cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 2 Epidemiology of the Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Abstract Although much progress has been made in the past 20 years on understanding the clinical features of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), investigation into its epidemiology has been difficult. The 1999 APS classification criteria made epidemiologic studies practical by providing a common definition for this disease. In this chapter, the classification criteria for the APS will be reviewed, including the 1999 International Sapporo classification criteria and the updated 2006 Sydney criteria. In addition, we will discuss the studies that have been performed to validate both the original and the revised classification criteria for APS. Arterial and venous thromboses are the complications most likely to affect morbidity and mortality in patients with APS. This chapter addresses the prevalence of these thrombotic complications in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), as well as the risk factors that promote recurrence of thrombotic events. The prevalence of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and pregnancy morbidity in patients with aPL will be discussed, as well as non-criteria clinical manifestations of APS, such as chorea, cardiac valvular disease, and pulmonary hypertension. The frequency of aPL in other populations of patients will also be reviewed, including the elderly and those with autoimmune diseases, infections, or malignancy. The lack of adequate standardization of assays to measure aPL and the variety of study designs used to assess these patients has made such estimations of prevalence a challenging task. Nevertheless, analyses of prospective and case–control studies provide valuable information in the investigation of the epidemiology of APS, and we will discuss those along with longitudinal studies of patients with APS.
Rabbit Plasma Inhibitor of the Activated Species of Blood Coagulation Factor X PURIFICATION AND SOME PROPERTIES

Abstract A naturally occurring inhibitor of activated blood coagulation Factor X has been isolated from pooled rabbit plasma and purified by the combination of Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, DEAE-Sephadex A-50, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. On microzone electrophoresis the purified product traveled as an α2-globulin, and on 7.5% polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis at pH 9.5 it traveled as a single component close to transferrin. With exclusion chromatography on Sephadex G-75, G-100, and G-200 it emerged in the same elution volume as crystalline bovine serum albumin. On analytical disc electrophoresis, the inhibitor stained positive for glycoprotein with the periodic acid-Schiff technique. It contained 4.1% hexose, 4.6% sialic acid, and was soluble in 2.5% but not in 5% trichloroacetic acid. Greater than 80% of its original activity persisted at 56° in the 1st hour and gradually diminished to 20% by the 6th hour. The pH optimum of the inhibitor activity was between 7 and 9, and the activity was most stable at pH 6 to 8. Optimum inhibitor activity was at 37° and nondetectable at 1°. Preparative disc electrophoresis of the purified inhibitor on 15% polyacrylamide gel at pH 8.1 caused extensive aggregation of the eluted inhibitor protein with a concomitant total loss of biological activity within 48 hours of storage, even at -60°.
Cardiac systolic time intervals in fetal monkeys: Ventricular ejection time ☆

The VET of the fetal cardiac cycle, measured as the interval between the semilunar valve opening and closing signals of the ultrasound Doppler cardiogram, was studied in chronically catheterized fetal rhesus monkeys. VET varied inversely with FHR between approximately 150 and 250 bpm. Below 150 bpm, however, there was no further prolongation of VET. VET was not related to gestational age. VET, corrected for heart rate, was shortened in the presence of combined hypoxemia and acidosis, but not when either hypoxemia or acidemia was present alone. Corrected VET was shortened by epinephrine, but was not consistently altered by atropine. VET was not affected by changes in the concentration of glucose in fetal blood.
Dirofilaria immitis: A Cause of Pulmonary Coin Lesions in Human Beings

Abstract A patient with pulmonary dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria immitis is described. Only 29 other cases have been reported in the English literature. This entity has become increasingly recognized in recent years as a cause of solitary pulmonary nodules, and we suggest that it be included in the etiological consideration of coin lesions of the lung.
The Not-So-Big U.S. Carbon Sink

Not all anthropogenic carbon emissions remain in the atmosphere, but the size of the terrestrial and oceanic carbon sinks and the mechanisms by which they sequester carbon remain controversial. Field and Fung (page [544][1]) discuss the implications of a study into long-term land use change by Houghton et al . (page [574][2]) for the carbon sink in the United States. Houghton et al. calculate annual changes in the amount of carbon stored in terrestrial ecosystems. The sink, they determine, is much smaller than that found in an earlier study based on atmospheric measurements. Field and Fung discuss possible reasons for the discrepancy and implications for our understanding of carbon sources and sinks. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/285/5427/544 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/285/5427/574
Birth, death, and resurrection: The life cycle of suprasubduction zone ophiolites

[1] Suprasubduction zone (SSZ) ophiolites display a consistent sequence of events during their formation and evolution that suggests that they form in response to processes that are common to all such ophiolites. This sequence includes the following: (1) birth, which entails the formation of the ophiolite above a nascent or reconfigured subduction zone; this stage is typically characterized by the eruption of arc tholeiite lavas and the formation of layered gabbros and sheeted dike complex; (2) youth, during which is continued melting of refractory asthenosphere (depleted during birth) occurs in response to fluid flux from the subducting slab, with extensional deformation of the older plutonic suite, eruption of refractory lavas, and the intrusion of wehrlite-pyroxenite; (3) maturity, with the onset of semistable arc volcanism, typically calc-alkaline, as the subduction zone matures and stabilizes, and the intrusion of quartz diorite and eruption of silicic lavas; and (4) death, which is the sudden demise of active spreading and ophiolite-related volcanism, which in many cases is linked to collision with an active spreading center and the onset of shallow underthrusting of the buoyant spreading axis; expressed as dikes and lavas with oceanic basalt compositions that crosscut or overlie rocks of the older suites; (5) resurrection, with emplacement by obduction onto a passive margin or accretionary uplift with continued subduction. The early stages (1–3) may be diachronous, and each stage may overlap in both time and space. The existence of this consistent progression implies that ophiolite formation is not a stochastic event but is a natural consequence of the SSZ tectonic setting.
Copyright Enforcement and Privacy in India

Copyright can function contradictorily, as both the vehicle for the preservation of privacy as well as its abuse. This paper examines the various ways in which privacy has been implicated in the shifting terrain of copyright enforcement in India. Chiefly, there are three kinds of situations that we will be discussing here: The first is straightforward and deals with the physical privacy intrusion caused by the execution of search and seizure orders during the investigation of infringement. The second situation involves the violation of privacy through the misappropriation of confidential information. The last situation involves the wrongful appropriation of a person’s persona or their ‘publicity’ – the photographs of celebrities, for instance – for private gain. Instances of each of these situations, and the manner in which the courts have negotiated the privacy claims that have arisen are described in the sections that follow. In addition, Copyright law, dealing as it does mainly with offenses of the nature of unauthorized publicity/publication putatively inscribes certain spaces and activities as either public or private. The concluding section of this paper examines the notion of the private that emerges from a tapestry view of various sections of the Copyright Act.
Elementary reaction rate model for MPA oxidation in supercritical water

An organophosphorus elementary reaction rate model has been developed to characterize rates and mechanistic pathways for methylphosphonic acid (MPA or PO(OH)2CH3) oxidation in supercritical water (SCW). The reaction network contains 242 reactions and 41 species, including 92 new phosphorus-containing reaction rates and 13 new phosphorus-containing species. Critical hydrogen abstraction and β-scission pathways omitted from existing organophosphorus combustion models have been added to the present model. With these additions, the MPA SCWO model accurately predicts the experimental concentration profiles of MPA and its measured intermediates and products, H3PO4, CO, CO2, and CH4 at a pressure of 246 bar, [MPA]0 = 1 mM, and stoichiometric conditions at a residence time range of 3 to 10 s and a temperature range of 751 to 845 K in supercritical water (P. A. Sullivan and J. W. Tester, AIChE J., 2004, 50, 673). Modeling results qualitatively agree with the experimental observation that the MPA oxidation rate increases with increasing oxygen concentration. The model does not correctly reproduce the observed experimental trend of increasing MPA oxidation rates with increasing water density; possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. The model correctly predicts product selectivity for the carbon-containing products, CO, CO2, and CH4 at varying τ, T, Φ, and P, indicating that the newly proposed reactions are important to properly predict the branching between the MPA reaction pathways.
Formulating Paclitaxel in Nanoparticles Alters Its Disposition

Paclitaxel is active and widely used to treat multiple types of solid tumors. The commercially available paclitaxel formulation uses Cremophor/ethanol (C/E) as the solubilizers. Other formulations including nanoparticles have been introduced. This study evaluated the effects of nanoparticle formulation of paclitaxel on its tissue distribution. We compared the plasma and tissue pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel-loaded gelatin nanoparticles and the C/E formulation. Mice were given paclitaxel-equivalent doses of 10 mg/kg by intravenous injection. The nanoparticle and C/E formulations showed significant differences in paclitaxel disposition; the nanoparticles yielded 40% smaller area under the blood concentration-time curve and faster blood clearance of total paclitaxel concentrations (sum of free, protein-bound, and nanoparticle-entrapped drug). The two formulations also showed different tissue specificity. The rank order of tissue-to-blood concentration ratios was liver > small intestine > kidney >> large intestine > spleen = stomach > lung > heart for the nanoparticles, and liver > small intestine > large intestine > stomach > lung ≥ kidney > spleen > heart for the C/E formulation. The nanoparticles also showed longer retention and higher accumulation in organs and tissues (average of 3.2 ± 2.3-fold), especially in the liver, small intestine, and kidney. The most striking difference was an 8-fold greater drug accumulation and sustained retention in the kidney. These data indicate that formulation of paclitaxel affects its clearance and distribution into tissues, with preferential accumulation of nanoparticles in the liver, spleen, small intestine, and kidney.
The risk of thrombosis in patients with acute leukemia: occurrence of thrombosis at diagnosis and during treatment.

To cite this article: De Stefano V, SoraF, Rossi E, Chiusolo P, Laurenti L, Fianchi L, Zini G, Pagano L, Sica S, Leone G. The risk of thrombosis in patients with acute leukemia: occurrence of thrombosis at diagnosis and during treatment. J Thromb Haemost 2005; 3: 1985-92. Summary. Background: Thromboembolism can occur during acute leukemia, especially acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) treated with L-asparaginase. Yet, most reports are anecdotical and scarce data are available on the risk of thrombosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Objectives: To evaluate the risk of thrombosis in patients with acute leukemia. Patients and methods: Three-hundred and seventy-nine consecutive adult patients with newly diagnosed acute leukemia were recruited in an observational cohort study conducted from January 1994 to December 2003. Diagnosis was ALL in 69 patients, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL; FAB subtype M3) in 31, and non-M3 AML in 279. All first or recurrent symptomatic thromboembolic events objectively diagnosed were recor- ded. Results: Twenty-four patients of the overall 379 (6.3%; 95% CI 4.1%-9.2%) had a first thrombosis, venous in 80% of the cases and arterial in 20%. At diagnosis, thrombosis was a presenting manifestation in 13 cases (3.4% of the whole cohort): 1.4% in ALL, 9.6% in APL, and 3.2% in non-M3 AML patients. Follow-up was carried out on 343 patients without thrombosis at diagnosis and further 11 thrombotic events (3.2%) were recorded. At 6 months from diagnosis, the cumulative incidence of thrombosis was 10.6% in ALL, 8.4% in APL, and 1.7% in non-M3 AML patients. The patients who received L-asparaginase had a 4.9-fold increased risk of thrombosis in comparison with those who did not (95% CI 1.5-16.0). The fatality rate due to thrombosis was 0.8%. Conclusions: In patients with acute leukemia, the risk of thrombosis is not negligible. Thombosis can be a presenting symptom at diagnosis in a significant portion of cases with APL (9.6%) and non-M3 AML (3.2%); a similar rate of thrombosis can occur during the subsequent course of the disease. The incidence of symptomatic thrombosis at diagnosis is relatively low in ALL patients (1.4%), but is significantly increased by further treatment up to 10.6%. Strategies of antithrombotic prophylaxis should be investigated in this setting.
High temperature calorimetric studies of heat of solution of NiO, CuO, La2O3, TiO2, HfO2 in sodium silicate liquids

The enthalpies of solution of La2O3, TiO2, HfO2, NiO and CuO were measured in sodium silicate melts at high temperature. When the heat of fusion was available, we derived the corresponding liquid–liquid enthalpies of mixing. These data, combined with previously published work, provide insight into the speciation reactions in sodium silicate melts. The heat of solution of La2O3 in these silicate solvents is strongly exothermic and varies little with La2O3 concentration. The variation of heat of solution with composition of the liquid reflects the ability of La(III) to perturb the transient silicate framework and compete with other cations for oxygen. The enthalpy of solution of TiO2 is temperature-dependent and indicates that the formation of Na–O–Si species is favored over Na–O–Ti at low temperature. The speciation reactions can be interpreted in terms of recent spectroscopic studies of titanium-bearing melts which identify a dual role of Ti4+ as both a network-former end network-modifier. The heats of solution of oxides of transition elements (Ni and Cu) are endothermic, concentration-dependent and reach a maximum with concentration. These indicate a charge balanced substitution which diminishes the network modifying role of Na+ by addition of Ni2+ or Cu2+. The transition metal is believed to be in tetrahedral coordination, charge balanced by the sodium cation in the melts.
Free Energy Relationships in the Electric Double Layer and Alkali Earth Speciation at the Fused Silica/Water Interface

The adsorption of divalent Sr ions at the fused silica/water interface was studied using the Eisenthal χ(3) technique to quantify Sr2+ adsorption at neutral pH as a function of screening electrolyte concentration. We determine binding constants, adsorption free energies, absolute adsorbate number densities, and interfacial charge densities and examine the relationships between the measured adsorption free energies and the electric double layer interfacial potential present at each electrolyte concentration. Our results provide the first direct experimental investigation into the widely used additive adsorption free energy expression in which the observed free energy is modeled as the sum of an electrostatic free energy and an intrinsic chemical free energy. At screening electrolyte concentrations of 10 mM and lower, the free energy for Sr2+ adsorption to the fused silica/water interface depends directly on the interfacial potential, while the observed adsorption free energy becomes independent of the inte...
Reexamination of Eisen, Zellman, and McAlister's Health Belief Model Questionnaire

Eisen, Zellman, and McAlister 1 proposed a 22-item scale to measure four Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs as applied to adolescent contraceptive behavior. Their factor analysis led them to conclude that there were several discrepancies in their proposed scales. We suggest that they were unduly pessimistic. Although their proposed scales could stand improvement, they are adequate preliminary tools. The major reason they concluded that the scales were deficient was that they applied criteria that are generally appropriate for continuous data to their inherently discrete (categorical) item response data. A secondary consideration is that confirmatory methods of factor analysis can yield results that bear more directly on their proposed organization of items than the traditional exploratory methods that they used. A reanalysis of their data suggests that their proposed scales have fewer problems than they believed they had. Our results increase the likelihood of standardizing HBM measures.
Brain regional development of the activity of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex in the rat

Abstract This study was initiated to test the hypothesis that the development of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC) activity, like that of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, is one of the late developers of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes. The postnatal development of KGDHC in rat brain exhibits four distinct region-specific patterns. The age-dependent increases in olfactory bulb (OB) and hypothalamus (HYP) form one pattern: low in postnatal days (P) 2 and 4, KGDHC activity rose linearly to attain adult level at P30. The increases in mid-brain (MB) and striatum (ST) constitute a second pattern: being 60% of the adult level at P2, it rose rapidly to adult level by P10. Thus, KGDHC activity develops earlier in phylogenetically older regions (PM) than in phylogenetically younger regions (CB, CC, HIP). Being lowest in activity among all TCA cycle enzymes, KGDHC activity in any region at any age will exert a limit on the maximum TCA cycle flux therein. The results may have functional and pathophysiological implications in control of brain glucose oxidative metabolism, energy metabolism, and neurotransmitter syntheses.
Physical layer characteristics and design of long haul fast turn-on/off and flow switched all-optical networks

Adiabatic switching will quench EDFA transients at fast lightpath turn-on/off’s. A new metric determines lightpath performance. The worst case occurs when there is only one channel present with non-decreasing performance as more wavelengths are added.
Smallest regular graphs with prescribed odd girth

The odd girth of a graph G gives the length of a shortest odd cycle in G. Let f(k,g) denote the smallest n such that there exists a k-regular graph of order n and odd girth g. The exact values of f(k,g) are determined if one of the following holds: (i) k > 2g −5 and k is a prime number, (ii) k > (2⌊(g + 1)/4⌋ −1)2, and (iiii) k is a perfect square.
Saddle shape of the mitral annulus reduces systolic strains on the P2 segment of the posterior mitral leaflet.

Background The three-dimensional saddle shape of the mitral annulus is well characterized in animals and humans, but the impact of annular nonplanarity on valve function or mechanics is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of the saddle shaped mitral annulus on the mechanics of the P2 segment of the posterior mitral leaflet. Methods Eight porcine mitral valves (n = 8) were studied in an in-vitro left heart simulator with an adjustable annulus that could be changed from flat to different degrees of saddle. Miniature markers were placed on the atrial face of the posterior leaflet, and leaflet strains at 0%, 10%, and 20% saddle were measured using dual-camera stereophotogrammetry. Averaged areal strain and the principal strain components are reported. Results Peak areal strain magnitude decreased significantly from flat to 20% saddle annulus, with a 78% reduction in the measured strain over the entire P2 region. In the radial direction (annulus free edge), a 44.4% reduction in strain was measured, whereas in the circumferential direction (commissure-commissure), a 34% reduction was measured from flat to 20% saddle. Conclusions Nonplanar shape of the mitral annulus significantly reduced the mechanical strains on the posterior leaflet during systolic valve closure. Reduction in strain in both the radial and circumferential directions may reduce loading on the suture lines and potentially improve repair durability, and also inhibit progression of valve degeneration in patients with myxomatous valve disease.
Non-umbilical cutaneous metastasis of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the deadliest human malignancies with the majority of cases diagnosed late in the course of the disease. Cutaneous metastases originating from pancreatic cancer are rare. The most common site reported is the umbilicus. Non-umbilical cutaneous metastases are far less common with only a few cases reported in the literature. Our case involved a 43-year-old man with pancreatic carcinoma who was offered resection and a Whipple procedure was planned. Intraoperatively, the patient was found to have a widely metastatic disease not seen on preoperative imaging. Postoperatively, cutaneous metastasis in the scalp was discovered. Although rare, the recognition of non-umbilical cutaneous metastases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma can be of value because they can not only detect an underlying tumour but also guide management.
The effect of different functional groups on the ligand-promoted dissolution of NiO and other oxide minerals

Sets of homologous ligands were used to probe the dissolution of oxide minerals through experiments on bunsenite (NiO). The ligand sets have primary amine, hydroxyl, and carboxyl functional groups and form five-membered, bidentate, ring complexes at the mineral surface. A set of ligands that has only two metal-coordinating functional groups (ox, en, gly) was compared with a set of larger, but similar, ligands (nta, tren) that link three sets of functional groups with a tertiary amine. Experiments were also conducted with hydroxyl ligands (tea), ammonia (NH3), and ligands containing ring nitrogen (pic). The dissolution rates of NiO(s) in the presence of these ligands established close consistency between metal detachment from a dissolving surface and the mechanisms of ligand exchange around dissolved Ni(II)-ligand complexes. The solution pH, however, is an important complicating factor. Metals compete with protons for ligand sites and this protonation changes the ligand structure and reactivity. Several types of protonation lead to different species at the mineral surface and this greatly complicates the rate laws for dissolution. The speciation will be particularly complicated for large-molecular-weight ligands with functional groups that protonate over a wide pH range. In terms of a rate law, protonation of ligand functional groups at the surface is distinct from protonation of structural oxygens at the mineral surface. These are different surface complexes (species) for the purpose of the rate law.
Being Seen: Co-Interpreting Parkinson's Patient's Movement Ability in Deep Brain Stimulation Programming

The purpose of this study is to address the use of movement assessment sensors for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Eleven patients with Parkinson's disease who had under-gone deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery were observed during follow-up appointments for adjustments to the stimulation settings. We examine the ways in which the patients and clinicians assess movement ability together in the clinic and how these assessments relate to the treatment of functional disability through DBS. We have found that effective assessment of movement and treatment efficacy is a collaborative and interpretive process (co-interpretation) that relies on input from patients, clinicians, and caregivers. From these findings we describe the design directions for movement sensors to support co-interpretation of movement in a clinical context as opposed to simply movement definition.
Middleware for enterprise scale data stream management using utility-driven self-adaptive information flows

We consider enterprise-wide information flows that are responsible for acquiring, processing and delivering operational information across the business units. Middleware that enables such aggregation of data-streams must not only support scalable and efficient self-management to deal with changes in the operating conditions, but should also have an embedded business-sense to appreciate the business critical nature of some updates. In this paper, we present a novel self-adaptation algorithm that has been designed to scale efficiently for thousands of streams and aims to maximize the overall business utility attained from running middleware-based applications. The outcome is that the middleware not only deals with changing network conditions or resource requirements, but also responds appropriately to changes in business policies. An important feature of the algorithm is a hierarchical node-partitioning scheme that decentralizes reconfiguration and suitably localizes its impact. Extensive simulation experiments and benchmarks attained with actual enterprise operational data corroborate this paper's claims.
Eight Minutes and a Half

In this paper we describe a simple conceptual problem, regarding the actual position of the Sun at sunset or sunrise. Although this problem can be easily explained in terms of rotating frames of references and standard Coriolis Effect, it is sometimes misunderstood by students and even by some physics textbooks. We also present a simple experimental activity which can be used as a demonstration of this peculiar kinematical effect in general physics courses, or become part of laboratory activities.
Vitamin B6 Metabolism in Idiopathic Sideroblastic Anaemia and Related Disorders

Summary. Patients with idiopathic anaemias associated with abnormal sideroblasts were defined according to morphologic and ferrokinetic criteria and the haematologic and biochemical effects of vitamin B6 therapy were evaluated. While all patients presented similar clinical pictures, peripheral blood changes and bone marrow abnormalities, two distinct groups were identified by sideroblast morphology and ferrokinetics. Patients with more than 5% true ring sideroblasts in the marrow (IRSA) uniformly had marked ineffective erythropoiesis, while those with abnormal sideroblasts but few true ring forms were hypoproliferative. Measurements of red cell pyridoxine kinase (PnK) and intracellular pyridoxal 5-phosphate availability (PLP) as assessed by the activity of the PLP-dependent enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (EGOT), revealed slightly decreased PnK levels in IRSA subjects but normal intracellular PLP activities in both groups. Furthermore, when treated with pyridoxine, all patients showed increases in both red cell PnK and EGOT activities which were similar to those seen in normal subjects. Treatment with PLP also effectively increased erythrocyte vitamin B6 activity. Even so, neither pyridoxine nor intramuscular PLP improved erythropoiesis as determined by serial haematocrits, reticulocyte counts and erythron iron turnover measurements. However, since both therapies increased red cell protoporphyrin levels and the excretion of urinary coproporphyrin in a number of subjects, the possibility that impaired haem synthesis in the sideroblastic anaemias is associated with abnormal vitamin B6 metabolism at the level of the mitochondrion must still be considered.
Radiation-Induced Degradation of Stainless Steel Light Water Reactor Internals

Abstract In order to provide a scientific basis for proposed life extension of current light water reactors, the radiation-induced degradation of stainless steel reactor internals will be discussed. A brief review of the basic radiation damage effects in stainless steels at LWR relevant conditions will be presented. It will be discussed how these basic effects result in the key degradation modes that have been identified by light water reactor experience to date, as well as the possibility for more severe degradation or new forms of degradation under extended service conditions. The forms of degradation that will be discussed include radiation hardening, embrittlement, dimensional stability (e.g., creep and swelling), radiation-induced segregation and precipitation, transmutation effects and irradiation-induced stress corrosion cracking.
Effects of Synaptic Modulation on β-Amyloid, Synaptophysin, and Memory Performance in Alzheimer's Disease Transgenic Mice

Accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) and loss of synapses are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). How synaptic activity relates to Aβ accumulation and loss of synapses is a current topic of major interest. Synaptic activation promotes Aβ secretion, and chronic reduction of synaptic activity reduced Aβ plaques in an AD transgenic mouse model. This suggested beneficial effects of reducing synaptic activity in AD. We now show that reduced synaptic activity causes detrimental effects on synapses and memory despite reducing plaques using two different models of chronic synaptic inhibition: deafferentation of the barrel cortex and administration of benzodiazepine. An interval of prolonged synaptic inhibition exacerbated loss of synaptophysin compared with synaptically more active brain in AD transgenic but not wild-type mice. Furthermore, an interval of benzodiazepine treatment, followed by a washout period, exacerbated memory impairment in AD transgenic mice. Exacerbation of synaptic and behavioral abnormalities occurred in the setting of reduced Aβ plaques but elevated intraneuronal Aβ immunoreactivity. These data support beneficial effects of synaptic activation on Aβ-related synaptic and behavioral impairment in AD.
Infrared reflectance of irradiated TTF-TCNQ: A comparison of the optical and low frequency transport☆

Abstract Infrared studies in the vicinity of the plasma edge of irradiated crystals of TTF-TCNQ are presented. The optical conductivity is insensitive to defects in the range of a few tenths of a per cent, whereas the room temperature conductivity as measured at dc or microwave frequencies decreases by a factor of two. This comparison indicates a decoupling of the optical and low frequency transport processes.
Why Repair the Subscapularis? A Logical Rationale

Tears of the subscapularis tendon are now more frequently recognized and are often associated with tears of the posterosuperior rotator cuff tendons. This has been facilitated by arthroscopic approaches, and repair techniques have been developed. In the setting of a rotator cuff repair, when a subscapularis tendon tear is found in continuity with a supraspinatus tendon tear, it is essential to recognize how the repair of both tendon tears can influence the overall security of the entire repair construct. When a repairable subscapularis tendon tear is left unrepaired, the function of the subscapularis muscle will be lost. In addition, the posterosuperior rotator cuff tear will be more difficult to repair, and it will be less securely repaired. When the subscapularis tendon is repaired initially, the posterosuperior rotator cuff repair can be more easily and more reliable achieved.
Proactive interference and the simultaneous acquisition retention phenomenon

If two or more verbal lists are learned simultaneously, long-term retention of them is enhanced. This simultaneous acquisition retention phenomenon (SARP) was thought to result from a reduction in proactive interference (PI). This notion was tested directly in the first experiment. Subjects learned two lists corresponding to the A—B, A—D paradigm. If SARP is due to a reduction in PI, the learning of A—D along with other lists (simultaneous learning) should reduce PI as compared with learning A—D alone following A—B. Further, if SARP results only from an increase in discrimination between lists due to context differences, having A—B learned under simultaneous conditions should produce about the same results as having A—D learned under simultaneous conditions. Neither of these expectations was supported by the data. A second study showed that SARP is not dependent upon the physical presentation of items from different lists together; the only requirement seems to be that the lists must in some way be interwoven during study. Problems in the application of interference theory to the interpretation of SARP were examined.
The rate constant for the reaction of O(3P) atoms with ClONO2

Experiments were conducted in a conventional fast flow apparatus to study the rate constant and the activation energy for the reaction O(3P) + ClONO2. The air-afterglow technique was used for the detection of oxygen atoms under pseudo first order conditions. A value of (3.4 plus or minus 0.6) x 10 to the -12th exp/(-840 plus or minus 60)T/cu cm/molecule/s was obtained for the rate constant. The observed rate is sufficiently slow so that oxygen atom attack is of minor importance in the stratosphere compared to photolysis.
Oxidation of ethyl hexadec-1-enyl ether, a plasmalogen model, in the presence of unsaturated esters

To test the susceptibility of plasmalogen lipids to oxidation, a series of experiments was run on the model compound ethyl hexadec-1-enyl ether, which was prepared from hexadecanol by a multistep synthesis. Oxidation experiments were carried out on neat mixtures of the model ether with a variety of fatty esters in sealed vials under air. Disappearance of the ether, the fatty esters and, in one set of experiments, oxygen, was followed by gas chromatography. Ethyl stearate, which was inert to oxidation under the experimental conditions, served as internal standard. In the absence of polyunsaturate (linoleate or linolenate), alk-1-enyl ether underwent slow but measurable oxidation. In the presence of polyunsaturate, however, disappearance of the ether was greatly accelerated and proceeded at a rate comparable to that of the polyunsaturate. Reactions did not proceed in the absence of oxygen and were inhibited by antioxidant. The results suggest that oxidation of the alk-1-enyl ether functionality of plasmalogens should not be ignored as a factor that contributes to the oxidative instability of animal tissue or the development of rancidity in meat products.
The ultraviolet radiation environment in the habitable zones around low-mass exoplanet host stars

The EUV (200–911 A), FUV (912–1750 A), and NUV (1750–3200 A) spectral energy distribution of exoplanet host stars has a profound influence on the atmospheres of Earth-like planets in the habitable zone. The stellar EUV radiation drives atmospheric heating, while the FUV (in particular, Lyα) and NUV radiation fields regulate the atmospheric chemistry: the dissociation of H2O and CO2, the production of O2 and O3, and may determine the ultimate habitability of these worlds. Despite the importance of this information for atmospheric modeling of exoplanetary systems, the EUV/FUV/NUV radiation fields of cool (K and M dwarf) exoplanet host stars are almost completely unconstrained by observation or theory. We present observational results from a Hubble Space Telescope survey of M dwarf exoplanet host stars, highlighting the importance of realistic UV radiation fields for the formation of potential biomarker molecules, O2 and O3. We conclude by describing preliminary results on the characterization of the UV time variability of these sources.
Does the Linker in Ci-VSP Function as a PI(4,5)P2 Binding Domain?

Proteins are often composed of multiple domains which confer specialized functions to the full length protein. The voltage sensing domain (VSD) from voltage-gated ion channels is one such domain. Originally thought to be restricted to ion channels, we now know that it can also confer voltage control to enzymes. The Ciona intestinalis voltage sensor-containing phosphatase (Ci-VSP) is composed of the unique combination of a VSD coupled to a lipid phosphatase. The coupling between these two domains is intriguing since it means that a modular VSD can control two very different effectors, a pore or an enzyme. The original characterization of Ci-VSP suggested that the inter-domain linker played a role in activating the protein while more recent work has shown evidence supporting the hypothesis that the inter-domain linker functions as a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) binding domain (PBM) (1,2). This function is similar to that of the N-terminus of PTEN, a well-known lipid phosphatase that shares a high degree of homology to Ci-VSP. We chose disease-causing mutations from PTEN, introduced them into Ci-VSP and probed Ci-VSP's voltage-dependent movements and phosphatase activity using voltage clamp fluorometry, two electrode voltage clamp, and biochemical methods. We find that the linker composition is critical for activity where single amino acid mutations either decrease or eliminate activity. We also found that upon PI(4,5)P2 depletion, the voltage dependent motions of the VSD were altered when the linker was intact, but not when the linker was mutated. Our data suggests that the linker both couples to the two domains and also serves as a PBM, regulating via its interaction with PI(4,5)P2.1. Murata, Y., et al, (2005) Nature 435, 1239-12432. Villalba-Galea, C. A., et al, (2009) J Gen Physiol 134, 5-14
Natural history and evolution of the Kwongan – a global biodiversity hotspot

The ‘Kwongan’ (or ‘Kwongkan’), a term with no etymological connections with occidental languages, was coined centuries ago by the indigenous Noongar people to define a unique ecosystem: Australia's Biodiversity Hotspot. In the new book ‘Plant Life on the Sandplains in Southwest Australia’, edited by Hans Lambers, we discover fascinating tales in natural history, and the most comprehensive compilation of ecological research conducted in the Kwongan to date. In this book, authors specializing in different fields of research take us on a journey from Kwongan's geological origin, to modern interactions between plants, soils, and animals (including humans), exploring fundamental links between biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Observations on the history of the development of antimicrobials and their use in poultry feeds

ABSTRACT Antimicrobials are powerful tools, but controversy and conflict often follow power. The development of antimicrobials was marked by personal attacks, political intrigue, internal conflicts, and lawsuits. Such controversy and conflict has continued. The early history of supplementing animal feeds with antimicrobials parallels the isolation and identification of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 was isolated and characterized in 1948, but further research showed that several feed ingredients, including dried mycelia of certain fungi, were more potent as growth promoters in the diet of chicks than was vitamin B12 alone. The growth-promoting component in fungal mycelia was shown to have antimicrobial activity. A total of 32 antimicrobial compounds are approved for use in broiler feeds in the U.S. without a veterinary prescription. Fifteen compounds are listed for treatment of coccidiosis, 11 are listed as growth promotants, and six are listed for other purposes. Seven compounds are also used in human medicine. These compounds include bacitracin, chlotetracycline, erythromycin, lincomycin, novobiocin, oxytetracycline, and penicillin. No published estimates of antimicrobial use in animals exist at present, and estimates of that use differ markedly. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) estimates usage at 30.6 million pounds, nearly 50% (49.85%) higher than the Animal Health Institute (AHI) estimate of 20.42 million pounds. AHI surveyed their members (the manufacturers of antimicrobials) to obtain their estimates, whereas USC calculated their estimates using published data and the following general formula: antimicrobial use = number of animals treated x average days treated x average dose.
Effect of intestinal tapering and lengthening on intestinal structure and function

Background Intestinal lengthening (TL) is increasingly performed for the short bowel syndrome. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of TL on canine intestinal structure and function. Methods Two groups of 5 dogs had 75% distal intestinal resection. Twelve weeks later, serosal electrodes were placed in one group (RO) and tapering and lengthening of 10 to 15 cm distal intestine and electrode placement was performed in the other group (TL). Nutritional status and intestinal absorption, m utility, and hormone release were assessed every 4 weeks for 12 weeks after the second procedure. Results The animals with the lengthening had diminished body weight (75% ± 2% versus 81% ± 4%, P P P P P P P P Conclusions TL impairs nutritional status and intestinal absorption and adaptation following massive resection. The changes in absorption and transit may be related, in part, to motor disruption and hypergastrinemia. The impaired adaptation is possibly related to decreased enteroglucagon and increased somatostatin levels.
Androgen receptor expression in the developing male and female rat visual and prefrontal cortex.

Gonadal steroid hormones are known to influence the development of the cerebral cortex of mammals. Steroid hormone action involves hormone binding to cytoplasmic or nuclear receptors, followed by DNA binding and gene transcription. The goals of the present study were twofold: to determine whether androgen receptors are present during development in two known androgen sensitive regions of the rat cerebral cortex, the primary visual cortex (Oc1) and the anterior cingulate/frontal cortex (Cg1/Fr2); and to determine whether androgen receptor (AR) expression in these regions differs between developing males and females. We used immunocytochemistry to detect AR protein on postnatal days 0, 4, and 10, and in situ hybridization to detect AR mRNA on postnatal day 10 in male and female rats. The level of AR expression was specific to the cortical region, with higher AR immunoreactive cell density and more AR mRNA in Oc1 than in Cg1/Fr2. AR immunoreactive cell density increased with age in both regions. Finally, on postnatal day 10, males had a higher AR immunoreactive cell density and more AR mRNA in Oc1 than did females. Thus, the presence of ARs may allow androgens to directly influence the development the cerebral cortex.
Technetium-99m (99mTc) mercaptoacetyltriglycine: update on the new 99mTc renal tubular function agent.

Technetium-99m ( 99m Tc) mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG 3 ) is a new renal radiopharmaceutical that was recently introduced as a 99m Tc-labeled replacement for iodine-131 ( 131 I) o -iodohippurate (OIH). Since its introduction, a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo studies have been performed to characterize the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-purified complex and kit formulations. [ 99m Tc]MAG 3 has a slower plasma clearance, a higher plasma protein binding, less red blood cell (RBC) penetration, a lower extraction ratio, and a smaller volume of distribution than OIH. Because of the slower plasma clearance, [ 99m Tc] MAG 3 cannot be used as a direct measurement of effective renal plasma flow. Simplified methods have been developed to calculate [ 99m Tc]MAG 3 clearances, as well as regression equations to convert these clearances to an equivalent OIH value. The image quality of [ 99m Tc]MAG 3 is superior to [ 131 I]OIH; the renogram curves and the fraction of the dose of the two agents that appears in the urine are almost identical, even though the plasma clearance of [ 99m Tc-]MAG 3 is only 50% to 65% that of OIH. [ 99m Tc]MAG 3 compares favorably with OIH in patients with a wide range of clinical problems. The radiation dose to a patient with normal renal function using standard imaging doses is higher for [ 99m Tc]MAG 3 than for [ 131 I]OIH, but in patients with impaired renal function, the radiation dose from [ 131 I]OIH is much higher than [ 99m Tc]MAG 3 . [ 99m Tc]MAG 3 also provides superior image quality compared with [ 99m Tc]diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) in patients with impaired renal function, but it is important to note that [ 99m Tc]MaG 3 cannot be used to mesure the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). [ 99m Tc]MAG 3 is the most promising [su99m]Tc tubular function agent to date, and it has replaced OIH and [ 99m Tc]DTPA in a number of institutions. However, therefore, they should not be expected to behave identically in all clinical conditions.
Sleep and Gambling Severity in a Community Sample of Gamblers

Although sleep has been extensively studied in substance related disorders, it has yet to be examined as thoroughly in gambling-related disorders. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between gambling severity and sleep disturbances in a sample of non-treatment seeking gamblers (N = 96) using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Mean ESS scores for recreational, problem, and pathological gamblers were 4.13, 5.81, and 8.69, respectively, with a significant difference between pathological gamblers and both problem (P = .007) and recreational gamblers (P < .001). Mean PSQI scores for recreational, problem, and pathological gamblers were 3.35, 5.30, and 5.44, respectively, with a significant difference in sleep quality between recreational and problem gamblers (P = .018), as well as recreational and pathological gamblers (P = .008). As the first study to use objective sleep measures, these findings will not only increase awareness of this relationship, but also provide a foundation on which others can investigate the benefits of screening and adjunct treatment for sleep disorders in the gambling population.
Polysulfide transport through separators measured by a linear voltage sweep method

Abstract Shuttle of polysulfide from the sulfur cathode to lithium metal anode in rechargeable lithium–sulfur batteries is a critical issue hindering cycling efficiency and life. Several approaches have been developed to minimize it including polysulfide-blocking separators; there is a need for measuring polysulfide transport through separators. We here show a linear voltage sweep method to measure anodic (oxidization) current of polysulfide crossed separators, which can be used as a quantitative measurement of the polysulfide transport. The electrochemical oxidation of polysulfide is diffusion controlled. The electrical charge in Coulombs produced by the oxidation of polysulfide is linearly related to the concentration of polysulfide within a certain range (≤0.5 M). Separators with a high porosity (large pore size) show high anodic currents, resulting in fast capacity degradation and low Coulombic efficiencies in Li–S cells. These results demonstrate this method can be used to correlate the polysulfide transport through separators with the separator structure and battery performance, therefore provide guidance for developing new separators for lithium–sulfur batteries.