cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blind source separation-based tracking of ARFIinduced displacements for improved automatic delineation of carotid plaque components in humans, in vivo

Atherosclerotic plaque rupture potential is conferred by plaque composition and structure. We have previously shown in humans in vivo that carotid plaque components can be automatically delineated by a support vector machine (SVM) classifier considering normalized crosscorrelation (NCC)-derived measures of ARFI-induced displacement. We now extend our prior work by hypothesizing that classification is improved by using displacements derived using blind source separation (BSS). In 20 carotid plaques imaged in vivo in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) were imaged prior to extraction, and specimens were harvested after CEA for histological processing. ARFI displacement profiles were calculated from each of the first five principal components of the RF data and used as inputs to the SVM classifier. The classifier was evaluated by 5-fold cross-validation, with the histological samples acting as gold standards. From the output SVM likelihood matrices, ROC curves were calculated for separating collagen from calcium and lipid-rich necrotic core from intraplaque hemorrhage. For all examined plaques, inputting displacement profiles derived from the first four eigenvectors to the SVM classifier increased sensitivity and specificity over using NCCderived displacement profiles. These results suggest that using BSS-derived displacement profiles as inputs to the SVM classifier improves discrimination of carotid plaque components that are correlated to vulnerability for rupture.
Male Infertility is a Women's Health Issue-Research and Clinical Evaluation of Male Infertility Is Needed.

Infertility is a devastating experience for both partners as they try to conceive. Historically, when a couple could not conceive, the woman has carried the stigma of infertility; however, men and women are just as likely to contribute to the couple’s infertility. With the development of assisted reproductive technology (ART), the treatment burden for male and unexplained infertility has fallen mainly on women. Equalizing this burden requires reviving research on male infertility to both improve treatment options and enable natural conception. Despite many scientific efforts, infertility in men due to sperm dysfunction is mainly diagnosed by a semen analysis. The semen analysis is limited as it only examines general sperm properties such as concentration, motility, and morphology. A diagnosis of male infertility rarely includes an assessment of internal sperm components such as DNA, which is well documented to have an impact on infertility, or other components such as RNA and centrioles, which are beginning to be adopted. Assessment of these components is not typically included in current diagnostic testing because available treatments are limited. Recent research has expanded our understanding of sperm biology and suggests that these components may also contribute to the failure to achieve pregnancy. Understanding the sperm’s internal components, and how they contribute to male infertility, would provide avenues for new therapies that are based on treating men directly for male infertility, which may enable less invasive treatments and even natural conception.
An experimental link between fast noseleaf deformations and biosonar pulse dynamics in hipposiderid bats.

Old-World leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae) are echolocating bats with peculiar emission-side dynamics where beamforming baffles (“noseleaves”) that surround the points of ultrasound emission (nostrils) change shape while diffracting the outgoing biosonar pulses. While prior work with numerical and robotic models has suggested that these noseleaf deformations could have an impact on the output characteristics of the bat's biosonar system, testing the hypothesis that this is the case in bats remains a critical step to be taken. The work presented here has tested the hypothesis that the noseleaf dynamics in a species of hipposiderid bat (Pratt's roundleaf bat, H. pratti) leads to time-variant acoustical properties on the output side of the bats' biosonar emission system. The time-variant effects of the noseleaf motion could be detected even in the presence of other sources of variability by comparing the distribution of pulse energy over the angle at different points in time. Furthermore, a convolutional neural network was able to classify the noseleaf motion state based on microphone array recordings with 85.3% accuracy. These results hence demonstrate that these nose-emitting bats have access to a substrate for behavioral flexibility on the emission-side of their biosonar systems.
Leading in a Diverse Context: A Principal’s Efforts to Create an Inclusive Elementary School for Refugee Students

Schools in the United States are experiencing significant shifts in student demographics. There is a notable increase in students from diverse socioeconomic, ethnic/racial, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds as well as ability levels. The change in the student population constitutes an increase in refugee students due to ongoing conflicts, persecution, and natural disasters around the globe. The purpose of this chapter is to examine how an elementary school principal rallied a diverse school to create an inclusive environment for refugee students. Utilizing conceptualization of inclusive leadership (Ryan, Inclusive leadership, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, 2006), I analyze interview data and report the findings based on three principal practices: advocacy, focusing on teaching and learning, and collaborative partnerships. The principal’s efforts yield an inclusive school environment for refugee students.
A Comparison of the Localization of Integral Membrane Proteins in Human and Rabbit Vocal Folds.

OBJECTIVES This study's objective was to identify and compare the localization of Aquaporin (AQP) 1, 4, 7, Na+/K + -ATPase, E-cadherin, zona occludin (ZO)-1, and occludin in human and rabbit vocal folds (VF)s to inform the design of future studies to explore the function of these proteins in the regulation of VF homeostasis. METHODS Four human larynges and five New Zealand white rabbit larynges were used. Samples were immunolabeled for primary antibodies against AQP1, AQP4, AQP7, the alpha subunit of Na+/K + -ATPase, E-cadherin, and ZO-1 and occludin and then captured digitally using a Nikon Eclipse 90i microscope and Hamamatsu C10600 Camera. Two raters familiar with human and rabbit VF histology identified positive labeling in tissue structures, including the apical epithelium, basal epithelium/basement membrane, and lamina propria (LP). RESULTS Samples from both species showed positive labeling for AQP1 in the basal epithelium/basement membrane, superficial LP, and deep/intermediate LP. Aquaporin 4, Aquaporin 7, Na+/K + -ATPase, and E-cadherin were primarily localized to the epithelium of both species. Zona occludin-1 was primarily localized apical epithelium and the superficial LP of both species. Occludin was primarily present in the apical epithelium in rabbit samples but not human. CONCLUSION These data provide evidence of the presence of key ion transport channels and cell adhesion proteins in human and rabbit VFs. Aquaporin 1, 4, 7, Na+/K + -ATPase, E-cadherin, and ZO-1 were similarly localized in both species. These findings will be useful to investigators interested in the exploration of VF homeostasis and barrier integrity in future studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE N/A Laryngoscope, 131:E1265-E1271, 2021.
Discarding Livers From Deceased Donors: Is It Ever OK?

Organ scarcity in liver transplantation (LT) underlies candidate attrition on the waiting list. In the most recent OPTN report, of waitlisted adults followed over 3 years, only 58.7% were transplanted, while 11.8% died and 19.4% were removed from the list for other reasons.1 Improvements in donation, recovery, and allocation have contributed to an increase in LT activity from 6494 to 8896 over a decade with living donors accounting for under 5% of the volume over this time (https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/).
EFFFECT OF CURRENT PULSE ON SUPERPLASTICITY AND FRACTURE BEHAVIOUR OF 2091 Al-Li ALLOY

Effects of current pulse on mechanical behaviors and fracture mechanism of 2091 Al-Li superplastically deformed at high strain rate have been investigated. Applying a direct current pulse makes the 2091 Al-Li alloy still with high stress-strain rate sensiitivity exponent and superplastic properties under superplastically deformed at high strain rate of 10~(-2)s~(-1). SEM observation showed that the fracture for 2091 Al-Li alloy, superplastically de- formed at high strain rate by applying current pulse, transforms from intergranular tear to typical superplastic failure, i. e., fracture by formation and coalescene of cavities at particles and boundaries.
Artificial intelligence in colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), specifically computer aided detection and computer-aided diagnosis offer promising methods of increasing adenoma detection rates with the goal of removing more pre-cancerous polyps. Conversely, these methods also may allow for smaller non-cancerous lesions to be diagnosed in vivo and left in place, decreasing the risks that come with unnecessary polypectomies. This review will provide an overview of current advances in the use of AI in colonoscopy to aid in polyp detection and characterization as well as areas of developing research.
Clinical Law Faculty: Who Are You? Who, Who, Who, Who?

Though law school faculty that teach in law clinics and externships have largely moved out of the proverbial basement, they remain a distinct sub-group within most law faculties. Often labeled as something other than law professors (“clinicians”) because of their teaching methods and goals, faculty that teach law clinic and externship courses also differ as a group by gender, race, employment status, and salary from “podium” faculty teaching doctrinal courses and even from legal research and writing faculty. This short article presents data from the latest survey by the Center for the Study of Applied Legal Education (CSALE) of over 1000 law clinic and externship faculty and other sources. It reports that 62% of law clinic and externship faculty identified as female, with externship courses more heavily taught by female faculty than clinics. Clinic and externship faculty also are predominantly white, but less so than a decade ago as 21% now identify their race/origin as something other than white, an increase of over 50% since 2007-08. Only 23% of clinical faculty have tenure or are on tenure track, a decline from 31% in 2010-11 and 46% in 1998. Finally, the salaries of tenured and tenure-track faculty are considerably greater than of clinical and legal research and writing faculty.
Presacral Fusion for Adult Spondylolisthesis

Low-grade spondylolisthesis has been traditionally treated with decompressive laminectomy and posterolateral, interbody fusion, or a combination of both. The combination of an axial presacral approach combined with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation for lumbosacral discectomy and fusion offers a minimally invasive alternative procedure for the surgical management of low-grade lumbosacral spondylolisthesis. This chapter elucidates the anatomy of the presacral space, the biomechanics of presacral axial fusion, and the technique of the axial presacral approach in treating low-grade spondylolisthesis. In addition, we have also highlighted the possible pitfalls and steps to avoid complications at each step of the procedure.
CAI at the Michigan State University Medical Schools

This chapter will discuss some fundamental aspects of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) from the perspective of the Office of Medical Education Research and Development (OMERAD) at Michigan State University, as well as research being conducted by OMERAD related to computer applications in medical education. OMERAD is in the unique position of serving two recently established medical schools, the College of Human Medicine (CHM) and the College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM), as well as a College of Veterinary Medicine and a School of Nursing. Both CHM and COM offer a curriculum which is oriented toward flexible, individualized instruction. CHM uses a combination of discipline-based courses and interdisciplinary teams to teach the basic sciences through analysis and discussion of a series of common medical problems, while COM uses an interdisciplinary approach based on systems biology. Both schools emphasize the training of primary care or family physicians. Clinical training is provided in community hospitals throughout the state, rather than in a university medical center. In such a diverse environment, OMERAD is in a position to explore many aspects of medical education, among them the potential for the use of computers in training medical personnel.
The Two Faces of U.S. Trade Policy: Advocating Free Trade While Practicing Protectionism with Emphasis on Applying Antidumping Laws Against Republics of the Former Soviet Union (CIS)

President George W. Bush ran on a platform of free trade during the 2000 election. Yet shortly after he took office he started engaging in protectionist trade practices. The 30 percent tariffs imposed on steel and Canadian lumber were only two of the most noticeable examples of practicing protectionism while preaching free trade. George W. Bush is not the only president to have engaged in this kind of behavior. President Clinton and his predecessors have also preached this "do as I say, not as I do" philosophy. This paper examines the U.S. government policy of promoting free trade on the one hand while sabotaging it on the other. The focus is on how the antidumping laws are used to prevent trade with the 15 former Soviet republics.
Some thoughts on least squared error optimal windows

Windowing methods give simple designs of FIR filters. Window designs are generally not considered optimal in any meaningful sense. A typical desired FIR lowpass filter is specified by giving the passband, stopband and transitionband responses of the filter. A particular class of transition responses viz., spline transition functions, give rise to windows that are optimal in a least squared sense. Do all transition functions have associated windows that are least squared optimal? More importantly, given a window does there exist a (meaningful) transition function with respect to which the window is least squared optimal? In trying to answer the second question this note also characterizes all possible lowpass extensions of a given sequence and exhibits the unique minimum norm extension. This is used to show that a given finitely supported window w/sub b/(n), and a desired response with prescribed transition band edges (but no transition function) there exist infinitely many transition functions with respect to which the windowed FIR filter (obtained by windowing an ideal frequency response) is least squared optimal. The unique minimum norm lowpass extension of w/sub b/(n) is used to exhibit a particular transition function with an extremal property. Since it is desirable to have a monotone transition function we ask the question: can a given window be least squared optimal with respect to a monotone desired transition response? This question leads to a few open problems on non-negative definite lowpass extensions of sequences. >
In vitro characterization of a monoclonal IgGκ from a patient with planar xanthomatosis

Objective: To characterize a monoclonal IgGκ (MAb) from a patient with planar xanthoma that precipitated with serum lipids at reduced temperature. Methods: The molecular weight (Mr), sensitivity to proteases, and glycosylation of the purified MAb were analyzed. The specificity of the MAb was tested by measuring cryoprecipitation with pure high- (HDL) and low-density (LDL) lipoproteins. The effect of choline, phosphocholine, and glycerol 3-phosphate on the precipitation temperature of LDL by the MAb was studied. Results: The MAb was larger than normal IgG due to hyperglycosylation of the MAb light chain. It formed cryoprecipitates with pure HDL and LDL as well as the lipids extracted from these lipoproteins. Fab fragments of the MAb lowered the temperature of its precipitation with LDL. Choline, phosphocholine, and glycerol 3-phosphate also lower the precipitation temperature. Conclusion: This is the first human IgG reported with apparent specificity for phosphocholine antigens. Its precipitation with lipids at reduced temperature suggests that it recognizes conformations of phospholipid head groups that develop below core body temperature.
Getting Married in Korea: Of Gender, Morality, and Modernity

Getting Married in Korea: Of Gender, Morality, and Modernity. Laurel Kendall. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. 259 pp.
A mathematical model for prediction of plasmid copy number and genetic stability in Escherichia coli.

The design of bioreactors for genetically modified bacterial cultures would benefit from predictive models. Of particular importance is the interaction of the external environment, cell physiology, and control of plasmid copy number. We have recently developed a model based on the molecular mechanisms for control of replication of Co1E1 type plasmids. The inclusion of the plasmid model into a single-cell E. coli model allows the explicit prediction of the interaction of cell physiology and plasmid-encoded functions. The model predictions of the copy number of plasmids with the Co1E1 origin of replication carrying a variety of regulatory mutations is very close to that observed experimentally.All of the model parameters for plasmid replication control can be obtained independently and no adjustable parameters are needed for the plasmid model. In this article we discuss the model's use in predicting the effect of operating conditions on production of a protein from a plasmid encoded gene and the stability of the recombinant cells in a continuous culture.
Intensity–Half-Width Products for Seven Lines in the 6.3-μm Water-Vapor Band*,†

Intensity–half-width products have been measured at intermediate resolution using pure-water-vapor samples at pressures from 0.5 to 3.5 torr and a path length of 9355 cm. Intensities, derived from the results using theoretical values of the half-width, have been compared with those reported by other investigators.
Object-oriented simulation: plant growth and discrete organ to organ interactions

Abstract This paper reviews and applies new hierarchical approaches to ecological modelling. These new approaches are made possible by the development of the object-oriented paradigm. This paradigm draws upon the notion of ‘universal’ or classes dating back to early Greek philosophy. It is an intriguing approach to simulation because it is based upon the concepts of hierarchy and taxonomy, two of the basic organizing principles in ecology. Adopting an object-oriented approach to simulation can result in a reduction of mathematical and statistical abstraction. The object-oriented approach lends itself directly to incorporation of mechanisms within appropriate hierarchies. A case study is presented outlining the design steps for simulating plant growth objects (roots, stem, leaves, fruit, whole plant, etc.). The design steps are shown in graphical form to illustrate the differences between object-oriented and traditional procedural approaches. Cotton growth and development has been selected for the case study because of the large knowledge base available for the explicit representation of age and size for each organ. Inclusion of mechanisms at the level of the individual organ provides additional information for crop management. Computing fruit growth at discrete branch locations results in the ability to manage for optimum fiber yield and reduced pest vulnerabilities for individual bolls. Variability in light interception, leaf age, and resulting carbohydrate supply for leaves at specific positions leads naturally to variability in individual boll fiber yield. The goal of the model to capture the behavior of individual organs as a function of their interaction with other organs was achieved. The object-oriented paradigm facilitates the formulation of a simulation procedure in which an individual organ interacted with other organs and the crop microclimate. This led us one step closer to answering the question, ‘How do individual characteristics and behaviors result in given population patterns?’.
Toward an Ecological Explanation of Agricultural Unemployment in Bangladesh

Cultural ecology theoretical framework was found suitable to explain unemployment in agriculture in three villages in Bangladesh. Path analysis and multiple regression statistics were used to examine the direct, indirect, and total effects of eight independent human, social, environmental, and technology variables as well as their aggregate contribution on agricultural unemployment. The multiple regression model explains 86.2% of the total variation in unemployment in agriculture; they were followed by environmental constraints and labor saving technology variables.
Generalized bernoulli numbers and the theory of cyclotomic fields

Let p be a fixed odd prime. Let q = pro, for some fixed integer m>~ 1. Let ~ be a primitive qth root of unity. Let G be the Galois group of the cyelotomic field of the qth roots of unity over the rational field, Q. Let ~ (R) be the group ring of G over the rational integers (the rational p-adic integers, Z~). The main idea of the first par t of this paper is a generalization of Iwasawa 's work [3] on the group index of certain additive sub-groups of ~ (R). The main result of this p a r t is contained in the Corollary to Proposition 3, namely: I f ~(a) E G be such tha t a(a) (~)= ~a, and if B n ( x ) = n t h Bernoulli polynomial, then let eon= ~ a q n l B n ( a / q ) a(a) -1 (O~<a<q, ( a , p ) = l ) .
SOME SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHLOROPLAST ENVELOPE

Pronase, cationic ferritin, and ferritin-conjugated plant lectins were used to study the chloroplast envelope. Negative charges (binding cationic ferritin) are fairly uniformly distributed over the envelope surfaces in contact with the hyaloplasm and are not appreciably altered by mild pronase treatment of isolated plastids. All surfaces of stroma-free thylakoids previously exposed to the stroma uniformly bind cationic ferritin. Ricin1rferritin binding to the membranes of the chloroplast envelope indicates that galactolipids are distributed in the outer membrane in such a way that their galactose moieties are exposed on the envelope surface. In addition, the outer surface of the inner membrane (the intermembrane face) contains uniformly distributed galactose which binds ricin11 when this membrane is exposed to the reaction medium. Isolated vesicles of the chloroplast envelope bind ricin11, while isolated envelope vesicles as well as the envelopes of intact chloroplasts failed to bind concanavalin A. Thylakoid surfaces showed minor binding of ricin11 as well as concanavalin A. A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW of the biochemistry and structure of the chloroplast envelope (Douce and Joyard, 1979) indicates that in spite of our increased knowledge of its chemical composition, a reasonably clear picture of its molecular architecture is still lacking. The envelope has been isolated and its chemical composition determined, but no reports of successful separation of the two membranes have appeared. Consequently, although the inner membrane appears to be the location of the 29,000 dalton polypeptide, the phosphate translocator (Fliigge and Heldt, 1976), and is the major permeability barrier to the passage of metabolites across the envelope, little definite information is available on similarities or differences in the molecular composition and architecture between the two membranes of the envelope. Freeze-fracturing of membranes, which results in the separation of membrane halves split along the nonpolar regions of the lipid bilayers and the exposure of particles presumed to be proteins (Branton, 1969), has been used by Sprey and Laetsch (1976) to show that the fracture faces of the outer membrane of the spinach chloroplast envelope have lower particle densities when compared to the inner membrane fracture faces. The surface of the chloroplast envelope is highly negatively charged as demonstrated by its strong binding to cationic ferricytochrome C (Neuburger, Joyard, Douce, 1977) and to 1 Received for publication 7 July 1980, revision accepted
Fluorescence of unmodified oligonucleotides: A tool to probe G-quadruplex DNA structure.

Fluorescence of unmodified oligonucleotides has not been exploited for guanine-quadruplex (G-quadruplex) characterization. We observe that G-rich sequences fluoresce more strongly than duplex or single-stranded DNA but much more weakly than fluorophores like fluorescein. This increase in the intrinsic fluorescence is not due to an increase in absorption at the excitation wavelength but rather to a change in the quantum yield. We show that unlabeled oligonucleotides that form G-quadruplexes can be differentiated on the basis of their emission spectra from similar sequences that do not contain consecutive guanines. Intermolecular quadruplexes formed by the oligonucleotides 5′-T4GnT4-3′ (n = 4–10) display a nonlinear, but continuous, increase in emission intensity as the G content increases. The sequence 5′-GGGT-3′, which has been proposed to form a monomeric quadruplex and an interlocked quadruplex (Krishnan-Ghosh et al. J Am Chem Soc 2004, 126, 11009), was compared with the similar sequence 5′-TGGG-3′, the structure of which has not been characterized. Both the maximum emission intensity and the spectral shape differ for these oligonucleotides as a function of sample preparation, indicating that different types of quadruplexes form for both sequences. Our work is the first to demonstrate that the suprastructure of G-rich sequences can be probed using fluorescence signatures of unmodified oligonucleotides. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 91: 841–850, 2009. This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The ”Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Clinical correlates of brainstem dysfunction in autistic children

Children with the diagnosis of autism were tested for brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), and information was gathered on their medical and developmental histories and current developmental levels of symptomatology. On comparing the nine autistic children having abnormal BAEPs and the seven autistic children with normal BAEPs, the former were found to have exhibited greater pathology in the areas of attention and social accessibility. No differences were found between the groups on measures of language, motor, or perceptual functioning, or on previous diagnoses or medical history. It is suggested that social and attentional pathology may be more specifically associated with the brainstem pathology that may characterize autism than are symptoms in other developmental areas.
CLOSED STRING FIELD THEORY

Abstract A gauge invariant cubic action describing bosonic closed string field theory is constructed. The gauge symmetries include local spacetime diffeomorphisms. The conventional closed string spectrum and trilinear couplings are reproduced after spontaneous symmetry breaking. The action L is constructed from the usual “open string” field of ghost number minus one half. It is given by the associator of the string field product which is non-vanishing because of associativity anomalies. L does not describe open string propagation because open string states association and can thereby be shifted away. A field theory of closed and open strings can be obtained by adding to L the cubic open string action.
Bowel Function of Healthy Men Consuming Liquid Diets with and without Dietary Fiber

The importance of the level of dietary fiber intake on bowel function was measured in 16 healthy young males consuming self-selected and liquid enteral diets. Subjects consumed liquid Ensure as their sole nutrient source plus 0 (diet a), 30 (diet c), and 60 (diet d) g/day soy fiber, a fiber source high in hemicellulose that was added to the Ensure. Further, to examine whether heat processing affects the physiologic action of fiber, subjects consumed Enrich, an enteral formula similar to Ensure, which contains 30 g of the same soy fiber (diet b). The four diets were consumed in randomized order each for 10 days. Daily wet stool weight averaged 144.6 g on the self-selected diet and decreased significantly to 67.3 g when Ensure was consumed alone. Average stool weights on diets (b), (c), and (d) were 114.6, 100.2, and 150.3 g/day, respectively. Average fecal dry weights for the four diets were 19.1, 28.7, 25.0, and 30.3 g/day for (a-d), respectively. Gastrointestinal transit time, as measured with radiopaque...
The Ski oncoprotein is upregulated and localized at the centrosomes and mitotic spindle during mitosis

Ski is an oncoprotein that represses transforming growth factor-β and nuclear receptor signaling. Despite evidence that relates increased Ski protein levels directly with tumor progression in human cells, the signaling pathways that regulate Ski expression are mostly unidentified. Here we show that the Ski protein levels vary throughout the cell cycle, being lowest at G0/G1. This reduction in Ski protein levels results from proteosomal degradation as suggested by in vivo ubiquitination of Ski and the effects of proteosomal inhibitors. In contrast, an upregulation of the Ski protein was observed in cells going through mitosis. At this stage, we also found that Ski is phosphorylated. In vitro and in vivo data suggest that the phosphorylation of Ski in mitosis is carried out by the main kinase controlling the progression of mitosis, namely cdc2/cyclinB. Interestingly, immunofluorescence experiments, supported by biochemical data, show not only an increase in the Ski protein levels, but also a dramatic redistribution of Ski to the centrosomes and mitotic spindle throughout mitosis. Studies to date on Ski have focused on its role as a transcriptional regulator. However, Ski's increased level and specific relocalization during mitosis suggest that Ski might play a distinct role during this particular phase of the cell cycle.
Measures of arterial stiffness and wave reflection are associated with walking distance in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Abstract We hypothesized that measures of arterial stiffness and wave reflection influence functional capacity of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Consecutive patients ( n =106, 69±10 years, 66% men) referred for lower extremity arterial evaluation were studied. Radial artery pulse waveforms were obtained by applanation tonometry and an ascending aortic pressure waveform derived by a transfer function. Aortic augmentation index (AIx) is the difference between the first and second systolic peak of the ascending aortic pressure waveform indexed to the pulse pressure (PP) and T r is the reflected wave arrival time. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) and walking distance were measured as per laboratory protocol after excluding patients with non-compressible vessels (ABI>1.5) and severe PAD (ABI n =56), we used survival analysis to identify variables associated with walking distance. Mean (±S.D.) values were: AIx, 31.2±10.9%; T r , 134±18ms; PP, 66.5±17.1mmHg; ABI, 0.87±0.22; walking distance, 177±75m. In both multivariable accelerated failure time (AFT) and Cox proportional-hazards models, older age, female sex, greater body mass index, lower ABI, and a measure of arterial stiffness (higher AIx and PP, lower T r ) were associated with a lower walking distance. Higher AIx and lower T r were associated with a lower walking distance even after adjustment for PP as well as in the subset of patients with PAD (ABI n =82). In conclusion, measures of arterial stiffness and wave reflection are associated with walking distance in patients with PAD and may be a target of therapy in such patients.
Effect of volcanic activity on fluvial-deltaic sedimentation in a modern arc-trench gap, southwestern Guatemala

The Pacific coastal plain in Central America forms the subaerial part of an arc-trench gap that is terminated as much as 60 km inland from the Pacific shoreline by the steep slopes of a row of active Quaternary volcanoes. The Samala fluvial-deltaic system, which heads inland from the volcanic arc, displays a combination of all of the Holocene features (frequently shifting braided channel, flanking elongate dendritically branched lakes, and a high-destructive wave-dominated arcuate delta) that characterize the coastal plain in southwestern Guatemala. Historical records indicate that the catastrophic eruption of Santa Maria Volcano in 1902 dramatically increased the amount of sediment supplied to the Samala River. Within a few years, deposition of sand and gravel raised the river bed 10 to 15 m, blocking the drainage of the river's tributaries to produce flanking lakes and allowing the river to easily shift its channel. Frequently, the braided system was diverted laterally into a flanking lake, interrupting deposition of organic-rich muds and locally filling the lake with prograding deltaic deposits. Continued channel shifting and aggradation of sand and gravel on the lower 25 km of the coastal plain have contributed to the growth of an elongate alluvial fan that probably originated during the Pleistocene. Contemporaneous with aggradation of the fluvial system, an elongate deltaic platform prograded about 7 km seaward, between 1902 and 1922, in response to the deposition of approximately 4 km3 of deltaic sediments. However, with waning sediment supply, the delta entered a destructive phase, and sands were redistributed laterally to prograding shoreface and beach environments, developing the present arcuate shoreline. The position of the arcuate shoreline has remained essentially unchanged since sometime before 1947; the volume of sediment derived from the active Santiaguito–Santa Maria volcanic complex and contributed to the shore zone by the Samala River has been sufficient, since that time, to prevent further shoreline retreat. A new constructive phase of deltation would begin in the event of another great eruption. Fluvial-deltaic sedimentation in arc-trench geologic settings, under conditions of torrential rainfall, differs significantly from fluvial-deltaic sedimentation in other geologic settings. This difference may be attributed to periodic catastrophic volcanic eruptions, which locally produce high-relief unvegetated slopes and allow extremely high local rates of erosion and subsequent fluvial-deltaic sedimentation.
Optical properties of molecules chemisorbed on the Ni (111) surface

The adsorption of a series of molecules on Ni (111) is studied by UV visible spectroscopic ellipsometry. The spectra were analyzed within a simple dielectric model. Chemisorption of molecules on the Ni (111) surface produces a peak in the overlayer optical response at 4.2 eV. This absorption peak is attributed to the selective enhancement of bulk interband excitations resulting from perturbations of the metal orbitals upon chemisorption.
Fast atom bombardment and tandem mass spectrometry for structure determination of cysteine, N-acetylcysteine, and glutathione adducts of xenobiotics.

Abstract Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry ( FAB MS ) and FAB combined with tandem mass spectrometry ( MS MS ) were examined for their applicability to the structure determination of xenobiotics conjugated with the members of the glutathione family (glutathione, cysteine, and N -acetylcysteine). Comparisons between FAB MS and thermospray MS data are made. FAB MS is generally successful at generating molecular ion species under both positive and negative ion conditions. Upon collisional activation the adducts undergo characteristic cleavages around the sulfur providing structural information about the conjugate. The analysis of the N -acetylcysteine conjugate isolated from rat urine is presented as an example of the application of FAB/MS/MS to biological problems.
Integrins traffic rapidly via circular dorsal ruffles and macropinocytosis during stimulated cell migration

During cell migration, integrins are redistributed from focal adhesions undergoing disassembly at the cell’s trailing edges to new focal adhesions assembling at leading edges. The initial step of integrin redistribution is thought to require clathrin-mediated endocytosis. However, whether clathrin-mediated endocytosis functions in different contexts, such as basal versus stimulated migration, has not been determined. In this paper, we examine the spatial and temporal redistribution of integrins from focal adhesions upon stimulation by growth factors. Four-dimensional confocal live-cell imaging along with functional analysis reveals that surface integrins do not undergo significant endocytosis at ventral focal adhesions upon cell stimulation with the platelet-derived growth factor. Rather, they abruptly redistribute to dorsal circular ruffles, where they are internalized through macropinocytosis. The internalized integrins then transit through recycling endosomal compartments to repopulate newly formed focal adhesions on the ventral surface. These findings explain why integrins have long been observed to redistribute through both surface-based and internal routes and identify a new function for macropinocytosis during growth factor–induced cell migration.
Methodology to forecast the emissions from construction equipment for a transportation construction project

The objective of initiating sustainability principles is to build structures with reduced environmental effects. The success of achieving this objective usually is measured during the operations and maintenance phases of the project. However, the effect of the construction phase itself, particularly that of construction equipment, is sometimes overlooked. This paper presents a methodology to forecast emissions during construction, thereby providing a chance to quantify construction emissions and develop strategies to mitigate them. The methodology is demonstrated for a road construction project that includes utility work. The methodology forecasts the quantity of pollutants emitted by construction vehicles and equipment and the fuel used based on project characteristics, such as cost and total area of pavement. Data were obtained from the contractor, RS Means, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The pollutants addressed include CO₂, NOₓ, hydrocarbons, CO, particulate matter, and SO₂. The results of this research show that demolition activities are the largest contributors to emissions. They also show that front-end loaders and backhoe loaders produce significantly greater emissions than some other equipment types. Construction and design professionals can use the results from this research to forecast emissions and fuel use during the planning and design phases of projects.
Comparison of Uptake Characteristics of Thymidine and Zidovudine in a Human intestinal Epithelial Model System

The uptake of a natural nucleoside, thymidine (THY), and one of its deoxynucleoside analogues, zidovudine (AZT), was studied in a newly developed intestinal epithelial model system (CaCO-2). The results of the study indicated that the uptake rate of THY was saturable with a Km of 44.6 μM and maximum rate of 1.73 ± 0.17 pmol/cnrVs. The uptake of AZT, on the other hand, was not saturable. When various naturally occurring nucleosides were used as inhibitors of THY uptake, it was shown that the uptake was inhibited by various pyrimidine nucleosides (e.g., uridine and cytidine), but not by purine nucleosides (e.g., guanosine). Neither group of nucleosides had any effect on the uptake of AZT. Finally, the uptake of THY was also inhibited by the metabolic inhibitor NaCN and a couple of specific nucleoside transporter inhibitors [i.e., dipyridamole and S-(p-nitrobenzyl-6-thioinosine], whereas none of these compounds had a significant effect on the uptake of AZT. The results showed, for the first time, the existence of a nucleoside carrier in the CaCO-2 cell culture model system. Also the results indicated that the uptake of AZT by the CaCO-2 cell monolayers is mainly via a passive diffusion process.
“Getting Ready for School:” A Preliminary Evaluation of a Parent-Focused School-Readiness Program

Children from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to start school with fewer school readiness skills than their more advantaged peers. Emergent literacy and math skills play an important role in this gap. The family is essential in helping children build these skills, and the active involvement of families is crucial to the success of any intervention for young children. The Getting Ready for School (GRS) program is a parent-focused curriculum designed to help parents equip their children with the skills and enthusiasm necessary for learning when they start school. Parents meet in weekly workshops led by a trained facilitator and implement the curriculum at home with their children. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the promise of the GRS intervention in children participating in an urban Head Start program and to explore parents' responses to the intervention. We hypothesized that participation in GRS would improve school readiness in literacy and math skills, relative to participation in business-as-usual Head Start. Four Head Start classrooms (two randomly selected “intervention” and two “comparison” classrooms) participated in this study. Preliminary analyses suggest that GRS improves school readiness over and above a Head Start-as-usual experience. Implications for early childhood programs and policies are discussed.
Bovine milk IgG, but not serum IgG, inhibits pokeweed mitogen-induced antibody secretion by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Bovine milk IgG markedly inhibits the pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced secretion of immunoglobulins from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Heat-aggregated bovine milk IgG is even more inhibitory, demonstrating significant inhibition when levels as low as 5-9 micrograms/ml are continuously present in the in vitro 14-day culture system. However, bovine serum IgG, regardless of its state of aggregation, and control proteins have little effect on PWM-induced secretion of human IgG, IgA, and IgM. In a similar fashion, goat milk IgG, especially when aggregated, inhibits human antibody secretion whereas goat serum IgG does not. Inhibition appears to be mediated by Fc gamma receptors since F(ab')2 fragments of milk-derived bovine IgG do not inhibit PWM-induced antibody secretion. The continuous presence of bovine milk IgG is not essential since preincubation of milk IgG with PWM and human mononuclear cells for 24 hr also results in inhibition of human immunoglobulin secretion. In examining potential mechanisms of inhibition, it was found that bovine milk IgG, bovine serum IgG, and another chitin-containing protein, bovine thyroglobulin, each caused a small and equal inhibition of the binding of 125I-labeled PWM to human mononuclear cells, yet only the milk IgG inhibited antibody production. These studies raise the question of whether bovine milk IgG might modulate the human immune system in vivo.
Distribution of K, Rb, Sr and Ba in Nain anorthosite plagioclase

Abstract Plagioclases from a Labrador anorthosite have solK Rb ratios >1000 but this does not delimit a possible parental material. Other trace element ratios support Wheeler's (1960) geological subdivision of the anorthosite. Poor correlation between solK Rb ratios and per cent K may result from varying amounts of phases co-existing with plagioclase, loss of exsolved K-feldspar, or regionally prevailing P-T conditions.
Intrauterine enucleation of normal mice mimics a structural compensatory response in the geniculate of eyeless mutant mice

Identification of a compensatory structural pathway for the retinal terminals in the glomerular configuration of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the adult anophthalmic mutant mouse (ZRDCT-An) led to an experimental analysis of the effect of surgical enucleation on the dLGN of normal embryonic and postnatal C57 mice. Young C57 adults were prenatally enucleated (embryonic days 14-19) or during the early postnatal period (birth to 5 days old). Light and electron microscopic observations on the dLGN of these enucleated mice were compared with the dLGN of two types of mutant mice, the bilaterally eyeless anophthalmic and the unilaterally eyeless naked splotch (NSP). A structural compensatory response, similar to that occurring naturally in these two mutant mice, is activated by prenatal experimental enucleation as shown by the appearance of large replacement terminals (LRTs) for the retinal afferents. The glomeruli in the ipsi- and/or contralateral dLGN in these 3 conditions contain extensive synaptic areas covered by compensatory large axons. This pattern of synaptic thalamic reorganization occurs after experimental prenatal and postnatal enucleation of normal mice. This structural reorganization in experimentally and genetically enucleated mice suggests a common mechanism for replacement of retinal terminals. The precise origin and function of this tract remains to be determined. This evidence demonstrates that the anophthalmic mutant mouse is a valid model system for analysis of thalamic reorganization that occurs in normal mice after perinatal enucleation.
Assessment of critical care nurses' knowledge of the pulmonary artery catheter

Objectives:To assess the knowledge and understanding of the use of the pulmonary artery catheter and interpretation of data derived from it in a group of nurses attending the American Association of Critical Care Nurses' National Teaching Institute conference.Design:A 37-question multiple choice exa
A novel spectrophotometric assay for lipase activity utilizingcis-parinaric acid

A new spectrophotometric assay for determining the activity of acylglycerol hydrolases (lipases, E.C. 3.1.1.3) was developed and optimized for yeast lipase (Candida cylindracea). Studies with porcine pancreatic lipase were also conducted and the influence of various detergents and divalent cations on the assay was evaluated. The assay usescis-parinaric acid (PnA), a naturally occurring fatty acid that has unique spectroscopic properties, and takes advantage of the reversible binding of fatty acids to bovine serum albumin (BSA). Free PnA has an ultraviolet absorption peak at 321.2 nm. When PnA is bound to BSA, however, the peak shifts to 324.2 nm. The assay mixture contains 6 μM PnA, 1 μM BSA, 75 μM triolein, and 0.3 mM taurocholate in a 50 mM tris-HCl buffer with 1 μM EDTA. The release of oleic acid from triolein is monitored over time by measuring the ratio of optical densities (OD) at 319.0 and 329.0 nm. Initially, there is maximum binding of PnA to BSA, and the OD ratio is approximately 1.0. Upon addition of lipase, PnA is displaced from the BSA by oleic acid released from triolein, and the OD ratio increases to a maximum of about 1.8. However, when calcium is present in the reaction mixture an insoluble calcium-PnA complex forms, resulting in a progressive decrease in OD at both 319.0 and 329.0 nm. The kinetic assay described here is simple, rapid, sensitive, reproducible, inexpensive, and it can be adapted to measure the activity of a variety of calcium-independent lipases. Under similar assay conditions, activities forCandida cylindracea lipase obtained with this assay are similar to those obtained with14C-labelled triolein.