cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brain tumor immunotherapy: an immunologist’s perspective

Key concepts in brain tumor immunotherapy are reviewed. "Immunotherapy" can refer to a fully-developed, tumor-specific immune response, or to its individual cellular or molecular mediators. The immune response is initiated most efficiently in organized lymphoid tissue. After initiation, antigen-specific T lymphocytes (T cells) survey the tissues – including the brain. If the T cells re-encounter their antigen at a tumor site, they can be triggered to carry out their effector functions. T cells can attack tumor in many ways, directly and indirectly, through cell-cell contact, secreted factors, and attraction and activation of other cells, endogenous or blood-borne. Recent work expands the list of candidate tumor antigens: they are not limited to cell surface proteins and need not be absolutely tumor-specific. Once identified, tumor antigens can be targeted immunologically, or in novel ways. The immune response is under complex regulatory control. Most current work aims to enhance initiation of the response (for example, with tumor vaccines), rather than enhancing the effector phase at the tumor site. The effector phase includes a rich, interactive set of cells and mediators; some that are not usually stressed are of particular interest against tumor in the brain. Within the brain, immune regulation varies from site to site, and local neurochemicals (such as substance P or glutamate) can contribute to local control. Given the complexity of a tumor, the brain, and the immune response, animal models are essential, but more emphasis should be given to their limitations and to step-by-step analysis, rather than animal "cures".
Specificity of mutations induced by methyl methanesulfonate in mismatch repair-deficient human cancer cell lines.

Recently, we showed that the cytotoxic and mutagenic response in human cells to the model SN2 alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) can be modulated by the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway. That is, human cancer cell lines defective in MMR are more resistant to the cytotoxic effects of MMS exposure and suffer more induced mutations at the HPRT locus than MMR-proficient cell lines. Since MMS produces little O6-methylguanine (O6-meG), the observed hypermutability and resistance to cytotoxicity in MMR-defective cells likely results from lesions other than O6-meG. MMS produces a high yield of N7-methylguanine (N7-meG) and N3-methyladenine (N3-meA), which can lead to the formation of promutagenic abasic sites, and these lesions may be responsible for the observed cytotoxic and/or mutagenic effects of MMS. To further investigate the mechanism of MMS mutagenesis, two MMR-defective human cancer cell lines were treated with MMS and the frequency and the types of mutations produced at the HPRT locus were determined. MMS treatment (1.5 mM) produced a 1.6- and a 2.2-fold increase in mutations above spontaneous levels in HCT116 and DLD-1 cell lines, respectively. An average 3.7-fold increase in transversion mutations was observed, which accounted for greater than one-third of all induced mutations in both cell lines. In contrast, an average 1.6-fold increase was seen among transition mutations (the class expected from O-alkylation products). Since transversion mutations are not produced by O6-meG, these findings suggest that abasic sites may be the lesion responsible for a large proportion of MMS mutagenicity in MMR-defective cells. Furthermore, these data suggest the MMS-induced damage, either abasic site-inducing base alterations (i.e., N7-meG and N3-meA) or the resulting abasic sites themselves, may be substrates for recognition and/or repair by MMR proteins.
Feed Processing. III. Effects of Ground, Steam Heated, and Pelleted Hay, with and Without Pelleted Grain, on Milk Composition and Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid Ratios

Abstract In a first experiment, hay was ground to three different degrees of fineness and fed to lactating dairy cows. The per cent hay retained on Tyler sieves of Size 16 or larger was coarse, 66.9; medium, 39.8; and fine, 0.9. Only finely ground hay depressed milk fat content (4.6 to 3.9%), decreased the percentage of rumen acetic acid (68.3 to 59.2), and increased the percentage of propionic acid (16.2 to 24.6). These changes occurred within the first seven weeks. In a second experiment, steam heating or pelleting the medium ground hay used in Experiment I did not influence milk yield, milk composition, or rumen volatile fatty acid concentration. In a third experiment, pelleted concentrates fed with pelleted medium ground hay depressed milk fat content only slightly when compared with unpelleted concentrates fed with the same hay.
Zonal function network frames on the sphere

We introduce a class of zonal function network frames suitable for analyzing data collected at scattered sites on the surface of the unit sphere of a Euclidean space. Our frames consist of zonal function networks and are well localized. The frames belonging to higher and higher scale wavelet spaces have more and more vanishing polynomial moments. The main technique is applicable in the general setting of separable Hilbert spaces, in which context, we study the construction of new frames by perturbing an orthonormal basis.
Modeling animations of American Sign Language verbs through motion-capture of native ASL signers

Software to generate American Sign Language (ASL) automatically can provide benefits for deaf people with low English literacy. However, modern computational linguistic software cannot produce important aspects of ASL signs and verbs. Better models of spatially complex signs are needed. Our goals are: to create a linguistic resource of ASL signs via motion-capture data collection; to model the movement paths of inflecting/indicating verbs using machine learning and computational techniques; and to produce grammatical, natural looking and understandable animations of ASL. Our methods include linguistic annotation of the data and evaluation by native ASL signers. This summary also describes our research progress.
Use Of Laser Diodes For Analog Fiber Optic Diagnostics Systems

Because the time resolution requirements of experiments at the Nevada Test Site exceed the capabilities of traditional electrical analog cable, fiber optic analog diagnostics systems have become attractive. A number of different instrumentation systems are possible using commercially available laser-diode transmitters. In addition, the fiber optic systems designer has a choice of receivers, operating wavelengths, and fiber types. We will compare the system performance of 810-nm systems with both single-mode and multimode fiber as well as 1300-nm single-mode fiber systems with both a photodiode oscilloscope and a laser-diode streak-camera receiver.
Unions of orthogonally convex or orthogonally starshaped polygons

LetT be a simply connected orthogonal polygon having the property that for every three points ofT, at least two of these points see each other via staircases inT. ThenT is a union of three orthogonally convex polygons. The number three is best possible.
The differentiation of rat liver endoplasmic reticulum membranes: Apo–cytochrome P450 as a membrane protein

The proteins of washed microsomal membranes from adult rat liver were solubilized by 2% SDS and electrophoresed on polyacrylamide gels. Confirming earlier reports, a large Coomassie-Blue staining band in the ∼50,000 MW region was identified as cytochrome P450 by four criteria: similar electrophoretic mobility to a purified cytochrome P450 preparation, an increase in this band after in vivo phenobarbital administration, a decrease in this band after in vivo allylisopropylacetamide administration, and direct specific binding of added purified heme to this region of a washed, unfixed gel. Although cyt P450 is not spectrally evident until just at the time of birth of the rats, a large band in this region was detectable in gels of microsomal membrane protein at all times, from three days before birth onward; this band also bound added heme after membrane proteins from fetal rat liver microsomes were electrophoresed on the gels. The conclusion was that apo-cyt P450 is present in microsomal membranes at these times during differentiation, and that, regarding this protein, during differentiation heme is bound to the apo-protein already there, concomitant with a synthesis of more cyt P450 molecules. The process of differentiation of this membrane type is also discussed.
Competition between soil bacteria and fusarium.

The phenomenon of competition has been characterized in liquid medium and sterile soil systems using a variety of soil bacteria andFusarium oxysporum f.cubense as test organisms. For most of the bacteria, suppression of the fungus was the result of a biologically induced nitrogen deficiency, this effect being reversed by the addition of excess inorganic nitrogen. High populations of competitors were found in two soils of neutral pH, but no isolates competed in the acid San Alejo loam.Agrobacterium radiobacter was able to compete when San Alejo loam was limed to about pH 6.6. Inhibition of the fungus by a number of gram-positive, spore-forming rods could not be accounted for in terms of competition for nutrients or by antibiotic production in artificial media. The competitive ability ofA. radiobacter when tested in twelve Central American soils was found to be related to pH in acid and neutral environments but was correlated with texture, organic-matter content and total nitrogen in soils of intermediate pH. In all soils where inhibition occurred, the competitive effect was overcome by additions of inorganic nitrogen. Excluding the group ofBacillus spp., the competitive ability of soil bacteria was related to the ability to develop in the absence of amino acids and growth factors but could not be correlated with growth rates of the bacteria in soil or liquid medium. It is suggested that competition for nutrients is a significant means of ecological control among members of the soil microflora and, together with competitive interactions for space and oxygen, may be the major factors governing the biological control of soil-borne fungi.
THE ACCUMULATION OF CHOLESTEROL BY TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS.

Abstract Extensive accumulation of 14 C-4-cholesterol by Tetrahymena pyriformis suspended in a non-growth medium at 29 °C was observed over a 4-hr period. At lower temperatures (13–19 °C) three separate phases of cholesterol uptake could be distinguished: ( a ) an initial, rapid, temperature independent phase, ( b ) a lag phase, and ( c ) a temperature dependent, metabolic phase. Fractionation of the non-saponifiable lipids by silicic acid column chromatography indicated a conversion (10–12 per cent) of the 14 C-4-cholesterol to more polar materials. Extracts of mass cultures of Tetrahymena grown in the absence of added cholesterol were analyzed by gas chromatography. A major component was demonstrated to be the pentacyclic triterpene, tetrahymanol. Cholesterol could not be detected by this procedure.
Responses to basic taste qualities in rats selectively bred for high versus low saccharin intake.

Rats selectively bred for relatively high (HiS) and relatively low (LoS) saccharin intake were offered sweet (sucrose), bitter (quinine, sucrose octaacetate), salty (sodium chloride), starchy (Polycose®), and sour (citric acid) solutions at several concentrations; sucrose/quinine, and sucrose/citric acid mixtures were also tested. Compared to HiS rats, LoS rats displayed weaker preferences for and lower consumption of sweet, salty, and starchy solutions. HiS and LoS rats did not differ in responses to simple bitter or sour solutions or to adulteration of sucrose with citric acid. However, quinine adulteration reduced sucrose preference more among LoS rats. Thus, selection on a saccharin intake phenotype has yielded line differences on all hedonically positive tastants and, probably as a consequence of that difference, greater finickiness specifically towards bittersweet solutions in the low saccharin-consuming line. Additional work can clarify the psychobiological mechanisms for the phenotypic difference and, potentially, the reasons for its relationship to measures of emotionality.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and the Unfolded Protein Responses in Retinal Degeneration

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the primary intracellular organelle responsible for protein and lipid biosynthesis, protein folding and trafficking, calcium homeostasis, and several other vital processes in cell physiology. Disturbance in ER function results in ER stress and subsequent activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR up-regulates ER chaperones, reduces protein translation, and promotes clearance of cytotoxic misfolded proteins to restore ER homeostasis. If this vital process fails, the cell will be signaled to enter apoptosis, resulting in cell death. Sustained ER stress also can trigger an inflammatory response and exacerbate oxidative stress, both of which contribute synergistically to tissue damage. Studies performed over the past decade have implicated ER stress in a broad range of human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, and vascular disorders. Several of these diseases also entail retinal dysfunction and degeneration caused by injury to retinal neurons and/or to the blood vessels that supply retinal cells with nutrients, trophic and homeostatic factors, oxygen, and other essential molecules, as well as serving as a conduit for removal of waste products and potentially toxic substances from the retina. Collectively, such injuries represent the leading cause of blindness world-wide in all age groups. Herein, we summarize recent progress on the study of ER stress and UPR signaling in retinal biology and discuss the molecular mechanisms and the potential clinical applications of targeting ER stress as a new therapeutic approach to prevent and treat neuronal degeneration in the retina.
Real-Time Confocal Imaging Of The Living Eye

In 1986, we adapted the Tandem Scanning Reflected Light Microscope of Petran and Hadraysky to permit non-invasive, confocal imaging of the living eye in real-time. We were first to obtain stable, confocal optical sections in vivo, from human and animal eyes. Using confocal imaging systems we have now studied living, normal volunteers, rabbits, cats and primates sequentially, non-invasively, and in real-time. The continued development of real-time confocal imaging systems will unlock the door to a new field of cell biology involving for the first time the study of dynamic cellular processes in living organ systems. Towards this end we have concentrated our initial studies on three areas (1) evaluation of confocal microscope systems for real-time image acquisition, (2) studies of the living normal cornea (epithelium, stroma, endothelium) in human and other species; and (3) sequential wound-healing responses in the cornea in single animals to lamellar-keratectomy injury (cellular migration, inflammation, scarring). We believe that this instrument represents an important, new paradigm for research in cell biology and pathology and that it will fundamentally alter all experimental and clinical approaches in future years.
A long, square-barrel gravity corer for sedimentological and geochemical investigation of fine-grained sediments

Abstract Large-volume, undisturbed sediment cores (∼ 3 m long) are obtained using a modified gravity corer. The corer is square in cross-section (12.7 × 12.7 cm), and is designed to facilitate acquisition and subsampling of fine-grained sediments. Sedimentological and geochemical data demonstrate that the modified gravity corer obtains undisturbed cores and preserves the sediment—water interface.
Locally finite varieties with large free spectra

The free-spectrum and g-spectrum functions of a variety V are defined as fV(n) = “the size of the free algebra on n generators in V” and gV(n) = “the number of non-isomorphic algebras in V generated by n or fewer elements”, for any positive integer n. Thus V is locally finite iff for each positive integer n, fV(n) is a positive integer (and consequently gV(n) is a positive integer). If V is locally finite, then we have
The focal adhesion protein paxillin regulates contraction in canine tracheal smooth muscle

The adapter protein paxillin localizes to the focal adhesions of adherent cells and has been implicated in the regulation of cytoskeletal organization and cell motility. Paxillin undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation in response to the contractile stimulation of tracheal smooth muscle. We therefore hypothesized that paxillin may be involved in regulating smooth muscle contraction. Tracheal smooth muscle strips were treated with paxillin antisense oligonucleotides to inhibit the expression of paxillin protein selectively. Paxillin antisense or sense was introduced into muscle strips by reversible permeabilization and strips were incubated with antisense or sense for 3 days. Paxillin antisense selectively depressed paxillin expression, but it did not affect the expression of vinculin, focal adhesion kinase, myosin light chain kinase, myosin heavy chain or myosin light chain. Tension development in response to stimulation with ACh or KCl was markedly depressed in paxillin-depleted muscle strips. Active force and paxillin protein expression were restored by incubation of antisense-treated strips in the absence of oligonucleotides. The depletion of paxillin did not inhibit the increase in intracellular free Ca2+, myosin light chain phosphorylation or myosin ATPase activity in response to contractile stimulation. The concentration of G-actin was significantly lower in unstimulated paxillin-depleted smooth muscle tissues than in normal tissues. While stimulation with acetylcholine caused a decrease in G-actin in normal muscle strips, it caused little change in the G-actin concentration in paxillin-depleted muscle strips, suggesting that paxillin is necessary for normal actin dynamics in smooth muscle. We conclude that paxillin is required for active tension development in smooth muscle, but that it does not regulate increases in intracellular Ca2+, myosin light chain phosphorylation or myosin ATPase activity during contractile stimulation. Paxillin may be important in regulating actin filament dynamics and organization during smooth muscle contraction.
Customer and Non-Customer Perceptions of Third Party Services: Are They Similar

Competitive performance analysis typically relies on customer service surveys. This research highlights the importance of systematically including non‐customer input to customer service surveys. Findings indicate that perceptions of customers and non‐customers both on service importance and on firm performance can be significantly different. This research also examines the special requirements needed to apply results of customer service surveys in Latin America. Finally, a method for the simultaneous evaluation of multiple competitors is recommended. Strategies for developing competitive advantage based on the findings are discussed.
Effects of Gastroesophageal Reflux on the Oral Cavity

The effects of chronic exposure of the oral cavity to gastric acid can be many and varied. Soft tissue symptoms (nonspecific burning and sensitivity) have been mentioned in the literature, but pathognomonic soft tissue lesions have not been documented. Dental erosion can be considered to be the predominant oral manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Erosion begins with subtle changes in the surface enamel and can progress to severe loss of tooth substance. Because the causes of such tooth lesions may be multifactorial, combining the effects of erosion, attrition, and abrasion and because of the subtle changes present in the beginning stages of such lesions, diagnosis may be difficult. Although the basic mechanism of erosion in gastroesophageal reflux patients is the dissolution of enamel and dentin due to acid exposure, a multitude of other factors can modify the effects of gastric acid. Salivary parameters, in particular, may play an important role in affecting oral pH after reflux episodes. Once dental erosion is diagnosed, thorough evaluation is necessary to document the extent of damage and to detect a cause, which may have both intrinsic and extrinsic components. Treatment goals include eliminating the causes of acid exposure, preventing the effects of acid exposure when it is not controllable, treating symptoms of soft tissue irritation and dental erosion, and restoring the dentition to an esthetically and functionally acceptable level.
Maintenance Scheduling for Generation System Planning

The theory of probability mathematics has been extended so that the effective load carrying capability of units for maintenance scheduling may be estimated by an easily applied function. Once the basic parameters have been calculated (load and generation unit cumulants), the effective load carrying capability of alternate units may be compared.
Gallbladder ejection fraction and its relationship to sphincter of Oddi dysfunction

Theoretically, relative distal common bile duct obstruction due to sphincter of Oddi dysfunction may be a cause of poor gallbladder evacuation observed on quantitative cholescintigraphy. In this study, the relationship of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction to the gallbladder ejection fraction by quantitative cholescintigraphy was explored. Eighty-one patients with biliary-type pain and otherwise normal evaluations underwent quantitative cholescintigraphy, sphincter of Oddi manometry, and ERCP. Abnormalities of stimulated quantitative cholescintigraphy and/or sphincter of Oddi manometry were present in 70% of this study group. Manometric evidence of sphincter dysfunction was present in patients with similar frequency irrespective of the degree of gallbladder evacuation. In conclusion, abnormalities of quantitative cholescintigraphy and sphincter manometry appear to be independent factors, although frequent findings in this patient population.
Applying Some Principles of Semantic Web to Alleviate Lack of Collaboration and Integration in eLearning

The paper hypothesizes how constructing learning management architecture based on principles of semantic web can potentially bring group learning into play and thus improve the outcomes of corporate eLearning programs. The author focuses on advantages of collaborative learning, the lack of its elements in today's asynchronous eLearning programs and ways of introducing them by exploiting some key features of semantic web.
Phosphorylation of a 25,000-dalton protein in slow and fast muscles of the chicken☆

Protein phosphorylation in intact chicken latissimus dorsi muscle, slow anterior (ALD) and fast posterior (PLD), was compared. A major difference in [32P]phosphate incorporation was found between the ALD and PLD in a 25,000-dalton heat soluble protein. The 25,000-dalton protein was purified from both the ALD and PLD. The two proteins had similar amino acid composition and both contained approximately 1 mole phosphate per mole of protein. The difference in their content of radioactive phosphate was determined to be due to faster turnover in the ALD.
Occult tubal carcinoma found at risk reducing salpingectomy in a BRCA1 carrier.

Recent studies highlight the importance of the fallopian tube as a putative site of origin for serous ovarian carcinomas, previously felt to arise exclusively from ovarian tissue. The initial association emerged from the pathologic analysis of BRCA mutation carriers undergoing risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (RRBSO), where a high percentage of incidentally diagnosed cancers and cancer precursor lesions were discovered in the distal fallopian tube (Herzog and Dinkelspiel, 2013; Crum et al., 2012; Kwon et al., 2013). These findings have enlivened the discussion on the appropriate management of women at high risk for ovarian cancer, proposing risk-reducing bilateral salpingectomy with delayed bilateral oophorectomy as a reasonable alternative to RRBSO and a means to diminish postoperative sequelae related to estrogen-deficiency. We searched MEDLINE using PubMed for all English language articles from 1980 to 2014, with search terms including “ovarian cancer,” “fallopian tube cancer,” “BRCA,” “risk reducing oophorectomy” and “risk-reducing salpingectomy.” To date, all reported cases of occult serous carcinoma found in the fallopian tube have been in women with known BRCA mutations who underwent RRBSO. Here, we report a case of invasive high-grade serous carcinoma found in the fallopian tube of a woman with a BRCA1 mutation who underwent a risk-reducing salpingectomy with ovarian preservation.
Arabidopsis hot Mutants Define Multiple Functions Required for Acclimation to High Temperatures

Plants acquire thermotolerance to lethal high temperatures if first exposed to moderately high temperature or if temperature is increased gradually to an otherwise lethal temperature. We have taken a genetic approach to dissecting acquired thermotolerance by characterizing loss-of-function thermotolerance mutants in Arabidopsis. In previous work, we identified single recessive alleles of four loci required for thermotolerance of hypocotyl elongation, hot1-1, hot2-1, hot3-1 , and hot4-1 . Completed screening of M 2 progeny from approximately 2500 M 1 plants has now identified new alleles of three of these original loci, along with three new loci. The low mutant frequency suggests that a relatively small number of genes make a major contribution to this phenotype or that other thermotolerance genes encode essential or redundant functions. Further analysis of the original four loci was performed to define the nature of their thermotolerance defects. Although the HOT1 locus was shown previously to encode a major heat shock protein (Hsp), Hsp101, chromosomal map positions indicate that HOT2, 3 , and 4 do not correspond to major Hsp or heat shock transcription factor genes. Measurement of thermotolerance at different growth stages reveals that the mutants have growth stage-specific heat sensitivity. Analysis of Hsp accumulation shows that hot2 and hot4 produce normal levels of Hsps, whereas hot3 shows reduced accumulation. Thermotolerance of luciferase activity and of ion leakage also varies in the mutants. These data provide the first direct genetic evidence, to our knowledge, that distinct functions, independent of Hsp synthesis, are required for thermotolerance, including protection of membrane integrity and recovery of protein activity/synthesis.
CRITAC: a Japanese text proofreading system

CRITAC (CRITiquing using A Ccumulated knowledge) is an experimental expert system for proofreading Japenese text. It detects mistypes, Kana-to-Kanji misconversions, and stylistic errors. This system combines Prolog-coded heuristic knowledge with conventional Japanese text processing techniques which involve heavy computation and access to large language databases.
Bilateral consecutive central corneal perforations associated with hypogammaglobulinemia

Abstract Objective To describe the presentation and the clinical course of a patient with consecutive central sterile corneal perforations associated with common variable immunodeficiency. Design Case report. Methods Multiple corneal cultures and scrapings were performed in an effort to identify an infectious cause and all were negative. Corneal biopsy did not demonstrate any evidence of micro-organisms. An extended investigation failed to uncover a collagen vascular cause or atopy. Results Progressive sterile stromal thinning with intact epithelium in the left eye proceeded to perforation despite topical treatment, and cyanoacrylate gluing was performed. However, a secondary Haemophilus influenza endophthalmitis developed, and the eye was eventually lost. The fellow eye proceeded along the same clinical course with sterile stromal thinning. A lamellar patch graft was performed when the central ulceration progressed to a descemetocele. The eye remained quiet with 20/25 vision for 2 years, until the patient died from complications of a liver transplant. Conclusions Devastating central sterile corneal thinning leading to perforation may occur in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia. Clinical features and course suggest an autoimmune cause.
Biochemical Changes in the Frontal Lobe of HIV-Infected Individuals Detected by Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

We have developed a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy method that selectively can sample cortical gray matter and adjacent white matter in the frontal lobe. We have used this approach to study a group of patients (n = 7) infected with HIV and clinical manifestations of the AIDS dementia complex (ADC), a group of patients (n = 8) infected with HIV without any indications of ADC, and seven controls. The patients without ADC had a statistically significant increase in the ratio of myo-inositol to creatine in white matter compared with normal controls. In contrast, the group of patients with ADC had almost normal levels of myo-inositol to creatine in both gray matter and white matter and showed a statistically significant decrease in the N-acetylaspartate to creatine ratio in gray matter compared with either the normal controls or the patients without ADC. Patterns of spectral abnormalities correlated with neuropsychological measures of frontal lobe dysfunction, suggesting that the evaluation of frontal lobe metabolism by magnetic resonance spectroscopy can play a role in the early detection of ADC, in determining its progression, and in assessing responses to therapeutic interventions.
Electromagnetic scattering from an anisotropically impedant cylinder immersed in a chiral medium

We first obtain solutions in terms of partial waves for scattering from an anisotropic impedance cylinder. The impedance boundary condition takes a very general form; n × (n × E) = Z n × H, where the elements of the impedance dyadic Z are arbitrary. Using these expression, we derive the scattering response of such a cylinder coated with a chiral medium for both the TE and TM polarizations of the incident wave. As we have used a generalized impedance dyadic Z, the solution presented here is very general and can accommodate a number of reductions. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Conformational aspects of local anesthetics.

The syntheses of two epimers of 3-exo-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl-2-norbornanyl)4-n-butoxybenzoate are described. The results of several assays of local anesthetic activity are discussed.
Dark Color of the Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza Georgiana Nigrescens) may be an Evolutionary Response to Occurrence and Abundance of Salt-Tolerant Feather-Degrading Bacilli in Its Plumage

ABSTRACT. The Southern Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana georgiana) breeds in northeastern North America in montane, freshwater marshes and fens. Its close relative, the Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow (M. g. nigrescens), breeds in northeastern North America, but in coastal salt marshes. Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrows are darker than Southern Swamp Sparrows. Darkly colored feathers are more resistant to bacterial degradation by bacilli, which are unusually salt-tolerant. We tested whether the difference in feather color of the pale montane Southern Swamp Sparrow and the dark Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow could be an adaptive response to differences in the occurrence and activity of bacilli in habitats that differ in salinity. Southern Swamp Sparrows were caught and sampled in cranberry fens in western Maryland, whereas Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrows were sampled in salt marshes on the western shore of the Delaware River, just where it broadens into Delaware Bay. The number of birds with feather-degrading bacteria ...
School and adolescent health and managed care.

Abstract Background: The current rapid expansion of managed care in the United States creates opportunities and dilemmas for improving adolescent health. Collaboration among managed care organizations, schools, and public health agencies increasingly is critical to adequately address the health needs of youth and to increase adolescent access to effective prevention services. Results: This paper discusses exigencies that schools and adolescent health care providers are facing, the relationship of managed care to public health, and the implications of managed care for adolescent health promotion. To illustrate some of these issues, we describe a unique collaborative relationship between HealthPartners, a managed care organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Health Start, a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota, that manages the eight school-based health centers in the St. Paul Public Schools.
Observations on the behavior of radial basis function approximations near boundaries

Abstract RBF approximations would appear to be very attractive for approximating spatial derivatives in numerical simulations of PDEs. RBFs allow arbitrarily scattered data, generalize easily to several space dimensions, and can be spectrally accurate. However, accuracy degradations near boundaries in many cases severely limit the utility of this approach. With that as motivation, this study aims at gaining a better understanding of the properties of RBF approximations near the ends of an interval in 1-D and towards edges in 2-D.
A New Dimension to Monolithic Voltage Regulations

A new dimension has been added to monolithic integrated circuit (IC) voltage regulators. A combination of circuit, device and processing innovations has led to the development of the ?A7800 series of 3-lead, 20-watt voltage regulators which feature output current capability in excess of 1A, low noise, and excellent regulation. They are available in fixed output voltage options covering the range of 5V to 30V using a built-in internal resistor matrix.
Submarine basalt from the Revillagigedo Islands region, Mexico☆

Abstract Ocean-floor dredging and submarine photography in the Revillagigedo region off the west coast of Mexico reveal that the dominant exposed rock of the submarine part of the large island-forming volcanoes (Roca Partida and San Benedicto) is a uniform alkali pillow basalt; more siliceous rocks are exposed on the upper, subaerial parts of the volcanoes. Basalts dredged from smaller seamounts along the Clarion fracture zone south of the Revillagigedo Islands are tholeiitic pillow basalts. Pillows of alkali basalts are more vesicular than Hawaiian tholeiitic pillows collected from the same depths. This difference probably reflects a higher original volatile content of the alkali basalts. Manganese-iron oxide nodules common in several dredge hauls generally contain nucleii of rhyolitic pumice or basalt pillow fragments. The pumice floated to its present site from subaerial eruptions, became waterlogged and sank, and was then coated with manganese-iron oxides. The thickness of palagonite rinds on the glassy pillow fragments is proportional to the thickness of manganese-iron oxide layers, and both are a measure of the age of the nodule. Both oldest basalts (10–100 m.y.) and youngest (less than 1 m.y.) are along the Clarion fracture zone, whereas basalts from Roca Partida and San Benedicto volcanoes are of intermediate age.
Task-Related Principal Component Analysis: Formalism and Illustration

We address the application of a modified form of principal component analysis (PCA) to data which is characterized by sparse, but known, event times. The sparsity of such event times makes it unlikely that they have a major contribution to the overall covariance in the data, and standard PCA components generated from this covariance may not give us useful insight about the task. A simple method is shown here which generates an orthogonal, "task-related PCA" (trPCA) transform based upon correlations between non-simultaneous, event-time locked, subsets of data. Non-simultaneity is the constraint that epochs of data are only compared to epochs of data from other points in time, which explicitly selects for reproducible effects. The prescription for trPCA is presented within the context of a fusiform face area experiment for illustration. In this experiment, a reproducible, face-stimulus specific, negative potential deflection is observed 200ms (N200) after presentation. We demonstrate how this N200 phenomenon, initially distributed across a subtemporal electrocorticographic (ECoG) array, may be isolated in a single component using trPCA.
Hepatic placental lactogen receptors during pregnancy in the mouse.

The binding sites for mouse placental lactogen-II (mPL-II) in virgin and pregnant mouse hepatic membranes were analyzed by Scatchard analysis and affinity cross-linking. Competitive binding studies showed that mPL-II and mouse PRL (mPRL) bound to the same receptors in all liver membrane preparations, although the affinity of mPRL binding was lower than that of mPL.-II binding. Two classes of receptors for mPLII, high and low affinity, were found by Scatchard analysis. The concentration of both types of sites in liver membranes increased during pregnancy. In contrast, the affinity of both sites for mPLII was highest in virgin female mice and declined during pregnancy. Cross-linking of [125I]iodo-mPL-II to maternal liver membranes resulted in the specific labeling of one major protein species of 67,000 daltons as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions. Under nonreducing conditions, two bands of approximately 63,000 and 60,000 daltons were apparent. ...
Modelling the amorphous phase and the fold surface of a semicrystalline polymer—the Gambler's Ruin method

Abstract A semicrystalline polymer with lamellar morphology consists of alternating amorphous and crystalline regions. If sufficiently long, each molecule in this system traverses both the crystalline and amorphous zones. The amorphous portion is comprised of portions of a molecule that form loops that re-enter the same lamella at some distance from the point of emergence, and bridges that form connections between two different crystal lamellae. (A tight fold is not considered to be a loop). The statistics of loops and bridges are shown to be identical to the classical Gambler's Ruin problem in mathematical statistics. This is a useful observation because the extensive existing literature on the Gambler's Ruin problem allows us immediately to transcribe results to the polymer system. Using this approach, the ratio of the number of loops to the number of bridges is determined to be M , the thickness of the amorphous zone in unit statistical steps. Also, the average number of steps comprising the amorphous run is determined to be 3 M +1 for a simple cubic lattice in three dimensions. This modelling leads to a calculation of the minimal fraction of crystal stems involved in tight folding in a semicrystalline polymer. For a simple cubic lattice this is found to be 2 3 . The effects of crystal structure and stiffness of the chain in the melt on this bound are discussed.
Effect of chlorine content of chlorinated phenols on their oxidation kinetics by Fenton's reagent

Abstract The effect of chlorine content of chlorinated phenols on their oxidation kinetics by Fenton's reagent was evaluated through different kinetic studies. First, elementary oxidation rate constants between hydroxyl radicals and 2,4-DCP, 2,4,6-TCP as determined in this study are 7.2∗10 9 M −1 s −1 and 6.3∗10 9 M −1 s −1 respectively.The relative ratios between the rate constants of 2-CP and 2,4,6-TCP referred to the rate constant of 2,4-DCP indicates that the reactivity of chorophenols decreases with increasing substitution of chlorine on the aromatic ring. Second, the pseudo-first order oxidation kinetic constants at overdosed H 2 O 2 and Fe 2+ were proportional to the number of unsubstituted positions, while no correlation between dechlorination constants and the number of unoccupied sites on the aromatic ring was found.Third, dechlorination kinetic model as a function of 11202, Fe, and chlorophenol concentration was developed. At constant 11202 concentration of 5 ∗ 10 −3 M, the observed dechlorination rate constants for 2-MCP, 2,4-DCP, and 2,4,6-TCP are 1.16∗10 7 M −1 s −1 , 2.28∗ 10 7 M −1 s −1 and 4.36∗10 8 M −1 s −1 , respectively. All of these results demonstrated that the oxidation rate constants decrease with increasing content of chlorine. In addition, the initial dechlorination rates do not change significantly for all the chlorinated phenols studied at constant 11202 and Fee* concentration, which suggests that the limiting step in Fenton chemistry is the generation of hydroxyl radicals through H 2 O 2 and Fe 2+ .
Influences on Perfluorochemical (PFC) Blood Uptake: In-Vitro Assessment. ♦ 322

Intratracheal instillation of PFC liquid has been shown to improve pulmonary mechanics and support gas exchange in animals and humans with respiratory insufficiency. During this process, PFC is detected in the blood; the effect of physicochemical properties of PFC liquids and physiologic factors on uptake have not been quantitated previously. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative influence of physiochemical (PFC vapor pressure - VP, relative lipid solubility - PFC lipid α) and physiologic(surface area - SA, blood flow - Q, blood lipid content - L) factors on the rate and magnitude of blood PFC uptake. A closed system, temperature and flow controlled, recirculating table top circuit was designed; PFC liquids (LiquiVent®, APF 140M, or RIMAR 101) were circulated countercurrent to sheep blood through membranes (Sci-Med™) in separate experiments. APF 140M was compared to Rimar 101 and LiquiVent® to assess the effect of PFC VP (mmHg) and PFC lipid α, respectively. The effect of SA (M2) was assessed by comparing LiquiVent® uptake across two membranes. Q (ml/min) was changed and Intralipid™ was added to blood to assess the effect of Q and L (mg/gm), respectively, on LiquiVent® blood uptake. Serially sampled blood was analyzed by electron capture gas chromatography to measure blood PFC content (μgm PFC/gm blood). Peak PFC content (Cpeak) and the time constant (τ. min) associated with time to equilibration were analyzed to evaluate magnitude and rate of PFC uptake (*p< 0.01).
Thrombopoiesis and Thrombokinetics—An Approach to the Evaluation of Thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytopenia is a common clinical disorder with a diverse group of etiologies. Traditionally, the approach to identifying the mechanism of thrombocytopenia has been empirical, primarily due to a lack of clear understanding of normal thrombopoiesis and its control. Additionally, readily available clinical measurements that reflect patterns of altered thrombopoiesis are unavailable. Recent experimental and clinical observations permit us to approach this disorder from a kinetic point of view to classify thrombocytopenia by four mechanistic categories: peripheral destruction and consumption, hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia, ineffective thrombopoiesis, and distributional causes. The application of the measurement of mean platelet size, in conjunction with a bone marrow examination, allows the clinician to more readily identify the cause of a low platelet count in a less empirical manner.
A Comprehensive Analytical Treatment of Continuum Electrostatics

An analytical treatment of the continuum model for electrostatic solvation is presented and shown to be in good agreement with numerical finite-difference continuum calculations for the same system. Because the analytic method, called ACE, is relatively fast and yields a pairwise potential from which gradients and second derivatives can be obtained, its use with molecular mechanics/molecular dynamics programs will be possible. For calculating the self-energies of molecules in aqueous solution, a new analytic method is introduced. It is based on a continuum electrostatics model in which charges are defined as Gaussian charge distributions, rather than point charges, and in which the solute interior is described by a continuous density function. The self-energy potential is a pairwise energy function which only depends on charges, interatomic distances, and the effective, solvent-inaccessible volumes of the atoms. The potential is derived by integrating the energy density of the electric field and termed th...
Subject Guides 2.0: A Look at LibGuides and Jing

To date, over one-fifth of all U.S. higher education students are now taking at least one online course. The Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) recently surveyed more than 2,500 colleges and universities t...
Similarity to the Self Affects Memory for Impressions of Others in Younger and Older Adults

Objectives. Similarity to the self has been shown to affect memory for impressions in younger adults, suggesting a self-reference effect in person memory. Because older adults show comparable self-reference effects, but prioritize memory for positive over negative information relative to young adults, we examined age differences in self-similarity effects on memory for positive and negative impressions. Method. Younger and older adults formed positive and negative impressions of others differing in the degree of similarity to the self (high, medium, low). Results. For positive impressions, both groups showed enhanced memory for self-similar others relative to dissimilar others, whereas for negative impressions, memory was poorer for those similar to the self. When collapsed across similarity to the self, younger adults remembered negative impressions better than older adults, but interestingly, older adults exhibited a trend for better memory for the positive impressions. Discussion. Results suggest that self-reference effects in impression memory are preserved with age and that older adults exhibit positivity effects in person memory consistent with previous findings.
Utilization of lymph node assessment in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ treated with lumpectomy.

Background Lymph node assessment (LNA), including sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), is controversial in patients undergoing lumpectomy for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Our goal was to identify factors influencing LNA in these patients.
Adapting an HIV/STDs Prevention Curriculum to Fit the Needs of Women With Alcohol Problems

Alcohol- and drug-dependent women are at increased risk for HIV/STDs. This article discusses how a prevention curriculum, Safer Sex Skill Building (SSB), designed to reduce the contraction of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among drug-abusing women, could be modified to fit the needs of alcohol-abusing women in a residential treatment program. Authors modified the SSB by incorporating feedback from expert consultants as well as by engaging study participants in revising the therapy manual to create a curriculum that speaks to participants' experiences. Specific steps to assist those who would want to adapt an empirically based manual-driven treatment intervention are provided.
Benzo[a]pyrene- and formaldehyde-induced DNA damage and repair in rat tracheal epithelial cells.

Abstract The single and combined effects of 2 environmental carcinogens, benzo[ a ]pyrene (BAP) and formaldehyde (HCHO), on cell growth and DNA damage were assessed in a rat tracheal epithelial cell line, C18. Treatment of C18 cells with HCHO for 90 min reduced the calculated growth index at the highest concentration tested, 400 μM, while no growth effects were observed with BAP treatments. Combination treatments reduced the growth index to 75% of control values. Alkaline elution analysis of C18 cell DNA detected both DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC) and single-strand breaks (SSB) as a result of HCHO treatment, while BAP caused only SSB. HCHO-induced SSB were repaired within 2 h, whereas BAP-induced SSB persisted for at least 48 h. Combination treatment of cells with BAP followed by HCHO enhanced the number of SSB, but reduced DPC. The results are discussed in reference to earlier work which demonstrated the interaction in vivo between BAP and HCHO with respect to their carcinogenicity in rat tracheal implants.