cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Movements of Yellowstone grizzly bears

Abstract Ninety-seven grizzly bears Ursus arctos horribilis were radio-located 6299 times during 1975–1987. Annual range sizes differed by sex, age, reproductive status and amount of precipitation. Females exhibited greater fidelity to seasonal and annual ranges than males. Weaned female offspring generally remained in the vicinity of the maternal range, while weaned males often made substantial movements to unexplored country. Average total home range size was 884 km2 for females and 3757 km2 for males. Males consistently exhibited greater indices of movement and range sizes than females. All cohorts had larger mean ranges during this study than during the period 1959–1969 when the population had access to open garbage dumps. Movements and elevational distribution of all cohorts were related to availability of whitebark pine Pinus albicaulis seeds. We hypothesized that females with cubs-of-the-year and yearlings were displaced from most productive habitats during seasons and years of limited food availability.
The roles of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in B cell hyperactivity in systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease most prevalent in women between the ages of twenty and sixty. Successful treatment remains challenging due to a lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms and multiple symptoms ranging from skin rashes to glomerulonephritis. The pathogenesis of SLE has been linked to a B-cell hyperproliferation unique to afflicted patients. These B-cells generate large quantities of IgG autoantibodies, ultimately capable of leading to lupus nephritis and renal failure. The significance of cytokines in SLE and in murine lupus, a related disease in mice, has been debated, particularly with respect to B-cell activity. Potential roles of auto-regulatory and inflammatory cytokines have been investigated. In particular, IL-6 and IL-10 have been shown to be key factors in regulating autoantibody-secreting B-cell activity in lupus. Here, we will provide a critical overview of our current knowledge of the regulatory roles of these two cytokines in SLE.
The yeast EGD2 gene encodes a homologue of the αNAC subunit of the human nascent-polypeptide-associated complex

Abstract Two Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteins of 21 and 27 kDa co-purify with a novel enhancer of Ga14p DNA binding activity (Egdp) [Parthun et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 12 (1992) 5683 5689]. Mutations in the EGD1 gene encoding the 21-kDa protein (Egdlp) have been shown to affect the kinetics and extent of the Ga14p-mediated, galactose-induced activation of the GAL genes. Egdlp is homologous to human BTF3b, recently identified as the β subunit of the heterodimeric nascent-polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) involved in ensuring signal-sequence-specific protein sorting and translocation [Wiedmann et al., Nature 370 (1994) 434 440]. We have cloned and characterized EGD2 encoding the 27-kDa protein and found that Egd2p is strikingly similar to the α subunit of human NAC. Yeast, therefore, contains a complex composed of Egdlp and Egd2p very similar to the NAC complex described in human cells. Disruption of EGD2 , alone or in combination with an EGD1 disruption, causes no obvious phenotypes. The lack of phenotype, the high levels of EGD1 and EGD2 expression, and the identification of multiple human genes encoding NAC subunits suggest that the yeast EGD genes may be members of multigene families with redundant function.
Synthesis of desformylflustrabromine and its evaluation as an α4β2 and α7 nACh receptor modulator

Desformylflustrabromine (dFBr; 1) and desformylflustrabromine-B (dFBr-B; 2) have been previously isolated from natural sources, and the former has been demonstrated to be a novel and selective positive allosteric modulator of alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors. The present study describes the synthesis of water-soluble salts of 1 and 2, and confirms and further investigates the actions of 1 and 2 using two-electrode voltage clamp recordings.
Location optimization of strategic alert sites for homeland defense

Abstract This research uses a location analysis approach for selecting aircraft alert sites for the defense of important national areas of interest identified by the US Department of Defense. Solutions are generated in a two step approach where the minimum number of sites is first identified using the location set covering problem and then the result is improved by finding the minimum aggregate network distance or p-median solution from the alternate optimal solutions to the LSCP. This approach also identifies the p-center solution to the problem ensuring equitable response to all areas of interest. Sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the impact of altering aircraft launch and flying times on the number of required alert sites and the amount of coverage provided by selecting fewer locations. Results indicate a significant increase in the number of alert locations needed in comparison to original military estimates. The research points out significant implications about future military base closure decisions and the trade-offs between cost and required response times of aircraft in a defense emergency.
Deservingness, children in poverty, and collective well being

Abstract Rising numbers of children and families have been thrust into poverty. However, debates about poverty policies and aid are in fact debates about ourselves—our logic of life and our humanity—as a nation, a culture, a people; and social welfare programs will always be underfunded and of limited effectiveness if people don't believe in them due to their ambivalence and confusion about poverty. Because poor children are innocent and indisputably dependent on adult caretakers, they may be our route out of this malaise. Their circumstance and our aspirations as a nation to be just, fair, and progressive, force us to resolve the confusion, conflict and ambivalence that fuel ineffective and inhumane social welfare policies and practices.
Japan's Response to the West: The Contrast with China

JAPAN'S response to the intrusion of the West, by contrast with the response of China and other Asian nations, has long intrigued statesmen and scholars. Generalizations about Asia, its cultural traditions, its policies, its economic development, are especially difficult to fit to the Japanese. “Japan is of course sui generis,” says O. H. K. Spate, the British geographer, and few will disagree.
Cleavage of two yolk proteins from a precursor in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract Four yolk proteins have been identified previously in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans . However, only two of these proteins (yp170A and yp170B) are found among the products of in vitro translation of nematode RNA. The other two yolk proteins (yp115 and yp88) are apparently cleaved from a precursor polypeptide of approximately 180,000 M r. This precursor has been identified as an in vitro translation product and as a metabolically unstable polypeptide in vivo . It is bound by immunoglobulin G (IgG) specific for yp115 and by IgG specific for yp88. The immunoadsorbed material yields the same pattern of fragments on partial digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease regardless of whether anti-yp115 or anti-yp88 IgG is used in the adsorption. Like the yp170 polypeptides, the yp115/yp88 precursor is synthesized by the intestine and secreted intact. The precursor is evidently cleaved to yield yp115 and yp88 after secretion from the intestine but independent of the presence of the gonad. Thus, cleavage probably occurs in the body cavity of the nematode.
Total synthesis of the sesquiterpene (±)β-cuparenone: use of three-carbon annulation in synthesis☆

Abstract A total synthesis of β-cuparenone, which highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the three-carbon annulation process, is described.
Advanced microlithography process with multiple-chemical trim technology

Shrinkage technologies have attracted much more attention recently. The main shrinkage techniques are either to generate a thermal flow in the photo-resist with a high-temperature baking process, or to form a top layer with mixing bake treatment. In this paper, United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) introduces a new shrinkage technology called MCTP (multiple Chemical Trim Process) and present the experimental results for our evaluation of the MCTP to implement the 90nm gate layer. Furthermore, this paper focuses on the correlation between developer process and mixing bake treatment, which has greatly benefits process window and leads to good line-edge roughness (LER) performance, especially for line-end shortening.
Too much of a good thing? Physician practices and patient willingness for less frequent pap test screening intervals.

Background:Recent guidelines recommend longer Pap test intervals. However, physicians and patients may not be adopting these recommendations.Objectives:Identify (1) physician and practice characteristics associated with recommending a less frequent interval, and (2) characteristics associated with w
Forming N-detection test sets without test generation

We describe a procedure for forming n-detection test sets for n>1 without applying a test generation procedure to target faults. The proposed procedure accepts a one-detection test set. It extracts test cubes for target faults from the one-detection test set, and merges the test cubes to obtain new test vectors. By extracting and merging different test cubes in different iterations of this process, an n-detection test set is obtained. Merging of test cubes does not require test generation or fault simulation. Fault simulation is required for extracting test cubes for target faults. We demonstrate that the resulting test set is as effective in detecting untargeted faults as an n-detection test set generated by a deterministic test generation procedure. We also discuss the application of the proposed procedure starting from a random test set (instead of a one-detection test set).
Phosphorus removal in created wetland ponds receiving river overflow.

Water quality changes and biogeochemical development were evaluated over 2 years in two newly created freshwater riparian wetland ponds (1 ha each) in an agricultural and urban watershed. Both wetlands received pumped river water and had similar hydrologic regimes. One wetland was planted with 13 species of vegetation typical of Midwestern US marshes; the other received no planted vegetation. Water quality sampling was conducted weekly and detailed hydrologic budgets were developed from data collected twice daily. Hydrologic budgets were dominated by pumped surface flows (mean inflow=1480 m3 day−1). Two floods accounted for 32% of inflow in 1 year. Both wetlands significantly decreased turbidity (62 to 27 NTU) and increased dissolved oxygen (9–11 mg l−1). Inflow dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations (17±3 and 169±11 μg P l−1) were significantly higher (P<0.05) than outflow concentrations (DRP: 5±1 and 6±1 μg P l−1; TP: 69±8 and 74±9 μg P l−1) for planted and unplanted wetlands, respectively. Phosphorus removal was related to decreases in turbidity and the level of biological activity. Extensive and highly productive algal coverage in both wetlands and the subsequent deposition and decomposition of the algal mat influenced P retention through biological uptake and chemical sorption and coprecipitation. Mean removal rates were 1.0 g P m−2 year−1 for DRP and 5.4 g P m−2 year−1 for TP and did not differ significantly between wetlands (P<0.05). Approximately 35% of TP mass removal occurred during two floods. A conservative tracer (Cl) indicated limited and negligible effects of dilution on decreases in P concentration. Water flow rate and P concentration did not affect P removal which was loading-limited and seasonal. Initial development of macrophytic vegetation demonstrated no influence on water quality changes. Both wetlands acted as effective P sinks in the initial 2 years of operation.
Submarine basalts from Kilauea rift, Hawaii: nondependence of trace element composition on extrusion depth

Abstract Four tholeiites dredged from 500 to 5000 meters on the east rift of Kilauea were analyzed for K, Rb, Cs, Sr, Ba, Ni and87Sr/86Sr. No effects were found which relate to extrusion into sea water at depth.
Monosomy 7 myelodysplastic syndrome and other second malignant neoplasms in children with neurofibromatosis type 1

BACKGROUND Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are at increased risk of developing benign and malignant solid tumors as well as hematologic malignancies, including de novo juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia, monosomy 7 syndrome, and acute myelogenous leukemia. The normal NF1 allele is frequently deleted in the bone marrow cells from NF1 patients with hematologic malignancies, suggesting a pathogenic role in primary leukemogenesis. The authors report monosomy 7 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) as a second malignant neoplasm (SMN) in five children with sporadic NF1, the results of molecular analysis for NF1 and ras alterations in their bone marrow, and summarize their experience with SMNs in pediatric patients with NF1. METHODS Monosomy 7 MDS was diagnosed as an SMN in five children with NF1 by morphologic and cytogenetic studies of bone marrow specimens. DNA extracted from these malignant bone marrows was analyzed for allelic loss at the NF1 locus and for the presence of ras mutations. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Tumor Registry was also reviewed to estimate the incidence of SMNs in pediatric NF1 patients. RESULTS Bone marrow specimens from four patients retained constitutional heterozygosity at the NF1 locus; one specimen was uninformative. There was no evidence of activating ras mutations. The risk of an SMN was approximately 11% among the 64 NF1 registrants with primary malignancies in the CHOP registry, but was 75% (6 of 8) among patients treated for a pediatric embryonal cancer. CONCLUSIONS Children with NF1 are susceptible to the development of malignant myeloid disorders both as a primary event and as an SMN. Additional molecular genetic analysis is necessary to determine if the NF1 gene is inactivated by somatic mutation in these secondary leukemias. Cancer 1997; 79:1438-46. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Pseudomorphic growth and strain relaxation of α-Zn3P2 on GaAs(001) by molecular beam epitaxy

Tetragonal zinc phosphide (α-Zn3P2) was grown pseudomorphically, by compound-source molecular-beam epitaxy on GaAs(001). The films grew coherently strained, with epitaxial relationships of Zn_(3)P_(2)(004)‖GaAs(002) and Zn_(3)P_(2)(202)‖GaAs(111). Partial relaxation of the Zn3P2 lattice was observed for films that were >150 nm in thickness. Van der Pauw and Hall effect measurements indicated that the films were intrinsically p-type, presumably due to the incorporation of phosphorus interstitials. The carrier mobilities in strained films (>40 cm^2 V^(−1) s^(−1)) were comparable to the carrier mobilities that have been reported for bulk Zn_(3)P_(2) single crystals. The carrier densities and mobilities of holes decreased significantly upon film relaxation, consistent with the evolution of compensating dislocations.
Cryogenic helium jet and recoil time-of-flight apparatus

Abstract An apparatus is described in which cyclotron-produced radioactivities are transported from the target area to a detection area in a stream of helium cooled to 92 K. The apparatus is intended for investigations of β-delayed particle-emitting nuclei and includes a time-of-flight path which allows mass identification of the nucleus responsible for each particle group. A theoretical model for the transport of atoms in pure gases is presented which explains quantitatively many aspects of existing data both at room temperature and at low temperatures.
Cutaneous Manifestations of Vasculitis

Objectives To discuss the clinical features, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment options for cutaneous vasculitis. Methods The literature in the PubMed database was reviewed regarding the presentation, pathophysiology, clinical workup, and treatment of cutaneous vasculitis. Results Available classification criteria of vasculitis are based on histopathologic criteria or clinicohistologic features. These have been designed more for research purposes than for clinical application. Skin findings such as palpable purpura, nodules, urticaria, ulcers, and infarction are clues to the presence of vasculitis. Pathologic findings of fibrinoid necrosis, infiltration by neutrophils or lymphocytes, and deposition of complement and immunoglobulin may be helpful in reaching a specific diagnosis. However, there is considerable overlap across different conditions. Conclusions The correct diagnosis of cutaneous manifestations of vasculitis requires an understanding of vasculitis classification, recognition of specific clinical patterns, and the ability to interpret histopathologic data.
The SDSC encryption/authentication (SEA) system

As part of the Distributed Object Computation Testbed project (DOCT) and the Data Intensive Computing initiative of the National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (NPACI), the San Diego Supercomputer Center has designed and implemented a multi-platform encryption and authentication system referred to as the SDSC Encryption and Authentication, or SEA, system. The SEA system is based on RSA and RC5 encryption capabilities and is designed for use in an HPC/WAN environment containing diverse hardware architectures and operating systems (including Cray T90, Cray T3E, Cray J90, SunOS, Solaris, AIX, SGI, HP, NextStep, and Linux). The system includes the SEA library, which provides reliable, efficient, and flexible authentication and encryption capabilities between two processes communicating via TCP/IP sockets, and SEA utilities/daemons, which provide a simple key management system. It is currently in use by the SDSC Storage Resource Broker (SRB), as well as by user interface utilities to SDSC's installation of the High Performance Storage System (HPSS). This paper presents the design and capabilities of the SEA system and discusses future plans for enhancing this system. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nitric oxide and cisplatin resistance: NO easy answers.

Cisplatin is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic drugs for treating cancer. Initially, platinum-based therapies are very effective in treating a wide array of cancers; however, recurrence and resistance remain the major limitation to curative therapies (1). Although cisplatin resistance is clearly multifactorial in nature, increased levels of cellular thiols are often associated with the cisplatin-resistant phenotype (2). Cellular thiols, which include glutathione (GSH), can sequester cisplatin, leading to a reduction in the levels of cisplatin–DNA damage. DNA is the therapeutic target of cisplatin, and efficacy is a function of cisplatin–DNA adducts inhibiting DNA replication and transcription, ultimately resulting in apoptosis. Reduced efficacy of the cisplatin is often observed in cells with increased GSH levels. Modulating the levels of intracellular thiols has been demonstrated to influence cisplatin cytotoxicity in numerous studies (3). In a report by Bratasz et al. (4) in a recent issue of PNAS, the authors exploited GSH overexpression using a nitric oxide (NO)-prodrug in a cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer model to potentially counteract and target cisplatin-resistant cells.
Retrofitting YACs for direct DNA transfer into plant cells

The utility of plant YAC libraries prepared in conventional YAC vectors would be dramatically increased if these YACs could be used directly for plant transformation. A pair of vectors that allow clones from YAC libraries to be modified (retrofitted) for plant transformation by direct DNA transfer methods, such as particle bombardment or electroporation, has been developed. Modification of the YAC is achieved in two sequential yeast transformation steps by taking advantage of the homologous recombination system in yeast. Using this approach, two plant-selectable marker genes and DNA sequence elements required for copy number amplification in yeast can be introduced into YACs present in yeast strain AB1380. The utility of these vectors is demonstrated by retrofitting YACs that contain inserts ranging in size from 80 to 700 kb. The 6- to 12-fold increase in copy number of these modified YACs facilitates the isolation of YAC DNA for direct DNA transformation methods. Retrofitted YACs were used for particle bombardment to examine the efficiency with which their large DNA inserts are transferred into plant cells. The availability of these retrofitting vectors should facilitate the transfer of YAC DNA inserts into plant cells and thus help bridge the gap between existing mapping techniques and plant transformation procedures.
Laser-fluorescence measurements of nitric oxide in low-pressure H2/O2/No flames†

The concentration profiles of NO in low-pressure (76 Torr) H2/O2/Ar flames to which nitric oxide is added are measured by pulsed laser-induced fluorescence. Temporally resolved fluorescence measurements are used to determine the collisional deexcitation rates needed to convert time-integrated fluorescence signal into oxide concentration. Five flames are studied with H2/O2 equivalence ratios of 0.88, 0.98, 1.22, 1.37, and 1.50. In these flames the collisional deexcitation rate decreases rapidly above the burner surface as the density decreases with increasing temperature. A 20 percent decrease is observed for the lean flames, and a 30 percent decrease for the rich flames. Within the precision of the measurement technique (+ or - 10 percent), no significant removal of nitric oxide is observed in these flames.
Analytical description of a Fabry-Perot spectrometer. 3:Off-axis behavior and interference filters: erratum.

A general expression is derived for a Fabry-Perot spectrometer when one or more of the functions entering into its description lack the inherent radial symmetry of the fringe pattern about the etalon optical axis. Calculations of the effects of these asymmetric functions applicable to densitometry of photographic fringe records and vidicon scanning of fringe patterns are given. The theory is also applied to interference filters in order to quantitatively explain their behavior as they are tilted in order to scan a spectrum. Rather simple approximations to the theory are also derived for interference filters that show that both the inverse of the peak transmission and the square of the width (normalized to the unbroadened filter) are proportional to the square of the product of the tilt and field of view angles over the width, in excellent agreement with experimental measurements.
Diet and feeding patterns in the kipunji ( Rungwecebus kipunji ) in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands: a first analysis

The diet and feeding behaviour of the kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji) was studied over 45 months, the first dietary analysis for this species. During 9498 h of direct observation of 34 kipunji groups, a list of 122 identified foodplants was recorded. The list represents 60 families, including 64 trees, 30 herbs, 9 climbers, 7 shrubs, 6 lianas, 3 grasses and 3 ferns. Kipunji were observed eating bark, young and mature leaves, ripe and unripe fruits, flowers, pith, seed pods, rhizomes, tubers, shoots and stalks. Invertebrates, fungi, moss, lichen, and soil were also eaten. Macaranga capensis var. capensis, an early successional tree, was the most commonly consumed species, with leaves, leaf stalks, pith, flowers and bark all eaten. We demonstrate that the kipunji is an omnivorous dietary generalist, favouring mature and immature leaves, ripe and unripe fruits and bark in similar proportions, with an almost comparable fondness for leaf stalks and flowers. Kipunji appear to be adaptable foragers able to modify their diet seasonally, being more folivorous in the dry season and more frugivorous in the wet. Whereas more ripe fruit is eaten in the wet season, the proportion of unripe fruit remains similar across the year. The proportion of mature leaves and pith increases throughout the dry season at the expense of ripe fruits and bark, and this may compensate nutritionally for the lack of available dry-season ripe fruits. Relatively more pith is eaten in the dry season, more stalks at the end of the dry and beginning of the wet seasons, and bark consumption increases as the rainfall rises.
An integrative review of early intervention efficacy studies with at-risk children: Implications for the handicapped

Results of 162 early intervention efficacy studies with disadvantaged, at-risk, and handicapped children were analyzed to draw conclusions about the efficacy of early intervention, identify variables which covary with effectiveness, and identify areas for future research. Because of the scarcity of data and methodological problems with efficacy studies with handicapped children, much of the paper focuses on conclusions drawn from research with disadvantaged and at-risk populations and the implications of those data for handicapped children. It is concluded that early intervention has substantial immediate benefits for at-risk and disadvantaged children. What few data are available about the effects of parental involvement, age at which intervention starts, training of the intervenor, and maintenance of effects are often contrary to what many people have assumed. Methodological suggestions to improve future early intervention research are discussed.
Management of drooling

Drooling is a frequent complaint for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. A variety of treatment options exist including behavioral or oral motor therapies, medications and surgical interventions. Several novel alternative therapies are also being explored. However, most treatments lack evidence-based demonstration of efficacy. Management of problem drooling benefits from a team approach.
Israel's Settler-Colonial Water Regime: The Second Contradiction of Zionism

This paper questions the ecological sustainability of the Zionist colonial scheme in Palestine. It outlines an ecologically-based narrative of the Arab-Israeli struggle by juxtaposing colonial Zionism and ecological Zionism to re-narrate the Arab-Israeli conflict using a recent interpretive mode that assumes as a principle concomitant environmental and colonial histories. Examining both the role of water in the history of the Zionist colonial scheme and Zionist agricultural practices, it argues that, similar to previous colonial European ventures, the sustainability of colonial Zionism is challenged by both Palestine's scarce hydrological resources and their mounting exploitation, spawning what I call the ‘inner tension of Zionism’. Given this dialectic of Zionism – that considering, among other things, the nature of Zionist colonial agriculture and settlers’ Western life style, the necessary increasing exploitation of Palestine's scarce resources challenges the sustainability of the colonial venture – th...
Flavor—illness aversions: Potentiation of odor by taste is disrupted by application of novocaine into amygdala

Taste and odor have different properties in toxiphobic conditioning. When each is used alone, taste becomes aversive when followed by immediate or delayed poison, while odor becomes aversive only if followed by immediate poison. However, if odor and taste are presented as a compound and followed by delayed poison, then odor does become aversive when tested alone. It is as if taste has potentiated the odor signal. Several experiments assessed the role of the amygdala in this potentiation effect by anesthetizing the amygdala with 10% novocaine. Novocaine applied 30 min before presentation (Pre-CS) of an odor—taste compound disrupted the potentiated odor aversion but not the taste aversion. In contrast, novocaine applied 1 min after the compound odor—taste or 1 min prior to LiCl poison did not dissociate odor and taste aversions; both odor and taste aversions were facilitated. Novocaine applied 30 min before an odor alone also disrupted an odor aversion induced by immediate LiCl. But identical treatment did not disrupt odor avoidance conditioned by immediate foot-shock, suggesting that amygdala anesthesia does not simply produce anosmia. Pre-CS novocaine treatment also disrupted flavor neophobia prior to conditioning. The results suggest that novocaine applied to the amygdala disrupts the integration of odor with taste and illness during toxiphobic conditioning.
Sapwood moisture in Douglas-fir boles and seasonal changes in soil water

Large conifers, such as Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii), purportedly draw on water stored in their boles during periods of summer drought. The relation of seasonal...
Structural clues to prion mysteries.

Four recent studies on the molecular architecture of amyloid fibrils made from different prion protein segments suggest commonalities among these fibrils. These studies also shed light on the structural distinctions between prion strains and the mechanism of fiber formation.
Microstructure alterations in beef intramuscular connective tissue caused by hydrodynamic pressure processing

Abstract Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to evaluate microstructural changes in intramuscular connective tissue of beef semimembranosus muscle subjected to hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP). Samples were HDP treated in a plastic container (HDP-PC) or a steel commercial unit (HDP-CU). Control and HDP samples were obtained immediately post-treatment and after 14 days of aging for SEM and Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) analysis. Immediately post-treatment, HDP treated samples exhibited lower (P
Antimicrobial treatment of serious gram-negative infections in newborns.

The choice of antibiotics for serious Gram-negative bacterial infections in the newborn must balance delivery of effective antibiotics to the site(s) of infection with the need to minimize selection of antibiotic resistance. To reduce the risk of selective pressure from large-scale cephalosporin usage, a penicillin–aminoglycoside combination is recommended as empiric therapy for neonatal sepsis. Where Gram-negative sepsis is strongly suspected or proven, a third-generation cephalosporin should ordinarily replace penicillin. Piperacillin-tazobactam can provide better Gram-negative cover than penicillin–aminoglycoside combinations, without the risk of selecting antibiotic resistance seen with cephalosporins, but further clinical studies are required before this approach to empiric therapy can be recommended. For antibiotic-resistant infections, a carbapenem remains the mainstay of treatment. However, rapid emergence and spread of resistance to these antibiotics means that in the future, neonatologists may have to rely on antibiotics such as colistin, whose pharmacokinetics, safety, and clinical efficacy in neonates are not well-defined.
Behavioral assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders

Pediatric feeding disorders are estimated to occur in as many as one in every four infants and children, and when serious can require numerous, costly and sustained interventions. For over a decade research has cumulated evidence on the contributions of Behavior Analysis in understanding and remediating some types of pediatric feeding disorders. The systematic use of this body of evidence in conjunction with other approaches (medical, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and so forth) is being carried out on an inpatient treatment unit at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Key aspects are described here, including direct observation behavior assessment, approaches for increasing and decreasing feeding behavior, skill acquisition, transfer of treatment gains, and parent training. The results based on case studies and overall program evaluation indicate that medically complicated, severe feeding disorders can be treated successfully in a few months with a multidisciplinary approach which incorporates behavioral procedures.
In vitro evaluation of flavopiridol, a novel cell cycle inhibitor, in bladder cancer.

Purpose: To determine the in vitro effects of flavopiridol on bladder cancer cell lines, immortalized urothelial cell lines, and normal urothelial cells well characterized for defects in p53, pRb, and p16. Methods: Growth inhibition was assessed via an MTT assay and apoptosis via DAPI nuclear staining. Cell cycle analysis was performed via propidium iodide staining and fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS). Multidrug-resistant cells were generated by continuous exposure to doxorubicin. Results: Growth inhibition was not correlated with inactivation of p53, pRb, or p16. All cells experienced G2/M arrest within 24 h of flavopiridol exposure. Modest apoptosis was observed but required 72 h of continuous drug exposure to become evident. There was no obvious synergistic or antagonistic toxicity when flavopiridol was combined with radiotherapy or cisplatin dosed at the IC50 despite the observation that radiotherapy and flavopiridol led to more profound G2/M arrest than either agent alone. Doxorubicin-resistant cells, demonstrated to overexpress the MDR1 multidrug-resistance protein were equally as sensitive to flavopiridol as the parental cells. Conclusions: Flavopiridol is a novel cell cycle inhibitor that may be a useful agent in bladder cancers with tumor suppressor gene alterations and/or multidrug resistance.
An Alternative Explanation for Lower Repeat Rates after Promotion Purchases

Several authors have observed that average repeat rates are lower after a promotion purchase. One interpretation of this result is that a media-coupon or cents-off promotion undermines the consumer...
Errors of Classification in a Binomial Population

Abstract In the classification of the elements in a binomial population, there is in many cases a chance of misclassifying an item. When an item in a sample from a binomial population is misclassified, it causes a bias, independent of the standard error, in the estimate of the population parameter P. This paper analyzes this bias when each of two interviewers independently classify the items in a single sample. Upper and lower bounds for the bias are derived.
Evidence for induced systemic protection to fusiform rust in loblolly pine by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

Trials conducted in 1997 and 1998 tested eight strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for their capacity to induce systemic protection in loblolly pine to the causal agent of fusiform rust. Pine seeds were treated with bacteria at time of sowing, and seedlings were artificially inoculated with basidiospores of Cronartium quercuum f. sp. fusiforme 1 month later. Six months after basidiospore inoculation, seedlings were evaluated for the fusoid swelling or galls characteristic of rust infection. Compared with seedlings from seed not treated with bacteria, two bacterial isolates, Bacillus pumilus (SE34) and Serratia marcescens (90-166), significantly (P = 0.05) reduced the number of galls in 1997 and 1998. Combined data from 1997 and 1998 resulted in two additional isolates, B. pumilus (INR7) and B. pumilus (SE52), significantly (P = 0.05) reducing the number of galls. Averaged over both years, 31% of control seedlings were infected with fusiform rust, while those seedlings treated with bacterial strains SE34, 90-166, INR7, and SE52 had 13, 14, 15, and 16% infection, respectively. These four PGPR strains appear to have induced systemic resistance to fusiform rust in loblolly pine, resulting in less infection over nontreated control seedlings.
Sequencing drug response with HapMap

The information about how DNA sequence varies across the human genome is crucial for unravelling the genetic basis of drug response. A haplotype map, or HapMap, intended to reveal such a variation pattern, has been recently developed by the International HapMap Consortium. Here, we present a conceptual model for directly characterizing specific DNA sequence variants that are responsible for drug response based on the haplotype structure provided by HapMap. Our model is developed in the maximum likelihood context, incorporated by clinically meaningful mathematical functions that model drug response and implemented with the EM algorithm. Our model is employed to a pharmacogenetic study of cardiovascular disease with 107 patients. We found that the haplotype constituted by allele Gly16 (G) at codon 16 and allele Glu27 (G) at codon 27 genotyped within the β2AR candidate gene exhibits a different effect on heart rate curve from the rest haplotypes. Parents with the diplotype consisting of two copies of haplotype GG are more sensitive in heart rate to increasing dosages of dobutamine than those with other haplotypes. This model provides a powerful tool for elucidating the genetic variants of drug response and ultimately designing personalized medications based on each patient's genetic constitution.
Zonal analysis of metabolic profiles of articular-epiphyseal cartilage chondrocytes: a histochemical study.

Articular—epiphyseal cartilage from the femur of New Zealand rabbits was subjected to histochemistry for determination of the presence of metabolic enzymes along its zonal stratification. Glycolytic enzymes were strongly reactive in all of the zones. Krebs cycle enzymes, enzymes of the hexose monophosphate shunt and the respiratory chain enzymes showed a progressive increase in reactivity from the tangential zone through the top half of the epiphyseal zone. Indicators of lipid metabolism were fairly high in all regions of the cartilage.
The effect of UK14,304-18 (an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist) on myocardial blood flow during cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Several recent studies have suggested that adrenergic drugs with peripheral postsynaptic alpha-2 agonist properties increase aortic diastolic pressure (ADP), and thus in the setting of CPR, may improve myocardial blood flow (MBF). This preliminary study investigated the effect of UK14,304-18, a postsynaptic alpha-2 adrenergic agonist on ADP, MBF, myocardial oxygen delivery/utilization (MDO2/MVO2), endocardial/epicardial blood flow ratio (EN/EP), coronary sinus oxygen content (CcsO2) and extraction ratio (ER) during CPR. Five swine were instrumented for MBF measurements using tracer microspheres. Catheters were also placed to measure arterial oxygen content (CaO2) and CcsO2. ADP, MBF, MDO2/MVO2, EN/EP, ER, CaO2 and CcsO2 were measured during normal sinus rhythm (NSR), and during CPR following a 10-min cardiorespiratory arrest. Following this, each animal received 2.0 mg/kg of UK14,304-18 through a right atrial line. ADP, MBF, MDO2/MVO2, EN/EP, ER, CaO2 and CcsO2 were again determined. Defibrillation was then attempted. To determine whether UK14,304-18 improved ADP, MBF and MDO2 over MVO2, compared to CPR alone, results were compared using a paired Student t-test. Statistical significance was considered at the P less than or equal to 0.05 level. No significant improvement in ADP, MBF, MDO2 or ER was noted following the administration of UK14,304-18. The lack of improvement in ADP and MBF may be secondary to a centrally acting postsynaptic alpha-2 agonist effect because of disruption of the blood brain barrier following a prolonged cardiac arrest or because of pharmacologically or structurally distinct populations of peripheral postsynaptic alpha-2 adrenoreceptors that develop in this setting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A comparison of recalled date of last menstrual period with prospectively recorded dates.

Background: Women are often asked to recall the first day of their last menstrual period (LMP date) in a clinic setting (i.e., pregnancy dating, x-rays). There are no data supporting the validity o...
5-Acyloxyoxazoles as serine protease inhibitors. Rapid inactivation of thrombin in contrast to plasmin

Abstract Thrombin is rapidly inactivated by affinity labeling with 5-acyloxyoxazoles ( I ). The reaction with 2-phenyl-4-(3-N-nitroguanidinopropyl)-5-pivaloyloxyoxazole ( Ia ) proceeds via a hydrophobic binding step to give inactive pivaloyl thrombin, which slowly but fully reactivates under mildly alkaline conditions. Trypsin and chymotrypsin are also inactivated by Ia . In contrast, plasmin is very slowly affected by high concentrations of Ia that would inhibit thrombin almost instantaneously. These observations correlate with the selectivity of proflavin binding to these enzymes. The 2-methyl analog of Ia shows poor binding to thrombin and consequently inactivates it much more slowly than does Ia .
Erratum: Correction to "Dual-Mode IVUS Catheter for Intracranial Image-Guided Hyperthermia: Feasibility Study" [Nov 10 2572-2584]

In the above titled paper (ibid., vol. 57, no. 11, pp. 2572-2584, Nov. 10) Fig. 8 was misprinted. The correct version of the figure is presented here.
A comparison of membrane-bound enzymes of the isolated brush border plasma membranes of the cestodes of Hymenolepis diminuta and H. microstoma.

Preparations of isolated brush border plasma membrane of Hymenolepis diminuta and H. microstoma possess the following enzymatic activities: alkaline phosphohydrolase (E.C. 3.1.3.1); Type I phosphodiesterase (E.E. 3.1.4.1); ribonuclease (E.C. 3.1.4.22); adenosine triphosphatase (E.C. 3.6.1.3); and 5'-nucleotidase (E.C. 3.1.3.5). The following enzymatic activities could not be demonstrated in either membrane preparation: Type II phosphodiesterase (E.C. 3.1.4.18); cyclic adenosine-3', 5'-monophosphate phosphodiesterase (E.C. 3.1.4.17); leucine aminopeptidase (E.C. 3.4.11.1); maltase (alpha-glucosidase; E.C. 3.2.1.20); and lactase (beta-galactosidase; E.C. 3.2.1.23). These data generally agree with those of previous studies in which similar membrane-bound enzymes were demonstrated in intact (living) worms.
Growth/Cell Cycle Regulation of Sp1 Phosphorylation

Sp1 sites can mediate growth/cell cycle induction of dihydrofolate reductase in late G1 (Jensen, D. E., Black, A. R. Swick, A. G., and Azizkhan, J. C. (1997) J. Cell. Biochem. 67, 24–31). To investigate mechanisms underlying this induction, effects of serum stimulation on regulation of Sp1 were examined. In Balb/c 3T3 cells, serum stimulation did not affect Sp1 synthesis or the relative binding of Sp1 family members to DNA; however, it did result in a rapid, ∼2-fold increase in Sp1 levels and an ∼3-fold increase in specific Sp1 phosphorylation in mid-G1. In normal human diploid fibroblasts, serum stimulation also increased Sp1 phosphorylation in mid-G1 but did not affect Sp1 levels. Therefore, Sp1 phosphorylation is regulated in a growth/cell cycle-dependent manner which correlates temporally with induction of dihydrofolate reductase transcription. Further studies revealed a kinase activity specifically associated with Sp1 in a growth-regulated manner. This activity is distinct from purified kinases previously shown to phosphorylate Sp1 in vitro and phosphorylates Sp1 between amino acids 612 and 678 in its C terminus, a region also phosphorylated in mid-G1 in vivo. Therefore, this study indicates that phosphorylation of the C terminus of Sp1 may play a role in the cell cycle regulation of its transcriptional activity.
Micro-Fluidic Technologies for Blood Diagnostics

There is considerable market interest for miniature blood diagnostic kits for cholesterol, ovulation, glucose, bacteria, leukemia cells, coagulation tests, drugs etc. However, the presence of blood cells in the blood samples introduces an array of micro-fluidic issues that have become main obstacles to commercialization of these products. We discuss some of these anomalous micro-fluidic features of blood here. Some devices and designs developed at the Notre Dame Center for Micro-fluidics and Medical Diagnostics will be presented as solutions to these micro-fluidic challenges.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Electrophilic chlorination of methane over superacidic sulfated zirconia

Catalytic chlorination of methane was studied over SO 4 2− /ZrO2, Pt/SO 4 2− /ZrO2, and Fe/Mn/SO 4 2− /ZrO2 solid superacid catalysts. The reactions were carried out in a continuous flow reactor under atmospheric pressure, at temperatures below 240°C, with a gaseous hourly space velocity of 1000 ml/g h and a methane to chlorine ratio of 4 to 1. At 200°C with 30% chlorine converted the selectivity in methyl chloride exceeds 90%. At more elevated temperatures, the selectivity decreases but stays above 80% in methyl chloride at 225°C using the sulfated zirconia catalysts. The selectivity can be enhanced by adding platinum to sulfated zirconia catalysts. An iron and manganese-doped catalyst exhibited excellent selectivities at somewhat lower conversions. Methyl chloride is obtained at 235°C in selectivities greater than 85%. No chloroform or carbon tetrachloride is formed. The electrophilic insertion involves electron-deficient metal-coordinated chlorine into the methane C-H bond.
HIGH PERFORMANCE MICROPROCESSOR ARCHITECTURES

Single chip processor performance has improved dramatically since the inception of the four-bit microprocessor in 1971. This is due in part to technological advances, (i.e., faster devices and greater device density), but also because of the adoption of architectural approaches well suited to the opportunities and limitations of VLSI. The most appropriate are those that effectively reduce off-chip memory accesses and admit to a regular pipelined implementation. The over-riding goal of pipelining is to achieve “single cycle execution”, i.e., instructions appear to execute in a single processor cycle. Today’s RISC processors are close to realizing this goal, and the next generation will reduce the cycles per instruction even further. In this paper, we will review the design issues and the proposed architectures for high performance VLSI processors.
Shall we save the township

Measuring its cost against value received, shall we sav the money spent in township operation?
Diet and Phylogeny in Primate Communities

Phylogeny is associated with most aspects of the biology of primates and other animals, such as body form, locomotion, gross diet, and social behavior. Closely related organisms tend to be similar to one another. In this article we examine the extent to which the dietary overlap of individual primate species within a community reflects their phylogenetic relationships. That is, do closely related taxa of primates tend to eat parts of the same species and genera of plants? We collected dietary data and phylogenetic relationships from studies of primate communities at five sites: the Krau Game Reserve in Malaysia, Manu National Park in Peru, Raleighvalen-Voltsberg in Suriname, Kibale Forest in Uganda, and Tai Forest in Ivory Coast. On the basis of a Mantel test, matrices of dietary overlap and phylogenetic divergence dates show significant correlations (P < 0.05) between diet and divergence times in all communities except Manu. However, tests that compare branching sequences between cladograms of phylogeny and dendrograms of dietary similarity yield few clear results. The widespread correlations between consumption of specific plant taxa and phylogenetic relatedness in studies on different continents using various methods of data collection are a robust result and contrast with other studies finding a weak relationship between diet and phylogeny when diet is measured as proportions of fruit, leaves, and fauna. Further investigations of the relationship between diet and phylogeny could profit by careful design of uniform sampling strategies and consideration of additional factors such as seasonality and food availability.
Primes represented by binary quadratic forms

Abstract In 1882 Weber showed that any primitive binary quadratic form with integral coefficients represents infinitely many primes in any arithmetic progression consistent with the generic characters of the form. In this paper it is shown that for any two primitive integral binary quadratic forms with unequal but fundamental discriminants, there is an infinite set of prime numbers p in any arithmetic progression consistent with the generic characters of the forms such that both forms represent p .