cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Translocation of cytoplasmic estrogen receptors to the nucleus: immunohistochemical demonstration utilizing rabbit antibodies to estrogen receptors of mammary carcinomas.

Rabbit antibodies to cytoplasmic estrogen receptors (ER) of human breast carcinoma were utilized for investigating steroid-triggered in-vitro translocation of cytoplasmic ER to the nuclear compartment of the estrogen target cells. The immunofluorescent method (IF) previously described (S Raam et al., Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol 18: 1–12, 1982) was employed for immunohistochemical localization of ER. Four cases of normal endometrium, two cancers of the endometrium, and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were maintained in a steroid free medium and exposed at 37°C for two hours to growth medium alone (control) or to 2.5, 25 or 250 nanomoles of estradiol (E2), diethylstilbestrol (DES), or monohydroxytamoxifen (OH-TX). At the end of the incubation period the cells were processed for intracellular localization of ER. Complete traslocation of IF from the cytoplasm to the nuclear compartment was evident in all normal endometrial cells exposed to E2, DES or OH-TX for two hours. While cells from the endometrial cancer ‘S’, like the normal cells, translocated IF to the nucleus, cells of another cancer (‘KLE’) failed to translocate when exposed to E2 or OH-TX. Partial translocation was evident in ‘KLE’ cells exposed to DES. In MCF-7 cells grown in the absence of E2, IF was exclusively cytoplasmic. When these cells were exposed to the hormones, 50% showed a complete transfer of IF to the nucleus; in 40% a delayed response was evident; 10% failed to translocate. The results revealed the suitability of anti-ER antibodies for investigating the intracellular dynamics of ER in target cells responding to estrogens or antiestrogens.
Therapeutic Approaches to Delay the Onset of Alzheimer's Disease

The key cytopathologies in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients include mitochondrial dysfunction and energy hypometabolism, which are likely caused by the accumulation of small aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. Thus, targeting these two abnormalities of the AD brain may hold promising therapeutic value for delaying the onset of AD. In his paper, we discuss two potential approaches to delay the onset of AD. The first is the use of low dose of diaminophenothiazins (redox active agents) to prevent mitochondrial dysfunction and to attenuate energy hypometabolism. Diaminophenothiazines enhance mitochondrial metabolic activity and heme synthesis, both key factors in intermediary metabolism of the AD brain.The second is to use the naturally occurring osmolytes to prevent the formation of toxic forms of Aβ and prevent oxidative stress. Scientific evidence suggests that both approaches may change course of the basic mechanism of neurodegeneration in AD. Osmolytes are brain metabolites which accumulate in tissues at relatively high concentrations following stress conditions. Osmolytes enhance thermodynamic stability of proteins by stabilizing natively-folded protein conformation, thus preventing aggregation without perturbing other cellular processes. Osmolytes may inhibit the formation of Aβ oligomers in vivo, thus preventing the formation of soluble oligomers. The potential significance of combining diaminophenothiazins and osmolytes to treat AD is discussed.
Infrequent panic: physiological and subjective reactions to hyperventilation

Forty-eight females were evaluated to detect differences in panic-related symptomatology and physiological responses to 2 min of hyperventilation. Ss were divided into 3 groups: infrequent panickers; no panic/high trait anxiety; and no panic/low trait anxiety. The low trait anxiety group scored significantly lower on various self-report measures of anxiety-related symptomatology compared to Ss with infrequent panic and high trait anxiety. Hyperventilation produced no significant group differences in physiological reactivity or recovery. However, Ss with low trait anxiety reported significantly less severe sensations and a significantly lower incidence of panic during hyperventilation than the infrequent panickers and the high trait anxiety group. Ss who panicked during hyperventilation reported more intense sensations and negative cognitions than those who did not panic. Thus, Ss were distinguished by their subjective, but not their physiological responses.
Effects of visual grouping strategies of computer-animated presentations on selective attention in science

The effects of visual grouping strategies involving animated and static graphic presentations on selective attention were studied. Also studied was the ability of students to learn a scientific rule presented incidentally in an animated sequence. A total of 39 fourth-graders participated in an introductory lesson on Newton's laws of motion. Two levels of Visual Presentation (Static Graphic, Animated Graphic) were crossed with two levels of Visual Grouping (Grouped, Ungrouped). A within-subjects factor consisted of two levels of Learning Intent (Intentional, Incidental). Results showed that students given animated presentations of lesson content outperformed students receiving static presentations, but only when the animated lesson frames were presented in groups, or “chunks,” of textual and visual sequences. Results also showed that students were able to successfully extract information pertaining to an application of Newton's second law incidentally presented in animated sequences. These latter results replicate earlier findings.
Covering Dimension from Large Sets

: The notion of “covering dimension” involves coverings by “small enough” sets; how small is “enough” is investigated for the n-cube and spherical n-ball. The results are applied to give a partial answer to a question of J. Tiser about the existence of σ-discrete open covers of metric spaces (X, ρ) in which the n-th discrete system consists of sets of small diameters.
The National Minimum Drinking Age law: perceptions of its effectiveness to deter juvenile alcohol use

The National Minimum Drinking Age law has come under attack in several states that believe the law is ineffective in preventing juveniles from obtaining and consuming alcohol. This study evaluated this law's perceived effectiveness by surveying college students (n = 180) about their past and current alcohol use. Students were surveyed to determine what sanctions they perceived as deterrents to committing the offense of public intoxication. Analysis revealed that citation certainty, the number of drinks consumed weekly, residence location, and gender were significant predictors as to whether the student would commit the offense of public intoxication.
Project Finance Model for Small Contractors in USA

Construction projects do not require a large capital outlay but a large working capital to start up the project. Unfortunately, for small contractors there are very limited options available from the banks or other lending institutions to cover this large working capital requirement in the absence of sufficient collateral. The “Project Finance” method presented in this paper is recommended as the most effective method for small contractors in the United States. The problems of small and start up contractors in funding their projects have been little addressed in the literature. The current financing practices were observed through both the literature review and interviews with contractors and bankers in the western Michigan area and subsequently a system has been proposed which could help a small start-up company seeking higher growth. The growth rates that can be achieved using the project finance system in contrast to the traditional “line of credit” arrangements as illustrated in this paper show that the project finance model is beneficial.
Neuroscience: states of mind.

In the brains of anaesthetized animals, neurons create spontaneous patterns of activity that resemble representations of visual stimuli. This finding may change our notions about visual perception.
Water diffusion into silica glass: Structural changes in silica glass and their effect on water solubility and diffusivity☆

Abstract Infrared spectroscopy was used to measure structural changes, water surface concentrations and effective hydroxyl diffusion coefficients in silica glass during isothermal hydration heat-treatments at temperatures from 80 to 1150°C in 0.467 atm of water vapor. The observed glass structural changes were determined to be identical to relaxation during annealing, and it was found that infrared spectrometry may be used to measure glass fictive temperatures. Minute amounts of water had a pronounced accelerating effect on structural relaxation, and relaxation, in turn, affected the water content of the glass in three ways: (1) slow relaxation at low temperatures hindered the glass-water reaction or caused a slow increase of the reaction equilibrium constant; (2) expansion of the glass during water entry allowed an increase of the molecular water solubility; and (3) healing of the glass during bulk relaxation caused a decrease of the hydroxyl solubility. These processes occurred at different rates causing a peculiar increase and then decrease with time of both the surface hydroxyl concentration in thick specimens and total hydroxyl uptake in thin specimens. This observation was used to demonstrate that hydroxyl solubility measurements taken below 850°C by other researchers are not true equilibrium solubilities. Additionally, the kink at 550°C in the Arrhenius plot of Deff,OH as observed by Wakabayashi and Tomozawa in 1989 was found to be a time-dependent phenomenon which is explained in terms of slow glass-water reaction during relaxation. Diffusion of water into silica glass is therefore suggested to be bounded by two extremes: a high-temperature (> 850°C)/long-time extreme where relaxation and reaction are faster than diffusion and water diffuses according to the Doremus model and a low-temperature/short-time extreme in which relaxation and reaction are slower than diffusion and water penetration is limited only by the diffusion coefficient of molecular water in the glass.
Use of genetic toxicology data in U.S. EPA risk assessment: the mercury study report as an example.

Assessment of human health risks of environmental agents has often been limited to consideration of the potential for the agent to cause cancer or general systemic toxicity after long-term exposure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is increasingly moving toward the development of integrated assessments, which consider all potential health end points including developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, reproductive effects, and germ cell mutagenicity. The U.S. EPA has a responsibility to assess risks to nonhuman species or ecosystems when appropriate data are available. An example of a recent integrated human health and ecological risk assessment can be found in the U.S. EPA Mercury Study Report to Congress. This report covers the following topics in separate volumes: an inventory of anthropogenic mercury emissions in the United States; an exposure assessment using measured and predicted values and including indirect dietary exposure; an evaluation of human health risks; an assessment of ecologic risk wherein water criteria are presented for several wildlife species; an overall integrated characterization of human and nonhuman risk; and a discussion of risk management considerations. In the evaluation of human health risk, genetic toxicology data were considered for three forms of mercury: elemental, inorganic (divalent), and methylmercury. These data were used in judgments of two types of potential health effects (carcinogenicity and germ cell mutagenicity). In assessment of potential carcinogenicity of inorganic and methylmercury, genetic toxicity data were key. Data for clastogenicity in the absence of mutagenicity supported the characterization of inorganic and methylmercury as materials that produce carcinogenic effects only at high, toxic doses. The evidence for clastogenicity, coupled with information on metabolism and distribution, resulted in a judgment of a moderate degree of concern (or weight of evidence) that inorganic mercury can act as a human germ cell mutagen. For methylmercury, the degree of concern for germ cell mutagenicity is high.
Vitamin E Inhibits Low-Density Lipoprotein–Induced Adhesion of Monocytes to Human Aortic Endothelial Cells In Vitro

Abstract Monocyte adhesion to human aortic endothelial cells (ECs) is one of the early events in the development of atherogenesis. ECs were used to investigate the role of vitamin E in human monocyte adhesion to ECs in vitro. ECs incubated with 40 to 193 mg/dL of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) for 22 hours exhibited increasing dose-dependent adherence for untreated, isolated human monocytes (P<.05). ECs exposed to the highest dose of LDL (193 mg/dL) but pretreated with 19 μmol/L α-tocopherol for 24 hours showed a trend to lower adherence for monocytes compared with nontreated ECs (4.4±1.2% versus 7.6±1.9%; P=.09). This effect of vitamin E became more significant (P<.05) when ECs were exposed to a lower level of LDL (40 mg/dL) or were pretreated with a higher level of α-tocopherol (42 μmol/L) and then exposed to 80 mg/dL LDL. Presupplementation of ECs with 15, 19, and 37 μmol/L α-tocopherol significantly (P<.05) reduced monocyte adhesion by 6±1%, 37±6%, and 69±17%, respectively. Levels of solubl...
Design of Inhouse Automated Library Systems

The six steps inherent to the development of an inhouse system are examined: 1) problem definition, 2) requirement specifications, 3) analysis and identification of alternatives and solutions, 4) design, 5) implementation, and 6) evaluation. A practical method for comparing and weighting options is illustrated and explained.
Neural Stem Cell Detection, Characterization, and Age-Related Changes in the Subventricular Zone of Mice

The mammalian brain contains neural stem cells (NSCs) that allow continued neurogenesis throughout the life of the animal. However, neurogenesis is known to decline during aging and, to the extent that neurogenesis is required for normal CNS function, this may contribute to neurodegenerative disease. Decreased neurogenesis could result from loss of NSCs or dysfunction at some later step, and distinguishing these possibilities is important for understanding the cause of the decline. However, because of the inability to distinguish NSCs from their rapidly dividing progeny in situ, it has not been possible to quantitatively assess the NSC populations in young and old animals. In this report we show that the G1 phase-specific expression of the replication factor Mcm2 is a useful marker for detecting slowly cycling putative NSCs in situ and confirm the identity of these cells using both cytosine β-d-arabinofuranoside (Ara-C) treatment and a double nucleoside analog-labeling technique. The ability to distinguish NSCs from proliferative progenitors has allowed characterization of the expression of several markers including Nestin, Musashi, and GFAP in these different cell types. Furthermore, comparison of the NSC populations in the subventricular zones of young (2-4 months) and old (24-26 months) mice demonstrates an approximately twofold reduction in the older mice. A similar twofold reduction is also observed in the number of neurospheres recovered in culture from old relative to young animals. The reduction in the neural stem cell population documented here is sufficient to account for the reduced level of neurogenesis in old animals.
Effects of viscosity on plasma equilibria

High‐beta large ion‐gyroradius plasmas in the University of Wisconsin Octupole [Phys. Rev. Lett. 46, 1394 (1981)] exhibited an anomalous diamagnetism that is smaller than the prediction from ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory by a factor of up to 5. The effects of viscosity on the equilibrium diamagnetism are presented and shown to be qualitatively consistent with the experimental results.
Exciplexes and conical intersections lead to fluorescence quenching in π-stacked dimers of 2-aminopurine with natural purine nucleobases

Fluorescent analogues of the natural DNA bases are useful in the study of nucleic acids’ structure and dynamics. 2-Aminopurine (2AP) is a widely used analogue with environmentally sensitive fluorescence behavior. The quantum yield of 2AP has been found to be significantly decreased when engaged in π-stacking interactions with the native bases. We present a theoretical study on fluorescence quenching mechanisms in dimers of 2AP π-stacked with adenine or guanine as in natural DNA. Relaxation pathways on the potential energy surfaces of the first excited states have been computed and reveal the importance of exciplexes and conical intersections in the fluorescence quenching process.
Alpha-2-macroglobulin Concentrations in Human Serum

RECENTLY, we noted that serum from patients with acute pancreatitis has a decreased ability to bind trypsin1,2. Although it is known that this trypsin-binding activity is associated with alpha-2-macroglobulin (α2-M)1,3, the ultracentrifuge pattern of serum proteins of these patients showed no decrease in total macroglobulin. There have been a number of estimates of normal concentrations of α2-M using immunological methods4–6 which are substantially higher than earlier estimates involving complement fixation7 and ultracentrifugation8. Indeed, James et al.6 concluded from immunological determinations that the total macroglobulin was normally more than 5 per cent of total plasma protein, rather than the 2–3 per cent generally reported from ultracentrifuge studies9. Comparison of the values of α2-M in serum determined immunologically with those determined by analytical ultracentrifugation made it necessary to measure gamma-macroglobulin (IgM) by immunoassay because the 19S fraction determined by ultracentrifugation represents both α2-M and IgM. We believe that the lack of purity of the α2-M is the cause of the high values recently reported.
Endocrine Aspects of Early Pregnancy in Pony Mares: A Comparison of Uterine Luminal and Peripheral Plasma Levels of Steroids during the Estrous Cycle and Early Pregnancy*

Comparisons of estrone, 17β-estradiol, and plasma progestin concentrations were made in uterine fluid and peripheral blood of nonpregnant and pregnant pony mares. Concentrations of these steroids were also measured within yolk sac fluid from blastocysts on days 12,14,16, and 18 of pregnancy to obtain more complete analyses of the uterine environment (uterine fluid plus yolk sac fluid) of early pregnancy. Thirty mares were randomly assigned to six treatment groups (n = 5/ group), and uterine fluid and peripheral blood samples were obtained on days 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 postovulation. After a recovery period of one estrous cycle, mares were bred at their next estrus. Animals were hysterectomized on the same treatment day to which they had previously been assigned in the nonpregnant phase of this study. Using this design, uterine fluid and peripheral blood samples were collected from each mare on equivalent days of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. Significant differences in day trends were found between ...
A Study of the Optical Band Gap of Lithium Tungsten Trioxide Thin Films

The insertion of lithium (lithiation) into tungsten trioxide results in the formation of the tungsten bronze LixWO3. Polycrystalline, rf sputter deposited thin films of LixWO3 were investigated for their application in Smart Window Devices. The optical band gap studies of these films revealed the narrowing of the intrinsic band gap as a consequence of lithium insertion. The results suggest that the rigid band model, which is generally adopted in interpreting the electronic structure of the tungsten bronzes may not be applicable in Lix WO3.
The interaction of patient perception of overmedication with drug compliance and side effects.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the significance of patient-perceived overmedication. We sought to determine its prevalence and relation to medication compliance, adverse drug reactions, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and burden of illness.
The aggressive war on acute myocardial infarction: is the blitzkrieg strategy changing?

Evolution in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction has taken us, within a brief period of less than 40 years, from impotent observation to aggressive invasive intervention designed to open suddenly occluded coronary arteries. The attack on the patient with acute myocardial infarction, requiring sophisticated catheterization facilities and personnel immediately available at all times, takes on many of the attributes of battlefield evacuation, complete with helicopters and pseudo-MASH units. The concept that led to this approach was the resuscitation of the idea that thrombus over a plaque was the most important mechanism of sudden obstruction in transmural myocardial infarction. Chazov et al 1 in the Soviet Union were the first to demonstrate fibrinolysis by intracoronary streptokinase. Rentrop et al 2 stimulated general interest in intracoronary thrombolysis. Later, Schroder et al 3 demonstrated that the occluded coronary artery could be opened by intravenous streptokinase. The first randomized, controlled study
Cyclosporine suppresses hepatitis C virus in vitro and increases the chance of a sustained virological response after liver transplantation

Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressive agent widely used in the management of liver transplant recipients. Cyclosporine has been shown to have antiviral activities against HIV, herpes simplex, and vaccinia viruses. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Cyclosporine in viral clearance in the liver transplant recipients during therapy with combination of interferon and ribavirin, and to determine the anti-viral potential of Cyclosporine in vitro. Immunosuppression consisted of either Cyclosporine or Tacrolimus-based therapy. Both groups received therapy with interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks when evidence of progressive histologic disease was determined. We found that subjects on Cyclosporine-based immunosuppression (n = 56) had a higher sustained virological response of 46% compared to 27% in the patients on Tacrolimus-based therapy (n=59, P = 0.03). In vitro studies were performed to evaluate the antiviral effect of Cyclosporine in the replicon system. These studies showed that Cyclosporine inhibits hepatitis C viral replication in a dose-dependent manner. Combination of Cyclosporine with interferon showed additive effect, and its function is independent of interferon signaling pathways. In conclusion, Cyclosporine may offer an advantage to Tacrolimus in those patients undergoing interferon-based therapy and should be studied in a prospective randomized trial. Liver Transpl 12:51–57, 2006. © 2005 AASLD.
Flare modeling and calculation on EUV optics

Flare is a critical impact on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Flare can be calculated by integrating flare point spread function (PSF) within the bright field. Flare PSF is defined as (1-TIS)δ(r)+PSF sc (r); where TIS, total integrated scatter, is traditonally defined as integration of PSF SC to infinity, and r is distance on wafer. PSF SC is traditionally derived from power spectral density (PSD) of surface roughness of mirrors of optics. However, the amount of scatter light depends on mirror PSDs, while a portion of scatter light having a larger scatter angle cannot reach wafer; this means there is energy loss in optics. Hence TIS should be defined as total amount of as-scattered light, while PSF SC should be defined as amount of light reaching wafer for use to calculate image intensity. We then introduced two PSFs: PSF SC and PSF SC0 . PSF SC0 is directly derived from mirror PSDs and used to calculate TIS. PSF SC is derived based on amount of light reaching wafer taking obscuration inside optics into account. We also applied other considerations: release of approximation in domain conversion from PSD to PSF, and scatter extinct effect by multilayer. Using these considerations we can calculate flare behaviors which agree well with experiments.
Airway compromise in thyroplasty surgery.

Objectives: Airway compromise arising from thyroplasty procedures including Isshiki type I through IV thyroplasties, arytenoid adduction, and arytenoid fixation is uncommon yet potentially life threatening. Identification of incidence of obstruction and probable causes is important for preoperative planning, consultation, and postoperative care. Study Design: Retrospective review of all thyroplasty operations, including arytenoid adduction and arytenoid fixation. Methods: Three hundred thirty-two patients underwent a total of 630 thyroplasty procedures. Detailed information was gathered on patients manifesting symptoms of airway obstruction. Results: Seven patients required an unplanned tracheostomy for airway compromise. Five of 143 patients who underwent arytenoid adduction required a tracheostomy, for an incidence of 3.5%. The median interval to developing significant stridor requiring tracheostomy was 9 hours, with five of these seven patients requiring airway surgery within the first 18 postoperative hours. No patient receiving a type I thyroplasty alone developed significant airway compromise. Tracheostomy was required in two patients with underlying neuromuscular disease-one who underwent a bilateral type I thyroplasty and one who underwent an arytenoid fixation procedure. Conclusion: The percentage of airway complications after thyroplasty is low. However, arytenoid adduction and fixation operations have a significant risk of postoperative temporary tracheostomy and warrant preoperative discussion regarding tracheostomy and postoperative overnight hospital admission.
Immune recognition of serum albumin. XVI. role of adjuvant in the autoimmune response to mouse serum albumin

Abstract Recently, we reported an autoreactivity with rabbit serum albumin of rabbit antisera against bovine serum albumin (BSA) or human serum albumin. Also immunization of rabbits, each with its own serum albumin in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), gave without exception an autoantibody response to rabbit serum albumin. The effect of adjuvant in the autoimmune response was proposed and the present work has investigated this effect. Mice immunized with BSA emulsified in CFA gave a high antibody response to BSA which exhibited considerable autoreactivity with mouse serum albumin (MSA). When BSA was injected in buffered saline (PBS) at one site and CFA was injected at a different site but on the same side of the animal, a lower antibody response (to BSA) was observed and the antibodies exhibited a lower autoreactivity with MSA than when BSA-CFA emulsion was employed. No autoreactivity was observed when BSA in PBS and CFA were injected on two different sides of the animal or when BSA in PBS was injected without adjuvant. Injection of CFA alone generated no antibody response. Similar experiments were carried out in which MSA was injected in mice. Autoantibodies were obtained when MSA in CFA emulsion was injected. A marginal autoantibody response was detected when MSA in PBS and CFA were injected at different sites on the same side of the animal. All other protocols, including emulsion in incomplete Freund's adjuvant, failed to stimulate an autoantibody response. The results indicate that CFA plays a critical role in the autoimmune response and that adjuvant and antigen must act on the same lymph nodes to mount a fruitful autoimmune response.
State-of-the-art Issues in Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Survivorship

The prognosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) has markedly improved as management strategies evolved. In the modern era, less than 15% of patients with early-stage, non-bulky HL will relapse, and less than one third of those with advanced disease will relapse. As therapy for HL intensified, and as disease-related outcomes improved, the impact of the late effects of therapy has become increasingly important. There is a growing body of literature describing the late morbidity experienced by survivors of HL, including risks of second primary malignancy, cardiac disease, pulmonary disease, and endocrine dysfunction. Additionally, the impact of disease and treatment on psychosocial function and quality of life has been a subject of investigation, with survivors often suffering from impairment. An understanding of these risks and the management implications inherent to them is central to the care of survivors of HL.
Assessment of errors associated with plot size and lateral movement of nitrogen-15 when studying fertilizer recovery under field conditions

The high cost of /sup 15/N-labeled fertilizers encourages the use of field plots having minimum size. If plot size is reduced too much, however, lateral movement of N near the plots by mass flow or diffusion within the soil or by translocation through plant roots can become a significant source of error in determinations of fertilizer N recovery. This study was initiated to assess the importance of lateral movement of labeled fertilizer when unconfined plots are used to determine recovery of fertilizer. Corn grain samples were collected at various positions inside and outside /sup 15/N plots, and the /sup 15/N contents of these samples were determined. The data were fit to mathematical models to estimate the extent to which lateral movement of fertilizer N caused errors in determined values of fertilizer recovery for the first, second, and third crops following fertilization. These models also were used to predict the plot size needed for similar /sup 15/N-tracer studies in the future. The results of these studies indicate that /sup 15/N plots having a size of 2 by 2 m are sufficiently large for determining recovery of fertilizer N for corn crops under most conditions. Where lateral movement of fertilizer N inmore » soils is suspected to be a problem, we recommend collection of a few plant samples outside the /sup 15/N plots as insurance against misleading conclusions concerning fertilizer N recovery.« less
Lack of delayed neurotoxic effect after tri-o-cresyl phosphate treatment in male Fischer 344 rats: biochemical, neurobehavioral, and neuropathological studies.

Tri-o-cresyl phosphate (TOCP), which produces a delayed neurotoxic syndrome in humans and some animal species, was given to Fischer 344 (F344) male (18 week old) rats to determine if it causes biochemical, sensorimotor, and neuropathological effects. Animals were given TOCP by gavage in doses ranging from 10 to 100 mg of TOCP/kg daily for a period of 63 days. The rats were subjected to a series of neurobehavioral tests including fore- and hindlimb grip strength, motor activity, tremor, and latency to respond to a thermal stimulus. Central and peripheral nervous tissues were examined for damage characteristic of organophosphorous compound-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). Brain neurotoxic esterase and acetylcholinesterase activities were inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion. A group of three chickens treated with 100 mg of TOCP/kg/day for 18 days was included as the positive control for enzymatic and histopathological alterations associated with OPIDN. Rats showed no consistent neurobehavioral changes or evidence of neuropathological damage in nervous tissues associated with treatment. In contrast, chickens treated with TOCP developed delayed neurotoxicity characterized by ataxia, which progressed to paralysis. These neurological changes included swelling, fragmentation, and degeneration of the axon and myelin in both central and peripheral nervous tissues. This study concludes that the F344 rat is not sensitive to the delayed neurotoxic effects of TOCP. When studying OPIDN in rats, care must be exercised in choosing the experimental animal since some strains, e.g., F344, are not sensitive.
Silicon-carbide MOS capacitors with laser-ablated Pt gate as combustible gas sensors

Abstract Sensing certain components present in the exhaust gas stream of internal combustion engines has become a very important application for chemical sensor technology. SiC-based metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOSiC) capacitors were prepared with platinum gates deposited by pulsed laser ablation. The response of their complex admittance, between 62.5 kHz and 1 MHz, to individual combustible species is presented. These devices with laser-ablated gates behaved similarly to their counterparts with sputtered gates exhibiting high sensitivity to propane, propylene, as well as to carbon monoxide. However, contrary to the sputtered Pt, the laser-ablated Pt showed no adhesion problems to the SiO 2 even after prolonged operation at high temperature. The transient combustible response of these MOSiC devices revealed a fast and a slow component with the slow time constant being species-dependent. Furthermore, the clear response to CO strongly suggests that oxygen-related charged defects in the SiO 2 may be playing a role in the sensing mechanism.
Properties of ceramic foam catalyst supports: mass and heat transfer

Abstract Mass and heat transport properties have been determined for 30 PPI α-Al 2 O 3 ceramic foam containing 6 wt.% γ-Al 2 O 3 washcoat. The foam was loaded with 5 wt.% platinum and the rate of carbon monoxide oxidation measured for a 0.3 cm cylindrical segment of the foam operating with mass transfer controlling at 550 °C. This gave a mass transfer factor versus Reynolds number correlation that was equivalent to a packed bed of particles. A correlation for the radial heat transfer coefficient in a bed of ceramic foam was determined by measuring outlet temperatures achieved when air at varying flow rates and inlet temperatures was passed through a bed of foam pellets. Correlation parameters of a 1D model were fitted from 700 to 1000 °C using a Simplex optimization routine. Radial heat transfer coefficients were two to five times higher than those predicted from packed bed correlations.
Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering and Computational Modeling Reveal the Multi-Domain Assembly States of Hck in Solution

The Src tyrosine kinases are large multi-domain enzymes [SH3-SH2-catalytic domain] involved in cellular signaling. Their ability to alternate between catalytically active (high-regulated) and inactive (down-regulated) states in response to specific signals provides a central switching mechanism in cellular transduction pathways. The activity of Src kinases is controlled by the assembly of this multi-domain enzyme. We propose an approach combining small-angle X-ray solution scattering (SAXS) with coarse-grained simulations to characterize quantitatively the multi-domain assembly states of Hck in solution. First, a basis set comprising a small number (∼10) of assembly state “classes” is generated by clustering the configurations obtained from extensive coarse-grained simulations of Hck. Second, the average theoretical SAXS profile for each class of assembly state in the basis set is calculated by using the coarse-grained Fast-SAXS method [Yang et al, Biophys. J. 96:4449 (2009)]. Finally, the relative population of the different classes of assembly states is determined by using a Bayesian-based Monte Carlo procedure seeking to minimize the difference between the theoretical scattering pattern and SAXS data. This novel integrated approach linking experimental SAXS data and simulations is able to resolve the states of assembly of multi-domain Hck in solution under various conditions. The analysis reveals a shift in the equilibrium population of the assembly states upon the binding of various signaling peptides binding to the SH2 or SH3 domains. This integrated approach provides a new way to investigate complex multi-domain assemblies in solution.
Selection for age of sexual maturation in mice and the consequences for population regulation

Laboratory stocks of Mus musculus were selected for early and late first vaginal estrus for six generations. Selection resulted in two slow lines which mature at 47–48 days of age and two fast lines which mature at 27–28 days of age; control stocks attain first estrus at 34–36 days of age. Estimates of realized heritabilities were .58 and .32 for the two fast-selected lines and .49 and .55 for the two slow-selected lines. These data support the hypothesis that short-term selection for age of puberty could affect population growth via effects on generation time. Correlative data on body weights at various ages and at vaginal introitus and first estrus support the conclusion that there are largely separate programs for sexual and morphological development in these mice.
Back to the Future: Studying Cholera Pathogenesis Using Infant Rabbits

Cholera is a severe diarrheal disease, caused by Vibrio cholerae, for which there has been no reproducible, nonsurgical animal model. Here, we report that orogastric inoculation of V. cholerae into 3-day-old rabbits pretreated with cimetidine led to lethal, watery diarrhea in virtually all rabbits. The appearance and chemical composition of the rabbit diarrheal fluid were comparable to those of the "rice-water stool" produced by cholera patients. As in humans, V. cholerae mutants that do not produce cholera toxin (CT) and toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) did not induce cholera-like disease in rabbits. CT induced extensive exocytosis of mucin from intestinal goblet cells, and wild-type V. cholerae was predominantly found in close association with mucin. Large aggregates of mucin-embedded V. cholerae were observed, both attached to the epithelium and floating within the diarrheal fluid. These findings suggest that CT-dependent mucin secretion significantly influences V. cholerae's association with the host intestine and its exit from the intestinal tract. Our model should facilitate identification and analyses of factors that may govern V. cholerae infection, survival, and transmission, such as mucin. In addition, our results using nontoxigenic V. cholerae suggest that infant rabbits will be useful for study of the reactogenicity of live attenuated-V. cholerae vaccines.
Conflict Mediation Through Collaboration and Community Action: Building a Day Center for the Homeless

The presence of a homeless, unemployed population in the downtown section of communities has been a fact of urban life in recent decades. The public perception of this presence as a problem has intensified as downtown areas have been renovated and attractive park spaces created. Community responses have ranged from complex systems of supportive social service programs to little more than police sweeps. The case described here covers a decade beginning in the late 1980's. It focuses on the leadership role of an organization, the Interfaith Coalition for the Homeless, in the resolution of the problem manifest in San Luis Obispo, a university community of 45,000 on the central coast of California.
The efficacy of fetal sonographic biometry in Down syndrome screening.

Abstract Sonographic biometry has been proposed as a second-trimester Down syndrome screening modality. Approaches have relied on the apparent “shortened” femur length of fetuses with Down syndrome. Unfortunately, significant intercenter variation has been reported in the magnitude of this femur length reduction. In an effort to overcome many of these potential biases and better estimate the magnitude of femur length shortening in fetuses with Down syndrome, a retrospective review of femur length differences between 16 Down syndrome and 194 control fetuses was carried out. All scans were performed by one examiner who used the same equipment and measurement technique. A significant reduction in the observed to expected femur length ratio for a given biparietal diameter was identified in the Down versus control fetuses (0.9574 95% confidence interval 0.9197, 0.9952 versus 0.9999 95% confidence interval 0.9913, 1.0086) (p
Health-related quality of life during treatment for renal cell carcinoma: results from a phase II study of axitinib.

Introduction. Patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are often treated with cytokine therapy, although the effect is modest and second-line therapy is often warranted. Relatively little is known regarding the impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in cytokine-refractory patients. This study examined the HRQOL of patients with metastatic RCC treated with axitinib, a new targeted therapy that affects the vessels supplying blood to the tumor. Material and methods. Patients with metastatic RCC and progression following first-line cytokine therapy were enrolled into a single-arm, open-label multicenter phase II trial. Axitinib was administered orally twice daily until disease progression or intolerance. The primary endpoint was objective response rate, with secondary endpoints being time to progression, overall survival, safety and HRQOL. The longitudinal analyses of the HRQOL data through 144 weeks of treatment, as measured by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Canc...
Thermoelastic properties of MgSiO 3 perovskite using the Debye approach

MgSiO 3 perovskite is shown to be a Debye-like mineral by the determination of specific heat, C v , entropy, S, and thermal pressure, Delta P Th , using the Debye theory up to 1800 K. Sound velocities and bulk moduli at ambient conditions published by Yeganeh-Haeri were used to find the ambient acoustic Debye temperature, Theta ac D . The variation of Theta ac D with T was assumed to be a curve parallel to the Theta ac D vs. T curves previously found for Al 2 O 3 , MgO, and MgSiO 3 , enabling Theta ac D (T) to be given up to 1800 K. To determine C p , the thermal expansivity, alpha , and the isothermal bulk modulus, K T , are needed. After considering several sets of alpha (T), the alpha (T) data of Funamori and his colleagues were chosen. Using the ambient K T and the values of (theta K T /theta T) P vs. T reported by Jackson and Rigden, K T (T) up to 1800 K was found. Then C P (T) up to 1800 K was found assuming quasiharmonicity in C v . The data behind the C P (T) calculation are also sufficient to find the Gruneisen parameter, gamma (T), and the Anderson-Gruneisen parameters, delta T and delta S , up to 1800 K. The value of q = (theta ln gamma /theta ln V) T was found, and with gamma and rho , Delta P Th vs. V and T was determined. The three sound velocities, v s , v p , and v b = K (sub s/rho ) , were then determined to 1800 K. From v s and v p , Poisson's ratio and the isotropic shear modulus, G, were found to 1800 K. MgSiO 3 perovskite is one of a small, select group of Debye-like minerals for which thermoelastic properties and the equation of state (EOS) are calculable from acoustic data.
Strategies for Eliciting Cooperation from an Adversary Laboratory and Internation Findings

Experimental, computer-simulation, and inter-nation studies concerning effective strategies for eliciting cooperation from an adversary are reviewed. The laboratory and inter-nation studies are consistent in indicating that a policy of general reciprocity, combined with the use of unilateral cooperative initiatives to break out of lock-ins on mutual competition, generally is effective in gaining an adversary's cooperation. The conditions under which this strategy is likely to be effective are examined also.
The Structure of Urban Mortality. A Methodological Study of Hannover, Germany. Part II

An extension is made of a prior analysis of the relation of density to cause-specific mortality in small areas of Hannover, Germany. The analysis was designed to impose statistical controls for certain socio-demographic characteristics of these small areas under a model where all of the effects of density were assumed to operate on mortality only indrectly by affecting the residential decisions of select socio-demographic groups. It was found that, despite the sizeable effects of socio-demographic factors on cause-specific mortality, density retained a direct effect on five of 14 cause-specific rates. Implications of these results for modelling density-mortality relations are discussed.
Performance assessment techniques for doppler radar physiological sensors

This paper presents a technique for assessing the performance of continuous wave Doppler radar systems for physiological sensing. The technique includes an artificial target for testing physiological sensing radar systems with motion analogous to human heart movement and software algorithms leveraging the capabilities of this target to simply test radar system performance. The mechanical target provides simple to complex patterns of motion that are stable and repeatable. Details of radar system performance can be assessed and the effects of configuration changes that might not appear with a human target can be observed when using this mechanical target.
Activity of pentamidine and pentamidine analogs against Toxoplasma gondii in cell cultures

The capabilities of pentamidine and nine pentamidine analogs to inhibit the development of Toxoplasma gondii were examined in vitro. Treatment of infected cultures with pentamidine and five of its analogs caused a significant (P less than 0.05) reduction in the numbers of tachyzoites produced. Analogs of pentamidine may be useful agents in the treatment of toxoplasmosis.
Feynman Rules for Gauge Theories at Finite Temperature

Feynman's functional formulation of statistical mechanics is used to study general-relativistic quantum field theories at finite temperature. The techniques are then applied to gauge theories. The partition function $\mathrm{Tr}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}H}$ is discovered to be a gauge-dependent quantity which is meaningless in most gauges. Instead, we define a physically meaningful partition function which is gauge-invariant and only equal to $\mathrm{Tr}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}H}$ in certain "physical" gauges. Feynman rules for this partition function and for finite-temperature Green's functions are derived for a general gauge.
A new simple model for land mobile satellite channels

In this paper we propose a new shadowed Rice model for land mobile satellite channels. In this model the amplitude of the line-of-sight is characterized by the Nakagami distribution. The model provides closed-form mathematically-tractable expressions for the fundamental channel statistics such as envelope probability density function and envelope-squared moment generating function. The model is very convenient for analytical and numerical performance prediction of complex narrowband and wideband land mobile satellite systems, with different types of uncoded/coded modulations, with or without diversity. Comparison of the new model with published channel data demonstrates the flexibility of the model in characterizing a variety of channel conditions and propagation mechanisms.
Each of the conserved sequence elements flanking the cleavage site of mammalian histone pre-mRNAs has a distinct role in the 3'-end processing reaction.

Abstract To study the substrate requirements for the histone 3'-end processing reaction of mammalian histone pre-mRNAs, we created a set of mutations in the sequences flanking the processing site of a mouse H3 gene. We found that deletion of the downstream purine-rich element hypothesized to interact with U7 small nuclear RNA abolishes in vitro 3'-end processing. Somewhat surprisingly, however, mutations in the hairpin loop element which destabilize or destroy the secondary structure reduce but do not abolish 3'-end processing. This is in apparent contrast to results obtained for the sea urchin system, where both sequence elements appear to be absolutely required for 3'-end formation.