cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bovine megakaryocyte integrins: their association with extracellular matrix in vivo

In an effort to define the megakaryocyte microenvironment and the megakaryocyte integrin receptors which might interact with this environment, we undertook a detailed immunofluorescence and immunogold study of bovine bone marrow. Examination of bovine bone marrow using antibodies to laminin, fibronectin and type IV collagen revealed a highly specialised microenvironment with all matrix proteins being present at the basement membranes of fat-cells, vascular sinuses and blood vessels, as well as at the interface with megakaryocytes. In addition, elements of the marrow stroma were heavily labelled by antibody to fibronectin. Lighter labelling was also observed with antibodies to type IV collagen. Immunofluorescence studies were conducted using antibodies to the ‘late antigen’ (VLA) subgroup of the integrin super family which are receptors for mature proteins. Specifically, antibodies to the a antibodies to the α subunit of VLA-2 (collagen), VLA-5 (fibronectin) and VLA-6 (laminin) demonstrated that all of these integrin α subunits were diffusely present throughout the megakaryocyte. Antibody staining with the common β1 subunit for these integrins revealed intense staining of megakaryocyte cytoplasm. Confocal examination of β1 stained marrow demonstrated a clear punctate distribution with equal intensity from the perinuclear zone through to the peripheral zone. These data, as well as in vitro data generated from our laboratory and others, suggest that the specialised megakaryocyte microenvironment and its interaction with the cell's integrins may localise megakaryocytes to the abluminal side of the vascular sinus, thus positioning them for further interaction with the sinus.
Parallelism detection and transformation techniques useful for VLSI algorithms

Abstract An algorithm model is introduced in which the time/space characteristics of an algorithm are implicitly represented by a set of data dependencies. The concepts of execution ordering, syntactical algorithm equivalence, algorithm transformation, and dependent computations are defined in terms of the model. Sufficient conditions for the existence of large sets of independent computations are derived. The concepts of linear and relaxed orderings are introduced to allow the description of “fast” execution orderings. Sufficient conditions for the use of linear and relaxed orderings as execution orderings for a given algorithm are also given. On the basis of these conditions, time transformations are defined and it is shown how they can be selected so that equivalent transformed algorithms have short execution times. A model for VLSI array (computation) is introduced and it is shown how to select a space transformation for mapping an algorithm into a new (VLSI) algorithm.
The blockade of bulbospinal inhibition by 5-hydroxytryptamine antagonists.

Histochemical evidence suggests that neurons in the brain stem raphe nuclei which contain serotonin (5-HT) project to the spinal cord. Stimulation of the raphe nuclei facilitated and inhibited spinal reflexes: the conduction velocity calculated for the bulbospinal inhibitory pathway was 10 m/sec. Antagonists of 5-HT were without effect on facilitation, but readily blocked raphe-evoked inhibition of the monosynaptic reflex. The antagonists also blocked the inhibition evoked from the ventral medial reticular formation. Blockade of bulbospinal inhibition was observed after LSD (0.25 mg/kg), methysergide (0.5 mg/kg), BOL (1–1.5 mg/kg) and cinanserin (4 mg/kg) but not cyproheptadine (5 mg/kg). The 5-HT antagonists were more effective when injected into the arterial supply of the spinal cord than when injected into the arterial supply of the brain stem. Thus, the antagonists appear to act at the spinal level, presumably blocking the effect of a 5-HT-releasing interneuron intercalated in the bulbospinal inhibitory pathway.
Comparison of photocoagulation with the argon, krypton, and diode laser indirect ophthalmoscopes in rabbit eyes

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare photocoagulation with the argon green, krypton red, and diode infrared laser indirect ophthalmoscopes in an experimental setting. Methods: Photocoagulation was performed with each of the laser indirect ophthalmoscopes in a grid pattern within one sector of the same eye of 14 Dutch-belted rabbits. Treatment was performed either with or without scleral depression. Measurements of the retinal burn diameters were performed after hemisecting the globes, and the burns were examined with light microscopy. Results: Variation in burn intensity and diameter (10% to 28%) was common with all 3 laser indirect ophthalmoscopes. Five times more output energy was required to make equivalent burns with the diode laser indirect ophthalmoscope than with the argon or krypton laser indirect ophthalmoscopes. Choriovitreal hemorrhages only occurred during scleral depression. Histopathologically, the argon green laser indirect ophthalmoscope burns spared the choroid and inner sclera, while the intense krypton and diode burns had full-thickness choroidal involvement and even thermal injury to the inner sclera. Scleral depression reduced the mean energy required to create equivalent burns with all three laser indirect ophthalmoscopes. There was a 10% to 40% reduction in the mean retinal burn diameter with scleral depression (argon green, P P P Conclusion: Photocoagulation with the argon green, krypton red, or diode infrared laser indirect ophthalmoscopes is a safe and effective method of retinal ablation. Decreasing the posterior nodal distance of the eye with scleral depression will produce a smaller spot on the retina with the laser indirect ophthalmoscope.
Computer-aided molecular design using genetic algorithms

Abstract Designing new molecules possessing desired properties is an important activity in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Much of this design involves an elaborate and expensive trial-and-error process that is difficult to automate. The present study describes a new computer-aided molecular design approach using genetic algorithms. Unlike traditional search and optimization techniques, genetic algorithms perform a guided stochastic search where improved solutions are achieved by sampling areas of the parameter space that have a higher probability for good solutions. Moreover, genetic algorithms allow for the direct incorporation of higher level chemical knowledge and reasoning strategies to make the search more efficient. The utility of genetic algorithms for molecular design is demonstrated with some case studies in polymer design. The merits and potential deficiencies of this approach are also discussed.
On the propriety of a modified Jeffreys's prior for variance components in binary random effects models

This paper proves that a modified Jeffreys's prior on the variance components in binary random effects models is integrable under mild conditions on the link function. These conditions are shown to be satisfied for two commonly used link functions, the logit and probit functions.
LITHIUM MAINTENANCE THERAPY FOR BIPOLAR I PATIENTS: POSSIBLE REFRACTORINESS TO REINSTITUTION AFTER DISCONTINUATION '

Recent reports of negative responsiveness in some bipolar I patients to attempts to reinstitute lithium treatment once discontinued are reviewed.
An electronic spectral study of the influence of thermal and electronic processes on the determination of the excited singlet-state dissociation constants of 1- and 2-naphthoic acid

Abstract The electronic absorption and fluorescence spectra of 1-naphthoic acid and 2-naphthoic acid were studied as functions of prototropic form, solvent and temperature. The dissociation constants for the prototropic equilibria between the cations and neutral molecules were determined titrimetrically for ground and excited singlet states with respect to the revised Hammett acidity scale of Jorgenson and Hartter. Calculation of excited-state dissociation constants from the Forster cycle is critically evaluated with respect to thermal relaxation processes in electronically excited and ground states and their effects on the ordering of electronic states. The interpretation of excited-state prototropism in the 2-isomer is straightforward. However, in the 1-isomer there is strong indication of inversion of states which introduces complications into the interpretation of pK*a values obtained from fluorimetric titrations as well as calculations from shifts of electronic spectra.
Efficacy of passive immunotherapy in experimental postsplenectomy sepsis due to Haemophilus influenzae type B.

In an effort to develop a more effective therapy for postsplenectomy sepsis, ceftriaxone and human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), alone and in combination, were evaluated for their efficacy against experimental Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) bacteremia in splenectomized and sham-operated infant rats. Five-day-old animals had either a splenectomy or sham operation. At 12 days of age, they were challenged intraperitoneally with Hib. Fifteen hours later blood specimens were obtained for quantitative bacterial cultures, and immediately thereafter therapy was started with ceftriaxone, IVIG, combination of ceftriaxone and IVIG, or albumin (control). Quantitative blood cultures were repeated 24 and 48 hours after the treatment. Prior to the treatments, splenectomized animals had significantly higher bacterial counts in blood when compared with sham-operated animals (P < .001). Splenectomized animals receiving IVIG, ceftriaxone, or the combination of IVIG and ceftriaxone had significantly increased bacterial clearance from blood when compared with the controls (P < .01). In addition, animals treated with ceftriaxone or the combination of IVIG and ceftriaxone had significantly increased bacterial clearance compared with the IVIG alone treatment group (P < .01). Overall, the mortality was significantly higher in splenectomized animals compared with the sham-operated animals (P < .05). The control animals had significantly higher mortality compared with the IVIG, ceftriaxone, and combined ceftriaxone and IVIG treatment groups (P < .05). There were no detrimental effects of combining IVIG and ceftriaxone together.
Simple approach to refraction effects in atom-surface scattering

Abstract A simple method of calculating low energy atom-surface diffraction intensities is presented for the case in which the scattering is dominated by a single rainbow pattern. Good agreement is obtained when these calculations are compared with recent results for the scattering of He by a Pt(997) surface.
On the dissolution and interfacial properties of hydroxyapatite

Abstract An acid—base cyclic titration procedure has been developed to elucidate the dissolution behavior of hydroxyapatite. The effects of various inorganic acids, stannous fluoride and citric acid on the solubility of hydroxyapatite are interpreted in terms of the cyclic titration results and electrophoretic mobility measurements. This study confirms the previous results that fluoride ions are essential to achieve any significant reduction in acid dissolution. Although both the fluoride and citrate ions make the zeta potential of hydroxyapatite highly negative, the fluoride reduces the solubility whereas the citrate enhances the dissolution. The differences are explained in terms of the manner in which the complex ions adsorb. The influence of other reagents on dissolution is less significant.
Enantiomeric Excesses in Meteoritic Amino Acids

Gas chromatographic-mass spectral analyses of the four stereoisomers of 2-amino-2,3-dimethylpentanoic acid (dl-alpha-methylisoleucine and dl-alpha-methylalloisoleucine) obtained from the Murchison meteorite show that the L enantiomer occurs in excess (7.0 and 9.1%, respectively) in both of the enantiomeric pairs. Similar results were obtained for two other alpha-methyl amino acids, isovaline and alpha-methylnorvaline, although the alpha hydrogen analogs of these amino acids, alpha-amino-n-butyric acid and norvaline, were found to be racemates. With the exception of alpha-amino-n-butyric acid, these amino acids are either unknown or of limited occurrence in the biosphere. Because carbonaceous chondrites formed 4.5 billion years ago, the results are indicative of an asymmetric influence on organic chemical evolution before the origin of life.
Microprobe and SEM Analysis of Surface Coatings on Caries-like Lesions in Enamel after Metal Ion Mordanting and APF Application

The production of tenacious surface coatings on enamel after metal ion mordanting followed by APF has been reported to prevent caries-like lesion initiation in vitro. In this study, similar surface coatings, which may be responsible for the inhibition of lesion progression, were examined using SEM and microprobe analysis. Relatively thick, even surface coatings which were in intimate contact with the enamel surface of caries-like lesions were seen after zirconium and iron (ferric) pre-treatment, buta thinner and unevenly distributed coating was seen after titanium pre-treatment. This latter coating was similar to that seen after APF treatment alone. Fluoride concentrations on the surface and in the subsurface of caries-like lesions were similar for all treatment groups. The surface coatings after zirconium and iron mordanting may be responsible for the greater inhibition of lesion progression than that seen after both titanium pre-treatment and APF treatment alone.
Rodents and lagomorphs (Mammalia) from the Hemphillian (late Miocene) of Utah

ABSTRACT Four species of rodents (two heteromyids and two cricetids) and one lagomorph are identified from the late Tertiary Sevier River Formation of Utah. The heteromyids include a new genus and species of heteromyine, Metaliomys sevierensis, which is intermediate in morphology between the Clarendonian and early Hemphillian Diprionomys Kellogg and the extant genera Liomys and Heteromys. A single specimen is referred to Diprionomys sp., cf. D. minimus (Kellogg). The cricetid Paronychomys lemredfieldi Jacobs is known from the Hemphillian of Arizona. The second cricetid is referred to a new genus Basirepomys. Peromyscus pliocenicus Wilson from the Hemphillian of California is designated as the type species of the new genus, to which the new species B. robertsi from Utah is referred. Basirepomys is viewed as intermediate between Peromyscus and the basal neotomyine Repomys May from the late Hemphillian and Blancan. The only lagomorph in the fauna is Hypolagus vetus (Kellogg). Four of the taxa recognized from...
Agent-oriented approaches to B2B interoperability

The use of agents in electronic commerce has been explored greatly over the past several years. A large majority of this effort is toward commerce where businesses have direct transactions with consumers (B2C). However, the transactions that occur between businesses (B2B) are far more prevalent than B2C. Research where agents are used for B2B can be classified in five basic areas, service discovery, mediation, negotiation, process management (be it workflow or supply-chain management), and evaluation. At the 2001 International Bi-Conference Sessions on Agent-Based Approaches to B2B Interoperability (AgentB2B), practitioners were invited to present their research and industry efforts in each of these areas. This paper summaries the work and conclusions presented at these two events.
The relation between chemically measured total iron-binding capacity concentrations and immunologically measured transferrin concentrations in human serum

We sought to determine if serum total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) is equivalent to serum transferrin (TRF) so that a low-cost colorimetric chemical assay for unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC) could be substituted for a high-cost immunologic assay for TRF. Our study design included independent and blinded measurements of UIBC, serum iron, and TRF concentrations in human serum samples. Data from five independent correlation studies carried out at three different Quest Diagnostics laboratories were combined into one data set containing 570 paired results for TIBC and TRF. r 2 was 0.941 when three outliers were eliminated from the 570-sample data set. Scatter about the regression line was fully accounted for by the CVs for the TIBC and TRF assays. When each test is measured precisely and without bias, the ratio of TIBC (μmol/L) to TRF (g/L) in SI units is close to the theoretically expected value of 25.0.
High performance control of a three-level IGBT inverter fed AC drive

Three-level PWM inverters have been increasingly employed in industry and traction applications where high power and efficiency energy conversions are required. This paper presents a high performance control of a cage induction motor drive fed by a 100 hp three-level IGBT inverter operating at a low switching frequency. A practical mathematical model of the drive control system is established to aid in the control design to improve the system stability, dynamic performance and robustness over a wide speed range. The modeling and the simulation in Matlab/Simulink facilitate the self-tuning of the regulators in the multi-loop systems. The field oriented control and three-level space-vector modulation together with the drive protection and diagnostics are implemented in software based on a DSP TMS320C31. Experimental results based on the IGBT inverter prototype are given to verify the design and performance. Test results in motor common-mode voltage reduction and inverter neutral-point potential control are also briefly presented.
Acidity changes in plutonium solutions: Generalized proportional equations method

Disproportionation reactions change the pH of a plutonium solution. The method of generalized proportional equations is used to estimate the magnitude of the change. It is illustrated by examples and it is easy to apply.
Religion among Disabled and Nondisabled Persons I: Cross-sectional Patterns in Health Practices, Social Activities, and Well-being Ellen

What is the relationship between religious involvement and functional disability among elderly people? Is being disabled different for those who frequently attend religious services? Does religious involvement have an effect on subsequent change in disability? Deriving our hypotheses from traditional theories in the sociology of religion, these questions are explored in these two related articles. Both employ data from the New Haven site of the Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (N = 2812). In the first, cross-sectional correlates of religious involvement and disability are examined at the baseline of the study, including multiple indicators of health practices, social activities, and subjective well-being. We test for interactions between religious attendance and disability. Findings are (a) that religious involvement in 1982 is tied to a broad array of behavioral and psychosocial resources, (b) that these resources are associated primarily with attendance at services, and not with subjective feelings of religiousness, and (c) that some of these associations are especially pronounced among disabled respondents.
Oxygen sites in silicate glasses: a new view from oxygen-17 NMR

Abstract Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) studies of 17 O in silicate glasses is beginning to provide new information on structure from an “anionic” viewpoint, which is an important complement to more traditional discussions of cation coordination and connectivities. A variety of techniques are discussed here, but the most important recent advances have used the new, two-dimensional, high resolution techniques of Dynamic Angle Spinning (DAS) and Triple Quantum Magic Angle Spinning (3QMAS), which have resolved and distinguished peaks for bridging oxygens linking Si, Al and B cations, as well as non-bridging oxygens. These approaches have provided some of the first quantitative constraints on the extent of ordering, both among network modifier cations and among network former cations.
The impact of ethics code familiarity on manager behavior

Codes of ethics exist in many, if not the majority, of all large U.S. companies today. But how the impact of these written codes affect managerial attitudes and behavior is still not clearly documented or explained. This study takes a step in that direction by proposing that attention should shift from the codes themselves as the sources of ethical behavior to the persons whose behavior is the focus of these codes. In particular, this study investigates the role of code familiarity as a factor impacting the influence of an ethics code on manager behavior. Data collected from 286 executives from companies in the direct selling industry are used to test hypotheses (1) that the perceived usefulness of ethics codes is positively related to the degree of familiarity with the code, and (2) that ethical climate as assessed by managers is positively related to the code's perceived usefulness. Both hypotheses are supported, and their implications and further research directions are discussed.
Metabolic flux control at the pyruvate node in an anaerobic Escherichia coli strain with an active pyruvate dehydrogenase.

During anaerobic growth of Escherichia coli, pyruvate formate-lyase (PFL) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) channel pyruvate toward a mixture of fermentation products. We have introduced a third branch at the pyruvate node in a mutant of E. coli with a mutation in pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH*) that renders the enzyme less sensitive to inhibition by NADH. The key starting enzymes of the three branches at the pyruvate node in such a mutant, PDH*, PFL, and LDH, have different metabolic potentials and kinetic properties. In such a mutant (strain QZ2), pyruvate flux through LDH was about 30%, with the remainder of the flux occurring through PFL, indicating that LDH is a preferred route of pyruvate conversion over PDH*. In a pfl mutant (strain YK167) with both PDH* and LDH activities, flux through PDH* was about 33% of the total, confirming the ability of LDH to outcompete the PDH pathway for pyruvate in vivo. Only in the absence of LDH (strain QZ3) was pyruvate carbon equally distributed between the PDH* and PFL pathways. A pfl mutant with LDH and PDH* activities, as well as a pfl ldh double mutant with PDH* activity, had a surprisingly low cell yield per mole of ATP (YATP) (about 7.0 g of cells per mol of ATP) compared to 10.9 g of cells per mol of ATP for the wild type. The lower YATP suggests the operation of a futile energy cycle in the absence of PFL in this strain. An understanding of the controls at the pyruvate node during anaerobic growth is expected to provide unique insights into rational metabolic engineering of E. coli and related bacteria for the production of various biobased products at high rates and yields.
Cortactin is implicated in murine zygotic development

Cortactin is a cortex-enriched protein implicated in Arp2/3 complex-mediated actin polymerization. However, the physiological role of cortactin remains unknown. We have generated a mouse strain in which the allele of murine cortactin was disrupted by a gene trapping vector. The resulting heterozygous mice developed normally and were fertile, but embryonic fibroblasts derived from heterozygous animals displayed partial impairment in PDGF-induced membrane ruffling. No homozygous offspring or early embryos even at the two-cell stage were detected. Analysis of oocytes revealed a gradual decrease in the detection of homozygous zygotes after fertilization. In normal oocytes arrested at meiotic metaphase II (MII), cortactin immunoreactivity was detected in an apical layer that overlies the maternal chromosome and overlaps with a polarized cortex enriched with actin. The formation of the polarized cortactin layer was diminished upon treatment with latrunculin B, an actin polymerization inhibitor. After resumption of meiosis II, the majority of cortactin protein was accumulated into the second polar body. Microinjection of MII-arrested eggs with either cortactin antibody or RNA encoding a cortactin mutant deficient in Arp2/3 complex binding disrupted the integrity of the actin cap and inhibited emission of the second polar body triggered by parthenogenesis. Our data suggest that cortactin plays an important role in the mechanics of asymmetric division in oocytes.
Layer structure variation of thermal-processed thin HfO 2 films using X-ray Reflectivity and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

As transistor feature sizes scaling down, the ultra-thin HfO 2 high-k dielectric has been used to replace SiO 2 for the gate dielectric for a better EOT. Grazing Incidence X-ray Reflectivity (GIXRR) is an accurate instrument to analyze the ultra-thin HfO 2 films non-destructively based on an appropriate material model. However, the interfaces between layers of the ultra-thin HfO 2 and other oxide films are not easily identified, especially when post-deposition annealing (PDA) process is applied. In this work, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to evaluate the layer structures which were post-annealed up to 1000 °C using furnaces in the Ar ambiances. The experimental results and analysis showed that layer thicknesses, crystal phases and chemical structures of the ultra-thin HfO 2 films were significantly dependent on annealing temperatures. The structure analysis of the GIXRR spectra using the modified material structure model from the XPS analysis confirmed the interfacial broadening induced by the post-deposition annealing.
Digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits for an RFID telemetry system

Digital and mixed-signal circuits have been developed for use in an inductively-coupled RFID telemetry system that can interface with a sensor. The cells developed include a turn-on/brown-out detector, clock recovery circuit, a cyclic-redundancy code (CRC) generator, and a frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulator. These cells were designed for use in an RFID tag that also uses a novel approach to performing analog-to-digital conversion. The circuits were fabricated using the AMI 1.5 um CMOS process and tested using LabVIEWtrade. A key feature of these cells is their low current consumption of only 1-2 uA for the CRC generator and 5 uA for the clock recovery circuit.
The effect of ketorolac on recovery after outpatient gynecologic laparoscopy

Abstract Opioids, although effective postoperative analgesics, are associated with undesirable side effects. To determine whether nonopioid medication would reduce the amount required for postoperative analgesia, the efficacy of ketorolac, an injectable nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was studied in ambulatory patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopy. Patients were randomized to a treatment group (n = 49) or control group (n = 50), then studied using a prospective double-masked design. Intraoperatively, the ketorolac treatment group received a 60-mg intramuscular injection of ketorolac; the control group received an injection of placebo (0.9% sodium chloride). Anesthetic management, postoperative pain, and the management of nausea were standardized in the two groups. Postoperative pain was treated with incremental doses of fentanyl 25 μg intravenously. Nausea and vomiting were treated with droperidol or prochlorperazine. Pain and nausea assessments were done every 30 minutes in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), at discharge, and at 24 hours after discharge. Postoperatively, for the first hour in the PACU, visual analog scale pain scores, as well as verbal pain scores, were statistically significantly lower in the ketorolac treatment group. Similarly, the severity of pain was twofold less in the ketorolac treatment group than in the control group. Less fentanyl was required in the ketorolac group (26 ± 20 μg, mean ± SD) compared with the control group (56 ± 32 μg, mean ± SD). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to postoperative sedation or nausea, although the incidence of vomiting requiring treatment was higher in the control group. There was high overall satisfaction of patients in both groups. In conclusion, intraoperative administration of ketorolac resulted in fewer patients awakening in pain and in a decreased need for opioid analgesic in the postoperative period. Ketorolac is an effective alternative to opioids for the control of postoperative pain in patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopy.
Preliminary investigation of an electromyography-controlled video game as a home program for persons in the chronic phase of stroke recovery.

Objective To investigate the preliminary effectiveness of surface electromyography (sEMG) biofeedback delivered via interaction with a commercial computer game to improve motor control in chronic stroke survivors.
Molecular basis of functional voltage-gated K+ channel diversity in the mammalian myocardium.

In the mammalian heart, Ca2+-independent, depolarization-activated potassium (K+) currents contribute importantly to shaping the waveforms of action potentials, and several distinct types of voltage-gated K+ currents that subserve this role have been characterized. In most cardiac cells, transient outward currents, Ito,f and/or Ito,s, and several components of delayed reactivation, including IKr, IKs, IKur and IK,slow, are expressed. Nevertheless, there are species, as well as cell-type and regional, differences in the expression patterns of these currents, and these differences are manifested as variations in action potential waveforms. A large number of voltage-gated K+ channel pore-forming (α) and accessory (β, minK, MiRP) subunits have been cloned from or shown to be expressed in heart, and a variety of experimental approaches are being exploited in vitro and in vivo to define the relationship(s) between these subunits and functional voltage-gated cardiac K+ channels. Considerable progress has been made in defining these relationships recently, and it is now clear that distinct molecular entities underlie the various electrophysiologically distinct repolarizing K+ currents (i.e. Ito,f, Ito,s, IKr, IKs, IKur, IK,slow, etc.) in myocyardial cells.
Three neural tubes in mouse embryos with mutations in the T-box gene Tbx6

Somites, segmented mesodermal units of the vertebrate embryo, are the precursors of adult skeletal muscle, bone and cartilage1. During embryogenesis, somite progenitor cells ingress through the primitive streak, move laterally to a paraxial position (alongside the body axis) and segment into epithelial somites2. Little is known about how this paraxial mesoderm tissue is specified1,2. We have previously described a mouse T-box gene, Tbx6 (ref. 3), which codes for a putative DNA-binding protein4,5. The embryonic pattern of expression of Tbx6 in somite precursor cells suggests that this gene may be involved in the specification of paraxial mesoderm3. We now report the creation of a mutation in Tbx6 that profoundly affects the differentiation of paraxial mesoderm. Irregular somites form in the neck region of mutant embryos, whereas more posterior paraxial tissue does not form somites but instead differentiates along a neural pathway, forming neural-tube-like structures that flank the axial neural tube. These paraxial tubes show dorsal/ventral patterning that is characteristic of the neural tube, and have differentiated motor neurons. These results indicate that Tbx6 is needed for cells to choose between a mesodermal and a neuronal differentiation pathway during gastrulation; Tbx6 is essential for the specification of posterior paraxial mesoderm, and in its absence cells destined to form posterior somites differentiate along a neuronal pathway.
Activating Cross-border Brokerage: Interorganizational Knowledge Transfer through Skilled Return Migration

Using an original dataset of 4,183 former J-1 Visa holders from 81 countries—all of whom had worked in the U.S.—I examine how skilled return migrants, as cross-border brokers, transfer knowledge ab...
Interannual Variability of Synthesized FSU and NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis Pseudostress Products over the Pacific Ocean

Abstract A technique is applied to seamlessly blend height-adjusted Florida State University (FSU) surface wind pseudostress with National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP–NCAR) reanalysis-based pseudostress over the Pacific Ocean. The FSU pseudostress is shown to be of higher quality in the equatorial Pacific and thus dominates the analysis in that region, while the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis-based pseudostress is used outside the equatorial region. The blending technique is based on a direct minimization approach. The functional to minimize consists of five constraints; each constraint is given a weight that determines its influence on the solution. The first two constraints are misfits for the FSU and NCEP–NCAR reanalysis datasets. A spatially dependent weighting that highlights the regional strengths of each dataset is designed for these misfit constraints. Climatological structure information is used as a weak smoothing constraint on the solution through L...
Lemon oil nanoemulsions fabricated with sodium caseinate and Tween 20 using phase inversion temperature method

Abstract The phase inversion temperature (PIT) method has been studied to fabricate nanoemulsions using non-ionic synthetic surfactants, but not food biopolymers. The objective of this study was to investigate the PIT formation of lemon oil nanoemulsions by combinations of Tween 20 and sodium caseinate (NaCas). The emulsions prepared with combinations of NaCas and Tween 20 had lower turbidity and smaller droplets than those prepared with one surfactant, and the co-adsorption of NaCas on oil droplets decreased with increasing Tween 20 concentration. Negative and positive impacts on nanoemulsion formation were observed at 0.2–0.4 and 0.6–0.8 mM NaCl, respectively. Turbidity and rheology results showed the PIT between 80 and 90 °C. The nanoemulsions prepared with 2% NaCas, 0.4–1.2% Tween 20 and 1.5% lemon oil had a volume-area mean diameter of around 100 nm and were stable during 15-day storage. Therefore, NaCas can be used to partially replace synthetic surfactants to prepare flavor oils nanoemulsions using the PIT method.
Augmentation of rat alveolar macrophage migration by surfactant protein.

Since the alveolar macrophage (AM) resides in an environment made unique by the presence of pulmonary surfactant, we studied the effect of constituents of pulmonary surfactant on the migration of these cells in vitro. Whole pulmonary surfactant, surfactant phospholipids, and a delipidated preparation of surfactant consisting mainly of protein were tested for their effect on AM migration. Migration was measured in multiwell chemotaxis chambers with endotoxin-activated rat serum (EARS) as the stimulus. The delipidated surfactant material (DSM) markedly augmented the migration of rat AM. Enhancement was seen only when migration was stimulated with EARS. Augmentation of stimulated migration occurred over a wide range of protein concentrations in DSM (3.5 to 56 ¼g/ml) in a dose-dependent fashion. Rat AM that were preincubated with DSM and then tested in the Chemotaxis assay without DSM showed increased migration towards EARS when compared with AM preincubated in buffer alone. The enhancing effect of DSM on AM ...
Reporting policy regarding drivers with dementia

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: States have various policies regarding physician reporting of drivers with dementia to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for testing. Some states have mandatory reporting policies, others have optional reporting policies, and some have no policy regarding this issue. Arkansas has no reporting policy. Physicians in Arkansas face the risk of liability if they report a patient against their will to the DMV. DESIGN AND METHODS: Three research questions were developed to identify how the problem of drivers with dementia is defined among neurologists and geriatricians in Arkansas: (i) What knowledge do these specialists have of state policy regarding reporting of drivers with dementia to the DMV; (ii) What are their opinions regarding various policy options for reporting such drivers; and (iii) What are their reporting practices for drivers with dementia? A survey was distributed to Arkansas neurologists and geriatricians. RESULTS: There was considerable uncertainty among respondents, regarding the process of assessing and reporting at-risk drivers with dementia. Support for optional reporting policy was strong. Mandatory reporting policy was less favored. Conversations with patients and caregivers regarding cessation of driving were described as being contentious and ongoing. IMPLICATIONS: These findings lead to the recommendation that the Arkansas legislature adopt an optional reporting policy. There is also a need for physician education regarding state reporting policy, as well as training for assessment of fitness to drive for patients with dementia. Language: en
Gut Microbiotas and Host Evolution: Scaling Up Symbiosis

Our understanding of species evolution is undergoing restructuring. It is well accepted that host–symbiont coevolution is responsible for fundamental aspects of biology. However, the emerging importance of plant- and animal-associated microbiotas to their hosts suggests a scale of coevolutionary interactions many-fold greater than previously considered. This review builds on current understanding of symbionts and their contributions to host evolution to evaluate recent data demonstrating similar contributions of gut microbiotas. It further considers a multilayered model for microbiota to account for emerging themes in host–microbiota interactions. Drawing on the structure of bacterial genomes, this model distinguishes between a host-adapted core microbiota, and a flexible, environmentally modulated microbial pool, differing in constraints on their maintenance and in their contributions to host adaptation.
Influence of "loop" diuretics upon Na+K+-ATPase and adenylate cyclase of the stria vascularis.

We have previously found that the inhibition of strial Na+K+-ATPase by ethacrynic acid occurs at much higher concentrations (I50=5×10−3 M) than the inhibition of the endolymphatic potential (I50=1×10−5 M), which in itself is evidence against the concept that Na+K+-ATPase is a target of ethacrynic acid action in the stria vascularis. In order to check whether the stria vascularis accumulates the drug selectively (as is the case in tissue slices of kidney) we perfused the perilymphatic space with 14C-ethacrynic acid for 30 min. No accumulation of the drug above the concentration in the perfusion medium (5×10−5 to 5×10−3M) occurred in the stria vascularis. Since 30 min of perfusion produces maximal alterations of the endolymphatic potential at 1×10−4 M and above, and near maximal alterations at 5×10−5 M, Na+K+-ATPase can be excluded as a primary target of ethacrynic acid action upon the stria vascularis. No inhibition of Na+K+-ATPase by furosemide is detectable at 1×10−2 M.
Necrotizing Sialometaplasia: A Source of Confusion with Carcinoma of the Palate

Necrotizing sialometaplasia is a self-healing nonneoplastic disease of the hard and soft palate characterized by one or two deeply excavating ulcers. Histologically, there is necrosis of the mucous cells of the minor salivary gland tissue with partial replacement by squamous epithelium. The deeply situated squamous epithelium intermixed with mucous cells may lead to the erroneous diagnosis of squamous carcinoma or mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The confinement of cytologically benign squamous epithelium to the pre-existing lobular pattern of the salivary gland should permit an accurate histologic diagnosis by biopsy and avert further surgical intervention.
Alteration of Apple Maggot (Diptera: Tephritidae) Emergence by Cold Period Duration and Rain

The effects of cold period duration and simulated rain on adult apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella Walsh, emergence were investigated under laboratory conditions. Pupae were exposed to cold periods ranging from 9 to 191 d. There was no adult fly emergence from pupae exposed to ≤23 d of cold. The degree-day (6.5°C threshold) requirements for first and 50% emergence increased for pupae exposed to cold periods ranging from 37 to 65 d; however, flies exposed to longer cold periods (79–191 d) required fewer heat units for emergence. The effect of simulated rain (2 cm) on adult emergence was tested at various degree-day accumulations (677–1,065) during pupal development. Pupae exposed to rain at any of the degree-day accumulations tested required significantly fewer heat units for first and 50% emergence, compared with pupae not exposed to rain.
Emerging Resistance, New Antimicrobial Agents … but No Tests! The Challenge of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing in the Current US Regulatory Landscape

Accurate and timely performance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) by the clinical laboratory is paramount to combating antimicrobial resistance. The ability of laboratories in the United States to effectively perform ASTs is challenged by several factors. Some, such as new resistance mechanisms and the associated evolution of testing recommendations and breakpoints, are inevitable. Others are entirely man-made. These include unnecessarily strict US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limitations on how commercial AST systems can be used for diagnostic testing, the absence of up-to-date performance data on these systems, and the lack of commercially available FDA-cleared tests for newer antimicrobial agents or for older agents with updated breakpoints. This viewpoint will highlight contemporary AST challenges faced by the clinical laboratory, and propose some solutions.
Stereotypes About Gender and Science: Women ≠ Scientists

We conducted two studies and our primary goal was to assess the similarity between stereotypes about women and men and stereotypes about successful scientists. In addition, we examined the degree t...
The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Acute Transverse Myelitis

Eighteen adult patients presenting with acute transverse myelitis (ATM) were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging. Only 7 had abnormal scans showing an area of increased signal intensity within the cord solely on T2 weighted images; T1 weighted images were normal. The MRI abnormality did not correlate with the cause of the transverse myelitis, the extent of maximum neurological deficit, or the prognosis. A scan performed more than 5 days after the onset of disease was most likely to be positive. Even though the prognostic value of MRI in ATM may be limited, it remains a valuable technique for ruling out other causes of noncompressive spinal cord lesions, such as hemorrhage, vascular malformation, or tumor.
Human Brain Evolution: I. Evolution of Language Circuits

The investigation of the neural basis for human language abilities has principally proceeded in neuropsychological and neurosurgical contexts with the study of brain damaged patients exhibiting aphasia, patients undergoing electrical stimulation mapping during neurosurgical procedures, and through the recent use of new in vivo imaging techniques of the working conscious brain. As powerful and illuminating as these approaches have been, there are still major gaps in our understanding of language systems of the brain and as yet no comprehensive model of language processing. One of the most serious gaps is the lack of circuit information regarding the neural connections of brain areas involved in linguistic processes. And despite the enormous progress in developing animal models for many other brain functions the uniqueness of linguistic abilities and uncertainties about their neural substrates have seemingly provided little hope of useful non-human models of language processes. However, more complete connectional data and informative non-human models are potentially available through a broader understanding of neuroanatomical homologies.
Does direct stenting with drug-eluting stents improve outcome? A meta-analysis of 10,900 patients

Objectives The aim of this study is to summarize the outcomes of patients undergoing direct stenting (DS) with drug-eluting stents (DES) compared to those who underwent balloon predilatation. Background DS has been associated with improved outcomes in the bare-metal stent era. Although DS with DES implantation has been increasingly adopted in clinical practice, its safety and effectiveness remain controversial. Methods The search criteria identified 546 studies in the Medline/PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases from 2001 to July 2014. From these, seven studies totaling 10,900 patients were selected. Summarized estimates [odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals] were obtained using a random-effects model. The primary outcomes were a composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and repeat revascularization. The secondary outcomes included a composite of death and MI and the rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR). Results Overall, 4101 (38%) and 6799 (62%) patients underwent DS with DES and balloon pre-dilatation, respectively. DS with DES reduced the likelihood of MACE (OR: 0.81 [0.71–0.93]). Additionally, DS with DES was associated with reduced rates of death/MI (OR: 0.76 [0.62–0.92]), and TLR (OR: 0.66 [0.44–0.98]). Conclusions DS with DES is safe and may be associated with better outcomes in selected patients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rat Lacrimal Glands Contain Activated and Resting Mature T Cells, Recent Thymic Emigrants, and Possibly Extrathymic Populations

Lacrimal glands (LG) possess both transient and stationary lymphocyte populations, distinct from those in peripheral lymphoid sites, which regulate and effect humoral and cell-mediated immune responses contributing to the protection of ocular surfaces.1,2 Further, lacrimal glands are sites of lymphocytic infiltration in inflammatory disorders such as Sjogren’s syndrome. Earlier work has established that rat lacrimal gland lymphocytes display a distinct phenotypic profile compared to nonmucosal lymphoid tissues.3,4 Of particular interest is the presence of lymphocytes expressing Thy-1, which, in the rat, is found on immature B and T lymphocytes in bone marrow and thymus5,6 as well as on their recently released progeny in the periphery. The Thy-1 molecule is lost with increasing maturity.7,8 In the case of T cells, developmental stages, including immature recent thymic emigrants (RTE), mature common peripheral T cells (CPT), and activated T cells that have recently encountered antigen, can be identified on the basis of size and expression of Thy-1 and CD45RC.7,8
Disempowered by Data: Nonprofits, Social Enterprises, and the Consequences of Data-Driven Work

Organizations across many sectors are under intense pressure to become data-driven. Yet, for mission-driven organizations, the path to becoming and value of being data-driven is not always clear. We present results from an interview-based study of the role of data in the monitoring and evaluation practices of mission-driven organizations. Instead of leading to productive and empowering data-driven decision making, monitoring and evaluation work is characterized by the erosion of autonomy, data drift, and data fragmentation. Together, these consequences of monitoring and evaluation practices play into a cycle of increasing disempowerment for the mission-driven organization. These findings suggest that the design of information systems should work towards empowering organizations in ways that make sense for their unique data needs and those of their constituents.