cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drug and Alcohol Consumption and Trade and HIV in the Caribbean: A Re- view of the Literature

This consultancy was granted by the Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC) to assess the state of the literature on possible links between HIV spread and prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse and trade in the region. The methodology was that of a thematic search of existing literature in databases and books or journal publications. Online materials and UN agency reports of relevance were also consulted. Regular meetings were held with CHRC staff to review progress and edit drafts while staff of the university library went beyond the call of duty to support the project. The review of the literature indicates that many of the relevant publications were methodologically and theoretically weak perhaps because they were done by medical researchers who adopted social science methodology rather uncritically. Most of the research findings proved to be controversial, calling for more research in the Caribbean to firmly confirm or refute any hypothesized links between substance abuse or trade and HIV spread. We recommend that intervention experiments be conducted in the region with greater partnership between biomedical researchers and social scientists to test different hypotheses about causal links and therapeutic or preventive possibilities without criminal justice prejudice or stigma in order to help stem the tides of the epidemics in the region.
Alterations in flash evoked potentials (FEPs) in rats produced by 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN).

3,3′-Iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) is a neurotoxicant that produces changes in flash evoked potentials (FEPs) 18 weeks after treatment. We examined dose- and time-related effects of IDPN on FEPs at earlier time points than previously studied (52). Adult male Long-Evans rats were given IDPN (0, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg/day × 3 days, IP) and FEPs were recorded 14 days later. IDPN (400 mg/kg/day) decreased the amplitudes of some of the “early” and “middle” FEP peaks (N30 and N56), and increased the latencies of some early peaks (P21 and P46). A separate group of rats was treated with IDPN (0 or 400 mg/kg/day × 3 days, IP) and FEPs were recorded 1, 3, 7, 14, and 35 days later. The latencies of all portions of FEPs were increased by IDPN, with maximal changes occurring at 7 and/or 14 days. The amplitude of the middle portions of FEPs (peaks N56, P63, N70, P90) were altered as early as day 3, and some changes were observed up to day 14. In contrast, the “late” portion of FEPs (peak N160) was affected at later times (days 14 and 35). Corneal opacities were noted on days 3 and 7, but were largely reversible by day 14. In the time-course study, IDPN decreased colonic temperature on days 1, 3, 7, and 14. The present results suggest that IDPN alters both the early FEP peaks related to the initial afferent sensory volley, and cortical processing associated with the middle and later portions of FEPs.
Compassion can be cruel: Durkheim on sympathy and punishment

Emile Durkheim's perspective on punishment has been examined in considerable detail, but criminologists still neglect one dimension of his perspective: his account of the causal relationship between “sentiments of human sympathy” and the intensity of criminal punishment. Unlike conventional accounts, which propose a negative relationship between these variables, Durkheim argued that there are conditions under which the relationship is positive. According to Durkheim, increments in feelings of compassion for humans in general can heighten public outrage to acts of “human criminality” and, for this reason, can intensify the punitive response to such crimes. In this article, Durkheim's account of this relationship is abstracted from his theory of penal evolution and is revised to improve its plausibility and temper its problematic implications. It is concluded that his account represents another irony of his work which warrants attention, and which may further our understanding of the persistence of both imp...
Skewness of Low-Frequency Fluctuations in the Tropospheric Circulation during the Northern Hemisphere Winter

Abstract Departures of lowpass filtered 500 mb height and sea-level pressure anomalies from a Gaussian distribution have been examined, based on Northern Hemisphere operational analyses for 30 winters. At each gridpoint we evaluated several indices that are measures of the differences between the amplitudes and frequencies of the persistent anomalies with positive and negative polarities, and differences in the temporal variability observed within extended periods of positive and negative anomalies. The spatial patterns for these indices are all quite similar, and they resemble the distribution of the moment coefficient of skewness documented by White. Positive skewness is observed to the north of the stormtrack latitudes and the negative to the south of them. The skewness pattern in the sea-level pressure field is weaker, particularly at high latitudes, and it exhibits a bias toward negative skewness. Anomalies with amplitudes larger than two standard deviations, which occur about 5% of the time, account...
Transient tachycardia; prognostic significance alone and in association with transient hypertension.

The rate of the heart varies widely in normal persons and may be increased temporarily by many different causes. Among them are excitement, exertion, pain, the ingestion of food, the drinking of coffee or tea and the smoking of tobacco. Acceleration is observed also in numerous states of disease, such as thyrotoxicosis, infection, shock and hemorrhage. Transient tachycardia due to emotional disturbance, when the only sign of a disordered cardiovascular system, has not been considered clinically important. No careful analysis of this condition has been found in a survey of the literature. In monographs on diseases of the heart only casual mention is made of it. In the booklet on "Standards of Physical Examination During Mobilization" (MR 1-9), issued by the War Department on Oct. 15, 1942, it is specified that a heart will be considered normal when there is "a pulse rate of 100 or over which is not
The inhibited nervous system: Roles of GABAergic neurons ☆

Abstract The nervous system is considered to be highly restrained, and it is proposed that coherent behavioral sequences are released largely by disinhibition of pacemaker neurons whose activities are under the dual tonic inhibitory control of GABAergic local circuit neurons and projection command neurons. According to this view, disinhibition is permissive and excitatory input to pacemaker neurons has mainly a modulatory role. Disturbances in GABAergic function probably occur in a variety of neurologic and psychologic disorders.
Reduction of thermal stresses in continuous fiber reinforced metal matrix composites with interface layers

The potential of using an interface layer to reduce thermal stresses in the matrix of composites with a mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion of fiber and matrix was investigated. It was found that compliant layers, with properties of readily available materials, do not have the potential to reduce thermal stresses significantly. However, interface layers with high coefficient of thermal expansion can compensate for the mismatch and reduce thermal stresses in the matrix significantly.
Reduced Pyramidal Cell Somal Volume in Auditory Association Cortex of Subjects with Schizophrenia

Subjects with schizophrenia have decreased gray matter volume of auditory association cortex in structural imaging studies, and exhibit deficits in auditory sensory memory processes subserved by this region. In dorsal prefrontal cortex (dPFC), similar in vivo observations of reduced regional volume and working memory deficits in subjects with schizophrenia have been related to reduced somal volume of deep layer 3 pyramidal cells. We hypothesized that deep layer 3 pyramidal cell somal volume would also be reduced in auditory association cortex (BA42) in schizophrenia. We used the nucleator to estimate the somal volume of pyramidal neurons in deep layer 3 of BA42 in 18 subjects with schizophrenia, each of whom was matched to one normal comparison subject for gender, age, and post-mortem interval. For all subject pairs, somal volume of pyramidal neurons in deep layer 3 of dPFC (BA9) had previously been determined. In BA42, somal volume was reduced by 13.1% in schizophrenic subjects (p=0.03). Reductions in somal volume were not associated with the history of antipsychotic use, alcohol dependence, schizoaffective disorder, or death by suicide. The percent change in somal volume within-subject pairs was highly correlated between BA42 and BA9 (r=0.67, p=0.002). Deep layer 3 pyramidal cell somal volume is reduced in BA42 of subjects with schizophrenia. This reduction may contribute to impairment in auditory function. The correlated reductions of somal volume in BA42 and BA9 suggest that a common factor may affect deep layer 3 pyramidal cells in both regions.
Reply to bissig and grompe.

The article, which carefully examines the three available liver humanization models, is derived from my direct experience with two of these models and from a thoughtful review of the literature. Although liver injury in the FRG mouse can be modulated using drug or dietary treatment, the Fah gene deletion is a continuous inducer of liver injury. Hence, ongoing liver injury is indeed an inherent feature of the FRG model, even though a corrective action can be taken to suppress it. The uPA model also has ongoing liver injury due to continuous expression of a transgene, which cannot be modulated. In contrast to the FRG or uPA models, the TK-NOG model requires only a brief (2-day) period of drug treatment to enable human cell engraftment, which is completed prior to human hepatocyte transplantation. These inherent differences could be important for drug toxicity studies using chimeric mice. Toxicology studies are performed over a longer time period and examine a much broader range of outcomes than the current studies involving chimeric mice, which are designed to examine the production of human-specific drug metabolites or very specific endpoints after a relatively brief period of drug treatment. As discussed in the article, the results of drug toxicology studies could be impacted by the exogenous (dietary or drug) treatments that are required to suppress the ongoing liver injury (±tumor development) in the FRG model.
Closure models for turbulent reacting flows with a nonhomogeneous concentration field

Abstract Two closure models, Toor's hypothesis and the 3E closure model, which were originally developed for one-dimensional turbulent reactors, have been extended to turbulent reacting flows with multidimensional nonhomogeneous concentration fields. To test these closure models, a theoretical analysis of a reactive plane mixing layer has been carried out for comparison with available experimental data. Good agreement is obtained for the distribution of mean concentration and the concentration correlation coefficient. However, the result for the distribution of concentration fluctuations is not satisfactory. To overcome this shortcoming, modified versions of Toor's hypothesis and the 3E closure model have been developed which lead to improvements in the predictions of concentration fluctuations.
Moral deliberation and operative rights: a response to mary magada‐ward and cynthia gayman

The aim of this article is to show how intimately connected Beth J. Singer's theory of operative rights is with her understanding of the deliberative process. I thus argue against Cynthia Gayman's effort to set in contrast Singer's theory of rights and Dewey's characteristic emphasis on reflective morality. Since I take the value of Singer's approach to be most evident in its relevance to the abortion debate as an ongoing deliberation, I question whether Mary Magada-Ward sufficiently appreciates the dialogical and deliberative emphases of Singer's stance. My goal, however, is not so much to argue against either Gayman or Magada-Ward as it is to argue for taking Singer's position even more seriously than either author does. In particular, I want to highlight the finely nuanced character of Singer's philosophical intervention in the debate regarding abortion, especially stressing certain features that Gayman and Magada-Ward overlook.
The language of comments in computer software: A sublanguage of English

Abstract A sublanguage is a subset of a natural language such as the English language. Sublanguages tend to emerge gradually through the use of a language in various fields by specialists in those fields. Some such sublanguages are the ‘language of biophysics’ and the ‘language of naval telegraphic transmissions’. This paper explores whether English-language comments in object-oriented software can be considered to be a sublanguage of English, using standard criteria for sublanguage determination. To make this determination, the article looks at the grammatical content of comments, including: sentence-style comments versus non-sentence-style comments, and the use of tense, mood, and voice in sentence-style comments. The telegraphic nature of comments is also examined. Additionally, the subject-matter of comments is analyzed in terms of the purpose of comments in describing the operation of computer software.
Involvement of caspase-3 in epigallocatechin-3-gallate-mediated apoptosis of human chondrosarcoma cells

Abstract Green tea polyphenol—(−)epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)—is a potent chemopreventive agent in many test systems and has been shown to inhibit tumor promotion and induce apoptosis. In this study we describe a novel observation that EGCG displayed strong inhibitory effects on the proliferation and viability of HTB-94 human chondrosarcoma cells in a dose-dependent manner and induced apoptosis. Investigation of the mechanism of EGCG-induced apoptosis revealed that treatment with EGCG resulted in DNA fragmentation, induction of caspase-3/CPP32 activity, and cleavage of the death substrate poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP). Pretreatment of cells with a synthetic pan-caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK) and a caspase-3-specific inhibitor (DEVD-CHO) prevented EGCG-induced PARP cleavage. The induction of apoptosis by EGCG via activation of caspase-3/CPP32-like proteases may provide a mechanistic explanation for its antitumor effects.
Estimating Texas-Mexico North American Free Trade Agreement Truck Volumes

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) truck traffic continues to grow on the international trade highway corridors linking the United States to Mexico. This situation presents planning challenges to accommodate NAFTA truck traffic along these highways and at U.S.-Mexican border ports of entry. Because transportation data are lacking, the numbers of trucks, particularly those carrying NAFTA trade to and from Mexico, are difficult to estimate. Two data sources available for estimating the number of trucks crossing the border are the counts of trucks crossing the bridges and the U.S. international trade data. Two methods of estimation, each using one of these data sets, are developed and described. Two separate truck flows derived from the models are explained and compared using a standardized truck type (equivalent trade truck) to represent truck flows. Interestingly, both methods provide useful outcomes.
Intercellular growth factor signaling and the development of mouse tracheal submucosal glands.

To provide a genetic framework for investigating changes in airway submucosal gland function in human respiratory disease, we have investigated their counterparts in normal and mutant mice. We describe their morphogenesis in relation to the expression of genes encoding conserved intercellular signaling pathways. Submucosal glands are severely reduced in number and size in mice heterozygous for Fgf10. Glands are completely absent in mice lacking Ectodysplasin (Eda) and Edaradd (Eda receptor adaptor protein), members of the tumor necrosis (TNF) superfamily of signaling factors. Furthermore, components of the Eda and closely related pathways are transcribed throughout the respiratory system in the adult mouse. Finally, the temporal and spatial pattern of Bmp4 expression suggests that it may control submucosal gland development and homeostasis. Taken together, our observations have important implications for the better understanding of the submucosal gland remodeling that occurs in human respiratory disease. Developmental Dynamics 233:1378–1385, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On the formation and stability of long-lived impurity-ion snakes in Alcator C-Mod

Long-lived (1, 1) ?snake? modes were discovered nearly three decades ago, but basic questions regarding their formation, stability, and superb particle confinement?shown by surviving tens to hundreds of sawtooth cycles?have remained unanswered. High-resolution spectroscopic imaging diagnostics permit studies of heavy-impurity-ion snakes with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution, making it possible to positively identify the SXR signals with specific ion charge states and to infer, for the first time, the perturbed impurity density, Zeff, and resistivity at the centre of these long-lived helical modes. The results show a new scenario for the formation of heavy-impurity-ion snakes, which can begin as a broad 1/1 kink asymmetry of the central impurity-ion density, that grows and undergoes a seamless transition to a large crescent-shaped helical island-like structure inside q?<?1, with a regularly sawtoothing core. This type of formation departs strongly from the nonlinear island model based on a modified Rutherford equation proposed originally to describe the pellet-induced snakes and expanded further to account for the impurity effects (e.g. and ). These new high-resolution observations show details of their evolution and the accompanying sawtooth oscillations that suggest important differences between the density and temperature dynamics, ruling out a purely pressure-driven process. Instead, many features arise naturally from nonlinear interactions in a 3D MHD model that separately evolves the plasma density and temperature.
Speaking European: Conditionality, Public Attitudes and Pro-European Party Rhetoric in the Western Balkans

Following the 2004 and 2007 eastward expansions of the European Union (EU), scholars are focusing increased attention on the question of EU integration andconditionality in the Western Balkans (Vac...
“Big, big insulin”

Abstract The presence of a new form of immunoreactive insulin, “big, big insulin”, was first detected in the plasma of an insuloma suspect. On Sephadex gel filtration the elution volume of this insulin is approximately that of 125I-γ-globulin. Its sedimentation velocity on ultracentrifugation is between that of labeled albumin and labeled γ-globulin. Thus, it appears to have a molecular weight of about 100,000. Studies with starch gel and starch block electrophoresis reveal that it is a more basic protein than porcine or crystalline human insulin. It is immunochemically identical with crystalline human insulin, maintains its identity on refractionation on Sephadex gel filtration and is rapidly transformed by trypsin to an insulin-like component. “Big, big insulin” is a minor component (
High-performance liquid chromatography for the assessment of glucoamylase, immobilized on metallic membranes

Abstract High-performance size-exclusion chromatography was used to quantitate the amount of glucoamylase (GA) immobilized on various membrane materials. The amount of GA immobilized ranged from 0.39 to 1.90 g/ft 2 of membrane. A Dextro-Pak C 18 plastic cartridge in a radial compression module was used to evaluate the reaction products of the immobilized GA, using 1.0% dextrin as a substrate. The low-molecular-weight oligo-saccharides (degree of polymerization 1–10) in 24.0 and 1.0% dextrin and in the membrane permeates were identified and quantitated in 25 min. High-performance liquid chromatography analyses were demonstrated to be easier and more sensitive than conventional protein assays and colorimetric sugar analyses.
Generating Power From Ocean Waves Using a Float With Excessive Buoyancy: Theory and Dynamic Model Results

We are exploring a new approach to ocean energy extraction through a device that we refer to as the NAF (an acronym for Non-Archimedean Float). The NAF is a fully submerged body with excess buoyancy; i.e., the mass of the body is far less than the mass of the water it displaces. When such a float is tethered beneath the ocean surface the buoyancy yields a large force vector in the direction perpendicular to the isobaric surfaces that parallel the water/air interface. The constant shifting of the wave troughs provides the opportunity for energy extraction using turbines affixed to the float. We are exploring the NAF concept because its simplicity results in many inherent benefits. The device has few moving parts, gathers energy from waves coming in any direction, and exists as a non-obtrusive, completely submerged installation. A numerical model of the NAF has been created to determine the dynamic behavior and power output for various configurations and under various wave conditions. The numerical model is set up to calculate the various forces experienced by the NAF float, and from these it calculates the velocity and position of the float through time series steps. The model effectively demonstrates which variables are important and how power output relates to NAF dimensions. One early finding from the model result relates to tuning the natural frequency of the NAF to match the natural frequency of the waves. The NAF moves like an inverted pendulum, and its natural frequency is primarily dependent on the length of the pendulum. Regardless of the actual float buoyancy, the 6 to 12 second periods that typify average wave conditions dictate that the NAF tether should be between 30-m and 60-m long. Also, a scale version of this novel energy device consisting of a float tethered beneath the ocean surface was deployed off the coast of southern California. The deployment yielded rich data sequences that are sufficient for comparison with a dynamic numerical model.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Ternary gas separation using two different membranes

Abstract Ternary gas mixture separation can be achieved using two different membranes inversely selective to two different fast components of the feed. The separation can be carried out using a single module two-membrane permeator, or using two single-membrane permeators in series. Depending on the sequence of the membranes, there can be two series schemes. Experimental and theoretical investigations were carried out on the separation behavior of these three possible configurations using cellulose acetate hollow fibers and silicone rubber capillaries for He-CO2-N2 mixtures. The effects of operating conditions and system parameters have been studied. Important performance features have been analyzed and highlighted, and behavioral patterns have been identified. Unusual separation performances, observed sometimes for series schemes, have been explained satisfactorily. This analysis is expected to facilitate understanding of various ternary gas separation schemes using membranes, and selecting the optimum one.
Sol–gel-derived thin-film stacks with high radiation stability

Abstract Crack-free thin-film stacks of silica and titania layers were prepared by a sol–gel dip-coating process involving flash-heating and shock-cooling steps. The final Bragg stacks were thermally annealed at different temperatures and their properties were investigated. While annealing increased the intra-layer properties (layer densification, increased crystallinity), it weakened inter-layer strength, leading to cracking and delamination under high-power laser irradiation. In contrast, stacks that were flash-heated only showed excellent radiation stability.
WHAT I BELIEVE: DOING ARCHAEOLOGY AS A FEMINIST

I propose that a feminist approach will enrich archaeology in the Southeast and Midsouth. Feminist archaeology starts by taking the lives of women seriously in thinking about past human societies. This standpoint has implications for all topics of interest for Southeastern archaeologists: subsistence patterns, craft production, exchange, development of political systems, warfare, ritual, and so forth. Feminist archaeologists are also self-reflexive about and alert to conditions of work in the profession of archaeology. They pay attention to the importance of the intersection of gender, age, status, and other aspects of personal identity and to the need to accept ambiguity in interpretation. I review how a feminist archaeology might be applied to the archaeology of the South and what risks a feminist archaeology might raise.
New approach for forming bulk-heterojunction solar cells comprising a π-conjugated polymer and C60

Abstract A new approach for high-efficiency polymer solar cells utilizing a BHJ active layer consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as a donor and buckminsterfullerene, C60 as an acceptor was demonstrated. P3HT/C60 BHJ films were made possible by in situ formation of C60 from solubilized addends, C60–CpCO2R (R = Hex, Oct, and EHex) by retro Diels–Alder reaction at, or above, 100 °C. These cells exhibit enhanced performances compared to as-prepared P3HT/C60 BHJ films, showing better morphology.
Efficacy of left thoracoscopy and blunt mediastinal dissection during the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum.

Abstract Background/Purpose The minimally invasive Nuss procedure is emerging as the preferred technique for repair of pectus excavatum. Original methods of pectus bar placement have been modified to improve safety and efficacy and avoid cardiothoracic complications. The currently reported modifications to facilitate retrosternal pectus bar placement include routine use of right thoracoscopy or a subxiphoid incision. The purpose of this article is to describe additional modifications of the Nuss procedure to improve safety and efficacy. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 51 patients who have had a thoracoscopic-assisted Nuss procedure at The Children's Hospital, Denver, Colo, between 1999 and 2002. Technical modifications included patient positioning, routine use of left thoracoscopy, and an Endo-kittner. Results Fifty-one patients have successfully undergone the Nuss procedure using the new modifications. Surgical time ranged from 45 to 120 minutes. There have been no intraoperative or postoperative bleeding complications. There have been 2 large pneumothoraces requiring needle thoracenteses in the operating room before extubation. No chest tubes were required postoperatively. Subjectively, all patients have been satisfied with their surgical correction. Average length of hospital stay was 4 to 6 days. Conclusions By using left chest thoracoscopy and Endo-kittner dissectors, the risk of cardiothoracic injury can be eliminated. Moreover, other methods to ensure safe substernal dissection are unnecessary.
Phenyl-terminated fatty acids in seeds of various aroids

Abstract A series of homologous ω-phenylalkanoic acids and ω-phenylalkenoic acids were isolated from seed lipids of various genera of the subfamily Aroideae of Araceae (the Jack-in-the-Pulpit family) and characterized. Besides the major acids, 11-phenylundecanoic acid, 13-phenyltridecanoic acid and 15-phenylpentadecanoic acid, all other homologous odd carbon number ω-phenylalkanoic acids from C 7 to C 23 were detected in trace amounts. Additionally, one even carbon number acid, 12-phenyldodecanoic acid was found in several specimens in trace amounts. Similarly, two series of homologous odd carbon number monounsaturated ω-phenylalkenoic acids were found and characterized using dimethyl disulfide derivatization to locate the positions of their double bonds. In five acids from C 11 to C 19 , the double bond is located at the same distance, Δ 7 , from the phenyl ring. In the other two acids of C 13 and C 15 chain length, the double bond is located at Δ 5 from the phenyl ring.
Approximate wave function from approximate non-representable Wigner distributions

We have recently derived a phase space approximation for wave propagation, and we have shown that this approximation is accurate especially compared to the stationary phase approximation. The method gives an approximate Wigner distribution, which raises the question, is the approximate Wigner distribution representable? If it is, then we can invert it to obtain the corresponding wave function. If it is not, can we obtain an approximate wave function from it, and how good is the approximation? Although the answer to the first question is no, we show that from the Wigner approximation one can recover the exact spatial spectrum magnitude and derivative of the phase. We also consider other methods for obtaining approximate wave functions from the Wigner approximation.
Multiple pathways of inhibition shape bipolar cell responses in the retina.

Bipolar cells (BCs) are critical relay neurons in the retina that are organized into parallel signaling pathways. The three main signaling pathways in the mammalian retina are the rod, ON cone, and OFF cone BCs. Rod BCs mediate incrementing dim light signals from rods, and ON cone and OFF cone BCs mediate incrementing and decrementing brighter light signals from cones, respectively. The outputs of BCs are shaped by inhibitory inputs from GABAergic and glycinergic amacrine cells in the inner plexiform layer, mediated by three distinct types of inhibitory receptors: GABAA, GABAC, and glycine receptors. The three main BC pathways receive distinct forms of inhibition from these three receptors that shape their light-evoked inhibitory signals. Rod BC inhibition is dominated by slow GABAC receptor inhibition, while OFF cone BCs are dominated by glycinergic inhibition. The inhibitory inputs to BCs are also shaped by serial inhibitory connections between GABAergic amacrine cells that limit the spatial profile of BC inhibition. We discuss our recent studies on how inhibitory inputs to BCs are shaped by receptor expression, receptor properties, and neurotransmitter release properties and how these affect the output of BCs.
“Reverse chromophore” of actinomycin d. Synthesis of 2‐substituted 7‐amino‐8H‐8‐oxo‐oxazolo[4,5‐b] phenoxazine ring system

The synthesis and physico-chemical properties of a new 7-amino-8H-8-oxo-oxazolo[4,5-b]-phenoxazine ring system (8a and 8b) are reported. These tetracyclic heteroaromatic rings posses an extra oxazolo ring fused to the phenoxazinone chromophore observed in actinomycin D (1b). These tetracyclic compounds (8a-8b) possess a structure in which the orientation of the A and B rings in 1b are “reversed”. Since DNA binding and the resulting specificity of the antitumor antibiotic 1b is believed to depend on the spatial orientation of P(α) and P(β) relative to the functions on the B ring of 1b, these new compounds represent a novel approach for investigating AMD-DNA interactions.
A thermodynamic property formulation for air. I. Single-phase equation of state from 60 to 873 K at pressures to 70 MPa

A revised interim formulation for the thermodynamic properties of air has been developed for calculating properties of the vapor and estimating properties for the liquid at temperatures as low as 60 K. The formulation incorporates separate equations for the calculation of bubble-point and dew-point pressures and densities and for the ideal-gas heat capacity. A new fundamental equation of state is given for vapor and liquid states of air based upon available experimental data and predicted values of isochoric heat capacity for the liquid using corresponding states methods. Procedures for predicting Cv are discussed. The fundamental equation for air is explicit in nondimensional Helmholtz energy. The terms of the fundamental equation were selected from a larger set of 75 proposed terms using a least-squares fitting procedure. Representative graphical comparisons of calculated property values to experimental measurements are given. The estimated accuracy of calculated densities is generally ± 0.2% except near the dew and bubble lines. Calculated heat capacities for the liquid must be considered only as estimates until substantiated by experimental measurements.
Meson-exchange currents including energy transfer effects

Abstract The standard formalism of meson-exchange currents is extended to incorporate energy transfer effects. It is possible to make such an extension, in a chirally invariant way, for several exchange currents including those involving an intermediate isobar. It is found that the “extended” currents still satisfy conservation of the polar vector current (CVC) and partial conservation of the axial vector current (PCAC) where appropriate. The hypothesis of axial locality is found to be valid for the currents considered. Deuteron photodisintegration at intermediate energies is then used to illustrate the numerical importance of the energy transfer effects. A brief survey is carried out for other reactions where the inclusion of energy transfer effects in the evaluation of selected meson-exchange currents is believed important.
Adsorption of Pluronic block copolymers on silica nanoparticles

Polymers on the surface of nanoparticles are of great scientific and technological importance since they dictate many important properties and functions of dispersed systems. We investigate here the organization of a representative poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO–PPO–PEO) block copolymer on silica nanoparticles dispersed in water. Pluronic P105 (EO36PO56EO36) adsorbs on protonated silica and starts forming hydrophobic domains above a certain bulk polymer concentration, called critical surface micelle concentration (csmc), which is lower than the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of Pluronic P105 in plain water. The csmc decreases with increasing particle concentration and decreasing particle size. Below its csmc, the PEO–PPO–PEO block copolymer adsorption on protonated silica nanoparticles is similar to the adsorption of PEO homopolymers. Above the csmc, the block copolymers form micelle-like aggregates on protonated silica nanoparticles, as suggested by the adsorbed layer thickness, adsorbed polymer amount, and presence of hydrophobic domains.
Paralytic conditions in childhood

Abstract This contribution focuses on the basic features and management of cerebral palsy, spina bifida and poliomyelitis.
Sitagliptin lowers glucagon and improves glucose tolerance in prediabetic obese SHROB rats

The SHROB (spontaneously hypertensive rat – obese strain) is a model of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome with insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and hypertension. Inhibitors of dipeptidyl dipeptidase IV (DPP-IV) are effective hypoglycemic agents in type 2 diabetes through potentiation of incretin hormones that act in the pancreas to increase insulin and decrease glucagon release. We sought to determine whether the DPP-IV inhibitor sitagliptin might be effective in prediabetes relative to standard therapy with the sulfonylurea glyburide, by using the SHROB model. SHROB show normal fasting glucose but are insulin resistant and hyperglucagonemic. SHROB were treated for six weeks with vehicle, sitagliptin (30 mg/kg/d) or glyburide (1 mg/kg/d) and compared with untreated lean spontaneously hypertensive rats. Body weight, food intake and fasting glucose were all unchanged in all three SHROB groups, but glucagon was reduced by 33% by sitagliptin while remaining unchanged following glyburide or vehicle. In...
An algorithm for an intelligent Arabic computer terminal

Abstract A novel method of eliminating unnecessary keys at the Arabic terminal is suggested. Intelligence is provided for the terminal in such a way that the shape of a letter inputted by the operator is determined by the terminal rather than by the operator, as is customary now. By using the algorithm developed, it is possible to reduce the number of the keys on the terminal by 18%, and at the same time, increasing the number of symbols used by 72%. The suggested method will increase the keying speed by as much as 100% since a major part of deciding the shape of the letter is shifted from the operator's work to the intelligence within the terminal. This method is applicable to all Arabic text inputting machines from ordinary Arabic electric typewriters, word processors, lithographs, etc. Also, the method can be applied to other terminals of the same language family such as Persian, Urdu, Pashto, etc.
Teachers׳ curricular choices when teaching histories of oppressed people: Capturing the U.S. Civil Rights Movement

Abstract This paper investigates what choices teachers made and what rationales they offered related to the inclusion and exclusion of primary source photographs for a hypothetical unit about the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in order to better understand teachers׳ curricular decision-making as it relates to representing the histories of oppressed people. Elementary and secondary social studies/history teachers from three different in-service and pre-service cohorts ( n =62) selected and discarded images from a bank of 25 famous and lesser-known photographs. Their decisions and explanations were coded for emergent themes. Findings reveal that these teachers tended to be guided by criteria both technical (how they might teach using a particular photograph) and philosophical (why they might teach about a particular photograph), with narrow definitions of what they deemed relevant and appropriate for their students. Their choices constructed a sanitized narrative of the Civil Rights Movement that largely avoided a discussion of racism.
Immobilized Lactate Dehydrogenases

We have covalently attached pure chicken H4 and M4 lactate dehydrogenase to porous glass beads by a variety of chemical methods. The attachment of these isoenzymes by the glutaraldehyde and diazo linkages generates immobilized enzymes that are stable for months, show decreased substrate (pyruvate) inhibition and exhibit a pH-rate profile independent of pH. These insolubilized catalysts exhibit apparent Km values similar to those of the native enzymes. A comparison of the glutaraldehyde- and aryl glass-bound isoenzymes indicates that the former linkage allows for greater stability toward pH and heat denaturation and is also more resistant to attack by proteolytic enzymes. There is also evidence that in the presence of 5.3 M lithium chloride no subunits are dissociated from the glass-bound enzymes. Upon renaturation, the glutaraldehyde-glass-bound enzyme affords an almost quantitative recovery of activity, while the native and aryl-glass-bound enzymes give approximately thirty per cent recovery. The degree of antibody inhibition exhibited by the immobilized enzymes was also examined.
Aerodynamic roughness as a function of wind direction over asymmetric surface elements

Wind speed and temperature profiles to a height of 8 m were recorded for 30-, 60-, and 90-min averaging times over a striated snow surface at the geographic South Pole during the austral winter of 1975. A gradient Richardson number was calculated for each averaging time to determine conditions of neutral stability under which the logarithmic wind law would hold. A log-linear regression technique was used to determine values of aerodynamic roughness height (Z0) for those profile averages recorded in conditions of neutral stability. A plot of Z0 as a function of average wind direction revealed a variation in Z0 of almost three orders of magnitude, from 0.01 to 7 cm, over 120 deg of wind direction. A simple model is presented to justify the fact that aerodynamic roughness is a function of wind direction and erosion history.
Hypertension in Hispanic Americans.

BACKGROUND People of Hispanic origin constitute a fast-growing segment of the US population. OBJECTIVE To review the incidence and prevalence of hypertension in Hispanic Americans. SUMMARY Some 22.4 million Hispanics live in the United States, but they are not a homogeneous group: Puerto Ricans appear to have a worse health status than Mexicans and Cubans, but different studies have yielded conflicting results. Only approximately half of hypertensive Hispanic Americans know that they have high blood pressure, and only approximately one fourth of these have their blood pressure under control. The prevalence of hypertension among Hispanic Americans falls between that of blacks and non-Hispanic whites, but appears to increase with the process of acculturation. In addition, the prevalence of hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors increases with decreasing socioeconomic status. Although cardiovascular mortality is declining in the US population at large, it is declining more slowly for Hispanics than it is for blacks and non-Hispanic whites. CONCLUSIONS Hypertension is a major health threat in the Hispanic community. Barriers to care posed by poverty, language, and lack of education increase the risk of less-than-adequate diagnosis and treatment.
The Window of Ritual: Seeing the Intentions and Emotions of ‘Doing’ Gender

My goal in this paper is to revisit interaction ritual theory as a theoretical underpinning of West and Zimmerman’s ‘doing’ gender paradigm in order to develop a more nuanced understanding of what is taking place inside the interactions of men and women as they ‘do’ gender. Recent work in ritual theory, specifically the work of Bell (Ritual theory, ritual practice, 1992) and Collins (Interaction ritual chains, 2004) expands the role of the individual in the ritual process by conceptualizing ritual as a form of ‘practice’ that can be mobilized in the pursuit of emotional energy. Through the narratives of 24 married couples, I explore how domestic labor functions as an interaction ritual that is driven by ‘emotional energy’. This emotional energy shapes the localized intentions of men and women as they ‘do’ gender thus transforming gender into something that we ‘use’ as well as ‘do’. These emotions and intentions can be seen most clearly through a new ‘window’ of ritual.
The pathophysiologic profile of congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) evolves either from an excessive workload or in response to loss of myocardium, both of which cause cardiac hypertrophy, increased cardiac pressure, and loss of functional reserve. Nearly 60% of patients in heart failure present with ischemic cardiomyopathy, which in its chronic form exhibits biventricular dilatation, elevated left ventricular mass, and extensive large-vessel atherosclerosis. The hypertrophy is proportional to the loss of myocardium, although animal studies suggest this varies with the infarct size. However, recent studies indicate that early afterload reduction may relieve the hypertrophic stimulus and prevent degeneration. Some 30% to 40% of patients in heart failure present with an idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, with a patchy but diffuse loss of tissue on microscopy, reactive hypertrophy in the surviving cells, and interstitial fibrosis and replacement scarring. The ultrastructural changes still await clarification. The role of pharmacologic intervention still remains unclear. However, any reduction in mortality will necessitate the identification of those cellular changes that inevitably lead to secondary degeneration of the remaining viable myocardium.
Kinetic studies of upgrading pine pyrolytic oil by hydrotreatment

Pyrolytic oil, produced by the Tech-Air Corporation from Southern Pine sawdust and bark, was hydrotreated in a trickle bed reactor system. Changes in product composition as a function of reaction temperature, hydrogen pressure, space velocity and catalyst type were determined quantitatively by size exclusion chromatography - gas chromatography (SEC-GC) analyses and elemental analyses. The catalysts used in the reactions were Pt/Al2O3/SiO3, and sulfided CoMo/γ-Al2O3, Ni-W/γ-Al2O3 and Ni-Mo/γ-Al2O3. The reaction temperatures ranged from 623 K to 673 K, and the reaction pressures varied from 5,272 kPa (750 psig) to 10,433 kPa (1,500 psig). Weighthourly space velocity was changed from 0.5 to 3.0 h−1. Two models, one for overall oxygen removal and the other for the compositional changes in hydrotreated oil, were developed. Oxygen removal was not a function of space velocity and was modeled by an empirical function of temperature and pressure. A pseudo first order reaction network was used to relate the kinetics of a five “lump” model.
Advances in the diagnosis of subepidermal bullous diseases.

In THIS issue of theArchives, two articles 1,2 appear that further our understanding of several acquired and inherited subepidermal bullous diseases. Both investigations are based on the application of immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy and the utilization of techniques and reagents that are the outgrowths of basic research in several fields. The fluorescence overlay antigen-mapping (FOAM) technique used by De Jong et al 1 represents a technical advance that increases the sensitivity and resolution capability of conventional IF microscopy. These investigators have applied this technique to distinguish patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP) from those with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA). While routine direct IF microscopy has been used to facilitate the diagnosis of sub-epidermal bullous diseases for many years, limitations in their differentiation are commonly encountered. This occurs because findings in the skin of patients with BP, EBA, cicatricial pemphigoid, and rare cases of systemic lupus erythematosus are sometimes identical— specifically, linear
Interferons: mechanisms of action and clinical applications.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Interferons are pleiotropic cytokines that exhibit important biologic activities, including antiviral, antitumor, and immunomodulatory effects. These cytokines have found important applications in clinical medicine, including the treatment of certain malignancies. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on basic and clinical research in the interferon field. RECENT FINDINGS Significant advances have recently occurred in the field of type I interferon signal transduction. It is well known that the interferons transduce signals via activation of multiple signaling cascades, involving Jak kinases, signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins, Map kinases, and IRS and Crk proteins. Recent evidence indicates that the p38 Map kinase pathway plays an important role in type I interferon signaling in malignant cells and that its function is required for type I interferon-dependent gene transcription and generation of the antiproliferative of type I interferons. In clinical oncology, interferon-alpha remains an active and useful agent in the treatment of several malignant disorders, and efforts are underway to improve its efficacy by using different schedules and combinations with other agents. SUMMARY This review summarizes the mechanisms of signal transduction of interferons and the emerging new concepts in this area. An update on the clinical applications of interferons in oncology is also provided, and potential translational applications, reflecting recent advances in the field, are discussed.
Analysis of nitrogen saturation potential in Rocky Mountain tundra and forest: implications for aquatic systems

We employed grass and forest versions of the CENTURY model under a range of N deposition values (0.02–1.60 g N m−2 y−1) to explore the possibility that high observed lake and stream N was due to terrestrial N saturation of alpine tundra and subalpine forest in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Model results suggest that N is limiting to subalpine forest productivity, but that excess leachate from alpine tundra is sufficient to account for the current observed stream N. Tundra leachate, combined with N leached from exposed rock surfaces, produce high N loads in aquatic ecosystems above treeline in the Colorado Front Range. A combination of terrestrial leaching, large N inputs from snowmelt, high watershed gradients, rapid hydrologic flushing and lake turnover times, and possibly other nutrient limitations of aquatic organisms constrain high elevation lakes and streams from assimilating even small increases in atmospheric N. CENTURY model simulations further suggest that, while increased N deposition will worsen the situation, nitrogen saturation is an ongoing phenomenon.