cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lip Reconstruction of Comparatively Large Defect Including the Commissure Using Remaining Lip Tissue: A Modification of Reconstructed Method

We present two reconstructed cases after malignant skin tumor of comparatively large defects of lip including the commissure using remaining lip tissue alone. After resecting a tumor including wedge-shaped full-thickness lip tissue, a full thickness oblique incision is made at the site 5 mm distant from the contralateral commissure. The rhomboid-shaped lower lip flap is created, transposed to the defect, and sutured with the defect margin, including the upper lip, to reconstruct the commissure. The cross lip flap is created at the contralateral side of the lower lip, 5 mm from the commissure, and the defect is closed with the crosslip flap. Although our method is applicable only to selected cases, we believe that it is useful in terms of maintaining symmetry of the lip and function of the commissure in the reconstruction of comparatively large defects including the commissure.
Role for heavy metals in forest decline indicated by phytochelatin measurements

FOREST decline in the United States and Europe has been documented for a number of tree species1,2 and atmospheric pollutants from industrial sources, such as acids or oxidants, are thought to be partly responsible1–4. Heavy metals have also been implicated because their deposition pattern is correlated with forest decline5–11, but so far there has been no direct evidence for a physiological link between tree damage and exposure to metals. Here we use the concentrations of phytochelatins, which are intracellular metal-binding peptides that act as specific indicators of metal stress12,13, to show that metals are indeed likely to be a contributing factor in the decline of forests in the north-eastern United States. Phytochelatin concentrations in red spruce, a species in decline, are higher than in balsam fir, a species which is not. Concentrations increase with altitude, as does forest decline, and they also increase across the region in forest stands that show increasing levels of tree damage.
Cortical efferents of the perirhinal, postrhinal, and entorhinal cortices of the rat.

We have divided the cortical regions surrounding the rat hippocampus into three cytoarchitectonically discrete cortical regions, the perirhinal, the postrhinal, and the entorhinal cortices. These regions appear to be homologous to the monkey perirhinal, parahippocampal, and entorhinal cortices, respectively. The origin of cortical afferents to these regions is well-documented in the monkey but less is known about them in the rat. The present study investigated the origins of cortical input to the rat perirhinal (areas 35 and 36) and postrhinal cortices and the lateral and medial subdivisions of the entorhinal cortex (LEA and MEA) by placing injections of retrograde tracers at several locations within each region. For each experiment, the total numbers of retrogradely labeled cells (and cell densities) were estimated for 34 cortical regions. We found that the complement of cortical inputs differs for each of the five regions. Area 35 receives its heaviest input from entorhinal, piriform, and insular areas. Area 36 receives its heaviest projections from other temporal cortical regions such as ventral temporal association cortex. Area 36 also receives substantial input from insular and entorhinal areas. Whereas area 36 receives similar magnitudes of input from cortices subserving all sensory modalities, the heaviest projections to the postrhinal cortex originate in visual associational cortex and visuospatial areas such as the posterior parietal cortex. The cortical projections to the LEA are heavier than to the MEA and differ in origin. The LEA is primarily innervated by the perirhinal, insular, piriform, and postrhinal cortices. The MEA is primarily innervated by the piriform and postrhinal cortices, but also receives minor projections from retrosplenial, posterior parietal, and visual association areas. J. Comp.
In vivo imaging of subcutaneous structures using functional photoacoustic microscopy.

Functional photoacoustic microscopy (fPAM) is a hybrid technology that permits noninvasive imaging of the optical absorption contrast in subcutaneous biological tissues. fPAM uses a focused ultrasonic transducer to detect high-frequency photoacoustic (PA) signals. Volumetric images of biological tissues can be formed by two-dimensional raster scanning, and functional parameters can be further extracted from spectral measurements. fPAM is safe and applicable to animals as well as humans. This protocol provides guidelines for parameter selection, system alignment, imaging operation, laser safety and data processing for in vivo fPAM. It currently takes ~100 min to carry out this protocol, including ~50 min for data acquisition using a 10-Hz pulse-repetition-rate laser system. The data acquisition time, however, can be significantly reduced by using a laser system with a higher pulse repetition rate.
Running an ethical trial 60 years after the Nuremberg Code.

Summary The Nuremberg Code has served as a foundation for ethical clinical research since its publication 60 years ago. This landmark document, developed in response to the horrors of human experimentation done by Nazi physicians and investigators, focused crucial attention on the fundamental rights of research participants and on the responsibilities of investigators. Although the Nuremberg Code has provided an important framework for discussions on the requirements of ethical clinical research, and has resulted in the development of other initiatives—eg, the Declaration of Helsinki and the Belmont Report—designed to ensure the rights and safety of human beings taking part in medical research, knowledge of both past events and the current complexity of research suggests further improvements are necessary in the existing approaches to human clinical research.
Measurement and modeling of ultrafast carrier dynamics and transport in germanium/silicon-germanium quantum wells

We measure the intervalley scattering time of electrons in the conduction band of Ge quantum wells from the direct Γ valley to the indirect L valley to be ~185 fs using a pump-probe setup at 1570 nm. We relate this to the width of the exciton peak seen in the absorption spectra of this material, and show that these quantum wells could be used as a fast saturable absorber with a saturation fluence between 0.11 and 0.27 pJ/μm2. We also observe field screening by photogenerated carriers in the material on longer timescales. We model this field screening by incorporating carrier escape from the quantum wells, drift across the intrinsic region, and recovery of the applied voltage through diffusive conduction.
Role of the C-terminal domains of rice (Oryza sativa L.) bZIP proteins RF2a and RF2b in regulating transcription

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) transcription factors RF2a and RF2b are bZIP (basic leucine zipper) proteins that interact with, and activate transcription from the RTBV (rice tungro bacilliform virus) promoter. Here we characterize the C-terminal domains of RF2a and RF2b: these domains are rich in glutamine and proline/glutamine, respectively. Affinity pull-down assays demonstrated that the C-terminal domains of RF2a and RF2b can associate to form either homodimers or heterodimers; however, they do not interact with other domains of RF2a or RF2b. Results of in vitro transcription assays using a rice whole-cell extract demonstrate that the C-terminal domains of both RF2a and RF2b activate transcription from the RTBV promoter. In addition, dimerization of the RF2a C-terminal domain is involved in regulating the transcription activation function of RF2a. The predicted helical region within the RF2a C-terminal glutamine-rich domain was determined to be involved in inter-molecular dimerization, and contributed to the regulatory functions of RF2a in these assays.
Biochemical neuroendocrinology. I. Biosynthesis of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) by organ cultures of mammalian hypothalamus.

Abstract Organotypic cultures of the hypophysiotropic area of guinea pig hypothalamu were maintainedin vitro for periods up to 1 week. These cultures showed a high degree of metabolic integrity, and were able to incorporate [3H]proline into TRH. The identification of labeled TRH was achieved by subjecting aqueous methanol extracts of the cultured tissue to an extensive purification procedure.
Clarification of some issues concerning subject recruitment procedures in therapy analog studies

An attempt is made to clarify some recently raised issues concerning the effects of different subject recruitment procedures in social anxiety therapy research. Data from a recent study are analyzed for differential subject recruitment effects (by contrasting subjects who responded to newspaper advertisements with subjects recruited via screening questionnaires administered in classes), and none is found. It is argued that mechanical differences among recruitment procedures may be unimportant if high subject motivation is ensured and strict screening criteria are used.
Expectation States Theory and Research: New Observations From Meta-Analysis

Over the past 50 years, the expectation states research program has generated a set of interrelated theories to explain the relation between performance expectations and social influence. Yet while the relationship between performance expectations and social influence is now axiomatic, the reported effects do differ in magnitude, sometimes widely. The authors present results from the first formal meta-analysis of expectation states research on social influence. Their findings indicate that theoretically unimportant study-level differences alter expectation states and the baseline propensity to accept or reject social influence. Data from 26 separate experiments reveal that protocol variations, including the use of video and computer technology, sample size, and the number of trials, have important but previously unrecognized effects. The authors close by discussing the more general implications of their research for future investigators.
Labor Education at Rutgers University, 1931-1981, and the Establishment of IMLR

In 1997, the Institute of Management and Labor Relations (IMLR) will mark its 50th anniversary. It was on June 19,1947 that New Jersey Governor Alfred Driscoll signed into law, Assembly Bill 250-A. Passed against the backdrop of the great postwar strike wave that engulfed the United States, this legislation formally established the IMLR. Its primary mission was to promote "harmony and co-operation between management and labor, and greater understanding of industrial and labor relations, thereby to enhance the unity and welfare of the people of the state." In order to carry out this assignment, the IMLR was authorized to "establish programs in order to develop new material and techniques to aid in carrying on the educational activities."
Biochemical characterization of allelic forms of soluble malate dehydrogenase of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract Two homozygous allelic forms (sMDH2 and sMDH4) and the heterozygous form (sMDH 2 4 ) of soluble malate dehydrogenase of D. melanogaster were partially purified and biochemically characterized. No significant differences were noted among the enzymes with respect to the following biochemical properties; pH optima; Michaelis constants; heat stability; and inhibition by sulfhydryl reagents and by various organic and amino acids. The coenzyme, NADH, was found (1) to stabilize sMDH activity in the heat-activation studies and (2) to inhibit markedly oxaloacetate reduction when added in increased concentrations (0.5 mM or greater) to the assay.
Personality as a predictor of the objective and subjective impact of sleep deprivation

Although, impairments following sleep deprivation have been clearly demonstrated in the literature, researchers have found a wide range of individual variation in response to sleep deprivation. The relationship between personality and the subjective and objective impact of sleep deprivation was examined using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Sleep Hygiene Index, Profile of Mood States, an oddball reaction time test, a multi-task cognitive performance battery (SynWin), and the NEO Personality Inventory Revised. Subjects (14 males, 14 females, mean age 20.5) were sleep deprived for 28-35 h and during this time were allowed access to self-reported typical amounts of tobacco, caffeine, and food. Post sleep deprivation: (a) higher neuroticism scores were related to participants feeling sleepier, experiencing more mood disturbance, and performing inferiorly on a behavioral task; (b) subjects scoring as introverts showed more compromised behavioral performance compared to extraverts. The authors suggest that potential moderating variables of the relationship between personality and sleep deprivation such as stimulant use, food intake, and socialization warrant further investigation.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: responding to violence against women

Domestic violence is a significant social and public health problem that disproportionately affects women and girls and often results in injury, chronic health problems, and death. Obstetrician-gynecologists are in a unique position to identify such patients and to provide intervention. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has responded to this problem and encouraged its members to act. ACOG activities reflect the mission of the organization and can serve as a template for like societies.
Impact of data resolution on peak hour factor estimation for transportation decisions

Inductance loop detection systems serve as a primary data source to contemporary traffic information systems. Measures like 20-second or 30-second average velocity, flow, and lane occupancy can be aggregated from individual loop detector actuation sampled at 60 Hz typically. Practically, these measures would sometimes be further aggregated into a much lower, e.g. 15-minute, resolution and then the raw data were lost. Valuable traffic information like flow variation may be distorted when the lower resolution aggregation is practiced. A biased conclusion could be drawn from a data integration system consisted of this kind of distortions. Three approaches estimating a peak hour factor based on traffic volume from loop detection systems are introduced in this paper to explore such a quality issue for data integration systems. Peak hour factor is commonly used in Highway Capacity Manual for determining and evaluating future system needs. By processing the raw data with the introduced approaches, different PHFs can be determined from a same traffic dataset. It is found that 2% to 5% (about one standard deviation from the mean) reduction in PHF may have 5 to 20 seconds increase in control delay estimation. The results suggest that distortion of control delay estimation at a signalized intersection exists due to an improper aggregation. That is, data quality might not be good enough for a right decision if the data were not processed appropriately.
Numerical simulation of particle motion using a combined MacCormack and immersed boundary method

A numerical approach is presented for the direct numerical simulation of particle motion that combines the MacCormack scheme and the immersed boundary method. It exhibits the advantageous features of the explicit MacCormack scheme which is second-order accurate in time and space with simplicity in programing. The approach solves the compressible Navier-Stokes equations and uses the immersed boundary method to tackle the interactions between the fluid and the suspended particles. The force due to the interaction of two phases is computed via an elastic forcing method. The numerical approach is validated using uniform flow past a stationary circular cylinder, sedimentation of circular discs, and particle motion (orientation and translation) in unidirectional flows. Results are also compared to simulation obtained from a mixture model for solid particles for the same flow conditions.
Modeling of Seabed Liquefaction and Other Processes Responsible for Mine Burial

A new Office of Naval Research Program is focusing on developing new mine burial prediction models for a number of processes that have been identified for shallow water environments. These processes are briefly reviewed and preliminary modeling aspects and numerical computations for seabed liquefaction due to surface water waves are presented. Both a deterministic and a possible empirical approach are discussed.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Child and Adolescent Trauma across the Spectrum of Experience: Underserved Populations and Psychological Abuse

This article introduces the second in a two-part special issue focusing on child and adolescent trauma across the spectrum of experience. This issue examines current research specifically geared toward underserved populations of children and traumatic experiences that are primarily emotional or psychological. We briefly introduce the articles, which address the areas of exposure to war and terrorism, racial trauma in the lives of African American children and adolescents, home-based exposure to violence, and the impact of emotional abuse on children who have mild intellectual disabilities.
Modification of an External Closed Inlet Device Analyzer to Prevent Binding of Methyl Ketones to the Septa and Cross-Contamination of Samples

Abstract An external closed inlet device analyzer was used to determine the binding affinity of methyl ketones to delipidated milk protein powder. Difficulties in replicating peak size and peak retention on triplicate sample runs were experienced. After a series of tests on the analyzer, it was evident the silicone septa were binding the carbonyls. Septa were removed and replaced with stainless steel Swagelok fittings and graphite ferrules. A sample tube was put in the heating chamber, purged, and the methyl ketones quantified. Triplicate runs gave excellent replication of both peak size and retention times.
Biochemical polymorphic systems in inbred lines of chickens: A survey

Biochemical polymorphic gene frequency profiles from blood samples of two outbred and seven inbred lines of chickens were studied for hemoglobin, albumin, transferrin, alkaline phosphatase, esterase II, and leucine aminopeptidase, and from egg samples of these lines for ovoalbumen, ovoglobulin (G2 and G3), and conalbumen. Complete gene fixation was found for hemoglobin, albumin, transferrin, ovalbumin, ovoglobulin, and conalbumin. The same alleles were fixed in each system in each line. For four systems, a particular allele within a system predominated in seven populations; gene frequencies ranged from 0.60 to 0.98. For esterases I and II, the genes Es-IB and Es-IIS ranged in frequency between 0.82 and 0.97, and between 0.64 and 0.93, respectively. For ovoglobulin, G2B ranged between 0.75 and 1.00 with four lines fixed for this allele. The rather remarkable similarity of gene frequency profiles among lines, several of which are only remotely related, suggests that certain characteristic polymorphic frequencies for these biochemical polymorphisms possess higher adaptive values in an evolutionary sense.
The influence of the Mediterranean outflow at mid-depths in the Sargasso Sea

It has been known for some time that in the eastern North Atlantic the salinity at mid-depths (500–2000) is often relatively high. There is no doubt among those who have examined the question that this is largely due to the outflow of water from the Mediterranean. Owing to the high rate of evaporation in the Mediterranean two currents are to be expected in the Straits of Gibraltar, namely, an inflow of Atlantic water at the surface and an outflow of relatively saline water along the bottom. Such currents have been frequently observed. The outflowing water leaves the Mediterranean with a salinity of about 38‰, and according to Nielsen its volume averages 56,200 km3 per year.
Developing Instructional Leadership Teams in Secondary Schools: a Framework

Secondary school principals can exercise instructional leadership by systematically developing an instruc tional leadership team to carry out the critical functions of curriculum and instructional ...
Changes in chromosome structure induced by radiations: a test of the two chief hypotheses.

Two hypotheses have been advanced to suggest how radiation may produce chromosome aberrations. The classical “breakage-first” hypothesis due to Sax1 and others (reviewed in ref. 2) is that the initial lesion is a break in the chromosome. The two ends produced may then (1) rejoin in the original configuration (restitution); (2) rejoin “illegitimately” with other ends produced by another break to form an exchange; or (3) remain unjoined to form a terminal deletion. Revell's exchange hypothesis3 is that all chromatid aberrations are exchanges produced by the interaction of two lesions (not breaks). The aberrations involving only one chromosome are produced only at the point of overlap where the chromosome is looped back on itself. The two proposals differ principally in that the exchange hypothesis proposes (1) that the initial lesion is not a break, (2) that all aberrations are exchanges involving two lesions, and (3) that all aberrations except exchanges between different chromosomes are formed at the point of overlap where the chromosome is in a loop. Chromatid deletions, which are unrejoined breaks on the breakage-first hypothesis, in Revell's hypothesis result from the failure to complete an exchange at the point of overlap of a loop in the way known to occur frequently when exchanges are produced between chromosomes. Attempts to distinguish between these two hypotheses have centred on the relative frequencies of the different kinds of aberrations and on the dose response relationships. Results have been equivocal: some of the data do not agree with the simple statements of either the breakage-first4–7 or the exchange hypotheses8–12. We report here a more direct test of the differences between the two hypotheses. We have not explored the nature of the initial lesion, but have shown that many terminal deletions are actually incomplete exchanges. The data agree both qualitatively and quantitatively with Revell's exchange hypothesis.
Ejaculatory Duct Manometry in Normal Men and in Patients With Ejaculatory Duct Obstruction

Purpose: Ejaculatory duct obstruction is a treatable cause of male infertility but the diagnosis can be difficult to make. Transrectal ultrasound is valuable but not specific for ejaculatory duct obstruction. Adjunctive procedures, such as chromotubation and seminal vesicle aspiration, are more sensitive but not definitive, especially for partial obstruction. We describe what is to our knowledge a new hydraulic test and report its ability to identify physical and functional ejaculatory duct obstruction.Materials and Methods: Two groups of men were studied, including patients with infertility or ejaculatory pain in whom ejaculatory duct obstruction was suspected and fertile men undergoing vasectomy reversal (controls). In each cohort ejaculatory duct injection and manometry were performed. Patients with ejaculatory duct obstruction underwent transurethral ejaculatory duct resection based on routine criteria. Pressure was reassessed after resection. Manometry pressures were compared between controls and pat...
Radiometric calibration of an airborne multispectral scanner

The absolute radiometric calibration of the NS001 Thematic Mapper Simulator reflective channels was examined based on laboratory tests and in-flight comparisons to ground measurements. The NS001 data are calibrated in-flight by reference to the NS001 internal integrating sphere source. This source's power supply or monitoring circuitry exhibited greater instability in-flight during 1988-1989 than in the laboratory. Extrapolating laboratory behavior to in-flight data resulted in 7-20 percent radiance errors relative to ground measurements and atmospheric modeling. Assuming constancy in the source's output between laboraotry and in-flight resulted in generally smaller errors. Upgrades to the source's power supply and monitoring circuitry in 1990 improved its in-flight stability, though in-flight ground reflectance based calibration tests have not yet been performed.
Charge-symmetry study with the reactions 2H(t, τ)nn and 2H(τ, t)pp

Abstract We have measured the τ-spectra at 5° lab to a 22.0 MeV triton beam from the reaction 2H(t, τ)nn and the t-spectra at 5° lab to a 19.9 MeV τ-beam from the reaction 2H(τ, t)pp. We find that an analysis of these charge-symmetric reactions with the comparison method gives an unrealistic n-n scattering length. A charge-asymmetry is also noted in the absolute yields. Both effects are attributed to the influence of the sequential decay process τ + 2 H → 4 He ] (20.3 MeV ) + p → 3 He + p + p .
Scalable ambient obscurance

This paper presents a set of architecture-aware performance and integration improvements for a recent screenspace ambient obscurance algorithm. These improvements collectively produce a 7 x performance increase at 2560 x1600, generalize the algorithm to both forward and deferred renderers, and eliminate the radius- and scene-dependence of the previous algorithm to provide a hard real-time guarantee of fixed execution time. The optimizations build on three strategies: pre-filter the depth buffer to maximize memory hierarchy efficiency; reduce total bandwidth by carefully reconstructing positions and normals at high precision from a depth buffer; and exploit low-level intra- and inter-thread techniques for parallel, floating-point architectures.
Injection modelocked Ti-sapphire laser with discretely variable pulse repetition rates to 1.56 GHz

Abstract A gain-switched diode laser was used to injection modelock a Ti-sapphire laser. The pulse repetition rate of the modelocked Ti-sapphire laser was varied by setting the diode laser pulse repetition rate equal to different multiples of the Ti-sapphire laser cavity fundamental frequency. Pulse repetition rates from 223 MHz (fundamental) to 1.56 GHz (seventh harmonic) were observed. No intracavity modelocking device was required and the Ti-sapphire laser cavity length was not changed. Maximum average output power at 854 nm was 700 mW for all pulse repetition rates when pumped with 6 W from an argon-ion laser. Pulsewidths ranged from 21 to 39 ps (FWHM). Phase noise measurements indicate that timing jitter was 2.5 ps at a pulse repetition rate of 223 MHz. Pulse-to-pulse amplitude fluctuations however, were significant and suggest that active cavity length stabilization may be required for reliable photoinjector applications.
Climate and infectious disease in the southwestern United States

As in many parts of the world, climate variability has a strong impact on infectious diseases within the southwestern USA. Moisture and temperature conditions can either indirectly impact disease by providing an environment conducive to the growth of an animal host or reservoir, or directly through the survival and dispersal of an infectious agent. It is also expected that climate change will affect the number of cases and/or the spatial distribution of infectious diseases. Before the effects of climate change on diseases can be determined, an understanding of the basic relationship between incidence and climate variability should be established. A review of climate impacts on four infectious diseases (hantavirus, plague, dengue and coccidioidomycosis) currently found in southwestern USA (or potentially found in the southwest in the case of dengue) is followed by suggested future research to further understand the relationship between climate variability/change and disease.
Polarizability of alkali clusters

Molecular-beam deflection measurements of the static electric polarizability per atom, \ensuremath{\alpha}/N, are reported for sodium clusters up to N=40. The quantity \ensuremath{\alpha}/N decreases from the atomic polarizability to approximately 150% of the bulk value, at N=40. Potassium-cluster polarizabilities follow closely the same pattern up to N=20. There is some correlation between the polarizabilities and previously observed electronic shell structure.
Optical gain and excitonic processes in widegap semiconductor quantum wells

Abstract The dominant role of the strong electron-hole Coulomb correlations in widegap II-VI semiconductor quantum well heterostructures is illustrated by selectively highlighting key phenomena studied in experiments encompassing ZnSe-based QWs. These include gain and stimulated emission at low temperatures from excitonic molecules, excitonic enhancements to gain in room temperature green-blue diode lasers, and light-matter interaction in vertical microcavity lasers.
Decomposable Strategy-Proof Social Choice Functions

This article shows that a social choice function defined on a domain of separable preferences which satisfies a relatively weak domain-richness condition on a product set of alternatives is (i) strategy-proof and only depends on the tops of the individual preferences if and only if (ii) the range of the social choice function is a product set and the social choice function can be decomposed into the product of one-dimensional, strategy-proof, nontop-insensitive social choice functions. JEL Classification Number: D71.
The "Unabomber" vs. the "Nail Bomber": a cross-cultural comparison of newspaper coverage of two murder trials

This study compares the newspaper coverage of the murder trials of Theodore Kaczynski (the "Unabomber") and David Copeland (the "Nail bomber"), two similar defendants being tried for similar crimes in two different countries. Both men were found guilty, but the fact that they were diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia became a central element in both trials. One hundred and thirty-three articles from the two countries were compared using a qualitative discourse analysis which found that the dominance of specific narrative frames influenced the structure of the articles. The British coverage privileged the "story of the crime" whereas the US coverage emphasized the "story of the trial". The result was that in the majority of coverage, important contextual information was lost, specifically regarding how mental illness caused these crimes in the first place, as well as how society perceives mentally ill criminals. These results demonstrate the need for more responsible reporting of trials in the hope of enc...
Some kinetic properties of phosphorylated ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum formed in the absence of added alkali metal salts.

Abstract The decomposition of the Ca2+-dependent phosphoprotein formed at the steady state in the presence of [γ-32P]ATP and Ca2+ but in the absence of added alkali metal salts, is accelerated by KCl and ATP in a ATPase preparation of sarcoplasmic reticulum. In contrast to decomposition of phosphoprotein formed in the presence of KCl, that formed in the absence of added alkali metal salts is not accelerated by added ADP.
Normal rate of sister chromatid exchange in Down syndrome.

The rate of sister chromatid exchanges per cell in Down synalome patients was not found to be different from that in controls.
Stability and performance of mesophilic anaerobic fixed‐film reactors during organic overloading

The stability of downflow stationary fixed-film (DSFF) reactors was evaluated under extreme organic shock loads. Reactors could handle five- to sevenfold increases in organic loading and recover to normal performance in a relatively short period of time (usually 24–72 h) during treatment of well-buffered sucrose and acetic acid wastewater at 27 and 35°C. Overloading was characterized by elevated volatile-acid concentrations, decreased reactor pH, and excess biofilm sloughing. Reactors could not cope with extreme organic shocks during treatment of poorly buffered sucrose wastewater. The pH of the mixed liquor was observed to be a more important factor than the volatile-acid concentration in determining whether DSFF reactors would recover in a reasonable period of time.
Hospital Charges for Stroke Patients

Background and Purpose Stroke is a common disease with a yearly cost in the United States of approximately $30 billion. The increasing prevalence of managed care and cost-containment measures may affect the delivery of stroke care now and in the future. This study was performed to determine (1) hospital charges and test utilization for stroke patients and (2) the effectiveness of educational efforts in modifying test utilization and related hospital charges. Methods Patients with a diagnosis of stroke who were discharged from either the neurology service or another service of the Department of Medicine (DOM) were identified. Data on test utilization and hospital charges were collected and analyzed. Following this analysis, educational sessions were held in an effort to reduce the use of specific diagnostic tests. The effectiveness of these methods was studied in a second group of stroke patients. Results In the baseline period there were 303 stroke patients, of which 262 (86%) were discharged from the neurology service and 41 (14%) were discharged from other services of the DOM. Patients on the neurology service had a lower mean length of stay than patients on the other services of the DOM (9.2 days versus 10.5 days) and lower mean total charges per case ($13 149 versus $15 727), although the respective differences were not statistically significant. Patients on the neurology service were more likely to have both brain CT and MRI performed (82 of 262 patients, 31.3%) than patients on the other services of the DOM (4 of 41, 9.8%, P =.005). In addition, patients on the neurology service were more likely to undergo a transthoracic echocardiogram than patients on the other services of the DOM (71.8% versus 53.7%, P =.025). After educational sessions, the percentage of stroke patients on the neurology service having both CT and MRI fell from 31.3% to 17.7% ( P =.005), and the number of stroke patients having a transthoracic echocardiogram fell from 71.8% to 60.3% ( P =.025). However, the overall charges for stroke patients on the neurology service did not decrease. Conclusions Education can be successful in reducing the utilization of and associated charges for specific diagnostic tests for some stroke patients. A multidisciplinary approach to case management, using tools such as care maps, may be necessary to realize significant cost savings in certain groups of stroke patients.
Commentary Regarding Flancbaum L, Belsley S, Drake V, Colarusso T, Tayler E. Preoperative Nutritional Status of Patients Undergoing Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity. J Gastrointest Surg. 2006 10(7):1033–7

Nutritional deficiencies are a known complication following Bariatric procedures, especially after malabsorptive procedures, such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and biliopancreatic diversion, but may occur after restrictive procedures, as after any gastrointestinal surgery. Various nutritional deficiencies were described after these procedures. The gravest presentations were described in accordance with thiamine deficiency leading to severe neurological pathology. A study by Flancbaum and coworkers, which was published in 2006, retrospectively analyzed the preoperative values of various nutrients, including thiamine, in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Twenty-nine percent of the patients had preoperative thiamine deficiency. In their study, the authors stated that they were the first to describe preoperative thiamine deficiency in bariatric patients. However, Flancbaum’s study only confirmed what we have presented at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery on June 2005, and published in 2005, in which we demonstrated that, out of 303 morbidly obese patients who were scheduled for bariatric surgery, 47 patients (15.5%) presented with low preoperative thiamine levels. In our study, none of the patients had preoperative or postoperative clinical manifestations of thiamine deficiency. In our opinion, the findings of both studies cannot be ignored; in patients with marginal thiamine levels, deficiency may be facilitated by increased demands due to the surgical stress, rapid weight loss, unbalanced diet, and loss of absorptive area after surgery, and may result in neurological and cardiac deterioration. The standard of care should include preoperative thiamine screening and perioperative replacement. Most importantly, prolonged vomiting should be an indication for empiric thiamine treatment, even without biochemical deficiency. We would like to congratulate Flancbaum and coworkers for confirming our initial findings.
Long-term effects of carvedilol or metoprolol on left ventricular function in ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Data regarding the effects of β blockers on left ventricular (LV) function after 12 months are scarce in ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Echocardiograms of 72 patients with ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy, who were free of clinical events susceptible to alter LV function while receiving carvedilol or metoprolol for at least 24 months, were prospectively reanalyzed. Twelve months after β-blocker initiation, LV ejection fraction (EF) increased by ≥5% in 75% of patients, whereas EF failed to increase by 5% or decreased in the remaining 25%. Over the subsequent 32 months, LVEF increased further in patients who had experienced an initial EF increase by ≥5%, whereas EF tended to further decrease in patients who had experienced an initial EF increase of
Antagonists of Gaeumannomyces graminis from the rhizoplane of wheat in soils fertilized with ammonium- or nitrate-nitrogen

Abstract Take-all of wheat caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici was less when soils in glasshouse pots were fertilized with NH4+-N than with NO3−-N. The form of N did not alter countable populations of microorganisms in the rhizosphere or rhizoplane, but altered the numbers of bacteria and streptomycetes that inhibited the pathogen's growth in vitro. The pH of the medium used to isolate these microorganisms, whether similar or dissimilar to the pH of the rhizosphere, had some influence both upon countable populations and upon the proportions of antagonists. Highest counts of the rhizoplane microflora were on agar media with a pH similar to that of the soil. Most antagonists were isolated from a soil that is physically and chemically conducive to parasitism of wheat roots by Gaeumannomyces, but which contains a microflora suppressive toward the parasitic colonization of the roots. Isolates of the general bacterial flora, of Pseudomonas spp. and of streptomycetes, but not of Bacillus spp. inhibited the in vitro growth of G. graminis.
CANCER BIOLOGY: Type II TGFβ receptor expression in intestinal cell lines and in the intestinal tract

To whom correspondence should be addressed The recent identification and cloning of mammalian transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) receptors permits further analysis of the importance of the TGFβ family in intestinal biology. Expression of the type II TGFβ receptor was examined in gastrointestinal cell lines and tissues. The 5.5 kb type II mRNA species was detected in poly-(A) mRNA isolated from the rat small bowel and colon. Northern blot analysis of RNA isolated from epithelial and non-epithelial small intestinal cell fractions showed the majority of receptor mRNA localized in the non-epithelial compartment. Immunohistochemical localization in the small intestine and colon supported the RNA findings ; that is, expression was greatest in the lamina propria and muscularis. Staining was also detectable in the epithelium, where it was most prominent in the villus tip cells and absent in crypt cells. These findings mirror expression of TGFβ in the epithelial compartment. The IEC-6, IPEC and RIE-1 cell lines, all of which are non-transformed, were growth inhibited by TGFβ and expressed type II receptor mRNA and protein. By contrast, the ras-transfected RIE-1, HT-29, Caco-2 and SW-620 transformed lines were not growth inhibited by TGFβ and all demonstrated a marked reduction in type II TGFβ receptor mRNA expression and protein abundance by cross-linking. In conclusion, (i) colocalization of both ligand and receptor establishes the existence of potential autocrine and/or paracrine pathways for TGFβ in the normal intestine and (ii) down-regulation of the type II TGFβ receptor occurs in association with cellular transformation and may contribute to intestinal carcinogenesis.
Theoretical Studies on the Conformational Equilibria of the γ-Hydroxybutyric Acid in the Gas Phase and in Solution

Equilibrial composition of eight conformers of γ-hydroxybutyric acid have been established in the gas phase and in aqueous solution by combining ab initio calculations and Monte Carlo simulations. Ab initio RHF/6-311++G** and MP2/6-311++G** optimized conformers have different relative free energies in the gas phase. On the basis of the MP2 results, there are at least four conformers in the gas-phase mixture. The most stable structure is a cyclic conformer without intramolecular hydrogen bond. The equilibrium composition in the aqueous solution is dominated by structures with extended conformations. The conformational preference is the result of a subtle balance of internal free energy and solvation terms. The extended structure is the favored one in a mixed solvent comprised of methanol and chloroform, as well. Calculations predict 1.9 and 2.3 kcal/mol activation free energy for the formation of a cyclic conformer, prerequisite for lactonization, in aqueous solution and in the methanol/chloroform solvent,...
recA-independent general genetic recombination of plasmids.

The small circular genomes of several bacteriophages and a number of plasmids have been used extensively to study various aspects of the mechanism of genetic recombination. Several studies have demonstrated that the interconversion between the circular monomers and larger circular oligomers of many plasmid DNAs is mediated, at least in part, by the pathway which carries out genetic recombination in wild-type Escherichia coli1–4. The recA, recB and recC mutations block conjugation-mediated recombination in E. coli5,6. However, Clark and his co-workers7,8 isolated two mutations, sbcA and sbcB, which indirectly suppress the recombination deficiency of recB and recC mutations. These indirect suppressor mutations seem to cause recombination by other pathways which require the recA gene product as well as products of other genes such as recF, recJ and recM, which are not normally required for recombination in E. coli9,10. Here we report an investigation of the effect of recombination-deficient mutations on plasmid recombination in E. coli. We show that sbcA mutations induce a new plasmid recombination pathway that is 10–15 times more efficient than the normal wild-type recombination pathway and independent of the recA and recF functions.
Recruitment of rare 3-grams at functional sites: Is this a mechanism for increasing enzyme specificity?

A wealth of unannotated and functionally unknown protein sequences has accumulated in recent years with rapid progresses in sequence genomics, giving rise to ever increasing demands for developing methods to efficiently assess functional sites. Sequence and structure conservations have traditionally been the major criteria adopted in various algorithms to identify functional sites. Here, we focus on the distributions of the 203 different types of 3-grams (or triplets of sequentially contiguous amino acid) in the entire space of sequences accumulated to date in the UniProt database, and focus in particular on the rare 3-grams distinguished by their high entropy-based information content. Comparison of the UniProt distributions with those observed near/at the active sites on a non-redundant dataset of 59 enzyme/ligand complexes shows that the active sites preferentially recruit 3-grams distinguished by their low frequency in the UniProt. Three cases, Src kinase, hemoglobin, and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, are discussed in details to illustrate the biological significance of the results. The results suggest that recruitment of rare 3-grams may be an efficient mechanism for increasing specificity at functional sites. Rareness/scarcity emerges as a feature that may assist in identifying key sites for proteins function, providing information complementary to that derived from sequence alignments. In addition it provides us (for the first time) with a means of identifying potentially functional sites from sequence information alone, when sequence conservation properties are not available.
Development of Dynamic Modeling Tools for Solid Oxide and Molten Carbonate Hybrid Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Systems

This paper describes some generic solid oxide and molten carbonate hybrid fuel cell gas turbine systems and dynamic modeling tools that are being developed to simulate the performance of these and other hybrid fuel cell systems. The generic hybrid systems are presented to introduce issues and technical development challenges that hybrid fuel cell gas turbine systems must address and to provide a platform for the development of the dynamic modeling tools. The present goals are to develop dynamic models for the basic components of solid oxide and molten carbonate fuel cell gas turbine hybrids, ensure their reliability, and obtain a basic understanding of their performance prior to integration into a complete hybrid system model. Preliminary results for molten carbonate and solid oxide fuel cell types are presented. These results provide understanding of some of the operational characteristics of fuel cells, and indicate the complexity of the dynamic response of fuel cell hybrid components. For the fuel cell models, generic planar designs are analyzed showing voltage and current behavior following step changes in load resistance and steady state performance curves. The results provide confidence in each of the model’s reliability, enabling them to be integrated for hybrid system simulation. Results from the integrated simulations will provide guidance on future hybrid technology development needs.Copyright © 2000 by ASME
Native TIMP‐free 70 kDa progelatinase (MMP‐2) secreted at elevated levels by RSV transformed fibroblasts

Rous sarcoma virus-transformed cultures of chicken embryo fibroblasts (RSVCEF) secrete elevated levels of a 70 kDa progelatinase, an avian form of the 72 kDa matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Affinity-purified preparations of secreted 70 kDa progelatinase are composed of two distinct populations of zymogen: a 70 kDa progelatinase tightly complexed with an avian form of TIMP-2 and a native 70 kDa progelatinase free of any detectable TIMP-2. These two forms of the progelatinase can be separated by Mono Q FPLC in the absence of denaturing agents. The homogeneity of the two separated forms is demonstrated by both SDS-PAGE and nondenaturing, native gel electrophoresis. The purified TIMP-free 70 kDa progelatinase is stable in aqueous conditions and does not spontaneously autoactivate. Treatment of the TIMP-free progelatinase with the organomercurial, p-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA), results in rapid (5-60 minutes) autolytic conversion of the 70 kDa progelatinase to 67 kDa, 62 kDa and lower molecular weight forms of the enzyme. APMA treatment of the TIMP-free progelatinase yields a preparation that is enzymatically active with a high specific activity towards a peptide substrate. Identical treatment of TIMP-complexed progelatinase with APMA results in a significantly slower conversion process in which the 70 kDa progelatinase is only 50% converted after 6-24 hours and the specific enzyme activity of the preparation is 8 to 18-fold lower. Purified avian TIMP-2 added to the TIMP-free progelatinase forms a complex with the progelatinase and prevents the rapid autolytic conversion induced by APMA. Comparative analysis of parallel cultures of transformed RSVCEF and normal CEF demonstrates that the transformed cultures contain threefold higher levels of the TIMP-free progelatinase than the normal CEF cultures which produce predominantly TIMP-complexed progelatinase. The presence in transformed cultures of elevated levels of a more readily activated TIMP-free progelatinase, the suppression of its rapid activation by TIMP-2, and the potential effect of the altered balance between TIMP-free and TIMP-complexed 70 kDa progelatinase on the invasive, malignant phenotype, are discussed. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.