cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in mediators of pro‐cell growth, senescence and inflammation during murine gestation

Problem Senescence of the fetal membranes and senescence-associated inflammation have been associated with parturition at term and pre-term in both mice and humans. Using a pregnant mouse model, we determined changes in multiple molecular signalers contributing to senescence and inflammation associated with parturition. Method of study Fetal membranes were collected from timed-pregnant CD-1 mice on gestation days (E) 13, 15, 17, 18, and 19. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) localized pro-cell growth factors glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and β-catenin. Gestational age-associated changes in pro-cell growth vs senescence mediators (p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase [p38MAPK]), prooxidants (heme oxygenase-1 [HO-1], peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ [PPARγ]), and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-1β) were determined by Western blots and Luminex assays. Results Fetal membrane expressions of phosphorylated forms of GSK3β (inactivation) and p38MAPK (activation) increased, while β-catenin expression decreased, as gestation progressed. Antioxidant HO-1 expression decreased while PPARγ increased toward term gestation. IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations were highest on E19 (day of delivery), while IL-10 and IL-1β concentrations were highest on E15. Conclusion Mouse fetal membranes showed a progressive senescence marker increase coincided with downregulation of cell growth factors. Development of senescence is associated with inflammation. Senescence-associated changes are natural and physiologic and indicative of fetal membranes' readiness for parturition.
Thermodynamic and Process Analyses of Syngas Production Using Chemical Looping Reforming Assisted by Flexible Dicalcium Ferrite-Based Oxygen Carrier Regeneration

Syngas production is highly critical to the manufacturing of many value-added products, and its economic prospects can be increased through the enhancement of fuel conversion and the syngas yield. ...
Right populist parties and support for strong leaders

This article tests if radical right populist (RRP) parties draw support from voters with non-mainstream, illiberal attitudes. This follows from assumptions that these parties have rhetorical, styli...
Advances in encapsulin nanocompartment biology and engineering.

Compartmentalization is an essential feature of all cells. It allows cells to segregate and coordinate physiological functions in a controlled and ordered manner. Different mechanisms of compartmentalization exist, with the most relevant to prokaryotes being encapsulation via self-assembling protein-based compartments. One widespread example of such is that of encapsulins-cage-like protein nanocompartments able to compartmentalize specific reactions, pathways, and processes in bacteria and archaea. While still relatively nascent bioengineering tools, encapsulins exhibit many promising characteristics, including a number of defined compartment sizes ranging from 24 to 42 nm, straightforward expression, the ability to self-assemble via the Hong Kong 97-like fold, marked physical robustness, and internal and external handles primed for rational genetic and molecular manipulation. Moreover, encapsulins allow for facile and specific encapsulation of native or heterologous cargo proteins via naturally or rationally fused targeting peptide sequences. Taken together, the attributes of encapsulins promise substantial customizability and broad usability. This review discusses recent advances in employing engineered encapsulins across various fields, from their use as bionanoreactors to targeted delivery systems and beyond. A special focus will be provided on the rational engineering of encapsulin systems and their potential promise as biomolecular research tools.
Objective assessment of the quality and accuracy of deformable image registration

Background: The increased use of deformable registration algorithms in clinical practice has also increased the need for their validation. Aims and Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the quality, accuracy, and plausibility of three commercial image registration algorithms for 4-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) datasets using various similarity measures. Materials and Methods: 4DCT datasets were acquired for 10 lung cancer patients. 23 similarity measures were used to evaluate image registration quality. To ensure selected method's invertibility and assess resultant mechanical stress, the determinant of the Jacobian for the displacement field and 3-D Eulerian strain tensor were calculated. All the measures and calculations were applied on to extended deformable multi pass (EXDMP) and deformable multi pass (DMP) methods. Results: The results indicate the same trend for several of the studied measures. The Jacobian determinant values were always positive for the DMP method. The Eulerian strain tensor had smaller values for the DMP method than EXDMP in all of the studied cases. The negative values of the Jacobian determinant point to non-physical behavior of the EXDMP method. The Eulerian strain tensor values indicate less tissue strain for the DMP method. Large differences were also observed in the results between complete and cropped datasets (coefficient of determination: 0.55 vs. 0.93). Conclusion: A number of error and distance measures showed the best performance among the tested measures. The evaluated measures might detect CT dataset differences with higher precision if the analysis is restricted to a smaller volume.
Heterogeneous responses to price: Evidence from residential water consumers

Abstract Public utilities may respond to demand or supply fluctuations by adjusting prices to ration quantity. This approach's efficacy and distributional impacts depend on households' heterogeneous price sensitivity, which we estimate in a market for residential water usage. Our household-level panel data features a large change in marginal water prices and a novel measure of local hydrological stress. Contrary to prior research, we find that heavy-usage households are more price sensitive than other households, and price elasticity is largely invariant to household wealth. These findings suggest that price-based rationing can be an effective tool to reduce water usage.
Conceptual Design for a Blanket Tritium Extraction Test Stand

Future fusion reactors must be able to breed the tritium they will consume. Several breeding and tritium extraction technologies are under investigation internationally. PbLi is of particular inter...
FoodData Central, USDA's Updated Approach to Food Composition Data Systems

Objectives A dynamic US food supply and need for assessment of diet on health demands transparent, easily accessible information on foods and food components and related data on production and variability for researchers, health and nutrition policymakers and professionals, and food manufacturers. USDA is to develop an integrated food data system to address these needs and provide capacity for higher resolution compositional data analysis and an increase in available food metadata.
A national study of allogeneic stem cell transplantation for adults with acute myeloid leukemia: Do gender and age above 70 years matter?

e19020Background: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is increasingly being offered to older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) due to availability of reduced-intensity condition...
Application of Numerical Groundwater Model to Determine Spatial Configuration of Confining Unit Breaches near a Municipal Well Field in Memphis, Tennessee

AbstractThinning or localized absence (a breach) of an aquitard warrant concern because this limits the protection it affords water-supply aquifers beneath. The objective of this study was to asses...
An RGB-D Camera Based Visual Positioning System for Assistive Navigation by a Robotic Navigation Aid

There are about 253 million people with visual impairment worldwide. Many of them use a white cane and/or a guide dog as the mobility tool for daily travel. Despite decades of efforts, electronic navigation aid that can replace white cane is still research in progress. In this paper, we propose an RGB-D camera based visual positioning system (VPS) for real-time localization of a robotic navigation aid (RNA) in an architectural floor plan for assistive navigation. The core of the system is the combination of a new 6-DOF depth-enhanced visual-inertial odometry (DVIO) method and a particle filter localization (PFL) method. DVIO estimates RNA's pose by using the data from an RGB-D camera and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). It extracts the floor plane from the camera's depth data and tightly couples the floor plane, the visual features (with and without depth data), and the IMU's inertial data in a graph optimization framework to estimate the device's 6-DOF pose. Due to the use of the floor plane and depth data from the RGB-D camera, DVIO has a better pose estimation accuracy than the conventional VIO method. To reduce the accumulated pose error of DVIO for navigation in a large indoor space, we developed the PFL method to locate RNA in the floor plan. PFL leverages geometric information of the architectural CAD drawing of an indoor space to further reduce the error of the DVIO-estimated pose. Based on VPS, an assistive navigation system is developed for the RNA prototype to assist a visually impaired person in navigating a large indoor space. Experimental results demonstrate that: 1) DVIO method achieves better pose estimation accuracy than the state-of-the-art VIO method and performs real-time pose estimation (18 Hz pose update rate) on a UP Board computer; 2) PFL reduces the DVIO-accrued pose error by 82.5% on average and allows for accurate wayfinding (endpoint position error ≤ 45 cm) in large indoor spaces.
Apocalypse Man: The Death Drive and the Rhetoric of White Masculine Victimhood

Casey Ryan Kelly's Apocalypse Man: The Death Drive and the Rhetoric of White Masculine Victimhood opens by positioning the events of the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia as repres...
Examples of Mapping Sentences

In this chapter, we provide a few examples of mapping sentences and briefly explain the thought process behind how they have been developed as outlines for designing and conducting research. We provide an overview of how these ‘maps’ relate to each of their domain concepts and how the parts of a mapping sentence (the facets and facet elements) relate to each other as well as to the domain as a whole. In the chapter, we briefly demonstrate how mapping sentences have been used in scholarly and applied research. Additionally, we illustrate how using a mapping sentence requires us to think deeply and identify, isolate, and make sense of the content within our area of research.
Quantitative Assessment of Age and Gender Related Changes in Human Lacrimal Fluid Composition in Subjects

Purpose: The frequency of eyelids blink rate has effect on the integrity of the tear fluid and replacement of old of tears on the ocular surface. Comprehension of the effect of advancing age and gender on tears fluid stability and quality is contentious. Basal tears continuously bathe the ocular facet lubricating and providing protection from viral and bacterial infections, cooling the surface as warmth encourages pathogen. Basal tear dysfunction basically results in conjunctival and corneal conditions which exposes the ocular facet to dryness, ulceration, opacity and even blindness. This study determined the quantitative assessment of age and gender related changes in human lacrimal fluid composition in subjects Methods: The design involved 400 (192 males and 208 females) human subjects aged 6 years and above who do not wear contact lenses, not on topical medication and having healthy eyes grouped into twelve groups based on age and gender. Maximum blink interval (for tear break-up time) and phenol red thread procedure (for tear volume) were carried out monocularly for each subject. Results: Findings from this study have established that tear fluid stability among different age groups; are often higher for group 6-12years and lower for 60years and above; therefore, study established that tear fluid stability is age dependent. In addition, tear fluid stability (average MBI. Tear volume and flow rate) are gender independent. Conclusion: The present study revealed that tears fluid breakup time increases with decrease in tears fluid flow rate, volume and flow.
Competitive jurisdictions, congestion, and the Henry George Theorem: When should property be taxed instead of land?

Abstract Despite the apparent gains to moving from property to land taxation, nearly all local taxing authorities in the United States tax land and capital equally. If, as many studies suggest, the removal of the tax on housing capital would significantly increase welfare, why haven't local governments done so? I show that if the government service is a publicly-provided private good, taxing land and capital equally will maximize the locality's land rents and, consequently, its residents' welfare. As long as the government service has some degree of congestibility, a positive tax on capital is always optimal. While a uniform move from property to land taxation in all jurisdiction will make all jurisdictions better off, this does not imply that taxing land at a higher rate than capital in a single jurisdiction is optimal for that jurisdiction. The tax on housing capital served as a proxy for a tax to cover the increased cost of congestion incurred by having another household enter the locality.
Plutonium and Plutonium Compounds

The discovery of plutonium, its economic and military importance, sources, production, and nuclear properties are reviewed. The economic aspects of weapons-grade and reactor-grade plutonium are outlined. The preparation and properties of plutonium metal are discussed in detail. A presentation of the physical and chemical properties of atomic plutonium and stable plutonium ions is given. The complexation and hydrolysis properties of these ions are recapitulated. Analytical chemistry, separations technology, and metallurgy (including pyrometallurgical processing) are described. There is a brief treatment of storage and disposal of excess weapons plutonium. The chemistry of several classes of plutonium compounds is described: oxides, halides, oxyhalides, hydrides, carbides, silicides, nitrides, sulfides, and oxalates. The chapter concludes with a treatment of environmental, health, and safety aspects of plutonium. Vol. 19, pp. 407–443, 197 refs. through September 1, 1995. Keywords: Plutonium; Sources; Radioisotopes; Fission; Weapons; Atomic plutonium; Ions; Disposal; Weapon-grade; Compounds; Oxides; Halides; Cyanides; Hydrides; Radiation protection; Nuclear hazards; Chemical hazards; Critical mass
Numerical Solution of Fredholm Integral Equations of the Second Kind

Linear integral equations of the second kind, $$ \lambda u\left( x \right) - \int_D {k\left( {x,\,y} \right){\kern 1pt} u\left( y \right)dy = f\left( x \right)} ,\;x \in D $$ (11.0.1) were introduced in Chapter 2, and we note that they occur in a wide variety of physical applications. An important class of such equations are the boundary integral equations, about which more is said in Chapter 12. In the integral of 11.0.1, D is a closed, and often bounded, integration region. The integral operator is often a compact operator on C(D) or L2(D), although not always. For the case that the integral operator is compact, a general solvability theory is given in Subsection 2.8.4 of Chapter 2. A more general introduction to the theory of such equations is given in Kress [100].
Courts in the Drone Age

Few subjects encapsulate legal informatics more than “drones.” Aviation is nothing new in public, military, and private settings, but the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”) for civic, law enforcement, national security, and commercial purposes is novel. This is not because UAV technology necessarily offers anything groundbreaking in the way of aeronautics or engineering; rather, UAVs are transformational information systems in terms of digital forensics. The range of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (“ISR”) gathered by sensor suites and software solutions deployed on UAV platforms seems limitless. This boundless use extends to legal processes, where the job of litigants and triers of fact could be eased and optimized through the use of drone-acquired evidence, for example high-definition video of accident or crime scenes. Current federal and state laws inhibit the collection, storage, and use of data gathered and delivered by UAVs from finding their way into criminal court hearings, civil depositions and mediations, and trials, however. A robust system of legal rules and practices designed to ensure the reliable, resilient, and uncompromised collection and use of UAV data is imperative. This article is the first to examine what digital information obtained by unmanned, remotely-piloted or optionally manned aviation machines means under the rules of evidence and discovery in civil and criminal cases. This analysis combines an interdisciplinary review of drone technology with the study of doctrinal legal subject matter such as tort, property, and criminal law, together with notions of personal and digital privacy under state law and the United States Constitution. While the law obviously lags technology generally and in the arena of drones specifically, this article concludes that current procedural and evidentiary rules are elastic and must be stretched to accommodate the latest advance in information technology.
Strategies to Maximize Data Collection Response Rates in a Randomized Control Trial Focused on Children with Medical Complexity

Abstract Introduction: Obtaining complete and timely subject data is key to the success of clinical trials, particularly for studies requiring data collected from subjects at home or other remote sites. A multifaceted strategy for data collection in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) focused on care coordination for children with medical complexity is described. The influences of data collection mode, incentives, and study group membership on subject response patterns are analyzed. Data collection included monthly healthcare service utilization (HCSU) calendars and annual surveys focused on care coordination outcomes. Materials and Methods: One hundred sixty-three families were enrolled in the 30-month TeleFamilies RCT. Subjects were 2–15 years of age at enrollment. HCSU data were collected by parent/guardian self-report using mail, e-mail, telephone, or texting. Surveys were collected by mail. Incentives were provided for completed surveys after 8 months to improve collection returns. Outcome measures w...
Drug Testing in the Public Sector: A Legal Analysis

A priority in American domestic policy over the past few years has been to win the battle against drug use in our society. The frenzy surrounding this country's war on drugs, however, inevitably begs the question, Is the government, either as an employer or regulator of private sector employment, within legal and constitutional bounds when it requires employees to undergo drug testing? This question is examined through an analysis of the case law to date. The article closes with forecasted legal trends in drug testing and the implications for public as well as private sector employers.
The Best Books on Terrorism Published During 2004

It may have been a very mixed year for America"s progress in the war on terror, but it was a very good year for book buyers trying to understand the evolution of Al Qaeda, the Bush administration"s...
Microstructure evolution during solid state reactions of Nb/Al multilayers

Abstract The microstructure produced during investigations of reactive formation of NbAl3 from Nb/Al multilayer films was found to be in general agreement with that employed in the two-stage kinetic model of Coffey et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 55 (1989) 852]. Upon completion of the reaction, however, recrystallization and rapid grain coarsening led to significant changes in film microstructure and deviations from the predictions of the model. In an effort to clarify the picture of reactive phase formation emerging from these studies, several complementary analyses were employed to characterize the reaction. First, thermal data obtained from constant-heating-rate differential scanning calorimetry experiments were used to determine the annealing conditions for ex situ cross sectional transmission electron microscopy studies of the evolving film microstructure. Next, high-resolution chemical mapping was employed to track the penetration of the product phase into the Al grain boundaries. It was found, for example, that the NbAl3 layer was 8–10 nm thick when the first stage of reaction was completed. It was also found that during stage two, the NbAl3 layer consisted of columnar, somewhat faceted grains and that substantial recrystallization occurred after the termination of the reaction. These observations suggested refinements of the structure type classification scheme for reacted films proposed by Barmak et al. [J. Electron. Mater. 26 (1997) 1009]. Lastly, the impact of bilayer thickness on the product microstructure was investigated using a novel sample architecture in which several bilayers with different periods comprise one multilayer. Investigations of this multi-period, multilayer sample correlated with those on single-period multilayers, indicating that the reaction reached completion at lower temperatures as the bilayer thickness was reduced.
A fourteen-year old with Pott's Puffy Tumor.

A 14-year-old boy was well until 9 days before he was presented to his pediatrician for bilateral eye redness and discharge and was diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis. He was treated with tobramycin ophthalmic drops and ointment and had complete resolution of the conjunctivitis. Four days before arrival in the Emergency Department (ED), he began to have swelling to the forehead. On the day he presented to the ED for evaluation, he complained of an enlarging forehead mass over 4 days and 1 day of bifrontal headache and dizziness with ambulation. He also had a swollen left eye 4 days earlier, which had resolved. There was no history of trauma, fever, or sinus symptoms. On physical examination, the patient had a 3 cm 3 4 cm fluctuant forehead mass left of midline (Figure 1). The mass was not tender or discolored. There was no other cranial deformity or tenderness. The eyes were not injected and the left eye had decreased lateral gaze. The pupils were round and reactive to light. The fundi, tympanic membranes, ear canals, periauricular tissues, oropharynx, and nasopharynx were normal. The neck was normal, without nuchal rigidity or lymphadenopathy. He had no additional neurologic deficits or pertinent physical findings. A computed tomography scan of the head, sinuses, and orbits revealed osteomyelitis of the left frontal bone (Figure 2), the left maxillary sinus and left orbital floor (Figure 3), and the left lamina papyracea (Figure 4). There was also mass effect on the left medial rectus muscle. Extension of the left frontal abscess to the subcutaneous tissue overlying the frontal bone, also known as “Pott’s Puffy Tumor,” was seen. The patient received intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics and dexamethasone. Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology consultations were obtained and he was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. The next morning, a magnetic resonsance imaging scan demonstrated the Pott’s Puffy Tumor with local osteomyelitis and epidural empyema with local mass effect (Figure 5). The patient underwent burr hole exploration with drainage of the empyema, and frontal sinus trephination with drainage of the Pott’s Puffy Tumor. The patient also underwent endoscopic left anterior ethmoidectomy and maxillary antrostomy. His postoperative course was unremarkable and he was recovering well at a 2-month follow-up visit.
Channels of preconditioning: potassium drain that protects the brain.

Perioperative stroke and/or neurological dysfunction, accompanied with significant mortality or incapacitating sequelae, not infrequently complicates cardiac, vascular, or neurological surgery. Indeed a recent study in the Journal showed a remarkably high incidence of perioperative stroke, greater than 1 per 200 such patients.1 Thus, clinical strategies aimed at either protecting the brain or enhancing its tolerance to ischemic or anoxic insults are worthwhile from the clinical point of view. In an article published in this issue of Anesthesiology, Bantel et al.2 provide a fascinating preclinical series of studies examining the mechanisms of brain protection from anesthetics.
A peer review how-to.

As a member of three editorial boards, author of 90-some scientific papers, and reviewer of over 900 manuscripts in the past 30 years, I have seen my share of scientific reviews. Reviews have become increasingly critical and demanding. This trend has doubtless contributed to high standards, but carried too far it can become counterproductive and frustrating for authors, editors, and reviewers alike. A reviewer's chief responsibility is to advise the editors on whether a manuscript with suggested revisions would be acceptable for publication. Reviewers should highlight a paper's strengths and weaknesses, but they need not delineate strengths in very weak papers nor stress minor weaknesses in strong papers. Reviews should be prompt and thorough and should avoid sharp language and invective. Reviewers make two common mistakes. The first mistake is to reflexively demand that more be done. Do not require experiments beyond the scope of the paper, unless the scope is too narrow. Avoid demanding that further work apply new techniques and approaches, unless the approaches and techniques used are insufficient to support the conclusions. There is no need to require more tests of conclusions that have been demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt, and conversely, authors need not exclude every possible explanation for their results. Suggest an additional experiment, further analysis, or altered interpretation, but do not make publication contingent on these changes. If the conclusions cannot stand without additional work or if the evidence does not distinguish between reasonably likely alternatives, recommend that the editor reject the manuscript. The second mistake often made by reviewers is failing to consider all of the journal's goals and requirements, including standards and guidelines stated in the editorial policy and gleaned from its articles. Do not reject a manuscript simply because its ideas are not original, if it offers the first strong evidence for an old but important idea. Do not reject a paper with a brilliant new idea simply because the evidence was not as comprehensive as could be imagined. Do not reject a paper simply because it is not of the highest significance, if it is beautifully executed and offers fresh ideas with strong evidence. Seek a balance among criteria in making a recommendation. Finally, step back from your own scientific prejudices in order to judge each paper on its merits and in the context of the journal that has solicited your advice.
Rate constant for the reaction of atomic bromine with ozone

Abstract The rate constant for the reaction Br + O 3 → BrO + O 2 has been measured over the temperature range 224 to 422 K in a discharge flow system using a mass spectrometer as a detector. Results, expressed in the form k 1 = (3.34 ± 0.40) × 10 −11 X exp[−(978 ± 36)/ T ] cm 3 s −1 , are compared with previous measurements.
Summary of recent studies of beam-driven BAE and chirping modes in DIII-D

In high beta DIII-D plasmas with intense neutral-beam injection, beta-induced Alfven eigenmodes (BAE modes) are observed. These instabilities can cause concentrated losses of >50% of the fast ions and thus are of concern for future devices. We have now observed BAE modes and resultant fast-ion loss in full-field (2.0 T) discharges where the ratio of parallel velocity to the Alfven speed is {upsilon}{sub parallel}/{upsilon}{sub A} {approx_equal}0.3. In a few discharges, we have also observed a new instability, a ``chirping`` mode. These modes have frequencies between 50 and 200 kHz that ``whistle`` down a factor of two in a single 2 ms burst. They occur in plasmas with relatively large values of fast-ion beta ({l_angle}{beta}{sub {integral}}{r_angle} {approx_gt}1%), Alfven speed ({upsilon}{sub {parallel}}/{upsilon}{sub A}{approx_gt}0.5), and plasma rotation ({integral}rot >20 kHz). In contrast to the usual Alfven modes, which are fluid modes of the background plasma, the chirping instabilities seem to be beam modes that are nearly stationary in the plasma frame.
Resource Dependency and Rural Poverty: Rural Areas in the United States and Japan*

Although rural residents often expect resource extraction to lead to local prosperity, much of the recent research finds that resource extraction is associated with poverty. This paper tests these results by examining whether the findings may be due to methodological factors such as the tendency to focus on extreme cases, particular extracting sectors, and certain periods of time. By comparing two localities that have followed very different developmental trajectories—the state of Wisconsin and Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan—during the period from 1970 to 1990, this paper addresses these issues. The results do not clearly support either the expectation that resource extraction will lead to poverty or that it will lead to economic prosperity. Instead, like a handful of studies on resource dependency, the results indicate that the relationship between extraction and poverty is unique to location. Despite the many differences between the United States and Japan, the strongest correlates of poverty in each country involve the proportion of land in an area that is forested. Particularly because these results mirror the findings from the one previous study that included this variable, future research must give greater attention to this explicitly environmental variable, as well as examining some of the possible reasons for the relationship.
Interactive Three-Dimensional Computer Space

Work is described which merges 3-D input and display technologies to implement a real time interactive computer graphics environment, generating a stereoscopic image that one creates by reaching directly into it. The display is an ordinary video monitor, reflected off a half-slivered mirror, and viewed through PLZT opto-electrical shutter glasses. For input, an electromagnetic six degree-of-freedom digitizer is mounted in a small wooden "magic wand", with a pushbutton mounted in the handle.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Qs in the nucleus.

The polyglutamine diseases include at least nine neurodegenerative disorders. Accumulation of mutant protein with a toxic gain-in function in the nucleus appears to be the pathological basis of these diseases. In this issue of Neuron, La Spada et al. (2001) provide insight into the cell specificity of pathology for a polyglutamine disease by relating SCA7-induced retinal degeneration to a disruption of the photoreceptor-specific transcription factor CRX.
An active-site-directed irreversible inhibitor of Δ5-3-ketosteroid isomerase

Abstract In short-term experiments, 6β-bromotestosterone acetate is a competitive inhibitor of the crystalline Δ 5 -3-ketosteroid isomerase (EC 5.3.3.1) of Pseudomonas testosteroni . Upon prolonged incubation, 6β-bromotestosterone acetate causes a time- and concentration-dependent irreversible inactivation of the enzyme which is favored at elevated pH values. Protection against this inactivation is afforded by the simultaneous presence of 19-nortestosterone, a truly competitive inhibitor of the enzyme. Upon incubation with radioactive 6β-bromotestosterone 17-[ 3 H]acetate, the enzyme becomes labeled, and under suitable conditions more than one mole of steroid is bound to each mole of enzyme. These findings suggest that 6β-bromotestosterone 17-acetate is an active-site-directed irreversible inhibitor of Δ 5 -3-ketosteroid isomerase. At least three species of inactive enzyme separable by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis are formed during the inactivation process. It seems likely that these species reflect the binding of progressively increasing numbers of steroid molecules, and that eventually the labeled enzyme dissociates into its subunits.
Structural and Biochemical Effects of Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency on Peripheral Nerve

The effect of postweaning essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency on the peripheral nerve was studied in groups of rats. At 325 days, the characteristic biochemical changes of EFA deficiency were present in isolated peripheral myelin, although to a lesser degree than reported in non-neural tissues. There was no significant difference between control and deficient groups in number or size distributions of myelinated fibers (MFs) in muscle and sensory nerves, in the incidence of teased fiber abnormalities, in rates of axonal transport of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and acetylcholinesterase, or in conduction velocity and compound action potentials of peripheral nerve in vivo or in vitro. Four weeks after a standard sciatic crush injury, the median MF diameter in regenerated peroneal nerves was significantly smaller in EFA-deficient rats than in control rats, but this difference was no longer significant at 18 weeks. At 18 weeks, EFA-deficient and control regenerated nerves showed similar myelin periodicity and relationship of axonal area to number of myelin lamellae. We conclude that acquired EFA deficiency in the rat leads to biochemically abnormal peripheral myelin, but that this state is unaccompanied by clinical, physiological, or morphological evidence of neuropathy.
High-frequency jet ventilation and surfactant treatment of newborns with severe respiratory failure.

Twenty-eight newborn infants (birthweight, 2.4 ± 1.1 kg; gestational age, 34.6 ± 6.1 weeks) with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), meconium aspiration syndrome, or pneumonia who deteriorated in spite of optimal conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) and exogenous surfactant therapy were treated with high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) and continued surfactant therapy. For enrollment, infants had to have a limited response to surfactant therapy and conventional ventilation, and meet clinical criteria that confirmed clinical deterioration and severity of illness. Study infants had received exogenous calf lung surfactant extract (CLSE) and conventional ventilation prior to the start of HFJV at 46.3 ± 8.2 hours of age. Patients initially responded to HFJV alone with significant improvement in several respiratory variables, but deteriorated subsequently and received additional doses of exogenous surfactant on HFJV. Exogenous surfactant and HFJV resulted in significant and sustained improvement in several respiratory variables. Only ten patients deteriorated to meet criteria for a second surfactant dose on HFJV, and two patients received a third dose. Twenty-five of the 28 patients studied survived (89%). No patients received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or were discharged home on oxygen. The results of this pilot study suggest that the combination of HFJV and exogenous surfactant replacement may be effective in treating infants with more severe respiratory failure, and indicate the need for more extensive controlled investigations. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Gender Differences in Impression Management in Organizations: A Qualitative Review

In this article we review the literature on impression management to determine if there are substantial gender differences in the employment of impression management tactics in organizational contexts. Based on a social roles theory perspective (Eagly, 1987), we examined use of impression management tactics in organizational settings for gender differences in behavior. We expected that men and women would generally report using impression management tactics consistent with gender role expectations and that this might not be advantageous to women in the corporate world. Our review of the literature supported our expectations. We conclude with implications of these findings for an enriched understanding of organizational behavior.
Scanning holographic microscopy with resolution exceeding the Rayleigh limit of the objective by superposition of off-axis holograms

We present what we believe to be a new application of scanning holographic microscopy to superresolution. Spatial resolution exceeding the Rayleigh limit of the objective is obtained by digital coherent addition of the reconstructions of several off-axis Fresnel holograms. Superresolution by holographic superposition and synthetic aperture has a long history, which is briefly reviewed. The method is demonstrated experimentally by combining three off-axis holograms of fluorescent beads showing a transverse resolution gain of nearly a factor of 2.
Visions of Visualization Aids: Design Philosophy and Observations

Aids for the visualization of high-dimensional scientific or other data must be designed. Simply casting multidimensional data into a two-dimensional or three-dimensional spatial metaphor does not guarantee that the presentation will provide insight or a parsimonious description of phenomena implicit in the data. Useful visualization, in contrast to glitzy, high-tech, computer-graphics imagery, is generally based on preexisting theoretical beliefs concerning the underlying phenomena. These beliefs guide selection and formatting of the plotted variables. Visualization tools are useful for understanding naturally three-dimensional data bases such as those used by pilots or astronauts. Two examples of such aids for spatial maneuvering illustrate that informative geometric distortion may be introduced to assist visualization and that visualization of complex dynamics alone may not be adequate to provide the necessary insight into the underlying processes.
Determinants of the effect of furosemide on the proximal tubule.

Determinants of the effect of furosemide on the proximal tubule.The recollection renal micropuncture technique was used to assess fractional and, on occasion, absolute volume reabsorption in the dog late proximal tubule before and during a furosemide diuresis in which urine losses were or were not replaced.Similar observations were made before and after the cessation of volume replacement during an established diuresis, and before and during partial renal arterial constriction in the presence of an established diuresis and simultaneous replacement of urine losses.Maintenance of filtration rate and extracellular fluid (ECF) volume was attended by clear reduction of fractional reabsorption; conversely, fractional reabsorption increased markedly in the presence of ECF volume contraction and filtration rate reduction.Cessation of volume replacement during an established diuresis was followed by filtration rate reduction, enhanced fractional reabsorption, and no change in absolute reabsorption.Partial renal arterial constriction (in the presence of an established diuresis and maintenance of ECF volume) effected prompt filtration rate reduction and increased fractional reabsorption.The proximal tubule must be included among the sites of action of furosemide, but a drug-induced reduction of fractional reabsorption may be obscured by changes of filtration rate.Volume-mediated direct enhancement of proximal reabsorption was not observed.
Psychophysiological correlates of infant temperament: Stability of behavior and autonomic patterning from 5 to 18 months

The stability of infant temperament and autonomic patterning (heart period and cardiac vagal tone) was examined longitudinally when infants were 5, 10, and 18 months of age. Behavioral measures of reactivity and regulation to frustration tasks, and maternal perceptions of infant temperament were obtained at each age along with baseline measures of cardiac activity. No stability was found from 5 to 10 months while some stability of behavior and autonomic patterning was identified from 10 to 18 months, with the exception of negative reactivity. High levels of cardiac vagal tone (V) were associated with negative reactivity at 18 months. When examining groups based on degrees of reactivity and regulation, we found infants who responded negatively to frustration but who also displayed more regulatory behavior to have higher V.
Nonpathogenic CCR2-tropic SIVrcm after serial passage and its effect on SIVmac infection of Indian rhesus macaques

The natural host of SIVrcm is the red-capped mangabey (Cercocebus torquatus torquatus). Although this virus infects macaques and human PBMCs, its pathogenic potential is unknown. We serially passaged SIVrcm through 9 rhesus macaques to assess its potential for virulence. SIVrcm infected all macaques with peak viremia 2 weeks postinfection yet viral loads decreased to undetectable levels about one month after inoculation. Remarkably, SIVrcm replication and virulence did not increase following 7 serial passages. While CD4+ T cells in the gut were decreased in early infection, proportions of memory CD4+CCR5+ T cells were not affected. Three SIVrcm-infected macaques were subsequently challenged with SIVmac251 to assess the potential for superinfection. Interestingly, animals previously infected with SIVrcm had 100 fold lower levels of SIVmac251 in plasma compared to naive animals inoculated with SIVmac251. These results suggest that SIVrcm is nonpathogenic and may be useful for examining effective immune responses in SIV infection.
Correlation of Platelet Count Changes with Liver Cell Destruction in Hellp Syndrome

Objective. HELLP syndrome is defined as a subset of preeclampsia involving a combination of hemolysis, low platelets affecting the circulatory system, and elevated liver enzymes, reflecting liver cell destruction. Our objective was to assess the correlation between the platelet count changes and liver cell destruction as indicated by aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. Method. We reviewed the records of 15 preeclamptic patients who developed HELLP syndrome as defined by 1) hemolysis, 2) elevated liver enzymes with an AST greater than 70 U/L (>2 SD above mean), and 3) low platelets (<100×109/L). In these patients, both platelet counts and AST were assessed every 4–6 hr before and after delivery until recovery. At least eight laboratory assessments were done on each patient and were available for review. In each patient, the correlation between platelet count and AST levels was done using the Spearman rank order correlation coefficient. Results. A negative correlation was found between platelet count a...
Patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing cardiac surgery are at greater risk for developing intraoperative myocardial acidosis

Objective In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, intraoperative myocardial acidosis, which quantifies regional myocardial ischemia, has been shown to increase the risk of adverse postoperative outcomes. In this study, we sought to determine the course of intraoperative myocardial acidosis and its impact on postoperative survival in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods Intraoperative myocardial tissue pH 37C was continuously measured in the anterior and posterior left ventricular walls in 264 patients undergoing cardiac surgery; 74 (28.0%) of the patients had diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes: 54%; non–insulin dependent diabetes: 46%). The shortest time required to reach intraoperative myocardial tissue pH 6.73 during reperfusion were compared in 3 patient groups: insulin-dependent, non–insulin dependent, and nondiabetic. These pH thresholds have been demonstrated to be associated with adverse postoperative long-term survival. Results The median times to reach intraoperative myocardial tissue pH 37C P = .003). The time taken to reach intraoperative myocardial tissue pH 37C > 6.73 during reperfusion was similar between the 3 groups. After adjusting for relevant pre- and intraoperative parameters, the risk of developing intraoperative myocardial tissue pH P = .022) but the same in with patients with non–insulin dependent diabetes mellitus ( P = .98) when compared with patients without diabetes. Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus also had nearly threefold decrease in long-term survival compared with that of patients without diabetes ( P = .0007). Conclusions Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus undergoing cardiac surgery are at a greater risk of developing intraoperative myocardial acidosis/ischemia and of decreased survival postoperatively compared with patients without diabetes.
Slip/diffusion zone effects at rapidly-loaded cracks in thermoelastic solids

The effect of a zone of slip and diffusion mechanisms that form prior to the onset of plastic yield at the edge of a rapidly-loaded Mode I crack in a fully-coupled thermoelastic material is studied. The resulting initial/mixed boundary value problem is solved exactly in the transform space, despite the existence of poles and branch points that vary with the time transform variable. Crack edge stress singularity relaxation is assumed, and this condition leads to exact expressions for the time transforms of a zone characterization function and the temperature change induced ahead of the crack. Study of their inverses for long, i.e. O(1)μs, times after loading shows that a slip/diffusion process that is consistent with rapid crack surface separation can indeed relax elastic stresses, but that high temperature increases may well have to await the development of full plasticity and fracture at the crack edge.
Positron emission tomography: the gastroenterologists's perspective.

Positron emission tomography (PET) allows imaging of biologic functions in tissue. Unlike other imaging techniques that primarily reflect anatomic structure, including endoscopy, US, CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), PET reflects physiologic parameters such as metabolic activity and perfusion. In theory, an unlimited variety of molecules can be labeled with positron emitters; however, the current principal clinical application for PET is the imaging of malignant tissue with a glucose analogue, 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-Dglucose (18F-FDG). The anatomic resolution of PET scans cannot match that of other imaging modalities. Thus, PET imaging is best viewed as a complement to other imaging modalities rather than a substitute. Given the numerous endoscopic and radiologic modalities available to image the GI tract, what role might PET play in gastroenterologic clinical practice in the near term and in the future? THE PRESENT: PET IMAGING IN GI ONCOLOGY Medicare currently provides reimbursement for PET studies performed for the diagnosis, staging, and restaging of colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, lymphoma, head and neck cancers, melanoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. PET is also approved by Medicare for myocardial viability studies and presurgical evaluation of refractory seizures. Some experts also consider pancreatic imaging to be an established application for 18F-FDG PET. Primary GI tumor diagnosis
Flow and Heat Transfer of Confined Impingement Jets Cooling

Experimental studies on heat transfer and flow structure in confined impingement jets were performed. The objective of this study was to investigate the detailed heat transfer coefficient distribution on the jet impingement target surface and flow structure in the confined cavity.The distribution of heat transfer coefficients on the target surface was obtained by employing the transient liquid crystal method coupled with a 3-D inverse transient conduction scheme under Reynolds number ranging from 1039 to 5175. The results show that the average heat transfer coefficients increased linearly with the Reynolds number as Nu = 0.00304 Pr0.42Re. The effects of cross flow on heat transfer were investigated. The flow structure were analyzed to gain insight into convective heat transfer behavior.Copyright © 2000 by ASME