cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of pollen counts: Light versus scanning electron microscopy

Palynologists use compound light microscopy (LM) for pollen identification and interpretation and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphological comparisons and taxonomy. As we are unaware of any published reports comparing LM and SEM pollen counts and identifications of the same sample, we decided to examine a surface soil sample using both microscopes. Standard palynological extraction techniques were used. Two, 300 grain counts were made using LM, and two, 300 counts with SEM. Pollen grains viewed with SEM were also divided into three categories, ‘‘identifiable,’’ ‘‘obscured,’’ and ‘‘virtually impossible to identify’’. Eighty-six (86) percent of the pollen grains counted with SEM were classified as ‘‘identifiable’’ or ‘‘obscured.’’ Pollen concentration values ranged from 385,714 (LM Count #2) to 900,000 (SEM Count #1) per gram of soil. Regardless of the microscope used, Ligustrum spp., Myrtaceae-type, and Tilia spp. had the greatest number of pollen grains. A total of 73 taxa were found. A scan of the unexamined portion of the stubs resulted in 20 additional taxa. There were no significant differences between the counts made with the two microscopes (ANOVA, pw0.05, F50.18, df576). However, there were significantly more taxa found with SEM than with LM (t-test, T50.05). Sample preparation and the time needed to count, analyze, photograph and print the micrographs are the same regardless of the microscope used. The sample, information needed, and funding will determine which technique to use.
A new solution for improving gene delivery

Intense research has focused on methods for overcoming the various barriers to DNA delivery while simultaneously reducing toxicity. Recently, Yuan and colleagues discovered a 'leakage route', whereby viral vectors escaped the injection site and entered the systemic circulation and contributed to the systemic toxicity in cancer gene therapy. They also demonstrated that alginate solution sealed this leak. Although their work focused on intratumoral injection of viral vectors, the findings can be extended to drug delivery in general, particularly DNA delivery.
Di-μ-halo-bis{[tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine-κ4N]nickel(II)} bis(triethylammonium) tetraperchlorate: Magnetostructural studies

[{Ni(TPA)Br}2](ClO4)2·2HNEt3ClO4, where TPA is tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21:c with Z2, a11.531(3) A, , b22.141(3) A, , c 12.511(2) A, and b 107.44(1)°. The structure was determined at ambient temperature from 5519 reflections (2937 observed) with R 0.0426 and Rw 0.0404. The [{Ni(TPA)Br}2] 2 core is centrosymmetric with unsymmetrical bridges (NiBr2.504(1) and 2.662(1) A, ). Each Ni atom is pseudo-octahedral six-coordinate. Triethylammonium perchlorate cocrystallizes with the metal complex. Magnetic susceptibility studies (fit to the Ginsberg model) indicate the Ni centers are ferromagnetically coupled with J:k 10.0(5) cm 1 . The chloro complex ([{Ni(TPA)Cl}2](ClO4)2·2HNEt3ClO4) is also ferromagnetically coupled with J:k 7.6(1) cm 1 . © 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All
Electron transport mechanisms in thin insulating films

Tests have been performed on a number of Ta-Ta2O5-Au diodes of various thicknesses over a range of temperatures to determine the mechanism of current flow. The mechanism proposed for the current flow is field ionization of trap-type states at low temperatures and thermal ionization of these states at high temperatures and thermal ionization of these states at high temperature. High-temperature voltage-current data and low-temperature comparisons between forward and reverse characteristics agree well with the bulk-limited hypothesis and are in striking disagreement with barrier mechanisms. A discontinuity in the oxide properties is noted at a thickness of approximately 500 A. High-temperature measurements at applied voltages less than the difference in the metal work functions yield an Ohmic characteristic with an activation energy of approximately 0.1 eV, consistent with an impurity conduction process but not with a barrier process.
Extended field prostate biopsies: too much of a good thing?

W we initially introduced sextant biopsies in 1989 as an alternative to lesion-directed biopsies,1 many urologists expressed concern over the risks, complications, and patient acceptance of these “numerous” biopsies. More recently, even more biopsies have been recommended, as many as 18 per patient.2–6 Such extended field biopsies include anteriorly directed biopsies designed to sample the transition zone, midline biopsies, and posterolateral sampling, which includes the anterior horn of the peripheral zone. The goal is apparently to take all the clinical judgment out of prostate biopsies. Statisticians will assure us that the more biopsies we perform, the greater will be our chance of sampling tumors. We must decide, however, if the increased chance of tumor detection is worth the additional biopsies in all patients. Since most patients will be diagnosed with sextant biopsies alone, reserving extended field biopsies (or selected components of extended field biopsies) for specific clinical indications seems wiser.
Impact of Race in Lung Cancer* Analysis of Temporal Trends From a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database

Study objectives: We analyzed data from a community-based cancer database over a 26-year period in order to characterize clinicopathologic differences between black and white patients with lung cancer, and to identify relevant temporal trends in incidence and survival. Design, setting, and patients: Data on demographics, stage, histology, and survival were obtained on all black and white patients with primary bronchogenic carcinoma registered in the community-based metropolitan Detroit Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 1973 to 1998. Results: Of 48,318 eligible patients, 23% were black. Lung cancer incidence rates decreased for men of both races from 1985 to 1998, with a greater decline occurring in black men (p < 0.0001). Although incidence rates declined over time for men of both races < 50 years of age, this decrease was greater in white men, resulting in an increase in the racial differential in younger men. Temporal trends in incidence rates were similar for women of both races. The incidence of distant-stage disease was higher among blacks throughout the study period. The incidence of local-stage disease decreased for both races, though this decline was greater in blacks. A significant racial difference in 2-year and 5-year survival rates developed during the study period, due to a distinct lack of improvement in black patients. In a multivariate model, the relative risks of death for black patients, relative to white patients, were 1.24 (p < 0.0001) for local stage, 1.14 (p < 0.0001) for regional stage, and 1.03 (p 5 0.045) for distant stage. Conclusion: Significant racial differences exist in the incidence and survival rates for lung cancer in metropolitan Detroit. Since 1973, several disturbing trends have developed, particularly with regard to the lack of improvement in overall survival in black patients. Further study is required to determine the factors responsible for these temporal trends. (CHEST 2001; 120:55‐ 63)
Developing materials to promote inquiry: Lessons learned

This paper focuses on an early stage of developing curricular materials to sup- port students' learning of scientific inquiry. The materials being developed and tested, called Classroom FeederWatch (CFW), aimed to support science inquiry and were developed by a collaborative team of private curriculum developers and scientists (ornithologists). Inquiry dimensions were influenced at the outset by the newly released National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1996) and by prior successful experiences of ornithologists with inquiry experiences for adults. De- spite hopes that CFW materials would assist middle school students to learn inquiry, evalua- tion findings showed little increase in students' understanding of inquiry or the ability to plan and conduct inquiry. We learned that improvements to inquiry dimensions of the curriculum required aligning activities more closely with practices that reflected the work of scientists in the discipline, integrating learning of content knowledge with learning about inquiry, and adjusting evaluation protocols to more accurately assess inquiry as represented in the Standards. Discussion highlights the influence of the Standards on development of inquiry dimensions of the materials, including the way in which initial application of the Standards to the early version of CFW materials may have restricted the engagement of both students and teachers in conducting science inquiry. C
Global change, biodiversity, and ecosystem services: What can we learn from studies of pollination?

The study of global environmental change and its effect on biodiversity and ecosystem function is at an exciting crossroads, at which ideas developed largely through theory and small-scale experiments are now being tested with ecosystem services as they are delivered to people in real-world landscapes. Pollinators and pollination are emerging as a model system for exploring these questions, which inherently required working large spatio-temporal scales. In this Invited View, I discuss current questions that are at the leading edge of this research. I first point out some surprising knowledge gaps in our understanding of pollinators’ response to global change. I then outline several ways in which current understanding of the biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationship might be transformed by studies conducted at large spatio-temporal scales. Specifically, I propose two hypotheses that relate to the number of species required to saturate ecosystem function, and to the mechanisms through which biodiversity stabilizes ecosystem function over space or time.
Nurses' Responses to Child Abuse A Factorial Survey

According to interactionist theory, recognition and reporting of child abuse will vary by characteristics of the event, characteristics of the observer, and characteristics of the organization in which the process occurs. To test hypotheses derived from this theory, a factorial survey design was employed. A probability sample of nurses ( N = 1,038) responded to vignettes where case characteristic variables were systematically manipulated. Analysis using ordinary least squares regression showed that case characteristics involving type and level of seriousness of abuse, perpetrator status, and perpetrator psychology had the greatest effects on the average recognition and reporting scores. Victim age and gender had consistently significant but small effects on both recognition and reporting. Perpetrator account had mixed effects on recognition and reporting. The addition of nurse characteristics and organizational characteristics accounted for a small additional amount of the variance.
Quasi-frequency-independent combined antenna with dual-circularly polarized capability

A novel antenna composite with greatly extended bandwidth of a baseline 4-arm log-periodic (LP) antenna is introduced. The antenna combines LP, turnstile bowtie, and circular ring into a single configuration. Wide bandwidth and miniaturization factor > 2 are achieved by coupling the currents from the bow-tie (boom) of the LP to a ring, thereby providing an efficient well-matched radiator at frequencies below the cut-off frequency of the LP. A 160 mm diameter antenna is designed and fabricated to demonstrate the proposed concept. Measured VSWR and radiation patterns verify multi-octave dual CP operation and demonstrate a size reduction factor of 2.25.
An estrogen-dependent secretory protein, which shares identity with chitinases, is expressed in a temporally and regionally specific manner in the sheep oviduct at the time of fertilization and embryo development

An estrogen (E2)-dependent 90,000-92,000 M(r) protein is synthesized and released by the sheep oviduct in a temporally and regionally specific manner during the first few days of pregnancy, where it associates with the embryo. The present study was undertaken to further define the nature of this protein and its regulation at a time when fertilization and early embryonic cleavage occur in the oviduct. The complete complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence for the 90,000-92,000 M(r) protein was determined, and steady state messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were measured during early pregnancy (estrus and days 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 16). The composite cDNA possessed an open reading frame of 1633 bases with a single potential N-glycosylation site. The inferred amino acid (aa) sequence predicted a prepolypeptide of 539 aa (69,151 M(r)) and a mature polypeptide of 518 aa (66,477 M(r)). Nucleotide and deduced aa sequence shared identity with translated E2-dependent cow, human, and partially sequenced baboon oviduct protein cDNAs; a human articular cartilage protein, gp 39; and chitinases. Northern blot hybridization revealed a single RNA species (2.2 kilobases) in the fimbria and ampulla, which was not detected in the isthmus or other reproductive and nonreproductive tract tissue RNAs. Steady state levels of mRNA encoding the 90,000-92,000 M(r) were highest in the fimbria and ampulla at estrus and on day 1 of pregnancy, when gamete transport and fertilization occur in the E2-dominated fallopian tube. Oviduct protein mRNA levels declined significantly (P < 0.05) on day 2 and underwent a further significant reduction on day 3 of pregnancy coincident with transport of the embryo from the oviduct to the uterus, a reproductive stage associated with rising progesterone levels. By day 16 of pregnancy, the mRNA encoding the E2-dependent oviduct protein was virtually undetectable. The temporally and regionally specific regulation of gene expression for the 90,000-92,000 M(r) E2-dependent protein correlates with protein synthesis data and emphasizes the precise regulation of its synthesis at a time when fertilization and embryonic cleavage are taking place in the oviduct. Identity with a growing class of steroid-regulated oviduct secretory proteins and chitinase enzymes suggests a possible structural and/or functional relationship, which may be important in mediating these latter reproductive events.
A Single Tyrosine in the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Membrane Protein Cytoplasmic Tail Is Important for Efficient Interaction with Spike Protein

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) encodes 3 major envelope proteins: spike (S), membrane (M), and envelope (E). Previous work identified a dibasic endoplasmic reticulum retrieval signal in the cytoplasmic tail of SARS-CoV S that promotes efficient interaction with SARS-CoV M. The dibasic signal was shown to be important for concentrating S near the virus assembly site rather than for direct interaction with M. Here, we investigated the sequence requirements of the SARS-CoV M protein that are necessary for interaction with SARS-CoV S. The SARS-CoV M tail was shown to be necessary for S localization in the Golgi region when the proteins were exogenously coexpressed in cells. This was specific, since SARS-CoV M did not retain an unrelated glycoprotein in the Golgi. Importantly, we found that an essential tyrosine residue in the SARS-CoV M cytoplasmic tail, Y(195), was important for S-M interaction. When Y(195) was mutated to alanine, M(Y195A) no longer retained S intracellularly at the Golgi. Unlike wild-type M, M(Y195A) did not reduce the amount of SARS-CoV S carbohydrate processing or surface levels when the two proteins were coexpressed. Mutating Y(195) also disrupted SARS-CoV S-M interaction in vitro. These results suggest that Y(195) is necessary for efficient SARS-CoV S-M interaction and, thus, has a significant involvement in assembly of infectious virus.
Mismatched decoding and the multiple access channel

An achievable region is derived for the multiple-access channel under decoding mismatch conditions. It is shown that achievable rates higher than the random coding capacity of the single-user mismatched channel can sometimes be demonstrated by treating the single-user channel as a multiple-access channel. Refining these ideas we derive a lower bound on the capacity of the mismatched single-user channel, which is tighter than previously published bounds. Using this bound, we are able to answer in the negative the question raised by Csiszar and Narayan (see ibid., vol.41, no.1, p.35, 1995) as to whether equality between the mismatch capacity and the matched capacity implies that the random coding lower bound to the mismatch capacity is tight.
Design and Characterization of a Variable-Length Piezocomposite Transducer for Structural Health Monitoring

A modally selective, variable-length anisotropic piezocomposite transducer is designed for guided wave (GW) structural health monitoring applications. The transducer dimensions needed to maximize individual modes are selected based on 3D elasticity models for GW excitation by finite dimensional transducers. This theory is used to determine these transducer dimensions as a function of the wave phase velocity, and normalized by the substrate thickness. The design and fabrication of the transducer are subsequently described, and a set of experimental tests is conducted in pristine isotropic structures to characterize the actuation and sensing performance of the device. It is shown that the transducer dimensions can be tailored to obtain specific symmetric to antisymmetric mode transmission and sensing ratios.
Frenectomy plus free graft

Where an unfavorable frenum is present, the technique of frenectomy plus free graft is perceived as an efficient, predictable procedure to improve the prognosis of a complete or partial denture.
Lack of an absolute requirement for the native aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and AhR nuclear translocator transactivation domains in protein kinase C-mediated modulation of the AhR pathway.

Protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated modulation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway was examined in CHOK1-derived L10.I cells stably transfected with the pGUDLUC6.1 reporter; pGUDLUC6.1 is solely controlled by four dioxin-responsive enhancer elements. Co treatment of L10.I cells with 10 nM 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and 81 nM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), an activator of sn-1,2-diacylglyerol binding PKCs, enhanced transactivation of the reporter construct several-fold relative to cells treated with a saturating 10 nM TCDD dose alone; this effect was dubbed the "PMA effect." A domain swapping and deletional analysis of the native AhR and AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) protein transactivation domains (TADs) was performed to determine if these domains are absolutely required for the AhR x ARNT dimer-mediated PMA effect in the L10.I model system; controls demonstrate the suitability of the L10.I model for these analyses and that endogenous AhR and ARNT levels are extremely low in this model. Transient coexpression of the AhR and ARNT-474-FLAG, an ARNT protein lacking the native ARNT TAD, in L10.I cells reveals the native ARNT TAD is not absolutely required for the AhR x ARNT-474-FLAG dimer to mediate the PMA effect. Transient coexpression of AhRDeltaCVP, a chimeric AhR protein in which the native AhR TAD has been replaced with the VP16 (herpes simplex virus protein 16) TAD (which control experiments demonstrate is unaffected by PMA), and ARNT in L10.I cells indicates that the native AhR TAD is not absolutely required for this AhRDeltaCVP x ARNT dimer to mediate the PMA effect. These observations strongly suggest that PKC-mediated modulation of the AhR pathway is not absolutely dependent on coactivators recruited to the AhR. ARNT dimer by the native TADs of the AhR and its heterodimerization partner ARNT.
Tropical oils: Nutritional and scientific issues

Individually and in combination with other oils, the tropical oils impart into manufactured foods functional properties that appeal to consumers. The use of and/or labeling in the ingredient lists give the impression that these oils are used extensively in commercially processed foods. The estimated daily intake of tropical oils by adult males is slightly more than one fourth of a tablespoon (3.8 g), 75% of which consists of saturated fatty acids. Dietary fats containing saturated fatty acids at the beta-position tend to raise plasma total and LDL-cholesterol, which, of course, contribute to atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Health professionals express concern that consumers who choose foods containing tropical oils unknowingly increase their intake of saturated fatty acids. The saturated fatty acid-rich tropical oils, coconut oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, and palm kernel oil, raise cholesterol levels; studies demonstrating this effect are often confounded by a developing essential fatty acid deficiency. Palm oil, an essential fatty acid-sufficient tropical oil, raises plasma cholesterol only when an excess of cholesterol is presented in the diet. The failure of palm oil to elevate blood cholesterol as predicted by the regression equations developed by Keys et al. and Hegsted et al. might be due to the dominant alpha-position location of its constituent saturated fatty acids. If so, the substitution of interesterified artificial fats for palm oil in food formulations, a recommendation of some health professionals, has the potential of raising cholesterol levels. A second rationale addresses prospective roles minor constituents of palm oil might play in health maintenance. This rationale is founded on the following observations. Dietary palm oil does not raise plasma cholesterol. Single fat studies suggests that oils richer in polyunsaturated fatty acid content tend to decrease thrombus formation. Anomalously, palm oil differs from other of the more saturated fats in tending to decrease thrombus formation. Finally, in studies comparing palm oil with other fats and oils, experimental carcinogenesis is enhanced both by vegetable oils richer in linoleic acid content and by more highly saturated animal fats. The carotenoid constituents of red palm oil are potent dietary anticarcinogens. A second group of antioxidants, the tocotrienols, are present in both palm olein and red palm oil. These vitamin E-active constituents are potent suppressors of cholesterol biosynthesis; emerging data point to their anticarcinogenic and antithrombotic activities. This review does not support claims that foods containing palm oil have no place in a prudent diet.
Altered Mental Status from Olanzapine Overdose Treated with Physostigmine

Background. Olanzapine is commonly prescribed to patients with schizophrenia. One retrospective study demonstrates the efficacy of physostigmine in reversing mental status changes induced by olanzapine. We report two patients with delirium due to confirmed olanzapine overdose treated with physostigmine. One patient's mental status transiently returned to normal. The other patient completely recovered. Case 1. A 25-year-old man ingested 300 mg of olanzapine. On presentation, he was agitated, delirious, tachycardic, had dry skin and mucous membranes, and dilated pupils (6 mm) minimally reactive to light. Physostigmine, 0.5 mg, was given intravenously (IV) without effect. Additional physostigmine doses of 1.5 mg IV administered 5 minutes later and then 1 mg IV resulted in the patient having a clear sensorium and normal mentation. The patient's mental status continued to remain normal for the duration of his hospital stay. Olanzapine was identified in the urine by high performance liquid chromatography. Case ...
First Report of Tyrtaeus rufus Champion and Tyrtaeus dobsoni Hinton (Tenebrionidae: Diaperinae: Anopidiina) from Florida

Abstract Tyrtaeus rufus Champion and Tyrtaeus dobsoni Hinton (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Anopidiina) are reported for the first time from Florida. Diagnoses of both species are presented, with illustrations, distributional and known biological data. Tyrtaeus guadeloupensis Dajoz is synonymized under Tyrtaeus rufus Champion NEW SYNONYMY. Tyrtaeus rufus is redescribed, and reported for the first time from Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia, Venezuela, and the West Indian islands of Grand Cayman and Dominica. New records for Tyrtaeus dobsoni are reported for Luzon, Leyte and Samar of the Philippine Islands, and Majuro Atoll of the Marshall Islands. Tyrtaeus is incorporated into the North American tenebrionid key to genera in American Beetles.
Trans-catheter aortic valve-in-valve implantation in an elderly patient with Evans syndrome.

Abstract We report the first case of trans-catheter aortic valve implantation in a 90-year-old man with a severely stenotic bioprosthetic aortic valve in the context of an autoimmune hemolytic anemia and immune thrombocytopenia (Evans syndrome) using the trans-femoral approach. The patient was supported in the peri-procedural period with high-dose steroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, platelet transfusions, and thrombopoietin receptor agonist (romiplostim). The post-procedural period was unremarkable with no bleeding complications.
Salt Stress Affects the Redox Status of Arabidopsis Root Meristems.

We report the redox status (profiles) for specific populations of cells that comprise the Arabidopsis root tip. For recently germinated, 3-5-day-old seedlings we show that the region of the root tip with the most reduced redox status includes the root cap initials, the quiescent center and the most distal portion of the proximal meristem, and coincides with (overlays) the region of the auxin maximum. As one moves basally, further into the proximal meristem, and depending on the growth conditions, the redox status becomes more oxidized, with a 5-10 mV difference in redox potential between the two borders delimiting the proximal meristem. At the point on the root axis at which cells of the proximal meristem cease division and enter the transition zone, the redox potential levels off and remains more or less unchanged throughout the transition zone. As cells leave the transition zone and enter the zone of elongation the redox potentials become more oxidized. Treating roots with salt (50, 100 and 150 mM NaCl) results in marked changes in root meristem structure and development, and is preceded by changes in the redox profile, which flattens, and initially becomes more oxidized, with pronounced changes in the redox potentials of the root cap, the root cap initials and the quiescent center. Roots exposed to relatively mild levels of salt (< 100 mM) are able to re-establish a normal, pre-salt treatment redox profile 3-6 days after exposure to salt. Coincident with the salt-associated changes in redox profiles are changes in the distribution of auxin transporters (AUX1, PIN1/2), which become more diffuse in their localization. We conclude that salt stress affects root meristem maintenance, in part, through changes in redox and auxin transport.
A Multimodal Real-Time MRI Articulatory Corpus for Speech Research

We present MRI-TIMIT: a large-scale database of synchronized audio and real-time magnetic resonance imaging (rtMRI) data for speech research. The database currently consists of speech data acquired from two male and two female speakers of American English. Subjects’ upper airways were imaged in the midsagittal plane while reading the same 460 sentence corpus used in the MOCHA-TIMIT corpus [1]. Accompanying acoustic recordings were phonemically transcribed using forced alignment. Vocal tract tissue boundaries were automatically identified in each video frame, allowing for dynamic quantification of each speaker’s midsagittal articulation. The database and companion toolset provide a unique resource with which to examine articulatory-acoustic relationships in speech production. Index Terms: speech production, speech corpora, real-time MRI, multi-modal database, large-scale phonetic tools
3'-untranslated sequences mediate post-transcriptional regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase mRNA by 25-hydroxycholesterol.

In an earlier study [Choi, Lundquist and Peffley (1993) Biochem. J. 296, 859-866], we determined that 25-hydroxycholesterol regulates 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase mRNA through a post-transcriptional mechanism that requires protein synthesis. To investigate whether 3′-untranslated sequences play a role in 25-hydroxycholesterol-mediated post-transcriptional control, we ligated approx. 1400 bp of the 3′-untranslated region of HMG-CoA reductase cDNA to the coding region of human beta-globin DNA. beta-Globin-3′-untranslated reductase fusion constructs were then transiently expressed in Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts under conditions known to regulate reductase mRNA. There were no differences in beta-globin RNA levels in transfected cells incubated with or without lovastatin, a competitive inhibitor of reductase. However, in the presence of lovastatin and an oxysterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, beta-globin RNA levels were decreased approx. 2-fold. Inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide blocked the effects of 25-hydroxycholesterol on beta-globin RNA. Moreover, replacing the 3′-untranslated sequences with 1367 bp of the simian virus 40 enhancer region eliminated the regulatory effect of 25-hydroxycholesterol. Because the fusion construct has no sterol regulatory elements necessary for transcription, our results indicate that the change in beta-globin RNA occurred at a post-transcriptional level. In addition, we have shown that the 3′-untranslated region of HMG-CoA reductase cDNA imparted oxysterol-mediated post-transcriptional regulation to beta-globin RNA, an effect that required protein synthesis.
Determination of Thermally and Mechanically Induced Internal Stresses in Metal-Matrix Composites by X-Ray Methods

In this study the progression of thermally and mechanically induced internal strains (stresses) in metal-matrix composites was investigated by X-ray methods. The materials studied were whisker-reinforced 2124 Al-SiC(w) and 6061 Al- SiC(w) composites. X-ray diffractometry was used to measure thermally induced stresses on samples cycled from ambient to 280°C. Significant variations in residual stress values were observed in the matrix depending on the location and direction of the measurements with respect to the whisker orientation. The determined stress states of the as-processed and the thermally cycled samples were evaluated with continuum models. The microstrains in composites induced during processing and tensile loading were also investigated by nondestructive means. Individual grains of the matrix were analyzed by rocking-curve measurements using a modified X-ray doublecrystal diffractometer. The relationship between the plastic deformation induced by applied loads and the progression of the microstrain/excess-dislocation values was determined.
Correlated electron dynamics in quantum-dot sensitized solar cell: Kadanoff-Baym versus Markovian approach

Electron dynamics in quantum-dot sensitized solar cells is studied in the nonequilibrium Green's function approach. To solve Kadanoff-Baym (KB) equations we propose a method based on two-time spectral expansion of nonequilibrium Green's functions. The method is very efficient for stationary photocurrent calculations. The calculated photocurrent is compared with the computations based on the Markovian master equations. It is shown that the Markovian approximation overestimates the photocurrent versus the numerical solutions of the exact KB equations. The discrepancy can reach as much as one order of magnitude and, therefore, the Markovian approximation can overestimate the solar cell efficiency by one order of magnitude.
Comparing Brand Awareness Levels of In-Game Advertising in Sport Video Games Featuring Visual and Verbal Communication Cues

As technology advances, new forms of in-game advertising (IGA) executions continue to be developed. What was once simply a static advertisement has expanded to include verbal mentions of the brands placed within the games. While research has examined brand awareness of IGA, what has yet to be determined is the effectiveness of IGA which features these verbal cues. Therefore, this study examined the brand awareness levels of IGA which featured a visual brand placement (e.g., company logo placed within the game) versus those that have the visual placement accompanied by a verbal mention of the brand name. The results indicate that brand awareness levels were significantly higher for advertisements that contained both the visual and the verbal cues.
Oligomeric carbocation-like species from protonation of chloroalkanes.

The protonation of chloroethane by the strongest known solid superacid, the carborane acid H(CHB11Cl11), has been studied by quantitative IR spectroscopic methods to track mass balance and uncover previously unobserved chemistry. In the first step, an intermediate EtCl·H(CHB11Cl11) species without full proton transfer to EtCl can be observed when d5-deuterated chloroethane is used. It rapidly eliminates HCl (but not DCl) to form ethyl carborane, Et(CHB11Cl11), which binds a second molecule of chloroethane to form the Et2Cl+ chloronium ion. This undergoes a slower, previously unrecognized HCl elimination reaction to form a butyl carborane, Bu(CHB11Cl11), beginning an oligomerization process whereby unsymmetrical dialkylchloronium ions decompose to alkyl carboranes of formula Bu(C2H4)n(CHB11Cl11) up to n = 4. Over time, a parallel competing process of de-oligomerization take place in the presence of free carborane acid that finishes with the formation of hexyl or butyl carboranes. Upon heating to 150 C, the...
On How to Do a Good Job in Advanced Product Quality Planning

Rapid market reaction drives the surge of manufacturing goods as well as problems of part quality(design problems), which are not founded timely in pre-design stage and lead to the increase of cost,such as stopping line,rework,discard. To ensure that parts can constantly meet the needs of customers after mass production and lover the cost caused by correcting flaws,this article discusses how to improve the work of APQP from four stages of project development by studying and summarizing development experience of the past automobile type.
Bioelectric characteristics of exon 10 insertional cystic fibrosis mouse: comparison with humans

Two important issues that can be addressed by animal models are disease pathogenesis and the testing of new treatments, including gene therapy. How closely these models mimic the relevant disorder in humans will determine their usefulness. This study examines how closely the characteristic bioelectric features of cystic fibrosis (CF) are reproduced in the airways and intestinal tract of the exon 10 insertional mutant mouse (cf/cf). In agreement with CF subjects these cf/cf mutant mice demonstrate the following: 1) reduced adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-related chloride secretion throughout the respiratory and intestinal tracts both in vivo and in vitro, 2) calcium-related chloride secretion that is preserved in the airways but reduced in the intestine, and 3) a more negative nasal potential difference and increased amiloride response compared with wild-type animals, likely to relate to increased sodium absorption. In contrast to humans, sodium absorption is not increased in the small intestine and is reduced in the trachea of the cf/cf mice. We conclude that the majority of the salient electrophysiological features of CF required for studies of pathogenesis or testing of new treatments are present in these cf/cf mice.
A biomechanical study of normal functional elbow motion.

We studied thirty-three normal patients, eighteen women and fifteen men, for normal motion and the amount of elbow motion required for fifteen activities of daily living. The amounts of elbow flexion and forearm rotation (pronation and supination) were measured simultaneously by means of an electrogoniometer. Activities of dressing and hygiene require elbow positioning from about 140 degrees of flexion needed to reach the occiput to 15 degrees of flexion required to tie a shoe. Most of these activities are performed with the forearm in zero to 50 degrees of supination. Other activities of daily living (such as eating, using a telephone, or opening a door) are accomplished with arcs of motion of varying magnitudes. Most of the activities of daily living that were studied in this project can be accomplished with 100 degrees of elbow flexion (from 30 to 130 degrees) and 100 degrees of forearm rotation (50 degrees of pronation and 50 degrees of supination). Clinical Relevance: These data, not previously recorded, may be used to provide an objective basis for the determination of disability impairment, to determine the optimum position for elbow splinting or arthrodesis, and to assist in the design of elbow prostheses. The motion needed to perform essential daily activities is obtainable with a successful total elbow arthroplasty.
Peripheral Blood Mitochondrial DNA Damage as a Potential Noninvasive Biomarker of Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose In the development of diabetic retinopathy, retinal mitochondria become dysfunctional, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is damaged. Because retinopathy is a progressive disease, and circulating glucose levels are high in diabetes, our aim was to investigate if peripheral blood mtDNA damage can serve as a potential biomarker of diabetic retinopathy. Methods Peripheral blood mtDNA damage was investigated by extended-length PCR in rats and mice, diabetic for 10 to 12 months (streptozotocin-induced, type 1 model), and in 12- and 40-week-old Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF, type 2). Mitochondrial copy number (in gDNA) and transcription (in cDNA) were quantified by qPCR. Similar parameters were measured in blood from diabetic patients with/without retinopathy. Results Peripheral blood from diabetic rodents had significantly increased mtDNA damage and decreased copy numbers and transcription. Lipoic acid administration in diabetic rats, or Sod2 overexpression or MMP-9 knockdown in mice, the therapies that prevent diabetic retinopathy, also ameliorated blood mtDNA damage and restored copy numbers and transcription. Although blood from 40-week-old ZDF rats had significant mtDNA damage, 12-week-old rats had normal mtDNA. Diabetic patients with retinopathy had increased blood mtDNA damage, and decreased transcription and copy numbers compared with diabetic patients without retinopathy and nondiabetic individuals. Conclusions Type 1 diabetic rodents with oxidative stress modulated by pharmacologic/genetic means, and type 2 animal model and patients with/without diabetic retinopathy, demonstrate a strong relation between peripheral blood mtDNA damage and diabetic retinopathy, and suggest the possibility of use of peripheral blood mtDNA as a noninvasive biomarker of diabetic retinopathy.
The Politics of the Nazi Past in Germany and Austria: Public Debates and Political Change

This chapter develops a framework for analyzing public debates in advanced industrial democracies. Although public deliberation is an essential feature of these states, there are certain periods when a society appears to be involved in a “national discussion” – periods when politicians, the media, intellectuals, and civic activists intensely debate a particular set of issues. Some examples in the United States include the health care debate of the early 1990s, the debate about Iraq in 2002, and, potentially, the unfolding debate over gay marriage. To go back further, one might include battles over civil rights, the Equal Rights Amendment, and the Vietnam War as episodes of public debates over foundational issues in American politics. Public debates about such foundational or easy issues are marked by clashes between basic political orientations and values. Do such public debates matter for political outcomes? Many political scientists argue that they do not. Politics, after all, is all about power and interest; those who possess enough of each determine policy, regardless of what others have to say. Several central paradigms in political science also assume that the interests of political actors are fixed (or exogenous) and do not change markedly through social interaction. In such accounts, public debates and political discourse have, at best, only a marginal influence on political outcomes. This book challenges this view. As scholars working in the deliberative democracy paradigm have suggested, deliberation produces changes that are not reducible to power or interest.
Book Review: Parting Visions: Uses and Meanings of Pre-Death, Psychic, and Spiritual Experiences

Review of the book "Parting Visions: Uses and Meanings of Pre-Death, Psychic, and Spiritual Experiences" written by Melvin Morse with Paul Perry.
Precipitation from mixed solvents—IV1: Copper 8-hydroxyquinolate

Abstract The technique of precipitation from mixed solvents has been applied to the case of copper 8-hydroxyquinolate. Although the time before observing the first visible precipitate was less than 5 min, the final crystals were large, well-formed, and very regular. The method has been shown to be applicable to the analysis of samples containing between 3 and 30 mg of copper, and to result in good separations from calcium, magnesium and lead.
NCAA Football Off-Season Training: Unanswered Prayers… A Prayer Answered

Off-season training in year-round collegiate football is purported to be performance enhancing. Absent principles of exercise physiology, excesses in sport-training regimens pose risk to the participant athletes. Since 2000, 33 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football players have died in sport: 27 nontraumatic deaths and 6 traumatic deaths, a ratio of 4.5 nontraumatic deaths for every traumatic death. On average, 2 NCAA football players die per season. Best practices, consensus guidelines, and precautions are ignored, elevating the risk. However, standards exist that will, if heeded, prevent nontraumatic death in athletes training for sport. Sickle cell trait status knowledge and tailored precautions are preventing deaths from exertional collapse associated with sickle cell trait. Adherence to established principles of exercise physiology and best-practice training standards, which is long overdue, will help to prevent not only deaths from exertional collapse associated with sickle cell t...
Establishing a Women in Engineering Program at an Urban University

As an urban institution, the University of Houston (UH) Cullen College of Engineering faces some unique retention challenges, particularly for female students, compared to many schools. The college’s student body is extremely diverse and is reflective of the Houston community. As of Fall 2005, undergraduate engineering student demographics consisted of 33% Caucasian, 24% Hispanic, 20% Asian, 12% International and 8% African American students. A large number of students are first-generation college students, and many are also the first generation in the ir family born in the United States. Nearly all (94%) UH students commute to campus from the metro-Houston area, and a large number of students transfer to the university from community or junior colleges. Most students work part or fulltime to pay for their education. The department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is the largest engineering department in terms of student enrollment, but contains the smallest percentage of women (currently 16%). Historical enrollment data for this department reveal that approximately 60% of the female students who started a degree in ECE dropped out of engineering entirely, and nearly 65% of the "leavers" did so within the ir first two semesters. This paper reports on how the qualities attributed to our urban student body influence the efforts of a newly-established women in engineering program, called WELCOME (Women in Engineering Learning Community for Maximizing Excellence). In addition, we report the results from the Longitudinal Assessment of Engineering Self-Efficacy created by the Assessing Women in Engineering Project, which was administered to a sample of female engineering students at UH. Background and Context The University of Houston (UH) is an urban university located in the fourthlargest city in the United States. The university’s student body boasts a rich diversity; in fact, UH is the most ethnically diverse research institution in the country (US News and World Report, 2006). As of Fall 2005, 52% of the 1,533 engineering undergraduates at UH reported belonging to an ethnic minority group (24% Hispanic, 20% Asian, and 8% African American students). The remainder of the students classified themselves as Caucasian (33%) or International students (12%), while 3% did not report ethnicity. The UH Cullen College of Engineering (CCE) faces some rather unique recruitment and retention challenges, particularly for female students. To better understand these challenges, one must understand our students. A large number of students are first-generation college students, and many are also the first generation in their family born in the United States. Nearly all (94%) UH students commute to campus from the metro-Houston area, and a large number of students transfer to the university from community or junior colleges.
Benign heart murmurs as a predictor for complications following total joint arthroplasty.

Abstract Background There is scant literature examining the predictive role of heart murmurs in the absence of suspected structural heart disease on complications of non-cardiac surgery. We hypothesize the detection of heart murmurs in the absence of structural heart disease will help identify patients at risk for complications following total joint arthroplasty (TJA) surgery. Method This was a prospective cohort of patients undergoing TJA over a twenty-month period. The study was performed at a single academic institution with four subspecialty surgeons. Patients undergoing primary TJA who were over eighteen years old, gave informed consent, and had adequate documentation were included in the study. Patients with a preoperative murmur or a newly discovered postoperative murmur were compared against patients with no murmur. Surgery-related complications, performance with physical therapy, and discharge to a non-home facility were measured in each group. Findings 345 (63%) eligible patients were included. 20 (5.8%) patients had a documented preoperative murmur and 36 (10.4%) patients had a new postoperative murmur. No patient had concern for major structural heart disease. Preoperative murmurs independently predicted development of acute kidney injury (OR 7.729, p Interpretation Detection of heart murmurs both preoperatively and postoperatively is a low cost strategy to identify post-TJA surgical patients at risk for postoperative acute kidney injury, decreased physical performance, and discharge to non-home facilities. These patients may benefit from early fluid resuscitation and renally-dosed post-operative medications.
The Pharmacology of Intravenous Opioids

This chapter reviews the pharmacology of the intravenously administered opioids in the practice of geriatric anesthesiology. These drugs include morphine, meperidine, hydromorphone, fentanyl, sufentanil, and methadone. It is important that anesthesiologists understand the differences in pharmacology of opioids in elderly patients, in order to choose the appropriate drug and titrate precisely to achieve the desired analgesic effects while minimizing the risks of opioid toxicity. The key points for this chapter are as follows: (1) Elderly patients need about half the dose as younger patients, (2) The primary reason is pharmacodynamics (the elderly brain is more sensitive to opioids), (3) The pharmacokinetic changes with age are modest, (4) Studies in elderly animals show reduced numbers of μ receptors with increased age. That does not explain the reduction in dose, as decreased receptor density should decrease sensitivity to opioids. The enhancement in drug effect seen in the clinic is more likely attributable to changes in cyclonucleotide coupling and other downstream changes that occur in aging, and (5) Mepiridine should be used with caution in elderly patients due to its effects on myocardium, pharmacokinetics related to its metabolites, and its delirogenic properties.