cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ACIDIC PHOSPHOLIPIDS AND LYSOSOMAL BIS (MONOACYLGLYCERYL) PHOSPHATE SYNTHESIS: THE ROLE OF PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL AND LYSOPHOSPHATIDYLGLYCEROL

SUMMARY: Liver lysosomes can synthesize bis (monoacylglyceryl)P from lysophosphatidylglycerol, which in turn arises from the degradation of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin. The glycerol-1-P moiety of lysophosphatidylglycerol is acylated in an apparent transesterification reaction which is stimulated by phosphatidylinositol (or phosphatidylserine). Since phosphatidylglycerol, cardiolipin and lysophosphatidylglycerol are not found in liver lysosomes, the presence of bis(monoacylglyceryl)P may reflect the prior interaction of lysosomes with other membranes which contain the polyglycerolphosphatide substrate. Studies with the cationic amphiphilic drug, triparanol, demonstrated an increased incorporation of 32 P i into phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol as well as bis (monoacylglyceryl)P. These results provide further indirect support for the proposed role of phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol.
Applying Two Orthogonal Methods to Assess Accuracy of Plasma Protein Binding Measurements for Highly Bound Compounds

Significant advances have been made over the years to accurately measure plasma protein binding (PPB) of highly bound compounds. However, because of perceived uncertainty based on historical suboptimal methods and limitation of radiochemical purity of radiolabeled materials, current regulatory guidelines recommend using an arbitrary cutoff fraction unbound (fu) of 0.01 as the lower limit for drug-drug interaction (DDI) prediction. This can result in significant overprediction of DDI for highly bound compounds, unnecessary DDI clinical trials and more restrictive drug product labels. To build confidence in the accuracy of PPB measurement for highly bound compounds, 2 orthogonal methods, equilibrium dialysis and ultracentrifugation, are assessed in this study to measure PPB of 10 highly bound drugs (fu < 0.01). The results show that the 2 very different methods yield comparable fu values, generally within 2-fold of each other. The data suggest that PPB of highly bound compounds can be measured accurately using current state-of-art methods, and the experimental fu should be used for DDI prediction to provide a more realistic evaluation of DDI risk in the clinic.
Inter-rater reliability of TT-TG distance is good and does not vary based on preselected versus independent slice selection on MRI

Objectives Patellar instability is a frequent cause of knee dysfunction in young, active patients. Tibial tubercle–trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance, trochlear morphology (trochlear depth and sulcus angle) and patellar height are felt to contribute to patellar instability and may influence treatment. These measurements are frequently performed on MRI images. We hypothesised that inter-rater reliability of measures would be good and that inter-rater variation is driven primarily by slice selection. Methods Twenty-six patients with at least one documented episode of patellar instability confirmed by MRI were identified. Six raters reviewed MRI images from each patient. Each rater measured and recorded TT-TG distance, trochlear depth and sulcus angle, and patellotrochlear index (PTI) for each patient and the slices used for the measurements. Each rater repeated the measurement using preselected slices. Inter-rater reliability was calculated by intraclass correlations (ICCs) for slice selection and for TT-TG distance, trochlear morphology measures and PTI with both independently selected and preselected slices. Statistically significant differences (p Results Inter-rater reliability was excellent for tibial (ICC=0.93) axial slice selection and sagittal slice selection (ICC=0.94), and good for femoral (ICC=0.88) axial slice selection. Using independent slice selection, inter-rater reliability was good for TT-TG distance (ICC=0.79) and fair for trochlear depth (ICC=0.57), sulcus angle (ICC=0.57) and PTI (ICC=0.71). When preselected slices were used, inter-rater reliability was good for TT-TG distance (ICC=0.85), sulcus angle (ICC=0.83) and PTI (ICC=0.77) and fair for trochlear depth (ICC=0.68). Only sulcus angle demonstrated a significant (p Discussion and conclusion Inter-rater reliability of TT-TG distance is good and does not vary based on preselected versus independent slice selection on MRI. Inter-rater reliability of trochlear morphology measures based on axial MRI slices and PTI is fair. Inter-rater variation can be reduced (particularly in the case of sulcus angle) through agreement on slice selection. Level of evidence Level III, diagnostic.
The Roman Origins of the Public Trust Doctrine

The modern Public Trust Doctrine, one of the pillars of environmental law, originates in the efforts of Roman jurists to regulate the building of private villas alone the coast of Central Italy. The jurists begin by recognizing the seashore as public property and requiring public permission for private building; but this doctrine is eventually fortified by incorporating the widespread social construction of certain property as "common to all" (communes omnibus) or even "owned by all" (communes omnium). The result is the Roman creation of a sort of equitable trust in which the State owns property for the benefit of all of its citizens — broadly similar in concept to the modern Public Trust, although without the immediate environmental concern.
Platypnea-Orthodeoxia: A Case of Unexplained Hypoxia.

Introduction Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is a rare clinical syndrome defined by worsening deoxygenation and dyspnea when changing to an upright sitting or standing position. It is seen in 3 different clinical scenarios: intracardiac shunts, pulmonary arteriovenous shunts, and ventilation/perfusion mismatch in the lungs. Case An 82-year-old woman with a history of nonischemic cardiomyopathy with reduced ejection fraction was admitted with dyspnea and hypoxemia. She was found to have atrial septal defect with right to left shunting in the setting of normal right atrial pressures. Discussion Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is a clinical syndrome where, in the setting of an interatrial communication, a right to left shunt can occur without elevated pulmonary or right atrial pressure, resulting in significant hypoxia. Conclusion Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is a clinical condition that is being recognized more frequently due to more accurate diagnosis, and its treatment can alleviate symptomatic hypoxemia.
Minimal detectable change and reliability of the star excursion balance test in patients with lateral ankle sprain.

Objective Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries in the general population and athletes. Dynamic postural control deficits and somatosensory alterations are common signs after an episode of LAS. It is important to detect these deficits to prevent a recurrent sprain and the development of chronic ankle instability. The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is a tool used to assess dynamic postural control in patients with LAS. SEBT test-retest reliability has been evaluated in several populations. However, no data on patients with LAS are available and we do not know the minimal detectable change (MDC). The primary objective of our study was to obtain the MDC for normalized reach distances of the eight SEBT directions in patients with LAS. The secondary objective was to determine test-retest reliability. Methods Cross-sectional study. Thirty-one patients (between 18 and 40 years old) diagnosed with a Grade I or II LAS. Participants were evaluated by two raters at two time-points separated by an interval of 24-72 hrs. In each assessment, four practice trials were allowed, then three test trials were performed in a randomized order. Normalized reaching distances were analyzed. Results From the initial 31 patients, two were eliminated, so 29 patients were considered for the final analysis. The MDC values obtained were 6.73-13.36%, and the medial and posteromedial directions showed the lowest and highest values, respectively. A statistically significant increase was found in lateral direction between T0 and T1. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.72 to 0.93. Conclusion The SEBT is an accurate and reliable tool to assess dynamic postural control in patients with LAS.
The Evolution of Primordial Binary Open Star Clusters: Mergers, Shredded Secondaries and Separated Twins

The basic properties of the candidate binary cluster population in the Magellanic Clouds and Galaxy are similar. The fraction of candidate binary systems is $\sim$10% and the pair separation histogram exhibits a bimodal distribution commonly attributed to their transient nature. However, if primordial pairs cannot survive for long as recognizable bound systems, how are they ending up? Here, we use simulations to confirm that merging, extreme tidal distortion and ionization are possible depending on the initial orbital elements and mass ratio of the pair. The nature of the dominant evolutionary path largely depends on the strength of the local tidal field. Merging is observed for initially close primordial binary clusters but also for wider pairs in nearly parabolic orbits. Its characteristic timescale depends on the initial orbital semi-major axis, eccentricity, and cluster pair mass ratio, becoming shorter for closer, more eccentric equal mass pairs. Shredding or extreme tidal distortion of the less massive cluster and subsequent separation is observed in all pairs with appreciably different masses. Wide pairs steadily evolve into the separated twins state characterized by the presence of tidal bridges and separations of 200-500 pc after one Galactic orbit. In the Galaxy, the vast majority of observed binary candidates appear to be following this evolutionary path which translates into the dominant peak (25-30 pc) in the pair separation distribution. The secondary peak at smaller separations (10-15 pc) can be explained as due to close pairs in almost circular orbits and/or undergoing merging. Merged clusters exhibit both peculiar radial density and velocity dispersion profiles shaped by synchronization and gravogyro instabilities. Both simulations and observations show that, for the range of parameters studied here, long term binary cluster stability in the Galactic disk is unlikely.
Crack initiation anisotropy of Ni-based SX superalloys in the very high cycle fatigue regime

Abstract The anisotropic fatigue properties of three Ni-based SX superalloys (AM1, CMSX-4 and MC-NG) were investigated in the very high cycle fatigue regime at 20 kHz, R = −1 and 750 °C. The fatigue testing shows that the [111] orientation has higher fatigue lives at high stresses and lower fatigue lives at very low stresses compared to the standard [001] orientation. At high stresses, the resolved shear stress on the octahedral slip systems explains the anisotropy effect. At low stresses, pseudo-cube slip in the matrix becomes the prominent deformation mechanism over γ′-shearing in the [111] orientation, resulting in comparatively lower fatigue properties.
Local Staging of Prostate Cancer with Multiparametric MRI.

Abstract Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) plays several valuable roles in preoperative staging of adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland, including detection of clinically significant disease, determination of extraglandular extension, and assessment of nodal disease. The Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) establishes certain acceptable technical standards for mpMRI. These technical parameters allow for consistent image quality, enabling accurate detection and staging of disease; this in turn has significant implications for treatment recommendations. The prostate gland has a characteristic zonal anatomy, with cancers arising from the peripheral zone tending to demonstrate more aggressive histologic features. The acquisition of several sequences as part of mpMRI protocol allows for assessment of locoregional disease as well as regional and distant lymphadenopathy. The local staging of prostate cancer with mpMRI is reviewed in this article.
Attached Single-Stranded Polymer

In the remainder of the book, except for Chapters 5 and 6 and Section 24, we shall treat linear polymers formally as if they consist of a single strand only, as in Fig. 2-1(a). To be more precise: we shall assume that there is only a single subunit attachment or departure site at a polymer end or if there are several such sites, that they are all equivalent. In effect, then, there is a single overall on rate constant for a polymer end and a single off rate constant, and these rate constants are constant (see below). This model would be exact for the structure in Fig. 2-1(a) and it would also be exact in Figs. 2-l(b) and 2-1(c) if the intersubunit interactions in the polymer are so strong that there is always only one significant addition site (see the arrows in the figure) and only one significant departure site despite the fact that there is more than one strand. Figure 2-1(b) illustrates a 1-start, 2-strand helical structure (as in actin) and Fig. 2-1 (c) shows a 1-start, 3-strand helical structure (flattened). In the limiting case just mentioned, both structures would behave kinetically like a single helix (i.e., in effect, a single strand). This would be true of any 1-start tubular helical polymer in the strong-interaction limit.
Saddlepoint Approximation: Introduction

Saddlepoint approximations are asymptotic approximations to the density or tail-area probability of a statistic. The basic result, using the cumulant generating function for a univariate random variable, may be generalized to apply to random vectors and developed to deal with tail probabilities, conditional distributions, and discrete random variables. Keywords: cumulant; asymptotic; conditional distribution; discrete distribution; continuity
The ion cyclotron heating (ICH) system for BPX

The ICH system is required to deliver at least 20 MW of RF power to the BPX (Burning Plasma Experiment) plasma for pulse lengths of up to 15 s over a range of plasma operating conditions (e.g., average plasma densities from 0.5 to 4.5*10/sup 20/ m/sup -3/, toroidal fields from 5 to 8 T). The power must be delivered to the plasma over a range of frequencies corresponding to the different operating conditions. On the basis of calculations of the load resistance that the antennas will see because of the presence of the plasma, circuit analysis of the RF system indicates that the present ICH design should easily be able to deliver this amount of power to the plasma. Some research and development must be done to provide a reliable system in the BPX radiation environment. >
Postsynaptic Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II Is Required to Limit Elaboration of Presynaptic and Postsynaptic Neuronal Arbors

Neuronal dendritic and axonal arbors grow to a characteristic size and then stabilize their structures. Activity-dependent stop-growing signals may limit neuronal process elaboration. We tested whether endogenous calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activity in postsynaptic optic tectal cells is required to restrict the elaboration of neuronal processes in the Xenopus tadpole retinotectal projection. Optic tectal cells were infected with vaccinia viruses that express CaMKII-specific inhibitory peptides. In vivo time-lapse imaging revealed that expression of CaMKII inhibitors blocked the growth restriction that normally occurs during maturation of tectal cell dendritic arbors. Postsynaptic CaMKII inhibition also increased the growth of presynaptic retinotectal axon arbors. The results indicate that endogenous postsynaptic CaMKII activity is required to limit the growth of presynaptic and postsynaptic arbor structures in vivo.
Medicare and Medicaid at 50 Years: Perspectives of Beneficiaries, Health Care Professionals and Institutions, and Policy Makers

Importance Medicare and Medicaid are the nation’s 2 largest public health insurance programs, serving the elderly, those with disabilities, and mostly lower-income populations. The 2 programs are the focus of often deep partisan disagreement. Medicare and Medicaid payment policies influence the health care system and Medicare and Medicaid spending influences federal and state budgets. Debate about Medicare and Medicaid policy sometimes influences elections. Objective To review the roles of Medicare and Medicaid in the health system and the challenges the 2 programs face from the perspectives of the general public and beneficiaries, health care professionals and health care institutions, and policy makers. Evidence Analysis of publicly available data and private surveys of the public and beneficiaries. Findings Together, Medicare and Medicaid serve 111 million beneficiaries and account for $1 trillion in total spending, generating 43% of hospital revenue and representing 39% of national health spending. The median income for Medicare beneficiaries is $23 500 and the median income for Medicaid beneficiaries is $15 000. Future issues confronting both programs include whether they will remain open-ended entitlements, the degree to which the programs may be privatized, the scope of their cost-sharing structures for beneficiaries, and the roles the programs will play in payment and delivery reform. Conclusions and Relevance As the number of beneficiaries and the amount of spending for both Medicare and Medicaid increase, these programs will remain a focus of national attention and policy debate. Beneficiaries, health care professionals, health care organizations, and policy makers often have different interests in Medicare and Medicaid, complicating efforts to make changes to these large programs.
Respiratory Distress Syndrome of the Newborn and Complications of Pregnancy

A group of 412 infants with birthweights between 501 and 2,500 gm and gestational ages of 36 weeks or less were studied for the influence of both prolonged ruputre of amniotic membranes and maternal hypertension on the incidence of idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS). The occurrence of these complications was associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of IRDS only in infants with birthweights between 1,501 and 2,500 gm (37.4% in the no complications group versus 12.8% in the complications group; P less than .01) or gestational ages of 33 to 36 weeks (35.2% in the no complications group versus 13.1% in the complications group; P less than .01). In infants with birthweights of 1,500 gm or less or gestational ages of 32 weeks or less, the specific antecedent complications of pregnancy did not alter the incidence of IRDS. Rupture of the membranes for more than 72 hours had no greater effect on the incidence of IRDS than those lasting 24 to 72 hours.
Diverse organo-peptide macrocyclesvia a fast and catalyst-free oxime/intein-mediated dual ligation

Macrocyclic Organo-Peptide Hybrids (MOrPHs) can be prepared from genetically encoded polypeptidesvia a chemoselective and catalyst-free reaction between a trifunctional oxyamino/amino-thiol synthetic precursor and an intein-fusion protein incorporating a bioorthogonal keto group.
The economic viability of smallholder timber production under expanding açaí palm production in the Amazon Estuary

Abstract Relatively little attention has been paid to the economic potentials and limitations of tropical timber production and management at smallholder scales, with the most relevant research focusing on community forestry efforts. As a rare tropical example of long-lasting small-scale timber production, in this study we explore the economics of smallholder vertically integrated timber use to better understand the activity in the context of its primary land use alternative in the Amazon Estuary, acai palm fruit production. We use data from landowner and firm surveys, participatory monitoring of firms, and detailed forest and sawmill operation monitoring to devise financial returns models of smallholder timber micro firms and acai palm fruit production. We then compare the economics of the two activities to better understand how differences may shape decisions at the small holder scale that impact current land use shifts in the region.
Multi-agent framework for real-time processing of large and dynamic search spaces

Distributed systems based on cooperative multi-agents have been used in a wide range of application domains. However, the need for real-time processing in large and dynamic search spaces has led to new challenges. In addition to the constraints in time and computational resources, the agents have to operate under highly dynamic conditions in complex environments. Finding optimal solutions within time constraints may not be always possible. Anytime algorithms have shown great promise in providing approximate solutions. The quality of these intermediate/partial solutions depends on the amount of computational resources available for processing. The key insight that we describe in this paper is that anytime algorithms can be leveraged in a partial processing paradigm where the partial solutions can be used to quickly identify potential solutions and thereby efficiently utilize resources, even under dynamic conditions. The partial solutions can also be used for a coarse grained categorization of large search spaces that can support a mix of explorative and exploitative agent behaviors. We will describe how explicit modeling of the dynamism using a simple but unique search space model can help agents adapt to the changing information space. We describe a generic multi-agent framework that leverages our search space model while modeling various aspects of agent behavior such as candidate selection, agent interactions, etc. This framework can be used to design agents to work with partial processing in various application domains. We will develop suitable testbeds, simulation experiments, algorithms and performance metrics to validate the framework.
Reliability Evaluation of Fault-Tolerant Systems&#8212;Effect of Variability in Failure Rates

In this correspondence models for the variation in system reliability due to uncertainty in failure rate estimation are developed. Two techniques are proposed. The first is exact and is based on the complete distribution of the failure rate. The second is an approximation and employs only the first and second moments. The application of these models in reliability analysis is then discussed and illustrated with numerical examples.
Cervical cancer survivorship in a population based sample

Abstract Objective Though cervical cancer is preventable, this cancer nonetheless poses serious mortality and morbidity threats to American women and women globally. The purpose of this study is to utilize a multidimensional framework to assess Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and its salient predictors among a population based sample of cervical cancer survivors. Methods A cross-sectional design was used with a population-based sample ascertained from the California Cancer Surveillance Program. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Results Participants were 560 cervical cancer survivors: English-speaking Latina- ( n =88), Spanish-speaking Latina- ( n =199) and European- ( n =273) Americans. The greatest concerns were documented for family/social and emotional well-being, and body image and sexual health. In general, Latina-Americans reported poorer overall HRQOL, functional, emotional, and social/family wellbeing compared to European-Americans. Differences in HRQOL persisted by ethnic/language group after controlling for covariates. Radiation, comorbidity, role limitations, perceived health status, psychological wellbeing, body image, sexual impact, doctor-patient relationship, and social support were significant predictors of overall HRQOL. The regression model explained 58% of the variance in predicting HRQOL. Conclusion These cervical cancer survivors reported poor to moderate HRQOL with persistent psychosocial challenges. Our findings indicate that lower SES, monolingual Latinas are at greatest risk for poor HRQOL outcomes. Clinicians should pay attention to their patients' socio-ecological context as a risk factor for poorer outcomes; and provide early referrals to resources that are low cost and culturally and linguistically appropriate.
Inhibition of N- and L-type calcium channels by muscarinic receptor activation in rat sympathetic neurons.

Abstract Modulation of N- and L-type Ca 2+ channels by oxotremorine-M (oxo-M) acting on muscarinic receptors and norepinephrine (NE) acting on α-adrenergic receptors was studied in superior cervical ganglion neurons. Oxo-M depresses dihydropyridine-augmented tail currents in whole-cell recordings, whereas NE does not. This modulation of L-type Ca 2+ channels by oxo-M is abolished by adding 20 mM BAPTA to the pipette solution. Oxo-M, acting via a diffusible messenger, reduces the probability of opening of single N- and L-type channels recorded in cell-attached patches. We conclude that a diffusible messenger signaling pathway activated by oxo-M inhibits both N- and L-type Ca 2+ channels, whereas a membrane-delimited pathway activated by oxo-M and NE inhibits only N-type Ca 2+ channels.
Changes in plasma enzyme levels of sheep infected with Clostridium novyi, type B.

Abstract Data are presented to indicate the changes in enzyme levels (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, lactic acid dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase and aldolase) of sheep after inoculation with live cultures of Clostridium novyi , type B.
CFD validation of a supersonic laminar flow control concept

A three-dimensional Navier-Stokes code is used in conjunction with a linear compressible stability analysis code to develop a numerical procedure for prediction of laminar flow transition. The procedure is applied to a modified F-16XL fighter with a laminar flow control glove at supersonic speed. Details of boundary layer stability analysis indicate that, computationally, laminar flow could be realized on the highly swept wing in the absence of the leading edge attachment-line contamination. Effects of the three-dimensionality of the flow were shown to be important in the boundary layer stability analysis. The numerically predicted surface pressures compare favorably with the flight test data.
Management of bacterial wilt in tomatoes with thymol and acibenzolar-S-methyl

Abstract The combination of thymol, a monoterpene phenol compound originating from thyme, and acibenzolar- S -methyl (ASM; Actigard 50 WG), a systemic acquired resistance (SAR) inducer, was applied to tomato plants in field conditions to evaluate the effectiveness of both chemicals to control bacterial wilt. Thymol was applied as a soil fumigant at 9.43 kg per ha 24 h after soil infestation and seven days before transplanting. ASM was applied as a foliar spray at 3.59–8.98 ml per ha, once in the greenhouse and five times in the field. The field was inoculated by applying 50 ml of pathogen suspension (10 7 cfu/ml) into each transplanting hole eight days prior to transplanting. The experiment was performed in 2006 and repeated in 2008 at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, FL. In 2006, the combination of ASM and thymol significantly reduced disease in the bacterial wilt tolerant genotype 7514 compared to thymol alone. In 2008, the combination of ASM and thymol significantly reduced disease and increased yield compared to the control, whereas ASM or thymol alone did not significantly reduce disease or increase yield compared to the control. This is the first report of the use of both thymol and ASM to control bacterial wilt on moderately resistant tomato cultivars. Based on this study, control of the pathogen can be achieved by using both chemicals and moderately resistant cultivars.
Boundary element methods as weighted mean values

This short discussion presents an alternative view to the usual practice of describing boundary elements in terms of nodal values and shape functions a la finite elements. It is suggested here that boundary elements could be seen in terms of weighted mean values based on Taylor series expansions. This might help to avoid some conceptual difficulties, e.g., the 'ziggurat' representation sometimes seen in displays of 'constant shape function' numerical results, with no alteration, in this lowest order at least, in the calculational procedures. Extensions to higher order forms are also discussed.
Pref-1, a protein containing EGF-like repeats, inhibits adipocyte differentiation

With the aim of identifying novel regulators of adipocyte differentiation, we have cloned and characterized preadipocyte factor 1 (pref-1), a novel member of the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like family of proteins. Pref-1 is synthesized as a transmembrane protein with six tandem EGF-like repeats. In preadipocytes, multiple discrete forms of pref-1 protein of 45-60 kd are present, owing in part to N-linked glycosylation. While pref-1 mRNA is abundant in preadipocytes, its expression is completely abolished during differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to adipocytes. Moreover, constitutive expression of pref-1 in preadipocytes, which in effect blocks its down-regulation, drastically inhibits adipose differentiation. This indicates that pref-1 functions as a negative regulator of adipocyte differentiation, possibly in a manner analogous to EGF-like proteins that govern cell fate decisions in invertebrates.
MiniMAX: miniature, mobile, agile, x-ray system

We present a unique, lightweight, compact, low-cost, x-ray imager: MiniMAX (Miniature, Mobile, Agile, X-ray). This system, which exploits the best aspects of Computed Radiography (CR) and Digital Radiography (DR) technology, weighs less than 6lbs, fits into a 6" diameter x 16" long carbon-fiber tube, and is constructed almost entirely from offthe- shelf components. MiniMAX is suitable for use in weld inspection, archaeology, homeland security, and veterinary medicine. While quantum limited for MeV radiography, the quantum-efficiency is too low for routine medical use. Formats include: 4"x6", 8"x12", or 16"x24" and can be readily displayed on the camera back, using a pocket projector, or on a tablet computer. In contrast to a conventional, flying-spot scanner, MiniMAX records a photostimulated image from the entire phosphor at once using a bright, red LED flash filtered through an extremely efficient (OD>9) dichroic filter.
Infrared Transmitting Chalcohalide Glasses

Chalcohalide glasses, which are mixtures of chalcogenides and halides, have recently received attentions as a new family of IR-transmitting materials. A systematic study on Ge-based chalcohalide glasses such as Ge-S-I, Ge-Se-I and Ge-S-Br was performed to elucidate the effect of halogen atoms on properties. The ability to control the refractive index of these glasses together with their long IR transmittance, good water durability offer some advantages to practical applications.
Dependence of β3-adrenergic signaling on the adipokine leptin in cardiac myocytes

β3-Adrenergic receptors (β3ARs) negatively regulate β-adrenergic signaling via nitric oxide and are dependent on the adipokine leptin for normal expression in adipocytes, thus making β3AR an attractive candidate for cross-talk with leptin in the heart. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that cardiac β3AR expression and function are dependent on leptin and are severely diminished in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice. Using isolated cardiac myocyte physiology studies, we found that β3AR function was significantly diminished in ob/ob myocytes and in wild-type myocytes treated with leptin antagonist. This finding was supported by quantitative PCR demonstrating markedly decreased β3AR mRNA levels in ob/ob mice. Both β3AR mRNA and function were restored in ob/ob mice after in vivo leptin repletion. We propose that diminished β3AR signaling may be the critical element to explain the direct effects of leptin on the myocardium and suggest that this work reveals a key feature in the role of leptin in obesity-related cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
The relationship between utilization of prenatal care and Down syndrome live births.

Objective. This study evaluated whether utilization of prenatal care, as measured by the Kessner index, affects the number of Down syndrome live births.Methods. A retrospective analysis of birth certificate data of Down syndrome live births comparing 1989 to 2001 by year, maternal age, gestational age at first prenatal visit, and adequacy of prenatal care according to Kessner categories of adequacy of prenatal care.Results. Down syndrome live births were inversely correlated with adequacy of prenatal care. Reductions in Down syndrome live births were seen in all categories of prenatal care in all age groups. In 2001 a minimum 30% reduction was seen in any category rising to a 58% reduction in women ≥35 years with adequate prenatal care. The largest reductions were seen in women ≥35 years of age.Conclusions. Reductions in Down syndrome live births occurred in all age groups between 1989 and 2001. Utilization of prenatal care as measured by the Kessner index was associated with reductions in Down syndrome l...
9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol effect on audiogenic seizure susceptibility.

Mice, normally not susceptible to audiogenic seizures, can be made susceptible by exposing the animal to a loud auditory stimulus (priming) and then retesting the same animal at a later time (retest). δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was found to decrease susceptibility when administered either prior to priming or prior to retest. This decrease in susceptibility was dependent upon both time and dose. The effectiveness of THC in blocking seizures when administered before priming points to a relatively unique action of this compound. In general, it appears the THC is active at loci involved in predetermining convulsive states precipitated by auditory stimuli.
The track of the pre-tRNA 5' leader in the ribonuclease P ribozyme-substrate complex.

The ribonuclease P (RNase P) ribozyme is an endonuclease that binds precursor tRNAs and catalyzes the removal of 5‘ leader nucleotides. Biochemical and photo-cross-linking studies have identified sites of contact between the mature tRNA domain of pre-tRNA and the ribozyme; however, relatively little is known about the location of the 5‘ leader in the ribozyme−substrate complex. To investigate the local three-dimensional environment of the 5‘ leader, we employed the short-range photo-cross-linking agent 4-thiouridine (s4U). The s4U photoagent was incorporated into a series of pre-tRNA substrates containing unique uridine residues in the 5‘ leader sequence at positions −1, −3, −5, −7, or −10. The modified substrates formed high-affinity complexes with the ribozyme and produced discrete intermolecular cross-links to RNase P RNA from Bacillus subtilis. Locations of the cross-linked nucleotides in the ribozyme and pre-tRNA were determined by reverse transcriptase primer extension. Photoagents incorporated into...
Bridging the Semantic Gap in Virtual Machine Introspection via Online Kernel Data Redirection

It is generally believed to be a tedious, time-consuming, and error-prone process to develop a virtual machine introspection (VMI) tool because of the semantic gap. Recent advance shows that the semantic-gap can be largely narrowed by reusing the executed code from a trusted OS kernel. However, the limitation for such an approach is that it only reuses the exercised code through a training process, which suffers the code coverage issues. Thus, in this article, we present Vmst, a new technique that can seamlessly bridge the semantic gap and automatically generate the VMI tools. The key idea is that, through system wide instruction monitoring, Vmst automatically identifies the introspection related data from a secure-VM and online redirects these data accesses to the kernel memory of a product-VM, without any training. Vmst offers a number of new features and capabilities. Particularly, it enables an in-VM inspection program (e.g., ps) to automatically become an out-of-VM introspection program. We have tested Vmst with over 25 commonly used utilities on top of a number of different OS kernels including Linux and Microsoft Windows. The experimental results show that our technique is general (largely OS-independent), and it introduces 9.3X overhead for Linux utilities and 19.6X overhead for Windows utilities on average for the introspected program compared to the native in-VM execution without data redirection.
Snow in the Cities: A History of America's Urban Response

Snowstorms in pedestrian towns, 1620-1800 sleighbells and steam whistles in the snow, 1800-1870 storm warnings, snow ploughs and blizzards, 1870-1890 from snow-ploughing to snow removal, 1890-1925 snow-fighting in motorized cities, 1925-1955 snow-fighting in a metropolitan era, 1955-1966 urban snow problems wickedly shared.
Clinical research on out-of-hospital emergency care.

Status epilepticus is a series of successive grand mal seizures lasting minutes or even hours, without the recovery of normal consciousness. The resulting metabolic derangement of cells, depletion of the oxygen and glucose necessary for normal functioning, and disruption of ion transport across cell membranes injure neurons and damage the brain.1 The long-term complications include focal neurologic deficits, epilepsy, and encephalopathy. The longer an episode of status epilepticus lasts, the greater the risk and extent of these serious sequelae.2 Although status epilepticus has diverse causes (e.g., medication or alcohol withdrawal, preexisting epilepsy, head injury, stroke, intracranial mass, meningitis, and drug . . .
The usefulness of S100B, NSE, GFAP, NF-H, secretagogin and Hsp70 as a predictive biomarker of outcome in children with traumatic brain injury

Background Predicting the long-term outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important component of treatment strategy. Despite dramatically improved emergency management of TBI and apparent clinical recovery, most patients with TBI still may have long-term central nervous system (CNS) impairment.
Identification and expression of a new delta-12 fatty acid desaturase (FAD2-4) gene in upland cotton and its functional expression in yeast and Arabidopsis thaliana plants

A cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genomic clone encompassing a 17.9-kb DNA fragment was found to contain a delta-12 fatty acid desaturase gene (designated FAD2-4). The FAD2-4 open reading frame has 1,155bp and is uninterrupted, encoding a conceptual FAD2-4 polypeptide of 384 amino acids that has 98% identity with the cotton FAD2-3 polypeptide. The FAD2-4 gene has a single intron of 2,780 bp in its 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR). The 3'-flanking regions and 5'-UTR introns in the FAD2-4 and FAD2-3 genes are quite different, indicating that the genes might be paralogs in the cotton genome. Reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR analysis indicated that the FAD2-4 and FAD2-3 genes were expressed in all tissues examined, including seeds, seedling tissues, young and mature leaves, roots, stems, developing flower buds, and ovule fibers. These constitutive patterns of expression were notably different from that of the FAD2-1 gene, which was restricted to seeds and developing flower buds, or to the expression of a newly-identified FAD2-2 gene isoform, which was barely detectable in roots, hypocotyls, stems, and fibers, but was expressed in all other tissues. The FAD2-4 coding region was expressed in yeast and shown to encode a functional delta-12 desaturase, converting oleic acid (C18:1) to linoleic acid (C18:2) in recombinant yeast cells. In addition, both the FAD2-4 and the FAD2-3 genes were transferred into the Arabidopsis thaliana fad2-1 mutant background where they effectively restored wild type fatty acid composition and growth characteristics. Finally, the cotton FAD2-4 green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion polypeptide appeared to be localized in the endomembrane system of transgenic Arabidopsis plants in the complemented fad2-1 mutant background, supporting a functional ER location for the cotton FAD2-4 polypeptide in this heterologous plant system. Thus, a new functional member of the FAD2 gene family in cotton has been characterized, indicating a complex regulation of membrane lipid desaturation in this important fiber/oilseed crop.
Regulation of a muscle-specific transgene by persistent expression of Hox genes in postnatal murine limb muscle.

Homeobox genes are necessary for the generation of the embryonic body plan in both invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. To investigate the potential function of homeodomain proteins in normal and regenerating skeletal muscle, we analyzed patterns of clustered homeobox gene expression in neonatal and adult muscle tissue. Transcripts encoding 5′ genes in the HoxA cluster were detected in muscles from both the fore- and hindlimbs of neonatal and adult mice, whereas expression of HoxC gene transcripts was generally restricted to the muscles of the hindlimb. In contrast, transcripts encoding genes of the HoxB or HoxD clusters were not detected in muscles from either fore- or hindlimbs. Although ectopic expression of select HOX proteins in muscle cell cultures had modest effects upon the activity of a co-transfected myosin light chain (MLC) enhancer, mutation of a Hox binding site in this enhancer elicited increased linked reporter gene expression. Induction of muscle damage and regeneration was accompanied by the down-regulation of at least one Hox gene, concurrent with the activation of the regenerative program. Moreover, targeted ablation of the Hoxc-8 gene, normally expressed in mature fore- and hindlimb muscles, resulted in reduced expression of an MLC enhancer-driven transgene only in specific leg muscles. These results indicate that members of the HoxA and C clusters may, in combination, mediate various aspects of differentiation and patterning in adult musculature. Dev Dyn 1999;216:385–397. ©1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Aberrant Corepressor Interactions Implicated in PML-RARα and PLZF-RARα Leukemogenesis Reflect an Altered Recruitment and Release of Specific NCoR and SMRT Splice Variants *

Human acute promyelocytic leukemia is causally linked to chromosomal translocations that generate chimeric retinoic acid receptor-α proteins (x-RARα fusions). Wild-type RARα is a transcription factor that binds to the SMRT/NCoR family of corepressors in the absence of hormone but releases from corepressor and binds coactivators in response to retinoic acid. In contrast, the x-RARα fusions are impaired for corepressor release and operate in acute promyelocytic leukemia as dominant-negative inhibitors of wild-type RARα. We report that the two most common x-RARα fusions, PML-RARα and PLZF-RARα, have gained the ability to recognize specific splice variants of SMRT and NCoR that are poorly recognized by RARα. These differences in corepressor specificity between the normal and oncogenic receptors are further magnified in the presence of a retinoid X receptor heteromeric partner. The ability of retinoids to fully release corepressor from PML-RARα differs for the different splice variants, a phenomenon relevant to the requirement for supraphysiological levels of this hormone in differentiation therapy of leukemic cells. We propose that this shift in the specificity of the x-RARα fusions to a novel repertoire of corepressors contributes to the dominant-negative and oncogenic properties of these oncoproteins and helps explain previously paradoxical aspects of their behavior.
First trimester bacterial vaginosis, individual microorganism levels, and risk of second trimester pregnancy loss among urban women.

Objective To examine the role of first trimester bacterial vaginosis (BV) and level of BV-associated microorganisms, diagnosed using the Nugent gram stain criteria and the risk of second trimester pregnancy loss among urban women. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Urban prenatal care clinics. Patient(s) Women presenting for their first prenatal care visit who had completed 12 weeks gestation or less and resided within Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Main Outcome Measure(s) Pregnancy loss. Result(s) Of 1948 women enrolled at a mean gestational age of 10 weeks (range 7.4 to 12.6 weeks), those with the highest level of BV-related vaginal flora alteration compared with women with normal vaginal flora had over a twofold increased risk of second trimester pregnancy loss after adjustment for confounders (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 to 5.48). Low Lactobacillus spp. and the absence of Lactobacillus spp. were also significantly related to the risk of second trimester pregnancy loss (aHR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10–1.64; aHR 2.30, 95% CI 1.09–4.85; respectively). Conclusion(s) Overall BV positivity was not related to second trimester pregnancy loss. Comparing the highest to lowest tertile of BV positivity in early pregnancy conferred a two-fold increased risk of second trimester pregnancy loss and low amounts or the absence of Lactobacillus spp. in the first trimester also significantly increased the risk of second trimester pregnancy loss.
Role of transforming growth factor-β in inflammatory bowel disease and colitis-associated colon cancer

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) plays a central role in a wide array of cellular functions including control of cell growth and differentiation, embryonic development, wound healing, angiogenesis, and immune regulation. In the gastrointestinal tract, TGF-β can either promote or suppress inflammation and cancer formation. This report reviews recent data on the role of TGF-β in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and how TGF-β might contribute to the cancer risk associated with chronic inflammation of the gut.
High temperature oxidation behavior of Ti3Al–Nb alloys prepared by pulse discharge sintering

Abstract Titanium aluminides have received considerable attentions as the basis for new high temperature structural materials. Several compositions based on Ti3Al–Nb have been developed to achieve specific strength and stress rupture properties which exceed those of Ni base alloys such as INCO 718 over temperature range 823–973 K. Recently, pulse discharge sintering (PDS) process technique was successfully developed to manufacture net shape TiAl valves. This research was aimed at investigating the high temperature oxidation of Ti3Al–Nb alloys prepared by PDS. The oxidation rates were measured from 1073–1273 K in air. The kinetics and activation energy for the isothermal oxidation of Ti3Al–Nb alloys revealed that Nb added Ti3Al tended to form finer oxide grain and denser oxide layer and the oxidation rate could be clearly reduced by increasing Nb content (up to 13 at.% in the study). The parabolic rate law was adequate to describe the high temperature oxidation behavior for Ti3Al–Nb alloys in air.
Technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials

Introduction. Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) are ubiquitous throughout the earth's crust. Human manipulation of NORM for economic ends, such as mining, ore processing, fossil fuel extraction, and commercial aviation, may lead to what is known as “technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials,” often called TENORM. The existence of TENORM results in an increased risk for human exposure to radioactivity. Workers in TENORM-producing industries may be occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation. TENORM industries may release significant amounts of radioactive material into the environment resulting in the potential for widespread exposure to ionizing radiation. These industries include mining, phosphate processing, metal ore processing, heavy mineral sand processing, titanium pigment production, fossil fuel extraction and combustion, manufacture of building materials, thorium compounds, aviation, and scrap metal processing. Methods. A search of the PubMed database (www....