-filament discharges. The confined electrons that are lost to the walls are those with energy just above the plasma potential, thus the electron energy loss rate is the product of the electron loss rate and the height of the potential barrier. The sources of the electron energy are the energy at creation plus the energy gained from equilibration with energetic, unconfined electrons. An experiment in a soup-pot plasma device demonstrates that the plasma potential has values that satisfy the energy balance equation. The ion loss rate affects the electron loss rate through the quasi-neutrality condition, thus collisions of ions play a role in determining the plasma potential by reducing the particle loss rates
Azosemide kinetics and dynamics.

Azosemide is a loop diuretic that may also affect sodium reabsorption at the proximal tubule. We gave intravenous and oral doses of the drug to normal subjects to examine its kinetic and dynamic parameters. In the fasting state a lag time of absorption of approximately 1 hr was followed by absorption t½s and elimination t½s of approximately 0.75 and 2 to 2.5 hr. Only 2% of an oral dose was excreted unchanged in the urine. After intravenous dosing the elimination t½ was approximately 2 hr; 20% of a dose was recovered unchanged. Thus azosemide has an estimated bioavailability of 10%. The relationship between urinary azosemide excretion rate (“dose”) and natriuretic response follows a sigmoid-shaped curve with a dose inducing half-maximal response of 9.3 ±2.6 μg/min, whereas it is 69.8, 12.1 and 1 μg/min for furosemide, piretanide, and bumetanide respectively. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1983) 34, 454–458; doi:10.1038/clpt.1983.197
Defining Medical Basic Science: General Internists’ Special Role in the Reformation of Medical School Education

As general internists we have a special role to play in the current efforts to reform how basic sciences are incorporated into medical education. The articles by Brass1 and Fincher and colleagues2 highlight the major points of view in the current debate over how best to restructure medical education to incorporate an ever-expanding scientific knowledge base and better prepare future physicians to practice in a rapidly changing health care delivery landscape. Brass takes the provocative view that the focus on basic sciences in medical education has become fuzzy, to the detriment of medical education and the recruitment of internists and physician scientists; he fears that the proposed changes to the structure of the pre-clinical curriculum threatens the quality of medical education, the physicians it trains, and the future of internal medicine. He warns that if not addressed, this trend away from formal teaching of basic science will make the field of internal medicine less attractive to medical graduates. Fincher and colleagues agree with the premise that basic sciences are important to the training of physicians, but that given the complexity of medical knowledge and practice, call on us to reconsider what constitutes these foundational medical sciences and ensure that we teach them as they will be practiced, in the context of clinical problem solving. We agree with both and argue that as general internists we are in the unique position to define and advocate for best basic medical science educational practices as the foundation for excellent medical practice.
Iron Salts in the Post-Metallization of Mordant Dyes

Iron (II) and iron (III) salts are used as mordanting agents in lieu of chromium ions, as a source reduction approach to eliminating chromium in dye effluents following the post-metallization of ac...
Abstract W MP105: Regionalization of Care and Increased Burden on Specialized Stroke Centers

Introduction: Many patients are transferred to specialized stroke centers for advanced ischemic stroke (AIS) care, especially after tPA. We sought to determine differences in the baseline characteristics and outcomes between AIS cases presenting directly to our academic stroke center as compared to those transferred from outside facilities (OSH). Methods: Using our institutional GWTG stroke registry, we analyzed 1,726 AIS cases (01/09 - 02/14). Univariate and multivariable models explored differences in patients presenting directly at our center as compared to transferred from OSH. Results: 46% percent of all AIS were transferred patients. Compared to those presenting directly at our center, transferred patients were older, more often Caucasian, with more vascular risk factors. They had worse median NIHSS, more often had limb weakness or aphasia and received IV tPA. In-hospital mortality was nearly double in transferred patients. Transfer-in patients had a longer hospital length of stay and were more often discharged to inpatient rehab. Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were increasing age, A. fib, coronary artery disease and initial NIHSS. Transfer status was not independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: Transferred patients differed significantly from those presenting directly, they have more stroke risk factors and present with severe strokes. Accepting such patients increase the burden at specialized stroke centers. Despite having more severe strokes on arrival, transfer patients had similar in-hospital mortality after adjusting for stroke severity (NIHSS) lending support to the concept of regionalized stroke care.
The Effect of Pressure on the Ultimate Properties of Elastomers

Abstract Many studies have been made on the effect of pressure on the mechanical properties of elastomers, but these studies have invariably been limited to small-strain behavior because of equipment limitations. This small-strain limitation has now been removed with the construction of a novel high-pressure chamber which allows large tensile deformations to be applied to samples at pressure up to 300 MPa and temperatures from 0°C to 200°C. The effect of pressure on the ultimate tensile properties of nitrile, butyl, EPDM, Viton®, silicone, and polyisoprene elastomers has been determined. The tensile strengths and moduli all increase with pressure, but not in a monotonic fashion. In several cases, the tensile strengths increase rapidly with increase in pressure up to about 60 MPa, but then they remain almost constant with further increases in pressure. The ultimate extensions show a more complex behavior. Although the ultimate extensions typically increase with pressure, several samples, e.g., nitrile, EPD...
COLOR PATTERN POLYMORPHISM IN THE LAKE ERIE WATER SNAKE, NERODIA SIPEDON INSULARUM.

Populations of the water snake, Nerodia sipedon, on islands in western Lake Erie are polymorphic for color pattern. These populations include banded, intermediate, and unbanded morphs while surrounding mainland populations consist solely of the banded morph. The hypothesis that this polymorphism is maintained by strong selection and migration pressures is widely accepted. Unbanded morphs are apparently more cryptic along island shorelines while banded morphs are more cryptic on the mainland. Migration of banded morphs from the mainland explains their persistence in island populations. Data collected in a capture-mark-recapture program on six islands provide no evidence of differential selection among morphs; morph frequencies do not differ among age classes, between once-captured and multiply-captured snakes, or between scarred and unscarred snakes. Furthermore, herring gulls, the most common snake predators in the island area, appear to detect banded and unbanded model snakes with equal ease. High site fidelity of water snakes and the distribution of morphs among islands suggest that migration from the mainland is not common. However, islands close to each other are similar in morph frequency, and water snakes have colonized islands elsewhere in the Great Lakes, indicating that some migration does occur. Recently, the frequency of banded morphs has increased in island populations while adult population sizes have declined. This increase in banded morphs is interpreted as reflecting an increased impact of migration from the mainland into these reduced populations. One scenario for the evolution and maintenance of this polymorphism is that selection was important in establishing unbanded morphs in island populations as they became isolated from the mainland. As populations declined to their present size, the impact of migration from the mainland increased and is now swamping the effect of selection. Further declines in island population size may result in fixation of the banded morph.