cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An analytical characterization of stabilizability for families of linear systems with state-dependent noise

The problem of stabilizing families of linear systems by constant feedback has been studied extensively. One approach relates stabilizability to the solvability of a certain optimal control problem [1]. This paper extends that connection to the case of diffusion processes with linear drift and atone diffusion coefficients.
A novel drug screening assay for papillomavirus specific antiviral activity

Discovery and development of human papillomavirus (HPV) specific antiviral agents have been hampered by the lack of an in vitro assay permissive to HPV replication. An experimental assay system for monitoring HPV-11 DNA replication has been optimized for use as a papillomavirus antiviral drug screening tool. Cloned HPV DNA was introduced into SCC-4 cells by electroporation and viral DNA replication monitored by Southern blot. Kinetic studies demonstrated an increased HPV genome copy number with time. Viral DNA replicated as episomal, unit length genome and remained episomal after multiple passages. These data suggested the basis for an in vitro replication assay for evaluating the antiviral activity of potential chemotherapeutic agents directly on HPV. This model was used to investigate antiviral activities of current anti-HPV therapies such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) and potential therapies such as sodium butyrate, 5-bromo-20-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and antisense oligonucleotides. HPV- 11 replication is significantly inhibited by BrdU and sodium butyrate; however 5-FU and alpha-IFN did not give consistent dose response results. Finally, ISIS 2105, a 20-mer phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide, which targets HPV-11 E2 gene product, showed potent antiviral activity in this assay with an IC50 of approximately 70 nM.
Human immunodeficiency virus infection as a prognostic factor in surgical patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on postoperative survival among non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods A retrospective cohort study compared 22 HIV-infected lung cancer patients to 2,430 lung cancer patients with HIV-unspecified status who underwent resection at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1985 to 2009. Subcohort comparative analyses were performed using individual matching methods. Results Thirty-day mortality rates did not differ between HIV-infected and HIV-unspecified patients. Survival rates for HIV-infected lung cancer patients were significantly shorter than for HIV-unspecified patients (median, 26 versus 48 months; p = 0.001). After adjustment, the relative hazard of mortality among HIV-infected NSCLC patients was more than threefold that of HIV-unspecified patients (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.08; 95% confidence interval: 1.85 to 5.13). When additional surgical characteristics were modeled in a matched subcohort, the association remained statistically significant (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.31; 95% confidence interval: 1.11 to 4.81). Moreover, HIV-infected lung cancer patients with CD4 counts less than 200 cells/mm 3 had shortened median survival compared with patients whose CD4 counts were 200 cells/mm 3 or greater (8 versus 40 months; p = 0.031). Postoperative pulmonary and infectious complications were also elevated in the HIV-infected group ( p = 0.001 and p p = 0.061). Conclusions The HIV-infected NSCLC patients have more postoperative complications, rapid progression to disease recurrence, and poorer postoperative survival. Optimizing immune status before surgery and careful patient selection based on diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide may improve patient outcomes.
Quantifying the decrement in utility from perceived side effects of combination antiretroviral therapies in patients with HIV

Abstract Background The decrement in utility attributable to side effects from combination antiretroviral therapy (CART) is unknown and likely to influence clinical decisions regarding CART initiation and cost-effectiveness. Objective To quantify the decrement in utility attributable to side effects from CART. Methods We estimated SF-6D utilities (quality-of-life weights on a scale from 0.29 [worst possible health] to 1.00 [perfect health]) from SF-12 scores among patients with HIV in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study by using a published and validated conversion algorithm. We then compared utilities among patients who: 1) did not have bothersome symptoms while taking CART; 2) had bothersome symptoms that they thought might be due to CART; and 3) had bothersome symptoms that they were confident were due to CART; we controlled for other characteristics known to influence quality of life and stratified analyses by CD4 count. Results Among 1864 patients with available data, symptoms perceived to be attributable to CART were associated with a mean (95% confidence interval) decrement in utility of 0.06 (0.05, 0.08) points in univariate analyses and 0.08 (0.06, 0.10) in multivariable analyses, clinically significant differences that are comparable to utility decrements reported for partial impotence or mild angina. Other significant predictors of changes in SF-6D utilities were hazardous alcohol consumption, recent drug use, cigarette smoking, homelessness, and African American race ( R 2 = 0.12). Stratifying by CD4 count, symptoms attributable to CART side effects decreased utility by 0.03 to 0.08 points. Conclusions Symptoms perceived to be related to CART are associated with a substantial decrement in utility.
Regeneration of plants from callus tissue of the forage legume Stylosanthes guianensis

Abstract Plants were regenerated from leaflets of Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. cultured in vitro. Explants from both mature and immature leaflets were induced to form callus when aseptically cultured on Murashige and Skoog salts containing vitamins as in B5 medium, 3% sucrose, 0.8% agar and three combinations of napthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and benzyladenine (BA). Regeneration of shoots was readily achieved by transferring pieces of callus, even after subculturing for 6 months, onto fresh medium containing a low NAA/BA ratio. Shoots were induced to form roots upon transfer to medium devoid of hormones.
Preparation for professional self-regulation

This article asserts that graduate study should include preparation for participation in the process of self-regulation to assure the responsible conduct of research in the scientific community. This article outlines the various ways in which doctoral study can incorporate such preparation. These suggested ways include the inculcation of general attitudes and values about professional self-regulation, various ways doctoral study can be configured so that future scientists are prepared to participate in the deterrence, detection and sanctioning of scientific wrongdoing. The stages of doctoral study in the United States and their relevance to preparation for self-regulations are also discussed. Recommendations regarding an extended role for faculty advisors, graduate assistantships, coursework and departmental policies and activities are also advanced.
Accurate projection methods for the incompressible Navier—Stokes equations

Abstract This paper considers the accuracy of projection method approximations to the initial–boundary-value problem for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. The issue of how to correctly specify numerical boundary conditions for these methods has been outstanding since the birth of the second-order methodology a decade and a half ago. It has been observed that while the velocity can be reliably computed to second-order accuracy in time and space, the pressure is typically only first-order accurate in the L ∞ -norm. This paper identifies the source of this problem in the interplay of the global pressure-update formula with the numerical boundary conditions and presents an improved projection algorithm which is fully second-order accurate, as demonstrated by a normal mode analysis and numerical experiments. In addition, a numerical method based on a gauge variable formulation of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations, which provides another option for obtaining fully second-order convergence in both velocity and pressure, is discussed. The connection between the boundary conditions for projection methods and the gauge method is explained in detail.
Specific and Non-Specific Immunosuppression in Chickens

Abstract Specific immunosuppression, caused by the passive transfer of immune sera, and non-specific immunosuppression, caused by ACTH, were investigated for possible interactions. The data confirm earlier studies which show that both types of suppression when administered independently cause reductions in humoral immune responsiveness. However, when both suppressive methods were administered simultaneously a level of suppression occurred which was not greater than that caused by either method alone. Additionally, when ACTH-induced non-specific immunosuppression was established in donors, passive transfers of sera from these donors did not cause suppression in the recipients.
Structure-activity relationship for the binding of nucleoside ligands to adenosine kinase from Toxoplasma gondii

One hundred and twenty-eight purine nucleoside analogs were evaluated as ligands of Toxoplasma gondii adenosine kinase (EC 2.7.1.20) by examining their ability to inhibit this enzyme in vitro. Inhibition was quantified by determining apparent Ki (appKi) values for those compounds that inhibited this enzyme by greater than 10% at a concentration of 1 mM. Two compounds, N6-(p-methoxybenzoyl)adenosine and 7-iodo-7-deazaadenosine (iodotubercidin), were found to bind to the enzyme (appKi = 3.9 and 1.6 microM, respectively) better than adenosine. On the basis of these data, a structure-activity relationship for the binding of ligands to T. gondii adenosine kinase was formulated using adenosine as a reference compound. It was concluded that the following structural features of purine nucleoside analogs are required or strongly preferred for binding: (1) "pyridine-type" endocyclic nitrogens at the 1- and 3-positions; (2) an exocyclic hydrogen at the 2-position; (3) 6-position exocyclic substituents in the lactim tautomeric form; (4) a "pyridine-type" endocyclic nitrogen at the 7-position or hydrophobic exocyclic substituents attached to an endocyclic carbon at the 7-position; (5) an endocyclic methine or "pyridine-type" nitrogen at the 8-position; (6) an endocyclic nitrogen at the 9-position; (7) a pentose or "pentose-like" (e.g. hydroxylated cyclopentene) moiety attached to the 9-position nitrogen; (8) hydroxyl groups at the 2'- and 3'-positions in a ribose configuration; (9) a hydroxymethyl or methyl (i.e. 5'-deoxy) group at the 5'-position; (10) a beta-D-nucleoside configuration; and (11) an anti conformation around the N-glycosidic bond. In addition, there appears to be a "pocket" in the catalytic site of T. gondii adenosine kinase, adjacent to the 6-position of adenosine, that can accommodate large (preferably unsaturated or aromatic) substituents (e.g. phenyl). These findings provide the basis for the rational design of additional ligands of T. gondii adenosine kinase.
A bioassay with excised potato shoot-tips for assessing the effect of growth-inhibiting volatile compounds in the potato

A bioassay technique is described for assessing growth-regulatory activities of volatile compounds in the potato. Excised potato shoot-tips (3 mm) were cultured aseptically in an aqueous medium in the dark at 25°C. After 7–12 days in culture, growth rates were measured by the increase in length of the treated shoot-tips. The addition of low concentrations (1 μmol/l) of gibberellic acid (GA3) and kinetin to the culture medium enhanced shoot growth.
The Nature and Consequences of Coherent Transformations in Steel

Advanced research on structural steels has recently focused on the improvement of properties through the control of grain size. Grain refinement increases strength via the Hall-Petch relation, lowers the ductile-brittle transition by increasing resistance to transgranular cleavage, and reduces hydrogen embrittlement by minimizing interfacial fracture along grain or lath boundaries. However, given their different mechanisms, these properties require slightly different measures of the effective grain size. When the grains are smooth and random, all measures of the effective grain size are roughly equivalent. However, transformations in steel are often crystallographically coherent, producing a martensitic, bainitic or ferritic product that has either a Kurdumov-Sachs (KS) or a Nishiyama-Wasserman (NW) relation to the parent austenite. The 24 KS variants and 12 NW variants divide into three sets of eight, corresponding to the three Bain variants of the fcc→bcc transformation. Grain, packet or block boundaries that separate different Bain variants have signifi-cant misorientations of the {100} cleavage planes, but may have only slight misorientations of the {110} slip planes. It follows that grain refinement through coherent transformation is very effective in improving resistance to cleavage fracture and, if the boundary facets are small, to hydrogen embrittlement, but is often relatively ineffective in increasing strength. For this reason, grain refinement for increased strength is best done with incoherent transformations (such as the strain-induced ferrite transformation) while grain refinement for low-temperature toughness or hydrogen resistance is best done with coherent transformations that refine the effective grain size without overstrengthening to unacceptably low ductility.
Silver thiogallate, singly resonant optical parametric oscillator pumped by a continuous-wave mode-locked Nd:YAG laser.

We describe a silver thiogallate (AgGaS2) singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO), synchronously pumped by a continuous-wave actively mode-locked Nd:YAG laser. The OPO is operated with a signal wavelength near 1.319 μm and an idler wavelength near 5.505 μm. At optimum output coupling, 100 mW of useful signal power and 6 mW of idler power are generated from 625 mW of pump power. The pump is mechanically chopped at a 32:1 duty cycle to prevent thermal lensing of the AgGaS2 crystals. Pump depletion is as high as 63%. The signal has pulse widths ranging from 45 to 80 ps and spectral widths ranging from below 0.1 to 0.3 nm. The OPO signal can oscillate over a 2-mm range of round-trip cavity-length mismatch.
Fish Assemblages and Environmental Variables Associated with Hard‐Rock Mining in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Idaho

Abstract As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program, fish assemblages, environmental variables, and associated mine densities were evaluated at 18 test and reference sites during the summer of 2000 in the Coeur d'Alene and St. Regis river basins in Idaho and Montana. Multimetric and multivariate analyses were used to examine patterns in fish assemblages and the associated environmental variables representing a gradient of mining intensity. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in water and streambed sediment found at test sites in watersheds where production mine densities were at least 0.2 mines/km2 (in a 500-m stream buffer) were significantly higher than the concentrations found at reference sites. Many of these metal concentrations exceeded Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC) and the Canadian Probable Effect Level guidelines for streambed sediment. Regression analysis identified significant relationships between the production mine densit...
Atrial tachycardia with exit block around the ectopic pacemaker in an otherwise healthy infant

Atrial tachycardia with exit block around the ectopic pacemaker is described in an otherwise healthy newborn infant; the electrophysiologic aspects of this arrhythmia are discussed.
Immunotexicological effects of benzene inhalation in male Sprague-Dawley rats

The inhalation of benzene is toxic to various components of the immunologie system in rodents. Spleen and thymus weights, total spleen and femur marrow cell counts, enumeration of spleen B- and T-lymphocytes, and an assessment of humoral immunocompetence, were used to evaluate the immunotoxicity of benzene in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were exposed to 0, 30, 200 or 400 ppm benzene for 6 h/day, 5 days/week for 2 or 4 weeks. An early indicator of immunotoxicity was a reduction in the number of B-lymphocytes after 2 weeks of 400 ppm. After 4 weeks of 400 ppm, there was a reduction in thymus weight and spleen B-, CD4+ /CD5+ and CD5+ T-lymphocytes. Rats exposed to 30, 200 or 400 ppm benzene for 2 or 4 weeks and challenged with sheep red blood cells developed a humoral response comparable to that of the control (0 ppm) animals. Enumeration of spleen T- and B-lymphocytes in rats exposed to benzene and challenged with SRBC showed only a transient reduction in spleen B-lymphocytes after 2 weeks of exposure to 400 ppm. These data suggest that there are no immunotoxicological effects of exposure to 200 ppm benzene or less, in rats exposed for 6 h/day, 5 days/week for 2 or 4 weeks.
Abstract 5488: Everolimus inhibits the proliferation of aromatase inhibitor-resistant breast cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are currently the standard treatment for estrogen receptor positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Unfortunately, the majority of patients treated with AIs eventually develop resistance to these drugs. The mechanism by which AI resistance occurs is still not known, however, there is strong evidence that upregulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway might play an important role. As such, mTOR inhibition is now under study in clinical trials as a breast cancer treatment. The newest mTOR inhibitor, Everolimus (Afinitor®), has been FDA approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. We have previously reported the development of two AI-resistant breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7:5C and MCF-7:2A) which were clonally derived from parental MCF-7 cells following long term estrogen deprivation. Both MCF-7:5C and MCF-7:2A cells have been shown to overexpress members of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In this study, we examined the therapeutic benefits of everolimus in AI-resistant MCF-7:5C and MCF-7:2A cells compared to endocrine sensitive MCF-7 breast cancer cells and normal breast epithelium MCF10A cells. Results from cell viability assay showed that everolimus markedly inhibited the proliferation of endocrine sensitive MCF-7 cells and AI-resistant MCF-7:5C and MCF-7:2A cells in a time-dependent and concentration-dependent manner with IC50s of 30 nM, 40 nM and 10 nM, respectively. Notably, the MCF-7:2A cells were the most sensitive to everolimus which caused a 70% reduction in proliferation at 24 hours whereas in MCF-7 and MCF-7:5C cells only 30% inhibition was observed at the same time point. The inhibitory effect of everolimus was due primarily to G1 arrest and was associated with significant downregulation of phospho-mTOR, phospho-p70S6K, phospho-Akt, GSK3β, cyclin D1 and p21. Colony formation assay in soft agar indicated that AI-resistant MCF-7:5C and MCF-7:2A cells formed significantly more colonies than MCF-7 cells and that treatment with everolimus notably reduced the size and number of colonies for all three cell lines. Finally, we found that exposure of AI-resistant MCF-7:5C and MCF-7:2A cells to a single dose of gamma-irradiation (6 Gy) significantly enhanced the anti-proliferative effect of everolimus on these cells. In summary, these studies showed that everolimus significantly inhibited the proliferation and tumorigenicity of AI-resistant breast cancer cells and that everolimus might be an effective treatment option for patients with AI-resistant breast cancer. Citation Format: Asona Lui, Joan Lewis-Wambi. Everolimus inhibits the proliferation of aromatase inhibitor-resistant breast cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5488. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5488
Cardiac function tests in neuromuscular diseases.

Myocardial involvement is a known complication of neuromuscular diseases and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in these disorders. Identifying patients early using cardiac function tests helps understand the mechanisms underlying cardiac involvement and may help limit the progression of cardiac disease before the onset of significant symptoms and limitation. This article out-lines the tests available to assess cardiac involvement associated with neuromuscular diseases and offers guidelines for management once they are discovered.
Maskless Lithography Tool for Fabrication and Inspection of Diffractive Optical Elements and Computer Generated Holograms

A high-speed maskless lithography tool is described for fabricating diffractive optical elements and computer-generated holograms. The system has the capability to write gray-scale features and is also used for inspection of the sample after fabrication.
The infological equation extended: towards conceptual clarity in the relationship between data, information and knowledge

Clearly defined relationships between core concepts in our field are the bedrock for building a cumulative tradition. No concepts or relationships could be more core to the Information System (IS) field than: data, information, and knowledge. Even though several models have been developed to depict the relationship between these core concepts, none provides a completely satisfying solution to resolve problems in understanding information processing and in guiding IS research and practice. In response to the limitations in existing models, a knowledge-based theory of information is extended from Langefors’ (1973) infological equation, suggesting that information is the joint function of data and knowledge. Specifically, the proposed theory describes data as the measurement or description of states, whereas knowledge outlines the relationship between concepts underlying those states. Information, representing a status of conditional readiness for an action, is generated from the interaction between the states measured in data and their relationship with future states predicted in knowledge. Following this logic, different forms of IS are conceptualized as the embodiments of knowledge domains capable of transforming specific categories of data into information for business operations and decision-making. The proposed model helps address controversies in previous studies and provides guidance for further research.
Cleavage of C−C and C−F Bonds by Xe+• and I+ Ions in Reactions at a Fluorinated Self-Assembled Monolayer Surface: Collision Energy Dependence and Mechanisms

Collisions of Xe+• with a fluorinated self-assembled monolayer surface cause C−C and C−F bond cleavage as evidenced by the reactively scattered ions XeCF2+•, XeCF+, and XeF+. The projectile ion extracts difluorocarbene from the fluorocarbon to form XeCF2+• in a low-energy reaction, while simple fluorine abstraction also occurs and yields XeF+ in a higher energy but entropically favored process. The intact trifluoromethyl iodide radical cation, ICF3+•, resulting from simple C−C cleavage, is observed as a scattered product when I+ is chosen as projectile, as are analogous ions IF+•, ICF+•, and ICF2+, resulting from C−F and C−C bond cleavage with concomitant I−F and I−C bond formation. Multiple F-atom abstraction occurs in a single collision evidenced by the product, IF2+. Density functional theory calculations confirm that the reactions that lead to XeF+ and XeCF+ are more endothermic than XeCF2+• formation. The experimental observations and enthalpy calculations suggest that two reaction pathways contribut...
Optimal lot size, inventories, prices and JIT under monopolistic competition

Abstract This paper attempts to demonstrate that the disciplines of operations research/management science (OR/MS) and economics are complementary by drawing on both in analyzing the effects of the introduction of just in time (JIT) on prices and product variety. From the discipline of OR/MS I draw on the Optimal Lot Size Model. From the discipline of economics I borrow the theory of monopolistic competition. The model of monopolistic competition recognizes the significance of product differentiation: Because no two firms in a monopolistic competitive industry produce exactly the same product, the demand curve confronting each producer is downward sloping, like monopoly. Because of free entry and exit, economic profits are driven to zero in the long run, like perfect competition. This paper introduces inventories into the model of monopolistic competition by incorporating optimized setup and inventory carrying costs into the representative firm's total cost function. I show that the adoption of JIT, implemented by reengineering the product so as to drastically reduce or eliminate setup costs, benefits consumers, at least in the long run: competitive forces mean that the adoption of JIT leads to both a reduction in price and an increase in the variety of products offered in the marketplace. But alas, the rewards to the innovating business firm are only transitory. Free entry drives economic profits back to zero for both the innovating and the imitating firms.
Dynein at odd angles

Cytoplasmic dynein drives vesicular transport from the periphery to the cell body of neurons. Missense mutations in the dynein tail domain cause neurodegenerative disease in mouse models. new data on the effect of one such dynein mutation provide insight into the intramolecular communication and flexible stepping of this essential cellular motor.
Lipids of rust fungi—II. Stigmast-7-enol and stigmasta-7,24(28)-dienol in flax rust uredospores

Abstract Gas chromatographic, chemical, infrared-, NMR- and mass-spectrographic evidence shows that the principal sterols of flax rust uredospores are stigmast-7-enol and stigmasta-7,24(28)-dienol. Stigmasta-5,7-dienol was indicated as a minor component.
Shaping the Public Sphere: Habermas and Beyond

In recent years, there has been an explosion of ambitious sociological research thatattempts to map and explain the dynamics of media understood not as technologiesor individual organizations but rather as systems interacting with other systems. Thisapproach has multiple roots, but in this essay, I argue that its reach and influencehave been amplified by the work of Jurgen Habermas, especially through his conceptof the “public sphere.” Habermas has been especially helpful in clarifying normativedebates about democracy, and he is right to suggest that normative criteria canusefully guide empirical research. Yet his own empirical model, despite some recentimprovements, remains underdeveloped and moreover, embodies debatable assump-tions about the social origins of democratic and intellectual renewal. Habermas, andmany sociologists of social movements influenced by or implicitly allied to hisproject, make the mistake of taking the “media system” as a given and then orientingtheir analysis toward effective strategies to exert influence in the face of thissupposedly invariant media “logic.” A new generation of researchers, influenced byBourdieu and state-oriented new institutionalism, is fortunately moving to fill in thisgap just at the moment when journalists and activists are searching for guidance inrebuilding a media system devastated by commercial pressures and the inadequatelyremunerated shift to online platforms. This opportunity for sociology to describe andexplain variations in media logics and to actively engage in shaping these logics fordemocratic ends must not be missed.In the remainder of this essay, I thus attempt to address the following questions:First: What has Habermas contributed to the sociology of media and communica-tion? And to what extent and in what ways has his conceptual apparatus—chiefly the
Integrated circuit (IC) timers and pulse generators for laboratory use

Two integrated circuits (ICs) suitable for timing and pulse generation, are described together with applicable circuits. The circuit components are inexpensive but highly precise and provide for a wide range of laboratory applications.
Afferent projections to affective attack sites in cat hypothalamus.

Abstract Horseradish peroxidase was deposited at sites at which affective attack was elicited by electrical stimulation. Cells containing reaction products were found in the nucleus accumbens, subiculum and presubiculum, the medial nucleus of the amydala, the lateral and to a lesser extent the medial septal nuclei. In the thalamus cells were found in the paraventricular nucleus and nucleus reuniens. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and anterior commissure contained a small number of reactive cells. The lateral and medial preoptic areas were well represented, as was the anterior hypothalamic area. There were numerous cells in a large number of the hypothalamic regions, namely, the lateral hypothalamus particularly the dorsal part, the periventricular area, the dorsal part of the paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial nucleus, the arcuate nucleus, the perifornical region, and even the supraoptic nucleus. The midbrain such cells were found in the ventral, lateral and dorsal central gray matter and in the superior central nucleus of the raphe. In the pontine region, the locus coeruleus, the parabrachial nuclei and the dorsal tegmental nucleus of Gudden had cells with reaction products. Several of these regions also contained cells after HRP injections at quiet attack sites.
Maintaining long-term central venous access by repetitive hepatic vein cannulation

Long-term central venous access has become a critical issue in the treatment of pediatric patients. Exhaustion of access sites can lead to superior and inferior vena cava thrombosis, limiting the choices for central line placement. Under such circumstances, hepatic vein cannulation is a viable option. We present the cases of two patients who, combined, have undergone five hepatic vein catheterizations. One patient has received four consecutive central lines via a hepatic vein. This experience suggests that the hepatic vein is a reusable site of cannulation in patients with no other alternative for venous access.
Biocorrosion studies of TiO 2 nanoparticle-coated Ti-6Al-4V implant in simulated biofluids

The corrosion behaviors of the TiO2 nanoparticles coated bioimplant Ti–6Al–4V exposed to three different simulated biofluids (SBF), namely, (1) NaCl solution, (2) Hank’s solution, and (3) Cigada solution, were studied by using micro-Raman spectroscopy, electrochemical techniques, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The different electrochemical impedance spectroscopy models were applied to fit the data obtained from the implants before and after the coating of TiO2 nanoparticles (50–100 nm). It was found that the TiO2 nanoparticle coatings increased the thickness of the pre-existing oxide layer on the Ti–6Al–4V surface, serving to improve the bioimplant corrosion resistance.
Diffusion of gases across lipid membranes with OmpA channel: a molecular dynamics study

Molecular transport across biological membranes occurs in a range of important chemical and biological processes. The biological membrane can usually be modelled as a phospholipid bilayer, but to correctly represent biological transport, the embedded transmembrane proteins must also be included. In previous molecular simulation studies on transport of small gas molecules in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer membrane, a coarse-grained model was used to provide direct insight into collective phenomena in biological membranes. Coarse graining allowed investigation of longer time and length scales by reducing the degrees of freedom and employing suitable potentials. In this work, membranes that include transmembrane proteins are modelled. This allows one to compare the molecular transport across a lipid membrane with and without the assistance of transmembrane channels. Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) – a porin from Escherichia coli with a small pore size – was chosen in this study because its det...
Microscopic structure of the gravid uterus in the little skate, Raja erinacea

The morphology of the uterus in oviparous elasmobranchs has not been systematically examined in any species. The uterus in oviparous sharks and skates houses the eggs during the crucial chemical events that result in the requisite polymerization of the assembled egg capsule materials. Capsule sclerotization involves a quinone tanning mechanism in which catechols are introduced in utero and subsequently oxidized to quinones prior to oviposition. The uterus in Raja erinacea is morphologically specialized for four well-defined functional activities associated with egg capsule formation: regionally distinct structural modifications, both in the uterine wall and the epithelial lining, for active movement of the capsule through the uterine lumen; biosynthesis and secretion of materials into the lumen; vascular facilitation for oxygen transfer to fuel the oxidation process involved in capsule tanning; and intercellular spaces for removal of water from the uterine lumen. The first three activities are qualitatively similar to those operating in viviparous species. The uterus throughout its length has longitudinal folds punctuated by secretory crypts. Proceeding from the anterior to the posterior end of the uterus there is a progressive decrease in the number of cilia and the depth of the lamina propria, and an increase in vascularity and the width of the muscularis. J. Exp. Zool. 282:421–437, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Results of preimplantation genetic diagnosis in patients with Klinefelter's syndrome

With the application of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), a possible genetic contribution of spermatozoa obtained from 47,XXY non-mosaic Klinefelter patients on preimplantation embryos was analysed in eight couples. Interpretable fluorescence in-situ hybridization results were obtained for 28 out of 33 embryos biopsied (84.8%) and 23 blastomeres were analysed for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y. Nine out of 23 embryos were diagnosed as abnormal (39.1%). Five out of nine contained sex chromosome abnormalities (55.5%). Two were diagnosed as 47,XXY and three were found to have monosomy X. Besides sex chromosomal abnormalities, other abnormalities detected were haploidy, triploidy, monosomy 13, monosomy 18 and trisomy 13. Five blastomeres were analysed for sex chromosomes only and all of them were found to be normal. Overall, the rate of sex chromosome abnormality in biopsied embryos was found to be 17.8% (5/28). Moreover, among 33 embryos biopsied, five of the eight zygotes, which were classified as a poor prognosis group according to pronuclear morphology scoring, showed an impaired growth profile after biopsy and were found to be chromosomally abnormal. Elimination of abnormal embyos and transfer of normal ones resulted in four pregnancies in eight cycles (50%). Two pregnancies, one singleton and one twins resulted in healthy births. Two pregnancies, one singleton and one twins are continuing beyond the second trimester. These results show that there is in fact elevated chromosomal abnormality for both sex chromosomes and autosomes in embryos developed from Klinefelter males. Furthermore together with PGD, embryo scoring according to pronuclear morphology can give additional benefit for selecting chromosomally abnormal embryos. Therefore, PGD should be recommended in cases with Klinefelter's syndrome and this information should be discussed with the couple when genetic counselling is given.
Absolute Kinetic Characterization of 17-β-Estradiol as a Radical-Scavenging, Antioxidant Synergist

Abstract We directly measured the absolute reactivity of 17-β-estradiol (E 2 ) and several phenolic model compounds for E 2 toward t -butoxy radical ( t -BuO·) by nanosecond time-resolved optical spectroscopy. Compared to other phenols, E 2 is a moderate, but not strong deactivator of oxyradicals. The absolute bimolecular rate constant for H-atom transfer from E 2 to t -BuO· is 1.3 ± 0.3 × 10 9 M −1 s −1 (23°C, benzene). We estimate the O–H bond strength of 17-β-estradiol to be approximately 85 ± 2 kcal/mol and calculate the reaction rate constant of E 2 toward peroxy radical to be 10 5 M −1 s −1 at 37°C. The conjugate phenoxy radical of 17-β-estradiol, E 2 O·, is unusually reactive toward α-tocopherol and ascorbate by H-atom transfer in homogeneous solution (10 8 –10 9 M −1 s −1 ). Our findings suggest that E 2 functions in vivo as a highly localized, synergistic biological antioxidant. This may partly explain the clinical effectiveness of ovarian steroids in delaying the manifestations of Alzheimer's Disease as well as in protecting against cardiovascular pathologies. In the absence of complementary antioxidant synergists, E 2 O· is expected to be a pro-oxidant.
The Difference Infrared Spectra of Titanium-Containing Vitreous Silica

Vitreous silicas containing up to 10% titania are of significant commercial importance because of their low thermal expansions. Instrumental techniques are being developed to determine the structure of the titanium groups in these glasses in order to relate their reduced thermal expansitivities with structural properties. Amosov, Zakharov, and Yudin have investigated both the ESR and optical spectra of titanium-containing quartz glasses. Tobin and Baak have observed the Raman spectra of these glasses and noted several bands that were assigned to the titanium-containing groups. Bobovich has also looked at the Raman spectra of titaniferous silicate glasses containing sodium. Very little investigation has been carried out with the infrared spectra of titania groups in vitreous silica. Tarte has observed the spectra of titanium groups in silicate glasses containing sodium and calcium. Manghani, Ferraro, and Basile have investigated Na2O-TiO2-SiO2 glasses by infrared spectroscopy. A major problem in the infrared investigation of these glasses is that the normal infrared spectra of the bulk silica matrix overshadows the spectra of the added components. This problem can be minimized by the use of a difference infrared (DIR) spectral technique that involves placing extremely thin plates of the titanium-containing vitreous silica and high purity silica in the sample and reference beams, respectively. In this note we will describe our technique for preparation of extremely thin glass plates (down to 8 μ thickness) and discuss the observed DIR bands for titanium-containing vitreous silica.
A rapid assay for the glyoxalase enzyme system.

Abstract A rapid assay method for the glyoxalase enzyme system in crude cellular extracts has been developed. The disappearance of methylglyoxal is spectrophotometrically measured after preparing the methylglyoxal disemicarbazone adduct, which strongly absorbs ultraviolet light at 286 nm. The adduct is formed rapidly and quantitatively at room temperature when a large excess of semicarbazide is mixed with methylglyoxal at neutral pH. The assay has been developed with rat liver homogenates but may be applied to any other biological system.
Detection of interleukin-1 in the cartilage of patients with osteoarthritis: a possible autocrine/paracrine role in pathogenesis

Summary The interleukin-1 (IL-1) cytokines stimulate the synthesis of degradative enzymes in joint tissues and may play a role in the pathological joint destruction in osteoarthritis (OA). In this study, we have used immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis to identify IL-1 in human OA cartilage. IL-1α and IL-1β were evident in chondrocytes at the articular surface, as well as distributed throughout the cartilage. In many specimens, IL-1β but not IL-1α was detected as a diffuse staining of the extracellular matrix especially surrounding superficial zone chondrocytes. Although chondrocyte-associated IL-1α and IL-1β were detected in most specimens, cartilages exhibiting early osteoarthritic changes had the highest intensity of staining and the highest frequency of positive cells. Western blot analysis revealed intense immunoreactive bands corresponding to the 35 kDa precursor form of IL-1α in all four chondrocyte lysates tested. The processed 18 kDa IL-1β species was present in only one of four chondrocyte lysates, and there was no clear evidence of precursor form within these cells. The results of this study indicate increased IL-1α in cartilage showing early degenerative changes, suggesting an autocrine/paracrine role for this cytokine in OA pathogenesis.
Tests of CPT invariance with leptons and baryons

Abstract A summary of experimental tests of CPT invariance is provided. The most precise and most recent tests with leptons are discussed. A measurement underway to provide a first high precision test of CPT with baryons is mentioned.
Recombination of synthetic oligonucleotides with prokaryotic chromosomes: substrate requirements of the Escherichia coli/λRed and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius recombination systems

In order to reveal functional properties of recombination involving short ssDNAs in hyperthermophilic archaea, we evaluated oligonucleotide-mediated transformation (OMT) in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and Escherichia coli as a function of the molecular properties of the ssDNA substrates. Unmodified ssDNAs as short as 20-22 nt yielded recombinants in both organisms, as did longer DNAs forming as few as 2-5 base pairs on one side of the genomic mutation. The two OMT systems showed similar responses to certain end modifications of the oligonucleotides, but E. coli was found to require a 5' phosphate on 5'-limited ssDNA whereas this requirement was not evident in S. acidocaldarius. The ability of both E. coli and S. acidocaldarius to incorporate short, mismatched ssDNAs into their genomes raises questions about the biological significance of this capability, including its phylogenetic distribution among microorganisms and its impact on genome stability. These questions seem particularly relevant for S. acidocaldarius, as this archaeon has natural competence for OMT, encodes no MutSL homologues and thrives under environmental conditions that accelerate DNA decomposition.
Pelvic lymphadenectomy combined with transperineal interstitial implantation of iridium-192 and external beam radiotherapy for locally advanced prostatic carcinoma: technical description

Abstract Regardless of the treatment modality, control of locally advanced extracapsular prostatic cancer remains a therapeutic challenge. At the Mayo Clinic, we have recently developed a combined approach for surgically staged patients employing interstitial irradiation with 192 Iridium via a transperineal template. The Martinez Universal Perineal Interstitial Template (MUPIT-II) and moderate doses of external beam irradiation. The procedure consists of. 1) preoperative single dose external beam irradiation to decrease potential for tumor seeding or showering of malignant cells during MUPIT-II placement; 2) adequate surgical staging through a bilateral retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy; 3) transperineal interstitial implantation of the tumor and retropubic palpation of the needles to verify proper position; 4) intraoperative X rays are taken and used for documentation of needle position as well as for calculation and optimization of the implant dose distribution with the aid of a computerized system; 5) moderate doses of external beam irradiation postoperatively to the prostate with adequate margins. Our favorable preliminary results obtained in 18 patients treated with the above approach warrant the continuation of this trial. Details of this technique are presented.
A Biotin Interference Assay Highlights Two Different Asymmetric Interaction Profiles for λ Integrase Arm-type Binding Sites in Integrative Versus Excisive Recombination *

The site-specific recombinase integrase encoded by bacteriophage λ promotes integration and excision of the viral chromosome into and out of its Escherichia coli host chromosome through a Holliday junction recombination intermediate. This intermediate contains an integrase tetramer bound via its catalytic carboxyl-terminal domains to the four “core-type” sites of the Holliday junction DNA and via its amino-terminal domains to distal “arm-type” sites. The two classes of integrase binding sites are brought into close proximity by an ensemble of accessory proteins that bind and bend the intervening DNA. We have used a biotin interference assay that probes the requirement for major groove protein binding at specified DNA loci in conjunction with DNA protection, gel mobility shift, and genetic experiments to test several predictions of the models derived from the x-ray crystal structures of minimized and symmetrized surrogates of recombination intermediates lacking the accessory proteins and their cognate DNA targets. Our data do not support the predictions of “non-canonical” DNA targets for the N-domain of integrase, and they indicate that the complexes used for x-ray crystallography are more appropriate for modeling excisive rather than integrative recombination intermediates. We suggest that the difference in the asymmetric interaction profiles of the N-domains and arm-type sites in integrative versus excisive recombinogenic complexes reflects the regulation of recombination, whereas the asymmetry of these patterns within each reaction contributes to directionality.
Atmospherics and retail environments: the case of the “power aisle”

Aims to examine the relationship between the merchandising strategies employed in the configuration of a power aisle and consumers’ price perceptions of those products within a warehouse grocery store setting. The results suggest that a power aisle comprising a smaller number of stock‐keeping units (SKUs) and a correspondingly greater quantity of each item will convey a lower price image than will a power aisle comprising a greater number of SKUs and a correspondingly smaller quantity of each item. Evidence that the merchandising policies used in the power aisle of a warehouse grocery store have the ability to affect consumers’ perceptions of those prices, therefore, was observed.
Evaluation of a bromine-76-labeled progestin 16α,17α-dioxolane for breast tumor imaging and radiotherapy: in vivo biodistribution and metabolic stability studies

Introduction Progesterone receptors (PRs) are present in many breast tumors, and their levels are increased by certain endocrine therapies. They can be used as targets for diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy.
A Social Identity Perspective on the Relationship Between Perceived Organizational Support and Organizational Commitment

(2003). A Social Identity Perspective on the Relationship Between Perceived Organizational Support and Organizational Commitment. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 143, No. 6, pp. 789-791.
The Effect of Lecithin Supplementation on Plasma Choline Concentrations During a Marathon

Background: Previous studies have shown that plasma and urinary free choline concentrations decrease significantly during a marathon, and that these decreases may be associated with decreased performance.Objective: In a pilot study, we sought to determine whether lecithin supplementation prior to a marathon would maintain plasma free and urinary choline concentrations and improve performance versus placebo.Methods: 12 accomplished marathon runners, males (7) and females (5), 21 to 50 years of age were randomized to receive lecithin (4 capsules BID; PhosChol 900) or placebo beginning one day prior to the 2000 Houston-Methodist Health Care Marathon. The lecithin supplement provided approximately 1.1 g of choline on a daily basis (2.2 g total). Runners estimated finish time based on recent performance and training. Fasting, pre- and post-marathon plasma and a five-hour urine collection were analyzed for free choline and plasma for phospholipid-bound choline. Pre-race predicted, as well as the actual finish t...