cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Splenectomy, suppressor cell activity, and survival in tumor bearing rats

Young female rats of the Fischer strain were subjected to splenectomy at 10 weeks of age. Three weeks later, these animals and a comparable group of intact animals were inoculated subcutaneously with 3 × 106 cells of the syngeneic Ward colon carcinoma. Tumor growth was recorded by serial measurement. Lymph node cells from control, intact tumor-bearing, and asplenic tumor-bearing animals were tested for reactivity in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) and for ability to suppress the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. At 3 weeks after tumor inoculation, lymphocyte reactivity in MLC was somewhat depressed in asplenic tumor-bearing hosts but severely depressed in intact hosts (P < 0.001); suppressor activity was demonstrable in intact hosts but not in asplenic hosts (P < 0.001). At 5 weeks, lymphocyte reactivity in MLC was severely depressed in both groups; suppressor cell activity was present in both groups and differences were no longer significant. Median survival of intact tumor-bearing animals was 97 days after inoculation (P < 0.0001 by the log-rank test), and 120 days in asplenic animals (P < 0.001). We conclude that both depression of lymphocyte reactivity and onset of suppressor activity are delayed in asplenic tumor-bearing animals. Host survival was significantly prolonged.
TLR signaling and trapped vascular dendritic cells in the development of atherosclerosis

The Framingham Heart Study established a link between serum lipoproteins and atherosclerosis but a crucially important feature of the disease has been neglected: it is primarily an immunological disorder. Here, we reframe atherosclerosis in terms of recent progress in understanding the immunological mechanisms underlying the disorder, and advance a new conceptual model for the future. We place vascular dendritic cells squarely at the forefront, and propose that a sentinel network of vascular dendritic cells (DCs) sample and process exogenous and endogenous antigens that can trigger an inflammatory nidus within the arterial wall. Our model postulates that two components are essential to the development of atheromata: vascular DCs and intact myeloid differentiation (MyD)88-dependent signaling by Toll-like receptors.
Design of modular non-viral gene therapy vectors

Gene delivery has numerous potential applications both clinically and for basic science research. Non-viral vectors represent the long-term future of gene therapy and biomaterials are a critical component for the development of efficient delivery systems. Biomaterial development combined with fundamental studies of virus function and cellular processes will enable the molecular level design of modular vectors. Vectors are being developed based on cationic polymers or lipids that contain functional groups to mediate appropriate interactions with the extracellular environment or to interface with specific cellular processes. This review describes recent progress on the development of biomaterials for non-viral vectors and highlights opportunities for future development. Ultimately, efficient vectors will expand the traditional applications of gene therapy within the clinic and may enable numerous other opportunities within diagnostics, biotechnology, and basic science research.
PRENATAL TREATMENT OF CONGENITAL ADRENAL HYPERPLASIA

Prenatal treatment was given to 67 fetuses at risk for classical steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD) congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). The mothers were given dexamethasone (DEX) 1-1.5 mg/d po, computed at 20 μg/kg (pre-pregnancy weight)/day, in three divided doses. Treatment began as early as 4 weeks, continuing until birth for affected female fetuses. The diagnosis of 21OHD was established or excluded by DNA analysis using HLA-linked markers or 21OHD gene probes on the tissue provided by chorionic villus sampling (CVS). When amniocentesis was performed the diagnosis was based on the concentration of 17OHP in the supernatant and occasionally DNA was analyzed from amniotic cells. Seventeen fetuses were predicted to be affected, 10 of which were females. In every case the virilization of the genitalia of the unborn prenatally-treated females was significantly less than in the index case. No complications were observed in those fetus treated briefly and who were predicted to be unaffected. Maternal complications were observed in 6 pregnancies out of 67. These included increased appetite, weight gain, mood swings, pedal edema, and mild hypertension. None were permanent. One fetus was spontaneously aborted at 33 wks. It appears unlikely that dexamethasone was causative of the abortion since treatment with dexamethasone occurred from 10-19 weeks.
Interleukin 18 binding protein (IL18-BP) inhibits neointimal hyperplasia after balloon injury in an atherosclerotic rabbit model.

Objectives Interleukin 18 (IL18) is an interferon (IFN)-gamma-inducing factor and a proinflammatory and proatherogenic cytokine. IL18 binding protein (IL18-BP) functions as an IL18 inhibitor. This study was designed to investigate whether systemic administration of IL18-BP could inhibit neointimal hyperplasia and arterial lipid deposition. Methods New Zealand white, male rabbits were fed with a 21% fat, 0.15% cholesterol diet. The left superficial femoral artery (SFA) was de-endotheliazed with a 2F arterial embolectomy catheter. IL18-BP (5 μg, 10 μg, or 25 μg), or 0.9% saline (control) was administered by i.v. bolus during surgery. Rabbits were followed-up at 2 and 4 weeks. Intima-media (I/M) and lumen-whole artery (L/A) area ratios, and luminal areas were measured. Serum lipid levels, liver enzymes, and kidney function were evaluated. Inflammatory cells were quantified and further verified with immunohistofluorescence staining. The extent of lipid deposition in the artery wall was quantified with Oil Red O (ORO) staining employing Zeiss AxioVision 4.6.3. Image analysis software. Lipid laden cells including macrophages were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results Intravenous IL18-BP 5 μg, 10 μg, and 25 μg significantly reduced I/M ratios compared with the control group at both 2 and 4 weeks. There was no significant difference between the 5 μg and 10 μg dose groups. However, at 10 μg, IL18-BP significantly increased L/A ratio more than either the 5 μg IL18-BP or control groups. The high fat diet caused significant elevation of serum lipids at 4 and 6 weeks. IL18-BP had no effect on blood lipid levels. Lipid deposit in the thoracic aorta of the control group at 6 weeks was more than at 4 weeks ( P = .025). Administration of IL18-BP inhibited the lipid deposition at 4 weeks (not significant) and 6 weeks ( P = .012 to .008) compared with its control group. Lipid laden macrophages (foam cells), as well as endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells were seen in the descending thoracic aorta after 6 weeks of a high fat diet by ORO, immunohistofluorescence staining, and TEM. The lipid laden cells were not seen in either of IL18-BP groups. IL18-BP 10 μg significantly inhibited mono/macro adherence and infiltration in the SFA after balloon-injury at 2 weeks after surgery. Conclusion A single intravenous dose of IL18-BP significantly decreased arterial neointimal hyperplasia, improved lumen to artery ratio after balloon-injury and also prevented arteriosclerosis progression.
Math5 determines the competence state of retinal ganglion cell progenitors

In mice, all of the six retinal neuron types are generated from common multipotent retinal progenitors, and their differentiation from progenitors is regulated by both extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Previously, we showed that targeted deletion of the atonal (ato) homologue math5 blocked the differentiation of most retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), revealing an essential role for math5 in RGC differentiation. In this study, we used the Cre-loxP recombination system to trace the fate of math5-expressing cells in retina. Our results demonstrated that math5 expression was associated with the differentiation of multiple retinal neuron types, including RGCs, photoreceptor, horizontal, and amacrine cells, implying that math5 expression alone is not sufficient to determine the RGC fate. Math5 expression was restricted to postmitotic cells in developing retina, suggesting that cell fate commitment of retinal neurons occurs after the terminal mitosis. The insufficiency of and requirement for math5 in RGC differentiation indicates that, like ato in the development of Drosophila R8 photoreceptors, math5 plays a role in determining the RGC competence state of retinal progenitors and that additional positive and negative factors are required in determining RGC fate. Furthermore, we show that loss of Math5 function severely reduced the RGC expression of the transcription factors Brn-3b, Gfi-1, Isl-1, Isl-2, Nscl-1, Nscl-2, and RPF-1, suggesting that Math5 expression is required to activate a comprehensive transcription network of RGC differentiation.
DL-PRO: A novel deep learning method for protein model quality assessment

Computational protein structure prediction is very important for many applications in bioinformatics. In the process of predicting protein structures, it is essential to accurately assess the quality of generated models. Although many single-model quality assessment (QA) methods have been developed, their accuracy is not high enough for most real applications. In this paper, a new approach based on C-α atoms distance matrix and machine learning methods is proposed for single-model QA and the identification of native-like models. Different from existing energy/scoring functions and consensus approaches, this new approach is purely geometry based. Furthermore, a novel algorithm based on deep learning techniques, called DL-Pro, is proposed. For a protein model, DL-Pro uses its distance matrix that contains pairwise distances between two residues’ C-α atoms in the model, which sometimes is also called contact map, as an orientation-independent representation. From training examples of distance matrices corresponding to good and bad models, DL-Pro learns a stacked autoencoder network as a classifier. In experiments on selected targets from the Critical Assessment of Structure Prediction (CASP) competition, DL-Pro obtained promising results, outperforming state-of-the-art energy/scoring functions, including OPUS-CA, DOPE, DFIRE, and RW.
The problems of dependency and the value of art therapy as a means of treating alcoholism

THIS study was made over a period of eleven months. I was at that time the head of, and the only member of the Art Therapy Department of the Bronx Lebanon Hospital in the South Bronx. I made my office in the Psychiatric Day Hospital, although my program was attended by the inpatients as well. This is a large city hospital, servicing a community made up primarily of Blacks and Puerto Ricans. I was the first art therapist to be employed, and as such was given a great deal of leeway as to how the program should be set up and run. None of the services or facilities and activities enjoyed by the other patients were available to the alcoholics. The new art room had been used for meetings and occasionally by an alcoholic patient in search of a way to pass the time. In among the many posters hanging on the wall, I noticed some poems and a painting. (Fig. 1) The painting caught my eye at once. It was unsigned, and depicted a head and torso with the left side of the face blacked out. The bright yellow on the right side was set off eerily by a single empty sightless eye. On closer inspection there seemed to be another less defined head to the right of this one, seemingly coming from the same body. It, too, was featureless and had an empty, red eye socket in place of an eye. There seemed to be a third black head as well to the far right. I was struck not only by the bizarreness of this painting and the anxiety, fear and anger that it expressed by means of the frag mented lines and angry looking colors, but also by the knowledge and skill in both the composition and in the use of color. Upon examining the other pieces of paper (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) hanging around it, I saw that they followed a pattern. Each poem had some small heads drawn on it. Each head was depicted with rather prominent ears, wore a hat and sported a beard. The right eyes were all sightless, while the left sockets, although not empty, were blacked out, negating vision. All of them were signed Harold. All had haunting melancholy themes reflecting hopelessness and long lost loves whose warmth he seemed never to have known. The eyeless heads on the poems were obviously related to feelings depicted in the painting, despite the fact that they were as dispassionate as the painting was passionate. All were pleading to be seen and understood. They verbally stated many of the observable emotions of the painting; longings for love and warmth, anger and self-pity and selfdenigration. The placement of the word “See” over his head indicated a feeling of being misunderstood and unappreciated, as well as unnoticed and futile. Alienation from people could also be perceived. “I was never deep into anything but wine.” Who was this sad, alienated, lonely person that drifted alone into the art room to pour out his heart to the empty spaces around him? In perusing his chart, I found that Harold was 26, black, and had been admitted three months before my arrival. He had been referred to the clinic by his married sister. At that time he had taken some pills which caused vomiting of blood. When admitted to Bronx
Power, Mode of Inheritance, and Type I Error in Lod Scores and Affecteds-Only Methods: Reply to Kruglyak

We thank Dr. Alice Whittemore for helpful comments. This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants DK31775 and NS27941 (to D.A.G.); MH36197, MH48858, DK31813, MH28274, and MH43878 (to S.E.H.); and MH00884-K21 and MH52841 (to V.J.V.).
Role of X-axis uncertainties on standard curves

The commonest method for the determination of standard curves is to use a least-squares technique to fit a function to a set of standard data. This fitted curve is then used to interpolate values from the standard curve. The problem addressed is that the standard data used for this process will usually contain experimental uncertainties in the X-axis (the independent variable) and in the Y-axis (dependent variable). When such X-axis uncertainties exist in the data it is statistically invalid to apply a least-squares procedure to evaluate the coefficients of the standard curve. This statistical invalidity generally cannot be corrected by the application of an `appropriate weighting factor.' However, a simple maximum likelihood procedure can be used to correctly consider the uncertainties in both the X-axis and Y-axis.
Daptomycin in the treatment of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium bacteremia in neutropenic patients.

Summary Objective Vancomycin resistant enterococcal (VRE) blood stream infection (BSI) in neutropenic patients is associated with poor outcome. We report our experience in treating VRE BSI in febrile, neutropenic patients with daptomycin, a recently licensed lipopeptide with bactericidal activity against VRE. Patients and methods Patients with fever, neutropenia and VRE BSI were treated with more than one dose of daptomycin (either 6mg/kg/day or 4mg/kg/day) in an open label, emergency-use trial. Patients were then assessed for clinical and microbiological cures and survival. MIC's of isolates to daptomycin were determined. Results Nine febrile, neutropenic patients with VRE BSI received daptomycin. Four of 9 courses (44%) had clinical and/or microbiologic cure. Two of the 5 who failed cure died within 3days of initiation of daptomycin. Five subjects survived to 30days after the onset of BSI. Conclusions Use of daptomycin in neutropenic patients with VRE BSI deserves further study as a treatment for VRE BSI in neutropenic patients.
Political expertise and the structural mediators of candidate evaluations.

Abstract This research explores differences as a function of political expertise in how political candidates and their associated evaluations are represented in memory. Using two different data sets, one based on intensive interviews with a few subjects and the other derived from a national representative survey, we examine how expertise relates to the memorial representation of information about candidates. We show that the representational correlates of expertise can explain the fact that experts on average evaluate political candidates more extremely than do those who are less expert. We argue that the representation of political candidates becomes more evaluatively organized as expertise increases. These representational differences relate to some classic hypotheses in political psychology and political science about the degree to which political thought becomes more tightly organized or internally consistent as expertise increases. The advantage of the present data in exploring these issues is that we rely exclusively on within-subject measures of representational structure rather than assuming that the structure of correlations computed across subjects reflects the structure of representation within a subject.
Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in a Large Sample of Anxiety Patients

Objective To examine a large sample of patients with anxiety and the association between types of complementary and alternative treatments that were used, demographic variables, diagnostic categories, and treatment outcomes. Method Cross-sectional and longitudinal survey during the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management (CALM) study that assessed this intervention against the Usual Care in a sample of patients with anxiety recruited from primary care. Interviewer-administered questionnaires via a centralized telephone survey by blinded assessment raters. The interviews were done at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months of the study. A total of 1004 adults ages 18–75 who met DSM-IV criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. We assessed medication/herbal use, the use of any alternative therapies, and combined Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use. Results We found an extensive (43%) use of a variety of CAM treatments that is consistent with previous study results in populations with anxiety. Only a few significant demographic or interventional characteristics of CAM users were found. Users most often had a diagnosis of GAD, were older, more educated, and had two or more chronic medical conditions. CAM users who had a 50% or more drop in anxiety scores over 18 months were less likely to report continued use of alternative therapies. Conclusions The study confirms the importance of awareness of CAM use in this population for possible interference with traditional first-line treatments of these disorders, but also for finding the best integrative use for patients who require multiple treatment modalities.
Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic and REE geochemistry of St. Paul's Rocks: the metamorphic and metasomatic development of an alkali basalt mantle source

Surface samples of peridotites and hornblendite mylonites from St. Paul's Rocks, and dredge samples from the flanks of the massif, have been analyzed for Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic ratios and Rb, Sr, and REE concentrations. This data, coupled with previous K and REE data, are used to develop a self-consistent model for the genesis of these ultramafic rocks. This model involves metasomatism of an ocean island-type mantle about 155 m.y. ago by a strongly light-REE-enriched metasomatic fluid, probably derived from the same mantle. This metasomatism produced light-REE-enriched materials which were isotopically homogeneous on a small scale (100 m), and isotopically heterogeneous on a large (km) scale. The geochemical relationships between the peridotites and the hornblendites were established by metamorphic equilibration on a relatively small scale (<10 m). The “average” mantle produced by these events is characterized by87Sr/86Sr=0.7034,143Nd/144Nd=0.51291,206Pb/204Pb=19.33 and 207/204=15.63. An alkali basalt which postdates the mylon-itization of the ultramafic massif has an isotopic character which is identical to the “average” ultramafic massif; it also lies on the five-dimensional isotopic mantle plane of Zindler et al. (1982). With respect to major elements, trace elements, and Sr, Nd and Pb isotopes, the average ultramafic rock of the St. Paul's massif is an ideal candidate for a mantle source from which alkali basalts can be derived by partial melting; the St. Paul's massif is in fact the first such example of an ultramafic rock which meets all the requirements to be an alkali basalt source.
Enhanced discriminability at the phonetic boundaries for the place feature in macaques

Discrimination of speech‐sound pairs drawn from a computer‐generated continuum in which syllables varied along the place of articulation phonetic feature (/b, d, g/) was tested with macaques. The acoustic feature that was varied along the two‐formant 15‐step continuum was the starting frequency of the second‐formant transition. Discrimination of stimulus pairs separated by two steps was tested along the entire continuum in a same–different task. Results demonstrated that peaks in the discrimination functions occur for macaques at the ‘‘phonetic boundaries’’ which separate the /b–d/ and /d–g/ categories for human listeners. The data support two conclusions. First, although current theoretical accounts of place perception by human adults suggest that isolated second‐formant transitions are ‘‘secondary’’ cues, learned by association with primary cues, the animal data are more capatible with the notion that second‐formant transitions are sufficient to allow the appropriate partitioning of a place continuum in the absence of associative pairing with other more complex cues. Second, we discuss two potential roles played by audition in the evolution of the acoustics of language. One is that audition provided a set of ‘‘natural psychophysical boundaries,’’ based on rather simple acoustic properties, which guided the selection of the phonetic repertoire but did not solely determine it; the other is that audition provided a set of rules for the formation of ‘‘natural classes’’ of sound and that phonetic units met those criteria. The data provided in this experiment provide support for the former. Experiments that could more clearly differentiate the two hypotheses are described.
Synthesis and evaluation of 6-[11C]methoxy-3-[2-[1-(phenylmethyl)-4-piperidinyl]ethyl]-1,2- benzisoxazole as an in vivo radioligand for acetylcholinesterase.

Abstract ABSTRACT. 6-Methoxy-3-[2-[1-(phenylmethyl)-4-piperidinyl]ethyl]-1,2-benzisoxazole is a high affinity (Ki = 8.2 nM) reversible inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The carbon-11 labeled form was prepared in high (>97%) radiochemical purity and with specific activities of 37 ± 20 GBq/μmol at end of synthesis, by the alkylation of the desmethyl precursor with [11C]methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate in N,N-dimethylformamide at room temperature. In vivo studies in mice demonstrated good blood brain permeability but essentially uniform regional brain distribution. Thus, despite in vitro and in vivo activity as an AChE inhibitor, 6-[11C]methoxy-3-[2-[1-(phenylmethyl)-4-piperidinyl]ethyl]-1,2-benzisoxazole does not appear to be a good candidate for in vivo imaging studies of AChE in the mammalian brain.
A Computational Study of the Behavior of the Ionic Liquid [BMIM+][PF6−] Confined Inside Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

We have performed molecular dynamics to study the structural and dynamical properties of the ionic liquid (IL) [BMIM+][PF6−] confined inside multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with inner diameters ranging between 2.0 and 3.7 nm. Our results indicate that the diameter of the MWCNT and the pore loading have a profound influence on the structural and dynamical properties of the confined IL. Regarding the structural properties, significant layering is observed in the mass density profiles of the cations and anions in the radial direction. The cations close to the pore walls tend to align with their imidazolium ring parallel to the surface. Regions of high and low density are observed in both the radial and the axial directions upon reduction in the pore loading. Regarding the dynamics, the confined cations move faster than the anions, in analogy to bulk systems, but the dynamics are much slower in confinement than in the bulk. The confined ions spend a larger time in the “cage regime” before finally reachi...
Rocking Chair Exercise and Fibromyalgia Syndrome

It is easy to believe that rocking in a rocking chair may have a positive effect on certain aspects of various chronic pain conditions. If nothing else, rocking in a rocking chair is a soothing activity for many people, including elderly people. Therefore, the purpose of this program evaluation was to find out whether adding short-term rocking (in a rocking chair) to an existing exercise program would impact upper-body pain, lower-body pain and perceived psychological stress levels in a small group of women over age 55 (four older than 65) with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). These women rocked in chairs for 10 minutes three times per week for 16 weeks in an ongoing fibromyalgia program that provided exercise, health education, and resource support. Program evaluation outcomes suggest that benefits may have been gained by these women from this addition to the program. Activity directors may want to consider this information when planning physical activity for elderly adults with FMS.
Macroscopic quantum tunneling and related effects in a one-dimensional superconductor.

The results of a study of the superconducting state of very small diameter PbIn wires are described. The smallest samples, which had diameters below 200 A\r{}, exhibited significant dissipation at all temperatures below ${T}_{c}$. In addition, their voltage-current characteristics exhibited oscillatory structure, which became more pronounced as the temperature was decreased. These results are consistent with a model in which the phase of the order parameter is treated as a quantum degree of freedom. The observed behavior is then due to quantum tunneling of the order parameter, and the existence of discrete energy levels.
Torque generated by orthogonal acoustic waves—Theory

An analytical calculation of the torque generated by orthogonal waves is reported. This torque is a result of a viscous effect, rather than the Bernoulli effect as in Rayleigh's torque. The agreement between the reported experimental values and this calculation is excellent.
Computational Analysis of Non-Spherical Particle Transport and Deposition in Shear Flow With Application to Lung Aerosol Dynamics—A Review

All naturally occurring and most man-made solid particles are nonspherical. Examples include air-pollutants in the nano- to micro-meter range as well as blood constituents, drug particles, and industrial fluid-particle streams. Focusing on the modeling and simulation of inhaled aerosols, theories for both spherical and nonspherical particles are reviewed to analyze the contrasting transport and deposition phenomena of spheres and equivalent spheres versus ellipsoids and fibers.
Effects of nicotinic acid and lovastatin in renal transplant patients: A prospective, randomized, open-labeled crossover trial

Abstract Lipid abnormalities are seen frequently in renal transplant patients. Cardiovascular disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. We assessed the efficacy and safety of the lipid-lowering drugs, nicotinic acid (short acting) and lovastatin, the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor. Twelve renal transplant patients who had persistent hyperlipidemia despite 6 weeks of dietary treatment participated in this prospective, randomized, open-labeled crossover trial. At 16 weeks, when compared with control values, nicotinic acid (≥ 1.5 g twice a day) significantly reduced the total cholesterol (from 312 ± 18 [±SEM] mg/dL to 229 ± 19 mg/dL; P = 0.03) and the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (from 218 ± 15 mg/dL to 142 ± 13 mg/dL; P = 0.03) and significantly increased the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (from 44 ± 3 mg/dL to 58 ± 5 mg/dL; P = 0.03). The triglyceride level was reduced from 255 ± 40 mg/dL to 150 ± 23 mg/dL ( P = 0.09). At 16 weeks, lovastatin therapy (40 mg/d) significantly reduced the total cholesterol (from 285 ± 13 mg/dL to 233 ± 10 mg/dL; P = 0.005) and the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (from 201 ± 11 mg/dL to 147 ± 7 mg/dL; P = 0.001). There were no significant changes in the triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Although flushing developed in 67% of patients treated with nicotinic acid, this was not a reason for any of the study dropouts. During this short-term study period no adverse biochemical effects were noted with either of the drugs. These findings indicate that both nicotinic acid and lovastatin reduce the total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In addition, nicotinic acid significantly alters the triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Nicotinic acid is an effective and inexpensive lipid-lowering agent in patients who tolerate the drug. Therapy with nicotinic acid could potentially reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in this group of high-risk patients.
Thermodynamic insights on pathways to formation of chlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans

Abstract A method is developed for estimation of thermodynamic properties of multiply substituted aromatics inclusive of chlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans based on principles of group additivity and non-next-nearest neighbor interactions on the aromatic ring. This includes estimates of bond energies, entropies and heat capacities of radical intermediates in pathways to chlorodioxin formation. We use these thermo calculations to show the feasibility of several elementary reaction pathways leading to dioxin formation, where the presence of chlorine acts to enhance or lower the Gibbs free energy of the reactions.
ATP synthase—past and future

This paper gives an overview of a lecture scheduled for the opening of the 10th European Bioenergetics Congress. In this lecture I plan to first reflect on the accomplishments of some of the individuals who were involved in research on the ATP synthase during the past 50 years. Then I will give a brief view of the present information about rotational catalysis by the ATP synthase. This will be followed by a discussion of some results from my laboratory that call for additional experimentation. Finally I will direct attention to other questions about the ATP synthase that should be addressed in future studies.
The single-machine product cycling problem: a multi-cycle LP approach

When demand is seasonal and capacity-change costs are significant, firms which make-to-stock frequently build up inventory in advance of peak demands. This situation is frequently found in highly integrated productive systems which process, cook, freeze and package high volume frozen foodstuffs fur markets having seasonal demand. Most lot scheduling models for the single machine problem are not applicable to this situation since they assume that aggregate demand equals aggregate production and that aggregate inventory remains constant over the planning horizon. A multi-item, multi-cycle linear programming (LP) model is presented which identifies the optimal solution even when aggregate inventory varies.
Relative-Permeability Estimation From Displacement Experiments: An Error Analysis

Parameter estimation can be a superior method of estimating relative permeabilities from displacement (unsteady-state) coreflood experiments. To use the parameter-estimation method, one must choose functional representations of the relative permeability curves. In previous work, only a simple exponential function was used, which can result in very large errors in estimation of relative permeabilities. In this work, the authors extend the parameter-estimation method to consider the use of several alternative functional forms, including highly flexible cubic splines, which should be better able to represent a wide variety of relative-permeability curves. In this way, the error associated with the assumption of a simple functional representation can be greatly decreased. They also develop a procedure to analyze the accuracy with which relative permeabilities may be estimated by parameter estimation. The analysis is used to evaluate the performance of different functional representations in the parameter estimation method. Furthermore, it can also be used to assess quantitatively the effect of experimental design on the accuracy of estimates of relative permeability.
Evaluating summary statistics used to test for incomplete lineage sorting: mito‐nuclear discordance in the reef sponge Callyspongia vaginalis

Conflicting patterns of population differentiation between the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes (mito-nuclear discordance) have become increasingly evident as multilocus data sets have become easier to generate. Incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) of nucDNA is often implicated as the cause of such discordance, stemming from the large effective population size of nucDNA relative to mtDNA. However, selection, sex-biased dispersal and historical demography can also lead to mito-nuclear discordance. Here, we compare patterns of genetic diversity and subdivision for six nuclear protein-coding gene regions to those for mtDNA in a common Caribbean coral reef sponge, Callyspongia vaginalis, along the Florida reef tract. We also evaluated a suite of summary statistics to determine which are effective metrics for comparing empirical and simulated data when testing drivers of mito-nuclear discordance in a statistical framework. While earlier work revealed three divergent and geographically subdivided mtDNACOI haplotypes separated by 2.4% sequence divergence, nuclear alleles were admixed with respect to mitochondrial clade and geography. Bayesian analysis showed that substitution rates for the nuclear loci were up to 7 times faster than for mitochondrial COI. Coalescent simulations and neutrality tests suggested that mito-nuclear discordance in C. vaginalis is not the result of ILS in the nucDNA or selection on the mtDNA but is more likely caused by changes in population size. Sperm-mediated gene flow may also influence patterns of population subdivision in the nucDNA.
Protein synthesis with isolated mitochondrial polysomes.

A technique has been described for the isolation of intact mitochondrial polysomes which are active in protein synthesis. Mitochondrial ribosomes, derived from the polysomes, are of 71S particles and have 32S and 50S subunits. These subunits can initiate protein synthesis using mitochondrial RNA as a template. It is, thus, evident that mitochondria contain active messengers in the process of translation. The translational machinery in this organelle is prokaryotic in nature.
Biofouling and the Continuous Monitoring of Underwater Light from a Seagrass Perspective

For more than a decade, inexpensive electronic instruments have made continuous underwater light monitoring an integral part of many seagrass studies. Although biofouling, if not controlled, compromises the utility of the record. A year-long assessment of the time course of sensor fouling, in the Laguna Madre of Texas established that light transmitted through the fouling layer after 2 wk of exposure exceeded 90% except for a 6–8 wk period in May and June. On that basis, a 2-wk interval was chosen for routine servicing. Subsequent monitoring proved this choice to be grossly in error. The period of sub-90% transmittance after 2 wk extended to 4–6 mo annually over the next 3 yr. Fouling was strongly correlated with temperature, ambient light, and year. Since an algal bloom of 7-yr duration finally waned during this study, increased ambient light seemed most likely to explain increased fouling later in the study. The explanatory value of light was less than temperature or year in multiple regression, requiring some other explanation of the date effect than change in ambient light. Allelopathic and suspension-feeding depressant effects of the brown tide are offered as the most likely cause of unusually low fouling in the first year. Biofouling was so unpredictable and rapid in this study that at least weekly maintenance would be required to assure reliability of the light monitoring record.
Alternating electric field capacitively coupled micro-electroporation

Electroporation of biological solutions is typically performed using galvanically coupled electrodes and the administration of high-voltage, direct current (DC) pulses. Galvanic (DC) coupling enables the flow of Faradaic currents, which produce effects of an electrolytic nature. Electrolytic processes can be deleterious to electroporation by causing arcing with high radiative temperature and high-pressure waves, releasing potentially toxic compounds from the electrodes, and introducing by-products of electrolysis into the solution. Our research in micro-electroporation shows that the detrimental effects of electrolysis become more pronounced as the length-scale of the electroporation chamber decreases, i.e. micro-electroporation. A possible solution would be to eliminate galvanic coupling between the electrodes and the electroporation media by coating the electroporation electrodes with a thin layer of dielectric material and using high-frequency AC stimulation for electroporation. In this work, we present a theoretical analysis of a micro-electroporation system in which capacitively coupled electrodes are separated from the electroporated solution by a dielectric. The purpose of this work is to serve as a theoretical basis for further experimental exploration, as well as a design tool for performance optimization. We present a mathematical model supported by in silico experimental results.
Multiphoton microscopy in biological research

From its conception a decade ago, multiphoton microscopy has evolved from a photonic novelty to an indispensable tool for gleaning information from subcellular events within organized tissue environments. Its relatively deep optical penetration has recently been exploited for subcellularly resolved investigations of disease models in living transgenic mice. Its enhanced spectral accessibility enables aberration-free imaging of fluorescent molecules absorbing in deep-UV energy regimes with simultaneous imaging of species having extremely diverse emission spectra. Although excited fluorescence is the primary signal for multiphoton microscopy, harmonic generation by multiphoton scattering processes are also valuable for imaging species with large anharmonic modes, such as collagen structures and membrane potential sensing dyes.
The use of cluster hierarchies in hypertext information retrieval

The graph-traversal approach to hypertext information retrieval is a conceptualization of hypertext in which the structural aspects of the nodes are emphasized. A user navigates through such hypertext systems by evaluating the semantics associated with links between nodes as well as the information contained in nodes. [Fris88] In this paper we describe an hierarchical structure which effectively supports the graphical traversal of a document collection in a hypertext system. We provide an overview of an interactive browser based on cluster hierarchies. Initial results obtained from the use of the browser in an experimental hypertext retrieval system are presented.
Geriatric assessment is associated with completion of chemotherapy, toxicity and survival in older adults with cancer

Objectives Our purpose was to determine whether geriatric assessments are associated with completion of a chemotherapy course, grade III/IV toxicity or survival in older adults with cancer.
Effect of Gold Thioglucose in the Domestic Fowl

Abstract In studies to determine the effect of gold thioglucose (GTG) on chickens, the LD50 for broiler chicks during the first week of life was found to be approximately 0.5 mg./gm. of body weight. Survivors exhibited some impairment of ability to regulate body temperature as evidenced by the mortality during high environmental temperatures. Percent mortality was directly proportional to dose level. Moderate growth and appetite stimulation were observed in treated birds at 15 weeks, but conclusive evaluation of the compound was not possible due to mortality occurring during the experimental period. GTG treatment of mature Single Comb White Leghorn hens did not appear to influence body weight or feed intake. The LD50 was found to be 1.0 mg./gm. of body weight, a level which caused a marked decrease in egg production.
Ligand Field Circular Dichroism and Magnetic Circular Dichroism Studies of Component B and Substrate Binding to the Hydroxylase Component of Methane Monooxygenase

The soluble methane monooxygenase system (MMO), consisting of a hydroxylase (MMOH), a reductase, and component B (MMOB), catalyzes the NADH and O2 dependent hydroxylation of methane and many other hydrocarbons. The binuclear non-heme ferrous active site cluster of the hydroxylase−component B (MMOH−MMOB) complex in the presence of substrate and small molecules has been studied using circular dichroism (CD) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopies. CD studies reveal that addition of the alternative substrate, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, or inhibitor, tetrachloroethylene, induces a conformational change in the active site pocket only in the presence of MMOB. Complementary MCD data indicate that this conformational change does not result in a direct change in the ligation of the iron atoms. Comparison of the CD/MCD data with the crystal structure of MMOH allows a tentative correlation between the perturbations observed and the iron atoms affected. The binding of MMOB to MMOH distorts the ligand fi...
An experience teaching formal methods in discrete mathematics

In spite of recent calls to incorporate formal methods into the computer science curriculum, the effort is still controversial and proceeding slowly. This paper presents our experience in restructuring the undergraduate Discrete Mathematics course to include formal methods. It concludes with some philosophical ruminations about the place of formal methods in the computer science curriculum in general.
Semantic similarity between sentences

The present study investigated the effects of deep, lexical, and surface structure relationships between sentences on judgments of these sentences' semantic similarity. Ten sentence conditions, four paraphrases and six nonparaphrases, were derived from a base sentence. The four paraphrase types weretransformational (T), a passive form of the base,lexical (L), containing synonyms for base content words,formalexic (F), a combination ofT andL types, andparasyntactic (P), one of several alternative interpretations of the base. The six nonparaphrases consisted of three sets of two sentences each: the falsepermutation sentences retained the base lexicon, thefalse synonymous sentences contained synonyms, and theunrelated sentences' lexicon was completely unrelated to the base. One sentence in each nonparaphrase set retained the base surface form and the other, a passivization, did not. Using a modified paired comparisons task, the following rank order of conditions, in terms of preference, was obtained:T>L>F>P>false permutation>false synonymous>unrelated. It was concluded that deep structure similarity had potent effects but that a more complete description of the data required the postulation of additional factors such as "propositional structure" and "semantic structure."
Piston Ring Lubrication and Cylinder Bore Wear Analyses, Part II—Theory Verification

Based on the analytical method presented in the previous paper (Part I), comparisons of predicted wear curves along the major and minor side-thrust sides of the cylinder bore are made with the measured ones obtained from several truck engines for various vehicle mileages. The agreement was found to be good. This indicates the analytical model developed in Part I is relevant and suitable for predicting the severity of piston-ring bore contact for varying engine operating and lubrication conditions. From this, the necessary parameter changes may be found such that the wear rate of the cylinder bore may be reduced. Wear factor data, however, must be available in order to make quantitative predictions of wear. The model ultimately may be useful also in the design optimization of engine components. Since the method is general, it also can be applied to other reciprocating piston devices, such as gas compressor, Rankine cycle engine, or Stirling engine.
Abstracting GIS Layers from Hyperspectral Imagery

The spectral-spatial relationship of materials in a hyperspectral image cube is exploited to partially automate the creation of Geographic Information System (GIS) layers. The topological neighborhood preservation property of the Self Organizing Map (SOM) is clustered into six (partially overlapping) neighborhoods that are mapped into the image domain to locate in-scene structures of similar material type. GIS layers are abstracted through spatial logical and morphological operations on the six image domain material maps and a novel road finding algorithm connects road segments under significant tree-occlusion resulting in a contiguous road network. It is assumed that specific knowledge of the scene (e.g. endmember spectra) is not available. The results are eight separate high-quality GIS layers (Vegetation, Trees, Fields, Buildings, Major Buildings, Roadways, and Parking Areas) that follow the scene features of the hyperspectral image and are separately and automatically labeled. The material maps resulting from clustering the SOMhave an 84.3% average accuracy, which increases to 93.9% after spatial processing into GIS layers.
Photoinhibition of photosynthesis in a sun and a shade species of the red algal genus Porphyra

Gametophytes of two species of Porphyra collected around San Juan Island, Washington in 1986 and acclimated to low light conditions in culture showed different resistances to photoinhibition of photosynthesis. The intertidal species P. perforata J. Agardh exhibited photoinhibition at one-third the rate exhibited by the subtidal species P. nereocystis Anderson following treatments at 2000 μmol photons m-2 s-1 under conditions of full hydration and optimal temperature. The greater resistance of P. perforata to photoinhibition could not be attributed to reduced photosynthetic pigment concentration, higher photosynthetic capacity, avoidance of light by chloroplast movement or to enhanced rates of photorespiration. Total carotenoid concentrations were similar in the two species. It is probable that the mechanisms of this resistance are operating at the level of the thylakoid membranes. Resistance to photoinhibition represents an adaptation of photosynthesis in P. perforata which may contribute to its persistance in the extreme environment of its intertidal habitat.
Anti-symmetric tensor gauge theories

Abstract Anti-symmetric tensor gauge theories are quantized via the Faddeev-Popov procedure leading to a BRS invariant theory without the need for second order ghosts. The quantum mechanical equivalence of these theories to non-linear sigma models is established using the spontaneously broken global symmetry currents. Upon gauging these symmetries the Higgs mechanism is displayed, while for anomalous symmetries an analog of the Wess-Zumino action is constructed in terms of the anti-symmetric tensor gauge fields.
Measures of consistency for Holland-type codes

Abstract “Consistency” in Holland's theory refers to the extent to which more closely related scale types are found together in codes of the Self-Directed Search sort. This paper describes two new measures of consistency. One is based on the hexagonal model and is for use with 3-point codes. The other is based on conditional probabilities and is for use with 2-point codes.