cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Confluent holding leads to a transient enhancement in mutagenesis in UV-light-irradiated xeroderma pigmentosum, Gardner's syndrome and normal human diploid fibroblasts

Abstract The influence of confluent holding periods of 0–24 h of UV-light-induced mutagenesis has been investigated in several human cell strains including xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XPA), Gardner's syndrome (GS) and normal human diploid fibroblasts (NHDF). These cells strains were chosen for the variety of their responses in cytotoxicity experiments. Confluent cultures of NHDF exposed to UV light exhibited a time-dependent increase in survival when subculture was delayed up to 24 h after irradiation. GS and XPA fibroblasts showed no such increase. In dose-response experiments, GS cells from 3 kindreds were moderately hypersensitive to cell killing by UV light whereas XPA cells were strongly hypersensitive. Confluent cultures of GS cells were slightly and XPA markedly hypermutable to 6-thioguanine resistance (6-TH R ) when the cells were subcultured immediately after UV exposure. When allowed confluent holding periods of 1.5–24 h, GS, XPA and NHDF all exhibited a transient enhancement of mutagenesis such that a 5–10-fold increase in mutation frequency was observed in cells subcultured at 6–9 h after irradiation as compared to cells subcultured at 3–6 h. A decline in mutation frequency prior to the mutagenesis peak was observed in GS and normal cells but not in XPA. After 24 h of confluent holding, the mutation frequency in irradiated GS and NHDF had returned to near background levels although XPA mutation frequencies remain similar to those observed in immediately subcultured cells. A model to explain these overall results is discussed.
Ayatollah Khomeini and the Contemporary Debate on Freedom

The evolving and transitional Iranian polity is experiencing an intense and soul searching debate on a variety of philosophical and ideological matters. At the heart of the debate are two competing notions of freedom that highlight the tension between individual rights on the one hand, and, the power of the community/state on the other. Due to the obvious political implications of such issues the participants in the debate consist of not only intellectuals but members of political factions who, in their quest to win, rely on the writings and sayings of authoritative figures including Ayatollah Khomeini.Since Khomeini's critique of liberalism is well-publicized, it seems natural for authoritarians to appropriate Khomeini and his views for their agenda, But, the question that remains, especially for those who are not closely familiar with the entire corpus of Khomeini's writings, is how could the reformists make an appeal for support to the founder of the Islamic Republic in a discourse on freedom. The present article tackles this puzzling question by focusing on two factors: the ambiguity imbedded in the notion of freedom itself; and the diverse and at times contradictory positions taken by Khomeini on this subject. Both these factors create opportunities for multiple interpretations of Khomeini's words. After an elaboration on the concept of freedom and a brief description of Iran's various ideological and political tendencies, the author focuses on Ayatollah Khomeini's abstract epistemological and philosophical treatises, as well as his concrete political statements, hoping to shed some light on his complex contribution to the debate on freedom.
Control of Synthesis and Wastage of Ribosomal RNA in Lymphocytes

Phytohaemagglutinin stimulates the synthesis of the 45S ribosomal precursor in lymphocytes without concomitant protein synthesis; it also decreases the loss of newly synthesized 18S RNA that normally takes place in these cells at rest.
Web Site Registration [Letters]

I loved your password-protected “Editorial” column. I couldn't agree with you more. Registering for the Annual IEEE Sarnoff Symposium in Princeton is very problematic. The Princeton Section Web site sends you off to some nationwide conference-registration company. Because I register only once a year, I certainly don't remember what my username and password are (although I could write it in my IEEE folder, I suppose). Other than confidential election of officers, I have no idea why it's necessary to have a password to register for anything. Of course, the usual verifications for charging my credit card are to be expected. But I have to go through all that nonsense to enable me to spend my money for their benefit? Nonsense!
Revealing Transient Interactions Between Phosphatidylinositol-Specific Phospholipase C and Phosphatidylcholine-Rich Lipid Vesicles

Using Bacillus thuringiensis phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (BtPI-PLC) as a model amphitropic protein, we are investigating how membrane structure and composition affect protein-membrane interactions. Previous work showed that BtPI-PLC specifically binds to phosphatidylcholine (PC)-rich membranes and preferentially interacts with unilamellar vesicles with high curvature. In this work, we monitored single fluorescently labeled BtPI-PLC proteins as they cycled on and off surface-tethered phosphatidylglycerol (PG)/PC small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. The residence times on vesicles along with vesicle size information, based on vesicle fluorescence intensity, reveal the time scales of protein-membrane interactions as well as the curvature dependence. BtPI-PLC residence times on SUVs average 300 ms, similar to published residence times (300-400 ms) for other amphitropic proteins that transiently interact with cell surfaces. The kinetics of PI-PLC/membrane interactions is well explained by a simple two state binding model with dissociation and association rate constants averaging 3 s−1 and 0.6 μM−1s−1 respectively. In addition fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) measurements indicate that introducing lipid packing defects PG/PC SUVs by incorporating low mole percentages of dioleoylglycerol (DOG) enhances BtPI-PLC binding to SUVs. By combining these single molecule fluorescence results with previous biophysical measurements and molecular dynamics simulations, we have developed a quantitative model showing how the bacterial virulence factor Bt-PI-PLC interacts with cell membranes in molecular detail.
Spacecraft Design Lifetime

A general discussion of issues that drive and limit spacecraft design lifetime is presented. The effects of varying the spacecraft lifetime requirement on different subsystems are explored, and typical spacecraft mass andcost profiles are deduced. Quantitative analyses confirm that the design lifetime is a key requirement in sizing various subsystems and significantly affects the spacecraft mass and cost to initial operating capability. The analysis introduces a formally defined economic metric, the cost per operational day, to help guide the specification of the design lifetime requirement. Preliminary results suggest that other factors should also be taken into account in specifying the design lifetime, namely, the loss of value resulting from technology obsolescence as well as the volatility of the market the system is serving in the case of a commercial satellite.
Distribution and Cycling of Nutrients in an Aspen-Mixed-Hardwood-Spodosol Ecosystem in Northern Wisconsin

The distribution and cycling of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, and Zn were examined over a 2—yr period in an aspen—mixed—hardwood—Spodosol ecosystem in order to determine the roles of overstory aspen and understory sugar maple in nutrient retention. Stand biomass and net primary production (NPP) were 198 Mg/ha and 12.5 Mg°ha—1°yr—1, respectively. Overstory quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) comprised 60% of the biomass and 50% of the NPP, and understory sugar maple (Acer saccharum) comprised 24 and 25% of these values, respectively. The total soil N pool and extractable soil P and Mg pools were larger than the respective vegetation nutrient pools. Nutrient cycling within this ecosystem is characterized by large uptake rates, retention of between 40 and 60% of nutrient uptake in perennial tissues, and leaching losses of <3kg°ha—1°yr—1 for each nutrient. Between 22 and 40% of total stand nutrient uptake is retained in perennial tissues of quaking aspen and between 4 and 20% in perennial tissues of sugar maple. As...
Naturally Occurring Stains on the Teeth of Children

In the course of a study on dental caries in orphanage children, the opportunity was made available to conduct a con­ current survey on the occurrence of stains on the teeth of these same subjects. The entire study was being made through fa­ cilities of the State University of Iowa under the direction of Dr. Julian D. Boyd: the dental phases of the study at the time were under the guidance of Dr. Virgil D. Cheyne. While much has been written with re­ spect to the distribution, probable eti­ ology, and possible significance of the green1 ’ 2’ 3 and the brown4’ 5 stains, little information is available regarding the re­ lationship of the stains to one another. In the present study we have attempted a unified consideration of the various stains and their possible interrelationships, es­ pecially as to frequency of occurrence and relative distributions, both among differ­ ent subjects as well as in the same mouth.
DnaK Promotes the Selective Export of Outer Membrane Protein Precursors in SecA-deficient Escherichia coli

Consistent with many other results indicating that SecA plays an essential role in the translocation of presecretory proteins across the Escherichia coli inner membrane, we previously found that a ∼95% depletion of SecA completely blocks the export of periplasmic proteins in vivo. Surprisingly, we found that about 25% of the outer membrane protein (OMP) OmpA synthesized after SecA depletion was gradually translocated across the inner membrane. In this study we analyzed the export of several other OMPs after SecA depletion. We found that 25–50% of each OMP as well as an OmpA-alkaline phosphatase fusion protein was exported from SecA-deficient cells. This partial export was completely abolished by the SecA inhibitor sodium azide and therefore still required the participation of SecA. Examination of a variety of OmpA derivatives, however, ruled out the possibility that OMPs are selectively translocated in SecA-deficient cells because SecA binds to their N termini with unusually high affinity. Export after SecA depletion was observed in cells that lack SecB, the primary targeting factor for OMPs, but was abolished by partial inactivation of DnaK. Furthermore, OmpA could be isolated in a stable complex with DnaK. The data strongly suggest that OMPs require only a relatively low level of translocase activity to cross the inner membrane because they can be preserved in a prolonged export-competent state by DnaK.
Ab initio calculations on the diacetylene dimer: HCCCC(H)C(H)CCCH†

Geometry optimizations were performed for singlet, triplet, and quintet states on the planar structures (in C2h and C2v symmetries) of the diacetylene dimer, using restricted open-shell Hartree–Fock (ROHF), unrestricted Hartree–Fock (UHF), and unrestricted hybrid density functional theory (UB3LYP) methods, with 6-31G(d) and 6-311G(d, p) basis sets. The 1Ag state of the planar van der Waals dimer is lower in energy than are any covalently bonded dimers. At our best B3LYP/6-311G(d, p) level, the most stable covalently bonded diacetylene dimer is the 3Bu state in C2h symmetry, 11 kcal mol−1 above the van der Waals dimer, followed by the 3B2 state in C2v symmetry with 13 kcal mol−1 above the van der Waals dimer. Both structures were confirmed to be local minima. The two diacetylene monomers of these structures are bridged through a single bond and they exhibit a small bend at the neighboring carbons to the bridge, trans to the hydrogens. The 1Bu and 5Ag states in C2h and the 1B2 and 5A1 states in C2v are between 39 and 43 kcal mol−1 above the van der Waals dimer. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 66: 189–202, 1998
Intense seismic scattering near the Earth's core-mantle boundary beneath the Comoros hotspot

I report strong seismic PKP precursors recorded in the seismic stations in Tanzania for earthquakes occurred in the Fiji subduction zone. The observed PKP precursors show clear onsets and rapid variations of amplitude for different events and stations. I develop a technique to use the precursor onset times to determine the location of seismic scatterers and apply forward modeling of precursor amplitudes to place constraints on the magnitude of seismic anomalies. The travel time analysis indicates that these recorded PKP precursors are caused by the seismic scattering in the lowermost 360 km of the mantle beneath the Comoros hotspot. The amplitudes of the observed PKP precursors suggest a rather complex seismic structure with a P velocity variation of at least 8%, likely associated with partial melt.
Improved constants for some separator theorems

Abstract We describe a device for improving the constants involved in graph separator theorems, and sketch some applications.
Optimizing the aerodynamic efficiency of intermodal freight trains

Abstract We develop an aerodynamic loading assignment model for intermodal freight trains based on an integer-programming framework to help terminal managers make up more fuel-efficient trains. This is the first use of optimization modeling to address the aerodynamics and energy efficiency of railroad intermodal trains. Several recommendations regarding railway equipment use, operations, and policy are proposed to improve fuel-efficiency and reduce emissions from intermodal transportation. Analysis of one major railroad intermodal route reveals the potential to reduce fuel consumption by 15 million gallons per year with corresponding savings of $28,000,000. Greater benefits are possible through broader implementation of the model.
Understanding the psychological impact of terrorism on youth: Moving beyond posttraumatic stress disorder

Comer and Kendall's (2007) comprehensive review of the impact of terrorism on youth organizes this important and burgeoning area of research. The present commentary focuses on youth outcomes associated with proximal contact with terrorist attacks, and highlights several important issues that merit attention. Specifically, the commentary emphasizes the importance of examining youths’ postattack outcomes broadly (in addition to posttraumatic stress disorder and its symptoms), assessing traumatic grief and bereavement when mass casualties occur, and evaluating issues of comorbidity and functional impairment. Future research on the impact of terrorism on youth would benefit from adopting a developmental psychopathology perspective in understanding variables that may influence and be influenced by youths’ reactions to terrorist events. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.
Irreversible inhibition of rat hepatic transacetylase activity by N-arylhydroxamic acids

Both N-hydroxy-2-acetamidofluorene (N-OH-AAF) and the heterocyclic analogue, 2-(N-hydroxyacetamido)carbazole (N-OH-AAC), were shown to be mechanism-based irreversible inhibitors (suicide inhibitors) of partially purified rat hepatic N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity. Although N-OH-AAC exhibited an apparent first-order inactivation rate constant (ki) that was 7-fold lower than that of N-OH-AAF, their relative ki/KD values indicate that N-OH-AAC was the more potent and efficient inactivator of transacetylase activity. Inactivation of NAT activity by these N-arylhydroxamic acids appeared to involve contributions by electrophiles that react with the enzyme subsequent to release from the active site and by electrophiles that remain complexed with the active site. The irreversible nature of the enzyme inactivation was demonstrated by the failure to recover transacetylase activity upon either extensive dialysis or gel filtration of preparations that had been subjected to incubation with N-OH-AAF or N-OH-AAC. The use of the nucleophile N-acetylmethionine to trap the electrophilic reactants formed in the transacetylase-catalyzed bioactivation process resulted in a lower rate and extent of formation of methylthio adducts with N-OH-AAC than with N-OH-AAF. The results of this study indicate that N-OH-AAF and N-OH-AAC have been potential for use as tools in the investigation of rat hepatic transacetylases.
Similarity of morphine abstinence signs to thermoregulatory behaviour

THE precipitated abstinence syndrome consists of a series of behavioural events which appear in morphine-dependent organisms after the administration of narcotic antagonists. Martin1 has suggested that some precipitated abstinence signs arise because an error force is generated when a narcotic antagonist resensitises a homeostat previously altered by a narcotic. Recently, in studies on the neuroanatomical correlates of morphine withdrawal, we found that brain areas associated with the wet shake behaviour of precipitated abstinence in the rat seemed to be closely adjacent to central pathways of heat dissipation and heat gain2–4. As morphine has complex effects on central thermoregulatory mechanisms5, the possibility was considered that the generation of an error signal in central thermoregulatory systems may account for the appearance of some precipitated abstinence signs. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of environmental temperature on the precipitated abstinence syndrome.
Advertising royalty: Popularizing the monarchy for Kathmandu's middle class

April 2006 saw the downfall of the 238-year reign of the Nepalese monarchy in a series of politically dramatic, tense, and often violent standoffs between the royal government and its political and populist enemies. Following ‘the February First incident’ in 2005 in which the king worked in earnest to consolidate his loosening grip on national power, the royal government raised a series of highly visible billboards throughout the Kathmandu Valley. Competing with advertisements for beauty products, snacks, beer and other middle class niceties, the slogans that these billboards carried were similarly middle class, advertising the responsibilities of the nation's citizens, the role of a king in a new and vibrant democracy, and the value of local diversity for the overall good of the nation. Though ultimately unsuccessful, these billboards served as the most public of royal weapons in the attempt to transform a medieval monarchy into a modern democratic force.
Bone marrow-derived cells are the major source of MMP-9 contributing to blood-brain barrier dysfunction and infarct formation after ischemic stroke in mice

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 has been shown to contribute to blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, infarct formation, and hemorrhagic transformation after ischemic stroke. The cellular source of MMP-9 detectable in the ischemic brain remains controversial since extracellular molecules in the brain may be derived from blood. We here demonstrate that bone marrow-derived cells are the major source of MMP-9 in the ischemic brain. We made bone marrow chimeric mice with MMP-9 null and wild-type as donor and recipient. After 90 min of transient focal cerebral ischemia, MMP-9 null mice receiving wild-type bone marrow showed comparable outcomes to wild-type in brain MMP-9 levels and BBB disruption (endogenous albumin extravasation) at 1 h post-reperfusion and infarct size at 24 h post-reperfusion. In contrast, wild-type animals replaced with MMP-9 null bone marrow showed barely detectable levels of MMP-9 in the ischemic brain, with attenuations in BBB disruption and infarct size. MMP-9 null mice receiving wild-type bone marrow showed enhanced Evans blue extravasation as early as 1 h post-reperfusion compared to wild-type mice replaced with MMP-9 null bone marrow. These findings suggest that MMP-9 released from bone marrow-derived cells influences the progression of BBB disruption in the ischemic brain.
Advancing Clinical Practice and Policy through Guidelines. The Role of the American Thoracic Society

In the face of an overwhelmingly large and growing medical literature, providers often turn to clinical practice guidelines to inform the decisions they make with patients. By systematically appraising the evidence and providing transparent recommendations for practice, guidelines have the potential to improve both bedside decision-making and health policy. This potential has not been fully realized because most guidelines lack transparency, are tainted by conflicts of interest, or fail to employ rigorous methods to appraise the evidence. To address the shortcomings of past guidelines, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published recommendations for trustworthy guidelines, effectively setting the “gold standard” for what constitutes a high-quality guideline. Along with many other groups that develop guidelines, the American Thoracic Society (ATS) is rapidly evolving processes for development and implementation to meet many of the IOM standards. This Pulmonary Perspective describes the rapidly changing landsc...
Government and the Voluntary Sector in an Era of Retrenchment: The American Experience

Prevailing conceptions of the welfare state in the United States have failed to acknowledge the widespread partnership that exists between government and private voluntary organizations in the provision of human services. Thanks in large part to this partnership, voluntary organizations have retained a significant role in the American welfare state, delivering a larger share of government-financed human services than government agencies. By cutting back on government spending, therefore, the Reagan administration has significantly reduced the revenues of the nonprofit sector while calling on this sector to do more. Although nonprofits as a group have overcome the resulting cutbacks, they have done so chiefly by increasing their income from service charges, rather than their private charitable support. In the process, serious questions have been raised about the continued ability of nonprofit organizations to serve those in greatest need, and an important opportunity to strengthen the voluntary sector and rationalize government-nonprofit ties may have been lost, or at
RATIO OF THE GAMOW-TELLER AND FERMI COUPLING CONSTANTS DETERMINED FROM ft VALUES

A comparison is made of the ratios of the squares of the Gamow-Teller and Fermi coupling constants, $\frac{{{C}_{\mathrm{GT}}}^{2}}{{{C}_{\mathrm{F}}}^{2}}$, calculated from the latest experimental $\mathrm{ft}$ values and the theoretical matrix elements for the "doubly closed shell\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}one nucleon" mirror transitions and the ${0}^{+}$-${0}^{+}$ transitions. The $\mathrm{ft}$ value of the neutron derived from the recent half-life measurement of 11.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 minutes leads to a value for $\frac{{{C}_{\mathrm{GT}}}^{2}}{{{C}_{\mathrm{F}}}^{2}}$ of 1.42\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06, which is in agreement with the ratio obtained from the correlation coefficient for the betaparticle momentum and the spin direction of the decaying neutron. The $\mathrm{ft}$ value for the decay of ${\mathrm{H}}^{3}$ is also in good agreement with this ratio if the Gamow-Teller matrix element for this transition does not differ appreciably from that predicted by the individual particle model. The $\mathrm{ft}$ value of the heavier mirror nuclei, ${\mathrm{O}}^{15}$, ${\mathrm{F}}^{17}$ and ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{39}$, are consistent with a considerably lower ratio. In particular, ${\mathrm{O}}^{15}$ and ${\mathrm{F}}^{17}$, for which the Gamow-Teller matrix elements are considered the most reliable because the magnetic moments of the daughter nuclei are especially close to the Schmidt limits, lead to a value for $\frac{{{C}_{\mathrm{GT}}}^{2}}{{{C}_{\mathrm{F}}}^{2}}$ of 1.16\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05. These results are consistent with recent theoretical considerations which suggest that meson exchange effects may give rise to appreciable corrections in the calculation of the matrix elements.
When robots meet people

An ongoing revolution is taking place in mobile robotics. Robots that guide blind or mentally handicapped people, clean large office buildings and department stores, or assist people in recreational activities are clearly within reach. For many of those target domains, prototypes are readily available. The author discusses a case study of a mobile tour guide robot in a branch of the Deutsches Museum. The robot's task was to guide visitors through the museum, explaining to them a subset of the museum's exhibits. The project's major challenges are grouped into two categories: navigation and human-robot interaction.
Baseline reach and adoption characteristics in a randomized controlled trial of two weight loss interventions translated into primary care: A structured report of real-world applicability

Background Although the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention reduced type 2 diabetes incidence by 58% among high-risk adults at academic centers, it requires translation into typical primary care settings. Using baseline data from the Evaluation of Lifestyle Interventions to Treat Elevated Cardiometabolic Risk in Primary Care (E-LITE) randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the potential of its two DPP-based interventions to reach their target populations and be adopted into routine use.
What Works in Policing?: The Relationship Between Drug Enforcement and Serious Crime

This research reports the relationship between serious crime, drug arrests, and nuisance abatement seizures in New York between the years 1995 and 2001. Over the last decade, New York City experien...
Screw dislocation interacting with interfacial and interface cracks in piezoelectric bimaterials

Abstract Interface and interfacial cracks interacting with screw dislocations in piezoelectric bimaterials subjected to antiplane mechanical and in-plane electrical loadings are studied within the framework of linear piezoelectricity theory. Straight dislocations with the Burgers vector normal to the isotropic basal plane near the interface or interfacial crack are considered. The dislocations are characterized by a discontinuous electric potential across the slip plane and are subjected to a line-force and a line-charge at the core. An explicit solution for the screw dislocation in piezoelectric bimaterial with straight interface is found based on the solution of a similar problem for infinite homogenous medium. The obtained relation is independent of the nature of singularity. This fundamental result is used to analyze dislocation interacting with a set of collinear interfacial cracks in piezoelectric bimaterials. Three solutions for the screw dislocation interacting with a semi-infinite crack, finite crack, and edge crack between two bonded dissimilar piezoelectric materials are obtained in closed-form. These solutions can be used as Green’s functions for the analyses of interfacial cracks in piezoelectric bimaterials.
Effects of Stimulation Level and Electrode Pairing on The Binaural Interaction Component of The Electrically Evoked Auditory Brain Stem Response

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of stimulation level and electrode pairing on the binaural interaction component (BIC) of the electrically evoked auditory brain stem response (EABR) in Nucleus cochlear implant (CI) users.Design:Ten postlingually deafened adult CI
Diagnostic imaging in chronic renal failure

The term renal osteodystrophy represents a diverse spectrum of skeletal abnormalities encountered in patients with chronic renal failure due to a variety of renal parenchymal disorders. Diagnostic imaging using conventional radiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), scintigraphy, and bone densitometry reveals an array of specific as well as non-specific manifestations. These findings include: bone resorption, brown tumors and osteosclerosis (secondary hyperparathyroidism), coarsened fuzzy trabeculae and Looser's zones (osteomalacia), widened growth plates, splayed and frayed metaphyses (rickets), thinned cortices and insufficiency fractures (osteopenia, aluminum toxicity); cystic juxta-articular lesions, synovial infiltration and vertebral destruction (amyloid deposition), and soft tissue calcifications.
Synucleins in ocular tissues.

Synucleins are small proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases and some forms of cancer. Most studies of this group of proteins have been directed to the elucidation of their role in the brain and their connection to the formation of depositions in brain tissues. Here we describe the localization of different types of synucleins in ocular tissues. By Western blot analysis, all members of the synuclein family are found in the retina and optic nerve, where their relative ratio varies. The data on immunohistochemical staining show that different members of the synuclein family have different localizations in ocular tissues. α-Synucleins and β-synucleins are present predominantly in the inner plexiform layer, whereas γ-synuclein is in the nerve fiber layer. In transgenic mice overexpressing α-synuclein, a different pattern of localization depending on the promoter used for the expression was observed. In Alzheimer's disease patients, immunohistochemical staining for γ-synuclein revealed the loss of immunoreactivity in the nerve fiber layer and the nerve fiber layer and the appearance of immunopositive cells in or near the outer nuclear layer. We conclude that, in mature eyes, synucleins are present predominantly in the retina and optic nerve, and the immunoreactivity of γ-synuclein changes specifically in the retina of Alzheimer's disease patients. In transgenic mice overexpressing α-synuclein, immunopositive deposits in the optic nerve and accumulation of immunoreactivity in specific retinal cells were found. J. Neurosci. Res. 65:68–77, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A framework for assessing program institutionalization

This article presents a framework for assessing the institutionalization of programmatic innovations in nonprofit community agencies and in schools. Institutionalization is the attainment of long-term viability and integration of innovations in organizations. Institutionalization is often characterized as the final stage in an innovation diffusion process. The framework was derived from a qualitative study of ten health promotion programs that were innovations in their host organizations. The framework is a two dimensional matrix: one dimension consists of organizational subsystems; the other consists of levels of institutionalization termed passages, routines, and niche saturation. The cells of the matrix are the basis for assessing program institutionalization.
Space Charge Polarization Measurements as a Method to Determine the Temperature Dependence of the Number Density of Mobile Cations in Ion Conducting Glasses

A method is proposed using mean-field theories to help solve a long standing problem in the study of ionically solid electrolytes. While it has been long known that the ionic conductivity in solid electrolytes is comprised of two terms, the mobility and number of mobile charge carriers, there has been no accurate method developed to determine these two quantities independently. In this paper, we apply a mean-field method based upon low frequency a.c. impedance measurements of the limiting low frequency space charge polarization capacitance that develops as a result of the mobile carrier population diffusing to blocking electrodes. The space charge capacitance that develops is shown to be a simple function of the number of charge carriers and is found to be independent of the d.c. conductivity, but strongly dependent upon temperature. Measurements on two simple but well studied ion conducting glasses, LiPO3 and NaPO3, suggest that the carrier population is thermally activated where only a small fraction of the cations are mobile in the glass. The activation energy for carrier creation in LiPO3 is larger (49 kJ.mol) than that for NaPO3 glass (44 kJ.mol) and is in agreement with models of activation energies in ion conducting glasses that associate the creation energy with the cation charge density.
A light microscope study of the cytology and organization of neurons in the simple mammalian nucleus lateralis: Columns and swirls

The lateral nucleus in the rat is investigated with several variants of the rapid Golgi method and in Nissl preparations. The neurons are divided into two classes according to their size and the disposition of their axons. The smaller neurons or interneurons have cross sectional areas less than 180 μm2, and short axons that ramify in the vicinity of the cell bodies. Small neurons have also been seen on rare occasions with longer axons that may leave the nucleus. The larger cells (areas greater than 180 μm2) have long axons that leave the nucleus and emit short, beaded, recurrent collaterals. In the rostral and caudal poles of the lateral nucleus, the large projection neurons as well as the small neurons are multipolar with swirled dendritic arborizations. Neurons in the dorsal rim and ventral third of the nucleus have similar dispositions of their dendrites. In the central columnar zone, the projection neurons have dendrites that are arranged in columns directed diagonally across the body of the nucleus in the 4 to 10 o'clock direction in the right lateral nucleus and the 8 to 2 o'clock direction in the left nucleus. A collection of small neurons is generally found in the medial hilus zone. In each part of the lateral nucleus, the neurons are arranged in characteristic ways.
Activation of PKCδ and p38δ MAPK during okadaic acid dependent keratinocyte apoptosis

There is substantial interest in identifying agents that differentially activate keratinocyte differentiation versus apoptosis. Okadaic acid (OA) is a tumor promoter in mouse skin that also stimulates apoptosis of murine keratinocytes. OA also enhances human keratinocyte differentiation; however, the impact of OA treatment on apoptosis in these cells has not been examined. We show that OA promotes normal human keratinocyte apoptosis as evidenced by increased accumulation of cells having sub-G1/S DNA content, decreased mitochondrial integrity, increased annexin V binding, increased cytoplasmic cytochrome c level, and increased procaspase 3 and PARP cleavage. Cyclin A, cyclin D1, cdk2, cdk4, p53 and p21 levels are reduced. These changes are associated with release of the PKCδ catalytic domain and increased phosphorylation of PKCδ-T505-responses consistent with PKCδ activation. In contrast, phosphorylation of PKCδ-Y311 is not increased. The apoptotic response is enhanced in OA treated cells in the presence of p38δ, a PKCδ target. OA treatment selectively activated p38δ, and OA-dependent apoptosis is not inhibited by treatment with the p38α/β inhibitor, SB203580. These findings are consistent with the idea that the response is mediated by p38δ. Our data indicate that OA is an agent that regulates both keratinocyte differentiation and apoptosis, and that this regulation is mediated via activation of a PKCδ/p38δ signaling cascade.
Narrow-band x-ray imaging for core temperature and density maps retrieval of direct drive implosions

We present recent results using multi-monochromatic X-ray imaging of direct drive implosions at the OMEGA laser facility. An array of pinholes coupled to a flat multilayer mirror provides multispectral images distributed over a wide spectral range. Using Argon as a dopant in the DD-filled plastic shells produces emission images in the Ar He-β and Ly-β spectral regions. When used in conjunction with gated imaging detectors the instrument provides images with spatial resolution of ∼10μm and temporal resolution of ∼50ps. A special algorithm has been developed to reconstruct narrow-band images, which will allow the retrieval of temperature, and density maps of the core as it evolves through peak compression.
Zonisamide in the treatment of epilepsy

Introduction: Epilepsy affects approximately 3 million people in the USA and up to 2% of the worldwide population. The yearly direct medical cost of epilepsy in the USA alone is estimated to be $9.5 billion. Epilepsy affects both children and adults and can significantly impair quality of life. Zonisamide is a second-generation antiepileptic drug (AED) that has broad-spectrum efficacy, a favorable side-effect profile and simpler dosing than earlier drugs. Areas covered: The history of the development of zonisamide is reviewed in this paper. The data available demonstrating zonisamide's mechanism of action as a voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitor, a T-type calcium channel inhibitor, an enhancer of GABA release and an inhibitor of glutamate release are also reviewed. Four key Phase III clinical trials are reviewed in detail, as are subsequent postmarketing trials that have expanded the therapeutic indication for zonisamide. Expert opinion: From the available clinical data, zonisamide is a viable first-li...
Wolbachia infection and mitochondrial diversity in the canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis).

Background and aims: Many species of filarial nematodes are infected with Wolbachia pipientis, a maternally inherited endosymbiont. In addition to manipulating host reproduction, these bacteria also affect the evolution of the mitochondrial DNA with which they are transmitted. Selective sweeps can establish a single mitochondrial lineage within a Wolbachia-infected population and purge genetic diversity. While this phenomenon has been studied in insect model systems, it has not been thoroughly examined in a filarial nematode.Materials and methods: Patterns of mitochondrial diversity were examined in Dirofilaria immitis, a Wolbachia-infected species.Results: The levels of genetic diversity observed in canine heartworm were much lower than those in related species not known to be hosts of Wolbachia. Conclusion: Results suggest that a maternally inherited endosymbiont can depress mitochondrial diversity in a filarial host.
Studies on serum-mediated inhibition of cellular immunity to spontaneous mouse mammary tumors.

Sera from mice which have either spontaneously developed a mammary tumor, or which have been immunized against such a tumor, have been shown capable of abrogating the ability of lymph-node cells from these mice to specifically inhibit colony formation by mammary tumor cells in vitro. Sera from mice sensitized to another, independently arising, syngeneic mammary tumor or to a syngeneic Moloney sarcoma virus-induced tumor are less active in this respect, indicating that this reaction is specific. It is suggested that these observations are related to the in vivo phenomenon called immunological enhancement. Inhibition Serique de l'Immunite des Tumeurs Mammaires On a observe que des serums de souris chez lesquelles une tumeur niamniaire est apparue spontanement ou qui ont ete immunisees contre ce type de tumeur ont pu empecher Ies cellules de ganglions lymphatiques de ces souris d'inhiber specifquenient la formation de colonies par des cellules de tumeurs mammuires in vitro. Les serums de souris sensibilisees a une autre tumeur mammaire syngeneique apparaissant independamment, ou a une tumeur syngeneique provoquee par le virus du sarcome de Moloney, sont moins actifs a cet egard, ce qui indique qu'il s'agit d'une reaction specifique. II est possible que ces observations soient en rdation avcc le phenomene in vivo appele „facilitation immunologique”.
Design of insulating devices for in vitro synthetic circuits

This paper describes a synthetic in vitro genetic circuit programmed to work as an insulating device. This circuit is composed of nucleic acids, which can be designed to interact according to user defined rules, and of few proteins that perform catalytic functions. A model of the circuit is derived from first principle biochemical laws. This model is shown to exhibit time-scale separation that makes its output insensitive to downstream time varying loads. Simulation results show the circuit effectiveness and represent the starting point for future experimental testing of the device.
On the optimum signal constellation design for high-speed optical transport networks

In this paper, we first describe an optimum signal constellation design algorithm, which is optimum in MMSE-sense, called MMSE-OSCD, for channel capacity achieving source distribution. Secondly, we introduce a feedback channel capacity inspired optimum signal constellation design (FCC-OSCD) to further improve the performance of MMSE-OSCD, inspired by the fact that feedback channel capacity is higher than that of systems without feedback. The constellations obtained by FCC-OSCD are, however, OSNR dependent. The optimization is jointly performed together with regular quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check (LDPC) code design. Such obtained coded-modulation scheme, in combination with polarization-multiplexing, is suitable as both 400 Gb/s and multi-Tb/s optical transport enabling technology. Using large girth LDPC code, we demonstrate by Monte Carlo simulations that a 32-ary signal constellation, obtained by FCC-OSCD, outperforms previously proposed optimized 32-ary CIPQ signal constellation by 0.8 dB at BER of 10(-7). On the other hand, the LDPC-coded 16-ary FCC-OSCD outperforms 16-QAM by 1.15 dB at the same BER.
Endocrinology of Stress

When an animal detects a stressor, it initiates a stress response. The physiological aspects of this stress response are mediated through two endocrine systems. The catecholamine hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine are released from the adrenal medulla very rapidly and have numerous effects on behavior, metabolism, and the cardiovascular system. This is commonly termed the Fight-or-Flight response. On a longer time scale, the glucocorticoid hormones are released from the adrenal cortex. They interact with intracellular receptors and initiate gene transcription. This production of new proteins means that glucocorticoids have a delayed, but more sustained, effect than the catecholamines. The glucocorticoids orchestrate a wide array of responses to the stressor. They have direct effects on behavior, metabolism and energy trafficking, reproduction, growth, and the immune system. The sum total of these responses is designed to help the animal survive a short-term stressful stimulus. However, under conditions of long-term stress, the glucocorticoid-mediated effects become maladaptive and can lead to disease. Stress, as originally coined by Selye (1946), has been the subject of study for decades. It became quickly apparent that the term “stress” actually encompasses three related topics: changes/stimuli from the environment that cause “stress” (subsequently called stressors); the physiological and psychological responses to those stimuli (subsequently called the stress response); and the diseases that result from an overstimulation of the physiological and psychological responses (subsequently called chronic stress effects). Research has focused on all three of these concepts. An enormous amount is now known about what stimuli elicit which physiological and psychological responses. We also know many of the mechanisms whereby various hormonal mediators compromise organ, tissue, and cellular function (Fink, 2007). This paper will provide a brief overview of what is known about the endocrine responses to stressors. The following general information is broadly known and widely presented. Most of the information comes from the following sources (McEwen & Goodman, 2001; Nelson, 2005; Norman & Litwack, 1997; Norris, 2007; Sapolsky, Romero, & Munck, 2000) and interested readers should consult them for more detail. Specific information and individual studies are cited independently. Although there are many hormones that have been identified as playing a role in the vertebrate stress response, two categories of hormones are thought to form the central components of the endocrine response. These are the catecholamines, epinephrine and norepinephrine (also known as adrenalin and noradrenalin) and the glucocorticoids. Together, these hormones help to orchestrate the body’s stress response. How they do so is presented below.
The Use of Grammatical Morphemes Reflecting Aspect and Modality by Children with Specific Language Impairment.

Children with specific language impairment (SLI) have well-documented problems in the use of tense-related grammatical morphemes. However, in English, tense often overlaps with aspect and modality. In this study, 15 children with SLI (mean age 5;2) and two groups of 15 typically developing children (mean ages 3;6 and 5;3) were compared in terms of their use of previously studied morphemes in contexts that more clearly assessed the role of aspect. The children's use of less frequently studied morphemes tied to modality or tense was also examined. The children with SLI were found to use -ing to mark progressive aspect in past as well as present contexts, even though they were relatively poor in using the tense morphemes (auxiliary was, were) that should accompany the progressive inflection. These children were inconsistent in their use of third person singular -s to describe habitual actions that were not occurring during the time of their utterance. However, the pattern of the children's use suggested that the source of the problem was the formal tense feature of the inflection, not the habitual action context. The children's use of modal can was comparable to that of the typically developing children, raising the possibility that the modality function of possibility had been learned without necessarily acquiring the tense feature of this morpheme. These children's proficiency with can suggests that their bare verb stem productions should probably not be re-interpreted as cases of missing modals. Together these findings suggest that the more serious tense-related problems seen in English-speaking children with SLI co-occur with a less impaired ability to express temporal relations through aspect and modality.
Development of an Air Quality Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign

Interdisciplinary curricula, such as environmental engineering, are faced with the challenge of developing unified sets of courses for students from a variety of academic backgrounds. In addition to providing a rigorous technical education, engineering education should foster development of the professional skills that students need in the future, such as laboratory, computer, communication and teamwork abilities, and independence and creativity. This program improvement project integrated traditional lectures with carefully designed assignments, experiments, and demonstrations to teach principles of air quality in environmental engineering. Computer simulations helped students develop a better intuitive understanding of fundamental air quality phenomena. Field trips served to illustrate applications of classroom concepts, and an instructional laboratory was developed to teach students the essential techniques of air quality monitoring. The classroom and laboratory were also used as a supportive environment in which students learned professional skills applicable to graduate studies or professional employment. Students wrote “journal articles,” complete with peer review and revisions as part of a term project. Laboratory projects were used to introduce students to the techniques of writing proposals, and a professional style “class conference” gave students practice in making scientific presentations.