cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purification of HIV-1 Virions by Subtilisin Digestion or CD45 Immunoaffinity Depletion for Biochemical Studies

The presence of cellular proteins outside and inside retroviruses can indicate the roles they play in viral biology. However, experiments examining retroviruses can be complicated by the contamination of even highly purified virion preparations with nonviral particles (either microvesicles or exosomes). Two useful methods have been developed that can remove contaminating particles from virus stocks to produce highly pure virus preparations. One approach, the subtilisin digestion procedure, enzymatically removes the proteins outside the virions. While this method is well suited for the analysis of the interior proteins in the virions, it removes the extracellular domains of the integral membrane proteins on the virion. To preserve the proteins on the exterior of the virion for biochemical studies, a CD45 immunoaffinity depletion procedure that removes vesicles by capture with antibody-linked microbeads is employed. These methods allow for the isolation of highly purified virion preparations that are suitable for a wide variety of experiments, including the biochemical characterization of cellular proteins both on and in HIV virions, examination of virion/cell interactions, and imaging of virions.
Flowering Processes In Plants

Plant growth originates within the buds in regions known as meristems. In the meristems, cell division and elongation occur, and these processes produce tissues that soon develop into specific plant parts. Vegetative meristems give rise to parts such as stems, leaves, and roots, while reproductive meristems give rise to floral organs that ultimately produce fruits and seeds.
A 4-Week Multimodal Intervention for Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability: Examination of Disease-Oriented and Patient-Oriented Outcomes

Context Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) experience disease- and patient-oriented impairments that contribute to both immediate and long-term health detriments. Investigators have d...
Integration of biological systems with electronic-mechanical assemblies.

Abstract Biological systems continuously interact with the surrounding environment because they are dynamically evolving. The interaction is achieved through mechanical, electrical, chemical, biological, thermal, optical, or a synergistic combination of these cues. To provide a fundamental understanding of the interaction, recent efforts that integrate biological systems with the electronic-mechanical assemblies create unique opportunities for simultaneous monitoring and eliciting the responses to the biological system. Recent innovations in materials, fabrication processes, and device integration approaches have created the enablers to yield bio-integrated devices to interface with the biological system, ranging from cells and tissues to organs and living individual. In this short review, we will provide a brief overview of the recent development on the integration of the biological systems with electronic-mechanical assemblies across multiple scales, with applications ranging from healthcare monitoring to therapeutic options such as drug delivery and rehabilitation therapies. Statement of Significance An overview of the recent progress on the integration of the biological system with both electronic and mechanical assemblies is discussed. The integration creates the unique opportunity to simultaneously monitor and elicit the responses to the biological system, which provides a fundamental understanding of the interaction between the biological system and the electronic-mechanical assemblies. Recent innovations in materials, fabrication processes, and device integration approaches have created the enablers to yield bio-integrated devices to interface with the biological system, ranging from cells and tissues to organs and living individual.
Characterization of Dizziness After Lasmiditan Usage: Findings From the SAMURAI and SPARTAN Acute Migraine Treatment Randomized Trials.

Trial design SAMURAI and SPARTAN were double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 studies conducted in the United States, as well as the United Kingdom and Germany (SPARTAN only). Individuals with migraine were randomized to receive oral lasmiditan 50 mg (SPARTAN only), 100 mg, 200 mg, or placebo within 4 hours of onset of a migraine attack. The aim of this analysis was to characterize dizziness reported with lasmiditan treatment. Methods Data from SAMURAI and SPARTAN were pooled for the current post hoc analyses. Onset time and duration of dizziness were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Subgroup analyses based on presence/absence of dizziness were performed for the endpoints of interference with daily activity, patient global impression of change (PGIC), pain at 2 hours, and most bothersome symptom (MBS) at 2 hours based on adverse events occurring within 2 hours of taking study drug. Results Dizziness incidence was as follows: Placebo (N = 1262), 2.9% (0.1% severe); lasmiditan 50 mg (N = 654), 8.6% (0.3% severe); lasmiditan 100 mg (N = 1265), 14.9% (0.7% severe); and lasmiditan 200 mg (N = 1258), 16.8% (1.4% severe). Among participants who received lasmiditan as their first dose, risk factors for dizziness were higher lasmiditan dosage, being non-Hispanic/Latino, mild or moderate severity of migraine attack, and lower body mass index. The median time to onset of dizziness was generally 30-40 minutes, and the median duration was 1.5-2 hours. The presence of dizziness did not appear to have a negative influence on lasmiditan's effect on daily activity, PGIC, freedom from pain, or MBS. Overall, 21 participants experienced vertigo: Lasmiditan 50 mg, n = 2 (0.3%); 100 mg, n = 11 (0.9%); 200 mg, n = 7 (0.6%); and placebo, n = 1 ( Conclusion The incidence of dizziness with lasmiditan increased with dose. Dizziness was generally mild or moderate in severity and of quick onset and short duration. The presence of dizziness did not influence drug efficacy.
Rough substrates constrain walking speed in ants through modulation of stride frequency and not stride length

Abstract Natural terrain is rarely flat. Substrate irregularities challenge walking animals to maintain stability, yet we lack quantitative assessments of walking performance and limb kinematics on naturally rough ground. We measured how continually rough 3D-printed substrates influence walking performance of Argentine ants by measuring walking speeds of workers from lab colonies and by testing colony-wide substrate preference in field experiments. Tracking limb motion in over 8,000 videos, we used statistical models that associate walking speed with limb kinematic parameters to compare movement over flat versus rough ground. We found that rough substrates reduced preferred and peak walking speeds by up to 42% and that ants actively avoided rough terrain in the field. Observed speed reductions were modulated primarily by shifts in stride frequency and not stride length, a pattern consistent across flat and rough substrates. Modeling revealed that walking speeds on rough substrates were accurately predicted based on flat walking data for over 89% of strides. Those strides that were not well modeled primarily involved limb perturbations, including missteps, active foot repositioning, and slipping. Together these findings relate kinematic mechanisms underlying walking performance on rough terrain to ecologically-relevant measures under field conditions.
The species diversity × fire severity relationship is hump-shaped in semiarid yellow pine and mixed conifer forests

Author(s): Richter, C; Rejmanek, M; Miller, JED; Welch, KR; Weeks, JM; Safford, H | Abstract: The combination of direct human influences and the effects of climate change are resulting in altered ecological disturbance regimes, and this is especially the case for wildfires. Many regions that historically experienced low–moderate severity fire regimes are seeing increased area burned at high severity as a result of interactions between high fuel loads and climate warming with a number of negative ecological effects. While ecosystem impacts of altered fire regimes have been examined in the literature, little is known of the effects of changing fire regimes on forest understory plant diversity even though understory taxa comprise the vast majority of forest plant species and play vital roles in overall ecosystem function. We examined understory plant diversity across gradients of wildfire severity in eight large wildfires in yellow pine and mixed conifer temperate forests of the Sierra Nevada, California, USA. We found a generally unimodal hump-shaped relationship between local (alpha) plant diversity and fire severity. High-severity burning resulted in lower local diversity as well as some homogenization of the flora at the regional scale. Fire severity class, post-fire litter cover, and annual precipitation were the best predictors of understory species diversity. Our research suggests that increases in fire severity in systems historically characterized by low and moderate severity fire may lead to plant diversity losses. These findings indicate that global patterns of increasing fire size and severity may have important implications for biodiversity.
Experiences that affect participation of women and gender diverse athletes in competitive cycling.

In general, cycling is a sport and recreational activity with far fewer women than men, particularly in racing. The purpose of this mixed methods investigation was to identify experiences that affect participation for women and gender diverse (WGD) athletes in competitive cycling. Findings suggest WGD cyclists are likely to continue competing when they prioritize their individual engagement in the sport. Findings also highlight the importance of creating an encouraging and supportive atmosphere with equitable field decisions and equal prize pools. However, the overarching culture of the sport may hinder continued involvement of WGD cyclists when they face constraints such as unsupportive environments, inequitable field decisions, and unequal prize pools. Race promoters are encouraged to provide equal prizes, multiple race options for women, women-only fields, and specific events for WGD cyclists who want to improve their skills or increase their exposure to the sport. Such decisions are likely to decrease attrition, increase participation, and foster a sense of feeling valued for WGD athletes in competitive cycling.Subscribe to JOREL
Dynamic Content Reactivation Supports Naturalistic Autobiographical Recall in Humans.

Humans can vividly recall and re-experience events from their past, and these are commonly referred to as episodic or autobiographical memories. fMRI experiments reliably associate autobiographical event recall with activity in a network of “default” or “core” brain regions. However, as prior studies have relied on covert (silent) recall procedures, current understanding may be hampered by methodological limitations that obscure dynamic effects supporting moment-to-moment content retrieval. Here, fMRI participants (N = 40) overtly (verbally) recalled memories for ∼2 min periods. The content of spoken descriptions was categorized using a variant of the Autobiographical Interview (AI) procedure (Levine et al., 2002) and temporally re-aligned with BOLD data so activity accompanying the recall of different details could be measured. Replicating prior work, sustained effects associated with autobiographical recall periods (which are insensitive to the moment-to-moment content of retrieval) fell primarily within canonical default network regions. Spoken descriptions were rich in episodic details, frequently focusing on physical entities, their ongoing activities, and their appearances. Critically, neural activity associated with recalling specific details (e.g., those related to people or places) was transient, broadly distributed, and grounded in category-selective cortex (e.g., regions related to social cognition or scene processing). Thus, although a single network may generally support the process of vivid event reconstruction, the structures required to provide detail-related information shift in a predictable manner that respects domain-level representations across the cortex. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humans can vividly recall memories of autobiographical episodes, a process thought to involve the reconstruction of numerous distinct event details. Yet how the brain represents a complex episode as it unfolds over time remains unclear and appears inconsistent across experimental traditions. One hurdle is the use of covert (silent) in-scanner recall to study autobiographical memory, which prevents experimenter knowledge of what information is being retrieved, and when, throughout the remembering process. In this experiment, participants overtly described autobiographical memories while undergoing fMRI. Activity associated with the recall and description of specific details was transient, broadly distributed, and grounded in category-selective cortex. Thus, it appears that as events unfold mentally, structures are dynamically reactivated to support vivid recollection.
Pleiotropic genetic influence on birth weight and childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is a global public health problem. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie early origins of childhood obesity can facilitate interventions. Consistent phenotypic and genetic correlations have been found between childhood obesity traits and birth weight (a proxy for in-utero growth), suggesting shared genetic influences (pleiotropy). We aimed to (1) investigate whether there is significant shared genetic influence between birth weight and childhood obesity traits, and (2) to identify genetic loci with shared effects. Using a statistical approach that integrates summary statistics and functional annotations for paired traits, we found strong evidence of pleiotropy (P < 3.53 × 10-127) and enrichment of functional annotations (P < 1.62 × 10-39) between birth weight and childhood body mass index (BMI)/obesity. The pleiotropic loci were enriched for regulatory features in skeletal muscle, adipose and brain tissues and in cell lines derived from blood lymphocytes. At 5% false discovery rate, 6 loci were associated with birth weight and childhood BMI and 13 loci were associated with birth weight and childhood obesity. Out of these 19 loci, one locus (EBF1) was novel to childhood obesity and one locus (LMBR1L) was novel to both birth weight and childhood BMI/obesity. These findings give evidence of substantial shared genetic effects in the regulation of both fetal growth and childhood obesity.
Long-term effects of total skin electron beam therapy for mycosis fungoides on hair and nail loss and regrowth

To better document the risk of permanent hair and nail loss after total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) for mycosis fungoides (MF).Interviews and evaluations were conducted in 13 patients with M...
Regulation of intercellular biomolecule transfer–driven tumor angiogenesis and responses to anticancer therapies

Intercellular biomolecule transfer (ICBT) between malignant and benign cells is a major driver of tumor growth, resistance to anticancer therapies, and therapy-triggered metastatic disease. Here we characterized cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H) as a key genetic suppressor of ICBT between malignant and endothelial cells (ECs) and of ICBT-driven angiopoietin-2-dependent activation of ECs, stimulation of intratumoral angiogenesis, and tumor growth. Human CH25H was downregulated in the ECs from patients with colorectal cancer and the low levels of stromal CH25H were associated with a poor disease outcome. Knockout of endothelial CH25H stimulated angiogenesis and tumor growth in mice. Pharmacologic inhibition of ICBT by reserpine compensated for CH25H loss, elicited angiostatic effects (alone or combined with sunitinib), augmented the therapeutic effect of radio-/chemotherapy, and prevented metastatic disease induced by these regimens. We propose inhibiting ICBT to improve the overall efficacy of anticancer therapies and limit their prometastatic side effects.
Konstantina Zanou, Transnational Patriotism in the Mediterranean, 1800–1850: Stammering the Nation

Review of Konstantina Zanou. Transnational Patriotism in the Mediterranean, 1800–1850: Stammering the Nation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018. 272 pp.
The Electronic Properties of Dystrophic Muscle Membrane Systems

The genetic differences between ‘normal’ and dystrophic musculature have been well documented in recent years. In order to further elucidate these diverse characteristics, the electronic properties of muscle tissue of dystrophic mice and their phenotypically normal litter mates were examined. Utilizing various electrical techniques it was found that the electron:hole (electron receptor sites) ratio, Arrhenius plots of conductance vs l/T and the activation energies obtained therefrom, and the effects of pressure on the muscle membranes demonstrated significant differences.
Aging of the placenta: autoimmune theory of senescence.

Abstract Contrary to the traditional view of aging of the placenta, the authors propose that it undergoes senescence in a manner comparable to the misspecification-autoimmune theory as it obtains in respect to aging of individuals generally. Evidence is presented indicating that the fibrinoid present in the placenta is comparable to amyloid, which is recognized as one of the end products of aging and immune reactions. The possible relationship of these findings to the altered immune response which allows the maternal host to retain her fetal transplant is discussed.
Commentary—Assessing the Impact of Managed Care Patient Protection Laws: Problems and Pitfalls

In their article ‘‘Impacts of Managed Care Patient Protection Laws on Health Services Utilization and Patient Satisfaction with Care,’’ Sloan, Rattliff, and Hall use data from three rounds (1996–1997, 1998–1999, and 2000–2001) of the Community Tracking Study (CTS) to assess the impact on health utilization and patient satisfaction of ‘‘patient protection’’ laws. Each of the three rounds of the CTS surveyed approximately 32,000 individuals about the care received by themselves and their families (a total of approximately 60,000 persons). Patient protection laws include those that address: the size and scope of provider networks, the range of covered benefits, the procedures essential to access covered benefits, and the financial incentives used by managed care plans to affect provider behavior. Specifically, they include gag-clause bans, direct-access to specialist laws, any-willing-provider laws, freedom-of-choice laws, mandated minimum length of stays for delivery laws, and laws limiting the size of physician withholds and bonuses. The basic purpose of these laws is to improve the care provided to enrollees of managed care plans. The proportion of American workers enrolled in managed care plans has risen from 4 percent in 1977 (Gabel 1999) to 93 percent in 2001 (Supreme Court to Rule on Patients’ Rights 2003), and all but three states have enacted a comprehensive set of patient protection laws (Sloan and Hall 2002). Thirty-five states enacted patient protection laws between 1997 and 1999. Proponents of these laws maintain that they help ensure that enrollees have a reasonable choice of providers at the time of service, do not face limits on services that may adversely affect their health, are not arbitrarily denied access to covered services, and are not treated by a physician who faces inordinately high financial risks for ordering necessary services. Opponents of these laws (who often refer to them as ‘‘anti-managed care’’ laws) maintain that they reduce the flexibility of plans in their dealings with physicians, prevent plans from limiting particular services in order to increase efficiency, preclude plans from implementing cost-effective utilization management techniques,
Early catheter removal in 100 consecutive patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy

Objectives To investigate the outcome of 100 consecutive patients selected for early catheter removal after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP), where urethral catheter drainage is used routinely for 2–3 weeks. Patients and methods The study included 129 consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer who underwent RRP. Catheters were removed in the clinic (with no radiographic studies) 8–9 days after RRP provided there was no evidence of urine leak, pelvic haematoma, rectal injury or severe obesity. The follow-up (mean 21 months) results were available for 118 patients, 100 of whom were candidates for early catheter withdrawal. Their records were reviewed for evidence of complications, including urinary retention, anastomotic stricture formation and urinary incontinence. Results Urinary retention developed in two of the 100 patients, requiring simple catheter replacement. Nine patients developed bladder neck contracture requiring dilatation or incision. No patients developed anastomotic disruption, urinary tract infection or pelvic abscess. At the mean follow-up of 21 months, 76% of patients were continent and did not require pads; 19% of patients had mild stress urinary incontinence requiring the use of 1 pad/day, 4% of patients had incontinence requiring 2–4 pads/day, and 1% of patients required > 4 pads/day. Conclusion With appropriate patient selection as described, catheters can be removed in the clinic (with no radiographic studies) 8–9 days after RRP, with no increased incidence of complications, including anastomotic stricture, retention or incontinence.
Network Expansion Decision Making in Minnesota's Twin Cities

A qualitative analysis of the decision rules used by jurisdictions in Minnesota's Twin Cities metropolitan area is presented. Interviews were conducted with staff at the city, county, metropolitan, and state levels to determine how decisions about road investment, expansion, and new construction are made. Flowcharts were developed to provide a more systematic way of presenting that information. Most jurisdictions do not have extensive public participation processes, although several do, notably, the Metropolitan Council, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, and the City of Minneapolis. Jurisdictions with public participation have the most formal and extensive documentation of their investment decision process. The decision factors vary by jurisdiction, though safety, capacity, and pavement quality were important throughout.
Electron Attachment to DNA Base Complexes

In this work we present a review of our groups recent work of our group and that of others related to ab initio studies involving DNA base dimers and complexes. We present recent calculations, as well as some relevant experimental investigations concerning excess electron attachment to these systems. In addition to covalent-bound electron attachment, we discuss formation of dipole-bound anions, solvated electron systems, and the experimental–theoretical comparisons that are currently available. Finally, we will discuss possible future avenues of research in this area.
Universality of entropy scaling in one dimensional gapless models.

We consider critical models in one dimension. We study the ground state in the thermodynamic limit (infinite lattice). We are interested in an entropy of a subsystem. We calculate the entropy of a part of the ground state from a space interval $(0,x)$. At zero temperature it describes the entanglement of the part of the ground state from this interval with the rest of the ground state. We obtain an explicit formula for the entropy of the subsystem at any temperature. At zero temperature our formula reproduces a logarithmic formula, discovered by Vidal, Latorre, Rico, and Kitaev for spin chains. We prove our formula by means of conformal field theory and the second law of thermodynamics. Our formula is universal. We illustrate it for a Bose gas with a delta interaction and for the Hubbard model.
INTERVENSI DENGAN PENERAPAN KONSEP MILLENNIUM ECO-VILLAGE DAN PERUBAHAN PERILAKU KONSUMSI PANGAN RUMAH TANGGA DI DESA PETIR, KECAMATAN DRAMAGA, KABUPATEN BOGOR

ABSTRACTThe research aimed to assess the impact of interventions to the behaviour changes of household food consumption and to search the role of community institutions in accelerating the achievement of the millennium eco-village. The study involved thirty households in Desa Petir, Dramaga Subdistrict, District of Bogor (15 agricultural and 15 non agricultural-households). Pre and post test method was used to analyze the behaviour change, and focused group discussions were conducted to explore initiatives of the community group toward eco-village. The results indicated the changes of expenditure proportion for food and non food. At the agricultural households, changes are from 61.7% to 53.9%, whereas in the non agricultural household, the changes are from 59.9% to 41%. Food consumption for under five children become more diverse, nutritious, and balanced. Life Style on Clean Life and Health (PHBS) on family farmers and non farmers become better. Cooperation between community groups, local leaders, the government, and facilitators could strengthen institution to enable real action towards the millennium eco-village.Key words: food consumption, MDGs, social institutionsABSTRAKTujuan penelitian secara umum adalah untuk mengembangkan model millennium eco-village melalui intervensi prinsip eco-village. Sebanyak 30 keluarga terpilih sebagai subjek yang terdiri dari 15 keluarga petani (KP) dan 15 keluarga non-petani (KNP). Metode penelitian pre dan post digunakan untuk mengukur dampak intervensi terhadap perubahan pengetahuan, sikap, dan perilaku hidup bersih dan sehat (PHBS) dan peran kelembagaan masyarakat dalam percepatan pencapaian MDGs. Hasil menunjukkan perubahan pada proporsi pengeluaran pangan dan non pangan, yakni pada KP dari 61.7% menjadi 53.9%, sedangkan pada KNP dari 59.9% menjadi 41%. Meskipun perubahan antara kedua kelompok tersebut tidak signifikan, namun terdapat peningkatan dalam kesejahteraan petani. Terjadi perbaikan status gizi balita yang signifikan (p=0.009). Terjadi perubahan konsumsi pangan balita menjadi lebih Beragam, Bergizi, dan Berimbang (3B). PHBS pada KP maupun KNP menjadi lebih baik. Kerjasama antara kelompok masyarakat, pemimpin informal, pemerintah desa, dan kader desa dapat memperkuat kelembagaan sosial.Kata kunci: kelembagaan sosial, konsumsi pangan, MDGs
Interference in cortisone-treated hosts.

Discussion and SummaryThe results reported herein have shown that prior injections of cortisone in embryonated eggs subsequently given minimal completely interfering doses of inactivated virus followed by challenge virus resulted in yields of viral hemagglutinins which were 7- to 10-fold greater than that found in untreated eggs. All 3 concentrations of cortisone (2.5, 5 and 7.5 mg) utilized in these experiments appeared to be equally effective in this respect.An enhanced growth of influenza viruses in cortisone-treated eggs has been described previously (4), and the viral concentration of pooled allantoic fluids from cortisone-treated eggs was shown to be 123 to 155% of the viral concentration of control eggs (for influenza A virus). In the interference experiments reported in this paper, the yield of virus in cortisone-treated eggs was 700 to 1000% of the yield in untreated embryos. In view of this discrepancy in the increased yields of virus in the two reports, it would appear that enhancement of repro...
Iron in the Mullica River and in Great Bay, New Jersey

Abstract Mullica River water contains on the average several p.p.m. iron. Mixing with ocean water in the lower reaches of the river and in Great Bay removes this iron as iron hydroxide flocs. Pyrite is formed in some of the sediments, but a search for other iron minerals in Great Bay was unsuccessful. It is likely that most of the precipitated iron hydroxide is swept out of Great Bay into the Atlantic Ocean by tidal currents.
Place-based economic development: examining the relationship between the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and farmers markets in Mississippi

Placed-based development theory assumes that assets and liabilities within a geographical context matter for community development. Drawing on this framework, this article argues that the United States Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at farmers markets is an underutilized asset for community development. Therefore, community developers should explore this asset to better develop sustainable farmers markets. The authors utilized the US National Farmers Market Directory and the SNAP Data System to determine if SNAP beneficiaries had access to use Electronic Benefit Transaction (EBT) cards at farmers markets in Mississippi. The findings indicate that SNAP accessibility at farmers markets remains an underutilized resource for capturing consumer spending and capitalizing on the local multiplier effect. The authors recommend that policy-makers and community developers enact and implement public policies that will: (1) assist farmers and farmers markets with enhancing SNAP accessibility by insta...
Constitution of Fireclays at High Temperatures: I, Methods of Analysis

Qualitative X-ray diffraction of a fireclay brick revealed no major change in crystalline composition, other than the inversion of cristobalite, from room temperature to 1500°C. Methods of quantitative analysis of specimens at room temperature were considered. The internal standard technique of quantitative X-ray diffraction was selected as the most reliable. Using this technique the effectiveness of quenching was investigated. Quenched analyses appear to be suitable for representing the constitution at high temperatures.
Fiber beam shaping for optical nerve stimulation

Chemical etching of single-mode fiber tip transformed Gaussian to flat-top beam profile, providing more uniform infrared laser irradiation of the nerve and simplifying alignment of the visible aiming beam during optical nerve stimulation.
The Association Between Work Performance and Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Obesity

The purpose of this study was to test the association between lifestyle-related modifiable health risks (physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and obesity) and work performance. Data were obtained from 683 workers. Dependent variables included number of work loss days, quantity and quality of work performed, overall job performance, extra effort exerted, and interpersonal relationships. Results indicated that higher levels of physical activity related to reduced decrements in quality of work performed and overall job performance; higher cardiorespiratory fitness related to reduced decrements in quantity of work performed, and a reduction in extra effort exerted to perform the work; obesity related to more difficulty in getting along with coworkers; severe obesity related to a higher number of work loss days. It is concluded that lifestyle-related modifiable health risk factors significantly impact employee work performance.
Metabolism of tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines by cultured human tissues

Abstract N'-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) are present in cigarette smoke and snuff and are carcinogens in laboratory animals. In tobacco smokers, the buccal mucosa, trachea, esophagus, bronchi, and peripheral lung are exposed to smoke containing significant amounts of these N-nitrosamines. The results of the present study demonstrate that explants of these tissues as well as of the urinary bladder have the capacity to metabolize NNN and NNK by alpha-carbon hydroxylation. This metabolic pathway yields alkyldiazohydroxides, which are reactive and DNA-damaging electrophiles. The extent of alpha-carbon hydroxylation of NNN and NNK in human tissues was only 1/10th to 1/100th of that in animal tissues. Although the levels of alpha-carbon hydroxylation of NNN among different tissues of the same individual were similar, a 10-fold variation among individuals was observed. Reduction of the NNK carbonyl group was a major metabolic pathway observed with all human explants and may occur in the surface epithelia of the respiratory tract of smokers. These results provide further evidence that tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines could play a role in cancers related to the smoking and chewing of tobacco.
Overestimating hybrid layer quality in polished adhesive/dentin interfaces.

The most popular techniques for determining the quality of the hybrid layer (HL) have relied on morphologic characterization of the polished adhesive/dentin (a/d) interfaces before and after acid-bleach chemical treatment. Using these techniques, the existence of smooth, acid-resistant layers has been consistently reported for most adhesive systems. The purpose of this study was to determine whether popular specimen preparation techniques that include polishing and acid-bleach treatment modify the a/d interface, mask the complexity of the HL, and lead to inaccurate assessment of the quality of the HL. To understand the impact of specimen preparation techniques on the morphology of the resin–dentin interface, polished and unpolished specimens from the same tooth were closely compared after different acid-bleach chemical treatment procedures. Two one-bottle adhesives, that is, 3M Single Bond and Pulpdent UNO, exhibiting distinct differences in hydrophilic/hydrophobic composition, were used in this investigation. Using specimens from the same tooth, the effect of chemical treatments on the morphology of the resin–dentin interdiffusion zone and the differences in the morphology of polished and unpolished specimens after these same treatments were studied with scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that conventional specimen preparation techniques that include polishing and acid-bleach treatment can adversely affect and even obscure the structural detail of the a/d interface in specimens that possess a porous HL. The results indicated that the Pulpdent UNO/dentin interface had better quality than the 3M Single Bond/dentin interface. The difference in the quality of HL can be attributed to factors such as compositional differences that impact the adhesive interaction with water, that is present within the substrate during wet bonding. The inability of the conventional acid-bleach procedure to reveal the differences in the scanning electron microscopy interfacial morphology was overcome in this investigation by using a multistep technique. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 68A: 735–746, 2004
Assessment of conformance and interoperability testing methods used for construction industry product models

This paper presents a review and assessment of conformance and interoperability testing methods for product data models used in the construction industry. Conformance testing methodologies, with varying degrees of rigor, have been developed and applied to ensure interoperability across product modeling software applications in other engineering and industry domains, such as, engineering and manufacturing of automotive and aerospace products. Current conformance testing and evaluation of interoperability for construction industry product modeling software do not necessarily apply those same principles and are usually done on an ad-hoc basis. Key principles are identified for improved methods and metrics for developing conformance and interoperability testing capabilities for the construction industry.
Palliative care in dementia

AbstractThe main goals of care in progressive dementias (Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and fronto-temporal dementia) are maintenance of quality of life, dignity, and comfort. Three main areas are important for quality of life in individuals with dementia: meaningful activity, medical issues, and behavioral symptoms. Meaningful activities should be provided even in advanced dementia because there is no evidence that it progresses to persistent vegetative state. They should be individualized and prevent isolation of patients in their rooms or placement of patients in corridors. It is important to distinguish behavioral symptoms that occur when the patient is solitary (agitation and apathy) and when the patient interacts with others (most commonly rejection of care). Behavioral symptoms of dementia should be first managed by non-pharmacological strategies: meaningful activities for agitation and apathy and modification of caregiving strategies for rejection of care. Depre...
On the continuity of ethical social welfare orders on infinite utility streams

In this paper we study the extent to which ethical social welfare orders on infinite utility streams can be continuous. For a class of metrics, we show that ethical preferences can be continuous if and only if the continuity requirement is in terms of a metric which satisfies a simplex condition. This condition requires that the distance from the origin to the unit simplex in the space of utility streams be positive. We use this characterization result to establish that the metric used by Svensson (Econometrica 48:1251–1256, 1980) induces the smallest topology for which there exist continuous ethical preferences.
Phase behaviour of poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends containing alkali metal salts

Abstract The effect of alkali metal salts on the phase behaviour of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blends was studied using d.s.c. Addition of lithium trifluoromethane sulfonate (LiT) to the normally miscible PEO/PMMA blends induced phase separation with the formation of a crystalline PEO phase, a crystalline PEO/salt complex phase and an amorphous PMMA phase. When potassium thiocyanate was used instead of LiT the mixture separated into two amorphous phases. Phase separation in these blends was not merely a result of the expected PEO/salt interaction, but also of the interaction of the salt with the PMMA. The evidence for this second interaction comes from an observed increase in the PMMA glass transition temperature with the addition of salt. Weak shifts in the carbonyl peaks in the i.r. spectra of the PMMA in the PMMA/salt mixtures suggest that the oxygen atom in the carbonyl interacts with the cation in the salt.
Transplantability of rabbit ovaries in the anterior chamber of the rabbit eye.

SummaryIn 112 autologous and homologous anterior chamber grafts of ovarian tissue in castrate and non-castrate males, and spayed and non-spayed females, the percentage of homologous takes was highest in non-spayed females, next highest in castrate males and spayed females. The lowest percentage of such takes was in normal males. The incidence in the different categories is not considered to be statistically significant with the possible exception of the non-spayed group of females. The ages of the donor grafts were not significant in relation to growth of fragments at the ages investigated. There was no apparent influence of the tissue transplants upon the weight gain of the recipient rabbits.
Study of Cubic Splines and Fourier Series as Interpolation Techniques for Filling in Short Periods of Missing Building Energy Use and Weather Data

A study of cubic splines and Fourier series as interpolation techniques for filling in missing data in energy and meteorological time series is presented. The followed procedure created artificially missing points (pseudo-gaps) in measured data sets and was based on the local behavior of the data set around those pseudo-gaps. Five variants of the cubic spline technique and 12 variants of Fourier series were tested and compared with linear interpolation, for filling in gaps of 1 to 6 hours of data in 20 samples of energy use and weather data. Each of the samples is at least one year in length. The analysis showed that linear interpolation is superior to the spline and Fourier series techniques for filling in 1–6 hour gaps in time series dry bulb and dew point temperature data. For filling 1–6 hour gaps in building cooling and heating use, the Fourier series approach with 24 data points before and after each gap and six constants was found to be the most suitable. In cases where there are insufficient data points for the application of this approach, simple linear interpolation is recommended.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Abstract B94: The roles of ERK1/2 and ERK5 in age‐related breast cancer proliferation

The purpose of the current study is to examine the relative roles of the extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1, 2, and 5 (ERK1/2 and ERK5) and novel benzimidazole inhibitor compounds in cellular proliferation in breast tumors with aging. Breast cancer risk progressively increases with age, in part due to an accumulation of genetic mutations that occur during cellular division and/or exposure to environmental toxins. It has been estimated that over the next thirty years the number of Americans older than 65 years of age will double. With this increase in the aged population, the incidence of breast cancer will rise; therefore, it is important to examine the underlying mechanisms involved in breast tumor proliferation with aging. It has been well established that activation of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) ERK1/2 leads to increased cellular proliferation and differentiation in cancer cells. Many of these studies rely on pharmacological inhibitors that were thought to be specific for the ERK1/2 pathways. Interestingly, recent studies demonstrate that these inhibitors also block the activation of a novel MAPK, ERK5. Indeed, an increase in ERK5 activity has been observed in mammary tumors in aged patients. However, the roles of ERK1/2 and ERK5 in breast cancer cell proliferation with aging have not been fully explored. In our studies, the transgenic MMTV‐neu mouse model was utilized to examine ERK1/2 and ERK5 activity with age. MMTV‐neu mice develop spontaneous mammary tumors which make them an appropriate model for the studies of human breast cancer. Tumors were extracted from young (3 mo), middle (9 mo), and old (15 mo) mice. Higher levels of ERK5 expression and activity were observed in middle‐ and old‐aged animals as compared to their younger counterpart. Similarly, ERK1/2 expression and activation were increased with age. To further study the role of the ERK pathways on cell proliferation with aging, the BT‐474 human breast cancer cell line and the MMTV‐neu cell line (MMC) were utilized. Cell lysates were collected at passages 2, 12, 24 and 36 to mimic aging. At early passages ERK5 was constitutively active under basal conditions. At later passages, an age‐dependent increase in ERK5 was observed. Breast cancer cell proliferation may be regulated by ERK5 exclusively or in conjunction with ERK1/2. We next investigated how novel benzimidazole compounds can act as specific inhibitors of ERK5 signaling in MMC and BT‐474 cells. Overall, these studies will provide novel information about the cellular mechanisms involved in cancer cell proliferation and progression with aging. A better understanding of the ERK1/2 and ERK5 pathways in age‐related mammary cell proliferation may lead to the development of preventative therapeutics or treatment possessing enhanced specificity for aging patients. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(12 Suppl):B94.
Prognostic factors in adult granulosa cell tumor of the ovary

BACKGROUND. The clinical course of adult granulosa cell tumor of the ovary is characterized by indolent growth tending toward late recurrence. A variety of clinical and pathologic parameters have previously been evaluated for prognostication with inconclusive results. METHODS. The clinical records and tumor sections of 70 patients with adult granulosa cell tumors of the ovary were reviewed. Patients with recurrent tumors (REC) (n = 19) were compared with patients who remained without disease (NED) (n = 51). RESULTS. Significant differences in stage and tumor size were noted between the two groups; however, after logistic regression analysis, only stage remained statistically significant. Pathologic evaluation revealed that Call-Exner bodies occurred more frequently in tumors of the NED patients. Cellular atypia and high mitotic rates were more frequent in the REC group; however, after logistic regression analysis, only atypia remained statistically significant. When early ( 10 years) were compared, statistically significant differences were again noted: early recurring tumors had fewer Call-Exner bodies, higher mitotic rates, and higher degrees of atypia; late recurring tumors were similar to tumors in the NED patients. CONCLUSIONS. Tumor stage and, to a lesser extent, tumor size are the only clinical parameters of prognostic importance in adult granulosa cell tumors. Cellular atypia and, to lesser extents, mitotic rate and the absence of Call-Exner bodies are the only significant pathologic prognosticators. It is difficult to predict early recurrences and impossible to predict late recurrences using these clinical and pathologic parameters.
The decay of the upsilon into photons and gluons

Abstract The hadronic decays of heavy quark-antiquark 13S1 resonances such as the ψ J or ϒ can provide an ideal laboratory for studying the properties of gluon jets. We discuss the predictions of QCD perturbation theory for gluon-jet structures, hadronic multiplicities, fragmentation distributions, and angular distributions. In particular the channel (Q Q → γ + X , whose rate, spectrum, and angular distribution are predicted in lowest order, should allow the study of the jet and resonance structure produced via two intermediate gluons.
A Changing Pattern of Epiglottitis

Address correspondence to: Michael Ryan, D.O., Department of Pediatric Subspecialties, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA 17822-1339 Summary: A case review of epiglottitis at Geisinger Medical Center over the past 12 years demonstrates a decrease in the number of pediatric patients with epiglottitis and an increase in the number of adults with epiglottitis. In the last five years, the number of epiglottitis patients younger than 10 years has fallen (0 cases), while the number of patients over 10 years of age has increased (6 cases). The cause of epiglottitis, Hemophilus influenzae type b, remains constant in the pediatric as well as in the adult population. There appears to be an increasing frequency of epiglottitis in adults and a decreasing frequency of epiglottitis in children.
DNA "fingerprints" applied to paternity analysis in apples (Malus X domestica).

Analysis of minisatellite DNA sequences, yielding so called DNA “fingerprints”, has proven useful in paternity analysis for several different organisms. Here 64 apple seedlings, grown from seeds collected in an orchard with three cultivars, were analyzed using the M13 “fingerprint” probe. Paternity could be determined for 56 of the seedlings, 2 of which were derived through selfing. The analysis was facilitated by the occurrence of a multiallelic locus. The five different fragments determined by this locus migrated to similar positions, whether digesting the DNA with restriction enzymes TaqI or RsaI.
Oxidative stress during viral infection: A review

The purpose of this review is to analyze the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathogenesis of viral infections, an area of research that has recently gained momentum given the accumulation of evidence regarding the role of ROS in the pathogenesis of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Attention will be focussed on three classes of viruses: (1) RNA viruses, (2) DNA viruses, and (3) retroviruses, with particular attention to influenza viruses, hepatitis B virus, and HIV as representative examples of these three classes, respectively. For each type of virus, evidence for the following will be analyzed: (1) the effect of the virus on activation of phagocytic cells to release ROS and pro-oxidant cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor; (2) the effect of the virus on the pro-/antioxidant balance in host cells, including virally induced inhibition of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and virally induced increases in pro-oxidants such as nitric oxide; (3) effects of the redox state of the cell on the genetic composition of the virus as well as ROS-mediated release of host cell nuclear transcription factor-kappa-B, resulting in increased viral replication; and (4) efficacy of antioxidants as therapeutic agents in viral diseases of both animal models and patients.