cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), immediately prior to reperfusion, decreases neutrophil activation and reduces myocardial infarct size in rodents.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin that has glucoregulatory effects as well as protective effects in a variety of tissues, including the heart. We hypothesized that GLP-1 may have a direct effect on neutrophils (PMNs) after myocardial ischemia, to ameliorate reperfusion injury. Deeply anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 30 min of left coronary artery occlusion followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Immediately prior to reperfusion, rats were treated with either GLP-1 (human rGLP-1, 30 pM/kg/min) or PBS as placebo. GLP-1 significantly decreased myocardial infarct size [73.2±11.7% INF/AAR in PBS (n=4) vs. 15.7 ±5.52% INF/AAR in GLP-1-treated animals (n=5), p<0.05], PMN activation in blood in vivo (fMLP-stimulated CD11b surface expression: PBS 2.78±1.14 vs. GLP-1 1.7±0.21, TFI, p<0.05), and accumulation in myocardium (PBS: 6.52±0.31 vs. GLP-1: 4.78±0.90, n=4-6 animals/group, p<0.05). In addition, we found that GLP-1 mitigated PMN CD11b surface expression in whole rat blood in vitro, an effect that was abolished by GLP-1 receptor blockade (PBS 6.52±0.31 vs. GLP-1 4.78±0.90, TFI, p<0.05). These findings suggest that one mechanism by which GLP-1 decreases reperfusion injury may be the attenuation of PMN-mediated reperfusion injury.
Spectroscopy and transient photoconductivity of partially crystalline polyaniline.

The results of spectroscopy and transient-photoconductivity measurements are presented for polyaniline in the fully reduced form (leucoemeraldine) and in the emeraldine-base form. Results from partially crystalline films (cast from solution in sulfuric acid) and from amorphous films (cast from dimethylforamide) are compared. We observed a relatively strong photoconductive response from pumping at 3.7 eV into the \ensuremath{\pi}-${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ absorption of leucoemeraldine and a smaller photocurrent from pumping (at 1.9 and 3.7 eV) into the two absorptions which characterize the emeraldine base. The 3.7-eV photocurrent in leucoemeraldine is a factor of 4--8 larger than that from the similar ultraviolet absorption in the emeraldine base, and the two photocurrents show a similar dependence of biasing field (linear at low light levels and more complex at high light levels). The photocurrent in the emeraldine base from 3.7-eV pumping is a factor of 3--4 larger (per photon) than that from 1.9-eV pumping. The results are interpreted in terms of the one-dimensional band structures calculated for the two forms of polyaniline.
Structural Inertia, Imitation, and Foreign Expansion: South Korean Firms and Business Groups in China, 1987–1995

The foreign expansion of firms is healed as an instance of organizational and strategic change shaped by structural inertia and imitation. A longitudinal analysis of South Korean firms in China sho...
Experimental study of lattice properties with the Mossbauer effect

The Mossbauer effect provides an ideal and sometimes unique method for isolating and studying certain properties of a lattice. The method is discussed and illustrated by a detailed study of metallic iron from 4°K to 1300°K. The temperature shift (1, 2) observed in the M ω ssbauer spectrum of metallic Fe 57 is due chiefly to relativistic time dilation. In the low-temperature region the variation is nonlinear and compatible with a Debye temperature θ = 400°K, although θ is not strictly independent of temperature. The zero-point root-mean-square velocity in the lattice and the lattice specific heat may be derived from the data. At high temperatures, the classical limit (1/ E ) ∂ E /∂ T = 3 k /2 Mc 2 for the relativistic shift is attained and perhaps exceeded. Disagreement with the classical limit would indicate a temperature variation in the isomer shift. (3) At the Curie point and at the transition from α to γ iron, discontinuities are observed in the temperature shift. These discontinuities are too great to be attributed to the relativistic shift. If attributed to the isomer shift, they indicate that the electron density at the nucleus increases at the transitions from the ferromagnetic to the paramagnetic state and from α to γ iron. The strength of the Mossbauer absorption, determined as a function of temperature, is compatible with a Debye temperature that falls from about 400°K to 300°K in passing from low to high temperatures over the range studied. In principle, root-mean-square displacements in the lattice may be computed as a function of the temperature. Measurements on the internal field at the nucleus show that the polarizability of s -electrons is slightly temperature dependent.
Treatment-emergent adverse events from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors by age group: children versus adolescents.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the frequency of common treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in children, adolescents, and adults. Method: AE data were obtained from all published double-blind, placebo-controlled SSRI studies of children and adolescents that separated AE findings by age group. The AE findings were pooled for purposes of age-group comparisons. Double-blind, placebo-controlled SSRI studies of adolescents (n = 2) and of adults identified in systematically identified trials (n = 22) were assessed to compare patterns and rates across the age span. Other reports, primarily from the published SSRI literature, were added to clarify the findings presented. Results: Activation and vomiting SSRI AEs were 2- to 3-fold more prevalent in children than in adolescents, and their rate was lowest in adults. Somnolence as a SSRI AE was uncommon in children; its rate increased with advancing age. Insomnia and nausea were common SSRI AEs a...
Variability in subcortical aphasia is due to variable sites of cortical hypoperfusion.

Abstract A variety of fluent and nonfluent aphasias have been reported after left basal ganglia stroke. It has been speculated that this heterogeneity may reflect variations in cortical hypoperfusion resulting from large vessel stenosis. To test this hypothesis, a consecutive series of 24 patients with left caudate infarct identified with diffusion-weighted imaging underwent language testing and perfusion-weighted imaging
Changes in Latino Students’ Perceptions of School Belonging Over Time: Impact of Language Proficiency, Self-Perceptions and Teacher Evaluations

There are many factors associated with academic success at school. In addition to having the requisite cognitive abilities and scholastic skills, students need to feel that school is a place in which they belong. This study examines factors related to perceptions of school belonging for a sample of Latino elementary school students. Participants were 57 Latino youth, 26 of whom were English Language Learners and the rest of whom were English proficient. Students were assessed in fourth and sixth grades in this longitudinal study. Self-perceptions and teacher perceptions of these students were available at the beginning and end of each academic year. The results indicated that in fourth grade English Language Learners had a decrease in school belonging while their English proficient classmates did not. Factors associated with school belonging differed between the fourth and the sixth grades. In addition to the impact of language proficiency, fourth graders’ sense of belonging was associated with teacher evaluations while sixth graders’ perceptions were primarily affected by peer self-concept. Implications for school psychologists and other educational professionals are discussed.
Transient Effects of Uncertainties on the Sensitivities of Temperatures and Heat Fluxes Using Stochastic Finite Elements

We addresse the question in the design inexperiments of where to place sensors for optimal sensitivity and the post-experiment determination of which sensors yield relevant data. The authors in their previous work have described the spatial dependence of the response sensitivities and the importance of conducting a sensitivity analysis for a better understanding of the system response. We describe the formulation of the method for a transient analysis and its application to thermal problems
Correlations between the crystallographic texture and grain boundary character in polycrystalline materials

A method is presented to determine the misorientation probability distribution function in polycrystalline materials based on a known, analytical or numerical, representation of the associated orientation probability distribution function, i.e., texture. The proposed formulation incorporates the local grain-to-grain orientation correlations by combining local or macroscopic statistical information, and finds a natural interpretation through the well-known stereographic projection (pole-figure) representation. The proposed formulation distinguishes between antiparallel crystallographic orientations, as well as cone-angle and polar angle misorientations. For fiber-textured samples, it is quantitatively shown that highly oriented samples are equivalent to polycrystals with a high density of low-angle misorientations, while completely random (untextured) materials are equivalent to microstructures with a high probability of large-angle misorientations.
Inherited XX sex reversal in the cocker spaniel dog.

Nine XX true hermaphrodites and two XX males were discovered in a family of American cocker spaniels. The true hermaphrodites were partially-masculinized females with ovotestes; the XX males had malformed male external genitalia and cryptorchid aspermatogenic testes. Wolffian and Mullerian duct derivatives were present in both true hermaphrodites and XX males. All four sires of sex-reversed dogs were normal XY males; five of the dams were anatomically normal females and one was an XX true hermaphrodite. A second true hermaphrodite reproduced as a female, producing anatomically normal offspring.
Control of chondro-osseous skeletal biology by mechanical energy

The growth and maturation of the chondro-osseous skeleton is accomplished by the proliferation, maturation, degeneration, and ossification of cartilage. Bone tissue which replaces cartilage during development is modeled to efficiently resist the loads to which it is exposed. Osteoarthritis in the aged involves the degeneration and destruction of the remaining cartilage on the joint surface and osteophyte formation. All of these biological processes are greatly influenced by the mechanical loading. The role of mechanical stresses in chondro-osseous biology is, however, incompletely understood.
Feedback vertex sets and cyclically reducible graphs

The problem of finding a minimum cardinality feedback vertex set of a directed graph is considered. Of the classic NP-complete problems, this is one of the least understood. Although Karp showed the general problem to be NP-complete, a linear algorithm for its solution on reducible flow graphs was given by Shamir. The class of reducible flow graphs is the only nontrivial class of graphs for which a polynomial-time algorithm to solve this problem is known. The main result of this paper is to present a new class of graphs—the cyclically reducible graphs—for which minimum feedback vertex sets can be found in polynomial time. This class is not restricted to flow graphs, and most small graphs (10 or fewer nodes) fall into this class. The identification of this class is particularly important since there do not exist approximation algorithms for this problem having a provably good worst case performance. Along with the class and a simple polynomial-time algorithm for finding minimum feedback vertex sets of graphs in the class, several related results are presented. It is shown that there is no “forbidden subgraph” characterization of the class and that there is no particular inclusion relationship between this class and the reducible flow graphs. In addition, it is shown that a class of (general) graphs, which are related to the reducible flow graphs, are contained in the cyclically reducible class.
Value of noninvasive studies in community-acquired pneumonia.

The goal of treating patients with respiratory illness is to prevent mortality, help the patients recover to their preinfection state as soon as possible, prevent the spread of contagious pathogens, minimize the development of resistant pathogens, and to accomplish these in a cost effective manner.
Endocrine Aspects of Homeostasis

SYNOPSIS. Recent findings in endocrine research have greatly increased our understanding of the relationship between hormones and homeostasis. The present paper reviews selected major advances in such areas as neuropeptides, peptide biosynthesis in endocrine and neuronal cells, peptide receptors and intracellular pathways in target cells, “new” peptide hormones, and evolutionary considerations of peptide hormones. Further understanding of hormone interactions and of relationships between nervous, endocrine, and immune systems has added to the growing complexity of the mechanisms of fine tuning and regulating our internal environment. Moreover, discovery of the same or similar peptides throughout the course of evolution, i.e. , from unicellular organisms through vertebrates, has led to a new unifying theory of intercellular communication. Endocrine aspects of homeostasis is an expanding and exciting field of biology.
A stable approach to an unstable homotopy spectral sequence

Abstract Recently, Bendersky and Thompson introduced a spectral sequence which, for many spaces X, converges to the v1-periodic homotopy groups of X. It is proved that the E2-term of this spectral sequence is often given by Ext in the category of stable p-adic Adams modules of QK 1 (X; Z p ∧ )/ im (ψ p ) . We compute this spectral sequence when p=2 and X is the exceptional Lie group F4, yielding as a new result the 2-primary v1-periodic homotopy groups of F4. Some new general results about convergence of this spectral sequence are also proved.
Comprehensive dissemination of current literature

A resume of the Ames Laboratory Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) System is presented and its potential for future generation computers is discussed. The system is compared with other operational SDI systems with particular emphasis on the design differences. The Ames Laboratory system's adaptability to different input tape compositions and subject coverage is shown through a study of the results of 26 production runs made from two distinct document sources. A detailed analysis of the Ames Laboratory SDI System is made for a 40-run period in 1965, including a discussion of shortcomings of the system and suggested solutions to eliminate certain areas of “noise”.
Diving bradycardia in four species of North American aquatic snakes.

Abstract 1. Aquatic snakes ( Farancia and Natrix ) exhibited classic diving bradycardia to various degrees when allowed to submerge voluntarily. 2. Snakes sometimes submerged or surfaced with either no change in heart rate or a change opposite to that expected. 3. Aquatic snakes exhibited heart rates that are usually considered bradycardic even when not submerged. 4. Electrocardiographic changes prior to, during, and following periods of submergence were measured. 5. Percentage changes in heart rates were determined prior to and following bradycardia. 6. The phenomenon of “diving bradycardia” seemed to be influenced by a number of factors with the prime controlling mechanism apparently of a psychogenic nature.
Deconvolution of u‐channel paleomagnetic data near geomagnetic reversals and short events

[1] The deconvolution scheme of Oda and Shibuya [1996], designed for half-core data from the pass-through magnetometer aboard the Joides Resolution, has been adapted for treatment of u-channel data. The program was tested using u-channels from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1090. A significant increase in resolution of the u-channel data can be achieved by deconvolution, resulting in data comparable with that obtained by continuous discrete sampling. Large amplitude changes of the magnetization vector revealed by the deconvolution treatment are in good agreement with the results obtained on discrete samples extracted from the same u-channels. Application of this procedure to u-channel data from ODP Sites 983 and 984, over a short time interval around 1.255 Ma, permitted enhanced definition of the so-called Bjorn geomagnetic event.
Stem cells for the treatment of myelin loss

Treatment of myelin loss is particularly suited to therapeutic strategies based on cell replacement. Demyelination represents a defined and functionally debilitating deficit, and remyelination can be accomplished by supplying regions of demyelination with myelinogenic cell populations. Clinical interest in stem cells as a source of myelinogenic cells arises from their ability to provide an apparently unlimited cell supply for transplantation, and from recent demonstrations that they can be directed to myelinogenic phenotypes with high purity. Here, I present the emerging perspective that stem-cell-mediated remyelination of the adult CNS is a viable therapeutic strategy, and discuss the challenges to remyelination posed by the environment of acute and chronic injuries.
A comparison of two populations of defective, interfering pseudorabies virus particles.

Abstract The characteristics of two independently evolving populations of defective, interfering particles of pseudorabies virus passaged at high multiplicity of infection have been studied. Defective particles in both populations interfere with the growth of standard virus and contain DNA with a molecular weight similar to, or slightly smaller than, that of standard pseudorabies viral DNA. The two populations of defective virions differ with respect to the degree of reiteration, as well as with respect to the G + C content of their DNA. Interference by defective particles with the growth of standard virus is not correlated with a change in buoyant density of the DNA of these particles. Despite the difference in the composition of the DNA molecules of the two populations of defective virions, they behave similarly. Production of viral particles is reduced in cells coinfected with standard virus and either one of the two populations of defectives, as compared to cells infected with standard virus alone. Maturation of concatemeric nascent forms of viral DNA to unit size molecules is also delayed.
Medical education, irrelevancy and the humanities

The author reviews the criticism aimed at medical education and suggests that its shortcomings could be corrected by modifying the curriculum so that irrelevant material is eliminated and replaced in part with the humanities.
A comparison of the physics of the northern and southern shelves of the eastern Bering Sea and some implications for the ecosystem

Abstract Sufficient oceanographic measurements have been made in recent years to describe the latitudinal variation in the physics of the eastern Bering Sea shelf and the potential impact of climate change on the species assemblages in the two ecosystems (north and south). Many of the predicted ecosystem changes will result from alterations in the timing and extent of sea ice. It is predicted that the sea ice in the northern Bering Sea will be less common in May, but will continue to be extensive through April. In contrast, the southern shelf will have, on average, much less sea ice than currently observed, but with large interannual and multiyear variability until at least 2050. Thus, even under current climate warming scenarios, bottom temperatures on the northern shelf will remain cold. Based on biophysical measurements, the southern and northern ecosystems were divided by a North–South Transition at ∼60°N. The northern middle shelf was characterized by a freshwater lens at the surface, cold bottom temperatures, and a thicker pycnocline than found on the southern shelf. Subsurface phytoplankton blooms were common. In contrast, the southern shelf stratification was largely determined by temperature alone; the pycnocline was thin (often Calanus spp. and Thysanoessa spp.) of planktivorous fish, seabirds and whales. The response of commercially and ecologically important fish species is predicted to vary. Some species of fish (e.g., juvenile sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka ) may expand their summer range into the northern Bering Sea; some (e.g., pink salmon, O. gorbuscha ) may increase in abundance while still other species (e.g., walleye pollock and arrowtooth flounder; Theragra chalcogramma and Atheresthes stomias , respectively) are unlikely to become common in the north. The projected warming of the southern shelf will limit the distribution of arctic species (e.g., snow crab, Chionoecetes opilio ) to the northern shelf and will likely permit expansion of subarctic species into the southern Bering Sea. The distribution and abundance of baleen whales will respond to shifts in prey availability; for instance, if prey are advected northward from the southeastern Bering Sea, an extension of range and an increase in seasonally migratory baleen whale numbers is anticipated. Thus, alteration of this ecosystem in response to climate change is expected to result in something other than a simple northward shift in the distribution of all species.
The synergistic lethal interaction of Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum and natural nucleosides is related to increased DNA cross-links

Human tumor cells were treated in vitro with combinations of cis- or trans-dichlodiammineplatinum (DDP) and natural nucleosides (thymidine, uridine, cytidine and adenosine). Effects were measured by inhibition of colony-formation (cell survival) and DNA alkaline elution (DNA cross-links). No increments in cell lethality or DNA cross-links were elicited by any combination of trans-DDP and nucleosides. In contrast, every combination of cis-DDP and nucleoside was eminently synergistic with 5- and 10-fold increases in cell lethality over the predicted sum of each agent alone. These increments in cell kill correlated linearly with increases in DNA crosslinks suggesting that the nucleosides interact with cis-DDP to enhance its cytotoxic crosslinking mode of action.
Office diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women

Diagnosis and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant patients can vitually eliminate pyelonephritis, the most common medical cause for antepartum hospitalization. However, the everincreasing cost of the urine culture has led most clinicians away from routine urine screening. Uricult dipslide paddles provide an inexpensive, efficient way to screen urine. Clean-catch urine specimens were obtained from 544 consecutive asymptomatic pregnant patients seen in the outpatient obstetric clinic at the Medical University of South Carolina. Specimens were analyzed by both traditional culture techniques and the Uricult dip-slide paddles. By comparison, the Uricult test detected 55 of the 56 significant gramnegative urinary pathogens found by culture. Detection of potential gram-positive pathogens is more difficult. A scheme is proposed that allows reliable, inexpensive surveillance in all pregnant patients. Hopefully, this algorithm will rekindle the obstetrician's interest in urine screening.
Political parties, party systems, and economic reforms: The Turkish case

Turkey’s experience with economic reforms and democratization since the early 1980s underscores the importance of the political parties and the party systems in the interactions between these two processes. The country’s experience with democratic politics and a multiparty system made a significant contribution to the resumption of electoral politics and redemocratization following three years of military rule in the early 1980s. However, the opening up of the political space and the reemergence of competitive party politics ultimately created problems for the successful completion of the economic reforms, as one-party dominance and majority-party governments gave way to fragmentation in the party system with weak coalition governments. The Turkish case is instructive of the difficulties facing countries that seek to simultaneously consolidate their democracies and liberalize their economies.
KATP channels process nucleotide signals in muscle thermogenic response

Uniquely gated by intracellular adenine nucleotides, sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels have been typically assigned to protective cellular responses under severe energy insults. More recently, KATP channels have been instituted in the continuous control of muscle energy expenditure under non-stressed, physiological states. These advances raised the question of how KATP channels can process trends in cellular energetics within a milieu where each metabolic system is set to buffer nucleotide pools. Unveiling the mechanistic basis of the KATP channel-driven thermogenic response in muscles thus invites the concepts of intracellular compartmentalization of energy and proteins, along with nucleotide signaling over diffusion barriers. Furthermore, it requires gaining insight into the properties of reversibility of intrinsic ATPase activity associated with KATP channel complexes. Notwithstanding the operational paradigm, the homeostatic role of sarcolemmal KATP channels can be now broadened to a wider ...
Identity of genes A2 and A3 of bacteriophage BF23.

Abstract The polypeptide coded by gene A3 of bacteriophage BF23 has been purified and its N-terminal amino acid sequence determined. This sequence is identical to the N-terminal sequence of the polypeptide coded by gene A2. The two gene products have identical molecular weights. We conclude that these two gene products are identical, and are coded by one and the same gene, namely gene A2-A3, which was previously thought to be two genes, A2 and A3.
Trends in Computer Applications in Science Assessment

Seven computer applications to science assessment are reviewed. Conventional test administration includes record keeping, grading, and managing test banks. Multiple-choice testing involves forced selection of an answer from a menu, whereas constructed-response testing involves options for students to present their answers within a set standard deviation. Adaptive testing attempts to individualize the test to minimize the number of items and time needed to assess a student's knowledge. Figural response testing assesses science proficiency in pictorial or graphic mode and requires the student to construct a mental image rather than selecting a response from a multiple choice menu. Simulations have been found useful for performance assessment on a large-scale basis in part because they make it possible to independently specify different aspects of a real experiment. An emerging approach to performance assessment is solution pathway analysis, which permits the analysis of the steps a student takes in solving a problem. Virtually all computer-based testing systems improve the quality and efficiency of record keeping and data analysis.
Lethal and sublethal effects of a simulated salt brine effluent on adults and subadults of the shrimps Penaeus setiferus and P. aztecus

Lethal and certain sublethal effects of salt brines on adults and subadults of two species of penaeid shrimps, Penaeus setiferus and P. aztecus, were examined to evaluate the potential impact of ocean disposal of brine from solution mining of salt domes. Brines, prepared from dome salt or synthetic sea salt diluted with Brazos River (Texas, USA) water or deionized water, were mixed with seawater and dalivered from a proportional diluter to shrimp held (usually) at 25°C. For each combination of species, salt, and diluent, 90-individual trials were conducted in the fall and spring. The effects of temperature were evaluated separately. Median lethal time was strongly dose-dependent: Median lethal concentrations at 48 and 96 h were 654±42 (95% confidence interval) and 540±41 mOsm kg-1 above ambient seawater, respectively, well above the worst-case predictions for the brine-disposal area. Salt type, diluent type, season or species did not significantly affect brine lethality. Mortality was higher for both species at 30°C and lower for P. setiferus and higher for P. aztecus below 25°C. Lethal brine doses produced tachycardia after 6 (P. setiferus) or 12 h (P. aztecus) of brine exposure. Opacity of abdominal muscles increased with brine concentration. Lethal brine concentrations evoked hyperactivity after 0.75–1.5 h of exposure, significant failure to orient after 6 h and a reduction in general activity after 12 h. Behavior and osmoregulation suggest higher sensitivities to brines made with dome salt or river water and in shrimp tested during the cool seasons.
Is inguinal hernia a defect in human evolution and would this insight improve concepts for methods of surgical repair

In Homo sapiens sapiens and many mammalian quadrupeds, there is an absence of the posterior rectus sheath below the arcuate line (of Douglas) and an insubstantial transversalis fascia in the groin. This anatomical arrangement presents no particular functional anatomic difficulty for quadrupeds as their inguinal canal is directed "uphill" during ambulation and therefore is not subjected to significant gravitational stress. In humans, however, gravitational stress necessitated by erect posture, including bearing the weight of the intra-abdominal organs directed toward the lower abdomen, considerably amplifies this intrinsic anatomic weakness. It allows a significant number of pathologic inguinal hernias, both direct and indirect, to become clinically manifest and associated with a coincident increase in morbidity and mortality, especially in patients with strangulated hernias and/or delayed treatment. The morbidity is associated with a significant national economic loss secondary to work hour loss from pain, discomfort, surgical treatment, and rehabilitation following therapy. The mortality is usually associated with strangulation, especially in those in patients with delayed treatment. The lack of the evolutionary development of a strong posterior rectus sheath and transversalis fascia in the lower abdomen is thought to represent a significant specific anatomic defect in the evolution of humankind. If so, then perhaps methods for surgical repair will be directed toward correction of this defect and avoid, not encourage, such methods as the utilization of the weak or absent transversalis "fascia," which are doomed to a high recurrence rate, or other methods that are unnecessarily complicated, such as certain laparoscopic repairs of inguinal hernia.
Epigenetic regulation of aging stem cells

The function of adult tissue-specific stem cells declines with age, which may contribute to the physiological decline in tissue homeostasis and the increased risk of neoplasm during aging. Old stem cells can be 'rejuvenated' by environmental stimuli in some cases, raising the possibility that a subset of age-dependent stem cell changes is regulated by reversible mechanisms. Epigenetic regulators are good candidates for such mechanisms, as they provide a versatile checkpoint to mediate plastic changes in gene expression and have recently been found to control organismal longevity. Here, we review the importance of chromatin regulation in adult stem cell compartments. We particularly focus on the roles of chromatin-modifying complexes and transcription factors that directly impact chromatin in aging stem cells. Understanding the regulation of chromatin states in adult stem cells is likely to have important implications for identifying avenues to maintain the homeostatic balance between sustained function and neoplastic transformation of aging stem cells.
Non-specific binding of transferrin and lactoferrin to polystyrene culture tubes: role of the radioligand.

While evaluating the role of iron-binding glycoproteins on the in vitro uptake of 67Ga and 59Fe by tumor cells, it was observed that these radiometals bind to polystyrene culture tubes in the presence of transferrin or lactoferrin. The amount of 67Ga or 59Fe bound to the tube increases with glycoprotein concentrations up to to 20 μg/ml and decreases thereafter. This biphasic response is a reflection of metal-protein affinity and is greatest for 59Fe-lactoferrin. With 125I-labeled transferrin and lactoferrin, the amount of tube-bound radioactivity was inversely dependent on the glycoprotein concentration suggesting that glycoproteins bind to a limited number of binding sites on the tube wall. Approximately 1013 glycoprotein molecules were bound per tube with an affinity constant of 1.89×107 l/M for transferrin and 1.08×107 l/M for lactoferrin. These sites are not specific since addition of albumin inhibited the binding of radiolabeled glycoproteins to the tube. In the light of these observations, caution is required in interpreting results of cell culture experiments which have not directed attention to protein-plastic interaction.
A Nonlinear Six Degree-of-Freedom Axle and Body Combination Roll Model for Heavy Trucks’ Directional Stability

Six degrees of freedom nonlinear suspension roll model of a heavy truck axle unit is presented. The model includes the effects of nonlinear tire damping, road inclination angle, and variation of suspension angles. The roll model parametric analysis provides the influence of various geometric truck parameters that are important to the designer in stability viewpoint. Many of the important parameters such as nonlinear tire coefficients, road and suspension inclination angles, and some of their limiting values for stability are also discussed to facilitate the selection of proper actuators and sensors for automation. The dynamic stability of the axle unit is illustrated using parameters dependent phase portraits. These phase portraits provide qualitative information on truck’s directional stability.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Membrane blotting for rapid detection of mercury(II) in water

A simple and sensitive approach to detect Hg2+ colorimetrically using blotting membrane is described to detect as low as 0.1 nM Hg2+ with the aid of a scanner.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and related disorders.

Purpose of reviewThe rate of diagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a genetically heterogeneous and, frequently, rapidly fatal autosomal recessive disorder of immune regulation, is increasing worldwide. Awareness has grown through the Histiocyte Society and the publication of newly-recogni
A RESEARCH NOTE EFFECT OF MOISTURE CONTENT AND INITIAL THIAMIN CONCENTRATION ON THIAMIN DEGRADATION KINETICS

The degradation kinetic parameters of thiamin in a pea puree system containing 80% (w/w) and 85% (w/w) water were studied at 110, 120, and 130C for three thiamin concentrations of 50, 200 and 260 mg B 1 -HCl/100 g pea puree. Both moisture content and initial thiamin concentration had no significant effect on the degradation kinetics. The degradation followed a first order reaction with an average k 121C of 0.0114 min -1 . The temperature dependence was adequately described by the Arrhenius equation. The average activation energy was 25.2 kcal/mol.
Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenases with substitutions in the FeMo-cofactor environment of the MoFe protein: effects of acetylene or ethylene on interactions with H+, HCN, and CN-.

Wild-type and three altered Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase MoFe proteins, with substitutions either at α-195His (replaced by α-195Asn or α-195Gln) or at α-191Gln (replaced by α-191Lys), were used to probe the interactions of HCN and CN-, both of which are present in NaCN solutions at pH 7.4, with nitrogenase. The first goal was to determine how added C2H2 enhances the rate of CH4 production from HCN reduction by wild-type nitrogenase. In the absence of C2H2, wild-type Mo-nitrogenase showed a declining total electron flux, which is an overall measure of all products formed, as the NaCN concentration was increased from 1 to 5 mM, whereas the rates of both CH4 and NH3 production increased with increasing NaCN concentration. The NH3 production rate exceeded the CH4 production rate up to 5 mM NaCN, at which point they became equal. The “excess NH3” likely arises from the two-electron reduction of HCN to CH2NH, some of which is released and hydrolyzed to HCHO plus NH3. With added C2H2, the rate of CH4 produ...
Analytical characterization of gold nanoparticle primary particles, aggregates, agglomerates, and agglomerated aggregates

Gold nanoparticles have been studied for many biomedical applications. However, alterations in the gold nanoparticles’ environment frequently lead to the formation of aggregates and agglomerates, which have not been well characterized. These new structures could significantly change the biological impact of the nanoparticles, so the appropriate characterization of these structures prior to biological administration is vital for the correct interpretation of toxicology results. By varying the solvent or heating under pressure, four reproducible gold nanoparticles structures were created: 10 nm primary particles, aggregates of the primary particles that contain non-reversible bonds between the individual nanoparticles, agglomerates of primary particles that contain reversible interactions between the individual nanoparticles, and agglomerated aggregates that have reversible bonds linking individual aggregates. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, thermal gravitational analysis, and neutron activation analysis were each found to accurately measure the concentration of the primary particles. The primary particles measured 10 nm by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and had a spherical morphology by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) while the aggregates measured 110 nm by DLS and had a distorted morphology by TEM. The agglomerate and aggregated agglomerate samples both measured >1,000 nm by DLS, but the individual particles had significantly different morphologies by TEM. Multiple other analytical techniques, including ultracentrifugation, gel electrophoresis, and X-ray diffraction, also showed unique traits for each structure. The structural differences did not change in the presence of cell culture media or rat serum. In addition, the primary particles, aggregates, and agglomerates each had a unique UV–Vis spectrum, allowing for an inexpensive, rapid method to differentiate between the structures.
FT-IR Analysis of High-Temperature Solid-Phase Reactions Using GC-IR Software

A method for following chemical reactions in polymers, using the GC-IR software on an FT-IR spectrometer and a high-temperature thermal cell, is discussed. The method reduces disk access time between the collection of each spectrum, allowing many more data points for kinetic experiments to be collected. The imidization reaction of polyimides above 200°C is given as an example.
The Canton Rising of 1902—1903: Reformers, Revolutionaries, and the Second Taiping

It has frequently been asserted that the Chinese revolutionaries and the 1898 reformers, after making several unsuccessful attempts at cooperation, divided into enemy camps after the failure of their respective risings in 1900. This would suggest that by 1901, the lines between reform and revolution were clearly drawn. It has further been assumed that the decision not to cooperate was a result of the reformers' permanent rejection of the principle of seizing power in China through means of an armed uprising, and that all vestiges of sympathy for republicanism had by 1900 or soon afterwards been replaced by a decisive commitment to constitutional monarchy on the part of even the most radical reformers. Furthermore, although some evidence to the contrary has been pointed out, it has often been said that the reformers, both before and after 1900, looked down on Sun Yat-sen's well-known contacts with Christians, and his close association with secret societies. This implies that the reformers, themselves, were not interested in actively soliciting the support of Chinese Christians, and that apart from T'ang Ts'ai-ch'ang's 1900 involvement with the Ko-lao Hui, of which K'ang and Liang presumably either disapproved at the time, or came to oppose immediately after T'ang's failure, the reformers kept themselves free of secret society entanglements and operated on a higher plane. Finally, it has frequently been assumed that the secret societies themselves were practically devoid of any true, revolutionary spirit, and while at times anti-Manchu, were still ‘primitive rebels.’
Complete Recovery of Actinides from UREX-like Raffinates Using a Combination of Hard and Soft Donor Ligands. II. Soft Donor Structure Variation

The feasibility of simultaneous separation of uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, and curium from a simulated dissolved used fuel simulant adjusted to 1.0 M nitric acid is investigated using a mixture of the soft donor bis(bis-3,5-trifluoromethyl)phenyl) dithiophosphinic acid (“0”) and the hard donor synergist trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) dissolved in toluene. The results reported in this work are compared to our recent demonstration of a complete actinide recovery from a simulated dissolved fuel solution using a synergistic combination of bis(o-trifluoromethylphenyl)dithiophosphinic acid (“1”) and TOPO dissolved in either toluene or trifluoromethylphenyl sulfone. While the extraction efficiency of americium was enhanced for the liquid-liquid system containing “0”, enabling to accomplish a trivalent An/Ln separation at 1.0 M HNO3, the extraction of neptunium was drastically diminished, relative to “1”. The partitioning behavior of curium was also negatively impacted, introducing an effective oppor...
Detecting abnormal patterns in WCE images

This paper presents a methodology for detecting abnormal patterns in wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) images. In particular, an average of 50,000 images are obtained during an WCE exam. Usually, these images are reviewed in a form of a video at speeds between 5 to 40 image-frames/sec. The time spent by a physician reading the results of WCE images varies between 45 to 180 minutes. This presents a major problem which is the reading process that consumes a significant amount of time and the results take several days before they become available since the physician has to find the time to study each video uninterrupted for up to 3 hours. The methodology presented here is based on the automatic detection of abnormal WCE patterns in an effort for reducing the reading time of the WCE images and the cost of the procedure as well. The methodology consists of a synergistic integration of image processing, analysis and recognition techniques for achieving the automatic detection of the WCE abnormal patterns.
Abnormal nuclear envelopes in the striatum and motor deficits in DYT11 myoclonus-dystonia mouse models

DYT11 myoclonus-dystonia (M-D) is a movement disorder characterized by myoclonic jerks with dystonic symptoms and caused by mutations in paternally expressed SGCE, which codes for 1-sarcoglycan. Paternally inherited Sgce heterozygous knock-out (KO) mice exhibit motor deficits and spontaneous myoclonus. Abnormal nuclear envelopes have been reported in cellular and mouse models of early-onset DYT1 generalized torsion dystonia; however, the relationship between the abnormal nuclear envelopes and motor symptoms are not clear. Furthermore, it is not known whether abnormal nuclear envelope exists in nonDYT1 dystonia. In the present study, abnormal nuclear envelopes in the striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) were found in Sgce KO mice. To analyze whether the loss of 1-sarcoglycan in the striatum alone causes abnormal nuclear envelopes, motor deficits or myoclonus, we produced paternally inherited striatum-specific Sgce conditional KO (Sgce sKO) mice and analyzed their phenotypes. Sgce sKO mice exhibited motor deficits in both beam-walking and accelerated rotarod tests, while they did not exhibit abnormal nuclear envelopes, alteration in locomotion, or myoclonus. The results suggest that the loss of 1-sarcoglycan in the striatum contributes to motor deficits, while it alone does not produce abnormal nuclear envelopes or myoclonus. Development of therapies targeting the striatum to compensate for the loss of 1-sarcoglycan function may rescue the motor deficits in DYT11 M-D patients.
Families of waveforms with good auto and cross ambiguity properties

We address the problem of constructing frequency hop pulse trains for use in multiuser radar and sonar systems. We suggest a new construction of a family of frequency hop waveforms with nearly ideal autoambiguity function and low crossambiguity properties across the entire family of waveforms.
Incorporating Community into Work and Family Research: A Review of Basic Relationships

This article provides a framework for integrating community into the analysis of work and family. It reviews existing research on two types of mesosystem connections among work, community and family: (i) direct relationships, in which characteristics of one or more microsystems are associated with characteristics of another microsystem; and (ii) the combined effects of two or more microsystems, that is, the work-family, work-community, community-family and work- community-family interfaces, on various outcomes. The article documents a base of research on which to build, reveals important gaps in our knowledge and provides suggestions for future work that can lead to an integration of community into work and family research.
Top 10 Developments in Lupus Nephritis

Lupus nephritis affects up to 60 % of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Traditionally, it has been treated with high-dose immunosuppression consisting of cyclophosphamide and prednisone; however, recent trials have demonstrated mycophenolate mofetil as a safe and effective alternative for both induction and maintenance of disease. Other progress has been made in our understanding of the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis, outcomes in renal transplantation, and associations with genetic risk factors. This review highlights key developments in our understanding of lupus nephritis over the past decade.
Improving Teaching Through A Community of Practice

Four faculty members describe their collective experiences of being involved in a community of practice (CoP) designed to deconstruct individual teaching experiences through critical reflection and...
A seasonal evergreen forest in Belize: unusually high tree species richness for northern Central America

Most of the undisturbed forests of northern Central America remain undescribed. Some studies predict that tree species richness in lowland forests of northern Central America should be much lower than in similar forest types in southern Central America. This paper describes the physical and biological structure of two permanent, onehectare plots on a valley floor in the Bladen Nature Reserve, Belize and compares these plots with other forests in the Neotropics. The plots have 91 and 89 species of trees ≥ 10 cm diameter (327 and 358 individuals, respectively) and comparable or higher measures of alpha-diversity than other such forests in Central America. The recorded tree species richness from other forests in northern Central America may be lower than those in southern Belize. The plots are dominated by Mortoniella pittieri Woodson (Apocynaceae), a disjunct from Costa Rica and Nicaragua. More than 50% of the tree species have distributions ranging into Bolivia or Peru, and >75% are wide-ranging species. The plots have a lower tree density and a higher proportion of large trees (>70 cm dbh) than other wet Neotropical forests. Like other Neotropical forests, tree species in the plots are generally aggregated and have a high proportion of vertebrate-dispersed fruits. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2002, 138, 275‐296.