cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo metabolism of 3-ketoceramide in rat brain.

— Eight hours after intracerebral injection of a double-labeled 3-ketoceramide4, [1-14C]lignoceroyl 3-keto [1-3H]sphingosine, various brain sphingolipids were isolated. Free ceramide and the ceramide portions of nonhydroxy cerebroside and sphingomyelin were further fractionated into subgroups containing longer-chain or shorter-chain fatty acids. Nonhydroxy ceramide, nonhydroxy cerebroside and sphingomyelin containing longer-chain fatty acids had significant quantities of radioactivity with 3H/14C ratios similar to each other but lower than that of the injected material. The sphingolipids containing shorter-chain fatty acids were also significantly labeled; however, the 3H/14C ratios were much higher than that of the injected material. Hydroxy-ceramide and sulfatides contained very little radioactivity. However, hydroxy-cerebroside contained an amount of radioactivity comparable to that of the longer-chain nonhydroxy cerebroside with a similar 3H/14C ratio. It is proposed that the injected 3-ketoceramide was converted into ceramide, cerebroside, and sphingomyelin and that the fatty acids of these lipids were partly replaced by other fatty acids during the metabolic conversions.
UV photoemission efficiency of polycrystalline CVD diamond films

Abstract The absolute quantum efficiency of polycrystalline diamond films grown on silicon substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is reported in the range of 25–200 nm. The efficiency of boron-doped and hydrogen-activated by microwave plasma reflective photocathodes peaked at 37% at 40 nm with the sensitivity cutoff observed at ∼190 nm. We confirmed that hydrogen activation is relatively stable in air: the efficiency of the photocathode degraded by less than 15% after an 18-h air exposure. It was found that diamond photocathodes can be reactivated multiple times to the same high QE values even after extended ultrasonic cleaning in both water and alcohol. The sensitivity of a diamond photocathode coated with a high dipole moment 4-nm-thick CsI layer was found to be slightly better than that of hydrogenated films, especially at longer wavelengths, while the sensitivity cutoff shifted to ∼200 nm. The observed high efficiency of thin CVD diamond films and relatively high stability of surface activation makes them a very attractive alternative to many existing UV photocathodes, especially taking into account other useful features of diamond (mechanical and chemical stability and radiation hardness).
Taxes, Subsidies, and Listeners Like You: Public Policy and Contributions to Public Radio

Public radio in the United States receives both direct and indirect government funding. Direct subsidies come in the form of lump-sum and matching grants, while indirect subsidies proceed from tax revenues forgone on tax-deductible private donations. Each of these sources of government money affects charitable giving to public radio. This article estimates both of these effects, using data on 91 public radio stations in the United States during 1995. Data analysis shows that public funding to stations has a positive impact on private giving, but this impact rapidly decreases as the level of government subsidies increases. The analysis also indicates that increases in state tax rates correspond with significantly higher donation levels. This article explores the implications of these and other findings for policy makers, public administrators, and nonprofit managers.
Toxic Metals in Ground Water of the Front Range, Colorado

A study of toxic trace metal distribution in groundwaters of the Front Range mineral belt, Colorado, and adjacent areas was performed in order to determine the relationship of water quality to mineralization and to determine the magnitude of potential health effects. A total of 149 samples was collected and analyzed for arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, silver, and zinc. Field determinations of pH, Eh, and specific conductance were also made. The trace element data exhibited a lognormal distribution and were described utilizing the geometric mean and geometric deviation. Four populations were recognized in the samples: (1) samples in the mineral belt with plumbing contamination; (2) samples in the mineral belt without plumbing contamination; (3) samples outside the mineral belt with plumbing contamination; and (4) samples outside the mineral belt without plumbing contamination. Differences in these populations for several elements were observed utilizing the t test. Groundwaters in the mineral belt are estimated to exeed the US Public Health Service limit in 14% of the samples for Cd, 1% for Cu, 51% for Fe, 74% for Mn, 2% for Hg, and 9% for Zn. Groundwaters outside the mineral belt have similar probability of exceeding the limit for Hg andmore » lesser probabilities for all other elements.« less
A peptide with similarity to baculovirus ODV-E66 binds the gut epithelium of Heliothis virescens and impedes infection with Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus.

Baculoviruses infect their lepidopteran hosts via the midgut epithelium through binding of occlusion-derived virus (ODV) and fusion between the virus envelope and microvillar membranes. To identify genes and sequences that are involved in this process, a random phage display library was screened for peptides that bound to brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) derived from the midgut epithelium of Heliothis virescens. Seventeen peptides that bound to BBMV were recovered. Two of these, HV1 and HV2, had sequence similarity to the ODV envelope protein ODV-E66 that is found in five species of alphabaculoviruses. Chemically synthesized versions of HV1 and HV2, and two peptides (AcE66A and AcE66B) derived from similar sequences of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) ODV-E66, bound to unfixed cryosections of whole midgut tissues. AcE66A, but not HV1, bound to H. virescens gut BBMV proteins on a far-Western blot. Competition assays with HV1 and purified AcMNPV ODV resulted in decreased mortality of H. virescens larvae at a dose of 1 LD50, and a significant increase in survival time at higher virus concentrations. These results suggest a role for ODV-E66 in baculovirus infection of lepidopteran larval midgut epithelium.
Meson fields, exchange currents and progenitor sum rules

Abstract The theory of the integrated photoabsorption cross section and the dipole sum rule is reviewed. A new progenitor sum rule, in which meson fields appear explicitly, is derived from a field theory of interacting pions and nucleons. The relation of this sum rule to previous results obtained in a potential theory is elucidated, and the role of neutron-proton correlations in nuclear ground states is discussed in terms of their effect on the dipole sum rule. The inclusion of ρ-mesons (again in an oversimplified theory) and their contribution to progenitor sum rules is also mentioned.
Acute stress cardiomyopathy and deaths associated with electronic weapons

Deaths associated with the use of electronic weapons almost always occur in young men involved in either civil disturbances or criminal activity. These situations are associated with high levels of circulating catecholamines and frequently associated with drug intoxication. The mechanism for these deaths is unclear. Clinical studies indicate that these high voltage electrical pulses do not cause cardiac arrhythmia. Acute stress cardiomyopathy provides an alternative explanation for deaths associated with electronic weapons and may provide a better explanation for the usual time course associated with taser deaths. Patients with acute stress cardiomyopathy usually have had an emotional or physical stress, have high circulating levels of catecholamines, present with an acute coronary syndrome but have normal coronary vessels without significant thrombus formation. They have unusual left ventricular dysfunction with so-called apical ballooning. This presentation has been attributed to the direct effects of catecholamines on myocardial cell function. Alternative explanations include vasospasm in the coronary microcirculation and/or acute thrombosis followed by rapid thrombolysis. Similar events could occur during the high stress situations associated with the use of electronic weapons. These events also likely explain restraint-related deaths which occur in independent of any use of electronic weapons. Forensic pathologists have the opportunity to provide important details about the pathogenesis of these deaths through histological studies and careful evaluation of coronary vessels.
Sigma-compact, nowhere locally compact metric spaces can be densely imbedded in Hilbert space

Abstract It is shown that if H is a connected, locally contractible, separable, topologically complete metric space with the property that mappings of separable metric spaces into H are approximable by imbeddings (in particular, if H is Hilbert space), then every sigma-compact, nowhere locally compact metric space can be densely imbedded in H.
Zoom neurons in visual cortex: Receptive field enlargements with near fixation in monkeys

Rezeptive Felder von 32 Zellen im primarvisuellen ausseren Teil des Grosshirns unbetaubter, abgerichteter Affen wurden abgesteckt. Davon zeigten 97% der Zellen Vergrosserung der eckigen Abmessungen auf der nahen Flache. Diese Grosse-Einstellung unterstutzt unsere Vorstellung eines «Zoom-Modells» der Grossen-Konstanz.
Genetic analysis of the diabetes-prone C57BLKS/J mouse strain reveals genetic contribution from multiple strains ☆

The C57BLKS/J (BKS) inbred mouse strain is a widely used animal model of type 2 diabetes. In the presence of the diabetes (db) mutation, obese BKS-db mice develop severe diabetes. Genetic studies of diabetes-susceptibility in this strain are facilitated by the fact that BKS is a genetic composite between the diabetes-resistant C57BL/6J (B6) and susceptible DBA/2J (DBA) strains. On this basis, it has been hypothesized that diabetes-susceptibility in BKS is conferred by DBA-derived alleles. However, recent studies revealed non-B6/non-DBA genetic material in BKS. To identify the origin of this genetic component, we generated a genomic map of BKS using 537 microsatellite markers. Our results demonstrate that, in addition to B6 and DBA, BKS contains alleles from at least three other strains, including 129, C57BL/10 and an unidentified mouse strain. We also analyzed two congenic strains, B6-db and BKS-db, which are widely used for the genetic mapping of diabetes-susceptibility loci. We identified several donor-derived genomic regions introduced during the generation of these congenic strains. In summary, our study reveals novel aspects of the genetic fine-structure of BKS and related strains and facilitates the identification of diabetes-susceptibility loci in this mouse model.
Inhibition of voltage‐gated Na+ current by nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) is not mediated by Na+ influx or Ca2+ signaling

In earlier studies, we found that permeabilization of mammalian cells with nsPEF was accompanied by prolonged inhibition of voltage-gated (VG) currents through the plasma membrane. This study explored if the inhibition of VG Na(+) current (I(Na)) resulted from (i) reduction of the transmembrane Na(+) gradient due to its influx via nsPEF-opened pores, and/or (ii) downregulation of the VG channels by a Ca(2+)-dependent mechanism. We found that a single 300 ns electric pulse at 1.6-5.3 kV/cm triggered sustained Na(+) influx in exposed NG108 cells and in primary chromaffin cells, as detected by increased fluorescence of a Sodium Green Dye. In the whole-cell patch clamp configuration, this influx was efficiently buffered by the pipette solution so that the increase in the intracellular concentration of Na(+) ([Na](i)) did not exceed 2-3 mM. [Na](i) increased uniformly over the cell volume and showed no additional peaks immediately below the plasma membrane. Concurrently, nsPEF reduced VG I(Na) by 30-60% (at 4 and 5.3 kV/cm). In control experiments, even a greater increase of the pipette [Na(+)] (by 5 mM) did not attenuate VG I(Na), thereby indicating that the nsPEF-induced Na(+) influx was not the cause of VG I(Na) inhibition. Similarly, adding 20 mM of a fast Ca(2+) chelator 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) into the pipette solution did not prevent or attenuate the inhibition of the VG I(Na) by nsPEF. These findings point to possible Ca(2+)-independent downregulation of the VG Na(+) channels (e.g., caused by alteration of the lipid bilayer) or the direct effect of nsPEF on the channel.
Scalability of a class of wireless sensor networks

Recent advances in wireless communications and MEMS technology have led to the development of wireless sensor networks with a large number of small sensing devices. Most of these wireless sensor networks are motivated by the increases in sensing coverage and performance that can potentially be achieved through effective sensor data fusion. However, as the density of a wireless sensor network grows, the likelihood of transmission collisions among sensor nodes can increase simultaneously. In this paper, we consider a class of wireless sensor networks and show that there can exist fundamental limits on their performance based on recent results on the capacity of wireless networks. We study a simple distributed detection problem with wireless sensor networks and investigate the scalability of several common data fusion architecture under appropriate assumptions on the sensor models.
Replication of Xenopus erythrocyte nuclei in a homologous egg extract requires prior proteolytic treatment.

Reactivation and reinitiation of DNA replication in quiescent frog erythrocyte nuclei has been analyzed following incubation in extracts prepared from activated Xenopus eggs. Nuclear decondensation and DNA synthesis only occurred if nuclei were pretreated with low doses of trypsin. This protease treatment did not digest histones, but did degrade several nonhistone proteins. Activated erythrocyte nuclei swell and begin DNA synthesis by 30 min after being mixed with the egg extract. In some extracts virtually complete genome replication was achieved in all nuclei after 2–3 hr. Addition of several protease inhibitors during sperm nuclear isolation significantly reduced the template efficiency of these preparations. We concluded that proteolytic alteration of nonhistone nuclear structural proteins may be a general mechanism which permits quiescent nuclei to reenter the replication cycle. Erythrocyte nuclei and egg extracts provide an excellent experimental system in which to investigate the processes of nuclear reactivation.
U.S. Economic Growth since 1870: One Big Wave?

It is now 25 years since the growth rate of labor productivity and of multi-factor productivity (MFP) decelerated sharply both in the United States and in most other industrialized nations. This ‘‘productivity slowdown’’ has eluded many attempts to provide single-cause explanations. Slow productivity growth in the past 25 years echoes slow productivity growth in the late 19th century. Perhaps both were normal, and what needs to be explained is not the post-1972 slowdown, but rather the post1913 ‘‘speedup’’ that ushered in the glorious 60 years between World War I and the early 1970’s in which U.S. productivity growth was much faster than before or after. This paper makes a sharp distinction between MFP growth calculated from inputs that combine simple measures of labor hours and the capital stock and growth based on measures that adjust for the changing composition of labor and capital. The first step toward an understanding of long-term trends is to compare like with like, splicing MFP data based on unadjusted inputs prior to 1950 with post1950 data based also on unadjusted inputs, as contrasted to the composition-adjusted inputs that are now desirably incorporated into our official MFP measures. The MFP record prior to 1929 still rests largely on the monumental work of John Kendrick (1961) which, however, is based almost entirely on input quantities that lack any adjustment for changes in composition. Edward Denison ( 1962, 1985 ) and Zvi Griliches (1960) pioneered the development of composition adjustments for labor input. Dale Jorgenson and Zvi Griliches (1967) introduced a framework that treats the problem of composition adjustment in both labor and
Noradrenaline Release and Metabolism in Orthostatic (Postural) Hypotension

Fifteen hypotensive patients were studied of whom only seven could be classified as having idiopathic orthostatic (postural) hypotension. These seven patients showed a marked decrease in their urinary output of the sympathetic neurohormone, noradrenaline. Furthermore, the rate of metabolism of circulating noradrenaline was somewhat less than normal; however, there was no significant alteration in noradrenaline metabolites. One patient, on whom autopsy was performed, showed degeneration of the sympathetic ganglia and nerves. Although there was infiltration with amyloid in these areas, it was not certain that amyloidosis was the primary disease. Nevertheless, there was an anatomic loss of the neurogenic structures involved in the synthesis of noradrenaline, which could explain the subnormal output of noradrenaline. Whereas, these results do not permit a definite conclusion that in idiopathic orthostatic hypotension there is an anatomic deficit or a decrease in efferent sympathetic neurons, nevertheless, evidence is presented which would seem to indicate this as the probable etiology.
Parallel simulation of ecological structured communities : Computational needs, hardware capabilities, and nonlinear applications

Abstract Previously, we developed a general scheme for parallel simulation of nonlinear structured population models where the critical development then was an efficient method of balancing the load among the available processors. We introduced the effects and necessity of load balancing together with the design of the load balancing algorithm for structured population models. Through the combination of parallelization by cohort, frequent rebalancing, and global birth combining we were able to demonstrate good scaling and speedup on 32-, 64-, 128-, and 256-processor machines. Here we return to the problem of parallel simulation for nonlinear structured population and predator–prey models and reconsider the need for parallelization given the improvement in computation hardware and software. Our conclusion is that even though there has been an extensive speedup in computers, the basic problem of managing the interplay of workload remains a fundamental problem for any parallel effort in simulation studies.
From the Lab to the Field: Observations from Unmanned System Field Research and Comparisons to Laboratory Counterparts

This paper examines the intricacies of applied robotics research, both in the laboratory and in the field. Described within will be some of the differences between lab and field studies that resear...
Prevention and treatment of nasopharyngeal stenosis

The problem of nasopharyngeal stenosis is an uncommon complication of procedures such as tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, pharyngeal reconstruction for velopharyngeal insufficiency, or other procedures in the pharynx. The otolaryngologist needs to carefully assess the patient’s symptoms due to the stenosis, the extent of the stenosis, and then have a toolbox of options to treat each problem. This article discusses management of nasopharyngeal stenosis with local flap pharyngoplasty and sternocleidomastoid myocutaneous flap reconstruction.
DECONSTRUCTING THE LEGAL TESTIMONY OF A FAMILY THERAPIST: A CASE EXAMPLE

Abstract This paper deconstructs the legal testimony of a family therapist. The legal case involved a former client who had initiated a lawsuit against other mental health providers previously involved with the client at the same time as the author. The paper provides an example of the epistemological conflict faced when presenting clinical findings from a systemic perspective in the legal system, and illustrates how this conflict emerged in the discourse of legal testimony. Deconstructed testimony excerpts illustrate differences in the legal and clinical realms about the use of psychiatric diagnosis, the explanation of family therapy techniques, and the significance of abstract terminology to describe psychotherapy process.
Effects of forward masking on sound localization in cats: basic findings with broadband maskers

Forward masking is traditionally measured with a detection task in which the addition of a preceding masking sound results in an increased signal-detection threshold. Little is known about the influence of forward masking on localization of free-field sound for human or animal subjects. Here we recorded gaze shifts of two head-unrestrained cats during localization using a search-coil technique. A broadband (BB) noise masker was presented straight ahead. A brief signal could come from 1 of the 17 speaker locations in the frontal hemifield. The signal was either a BB or a band-limited (BL) noise. For BB targets, the presence of the forward masker reduced localization accuracy at almost all target levels (20 to 80 dB SPL) along both horizontal and vertical dimensions. Temporal decay of masking was observed when a 15-ms interstimulus gap was added between the end of the masker and the beginning of the target. A large effect of forward masking was also observed for BL targets with low (0.2–2 kHz) and mid (2–7 kHz) frequencies, indicating that the interaural timing cue is susceptible to forward masking. Except at low sound levels, a small or little effect was observed for high-frequency (7–15 kHz) targets, indicating that the interaural level and the spectral cues in that frequency range remained relatively robust. Our findings suggest that different localization mechanisms can operate independently in a complex listening environment.
Relaxation kinetics of the plastic crystal succinonitrile

The relaxation kinetics of the optical Kerr effect of succinonitrile [${(\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{N})}_{2}$] is measured in the liquid and plastic-crystal phases. The Kerr intensity decay profile of the plastic crystal indicates that more than one relaxation mechanism is operative. The temperature-dependence study of succinonitrile's relaxation time in the plastic-crystal phase yields an activation energy of 2.6 kcal/mole.
Immunodetection of latex antigens

Abstract Background: Protein antigens in latex products can cause type I reactions. In the past antigens have been measured by protein assays, high-performance liquid chromatography RAST inhibition, and skin tests. We examined the use of a mouse monoclonal antibody (CRI-C) to latex in the detection of latex antigens. Methods: CRI-C was raised by standard techniques after immunization of a BALB/c mouse with ammoniated latex. Medical gloves were extracted and assayed with: (1) standard protein assays, (2) RAST inhibition assays with sera from health care workers allergic to latex and patients with spina bifida, (3) an ELISA with a biotinylated form of CRI-C (BiC). Reference proteins included bovine serum albumin for the protein assays and nonammoniated latex and affinity-purified C antigen for the immunoassays. Results: Among the protein assays, the best correlation was between the Bradford and bicinchoninic acid assays. In absolute numbers the Bradford assay produced the lowest results, and OD 280 the highest. The OD 280 BCA, and Bradford methods "detected" protein in vinyl gloves. The results of RAST inhibition and BiC ELISA correlated with the protein assays. These immunoassays appeard to be more specific than the protein assays. Conclusions: The BiC ELISA is an easy and reproducible in vitro assay of relevant latex antigen. Clinical correlation will be required for validation.
A pilot randomized control trial: testing a transitional care model for acute psychiatric conditions.

OBJECTIVE: People with multiple and persistent mental and physical health problems have high rates of transition failures when transferring from a hospital level of care to home. The transitional c...
Plasma renin assay calculation using Lotus 1-2-3c

The calculation of results from a Plasma Renin Activity (PRA) assay requires many intermediate steps that are both tedious and prone to error. Using Lotus 1-2-3c and the IBM PCT, these assay calculations can be reduced to simply entering the raw counts obtained from the gamma counter. This calculation method is for use with Clinical Assay's Gamma-CoatT PRA kit, one of the most widely used commercial kits. A template that utilizes a logarithmic curve fit equation to calculate a point to point standard curve for the assay is set up on the Lotus spreadsheet. By using a point to point curve fit, a standard curve that is a very close approximation to a manually drawn plot is generated by the computer. Using Lotus's macro feature, a routine is built into the template to automatically move the cursor from cell to cell for the entry of the raw counts. All data can be entered using only the numeric key pad and RETURN key. When all data has been entered, the macro calculates the assay results and prints out a hardcopy report. In 52 samples, comparing the PRA results obtained from the manually plotted standard curve and those calculated by the template yielded a coefficient of correlation of 0.997, p < 0.001. We conclude that the computer generated results are comparable to results obtained from a manually drawn curve. All calculations can be quickly obtained simply by entering the raw counts from the gamma counter using this application of Lotus 1-2-3c with the Clinical Assay's GammaCoatT PRA kit.
Analysis of the Market-Based Adjustable Outsourcing Contract under Uncertainties

The market-based adjustable contract for customized goods or services has emerged in outsourcing practices. Its objective is to minimize the operational risks inherent in today's volatile environment of operations. Our research reveals several important properties of this contract through a continuous-time analytical approach. Specifically, we consider the determination of this contract between two risk-averse firms through a Nash bargaining process. We derive the optimal adjusting mechanism analytically and extensively analyze the application boundary of the market-based adjustable outsourcing contract. We conclude by discussing implications for practice and research.
Haar ambivalent sets in the space of continuous functions

It is a well-known result of Solecki that every nonlocally compact Polish group with a two-sided invariant metric contains continuum many pairwise disjoint sets which are Haar ambivalent. Inspired by a recent result of Zajicek, we give such an explicit and natural collection in the space of continuous functions on the interval. Our collection involves functions which have infinite derivatives and knot points.
Collateral input to the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei in rat. II. Afferents from the ventral lateral medulla and nucleus tractus solitarius.

In the rat, medullary afferents to the hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei mediate the baroreceptor reflexes of vasopressinergic neurons and the cholecystokinin- or gastric distention-induced excitation of oxytocinergic neurons. One strategy that reflexes such as these may use to coordinate the activity of magnocellular neuroendocrine neurons is collateral branching of input. Previous work has shown that the distributions of medullary neurons projecting to the paraventricular and the supraoptic nuclei overlap and that their axons branch. Thus, we hypothesized that single neurons in the ventral lateral medulla and/or the nucleus tractus solitarius would project to both the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei via collateral branches of their axons. Medullary afferent neurons were retrogradely labeled after injection into the paraventricular and the supraoptic nucleus on one side of the brain with two different fluorescent tracers: Fluoro-Gold or rhodamine-labeled latex microspheres. The topographic distribution of labeled cells in the medulla containing either a single fluorescent tracer or both tracers were plotted. Of these labeled neurons, a small percentage (7%) contained both dyes, suggesting that they send collateral branches to both of the magnocellular neuroendocrine nuclei injected. Single labeled cells were both ipsi- and contralateral to the injected side (53% ipsilateral), but most double-labeled cells were ipsilateral (84%). In rats, areas that project to both the paraventricular and the supraoptic nuclei may act upon both nuclei together. Thus, afferent inputs, in conjunction with the known inter- and intracellular changes that take place within the magnocellular nuclei, may be involved with the coordinated responses throughout magnocellular neuroendocrine system during medullary reflexes, i.e., the baroreceptor-mediated reflexes or the gastric distention reflexes.
Requirement of the protein B23 for nucleolar disassembly induced by the FRGY2a family proteins

In Xenopus somatic cell nuclear cloning, the nucleoli of donor nuclei rapidly and almost completely disappear in egg cytoplasm. We previously showed that the germ cell-specific proteins FRGY2a and FRGY2b were responsible for this unusually drastic nucleolar disassembly. The nucleolar disassembly occurs without inhibition of pre-rRNA transcription, a well known trigger for nucleolar segregation, and the mechanism for the nucleolar disassembly by FRGY2a and FRGY2b remains largely unknown. In this study, we searched for FRGY2a-interacting proteins and investigated the functional consequences of their interactions through a series of experiments. We showed that during the nucleolar disassembly, FRGY2a localized to the nucleoli of isolated nuclei and was capable of disassembling purified nucleoli, suggesting a direct interaction between FRGY2a and nucleolar components. Using a His tag pulldown approach, we identified the abundant and multifunctional nucleolar protein B23 as a potential target of FRGY2a and its related human protein YB1. A specific interaction between FRGY2a/YB1 and B23 was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. Finally, B23 knockdown using short interfering RNA and a subsequent add-back experiment confirmed that B23 was necessary for nucleolar disassembly by YB1. We propose that FRGY2a and YB1 disassemble nucleoli by sequestering B23, which is associated with pre-ribosomes and other structurally important nucleolar components.
A unified constitutive theory for polymeric liquids I. Basic considerations and a simplified model

By combining a continuum mechanical approach with considerations of network theory and thermodynamics of irreversible processes, a set of differentialtype constitutive equations for polymeric liquids are obtained which provide expressions for the stress tensor, evolution equations of the effective Finger strain and Cauchy strain for the network deformation, and a first order differential equation governing the rigidity modulus. Unlike Giesekus' recent “unified approach” that starts from the bead-spring model, the theory lends itself more readily to a better understanding of most of the current theories based on continuum mechanics and molecular network concepts. Different recent models such as those due to Leonov, Dashner—Van Arsdale, Phan Thien—Tanner, and Acierno et al. (or “Marrucci”) can be unambiguously interpreted as resulting from specific approximations or additional assumptions.
Uniqueness for the Skorokhod Equation with Normal Reflection in Lipschitz Domains

We consider the Skorokhod equation $$dX_t=dW_t+(1/2)\nu(X_t), dL_t$$ in a domain $D$, where $W_t$ is Brownian motion in $R^d$, $\nu$ is the inward pointing normal vector on the boundary of $D$, and $L_t$ is the local time on the boundary. The solution to this equation is reflecting Brownian motion in $D$. In this paper we show that in Lipschitz domains the solution to the Skorokhod equation is unique in law.
Facebook: Social uses and anxiety

Research has shown inconsistent relationships between social anxiety and time spent on Facebook, possibly because Facebook’s many activities vary in degree of social interactivity. We examined the relationships between social anxiety, anxiety on Facebook, and social Facebook use. A multiple regression predicting social Facebook use revealed an interaction. Participants with high anxiety on Facebook and high social anxiety reported more frequent social Facebook use than those with high anxiety on Facebook and low social anxiety. A second multiple regression predicting social anxiety showed a suppression effect, indicating that social Facebook use predicts social anxiety only once anxiety on Facebook has been accounted for. These findings suggest that anxiety on Facebook clarifies the relationship between social anxiety and social Facebook use.
Giving Dualism its Due

Despite the current resurgence of modest forms of mind–body dualism, traditional Cartesian immaterial-substance dualism has few, if any, defenders. This paper argues that no convincing case has been made against substance dualism, and that standard objections to it can be credibly answered.
Comparison of the glidescope, CMAC, storz DCI with the Macintosh laryngoscope during simulated difficult laryngoscopy: a manikin study

Videolaryngoscopy presents a new approach for the management of the difficult and rescue airway. There is little available evidence to compare the performance features of these devices in true difficult laryngoscopy. A prospective randomized crossover study was performed comparing the performance features of the Macintosh Laryngoscope, Glidescope, Storz CMAC and Storz DCI videolaryngoscope. Thirty anesthesia providers attempted intubation with each of the 4 laryngoscopes in a high fidelity difficult laryngoscopy manikin. The time to successful intubation (TTSI) was recorded for each device, along with failure rate, and the best view of the glottis obtained. Use of the Glidescope, CMAC and Storz videolaryngoscopes improved the view of the glottis compared with use of the Macintosh blade (GEE, p = 0.000, p = 0.002, p = 0.000 respectively). Use of the CMAC resulted in an improved view compared with use of the Storz VL (Fishers, p = 0.05). Use of the Glidescope or Storz videolaryngoscope blade resulted in a longer TTSI compared with either the Macintosh (GLM, p = 0.000, p = 0.029 respectively) or CMAC blades (GLM, p = 0.000, p = 0.033 respectively). Unsurprisingly, when used in a simulated difficult laryngoscopy, all the videolaryngoscopes resulted in a better view of the glottis than the Macintosh blade. However, interestingly the CMAC was found to provide a better laryngoscopic view that the Storz DCI Videolaryngoscope. Additionally, use of either the Glidescope or Storz DCI Videolaryngoscope resulted in a prolonged time to successful intubation compared with use of the CMAC or Macintosh blade. The use of the CMAC during manikin simulated difficult laryngoscopy combined the efficacy of attainment of laryngoscopic view with the expediency of successful intubation. Use of the Macintosh blade combined expedience with success, despite a limited laryngoscopic view. The limitations of a manikin model of difficult laryngoscopy limits the conclusions for extrapolation into clinical practice.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray characterization of the relaxase domain of F factor TraI

Conjugative plasmids are capable of transferring a copy of themselves in single-stranded form from donor to recipient bacteria. Prior to transfer, one plasmid strand must be cleaved in a sequence-specific manner by a relaxase or mobilization protein. TraI is the relaxase for the conjugative plasmid F factor. A 36 kDa N-terminal fragment of TraI possesses the single-stranded DNA-binding and cleavage activity of the protein. Crystals of the 36 kDa TraI fragment in native and selenomethionine-labeled forms were grown by sitting-drop vapor-diffusion methods using PEG 1000 as the precipitant. Crystallization in the presence of chloride salts of magnesium and strontium was required to obtain crystals yielding high-resolution diffraction. To maintain high-resolution diffraction upon freezing, crystals had to be soaked in crystallization buffer with stepwise increases of ethylene glycol. The resulting crystals were trigonal and diffracted to a resolution of 3.1 A or better using synchrotron radiation.
Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in the subsequent pregnancy: is it worthwhile?

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine, among women without evidence of gestational diabetes mellitus during their first pregnancy, the likelihood of, and associated risk factors for, the development of gestational diabetes mellitus in the subsequent pregnancy. Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study, with a time frame of 1991 to 1999. Results: Of 3710 women without gestational diabetes mellitus in the first pregnancy, 1% (37 women) were subsequently diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus in the second pregnancy. These 37 women, when compared (by means) to women without gestational diabetes mellitus in their second pregnancy, were more likely to be older (age 21 years vs 19 years) and obese (first visit body mass index, 28 kg/m 2 vs 25 kg/m 2 ) and to have an interpregnancy weight gain of >5 kg (93% vs 49%) and a longer mean interpregnancy interval (33 months vs 24 months). Regression analysis revealed that, during the first pregnancy, a first visit body mass index of >29 kg/m 2 (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1–4.5) and a serum glucose screen of >101 mg/dL (odds ratio, 8.3; 95% CI, 2.5–27.9) were associated significantly with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus in the second pregnancy, as was an interpregnancy weight gain of >5 kg (odds ratio, 10.8; 95% CI, 2.5–46.3). All women who subsequently had gestational diabetes mellitus had at least one of these risk factors. Conclusion: Among women without gestational diabetes mellitus in the first pregnancy, the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in a second pregnancy is low. Therefore, screening all such women in the second pregnancy may not be justified. ( Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:918–21.)
Covalently-linked Adducts of Single-walled Nanotubes with Biomolecules: Synthesis, Hybridization, and Biologically-Directed Surface Assembly

Covalently-linked adducts of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with biomolecules have been fabricated. Results are presented here for DNA-SWNT and for biotin-SWNT adducts. DNA-SWNT adducts are shown to be biochemically accessible and to exhibit high selectivity, favoring hybridization with complementary vs. non-complementary DNA sequences. Biotin-SWNT adducts were also prepared and used to direct the assembly of nanotubes onto a biotinylated glass surface.
The Emerging Role of Leukotriene Modifiers in Allergic Rhinitis

Leukotriene modifiers have been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of asthma. Because of this success, and the fact that leukotrienes can be recovered not only from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid but also nasal lavage fluid, some researchers have suggested that these medications may also be useful for treating allergic rhinitis. Because the upper and lower airways are linked physically, there has been an assumption that therapy for upper and lower airway disease should be similar. This critical appraisal examines available data both supporting and refuting the emerging role of leukotriene modifiers in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Although many studies have shown an improvement in nasal symptoms when comparing a leukotriene modifier with placebo, few studies have conclusively shown that a leukotriene modifier is any more effective in treating allergic rhinitis than an antihistamine. Results from several reported studies suggest that the addition of a leukotriene antagonist to an antihistamine is no more efficacious than antihistamine alone. However, many of these studies were small and/or primarily designed to examine the asthmatic response, with nasal symptoms being a lesser endpoint. To better understand how, where, and when leukotriene modifiers should be used in the armamentarium of therapies for allergic rhinitis, larger clinical investigations designed specifically to study allergic rhinitis need to be undertaken. We conclude that currently, the data do not support widespread use of a leukotriene modifier with or without an antihistamine in place of an intranasal corticosteroid with or without an antihistamine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
Luminescence quenching of dissolved organic matter in seawater

To characterize more fully the nature of the fluorophores present in the dissolved organic matter found in seawater, steady state and time-resolved measurements of the luminescence quenching of a number of samples of marine dissolved organic matter with known quenchers, such as iodide, acrylamide and methyl viologen (MV) (1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium), were compared. Quenching characteristics of these systems were analyzed using Stern-Volmer plots for both intensity and lifetime measurements. The bimolecular quenching constants, κq, for these quenchers were found to decrease in the order MV2+ (κq ∼ 1010M−1s−1) > I− (κq ∼ 2 × 109 M−1 s−1) >CH2CHCONH2 (κq ∼ 2 × 108 M−1 s−1) for the samples measured. The results also show that different samples are quenched to differing extents by the quenchers studied, that ionic strength alters the quenching constants, and that both static and diffusional quenching mechanisms may operate. Such studies are appropriate to the quantification of the reactivity of the singlet states of the chromophores found within marine dissolved organic matter. Although excess energy of the singlet state may be readily transferred to another chemical species, the combination of competing physical deactivation paths and the low concentrations of efficient quenches in the oceans serves to lessen the direct chemical impact of this process.
Immunosuppressive effects of interleukin-12 coexpression in melanoma antigen gene-modified dendritic cell vaccines.

Genetic immunotherapy with tumor antigen gene–modified dendritic cells (DC) generates robust immunity, although antitumor protection is not complete in all models. Previous experience in a model in which C57BL/6 mice immunized with DC transduced with adenoviral vectors expressing MART-1 demonstrated a 20–40% complete protection to a tumor challenge with B16 melanoma cells. Tumors that did develop in immunized mice had slower growth kinetics compared to tumors implanted in naive mice. In the present study, we wished to determine if the supraphysiological production of the Th1-skewing cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12) could enhance immune activation and antitumor protection in this model. In a series of experiments immunizing mice with DC cotransduced with MART-1 and IL-12, antitumor protection and antigen-specific splenocyte cytotoxicity and interferon γ production inversely correlated with the amount of IL-12 produced by DC. This adverse effect of IL-12 could not be explained by a direct cytotoxic effect of natural killer cells directed towards DC, nor the production of nitric oxide leading to down-regulation of the immune response — the two mechanisms previously recognized to explain immune-suppressive effects of IL-12–based vaccine therapy. In conclusion, in this animal model, IL-12 production by gene-modified DC leads to a cytokine-induced dose-dependent inhibition of antigen-specific antitumor protection.
Opium alkaloid noscapine is an antitumor agent that arrests metaphase and induces apoptosis in dividing cells

An alkaloid from opium, noscapine, is used as an antitussive drug and has low toxicity in humans and mice. We show that noscapine binds stoichiometrically to tubulin, alters its conformation, affects microtubule assembly, and arrests mammalian cells in mitosis. Furthermore, noscapine causes apoptosis in many cell types and has potent antitumor activity against solid murine lymphoid tumors (even when the drug was administered orally) and against human breast and bladder tumors implanted in nude mice. Because noscapine is water-soluble and absorbed after oral administration, its chemotherapeutic potential in human cancer merits thorough evaluation.
Green Bank Telescope: an overview

The Green Bank Telescope, now under construction at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, WV, will be the world's largest fully-steerable telescope upon its completion in 1999. This article describes the general features of the telescope including its site, optics, surface, expected performance, and some of the areas of astronomy to which it will contribute.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effects of fluorophore structure and hydrophobicity on the uptake and metabolism of fluorescent lipid analogs.

Cellular transport and metabolism of fatty acids are integral components of lipid metabolism, but the mechanisms and regulation involved are poorly understood. A variety of commercially available fluorescent analogs of fatty acids, are potentially useful probes for the study of lipid metabolism by such techniques as cell sorting and fluorescence microscopy. We have screened a series of fluorescent fatty acids to identify analogs that would reliably simulate the metabolic behavior of natural fatty acids; i.e., similar kinetics of transport, of intracellular movement, and of metabolic fate. The metabolic behavior of these analogs was compared with those of some naturally occurring fatty acids in HepG2 cells, which are a good model of some aspects of hepatic function. Fluorescent analogs containing polar fluorophores yielded the lowest rates of cellular uptake and conversion to acylated lipid products. Similarly, fluorescent analogs with the fluorophore located near the carboxylic acid group were poorly metabolized. Fatty acid analogs containing anthracene or pyrene at the n-terminus of the acyl chain were the most extensively incorporated into cellular lipids. The types and amounts of labeled lipid products formed from these analogs and from natural fatty acids were similar. Pyrene-labeled analogs have spectral properties that can be measured fluorometrically at very low concentrations. Therefore, we compared the cellular metabolism of 12-(1-pyrenyl)dodecanoic acid with those of palmitic and oleic acids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The influence of the axial pressure gradient on flow rate for Newtonian liquids in a self wiping, co-rotating twin screw extruder

The isothermal flow of a Newtonian liquid in a co-rotating twin screw extruder having screw elements with three tips has been analyzed when the effect of the intermeshing zone on flow can be neglected. It was found that values for four dimensionless parameters must be specified in order to obtain a unique relationship between the dimensionless axial pressure gradient and the dimensionless volumetric flow rate. These parameters included the number of screw tips, the helix angle, the ratio of the clearance to the screw radius, and the ratio of the distance between screw centers-to the screw radius Values for the dimensionless throughput and pressure gradient were computed for a range of helix angles at fixed values for all other dimensionless parameters. Shape factors were also computed and it was found that the shape-factor for pressure How is substantially less than that for drag flow. Asymptotic values for both these factors at large values of the channel width (large helix angles) were found to be less than unity.