cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbenoxolone Blocks Endotoxin-Induced Protein Kinase R (PKR) Activation and High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) Release

The pathogen- and damage-associated molecular patterns (for example, bacterial endotoxin and adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP)) activate the double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase R (PKR) to trigger the inflammasome-dependent high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) release. Extracellular ATP contributes to the inflammasome activation through binding to the plasma membrane purinergic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), triggering the opening of P2X7R channels and the pannexin-1 (panx-1) hemichannels permeable for larger molecules up to 900 daltons. It was previously unknown whether panx-1 channel blockers can abrogate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PKR activation and HMGB1 release in innate immune cells. Here we demonstrated that a major gancao (licorice) component (glycyrrhizin, or glycyrrhizic acid) derivative, carbenoxolone (CBX), dose dependently abrogated LPS-induced HMGB1 release in macrophage cultures with an estimated IC50 ≈ 5 µmol/L. In an animal model of polymicrobial sepsis (induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)), repetitive CBX administration beginning 24 h after CLP led to a significant reduction of circulating and peritoneal HMGB1 levels, and promoted a significant increase in animal survival rates. As did P2X7R antagonists (for example, oxidized ATP, oATP), CBX also effectively attenuated LPS-induced P2X7R/panx-1 channel activation (as judged by Lucifer Yellow dye uptake) and PKR phosphorylation in primary peritoneal macrophages. Collectively, these results suggested that CBX blocks LPS-induced HMGB1 release possibly through impairing PKR activation, supporting the involvement of PKR in the regulation of HMGB1 release.
Phase field equations in the singular limit of sharp interface problems

In one of the singular limits as interface thickness approaches zero, solutions to the phase field equations formally approach those of a sharp interface model which incorporates surface tension. Here, we use a modification of the original phase field equations and prove this convergence rigorously in the one-dimensional and radially symmetric cases. Convergence to motion by mean curvature in another distinguished limit is also proved.
Family Attitudes toward Deinstitutionalization

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the impact on families when their mentally retarded relatives are moved from a large state institution to small community-based facilities. The most striking result of the Pennhurst family surveys was the overwhelmingly positive change among the families. The chapter discusses a few of the most salient attitudes that changed (or did not change) and reviews of some theoretical frameworks available for attempting to understand these attitudes and attitude changes. The negative attitudes toward deinstitutionalization expressed by families in the baseline study were consistent with the results obtained by Atthowe and Vitello, Brockmeier, Frohboese and Sales, Klaber, Meyer, Payne, and Willer, Intagliata, and Atkinson. The chapter proposes various theories regarding deinstitutionalization. Cognitive dissonance theory is simplistic to the extent that the theory ignores the sociohistorical context of the current deinstitutionalization movement. Dissonance theory purports to explain parents' attitudes in a neat framework; what the theory actually does is reduces parents' attitudes to a psychological pathology. The dramatic changes in family attitudes toward favoring deinstitutionalization are best explained by the fact that the actual observation of client progress and happiness in “community living arrangements” (CLAs) compelled the respondents to become believers in the new move. Parents' resistance to deinstitutionalization can be said to center around five major, interrelated areas: (1) the ideology underlying community-based services, (2) the decision to deinstitutionalize as a reversal of the decision to institutionalize, (3) the adequacy of the community-based service system, (4) the process used to deinstitutionalize, and (5) funding.
Effect of crosslinking on the mechanical properties of mineralized and non-mineralized collagen fibers

Problems associated with current bone substitutes led to an increased interest in tissue engineered surrogates with properties similar to natural bones. Commonly used materials lack the ultimate mechanical properties. In this study, we examined the influence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyla- minopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) as a crosslink- ing agent on the strength of collagen fibers. Collagen fibers are crosslinked with EDC, or EDC/N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (Sulfo-NHS) in water or EDC in acetone. After which fibers are mineralized using calcium chloride and potassium phos- phate. The mechanical properties of the treated fibers are measured using tensile testing. In addition, the effect of crosslinking on cellular behavior was tested by culturing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) on modi- fied fibers. We found that the mechanical properties of non- mineralized and mineralized collagen fibers are significantly affected by the crosslinking method. The tensile strength of single fibers is greatly improved by crosslinking with EDC in acetone. BMMSCs were found to attach and spread well on modified fibers confirming biocompatibility. V C 2013 Wiley
Spectral domain analysis of coupled microstrip transmission lines

A full-wave spectral-domain integral equation formulation is used to analyze coupled open boundary microstrip transmission lines. A general rigorous formulation is specialized to the case of two identical uniform lines and a method of moments (MOM) solution is implemented. In contrast with earlier subdomain basis MOM solutions, entire-domain basis functions which incorporate appropriate edge conditions for transverse and longitudinal current components are utilized. This allows closed-term evaluation of relevant spatial integrals and results in improved accuracy using far fewer terms. Extensions of earlier results, including characteristic impedances, propagation constants and current distributions are presented for the dominant and first two higher-order coupled modes, and compare favorably to results of other techniques. >
Proximity of Transmembrane Segments M3 and M1 of the α Subunit of Na+,K+-ATPase Revealed by Specific Oxidative Cleavage Mediated by a Complex of Cu2+ Ions and 4,7-Diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline†

This paper describes a novel approach to specific oxidative cleavage of Na+,K+-ATPase, mediated by Cu2+ ions and a hydrophobic phenanthroline, 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (DPP), in the presence of ascorbate and H2O2. The cleavage produces two major fragments of the α subunit, with apparent molecular masses of 96.5 and 76 kDa, and N-termini near the cytoplasmic entrance of transmembrane segments M1 and M3, respectively, The kinetics indicate that both cleavages are mediated by a single Cu2+−DPP complex. We infer that M3 and M1 are in proximity near the cytoplasmic surface. The yields of 96.5 and 76 kDa fragments are not significantly affected by ligands that stabilize different E1 and E2 conformations. In E2(K) and E2P conformations, a minor 5.5 kDa fragment with its N-terminus in M10 is also observed. The 96.5 and 76 kDa fragments are indistinguishable from two fragments near M3 and M1 produced by Fe2+-catalyzed cleavage described previously [Goldshleger, R., and Karlish, S. J. D. (1999) J. Biol. Che...
Chemical versus microbial degradation of cyanazine and atrazine in soils

A laboratory study was performed to investigate the relationship between chemical (non-biological) and microbial degradation of cyanazine and atrazine in soils ranging in pH from 5.3 to 8.1. Atrazine degradation was dominated by chemical processes in both a moderately acidic and a neutral pH soil, but showed a significant microbial involvement in the neutral pH soil. The primary cyanazine degradative mechanism was dependent on soil properties. Cyanazine was short-lived in neutral to slightly basic soils, due to rapid microbial degradation. Cyanazine amide and cyanazine acid were the major metabolites formed. In a moderately acidic soil, microbial degradation was slowed and chemical processes were the primary means of cyanazine degradation.
Determination of lead in water by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with a nickel(II)-ammonium tartrate modifier

A method is described for the determination of low concentrations of lead in water samples. Atomic absorption spectrometry is used with a tungsten ribbon furnace and Zeeman background correction. Interferences are eliminated by the addition of ammonium tartrate and nickel(II) nitrate to the samples to act as a matrix modifier and adjust the pH. The results show the superior performance of this modifier over other types used conventionally. The detection limit is 1 μg 1−1 relative standard deviation of < 10%. When multiple sample injection is used, a detection limit of 0.1 μg 1−1 can be obtained. The instrumentation is simple and the method is efficient for the determination of lead in various water samples.
Direct-to-indirect transfer for cinematic relighting

This paper presents an interactive GPU-based system for cinematic relighting with multiple-bounce indirect illumination from a fixed view-point. We use a deep frame-buffer containing a set of view samples, whose indirect illumination is recomputed from the direct illumination on a large set of gather samples, distributed around the scene. This direct-to-indirect transfer is a linear transform which is particularly large, given the size of the view and gather sets. This makes it hard to precompute, store and multiply with. We address this problem by representing the transform as a set of sparse matrices encoded in wavelet space. A hierarchical construction is used to impose a wavelet basis on the unstructured gather cloud, and an image-based approach is used to map the sparse matrix computations to the GPU. We precompute the transfer matrices using a hierarchical algorithm and a variation of photon mapping in less than three hours on one processor. We achieve high-quality indirect illumination at 10-20 frames per second for complex scenes with over 2 million polygons, with diffuse and glossy materials, and arbitrary direct lighting models (expressed using shaders). We compute per-pixel indirect illumination without the need of irradiance caching or other subsampling techniques.
High radix self-arbitrating switch fabric with multiple arbitration schemes and quality of service

A scalable architecture to design high radix switch fabric is presented. It uses circuit techniques to re-use existing input and output data buses and switching logic for fabric configuration and supporting multiple arbitration policies. In addition, it integrates a 4-level message-based priority arbitration for quality of service. Fine grain clock gating, tiled fabric topology and self-regenerating bit-line repeaters enable scaling the router to 8k wires. A 64×64(128b data) switch fabric fabricated in 45nm SOI CMOS spans 4.06mm2 and achieves a throughput of 4.5Tb/s at 3.4Tb/s/W at 1.1V with a peak measured efficiency of 7.4Tb/s/W at 0.6V.
The effect of triphenylphosphine in the GoAggII system.

Abstract The usual formation of ketone and alcohol under GoAgg II conditions [FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O (cat.), H 2 O 2 in pyridine-acetic acid] can be totally replaced by the formation of the corresponding mono-alkyl substituted derivatives by addition of PPh 3 and alkali metal salts.
Science fiction prototyping and security education: cultivating contextual and societal thinking in computer security education and beyond

Computer security courses typically cover a breadth of technical topics, including threat modeling, applied cryptography, software security, and Web security. The technical artifacts of computer systems - and their associated computer security risks and defenses - do not exist in isolation, however; rather, these systems interact intimately with the needs, beliefs, and values of people. This is especially true as computers become more pervasive, embedding themselves not only into laptops, desktops, and the Web, but also into our cars, medical devices, and toys. Therefore, in addition to the standard technical material, we argue that students would benefit from developing a mindset focused on the broader societal and contextual issues surrounding computer security systems and risks. We used science fiction (SF) prototyping to facilitate such societal and contextual thinking in a recent undergraduate computer security course. We report on our approach and experiences here, as well as our recommendations for future computer security and other computer science courses.
A Model for Solidification Under the Influence of Thermoelectric and Magnetohydrodynamic Effects: Application to Peltier Demarcation During Directional Solidification With Different Gravitational Conditions

A physics-based model is developed to study the gravitational (convection), thermoelectric (Peltier, Seebeck, Joule, and Thomson) and magnetohydrodynamic (Lorentz force) effects on solidification phenomena. A scaling analysis is carried out to examine the importance and contributions of various governing parameters. Directional solidification with Peltier Interface Demarcation under varying gravitational conditions is simulated for the Bridgman-Stockbarger configuration. The predicted interface location and movement during current pulsing are studied and the microstructures corresponding to different current polarities are analyzed based on Jackson-Hunt theory
Role of Increased Guanosine Triphosphate Cyclohydrolase-1 Expression and Tetrahydrobiopterin Levels upon T Cell Activation

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an essential co-factor for the nitric-oxide (NO) synthases, and in its absence these enzymes produce superoxide (O2) rather than NO. The rate-limiting enzyme for BH4 production is guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase-1 (GTPCH-1). Because endogenously produced NO affects T cell function, we sought to determine whether antigen stimulation affected T cell GTPCH-1 expression and ultimately BH4 levels. Resting T cells had minimal expression of inducible NOS (NOS2), endothelial NOS (NOS3), and GTPCH-1 protein and nearly undetectable levels of BH4. Anti-CD3 stimulation of T cells robustly stimulated the coordinated expression of NOS2, NOS3, and GTPCH-1 and markedly increased both GTPCH-1 activity and T cell BH4 levels. The newly expressed GTPCH-1 was phosphorylated on serine 72 and pharmacological inhibition of casein kinase II reduced GTPCH-1 phosphorylation and blunted the increase in T cell BH4. Inhibition of GTPCH-1 with diaminohydroxypyrimidine (1 mmol/liter) prevented T cell BH4 accumulation, reduced NO production, and increased T cell O2 production, due to both NOS2 and NOS3 uncoupling. GTPCH-1 inhibition also promoted TH2 polarization in memory CD4 cells. Ovalbumin immunization of mice transgenic for an ovalbumin receptor (OT-II mice) confirmed a marked increase in T cell BH4 in vivo. These studies identify a previously unidentified consequence of T cell activation, promoting BH4 levels, NO production, and modulating T cell cytokine production.
Multidimensional scaling : I. theory and method

Multidimensional scaling can be considered as involving three basic steps. In the first step, a scale of comparative distances between all pairs of stimuli is obtained. This scale is analogous to the scale of stimuli obtained in the traditional paired comparisons methods. In this scale, however, instead of locating each stimulus-object on a given continuum, the distances between each pair of stimuli are located on a distance continuum. As in paired comparisons, the procedures for obtaining a scale of comparative distances leave the true zero point undetermined. Hence, a comparative distance is not a distance in the usual sense of the term, but is a distance minus an unknown constant. The second step involves estimating this unknown constant. When the unknown constant is obtained, the comparative distances can be converted into absolute distances. In the third step, the dimensionality of the psychological space necessary to account for these absolute distances is determined, and the projections of stimuli on axes of this space are obtained. A set of analytical procedures was developed for each of the three steps given above, including a least-squares solution for obtaining comparative distances by the complete method of triads, two practical methods for estimating the additive constant, and an extension of Young and Householder's Euclidean model to include procedures for obtaining the projections of stimuli on axes from fallible absolute distances.
The N -number game for real numbers

If S0 is an n-tuple of real numbers, define a sequence {Sj} by Sj = DSj-1 where D ( a 1 , … , a n ) = ( | a 1 − a 2 | , | a 2 − a 3 | , … , | a n − a 1 | ) . Such a sequence may terminate in all zeros, cycle, or continue indefinitely without repeating. Questions concerning the dimension of the set of S0 which produce cycles are studied.
Postoperative Stupor and Coma

OBJECTIVES To identify predictive factors for postoperative coma or stupor and to examine the value of neuroimaging techniques in elucidating structural brain damage. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed a case-control study of surgical patients admitted to a Mayo Clinic-affiliated hospital. We studied preoperative comorbidity, intraoperative hypotension, and postoperative data in patients with postoperative stupor or coma and compared the characteristics with control patients (surgical intensive care unit patients with neurologic consultations for other reasons). RESULTS A total of 35 patients with stupor or coma after surgery and 31 control patients participated in this study. Comatose patients were older ( P =.004) and had significantly more presurgical comorbidity ( P P P =.03). Adjusted for age and comorbidity, intraoperative hypotension remained statistically significant but not after adjusting for cardiovascular surgery. Of the 34 computed tomograms obtained, 41% showed abnormal results; of the 12 magnetic resonance images obtained, 58% showed abnormal results. Both showed primarily infarctions. In 4 patients with normal computed tomographic results, magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple territorial infarctions. CONCLUSION Prior comorbidity, older age, intraoperative hypotension, and cardiovascular surgery may predispose patients to postoperative coma. Widespread structural ischemic brain damage was often documented by neuroimaging. Metabolic causes for coma were uncommon.
Simulation of the time course of macromolecular separations in an ultracentrifuge. I. Formation of a cesium chloride density gradient at 25°C

A method is described for rapid numerical simulation of the time course of the formation of a density gradient of CsCl in an ultracentrifuge at 25 degrees C. Results of simulations compare well with those of experiments carried out in analytical and preparative ultracentrifuges.
Challenges in urban water management in the United States

The growing intensity of use of water in the urban environment of the United States is posing significant challenges for its supply, utilization, and protection. The development of traditional water sources is becoming more difficult, and water suppliers are turning to conservation and reuse as alternatives. Price disincentives and better water use management are being utilized to attempt to deal with limited capacity for distribution of water in periods of high demand. Urban runoff presents significant localized flooding problems. Management of floods and floodplains is given focus under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, which has as its goal the deterrence of development in flood-prone areas. Water quality goals, being developed and pursued under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, are becoming more encompassing as the breadth of pollutants identified in the urban environment expands. Wastewater control strategies developed under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 are expanding their emphasis upon nonpoint source pollution, as opposed to traditional emphasis upon point source pollution. Integrated management of the water resource will become increasingly necessary to adequately address water problems in the urban environment. State and local responsibilities for urban water management and control will likely increase.
Comment on "Modafinil shifts human locus coeruleus to low-tonic, high-phasic activity during functional MRI" and "Homeostatic sleep pressure and responses to sustained attention in the suprachiasmatic area"

Minzenberg et al. (Reports, 12 December 2008, p. 1700) and Schmidt et al. (Reports, 24 April 2009, p. 516) reported blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses in the human locus coeruleus (LC). Here, we show that these LC responses do not correspond to the anatomical location of the LC and present cautionary data concerning the quality of BOLD signals measured from the LC using standard functional magnetic resonance imaging acquisition parameters.
Evidence of Pliocene Nothofagus in Antarctica from Pliocene marine sedimentary deposits (DSDP Site 274)

Microfossil assemblages in Pliocene sediments from DSDP Site 274 (68 °59.81′S, 173 °25.64′E) provide data on the age of the sediments and suggest the presence of Nothofagus (southern beech) in Antarctica during the Pliocene. A suite of 17 samples was collected in an interval from Samples 28-274-6R-1, 83–87 cm to 28-274-11R-4, 73–77 cm (48.33–100.29 mbsf). Bio-stratigraphic study of the abundant diatom assemblages combined with published radiolarian data indicates that the sample interval ranges in age from 5.0 to 2.2 Ma, with an apparent unconformity between about 3.8 and 3.2 Ma. Nothofagidites (the genus for fossil pollen referable to Nothofagus) occurs throughout the interval, as well as pollen and spores with known stratigraphic ranges that unequivocally indicate reworking from older rocks. Species of Nothofagidites recovered include N. asperus, N. brachyspinulosus, N. flemingii, N. senectus, and N. sp. cf. N. lachlaniae; the latter form is previously known from the Sirius Group in the Transantarctic Mountains. Abundant palynomorphs were recovered in only three of the samples from Site 274 (Samples 28-274-9R-2, 15–19 cm; 28-274-9R-2, 48–52 cm; and 28-274-9R-2, 65–69 cm). Based on the diatom and radiolarian biostratigraphic data, the ages of these samples range from 3.00 to 3.01 Ma. The relative abundance of N. sp. cf. N. lachlaniae in the three samples is an order of magnitude higher than relative abundances for the other species of Nothofagidites in the same samples. The significantly higher relative abundance of N. sp. cf. N. lachlaniae suggests that this pollen was derived from trees of Nothofagus that were living in Antarctica during the mid Pliocene. Diatom assemblages from these three samples indicate that sediments in this interval were rapidly deposited as biogenic oozes in an open-ocean setting relatively free of sea ice, thus decreasing the possibility of reworking from a single source bed rich in N. sp. cf. N. lachlaniae. Clearly, more detailed work in additional well-dated cores from around Antarctica is needed before a clear picture of the Neogene history of Antarctic terrestrial vegetation emerges.
Observations on the structure of an edge-tone flowfield

The unsteady flowfield in the region in which a rectangular jet interacts with the leading edge of a 20-deg wedge is investigated experimentally. Edge-tone flowfields at Mach 0.8 in the blowdown facility at Stanford University are recorded by phase-locked Schlieren photography using the apparatus and techniques described by Krothapalli and Horne (1984); detailed surface-pressure and velocity measurements are obtained at Mach 0.23 in the NASA Ames anechoic-chamber facility and presented graphically. It is shown that the jet-edge interaction produces a secondary vortex at the leading edge when an established shear layer or primary vortex is present, and that the primary and secondary vortices then evolve from a counterrotating vortex pair to a large single vortex which migrates along the wedge surface (in agreement with the observations of Rockwell et al., 1986). From a comparison with data on airfoil-trailing-edge flows (Satyanarayana, 1977) it is inferred that an instantaneous zero pressure differential is present at the leading edge of the wedge.
An LC-MS-MS method for the comprehensive analysis of cocaine and cocaine metabolites in meconium.

A sensitive, precise, and accurate liquid chromatography−mass spectrometry (LC−MS−MS) method was developed to quantitate cocaine and cocaine metabolites, which were simultaneously extracted from suspected drug-positive meconium samples using solid-phase extraction. The ability to analyze cocaine and multiple cocaine metabolites in meconium makes this method a powerful tool for the study of cocaine exposure and metabolism in neonates. Of 22 samples, only 1 did not show the presence of cocaine or any metabolite of cocaine. The identified metabolites varied both qualitatively and quantitatively between samples. Ecgonine appears to hold the most promise as a diagnostic marker compound for neonatal cocaine exposure as this metabolite was present in 21 of 21 of the positive samples tested, and at a relatively high median concentration. However, a core group of eight metabolites (present in at least 20 of 21 positive samples) was identified that appears to possess the greatest utility for determining cocaine exp...
Frequency Shifts in Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping Experiments

A theory is derived to predict the density matrices describing two atoms after a spin-exchange collision from the density matrices before the collision and the scattering amplitude for binary collisions. This theory is then applied to a system of quasifree electrons interacting with optically pumped rubidium atoms. For calculating the change in the electron density matrix, the ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{85}$ and ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{87}$ are replaced by a fictitious rubidium isotope with no nuclear spin. Expressions are derived for the change in the light transmission when a radiofrequency field is present at the electron frequency. In addition to the linewidth for the electron signal, the spin-exchange theory predicts a frequency shift the magnitude of which depends upon the two-body scattering amplitude, the rubidium polarization and the rubidium density. Experiments performed to test various aspects of the theory are then reported. The measurements were made on a system of quasifree electrons interacting with rubidium atoms. Measurements of the electron linewidth as a function of temperature indicated that spin-exchange collisions dominated the electron relaxation. The predicted frequency shift was measured by observing the electron resonance frequency first with left circularly polarized light and then with right circularly polarized light. For electrons colliding with rubidium atoms the shift is negative when the rubidium polarization is positive and the ratio of the shift to the linewidth is $\frac{\ensuremath{\delta}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{0}}{\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}}=\ensuremath{-}0.025\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005$. From the measured values of the shift and the linewidth, a value is derived for the electron-rubidium spin-flip cross section. In one Appendix the replacement of the ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{85}$ and ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{87}$ by the fictitious rubidium isotope with no nuclear spin is justified. In a second Appendix the calculations for the simple electron-rubidium system are generalized and applied to more complicated systems. Results are reported for the change in the density matrix of hydrogen atoms when they collide with polarized electrons, the change in the density matrix of ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{87}$ atoms when they collide with polarized electrons, and the change in the density matrix of hydrogen atoms when they collide with hydrogen atoms.
Noninvasive measurement of aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX fluorescence allowing detection of murine glioma in vivo

Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence is studied as a contrast agent for noninvasive detection of murine glioma, using the fluorescence-to-transmission ratio measured through the cranium. Signals measured prior to administration of ALA are very similar between control animals, 9L-GFP, and U251 tumor-bearing animals. However, 2 h after ALA administration, the PpIX signal from both tumor-bearing groups is significantly higher than the control group (9L-GFP group p-value=0.016, and U251 group p-value=0.004, relative to the control group). The variance in signal from the 9L-GFP group is much larger than either the control group or the U251 group, which is consistent with higher intrinsic PpIX fluorescence heterogeneity as seen in situ at ex vivo analysis. Decreasing the skin PpIX fluorescence via intentional photobleaching using red light (635 nm) is examined as a tool for increasing PpIX contrast between the tumor-bearing and control groups. The red light bleaching is found to increase the ability to accurately quantify PpIX fluorescence in vivo, but decreases the specificity of detection between tumor-bearing and nontumor-bearing groups.
Who gets custody

Changes in the living arrangements of children have implications for social policy and children’s well-being. Understanding who gets custody on divorce—mother, father, or both sharing custody—can also inform our understanding of family organization and the merits of alternative theories of marriage and divorce. We examine physical-custody outcomes among recent Wisconsin divorces in an effort to understand the factors associated with shared custody as well as mother-sole custody and father-sole custody. Although mother-sole custody remains the dominant arrangement, shared custody has increased over a nine-year period. We find that the probability of shared custody increases with parent’s income. Prior marital history. parents’ ages, the age and gender of children, and the legal process also have an impact on the probability of shared custody. In contrast to shared custody, the probability of father-sole custody decreases with parent’s income, while the relationship with other significant factors is generally similar. The notable exception is that, unlike shared custody, we find no evidence for an increase over time in the probability of father-sole custody. We also find that when the father has a higher proportion of the Couple’s total income, both shared custody and father-sole custody are more likely.
Bone marrow colony-stimulating activity in sera of children with acute leukemia. A sequential analysis.

Two hundred and fifty sera from 19 children with acute leukemia were tested for their capacity to stimulate mouse bone marrow cells to proliferate in vitro and form cell colonies. All 19 children developed elevation of colony-stimulating activity during the course of their disease. Seventy-two of 73 non-leukemic children had no colony-stimulating activity. Colony-stimulating activity was elevated shortly prior to death and in association with severe secondary infections, but these accounted for only a small portion of the elevations. Elevations of colony-stimulating activity could not be correlated with the relapse or remission status of the bone marrow, chemotherapy, or peripheral blood leukocyte counts.
Metabolism of acetoacetate-3-C14 by mammalian heart muscle.

SummaryThe metabolic path of aceto-acetate-3-C14 in the isolated dog heart has been determined using the isotopic distribution in the endogenous malate and succinate as an internal metabolic indicator. Isotopic carbon was found exclusively in the carboxyl groups of malate and succinate as would be expected if acetoacetate was being utilized only by the established path (acetoacetate - → 2 “acetate” → 4 C02 via the tricarboxylic acid cycle). This is taken as corroborative evidence for our previous conclusion that ketone bodies per se are not responsible for the net increase in cardiac glycogen noted in ketonemia.
Cheating among College Graduate Students.

AbstractForty-five graduate students received three quizzes in one of their courses, and also filled out the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and a questionnaire on cheating. The main findings were: (a) the incidence of cheating among these graduate subjects was found to be at least as extensive as reported in prior studies among undergraduate students-at least eighteen of the forty-five (40%) graduate subjects cheated on the quizzes; (b) pressure to obtain good grades was the main reason subjects felt they cheated in the past; (c) there was a lack of consensus whether certain behaviors constitute cheating; (d) no significant personality differences were found between cheaters and non-cheaters; (e) the MMPI results provided evidence in support of the doctrine of specificity of moral behavior.
Moral Development and Parent Behavior Antecedents in Adolescent Psychopaths

Summary Thirty psychopathic and 30 nonpsychopathic delinquents were compared with one another on level of moral development as assessed by the Kohlberg Interview, and psychopaths were found to exhibit a lower level of moral development. Analysis of subjects' perceptions of the behavior of their parents disclosed that psychopaths, as against nonpsychopathic delinquents, saw their fathers as having been less nurturant toward them and as having given them less praise. The mothers of psychopaths were reported to have demanded less achievement of their sons than the mothers of nonpsychopathic delinquents.
Lerdahl's tonal pitch space model and associated metric spaces

This paper explores the boundary separating a theoretically derived model of chord relations from an empirically derived model. Fred Lerdahl's tonal pitch space (TPS) model approximates cognitive perceptual relations by providing a combinatorial procedure for computing the distance value between any two chords in a key. If TPS posits a hypothesized model of perception, then we would like to know if, and the extent to which, it differs from experimental data it claims to approximate. To achieve such a comparison, we develop three conceptual tools. First, we develop normalized canonical representations of each model, thereby avoiding comparisons affected by design choices. Second, we develop a distance measure that allows us to accurately compare the TPS model with another model derived from perceived chord relations described by Bharucha and Krumhansl. Finally, we use the distance measure to inform the design of a third model. These three models are shown to create a metric space of metric tonal models. Th...
Fabrication of Topologically Complex Three-Dimensional Microstructures: Metallic Microknots

This paper describes a method for fabricating three-dimensional (3D) microstructures with complex topologiestrefoil, figure eight, and cinquefoil knots, a chain with complex links, Borromean rings,...
HOE-enhanced 355-nm multichannel direct-detection Doppler lidar

Optical Doppler shifts may be detected directly by filtering and dispersing the return light. The direct detection method is far more relaxed optically, requiring only "photon bucket" collection optics. A narrowband interference filter and two etalons are enough to distribute the frequency shifted light into the radial pattern ofonly one free spectral range ofthe last etalon. This paper describes a novel system using three hoes to perform transmission, collection, filtering and redistribution of the imaged zonal signal light onto a linear string of detectors. The light collection optic is a large area scanning and focusing hoe made in DCG. This optic may also serves as the laser transmitting optic. Holographically recorded etalons of medium finesse are made to do final filtering of the return signal down to picometer bandwidths. Finally a 24-channel circle to point converter has been fabricated in DCG and also transferred to resist and subsequently etched into a fused silica substrate. Reactive ion etching (RIE) was attempted using a Faraday cage to form tilted fringes in the silica. An Ion mill was rebuilt to perform a similar task. All components worked well when made in DCG but problems with dry etching were not all resolved. Circle-to-point conversion has been used for collecting the output of an etalon where a suitable detector of equal area circular zones was not readily available. The output is converted to a line of points so that it may be read with a simple and readily available linear photon counting detector.
Frequency thresholds in the energy transmission across Kapitza interfaces

When heat is conducted from a solid into liquid helium, a thermal boundary resistance occurs across the interface. This effect, known as Kapitza resistance, has been described with limited success by the acoustic impedance theory. An energy exchange mechanism is proposed in this investigation which is distinct from that of the acoustic impedance theory. The resulting model is successful in predicting the existence of frequency thresholds in the energy transmission across Kapitza interfaces. These frequency thresholds were derived from an analysis of the interaction between helium atoms from the coupling fluid and adsorbed particles which are bound to the solid surface by the Van Der Waals potential of the interface. The predicted ratio of the onset frequencies for a solid surface coupled to3He and4He gas was found to be approximately equal to the square root of the mass ratio. This result is in good agreement with experimental observations.
Biochemical effects of estrogen on articular cartilage in ovariectomized sheep

Summary Cartilage is a sex-hormone-sensitive tissue but the role of estrogen in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) remains controversial. In this study, intrinsic material properties and thickness of articular cartilage of the knee joint of ovariectomized (OVX) and estrogen-treated sheep were measured. Skeletally mature ewes ( N =36, same breed, same housing, 4–5 years old) were divided into: sham treated (n=9), OVX ( N =13), OVX plus one estradiol implant (OVXE; N =10) and OVX plus two estradiol implants (OVX2E; N =4). Twelve months following sham procedure or OVX, sheep were euthanized and articular cartilage from a total of 216 points in the left femorotibial (knee) joints was tested for aggregate modulus, Poisson's ratio, permeability, thickness and shear modulus (six sites per sheep). When all of the sites in each knee were grouped together, OVX had a significant effect on articular cartilage. The sham cartilage of all sites grouped together had a larger aggregate modulus ( P =0.001) and a larger shear modulus ( P =0.054) than the OVX tissue. No statistically significant differences were seen for permeability and thickness between OVX, sham, OVXE and OVX2E. Differences existed in biomechanical properties at the different sites that were tested. Overall, no one location tended to be lowest or highest for all variables. This biomechanical study suggests that OVX may have a detrimental effect on the intrinsic material properties of the articular cartilage of the knee, even though the cartilage of the OVX animals appeared normal. Treatment with estradiol implants ameliorated these deleterious effects and may have helped maintain the tissue's structural integrity. Our study supports epidemiological studies of OA in women after menopause. The protective effect of estrogen and it's therapeutic effect remain to be further defined. This model may allow the relationship of estrogen and estrogen antagonists to be studied in greater detail, and may be valuable for the study of the pathogenesis and therapies of OA of postmenopausal women, particularly in its early stages.
Improving clinical outcomes with drug treatment in heart failure: what have trials taught?

Abstract Pharmacologic clinical trials in heart failure (HF) have provided substantial advances in effective treatment of this condition, moving us from our focus on short-term symptom relief to an expectation of substantial improvement in long-term clinical outcomes for our patients. Based on an appreciation of the importance of neurohormonal activation in the pathophysiology of HF, clinical trials have demonstrated the value of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and β-blockers in impeding the progression of HF and in reducing morbidity and mortality for patients with this condition. Clinical trials have further demonstrated the benefits of digoxin in improving symptoms and reducing hospitalization frequency, as well as in aldosterone blockade, at least in patients with severe symptoms. Given the ethical imperative to treat with ACE inhibitors, the angiotensin receptor antagonists have been difficult to study; nevertheless, their value is becoming increasingly clear, particularly for patients intolerant of ACE inhibitors. Trials with several classes of newer agents—cytokine antagonists, endothelin receptor blockers, and vasopeptidase inhibitors—have recently yielded disappointing results. Early results with vasopressin receptor antagonists provide some promise of long-term benefit. Clinical trials have provided significant treatment advances; ongoing and future trials will demonstrate the degree to which we can improve on what we have achieved to date with pharmacologic treatments.
THE EFFECTS OF KNOWN-ITEM INTERSPERSAL ON ACQUISITION AND RETENTION OF SPELLING AND SIGHTREADING WORDS1

The use of well-documented procedures such as shaping, differential reinforcement, and fading may not be the most practical for teaching certain academic behaviors. An alternative procedure of interspersing trials on previously trained items with trials on unknown items has been suggested, but its effects on acquisition and retention have not been systematically examined. This study investigated the effects of interspersing known items during training on new tasks. Six mentally retarded adolescents were given pretests on spelling and sightreading words, which were divided into pools of learned and unlearned items. Training and baseline conditions were implemented concurrently, using a multi-element design. During interspersal training sessions, 10 known words from the pretest were alternately presented with each of 10 test words that were incorrect on the pretest. The ratio of previously mastered words to test words was gradually reduced. During baseline sessions, 10 different test words were presented without alternation of previously known words. During this condition, a procedure involving high-density social reinforcement contingent on task-related behaviors, but not necessarily correct responses, was later introduced, followed by a return to the original noninterspersal baseline. During all conditions, test words were deleted and replaced after meeting a mastery criterion of three consecutive correct trials. Retention tests were administered over learned test words for all conditions, at specified intervals. Results showed that both acquisition and retention of spelling and sightreading words were facilitated by the interspersal procedure. All subjects acquired more words during the interspersal condition than either the high-density or baseline conditions. The effectiveness of the procedure may possibly be attributed to better maintenance of attending behavior to unknown items as a function of the inclusion of known items, which directly increase the amount of reinforcement for correct responses during the early stages of skill acquisition.
Elevation in arterial blood pressure following the development of tachyphylaxis to peroxynitrite

The systemic administration of peroxynitrite produces transient reductions in mean arterial pressure and vascular resistances in anesthetized rats. The repeated administration of peroxynitrite results in tachyphylaxis. We now report that anesthetized rats (n = 8) treated with peroxynitrite (10 injections of 10 μmol/kg i.v.) subsequently develop increases in mean arterial pressure (20 ± 4%) and hindquarter (153 ± 28%), renal (93 ± 21%), and mesenteric (133 ± 25%) vascular resistances. These findings suggest that the in vivo production of peroxynitrite may contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension.
Recent biosensing developments in environmental security

Environmental security is one of the fundamental requirements of our well being. However, it still remains a major global challenge. Therefore, in addition to reducing and/or eliminating the amounts of toxic discharges into the environment, there is need to develop techniques that can detect and monitor these environmental pollutants in a sensitive and selective manner to enable effective remediation. Because of their integrated nature, biosensors are ideal for environmental monitoring and detection as they can be portable and provide selective and sensitive rapid responses in real time. In this review we discuss the main concepts behind the development of biosensors that have most relevant applications in the field of environmental monitoring and detection. We also review and document recent trends and challenges in biosensor research and development particularly in the detection of species of environmental significance such as organophosphate nerve agents, heavy metals, organic contaminants, pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins. Special focus will be given to the trends that have the most promising applications in environmental security. We conclude by highlighting the directions towards which future biosensors research in environmental security sector might proceed.
Kinetics of Formation of Randomly Branched Aggregates: A Renormalization-Group Approach

The first renormalization-group approach for irreversible growth models of randomly branched aggregates is presented. The main result is that the Witten-Sander diffusionlimited aggregation model, a discrete version of a dendritic growth model, is in a different universality class than "equilibrium" lattice animals. Also calculated is the fractal dimension for the Witten-Sander model and the Eden model (a model developed for the study of biological structures).
The Myoendothelial Junction: Connections That Deliver the Message

A vast amount of investigation has centered on how the endothelium and smooth muscle communicate. From this evidence, myoendothelial junctions have emerged as critical anatomical structures to regulate heterocellular cross talk. Indeed, there is now evidence that the myoendothelial junction serves as a signaling microdomain to organize proteins used to facilitate vascular heterocellular communication. This review highlights the evolving role of myoendothelial junctions in the context of vascular cell-cell communication.
Fibroblasts form a body-wide cellular network

“Loose” connective tissue forms a network extending throughout the body including subcutaneous and interstitial connective tissues. The existence of a cellular network of fibroblasts within loose connective tissue may have considerable significance as it may support yet unknown body-wide cellular signaling systems. We used a combination of histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, confocal scanning laser microscopy (confocal microscopy), and electron microscopy to investigate the extent and nature of cell-to-cell connections within mouse subcutaneous connective tissue. We found that fibroblasts formed a reticular web throughout the tissue. With confocal microscopy, 30% of fibroblasts’ processes could be followed continuously from one cell to another. Connexin 43 immunoreactivity was present at apparent points of cell-to-cell contact. Electron microscopy revealed that processes from adjacent cells were in close apposition to one another, but gap junctions were not observed. Our findings indicate that soft tissue fibroblasts form an extensively interconnected cellular network, suggesting they may have important and so far unsuspected integrative functions at the level of the whole body.