cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Su1506 Systematic Evaluation of the Complication Rate Following Endoscopic Biopsy of the Major Papilla

(SD) and median (range) were computed for continuous variables and frequency distributions were calculated for all categorical variables. All statistical tests were twotailed with p!0.05 considered to be significant. Results: Patients who underwent ETI for airway protection were more likely to have a history of liver cirrhosis (36 [40%] vs. 15 [21.7%], pZ0.017), massive hematemesis (O500 ml of bloody emesis20 [22%] vs.7 [8.7%], pZ0.003], alcoholism (38 [43%] vs. 12 [17.4%], p!0.0001), gastro-esophageal varices (35 [39%] vs. 16 [23.2%], pZ0.03), hepatic encephalopathy (13 [15%] vs. 3 [4.3%], pZ0.03), sepsis (28 [31%] vs. 3 [4.3%], p!0.0001), and placement of Sengstaken-Blakemore (SB) tube (8 [9%] vs. none, pZ0.009). Pulmonary aspiration was more frequent in the intubated group (36 [40%] vs. 4 [5.8%], p!0.0001). A risk score was calculated using seven variables: liver cirrhosis [score of 1], massive hematemesis or frequent blood transfusions (O3 units, score of 1), presence of varices [score of 1], alcoholism [score of 1], encephalopathy [score of 1], sepsis [score of 1] and placement of SB tube [score of 1]. The cumulative risk score among the intubated group was (1.77 vs. 0.71, p!0.0001) -higher than that of the non-intubated group. Conclusion: Pulmonary aspiration is common complication in patients with UGIB admitted to ICU undergoing EGD. It is frequently associated in patients who are cirrhosis (1), varices (1), encephalopathy (1), alcoholism [(1), hematemesis/ repeated transfusions (1), sepsis (1) and placement of SB tube (1). A risk score using these variables might guide a clinician to use ETI to protect the airways. A score of 2 or more indicates higher risk of pulmonary aspiration, while a score of less than 1 indicates lower risk. A large prospective study to identify the amount of risk contributed by each of the above risk factors might be useful in the future.
Convergence of the Godunov Scheme for a Simplified One-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Model for Semiconductor Devices

Convergence of approximate solutions derived by the Godunov scheme for a simplified one-dimensional hydrodynamic model for semiconductor devices is established by using the compensated compactness method. A global existence theorem is shown; and a numerical method for the computation of the physical global solution of this model is provided by this approach.
From ‘Psychology in Literature’ to ‘Psychology is Literature’ An Exploration of Boundaries and Relationships

Three categories, varying from lowest to highest levels of abstraction, of possible relationships between psychology and literature are critically examined. The first category represents the lowest level of abstraction and involves ‘psychology in literature’: literature as a source of psychological data; literature as a source of insights for psychology. The second involves literature as an independent variable; literature as a dependent variable; literature as understood through psychology. The third, at the highest level of abstraction, involves psychology as nomothetic and literature as idiographic; psychology as culture-free and literature as culture-bound; psychology as concerned with actual worlds and literature with possible worlds; and, finally, ‘psychology is literature’. Each option is viable at a particular level of abstraction, although ‘psychology is literature’ is particularly provocative, and also nurturing of cultural research.
Separation-Individuation, Social Support, and Adolescent Egocentrism An Exploratory Study

Data regarding imaginary audience (IA)and personal fable (PF) sensitivity, separation individuation concerns, and social support were collected from 100 young adolescents (a) to replicate and exten...
Differentiating germ cells can revert into functional stem cells in Drosophila melanogaster ovaries

Many tissues including blood, skin, gut and germ cells are continuously maintained by tissue stem cells. Under certain conditions, however, other organs can undergo repair using stem-cell-like progenitors generated by cell de-differentiation. Cell fates have been broadened experimentally, but mechanisms allowing de-differentiation to a stem cell state are poorly known. Germline stem cells begin to differentiate by forming interconnected germ cell cysts (cystocytes), and under certain conditions male mouse cystocytes have been postulated to revert into functional progenitors. Here we report that four- and eight-cell Drosophila germline cystocytes generated either in second instar larval ovaries or in adults over-producing the BMP4-like stem cell signal Decapentaplegic efficiently convert into single stem-like cells. These de-differentiated cells can develop into functional germline stem cells and support normal fertility. Our results show that cystocytes represent a relatively abundant source of regenerative precursors that might help replenish germ cells after depletion by genotoxic chemicals, radiation or normal ageing. More generally, Drosophila cystocytes now provide a system for studying de-differentiation and its potential as a source of functional stem cells.
eNOS Deficient Mice Develop Progressive Cardiac Hypertrophy with Altered Cytokine and Calcium Handling Protein Expression

Although studies have shown that endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) homozygous knockout mice (eNOS−/−) develop left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, well compensated at least to 24 wks, uncertainty still exists as to the cardiac functional and molecular mechanistic consequences of eNOS deficiency at later time-points. To bridge the gap in existent data, we examined whole hearts from eNOS−/− and age-matched wild-type (WT) control mice ranging in age from 18 to 52 wks for macroscopic and microscopic histopathology, LV mRNA and protein expression using RNA Dot blots and Western blots, respectively, and LV function using isolated perfused work-performing heart preparations. Heart weight to body weight (HW/BW in mg/g) ratio increased significantly as eNOS−/− mice aged (82.2%, P < 0.001). Multi-focal replacement fibrosis and myocyte degeneration/death were first apparent in eNOS−/− mouse hearts at 40 wks. Progressive increases in LV atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and α-skeletal actin mRNA levels both correlated significantly with increasing HW/BW ratio in aged eNOS−/− mice (r = 0.722 and r = 0.648, respectively; P < 0.001). At 52 wks eNOS−/− mouse hearts exhibited basal LV hypercontractility yet blunted beta adrenergic receptor (βAR) responsiveness that coincided with a significant reduction in the LV ratio of phospholamban to sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase-2a protein levels and was preceded by a significant upregulation in LV steady-state mRNA and protein levels of the 28 kDa membrane-bound form of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. We conclude that absence of eNOS in eNOS−/− mice results in a progressive concentric hypertrophic cardiac phenotype that is functionally compensated with decreased βAR responsiveness, and is associated with a potential cytokine-mediated alteration of calcium handling protein expression.
The graft response to transplantation: a gene expression profile analysis.

Little is known regarding the graft response to transplantation injury. This study investigates the posttransplantation response of genes that are constitutively expressed in the heart. Constitutiv...
Do Presenting Symptoms Explain Sex Differences in Emergency Department Delays Among Patients With Acute Stroke

Background and Purpose— Previous studies report that women with stroke may experience longer delays in diagnostic workup than men after arriving at the emergency department. We hypothesized that presenting symptom differences could explain these delays. Methods— Data were collected on 1922 acute stroke cases who presented to 15 hospitals participating in a statewide stroke registry. We evaluated 2 in-hospital time intervals: emergency department arrival to physician examination (“door-to-doctor”) and emergency department arrival to brain imaging (“door-to-image”). We used parametric survival models to estimate time ratios, which represent the ratio of average times comparing women to men, after adjusting for symptom presentation and other confounders. Results— Women were significantly less likely than men to present with any stroke warning sign or suspected stroke (87.5% versus 91.4%) or to report trouble with walking, balance, or dizziness (9.5% versus 13.7%). Difficulty speaking and loss of consciousness were associated with shorter door-to-doctor times. Weakness, facial droop, difficulty speaking, and loss of consciousness were associated with shorter door-to-image times, whereas difficulty with walking/balance was associated with longer door-to-image times. In adjusted analyses, women had 11% longer door-to-doctor intervals (time ratio, 1.11; 95%, CI 1.02 to 1.22) and 15% longer door-to-image intervals (time ratio, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.25) after accounting for presenting symptoms, age, and other confounders. Furthermore, these sex differences remained evident after restricting to patients who arrived within 6 or within 2 hours of symptom onset. Conclusions— Women with acute stroke experienced greater emergency department delays than men, which were not attributable to differences in presenting symptoms, time of arrival, age, or other confounders.
Performance evaluation of LMS-based adaptive suppression schemes in asynchronous CDMA

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the bit-error-rate performance of various adaptive structures in combating multi-user interference in an asynchronous code division multiple access (CDMA) system. In particular, two adaptive schemes, known as the N-tap filter and D-tap cyclical shifted bank filter, are considered. The least mean square (LMS) and predictive LMS (PLMS) algorithms are employed for the adaptation of tap weights. An analytical expression is developed for the numerical evaluation of the bit error probability. In addition, the bit error rate performances of the adaptive schemes are compared with those of the matched filter receiver. Results attest to the pratical usefulness of the LMS-based adaptive suppression schemes in combating multi-user interference in an asynchronous CDMA system.
Personal Philosophy and Personnel Achievement: Belief in Free Will Predicts Better Job Performance

Do philosophic views affect job performance? The authors found that possessing a belief in free will predicted better career attitudes and actual job performance. The effect of free will beliefs on job performance indicators were over and above well-established predictors such as conscientiousness, locus of control, and Protestant work ethic. In Study 1, stronger belief in free will corresponded to more positive attitudes about expected career success. In Study 2, job performance was evaluated objectively and independently by a supervisor. Results indicated that employees who espoused free will beliefs were given better work performance evaluations than those who disbelieve in free will, presumably because belief in free will facilitates exerting control over one’s actions.
Behavioral choice by presynaptic inhibition of tactile sensory terminals

When presented with multiple stimuli, animals generally choose to respond only to one input. The neuronal mechanisms determining such behavioral choices are poorly understood. We found that the medicinal leech had greatly diminished responses to moderate mechanosensory input as it fed. Feeding dominated other responses by suppressing transmitter release from mechanosensory neurons onto all of their neuronal targets. The effects of feeding on synaptic transmission could be mimicked by serotonin. Furthermore, the serotonin antagonist mianserin blocked feeding-induced decreases in synaptic transmission. These results indicate that feeding predominates behaviors by using serotonin at an early stage of sensory processing, namely on presynaptic terminals of mechanosensory neurons.
Distribution and transport of calcium in human platelets

Abstract The total content, the distribution and the uptake characteristics of Ca 2+ in human platelets were studied. Platelets contained a mean of 57.5 nmoles Ca 2+ per mg platelet protein. In intact platelets most of the cation (98%) was bound to protein while only small amounts were ligated by lipids. In contrast a considerable portion (21.1%) of the platelet membrane-bound Ca 2+ was ligated by lipids. When platelets were disrupted by the glycerol lysis technique and their cellular contents fractionated by interrupted sucrose density gradient centrifugation platelet granules exhibited the highest Ca 2+ content per mg protein, while the cytosol portion contained almost two-thirds of the platelet Ca 2+ . The uptake of Ca 2+ which was investigated by the use of 45 Ca 2+ was found to be temperature dependent, inhibited by Mg 2+ and Fe 2+ and showed a sharp pH optimum at 6.4–6.6. The monovalent cations K + and Na + had opposite effects on the uptake of Ca 2+ , the former increasing and the latter decreasing uptake. Exchange of platelet Ca 2+ with the medium did occur. The efflux of Ca 2+ from platelets was potentiated by the presence of glucose in the medium. Of the aggregating agents studied only thrombin and to a lesser degree collagen induced a release of platelet Ca 2+ .
Pecan leaf analysis: II. Linear correlation with sampling date over a 5‐year period

Abstract Linear correlations between pecan leaf element concn for 13 elements and 37 different sampling date pairs were determined to study the closeness of the relationship of leaf element conen across dates and years. Correlations were highly significant for leaf Mg, Zn, Mn, and Ba; only fair for Ca, Fe, B, Al, and Sr; and poor for N, P, K, and Cu. Data indicated that the period of the first week of July through the first week of August was about as good as any other period for sampling for all elements.
Survey of survivors' perspective on return to work after stroke

AbstractPurpose:To describe the development and results of a detailed survey on return to work (RTW) after stroke completed by survivors at various stages of recovery.Method:This study used a multi-method qualitative and quantitative research strategy to design and implement a 39-item survey for stroke survivors. Individual interviews, focus groups, and working committees were used to conceptualize the issues and translate them into a survey format. Surveys were distributed in regular and electronic mail. Groups of rehabilitation professionals, employers, and stroke survivors were assembled to review findings and obtain feedback to aide in interpretation.Results:Overall 715 surveys were completed. The respondents were on average 54 years of age, mostly white, well-educated, urban dwelling, and in skilled occupations. Results are described in seven areas: financial, stroke impairments, organizational, work and psychological issues, interpersonal support, and therapy. Several salient findings are described ...
Prenatal detection of an unstable ring 21 chromosome

An unstable ring chromosome 21 detected through prenatal studies was associated at birth with an apparently normal male phenotype. At 14 months of age, examination indicated only minor developmental delay. The majority of cells examined from amniocyte, fibroblast, and lymphocyte cultures contained an asymmetrical dicentric ring 21 chromosome which was larger than a normal chromosome 21. This ring is presumed to be a duplication for most of chromosome 21 and a deletion of part of the terminal regions. The karyotype is described as mos45, XY,-21/46,XY,r(21)(p13q22.3). The child is monosomic for part of the sub-band 21q22.3 in every cell and trisomic for the remainder of the chromosome in most of his cells. The terminal deletion does not appear to have been severely detrimental to the phenotype and the effective trisomy present in many cells studies was insufficient to cause the Down syndrome.
The Impact of Skinner's Verbal Behavior on Organizational Behavior Management

In the book Verbal Behavior, Skinner provided a comprehensive, behavioral account of language. While the impact of Skinner's analysis on empirical research has been examined broadly, this review of the literature focused on studies relevant to organizational behavior management (OBM). Both empirical and nonempirical journal articles in OBM were analyzed, along with several influential books in the field. The results of this review indicate that the conceptual framework provided in Verbal Behavior has had virtually no impact on empirical research in OBM and very limited impact on conceptual work. Potential reasons for this lack of influence are discussed, and further research on verbal behavior in organizations is encouraged.
A biomechanical analysis of muscle strength as a limiting factor in standing posture

We developed a method for studying muscular coordination and strength in multijoint movements and have applied it to standing posture. The method is based on a musculoskeletal model of the human lower extremity in the sagittal plane and a technique to visualize, geometrically, how constraints internal and external to the body affect movement. We developed an algorithm to calculate the set of all feasible accelerations (i.e., the 'feasible acceleration set', or FAS) that muscles can induce. For the ankle, knee, and hip joints in the sagittal plane, this set is a polyhedron in three dimensions. Using the volume of the FAS as an indicator of overall mobility, we found that strengthening muscles on the posterior side (as opposed to the anterior) of the body would cause greater increases in mobility. Employing the experimental observations of others, we also found that acceleration constraints greatly reduce the range of feasible accelerations. We then defined a set of four basic acceleration vectors which, when used in various combinations, can produce the repertoire of postural movements. We used linear programming to find the maximum magnitudes of these vectors, and the sensitivity of these magnitudes to muscle strength, thereby delineating those muscles which, if strengthened, would cause the greatest increase in the body's ability to generate the basic acceleration vectors. For our particular model, those muscle groups were found to be hamstrings, tibialis anterior, rectus femoris, and gastrocnemius. These muscle groups would be of great importance in cases involving severely reduced muscle strength. This methodology may therefore be useful for purposes such as design of functional electrical stimulation controllers or exercises for persons at risk for falling.
TH2 heterogeneity: Does function follow form?

T H 2 immune responses are required for the 2 fundamental pathological processes characteristic of allergic disease: IgE-mediated hypersensitivity and eosinophilic inflammation. The 3 established T H 2 cytokines, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, each play a nonredundant role in allergic disease pathology. The recent explosion of T H subpopulations combined with the wide availability of polychromatic cytokine staining has facilitated the discovery of T H 2 lineage heterogeneity. In this article we review T H 2 heterogeneity and ask the following question: At what point do these subpopulations graduate from in vitro curiosities to immunologically robust therapeutic targets? We propose criteria to establish a T-cell subset as a biologically relevant entity and address the evidence to support these T H 2 subpopulations having a unique function or specific contribution to allergic pathology or host defense.
Lipids and acid mucopolysaccharides in arteries and veins of human umbilical cord

Abstract 1. 1. Various components of neutral lipids, phospholipids, and acid mucopolysaccharides were determined in the arteries and veins of the human umbilical cord. 2. 2. It was found that umbilical vein had a higher content of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and chondroitin sulphate A/C when compared with umbilical artery.
Organotitanium Polydyes Derived from Phenylsulfonphthalein Dyes, and Congo Red, Eriochrome Black T, Nigrosine and Indigo Carmine-Synthesis and Doping Characteristics

Abstract The synthesis of titanium polydyes emphasizing the inter-facial technique is described. Emphasis is placed on applications of the polydyes taking advantage of the potential permanent, nonleaching nature of such materials compared with the monomeric dyes themselves. The polydyes are fluorescent and can be impregnated into paper, cloth and paint and “doped” into plastics giving fluorescent materials.
Importance of the number of acid molecules and the strength of the base for double-ion formation in (H2SO4) m·Base·(H2O)6 clusters

Sulfuric acid and water clusters are important for new particle formation in the atmosphere. Recent experimental studies demonstrate that critical clusters in diverse atmospheric environments contain two acid molecules and may also include additional N-containing molecules (i.e., a base). We use first-principles molecular dynamics simulations to show that the presence of two sulfuric acid molecules in (H2SO4)m·base·(H2O)6 clusters is always sufficient to form a double ion, whereas a single acid molecule, even in the presence of a base, is not.
Efflux transporters as a novel herbivore countermechanism to plant chemical defenses.

The recent discovery of efflux transporters in the gut has revolutionized our understanding of the absorption and bioavailability of pharmaceuticals and other xenobiotics in humans. Despite the celebrity of efflux transporters in the areas of pharmacology and medicine, their significance is only beginning to be realized in the area of plant–herbivore interactions. This review integrates reports on the importance of gut efflux transporters to diet selection by herbivores. The diets of herbivores are laden with toxic plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) that until recently were thought to be processed almost exclusively by detoxification enzymes in the liver. We describe how efflux transporters in the gut may play a critical role in regulating the absorption of PSMs in herbivores and dictating diet selection. Recent studies suggest that the role of efflux transporters in mediating diet selection in herbivores may be as critical as detoxification enzymes. In addition to diet selection, gut efflux transporters have implications for other aspects of plant–animal interactions. They may be significant components of the evolutionary arms race that influences chemical diversity in plants. Furthermore, in agricultural systems, gut efflux transporters may play an important role in the effectiveness of pesticides. This synthesis paper introduces a new direction in plant–herbivore interactions by providing a complementary mechanism, regulated absorption, to detoxification that may define tolerance to PSMs by herbivores.
Nutritional evaluation of Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum, Fabaceae): Analysis of the seed

Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum, Fabaceae), a potential arid-land legume crop from the Kalahari Desert of Botswana, was analyzed for protein, amino acids, oil, fatty acids, fiber, caloric value, trypsin inhibitor, and mineral content. Results indicate that the bean is adequate in these nutrients for a human diet, but the trypsin inhibitor activity should be destroyed prior to consumption.
Higher Education Research at the Millennium: Still Trees without Fruit?

This study examines whether a gap exists between researchers' and practitioners' ideas about what constitutes significance and usefulness in content, methodology, and format. Data was collected from focus groups at major higher education conferences for three years. Both groups agreed that the higher education literature does not provide memorable, insightful, or important professional information. The study explores six possible explanations and proposes the new direction of mutuality and continuity in addressing the gap between researchers and practitioners.
Imbeddings and homology cobordisms of lens spaces.

In this paper we consider the existence of smooth or PL imbeddings of manifolds in Euclidean space with codimension one. The manifolds we treat are made from lens spaces (or homotopy lens spaces) by removing a disc or by taking a connected sum. (It is easy to see [R2] that a homotopy lens space must be punctured in order to imbed in Euclidean space of one higher dimension.) The results of [GL, R2] show that this problem reduces to the problem of finding a homology cobordism (i.e. one with the homology of a product) between two homotopy lens spaces. It is shown in [R2] that for (linear) lens spaces L with :~(L) of prime power order, the existence of such a homology cobordism implies the existence of an s-cobordism, and hence that a lens space L imbeds punctured if and only if L admits an automorphism satisfying certain conditions. It is straightforward to explicitly describe all such lens spaces. Further, the connected sum of two such lens spaces imbeds if and only if they are diffeomorphic. Hence in both problems, the homology cobordism may be taken to be a product. The present paper will demonstrate that the situation changes when the order of nl(L) is divisible by more than one prime and when L is allowed to be a homotopy lens space. The invariants used in [R2] as obstructions to imbedding were equivariant signatures associated to coverings of prime-power degree; in the general case considered here they do not characterise a homotopy lens space, even up to h-cobordism. Nevertheless, we show that in dimensions greater than three, the signature invariants used in JR2] do determine a homotopy lens space up to homology cobordism within its normal cobordism class. Hence only a small portion of the invariants used in [W1] to classify homotopy lens spaces comes into play; in particular Reidemeister torsion plays no role. This classification up to homology cobordism leads to necessary and sufficient conditions for punctured imbeddings and imbeddings of connected sums. The fact that only the invariants associated to prime-power coverings come into play has an analog in other parts of topology, most notably in the theory of transformation groups. In that context, Smith theory [B1] provides restrictions on
Carotenoids in Sol−Gels: Incorporation, Stability, and Sensitivity to Oxidant and Acid

It is shown in this paper that carotenoids can be incorporated into sol−gels and can be evenly distributed by using appropriate amounts of organic solvents (e.g., EtOH and acetone). Some carotenoid...
Semiconductor Ballistic Electron Reflection, Refraction, Interference, and Diffraction Effects: Modeling and Quantum Device Applications

Semiconductor growth techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy have been refined so that nanostructures can be grown with precise monolayer and compositional control [1]. This has produced semiconductor materials in which ballistic (collisionless) electron transport lengths of over a micron have been observed [2-4]. That is, the electrons traverse the sample as quantum mechanical plane waves experiencing no elastic or inelastic scattering events. Ballistic electrons can account for more than half of the current in small devices [3]. Since ballistic electrons are quantum mechanical deBroglie waves, they can be reflected, refracted, interfered, and diffracted [5] in a manner analogous to electromagnetic optical waves [6]. Recently, it has been shown that these electron wave optical effects are exactly analogous to electromagnetic waves in general dielectrics (lossless materials with arbitrary permittivity ϵ and permeability µ) [7]. Electron wave interference effects have been observed experimentally for electron energies below the barriers in double-barrier and multi-barrier resonant tunneling devices and for electron energies above the conduction band edges in Ga1-xAlxAs heterostructures [5]. In addition, by combining growth techniques with nanolithography, electron wave refraction has been experimentally demonstrated through the fabrication of electron lenses and prisms [8,9] in a two-dimensional GaAs electron gas.
Quantization, channel compensation, and optimal energy allocation for estimation in sensor networks

In clustered networks of wireless sensors, each sensor collects noisy observations of the environment, quantizes these observations into a local estimate of finite length, and forwards them through one or more noisy wireless channels to the cluster head (CH). The measurement noise is assumed to be zero-mean and have finite variance, and each wireless hop is modeled as a binary symmetric channel (BSC) with a known crossover probability. A novel scheme is proposed that uses dithered quantization and channel compensation to ensure that each sensor's local estimate received by the CH is unbiased. The CH fuses these unbiased local estimates into a global one, using a best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE). Analytical and simulation results show that the proposed scheme can achieve much smaller mean square error (MSE) than two other common schemes, while using the same amount of energy. The sensitivity of the proposed scheme to errors in estimates of the crossover probability of the BSC channel is studied by both analysis and simulation. We then determine both the minimum energy required for the network to produce an estimate with a prescribed error variance and how this energy must be allocated amongst the sensors in the multihop network.
National synchrotron light source beam line data acquisition and analysis computer system

Abstract A versatile computer environment to manage instrumentation alignment and experimental control at the National Synchrotron Light Source beam lines has been developed. The system is based on a 386 486 personal computer running under a UNIX operating system with X11 Windows. It offers an ideal combination of capability, flexibility, compatibility, and cost. With a single personal computer, the beam line user can run a wide range of scattering and spectroscopy experiments using a multi-tasking data-collection program which can interact with CAMAC, GPIB and AT-Bus interfaces, and simultaneously examine and analyze data and communicate with remote network nodes.
Automated Synthesis of 18F-Fluoropropoxytryptophan for Amino Acid Transporter System Imaging

Objective. This study was to develop a cGMP grade of [18F]fluoropropoxytryptophan (18F-FTP) to assess tryptophan transporters using an automated synthesizer. Methods. Tosylpropoxytryptophan (Ts-TP) was reacted with K18F/kryptofix complex. After column purification, solvent evaporation, and hydrolysis, the identity and purity of the product were validated by radio-TLC (1M-ammonium acetate : methanol = 4 : 1) and HPLC (C-18 column, methanol : water = 7 : 3) analyses. In vitro cellular uptake of 18F-FTP and 18F-FDG was performed in human prostate cancer cells. PET imaging studies were performed with 18F-FTP and 18F-FDG in prostate and small cell lung tumor-bearing mice (3.7 MBq/mouse, iv). Results. Radio-TLC and HPLC analyses of 18F-FTP showed that the Rf and Rt values were 0.9 and 9 min, respectively. Radiochemical purity was >99%. The radiochemical yield was 37.7% (EOS 90 min, decay corrected). Cellular uptake of 18F-FTP and 18F-FDG showed enhanced uptake as a function of incubation time. PET imaging studies showed that 18F-FTP had less tumor uptake than 18F-FDG in prostate cancer model. However, 18F-FTP had more uptake than 18F-FDG in small cell lung cancer model. Conclusion. 18F-FTP could be synthesized with high radiochemical yield. Assessment of upregulated transporters activity by 18F-FTP may provide potential applications in differential diagnosis and prediction of early treatment response.
Brain Hyaluronidase: Changes in Activity during Chick Development

Development of embryonic chick brain is characterized by high levels of hyaluronidase activity and of hyaluronate, both of which decrease rapidly soon after the chick hatches. By analogy to other systems, it is proposed that the sequence of hyaluronate production and its enzymatic removal may have a developmental role in brain formation.
Imageability ratings for 3,000 monosyllabic words.

Imageability ratings made on a 1–7 scale and reaction times for 3,000 monosyllabic words were obtained from 31 participants. Analyses comparing these ratings to 1,153 common words from Toglia and Battig (1978) indicate that these ratings are valid. Reliability was assessed (α = .95). The information obtained in this study adds to that of other normative studies and is useful to researchers interested in manipulating or controlling imageability in word recognition and memory studies. These norms can be downloaded fromwww.psychonomic.org/archive/.
Design and implementation of a special purpose embedded system for neural machine interface

Our previous study has shown the potential of using a computer system to accurately decode electromyographic (EMG) signals for neural controlled artificial legs. Because of computation complexity of the training algorithm coupled with real time requirement of controlling artificial legs, traditional embedded systems generally cannot be directly applied to the system. This paper presents a new design of an FPGA-based neural-machine interface for artificial legs. Both the training algorithm and the real time controlling algorithm are implemented on an FPGA. A soft processor built on the FPGA is used to manage hardware components and direct data flows. The implementation and evaluation of this design are based on Altera Stratix II GX EP2SGX90 FPGA device on a PCI Express development board. Our performance evaluations indicate that a speedup of around 280X can be achieved over our previous software implementation with no sacrifice of computation accuracy. The results demonstrate the feasibility of a self-contained, low power, and high performance real-time neural-machine interface for artificial legs.
A Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Pregnant African-American Women

Research has shown that prenatal maternal stress occurs commonly during pregnancy, and associated physical, psychological, and financial challenges are often compounded for African-American women from urban, low-income environments. The current study focused on a mindfulness-based intervention for a group of urban, low-income, pregnant African-American women. This randomized controlled pilot study involved a 2 × 3 mixed model design, comparing treatment as usual (TxAU) with the Mindful Motherhood intervention on several outcomes at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and one month post-intervention. A total of 65 adult participants (31 TxAU and 34 Mindful Motherhood) met the inclusion criteria and participated in the study. Due to significant attrition in both assessments and intervention participation, dose-effect analyses were employed to test treatment effects on outcome variables with multiple linear regressions. Preliminary findings support the efficacy of the Mindful Motherhood training in improving levels of mindfulness, reducing reactive cortisol response, and reducing pregnancy-related stress at post-intervention and improving pregnancy-related positive experience and reducing depressive symptoms at one month follow-up. However, none of these effects appeared to have lasting impact on the participants, and treatment did not appear to impact perceived stress or baseline salivary cortisol levels. This pilot study is believed to be the first empirical research on a mindfulness-based intervention with a group of urban, low-income, pregnant African-American women. These preliminary results support the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions with this minority population and encourage efforts to optimize recruitment and retention of underprivileged participants.
Abnormal differentiation of thymocytes in mice treated with cyclosporin A.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) acts as a powerful immunosuppressive agent, and also, when given in repeated doses, can cause T-cell-dependent graft-versus-host disease and organ-specific autoimmune disease in rodents1–6. This suggests that CsA interferes with the processes governing self-tolerance1, either by nullifying the activity of T suppressor cells4,6 or by preventing the deletion of autoreactive T cells during ontogeny in the thymus2. We report here that irradiated mice given repeated injections of CsA show striking dysfunction of the thymus. There are two different effects, the first of which is that CsA seems to block the differentiation of immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes into mature CD4+CD8- and CD4-CD8+ cells expressing a high density of T-cell receptors and CD3 molecules. Second, CsA-treated mice show incomplete deletion of T cells expressing T-cell receptor molecules reactive to self H–2 I–E molecules.
Class Origins and Academic Achievement An Empirical Critique of the Cultural Deprivation Perspective

Academic achievement cannot simply be attributed to low selfconcept as an outcome of social class origins.
Socialism and Technology: A Sectoral Overview

This chapter aims to demonstrate that both for the economy as a whole and for each of its sectors, it is possible to outline the main features of current capitalist practice, the implicit requirements for a socialist alternative, and the degree to which the conditions for satisfying these requirements are already present. In short, a society-wide shift to cleaner and more sustainable technologies is already conceivable. The distinctive contribution of socialism lies not in any particular inventions that might emerge but rather in the reorganisation of society in such a way that technological choices are no longer made on the basis of marketability and profit-potential, but rather on the basis of compatibility with the overall requirements of humanity and the natural world. There is nothing ‘inevitable’ about such a socialist transformation; nonetheless, what works in favour of this constructive response is the emerging reco­gnition that doing nothing - letting current trends run their course - spells disaster.
Derivation of the Mass and Spin Spectrum for Mesons and Baryons

The problem of classification and mass spectrum of elementary particles is considered in the framework of the algebraic approach. It is shown that mesons as well as baryons can be described by one and the same algebra, which is essentially a combination of the Majorana representation and the de Sitter model, and that the spectrum can be derived with the use of only one new constant.
Kinetic Monte Carlo modeling of dislocation motion in BCC metals

Abstract We present a kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulation method for modeling screw dislocation motion in BCC metals on the micron–second scales, using inputs from atomistic simulations of core mechanisms on the angstrom–picosecond scale. The simulations use atomistic input such as double-kink nucleation energy and kink mobility, include linear elastic (Peach–Koehler) interactions between dislocation segments, and predict overall dislocation velocity at different temperature and stress states. In addition, an important mechanism, namely, the spontaneous superjog growth and debris loop nucleation, is identified in the kMC simulation as an important factor controlling the dislocation motion in the high stress and medium temperature regime.
Purification of DNA antibodies using cibarcon blue F3GA affinity chromatography

Abstract Isolation of DNA antibodies by conventional affinity chromatography has been difficult, often requiring harsh eluting conditions and giving low yields. The triazene dye cibacron blue F3GA is a nucleotide analogue which, when bound to an agarose,matrix, has been used to isolate numerous DNA-binding proteins. In this study, we have used cibacron blue chromatography to bind and purify another group of DNA-binding proteins, DNA antibodies. Greater than 90% of both ssDNA and dsDNA antibody activity from 4 SLE plasmas bound to the cibacron blue matrix. Between 30 and 65 of this antibody activity could be eluted from the column with 1.0 M NaCl, with a net 50–60-fold antibody purification from plasma. Studies with 2 monoclonal antibodies showed that a DNA antibody directed against the DNA phosphate backbone bound to cibacron blue, but a monoclonal antibody directed primarily against bases did not bind. Inhibition studies showed that DNA antibodies bound to the cibacron blue matrix at the antigen binding site, suggesting that cibacron blue does act as an antigen analogue. Although cibacron blue chromatography yields only partially purified DNA antibodies, this method should be useful in producing enriched DNA antibody preparations from ascites fluid, tissue culture supernatants, or serum.
Cytochrome c, a Biomarker of Apoptosis, is Increased in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Infants with Inflicted Brain Injury from Child Abuse:

Previous studies suggest that delayed neuronal death occurs in patients with inflicted traumatic brain injury (TBI) from child abuse. It is unknown whether the mode of this delayed neuronal death represents apoptosis or necrosis, a distinction that carries therapeutic ramifications. Cytochrome c, an electron transport chain component, can be released from mitochondria under conditions of cellular stress, whereupon it can initiate and serve as a biomarker of apoptosis. To resolve this issue, cytochrome c concentration was determined in 167 ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 67 infants and children with TBI (including 15 patients diagnosed with child abuse) by ELISA. Controls included lumbar CSF from 19 infants and children without trauma or meningitis. A multivariate model adjusted for multiple within-subject observations was used to identify clinical variables associated with CSF cytochrome c. Other apoptosis-related proteins were also examined in a subset of TBI patients. Increased CSF cytochrome c was independently associated with inflicted TBI (P=0.0001) and female gender (P=0.04), but not age, Glasgow coma scale score, or survival. Other apoptosis-related proteins including Fas and caspase-1 were increased in CSF after TBI, but did not independently discriminate between accidental and inflicted TBI. These data suggest that apoptosis, as detected by the presence of cytochrome c in CSF, is uniquely prominent among the subset of TBI patients diagnosed with child abuse. The degree of apoptosis after TBI also appears to be gender-dependent. Development of strategies targeting apoptosis after TBI, particularly in victims of child abuse and in girls, appears justified.
Adult Survivorship, Population Density, and Body Size in Sympatric Populations of Aedes triseriatus and Aedes hendersoni (Diptera: Culicidae)

Ecology of adult Aedes triseriatus (Say) and Aedes hendersoni Cockerell was studied in a beech/maple woods in northern Indiana using mark/recapture methods and isozyme electrophoresis to identify species. Longevity of males and females of both species was the same (range of probability of daily survival, 0.917–0.960). Size had no effect on survival (as determined by mark/recapture of laboratory-reared normally sized and large mosquitoes), but normally sized A. triseriatus females were recaptured at lower rates than large ones. Wild-caught female A. hendersoni were smaller than female A. triseriatus , whereas male A. hendersoni were slightly larger than male A. triseriatus . The two species occurred in the woods in about equal densities; estimates per hectare were 279 male and 294 female A. triseriatus and 251 male and 389 female A. hendersoni . Aging studies showed that the first gonotrophic cycle (from first blood meal to oviposition) lasted 8–14 d for A. triseriatus and ca. 11 d for A. hendersoni . Lower recapture rates for A. hendersoni , compared with A. triseriatus , were probably due to differences in resting and other behaviors.
Characterization of the human aldehyde reductase gene and promoter.

Aldehyde reductase (EC 1.1.1.2; AKR1A1) is involved in the reduction of biogenic and xenobiotic aldehydes and is present in virtually every tissue. To study the regulation of its expression, the human aldehyde reductase gene and promoter were cloned and characterized. The protein coding region consists of eight exons, with two additional upstream exons, separated by a large intron of 9.4 kb, that code for the 5' untranslated region of the mRNA. Two mRNA transcripts that encode the same protein and that originate from alternative splicing were identified. The shorter transcript is the major form as shown by Northern blots and reverse transcription-PCR experiments. Northern blots of multiple tissues indicate that aldehyde reductase mRNA is present in all tissues examined and is most abundant in kidney, liver, and thyroid, which is consistent with the tissue enzyme distribution. The two mRNA transcripts do not exhibit differential tissue distribution. A construct containing a promoter region insert in a pGL3 vector drives transcription of a luciferase reporter gene and is 290-fold more active than a control vector without insert in transfected HepG2 cells. The activity of the full promoter construct is comparable to that of a pGL3 vector containing the SV40 promoter with an enhancer. The promoter does not contain a TATA box, but contains multiple GC-rich islands and exhibits bidirectional activity in transfection studies. The major active promoter element was localized by nested deletions and mutations to a DNA element (TGCAAT, -59 to -54) that presumptively binds the transcription factor CHOP [CAAT enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein]. Comparison of the aldehyde reductase gene structure to all other characterized human genes of the aldo-keto reductase superfamily (aldose reductase, bile acid binder, and type I and type II 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases) indicates that it is more distantly related to these genes than they are among themselves.
When Experiments Serve Little Purpose Misguided Research in Mainstream Psychology

This paper attempts further to explicate and justify the belief, held by a number of critics of mainstream psychology, that much customary empirical research tells one little that could not have been known without it. Apart from questions of tautology or indeterminate relations to observation, many hypotheses are derivable from propositions that are unfalsifiable because they cannot be tested without relying on conceptualizations which imply the propositions themselves. Experiments that serve no purpose beyond the operationalization of such hypotheses are a misguided enterprise.
Women in Science during Antiquity and the Middle Ages

(1990). Women in Science during Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews: Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 294-297.
A socio-technical approach to broadband diffusion by SMEs

Technological deterministic theories such as Diffusion of Innovations (DOIs) theory provide a useful view of the diffusion process of new technologies. However, the view provided is limited, as it mainly looks at the supply side of the diffusion process hence, the need for the ability to examine various sides that influence the diffusion of new technologies. The Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) provides an avenue to examine such views. In this paper, we examine the adoption of broadband by Small/Medium size Enterprises (SMEs) using a proposed framework that applies notions from SCOT. An initial application of the framework shows perception gaps among the social groups involved in the diffusion process of broadband. These gaps might explain the slow take up of broadband by SMEs in the UK.
Sesquiterpene lactones of artemisia species: artefransin from a. franserioides

Abstract Artefransin, a new guaianolide from Artemisia franserioides Greene, has been shown to have the structure I. Artefransin bears a close structural relationship to ligustrin and the cumambrins.