cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 1999: Aberrant expression of HOX transcript in ovarian carcinoma

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Ovarian cancer is a complex disease phenotype that is challenging to diagnose, primarily because patients tend to remain non-symptomatic until after metastasis has initiated. For those individuals identified early in the disease progression the survival rate is promising, but for the majority, diagnosed late, the 5-year survival rate is dismal. Our eventual goal is to identify a panel of circulating markers that distinguish early onset of the disease. In particular, we have examined the homeobox (HOX) transcript family of genes, known to be involved in cancer progression. These genes are intrinsic cellular factors regulating positional development during embryogenesis and bone formation, and are documented upstream regulators of 16 signaling pathways. Methods: The tissue-specific gene expression from 35 human ovarian tissue samples, using Affymetrix GeneFocusTM microarrays was examined. The microarray analysis was performed on tissues from 8 normal ovaries, 12 benign and 15 malignant epithelial tumors. Microarray output was processed with a stringent data cleansing pipeline to ensure the investigated genes can be unambiguously interpreted. Results: ANOVA analysis reveals a significant alteration in the HOX expression profiles between ovarian tumorous and non-tumorous tissues. While several members of the homeobox gene family are reported to be differentially expressed, we observed a significant shift from healthy HOXC6 expression to an aberrant HOXB2 expression. Whereas non-tumorous tissue demonstrated elevated levels of HOXC6 mRNA transcript, the malignant tissues demonstrated elevated levels of HOXB2 transcript. A possible consequence of the aberrant HOX expression levels is to increase the production and hence the paracrine signaling of osteopontin (SPP1), which is reported to be negatively regulated by a SMAD-HOX interaction. Osteopontin has been correlated to cancer progression, metastasis, and patient survival. We observed a significant correlation between elevated SPP1 expression and the observed HOX disregulation. Conclusion: We demonstrated a correlation between malignant associated SPP1 upregulation and aberrant HOX transcript regulation. These alterations in transcript and protein levels are significant to the epithelial microenvironment. These results have been validated by qRT-PCR and IHC and confirmed with additional patient specimens. The correlation between these two events needs to be further investigated as to their significance in the progression of the disease and as potential candidate biomarkers for ovarian cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1999.
Endothelial and perivascular cells maintain haematopoietic stem cells

Several cell types have been proposed to create niches for haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). However, the expression patterns of HSC maintenance factors have not been systematically studied and no such factor has been conditionally deleted from any candidate niche cell. Thus, the cellular sources of these factors are undetermined. Stem cell factor (SCF; also known as KITL) is a key niche component that maintains HSCs. Here, using Scf(gfp) knock-in mice, we found that Scf was primarily expressed by perivascular cells throughout the bone marrow. HSC frequency and function were not affected when Scf was conditionally deleted from haematopoietic cells, osteoblasts, nestin-cre- or nestin-creER-expressing cells. However, HSCs were depleted from bone marrow when Scf was deleted from endothelial cells or leptin receptor (Lepr)-expressing perivascular stromal cells. Most HSCs were lost when Scf was deleted from both endothelial and Lepr-expressing perivascular cells. Thus, HSCs reside in a perivascular niche in which multiple cell types express factors that promote HSC maintenance.
EVIDENCE FOR G-PROTEIN-DEPENDENT AND G-PROTEIN-INDEPENDENT ACTIVATION OF PHOSPHOLIPASE D IN LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract Previously we reported that tumor-promoting phorbol esters stimulate phospholipase D (PLD) independent of protein kinase C (PKC) activation in bovine lymph node lymphocytes. (Cao et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 171, 955–962, 1990; 217, 908–915, 1995). In the present study, we examined the effects of prostagladins (PGs), E 2 , F 2α , D 2 , and H 2 on PLD activity as measured by conversion of [1- 14 C] arachidonic acid-labeled phospholipids into phosphatidylethanol (PEt) in bovine lymph node lymphocytes. Prostaglandins stimulated the formation of PEt at an optimal concentration of 10 μM with relative stimulatory effect on the order of PGE 2 > PGF 2α > PGH 2 > PGD 2 . The PGE 2 -stimulated formation of PEt was dose-dependent in the range of 0.1 to 10 μM and was not inhibited by PKC inhibitors staurosporine and K252a. When both PGE 2 and 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) were included, their effect on the PLD activation was additive. Furthermore, NaF, a G-protein activator, stimulated the PEt formation. Interestingly, the stimulatory effects of PGE 2 and NaF were not additive; however, the formation of PEt by NaF and TPA was additive. These results suggest that similar to TPA, PGs increase PLD activity independent of PKC and the stimulation by PGs and TPA in lymphocytes may involve both G-protein-dependent and G-protein-independent signaling pathways.
A micromechanistic model of the combustion synthesis process: Part II. Numerical simulation

A series of computer experiments was conducted for the self-propagating combustion synthesis process in the Nb-C system, based on the general theoretical model that was developed previously.1 A detailed and quantitative description was given for the various physical and chemical processes that take place during the combustion synthesis process. The results are presented at various length scales in order to provide an insight into understanding the mechanisms that are responsible for the self-propagating behavior. It was shown that a fundamental understanding and precise control of the process require a strong emphasis on the joint contributions of the rates of the various mass and energy redistribution processes that occur during the combustion synthesis process. A proper balance of each of the elementary process rates must be achieved to give rise to self-propagating behavior. This paper illustrates some of the capabilities of the general theoretical model in quantitatively describing the self-propagating combustion synthesis process.
Alkyne substrate interaction within the nitrogenase MoFe protein.

Nitrogenase catalyzes the biological reduction of N2 to ammonia (nitrogen fixation), as well as the two-electron reduction of the non-physiological alkyne substrate acetylene (HC≡CH). A complex metallo-organic species called FeMo-cofactor provides the site of substrate reduction within the MoFe protein, but exactly where and how substrates interact with FeMo-cofactor remains unknown. Recent results have shown that the MoFe protein α-70Val residue, whose side chain approaches one Fe–S face of FeMo-cofactor, plays a significant role in defining substrate access to the active site. For example, substitution of α-70Val by alanine results in an increased capacity for the reduction of the larger alkyne propyne (HC≡C–CH3), whereas, substitution by isoleucine at this position nearly eliminates the capacity for the reduction of acetylene. These and complementary spectroscopic studies led us to propose that binding of short chain alkynes occurs with side-on binding to Fe atom 6 within FeMo-cofactor. In the present work, the α-70Val residue was substituted by glycine and this MoFe protein variant shows an increased capacity for reduction of the terminal alkyne, 1-butyne (HC≡C–CH2–CH3). This protein shows no detectable reduction of the internal alkyne 2-butyne (H3C–C≡C–CH3). In contrast, substitution of the nearby α-191Gln residue by alanine, in combination with the α-70Ala substitution, does result in significant reduction of 2-butyne, with the exclusive product being 2-cis-butene. These results indicate that the reduction of alkynes by nitrogenases involves side-on binding of the alkyne to Fe6 within FeMo-cofactor, and that a terminal acidic proton is not required for reduction. The successful design of amino acid substitutions that permit the targeted accommodation of an alkyne that otherwise is not a nitrogenase substrate provides evidence to support the current model for alkyne interaction within the nitrogenase MoFe protein.
Influence of the Chitosan Surface Profile on the Nucleation and Growth of Calcium Carbonate Films

Calcium carbonate crystal growth on a chitosan substrate was achieved using a supersaturated calcium carbonate solution. Heterogeneous nucleation of the calcium carbonate crystals was significantly...
Tc and Re behavior in borosilicate waste glass vapor hydration tests II

Abstract Technetium ( 99 Tc) is a significant environmental risk factor to consider for nuclear waste disposal repositories. Rhenium (Re), in the same column of the periodic table as Tc, is often used as a non-radioactive surrogate for Tc. Six waste glasses containing both Tc and Re were synthesized under a variety of redox conditions to produce different distributions of Tc and Re oxidation states. These glasses were exposed to vapor hydration tests (VHT) at 200 °C for 23 to 30 days; and the Tc and Re oxidation state, coordination environment, and spatial distribution within the altered coupons were determined. Compared with the original glasses, the corresponding VHT samples showed substantial reduction of Tc species, except where the original glass contained only reduced Tc (Tc 4+ ). Similar to earlier findings, Tc is more sensitive to redox conditions than Re with respect to both glass synthesis conditions and VHT alteration processes. Glasses that originally contained more oxidized Tc (near 100% Tc 7+ ) showed the most Tc enrichment in the altered VHT sample layers, where Tc was largely reduced to Tc 4+ . Re is generally more oxidized than Tc in the samples measured and has similar spatial distributions as Tc in some VHT samples, while having very different spatial distributions compared with Tc in others. Glasses that originally had a distribution of Tc oxidation states (approximately 1:1 Tc 4+ to Tc 7+ ), had Tc concentrations in the VHT altered layers that were approximately equal to or less than those found in the unaltered glass. However, in the same samples, Re concentrations were highest in the altered layers. Overall, with regard to spatial distributions within the altered VHT layers, the behavior of Re was not a good predictor of Tc behavior. Therefore, at least under VHT conditions, using Re as a non-radioactive surrogate for Tc in borosilicate waste glasses can provide misleading results.
Does religious activity improve health outcomes? A critical review of the recent literature.

Objective Many Americans use religious activity to cope with stressful life events. Our goal was to review systematically the recent medical literature to assess the role of religion in health outcomes. Data Sources We conducted a comprehensive literature search using MEDLINE to identify studies published in the English language between January 1999 and June 2003 describing the effect of religion on health outcomes. The search strategy used the medical subject headings (MeSH) of religion; religion AND medicine; religion OR intercessory prayer; prayer; prayer therapy; religious rites; faith; medicine, traditional; religiosity; religion AND psychology; and religion AND health. Study Selection Religious, but not spiritual, interventions were selected for inclusion. Thus, papers describing interventions such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and qigong were excluded. Manuscripts describing randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, and partnerships with faith-based organizations were included. Data Extraction We found five randomized controlled trials, four clinical trials, and seven faith-based partnerships that describe the impact of religious intervention on health outcomes. Papers were analyzed by four reviewers using a modified Delphi technique to reach consensus. Data Synthesis Religious intervention such as intercessory prayer may improve success rates of in vitro fertilization, decrease length of hospital stay and duration of fever in septic patients, increase immune function, improve rheumatoid arthritis, and reduce anxiety. Frequent attendance at religious services likely improves health behaviors. Moreover, prayer may decrease adverse outcomes in patients with cardiac disease. Conclusions Religious activity may improve health outcomes.
Complexity of differential and integral equations

Abstract We are interested in the intrinsic difficulty (or complexity) of computing an approximate solution of the linear operator equation Lu = f. Practical examples of such problems include the cases where L is a known partial differential or integral operator. Problems of the form Lu = f are typically solved under the constraint that only partial information about f is available, such as the values of a finite number of inner products, or the values of f at a finite number of points. It is of interest to determine when algorithms which are in wide use are optimal algorithms, i.e., algorithms which produce an approximation with minimal cost. We are especially interested in determining conditions which are necessary and sufficient for the finite element method (FEM) to be optimal. For the cases of elliptic partial differential equations and of Fredholm integral equations of the second kind, we describe such a condition, in the form of an inequality involving the order of the problem and the degree of the finite element subspace. Suppose this inequality is violated; is the nonoptimality of the FEM inherent in the information used by the FEM, or is it because the FEM uses this information in a nonoptimal manner? The latter is the case; there always exists an algorithm using this information which is optimal. We also discuss the situation in which the information used by the finite element method (which consists of inner products) is not available. Suppose that the only admissible information about f consists of evaluations of f. In the case of the Fredholm problem of the second kind, this information is optimal; moreover, a finite element method in which the inner products are approximated by quadrature rules is an optimal algorithm. However there exist elliptic problems of positive order for which this new information is nonoptimal.
Power Efficient Approaches to Redundant Multithreading

Noise and radiation-induced soft errors (transient faults) in computer systems have increased significantly over the last few years and are expected to increase even more as we move toward smaller transistor sizes and lower supply voltages. Fault detection and recovery can be achieved through redundancy. The emergence of chip multiprocessors (CMPs) makes it possible to execute redundant threads on a chip and provide relatively low-cost reliability. State-of-the-art implementations execute two copies of the same program as two threads (redundant multithreading), either on the same or on separate processor cores in a CMP, and periodically check results. Although this solution has favorable performance and reliability properties, every redundant instruction flows through a high-frequency complex out-of-order pipeline, thereby incurring a high power consumption penalty. This paper proposes mechanisms that attempt to provide reliability at a modest power and complexity cost. When executing a redundant thread, the trailing thread benefits from the information produced by the leading thread. We take advantage of this property and comprehensively study different strategies to reduce the power overhead of the trailing core in a CMP. These strategies include dynamic frequency scaling, in-order execution, and parallelization of the trailing thread.
P21-Activated kinase1 (Pak1) is a negative regulator of NADPH-oxidase 2 in ventricular myocytes

Ischemic conditions reduce the activity of the p21-activated kinase (Pak1) resulting in increased arrhythmic activity. Triggered arrhythmic activity during ischemia is based on changes in cellular ionic balance and the cells Ca(2+) handling properties. In the current study we used isolated mouse ventricular myocytes (VMs) deficient for the expression of Pak1 (Pak1(-/-)) to determine the mechanism by which Pak1 influences the generation of arrhythmic activity during simulated ischemia. The Ca(2+) transient amplitude and kinetics did not significantly change in wild type (WT) and Pak1(-/-) VMs during 15 min of simulated ischemia. However, Pak1(-/-) VMs exhibited an exaggerated increase in [Ca(2+)]i, which resulted in spontaneous Ca(2+) release events and waves. The Ca(2+) overload in Pak1(-/-) VMs could be suppressed with a reverse mode blocker (KB-R7943) of the sodium calcium exchanger (NCX), a cytoplasmic scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS; TEMPOL) or a RAC1 inhibitor (NSC23766). Measurements of the cytoplasmic ROS levels revealed that decreased Pak1 activity in Pak1(-/-) VMs or VMs treated with the Pak1 inhibitor (IPA3) enhanced cellular ROS production. The Pak1 dependent increase in ROS was attenuated in VMs deficient for NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2; p47(phox-/-)) or in VMs where NOX2 was inhibited (gp91ds-tat). Voltage clamp recordings showed increased NCX activity in Pak1(-/-) VMs that depended on enhanced NOX2 induced ROS production. The exaggerated Ca(2+) overload in Pak1(-/-) VMs could be mimicked by low concentrations of ouabain. Overall our data show that Pak1 is a critical negative regulator of NOX2 dependent ROS production and that a latent ROS dependent stimulation of NCX activity can predispose VMs to Ca(2+) overload under conditions where no significant changes in excitation-contraction coupling are yet evident.
Neural networks letter: Energy minimization in the nonlinear dynamic recurrent associative memory

Chartier and his colleagues have recently proposed a nonlinear synchronous attractor neural network. In the Nonlinear Dynamic Recurrent Associative Memory (NDRAM), learning has been shown to converge to a set of real-valued attractors in single-layered neural networks and bidirectional associative memories. However, the transmission is highly nonlinear and its global stability has never been analytically proven. In this article, it is shown that NDRAM is an instance of the Cohen-Grossberg class of models and its energy function is defined. Analysis of the energy function shows that the transmission is stable in the entire domain of NDRAM. Numerical simulations further support this analysis.
Long-lived structures in fragile glass-forming liquids.

We present molecular dynamics results for the existence of long-lived clusters near the glass transition in a two component, two-dimensional Lennard-Jones supercooled liquid. Several properties of this system are similar to a mean-field glass-forming liquid near the spinodal. This similarity suggests that the glass ``transition'' in the supercooled liquid is associated with an incipient thermodynamic instability. Our results also suggest that single particle properties are not relevant for characterizing the instability, but are relevant to the kinetic transition that occurs at a lower temperature than the glass transition.
Attachment to stainless steel by Mir Space Station bacteria growing under modeled reduced gravity at varying nutrient concentrations

Four bacterial isolates (Chryseobacterium sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens and two Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates) originally isolated from the water system aboard the Mir Space Station were grown in two concentrations of nutrient broth under modeled reduced gravity using clinorotation. Sampling was performed over a 7 day period and planktonic cells were enumerated using 4 � ,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), while those attached to stainless steel were enumerated using the LIVE/DEAD R � BacLight TM kit and DAPI. On some of the sampling days for all the isolates, planktonic cell counts were higher under modeled reduced gravity as compared with the normal gravity controls. In contrast, the number of cells of P. fluorescens and one S. maltophilia isolate attached to the stainless steel disks was higher under modeled reduced gravity as compared with normal gravity, whereas no such differences were observed for Chryseobacterium sp. and the other S. maltophilia isolate. Differences in motility among isolates appeared to influence the growth of planktonic cells under modeled reduced gravity but did not appear to be related to biofilm formation.
Geochemical and isotopic evidence of a groundwater source in the Corral Canyon meadow complex, central Nevada, USA

Major inorganic ions and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in stream water, groundwater, groundwater seeps and springs were measured in the Corral Canyon meadow complex and watershed in the Toquima Mountains of central Nevada, USA. The purpose of the study was to determine whether stream water or groundwater was the source of water that supports vegetation in the meadow complex. Water samples from the watershed and meadow complex were mixed cation–HCO3 type. Stream water sampled at different locations in the meadow complex showed variations in temperature, pH and specific conductance. The cation–anion proportions for stream water were similar to groundwater, groundwater seeps and runoff from the meadow complex. Stable oxygen isotope ratios for stream water (−17·1 to −17·6‰ versus VSMOW) and groundwater and groundwater seeps in the meadow site (−17·0 to −17·7‰ versus VSMOW) were similar, and consistent with a local meteoric origin. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and the δ 13CDIC for stream water (−12·1 to −15·0‰ versus VPDB) were different from that of groundwater from the meadow complex (−15·3 to −19·9‰ versus VPDB), suggesting different carbon evolution pathways. However, a simple model based on cation–δ 13CDIC suggests that stream water was being recharged by shallow groundwater, groundwater seeps and runoff from the meadow complex. This leads to the conclusion that the source of water that supports vegetation in the meadow complex was primarily groundwater. The results of this study suggest that multiple chemical and stable carbon isotope tracers are useful in determining the source of water that supports vegetation in meadow complexes in small alpine watersheds. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Apical membrane K conductance in the toad urinary bladder.

The conductance of the apical membrane of the toad urinary bladder was studied under voltage-clamp conditions at hyperpolarizing potentials (mucosa negative to serosa). The serosal medium contained high KCl concentrations to reduce the voltage and electrical resistance across the basal-lateral membrane, and the mucosal solution was Na free, or contained amiloride, to eliminate the conductance of the apical Na channels. As the mucosal potential (Vm) was made more negative the slope conductance of the epithelium increased, reaching a maximum at conductance of the epithelium increased, reaching a maximum atVm=−100 mV. This rectifying conductance activated with a time constant of 2 msec whenVm was changed abruptly from 0 to −100 mV, and remained elevated for at least 10 min, although some decrease of current was observed. ReturningVm to+100 mV deactivated the conductance within 1 msec. Ion substitution experiments showed that the rectified current was carried mostly by cations moving from cell to mucosa. Measurement of K flux showed that the current could be accounted for by net movement of K across the apical membrane, implying a voltage-dependent conductance to K (GK). Mucosal addition of the K channel blockers TEA and Cs had no effect onGK, while 29mm Ba diminished it slightly. Mucosal Mg (29mm) also reducedGK, while Ca (29mm) stimulated it.GK was blocked by lowering the mucosal pH with an apparent pK1 of 4.5. Quinidine (0.5mm in the serosal bath) reducedGK by 80%.GK was stimulated by ADH (20 mU/ml), 8-Br-cAMP (1mm), carbachol (100 μm), aldosterone (5×10−7m for 18 hr), intracellular Li and extracellular CO2.
Trachoma Viruses Isolated in United States.∗ 1. Growth in Embryonated Eggs

SummaryFrom 6 active trachoma cases in the United States strains of“trachoma virus”have been isolated. Conjunctival scrapings suspended in broth-saline containing 1-10 μg/ml streptomycin were inoculated into yolk sac of embryonated eggs. From 1 to 6 blind passages were required for establishment of strains which subsequently reached titers of 106.3-107.4 egg LD50/ml. The essential nature of ill-defined egg“quality”for isolation of“trachoma viruses”is discussed. The isolated agents produced unequivocal eye infections in M. Cynomolgus and in a human volunteer.
Switching before the pitch: Exploring television channel changing before the ads even start

Although much research examines ‘ad zapping’ or channel changing during the commercials, the present work explores preemptive ad avoidance before the commercials begin. Television programs give different ad signals, which could alter rates of preemptive ad avoidance. Ad pods from two hit shows were explored using second-by-second channel-changing data; rates of preemptive ad avoidance were practically important and varied between shows. Inspection of program episodes suggested that the show with more preemptive ad zapping gave clearer ad signals and had more ‘ad safe’ time per episode, that is, there was more time when an ad break would not occur clearly. The data suggest that advertisers should seek unit-specific measures of opportunities to see commercials as such measures become possible with digital distribution of television.
A combined contact elasticity and finite element-based model for contact load and pressure distribution calculation in a frictional workpiece-fixture system

Contact forces between workpiece and fixture define fixture stability during clamping and influence workpiece accuracy during machining. In particular, forces acting in the contact region are important for understanding deformation of the workpiece at the contact region. This paper presents a model that combines contact elasticity with finite element methods to predict the contact load and pressure distribution at the contact region in a workpiece-fixture system. The objective is to determine how much clamp forces can be applied to generate adequate contact forces to keep the workpiece in position during machining. The model is able to predict the normal and tangential contact forces as well as the pressure distribution at each workpiece-fixture contact in the fixturing system. Model prediction is shown to be in good agreement with known industry practice on clamp force determination. The presented method has no limits on the types of materials that can be analyzed.
Chronic nicotine and dizocilpine effects on nicotinic and NMDA glutamatergic receptor regulation: Interactions with clozapine actions and attentional performance in rats

Blockade of NMDA glutamate receptors with dizocilpine (MK-801) has been shown to cause substantial cognitive deficits and has been used to model symptoms of schizophrenia. Nicotine or nicotinic agonists, in contrast, may enhance cognitive or attentional functions and be of therapeutic potential in schizophrenia. Nicotinic-glutamatergic interactions, therefore, may have important implications in cognitive functions and antipsychotic treatments. Clozapine, a widely used antipsychotic drug, has been shown in some studies to be effective in ameliorating the cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia. However, there is some evidence to suggest that clozapine similar to haloperidol may impair sustained attention in rats. In this study, we sought to determine whether chronic nicotine or dizocilpine may modify the effects of acute clozapine on attentional parameters and whether the behavioral effects would correlate with nicotinic or NMDA receptor densities in discrete brain regions. Adult female rats trained on an operant visual signal detection task were given 4 weeks of nicotine (5 mg/kg/day), dizocilpine (0.15 mg/kg/day), the same doses of both nicotine and dizocilpine as a mixture, or saline by osmotic minipump. While on chronic treatment, rats received acute injections of various doses of clozapine (0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5 mg/kg, sc) 10 min prior to tests on attentional tasks. The pumps were removed on day 28 and 24 h later the animals were sacrificed for measurements of receptor densities in specific brain regions. The percent correct hit as a measure of sustained attention was significantly impaired by clozapine in a dose-related manner. Neither chronic nicotine nor dizocilpine affected this measure on their own or modified the effects of clozapine. Both nicotine and dizocilpine affected the receptor bindings in a region specific manner and their combination further modified the effects of each other in selective regions. Attentional performance was inversely correlated with alpha-bungarotoxin binding in the frontal cortex only. In conclusion, the data suggest attentional impairments with clozapine alone and no modification of this effect with nicotine or dizocilpine. Moreover, cortical low affinity nicotinic receptors may have a role in attentional functions.
Acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in aging rats.

ABSTRACTSeverity of liver damage 24 hr after i.p. administration of acetaminophen in doses of 0.4 and 0.8 g/kg was evaluated in male Fischer 344 rats at 4, 14 and 25 months of age. Both doses of acetaminophen produced significant elevations of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) activities in 4–month-old rats. Enzyme release was somewhat diminished in old age. Hepatic glutathione (GSH) and microsomal cytochrome P-450 concentrations were decreased in rats that received 0.8 g/kg of acetaminophen. The decreases occurred in young-adult and middle-aged rats, but not in old rats. The results demonstrated that old age does not enhance the hepatotoxic effects of acetaminophen in male Fischer 344 rats.
MRI-guided cryotherapy.

Over the last decade the focus of published research on MRI-guided cryotherapy has switched from the study of experimental models to the clinical treatment of patients. The latter reports attest to the safety and feasibility of treating lesions in the liver, kidney, and other sites throughout the body. Further, the published images and initial results speak to the utility of MRI for the task of monitoring this specific procedure. This clinical utility is a realization of the promise of the earlier experimental work that showed the clarity with which interstitial ice is seen under MRI under various pulse sequence parameters. Early adopters have taken advantage of access to the patient that is provided by low and mid-field open scanners; the near future will test the suitability of higher field systems. It has been critical that an FDA-approved cryotherapy system and suitably thin probes were customized for the MRI environment a decade ago by which percutaneous cryotherapy could be performed. There is still work to be done to expand the role of percutaneous cryotherapy, to understand various tissue responses, and to optimize visualization of therapeutic isotherms. Also, long-term outcomes need to be assessed. Overall, in a worldwide environment in which the practice of ablation is growing and an appreciation for such therapies is on the rise, the work of these recent years provides sound footing for the advances that lay ahead for clinical MRI-guided cryotherapy. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;27:410–420. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Removal of partial volume averaging with free water in MR diffusion tensor imaging using inversion recovery for b0 image.

Abstract Purpose To remove the partial volume averaging effect of free water in MR diffusion imaging of neural tissues by use of the fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) without the penalty of an extended scan time. Materials and methods The magnetic resonance images were obtained from a normal volunteer in a coronal slice orientation at 3 T with the 20-channel rf coil. In diffusion imaging only the b0 images were obtained with the FLAIR contrast while the diffusion weighted images were obtained without the FLAIR contrast. A composition of FLAIR b0 and non-FLAIR diffusion weighted images was used in calculating the diffusion tensor and fractional anisotropy after compensating the reduced signal amplitude due to the inversion recovery in the FLAIR b0 images. The fractional anisotropy of the non-FLAIR, FLAIR, and the composite methods were analyzed for the mean and histogram in the corpus callosum, cervical spine, and the fornix tracts. Results The partial volume averaging effect was observed in the corpus callosum, the cervical spine, and the fornix tracts in the non-FLAIR b0 and diffusion images. The partial volume averaging effect was removed in the FLAIR diffusion images which took more than twice the scan time than the non-FLAIR diffusion imaging. The proposed composite FLAIR diffusion imaging removed the partial volume averaging effect as in the FLAIR diffusion imaging. The distribution of the FA histogram was very different between the non-FLAIR and FLAIR diffusion images, while it was very similar between the FLAIR and the composite FLAIR after correcting the white matter signal in the FLAIR b0 images. Conclusions The proposed composite FLAIR diffusion imaging method was equally effective in removing the partial volume averaging effect as the FLAIR diffusion imaging at a limited increase of the scan time since only a small number of b0 images needed to be obtained with the FLAIR contrast.
Does duloxetine safely and effectively reduce the severity of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain

Does duloxetine safely and effectively reduce the severity of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain?
Family Structural Openness and Communication Openness as Predictors in the Adjustmentof Adopted Children

The current study examined the relative contribution of family structural openness versus communication openness in the adjustment of adopted children. Seventy-three adopted children, placed predom...
Design of a linear quadratic Gaussian controller for an adaptive optics system

The authors consider the control of a phase-correcting ground-based adaptive optical telescope. They present the design of a linear quadratic Gaussian controller for generating actuator voltages to a deformable mirror, given a set of slope measurements from a wavefront sensor. A truth model is developed based on theoretical developments and actual test data. The resulting state-space model has as its states the Zernike coefficients associated with the atmospheric turbulence and the deformable mirror. The reflected image can be described by combining the Zernike coefficients. As a result of the approach taken, modal control is accomplished as opposed to zonal control since the coupling of actuator influence functions is taken into account in developing the design models. The results of covariance and Monte Carlo analysis demonstrate the limits on performance imposed by the Kalman filter. Computer simulations predict that the controller presented can reduce phase distortion to an r.m.s. value of approximately 0.1 wavelengths. >
Effects of corn grain conservation method on ruminal digestion kinetics for lactating dairy cows at two dietary starch concentrations

Abstract Effects of conservation method of corn grain and dietary starch concentration on ruminal digestion kinetics were evaluated. Eight ruminally and duodenally cannulated Holstein cows (55±15.9 days in milk; mean±SD) were used in a duplicated 4×4 Latin square design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Experimental diets contained either ground high moisture corn (HM) or dry ground corn (DG) at two dietary starch concentrations (32 vs. 21%). Mean particle size and dry-matter concentration of corn grain were 1863 μ m and 63.2%, and 885 μ m and 89.7%, for HM and DG, respectively. Starch digestibility in the rumen was greater for HM treatments compared with DG treatments, but starch digestibility in the total tract was not affected by conservation method of corn grain because of compensatory digestion in the intestines. The difference in ruminal starch digestibility between HM and DG treatment was greater for high-starch diets (71.1 vs. 46.9%) compared with low-starch diets (58.5 vs. 45.9%). This interaction is attributed to a greater difference in first-order digestion rate of starch between HM and DG treatment in high-starch diets (28.2 vs. 14.6%/h) compared with low-starch diets (16.8 vs. 12.2%/h). This suggests that ruminal starch digestion is a second-order reaction limited by enzyme activities as well as substrate availability; ruminal contents of cows fed low-starch diets may have insufficient amylolytic activity for maximal starch digestion when readily fermentable starch is available. Rate of neutral detergent fiber digestion in the rumen was slower for high-starch diets and HM treatments compared with low-starch diets and DG treatments, respectively. Effects of corn grain conservation method on ruminal digestion kinetics are greatly altered by starch concentration of diets.
Lamination core losses in motors with nonsinusoidal excitation with particular reference to PWM and SRM excitation waveforms

The effects of varying the modulation index and the switching frequency on steel lamination core losses when excited with pulse width modulated waveforms are first investigated. A switched reluctance motor flux model is also developed and flux waveforms for different parts of the machine are synthesized. Using these flux waveforms, the paper presents the loss trend inside a switched reluctance machine, showing the core loss variation of the machine. The rotor was found to incur higher losses than any other part inside the switched reluctance motor. The paper further identifies the flux density harmonics that contribute to higher core losses in the rotor. Using the Fourier series, an attempt to predict core losses under switched reluctance motor flux density waveforms is done and the predicted results are compared with measurements. An Epstein frame was used for direct core loss measurements on 0.0140 in. [0.36 mm] commercial electrical steel; the methods and test bench used, along with test results are detailed in the paper.
Characteristics of the shorted annular-ring patch antenna

A recent paper by Jackson et al (see IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol.41, no.8, p.1026-1037, 1993) discussed the design of a class of microstrip patch antennas that excite very little surface wave power. Their design is based on the principle that a ring of magnetic current of a particular critical radius should not excite the dominant TM/sub 0/ surface wave in the substrate. This property would allow for the design of more efficient individual patch radiators as well as provide for reduced mutual coupling in an array environment. Unfortunately, this critical radius is larger than that required for the usual dominant mode resonance for a conventional circular patch. Thus, new designs must be developed that both are resonant and satisfy the critical radius criteria. One such design, the shorted annular-ring microstrip patch, is the subject of this investigation. >
Should urodynamics be the basis for classification of lower urinary tract symptoms in children

IN this issue of The Journal 2 articles provide a cogent argument for classifying lower urinary tract function in children with bladder and bowel dysfunction. Fast et al (page 1028) retrospectively evaluated children referred with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and placed them into specific dysfunction categories they developed. 1‐3 They simultaneously examined bowel elimination status using several criteria (Rome III classification; stool burden on plain x-ray of the kidneys, ureters and bladder; voiding diaries that included bowel emptying and rectal ultrasonography) to diagnose fecal incontinence and/or retention, as well as the association with a specific classification of LUTS. Combs et al (page 1015) categorized a group of children referred with reflux and apparent LUTS in their classification schema, 4 and then used targeted treatment to see if the resolution rates of reflux were positively affected compared to historical controls of antibiotic therapy alone. 5 These groups attempted to make a logical argument for the careful analysis of children with bladder and bowel dysfunction to gain an understanding of what may be wrong with their lower urinary and gastrointestinal systems, and how best to manage them and any associated conditions (ie vesicoureteral reflux). Therefore, the authors created a urological classification system based mostly on noninvasive urodynamics and selected cystometrography (when used simultaneously with video cystography). They suggested that children with abnormal bladder and bowel elimination habits as well as those with reflux seem to display a spectrum of conditions that require identification so specific management options can be used to improve the clinical outcome. It has been demonstrated that symptoms alone may not be sufficiently accurate to classify cases in specific categories and that urodynamic testing alone is also imperfect in comparing findings to symptoms. 6 In its standardization document on daytime incontinence the International Children’s Continence Society has shown the value of flow rates with and without electromyography with patch electrodes to differentiate the etiology of an intermittent emptying pattern. 7 In cases of ambiguity, urodynamic testing provides a means of separating organic from functional causes for lower urinary tract dysfunction. Thus, a combination of careful history taking and patient oriented diary entries along with the judicious use of investigational studies should provide a reasonable picture of the pathology. As clinicians, with these tools we may then be able to come up with a system that allows for a better understanding of underlying conditions such as reflux
Embryonic poly(A)-binding protein (EPAB) is required for oocyte maturation and female fertility in mice

Gene expression during oocyte maturation and early embryogenesis up to zygotic genome activation requires translational activation of maternally-derived mRNAs. EPAB [embryonic poly(A)-binding protein] is the predominant poly(A)-binding protein during this period in Xenopus, mouse and human. In Xenopus oocytes, ePAB stabilizes maternal mRNAs and promotes their translation. To assess the role of EPAB in mammalian reproduction, we generated Epab-knockout mice. Although Epab(-/-) males and Epab(+/-) of both sexes were fertile, Epab(-/-) female mice were infertile, and could not generate embryos or mature oocytes in vivo or in vitro. Epab(-/-) oocytes failed to achieve translational activation of maternally-stored mRNAs upon stimulation of oocyte maturation, including Ccnb1 (cyclin B1) and Dazl (deleted in azoospermia-like) mRNAs. Microinjection of Epab mRNA into Epab(-/-) germinal vesicle stage oocytes did not rescue maturation, suggesting that EPAB is also required for earlier stages of oogenesis. In addition, late antral follicles in the ovaries of Epab(-/-) mice exhibited impaired cumulus expansion, and a 8-fold decrease in ovulation, associated with a significant down-regulation of mRNAs encoding the EGF (epidermal growth factor)-like growth factors Areg (amphiregulin), Ereg (epiregulin) and Btc (betacellulin), and their downstream regulators, Ptgs2 (prostaglandin synthase 2), Has2 (hyaluronan synthase 2) and Tnfaip6 (tumour necrosis factor α-induced protein 6). The findings from the present study indicate that EPAB is necessary for oogenesis, folliculogenesis and female fertility in mice.
An evaluation of prior influence on the predictive ability of Bayesian model averaging

Model averaging is gaining popularity among ecologists for making inference and predictions. Methods for combining models include Bayesian model averaging (BMA) and Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) model averaging. BMA can be implemented with different prior model weights, including the Kullback–Leibler prior associated with AIC model averaging, but it is unclear how the prior model weight affects model results in a predictive context. Here, we implemented BMA using the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) approximation to Bayes factors for building predictive models of bird abundance and occurrence in the Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico. We examined how model predictive ability differed across four prior model weights, and how averaged coefficient estimates, standard errors and coefficients’ posterior probabilities varied for 16 bird species. We also compared the predictive ability of BMA models to a best single-model approach. Overall, Occam’s prior of parsimony provided the best predictive models. In general, the Kullback–Leibler prior, however, favored complex models of lower predictive ability. BMA performed better than a best single-model approach independently of the prior model weight for 6 out of 16 species. For 6 other species, the choice of the prior model weight affected whether BMA was better than the best single-model approach. Our results demonstrate that parsimonious priors may be favorable over priors that favor complexity for making predictions. The approach we present has direct applications in ecology for better predicting patterns of species’ abundance and occurrence.
Head movements of the vestibular origin and the regulatory functions of the central nervous system.

Changes in head movements and the behaviours of various neck muscles which were caused by unilateral vestibular stimuli were studied electro-nystagmoraphycally in rabbits. the results obtained are as follows: I) When the head is deviated on the side of a non-stimulated ear, there immediately develops an increase in the tone of the perivertebral neck muscles of the same side. in head nystagmus the bilateral superficial anterior neck muscles which operated alternately head movements are inhibited on each side play the most important role. 2) the vestibular head movements are inhibited in consequence of a marked increase of tonus in the superficial nape muscles of the stimulated side under the control of the cerebellum.
A unique insertion in STARD9's motor domain regulates its stability

STARD9 is a largely uncharacterized mitotic kinesin and putative cancer target that is critical for regulating pericentriolar material cohesion during bipolar spindle assembly. To begin to understand the mechanisms regulating STARD9 function and their importance to cell division, we took a multidisciplinary approach to define the cis and trans factors that regulate the stability of the STARD9 motor domain. We show that, unlike the other ∼50 mammalian kinesins, STARD9 contains an insertion in loop 12 of its motor domain (MD). Working with the STARD9-MD, we show that it is phosphorylated in mitosis by mitotic kinases that include Plk1. These phosphorylation events are important for targeting a pool of STARD9-MD for ubiquitination by the SCFβ-TrCP ubiquitin ligase and proteasome-dependent degradation. Of interest, overexpression of nonphosphorylatable/nondegradable STARD9-MD mutants leads to spindle assembly defects. Our results with STARD9-MD imply that in vivo the protein levels of full-length STARD9 could be regulated by Plk1 and SCFβ-TrCP to promote proper mitotic spindle assembly.
Control Design With Iterative Learning

Consider the general problem of finding the inverse of dynamical systems. Given a dynamical system, it defines a causal relation between the inputs and the outputs. Both the inputs and the outputs are gnerally functions of time. The problem of dynamic inverse is to find an input for each given output such that the input produces an output that is in agreement with the given output in some sense. This problem of dynamic inverse may be formalized in the context of differential equations as the following. Given a system in the class of systems i=f(x,u) y = h(x) , x0 is given (1) where the state x is an n-vector, and the input u and output y are scalars. We want to find an input u(t) for each desired output r(t) such that the solution y(t) of Equation (1) with this input approximates r9t) in some sense.