cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation Particle Tracking

In this study, we present a novel optical imaging method that makes use of high precision particle tracking of fluorescent particles to obtain images of nanometer size structures in live cells. Particle tracking not only provides the trajectory of the center of mass but also the particle orientation and size can now be observed, in vivo and real time with the nanometer resolution. This method helps in further understanding of the dynamics of the small particles in biological systems, which was hard to achieve by the current optical techniques. The method is based in rapidly modulating the position of the laser beam around small structures on the order of 100nm in size. When the laser spot oscillates in the direction toward the particle surface, the fluorescence of the particle is modulated. The modulation, which is the ratio of the alternating part to the average fluorescence intensity, is a function of the distance of the particle from the center of mass to the oscillation. In order to track the particle, we circularly moved the oscillating laser spot around the moving particle, and at the same time, analyzed the modulation in the frequency spectrum of the intensity along the orbit to perform a feedback loop updating the average laser position to the center of mass of the particle position. The size, shape and orientation information of the fluorescent structure can then be obtained by looking at the higher order modulations components. We explain the theory behind this method and we show the 3D reconstruction of nanometer microvilli structures on the apical membrane of OK cells.Work supported in part by NIH-P41 P41-RRO3155 and P50-GM076516
Growth factors and transplant vascular disease

Summary The cause of chronic rejection is clearly multifactorial and relates to both immunologic and nonimmunologic factors. Most likely, the final effector molecules are the growth factors expressed, in response to immune injury, by endothelial and vascular SMCs. Many of the known growth factors may interact in this process. Several studies show a significant role of IGF-I, PDGF-BB, TGF-β, aFGF, bFGF, EGF, and VEGF, concomitantly with the induction of intimal SMC proliferation and intimal thickening. Our results suggest that the IGF-I ligand and receptor genes are rate limiting in smooth muscle proliferation in the development of transplant arteriosclerosis. Blocking growth factor ligands or receptors could be effective strategies for the prevention or treatment of transplant arteriosclerosis. We consistently find chronic estradiol treatment of transplant recipients to inhibit arteriosclerosis by attenuating both IGF-I expression and immune response, particularly MHC class II expression. Thus an estrogen with minimal feminizing properties like Raloxifen (Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, IN) may be an ideal drug for prevention of one of the major causes of loss of transplant function.
Frequency and reactivation of nongenital lesions among patients with genital herpes simplex virus.

Objective To determine the frequency, recurrence patterns, and host factors associated with nongenital herpes simplex virus lesions. Patents and methods In this cohort study at a referral clinic, 457 patients with first episodes of genital herpes were prospectively observed to evaluate the anatomic sites of herpetic lesions at the first and subsequent visits. Of these patients, 73 had primary genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1, 326 had primary first episode genital HSV-2, and 58 had HSV-1 infection prior to acquisition of genital HSV-2. The median follow-up was 63 weeks. Results Nongenital lesions at the time of acquisition of genital herpes were observed in 25%, 9%, and 2% of patients with primary HSV-1, primary HSV-2, and nonprimary HSV-2, respectively. Half of the patients with concurrent genital and non-genital lesions subsequently had recurrences at a nongenital site. Twenty patients (6.5%) whose primary genital HSV-2 infection involved only the genitalia subsequently developed nongenital recurrences, primarily on the buttocks (12) and legs (4). Nongenital recurrences, especially buttock recurrences, tended to be less frequent but of longer duration than genital recurrences. Conclusions Overall, 21% of patients with primary genital herpes will have or will subsequently develop a nongenital recurrence. Among patients with HSV-1, nongenital lesions tended to occur more often on the hand and face, whereas HSV-2 lesions appeared more often on the buttocks. Buttock lesions due to HSV recur less frequently but last longer than genital lesions.
On the Elasto-Plastic Evaluation of Piping System Subjected to Dynamic Events

The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III provides a complete set of evaluation criteria for evaluation of the failure modes including collapse, progressive deformation and fatigue by means of elastic analysis. The code also provides some guidance for the application of plastic analysis but it is not directly applicable for a general dynamic event. A dynamic event cannot be classified as either being primary (non-reversing) or secondary (reversing) — it exhibits elements of both, the proportions thereof being a reflection of the frequency compared to the response of the structure. Obviously, for the former the concern is collapse and for the latter progressive deformation and possibly fatigue. In this paper an evaluation procedure for elastoplastic dynamic piping analysis is proposed and exemplified with numerical simulations for several simple models.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Microwave and millimeter-wave monolithic circuit technology, its history and future

The history of the Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Monolithic Circuits (MMWMC) Symposium is reviewed, with particular emphasis on how it has reflected significant technological progress over the past decade. Works reported at past MMWMC symposia are utilized to highlight the technology advances. Emphasis at previous symposia has been on demonstrated circuit data from research performance results through early integrated component production. >
Team Jarts Rocket Design

The objective of the 2013 Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium collegiate rocket competition was to construct a rocket to achieve an apogee of 3,000 feet and recover the rocket safely in flyable condition The rocket was designed to reach an apogee of 3000 feet. The main feature of the rocket includes passively controlling the drag to control the altitude reached. This is done by initial design of the airframe and fins. The other feature is deploying a drogue parachute on the ascent of the rocket in order to stop the rocket at 3000 feet. The rocket was designed to achieve an apogee greater than 3000 feet so that the deployment of a drogue parachute can stop the rocket at 3000 feet. Fiberglass tubing makes up the rocket due to its high strength and durability. Extra support was designed into the rocket to ensure that zippering does not occur. The rocket design included resulting in stable rocket based on the center of pressure and center of gravity. The recovery system of the rocket involves a dual deployment system. A drogue parachute is to be deployed at 2900 feet to stop the rocket at 3000 feet and control the rockets descent until the main parachute is deployed. The main parachute is then deployed at 700 feet and controls the rocket descent until landing on the ground. There is also a second set of ejection charges that will deploy the drogue parachute at apogee and the main parachute at 500 feet if the main charges do not deploy them. These ejection charges are fired by the MARSA4 and PerfectFlite StratoLogger altimeters. There is also a motor ejection charge backup based on a time delay to ensure the deployment of a parachute.
Hemispheric differences in cerebral autoregulation in children with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury.

To examine hemispheric differences in cerebral autoregulation in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). After IRB approval and consent, subjects underwent static cerebral autoregulation testing during the first 9 days after PICU admission. Cerebral autoregulation was quantified using the autoregulatory index (ARI). Forty-two (27 M:15 F) children (10 ± 5 years) with TBI and admission Glasgow coma scale score (5 ± 2) were enrolled. Seven (54%) of the 13 children with focal TBI and 8 (28%) of 29 children with diffuse TBI had impairment or absence of cerebral autoregulation of atleast one hemisphere. In patients with isolated focal TBI, ARI was lower (0.40 ± 0.40 vs. 0.67 ± 0.40; P = 0.03) in the side of TBI than in the unaffected hemisphere, but cerebral autoregulation was often impaired on the side without TBI or shift (5/13) on head CT. There was no difference in ARI between hemispheres in children with diffuse TBI, with or without superimposed focal lesions (P = 0.17). Patients with bilateral intact cerebral autoregulation tended to have higher 6 month Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) than patients with either unilateral or bilateral cerebral autoregulation impairment (GOS 4.0 ± 0.60 vs. 3.6 ± 0.80; P = 0.08). Hemispheric differences in cerebral autoregulation were common in children with isolated focal TBI. Absence of TBI on CT was not always associated with intact cerebral autoregulation. Patients with bilaterally intact cerebral autoregulation tended to have better outcomes.
A meta-analysis of clonidine for symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

ABSTRACT Objective Meta-analysis was used to review the literature on the clinical use of clonidine to treat symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method A review of the literature from 1980 to 1999 revealed 39 studies that reported clonidine's efficacy and side effects for symptoms of ADHD and comorbid conditions. Of these, 11 reports provided sufficient information to be included in a meta-analysis. Results Meta-analysis using weighted variables revealed clonidine demonstrates a moderate effect size of 0.58 + 0.16 (95% confidence interval = 0.27–0.89) on symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents with ADHD and ADHD comorbid with conduct disorder, developmental delay, and tic disorders. Conclusions Clonidine may be an effective second-tier treatment for symptoms of ADHD, but it has an effect size less than that of stimulants. Clinical use of clonidine is associated with many side effects.
Toward quantitative simulation of germinal center dynamics: biological and modeling insights from experimental validation.

Abstract As models of immune system dynamics are developed, it is important to validate them with specific experimental data in order to understand their shortcomings and guide them toward becoming predictive. In this paper, we examine whether a particular mathematical model of germinal center dynamics, proposed by Oprea and Perelson, can reproduce experimental data from two specific primary responses, namely those directed against the haptens 2-phenyl-5-oxazolone and (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl. We develop formulas for estimating response-specific model parameters, as well as constraints for validating the model. In addition, we outline a general methodology for translating a continuous/deterministic model, expressed as a set of ordinary differential equations, into a discrete/stochastic framework. This methodology is used to create a new implementation of the Oprea and Perelson model that enables comparison with data on individual germinal centers. We conclude that while the model can reproduce the average dynamics of splenic germinal centers, it is at best incomplete and does not reproduce the distribution of individual germinal center behaviors. In addition to suggesting possible extensions to the model which can reconcile the dynamics with some aspects of the experimental data, we make a number of specific predictions that can be tested by in vivo experiments to obtain further insights and validation.
Recent progress of hybrid CMOS visible focal plane array technology

Silicon-based hybrid CMOS visible focal plane array technology is emerging as a viable high performance alternative to scientific CCDs. The progress is attributed to the rapid advances in CMOS technology, mature precision flip-chip hybridization of large size and fine pixel arrays, and detector array performance improvements. Its technology readiness level (TRL) for space applications is being enhanced by relevant environmental tests and in-depth characterization of sensor performance. In this paper, we present recent results of Rockwell Scientific's hybrid CMOS silicon focal plane array technology, including large format arrays up to 2048x2048, broadband QE, sensor noise improvement, high radiation hardness, and the higher degree of system integration through on-chip ADCs and companion ASICs.
Setting the table for macrophages

In this issue of Blood, Das et al assign a very novel and unanticipated function to plasminogen by showing that it is an enhancer of the phagocytic function of macrophages.
Patterns of early weight change after renal transplantation

Abstract Objective : To determine patterns of weight gain after renal transplant. Design : A survey of a consecutive sample of renal transplant recipients evaluated at day 0, day 14, 3 months, and 6 months after transplant for weight changes. Gender; race; donor type; presence of diabetes as etiology of renal disease; response to glucose load at 1, 3, and 6 months; rate of rejection or infection; and lipid changes were compared. Patients : Fifty consecutive renal allograft recipients: 11 living related donor (LRD) recipients and 39 cadaver donor (CAD) recipients. Mean age was 40 years for LRD recipients and 39 years for CAD recipients. Setting : A university hospital-based solid organ transplant center with a renal transplant history of approximately 80 transplants/yr. Main outcome measure : Amount of weight gained. Secondary outcomes: (1) factors affecting amount of weight gained (ie, gender, race, presence of diabetes as etiology of renal disease, and donor type) and (2) factors affected by amount of weight gained, ie, response to glucose load after transplantation and lipid changes after transplantation. Results : Mean weight gain at 6 months for all recipients was 4 kg ( p Conclusion : Early intervention for female renal transplant recipients is recommended because their baseline body weight is above IBW. Further evaluation of effects of weight gain after renal transplant according to recipient factors is necessary to establish appropriate protocols for control of weight gain.
IL-10 directly protects cortical neurons by activating PI-3 kinase and STAT-3 pathways

IL-10 reduces pro-inflammatory responses after ischemic stroke primarily by acting on glia and endothelium, but relatively little is known about the direct effects of IL-10 on cortical neurons, which are often damaged in stroke. We found by PCR and immunohistochemistry that cortical neurons express IL-10 receptor. Treatment of primary cortical neurons in culture with IL-10 increased neuronal survival after exposure to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) or glutamate toxicity. IL-10 also induced phosphorylation of AKT in cortical neurons. Pretreatment with the specific PI-3K inhibitor, wortmannin, attenuated IL-10 mediated neuroprotection against OGD and glutamate. In addition, IL-10 induced STAT-3 phosphorylation. Pre-treatment with a functional blocking antibody to the IL-10 receptor reduced both Stat-3 and AKT phosphorylation and blocked IL-10 mediated protection of cortical neurons. These data suggest that IL-10 provides neuroprotection by acting via IL-10 receptor and PI3K/AKT and STAT-3 signal transduction pathways.
Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)-mediated destruction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coated CD4+ T lymphocytes by acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) effector cells.

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is defined in clinical terms by the development of Kaposi's sarcoma and/or severe opportunistic infections in persons without predisposing conditions. A hallmark of the syndrome has been a decrease in the number of CD4+ T helper cells. The reduction in the frequency of the CD4+ lymphocytes has been postulated to be primarily the result of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) tropism and cytophathogenicity for the T-cell subset. Yet only a small percentage of cells is actually infected with HIV. Recently, we provided evidence indicating that AIDS patients' natural killer cells can mediate normal levels of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) despite exhibiting a defect in natural killer (NK) effector function (J Immunol 139:55, 1987). This finding prompted us to investigate whether AIDS patients' effector cells could mediate ADCC against circulating CD4+ T cells infected with or expressing HIV antigen. The findings reported herein demonstrate that AIDS effector cells can mediate lysis of CEM (CD4+ T-cell line) coated with HIV protein in the presence of HIV-specific antibody. Lysis was specific, as non-HIV-coated CEM or the addition of HIV-negative serum resulted in no lysis. We then examined HIV-coated peripheral blood-derived CD4+ T lymphocytes as targets in ADCC. We demonstrate that in the presence of HIV-specific antibody, HIV-coated CD4+ T lymphocytes serve as targets for ADCC by AIDS effector cells. The lytic activity obtained with AIDS effector cells was comparable to that obtained with normal effector cells. These results demonstrate that AIDS effector cells can mediate ADCC against HIV-coated CD4+ T lymphocytes and suggest that ADCC may play a rolein vivo in the pathogenesis of AIDS.
Anion−π Interactions in Crystal Structures: Commonplace or Extraordinary?

An in-depth analysis of the distribution of anions about planar six-membered rings in the Cambridge Structural Database reveals anion−π interactions with charge-neutral π systems to be extremely rare in crystal structures. The predominant interaction motif is C−H···anion hydrogen bonding.
Does Helicobater pylori initiate or perpetuate immune thrombocytopenic purpura

To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori ( H pylori ) infection in North American patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and the effect of H pylori eradication on the platelet count, a prospective study was performed. Seventy-four patients aged 10 years and older (mean age of 41 years) with chronic ITP and a platelet count below 60 × 10 9 /L were enrolled. H pylori infection was found in 22% of patients by means of a breath test and could not be predicted by gastrointestinal symptoms. H pylori –positive patients (52.5 years of age) were older than H pylori –negative patients (38.5 years of age; P = .0035). Fifteen of the 16 H pylori –positive patients were treated and the bacteria was eradicated in 14 (93%). After 3 months, a significant response (platelet count > 50 × 10 9 /L and doubling the initial count) was observed in only one patient. After a median follow-up of 11.5 months, none of the 14 patients had responded. Ten H pylori –negative patients treated with the same regimen also did not increase their platelet counts. In conclusion, unlike several previous reports, this study does not implicate H pylori in the pathogenesis of ITP since the prevalence of H pylori infection was low and eradication of H pylori did not positively influence the course of the ITP.
Overtime Working: Employee Willingness

A recent article in Employee Relations by Frank Fishwick discussed the high incidence of overtime work in manual occupations in Britain and examined some of the practical difficulties involved in reducing the amount of overtime work. Fishwick concluded that the problem of endemic overtime in British industry is a matter for public concern and that there is no easy solution to this problem. The overtime dilemma is not unique to Britain. Recent data show that 27.3 per cent of all fulltime US workers work overtime; about half of these are working one to eight extra hours per week, another third are working 9–19 extra hours, and the balance are putting in 20 or more overtime hours per week week.
The interaction of spatial and object pathways: Evidence from balint's syndrome

An earlier report described a patient (RM) with bilateral parietal damage who showed severe binding problems between shape and color and shape and size (Friedman-Hill, Robertson, & Treisman, 1995). When shown two different-colored letters, RM reported a large number of illusory conjunctions (ICs) combining the shape of one letter with the color of the other, even when he was looking directly at one of them and had as long as 10 sec to respond. The lesions also produced severe deficits in locating and reaching for objects, and difficulty in seeing more than one object at a time, resulting in a neuropsychological diagnosis of Balint's syndrome or dorsal simultanagnosia. The pattern of deficits supported predictions of Treisman's Feature Integration Theory (FIT) that the loss of spatial information would lead to binding errors. They further suggested that the spatial information used in binding depends on intact parietal function. In the present paper we extend these findings and examine other deficits in RM that would be predicted by FIT. We show that: (1) Object individuation is impaired, making it impossible for him correctly to count more than one or two objects, even when he is aware that more are present. (2) Visual search for a target defined by a conjunction of features (requiring binding) is impaired, while the detection of a target defined by a unique feature is not. Search for the absence of a feature (0 among Qs) is also severely impaired, while search for the presence (Q among 0s) is not. Feature absence can only be detected when all the present features are bound to the nontarget items. (3) RM's deficits cannot be attributed to a general binding problem: binding errors were far more likely with simultaneous presentation where spatial information was required than with sequential presentation where time could be used as the medium for binding. (4) Selection for attention was severely impaired, whether it was based on the position of a marker or on some other feature (color). (5) Spatial information seems to exist that RM cannot access, suggesting that feature binding relies on a relatively late stage where implicit spatial information is made explicitly accessible. The data converge to support our conclusions that explicit spatial knowledge is necessary for the perception of accurately bound features, for accurate attentional selection, and for accurate and rapid search for a conjunction of features in a multiitem display. It is obviously necessary for directing attention to spatial locations, but the consequences of impairments in this ability seem also to affect object selection, object individuation, and feature integration. Thus, the functional effects of parietal damage are not limited to the spatial and attentional problems that have long been described in patients with Balint's syndrome. Damage to parietal areas also affects object perception through damage to spatial representations that are fundamental for spatial awareness.
The Spirit of Humanistic Anthropology

SUMMARY This commentary outlines some thoughts on underlying themes and issues by a former editor of Anthropology and Humanism Quarterly.
Compatibility conditions of structural mechanics for finite element analysis

The equilibrium equations and the compatibility conditions are fundamental to the analyses of structures. However, anyone who undertakes even a cursory generic study of the compatibility conditions can discover, with little effort, that historically this facet of structural mechanics had not been adequately researched by the profession. Now the compatibility conditions (CC's) have been researched and are understood to a great extent. For finite element discretizations, the CC's are banded and can be divided into three distinct categories: (1) the interface CC's; (2) the cluster or field CC's; and (3) the external CC's. The generation of CC's requires the separating of a local region, then writing the deformation displacement relation (ddr) for the region, and finally, the eliminating of the displacements from the ddr. The procedure to generate all three types of CC's is presented and illustrated through examples of finite element models. The uniqueness of the CC's thus generated is shown.
Pharmacology of metabotropic glutamate receptors at the mossy fiber synapses of the guinea pig hippocampus

We have tested the ability of several specific agonists of glutamate metabotropic receptors (mGluRS) to depress synaptic transmission at mossy fiber synapses in the CA3 region of the guinea pig hippocampus. 1S,3R-1-amino-cyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylate (ACPD) reversibly inhibited monosynaptic mossy fiber field potentials, presumably by a presynaptic mechanism, with an EC50 of 2.0 ± 0.4 μM (n = 3), suggesting the presence of mGluRs on mossy fiber synaptic terminals of the group 1 or 2 category. l-2-amino-4-phosphono butanoate (L-AP4) also inhibited responses with an EC50 of 1.1 ± 0.2 μM suggesting that mGluRs of the group 3 (mGluR4, 6, 7 and 8) category of receptors are also present on mossy fiber terminals. Both (2S,1′S,2′S)-2-(2′-carboxycyclopropyl)glycine (L-CCG1) and (S)-4-carboxy-3-hydroxy phenylglycine (4C3HPG) were also efficacious at blocking mossy fiber transmission, with an EC50 of 1.1 ± 0.1 μM (n = 4) and 4.8 ± 0.6 μM (n = 3) respectively. The latter finding indicates the involvement of mGluRS belonging to the group 2 (mGluR2, 3) category of receptors. The effects of L-AP4 and L-CCG1 were both antagonized by (+)-α-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine [(+)MCPG]. MAP4, an antagonist of group 3 mGluRs in other systems, blocked the effect of L-AP4, but not the effect of L-CCG1, while MCCG, an antagonist of group 2 mGluRs in other systems, blocked the effect of L-CCG1, but not the effect of L-AP4. These pharmacological findings provide strong evidence for the coexistence of group 2 and 3 mGluRs on the terminals of mossy fibers in the guinea pig.
Observations of dislocations in Cu/Nb nanolayer composites after deformation

Dislocations have been observed in deformed Cu/Nb nanolayer composites of wavelength 17 and 7 nm. The dislocations thread through the Cu/Nb interfaces even though there is a change of Burgers vector. Conventional and high resolution transmission electron microscopy studies show that the in-plane bowing direction of these dislocations in the Cu layers is opposite to that in the Nb layers, so that the dislocations appear to zig-zag. These observations are explained by the presence of residual tensile stresses in Cu and residual compressive stresses in Nb, which make dislocations bow in opposite directions in the alternating layers. {copyright} {ital 1997 Materials Research Society.}
Ortega, obliteration and policy consequences

Reflexion sur la valeur methodologique de l'analyse des citations pour la remise en cause de l'hypothese d'Ortega. Consequences sur les procedures d'evaluation des chercheurs
Administration of Design Copying Tests to Large Groups of Children.

Summary.-Through testing in over 250 classrooms during the past four years, efficient and effective procedures have been developed for the administration of design-copying tasks to groups of 24 to 35 children. The procedures have been used in Grades 1 to 4 and adapted (additional demonstration and discussion) for groups of Kindergarten children. An examining team of 2 to 4 persons gave the instructions and supervised the test. Designs were presented on large cards in the front of che classroom and were reproduced by the children in 8$"- X 11-in. paper booklets, using standard beginners' pencils. Model designs were not removed until all children indicated completion. Over-all length of administration varied from 10 to 35 rnin., depending upon the particular characteristics of different classrooms, their usual work habits, and individuals' awareness of their own errors.
Viscidic acid A and B, two ent-labdane derivatives from Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus

Abstract The chemical investigation of Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus afforded, in addition to known bisabolene derivatives, elemicin and p -hydroxyacetophenone, two new diterpene acids. Their structures were determined, by spectroscopic methods and some chemical transformations, as ent -labd-8(17),13 E -dien-15-ol-18-oic acid (viscidic acid A) and ent -labd-8(17),13 E -dien-15-acetoxy-18-oic acid (visidic acid B).
A Psychometric Evaluation of the Cultural Receptivity in Fostering Scale

Objective: The psychometric properties of a new measure of foster parents’ openness toward participating in activities that promote children’s cultural development are evaluated. The measure is titled the Cultural Receptivity in Fostering Scale (CRFS). Method: Data from 304 foster mothers who completed the CRFS and a battery of measures on psychosocial functioning are analyzed. Results: The CRFS demonstrates excellent internal consistency reliability and, to some extent, construct validity. Conclusions: The internal consistency reliability and, to some extent, validity of the CRFS is supported by these findings. The measure has potential use in facilitating socially appropriate and successful transcultural placements.
Effect of transfection strategy on growth factor overexpression by articular chondrocytes

Articular cartilage damage remains an unsolved problem in orthopaedics. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) are anabolic and mitogenic for articular chondrocytes, and are candidates for the application of gene therapy to articular cartilage repair. We tested the hypothesis that the production of IGF-I and FGF-2 can be augmented by modulating vector designs and delivery methods used for gene transfer to articular chondrocytes. We developed a novel adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based plasmid (pAAV) to overexpress IGF-I and FGF-2 cDNAs in adult bovine articular chondrocytes. We found that the pAAV-based vectors generated significantly more growth factor than pcDNA vectors carrying the same cDNAs. Chondrocytes cotransfected with both IGF-I and FGF-2 cDNAs in two separate pAAV plasmids produced significantly more IGF-I and FGF-2 than cells transfected by a single pAAV plasmid carrying both cDNAs in a dicistronic cassette. These data indicate that pAAV vectors are more effective than pcDNA vectors for transfer of IGF-I and FGF-2 genes to articular chondrocytes. They further suggest that cotransfection may be an effective strategy for multiple gene transfer to these cells. These findings may be important in applying growth factor gene transfer to cell-based articular cartilage gene therapy.
Estimate of mercury emission from gasoline and diesel fuel consumption, San Francisco Bay area, California

Abstract Gasoline samples ( n = 20 ) collected from San Francisco Bay area refineries and service stations had mercury concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 1.4 ng g−1; diesel samples ( n = 19 ) had concentrations of 0.05–0.34 ng g−1. These relatively low levels show little evidence for mercury enrichment or contamination into these fuels from the refining process. Combustion of these fuels in the San Francisco Bay area contributes 0.7–13 kg Hg yr−1 to the environment, with an average of 5 kg Hg yr−1. Assuming the fate of this emission is to the atmosphere, the total flux from the combustion of these fuels represents less than 3% of the total atmospheric emissions in the San Francisco Bay area.
Crystalline−Crystalline Diblock Copolymers of Linear Polyethylene and Hydrogenated Polynorbornene

Double-crystalline diblock copolymers of linear polyethylene (LPE) and hydrogenated polynorbornene (hPN) are synthesized, and their crystallization is examined. LPE and hPN homopolymers are both highly crystalline, with similar melting points near 150 °C and χhPN/LPE = 0.02. For symmetric diblocks, even when moderately segregated, crystallization of hPN breaks out of the melt microdomains to create volume-filling spherulites. The LPE block subsequently crystallizes between the hPN crystallites, with the hPN and LPE crystal stems oriented orthogonally. At shallow undercoolings, crystallization proceeds in two distinct steps, but at deeper undercoolings, only a single process is observed, following the temperature dependence of hPN crystallization. At these deeper undercoolings, crystallization of hPN initiates LPE crystallization so that the two processes are nearly simultaneous. By changing the block ratio, the crystallization behavior can be broadly tuned: in hPN-rich diblocks, the two crystallization pr...
A total and direct bilirubin determination using an SDS procedure on the Abbott Bichromatic Analyser.

A procedure to measure total and direct bilirubin using the Abbott Bichromatic Analyser is described. The method is an adaptation of a sodium dodecyl sulfate method. Reaction products are measured at an acid pH in a buffered matrix using a 600–650 filter wheel. The method has very little spectral interference from either hemolysis or lipemia and correlates well with the manual Jendrassik-Grof method.
Probing ligand binding to duplex DNA using KMnO4 reactions and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

An electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) strategy employing the thymine-selective KMnO4 oxidation reaction to detect conformational changes and ligand binding sites in noncovalent DNA/drug complexes is reported. ESI-MS/MS is used to detect specific mass shifts of the DNA ions that are associated with the oxidation of thymines. This KMnO4 oxidation/ESI-MS/MS approach is an alternative to conventional gel-based oxidation methods and affords excellent sensitivity while eliminating the reliance on radiolabeled DNA. Comparison of single-strand versus duplex DNA indicates that the duplexes exhibit a significant resistance to the reaction, thus confirming that the oxidation process is favored for unwound or single-strand regions of DNA. DNA complexes containing different drugs including echinomycin, actinomycin-D, ethidium bromide, Hoechst 33342, and cis-C1 were subjected to the oxidation reaction. Echinomycin, a ligand with a bisintercalative binding mode, was found to induce the greatest...
Factors influencing job satisfaction among state conservation officers

Purpose – The purpose of this research was to identify and describe factors associated with job satisfaction among conservation officers.Design/methodology/approach – The study took a qualitative approach to data collection that included a survey and 24 in‐depth interviews with Kentucky conservation officers. Data were examined with the intention of identifying common themes.Findings – Four categories associated with job satisfaction were identified: enjoyment of the outdoors, independence, job diversity/variety, and meeting people. The majority of conservation officers found their work very satisfying.Research limitations/implications – The results are not generalizable, given the qualitative nature of the research. To allow the generalizability of findings, future research should include quantitative measures that could specify how additional factors are related to job satisfaction among conservation officers, such as age, years of service, rank, and education. Future studies should also examine job sat...
A Comment on Second-Order Polynomial Regression Models

In a recent article, Chatterjee and Greenwood [1] addressed the problem of multicollinearity in polynomial regression models. They noted that there is a high correlation between X and X2; therefore, a second-order polynomial model suffers the consequences of collinearity. Chatterjee and Greenwood [1] suggested a method they believe will overcome the problem. The contention of the present comment is that the suggested method accomplishes nothing and, indeed, has the potential to lead the unwary researcher to the wrong inference and misinterpretation of his results.
Unsupervised analysis of activity sequences using event-motifs

We present an unsupervised framework to discover characterizations of everyday human activities, and demonstrate how such representations can be used to extract points of interest in event-streams. We begin with the usage of Suffix Trees as an efficient activity-representation to analyze the global structural information of activities, using their local event statistics over the entire continuum of their temporal resolution. Exploiting this representation, we discover characterizing event-subsequences and present their usage in an ensemble-based framework for activity classification. Finally, we propose a method to automatically detect subsequences of events that are locally atypical in a structural sense. Results over extensive data-sets, collected from multiple sensor-rich environments are presented, to show the competence and scalability of the proposed framework.
Prevention of acute renal failure.

Acute renal failure (ARF) induced by therapeutic agents that are nephrotoxic (e.g., gentamicin, cisplatin, amphoteriCin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or hypotension associated with anesthesia and surgery unfortunately occur with some regularity in small animal practice. Several clinical conditions have been identified that can increase the risk of hospital-acquired ARF in dogs. Recognition of these risk factors allows the clinician to assess the risk/benefit ratio for various drugs and/or procedures. Additionally, initiating protective measures and increasing the monitoring of renal function in those patients that require potentially harmful treatment may decrease the incidence of hospital-acquired ARF.
Predictive models for severe intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants

It was with great interest that we read the recent article by Luque et al.1 on a prediction model for severe intraventricular hemorrhage (SIVH) and noticed that it is quite consistent with our similar publication on a predictive model for SIVH.2 Both models demonstrate the utility of routinely-collected clinical data in predicting SIVH among vulnerable preterm infants and show good discrimination between infants with SIVH and those without (0.79 for Luque et al.1 and 0.84 for Singh et al.2). Further, the Singh model showed good calibration as indicated by a comparison of the observed and expected risk. Calibration of the Luque model appears more marginal, as indicated by the discrepancy between the observed SIVH risk and the SIVH risk quintile in Figure 2. In both the models, the benefits of indomethacin for decreasing SIVH risk are apparent, more so as the risk decile increases. The differences between the models can be explained by differences in sample definition, as well as differences in variable selection. Singh et al.2 enrolled all infants born less than 32 weeks (and 500 g). This sample definition yielded an SIVH incidence of about 5%. Luque et al.1 restricted their sample to more vulnerable infants, that is, those with birth weights between 500 and 1249 g. This yielded an SIVH incidence of about 15%.
Autocrine regulation of endothelial exocytosis: von Willebrand factor release is induced by prostacyclin in cultured endothelial cells

Vascular endothelial cells respond to external stimuli by altering the secretion of several bioactive molecules, including von Willebrand factor (vWf), prostacyclin (PGI2) and nitric oxide (NO). The release of all three molecules is regulated by a rise in cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i). In the present study we investigated whether cAMP-dependent signaling provides differential regulation of these effector systems by modulating the effect of [Ca2+]i in cultured human endothelial cells. The stable PGI2 analog iloprost, like other cAMP-raising agents (forskolin and adenosine), caused an acute dose-dependent increase in vWf release and potentiated the secretory response to thrombin. In contrast, iloprost, forskolin and adenosine failed to induce PGI2 release and inhibit thrombin-induced release. Our findings indicate cAMP-raising agents have opposite effects on [Ca2+]i-mediated vWf secretion and PGI2 release. PGI2 may potentiate vWf release and inhibit its own release in an autocrine manner.
Ab initio study of deep defect states in narrow band-gap semiconductors: group III impurities in PbTe

The nature of deep defect states, in general, and those associated with group III elements (Ga, In, Tl) in narrow band-gap IV-VI semiconductors (PbTe and PbSe), in particular, have been of great interest over the past three decades. We present ab initio electronic structure calculations that give a new picture of these states compared to the currently accepted model in terms of a negative-U Hubbard model. The Fermi surface pinning and why In-doped PbTe and related compounds show excellent high temperature thermoelectric behavior can be understood within the new picture.
What Is the Role of Arthroscopic Debridement for Glenohumeral Arthritis? A Critical Examination of the Literature

Purpose To critically examine the outcomes of arthroscopic debridement for glenohumeral arthritis and to perform an evidence-based synthesis of the available literature. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed by a search of electronic databases. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodologic quality and extracted relevant data from each included study. When outcomes data were similar between studies, data were pooled for the purposes of generating summary outcomes through the use of frequency-weighted values. Results Five studies were included after fulfilling all inclusion and exclusion criteria. At a frequency-weighted mean follow-up of 34.8 months, 212 patients (range, 19 to 71 patients) with a frequency-weighted mean age of 49.2 years were available for follow-up evaluation. In general, patients had significant improvement in motion and functional outcomes. Thirteen percent of patients underwent conversion to a shoulder arthroplasty. The influence of specific patient demographics, degree of glenohumeral stiffness, and arthritis severity on functional outcome and treatment failure could not be determined. Conclusions This systematic review shows that arthroscopic debridement for glenohumeral arthritis lacks high-quality evidence to support its routine use. Level IV–type evidence would suggest improvement in pain relief and patient satisfaction in the short-term. Future studies should comprehensively define patient characteristics, trend results over time, and attempt to find associations between patient variables and outcome. Level of Evidence Level IV, systematic review of Level IV studies.
Cleft palate susceptibility linked to histocompatibility-2 (h-2) in the mouse.

Data have been obtained indicating that cortisone-induced cleft palate in the mouse is linked to theH-2 a complex. Cortisone (2.5 mg) was administered to pregnant females on days 11 through 14 of pregnancy. On day 17 of pregnancy, the fetuses were inspected for cleft palates. Sham experiments were done by injecting sterile saline instead of cortisone. The inbred strains, A/J and C57BL/6, and the congenic strains C57BL/10ScSn and B10.A were tested for susceptibility to cleft palate. The clefting frequency was also observed in hybrids of the congenic strains. The A/J and B10.A strains showed a characteristic high susceptibility to cleft palate (i.e., 99% and 81% incidence of cleft palate, respectively) after teratogenic treatment. The C57BL/6 and C57BL/ 10ScSn demonstrated a significant resistance to the teratogen (i.e., 25% and 21 % incidence of clefting, respectively). The teratogenic treatment of congenic hybrids indicated that maternal influences significantly affected the incidence of cleft palate formation. The maternal influence appeared to depend upon the specificH-2 haplotype of the mother.
Higher order exchange contributions to δS=2 amplitudes in a dynamical scenario for weak interactions

Abstract Higher order contributions to δS =2 amplitudes, involving the exchange of two gauge bosons, are calculated in the framework of a recently described hypercolor-based dynamical scenario for weak interactions. Also calculated are quark masses in a manner that avoids any reference to scaling relationships that relate different QCD-like theories. The result that emerges is that one may generate the masses of the heavier quarks yet keep these contributions to δS =2 at a level comparable to that in the canonical theory. The paper concludes with a description of a possible mechanism for generating lepton masses.
The Catalytic and Conformational Cycle of Aquifex aeolicus KDO8P Synthase: Role of the L7 Loop

3-Deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate 8-phosphate synthase (KDO8PS, EC 2.5.1.55) catalyzes the irreversible condensation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)1 and arabinose 5-phosphate (A5P) to form KDO8P and inorganic phosphate (Figure 1) (1–5). This reaction is the first step in the biosynthesis of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate (KDO), an essential component of the lipopolysaccharide of all Gram-negative bacteria (6, 7). Figure 1 Biosynthesis of KDO8P from A5P and PEP. Attack by water onto C2PEP and by C3PEP onto C1A5P leads to a linear intermediate that decays into Pi and KDO8P. There are two types of KDO8PSs, distinguished by their requirement for divalent metals (Class II) or lack thereof (Class I) (8). In previous studies, we have determined the crystal structure of KDO8PS from the hyperthermophile Aquifex aeolicus (a Class II KDO8PS) in complex with Cd2+ (2, 3), the metal conferring the highest activity in vitro (9). All known KDO8PSs, with the exception of the Arabidopsis thaliana enzyme (10), are tetramers. However, the asymmetric unit of A. aeolicus KDO8PS crystals contains only two subunits, named here A and B. PEP binds to both subunits, but A5P binds only to subunit A (2). Moreover, if crystal symmetry is applied to generate the tetramer, it is apparent that the active sites in which A5P binds are located on the same face of the enzyme (2). Based on this observation and the assumption that, at some point, both faces of the enzyme may participate in catalysis, it has been proposed that A. aeolicus KDO8PS may represent an interesting case of “alternating face” catalysis (2). Three long loops, L2, L7, and L8, control access to the active site. In the substrate-free enzyme and when only PEP or A5P binds, residues 190–200 of the L7 loop are disordered (2, 3) (Figure 2A). However, when both substrates bind, the L7 loop is ordered and isolates the active site from the external environment (Figure 2B). It has been proposed that Arg106 of A. aeolicus KDO8PS, a residue conserved in all KDO8PSs, might be involved in regulating the opening and closing of the L7 loop in different subunits (2). The structural basis for this hypothesis is the somewhat unusual position of Arg106, whose side chain extends from one subunit into the active site of another subunit (Figure 2C). More specifically, Arg106 from one subunit is sandwiched between the side chains of Phe128, Leu129, and Asp133 (loop L5) from the same subunit and the backbone and side chains of Asn48, Arg49, Ser50 (loop L2), and Phe103 (loop L4) from the other subunit (Figure 2C,D). Here, we report that the Arg106 → Gly substitution impairs the L7 loop closure, thus, providing a unique opportunity to study the function of this loop. Figure 2 Conformational changes in wild-type KDO8PS. The three loops that seal the barrel cavity in A. aeolicus KDO8PS are shown as thick tubes with different colors: L2, green; L7, blue; and L8, yellow. The L7 loop is disordered when PEP is bound (panel A, PDB ...
Pros and cons of antibiotic therapy for pouchitis

Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch–anal anastomosis has become the surgical treatment of choice for patients with medically refractory ulcerative colitis or ulcerative colitis with dysplasia and for the majority of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. However, pouchitis and other pouch-associated complications frequently occur following surgery. Pouchitis is the most common long-term complication of ileal pouch–anal anastomosis in patients with ulcerative colitis, with a cumulative prevalence of up to 50%. The pathogenesis of pouchitis is probably associated with alterations in commensal bacterial flora, and most patients with pouchitis respond favorably to antibiotic therapy. Antibiotic therapy is the mainstay of treatment for active pouchitis, with ciprofloxacin or metronidazole traditionally being first-line agents. Some patients may develop dependency on antibiotics, thus requiring long-term maintenance therapy. In a subset of patients, the disease course may be refractory to antibi...