cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical value of serum bile acid levels in chronic hepatitis.

A prospective study was undertaken to determine if individual serum bile acid (SBA) levels are clinically useful in differentiating patients with asymptomatic chronic active hepatitis (CAH) from patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH). Fasting and postprandial SBA levels were obtained from 16 patients with CAH, 12 with CPH, and 18 control subjects. Levels of cholylglycine (CG) and total cholic acid conjugates (CCA) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were also obtained from each subject. There were no significant differences in the mean fasting and 3-hr postprandial CG or CCA levels between the CPH group and the control subjects. The mean fasting and 3-hr CG and CCA levels were significantly higher for the CAH group than the CPH group (P<0.05 for each comparison). A combination of the 3-hr postprandial CG and CCA levels with the ALT levels resulted in a better separation of the two groups. All patients with CAH had either a 3-hr CCA level of 200 μg/dl, a 3-hr CG level of 170 μg/dl, or an ALT level of 120 IU/liter. Using these values, only three patients with CPH were misclassified as having CAH, and no control subject reached any of these levels. Although the differences obtained were statistically significant, the separation based on a combination of CG, CCA, or ALT levels may have been fortuitous. Nevertheless, these data suggest that postprandial serum bile acid levels may have clinical utility in identifying patients with asymptomatic chronic hepatitis who are likely to have CAH.
Production of aroma compounds from strawberry cell suspension cultures by addition of precursors

The potential of using short-chain fatty acids and α-keto-acid as precursors for the production of typical fruit-type aroma compounds by strawberry cell suspension cultures was investigated. Analysis of the headspace by gas chromatography revealed that supplemented strawberry cell suspension cultures were capable of producing low concentrations of ethyl butyrate and butyl butyrate, and converting α-ketovalerate to butanal and butanol. No aroma compounds were produced in unsupplemented or heat-treated cell suspension cultures. The results indicated that esterase, decarboxylase, and alcohol dehydrogenase might exist in strawberry cell cultures. Increasing temperature, illumination and addition of mannitol favoured the production of butyl butyrate. No difference was found between one- and two-week-old cultures in the ability to convert precursors to corresponding aroma compounds.
Intact vitronectin induces matrix metalloproteinase-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 expression and enhanced cellular invasion by melanoma cells.

The initial site of melanoma cell metastasis is frequently the regional lymph nodes, and the appearance of lymph node metastasis correlates with poor prognosis. Lymph node adhesion is mediated by an interaction between the tumor cell integrin αvβ3 and lymph node vitronectin. In this study, we explored the relationship between adhesion and proteolysis by examining the direct effect of vitronectin receptor ligation on matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) production by B16F1 and B16F10 melanoma cells. We report a dose-dependent increase in secretion of both MMP-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) in response to vitronectin. Cellular invasiveness was also enhanced by vitronectin, as shown by the increased ability of vitronectin-treated cells to invade a synthetic basement membrane (Matrigel). Both the vitronectin-induced MMP-2 production and vitronectin-enhanced invasion were blocked by the peptide ligand Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS). Furthermore, neither plasmin-degraded vitronectin nor the peptide ligand RGDS stimulated MMP-2 secretion or invasiveness, indicating that a multivalent ligand-receptor interaction rather than simple receptor occupancy was required for MMP-2 induction. MMP-2 and MMP-2/TIMP-2 interaction with the plasma membrane of melanoma cells resulted in enhanced catalytic activity against 14C-labeled gelatin, suggesting that membrane association may function in posttranslational regulation of MMP-2 activity. This is supported by data showing increased cellular invasion by cells containing membrane-bound MMP-2. Binding of proMMP-2 and proMMP-2/TIMP-2 to melanoma cells was not inhibited by RGDS, and melanoma cell adhesion to vitronectin was unaffected by pro- or active MMP-2, indicating that MMP-2 did not interact with the murine vitronectin receptor. Together, these data provide evidence for a functional link between adhesion and proteolysis and suggest a potential mechanism whereby adhesion of an invasive cell to the extracellular matrix regulates subsequent invasive behavior.
A Probabilistic Comparison of Split and Type 1 Triangle Cuts for Two-Row Mixed-Integer Programs

We provide a probabilistic comparison of split and type 1 triangle cuts for mixed-integer programs with two rows and two integer variables in terms of cut coefficients and volume cutoff. Under a specific probabilistic model of the problem parameters, we show that for the above measure, the probability that a split cut is better than a type 1 triangle cut is higher than the probability that a type 1 triangle cut is better than a split cut.
Alumina surfaces and interfaces under non-ultrahigh vacuum conditions

Abstract This paper is a review of studies of the structures and reactivities of ordered alumina surfaces under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV; 1 Torr), and intermediate (10−7–10−1 Torr) pressure conditions. Most ordered alumina films—including α - Al2O3(0001) and transitional phase thin films grown on single-crystal substrates, are Al-terminated, but do not dissociate H2O or many other small molecules (e.g., CH3OH, NH3) at room temperature under UHV conditions. Under ambient conditions, the α - Al2O3(0001) surface becomes OH-terminated, with an overlayer of physisorbed molecular H2O stabilized by hydrogen bonding interactions with the OH substrate layer. The reactivity under ambient conditions is consistent with theoretical predictions of cooperative dissociation pathways for H2O on this surface with low activation barriers, and is also consistent with desorption studies indicating that high fractional surface coverages of H2O ( θ H 2 O ∼ 1 ) should only be observed at pressures of ∼1 Torr or higher. Surprisingly, cooperative H2O interactions have also been observed at the surfaces of ordered films grown on Ni3Al(111) and (110), and on NiAl(100) substrates at intermediate pressures orders of magnitude below ambient; PH2O>10−7 Torr, 300 K. Under these conditions, a cooperative reaction is apparently initiated at defect sites, resulting in strong surface rearrangement. NO appears to exhibit analogous behavior to H2O, albeit at UHV pressures and at 100 K, where NO dimers form at surface defect sites. These data indicate that cooperative surface reactions occur at transitional phase alumina surfaces at pressures that are orders of magnitude below what one would expect based on straightforward thermodynamics and kinetics calculations, and point to the importance of surface defect sites for initiating reactions that eventually affect the entire surface. There is suggestive evidence that H2O exposure also leads to the incorporation of interstitial atomic hydrogen in transitional phase alumina films. Results at ambient and intermediate pressures indicate that these pressure regimes form distinct reaction environments, with reaction pathways on alumina that differ qualitatively from each other as well as from results observed in UHV.
Qualitative skeletal correlates of wing shape in extant birds (Aves: Neoaves)

Among living fliers (birds, bats, and insects), birds display relatively high aspect ratios, a dimensionless shape variable that distinguishes long and narrow vs. short and broad wings. Increasing aspect ratio results in a functional tradeoff between low induced drag (efficient cruise) and increased wing inertia (difficult takeoff). Given the wide scope of its functional effects, the pattern of aspect ratio evolution is an important factor that contributes to the substantial ecological and phylogenetic diversity of living birds. However, because the feathers that define the wingtip (and hence wingspan and aspect ratio) often do not fossilize, resolution in the pattern of avian wing shape evolution is obscured by missing information. Here I use a comparative approach to investigate the relationship between skeletal proxies of flight feather attachment and wing shape. An accessory lobe of the internal index process of digit II-1, a bony correlate of distal primary attachment, shows weak but statistically significant relationships to aspect ratio and mass independent of other skeletal morphology. The dorsal phalangeal fossae of digit II-1, which house distal primaries VIII and IX, also show a trend of increased prominence with higher aspect ratio. Quill knobs on the ulna are examined concurrently, but do not show consistent signal with respect to wing shape. Although quill knobs are cited as skeletal correlates of flight performance in birds, their relationship to wing shape is inconsistent among extant taxa, and may reflect diverging selection pressures acting on a conserved architecture. In contrast, correlates of distal primary feather attachment on the major digit show convergent responses to increasing aspect ratio. In light of the diversity of musculoskeletal and integumentary mophology that underlies wing shape in different avian clades, it is unlikely that a single skeletal feature will show consistent predictive power across Neoaves. Confident inference of wing shape in basal ornithurine birds will require multiple lines of evidence, together with an understanding of clade-specific evolutionary trends within the crown.
Plaque removal and thrombus dissolution with the photoacoustic energy of pulsed-wave lasers : Biotissue interactions and their clinical manifestations

Pulsed-wave lasers ablate atherosclerotic plaque and dissolve coronary thrombus by emission of photoacoustic energy initiating photomechanical, photochemical and photothermal transformation. The newly discovered process of 'inertially confined ablation' ascribes to pressure generation and plaque vaporization during lasing. Tremendous pressure within the lased plaque and gas bubble formation account for adverse clinical manifestations such as perforations, acute vessel closure and dissections. Pulsed-wave lasers can be applied for selected patients with lesions considered 'nonideal' for balloon angioplasty who present with acute ischemic syndromes. Due to strong optical absorption by thrombi in the ultraviolet (excimer), visible (dye), and mid-infrared (holmium) wavelengths, these lasers can also dissolve clots and therefore serve as an emerging option in patients with complicated acute myocardial infarction who fail to respond to thrombolytic drugs and exhibit thrombotic lesions deemed unsuitable for standard balloon angioplasty.
Production of n-alkyl lipids in living plants and implications for the geologic past

Abstract Leaf waxes (i.e., n-alkyl lipids or n-alkanes) are land-plant biomarkers widely used to reconstruct changes in climate and the carbon isotopic composition of the atmosphere. There is little information available, however, on how the production of leaf waxes by different kinds of plants might influence the abundance and isotopic composition of n-alkanes in sedimentary archives. This lack of information increases uncertainty in interpreting n-alkyl lipid abundance and δ13C signals in ancient settings. We provide here n-alkyl abundance distributions and carbon isotope fractionation data for deciduous and evergreen angiosperm and gymnosperm leaves from 46 tree species, representing 24 families. n-Alkane abundances are significantly higher in angiosperms than gymnosperms; many of the gymnosperm species investigated did not produce any n-alkanes. On average, deciduous angiosperms produce 200 times more n-alkanes than deciduous gymnosperms. Although differences between angiosperms and gymnosperms dominate the variance in n-alkane abundance, leaf life-span is also important, with higher n-alkane abundances in longer-lived leaves. n-Alkanol abundances covary with n-alkanes, but n-alkanoic acids have similar abundances across all plant groups. Isotopic fractionation between leaf tissue and individual alkanes (elipid) varies by as much as 10‰ among different chain lengths. Overall, elipid values are slightly lower (−4.5‰) for angiosperm than for gymnosperm (−2.5‰) n-alkanes. Angiosperms commonly express slightly higher Δleaf (photosynthetic discrimination) relative to gymnosperms under similar growth conditions. As a result, angiosperm n-alkanes are expected to be generally 3–5‰ more depleted in 13C relative to gymnosperm alkanes for the same locality. Differences in n-alkane production indicate the biomarker record will largely (but not exclusively) reflect angiosperms if both groups were present, and also that evergreen plants will likely be overrepresented compared with deciduous ones. We apply our modern lipid abundance patterns and elipid results to constrain the magnitude of the carbon isotope excursion (CIE) at the onset of the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (55.8 Ma). When Bighorn Basin (WY) sediment n-alkanes are interpreted in context of floral changes and modern n-alkane production estimates for angiosperms and gymnosperms, the CIE is greater in magnitude (−5.6‰) by ∼1‰ compared to previous estimates that do not take into account n-alkane production.
The Decline in Intergenerational Mobility in Post-Socialism: Evidence from the Bulgarian Case

Summary We examine changes in the statistical association between parents’ and children’s schooling in one post-socialist country: Bulgaria. We document its near-doubling between 1995 and 2001. For children of less-educated parents, this produced an absolute decline in average attainment. These children were educated during a period of economic depression and significant reductions in public spending, which led to school closures and shortages of materials, along with increases in out-of-pocket costs. We conclude that the economic and fiscal crisis of the 1990s led to a sharp decline in educational mobility. This may have relevance for other countries experiencing similar economic shocks.
Guest recognition with micelle-bound cavitands.

We report that a benzimidazole cavitand is incorporated in aqueous phosphocholine (PC) micelles, folds into the vase conformation, and functions as small-molecule host. As a micelle-bound host it has the ability to sequester selective hydrophobic guest “anchors” into its interior. These anchors include cycloalkanes, adamantanes, and nitrogen heterocycles that compete favorably with the large excess of PC alkyl side-chains that make up the micelle interior. The adamantyl anchor was further functionalized with a fluorophore, and in another instance a dipeptide and both guests retain their recognition properties with the micelle-bound cavitand. Additionally, we report that variations in the cavitand periphery and rim are well-tolerated under our experimental conditions. We find that enhanced binding toward certain guests in both micelles as well as in solution occurs in response to titration with base; this previously unknown property of benzimidazole cavitands is reported in detail.
Genetic and environmental contributions to variation in leaf mono- and sesquiterpenes of Heterotheca subaxillaris

Field and greenhouse experiments were performed to measure genetic and environmental contributions to variation in the leaf mono- and sesquiterpenes of Heterotheca subaxillaris. Under greenhouse conditions, plants from a nitratevariable habitat (abandoned peach orchard) exhibit greater phenotypic variation in response to nitrate availability than plants from a continuously nitrate-poor environment (coastal sand dune). A genetic contribution to variation in volatile terpenes was measured only in the nitrate-variable orchard habitat. These results suggest that the magnitude of both genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity in volatile terpene production can differ between populations and may increase with greater environmental heterogeniety in the resources which affect terpene metabolism.
Image Segmentation For Velocity Model Construction And Updating

s, 2126–2129. ———2003, Seismic interpretation using global image segmentation: 73 Annual International Meeting, SEG, Expanded Abstracts, 2410–2413.s, 2410–2413. Lomask, J., 2007, Seismic volumetric flattening and segmentation: Ph.D. thesis, Stanford University. Lomask, J., R. G. Clapp, and B. Biondi, 2007, Application of image segmentation to tracking 3D salt boundaries: Geophysics,
Stepped-frequency nonlinear radar simulation

RF electronic targets cannot be detected by traditional linear radar because their radar cross sections are much smaller than that of nearby clutter. One technology that is capable of separating RF electronic targets from clutter, however, is nonlinear radar. Presented in this paper is a combination of stepped-frequency ultra-wideband radar with nonlinear detection. By stepping the transmit frequency across an ultra-wide bandwidth and recording the amplitude and phase of the harmonic return signal, a nonlinear frequency response of the radar environment is constructed. An inverse Fourier transform of this response reveals the range to a nonlinear target.
The Complex IUE Spectrum of the “O VI Sequence” Planetary Nebula NGC 2867

The IUE spectrum of the planetary nebula NGC 2867 and its central star displays a rich variety of emission lines that has not been reported before. Fluxes for more than 80 UV features were determined from low- and high-dispersion spectra. Electron densities of log Ne = 3.4 ± 0.1 cm-3 from C III], log Ne = 3.9 ± 0.2 cm-3 from [Ne IV], and log Ne = 3.25 ± 0.2 cm-3 from O IV] diagnostics were derived. Detection of O VIII lines (I.P. = 871 eV) are thought to require a corona or strong stellar winds, yet no strong P Cygni profiles were observed. Several resonantly excited Fe II lines were identified.
Design and Synthesis of Propeller-Shaped Dispiroisoxazolinopiperidinochromanones

A library of novel, propeller-shaped dispirotriheterocyclic isoxazolinopiperidinochromanones is reported. Each rigid dispirotriheterocycle was prepared in five linear steps from commercially available tert-butyl 4-oxopiperidine-1-carboxylate and various derivatives of 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethanone, benzaldehyde oxime, and carboxylic acids. Computational chemistry was employed to analyze the three-dimensional geometries of these dispirotriheterocycles, as well as to generate chemoinformatic bioavailability data. X-ray crystallographic structure determination verified the regioselectivity of the nitrile oxide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. The resulting library of compounds has been added to the National Institutes of Health repository (∼10 mg of each with ≥90% purity) for pilot-scale biomedical studies with bioassay data available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information PubChem database.
The conjugate-gradient variational analysis and initialization method : an application to MONEX SOP 2 data

Abstract A conjugate-gradient variational blending technique, based on the method of direct minimization, has been developed and applied to the problem of initialization in a limited-area model in the summer monsoon region. The aim is to blend gridded winds from a high-resolution limited-area analysis with a lower-resolution global analysis for use in a limited-area model that uses the, global analyst for boundary conditions. The ability of the variational matching approach in successfully blending meteorological analyses of varying resolutions is demonstrated. Reasonable agreement is found between the blended analyses and the imposed weak constraints, together with an adequate rate of convergence in the unconstrained minimization procedure. The technique is tested on the 1979 onset vortex vortex case using data from the FGGE Summer MONEX campaign. The results indicate that the forecasts made from the variationally matched analyses show positive impact and perform better than those from the unblended anal...
Short-range correlations and localization-delocalization transition in metal-dielectric films

Anderson localization in random potential fields is one of most fundamental problems that plays an important role in a number of physical phenomena [1]. It is well known that in 1D and 2D systems with non-correlated, macroscopically homogeneous random potential distributions, all states are exponentially localized. In this paper we show that the introduction of short-range correlations in random metal-dielectric composites results in the presence of delocalized states in the spectrum. We study in detail important statistical properties, such as the density of states, localization length, and the level spacing in percolation composites.
The role of retailer mindset and promotional resources in strengthening online brands

The power of brands is well recognized. Studies considering brands on the Internet generally do not to distinguish between pure play (Internet only) and bricks-and-clicks (operate in brick-and-mortar and online channels) brands. Understanding how bricks-and-clicks strengthen their brands is worthy of investigation as they are inherently different than their pure play competitors. Framed from a resource-based perspective, this study considers the effects of retailer mindset (market orientation and willingness to cannibalize) and promotional resources (affiliate network size and advertising budget) on online brand strength. A sample of 85 bricks-and-clicks retailers provided the data to test a moderated regression model. The findings show that retailer mindset and promotional resources positively impact online brand strength but market turbulence does not moderate the relationships. The contributions of this study are the identification of resources that may help fortify brands and the focus on bricks-and-clicks retailers.
Regulation of C-myc and C-Ha-ras oncogene expression by cell shape.

The influence of cell shape on the expression of proto-oncogenes was examined in normal and malignant human cells that varied in their sensitivities to contact-inhibition of proliferation. Cells were constrained into varying degrees of roundness by plating onto culture surfaces coated with different concentrations of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly[HEMA]) and assayed for proliferation capacity and levels of c-myc, c-ras, c-fos, and c-fes mRNAs. Proliferation of contact-inhibited normal CUA-1 fibroblasts and the variant HT-IFNr cells was highly coupled to cell shape. As these cells became more rounded, a critical degree of roundess was reached at which proliferation ceased. In contrast, proliferation of non-contact-inhibited maligant HT-1080 cells was independent of cell shape. Northern analysis revealed that expression of c-myc and c-ras was highly sensitive to cell shape in the normal CUA-1 cells but not in the malignant HT-1080 or variant HT-IFNr cells. Levels of c-myc and c-ras mRNAs declined to nearly undetectable levels in CUA-1 cells at degrees of roundness that correlated with loss of proliferative ability. Expression of c-fos and c-fes oncogenes were independent of cell shape in all cells tested. Quantification of transcription rates by the nuclear run-off assay showed that shape modulation of c-myc and c-ras oncogene expression occurred at the transcriptional level. These data suggest that changes in cell shape can modulate expression of certain oncogenes and that these changes correlate with the cell's ability to proliferate. Moreover, inability to regulate c-myc and c-ras oncogene expression is associated with loss of shape-dependent growth controls and contact inhibition but that loss of this regulation alone is not sufficient to release cells from contact-inhibited controls. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Extracorporeal removal of antimicrobials during plasmapheresis

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan Division of Transfusion Medicine, Fairview-University Medical Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Drug Information Services, Clinical Specialist, Endocrinology & Women’s Health, Department of Pharmacy, Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland
Regeneration of Vitamin A Deficient Rat Tracheal Epithelium After Mild Mechanical Injury: Growth Kinetics and Cellular Differentiation

Mild mechanical abrasion of tracheal epithelium of Vitamin A deficient rats removed the superficial cells and spared basal cells which divided to repopulate the damaged area. The proliferative cells passed through a period of DNA synthesis with the greatest numbers of thymidine incorporating cells in samples labelled 22 h after injury. A peak of cell division occurred at 32 h and there was no further DNA synthesis or cell division. The area of wounding exhibited squamous metaplasia while normal pseudostratified muco-ciliary structure was retained by adjacent epithelium which had not been injured. The data indicates that squamous metaplasia in the respiratory epithelium in longstanding Vitamin A deficiency is due to redirected differentiation of basal cells and is seen only after mitotic activity has occurred.
Cytoprotection by diclofenac sodium after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury

Intestinal injury resulting from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is of fundamental importance in clinical pediatric surgery. I/R injury results from inadequate oxygen delivery as well as a secondary inflammatory response involving neutrophils and oxidants. This study was designed to evaluate a novel use for diclofenac sodium (DS), a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agent, and to compare it with traditional antioxidants in this setting. Rats were subjected to intestinal ischemia followed by reperfusion. When killed, samples were obtained for measurement of intestinal myeloperoxidase (MPO), a measure of neutrophil sequestration, as well as for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, a marker of tissue injury. Animals exposed to I/R injury had significant neutrophil sequestration in the intestine by 120 minutes of ischemia, and this persisted after 60 minutes of reperfusion. DS pretreatment did not prevent neutrophil sequestration in the intestine. Analysis of intestinal ATP content demonstrated a decrease in intestinal ATP after 120 minutes of ischemia, and this did not change with 60 minutes of reperfusion. Pretreatment with DS significantly attenuated this intestinal ATP depletion. Furthermore, with 120 minutes of ischemia and 60 minutes of reperfusion, ATP preservation with DS pretreatment exceeded that obtained using the following conventional antioxidants: a xanthine-oxidase inhibitor (lodoxamide), deferoxamine, dimethysulfoxide, and superoxide dismutase plus catalase. DS has a significant cytoprotective effect for intestine subjected to I/R injury, exceeding that of conventional antioxidants. DS does not attenuate injury by preventing neutrophil influx into injured intestine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Stochastic optimal control of continuous time systems with unknown gain

A systematic approach is presented based on recent results in filtering theory to treat the problem of optimally controlling a linear stochastic system with a set of unknown but fixed control gains. New suboptimal solutions are proposed for the control, and the non-Gaussian problem is treated. The interaction between filtering and control is clarified. Computer experiments illustrate some of the analytic results.
The evaluation of 16-Mbit memory chips with built-in reliability

Highly defective 16-Mb chips have been stressed under accelerated conditions to test the capability of on-chip error-correction circuits for reliability enhancement. The tradeoff between a manufacturing sort or screen yield and reliability was determined. The soft-error immunity of the trench capacitor technology in conjunction with error correction was also evaluated under accelerated conditions. >
Ab Initio Investigation of Strain in Group 14 Polyhedrane Clusters (MnHn: n = 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24)

The results of ab initio calculations on a series of [MH]n polyhedral cages (M = C, Si, Ge, and Sn; n = 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, and 24) are presented. The energies are partitioned into contributions from each ring to obtain an estimate of how strain changes as a function of ring size for each of these elements. Results of these calculations indicate that three-membered rings are significantly strained for all of these elements, and five- and six-membered rings have similar stability. The relative strain in four-membered carbon rings appears to be significantly higher than the strain in four-membered rings of heavier Group 14 elements. These partitioned ring energies can be applied to predict the relative stability of other cages.
Effects of exchange of dietary medium chain triglycerides for long-chain triglycerides on serum biochemical variables and subjectively assessed well-being of dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Objective—To test the hypothesis that exchange of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) for long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) in the diet of dogs with well-managed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) changes serum biochemical variables and to subjectively assess the well-being of dogs with EPI in response to experimental diets. Animals—21 dogs with EPI and 6 healthy control dogs. Procedure—The effects of 3 diets containing 0%, 16%, or 35% of the total fat content as MCTs were examined in a randomized controlled double-blind crossover trial. The 3 diets were fed for 12 weeks each. Dietary effects were evaluated by both subjective and objective variables. Results—Analysis of subjective data revealed no significant difference in appetite, attitude, drinking behavior, volume of feces, defecation frequency, color of feces, consistency of feces, flatulence, or borborygmus among dogs fed the 3 experimental diets. A high MCT content in the diet was associated with significantly higher serum vitamin E, cholesterol, ...
Systemic analgesics in children

Abstract Safe and effective analgesia in children requires a multimodal analgesic approach, to optimize analgesic efficacy while minimizing side-effects. Ongoing monitoring and pain assessment, with age appropriate pain scoring systems are essential to guide treatment and allow optimization of pain control, while ensuring safety and minimizing unwanted effects. Pain in early life has been shown to lead to heightened sensitivity to pain on future exposure, due to neuroplasticity of immature pain pathways. Effective pain control in infants and children has therefore the added dimension of aiming to minimize development of longer-term neurodevelopmental changes, while achieving good analgesia at the time. An understanding of developmental changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of analgesic drugs in neonates, infants and children is key to safe and effective dosing of analgesic agents across this age range. Considerations for safe and effective use of paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids and adjuvant analgesics in children will be discussed.
Bladder, urethral, and vaginal duplication

The authors report on an infant girl with bladder duplication. There was complete duplication of the bladder, urethra, uterus, and vagina, associated with a urogenital sinus and an anterior ectopic anus. Despite careful attempts at examination, endoscopy, and organ imaging, the anatomy was not completely defined before surgical exploration. A satisfactory cosmetic result and functional lower genitourinary tract has been obtained.
Nucleosomes accelerate transcription factor dissociation

Transcription factors (TF) bind DNA-target sites within promoters to activate gene expression. TFs target their DNA-recognition sequences with high specificity by binding with resident times of up to hours in vitro. However, in vivo TFs can exchange on the order of seconds. The factors that regulate TF dynamics in vivo and increase dissociation rates by orders of magnitude are not known. We investigated TF binding and dissociation dynamics at their recognition sequence within duplex DNA, single nucleosomes and short nucleosome arrays with single molecule total internal reflection fluorescence (smTIRF) microscopy. We find that the rate of TF dissociation from its site within either nucleosomes or nucleosome arrays is increased by 1000-fold relative to duplex DNA. Our results suggest that TF binding within chromatin could be responsible for the dramatic increase in TF exchange in vivo. Furthermore, these studies demonstrate that nucleosomes regulate DNA-protein interactions not only by preventing DNA-protein binding but by dramatically increasing the dissociation rate of protein complexes from their DNA-binding sites.
Lyocell Solutions from Alternative Cellulose Sources

Lyocell fibers, a generic subclass of rayon fibers, are produced from cellulose dissolved in N-methylmorpholine oxide (NMMO). The lyocell solutions typically consist of blends of cellulose from similar low and high degree of polymerization (DP) dissolving pulps to achieve desired spinnability and fiber properties. The objective of this research was to determine if alternative lower value cellulose sources could be used as raw materials for lyocell by characterizing solutions made from these sources. Shear viscosity, which strongly affects spinning of fibers, of ten cellulose sources at four concentrations was compared to that of five industrial dissolving pulp standards with DPs from 670 to 1720. Bleaching, concentration, cellulose source, and their interactions had significant effects on shear viscosity. Kudzu, sugarcane bagasse, recycled, and thermomechanical cellulose pulps had higher viscosities than did the more highly processed hardwood and softwood. Bagasse was similar to the lowest DP dissolving p...
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in sexually abused girls.

Childhood sexual abuse is associated with an increased incidence of age-concurrent and adult psychopathology. Little is known, however, about the biological manifestations and sequelae of childhood sexual abuse. In this study, we characterized the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of a self-selected sample of sexually abused and control girls recruited from a prospective longitudinal study. Plasma ACTH and total and free cortisol responses to ovine CRH (oCRH) stimulation were measured in 13 sexually abused and 13 control girls, aged 7-15 yr. Psychiatric profiles and 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC) measures were also obtained. Sexually abused girls had a greater incidence of suicidal ideation (chi 2 = 4.51; df = 1; P < 0.05), suicide attempts (chi 2 = 4.51; df = 1; P < 0.05), and dysthymia (chi 2 = 8.85; df = 1; P < 0.01) than control girls. Sexually abused girls showed significantly lower basal (t = 2.1; df = 24; P < 0.05), and net oCRH stimulated (t = 2.2; df = 24; P < 0.05) ACTH levels and significan...
Sensitivity to Distance and Baseline Distributions in Forecast Evaluation

Scoring rules can provide incentives for truthful reporting of probabilities and evaluation measures for the probabilities after the events of interest are observed. Often the space of events is ordered and an evaluation relative to some baseline distribution is desired. Scoring rules typically studied in the literature and used in practice do not take account of any ordering of events, and they evaluate probabilities relative to a default baseline distribution. In this paper, we construct rich families of scoring rules that are strictly proper (thereby encouraging truthful reporting), are sensitive to distance (thereby taking into account ordering of events), and incorporate a baseline distribution relative to which the value of a forecast is measured. In particular, we extend the power and pseudospherical families of scoring rules to allow for sensitivity to distance, with or without a specified baseline distribution.
A Metrical Quotation in Julian's Symposium

So the modern editions print the opening words of the work more popularly known as the Caesares . The Symposium begins with what I consider to be a playful encounter between the narrator and his interlocutor, in which the latter's expectations of seriousness in the myth which is to follow are frustrated. This playfulness has not been appreciated by Julian's commentators. I suggest that we have here a concealed trimeter which figures largely in the dynamics of this dialogue (the word δ⋯ is to be retained in Julian's text as necessary connective tissue): γeλο⋯ον οὐδ⋯ν σὐδ⋯ τeρπν⋯ν οἶδ' ⋯γώ.
To pool, or not to pool?

IN this issue of Genetics, [Futschik and Schlotterer (2010)][1] present one of the first and the most systematic explorations of the relative merits of pooling vs. individual sequencing for several genetics applications. They argue that pooling individuals is often more effective both for SNP
Modeling of uncertainty and applications in monitoring and control of power electronics

This paper describes the application of polynomial chaos theory to the modeling, simulation, and control of power electronics systems. The result of this work is a circuit simulation method that is able to quantitatively account for the uncertainty of component parameters, and thereby reveal the effects of those uncertainties, during the design process. This paper introduces the mathematical background and then three, different applications: automatic system modeling under uncertainty, uncertainty-based control, uncertainty-based monitoring and diagnostics.
Detection of gait instability using the center of mass and center of pressure inclination angles.

Abstract Lee H-J, Chou L-S. Detection of gait instability using the center of mass and center of pressure inclination angles. Objective To define a parameter that quantifies balance control during gait and better identifies elderly people who are at a higher risk of falling. Design Controlled study. Setting University research laboratory. Participants Twelve elderly patients (mean age, 76.9±6y) with complaints of imbalance during walking, or with a history of falls, and 12 matched healthy elderly adults. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Temporal-distance gait parameters (gait velocity, stride length, step width); and sagittal and frontal center of mass (COM) and center of pressure (COP) inclination angles. Results Elderly patients demonstrated a significantly greater medial, but a significantly smaller anterior, inclination angle than their matched controls during both unobstructed and obstructed gait. The medial COM-COP inclination angle was not affected by the gait velocity in the healthy elderly. When the 2 groups were compared at a similar gait velocity (≈1m/s), the elderly patients still had a significantly greater medial COM-COP inclination angle than did the controls. Conclusions Instantaneous COM-COP inclination angles during walking provide information about the ability to control COM position in relation to the corresponding COP. The medial COM-COP inclination angle may be a sensitive measure of gait stability in the elderly.
Ultrasonic attenuation in soft tissues: reasons for large magnitude and linear frequency dependence.

By modeling soft tissue as a viscoelastic Voigt body, arguments are adduced to explain the large magnitude and linear frequency dependence of ultrasonic attenuation in soft tissues. A comment is also made on the similar values of ultrasonic velocity in soft tissues and water.
RB regulates pancreas development by stabilizing Pdx1

RB is a key substrate of Cdks and an important regulator of the mammalian cell cycle. RB either represses E2Fs that promote cell proliferation or enhances the activity of cell-specific factors that promote differentiation, although the mechanism that facilitates this dual interaction is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that RB associates with and stabilizes pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (Pdx-1) that is essential for embryonic pancreas development and adult β-cell function. Interestingly, Pdx-1 utilizes a conserved RB-interaction motif (RIM) that is also present in E2Fs. Point mutations within the RIM reduce RB–Pdx-1 complex formation, destabilize Pdx-1 and promote its proteasomal degradation. Glucose regulates RB and Pdx-1 levels, RB/Pdx-1 complex formation and Pdx-1 degradation. RB occupies the promoters of β-cell-specific genes, and knockdown of RB results in reduced expression of Pdx-1 and its target genes. Further, RB-deficiency in vivo results in reduced pancreas size due to decreased proliferation of Pdx-1+ pancreatic progenitors, increased apoptosis and aberrant expression of regulators of pancreatic development. These results demonstrate an unanticipated regulatory mechanism for pancreatic development and β-cell function, which involves RB-mediated stabilization of the pancreas-specific transcription factor Pdx-1.
On the Discrete Reconciliation of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics

Continuum (“classical”) physics rests on arbitrary units of mass, length and time; it is “scale invariant”. Modern physics is quantized. Dalton and Prout recognized that mass is quantized, Faraday and Thompson showed that electric charge is quantized and Planck and Einstein discovered that action is quantized. Once these three facts are grasped, the goal of physics should be to replace MLT-physics by counting in terms of these quantized values (or equivalent units) and to replace continuum mathematical physics by computer science. We sketch here how this might be done.
ESTIMATING LANDSCAPE-SCALE SPECIES RICHNESS: RECONCILING FREQUENCY- AND TURNOVER-BASED APPROACHES

One hypothesis for why estimators of species richness tend to underestimate total richness is that they do not explicitly account for increases in species richness due to spatial or environmental turnover in species composition (beta diversity). I analyze the similarity of a data set of native trees in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA, and assess the robustness of these estimators against recently developed ones that incorporate turnover explicitly: the total species accumulation method (T-S) and a method based on the distance decay of similarity. I show that the T-S estimator can give reliable estimates of species richness, given an appropriate grouping of sites. The estimator based on distance decay of similarity performed poorly. There are two main reasons for this: sample size effects and the assumption that distance decay of similarity exhibits a power law relationship. I show that estimators based on distance-decay relationships exhibit systematically lower rates of distance decay for samples with few individuals per site independent of environmental variation. Second, the data presented here and many other survey data sets exhibit exponential rather than power law distance-decay relationships. Richness estimators that explicitly incorporate beta diversity can be improved by beginning from an exponential distance-decay relationship and adjusting for the systematic errors introduced by small sample sizes.
A Chemical Route to Graphene for Device Applications

Oxidation of graphite produces graphite oxide, which is dispersible in water as individual platelets. After deposition onto Si/SiO2 substrates, chemical reduction produces graphene sheets. Electrical conductivity measurements indicate a 10000-fold increase in conductivity after chemical reduction to graphene. Tapping mode atomic force microscopy measurements show one to two layer graphene steps. Electrodes patterned onto a reduced graphite oxide film demonstrate a field effect response when the gate voltage is varied from +15 to −15 V. Temperature-dependent conductivity indicates that the graphene-like sheets exhibit semiconducting behavior.
Keck Interferometer status and plans

Keck Interferometer is a NASA-funded project to combine the two 10 m Keck telescopes for high sensitivity near-infrared fringe visibility measurements, nulling interferometry at 10 μm to measure the quantity of exozodiacal emission around nearby stars, and differential-phase measurements to detect "hot-Jupiters" by their direct emission. It is being developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the W. M. Keck Observatory, and the Michelson Science Center. Recent activity has included formal visibility mode commissioning, as well as science observations, and we briefly review some of the significant technical aspects and updates to the system. We have also completed laboratory development of the nuller. The nuller uses two modified Mach-Zehnder input nullers, a Michelson cross combiner, and a 10 μm array camera to produce background-limited null measurements. To provide required temporal stability for the nuller, the system incorporates end-to-end laser metrology with phase referencing from two 2.2 μm fringe trackers. The nuller recently completed its pre-ship review and is being installed on the summit. After nuller integration and test, the differential phase mode will be deployed, which will use a 2-5 μm fringe detector in combination with a precision path length modulator and a vacuum delay line for dispersion control.
On misdirected systemsa

Every system has one or more functions in one or more larger systems of which it is a part. For example, an automobile is part of a transportation system and its function is to carry people from one place to another. When Newton asserted that the universe, which contains everything, was a mechanical system,he as faced with an apparent paradox: How could everything be a part of something larger? This was not a problem for the genius of Newton. For him the universe was a machine that had been created by God to do His work.
The Amiloride-Sensitive Endothelial Sodium Channel and Vascular Tone

See related article, pp 1053–1059 In this issue of Hypertension , Jeggle et al1 provide important new insights into the characteristics and functional significance of an amiloride-sensitive sodium channel that is expressed in vascular endothelial cells. This work extends the previous analyses by this group,2,3 and using atomic force microscopy and state-of-the art animal and cell models, provides provocative yet conclusive evidence for the central role of this channel in regulation vascular reactivity and stiffness. The Figure depicts the heteromeric structure of the amiloride-sensitive sodium channel. Although the overall topology of the channel is well described,4 there is no general agreement about the subunit composition even within epithelial cells, much less in other tissues like vascular endothelial cells that are the subject of the current report. The bulk of the subunits’ structures are expressed in the intertwined disulfide-rich extracellular domains, the role of which has not been fully explained. The subunits of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) were originally defined by now-classical expression cloning studies by Canessa and Rossier.5 The human genomic clones and the critical insight into the gain of function effect that characterizes Liddle syndrome6 was based on analogy to defects in the mechanosensor structures of degenerins in Caenorhabditis elegans .7 Although longitudinal flow is certainly a feature of many epithelial tubule systems, a direct connection among the putative mechanical transduction function, the extracellular domains, and regulation of apical sodium entry via ENaC is not obvious. In contrast, there are pulsatile pressures and flows in the systemic vascular system. Local regulation of vascular tone in response to changes in pressure and shear stress, an important feature of the microvascular circulation, lending credance to the idea that the extensive extracellular of the vascular endothelial …