cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Communicative and Diagnostic Significance of Infant Sounds

Our interest in the cry behavior of infancy stems from a general concern with the clinical significance of human sound. Audible sonic events appear to serve a unique function in social communication, facilitating the exchange of information not only in those precise, phonetic forms called speech but also in more ambiguous ways, via emotional expressions, music, and noises. Sounds are known to have alerting as well as sedating properties. They enter into many aspects of interpersonal relationships and seem to play an especially vital role in the regulation of intimacy. Thus, an infant with its fascinating acoustic repertoire and a mother with her special attachment to the tiny soundmaker offer rich opportunities for scientific research. In this chapter, we will invite the readers’ attention to five dimensions of this subject area that are of particular interest to us: (1) the context of infant crying behavior; (2) its patterning in disease and health; (3) factors that influence cry performance; (4) methodological issues; and (5) the communicative function of crying.
Enhanced daily sperm production in the remaining testis of aged rats following hemicastration.

To investigate the effects of age and hemicastration on daily sperm production (DSP), testes from adult (6 to 10 months) and aged (22 to 24 months) Sprague-Dawley rats were evaluated before and four months after hemicastration. Testes were weighted, decapsulated, homogenized in a Waring Blender, and evaluated for the number of maturation-phase spermatids in the homogenates. DSP per testis was calculated by dividing the number of spermatids in the homogenates by the estimated life span of the spermatids (6.3 days). The same testicular traits, along with plasma LH and FSH levels, were determined in a second group of aged rats. Considering both testes in the first experiment, neither DSP per testis nor DSP per g parenchyma were significantly affected by age. However, the age testis interaction was significant (P < 0.01) in both parameters. DSP per g of the testis removed at hemicastration was slightly lower (P < 0.05) in the aged group, and DSP per g in the aged rat was enhanced (P < 0.05) in the hemicastrates. Unlike the adults, aged rats had enhanced (P < 0.01) DSP per testis in the remaining testis posthemicastration. In the second experiment, testicular weight, DSP per g, and DSP per testis were enhanced (P < 0.01) after hemicastration. Plasma FSH levels were significantly (P < 0.01) elevated within one week after hemicastration and remained elevated four months later. Plasma LH levels were not elevated within one week after hemicastration but were significantly (P < 0.01) elevated four months following hemicastration. We concluded that: 1. measured by DSP, no decline in spermatogenesis was found between 6 to 10 and 22 to 24 months of age; 2. aged rats were capable of hemicastration-induced testicular enlargement and enhancement of DSP, 3. rats in the adult group were not capable of these hemicastration-induced changes, 4. posthemicastration testicular enlargement was accompanied by an increased number of germ cells; 5. immediate and continued elevation of plasma FSH suggests its involvement in hemicastration-induced testicular enlargement of aged rats.
A Transfer Function Description of Sheet Metal Forming for Process Control

Three-dimensional forming of sheet metal parts is typically accomplished using one or two shaped tools (die) that impart the necessary complex curvature and induce sufficient in-plane strain for part strength and shape stability. This research proposes a method of applying closed-loop process control concepts to sheet forming in a manner that automatically converges upon the appropriate tooling design. The problem of controlling complex deformation is reduced to a system identification problem where the die-part transformation is developed as a spatial frequency domain transfer function. This transfer function is simply the ratio of the measured change in spatial frequency content of the part and the die. It is then shown that such a transfer function can be used to implement closed-loop process control via rapid die redesign. Axisymmetric forming experiments are presented that establish the appropriateness of the linear transfer function description (via a test of superposition) and demonstrate the convergence properties of the proposed control method
Morphological transformation of C3H10T1/2CL8 cells by cyclopenta-fused derivatives of benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[e]pyrene.

Cyclopenta-fused homologs of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have proven to be more genotoxic and tumorigenic than their parent PAHs. In an effort to uncover their mechanisms of metabolic activation, the morphological transforming activities of dibenzo[k,mno]acephenanthrylene (CP(3,4)B[a]P), dibenzo[j,mno]acephenanthrylene (CP(1,12)B[a]P) and naphtho[1,2,3,4-mno]acephenanthrylene (CPB[e]P) were studied in C3H10T12CL8 mouse embryo fibrobiasts. CP(3,4)B[a]P, a PAH with a blocked K region and unblocked bay region, was highly active inducing an average of 1,1 Type II and III foci/dish at 5 μg/ml with an average of 67% of the dishes containing foci. This activity was similar to that of benzo[a]pyrene. CP(1,12)B[a]P and CPB[e]P were inactive. The relative positions of the cyclopenta-ring and bay region may play an essential role in the metabolic activation of these PAHs and their bilogical activities.
Analog ionospheric forecasts: Space weather forecasts by analogy with previous events

[1] Operational systems that take advantage of the ionosphere or for which the ionosphere is a major inconvenience require that deleterious changes to the ionosphere during geomagnetically disturbed intervals be forecast up to several days in advance, in order to allow mitigation procedures to be instituted. However, the reliability of current space weather models of the Sun, solar wind, magnetosphere and ionosphere is such that the consequential ionospheric forecasts depend too much on the uncertainties of the various models. It is no secret that the level of success of space weather forecasts is currently still a decade or two behind that achieved by the tropospheric weather forecasting community. As an interim solution to forecasting the low and midlatitude ionosphere, we propose the use of analog forecasts in which we look to the past to see what happened to the ionosphere during a historical interval for which the forecast geomagnetic conditions also applied. In order to investigate the concept of analog forecasts, we have analyzed Australian ionosonde values of NmF2 for ∼200 disturbed intervals. While we do not expect analog forecasts to match the details of individual storms, we do expect them to provide users with the essential nature of a forecast ionospheric storm. The reliability of analog forecasts should increase as we gain experience and thus provide a standard of reliability that will eventually be reached by fully coupled space weather forecasts.
Chemistry of SO2 on model metal and oxide catalysts: Photoemission and XANES studies

High-resolution synchrotron based photoemission and x-ray absorption spectroscopy have been used to study the interaction of SO{sub 2} with a series of metals and oxides. The chemistry of SO{sub 2} on metal surfaces is rich. At low coverages, the molecule fully decomposes into atomic S and O. At large coverages, the formation of SO{sub 3} and SO{sub 4} takes place. The following sequence was found for the reactivity of the metals towards SO{sub 2}: Pt {approx} Rh < Ru < Mo << Zn, Sn, Cs. Alloying can be useful for reducing the chemical affinity of a metal for SO{sub 2} and controlling S poisoning. Pd atoms bonded to Rh and Pt atoms bonded to Sn interact weakly with SO{sub 2}. In general, SO{sub 2} mainly reacts with the O centers of metal oxides. SO{sub 4} is formed on CeO{sub 2} and SO{sub 3} on ZnO. On these systems there is no decomposition of SO{sub 2}. Dissociation of the molecule is observed after introducing a large amount of Ce{sup 3+} sites in ceria, or after depositing Cu or alkali metals on the oxide surfaces. These promote the catalytic activity of the oxides during the destruction of SO{sub 2}.
Assessing DSGE Models with Indeterminacy, Capital Accumulation and Different Taylor Rules

This paper studies New Keynesian DSGE models with capital accumulation, different Taylor rules, and the potential for indeterminacy. It is shown that investment activity creates additional channels for monetary policy influence, which allow for the reconsideration of some of the key findings of previous papers. First, while most canonical Keynesian models fail to replicate the high levels of autocorrelation among primary economic variables, the simulated results of this paper show that models with capital accumulation can, in fact, generate substantial persistencies. Secondly, using a Bayesian approach, this paper estimates different modifications of the models with capital accumulation on U.S. data from 1960:I to 2008:I. The results of this paper differ from the findings of earlier papers. In contrast to Lubik and Schorfheide (2004) and Clarida, Gali and Gertler (2000), this paper finds that the response of monetary policy to inflation is substantially lower, the response of the monetary policy rule to output is higher, household’s risk aversion increased substantially over time, and the targeted inflation rate was substantially lower for the post-1982 period. Finally, a Bayesian comparison of the models declared that models with indeterminacy dominate determinate models for various periods of U.S. history.
Oxaliplatin Induced Digital Ischemia and Necrosis.

Introduction. Digital ischemia is a rare complication of several chemotherapeutic medications. We aimed to present a patient with digital ischemia, secondary to a new generation chemotherapeutic drug, oxaliplatin. Case Report. 62-year-old woman presented to our department with severe pain, paresthesia, and distal acrocyanosis on her right hand fingertips. Her complaints started five days after the third cycle of a chemotherapy protocol consisting of 5-fluorourasil (5-FU), folinic acid, and oxaliplatin due to advanced colon carcinoma. On physical examination, hemorrhagic and partly ulcerative lesions were detected at her right hand fingertips. Radial and ulnar pulses were absent at affected side. Digital subtraction angiography revealed severe vascular resistance in the affected extremity. Iloprost trometamol treatment was started with the dosage of 1 ng/kg/min. In addition, low-molecule-weight heparin was used for preventing possible microemboli. Symptomatic relief was provided after five days, and patient was discharged on 7th day of treatment. Discussion. The pathogenesis of oxaliplatin induced vascular toxicity remains unclear. Endothelial damage, increased adherence of platelets, deposition of immune complexes as an immunologic effect of oxaliplatin, and hypercoagulable state may be the reason for arterial thrombosis, digital microemboli, possible digital ischemia, and their several consequences.
EPA's Clean Power Plan: Implementation Options

On June 2, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a plan to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from existing fossil fuel power plants based on its authority under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. § 7411(d)). The proposal, known as the Clean Power Plan or 111(d) rule, will require each state to develop a plan for reducing the rate of CO₂ emissions from its electric power system. As currently proposed, the Clean Power Plan requires states to meet interim emissions reduction targets beginning in 2020, with final targets to be achieved by 2030. The Clean Power Plan envisages that electric power companies will reduce their emissions by, among other things, switching to lower carbon fuel sources and increasing investment in energy efficiency. Currently, coal supplies approximately 40 percent of the electricity delivered to the grid in the U.S. Reducing the carbon intensity of the electric power system will mean increased reliance on natural gas and alternative sources of power, such as nuclear, wind, and solar. To some extent, this transition is already underway, even in the absence of federal standards. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that, between 2004 and 2014, coal-fired electricity generation declined by nearly 20 percent. Over the same period, natural gas-fired generation increased by almost 58 percent and non-hydroelectric renewable generation by over 200 percent. The Clean Power Plan promises to accelerate this transition away from coal towards natural gas and renewables. Given this, the Clean Power Plan has been highly controversial. EPA received approximately two million public comments from states, industry leaders, environmental groups, and public citizens with a wide range of opinions on the best options to proceed with the Clean Power Plan. To help inform the on-going policy debate, from April to June 2015, the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law, and Business at The University of Texas at Austin conducted a survey on key aspects of the Clean Power Plan. 66 valid survey responses were received. The survey respondents included power company executives, industry consultants, state environmental officials, state energy officials, utility regulator staff, and regional transmission organization staff from various locations. Responses were not collected from every state. Survey respondents were not asked whether they support or oppose the Clean Power Plan. Rather, the survey focused on issues relating to implementation of the Plan. The survey results are summarized in this report.
Genetic implications of mating structure in a Caribbean isolate.

Mating patterns in the population of St. Barthelemy French West Indies are examined to evaluate the expected genetic consequences of consanguinity avoidance and of failure to mate due to celibacy and emigration. Nearly 60% of all individuals reaching mating age on St. Barthelemy never contribute to the gene pool of succeeding generations. This greatly reduces the effective population size and therefore increases genetic drift or random inbreeding. The consequent loss of heterozygosity is partially countered by the fact that the individuals who fail to reproduce within the population tend to be more closely related to the population than are those who do reproduce. This nonrandom failure to mate results in nonrandom inbreeding which reduces total pedigree inbreeding. Total inbreeding is also reduced by consanguinity avoidance. However the effect of avoiding close consanguineous matings is to some extent reversed by an apparent preference for more distant relationships especially with 2nd cousins. Generally similar results are found for the related Northside French population of St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands. A recently developed mathematical model predicts the expected effects on heterozygosity of partial or complete avoidance of or preference for any combination of consanguineous matings and also takes into account nonrandom failures to mate. Applications of this model to these 2 populations suggest that under some circumstances nonrandomness in celibacy and emigration may have a greater influence on genotype distributions than does consanguinity avoidance. (authors)
Cost-Effectiveness in Hepatic Lobectomy: the Effect of Case Volume on Mortality, Readmission, and Cost of Care

Objective(s) Higher-volume centers demonstrate better perioperative outcomes for complex surgical interventions, though resource utilization implications of this hospital-level variation are unclear. We hypothesized that for hepatic lobectomy, higher operative volume correlates with better outcomes and lower costs.
The taste of monosodium glutamate: membrane receptors in taste buds.

Receptor proteins for photoreception have been studied for several decades. More recently, putative receptors for olfaction have been isolated and characterized. In contrast, no receptors for taste have been identified yet by molecular cloning. This report describes experiments aimed at identifying a receptor responsible for the taste of monosodium glutamate (MSG). Using reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR, we found that several ionotropic glutamate receptors are present in rat lingual tissues. However, these receptors also could be detected in lingual tissue devoid of taste buds. On the other hand, RT-PCR and RNase protection assays indicated that a G-protein-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptor, mGluR4, also is expressed in lingual tissues and is limited only to taste buds. In situ hybridization demonstrated that mGluR4 is detectable in 40–70% of vallate and foliate taste buds but not in surrounding nonsensory epithelium, confirming the localization of this metabotropic receptor to gustatory cells. Expression of mGluR4 in taste buds is higher in preweaning rats compared with adult rats. This may correspond to the known higher sensitivity to the taste of MSG in juvenile rodents. Finally, behavioral studies have indicated that MSG andl-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (l-AP4), a ligand for mGluR4, elicit similar tastes in rats. We conclude that mGluR4 may be a chemosensory receptor responsible, in part, for the taste of MSG.
Convergence on Cattle: Political Ecology, Social Group Perceptions, and Socioeconomic Relationships in Acre, Brazil

Cattle raising is currently the leading cause of deforestation in Amazonia, and an increasingly appealing and profitable way for a growing number of smallholders to make a living in the western Amazon state of Acre, Brazil. The Acrean rubber tapper social movement contested the arrival of cattle ranchers in the 1970s and 1980s, but cattle raising has expanded among smallholder groups, including the rubber tappers, over the past 20 years. Building on the legacy of political‐economic analyses of Amazonian cattle raising, this study argues for an expanded view of cattle raising by incorporating perspectives on the cultural constructions surrounding cattle and intergroup socioeconomic relationships. Data obtained from surveys and participant observation are used to examine the factors that have contributed to the expansion of cattle raising across three Acrean groups, each historically distinguished by their unique forms of livelihood and associated identities: forestextractivist rubber tappers, agricultural colonists, and large-scale ranchers. It is argued that three factors have contributed to the growth of cattle ranching among these groups: political and economic shifts, which have made agricultural and extractive livelihoods less competitive with cattle raising; the spread of positive cultural views surrounding cattle raising; and the transition of intergroup relationships from conflict to cooperation in the cattle industry. [cattle raising, cattle culture, political
FTS Branching Fraction Comparison in Hf II

New branching fraction measurements in HfII from FTS data are described and compared to independent measurements. Strong lines of HfII have been detected in low metallicity stars. Hf is a potential reference element in nucleocosmochronometry.
Metabolic dynamics of dicyclomine hydrochloride in man as influenced by various dose schedules and formulations

Abstract Metabolic studies were conducted on each of four normal human male subjects, 20–30 years of age, weighing within the range of 150–180 pounds, to compare the absorption, plasma levels, and excretory routes of 14C-labeled dicyclomine hydrochloride utilizing four regimens, differing in dosage and form. Control and experimental periods, each of 7 days duration, were undertaken using fractional collection of blood, urine, and stool specimens. The four regimens studied in each subject included: (1) 3 × 10 mg (8 μCi/10 mg) capsules po; (2) 1 × 10 mg (8 μCi/10 mg) capsule po at 0, 4, and 8 hours; (3) 1 × 30 mg (24 μCi/30 mg) tablet in a continuous release form, po; (4) 10 mg (8 μCi/10 mg) in 10 ml total volume, iv. The data indicate dicyclomine hydrochloride to be rapidly absorbed following oral administration; the drug and/or its metabolites are detectable in the urine within 1 hour. The principal route of elimination is via the urine (79.5% of the dose). Excretion also occurs via the feces, but to a lesser extent (8.4%). The average combined excretory recovery of drug in 4 subjects and 4 drug regimens was 87.9% in the 7 days after drug administration. Little difference in the average urinary recovery (76.3–82.1%) following various modes of administration was noted, suggesting that absorption was essentially complete in all cases including the continuous-release matrix form. Fecal recovery was somewhat more variable (5.2–15.3%).
Buyer Alliances and Managed Competition

In a health insurance market, a large employer or an organized “buyer alliance” is in a position to influence the design of plans offered to its members. We study how the sponsors of buyer alliances manage competition among insurance firms by focusing on their choices of the format of competition, the number of firms allowed to compete, and the quality of care offered by the firms. We find deviations from optimality in all three dimensions. Specifically, we find a tendency toward too many firms and too much quality, and a bias toward a format involving the prescreening of insurance plans by the sponsor.
A likelihood approach to character weighting and what it tells us about parsimony and compatibility

The statistical framework of maximum likelihood estimation is used to examine character weighting in inferring phylogenies. A simple probabilistic model of evolution is used, in which each character evolves independently among two states, and different lineages evolve independently. When different characters have different known probabilities of change, all sufficiently small, the proper maximum likelihood method of estimating phylogenies is a weighted parsimony method in which the weights are logarithmically related to the rates of change. When rates of change are taken extremely small, the weights become more equal and unweighted parsimony methods are obtained. When it is known that a few characters have very high rates of change and the rest very low rates, but it is not known which characters are the ones having the high rates, the maximum likelihood criterion supports use of compatibility methods. By varying the fraction of characters believed to have high rates of change one obtains a ‘threshold method’ whose behavior depends on the value of a parameter. By altering this parameter the method changes smoothly from being a parsimony method to being a compatibility method. This provides us with a spectrum of intermediates between these methods. These intermediate methods may be of use in analysing real data.
Selective increase in lipid peroxidation in the inferior temporal cortex in Alzheimer's disease

The concentration of a product of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) was determined in six areas of neocortex of 8 subjects with Alzheimer's disease and 8 control subjects. Malondialdehyde concentration was significantly increased by incubation with iron and ascorbate in all samples. Both basal and iron/ascorbate-stimulated malondialdehyde concentration were higher in the inferior temporal cortex of Alzheimer subjects than corresponding controls; other regions were unaffected. Basal concentrations of malondialdehyde correlated with age in both the inferior parietal lobule and the sensory/motor cortex.
Intrathecal morphine for analgesia in children undergoing selective dorsal rhizotomy

Abstract Selective dorsal root rhizotomy is performed for relief of spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. Postoperative pain relief can be provided by intrathecal morphine administered at the time of the procedure. We sought to define an optimal dose of intrathecal morphine in children undergoing selective rhizotomy, through a randomized, double-blinded prospective trial. After institutional approval and parental written informed consent, 27 patients, ages 3–10 years, were randomized to receive 10, 20, or 30 μg·kg−1 (Groups A, B, and C, respectively) of preservative-free morphine administered intrathecally by the surgeon after dural closure. Postoperatively vital signs, pulse oximetry, and pain intensity scores were recorded hourly for 24 hr. Supplemental intravenous morphine was administered postoperatively according to a predetermined schedule based on pain scores. There was considerable individual variability in the time to initial morphine dosing and cumulative supplemental morphine dose. Time to first supplemental morphine dose was not different between groups. When compared to Groups A and B, cumulative 6-hr supplemental morphine dose wa significantly lower in Group C (38.6 ± 47 μg versus 79.1 ± 74 and 189.6 ± 126 for Groups A and B, respectively). By 12 hr, cumulative supplemental morphine dose was similar in Groups A and C. Group B consistently had a higher supplemental dose requirement than Groups A and C at 6, 12, and 18 hr. By 24 hr, there was no difference in cumulative dose among groups. Postoperative pain scores and the incidence of respiratory events, nausea, vomiting, and pruritus were comparable among groups. These data suggest that intrathecal morphine at 30 μg·kg−1 provides the most intense analgesia at 6 hr following selective dorsal root rhizotomy, but was otherwise comparable to the 10 μg·kg−1 dose.
Graft impingement after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Presentation as an active extension "thunk"

Twelve of 215 patients with an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction developed a "thunk," a low-pitched sound, on active extension of the operative knee at an average of 5 months after surgery. In 4 of the patients the thunk resolved without surgical treatment at an average of 4 months after onset (range, 2 to 6). In 3 of the patients an increase in anterior knee laxity was associated with resolution of the thunk. Seven of the patients were treated with arthroscopic examination. Six of the patients had graft impingement on the lateral wall or the roof of the notch with knee extension. The thunk was eliminated with an adequate notchplasty that corrected the impingement. In the other patient the thunk was secondary to fibrosis of the anterior fat pad. One patient with a persistent thunk declined surgery and was lost to followup.
Eimeria (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) of the Cottontail Rabbit Sylvilagus audubonii in Northeastern Colorado, with Descriptions of Three New Species

SYNOPSIS. All of 100 cottontail rabbits Sylvilagus audubonii were found to be infected with 1-6 species of Eimeria. Three new species, E. audubonii, E. neoirresidua and E. poudrei are described from this host. Sub-spherical oocysts of E. audubonii average 21.2 by 17.1 μ; polar body, micropyle, oocyst residuum and sporocyst residuum are all absent; ellipsoidal sporocysts average 12.9 by 5.8 μ. Ovoid to ellipsoidal oocysts of E. neoirresidua average 25.7 by 17.9 μ; polar body and oocyst residuum are absent; micropyle and sporocyst residuum are present; ellipsoidal sporocysts average 14.5 by 6.4 μ. Ovoid to ellipsoidal oocysts of E. poudrei average 26.0 by 18.1 μ; polar body is lacking; micropyle, oocyst residuum and sporocyst residuum are present; ellipsoidal sporocysts average 14.4 by 6.4 μ. Three species of Eimeria previously described in the literature, E. maior Honess, 1939, E. media form honessi Carvalho, 1943 and E. environ Honess, 1939 are redescribed. A detailed structural and statistical analysis of each species is presented with at least 200 sporulated oocysts measured in each instance. A host list and a key to the Eimeria of cottontails is given. The use of detailed studies of oocyst size and structure as a tool for specific diagnosis of the Eimeria of cottontails is discussed.
Ecological compatibility of GM crops and biological control

Insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant genetically modified (GM) crops pervade many modern cropping systems (especially field-cropping systems), and present challenges and opportunities for developing biologically based pest-management programs. Interactions between biological control agents (insect predators, parasitoids, and pathogens) and GM crops exceed simple toxicological relationships, a priority for assessing risk of GM crops to non-target species. To determine the compatibility of biological control and insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant GM crop traits within integrated pest-management programs, this synthesis prioritizes understanding the bi-trophic and prey/host-mediated ecological pathways through which natural enemies interact within cropland communities, and how GM crops alter the agroecosystems in which natural enemies live. Insect-resistant crops can affect the quantity and quality of non-prey foods for natural enemies, as well as the availability and quality of both target and non-target pests that serve as prey/hosts. When they are used to locally eradicate weeds, herbicidetolerant crops alter the agricultural landscape by reducing or changing the remaining vegetational diversity. This vegetational diversity is fundamental to biological control when it serves as a source of habitat and nutritional resources. Some inherent qualities of both biological control and GM crops provide opportunities to improve upon sustainable IPM systems. For example, biological control agents may delay the evolution of pest resistance to GM crops, and suppress outbreaks of secondary pests not targeted by GM plants, while herbicide-tolerant crops facilitate within-field management of vegetational diversity that can enhance the efficacy of biological control agents. By examining the ecological compatibility of biological control and GM crops, and employing them within an IPM framework, the sustainability and profitability of farming may be improved. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
MALLORY BODY FORMATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH EPIGENETIC PHENOTYPIC CHANGE IN HEPATOCYTES IN VIVO

Microarrays were done on the livers of mice fed DDC for 10 weeks, withdrawn 1 month (DDC primed livers) and refed 6 days, and compared with mice fed the control diet. The expression of a large number of genes changed when DDC was fed or refed. A Venn diagram analysis identified 649 genes where gene expression was changed in the same direction. The epigenetic memory of the DDC primed liver involved an increase in the expression of ubiquitin D, alpha fetoprotein, connective tissue growth factor, integrin beta 2, DNA methyl transferase 3a and DNA damage-inducible 45 gamma. DNA methyl transferase 3b was down-regulated as was Cbp/p300. When DDC was refed, DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase were up-regulated as shown by microarray analysis. Histone3 lysine9 acetylation was increased by DDC and DDC refeeding and DNA methyltransferases were not changed as shown by Western blot analysis. The data suggest the concept that the epigenetic memory that explains why DDC primed hepatocytes form MBs in 7 days of DDC refeeding is primarily the result of epigenetic modifications of gene expression through changes in histone acetylation and methylation, as well as DNA methylation.
Cartan and relativistic spin fluids in a rotating cylinder

Spin‐fluid sources and their metric are obtained for an infinite rotating cylinder. The calculation is performed in general relativity and the Cartan theory. The spin fluids are significantly different in the two theories.
Chemical reactivity of CdCl2 wet-deposited on CdTe films studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The authors use X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the chemical reactivity of CdTe films exposed to a solution of CdCl2 dissolved in methanol. They show that annealing in vacuum does not instigate a chemical reaction between CdCl2 and CdTe, but that annealing in either He:O2 or pure He leads to the formation of a surface Cl residue comprising Cd, Te, Cl, and O in the form of oxides and oxychlorides. From detailed analysis of X-ray photoelectron data, they propose that CdO, TeO2, TeCl2O are building blocks for the surface Cl residue.
Dilatometric evidence for the apparent decoupling of glassy structure from the mechanical stress field

Abstract There has been considerable effort to describe the non-linear viscoelastic response of glassy materials by using constitutive equations in which the material time or clock is affected by stress induced changes in the ‘free volume’ or glassy structure of the material. Experiments have been performed using the NIST torsional dilatometer in order to simultaneously measure the volume (structure) and viscoelastic response of samples subjected to carefully controlled thermomechanical histories. Temperature-jump experiments were performed in which equilibrated samples are rapidly up or down quenched and subjected to intermittent torsional deformations to follow the evolution of the viscoelastic response of the glass simultaneous with the volume recovery. It is found that, even when the magnitude of the applied torsional deformations is well into the non-linear range, but below yield, the volume recovery response from the quench is unaffected. This result is interpreted to imply that the structure of the glass is decoupled from the applied stress field. The significance of this for the development of constitutive equations governing the viscoelastic response of glasses is discussed. Additional results showing that the aging response and volumetric response occur on different timescales are discussed.
Epidemiology and Ecology of Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogens: Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

BackgroundLegionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) that persist and grow in household plumbing, habitats they sha...
L-Trypiophan in Neuroleptic-Induced Tardive Dyskinesia

Adminstration of the serotonin precursor L-tryptophan in a patient with neuroleptic-induced tardive dyskinesia, produced a dramatic reduction in the severity of the abnormal movements within 24 hou...
Specific antigens inhibit plasmacytoma cells bearing phosphorylcholine-binding myeloma proteins.

Abstract The TEPC-15, HOPC-8, and S107 mouse plasmacytoma cells secrete IgA molecules which bind specifically to phosphorylcholine (PC). Plasmacytoma cells were cultured for 3 days in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum. The secretion of myeloma proteins was determined by indirect plaque formation using either PC- or TNP-coated sheep red blood cells. The viability of the tumor cells was assessed by dye-exclusion. When the tumor cells were treated with PC-antigen (5 × 10 7 R36A pneumococci) secretion of PC-binding myeloma proteins was inhibited by 83% for TEPC-15 and 33% for HOPC-8. However, secretion of DNP-binding myeloma protein of MOPC-315 was not inhibited significantly. The percentage inhibition of plaque formation by the antigen paralleled the percentage reduction in viability of the tumor cells. Indirect fluorescent microscopy indicated that specific antigen caused a rearrangement of membrane-bound myeloma protein. These results suggested that a common mechanism may be operating for inhibition of tumor cells by both specific antigen and anti-idiotypic antibodies.
A novel molecule with notable activity against multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

Abstract Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is emerging as a serious global health problem, which has been elevated through co-infection involving HIV and MDR-Mtb. The discovery of new compounds with anti-MDR TB efficacy and favorable metabolism profiles is an important scientific challenge. Using computational biology and ligand docking data, we have conceived a multifunctional molecule, 2, as a potential anti-MDR TB agent. This compound was produced through a multi-step synthesis. It exhibited significant in vitro activity against MDR-TB (MIC 1.56 μg/mL) and its half-life (t1/2) in human liver microsomes was 14.4 h. The metabolic profiles of compound 2 with respect to human cytochrome P450 (CYP) and uridine 5′-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isozymes were favorable. Compound 2 also had relatively low in vitro cytotoxicity in uninfected macrophages. It displayed synergistic behavior against MDR-TB in combination with PA-824. Interestingly, compound 2 also displayed in vitro anti-HIV activity.
EXPERIENCE CLASSIFICATION AND LINGUISTIC DISTRIBUTION

Every speech community has its own language. Each language is capable of expressing the overt life experience of its speech community. Two speech communities can have s imi l a r meaning experiences, and their languages can have s imi l a r l inguistic categories. Similar meaning experiences, however, can have different experience classification. And difference in ex perience classification can thus r e su l t in different distribution in s imi l a r linguistic categories. In foreign language learning, differences between languages are always learning difficulties. Language teachers , however, d a r e not relax in the blissful belief that s imi l a r i t i e s between languages pose no teaching problems. The re can be s imi l a r phonemes between languages. But t he re can a l so be different allophones and different arrangements of phonemes;2 hence “similarff phonemes a l s o pose teaching problems. In this artic l e we shal l see that one s imilar i ty in meaning, one s imilar i ty in g rammar , and one s imilar i ty in meaning and g r a m m a r may be teaching problems too, due to differences in distribution. The languages are American English and Mandarin Chinese.
Arthroscopic Technique for the Treatment of Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis of the Hip

Open synovectomy remains the treatment of choice for pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) of the hip but has shown modest results compared with the treatment of other joints. Recent advances in hip arthroscopy permit a thorough evaluation of the joint surfaces, improved access, and decreased postoperative morbidity. We describe an arthroscopic synovectomy technique for PVNS of the hip. The use of additional arthroscopic portals and creation of a large capsulotomy enable successful visualization and extensive synovectomy of the entire synovial lining of the hip. The T-capsulotomy enables extensive soft-tissue retraction for complete exposure. The midanterior portal enables use of an arthroscopic grasper and shaver to directly access and excise the synovial lining of the peripheral compartment while avoiding damage to the medial and lateral retinacular vessels. Technical innovations in hip arthroscopy have enhanced visualization in the central and peripheral compartments, as well as instrument management and diagnostic evaluation of the capsule, therefore allowing enhanced management of PVNS of the hip.
Male hamster sociosexual behaviors: Effects of testosterone and its metabolites

Abstract Male hamsters were tested for copulatory behavior (CB) with receptive females, for investigatory responses to the females' ano-genital region (A/G), and for attraction to female hamster vaginal secretion (FHVS). After castration, the males received Silastic capsules containing one of two doses of testosterone (T), 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E2) or DHT+E2, and the maintenance of their copulatory and chemoinvestigatory responsiveness was assessed during weekly tests for the next month. The major findings were: (1) T thresholds for the maintenance of CB were lower than they were for the maintenance of A/G behavior and FHVS attraction; (2) DHT+E2 or DHT alone were more effective in maintaining A/G and FHVS attraction than was E2 alone; (3) DHT+E2 or DHT alone maintained ejaculatory behavior in some animals but E2 did not; (4) the posttreatment maintenance of normal ejaculation latencies and intromissions to ejaculation shown by intact and T-treated males was not demonstrated by males receiving DHT or DHT+E2. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that copulatory and chemoinvestigatory behaviors may be subserved by distinct neuroendocrine mechanisms in male hamsters.
An Overview of Recent Developments in Computational Aeroelasticity

The motivation for Computational Aeroelasticity (CA) and the elements of one type of the analysis or simulation process are briefly reviewed. The need for streamlining and improving the overall process to reduce elapsed time and improve overall accuracy is discussed. Further effort is needed to establish the credibility of the methodology, obtain experience, and to incorporate the experience base to simplify the method for future use. Experience with the application of a variety of Computational Aeroelasticity programs is summarized for the transonic flutter of two wings, the AGARD 445.6 wing and a typical business jet wing. There is a compelling need for a broad range of additional flutter test cases for further comparisons. Some existing data sets that may offer CA challenges are presented.
Electron transfer kinetics of Fe(CN)63−4− on laser-activated and CN−-modified Pt electrodes

Abstract The heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant k° for Fe(CN)63−/4− was measured by fast voltammetry at Pt microdisk electrodes with radii from 10 to 50 μ m. The observed k° was dependent on electrode pretreatment, but in many cases exceeded the previously reported maximum value of 0.24 cm/s for 1 M KCl electrolyte. When the electrode was polished with alumina in a slurry made with 10 mM KCN, and the 1 M KCl also contained 3 mM KCN, k° was invariant with scan rate and electrode radius for the range of 200–1000 V/s and 10–50 μm, with a value of 0.55±0.07 cm/s. If KCN was absent from the electrolyte, k° decreased with time to below 0.10 cm/s. Laser activation of the Pt electrodes in situ produced reproducibly high k° values of approx. 0.5 cm/s which varied slightly with laser power density up to 75 MW/cm2 . Above this level k° increased up to approx. 1.2 cm/s, but this increase is attributed to a laser-induced increase in microscopic surface area. The observations support a mechanism for electrode passivation based on Fe(CN) 3− 4− 6 decomposition to a Prussian blue like film. This process can be prevented by initial saturation of the Pt surface with CN−, resulting in a high stable k°.
Induction of chromosome aberrations in vitro by phenolphthalein: mechanistic studies.

Abstract Phenolphthalein induces tumors in rodents but because it is negative in assays for mutation in Salmonella and in mammalian cells, for DNA adducts and for DNA strand breaks, its primary mechanism does not seem to be DNA damage. Chromosome aberration (Ab) induction by phenolphthalein in vitro is associated with marked cytotoxicity. At very high doses, phenolphthalein induces weak increases in micronuclei (MN) in mouse bone marrow; a larger response is seen with chronic treatment. All this suggests genotoxicity is a secondary effect that may not occur at lower doses. In heterozygous TSG- p53 ® mice, phenolphthalein induces lymphomas and also MN, many with kinetochores (K), implying chromosome loss. Induction of aneuploidy would be compatible with the loss of the normal p53 gene seen in the lymphomas. Here we address some of the postulated mechanisms of genotoxicity in vitro, including metabolic activation, inhibition of thymidylate synthetase, cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, DNA damage and aneuploidy. We show clearly that phenolphthalein does not require metabolic activation by S9 to induce Abs. Inhibition of thymidylate synthetase is an unlikely mechanism, since thymidine did not prevent Ab induction by phenolphthalein. Phenolphthalein dramatically inhibited DNA synthesis, in common with many non-DNA reactive chemicals that induce Abs at cytotoxic doses. Phenolphthalein strongly enhances levels of intracellular oxygen radicals (ROS). The radical scavenger DMSO suppresses phenolphthalein-induced toxicity and Abs whereas H 2 O 2 potentiates them, suggesting a role for peroxidative activation. Phenolphthalein did not produce DNA strand breaks in rat hepatocytes or DNA adducts in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. All the evidence points to an indirect mechanism for Abs that is unlikely to operate at low doses of phenolphthalein. We also found that phenolphthalein induces mitotic abnormalities and MN with kinetochores in vitro. These are also enhanced by H 2 O 2 and suppressed by DMSO. Our findings suggest that induction of Abs in vitro is a high-dose effect in oxidatively stressed cells and may thus have a threshold. There may be more than one mechanism operating in vitro and in vivo, possibly indirect genotoxicity at high doses and also chromosome loss, both of which would likely have a threshold.
Longitudinal Analysis of Median Nerve Perfusion Using Spectral Doppler in a Working Animal Model

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a form of median mononeuropathy (MMN) of the wrist that has become the most common nerve entrapment syndrome of the upper limbs. During the acute phase of CTS, the median nerve becomes hyperemic and enlarged as it begins to be compressed by the transverse carpal ligament; however, continual compression ultimately leads to median nerve ischemia. The objective of this study was to longitudinally quantify the amount of perfusion of the median nerve using spectral Doppler in a working animal model, as the cohort prospectively increased their risk of MMN through a repetitive pinching task. The results of the study provided low-level evidence that the use of spectral Doppler to accurately detect longitudinal changes in vascularity within the median nerve may be diagnostically inadequate. As the subjects in the study moved through the working and nonworking stages of study, spectral Doppler alone proved to lack the level of sensitivity needed to detect physiologic changes within the nerve. This outcome, although inconclusive when it comes to detecting changes in median nerve vascularity, does suggest the need for this method to be analyzed in conjunction with other sonographic features and provocative testing.
Synthesis, spectroscopy, and structural characterization of carbonyl and cage phosphite adducts of edge-bridged open metallocenes

The bis(cyclooctadienyl) complexes of titanium and vanadium form mono(ligand) adducts with both CO and cage phosphites. The 16 electron titanium complexes are diamagnetic, and the broadness of the 1 H-NMR chemical shifts for the phosphite complex indicates rapid, reversible ligand dissociation. The various complexes have been characterized analytically, through IR, NMR, and ESR spectroscopies, and X-ray diffraction. Structural data reveal a high degree of steric crowding in these species, while IR data for the carbonyl complexes reveal that these edge-bridged dienyl ligands are substantially better electron donors than typical pentadienyl ligands, even being quite comparable to C 5 H 5 .
High aspect ratio tapered hollow metallic microneedle arrays with microfluidic interconnector

We present a novel microfabrication method for a tapered hollow metallic microneedle array and its complete microfluidic packaging for drug delivery and body fluid sampling applications. Backside exposure of SU-8 through a UV transparent substrate was investigated as a means of fabricating a dense array of tall (up to 400 μm) uniformly tapered SU-8 pillar structures with angles in the range of 3.1–5° on top of the SU-8 mesa. Conformal electroplating of metals on top of the array of the tapered SU-8 pillars, lapping of the tip of the metallic microneedles with planarizing polymer, and removal of the SU-8 sacrificial layers resulted in an array of tapered hollow metallic microneedles with a fluidic reservoir on the backside. A microfluidic interconnector assembly was designed and fabricated using SU-8 and conventionally machined PMMA in a way that it has a male interconnector, which directly fits into the fluidic reservoir of the microneedle array at one end and the other male interconnector, which provides fluidic interconnection to external devices at the other end. The fluid flow rate was measured and it showed 0.69 μL/s. per microneedle when the pressure of 6.89 KPa (1 psi) was applied.