cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drugs and the Synapse

The concept that centrally acting drugs influence behaviour by influencing neurotransmitter function at specific points controlling synaptic transmission is the basis of neuropharmacological research.The synapse is a specialized cellular interface that provides a physical and chemical link for facilitating communication between cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Keywords: agonist; antagonist; antidepressant; pain; neurotransmitter
Extracellular vesicle-mediated transfer of processed and functional RNY5 RNA

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been proposed as a means to promote intercellular communication. We show that when human primary cells are exposed to cancer cell EVs, rapid cell death of the primary cells is observed, while cancer cells treated with primary or cancer cell EVs do not display this response. The active agents that trigger cell death are 29- to 31-nucleotide (nt) or 22- to 23-nt processed fragments of an 83-nt primary transcript of the human RNY5 gene that are highly likely to be formed within the EVs. Primary cells treated with either cancer cell EVs, deproteinized total RNA from either primary or cancer cell EVs, or synthetic versions of 31- and 23-nt fragments trigger rapid cell death in a dose-dependent manner. The transfer of processed RNY5 fragments through EVs may reflect a novel strategy used by cancer cells toward the establishment of a favorable microenvironment for their proliferation and invasion.
Corrupción y financiación electoral: Una perspectiva burkeana

En las postrimerias del siglo XVIII, cuando Gran Bretana figuraba como un reino pacificado y con riquezas, el politico y pensador Edmund Burke se inquietaba por la reforma economica y la corrupcion politica de su pais. La corrupcion era ya un problema en alza y amenazaba la estabilidad de cualquier estado si las relaciones de cooperacion entre actores sociales y politicos colapsasen. Era un momento oportuno para reafirmar valores tradicionales bajo nuevas circunstancias, por ello, la perspectiva de Burke sobre el tema combina dos concepciones de corrupcion –clasica y liberal- en una comprension mas rica del fenomeno que resulta relevante en nuestros dias. Palabras clave: Corrupcion, conservadurismo, Burke, financiacion de partidos politicos, siglo XVIII, valores tradicionales y liberales. Abstract : At the end of 18th century when Britain became a calm and wealthy kingdom, the politician and thinker Edmond Burke was concerned with economic reform and political corruption in his country. Corruption was an increasing problem that threatened the government of any state if all cooperative relationship between political and social actors collapses. It was a time to reaffirm traditional values under new circumstances; therefore a Burkean perspective on this subject combine two conceptions of corruption -“classic” and liberal- into a richer understanding of the phenomenon to clarify questions that seem as relevant today. Keywords : Corruption, conservatism, Burke, campaing funding, 18th century, traditional and liberal values.
A Study of Crack–inclusion Interactions and Matrix–inclusion Debonding Using Moiré Interferometry and Finite Element Method

Failure behavior of composite materials in general and particulate composites in particular is intimately linked to interactions between a matrix crack and a second phase inclusion. In this work, surface deformations are optically mapped in the vicinity of a crack–inclusion pair using moire interferometry. Edge cracked epoxy beams, each with a symmetrically positioned cylindrical glass inclusion ahead of the tip, are used to simulate a compliant matrix crack interacting with a stiff inclusion. Processes involving microelectronic fabrication techniques are developed for creating linear gratings in the crack–inclusion vicinity. The debond evolution between the inclusion–matrix pair is successfully mapped by recording crack opening displacements under quasi-static loading conditions. The surface deformations are analyzed to study evolution of strain fields due to crack–inclusion interactions. A numerical model based on experimental observations is also developed to simulate debonding of the inclusion from the matrix. An element stiffness deactivation method in conjunction with critical radial stress criterion is successfully demonstrated using finite element method. The proposed methodology is shown to capture the experimentally observed debonding process well.
Assessment of perceived traumatic injury hazards during drywall hanging

Abstract Workers who handle massive and bulky drywall sheets are at a high risk of traumatic injuries. The objective of this study is to identify the drywall handling tasks and activities which are directly perceived as hazardous by workers. A questionnaire survey was conducted for the study. In the questionnaire, three hanging tasks were included: (1) hanging drywall on the ceiling; (2) hanging drywall on the upper half of the wall; and (3) hanging drywall on the lower half of the wall. Each of the three tasks was divided into 10 to 12 constituent activities. Supportive elevated equipment was also evaluated. Workers were instructed to rate the drywall-hanging tasks/activities and elevated equipment in regard to fall potential, perceived physical stress, and risk of being struck by or against objects, using a seven-point scale (1=hardly at all to 7=a great deal). Results from this study indicate that all the ratings of fall potential, perceived physical stress, and risk of being struck by or against objects while hanging drywall on the ceiling were greater than while performing the other two tasks. Activities involving lifting/carrying/holding drywall sheets were rated as most physically stressful. Workers perceived greatest physical stress and fall potential when wearing stilts as compared to using ladders or scaffolds. The findings of this study provide detailed information directly from the workers about the hazards associated with drywall hanging. Results from this study will assist in focusing future research efforts on the most hazardous tasks and activities of drywall hanging. Relevance to industry Construction workers who perform drywall installation have high occupational incident rate for traumatic injury. Handling massive and bulky drywall sheets increases the potential for physical stress, falls and struck by and against objects. A questionnaire was designed to collect injury information directly from construction workers who performed drywall hanging and to identify perceived hazards associated with drywall hanging. Prior to this study, there has been little substantive research to evaluate the excessive stresses imposed on this workforce.
Kinetics of Halogenated Organic Compound Degradation by Iron Metal

A combination of new and previously reported data on the kinetics of dehalogenation by zero-valent iron (Fe0) has been subjected to an analysis of factors effecting contaminant degradation rates. First-order rate constants (kobs) from both batch and column studies vary widely and without meaningful correlation. However, normalization of these data to iron surface area concentration yields a specific rate constant (kSA) that varies by only 1 order of magnitude for individual halocarbons. Correlation analysis using kSA reveals that dechlorination is generally more rapid at saturated carbon centers than unsaturated carbons and that high degrees of halogenation favor rapid reduction. However, new data and additional analysis will be necessary to obtain reliable quantitative structure−activity relationships. Further generalization of our kinetic model has been obtained by accounting for the concentration and saturation of reactive surface sites, but kSA is still the most appropriate starting point for design c...
TH‐C‐BRA‐02: Adaptive Image‐Guided Radiation Therapy: A Physicianˈs PerspectiveTherapy Symposium

Image guided radiation therapy(IGRT) today is focused on the use of in‐room imaging technologies to improve patient setup and target localization. IGRT in the future, however, will also include the use of imaging to adapttreatment to changes in the tumor (and patient) during treatment. One of the most important changes which can be adapted to is in morphology of both the tumor and surrounding normal tissues. Newer in‐room volumetric imaging opens the door to adapting to such changes. Discussion of adaptive IGRT quickly turn to the technical issues involved including automated segmentation and deformable registration. However, a fundamental understanding of the variety and frequency of morphologic changes which occur is crucial to the development of adaptive IGRT strategies. This lecture reviews the morphologic changes which occur during treatment of patients with CNS, Head and Neck, lung, gastrointestinal, breast, gynecologic, genitourinary and pediatric tumors. Published data on adaptive IGRT approaches in a variety of tumor sites will also be presented.
Thermal perception thresholds: influence of determination paradigm and reference temperature

The use of different paradigms and initial skin and thermode reference temperatures in quantitative thermal testing does not allow strict comparison of results generated from different laboratories. We tested (a) whether the reproducibility of the method of limits is higher for measurement of isolated warm and cold thresholds (WT, CT) as compared to difference limen (DL) thresholds, i.e. values derived from alternating warm and cold stimulation, and (b) whether WT-, CT- and DL-thresholds depend on the value of baseline skin and thermode temperatures. In 20 healthy volunteers WT-, CT-, and DL-thresholds were determined at the volar wrist using a Somedic-Thermotest. In condition A the baseline thermode temperature was set at 30 degrees C, and in conditions B and C at 35 degrees C; in condition C the tested skin area was also warmed to 35 degrees C prior to the test. The randomized tests were repeated within 1-8 days. WT-, CT-, and DL-values were reproducible, but DL-values were more widely spread than WT and CT. CT variability was lowest in condition A, and WT variability in condition C. We conclude that DL determination should be abandoned, since CT and WT better differentiate normal from abnormal thresholds than the coarse DL-values. We recommend the use of the lower baseline thermode temperature (30 degrees C) and elimination of warming of the tested skin area prior to the test.
Putative roles for a rhamnose binding lectin in Flavobacterium columnare pathogenesis in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Columnaris disease, caused by the bacterial pathogen Flavobacterium columnare, continues to be a major problem worldwide and commonly leads to tremendous losses of both wild and cultured freshwater fish, particularly in intensively farmed aquaculture species such as channel catfish. Despite its ecologic and economic impacts, the fundamental molecular mechanisms of the host immune response to this pathogen remain unclear. While F. columnare can induce marked pathologic changes in numerous ectopic tissues, the adhesion of F. columnare to the gill in particular is strongly associated with pathogen virulence and host susceptibility. Recently, in this regard, using RNA-seq expression profiling we found that a rhamnose-binding lectin (RBL) was dramatically upregulated in the gill of fish infected with F. columnare (as compared to naive fish). Thus, in the present study we sought to further characterize and understand the RBL response in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). We first identified two distinct catfish families with differential susceptibilities to columnaris disease; one family was found to be completely resistant while the other was susceptible (0% mortality versus 18.3% respectively, P 120-fold; P < 0.05) in fish fasted for 7 d (as compared to fish fed to satiation daily), yet expression levels returned to those of satiated fish within 4 h after re-feeding. Collectively, these findings highlight putative roles for RBL in the context of columnaris disease and reveal new aspects linking RBL regulation to feed availability.
Reliability and Completeness of Reporting of Information on Days Open Through the National Cooperative Dairy Herd Improvement Program

Abstract Days open was studied from information in lactation records collected through the National Cooperative Dairy Herd Improvement Program. Information on days open was available for 83% of United States records. Only 33% of records from the Wisconsin dairy records processing center included information on days open because 46% of herds had no reporting of this information, and a computation error caused information on days open for some cows in other herds not to be reported. When records from Wisconsin were excluded, information on days open was available for 90% of lactation records. Four percent of herds had no reporting of information on days open for any cows; 85% had above 80% reporting. Gestations computed from these data matched those from previous studies except for data from the Pennsylvania and Michigan dairy records processing centers, which had longer intervals. Errors in preparing records explained these longer intervals. When records from Michigan and Pennsylvania dairy records processing centers were excluded, gestations were 282 days for Ayrshires, 288 days for Brown Swiss, 286 days for Guernseys, 280 days for Holsteins, 279 days for Jerseys, 282 days for Milking Shorthorns, and 282 days for Red and White. With correction of computing problems and selection of appropriate procedures for missing information, data on days open available through the National Cooperative Dairy Herd Improvement Program appear to provide an adequate basis for adjusting lactation records.
Hexaaquocopper (II) ions in Tutton's salts

HEXAAQUOCOPPER (II) IONS IN TUTTON'S SALTS Werner H. Baur Department of Geological Sciences University of lllinois at Chicago Chicago, lllinois 60680 (Received 3 A u ~ s t l~2J The EPR s p e c t r a o f s e v e r a l o f T u t t o n ' s s a l t s CuX2(YO4) 2.6HzO (whe re X i s NH4, K, Rb o r Cs ; Y i s S o r Se) h a v e b e e n m e a s u r e d and i n t e r p r e t e d as b e i n g c o n n e c t e d w i t h a r h o m b i c s y m m e t r y o f t h e l i g a n d f i e l d a r o u n d t h e Cu 2+ i o n s ( 1 , 2 , 5 ) , and n o t w i t h t h e more common t e t r a g o n a l f i e l d f o u n d u s u a l l y as a r e s u l t o f t h e J a h n T e l l e r d i s t o r t i o n a r o u n d Cu 2+. I n t e r e s t i n g l y t h e maximum g v a l u e s w e r e f o u n d t o be o r i e n t e d i n two d i f f e r e n t d i r e c t i o n s i n t h e d i f f e r e n t c o m p o u n d s . An i n s p e c t i o n o f t h e c r y s t a l s t r u c t u r e o f C u ( N H 4 ) 2 ( S O 4 ) 2 . 6 H 2 0 d e t e r m i n e d by n e u t r o n d i f f r a c t i o n (4) shows t h a t t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e maximum v a l u e o f g c o i n c i d e s w i t h t h e v e c t o r Cu-O(w7) i n t h e c r y s t a l s t r u c t u r e ( T a b l e l a ) . In t h e c r y s t a l s t r u c t u r e s o f CuK2(SO4)2"6H20 (5) and C u C s 2 ( S O 4 ) 2 . 6 N 2 0 (6) t h e maximum g v a l u e i s i n t h e d i r e c t i o n o f C u O ( w 8 ) . T h e r e f o r e , i n a l l t h r e e c a s e s t h e maximum g v a l u e i s w e l l a l i g n e d w i t h t h e l o n g e s t 2+ CuO(w) d i s t a n c e o f t h e Cu(OH2) 6 i o n . In s p i t e o f t h e p r o n o u n c e d d i f f e r e n c e s i n i n d i v i d u a l bond l e n g t h s , t h e a v e r a g e Cu-O(w) d i s t a n c e s a r e a l m o s t i d e n t i c a l i n t h e t h r e e s a l t s (maximum A = 0 . 0 0 8 ~ ) . Ghosh , P a l and B a g c h i (2) r e c o g n i z e d t h a t " . . . t h e l i g a n d f i e l d n e a r . . . t h e Cu 2+ i o n . . . i s n o t d e p e n d e n t on t h e s i x n e i g h b o u r i n g w a t e r d i p o l e s a l o n e b u t a l s o upon how t h e more d i s t a n t n e i g h b o u r s a r e s i t u a t e d . . . " . At t h e t i m e o f t h e i r w r i t i n g ( e a r l y 1965) no 2 + r e s u l t s o f t h e c r y s t a l s t r u c t u r e d e t e r m i n a t i o n s o f Cu c o n t a i n i n g T u t t o n ' s s a l t h~d b e e n p u b l i s h e d y e t . S i n c e t h e t h r e e a b o v e m e n t i o n e d compounds h a v e b e e n d e t e r m i n e d r e c e n t l y w i t h h i g h a c c u r a c y
Control of the lone star tick on cattle.

The following treatments sprayed onto cattle gave > 90% reduction of adult lone star ticks, Amblyomma Americanum (L.), at 1 day posttreatment compared with numbers on untreated cattle: 0.25% Banol® (6-chloro-3,4-xylyl methylcarbamate); 0.05-0.25% Bay 39007 ( o -isopropoxyphenyl methylcarbamate); 1% bromophos; 0.5% carbaryl; 0.3% Ciodrin®( alpha -methylbenzyl 3-hydroxycrotonate dimethyl phosphate) ; 0.1% Compound 4072 (2-chloro-l-(2,4-dichlorophenyl) vinyl diethyl phosphate); 0.25% coumaphos; 0,03% diazinon (EC); 0.025-0.1% Dursban® ( O , O- diethyl O-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothioate); 0.125-0.25% Imidan® ( O, O -dimethyl S -phthalimidomethyl phosphorodithioate); 0.1-0.5% Shell SD-8447 (2-chloro-1-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl)vinyl dimethyl phosphate); 0.1% Shell SD 8448 (2-chloro-1-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl)vinyl diethyl phosphate); 1% trichlorfon; and 0.5% toxaphene (the standard treatment). Treatments giving less than 90% reduction were: 0.1% Banol; 0.1-0.25% Bay 37341 ( O , O -diethyl O -[4-(methylthio)-3,5-xylyl] phosphorothioate); 0.375% bromophos; 0.25% bromophos-ethyl; 0.05% carbophenothion; 0.03% diazinon (wp); 0.1% Dowco® 175 (2,4-dichlorophenyl propyl methylphosphoramidate); 0.01% Dursban; 0.1% fenthion; 0.1% Imidan; and 0.5% menazon. At 1 week posttreatment, the following sprays gave reduction equal to or greater than the 64% reduction given by 0.5% toxaphene: 0.25% Bay 37341,0.1% Bay 39007, 0.5% carbaryl, 0.1% Compound 4072, 0.25% coumaphos, 0.1% Dowco 175, 0.05% Dursban, 0.1 and 0.25% Imidan, 0.1% Shell SD-8448, and 1% trichlorfon. At 2 weeks posttreatment, all treatments except 0.25% coumaphos gave little or no reduction in number of ticks. A pouron of 2% Bay 37341 at 1 oz per cwt gave only 39% reduction at 1 day posttreatment, whereas a pouron of 8% trichlorfon at ½ oz per cwt gave 72% reduction at 1 day and 44% reduction at 1 week posttreatment.
Investigation of HIFU-induced anti-tumor immunity in a murine tumor model

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an emerging non-invasive treatment modality for localized treatment of cancers. While current clinical strategies employ HIFU exclusively for thermal ablation of the target sites, biological responses associated with both thermal and mechanical damage from focused ultrasound have not been thoroughly investigated. In particular, endogenous danger signals from HIFU-damaged tumor cells may trigger the activation of dendritic cells. This response may play a critical role in a HIFU-elicited anti-tumor immune response which can be harnessed for more effective treatment. Mice bearing MC-38 colon adenocarcinoma tumors were treated with thermal and mechanical HIFU exposure settings in order to independently observe HIFU-induced effects on the host's immunological response. In vivo dendritic cell activity was assessed along with the host's response to challenge tumor growth. Thermal and mechanical HIFU were found to increase CD11c+ cells 3.1-fold and 4-fold, respectively, as compared to 1.5-fold observed for DC injection alone. In addition, thermal and mechanical HIFU increased CFSE+ DC accumulation in draining lymph nodes 5-fold and 10-fold, respectively. Moreover, focused ultrasound treatments not only caused a reduction in the growth of primary tumors, with tumor volume decreasing by 85% for thermal HIFU and 43% for mechanical HIFU, but they also provided protection against subcutaneous tumor re-challenge. Further immunological assays confirmed an enhanced CTL activity and increased tumor-specific IFN-γ-secreting cells in the mice treated by focused ultrasound, with cytotoxicity induced by mechanical HIFU reaching as high as 27% at a 10:1 effector:target ratio. These studies present initial encouraging results confirming that focused ultrasound treatment can elicit a systemic anti-tumor immune response, and they suggest that this immunity is closely related to dendritic cell activation. Because DC activation was more pronounced when tumor cells were mechanically lysed by focused ultrasound treatment, mechanical HIFU in particular may be employed as a potential strategy in combination with subsequent thermal ablations for increasing the efficacy of HIFU cancer treatment by enhancing the host's anti-tumor immunity.
Longitudinal changes of trace elements in human milk during the first 5 months of lactation

Abstract Human milk samples were obtained from 6 women at various times during lactation for a total of 81 samples. Those from each woman were from 10 to 18 samples, sufficient to calcuate exponential regressions on an individual basis. Trace elements were measured using Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma Spectroscopy (ICAPS). Those elements in measurable quantities were zinc, silicon, copper, iron, barium, and strontium in the order found from the highest to the lowest concentrations. Means of 6 women ranged from 3.434 to 1.146 parts per million (ppm) for zinc, from 1.121 to .0570 ppm for silicon, .3800 to .1123 ppm for copper, from .3410 to .1733 ppm for iron, from .2833 to .0057 ppm for barium, and from .1057 to .0290 for strontium. Regressions for each element longitudinally on a daily basis showed concentrations of zinc, copper and iron being reduced significantly. In the cases of silicon, barium and strontium, longitudinal changes were not significant on a statistical basis. Fractional loss of zinc per day was −.01390; for copper it was −.00836; and the fractional loss of iron on a daily basis was −.01000. Other elements detected in some, but not all, samples included aluminum, lithium, manganese, and titanium. Manganese was measurable at the minimum detection limit of .007 ppm in only 6 of 81 milk samples. The mean for the 6 samples was .016 ppm.
Steric Hardening and the Ordering of Asphaltenes in Bitumen

Steric hardening is the hardening of bitumen over time at room temperature. It occurs after bitumen is melted, and it often leads to poor reproducibility in standard testing. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry shows that asphaltenes order when bitumen is cooled from the melt and that this phenomenon is time-dependent. This paper establishes the link between the ordering of the asphaltenes in bitumen and its steric hardening. It is suggested that at least 24 h elapse between the melting and pouring of bitumen and its subsequent testing by standardized methods.
Role of Gluten in Flour Tortilla Staling

ABSTRACT Effects of protease and transglutaminase (TG) on dough and tortilla microstructures, shelf-stability, and protein profile were determined to infer the role of gluten in tortilla staling. Control and enzyme-treated tortillas were prepared using a standard bake test procedure and evaluated for three weeks. Confocal micrographs of control dough showed thin protein strands forming a continuous web-like matrix. Protease-treated dough had pieces of proteins in place of the continuous matrix, while TG-treated dough had thicker protein strands that were heterogeneously distributed. Control tortillas had a well-distributed continuous protein structure. Protease-treated tortilla had a continuous structure despite being composed of hydrolyzed proteins in the dough, while the TG-treated tortilla retained clumps of proteins. Both treatments resulted in shorter shelf-stability of tortillas. An evenly distributed and moderately stronger gluten network is necessary for longer retention of tortilla flexibility. S...
Clinical and multifocal-electroretinographic findings of congenital tilted disc syndrome associated with choroidal neovascularization: a case report.

Purpose To report a case of a tilted disc syndrome associated with choroidal neovascularization. Methods A 55-year-old male patient presented with blurred vision and metamorphopsia of the left eye. He underwent complete ophthalmologic examination, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and multifocal-electroretinogram (mf-ERG). Results All features are consistent with a tilted disc syndrome complicated with a small neovascular membrane. OCT confirmed the presence of a serous retinal detachment. Mf-ERG confirmed a decrease of electrical activity of the photoreceptors in area 1 (fovea). The patient refused to be treated. Conclusion Macular serous retinal detachment due to subretinal leakage is a rare complication of tilted disc syndrome. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first time a tilted disc syndrome with choroidal neovascularization is documented by means of OCT and mf-ERG. These are the only objective tools in order to assess objectively the anatomical and functional damage accordingly.
Interaction Quality in Political-Administrative Relations in the United States: Testing a Multi-Dimensional Model

Complementarity has become the new label to characterize the relations between elected officials and professional public administrators. In response to increasingly complex and challenging problems that face local government officials today, public administration scholars have explored how to improve the efficacy of interactions between elected and appointed officials. To do so, scholars have proposed that characteristics of quality interactions include mutual respect, understanding, communication, and partnership between the two parties. Inadequate empirical research, however, exists to help us understand what interaction quality means. This study fills an important gap in the literature by proposing and testing a multi-dimensional model to explain interaction quality. This study utilizes survey data collected from a nationwide sample of city managers in the United States and employs structural equation modeling.
Hydrolysis and Esterification in Organically Modified Alkoxysilanes: A 29Si NMR Investigation of Methyltrimethoxysilane†

High-resolution 29Si NMR was used to investigate the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis and esterification reactions of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) in methanol. The INEPT experiment, adapted for spin systems with multiple heteronuclear coupling constants, was used to assign the closely spaced resonances of the MTMS hydrolysis products. Due to the rapid reaction rates, only the pseudoequilibrium concentration distribution for the resulting hydrolysis products could be determined. Models based on thermodynamically statistical distributions, irreversible hydrolysis reactions, and reversible hydrolysis reactions were nearly equally successful in accounting for the concentration distributions over a wide range of H2O/Si ratios (Rw) and temperatures. However, preparation of hydrolyzed MTMS in a nonpseudoequilibrium state unequivocally demonstrated the reversibility of hydrolysis reactions on a short time scale. By measuring the extent of reaction of MTMS systems at high water concentrations, the ratio of the hydrolysi...
Assessment and Intervention in School-Based Practice:

Assessment and intervention are two of the primary roles of occupational therapists and physical therapists working in public schools. This article conceptualizes a non-linear process of assessment and intervention that maximizes the likelihood that therapists will be integral and valuable members of the educational teams of students with disabilities. An assessment process is described that answers questions about discrepancies between a student's performance and the expectations of others. This is followed by considerations for setting goals and objectives, determining the services to be provided, determining the services delivery setting, and providing intervention that most efficiently and effectively assists students to meet their goals and objectives.
Identification of carrot inositol phospholipids by fats atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Inositol phospholipids from carrot cell membranes grown in suspension cultured were purified by thinlayer chromatography (TLC) or column chromatography and tentatively identified by co-migration on TLC with animal inositol phospholipid standards. For more rigorous chemical characterization, carrot inositol phospholipids were then analyzed by negative ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FABMS). One phosphatidylinositol (PI), two lysophosphatidylinositols (LPI), and one phosphatidylinositol monophosphate (PIP) were identified in the carrot samples by the observation of ions [M-H]− and numerous fragment ions in the negative FAB mass spectra. MS/MS analysis were carried out to obtain further structural information of these phospholipids using a double-focusing mass spectrometer in which the magnetic sector (B) and the electrostatic analyzer (E) were scanned at a constant ratio (B/E). These B/E linked scans provided fragment ions of selected precursor ions while eliminating matrix and other contaminating ions. No molecular ions were detected for lysophosphatidylinositol monophosphate (LPIP) or phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP2), but fragment ions corresponding to these structures were observed. The primary fatty acids present in the carrot inositol phospholipids were linoleic (18∶2) and palmitic (16∶0) acids, whereas animal lipids contained arachidonic (20∶4), stearic (18∶0), linoleic, and palmitic acids. The only phosphatidylinositol found in carrot cells was palmitoyl linoleoyl PI.
A secreted phosphoprotein marker for neoplastic transformation of both epithelial and fibroblastic cells

A wide variety of virally and spontaneously transformed fibroblasts secrete a major transformation-related phosphoprotein with a molecular weight (MW), depending on the species of origin, of about 62,000 (62K). Markedly elevated extracellular levels of this major 32P-labelled protein are not simply linked to exponential growth but instead are associated directly with transformation. The phosphoprotein is not antigenically related to p60src, p60c-src or simian virus 40 (SV40) non-viral T antigen, and it is further distinguishable from SV40 non-viral T antigen (pp 53) on the basis of its electrophoretic mobility. In this study we have compared a variety of normal and transformed epithelial cells for secretion of this 32P-labelled protein and have found that this marker distinguishes neoplastic from preneoplastic and normal mouse mammary epithelium and also identifies highly tumorigenic cells derived from guinea pig bile duct epithelium and rat liver epithelium. Because the classical phenotypic properties commonly associated with transformation of fibroblasts cannot be generally used to discriminate tumorigenic from non-tumorigenic epithelial cells, this phosphoprotein, which identifies tumorigenic cells of both fibroblastic and epithelial origin, is likely to be of particular importance.
Denitrification Potential and Carbon Quality of Four Aquatic Plants in Wetland Microcosms

The C quality of four aquatic plants found in wetlands explains the differences in their relative capacity to fuel denitrification. In replicated (n = 4) flow-through microcosm experiments we compared nitrate removal using equal C additions of two emergent plants (Scirpus acutus, Typha latifolia) and two floating plants (Hydrocotyle umbellata, Lemna minor). As expected, plant litter with the highest initial C/N and lignin content (Scirpus acutus), required significantly (p < 0.05) higher dry matter addition to achieve the nitrate removals of the other plants studied. For all plants, losses in C content and significantly (p < 0.05) higher C/N ratios in leached litter is consistent with preferential hydrolysis of low molecular weight (MW) carbohydrates. Interestingly, plant-specific differences in this denitrification potential were removed when nitrate removal data was compared on an acid-soluble carbohydrate (ASC) basis. As an efficiency measure, high ratios of applied C to NO 3 -N decreased denitrification potentials, whereas increasing NO 3 -N loading at equal C additions increased denitrification potentials. Differences in denitrification potential resulting from carbohydrate and lignin content of the plants studied were generally smaller than relative differences in reported productivity. That much of the plant C left the microcosms before oxidation is consistent with overall electron acceptor limitation in wetlands and suggests observable differences in field-scale denitrification performance may still arise with the presence or absence of highly productive reed (e.g., Scirpus sp., Typha sp.) stands.
WE-E-17A-02: Predictive Modeling of Outcome Following SABR for NSCLC Based On Radiomics of FDG-PET Images.

Purpose: This study aims to develop predictive models of patient outcome by extracting advanced imaging features (i.e., Radiomics) from FDG-PET images. Methods: We acquired pre-treatment PET scans for 51 stage I NSCLC patients treated with SABR. We calculated 139 quantitative features from each patient PET image, including 5 morphological features, 8 statistical features, 27 texture features, and 100 features from the intensity-volume histogram. Based on the imaging features, we aim to distinguish between 2 risk groups of patients: those with regional failure or distant metastasis versus those without. We investigated 3 pattern classification algorithms: linear discriminant analysis (LDA), naive Bayes (NB), and logistic regression (LR). To avoid the curse of dimensionality, we performed feature selection by first removing redundant features and then applying sequential forward selection using the wrapper approach. To evaluate the predictive performance, we performed 10-fold cross validation with 1000 random splits of the data and calculated the area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results: Feature selection identified 2 texture features (homogeneity and/or wavelet decompositions) for NB and LR, while for LDA SUVmax and one texture feature (correlation) were identified. All 3 classifiers achieved statistically significant improvements over conventional PET imaging metrics such as tumor volume (AUC = 0.668) and SUVmax (AUC = 0.737). Overall, NB achieved the best predictive performance (AUC = 0.806). This also compares favorably with MTV using the best threshold at an SUV of 11.6 (AUC = 0.746). At a sensitivity of 80%, NB achieved 69% specificity, while SUVmax and tumor volume only had 36% and 47% specificity. Conclusion: Through a systematic analysis of advanced PET imaging features, we are able to build models with improved predictive value over conventional imaging metrics. If validated in a large independent cohort, the proposed techniques could potentially aid in identifying patients who might benefit from adjuvant therapy.
Behavioral and neural measures of auditory temporal acuity in aging humans and mice

Three experiments compared auditory temporal acuity in humans and in the behavior and single cells in the inferior colliculus (IC) of mice, to establish the comparability of aging effects on temporal acuity across species, and to suggest a neural foundation. The thresholds for silent gaps placed in white noise (MGTs) were similar in young mice and young humans, and increased in some but not all old humans and old mice. Neural MGT in the most sensitive cells of both young and old mice was comparable to behavioral MGT in the young of both species, but older mice had more cells with very high MGT. Human listeners were selected to have minimal absolute hearing loss. Older mice had significant hearing loss that was correlated with MGT in behavioral, but not in neural, measures. Some old mice and some old IC cells, however, had low MGTs coupled with elevated absolute hearing thresholds. Age-related changes in temporal acuity appear comparable in humans and mice. The data suggest a common deficit in neural mechanisms.
UV laser-ablated surface textures as potential regulator of cellular response

Textured surfaces obtained by UV laser ablation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) films were used to study the effect of shape and spacing of surface features on cellular response. Two distinct patterns, cones and ripples with spacing from 2 to 25 μm, were produced. Surface features with different shapes and spacings were produced by varying pulse repetition rate, laser fluence, and exposure time. The effects of the surface texture parameters, i.e., shape and spacing, on cell attachment, proliferation, and morphology of neonatal human dermal fibroblasts and mouse fibroblasts were studied. Cell attachment was the highest in the regions with cones at ≈4 μm spacing. As feature spacing increased, cell spreading decreased, and the fibroblasts became more circular, indicating a stress-mediated cell shrinkage. This study shows that UV laser ablation is a useful alternative to lithographic techniques to produce surface patterns for controlling cell attachment and growth on biomaterial surfaces.
Altered sexual function and decreased testosterone in patients receiving intraspinal opioids

Altered sexual function has been reported in individuals addicted to opioids or on methadone maintenance, yet little literature is available regarding the effect of intraspinal opioids on libido or sex hormone levels. We evaluated sexual function and plasma sex hormone levels in six men treated with chronic intraspinal opioids. All patients had some reduction in libido and four patients had difficulty obtaining or maintaining an erection. These changes were noted within 1 month of beginning intraspinal opioid therapy. Serum testosterone levels ranged from 26 to 367 ng/dL (normal, 350-1500 ng/dL); the mean serum level was 197.7 ng/dL (SD = 119.8). Serum testosterone levels and other sex hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, sex-hormone-binding globulin, and prolactin, should be measured prior to and at various points during intraspinal opioid therapy. Patients should be queried regarding sexual function and should be cautioned regarding the possibility of these adverse effects prior to initiating spinal opioids. Supplemental testosterone should be considered to treat this dysfunction.
An empirical note on economic freedom and income inequality

I report estimates for a fixed-effects model of country-level Gini coefficients as a function of economic freedom along with relevant control variables. Gini coefficients are drawn from the UNU/WIDER World Income Inequality Database Version 2.0a, while economic freedom is measured by the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of the World index. Controls are included for per capita income, political structure, education, demographics, and industrial composition. Over a broad range of freedom, the estimated relation between economic freedom and income inequality is positive, statistically significant, but relatively inelastic.
A Note on the Impact of Auto Insurance Rate Regulation

The impact of rate regulation on auto insurance loss ratios during 1976–81 is estimated using cross-state data to determine whether regulation significantly affected rates. The methodology allows for random variation in the impact of rate regulation and no-fault laws on loss ratios. The model controls for the influence of the average expected loss per insured vehicle in a state, and growth rates for the average loss per insured vehicle are analyzed to determine whether unanticipated growth in losses is likely to have affected the estimated mean impact of regulation. The results suggest that regulation reduced rates during the period studied.
Assembly of lipid‐containing viruses

Enveloped viruses which form by budding at the cell surface possess a membrane consisting of a lipid bilayer and a small number of virus-coded polypeptides. Since viral polypeptides become integral components of the plasma membrane during assembly, the process of synthesis and incorporation into membranes of these proteins may reflect the pathway of plasma membrane assembly. Electron microscopic studies have suggested that viral envelope proteins are incorporated into discrete, localized regions of the plasma membrane which serve as recognition sites for the viral nucleocapsid. In influenza virus-infected cells, viral polypeptides are associated with cytoplasmic membranes as well as the plasma membrane. The major envelope glycoprotein appears to be synthesized in rough endoplasmic reticulum, and to migrate to smooth membranes after synthesis. Glycosylation is initiated in rough membranes and progresses further in smooth membranes. Unlike the glycoproteins, the major nonglycosylated polypeptide appears to be inserted directly into the plasma membrane. In the presence of 2-deoxyglucose or high concentrations of glucosamine, aberrant viral glycoproteins are detected which appear to be unglycosylated or partially glycosylated; these are associated with membranes and incorporated into virus particles of reduced infectivity. Therefore normal glycosylation is not essential for incorporation of viral glycoproteins into cellular membranes or virus particles, but is required for normal biological activity. The role of the viral neuraminidase in assembly and release has been studied using mutants defective in neuraminidase at restrictive temperature. Under these conditions virus formation occurs, but the progeny form large aggregates at the cell surface. Colloidal iron hydroxide staining indicates that such virus particles contain neuraminic acid, and these residues appear to serve as receptors leading to the extensive aggregation.
The role of service quality in influencing brand attachments at winery visitor centers.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the relationships between brand attachment and selected service quality variables in winery visitor centers. Brand Attachment was hypothesized to be a function of Customer Service, Visitor Education, Brand Differentiation, Appearance and Purchase Assistance. Data for the empirical study came from a mystery shopper program and the sample had 144 evaluations from 26 different wineries. Scales to measure the constructs were tested for reliability, and correlation and regression analysis on factor loadings were used to test the relationships between variables. All of the 5 factors correlate highly with Brand Attachment, with the most important factors appearing to be Visitor Education, Brand Differentiation and Customer Service.
Spatial competition among multi-store firms

Abstract The paper analyzes spatial Cournot competition among multi-store firms. It demonstrates that the complex problem of determining equilibrium store locations for competing multi-store firms can be approximated by a simple one, in which each firm behaves as a multi-store monopolist in choosing its store locations. A firm’s equilibrium store locations often coincide with its monopoly locations, and in general, converge to its monopoly locations as the demand grows larger. When the firms have an equal number of stores, the stores belonging to competing firms agglomerate at discrete points that coincide with each firm’s monopoly store locations.
Within-trial contrast: when you see it and when you don't.

Within-trial contrast occurs when a discriminative stimulus that is preceded by a relatively aversive event is preferred over another that is preceded by a less aversive event. Recent failures to replicate (Arantes & Grace, 2008; Vasconcelos, Urcuioli, a Lionello-DeNolf, 2007) may allow us to identify factors that may be responsible. In the case of Vasconcelos et al., it is likely that insufficient training was provided (often 35–65 sessions are required). In the case of Arantes and Grace (Experiment 2), these pigeons had been involved in prior experiments involving lean schedules of reinforcement, and we find that prior experience with lean (relatively aversive) schedules appears to reduce the presumed aversiveness of the many-peck requirement, thus obviating the contrast effect. Finally, in the case of Vasconcelos and Urcuioli (2008), although the contrast effect with a simultaneous discrimination was not reliable, it was not reliably smaller than with a successive discrimination that did show a reliable effect, and the contrast effect was also similar in magnitude to a reliable effect reported by Kacelnik and Marsh (2002). Thus, although there have been several failures to replicate the original effects reported by Clement, Feltus, Kaiser, and Zentall (2000), insufficient training, prior history with lean schedules of reinforcement, and low statistical power may have been responsible for those failures.
Ultrasound phased arrays for noninvasive surgery and therapy

Practical high power phased arrays have been developed and tested in our laboratory. The results show that they offer significant advantages over conventional single focused ultrasound transducers for noninvasive ultrasound surgery. These advantages include but are not limited to: compensation of phase distortion induced by overlying tissues, potential for inducing optimal energy delivery patterns, and generation of large focal spots for tumor coagulation. This paper will describe some of our results with the therapy phased array.
Sensory restriction in the albino rat: Photically evoked after-discharge correlates

Abstract Visually evoked cortical responses recorded from the occipital cortex of albino rats reared under sensory restricted conditions were compared to the responses recorded from control littermates. Results were: (1) The amplitudes of both the early N 1 -P 2 component and the later recurring after-discharge activity of the sensory restricted subjects were reduced in size. (2) Sensory restricted animals failed to demonstrate the temporal adaptive changes found in the responses of control littermates. (3) Subsequent extended exposure to standard colony conditions (3–6 weeks) resulted in significant changes in the responses of the sensory restricted subjects.
Cardiovascular-pulmonary monitoring in the intensive care unit. (Part 2)

Proliferation of technology in the ICU likely will continue at a rapid pace. This presents a strong challenge to the clinician's task of "above all, do not harm." While invasive techniques carry obvious direct risks, both invasive and noninvasive monitoring present a more subtle threat. Pitfalls in the acquisition and interpretation of data must be recognized before appropriate therapeutic decisions can be made. Advanced monitoring devices and techniques must supplement and not supplant clinical assessment.
Evaluation of oxygen diffusion distances in human breast cancer xenografts using tumor-specific in vivo data: Role of various mechanisms in the development of tumor hypoxia

Abstract Oxygen diffusion distances in human breast cancer xenografts are computed considering cell line-specific in vivo data. By introducing variations into a set of experimental data characterizing a "standard" situation, the impacts of various tumor-specific or systemic mechanisms are studied. Evidence is given that radioresistance may develop at intercapillary distances above 100 μm. If intercapillary distances exceed 140 μm, hypoxia is present at the arterial end of microvessels already. Hypoxia evidenced under "standard" conditions is distinctly aggravated by reduction of microvascular blood flow, increased arterio-venous shunt perfusion, reduced red blood cell flux, elongation of tumor microvessels, anemia or arterial hypoxemia. Hypoxic tissue fractions calculated for these various conditions are found to be in accordance with the proportion of tumor tissue P O 2 -readings at 0–1 mmHg.