cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of carbon stripper foils for heavy-ion accelerators

Abstract Carbon foils of thickness 2–10 μg/cm 2 were produced by vapor deposition and by dc glow discharge cracking of hydrocarbon gas. Their lifetimes to mechanical failure, under bombardment with 10 MeV 35 Cl ions, were determined. Foils produced by the glow discharge technique have lifetimes ranging from 5 to over 20 times longer than those produced by vapor deposition. The glow discharge foils are also found to exhibit a strong correlation between lifetime and thickness. Changes in foil thickness with increasing fluence are examined and evidence for sputtering is obtained from beam-scanning.
Multiresolution modeling with operator-customized wavelets derived from finite elements

In this article we describe the construction and application of operator-customized wavelets constructed out of general finite element interpolation functions (i.e., not just those of the Lagrange family). Unlike classical hierarchical bases, these wavelets are scale-orthogonal with respect to a given inner-product such as that arising from the weak-form of a differential operator. This property results in block-diagonal stiffness matrices that in turn permits the incremental computation of the solution in an efficient manner especially in the case of adaptive mesh refinement. As a specific example, we consider the design of such wavelets for the incremental and adaptive solution of fourth-order partial differential equations such as those governing the mechanics of thin elastic plates and shells.
Characterization of left ventricular external wall motion in man by video dimension analyzer (Vidian)

Several investigators have described close relationships between left ventricular wall motion and physiologic cardiac events. Using an improved wall motion tracking devide (Vidian) in studies of 30 patients, we have compared the dynamics of left ventricular wall motion, recorded noninvasively, with high fidelity left ventricular and aortic pressures, intracardiac phonocardiograms, apexcardiograms, and cyclic left ventricular volume curves obtained during cardiac catheterization. Wall motion tracking signals comprised: pre-ejection outward deflection commencing with the first component of the first heart sound and coincident with the pre-ejection phase of the left ventricular pressure and apexcardiogram; a sharp descent during ejection, commencing with the "E" point of the apexcardiogram and with the onset of the upstroke of the aortic pressure; end ejection nadir, synchronous with the dicrotic notch of the aortic pressure; a nadir representing cessation of inward displacement, presumably reflecting slight inertial motion of the wall; a brief period of isovolumic relaxation which terminated synchronously with the "O" point of the apexcardiogram; rapid, then slow filling waves, coincident with those of the apexcardiogram, and demarcated by a transitional angulation synchronous with the third heart sound; and "a" wave, occurring simultaneously with that of the apexcardiogram. Ventricular wall motion tracking signals also corresponded to curves representing cyclic changes in left ventricular minor radius, and chamber volume derived from cineventriculograms. In 10 patients with abnormal contraction patterns detected by biplane cineventriculography, anomalous deflections were also recorded during ejection by the Vidian. Left ventricular wall motion tracking with the Vidian: 1) provides a sensitive index for timing of intracardiac events, 2) reflects cyclic changes in ventricular volumes and minor dimensions, 3) provides a convenient noninvasive technique for detection of regional asynergy involving the lateral left ventricular wall, and 4) by correlation with simultaneous ventricular pressure measurements, may provide useful information regarding left ventricular pressure/segment dimension relations.
Preparative electrophoresis in zero gravity

Abstract NASA's current efforts to develop a zero-gravity electrophoresis facility as part of the Shuttle program constitute a unique challenge to instrument designers. Several simple electrophoretic devices have been already tested in Apollo and Skylab, while other space experiments are presently in preparation. The major objective of these studies is to develop improved methods for electrophoretic separation of living cells. Although the electrophoretic properties of living cells have been extensively studied, their electrophoresis on a preparative scale is severely hampered by a variety of gravity dependent and gravity independent disturbances. Conventional methods of suppressing gravitational effects, such as gel stabilization, are mostly inapplicable to cells. Thus, we have developed two new instruments for cell electrophoresis, both potentially capable of terrestrial application, but mainly directed towards zero-gravity experimentation. One instrument utilizes continuous flow, with miniaturization of all dimensions. The other instrument uses static columns with a novel type of rotating seal for fraction removal. Our interests are focused on the use of these instruments for preparative isotachophoresis, a recent variant of electrophoresis characterized by discontinuous buffer systems.
Hooking Mortality and Behavior of Striped Bass Following Catch and Release Angling

Abstract Concerns over the use of minimum-size regulations to increase the average weight of harvested striped bass Morone saxatilis in Tims Ford Reservoir, Tennessee, prompted this study of hooking mortality. To estimate mortality and examine behavior, striped bass longer than 508 mm total length were caught with conventional angling gear, tagged externally with ultrasonic transmitters equipped with floats, and released back into Tims Ford Reservoir. Over a 15-month period 89 fish were tagged and tracked for a minimum of 3 d. Mortality rates ranged from 14% in November and December 1993 to 67% in both August 1993 and July 1994. Although the confounding effects of tagging could not be separated from the effects of being hooked and released, disparate mortality rates among seasons, as well as observations of feeding and swimming behavior of tagged fish that survived, suggested that tagging effects were modest compared to hooking effects. Mortality rates were linearly related to air temperature (P = 0.012) ...
INFRARED ABSORPTION PROBING OF THE CL + C2H4 REACTION: DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF ARRHENIUS PARAMETERS FOR HYDROGEN ABSTRACTION

The laser photolysis/infrared long path absorption technique has been used to study the reaction of Cl atoms with C2H4. The time-resolved population of HCl produced in the reaction is monitored by continuous infrared absorption after pulsed photolytic generation of Cl atoms. At room temperature, the reaction proceeds principally through addition to form a chloroethyl radical, and the HCl production at 10 Torr is almost exclusively via secondary reactions. Above 500 K the abstraction channel dominates the HCl production, allowing direct extraction of Arrhenius parameters for the hydrogen abstraction. The abstraction rates are extracted by correcting the total rate by the HCl yield, which is determined by comparison with the Cl + C3H8 reaction. The abstraction reaction is well-described between 500 and 800 K by the simple Arrhenius expression k(T) = (6.2 ± 1.4) × 10-11e-(3400±450)/T cm3 molecule-1 s-1 (2σ). The activation energy determined in the present work would yield a heat of formation of the vinyl rad...
Differential sensitivity of normal and H-ras oncogene-transformed ratkidney epithelial cells to okadaic acid-induced apoptosis

H-ras oncogenes have been identified in greater than 50% of the most common forms of human neoplasia. Ras-related proteins have been postulated to mediate signal transduction pathways involving mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and nuclear responses that may be involved in the induction of apoptosis. We examined whether expression of H-ras oncogene conferred resistance or susceptibility to the morphologic effects of the protein phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid, using a tumorigenic H-ras-transformed normal rat kidney epithelial cell line, NRK-H/6.1. We also examined whether okadaic acid induced apoptosis correlated with a differential effect on kinase activity in H-Ras-transformed cells as compared to the nontransformed NRK-52E cells. Treatment with varions concentrations of okadaic acid produced rapid and extensive morphologic changes characteristic of apoptosis in both cell types. Equimolar okadaic acid concentrations for 2 or 4 hr resulted in cell detachment and loss of membrane integrity (as measured by propidium iodide uptake) in 74% (0.5 μM) and 78% (1.0 μM) of the H-Ras-transformed cells as compared to 8 and 25%, respectively, in the non-transformed cells. Furthermore, a higher basal level of kinase activity was observed in the H-Ras-transformed cells as compared to the nontransformed cells. Okadaic acid-induced apoptosis correlated with activation of members of the MAP kinase family, raf-1 and protein kinase C (PKC). These studies show that H-ras oncogene expression imparts selective susceptibility to cell death induced by phosphatase inhibition. The observed increase in susceptibility to okadaic acid-induced apoptosis appears to involve the modulation of raf-1, PKC, and MAP kinase activities. These findings may be significant in the elucidation of mechanisms for selective induction of cell death in tumor cells expressing H-ras oncogene.
Forecasting system parent group formation: An empirical application of cluster analysis

Abstract The focus of this empirical investigation is twofold. First, an examination of formal hierarchical forecasting system structural parameters is reported. Four formal experimental factors used to define the hierarchical forecasting system are examined. These factors are evaluated in a controlled comparison by means of parametric statistical analysis. Second, a comparative analysis of formal hierarchical forecasting system performance with (1) an informal hierarchical strategy, and (2) a traditional forecasting approach is presented. The best performing combination of factor level settings identified in the examination of formal hierarchical forecast strategies is subsequently evaluated in the second part of this analysis by means of paired difference comparisons with (1) a randomized, informal approach, and (2) a common forecast strategy over the same time series data. Traditional measures of forecast accuracy are used as dependent performance criteria.
MDR1 gene polymorphisms and HIV therapeutic response in South Indian population

Methods Eighty HIV-1 infected drug naive patients who had atleast one viral load <150 copies/mL within six months of therapy and 21 healthy subjects were included. The HIV patients were categorized into viral responders (n=40) and non responders, two consecutive viral load ≥400 copies/mL after six months of ART (n=40). The genotype analysis of G2677T (GG/GT/TT in exon-21) and C3435T (CC/CT/TT in exon-26) was performed using PCR RFLP. Statistical analysis was carried out using chi-square test in SPSSver16.
Suppression of glucose production and stimulation of insulin secretion by physiological concentrations of ketone bodies in man.

To determine the mechanism by which ketonebodies decrease plasma glucose in man, seven normal postabsorptivevolunteers were infused for 3 h with β-hydroxybutyrate.Total plasma ketone bodies (β-hiydroxybutyrate plus acetoacetate)increased to levels (∼2.5 mM) observed after a 2- to 3-dayfast in normal subjects. Plasma glucose decreased 10% concomitantwith decreases of 25% and 10%, respectively, in the rates ofglucose production and glucose utilization determined isotopicallywith [3–3H]glucose. Plasma insulin and glucagon concentrationswere unaltered, but plasma C-peptide levels increased from2.6 ± 0.1 ng/ml to a maximum of 3.9 ± 0.2 ng/ml at 30 min (P < 0.01) and remained significantly increased for more than 2 h.Plasma alanine decreased approximately 14% (P < 0.05), whileplasma lactate increased 25% (P < 0.01) so that there was no netdecrease in the combined levels of these gluconeogenic substrates.These results demonstrate that physiological incrementsin circulating ketone body concentrations decrease pla...
Properties of ultra-violet curable polyurethane acrylates

The relationship between the chemical structure and physical properties of ultra-violet cured isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) based urethane acrylates were studied. The two systems were prepared with varying soft-segment molecular weight and cross-linker content. Dynamic mechanical test results show one-phase or two-phase materials may be obtained depending on the soft-segment molecular weight. With increasing soft-segment molecular weight, the polyol glass transition shifts to lower temperatures. Increasing the cross-linker content using either N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) or polyethyleneglycol diacrylate (PEGDA) causes an increase in Young's modulus and ultimate tensile strength. Cross-linking with NVP causes an increase in toughness in the two-phase materials and shifts the high-temperature glass transition peak to higher temperatures. In contrast, an increase in PEGDA content does not improve the toughness of the two-phase materials or affect the position of the high-temperature glass transition peak. Comparison of the tensile properties of the TDI- and IPDI-based systems shows no significant differences.
Todas las voces: Indigenous language radio, state culturalism and everyday forms of public sphere formation

Abstract The debate over the definition of the public sphere is one of the more intractable struggles for meaning waged today. This article seeks to intervene in this debate, and to encourage participants to include Latin America as they mobilise their arguments. If public sphere theorists are genuinely interested in creating an international deliberative space, they must consider the particular challenges and possibilities of public discourse in less than democratic societies. As a model of discourse-centred democracy, the concept of the public sphere speaks to (and presumes) a relationship between democratic citizenship and communication. Analysis of this relationship in Latin America can open up a much-needed dialogue between critical communication studies and democratisation scholarship.
Function prediction from networks of local evolutionary similarity in protein structure

Background Annotating protein function with both high accuracy and sensitivity remains a major challenge in structural genomics. One proven computational strategy has been to group a few key functional amino acids into templates and search for these templates in other protein structures, so as to transfer function when a match is found. To this end, we previously developed Evolutionary Trace Annotation (ETA) and showed that diffusing known annotations over a network of template matches on a structural genomic scale improved predictions of function. In order to further increase sensitivity, we now let each protein contribute multiple templates rather than just one, and also let the template size vary.
College Men’s Concerns About Sharing Dormitory Space with a Male-to-Female Transsexual

We examined male college students’ attitudes toward sharing dormitory space with a male-to-female (MTF) transsexual. Participants read three scenarios, in a sequence of either increasing or decreasing contact with the transsexual, in which they imagined sharing dormitory space with a MTF transsexual as a roommate, in the bathroom, and at a residence hall meeting, after each of which they answered open-ended questions about how they would feel or act, or what they would do if they were a resident advisor, in the imagined scenarios. Participants then rated statements measuring their attitudes toward transsexuals and toward masculine norms. Whether they imagined increased or decreased contact, participants expressed comparable transphobia, and made numerous negative and neutral statements and fewer positive statements about how they would feel or act. However, many students made positive statements about how they would act toward the transsexual, particularly in the roommate situation. Adherence to masculine norms and transphobia were so highly positively correlated that they apparently measured a common attitude, but regression analyses indicated that transphobia mediated the association between adherence to masculine norms and frequencies of positive, negative and neutral responses to the open-ended questions. Men who were Christian, from middle to high SES families, and heterosexual were more transphobic and adhered more to masculine norms than those who were nonChristian, from lower SES families, and gay, respectively. Black and white men were equally transphobic and adhered equally to masculine norms. The men’s recommendations when imagining themselves as a resident advisor typically concerned making connections between the men and the transsexual and controlling the situation.
The effect of medical comorbidity on self-reported shoulder-specific health related quality of life in patients with shoulder disease.

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate further the effect of medical comorbidity on a patient reported shoulder specific health related quality of life (HRQoL) measure. We investigated which types of comorbidities have a detrimental effect upon shoulder specific HRQoL. We hypothesized that general medical comorbidity would not negatively affect shoulder specific HRQoL questionnaires, but that comorbidities specific to the chest region would, when properly controlling for other patient factors. Methods A cohort of 173 consecutive patients who underwent shoulder surgery for osteoarthritis and/or rotator cuff repair was extracted from a clinical outcomes database. Their health related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated with the University of Pennsylvania (PENN) shoulder score and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Nonadjusted and multivariate risk-adjusted models were built to investigate the effect of medial comorbidity on shoulder specific HRQoL and were tested using linear modeling. Results Nonadjusted models showed patients with more total comorbidities ( P = .01) and more chest-related comorbidities ( P = .006) had lower PENN scores. But, when risk adjusting for other patient factors, the PENN scores decreased with an increase in the number of chest comorbidities ( P = .008), but not the number of total comorbidites ( P = .391) or other (nonchest) comorbidities ( P = .163). Conclusion Shoulder specific HRQoL measures are joint specific, but they are influenced by disease or conditions that affect the chest region. This may be important in understanding why patients with certain comorbid diseases report worse shoulder pain and function and may respond differently to treatment over time.
Degrees of longitude and the earth's shape: The diffusion of a scientific idea in Paris in the 1730s

Summary The paper deals with the confusion that has arisen in studying the revival of geodesy in Paris in the 1730s. The episode highlights the vast qualitative differences in science-reporting to be found in periodicals of the early eighteenth century, and the actual roles that certain better-known journals played in the genesis of what became a trademark for eighteenth-century Parisian science.
Cataract surgery in African Americans with long anterior lens zonules.

This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Roberts, Daniel K., Yongyi Yang, and Jacob T. Wilensky. "Cataract surgery in African Americans with long anterior lens zonules." Clinical & experimental ophthalmology 42.9 (2014): 898-900. DOI: 10.1111/ceo.12341., which has been published in final form at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi:10.1111/ceo.12341/epdf.
Barriers and Strategies in Recruitment for Bariatric Surgery Research

Bariatric surgery patients present unique challenges for research recruitment. These include the stigma of obesity, sensitive psychosocial issues that may accompany obesity, and the many requirements of insurers before surgery is approved. Yet, little guidance is found in the literature on ways to improve recruitment success for bariatric surgery patients specifically. The purpose of this article is to describe the strategies we developed to overcome anticipated and unanticipated barriers to recruiting bariatric surgery patients for a prospective pilot study. First, we review the literature on barriers to recruitment and strategies to improve recruitment for clinical research projects in general. Pertinent barriers include fear of emotional distress, practical and logistical concerns for data collection, issues related to research regulations, and clinician attitudes regarding the study. Second, we demonstrate the ways in which successful strategies from the literature were incorporated into our recruitme...
Evidence that the growth hormone receptor mediates differentiation and development of the mammary gland

We have shown that nonlactogenic rat (r) GH is far more potent than rPRL in inducing rat mammary development. To determine the relative roles of GH and PRL in mammary development and their mechanisms of action, we have compared the abilities of a group of native and mutant GHs, PRLs, and placental lactogens (PLs) to induce mammary development, bind to GH receptors, and activate lactogenic receptors. Mammary development was assessed histologically by counting terminal end buds and alveolar structures in glands from sexually immature, hypophysectomized, castrated, estradiol-treated rats. Hormones were implanted, in Elvax pellets, into the lumbar mammary gland. Significant increases in terminal end buds (P < 0.03) over internal control values were obtained with rGH, recombinant human GH (rhGH), rbGH, and one of two mutant rhGHs. These four hormones were also found to bind to GH receptors with high affinity. In contrast, little development occurred with hPRL, rPRL, rhPL, ovine PRL, mutant forms of rhPRL and r...
Increased lead ingestion in calcium-deficient monkeys.

VOLUNTARY ingestion of lead (lead pica) by children is a puzzling phenomenon. The resulting lead poisoning can lead to painful physical symptoms, mental retardation and brain damage1–5. Yet ingestion often persists after toxic symptoms appear if the child has access to lead6. We have shown that weanling rats made calcium deficient increased their voluntary ingestion of lead to levels much greater than those of control rats7. It was suggested that, because of the metabolic similarity of lead to calcium, ingestion of lead might relieve symptoms of calcium deficiency, attenuate the normal aversive effects of lead ingestion, and thus maintain continued ingestion. Rats, however, are not completely appropriate for an analogy to human lead ingestion because calcium metabolism differs considerably in the two organisms8,9. Rats seem to find lead acetate an aversive taste7,10, whereas humans refer to it as “lead sugar” and report a sweet taste (paper presented at meeting of Midwestern Psychological Association, 1975 by R. W. Henderson and J. Dawley). Furthermore, the diet used with rats has been almost completely deficient in calcium (2 mg Ca per 100 g) producing severe symptoms of calcium deficiency, which have not been reported in humans with lead pica. If calcium deficiency leads to lead pica in humans, it must be a moderate or subclinical deficiency. We have therefore experimented with rhesus monkeys which were subjected to a moderately deficient diet providing 64% (108 mg Ca per 100 g) of their recommended daily calcium levels11.
A comparative analysis of similarity mapping and eigenimaging as applied to dynamic MR imaging of a low grade astrocytoma

This paper compares the abilities of similarity mapping and eigenimaging for the purpose of identifying (segmenting) different image structures in dynamic MR imaging. As an illustrative example a case of dynamic images with a low grade astrocytoma was chosen. It was found that the similarity mapping was more successful than eigenimaging in determining the extent and position of a low grade astrocytoma. Also, similarity mapping was able to identify another region with a different and uncorrelated temporal pattern that was later diagnosed as a cyst.
Inhibiting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor at a Distance

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase is implicated in a large number of human cancers. Most EGFR inhibitors target the extracellular, growth factor-binding domain or the intracellular, ATP-binding domain. Here we describe molecules that inhibit the kinase activity of EGFR in a new way, by competing with formation of an essential intradimer coiled coil containing the juxtamembrane segment from each member of the receptor partnership. The most potent molecules we describe bind EGFR directly, decrease the proliferation of wild-type and mutant EGFR-dependent cells lines, inhibit phosphorylation of EGFR and downstream targets, and block coiled coil formation as judged by bipartite tetracysteine display. Potency is directly correlated with the ability to block coiled coil formation within full-length EGFR in cells.
Determinants of Investment by the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund: GDP Versus Institutions

During the current episode of globalization, capital has flown primarily to high income countries. Attempts to explain this “Lucas Paradox” have focused on the quality of institutions. We analyze data from a major institutional investor, the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, to estimate the separate effects of income per capita and institutional quality on international capital flows. After controlling for institutions, GDP per capita remains the primary determinant of investment.
Wide-field-of-view 83.4-nm self-filtering camera

Photometric imaging of ionospheric/magnetospheric O II emission at 83.4 nm is a primary objective for mapping the distribution of O+ ions. However, instrumental sensitivity has been a major barrier to realizing this goal. We report an instrumental design employing a low focal ratio camera where the reflecting surfaces act as both narrowband reflection filters at 83.4 nm and wide field of view imaging system. The design includes coatings with reflectances that are relatively insensitive to the angle of incidence of light. The peak reflectance per mirror is more than 60% at 83.4 nm with the average reflectance for out-of- band wavelengths less than 5%. The net reflective transmission for the three imaging mirrors is greater than 20% with 6.8 nm bandwidth and 0.01% maximum transmittance for out-of- band wavelengths.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Over-the-counter H2-receptor antagonists do not compromise intragastric pH control with proton pump inhibitors

Background: Proton pump inhibitors effectively suppress intragastric acid. Nocturnal acid breakthrough occurs on any dosing regimen of oral proton pump inhibitors. Histamine2-receptor antagonists (H2RA) suppress intragastric acidity independently of meals and help to control nocturnal acid breakthrough. Because proton pump inhibitors require an acid intragastric milieu for activation, nocturnal dosing of H2RA might decrease the effect of proton pump inhibitors taken in the morning by decreasing their gastric-acid-driven activation. Aim: Assess intragastric acid control on omeprazole, 20 mg, taken every morning, after variable dosing of over-the-counter famotidine, 10 mg. Methods: Twelve Helicobacter pylori-negative, healthy volunteers received omeprazole, 20 mg, every morning before breakfast for 15 days. Baseline studies on omeprazole, 20 mg, in the morning, were done on day 7. On nights between days 8–9, 11–12 and 14–15, famotidine, 10 mg at bedtime, and 10 mg at bedtime and/or at 05.30 h, was given in a three-way, crossover, double-blind randomized design. Intragastric pH monitoring was performed on days 9, 12 and 15, starting at 08.00 h. Results: Percentage times intragastric pH < 4 on omeprazole, 20 mg, in the morning of the day after receiving famotidine, 10 mg, at bedtime (58.6 ± 4.8); at 05.30 h (54.1 ± 5.1); or at bedtime and at 05.30 h (54.3 ± 5.0) did not differ significantly (P=0.65) from percentage times intragastric pH on day 7 of omeprazole, 20 mg, in the morning (49.5 ± 5.1). Conclusion: Concerns over inhibition of next-day daytime proton-pump inhibitor effect should not preclude use of nocturnal H2RAs in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
Effects of a low sodium diet on bone metabolism

Osteoporosis is a serious public health problem, and dietary interventions may potentially be helpful in preventing this disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a low sodium diet on bone metabolism in postmenopausal women. This was a longitudinal study to determine the effects of a low sodium (2-g/day) diet on bone. Forty postmenopausal African–American and Caucasian women were enrolled in a 2-g/day sodium diet for 6 months. Sodium and calcium excretion, bone turnover, and calcitropic hormones (intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D) were measured before and 6 months after the intervention. In women who had baseline sodium excretions equal to or greater than the average sodium intake in the United States (≥3.4 g/day), the low sodium diet resulted in significant decreases in sodium excretion (P = 0.01), in calcium excretion (P = 0.01), and in a biomarker of bone turnover, aminoterminal propeptide of type I collagen (P = 0.04). However, there were no significant changes in calcitropic hormones, including intact PTH (P = 0.97) or 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (P = 0.49) with the low sodium diet. These findings suggest that in postmenopausal women with sodium intakes ≥3.4 g/day, a low sodium diet may have benefits for skeletal health.
Rabbits fed cholesterol-enriched diets exhibit pathological features of inclusion body myositis.

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common age-related muscle disease in humans; however, its etiology is unknown, there are few animal models for this disease, and effective treatme...
Feasibility and Consequences of Response to Intervention Examination of the Issues and Scientific Evidence as a Model for the Identification of Individuals with Learning Disabilities

This paper provides a response to the thoughtful paper presented by Gerber in this issue and at the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities Responsiveness-to-Intervention Symposium in Kansas City with guidance from five major questions posed by the organizers of the symposium. Gerber's paper provides interesting perspectives regarding the alternative approach to identification of learning disabilities (LD) or the "response to intervention" (RTI). Gerber raises questions and concerns about the theoretical and practical aspects of a response-to-intervention model on either a small- or large-scale basis. Guiding questions for this response include an examination of (a) changing roles of teachers and diagnosticians; (b) responsibility for fidelity of treatment implementation; (c) applications in secondary settings; (d) consistency of implementation from local to state to national levels; and (e) differentiation of LD from other disabilities. An alternative to both RTI and present procedures is proposed. Conclusions are discussed with respect to existing research-based evidence.
The complexity of mass extinction

Major mass extinctions are among the most troublesome and puzzling events in Earth's history (Fig. 1). Rapid progress has been made in the understanding of duration, extent, causes, and consequences of these events. One important insight has been the recognition that each event was different and very complex in itself. In this issue of PNAS, Visscher et al. (1) add an astonishing insight into effects on the genetic material of plants during the most devastating of all mass extinctions 251 million years ago (2). The results of Visscher et al. (1) document a complex chain of cause and effect relationships that occurred not as a single pulse but over a significant time span. The forests of gymnosperms that covered large areas of most climate zones of the late Permian Period disappeared and were replaced by herbaceous lycopsids (mostly relatives of quillworts) represented frequently only by the genus Pleuromeia covering the landscape with a rather monotonous vegetation (Fig. 2). These plants were 1.5–2 m (≈6 ft) tall. Although these plants often formed denser stands than shown in Fig. 2 b , they depended on water and represented vegetation that was certainly much less dense and had a lower biomass than the forests they replaced. Visscher et al. (1) report that a significant percentage of microspores of these plants occurs as tetrads, which means that the four microspores that originate from one mother cell do not separate and are clumped together in the very place that opens during spore germination, indicating that they were not viable. It has been established in living plants that specific genetic changes are required to achieve this effect (3, 4). Thus, a morphological feature that can be readily observed in microscopic preparations of fossil spores or pollen is the indicator for genetic changes occurring …
Commercial Magnetic Sensors (Hall and Anisotropic Magnetoresistors)

Magnetic sensors account for a significant portion of the sensing market. Manufactures such as Honeywell, Phillips, Optek, Cherry, and Infineon primarily make commercial and automotive sensors while Fujitsu, IBM, Maxtor and Seagate control the information sector additionally Asahi Chemicals has a significant position in fan speed sensing. There are two types of magnetic sensors. The first type of magnetic sensor commonly used is the Hall-effect sensor. The Hall-effect sensor is a device that depends on the mobility of carriers in a semiconductor material such as silicon. The second type of magnetic sensor is the magnetoresistor. Magnetoresistors come in different types. These are ordinary magnetoresistors (MR), anisotropic magnetoresistors (AMR), giant magnetoresistors (GMR) and colossal magnetoresistors (CMR). Of these, the CMR has yet to move out of the research phase. These commercial devices, manufactured by the above companies, have diverse applications such as proximity sensors, gear-tooth sensors, and read head sensors. An example of how important the magnetic sensor is, a search of the United States Patent Data Base shows over three thousand patents using hall-elements. Additionally there are over four hundred patents using magnetoresistors. There is an art and a science to building commercial sensors. Often it takes a diverse group of scientists and engineers to characterize and model these sensors prior to committing a design to production. This is due to the secondary nature of the sensing mechanisms which are commonly used. Most sensing mechanisms only show up as small perturbations in a larger property such as resistivity or permitivity. Often these perturbations are only a few percent of a typical full scale output for a given sensor. The difficulty in using these properties as sensing mechanisms is that they often interact with their surroundings in ways which obscure the measurements of interest. What is meant with this statement is that the structures often use to mount the sensors will have just as much influence as the external signal as the output of the sensor.
IκB Is a Substrate for a Selective Pathway of Lysosomal Proteolysis

In lysosomes isolated from rat liver and spleen, a percentage of the intracellular inhibitor of the nuclear factor kappa B (IkappaB) can be detected in the lysosomal matrix where it is rapidly degraded. Levels of IkappaB are significantly higher in a lysosomal subpopulation that is active in the direct uptake of specific cytosolic proteins. IkappaB is directly transported into isolated lysosomes in a process that requires binding of IkappaB to the heat shock protein of 73 kDa (hsc73), the cytosolic molecular chaperone involved in this pathway, and to the lysosomal glycoprotein of 96 kDa (lgp96), the receptor protein in the lysosomal membrane. Other substrates for this degradation pathway competitively inhibit IkappaB uptake by lysosomes. Ubiquitination and phosphorylation of IkappaB are not required for its targeting to lysosomes. The lysosomal degradation of IkappaB is activated under conditions of nutrient deprivation. Thus, the half-life of a long-lived pool of IkappaB is 4.4 d in serum-supplemented Chinese hamster ovary cells but only 0.9 d in serum-deprived Chinese hamster ovary cells. This increase in IkappaB degradation can be completely blocked by lysosomal inhibitors. In Chinese hamster ovary cells exhibiting an increased activity of the hsc73-mediated lysosomal degradation pathway due to overexpression of lamp2, the human form of lgp96, the degradation of IkappaB is increased. There are both short- and long-lived pools of IkappaB, and it is the long-lived pool that is subjected to the selective lysosomal degradation pathway. In the presence of antioxidants, the half-life of the long-lived pool of IkappaB is significantly increased. Thus, the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species during serum starvation may be one of the mechanisms mediating IkappaB degradation in lysosomes. This selective pathway of lysosomal degradation of IkappaB is physiologically important since prolonged serum deprivation results in an increase in the nuclear activity of nuclear factor kappa B. In addition, the response of nuclear factor kappa B to several stimuli increases when this lysosomal pathway of proteolysis is activated.
Kinetic studies of the reactions of hydroxyl radicals with the methyl-substituted silanes SiHn(CH3)4 − n (n=0 to 4) at room temperature

Abstract The flash-photolysis resonance-fluorescence method has been employed at 293–297 K to measure rate constants for the reactions of OH with SiH4, Si(CH3)H3, Si(CH3)2H2, Si(CH3)3H, and Si(CH3)4 of (1.2 ± 0.2) × 10−11, (3.3 ± 0.4) × 10−11, (4.4 ± 0.5) × 10−11, (3.1 ± 0.4) × 10−11, and (1.2 ± 0.2) × 10−12 molecule−1 cm3 s−1, respectively. The uncertainties are 95% confidence intervals (see text). The results reveal that the per Si–H bond reactivity towards OH increases with the degree of methylation, and that Si(CH3)2H2 is the most reactive member of the series.
Omental flap transposition with intra-abdominal relocation for LVAD pump-pocket infection.

be associated with wound morbidity in young patients with end-stage congenital cardiac failure, due to the need for hosting the device in unconventional abdominal positions. The findings from this case suggest that the use of continuous-flow LVADs, such as the HeartMate II, which presents dramatic miniaturization with totally intrathoracic insertion, is feasible in patients with isolated dextrocardia without incurring additional wound morbidity. Furthermore, stable and satisfactory performance of the assist device in addition to significant clinical improvement may be expected well after device insertion.
Probiotics and Other Key Determinants of Dietary Oxalate Absorption

Oxalate is a common component of many foods of plant origin, including nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, and is typically present as a salt of oxalic acid. Because virtually all absorbed oxalic acid is excreted in the urine and hyperoxaluria is known to be a considerable risk factor for urolithiasis, it is important to understand the factors that have the potential to alter the efficiency of oxalate absorption. Oxalate bioavailability, a term that has been used to refer to that portion of food-derived oxalate that is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), is estimated to range from 2 to 15% for different foods. Oxalate bioavailability appears to be decreased by concomitant food ingestion due to interactions between oxalate and coingested food components that likely result in less oxalic acid remaining in a soluble form. There is a lack of consensus in the literature as to whether efficiency of oxalate absorption is dependent on the proportion of total dietary oxalate that is in a soluble form. However, studies that directly compared foods of varying soluble oxalate contents have generally supported the proposition that the amount of soluble oxalate in food is an important determinant of oxalate bioavailability. Oxalate degradation by oxalate-degrading bacteria within the GIT is another key factor that could affect oxalate absorption and degree of oxaluria. Studies that have assessed the efficacy of oral ingestion of probiotics that provide bacteria with oxalate-degrading capacity have led to promising but generally mixed results, and this remains a fertile area for future studies.
Anthelmintic treatment alters the parasite community in a wild mouse host

Individuals are often co-infected with several parasite species, yet the consequences of drug treatment on the dynamics of parasite communities in wild populations have rarely been measured. Here, we experimentally reduced nematode infection in a wild mouse population and measured the effects on other non-target parasites. A single oral dose of the anthelmintic, ivermectin, significantly reduced nematode infection, but resulted in a reciprocal increase in other gastrointestinal parasites, specifically coccidial protozoans and cestodes. These results highlight the possibility that drug therapy may have unintended consequences for non-target parasites and that host–parasite dynamics cannot always be fully understood in the framework of single host–parasite interactions.
Sulfur oxidation to sulfate coupled with electron transfer to electrodes by Desulfuromonas strain TZ1

Microbial oxidation of elemental sulfur with an electrode serving as the electron acceptor is of interest because this may play an important role in the recovery of electrons from sulfidic wastes and for current production in marine benthic microbial fuel cells. Enrichments initiated with a marine sediment inoculum, with elemental sulfur as the electron donor and a positively poised (+300 mV versus Ag/AgCl) anode as the electron acceptor, yielded an anode biofilm with a diversity of micro-organisms, including Thiobacillus, Sulfurimonas, Pseudomonas, Clostridium and Desulfuromonas species. Further enrichment of the anode biofilm inoculum in medium with elemental sulfur as the electron donor and Fe(III) oxide as the electron acceptor, followed by isolation in solidified sulfur/Fe(III) medium yielded a strain of Desulfuromonas, designated strain TZ1. Strain TZ1 effectively oxidized elemental sulfur to sulfate with an anode serving as the sole electron acceptor, at rates faster than Desulfobulbus propionicus, the only other organism in pure culture previously shown to oxidize S° with current production. The abundance of Desulfuromonas species enriched on the anodes of marine benthic fuel cells has previously been interpreted as acetate oxidation driving current production, but the results presented here suggest that sulfur-driven current production is a likely alternative.
Numerical integration methods for antenna pattern calculations

A study of numerical integration methods suitable for antenna pattern calculations was conducted for the purpose of determining which method provides a given accuracy with the greatest economy. The accuracy for a given method depends on the number of points at which the integrand is calculated, while the cost for a given number of points depends on the complexity of the method. This paper discusses the general principles of numerical integration, and outlines four methods in detail. The results of applying these methods on a digital computer to a simple cosine distribution are presented and analyzed. The relation of these results to those obtained for a pattern integral having a nonlinear phase function is discussed. The Gaussian quadratures are shown to have, in general, the highest degree of precision and lowest cost, while Filon's method is preferable when integrals having a linear phase function are calculated over a large range of pattern angle. The procedure for applying these methods to double numerical integration is outlined.
Computers in biofeedback research and therapy

While biofeedback is being used extensively in the clinic and the laboratory, a great deal of variability exists among biofeedback users with respect to instrumentation, treatment protocols, techniques of data acquisition, and methods of data analysis. It is argued that the use of computers in biofeedback will help reduce some of this variability. Other advantages of computers in biofeedback are discussed. Several presently available automated systems are reviewed. Implications for future biofeedback research are also discussed.
MammoSite brachytherapy: evolution and current status

Brachytherapy treatment consists of the insertion of radioactive sources into tissue to deliver radiotherapy directly to the tumor. Early treatment utilizing this method required intra-operative placement of 15–20 catheters by the radiation oncologist, a highly specialized procedure which limited its widespread use despite encouraging results from the first clinical trial and the benefits to the patient of receiving radiation treatment to only 2 cm of tissue beyond the borders of the lumpectomy cavity and the ability to complete the radiotherapy component of breast conserving treatment in 4–5 days, instead of the usual 4–6 weeks. The MammoSite® Radiation Therapy System allows either a radiation oncologist or a surgeon to implant a much simplified brachytherapy device, thus increasing the number of patients who can receive this treatment. The device, which received FDA approval in May 2002, works by creating a cavity inside the lumpectomy site via a balloon. A high dose-rate brachytherapy source is inserted into this cavity, evenly irradiating the tissue at highest risk of containing residual cancer cells. Data collected since its approval show that MammoSite offers tumor control equal to traditional radiotherapy with fewer side effects of radiation exposure to nearby tissues. However, the invasive nature and high cost of this treatment mean that MammoSite should not be seen as the sole future direction of radiotherapy treatment delivery methods.
Coherent Doppler lidar signal spectrum with wind turbulence

The average signal spectrum (periodogram) for coherent Doppler lidar is calculated for a turbulent wind field. Simple approximations are compared with the exact calculation. The effects of random errors in the zero velocity reference, the effects of averaging spectral estimates by use of multiple lidar pulses, and the effects of the range dependence of the lidar signal power over the range gate are included. For high spatial resolution measurements the lidar signal power is concentrated around one spectral estimate (spectral bin), and correct interpretation of the contribution from turbulence is difficult because of the effects of spectral leakage. For range gates that are larger than the lidar pulse volume, the signal power is contained in many spectral bins and the effects of turbulence can be determined accurately for constant signal power over the range gate and for the far-field range dependence of the signal power.