cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of ultrasound frequency on pulsed sonolytic degradation of octylbenzene sulfonic acid.

It has been shown that pulsed ultrasound can influence the amount of surfactant that can adsorb to and decompose at the surface of cavitation bubbles. However, the effect of ultrasound frequency on this process has not been considered. The current study investigates the effect of ultrasound frequency on the pulsed sonolytic degradation of octyl benzenesulfonate (OBS). Furthermore, the effect of pulsing and ultrasound frequency on the rate of •OH radical formation was determined. OBS degradation rates were compared to the rates of •OH radical formation. In this way, conclusions were made regarding the relative importance of accumulation of OBS at cavitation bubble surfaces versus sonochemical activity to the sonochemical decomposition of OBS under different conditions of sonolysis. Comparisons of the data in this way indicate that sonolytic degradation of OBS depends on both the sonochemical activity (i.e., •OH yield) and the accumulation of OBS on cavitation bubble surfaces. However, under a certain set o...
Growth and properties of steeply graded ZnfCd1-fS crystals

Abstract Steeply graded mixed crystals of Zn f Cd 1-f S were grown by a vapor phase deposition of CdS onto cleaved slices of ZnS followed by a period of interdiffusion. This produced a graded region between 50 and 100 μm wide with a bandgap gradient d E g /d x varying between 10 1 and 10 2 eV/cm. The diffusion coefficient was determined as a function of position and extrapolates to 10 -10 cm 2 /sec for Zn diffusion in CdS and 5 x 10 -12 cm 2 /sec for Cd diffusion in ZnS at 1100°C. The crystals have good photoluminescent properties. With UV excitation, the ZnS side shows blue emission at 77 K while the CdS side has red photoluminescence. By irradiating the graded region, the peak of the photoluminescence shifts as a function of the wavelength of excitation. The crystals do not exhibit measurable electroluminescence or dependence of the photoluminescence on applied electrical field. A low minority carrier lifetime is explained by the high density of deep acceptors.
Higher Derivatives of ERP Responses to Cross-Modality Processing

Determining the links between cognitive processes and neuroelectrical brain activity (i.e., event-related potentials, ERPs) depends strongly on our understanding of how this activity fluctuates in response to stimuli; however, the way in which changes in ERP amplitudes can accelerate and decelerate over time has received only scant attention. The present study demonstrates that moment-to-moment changes (i.e., derivatives) of ERP responses convey information that is not readily accessible from the amplitude of response. Subjects exposed to visual and auditory stimuli either alone (unimodal) or combined (crossmodal) yielded different responses according to particular derivatives of ERP activation. In particular, an effect of cross-modality integration (stronger activation for crossmodal compared to unimodal stimuli) was detected in the higher derivatives of activation of a number of electrode sites spanning a fronto-centro-parietal distribution; in most sites, no such effect was detected in the amplitude of waveforms itself. These results suggest that information may be carried by the higher derivatives of ERP responses, and that distinct topographic distributions are associated with different derivatives of response. These different derivatives of response may in turn relate to different strategies for sensory processing in the brain, and in particular reflect a fundamental mode of information processing by time derivatives previously reported in cortex.
Surveillance and social control: the FBI's handling of the Black Panther Party in North Carolina

Extant research on state policing of protest tends to focus on overt and physical forms of repression, yet far less work has examined more subtle types of social control. Such mechanisms often take place behind the scenes and are carried out within large government agencies. Drawing upon previously classified documents, we analyze the targeted investigation of the Black Panther Party by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) between 1968 and 1976. Findings indicate that directives from FBI headquarters to regional offices in North Carolina had three specific goals: forewarn law enforcement agencies of planned activities, gather evidence for possible preemptive prosecutions under an anti-sedition statute, and gather evidence for possible prosecution under existing firearm statutes. We highlight how local offices in North Carolina often distorted and embellished Black Panther activities to meet national FBI directives. Findings have important implications for ongoing state investigations of social movement activity.
Complete Test Sets for Logic Functions

The problem of designing fault detecting test sets from the functional description rather than the structural description of the networks realizing the logic function is studied. The concept of an expanded truth table for logic functions is introduced. It is proved that the set of minimal true vertices and maximal false vertices of the expanded truth table constitutes a test set to detect any number of stuck-at-faults in a network belonging to a class of restricted networks, called unate gate networks. It is further indicated that even in the presence of redundancies in the network, the test sets given remain valid.
Altered miRNA expression in canine retinas during normal development and in models of retinal degeneration

Although more than 246 loci/genes are associated with inherited retinal diseases, the mechanistic events that link genetic mutations to photoreceptor cell death are poorly understood. miRNAs play a relevant role during retinal development and disease. Thus, as a first step in characterizing miRNA involvement during disease expression and progression, we examined miRNAs expression changes in normal retinal development and in four canine models of retinal degenerative disease. The initial microarray analysis showed that 50 miRNAs were differentially expressed (DE) early (3 vs. 7 wks) in normal retina development, while only 2 were DE between 7 and 16 wks, when the dog retina is fully mature. miRNA expression profiles were similar between dogs affected with xlpra2, an early-onset retinal disease caused by a microdeletion in RPGRORF15, and normal dogs early in development (3 wks) and at the peak of photoreceptor death (7 wks), when only 2 miRNAs were DE. However, the expression varied much more markedly during the chronic cell death stage at 16 wks (118 up-/55 down-regulated miRNAs). Functional analyses indicated that these DE miRNAs are associated with an increased inflammatory response, as well as cell death/survival. qRT-PCR of selected apoptosis-related miRNAs (“apoptomirs”) confirmed the microarray results in xlpra2, and extended the analysis to the early-onset retinal diseases rcd1 (PDE6B-mutation) and erd (STK38L-mutation), as well as the slowly progressing prcd (PRCD-mutation). The results showed up-regulation of anti-apoptotic (miR-9, -19a, -20, -21, -29b, -146a, -155, -221) and down-regulation of pro-apoptotic (miR-122, -129) apoptomirs in the early-onset diseases and, with few exceptions, also in the prcd-mutants. Our results suggest that apoptomirs might be expressed by diseased retinas in an attempt to counteract the degenerative process. The pattern of expression in diseased retinas mirrored the morphology and cell death kinetics previously described for these diseases. This study suggests that common miRNA regulatory mechanisms may be involved in retinal degeneration processes and provides attractive opportunities for the development of novel miRNA-based therapies to delay the progression of the degenerative process.
Sources of errors in rock mechanics field measurements, and related solutions

Abstract Rock mechanics calls upon more and more sophisticated techniques to deal with the properties and behavior of rocks and rock masses. However, the usefulness of such tools and theories can be greatly reduced unless their limitations are clearly recognized and their parameters precisely defined. Examples of problems that can arise in the course of field measurements and data analysis are given, together with proposed solutions. These examples can hopefully serve as a basis to develop rational procedures for the use of rock mechanics in actual design problems.
Net Inclusion: New Media’s Impact on Deliberative Politics in China

AbstractWhat is the role of new media in driving political change in China? How do we understand the interaction of rapid increases in connectivity, regime censorship and democratic outcomes? This article seeks to assess the democratic implications of new media in China through the lens of three key and nested criteria derived from general theories of deliberative democracy: information access, rational-critical deliberation and mechanisms of vertical accountability. The key finding is that connectivity expands political opportunity. How this opportunity is exploited is up to users, who often vary widely in their political preferences, values, and norms of behaviour. The results are multiple mechanisms of change taking place simultaneously and the development of a more interactive and pluralistic public sphere. While China obviously still has to develop far more formalised and institutionalised mechanisms for managing state-society relations, political pluralism in the form of online deliberation might be...
STUDIES ON THYMUS FUNCTION : III. DURATION OF THYMIC FUNCTION

The immune functions of neonatally thymectomized C3Hf mice exposed only temporarily to thymus function show a progressive decay with time in the absence of the thymus. The immune responses studied at different ages in the range of 100-600 days were: first-set rejection of H-2-compatible and incompatible skin allografts, second-set rejection of skin allografts, capacity of spleen cells to produce graft-versus-host reactions in F(1) hybrids, resistance to infection with mouse hepatitis virus, and response of spleen cells to phytohemagglutinin in vitro. These long-term studies had the purpose of determining the duration of the restoration induced by thymus function when the mice were exposed only temporarily to it. Different models were used but the two basic ones were: (a) mice grafted intraperitoneally at 15 days of age with a syngeneic thymus that was removed surgically at 10, 20, or 30 days after grafting, and (b) mice grafted at 15 days of age with allogeneic strain A thymoma or C57BL thymus, these representing situations in which there is spontaneous rejection of the restoring graft. In all the experimental models used, the animals were restored when tested at 100 days of age, but progressively became immunologically incapacitated at 200-300 days of age. From the more controlled experiments in which the restoring thymus graft was removed surgically, the following conclusions can be drawn. (a) A short exposure to a thymus graft can produce restoration of immune functions in neonatally thymectomized mice, but this restoration is not self-sustaining in the absence of the thymus and declines progressively with age. The decline usually starts at 200-300 days of age. (b) This was especially clear in experiments in which the same animal was tested twice in its lifetime for capacity to produce graft-versus-host reactions; these animals were competent at 100 days and became incompetent at 400 days of age. (c) The shortest period of thymic exposure studied was 10 days; if vascularization of the graft is taken into account, 2-3 days of thymic function are sufficient to produce restoration. (d) The immune decay observed in the thymectomized animals exposed temporarily to thymus was more profound than the physiological decay of immunity observed in control animals of similar age. (e) Of all the tests studied, the response of spleen cells to phytohemagglutinin was to be preserved the longest in animals exposed only temporarily to thymic function. The present results were interpreted in accordance with our previous findings indicating that a population of postthymic cells can be developed by temporary exposure of neonatally thymectomized animals to thymic function, but that this population is not self-sustaining in the absence of thymus and progressively decays by physiological attrition.
A Monte Carlo simulation study of the aqueous hydration of d(CGCGCG) in Z form

Monte Carlo computer simulation is described for the hexamer d(CGCGCG) in the Z form together with 910 water molecules at an environmental density of 1 gm/cc in a cubic cell under periodic boundary conditions. Water-water interactions were treated using the TIP4P potential and the solute water interactions by TIP4P spliced with the non-bonded interactions from the AMBER 3.0 force field. The simulation was subjected to proximity analysis to obtain solute coordination numbers and pair interaction energies for each solute atom. Hydration density distributions partitioned into contributions from the major groove, the minor groove, and the sugar-phosphate backbone were examined, and the probabilities of occurrence for one- and two-water bridges in the simulation were enumerated. The results are compared with observations of crystallographic ordered water sites from the X-ray diffraction studies.
Computation of Ni-Cr phase diagram via a combined first-principles quantum mechanical and CALPHAD approach

A first-principles quantum-mechanical computational code has been used to compute the energy of formation for selected ordered and topologically close-packed (TCP) phases in a Ni-base alloy. The thermodynamic data are incorporated into an existing database for Ni alloys and used in conjunction with the CALPHAD approach to compute the binary Ni-Cr phase diagram. In addition, a thermodynamic model is used to treat long-range ordering and the formation of the Ni2Cr. The phase field for ordering is compared against that predicted by the Thermo-Calc to elucidate possible implications on the long-term phase stability of Ni-base alloys in a nuclear waste repository environment.
Algorithms and the Future of Music Education: A Response to Shuler

This article is a response to Shuler's 2001 article predicting the future of music education. The respondent assesses Shuler's predictions, finding that many have come true but critiquing Shuler's overall positive assessment. The respondent then goes on to make one prediction about the future of music education: that algorithms will increasingly be understood as deeply involved in music education. The article discusses three main points regarding algorithms: one, that music is increasingly involved in algorithmic processes; two, that while algorithms are hidden, they nevertheless have political consequences; and three, that users and algorithms are mutually entangled, with users often orienting their behavior toward algorithms and algorithms increasingly being customized based on a model of the user. From these three premises, the author goes on to discuss five implications music educators should consider in developing a balanced view of twenty-first-century music education: first, the shift from the auth...
Geoscientists to crystallize waste isotopes

The problem of assessing the competing priorities of the need for alternative energy sources versus what to do with their resulting waste products is, in the case of nuclear products, being addressed by some geoscientists, who propose to bind radio isotopes in mineral structures. For 10 years or more it had been assumed that high-level radioactive wastes could be incorporated into low melting temperature borosilicate glasses for storage. However, in 1978, geochemist Rustum Roy and colleagues at Pennsylvania State University found that radioisotopes were rapidly (within weeks) released from borosilicate glasses held at 300°C in pressurized salt water. As a result, there has been a great effort to find stable crystalline structures (to bind the isotopes) that are known to have survived in nature as minerals over geologic time. Roy and geophysicist A. E. Ringwood, from Australian National University, are independently testing synthetic ‘rocks’ that contain actinide-bearing mineral analogs.
Rap1 and Canoe/afadin are essential for establishment of apical–basal polarity in the Drosophila embryo

The establishment and maintenance of apical–basal cell polarity is critical for assembling epithelia and maintaining organ architecture. Drosophila embryos provide a superb model. In the current view, apically positioned Bazooka/Par3 is the initial polarity cue as cells form during cellularization. Bazooka then helps to position both adherens junctions and atypical protein kinase C (aPKC). Although a polarized cytoskeleton is critical for Bazooka positioning, proteins mediating this remained unknown. We found that the small GTPase Rap1 and the actin-junctional linker Canoe/afadin are essential for polarity establishment, as both adherens junctions and Bazooka are mispositioned in their absence. Rap1 and Canoe do not simply organize the cytoskeleton, as actin and microtubules become properly polarized in their absence. Canoe can recruit Bazooka when ectopically expressed, but they do not obligatorily colocalize. Rap1 and Canoe play continuing roles in Bazooka localization during gastrulation, but other polarity cues partially restore apical Bazooka in the absence of Rap1 or Canoe. We next tested the current linear model for polarity establishment. Both Bazooka and aPKC regulate Canoe localization despite being “downstream” of Canoe. Further, Rap1, Bazooka, and aPKC, but not Canoe, regulate columnar cell shape. These data reshape our view, suggesting that polarity establishment is regulated by a protein network rather than a linear pathway.
Microstructure and macroscopic properties of hybrid carbon nanofiber/silica fume cement composites

Abstract The effect of up to 2 wt% of “as received” carbon nanofiber (CNF) loading on the microstructural, physical, and mechanical (compressive and splitting tensile strengths) properties of hybrid CNF/silica fume cement composites has been studied. Silica fume (SF) facilitated CNF dispersion due to its small particle size and improved the interfacial interaction between the CNFs and the cement phases. The CNFs were found embedded as individual fibers throughout the paste and self-aggregated as clumps in pockets. Mechanically, the CNFs embedded in the paste and at the pocket edges acted to offset the effect of defects created by the pockets. The addition of CNFs promoted pore refinement of the composites and increased the pore volume in the 6–200 nm pore diameter range, ascribed in part to interstitial pores between the entangled CNFs.
Densification and crystallization in crystallizable low temperature co-fired ceramics

This article reports the impact of one critical process parameter, the heating rate during sintering from 530 to 850 °C, on the densification of a crystallized low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC). At a low heating rate the densification of LTCC is impeded by the competing crystallization processes, resulting in less shrinkage, lower density and consequently lower dielectric constant. Microstructural evidence is provided to analyze the multiple crystalline phases formed during sintering process. It is concluded that an optimized sintering profile should have a heating rate that allows full densification prior to onset of crystallization, follow by a full crystallization to limit the amount of residual glass for enhanced dielectric properties.
Elastic scattering of 3He from 9Be, 10B, 11B, 24Mg, 25Mg, 26Mg and 27Al

Abstract Elastic scattering angular distributions of 3 He particles from 9 Be, 10 B, 11 B, 24 Mg, 25 Mg, 26 Mg and 27 A1 at E ( 3 He) ≈ 13 to 27 MeV have been measured and some of the representative results are reported. In most cases the angular range of the measured cross sections was from 8° to 150° (lab). The results have been analyzed in terms of a six-parameter optical model and are compared with previous work.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of human basal ganglia: response to cocaine administration.

Abstract Background: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to determine the effects of intravenous cocaine or placebo administration on human basal ganglia water and metabolite resonances. Methods: Long echo time, proton magnetic resonance spectra of water and intracellular metabolites were continuously acquired from an 8-cm 3 voxel centered on the left caudate and putamen nuclei before, during, and after the intravenous administration of cocaine or a placebo in a double-blind manner. Results: Cocaine, at both 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg, did not alter the peak area for water. Cocaine at 0.2 mg/kg induced small and reversible increases in choline-containing compounds and N -acetylaspartate peak areas. Cocaine at 0.4 mg/kg induced larger and more sustained increases in choline-containing compounds and N -acetylaspartate peak areas. No changes in either water or metabolite resonances were noted following placebo administration. Conclusions: These increases in choline-containing compounds and N -acetylaspartate peak areas may reflect increases in metabolite T2 relaxation times secondary to osmotic stress and/or increased phospholipid signaling within the basal ganglia following cocaine administration. This is the first report of acute, drug-induced changes in the intensity of human brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy resonance areas.
Development of Surgeon-Orthodontist Interaction in Orthognathic Surgery

Although orthognathic surgery was done earlier, the surgeon-orthodontist interaction really began to develop after introduction of the sagittal split osteotomy in the 1950s. This was facilitated by the demonstration that rectangular orthodontic archwires in edgewise brackets were quite satisfactory for surgical patients, so that both pre- and post-surgical orthodontics could be used routinely without changing the orthodontic appliance. The interaction was accentuated as cephalometric prediction of surgical treatment became an important part of treatment planning, and as the LeFort I osteotomy made it possible to reposition the maxilla as well as the mandible. Careful study of the outcomes of varying surgical approaches and orthodontic techniques, made possible by long-term support by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, has paid off by allowing surgeons and orthodontists jointly to choose the most successful procedures.
A simple and realistic triton wave function

Abstract We propose a simple triton wave function that consists of a product of three correlation operators operating on a three-body spin-isospin state. This wave function is formally similar to that used in the recent variational theories of nuclear matter, the main difference being in the long-range behavior of the correlation operators. Variational calculations are carried out with the Reid potential, using this wave function in the so-called “symmetrized product” and “independent pair” forms. The triton energy and density distributions obtained with the symmetrized product wave function agree with those obtained in Faddeev and other variational calculations using harmonic oscillator states. The proposed wave function and calculational methods can be easily generalized to treat the four-nucleon α-particle.
Azathioprine in the treatment of myasthenia gravis

Twenty-four patients with myasthenia gravis were treated with azathioprine. Eighteen of the patients tolerated the drug. Six discontinued azathioprine therapy because of toxicity. Of the 18 patients, 15 (83%) improved while receiving azathioprine; in 8 (44%) improvement was felt to result solely from azathioprine. Initial response was seen after 4 to 10 months of treatment, with a mean of 6.4 months. Patients continued to improve for up to 24 months, with the mean time of peak improvement being 14 months. Relapse occurred within one year in all 6 patients in whom azathioprine administration was discontinued. Azathioprine is a reasonable alternative to corticosteroids in selected myasthenic patients requiring immunosuppression.
Biholomorphically invariant families amongst Carleson class

Abstract Given α ∈ (0, 1), let Tα be the Carleson class of all meromorphic maps ƒ from the unit disk D to the extended complex plane C with where ƒ# and dm mean the spherical derivative of ƒ and Lebesgue area measure on D separately. And, let BITα and BITα,0 be the biholomorphically invariant families (amongst the Carleson class) consisting of those ƒ ∈ Tα with sup w ∈ D ||ƒ ο φ w || T α and lim | w | → 1 ||ƒ ο φ w || T α = 0 respectively, where φ w (z) = (w − z)(1 − w z) −1 , z, w ∈ D . The main purpose of this article is to study BITα and BITα,0 via the Ahlfors-Shimizu characteristic, canonical factorization and bounded holomorphic maps.
A 52-year-old man with a positive PPD.

DR DELBANCO: Mr Z is a 52-year-old college professor with a dry, hacking cough. Born in India and raised in Bangladesh, Mr Z immigrated to the United States more than 20 years ago. He lives in Boston with his wife and daughter and has managed care insurance. Mr Z had a negative purified protein derivative (PPD) test result 15 years ago. He recently traveled to Bangladesh for 3 weeks. Upon returning from his trip with a persistent hacking cough, he saw a primary care nurse practitioner who prescribed a steroid inhaler; the cough resolved slowly. A PPD test yielded 22 28 mm of induration. Results of a chest radiograph were normal. On his recent trip, he had no known contacts with tuberculosis (TB). His BCG vaccination status is unknown. His past medical history is significant for borderline hypertension and adenomatous polyps of the colon. He was diagnosed as having diabetes 3 years ago but has no retinopathy, nephropathy, or neuropathy. Recent glycohemoglobin levels were 8.8% and 7.8%. Mr Z smoked from ages 14 to 18 years but has not smoked since. He does not drink alcohol. On physical examination, Mr Z appeared well and was overweight, weighing 181 lb at 5 feet 8 inches. His blood pressure was 140/90 mm Hg. His lungs were clear, his liver was normal in span, and he had nontender submandibular lymphadenopathy. He had good peripheral pulses and sensation. His current medications were lisinopril, 10 mg/d (started months before his cough developed); metformin, 500 mg twice daily; and glipizide XL, 5 mg/d. He has no known drug allergies.
Role of the tumor suppressor IQGAP2 in metabolic homeostasis: Possible link between diabetes and cancer.

Deficiency of IQGAP2, a scaffolding protein expressed primarily in liver leads to rearrangements of hepatic protein compartmentalization and altered regulation of enzyme functions predisposing development of hepatocellular carcinoma and diabetes. Employing a systems approach with proteomics, metabolomics and fluxes characterizations, we examined the effects of IQGAP2 deficient proteomic changes on cellular metabolism and the overall metabolic phenotype. Iqgap2−/−mice demonstrated metabolic inflexibility, fasting hyperglycemia and obesity. Such phenotypic characteristics were associated with aberrant hepatic regulations of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, lipid homeostasis and futile cycling corroborated with corresponding proteomic changes in cytosolic and mitochondrial compartments. IQGAP2 deficiency also led to truncated TCA-cycle, increased anaplerosis, increased supply of acetyl-CoA for de novo lipogenesis, and increased mitochondrial methyl-donor metabolism necessary for nucleotides synthesis. Our results suggest that changes in metabolic networks in IQGAP2 deficiency create a hepatic environment of a ‘pre-diabetic’ phenotype and a predisposition to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which has been linked to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Scanning electron microscope studies on ascospores of homothallic species of Neurospora.

The surface and subsurface topography of ascospores of homothallic species of Neurospora has been studied with the scanning electron microscope. Rib surfaces of the ascospore walls, as viewed under...
Physiological, biochemical and molecular processes associated with gravitropism in roots of maize.

Abstract This research aims to characterize regulation of the principal cytosolic protein kinases in maize, cultivar ‘Merit’ root tips, since much evidence indicates that stimuli which modulate the gravitropic response in this system act through regulation of activity of these enzymes. To this end, we have cloned a maize protein kinase belonging to a group of plant protein kinases with a catalytic domain similar in primary structure to the second messenger-regulated protein kinases known in animal and fungal systems. However, both the unique structural features conserved among plant protein kinases in this group, and lack of evidence for cyclic nucleotide signalling in plants point to operation of a novel protein kinase regulatory mechanism in plants. In order to test effects of possible regulators on protein kinase activity, we developed a sensitive method for detecting regulation of autophosphoryl labelling of protein kinases in unfractionated maize protein extracts. Regulation of protein kinase autophosphorylation in these extracts was different from that known in animals and fungi, further suggesting operation of unique protein kinase regulatory mechanisms in plants. Previous research has shown that light, or factors modulated by light, regulate plant protein kinase activity. We found that protein kinase activity was co-immunoprecipitated with the plant photoreceptor phytochrome, and was associated with phytochrome by high-affinity chemical interactions. Far-red reversibility of red-light regulation of phytochrome phosphorylation by the associated protein kinase indicates that it may modulate or transduce the light signals which lead to gravitropic sensitivity in ‘Merit’ maize.
DSCR1(adapt78): A janus gene providing stress protection but causing Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease is associated with the formation of paired helical filaments composed of hyperphospharylated tau protein. Phosphatase 2B, calcineurin can dephosphorylate the tau protein and, therefore, might prevent the assembly of paired helical filaments and even Alzheimer's disease. Calcipressin 1, the DSCR1(Adapt78) gene product, can bind and inactivate calcineurin. Here we hypothesize that while short-term induction of calcipressin1 can provide stress protection, its long-term or chronic induction may cause gradual accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, eventually leading to Alzheimer's disease. IUBMB Life, 55: 29-31, 2003
Ethical rules for human subjects research: a case where the "is" must inform the "ought".

In response to recurrent reports of human rights abuses in the name of medical research, the United States has created a system of local oversight of research to ensure compliance with accepted eth...
Trace element concentrations in aerosols from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Abstract Twenty-nine trace elements in air over the San Francisco Bay Area have been classified into a soil-derived aerosol group, a marine aerosol group, and a third group of elements whose relative concentrations may be significantly altered by anthropogenic pollution sources. The third group includes Se, Zn, Br and Hg. Samples from nine Bay Area monitoring stations were subjected to neutron activation analysis. A statistical correlation analysis was used to group the elements. The elemental abundances from the analysis were compared to calculated abundances based on Fe concentration in the soil group and Na in the ocean group. The analysis was also used to assess whether the locations of specific monitoring stations are representative of their surrounding area.
Use of screening colonoscopy in ambulatory HIV-infected patients.

Background. Colorectal cancer screenings are underused in HIV-infected patients, but reasons for underuse have not been examined. Methods. Using a standardized questionnaire, HIV-infected patients aged !50 years were asked if they had a colorectal cancer screening and what factors influenced their decisions. Results. Among 55 patients (53 [96%] male; mean age 57 years [range: 51-71]); 35 (64%) ever received colorectal cancer screenings, 2 (4%) were scheduled for screening, 16 (29%) had never been screened, and 2 (4%) provided unusable results. Patients screened were more likely to remember discussing colorectal cancer (P 50 year olds, a significant minority of patients did not undergo the colorectal cancer screening. Discussions about the colorectal cancer screenings and colorectal cancer risk appear to have a significant impact on a patient's decision to be screened.
The role of soft (metallic) films in the tribological behavior of ceramic materials

The friction coefficient and wear rate in structural ceramic materials are often too high to make them attractive for applications requiring dry sliding. The role of a thin soft silver film in improving the tribological characteristics of silicon nitride materials is investigated in this study. In a pin-on-disc contact configuration in reciprocating motion, the friction coefficient was reduced by about 50% and the wear rate by one to two orders of magnitude. The friction reduction is thought to be due to the reduction of the contact interface shear strength by the presence of the soft film. The wear rate reduction is likely due to modification of the contact stresses by the film. Combined, these two factors lead to a decrease in the magnitude of the damaging tensile stresses. The durability and thus the effectiveness of the film is very dependent on the bond strength (i.e., adhesion strength) between the film and the substrate. 21 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
Potassium modification of the somatostatin effect on stimulated rat growth hormone release.

Experiments were designed to study the inhibitory action of somatostatin (SRIF) on stimulated GH release. The studies were performed in a standard incubation- or perifusion- immunoprecipitation system in which rat anterior pituitaries were prelabeled with [3H]leucine to define a pool of stored rat GH ([3H]GH) whose temporal release could be followed separate from any contribution by new hormone synthesis. The responses to 1CT3 M dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP), to the depolarizing effect of 21 mM potassium ion (K+), to a maximally inhibitory concentration of SRIF (25 nM), and to the three in various combinations were defined. Stimulation of initial [3H]GH release above basal (0.065%/min) was immediate and rapid after either K+ (0.45%/min) or dbcAMP (0.37%/min); used together, the releasing effect of these two agents was almost additive (0.69%/min). However, while the K+ response was complete in 30–40 min, an increased rate of release in response to dbcAMP (0.24%/min) was sustained for the duration of that stimulu...
Lactose Crystallization in Ice Cream. III. Mode of Action of Milk Powder in Preventing Sandiness

Summary Polarimetric data are presented to show that lactose crystallization proceeds at essentially the same rate in ice cream to which milk powder has been added as in seeded ice cream. The lactose glass of the powder produces a multitude of crystal nuclei when introduced into partially frozen mix, in spite of the fact that the mix may be saturated with respect to lactose. These nuclei serve as seed; consequently, the supersaturated lactose is deposited as small undetectable crystals. The generally accepted explanation of the role of milk powder in preventing sandiness was shown to be false.
The Saccharomyces Pif1p DNA Helicase and the Highly Related Rrm3p Have Opposite Effects on Replication Fork Progression in Ribosomal DNA

Replication of Saccharomyces ribosomal DNA (rDNA) proceeds bidirectionally from origins in a subset of the approximately 150 tandem repeats, but the leftward-moving fork stops when it encounters the replication fork barrier (RFB). The Pif1p helicase and the highly related Rrm3p were rDNA associated in vivo. Both proteins affected rDNA replication but had opposing effects on fork progression. Pif1p helped maintain the RFB. Rrm3p appears to be the replicative helicase for rDNA as it acted catalytically to promote fork progression throughout the rDNA. Loss of Rrm3p increased rDNA breakage and accumulation of rDNA circles, whereas breakage and circles were less common in pif1 cells. These data support a model in which replication fork pausing causes breakage and recombination in the rDNA.
Procoagulant-tissue factor activity of circulating peripheral blood leukocytes. Results of in vivo studies.

Abstract Previous work has shown that bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides-LPS) may stimulate leukocytes to generate procoagulant-tissue factor activity (TFa). We now show that endotoxin endows circulating blood leukocytes with tissue factor activity. The activity appeared approximately 1 hr. after the injection of endotoxin, was at about its highest level when the peripheral leukocyte count was at its nadir and lasted for nearly 3 1 2 hrs. The decline of the activity was attributed to egress of leukocytes from the circulation and not to a refractorines to endotoxin since circulating leukocytes, after 3 hrs., could be stimulated with endotoxin in vitro to generate tissue factor activity.
Body and self-cathexis of super-obese patients.

Abstract Super-obese patients were compared with neurotic patients on “body cathexis” and “self-cathexis” through a self-drawing and a self rating personality trait list. While the super-obese patients show a more negative “body cathexis” on the self-drawing they do not show a more negative “body cathexis” on the trait list. The results are explained in terms of the types of measures used and the defensive structure of the super-obese patient.
Targeted and non-targeted effects from combinations of low doses of energetic protons and iron ions in human fibroblasts

Purpose: In space, astronauts are exposed to mixed radiation fields consisting of energetic protons and high atomic number, high energy (HZE) particles at low dose rates. Therefore, it is critical to understand effects of combinations of low doses of different radiation types at the cellular level.Materials and methods: AG01522 normal human skin fibroblasts and a transwell insert co-culture system were used. Irradiations used were 1 GeV/amu (gigaelectron volt/atomic mass unit) protons and 1 GeV/amu iron (Fe) ions. DNA damage was measured as micronucleus (MN) formation and p53 binding protein 1 (53BP1) foci induction.Results: The same magnitude of DNA damage was induced in cells sequentially exposed to 1 cGy protons and 1 cGy Fe ions as in cells irradiated with either protons or Fe ions alone. The same magnitude of DNA damage was also observed in non-irradiated bystander cells sharing medium with cells irradiated with either 1 cGy protons or iron ions or protons plus iron ions. However, when the ‘bystander...
Angiotensin II and Proximal Tubule Sodium Transport

As a target site for angiotensin II (A-II), renal proximal tubule is unique in that it may be equipped with a local A-II generating system and that both basolateral and apical membranes may be accessi
GIS Modeling of Recharge on a Watershed

The study describes a model developed to delineate primary recharge contributing areas on a large watershed based on the field-measured parameters. The procedure uses measured values of soil water content, bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, and depth to water at 31 locations, to generate kriged overlays of input in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) framework. The number of locations was a compromise between sampling efficiency and requirements of the geostatistical analysis. Mathematical operations on the overlays are carried out on a pixel-by-pixel basis to predict distributions of water flux from below the root zone, travel time to the groundwater, and recharge flux pulse at the water table. Comparison with field data suggests that flow may occur through only a portion of total pore space. Field application is illustrated on a 123 km 2 catchment in Pennsylvania.
Performance of intra-procedural 18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT-guided biopsies for lesions suspected of malignancy but poorly visualized with other modalities.

Purpose We sought to evaluate the safety and the diagnostic success rate of percutaneous biopsies performed under intra-procedural 18 F-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) guidance for lesions difficult to see with conventional cross-sectional imaging.
Inhibitory evoked unit activity in the medial forebrain bundle in the rat and self-stimulation behaviour.

Abstract The effect of local application of norepinephrine (NE) on inhibitory unit responses evoked in the medial forebrain bundle during self-stimulation behaviour was studied in the rat. Norepinephrine was applied in ten consecutive injections over a period of 4.5 min, each injection delivering 0.012 /il/sec, followed by a 30-sec interval before the next; NE was dissolved in artificial cerebrospinal fluid and was tested at concentrations of 1 × 10−7 M-2 × 10−6 M, pH7. Norepinephrine produced a temporary inhibition of spontaneously discharging unit activity with each injection of the series and this effect resembled the action of rewarding stimulation but lasted longer. More marked effects were observed after the initial injection in the series and with low doses of NE. During self-stimulation, NE at low doses potentiated the electrically inhibitory neural responses correlated with threshold intensity but not optimal intensity rewarding stimulation: high doses reduced the duration of the inhibition at threshold intensity self-stimulation, reduced the latency of the rebound effect that followed inhibition, and blocked the inhibitory responses correlated with optical intensity self-stimulation. Application of low doses of NE led to an increase in locomotion, to sniffing behaviour, and to increased self-stimulation, whereas application of high doses led to immobility, depression, or blockade of self-stimulation.
Lessons learned from process incident databases and the process safety incident database (PSID) approach sponsored by the Center for Chemical Process Safety

Learning from the experiences of others has long been recognized as a valued and relatively painless process. In the world of process safety, this learning method is an essential tool since industry has neither the time and resources nor the willingness to experience an incident before taking corrective or preventative steps. This paper examines the need for and value of process safety incident databases that collect incidents of high learning value and structure them so that needed information can be easily and quickly extracted. It also explores how they might be used to prevent incidents by increasing awareness and by being a tool for conducting PHAs and incident investigations. The paper then discusses how the CCPS PSID meets those requirements, how PSID is structured and managed, and its attributes and features.
Changing symptomatology in eating disorders.

This exploratory study examined demographic and symptomatological changes in eating-disordered children and adolescents over the last three decades. Medical records of the first 33 consecutive eating disorder admissions to the psychosomatic/psychiatric units of a children's hospital in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s were reviewed. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and chi square analyses were performed to ascertain changes in demographics, clinical history, height and weight, psychiatric diagnoses, and eating disorder symptoms/signs. In addition, regression analyses were conducted to discern changes in the total number of eating disorder admissions (medical and psychiatric services inclusive) between 1970 and 1990. Results revealed significant symptomatological changes over the three decades. While the majority of somatically based signs have decreased, psychically based symptoms have either remained stable or even increased. Results suggest that newer eating disorder variants (bulimia nervosa and atypical eating disorder) are not replacing the traditional category of anorexia nervosa, rather, eating disorders are becoming more widespread and heterogeneous. Alternative explanations are discussed. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Inhibition of Glial Na+ and K+ Currents by Tamoxifen

Tamoxifen (tmx) is a non-steroidal triphenylethylene derivative that is predominantly known as a competitive antagonist at the estrogen receptor and is used in the treatment of breast cancer. Recent studies suggest that tamoxifen is also beneficial in the treatment of brain metastases and primary brain tumors. Tmx accumulates in brain and its concentration can be up to 46-fold higher than in serum. Therefore, astrocytes may be exposed to tmx in vivo. We use the whole-cell patch-clamp technique to examine the effects of tmx on voltage-dependent cation currents in rat cortical cultures. Using biophysical and pharmacological methods, we isolate sustained and transient outward potassium currents (I KS and I KT , respectively), inwardly rectifying potassium currents (I KIR ), and transient inward sodium currents (I Na ). We show that that TTX-sensitive I Na is completely inhibited by 10 μm tmx within 5 min. Similarly, tmx blocks I KS , but does not inhibit I KT or I KIR at these concentrations. Tmx effects are irreversible with 10 min wash. Interestingly, the currents sensitive to tmx are important in growth control of glial cells (MacFarlane & Sontheimer, 1997). Therefore, we examine cytotoxic and proliferative effects of tmx. Tmx (10 μm) is not cytotoxic as judged by trypan blue exclusion. However, incubation with tmx significantly reduces cell proliferation as examined by 3[H]-thymidine uptake.
Statistical tests for the Gaussian nature of primordial fluctuations through CBR experiments.

Information about the physical processes that generate the primordial fluctuations in the early Universe can be gained by testing the Gaussian nature of the fluctuations through cosmic microwave background radiation (CBR) temperature anisotropy experiments. One of the crucial aspects of density perturbations that are produced by the standard inflation scenario is that they are Gaussian, whereas seeds produced by topological defects left over from an early cosmic phase transition tend to be non-Gaussian. To carry out this test, sophisticated statistical tools are required. In this paper, we will discuss several such statistical tools, including multivariant skewness and kurtosis, Euler-Poincare characteristics, the three-point temperature correlation function, and Hotelling's [ital T][sup 2] statistic defined through bispectral estimates of a one-dimensional data set. The effect of noise present in the current data is discussed in detail and the COBE 53 GHz data set is analyzed. Our analysis shows that, on the large angular scale to which COBE is sensitive, the statistics are probably Gaussian. On the small angular scales, the importance of Hotelling's [ital T][sup 2] statistic is stressed, and the minimum sample size required to test Gaussianity is estimated. Although the current data set available from various experiments at half-degree scales ismore » still too small, improvement of the data set by roughly a factor of 2 will be enough to test the Gaussianity statistically. On the arc min scale, we analyze the recent RING data through bispectral analysis, and the result indicates possible deviation from Gaussianity. Effects of point sources are also discussed. It is pointed out that the Gaussianity problem can be resolved in the near future by ground-based or balloon-borne experiments.« less