cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mood disorder susceptibility gene CACNA1C modifies mood-related behaviors in mice and interacts with sex to influence behavior in mice and diagnosis in humans

Background Recent genome-wide association studies have associated polymorphisms in the gene CACNA1C , which codes for Ca v 1.2, with a bipolar disorder and depression diagnosis. Methods The behaviors of wild-type and Cacna1c heterozygous mice of both sexes were evaluated in a number of tests. Based upon sex differences in our mouse data, we assessed a gene × sex interaction for diagnosis of mood disorders in human subjects. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health Genetics Initiative Bipolar Disorder Consortium and the Genetics of Recurrent Early-Onset Major Depression Consortium were examined using a combined dataset that included 2021 mood disorder cases (1223 female cases) and 1840 control subjects (837 female subjects). Results In both male and female mice, Cacna1c haploinsufficiency was associated with lower exploratory behavior, decreased response to amphetamine, and antidepressant-like behavior in the forced swim and tail suspension tests. Female, but not male, heterozygous mice displayed decreased risk-taking behavior or increased anxiety in multiple tests, greater attenuation of amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion, decreased development of learned helplessness, and a decreased acoustic startle response, indicating a sex-specific role of Cacna1c . In humans, sex-specific genetic association was seen for two intronic single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs2370419 and rs2470411, in CACNA1C , with effects in female subjects (odds ratio=1.64, 1.32) but not in male subjects (odds ratio=.82, .86). The interactions by sex were significant after correction for testing 190 single nucleotide polymorphisms ( p = 1.4 × 10 −4 , 2.1 × 10 −4 ; p corrected = .03, .04) and were consistent across two large datasets. Conclusions Our preclinical results support a role for CACNA1C in mood disorder pathophysiology, and the combination of human genetic and preclinical data support an interaction between sex and genotype.
Voyager at Uranus

The engineering changes that had to be made in the Voyager 2 spacecraft in order to enable it to fly beyond the originally planned encounters with Jupiter and Saturn and the underlying engineering strategy leading to the encounter with Uranus are discussed. Fixes of the azimuth actuator failure, receiver failure, and memory failure, and capability upgrades of Image Data Compression, aperture augmentation protective coding, smear reduction, Image Motion Compensation, power management, and contingency planning are summarized. The use of the Computer Command Subsystem in the extension of the voyage is described. The ways in which the strategic priorities, including spacecraft preservation, protection of the near-encounter load, development of new ground and spacecraft capabilities, and repair or circumvention of existing spacecraft faults, were accomplished are reviewed, and the accomplishment of additional tasks is also discussed.
Synthesis of radioiodinated 1-deoxy-nojirimycin derivatives: novel glucose analogs

Abstract Novel lipophilic and neutral glucose analogs, which are potentially useful for tumor imaging, have been developed. They are designed to circumvent Glut-facilitated transport mechanism, and direct the localization by either hexokinase binding or enzyme reactions (phosphorylation) as potential metabolic markers of tumor cells. Syntheses of tetraacetylated N -(3′-iodo-2′-propenyl)-1-deoxy-nojirimycin (11) and N -(3′-iodo-benzyl)-1-deoxy-nojirimycin (14) were achieved by reacting 1-deoxy-nojirimycin with appropriate alkylating agents. The corresponding tri-butyltin derivatives were also prepared as the starting materials for preparation of I-125-labeled compounds for biodistribution study in rats. Biodistribution in rats showed that [ 123 I]14 exhibited a modest initial brain uptake and retention at a later time (0.59, 0.38, 0.30, and 0.30% dose/organ at 2, 30, 60, and 120 min after an intravenous [IV] injection, respectively), whereas [ 125 I]11 displayed a lower brain uptake (0.35, 0.27, 0.20, and 0.18% dose/organ at 2, 30, 60, and 120 min). In addition, compounds with free hydroxyl groups (12 and 13) were also obtained. As expected, after an IV injection, these free hydroxyl compounds showed a dramatic decrease in brain uptake in rats. It appears that both of the acetylated agents (11 and 14), which display higher lipophilicity (partition coefficient [ P . C .]=57.9 and 1,462, respectively), can penetrate the blood–brain barrier (BBB) by a simple diffusion mechanism whereas the free hydroxy compounds (12 and 13), with lower lipophilicity ( P . C .=0.43 and 6.8), showed no brain uptake. A similar pair of glucose derivatives, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and tetraacetylated FDG (AFDG), displayed a dramatic difference in brain uptake in rats. While the lipophilic AFDG ( P . C .=3.79) may penetrate the intact BBB, due to its relatively low P.C. value, the first pass extraction due to simple diffusion mechanism may be low (brain uptake at 2 min was 0.68% dose/organ). The FDG itself has a very low lipophilicity ( P . C .=0.22) but it can be taken up into the brain by a glucose transporter mediated mechanism to cross the BBB (brain uptake at 2 min was 2.53% dose/organ). Preliminary data of these glucose derivatives suggest that further studies are needed to elucidate the uptake and retention mechanisms and their potential application as tumor imaging agents.
Suppressed collagenolytic activity in polymorphonuclear leucocytes from diabetic humans

Extracts of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) from diabetic human exhibited less collagenolytic activity than extracts from normoglycemic control subjects. Partially purified control extracts produced αA and αB collagen breakdown products of the type generated by mammalian collagenase; the diabetic preparation produced decreased amounts of the same products. The diabetic PMNLs may synthesize abnormally low levels of collagenase or contain inactive forms of this enzyme.
The effect of stimulus intensity on induced crying activity in the neonate

Cinical observation indicated not only that infants are more responsive to a more intense painful stimulus, but that there are individual differences in the degrees to which their reactions are heightened. A systematic analysis of this differential in responsivity may provide an additional diagnostic parameter in the study of differences in crying behavior between normal infants and those with brain damage.
Management of Nephrostomy Drains and Ureteral Stents

Nephroureteral and double J stents are routinely placed by interventional radiologists but quality literature on placement and management of these devices is limited. The purpose of this review is to detail indications for ureteral stent placement, review the types of antegrade and retrograde devices that are placed including technical tips, and discuss management of common complications that occur in this patient population. An algorithm for placement and management is included.
Effects of end-stage renal disease and haemodialysis on dendritic cell subsets and basal and LPS-stimulated cytokine production.

Background Although bacterial infections have dramatically declined as a cause of death in the general population, they remain a major cause of mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Moreover, the response to vaccination is profoundly impaired in this population. Dendritic cells (DC) are the major antigen-presenting cells that bridge the innate and adaptive immune responses. Activation of DC by pathogens results in secretion of inflammatory cytokines and up-regulation of co-stimulatory molecules. The activated DC prime naive T and B cells to the captured antigens. Methods Using flow cytometry, the number and phenotype of circulating DC [myeloid DC (mDC) and plasmacytoid DC (pDC)] were quantified in pre- and post-dialysis blood samples from 20 ESRD patients maintained on haemodialysis. Ten normal individuals served as controls. In addition, the level of DC activation and their response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation were determined by assessing expression of co-stimulatory molecule, CD86, and antigen-presenting molecule, HLA-DR, as well as production of TNFalpha, IFNalpha and IL-6. Results Compared to the control group, the circulating dendritic cell count was significantly reduced in the ESRD patients before dialysis and declined further after dialysis. The reduction in pDC numbers was more striking than mDC. The magnitude of the LPS-induced up-regulation of CD86 was comparable among the study groups as well as pre- and post-dialysis samples. However, LPS-induced TNFalpha production was significantly reduced in the post-dialysis samples with no significant difference in IL-6 and IFNalpha productions among the study groups and in pre- and post-dialysis samples. Conclusions ESRD results in significant DC depletion which is largely due to diminished plasmacytoid DC subset. Haemodialysis procedure intensifies DC depletion and impairs LPS-induced TNFalpha production.
Progress in Self-Steering Antennas for Small-Satellite Networks

Self-steering antennas allow small satellites to communicate through enhanced communication links. Advances in this technology for use in small-satellite networks are reviewed, including a circularly polarized, two-dimensional array for satellites having no attitude control, a self-null-steering array for secure systems, and a proposed method using phase detection and phase shifting for ensuring constant transmitted power.
Phenylephrine and endothelin differentially stimulate cardiac PI hydrolysis and ANF expression

In ventricular myocytes, phenylephrine (PE) and endothelin (ET) stimulate phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis, cell growth, and expression of several genes [e.g., atrial natriuretic factor (ANF)] often associated with cardiac hypertrophy. In this study the production of inositol monophosphate (InsP) and diglyceride (DG), both products of PI hydrolysis, and ANF were monitored during long-term exposure (up to 72 h) to PE or ET. For PE, InsP production increased and continued unabated throughout the time course; DG levels also increased and remained elevated, and similar rates of ANF production were observed from 24 to 72 h. For ET, the initial InsP and DG responses equaled those to PE, but diminished by 24 h. ET-stimulated ANF production equaled the PE response at 24 h but subsided by 72 h. Adding PE to cells previously desensitized to ET elicited maximal InsP formation, indicating the desensitization was ET specific. These data emphasize that while phenylephrine and endothelin have similar initial effects on cardiac second messenger production and ANF expression, hormonally specific patterns develop over extended periods of exposure.
Asymmetric dimethyl-arginine and coronary artery calcification in young adults entering middle age: The CARDIA Study

BackgroundNormal endothelial function depends on nitric oxide (NO) release by endothelial cells. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), by competing with l-arginine, inhibits NO production and may lead to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerotic development. Our aim was to ascertain the association between ADMA and coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of atherosclerotic coronary disease burden.DesignA nested case–control study within the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort, an observational study among young adults residing in four US cities.MethodsParticipants were 263 white and black male and female cases with the presence of CAC and 263 sex and race-matched controls without evidence of CAC by computed tomography, 33–47 years old in 2000–2001.ResultsThe median level (range) of ADMA was significantly higher in cases (0.55; 0.20–2.22 μmol/l) than in controls (0.53; 0.32–1.30 μmol/l; P=0.03). In conditional logistic regression adjusting for age, field center, education...
Improved Potter–Anderson–Moore algorithm for the differential Riccati equation

Abstract The paper presents a method to find the solution of the constant coefficient matrix differential Riccati differential in terms of solutions of algebraic Riccati and Lyapunov equations, and the state transition matrix (matrix exponential) of the corresponding linear dynamic system. The method presented represents an improved method of Potter–Anderson–Moore since the solution is obtained under milder assumptions than the original algorithm of Potter–Anderson–Moore. An aircraft and satellite examples done in the paper demonstrate the advantages of the improved algorithm.
Psychological severity and response to alcoholism rehabilitation.

Abstract This study examines the problem of effective treatment for alcoholic patients with concurrent psychopathology. The subjects were 131 male veterans admitted to the Coatesville Veterans Administration Medical Center. They remained in an alcohol rehabilitation program at least five days following detoxification and were successfully followed up six months after admission. Subjects were divided into LOW, MID, and HIGH groups based on their psychological severity score. The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was then used to assess problem severity in six areas (medical, legal, family, substance abuse, employment and psychological) at admission and 6-month follow-up. All groups showed significant improvement in several areas, especially alcohol use. However, between-groups analyses of the outcome measures (adjusted for pre-treatment differences) showed significantly poorer status in the HIGH group on 10 of 17 criteria. The authors conclude that a general assessment of psychological status at admission can effectively predict response to alcoholism rehabilitation. Finally, the authors suggest that, despite the relatively poor results of alcohol rehabilitation for the HIGH patients, this type of treatment may provide a necessary and beneficial basis for subsequent treatment in a conventional psychiatric setting.
High‐Capacity Wells for Conjunctive Use of Water

The Bureau of Reclamation's authorized Lower Teton Division multipurpose project is based on conjunctive use for irrigation of surface water from the Snake River and ground water from the Snake Plain basalt aquifer of southeastern Idaho. Ground water will be provided to replace surface water adversely diverted to Division lands during dry years. Extensive investigations, including the construction and testing of five test wells of 12- to 18-cubic-foot per-second (cfs) capacity, indicate that use of such large wells is feasible, and that the basalt aquifer will yield the initial 400-cfs maximum flow without appreciable detrimental effect. Location of well fields and design and construction practices were primarily controlled by field conditions; use of theoretical parameters was essentially precluded.
Effects of aging on capillary geometry and hemodynamics in rat spinotrapezius muscle.

The effects of aging on muscle microvascular structure and function may play a key role in performance deficits and impairment of O2 exchange within skeletal muscle of senescent individuals. To det...
Memoirs Useful for the Natural History of Petrifactions in the Four Quarters of the World

Louis Bourguet, the ‘Pliny of Neuchâtel,’ is described in the thoughtful introduction to this translation as a second-echelon member of the early 18th century scientific community. When he was 7 years old, his Huguenot family was driven from France by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. They established a precarious manufacturing and mercantile life in Lausanne and Zurich, with Louis eventually settling in Neuchâtel, an existence that included years of work in Northern Italy and the study of archaeology, the Hebrew Talmud, and the geology of the Jura. His major work published in 1729, On the Nature of Salts and Crystals, included a memoir theory of the earth. Although these works were reviewed at length on appearance and went through several editions, and although Bourguet corresponded with 70 significant scientists enjoying the esteem of such men as Leibniz, Vallisnieri, de Jussieu, Scheuchzer, etc., he seems even in his own time to have been neglected. He does not appear in the historical section with which Charles Lyell opened his Principles, nor is he mentioned in Giekie's Founders of Geology or by Adams. This translation of Bourguet's Memoirs is part of a reappraisal that has generated a stream of papers over the last decade. The earlier neglect of Bourguet was probably due to his strict diluvialist theory of the earth, an approach in sharp contradiction to the main thrust of the emergent natural science of the Age of Reason.
PSCAN'96: new software for simulation and optimization of complex RSFQ circuits

The first version of PSCAN program (Personal Superconductor Circuit ANalyzer) was introduced in 1991. The program is a general purpose superconductor circuit simulator with an emphasis on the design of Rapid Single-Flux-Quantum (RSFQ) circuits. In the intervening years a number of new features were gradually added to the program. In particular, verification of the correct circuit behavior was enhanced using a special hierarchical Single-Flux-Quantum Hardware Description Language (SFQHDL). Next, a fast heuristic algorithm for margin optimization was introduced, which increased the number of parameters that can be simultaneously optimized in reasonable CPU times. Finally, recently we improved the numerical algorithm used for the simulation by using sparse symmetric positive definite matrices (instead of general structure band matrices as before). As a result, simulation speed has increased almost tenfold. Now it takes about 30 seconds of a CPU time on HP716/100 workstation to run a 2000 ps simulation of a 120-Josephson-junction circuit, and about a week to optimize all parameters of a two hundred Josephson junction circuit. We have merged all these improvements in a new version of our simulator, PSCAN'96.
Kinetics of Ion-Pair Absorption

AbstractAccording to the ‘pH-partition’ theory, drugs in their ionized form cannot readily diffuse through biological membrane. However, it is well known that the permeation of many ionized drugs can be enhanced by the presence of anionic or cationic agents. One of the explanations for this observation is that the charged molecules of drug interact with the agents and form lipophillic ion-pair species, and as a result, the absorption of ionized molecules increases. In the present paper, the kinetic relationships of the formation of the ion-pair as a function of ion-pair agent and the type of the biological membrane have been discussed and analyzed. Criteria have been developed for the distinguishing the following two cases: 1) when the absorption is the rate limiting step in the process of permeation of the ion-pair, and 2) when the ion-pair crosses the membrane as though it were a fine sieve.
The Role of Macro Imbalances in the US Recession of 2007-2009

The discussion of the US great recession of 2007–2009 has probably drawn the greatest attention among macroeconomists in recent years. A recession is normally defined as negative output growth for at least two consecutive quarters by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). The US recession began in December 2007, and ended in June 2009, making the 18-month slump the longest since the Great Depression, according to the NBER (Wall Street Journal, 9/20/10). This downturn is thought to be the worst in modern history in light of the global scope of the crisis (Bernanke, 2010). US policymakers undertook the biggest government intervention in an otherwise market economy to mitigate the impact of the collapse. American people experienced the highest unemployment rate in more than a quarter century. Alan Greenspan, heading the US Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006, defined the financial maelstrom as a “once-in-a-century credit tsunami” for the US. There is no disagreement that the US recession of 2007–2009 was the worst since the Great Depression (Krugman, 2009). The simplest explanation for the recession is that the bursting of the housing bubble triggered the financial crisis, ultimately making the recession inevitable. This reasoning is robust but incomplete. A macroeconomic approach to the understanding of what went wrong is deficient in the existing literature. This work attempts to fill that gap. Most studies, including Taylor (2008, 2009), Gjerstad and Smith (2009), Holt (2009), and Jones (2010), accuse low interest rates, coined as cheap money policy, as the source of this debacle. But Bernanke (2010), the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, finds a weak link between cheap money and this crisis. He instead points to the government policies of boosting home ownership, substandard loans, and lack of
Are Small Habitat Patches Useful for Grassland Bird Conservation

Grasslands, and species dependent on them, have been declining throughout New England since large-scale farm abandonment began in the 19 th century. Several avian grassland obligates are now considered threatened within New England. During the summer of 2009, we inventoried breeding birds at the 10.5-ha National Guard train- ing site in Strafford, NH using systematic surveys. Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Bobolinks), Sturnella magna (Eastern Meadowlarks), and Passerculus sandwichensis (Savannah Sparrows) were found breeding at the site. Bobolinks were the most abundant grassland obligate, and their nesting success on this site indicates that small grasslands may be just as useful in grassland bird conservation as larger habitat patches. Because large grass- lands in New England are few and usually consist of hayo elds and pasture, blueberry barrens, military and commercial airports, and lando lls, focusing conservation efforts on smaller grasslands as well as large ones seems warranted.
Water Power: The “Hydropower Discourse” of China in an Age of Environmental Sustainability

As the world searches for renewable energy in the face of climate change and China attempts to expand its power supply to further its economic development, hydroelectricity has moved to the top of the country’s energy agenda. This has given rise to a new form of “hydropower discourse” in China. The discourse is underpinned by the ideas of environmental protection and sustainable development, which are widely perceived as unobjectionable in view of the current availability of resources. This article argues that the apparent ethical pursuit of renewable energy by building dams to generate electricity masks relations of dominance and helps to enable large energy companies, political leaders, and regional decision makers to pursue their interests against those who have limited or no access to the knowledge and capital employed in the development process. It will examine the ideological assumptions and institutional rootedness of hydropower discourse, and the power relations embedded in it.
Molecular Motors and a Spectrin Matrix Associate with Golgi Membranes In Vitro

Cytoplasmic dynein is a microtubule minus-end–directed motor that is thought to power the transport of vesicles from the TGN to the apical cortex in polarized epithelial cells. Trans-Golgi enriched membranes, which were isolated from primary polarized intestinal epithelial cells, contain both the actin-based motor myosin-I and dynein, whereas isolated Golgi stacks lack dynein but contain myosin-I (Fath, K.R., G.M. Trimbur, and D.R. Burgess. 1994. J. Cell Biol. 126:661–675). We show now that Golgi stacks in vitro bind dynein supplied from cytosol in the absence of ATP, and bud small membranes when incubated with cytosol and ATP. Cytosolic dynein binds to regions of stacks that are destined to bud because dynein is present in budded membranes, but absent from stacks after budding. Budded membranes move exclusively towards microtubule minus-ends in in vitro motility assays. Extraction studies suggest that dynein binds to a Golgi peripheral membrane protein(s) that resists extraction by ice-cold Triton X-100. In the presence of cytosol, these membrane ghosts can move towards the minus-ends of microtubules. Detergent-extracted Golgi stacks and TGN-containing membranes are closely associated with an amorphous matrix composed in part of spectrin and ankyrin. Although spectrin has been proposed to help link dynein to organellar membranes, we found that functional dynein may bind to extracted membranes independently of spectrin and ankyrin.
Direct sagittal scans in computed tomography of the orbits

Sagittal scans of the brain and orbits can be performed with the Varian body scanner and an accessory table. These scans are obtained directly, with no image reconstruction from scans in other planes. A case of Graves' ophthalmopathy is presented which demonstrates the potential advantage of sagittal images in showing abnormalities near the orbital roof and floor. Sagittal scans complement coronal and axial views in CT evaluation of the orbits.
Radiation and scattering from thin wires in chiral media

The effect of chirality on thin wire antennas and scatterers in unbounded chiral material is examined through the application of fundamental principles and the examination of several canonical examples. In particular, the interplay between normalized chirality and wire length is investigated to classify radiation and scattering patterns. Chirality induces rapid decay in the currents on such wires, resulting in mountain-peak-shaped current distributions characteristic of wire antennas and bow-tie-shaped distributions characteristic of wire scatterers of sufficient length. These current distributions, in turn, cause radiation and scattering patterns which exhibit a chirality-dependent forbidden zone for both antennas and scatterers. In this zone, the fields are greatly reduced. These distinctive results lead naturally to the classification of wire scattering and radiation into subchiral, chiral, and superchiral regimes. All results are understood from the underlying physical principles of electromagnetic chirality, and are related to values of a dimensionless parameter involving normalized chirality and normalized wire length. >
Deficits and Devolution in the 104th Congress

Deficit reduction was an important impetus for the devolution initiatives that moved through the 104th Congress, but it was not the only cause. Other objectives, notably building an alliance with Republican governors and transforming the American welfare state, also helped to drive devolution. Although the Republican deficit and devolution agendas appeared mutually reinforcing at first, arguments over the terms of devolution (e.g., entitlement status, program mandates, and fundingformulas) helped to slow down and build opposition to those agendas. The use of omnibus legislation helped to get Republican proposals through the Congress in 1995, but packaging together popular and highly unpopular provisions in a single bill ultimately provided President Bill Clinton with political cover to veto the legislation. The unpopularity of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Clinton's pledge to "end welfare as we know it" propelled a more limited devolution agenda focused on AFDC in the lead-up to the 1996 presidential election. Devolution ofMedicaid was dropped, however, while Food Stamps and child nutrition programs experienced budget cuts but little devolution.
Outsourcing and firm performance: evidence from Italian automotive suppliers

During the last decade a large number of firms operating in most industries have undertaken outsourcing processes. This tendency has involved, above all, automotive suppliers. The proposal of this paper is to investigate whether the outsourcing strategy has positively affected the overall performance of these firms. This has been observed by means of financial statements and under different viewpoints: growth, productivity, financial dependence and profitability. The findings point out that the relationship between outsourcing and performance does not follow a linear tendency. Furthermore, the firms always characterised by low integration or that deverticalised their productive structure over time have shown the highest growth, whereas firms with high integration level or that pursued a verticalisation strategy performed better in respect of profitability and debt ratio.
Cysticidal activity of antifungals against different genotypes of Acanthamoeba

Antifungal drugs have been proposed as a novel treatment for Acanthamoeba keratitis. The cysticidal activity of several antifungal compounds was tested against different genotypes of culture collection and clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba. Only voriconazole and posaconazole were found to be cysticidal, with no differences in activity observed between clinical and culture collection isolates.
Senior Citizens, Social Security, And Healthcare Costs

Based on an extensive literature review this paper discusses the interrelationships among the increasing numbers of Senior Citizens and the costs of Social Security and healthcare. This discussion includes information on Social Security pertaining to its funding and the Social Security Trust Funds. The paper notes that both the costs of Social Security and healthcare are directly related to improving healthcare. The ongoing improvements in healthcare result in increasing numbers of Senior Citizens who demand further improvements in healthcare. This leads to increases in longevity adding to healthcare and Social Security costs. Finally, the paper demonstrates the underlying complexities and the lack of consensus of possible changes to improve healthcare.
Evaluation of AutoLISP Expressions

Problem solving involves modeling the real world inside the computer. We perform this familiar process all the time in our drawings, knowing full well that we’re looking at, say, a wireframe, rather than a real object.
Oita International Electrocardiology Symposium 2000 “Electrophysiology and Management of Lethal Arrhythmias in the New Millennium: From Genes to Bedside”

We reviewed the concept that de-differentiation is a mechanism of electrical remodeling in diseased hearts, referring to our data on 1) differential changes in action potential duration (APD) and transient outward current (I10) of cultured ventricular myocytes of newborn rats and 2) changes in APD, Ito and its gene expression in hypertrophied adult rat ventricles. The latter changes associated with progression of the hypertrophy appeared in the reverse order of those m newborn rats. Gene switching of ionic channels to de-differentiation was concluded to be essential for electrical renodeling of the diseased hearts.
The American Pharmaceutical Association: A Lens for Viewing Pharmacists (From Compounders to Therapeutic Judges)

Abstract Objective (1) To document the changes that have occurred in pharmacy in the last century and (2) to investigate the role played by the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) during the changes. Data Sources Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association (JAPhA) . Study Selection Sample articles published in JAPhA pertaining to practice and ethical issues. Data Extraction Examples of articles at 10-year intervals from 1912 through 1997. Data Synthesis Short reviews of the articles are included containing their purpose and topic. Authors' notes are included where appropriate. The research was performed using a qualitative/historical method. Conclusion The changes that have occurred in pharmacy throughout the 20th century are seen through JAPhA . APhA has been a stabilizing social structure over the years, and continues to serve society in this manner.
Radial Bragg Grating Package for Temperature Compensation in Interferometric Hydrophone Arrays

A new method of packaging fiber Bragg gratings to stabilize their wavelength over temperature variations was developed using a grating mount fabricated from zirconium tungstate (ZrW2O8), a ceramic with a negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The principle of operation is based on the differences in CTE of the Bragg grating and grating mount, with the mount serving as a compensator for the thermo-optic effects of the fiber. As the temperature is elevated, the refractive index of the grating increases, shifting the reflection wavelength to longer wavelength. At the same time the ceramic grating mount contracts relieving some of the tension on the grating, causing a shift to shorter wavelength. Since these two effects offset each other, the thermal wavelength shift of the grating can be minimized or even eliminated. In addition to a description of the temperature-compensating device, the properties of zirconium tungstate are briefly discussed with emphasis on the processing of the ceramic grating mount. Thermal analysis data is given for zirconium tungstate with 5% polymer binder addition.
The Genus Clitocybe in North America

Before this large and difficult genus is published in North American Flora, it is thought advisable to present a preliminary paper which will direct attention to the group and add to our knowledge of it through additional collections and observations. Species of Laccaria, formerly included in Clitocybe, have already been treated in North American Flora, volume Io, part i. Monadelphus is another small segregate of Clitocybe, which is characterized by a densely cespitose, wood-loving hymenophore. The relation of these two genera to Clitocybe and to the segregates of Tricholoma may be indicated in the following key:
Atherogenic effect of barotrauma on in situ saphenous veins in monkeys.

The objectives of this study were to determine whether veins subjected to barotrauma in situ undergo lipid uptake and morphologic changes to the same extent as veins grafted into the arterial circulation. Saphenous veins in seven stump-tailed macaque monkeys were exposed bilaterally and were circumferentially dissected free from surrounding tissue only at isolated sites. Segments of the veins were distended for 1 minute at hydrostatic pressures of 125 or 350 mm Hg. An undistended segment served as control. A cephalic vein graft was interposed in the femoral artery for comparison with in situ veins. The animals were fed a diet that sustains plasma cholesterol levels of approximately 225 mg/dl. Saphenous veins and the cephalic vein grafts were explanted at 3 months for biochemical and histologic analyses. Cholesterol content in undistended saphenous veins was similar to that in veins distended at 125 or 350 mm Hg—105 ± 15, 122 ± 14, and 109 ± 30 μg/100 mg wet tissue weight, respectively. Cholesterol content in cephalic vein grafts, 473 ± 122 μg/100 mg, was greater (p
Site-Specific Labeling of Proteins via Sortase: Protocols for the Molecular Biologist

Creation of site-specifically labeled protein bioconjugates is an important tool for the molecular biologist and cell biologist. Chemical labeling methods, while versatile with respect to the types of moieties that can be attached, suffer from lack of specificity, often targeting multiple positions within a protein. Here we describe protocols for the chemoenzymatic labeling of proteins at the C-terminus using the bacterial transpeptidase, sortase A. We detail a protocol for the purification of an improved pentamutant variant of the Staphylococcus aureus enzyme (SrtA 5(o)) that exhibits vastly improved kinetics relative to the wild-type enzyme. Importantly, a protocol for the construction of peptide probes compatible with sortase labeling using techniques that can be adapted to any cellular/molecular biology lab with no existing infrastructure for synthetic chemistry is described. Finally, we provide an example of how to optimize the labeling reaction using the improved SrtA 5(o) variant.
Proportion of Glacially To Fluvially Induced Quartz Grain Microtextures Along the Chitina River, SE Alaska, U.S.A.

Abstract Certain micrometer-scale fractures, or microtextures, on grain surfaces are the result of specific transport processes. Accordingly, these transport-induced microtextures are used to infer depositional setting in ancient deposits. Multiple transport histories complicate the microtextural record because modification of grain surfaces can reduce or eliminate the signal of earlier transport episodes. This study utilizes scanning electron microscopy to analyze surface microtextures to assess the role of fluvial overprint on glacially derived grains along ∼ 188 km of the proglacial Chitina River, SE Alaska. Results indicate that occurrence frequency of glacially induced microtextures (i.e., straight and curved grooves, deep troughs, and crescentic gouges) negatively correlates to distance downstream, yet these microtextures persist in every sample. Conversely, occurrence frequency of fluvially induced microtextures (i.e., v-shaped cracks and edge rounding) positively correlate to distance downstream. At least in the Chitina River watershed, the ratio of fluvially to glacially induced microtextures (F/G ratio) generally records physiographic variation, including increase in fluvial signal after a major tributary confluence, and decrease downstream from the intersection of valley glaciers. These results suggest that analysis of quartz grain microtextures in ancient fluvial deposits can be used to infer glacial influence when other diagnostic sedimentologic indicators of glaciation are lacking. Other potential uses for the proxy may exist, but need to be assessed after other modern proglacial systems are studied, including: 1) estimates of distance to paleo–ice margins using the respective downstream trends of glacially or fluvially induced microtextures, and 2) paleogeography of ancient glacio-fluvial systems through F/G ratio analysis.
Systematic reanalysis of clinical exome data yields additional diagnoses: implications for providers.

Systematic reanalysis of clinical exome data yields additional diagnoses: implications for providers
Mechanism of Glucagon Activation of Gluconeogenesis

The gluconeogenic action of glucagon was studied in rat livers perfused with bicarbonate buffer containing bovine albumin and red cells. In livers from fed rat perfused with 20 mM 14 C-lactate, glucagon increased the formation of 14 C-glucose plus 14 C-glycogen approximately two-fold but did not alter the production of 14 CO 2 or 14 C-ketone bodies. The 14 C-lactate uptake was increased by 28% and the labeling of lipids and proteins was decreased by approximately 40%. Oxygen consumption, ketogenesis, ureogenesis and glycogenolysis were also increased. The data are consistent with the activation of gluconeogenesis from lactate and endogenous sources (probably protein). There was no evidence of inhibition of lactate oxidation. Acetyl-CoA production from endogenous substrate (probably lipid) appeared to be increased resulting in increased ketogenesis and a reduction in the specific activity of 14 C-ketone bodies. The radioactivity of cholesterol and fatty acid esters was decreased to an extent corresponding to the reduction in acetyl-CoA specific activity, suggesting that glucagon did not inhibit cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis. The increase in respiration was greater than that attributable to increased ketogenesis and protein catabolism indicating that the Krebs cycle was activated. The extra substrate utilized in the cycle was apparently derived from endogenous sources.
UNIC Code: Algorithmic Specification of the Method of Long Characteristics

The purpose of this document is to specify the method of long characteristics algorithm used in the UNIC neutron transport code.
Safety and feasibility of laparoscopic resection for large (≥ 6 CM) pheochromocytomas without suspected malignancy.

Objective The safety and efficacy of laparoscopic adrenalectomy has been well documented and it has become the standard of care for benign adrenal pathology, and small (<5cm) pheochromocytomas. Its applicability for pheochromocytomas larger than 6 cm has been questioned, due to concerns including cardiovascular complications, malignancy, and recurrence. The aim of this study is to determine if laparoscopic adrenalectomy in patients without radiologic evidence of cancer, compromises the peri-operative and long-term outcomes of large ≥6 cm pheochromocytomas.
Membrane-Based Technologies in the Pharmaceutical Industry and Continuous Production of Polymer-Coated Crystals/Particles

Background: Membrane technologies are of increasing importance in a variety of separation and purification applications involving liquid phases and gaseous mixtures. Although the most widely used applications at this time are in water treatment including desalination, there are many applications in chemical, food, healthcare, paper and petrochemical industries. This brief review is concerned with existing and emerging applications of various membrane technologies in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry. Methods: The goal of this review article is to identify important membrane processes and techniques which are being used or proposed to be used in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical operations. How novel membrane processes can be useful for delivery of crystalline/particulate drugs is also of interest. Results: Membrane separation technologies are extensively used in downstream processes for bio-pharmaceutical separation and purification operations via microfiltration, ultrafiltration and diafiltration. Also the new technique of membrane chromatography allows efficient purification of monoclonal antibodies. Membrane filtration techniques of reverse osmosis and nanofiltration are being combined with bioreactors and advanced oxidation processes to treat wastewaters from pharmaceutical plants. Nanofiltration with organic solvent-stable membranes can implement solvent exchange and catalyst recovery during organic solvent-based drug synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds/intermediates. Membranes in the form of hollow fibers can be conveniently used to implement crystallization of pharmaceutical compounds. The novel crystallization methods of solid hollow fiber cooling crystallizer (SHFCC) and porous hollow fiber anti-solvent crystallization (PHFAC) are being developed to provide efficient methods for continuous production of polymer-coated drug crystals in the area of drug delivery. Conclusion: This brief review provides a general introduction to various applications of membrane technologies in the pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical industry with special emphasis on novel membrane techniques for pharmaceutical applications. The method of coating a drug particle with a polymer using the SHFCC method is stable and ready for scale-up for operation over an extended period.
Belief-propagation reconstruction for compressed sensing: Quantization vs. Gaussian approximation

This work considers the compressed sensing (CS) of i.i.d. signals with sparse measurement matrices and belief-propagation (BP) reconstruction. In general, BP reconstruction for CS requires the passing of messages that are distributions over the real numbers. To implement this in practice, one typically uses either quantized distributions or a Gaussian approximation. In this work, we use density evolution to compare the reconstruction performance of these two methods. Since the reconstruction performance depends on the signal realization, this analysis makes use of a novel change of variables to analyze the performance for a typical signal. Simulation results are provided to support the results.
Incorporation, Federalism, and International Human Rights

This essay introduces a new theory — the human rights theory — to help explain and justify the Supreme Court’s selective incorporation doctrine. The theory holds that a particular right binds the states under the Fourteenth Amendment if the right is included in both the U.S. Bill of Rights and the International Bill of Rights. The analysis supports four main conclusions. First, the human rights theory is generally consistent with the actual pattern of Supreme Court decisions in selective incorporation cases. Second, the concept of acculturation helps explain why there is a close fit between the human rights theory and selective incorporation doctrine. Third, in contrast to the Court’s decisions — which have failed to articulate a coherent rationale for the doctrine — the human rights theory provides a principled rationale for selective incorporation doctrine. Fourth, adoption of the human rights theory would return control over certain individual rights from the federal courts to the states, thereby alleviating the tension between selective incorporation doctrine and the Court’s professed commitment to principles of constitutional federalism. Contemporary political mythology holds that judicial application of international human rights norms would promote a liberal political agenda at the expense of constitutional federalism principles. In fact, this essay demonstrates that judicial application of international human rights norms in accordance with the human rights theory would promote constitutional federalism principles without advancing either a liberal or conservative political agenda.
Sacral Insufficiency Fractures: Recognition and Treatment in Patients with Concurrent Lumbar Vertebral Compression Fractures

Introduction In reviewing a larger group of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), we found that the overall incidence of sacral insufficiency fractures (SIFs) is higher than commonly reported values. This is especially seen in patients with previous or concurrent lumbar VCFs and also in a subgroup that had lumbar stenosis or hip arthroplasty. The altered biomechanics due to associated lumbar stenosis or hip arthroplasty lead to increased mechanical stress on already weakened and deficient sacral alae, which are more vulnerable to osteoporotic weakening than other parts of the sacrum. Materials & methods We studied an overall population of patients with VCF seen clinically and separated the patients into the following groups: patients not previously treated, patients treated with vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty at one or more levels, and patients diagnosed with sacral fractures and treated with vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. We wanted to see if a pattern existed among the patients who had sacral symptoms, were diagnosed with sacral insufficiency fractures, and subsequently underwent sacroplasty. Results In a review of 79 consecutive patients, over a 24-month period, with VCF who underwent surgical treatment, there were 10 patients who also had sacral insufficiency fractures. Four of the patients had sacral insufficiency fractures without VCF. None of the patients with sacral insufficiency fractures were on treatment for osteoporosis at the time of diagnosis. The following symptoms indicated SIF: lower sacral pain (n = 10), buttock pain (n = 7), lateral hip pain (n = 5), and groin pain radiating to the thigh (n = 4). The average time to diagnose SIF was two months after the onset of pain. Conclusions Sacral insufficiency fractures are a frequent cause of both acute and chronic pain; however, they are often missed by the majority of physicians. The frequency of undetected sacral fractures is high. This is due to a number of potential pitfalls, which include both subjective and objective reasons: the patient presenting with vague symptoms, the physician only performing a physical examination of the lumbar spine, and the physician ordering the inadequate standard lumbosacral radiographs, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as automatically relating the pain and other symptoms to preexisting MRI findings that are very commonly found in the elderly population. All of these pitfalls lead to SIFs being overlooked.