cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Race and Sex Differences in Primary Appraisals, Catastrophizing, and Experimental Pain Outcomes

The aims of this study were: 1) to examine race and sex differences in primary pain appraisals and catastrophizing; 2) to test the unique ability of race, sex, primary pain appraisals, and catastrophizing to predict experimental pain outcomes; and 3) to conduct mediational analyses testing pain appraisals and catastrophizing as explanatory mechanisms for race and sex differences in pain. One hundred and fifty-five college students at The University of Alabama completed a cold pressor experimental pain task and a questionnaire battery. Statistical methods included multivariable regression models and nonparametric bootstrapping methods for tests of mediation. African-Americans reported higher catastrophizing and had lower pain tolerance than white Americans. Males demonstrated higher challenge appraisals, lower pain intensity, and longer pain tolerance. Challenge appraisals were positively related to pain tolerance, threat/harm appraisals were inversely related to pain tolerance, and pain catastrophizing was positively related to both pain intensity and pain unpleasantness. Pain catastrophizing partially mediated race differences in pain tolerance and mediated sex differences in intensity, whereas primary pain appraisals did not significantly mediate race or sex differences in pain variables. Primary appraisals and catastrophizing appear to be separable constructs related to different aspects of the pain experience.
Chemical removal of oxygen with sulfite for the polarographic or voltammetric determination of iodate or iodide in seawater

Abstract In the direct determination of iodate and iodide in seawater by differential pulse polarography and cathodic stripping square wave voltammetry, respectively, sulfite can be used to facilitate the removal of oxygen in the samples before they are analyzed. The reaction between sulfite and dissolved oxygen is almost instantaneous. In comparison with the removal of oxygen by bubbling the sample with an inert gas alone, the time needed for the analysis of a sample for iodate and iodide may be reduced to about 15 min and 5 min, respectively.
Chemical reactions of fission products with ethylene using the gas jet technique

Abstract An understanding of the nature of the chemical reactions taking place between fission products and their carrier gases, and the designing of a fast separation procedure were the purposes of this investigation. Chemical reactions of short-lived (less than one minute half-life) fission products with carrier gases lead to various chemical species which can be separated in the gas phase. The Gas Jet Facility at the Ford Nuclear Reactor was used to study the yields of volatile selenium and bromine fission products of 235 U using a semi-automatic batch solvent extraction technique. Heptane and water were used as organic and inorganic solvents. A carrier gas mixture of ethylene to pre-purified nitrogen (1:3) was used to sweep the fission products from the target to the chemistry area for analysis. The results indicated that the volatile selenium products generated by the interaction of selenium fission fragments with ethylene were predominantly organic in nature (84%), possibly organoselenides. The selenium values were used to resolve the fractions of the bromine nuclides, which come from two major sources, viz., directly from fission and from the beta-decay of selenium. The data showed that the fractions of independent bromine fission products in the organic phase were much lower compared to selenium; the bromine values range from 10 to 22% and varied with mass number. Results indicated that the bromine products were inorganic in nature, as possibly hydrogen chloride.
Spread of scrapie from inoculated to uninoculated mice.

SummaryScrapie occured in 7 of 200 uninoculated control mice housed in the same room with, but caged separately from, successive groups of scrapie inoculated mice. Clinical evidence of the disease appeared in controls as early as 16 months and as late as 22 months after initial exposure to scrapie inoculated mice.
Isobutanol production from cellobionic acid in Escherichia coli.

Liquid fuels needed for the global transportation industry can be produced from sugars derived from plant-based lignocellulosics. Lignocellulosics contain a range of sugars, only some of which (such as cellulose) have been shown to be utilizable by microorganisms capable of producing biofuels. Cellobionic acid makes up a small but significant portion of lignocellulosic degradation products, and had not previously been investigated as an utilizable substrate. However, aldonic acids such as cellobionic acid are the primary products of a promising new group of lignocellulosic-degrading enzymes, which makes this compound group worthy of study. Cellobionic acid doesn’t inhibit cellulose degradation enzymes and so its inclusion would increase lignocellulosic degradation efficiency. Also, its use would increase overall product yield from lignocellulose substrate. For these reasons, cellobionic acid has gained increased attention for cellulosic biofuel production. This study describes the discovery that Escherichia coli are naturally able to utilize cellobionic acid as a sole carbon source with efficiency comparable to that of glucose and the construction of an E. coli strain able to produce the drop-in biofuel candidate isobutanol from cellobionic acid. The gene primarily responsible for growth of E. coli on cellobionic acid is ascB, a gene previously thought to be cryptic (expressed only after incurring specific mutations in nearby regulatory genes). In addition to AscB, the ascB knockout strain can be complemented by the cellobionic acid phosphorylase from the fungus Neurospora crassa. An E. coli strain engineered to express the isobutanol production pathway was successfully able to convert cellobionic acid into isobutanol. Furthermore, to demonstrate potential application of this strain in a sequential two-step bioprocessing system, E. coli was grown on hydrolysate (that was degraded by a fungus) and was successfully able to produce isobutanol. These results demonstrate that cellobionic acid is a viable carbon source for biofuel production. This work suggests that with further optimization, a bacteria-fungus co-culture could be used in decreased-cost biomass-based biofuel production systems.
Side reactions to pyribenzamine medication.

SummaryA controlled study was made of side reactions to pyribenzamine. Five 50-mg tablets were given over a 24-hour period to 48 subjects; some subjects were used 2 or 3 times, and the total number...
Food Partitioning in Net-spinning Trichoptera Larvae: Hydropsyche venularis, Cheumatopsyche etrona, and Macronema zebratum (Hydropsychidae)

Larvae of 3 species of Hydropsychidae construct retreats and capture-nets on and under rocks downstream from a reservoir in northeastern Georgia. The capturenets of the 3 species have different mesh opening sizes: 134×249μ in Hydropsyche venularis Banks, 48×72μ in Cheumatopsyche etrona Ross and 5×40μ in Macronema zebratum Hagen. Hydropsyche venularis were found primarily on the tops of rocks whereas C. etrona and M. zebratum were located at the top, lower side and underneath rocks. Macronema zebratum larvae constructed retreats of 2 different designs, depending upon their location. Foregut analyses of the 3 species showed differences in both type and size of particles ingested. Size trends of food particles in the foregut closely paralleled sizes of capture-net mesh openings. Macronema zebratum larvae ingest much smaller particles (including nannoplankton) than the other 2 species, and Macronema foregut contents compared more closely in particle size to that of stream seston. Several strategies are involved in achieving partitioning of food resources, including: (1) variations in capture-net mesh size; (2) different microdistributional patterns with retreats designed for various current velocities; and (3) temporal variations in net construction.
Aspects of the synthesis, characterization and metal-ligand stoichiometry of aminopropyl, nitrobenzamide, and 8-quinolinol silica gels

Abstract Surface modification of several silica gels with a number of silanes was studied, as well as further reactions of the modified surfaces. Complete reaction of aminopropylsilane was easily achieved if surface silanols were in excess. Triethoxysilylpropyl-p-nitrobenzamide (TESPN) reacts with difficulty, and complete reaction occured only with long reaction time (at least 12h). The maximum coverage of 100-A pore silica gel by TESPN was found to be about 1.7 μmol/m2, considerably less than the 3–4 /gmmol/m2 of available silanol sites, probably due to steric effects of the large silane. Even at this maximum coverage, further reaction of the modified silica with trimethylsilyl capping groups occured, with additional coverage of about 1.0 μmol/m2. The maximum amount of silylpropylamido-p-phenylazo-8-quinolinol that could be bound to silica gel was found to be about 1.0 μmol/m2, again probably limited by steric effects of the large 8-quinolinol (oxine) moiety. Virtually complete conversion of parent nitrobenzamide silica gel (NBSG) to 8-quinolinol silica gel (QSG) could be achieved if NBSG coverage was less than about 0.7 μmol/m2. QSG materials were found to have a 2 oxine to 1 copper(II) stoichiometry, even with surface coverages as low as 0.16 μmol/m2.
Vertebrate abundance and wildlife habitat suitability near the Palmerton zinc smelters, Pennsylvania

Wild vertebrates associated with habitats affected by two zinc smelters near Palmerton, Pennsylvania, were surveyed in 1986 and 1987. The objectives were to estimate abundance and distribution of vertebrate fauna, and to determine habitat suitability for 10 species of vertebrates at locations adjacent to and up to 15 km from the smelters. Sixteen species of amphibians and 51 species of birds were identified during surveys in April–July. The highest diversity of amphibians and birds occurred at habitats more than 5 km upwind or 5 km downwind of the smelters, whereas only a few species were observed or captured in areas within 5 km of the smelters where vegetation was minimal or absent. White-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and southern red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi) were captured during August 19–29, 1986. Mean capture rates were markedly higher at upwind and downwind sites compared with sites close to the smelters. Habitat unit scores for 10 indicator species, based on standard habitat evaluation procedures, were lowest at sites closest to the smelters. The lack of plant cover and generally low quality habitat were associated with the depauperate vertebrate community within 5 km of the zinc smelters.
Computer techniques for three-dimensional analysis in atomic-absorption flame photometry

Abstract Flame methods, specifically in atomic-absorption work, have been augmented and enhanced by computer techniques for data reduction and mathematical analysis. Three-dimensional graphic display of experimental results allows for both a realistic and comprehensive approach to atomic-absorption analysis. The computer procedures and the mathematical techniques are described. Their coordination establishes quick, reliable, easily interpreted and useful results. The various equipment used is also described. The use of the remote scope (basically a cathode-ray tube) for immediate on-line display of three-dimensional data representation is explored. Several typical problems and their resulting solutions are presented in detail. Variations of absorbance are studied as a function of analyte concentration and a second variable: height of selection zone, concentration of interferent components, feed rate, slit width, or pressure of combustion gases. Variations of absorbance values are closely related to variations of percentual sensitivity.
INSTITUTIONS AND FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract We investigate the impact of institutions on financial development by analyzing the financial behavior of immigrants in the United States. We find that immigrants from countries with institutions that more effectively protect private property are more likely to own stock in the United States. The effect of home-country institutions is persistent and absorbed early in life. The impact of institutions is amplified for immigrants who live in metropolitan areas with many other immigrants from the same country. These findings are robust to alternative measures of institutional effectiveness and to various methods of controlling for unobserved individual characteristics, including specifications with country fixed effects.
Multiscale deconstruction of molecular architecture in corn stover

Lignocellulosic composite in corn stover is a candidate biofuel feedstock of substantial abundance and sustainability. Its utilization is hampered by resistance of constituent cellulose fibrils to deconstruction. Here we use multi-scale studies of pretreated corn stover to elucidate the molecular mechanism of deconstruction and investigate the basis of recalcitrance. Dilute acid pretreatment has modest impact on fibrillar bundles at 0.1 micron length scales while leading to significant disorientation of individual fibrils. It disintegrates many fibrils into monomeric cellulose chains or small side-by-side aggregates. Residual crystalline fibrils lose amorphous surface material, change twist and where still cross-linked, coil around one another. Yields from enzymatic digestion are largely due to hydrolysis of individual cellulose chains and fragments generated during pretreatments. Fibrils that remain intact after pretreatment display substantial resistance to enzymatic digestion. Optimization of yield will require strategies that maximize generation of fragments and minimize preservation of intact cellulosic fibrils.
Hodgkin's disease susceptibility: Linkage to the HLA locus demonstrated by a new concordance method

Abstract The role of genetic susceptibility in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin's Disease has been considered relatively minor because of the rarity of familial disease, the absence of an identified pattern of inheritance, and the weakness of HLA associations in population studies. The availability of four prospectively ascertained HD families permitted reappraisal of the cosegregation of HLA and HD susceptibility by a new extended concordance analysis method. HLA haplotype concordance among patients was greater than that expected by chance alone for our four families ( P P
Rapid Phosphorylation of Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein C1/C2 in Response to Physiologic Levels of Hydrogen Peroxide in Human Endothelial Cells

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been implicated as a signaling agent in numerous signal transduction pathways in mammalian cells. However, to date, no sensor for low concentrations (<10 μm) of H2O2 has been identified. Using a functional proteomic approach, nuclear extracts from human umbilical vein endothelial cells were analyzed by two-dimensional PAGE with or without prior treatment with a low concentration of H2O2. A protein doublet with a molecular mass of 39–41 kDa and a pI of ∼5.0 was observed to be consistently altered by the treatment. Using proteolytic peptide mass fingerprinting, the protein was identified as heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C1/C2, a nuclear restricted, pre-mRNA-binding protein. Upon two-dimensional PAGE, each heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein-C splice form was present as multiple spots because of differing levels of phosphorylation. Upon treatment with H2O2, there was an increase in phosphorylation at 10–20 min, which partially reversed by 30 min. Subsequently, at 60 min after treatment, a population of unphosphorylated protein was transiently present. The effects were observed with as little as 1 μmH2O2 and were maximal with 5–8 μm H2O2. The H2O2-stimulated phosphorylation was inhibited by catalase, but not by the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D.
The macaque midbrain reticular formation sends side-specific feedback to the superior colliculus

The central mesencephalic reticular formation (cMRF) likely plays a role in gaze control, as cMRF neurons receive tectal input and provide a bilateral projection back to the superior colliculus (SC). We examined the important question of whether this feedback is excitatory or inhibitory. Biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was injected into the cMRF of M. fascicularis monkeys to anterogradely label reticulotectal terminals and retrogradely label tectoreticular neurons. BDA labeled profiles in the ipsi- and contralateral intermediate gray layer (SGI) were examined electron microscopically. Postembedding GABA immunochemistry was used to identify putative inhibitory profiles. Nearly all (94.7%) of the ipsilateral BDA labeled terminals were GABA positive, but profiles postsynaptic to these labeled terminals were exclusively GABA negative. In addition, BDA labeled terminals were observed to contact BDA labeled dendrites, indicating the presence of a monosynaptic feedback loop connecting the cMRF and ipsilateral SC. In contrast, within the contralateral SGI, half of the BDA labeled terminals were GABA positive, while more than a third were GABA negative. All the postsynaptic profiles were GABA negative. These results indicate the cMRF provides inhibitory feedback to the ipsilateral side of the SC, but it has more complex effects on the contralateral side. The ipsilateral projection may help tune the "winner-take-all" mechanism that produces a unified saccade signal, while the contralateral projections may contribute to the coordination of activity between the two colliculi.
Nutrients, organic carbon and organic nitrogen in the upper water column of the Arctic Ocean: implications for the sources of dissolved organic carbon

Abstract Particulate and dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen were analyzed for shelf, slope and basin samples collected during the 1994 Arctic Ocean Section. Concentrations of organic carbon and nitrogen were highest in the surface water and decreased dramatically below 100 m. Over the shelf 40–50% of the organic material was present in the particulate phase, while in the slope and basin waters >-90% of the organic material was present in the dissolved phase. The halocline layer over the Chukchi plateau contained high concentrations of inorganic nutrients but no significant elevation of either organic carbon or organic nitrogen. Highest concentrations of total organic carbon were found in the surface water of the Makarov and Amundsen Basins between 80 and 90° N. The C:N ratio of the dissolved organic material in the upper 100 m ranged from 9 to 25, with highest ratios along the Makarov flank of the Lomonosov Ridge. We suggest that a major portion of the carbon-rich organic material in surface waters is derived from Eurasian shelf riverine inputs, which tend to flow in perimeter currents along the slope and ridges. Our preliminary dissolved organic carbon (DOC) budget suggests that the three major sources of DOC in the central Arctic are in situ production (56%), river run-off (25%), and Pacific water (19%).
Abstract A13: Interleukin-1β promotes brain metastasis of breast cancer by activating Notch signaling through reactive astrocytes

Metastatic diseases are responsible for the majority of the deaths in breast cancer patients, and brain is one of the most common metastatic sites. The metastatic tumor in the brain profoundly affects the cognitive and sensory functions as well as morbidity of patients, and the one year survival rate among these patients remains less than 20%. However, little is known about the pathogenesis of brain metastasis, and therefore, it is of paramount importance to elucidate the molecular mechanism of metastatic process in order to define a specific therapeutic target. Our analysis of existing microarray database indicate that interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is highly expressed in MDA-MB231BrM2a (231BrM) cell line which is capable of preferentially metastasizing to the brain. IL-1β is known to have an ability of “activating” astrocytes that are often found in the metastatic niche, and therefore, it is speculated that the reactive astrocytes can promote growth and invasion of metastasized cells in the brain. To explore this possibility, we examined the effect of IL-1β and the conditioned medium of 231BrM cells on rat primary astrocytes in vitro. Our results of qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis indicate that IL-1β and the conditioned medium significantly up-regulated the Notch ligand, JAG1, in astrocytes, and that this up-regulation was abrogated by the NF-kB inhibitors, PDTC and RO 106-9920. We also found that the interaction between CSCs and astrocytes significantly enhances the self-renewal ability of CSCs. To further examine the interaction of astrocytes and tumor cells in the brain, we intracardially injected 231BrM cells in nude mice, and tumor growth was monitored by Xenogen bioimager. After 4 weeks, metastatic tumor growth was observed at multiple sites of the brain, and the results of immunohistochemical analysis indicated that astrocytes adjacent to the metastatic lesions strongly expressed JAG1 and the reactive astrocyte marker, GFAP (Glial fibrillary acidic protein). Finally, we found that a BBB-permeable Notch inhibitor was able to significantly suppress metastatic growth of breast cancer in the brain in our animal model. These results represent a novel paradigm for the understanding of how metastatic breast CSCs re-establish their niche for their self-renewal in a totally different microenvironment, which opens a new avenue to identify a novel and specific target for the brain metastatic disease. Citation Format: Fei Xing, Aya Kobayashi, Hiroshi Okuda, Misako Watabe, Puspa R. Pandey, Sudha K. Pai, Yin Liu, Kerui Wu, Kounosuke Watabe. Interleukin-1β promotes brain metastasis of breast cancer by activating Notch signaling through reactive astrocytes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Invasion and Metastasis; Jan 20-23, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A13.
A fluorescence video-endoscopy technique for detection of gene transfer and expression

The green fluorescent protein (GFP) has previously been adapted as a reported for gene transfer and expression in mammalian cells in culture and in tissue sections. Herein is described a new method for detecting GFP in situ within epithelia accessible to fiberoptic endoscopy by incorporating fluorescent filters for detection of GFP into an existing fiberoptic endoscopy system. This device was used to detect expression of GFP from adeno-associated virus (AAV; does of 3 x 10(7) IU) and adenovirus (Ad; does of l x 10(9) to 1 x 10(10) p.f.u.) vectors within the bronchial epithelium of New Zealand white rabbits. GFP expression was confirmed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), direct fluorescence microscopy of cytospin preparations of brushed cells, and by fluorescence microscopy of fixed tissue sections. This reporter gene/detection system was then used to track the time course of expression of the AAV vector in the bronchial epithelium over the first 30 days after administration. The transduction frequency in the treated region of the epithelium peaked at around 50% at 21 days after transduction. Vector expression was still present at around 20% efficiency at 30 days after administration. This example indicates how this method could be used to reliably track gene transfer in living animals or patients.
Measurement of the dimensionless extinction coefficient of soot within laminar diffusion flames

Abstract The dimensionless extinction coefficient ( K e ) of soot must be known to quantify laser extinction measurements of soot concentration and to predict optical attenuation through smoke clouds. Previous investigations have measured K e for post-flame soot emitted from laminar and turbulent diffusion flames and smoking laminar premixed flames. This paper presents the first measurements of soot K e from within laminar diffusion flames, using a small extractive probe to withdraw the soot from the flame. To measure K e, two laser sources (635 nm and 1310 nm) were coupled to a transmission cell, followed by gravimetric sampling. Coannular diffusion flames of methane, ethylene and nitrogen-diluted kerosene burning in air were studied, together with slot flames of methane and ethylene. K e was measured at the radial location of maximum soot volume fraction at several heights for each flame. Results for K e at both 635 nm and 1310 nm for ethylene and kerosene coannular flames were in the range of 9–10, consistent with the results from previous studies of post-flame soot. The ethylene slot flame and the methane flames have lower K e values, in some cases as low as 2.0. These lower values of K e are found to result from the contributions of (a) the condensation of PAH species during the sampling of soot, (b) the wavelength-dependent absorptivity of soot precursor particles, and, in the case of methane, (c) the negligible contribution of soot scattering to the extinction coefficient. RDG calculations of soot scattering, in combination with the measured K e values, imply that the soot refractive index is in the vicinity of 1.75–1.03 i at 635 nm.
Exogenous prostacyclin decreases vasoconstriction but not platelet thrombus deposition after arterial injury

Abstract Objectives . The aim of this study was to examine the in vivo effects of increasing doses of prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) on arterial vasoconstriction, platelet deposition and their interrelation after balloon injury of porcine carotid arteries. Background . Extensive platelet deposition and localized vasoconstriction occur acutely after arterial injury in vivo. The platelet deposition and vasoconstriction are directly correlated, and previous studies suggest that platelets may mediate the vasoconstrictive response. However, it is unclear whether vasoconstriction contributes to platelet deposition. Methods . Seven pigs received an intravenous infusion of PGI 2 at 10 ng/kg per min (PGI 2 10), 8 pigs at 50 ng/kg per min (PGI 2 50) and 4 pigs at 500 ng/kg per min (PGI 2 500); 24 pigs with saline infusion served as a control group. Results . Vasoconstriction immediately proximal and distal to the balloon-dilated carotid arterial segment where selective endothelial injury occurred was directly related to indium-111-labeled platelet deposition within the dilated segment in both control pigs and PGI 2 -treated pigs. However, this relation was such that for any given level of platelet deposition relative to control, PGI 2 decreased vasoconstriction in a dose-related manner. None of the treatments (PGI 2 10, 50 or 500) decreased quantitative 111 Inlabeled platelet deposition or the proportion of deeply injured arteries with mural thrombus (91%, 70% or 75%, respectively, p = NS) compared with values in control pigs (81%). Thus, vasoconstriction was directly related to platelet deposition in control and PGI 2 -treated animals, but vasodilation alone did not decrease platelet deposition. Conclusions . Intravenous infusion of PGI 2 significantly decreases vasoconstriction but not platelet deposition or mural thrombosis after arterial injury by balloon dilation. It is therefore unlikely that vasoconstriction mediates platelet deposition in this model. At hemodynamically tolerated doses, PGI 2 infusion probably will not prevent the thrombotic complications associated with angioplasty.
Swallowing disorders in three types of head and neck surgical patients

This study examined swallowing transit times and motility problems in three groups of patients following ablative surgery for oropharyngeal carcinoma and in a control group of 10 normal subjects. A total of 30 patients was studied: 10 after anterior floor of mouth resection, 12 after tonsil/base of tongue resection, and 8 after supraglottic laryngectomy. Videofluoroscopic studies of liquid, thin paste, thick paste, and thick paste plus liquid swallows were completed 1 week post-initiation of oral feeding following surgery. From the videotapes, oral and pharyngeal transit times were measured, and motility disturbances were defined during each stage of the swallow. All three types of patients in this study showed severe problems with swallowing. The anterior floor of mouth resection patients had problems with preparation for the swallow and oral transit. Tonsil/base of tongue resection patients had slowing in the preparation for the swallow and in the oral and pharyngeal stages. After supraglottic laryngectomy, patients showed only slight slowing in oral transit and pharyngeal transit as compared to other types of surgical patients.
Anti-Ischemic effects of atenolol versus nifedipine in patients with coronary artery disease and ambulatory silent Ischemia

The anti-ischemic effects of atenolol and nifedipine were compared in a randomized double-blind crossover manner in 24 patients with stable exertional angina and transient silent ischemia during ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring. Both atenolol and nifedipine were effective (p less than 0.005) in reducing the average number and duration of transient ischemic events, but therapy with atenolol was associated with a significantly greater reduction in the mean number (p less than 0.05) and duration (p less than 0.01) of silent ischemic events. Analyses of the silent ischemic activity during the morning hours revealed that only therapy with atenolol produced a significant reduction in the average duration per patient (139 +/- 54 vs. 1,609 +/- 468 s, p less than 0.01) and in the average duration of silent ischemia per event between 6 AM and 12 noon (62 +/- 21 vs. 208 +/- 24 s, p less than 0.005). There were fewer adverse experiences during therapy with atenolol. These results show that although both atenolol and nifedipine are effective in reducing silent ischemic events, treatment with atenolol is associated with significantly greater efficacy, particularly on the morning surge of silent myocardial ischemia.
All-Digital Simulation of Simple Automobile Maneuvers

A new, all-digital simulation describes straight-line acceleration and braking of an automobile. The model has five degrees of freedom: longitudinal velocity, vertical velocity, pitch angular velocity, and the angular velocities of the front and rear wheels. The model is capable of handling severe maneuvers. Special provisions allow the user to include antilock systems, average suspension forces, perform braking studies, and assess the importance of nonlinear terms. A validation study shows a close comparison with results from earlier models. The model is modular, well-documented, and readily available to researchers in a convenient form.
Synthetic, structural, and mechanistic aspects of an amine activation process mediated at a zwitterionic Pd(II) center.

A zwitterionic palladium complex [[Ph_(2)BP_(2)]Pd(THF)_(2)][OTf] (1) (where [Ph_(2)BP_(2)] = [Ph_(2_B(CH_(2)PPh_(2))_(2)]-) reacts with trialkylamines to activate a C−H bond adjacent to the amine N atom, thereby producing iminium adduct complexes [Ph_(2)BP_(2)]Pd(N,C:η^(2)-NR_(2)CHR‘). In all cases examined the amine activation process is selective for the secondary C−H bond position adjacent to the N atom. These palladacycles undergo facile β-hydride elimination/olefin reinsertion processes as evident from deuterium scrambling studies and chemical trap studies. The kinetics of the amine activation process was explored, and β-hydride elimination appears to be the rate-limiting step. A large kinetic deuterium isotope effect for the amine activation process is evident. The reaction profile in less polar solvents such as benzene and toluene is different at room temperature and leads to dimeric {[Ph_(2)BP_(2)]Pd}_(2) (4) as the dominant palladium product. Low-temperature toluene-d8 experiments proceed more cleanly, and intermediates assigned as [Ph_(2)BP_(2)]Pd(NEt_(3))(OTf) and the iminium hydride species [[Ph_(2)BP_(2)]Pd(H)(Et_(2)NCHCH_(3))][OTf] are directly observed. The complex (Ph2SiP2)Pd(OTf)2 (14) was also studied for amine activation and generates dimeric [(Ph_(2)SiP_(2))Pd]_(2)[OTf]_(2) (16) as the dominant palladium product. These collective data are discussed with respect to the mechanism of the amine activation and, in particular, the influence that solvent polarity and charge have on the overall reaction profile.
Addressing the Need to Tailor Treatment to the Spectrum of Type 2 Diabetes: New Perspectives

Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by the progressive loss of beta cell function, which occurs after many years of insulin resistance. Within this definition, clinicians may see a diverse array of presentations, suggesting different proportions of these two pathogenic factors and a complex etiology. There are also differences in the rate of type 2 diabetes progression in each patient, so treatments must be reviewed frequently to respond to changing severity of pathophysiologies. This article first considers some of the heritable factors and the pathogenic heterogeneity of type 2 diabetes. Relevant socioeconomic and demographic factors influencing disease development are reviewed after that, while emphasizing how a patient's treatment requires changes over time.
Modeling and Testing the "Two-Step" Decision Process of Travelers in Airport and Airline Choices

Abstract This paper develops and estimates a nested logit model of airport–airline choice that incorporates the “two-step” decision process of air travelers. The model assumes that a traveler first eliminates certain choice alternatives that do not satisfy his/her minimum acceptable standards (first step), and then chooses the utility-maximizing alternative from the set of screened choice alternatives (second step). The model is calibrated by using the survey data collected in the USA (central Iowa). The results imply that the “two-step” choice model may fit the observed data significantly better than the conventional “one-step” choice models.
Visually guided Z technique to insert the Endopath Optiview

Visually guided Z insertion of the Endopath Optiview was evaluated in 200 consecutive women undergoing elective laparoscopic sterilization in an ambulatory setting. The technique was employed to establish the primary intraabdominal surgical port. All cases were completed successfully. There were no failed insertions and no multiple attempts to enter the abdominal cavity. Direct visualization while inserting the Endopath Optiview is important to localize the tip of the advancing instrument at any given moment. It lets the surgeon choose the shortest route in the abdominal wall and change the angle of the instrument when appropriate.
The accelerating effect of serosal HCO3− on Na+ transport in short-circuited turtle bladders

Abstract The isohydric addition of HCO3− to the serosal fluid (final concn., 17 mM) of short-circuited turtle bladders produces a sustained increase (near-doubling) in the rate of Na+ transport from mucosa to serosa. A qualitatively similar, but smaller, effect was obtained from addition of Cl− to the serosal fluid. The anion-induced acceleration of Na+ transport was independent of the presence or absence of HCO3− and/or Cl− in the mucosal fluid. Whereas the transport-accelerating effect of HCO3− could be superimposed upon that of Cl−, the reverse did not hold. The presence and utilization of glucose is apparently an absolute requirement for eliciting the HCO3− effect on Na+ transport. On the other hand, the effect was elicited in anoxic as well as in oxygenated bladders. The O2-induced recovery of Na+ transport from N2-anoxia is dependent upon the presence of serosal HCO3−.
Thermal Nonequilibrium of a Free-Burning Argon Arc Plasma

The axial distributions of the electron temperature and number density of a free-burning atmospheric argon arc plasma at 15 Amps have been measured using a Thomson scattering technique. In addition, the excitation temperature of singly ionized argon has been found spectroscopically by relative line intensity method. The results are presented in terms of the degree of electron temperature nonequilibrium as compared with the calculated Saha equilibrium temperature and with the measured ionic excitation temperature along the axis of the arc. The observed temperatures are discussed with respect to the theoretical ion-like particle temperature and to the effect of electrode geometry.
Expectations for {sup 12}C and {sup 16}O induced fusion cross sections at energies of astrophysical interest

The extrapolations of cross sections for fusion reactions involving $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ and $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ nuclei down to energies relevant for explosive stellar burning have been reexamined. Based on a systematic study of fusion in heavier systems, it is expected that a suppression of the fusion process will also be present in these light heavy-ion systems at extreme sub-barrier energies due to the saturation properties of nuclear matter. Previous phenomenological extrapolations of the $S$ factor for light heavy-ion fusion based on optical model calculations may therefore have overestimated the corresponding reaction rates. A new ``recipe'' is proposed to extrapolate $S$ factors for light heavy-ion reactions to low energies taking the hindrance behavior into account. It is based on a fit to the logarithmic derivative of the experimental cross section which is much less sensitive to overall normalization discrepancies between different data sets than other approaches. This method, therefore, represents a significant improvement over other extrapolations. The impact on the astrophysical reaction rates is discussed.
Results on the dynamics for models for the sexual transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus

Abstract In this note, we report on the formulation and mathematical analysis of single and multiple group models for the spread of the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), which is the etiological agent for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Results on the robustness of a single group model are stated for specific and arbitrary survivorship functions. In addition, we provide results that show that multiple group models can have multiple endemic equilibria.
Assay, properties, and regulation of rat ovarian δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase activity

Abstract δ-Aminolevulinic acid synthetase (EC 2.3.1.37) has been detected in homogenates of rat ovaries. Optimal substrate and coenzyme concentrations, and parameters for assay of ovarian δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase have been determined. Subcellular fractionation studies have shown that enzyme activity is predominantly localized in the mitochondrial fraction. Fasting, which is known to increase enzyme activity in the adrenal and to have no effect on activity in the testis, had no effect on enzyme activity in the ovary. Administration of the hepatic inducer allylisopropylacetamide or the hormone progesterone failed to alter activity of the ovarian enzyme. The activity of the enzyme was significantly increased during the diestrus-1 phase of the estrus cycle, during pregnancy, and by human chorionic gonadotropin at 24 and 48 h, suggesting that ovarian δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase and the synthesis of heme may be under hormonal control.
The ethics of using chapter XI as a management strategy

In the past decade, the use of the Chapter XI has soared to the detriment of many creditors, workers, and consumers. A good number of cases were not based on imminent insolvency, but on firms attempts to avoid litigation claims against them, to terminate labor or other contractual obligations, or to gain new financing.
Minor empires: Translation, conflict, and postcolonial critique

The current focus in translation studies on interpreting and translation in various situations of conflict calls into question the specific relevance of the postcolonial critique as applied to translation. Although postcolonial critique has been, and continues to be, crucial and productive for translation studies, the proliferation of conflicts of a non-colonial nature and their mediatization in the global context call into question the predominant reliance on the postcolonial framework of colonizer-colonized, colonial hegemony, center-periphery, metropole-colony, and hybridity. This article uses the theoretical concept of (minor) transnationalism to propose a composite model of analysis of conflicts and their translation, one that grounds itself in specific situations of power and responds to a variety of post-imperial situations. The aim is to show that the concept of ‘empire’ that has been at the foundation of postcolonial critique cannot respond to all situations of conflict; however, translat...
Interstitial fluid flow and cyclic strain differentially regulate cardiac fibroblast activation via AT1R and TGF-β1

Cardiac fibroblasts are exposed to both cyclic strain and interstitial fluid flow in the myocardium. The balance of these stimuli is affected by fibrotic scarring, during which the fibroblasts transition to a myofibroblast phenotype. The present study investigates the mechanisms by which cardiac fibroblasts seeded in three-dimensional (3D) collagen gels differentiate between strain and fluid flow. Neonatal cardiac fibroblast-seeded 3D collagen gels were exposed to interstitial flow and/or cyclic strain and message levels of collagens type I and III, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were assessed. Flow was found to significantly increase and strain to decrease expression of myofibroblast markers. Corresponding immunofluorescence indicated that flow and strain differentially regulated α-SMA protein expression. The effect of flow was inhibited by exposure to losartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blocker, and by introduction of shRNA constructs limiting AT1R expression. Blocking of TGF-β also inhibited the myofibroblast transition, suggesting that flow-mediated cell signaling involved both AT1R and TGF-β1. Reduced smad2 phosphorylation in response to cyclic strain suggested that TGF-β is part of the mechanism by which cardiac fibroblasts differentiate between strain-induced and flow-induced mechanical stress. Our experiments show that fluid flow and mechanical deformation have distinct effects on cardiac fibroblast phenotype. Our data suggest a mechanism in which fluid flow directly acts on AT1R and causes increased TGF-β1 expression, whereas cyclic strain reduces activation of smad proteins. These results have relevance to the pathogenesis and treatment of heart failure.
NASA Funding for Earth Science

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) may not have given Andrew Lawler the entire story on the funding of grants to analyze data from the “flotilla of Earth-observation satellites” that will be launched in the next few years (News & Comment, [29 Aug., p. 1198][1]). MTPE is certainly not “boosting” funding for science at the rate that they are increasing observations and data. Support for the MTPE grants program has, in fact, been cut significantly in recent years, from approximately $178 million in 1994 to $125 million in 1997. Program managers have been forced to sacrifice highly regarded and productive research programs. The modest restoration of funds to the research and analysis budget being proposed by MTPE leadership is, at best, a Bandaid when intensive care is needed. Every external and internal review panel over the past 3 years has been concerned that MTPE does not have a proper program balance. With an expected spending profile of more than $1 billion a year for the foreseeable future, MTPE is one of the largest civilian science programs in the world today. Yet the grants program engages less than 2000 investigators each year, a small fraction of the U.S. community with skills and interest in Earth system science and practical applications of remote sensing. More than 80% of the MTPE budget is dedicated to building and launching satellites, developing algorithms to generate data, and data management. The restoration of grants funding to $165 million by the year 2000 is totally inadequate to make productive use of MTPE data. A “bottoms up” analysis by science program managers at NASA indicated that at least $220 million would be required by 1998 to take advantage of highly rated research proposals using both existing and new data. NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin has determined that NASA programs will be science-driven. MTPE is responding very slowly to Goldin's challenge, with program investments continuing to be focused on a massive monitoring and data collection effort. The problems of understanding and adapting to climate change and moving toward sustainable development are so critical to this nation's future that it is unacceptable to let bureaucratic momentum continue to dominate budget strategy. The science community has spoken and MTPE is not listening. The productivity of the nation's premier global change research program is at risk. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.277.5330.1198a
Effect of Shortening Color, Frying Temperature, and Coating Ingredients on Color of Fried Chicken Parts

Abstract Broiler parts were either flour-predusted, battered, and refloured (FBF) or batter dipped (BD) before frying at 168.8 C in various used shortening samples for 12 min. The color of the fried chicken parts was measured using a Hunter color difference meter. For the frying temperature study, shortening temperatures of 185.0, 176.2, 168.3, and 160.0 C were used. The lighter, redder, and yellower color of shortenings yielded fried chicken with lighter, redder, and yellower color for FBF samples. Except for redness, similar results were obtained for BD parts. When compared to those products fried at lower temperatures, higher frying temperatures resulted in darker, redder, and less yellow colors for FBF parts. However, darker, redder, and yellower products were obtained for BD parts. Further studies revealed that the lactose or galactose moiety of the milk solids was responsible for the darkening of fried chicken parts.
Using a freeze substitution fixation technique and histological crimp analysis for characterizing regions of strain in ligaments loaded in situ.

Type I collagen fibrils in tendons and ligaments assume a sinusoidal wave shape, or crimp, which straightens only with tensile load. The load response of crimp has been studied primarily in isolated subunits and not in complex, intact structures. The purpose of our study was to determine if freeze substitution fixation of an entire ligament could preserve changes in crimp morphology induced by functionally relevant loading conditions. We hypothesized that, in ligaments prepared by freeze-substitution fixation under load, crimp would progressively extinguish with increasing loads, and nonuniform strain following partial section could be detected from crimp morphology. Tensile loads ranging from 0 to 220 N were applied to patellar ligaments of 16 fresh rabbit stifle joints using simulated isometric quadriceps pull through the patella. The loaded joints were flash frozen with isopentane cooled in liquid nitrogen, then fixed using freeze substitution. Another six ligaments were loaded to 150N following incision of the anterior third and evaluated under polarized light microscopy for crimp distribution. Ligaments with no or low loads could be identified by the presence of crimp on mid-sagittal sections. Strain distribution was inhomogeneous, in that the ligament displayed a consistent pattern of collagen fiber recruitment among three morphologically distinct bands seen on coronal sections. At very low loads (about 18N), the fibers in a central band were uncrimped; anterior and deep bands uncrimped at higher loads. The crimp in the entire specimen was extinguished at about 67 N, which correlates closely with the previously reported toe-region of the stress–strain curve of the rabbit patellar ligament. When the anterior third was transected, fibers within that segment retained a crimp in ligaments prepared under loads that ordinarily would ablate all crimp. These findings suggest that freeze fixation could be used to map the functional microstructure of ligaments or tendons. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res