cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increasing age is independently associated with higher free water in non-active MS brain - A multi-compartment analysis using FAST-T2

Purpose: To explore the relationship between the cerebral cortical perivascular space (PVS) and aging in non-active MS subjects by using the multi-echo T2 relaxometry based cerebrospinal fluid fraction (CSFF) map. Methods: Multi-echo spiral T2 data from 111 subjects with non-active multiple sclerosis (MS) were retrospectively investigated by fitting the T2 data into a three-compartment model, the three water compartments including myelin water, intra-extracellular water, and cerebrospinal fluid. Segmentation of T1w image was performed to get the region of interest (ROI) in cerebral cortical regions. The white matter lesion segmentation was conducted using a convolutional neural network (CNN) based segmentation tool. The CSFF in the ROIs were correlated with age by controlling the gender, white matter hyperintensity lesion burden, and MS disease duration. Multiple linear models were created for the analysis of aging effect on the CSFF. Results: The ROI analysis shows that the CSFF in the cerebral cortical regions (temporal, occipital, parietal, front, hippo, and mtl) are significantly linear increasing with age (p<0.01). The intra-extracellular water fraction (IEWF) in the ROIs are significantly linear decreasing (p<0.01). Conclusion: The multi-echo T2 based three-compartment model can be used to quantify the CSFF. The linear increase of CSF water contents in the cerebral cortical regions indicates increased perivascular space load in cortex with aging. The quantification of CSFF may provide a way to understand the glymphatic clearance function in aging and neurodegenerations.
The minimum weight clique partition problem and its application to structural variant calling

The calling of genomic structural variants (SV) in high-throughput sequencing data necessitates prior discovery of abnormally aligned discordant read pair clusters that indicate candidate SVs. Some methods for SV discovery collect these candidate variants by heuristically searching for maximal cliques in an undirected graph, with nodes representing discordant read pairs and edges between vertices indicating that the read pairs overlap. This approach works well for identifying clusters that overlap with noisy mapping artefacts, but could miss distinct variant clusters that are created due to complex structural variants or overlapping breakpoints of distinct SVs. In this paper, we consider the minimum weight clique partition problem and its application to the problem of discordant read pair clustering. Our results demonstrate that methods which approximate or heuristically solve this problem can enhance the predictive abilities of structural variant calling algorithms.
Method for boosting dispersive spectrograph stability 1000× using interferometry with crossfaded pairs of delays

We demonstrate a key step along a technical route to achieving cm/s scale accuracy for astronomical spectrographs over long (multi-year) time scales, which is critical for the Doppler characterization of Earth sized exoplanets, and measurement of small cosmic redshift drift over many years. This same technique also enables searching exoplanet atmospheres for biosignificant molecules in direct planet imaging using, otherwise, insufficiently low resolution and drift prone dispersive (grating or prism) spectrographs. Using a method called crossfading for externally dispersed interferometers (EDIs) to get highly robust spectra, we recently demonstrated a factor of 1000 × reduction in the net shift of an EDI measured ThAr line to a deliberate simulated wavelength translation of the detector. This 1000 × gain in disperser stability can be combined with conventional stability gains afforded by fiber scramblers, vacuum tanks, and thermal control, to provide an additional 1 to 3 orders of magnitude reduction in the net point spread function shift drift. Crossfading combines high- and low-delay fringing signals that react oppositely in phase to cancel their net reaction to a detector wavelength drift. This can be implemented by an interferometer addition to a facility spectrograph.
The Information Quality of Complex Financial Reports: Evidence from Filing Returns and Insider Trades

Standard setters have expressed concern over the impact of complex accounting standards on the information gap between firm insiders and financial statement users. We address this issue by examining the relationship between accounting reporting complexity (ARC) and the market response to earnings surprises at the financial report filing. We document a weaker earnings response coefficient for increasing ARC, consistent with less market reliance on complex financial reports. We then examine whether ARC is associated with executives’ ability to trade based on their residual information advantage. Consistent with this expectation, we document higher returns to executives on trades executed in the sixty days following the report filing. The higher returns are concentrated in the trades of the CEO and CFO, who likely have a more profound knowledge of U.S. GAAP. Finally, we identify decreasing earnings persistence for increasing ARC as an underlying mechanism for these effects.
Role of Myd88 in route-dependent susceptibility to vesicular stomatitis virus infection

TLRs are important components of the innate immune response. The role of the TLR signaling pathway in host defense against a natural viral infection has been largely unexplored. We found that mice lacking MyD88, an essential adaptor protein in TLR signaling pathway, were extremely sensitive to intranasal infection with vesicular stomatitis virus, and this susceptibility was dose dependent. We demonstrated that this increased susceptibility correlates with the impaired production of IFN-α and defective induction and maintenance of neutralizing Ab. These studies outline the important role of the TLR signaling pathway in nasal mucosae-respiratory tracts-neuroepithelium environment in the protection against microbial pathogen infections. We believe that these results explain how the route of infection, probably by virtue of activating different cell populations, can lead to entirely different outcomes of infection based on the underlying genetics of the host.
Assuming Responsibility for Who You Are: The Right to Choose 'Immutable' Identity Characteristics

Golinski v. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, a district court case challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, explicitly adopted a novel definition of immutability under the Equal Protection Clause. Now held in abeyance pending the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Windsor, Golinski’s discussion of immutability remains relevant because it articulated the rationale behind a number of recent lower court decisions in equal protection jurisprudence that reach beyond the context of sexual orientation. Such decisions turn away from talismanic protection of immutable characteristics determined by birth, and toward the right of all persons to choose fundamental aspects of their identity. They disavow “biological immutability,” — the traditional view of immutability which refers to a characteristic one cannot change, “determined solely by the accident of birth” — and instead rely on asylum law’s definition of immutability: not exclusively a characteristic one cannot change, but also a chosen characteristic that one should not be forced to change because it is fundamental to identity. This Note argues that asylum law’s “fundamental immutability” standard belongs in equal protection jurisprudence because it resolves inconsistencies in traditional equal protection jurisprudence caused by a biological immutability standard and because it harmonizes recent lower court opinions discussing race- and gender-related equal protection in an era of increased multiracial, intersex, and transgender visibility.
Self-Control and Impulsiveness in Children: Effects of Visual Food Cues

Self-control can be defined as the choice of a larger, more delayed reinforcer over a smaller, less delayed reinforcer, and impulsiveness as the opposite. Preschool children have exhibited varying degrees of self-control and impulsiveness in laboratory experiments when food is the reinforcer. Previous research suggests that exposure to visual food cues may affect preschool children’s self-control for food. The present experiment used 22 3-year-old children to explore the effects of exposure to visual food cues on choice behavior in a self-control paradigm. The results suggest that exposure to visual food cues influences preschool children’s self-control for food reinforcers.
GLOBE - The Science Behind Launching an International Environmental Education Program

Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) is an international science and environmental education program that enables school children to learn about the environment by taking scientific measurements of their natural surroundings and sharing their data with scientists via the Internet. By carefully following protocols and using approved measurement devices, students around the world are developing an archive of standardized data that can also be used in professional research. GLOBE is divided into several separate “investigations,” each focused on a different aspect of the environment. They include land cover, soil, hydrology, phenology, haze, and the atmosphere. Each investigation has a team of scientists who have worked with students and teachers to develop detailed protocols for the students to collect data. In addition, the scientists are exploring ways of using that data in their own research. This article is mostly about the work of GLOBE scientists—but also some students and teachers—in the first 5 years of the program. It is intended to provide an overview of the scientists' efforts to develop a meaningful learning experience around gathering environmental data for research.
On a comment by J. P. B. Vreeburg

This note addresses Vreeburg's (1990) comment on the paper by Langbein et al. (1990) regarding parabolic flight experiments on fluid surfaces and wetting. This last work in turn concerns the work of the present authors on capillary free surfaces in the absence of gravity (1974).
Inferior vena cava collapsibility loses correlation with internal jugular vein collapsibility during increased thoracic or intra-abdominal pressure

Point-of-care ultrasound evaluates inferior vena cava (IVC) and internal jugular vein (IJV) measurements to estimate intravascular volume status. The reliability of the IVC and IJV collapsibility index during increased thoracic or intra-abdominal pressure remains unclear. Three phases of sonographic scanning were performed: spontaneous breathing phase, increased thoracic pressure phase via positive pressure ventilation (PPV) phase, and increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) phase via laparoscopic insufflation to 15 mmHg. IVC measurements were done at 1–2 cm below the diaphragm and IJV measurements were done at the level of the cricoid cartilage during a complete respiratory cycle. Collapsibility index was calculated by (max diameter − min diameter)/max diameter × 100 %. Chi square, t test, correlation procedure (CORR) and Fisher’s exact analyses were completed. A total of 144 scans of the IVC and IJV were completed in 16 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery. Mean age was 46 ± 15 years, with 75 % female and 69 % African-American. IVC and IJV collapsibility correlated in the setting of spontaneous breathing (r 2 = 0.86, p < 0.01). IVC collapsibility had no correlation with the IJV in the setting of PPV (r 2 = 0.21, p = 0.52) or IAP (r 2 = 0.26, p = 0.42). Maximal IVC diameter was significantly smaller during increased IAP (16.5 mm ± 4.9) compared to spontaneous breathing (20.6 mm ± 4.8, p = 0.04) and PPV (21.8 mm ± 5.6, p = 0.01). IJV and IVC collapsibility correlated during spontaneous breathing but there was no statistically significant correlation during increased thoracic or intra-abdominal pressure. Increased intra-abdominal pressure was associated with a significant smaller maximal IVC diameter and cautions the reliability of IVC diameter in clinical settings that are associated with intra-abdominal hypertension or abdominal compartment syndrome.
Patterns and predictors of recovery from exhaustion in older adults: the cardiovascular health study.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the likelihood of, and factors associated with, recovery from exhaustion in older adults. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a cohort study. SETTING: Six annual examinations in four U.S. communities. PARTICIPANTS: Four thousand five hundred eighty-four men and women aged 69 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Exhaustion was considered present when a participant responded �a moderate amount� or �most of the time� to either of two questions: �How often have you had a hard time getting going?� and �How often does everything seem an effort?� RESULTS: Of the 964 participants who originally reported exhaustion, 634 (65.8%) were exhaustion free at least once during follow-up. When data from all time points were considered, 48% of those who reported exhaustion were exhaustion free the following year. After adjustment for age, sex, race, education, and marital status, 1-year recovery was less likely in individuals with worse self-rated health and in those who were taking six or more medications or were obese, depressed, or had musculoskeletal pain or history of stroke. In proportional hazards models, the following risk factors were associated with more persistent exhaustion over 5 years: poor self-rated health, six or more medications, obesity, and depression. Recovery was not less likely in participants with a history of cancer or heart disease. CONCLUSION: Exhaustion is common in old age but is dynamic, even in those with a history of cancer and congestive heart failure. Recovery is especially likely in seniors who have a positive perception of their overall health, take few medications, and are not obese or depressed. These findings support the notion that resiliency is associated with physical and psychological well-being.
A comparison of the prognoses for deep and subcutaneous sarcomas of the extremities

We evaluated 172 patients who had a soft-tissue sarcoma of the extremity in order to determine whether the prognosis for a subcutaneous sarcoma was better than that for a deep sarcoma. At a median of thirty-six months after the biopsy or definitive operation at our hospital, six of the fifty-two patients who had had a subcutaneous sarcoma had died and one had had a local recurrence; in contrast, forty of the 120 patients who had had a deep sarcoma had died and eight had had a local recurrence. Twenty-five (48 percent) of the subcutaneous sarcomas were malignant fibrous histiocytomas, and thirty-eight (73 percent) were small (five centimeters or less in the largest dimension). The three-year estimates of disease-free survival were 85 percent for the patients who had a subcutaneous sarcoma and 54 per cent for those who had a deep sarcoma (p = 0.002). Although the survival estimates remained significantly different when the groups were matched for histological diagnosis and for intracompartmental location (p = 0.0001 and 0.0006, respectively), they were not significantly different when the groups were matched for the size of the tumor (p = 0.42). A Cox proportional-hazards model confirmed that a tumor size of more than five centimeters and the histological grade are the most significant prognostic factors (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.004, respectively): a tumor size of more than five centimeters was associated with a relative risk of 3.5 (95 per cent confidence interval, 1.7 to 7.3), and a higher histological grade was associated with a relative risk of 4.0 (95 per cent confidence interval, 1.6 to 10.3). Subcutaneous location, when considered separately, was not a significant prognostic factor (p = 0.45). The data indicate that a tumor size of more than five centimeters is a more important prognostic indicator than histological diagnosis, depth, or intracompartmental location.
The object‐orientated political subjectivities of McUniversity

Higher education has changed drastically in recent decades, leading to the emergence of what some have called ‘McUniversity’. This article adds a new perspective by exploring how the everyday lived experience of this kind of space constitutes a dense political field. We draw on our own experience of an emblematic architectural site on our own university campus – the Student Union building – to advance an analysis of the everyday built environment that includes both objects of design and the political subjectivities that emerge along with them. What unites this relationship is an affective experience through which political life emerges. This approach also allows us to expand the purview of what is political about the everyday spaces of McUniversity to include gender, sex and nationalism, rather than relying only on critical theories of capitalism to critique what has become of many college campuses.
Science, Politics, and Administrative Legitimacy

Science and politics often interact successfully in administrative law. Potential problems arise, however, when agencies make “counter-scientific” policy decisions — decisions that overlook otherwise uncontroverted scientific evidence in favor of political rationales. This short essay draws new attention to these counter-scientific policy determinations by asking if and under what circumstances they may be considered illegitimate in a constitutional democracy. More specifically, it asks how counter-scientific decisions impact three of the animating principles of administrative legitimacy — agency expertise, accountability and transparency, and efficiency — and identifies some additional variables that are useful to that analysis. Part II offers recent examples of three different forms of counter-scientific policy decisions. Part III outlines the three principles of legitimacy to be applied to those decisions. Part IV then evaluates counter-scientific policy decisions in light of each of those three principles, arguing that variables such as the scope of a particular agency’s expertise, the nature of that agency and its role in government, and the agency’s own claims as to how it is exercising its policymaking authority are critical to understanding the democratic viability of counter-scientific policy decisions. This insight is not only valuable in its own right, but also as a useful starting point in a more rigorous evaluation of counter-scientific agency decisions that could have powerful implications for policymaking as well as for administrative legitimacy in general.
Electron transfer in cytochrome c. Role of the polypeptide chain

Abstract Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation studies on partially reduced solutions of Candida krusei and horse heart cytochrome c reveal diversity in their functional behavior. Electron transfer between the two oxidation states in vitro proceeds at a rate nearly an order of magnitude slower in Canadida krusei than in the horse heart protein. This difference is interpreted in terms of an active role of the polypeptide chain in the electron transfer process since the hemes in the two proteins are identical in chemical structure and similar electronically. In both cases, electrostatic repulsion between positively charged protein molecules contributes significantly to the observed free energy of activation for the electron transfer process.
TH-C-18A-05: Characteristics and Accuracy of CT Radiation Profile Width Measurements Using Radiochromic Films

Purpose: To investigate the impact of several acquisition and image analysis factors on the accuracy of CT beam width measurement using Gafchromic XR-QA2 film and an off the shelf document scanner. Methods: The film was carefully placed at the iso-center and exposed at various x-ray beam energies (80–140 kVp), exposure levels (50–400 mAs), and nominal beam widths (1.25, 5, and 10 mm). Films were scanned on a RICOH MP3501 flat-bed document scanner using reflection mode and various spatial resolutions (100 to 600 dpi) and locations within the scanner bed. Radiation dose profiles were derived by converting the net reflection measurements to dose values (in mGy) through film calibration (which is also described here). The beam widths were characterized by the FWHM and FWTM of the dose profiles and the deviations from the hybrid reference standards were quantified. The impact of x-ray beam energy, exposure intensity, film calibration, and the uniformity and spatial resolution of the document scanner were investigated. Results: The uncertainties in both FWHM and FWTM caused by varying beam energy, exposure level, and scanner uniformity were all within approximately 5%. Increasing scanner spatial resolution increased the uncertainty in both FWHM and FWTM (R2 = 0.35–0.71), with the FWTM affected by more than five times than the FWHM (28% vs. 4.9%). When uncalibrated dose profiles were used, the FWHM and FWTM were over-estimated by as much as 11.6% and 7.6%, respectively. Narrower beam width was more sensitive to the film calibration than the wider one (R2 = 0.68 and 0.85 for the FWHM and FWTM, respectively). Conclusion: Measurement of CT beam width using Gafchromic XR-QA2 films is robust against x-ray energy, exposure level, and scanner uniformity. It can provide adequate accuracy for all practical purposes with appropriate film calibration and scanner spatial resolution (100 dpi or less).
Voices of Welfare Reform: Bureaucratic Rationality Versus the Perceptions of Welfare Participants

This article compares the assumptions of welfare reform with the way the program is actually implemented to show the underlying contradictions in the way policy is politically justified and impleme...
Derivatization of DNAs with selenium at 6-position of guanine for function and crystal structure studies

To investigate nucleic acid base pairing and stacking via atom-specific mutagenesis and crystallography, we have synthesized for the first time the 6-Se-deoxyguanosine phosphoramidite and incorporated it into DNAs via solid-phase synthesis with a coupling yield over 97%. We found that the UV absorption of the Se-DNAs red-shifts over 100 nm to 360 nm (e = 2.3 × 104 M−1 cm−1), the Se-DNAs are yellow colored, and this Se modification is relatively stable in water and at elevated temperature. Moreover, we successfully crystallized a ternary complex of the Se-G-DNA, RNA and RNase H. The crystal structure determination and analysis reveal that the overall structures of the native and Se-modified nucleic acid duplexes are very similar, the selenium atom participates in a Se-mediated hydrogen bond (Se … H–N), and the SeG and C form a base pair similar to the natural G–C pair though the Se-modification causes the base-pair to shift (approximately 0.3 A). Our biophysical and structural studies provide new insights into the nucleic acid flexibility, duplex recognition and stability. Furthermore, this novel selenium modification of nucleic acids can be used to investigate chemogenetics and structure of nucleic acids and their protein complexes.
Solid-State Water-Catalyzed Transformation at Room Temperature of a Nonluminescent Linear-Chain Uranyl Phenylphosphonate into a Luminescent One

Single crystals of a recently prepared, at room temperature non-luminescent, linear-chain α-uranyl phenylphosphonate (α-UPP), [UO2(HO3PC6H5)2(H2O)]2·8H2O, transform at room temperature and moderate humidity into a new strongly luminescent linear-chain β-uranyl phenylphosphonate (β-UPP), UO2(HO3PC6H5)2(H2O)·2H2O. Both compounds have also been synthesized separately and characterized by single-crystal methods. The α-phase crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1, with a = 11.724(4) A, b = 16.676 A, c = 11.375 A, α = 101.61(5)°, β = 106.76(3)°, γ = 102.57(4)°, and Z = 2, whereas the β-phase crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 7.766(2) A, b = 11.255(2) A, c = 20.959(4) A, β = 100.38(3)°, and Z = 4. In both compounds, the coordination of the uranium atoms is pentagonal bipyramidal, and the metal-to-phosphonate ratio is 1:2. The most obvious difference between the two linear-chain compounds is the manner in which their phenyl rings are arranged. When viewed along the appropriate axes,...
Maximum-Margin Coupled Mappings for cross-domain matching

Biometrics systems typically work best in settings where probe samples are captured in the same manner as the training set. When biometrics are acquired under different conditions or with different sensors, naive approaches to recognition perform poorly. Coupled mappings have been introduced for performing face recognition across different resolutions, and learn a common subspace between different domains. In this paper, we introduce Maximum-Margin Coupled Mappings (MMCM), which aims to learn projections such that there is a margin of separation between pairs of cross-domain data from the same class and pairs of cross-domain data from different classes. While coupled mapping techniques have traditionally been used for matching face images at different resolutions, we demonstrate that MMCM is effective for cross-sensor biometric matching as well.
Accurate and sensitive metals emissions monitoring with an atmospheric microwave-plasma having a real-time span calibration

Both high sensitivity and good measurement accuracy are required in a metals continuous emissions monitor in order for it to be acceptable for compliance monitoring. An atmospheric plasma sustained by microwaves with an attached source of a calibrated trace metals aerosol has been shown to be capable of achieving both of these requirements. The microwave plasma is continuous and operates in undiluted stack exhaust for atomic emission spectroscopy of trace metals. The plasma is sustained in a shorted waveguide that is attached to the stack by a short sample line (<50 cm). It is powered at 1.5 kW, at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. An undiluted stack slipstream is isokinetically drawn into the plasma by a suction pump at a nominal flow of 14 l/min. The pneumatic nebulizer attached to the sample line can momentarily, on command, inject a known concentration of metals solution providing a real-time span calibration. The system was tested on the exhaust stack of the rotary kiln incinerator simulator facility at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Risk Management Laboratory in Research Triangle Park. Three hazardous metals were monitored, lead, chromium, and beryllium. These measurements were referenced to EPA Method-29. A total of 20 spiked stack exhaust tests were carried out. Ten one-hour tests at high concentration (40-60 μg/actual m 3 ) and ten one and half-hour tests at low concentration (10-15 μg/actual m 3 ). The microwave plasma monitor achieved relative accuracies of approximately 20% for lead and beryllium and 40% for chromium with a threshold detection capability of <3 μg/actual m 3 for a time response of ∼1 min. The relative accuracy deviation from the EPA Method-29 was found to be mostly systematic. This suggests the possibility of using a site-specific calibration to bring the microwave plasma into compliance with EPA's goal of 20% relative accuracy to the reference method. Laboratory work is continuing to add mercury, arsenic, and cadmium to the monitored metals. Mercury and arsenic present a particular challenge to achieving high detection sensitivity in undiluted stack exhaust because the plasma is less efficient in exciting Hg and because UV absorption interferes with As detection. This is a problem that is also in common with air ICP and in situ spark plasma methods for continuous emissions monitoring of metals.
Gastric evacuation in little skate

The effects of prey type and prey preparation on the mathematical forms and rates describing gastric evacuation in little skate Raja erinacea were examined. Linear and square–root models best described the gastric evacuation of whole, thin–shelled krill Meganyctiphanes norvegica, clam feet/muscle Spisula solidissima/Placopecten magellanicus, polychaetes Glycera spp. and sand lance Ammodytes dubius. Evacuation of krill and clams was faster than polychaetes and sand lance. A logistic model best described the evacuation data of thick–shelled benthic shrimp Crangon septemspinosa/Palaemonetes spp. Cut polychaetes Nereis spp. were digested at an exponential rate and were evacuated faster than would be predicted based upon comparison with live polychaetes and previously published evacuation–temperature relationships. The results of this study suggest that a single equation does not describe the evacuation process for all prey, and that whole prey should be used if laboratory–derived rates of gastric evacuation are to reflect what might occur in wild fishes.
Gene therapy strategies for AIDS-related malignancies.

AIDS-related malignancies (ARM) include AIDS-defining cancers such as Kaposi’s sarcoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and cervical carcinoma. In addition, certain other malignancies are also increased with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. New antiretroviral agents and better prophylaxis and treatment of HIV-related opportunistic infections are prolonging the lives of HIV-infected individuals. There will thus likely be a continued rise in the incidence and prevalence of ARM in the long term, even if effective antiretroviral and other AIDS-related therapies reduce their appearance in the short term. There are presently no curative regimens for the common ARM, with the possible exception of some lymphomas. Survival is shortened by most, and treatment is often toxic and poorly tolerated. Gene therapies may thus offer a useful adjunct to conventional treatment strategies for selected ARM. Although some gene therapy strategies may work well in the HIV setting, the chronic viral infection, immunodeficient status of the host, the tendency for HIV-infected individuals to have altered drug metabolism and an increased rate of adverse drug reactions will likely present special challenges. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art in the fledgling field of gene therapy for ARM, and explores areas for future research.
Comparison of intraocular solutions on glycolysis and levels of ATP and glutathione in the retina

The effects of several intraocular irrigating solutions on the rate of glycolysis and the levels of ATP and glutathione in the isolated rat retina were investigated. The media were HCO3-Ringer, balanced salt solution (BSS) (to which 5 mM glucose was added), and BSS PLUS. There were no significant differences in the metabolic activities and metabolite levels in retinas incubated with either HCO3-Ringer or BSS PLUS. Retinas incubated with BSS PLUS had higher rates of aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis and more ATP than did retinas incubated with BSS. There were no significant differences, however, in the glutathione content of retinas incubated with BSS PLUS and BSS. These results show that retinal energy metabolism is maintained better with BSS PLUS because this irrigating solution contains glucose and bicarbonate.
Analytical Approach to Ballistic Dispersion of Projectile Weapons Based on Variant Launch Velocity

Abstract : As a direct result of problems encountered in recent joint military operations such as the Iranian rescue attempt and the Grenada invasion, much attention has been given to the ability of our military forces to function together effectively. This has culminated in legislation mandating military reorganization, namely the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. With this new emphasis on 'jointness' has come the perception by some that one service, more than any other, has been slow to get on board with the program ... the Navy. This study examines why there are differences between the Navy and other services that make this transition legitimately more difficult for the Navy to implement. To do this three main areas are examined: (1) the institutional personalities and attitudes of the individual services, (2) the differences between naval warfare and that of air and land warfare, and (3) interservice rivalry.
On nonlinear cutting response and tool chatter in turning operation

Abstract Tool chatter in turning process is addressed with a new perspective. Turning dynamics is investigated using a 3D model that allows for simultaneous workpiece-tool deflections in response to the exertion of nonlinear regenerative force. The workpiece is modeled as a system of three rotors, namely, unmachined, being machined and machined, connected by a flexible shaft. Such a configuration enables the workpiece motion relative to the tool and tool motion relative to the machining surface to be three-dimensionally established as functions of spindle speed, instantaneous depth-of-cut, material removal rate and whirling. The equations of motion for the model are coupled through the nonlinear cutting force. The model is explored along with its 1D counterpart, which considers only tool motions and disregards workpiece vibrations. Different stages of stability for the workpiece and the tool subject to the same cutting conditions are studied. Numerical simulations reveal diverse, oftentimes inconsistent, tool behaviors described by the two models. Most notably, observations made with regard to the inconsistency in describing machining stability limits raise the concern for using 1D models to obtain stability charts.
Prevalence of thyroid deficiency in pregnant women.

Summary. objective The present study was designed to determine the current prevalence of gestational hypothyroidism, since maternal thyroxine deficiency is associated with poor obstetric outcomes and mental retardation in the surviving offspring. design TSH concentrations were measured In the sera of women at 15—18 weeks of gestation. Those sera with TSH concentrations above 6 mU/l and the two sera closest In order with TSH concentrations below 6 mU/l were further analysed for T4, FT4, TBG, and antithyrold antibodies. Study criteria for hypothyroidism were sera with elevated concentrations of TSH plus both a free T4 concentration and a total T4 concentration and /or T4/TBG ratio more than two standard deviations below the mean for the control pregnant women. patients The sera were from 2000 consecutive women In Maine being tested for alpha-fetoprotein concentration at 15–18 weeks of gestation. results TSH concentrations above 6 mU/l ere found in the sera of 49 women, 2.5% of the pregnant women. Six women with elevated TSH concentrations (range 6.9–54 mU/l) had both a FT4 concentration and a T4/TBG ratio and/or a T4 concentration more than two standard deviations below the respective control means, meeting the study criteria for thyroid deficiency, and thus giving a prevalence of 0.3%. The remaining 43 women with elevated TSH concentrations were classified as having compensated thyroid disease although some may have been hypothyroid. Fifty-eight per cent of women with TSH concentrations above 6 mU/l and 90% of the women with elevated TSH concentrations and at least one thyroxine index more than two standard deviations below the control means had positive titres of antithyroid antibodies as opposed to 11% of the controls. conclusions Although it is not known what severity of maternal thyroid deficiency is necessary to cause fetal brain damage, the present data Indicate a sufficiently high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction to demand Investigation of the mental development of the offspring of women with thyroid dysfunction and of the effect of replacement therapy.
Comorbidity between alcohol dependence and illicit drug dependence in adolescents with antisocial behavior and matched controls

Abstract Background Knowledge regarding the causes of comorbidity among substance use disorders can have significant impact on future research examining the etiology of these disorders. Unfortunately, the conclusions of past studies examining the comorbidity among substance use disorders are conflicting; some studies emphasize familial influences common to multiple substances, while others emphasize substance-specific influences. Discrepancies in results may reflect different analytical approaches or differences in the samples. Here, we examine the causes of comorbidity between alcohol dependence and illicit drug dependence in adolescents. Methods We ascertained a clinical sample of adolescents treated for antisocial behavior and substance use disorders and their siblings and a matched control sample. A model fitting approach was used to test 13 alternative hypotheses for the causes of comorbidity. Results The best supported hypothesis for the comorbidity between alcohol dependence and illicit drug dependence was a model hypothesizing that comorbid disorders are alternate forms of a single underlying liability. The next best fitting models were two of the correlated liabilities models (correlated risk factors and reciprocal causation). Discussion The results suggest that the best hypotheses explaining the comorbidity between alcohol and illicit drug dependence in adolescents are that alcohol dependence and illicit drug dependence are manifestations of a single general liability to develop substance dependence or that there are separate liabilities that are highly correlated.
Golgi as an MTOC: making microtubules for its own good

In cells, microtubules (MTs) are nucleated at MT-organizing centers (MTOCs). The centrosome-based MTOCs organize radial MT arrays, which are often not optimal for polarized trafficking. A recently discovered subset of non-centrosomal MTs nucleated at the Golgi has proven to be indispensable for the Golgi organization, post-Golgi trafficking and cell polarity. Here, we summarize the history of this discovery, known molecular prerequisites of MT nucleation at the Golgi and unique functions of Golgi-derived MTs.
Striking differences between the mouse and the human α-fetoprotein enhancers

Abstract The α-fetoprotein ( AFP ) gene is expressed abundantly in the fetal liver and transcriptionally repressed in the adult liver, but can be reactivated during liver regeneration and in liver tumors. Previous studies identified three enhancers, E1, E2, and E3, upstream of the mouse and rat Afp genes and a single enhancer upstream of the human gene. We have compared the sequences upstream of the rodent and primate AFP genes. Our analysis demonstrates that the previously identified human enhancer is the counterpart to mouse E2. This comparison also reveals that a functional primate counterpart to the rodent E1 is absent due to a deletion that removes the core region of this enhancer. Furthermore, our studies identify a novel human enhancer corresponding to rodent E3. Despite the overall similarity of E3 between human and mouse, we found differences in transcription factor binding sites between these species. A C/EBP binding site is conserved but two other motifs in rodent E3, one that binds orphan nuclear receptors and a second that binds FoxA proteins, are not conserved in humans. The human counterpart to the rodent FoxA site can bind COUP-TF factors. Despite the overall sequence similarity in E3 between mice and humans, the difference in factor binding sites in E3, as well as the absence of E1 in primates, indicates that different mechanisms regulate AFP transcription in these different species.
Nano-scale chemical and biological sensors

Nano-engineered devices with potential for trace level detection of chemical or biological species are investigated. The sensor system is a ChemFET device based on micro- and nano-scale silicon wires. The sensor response to changes in pH reveals a significantly higher sensitivity of nano-scale devices compared to micro-scale devices. By immobilizing DNA probe molecules on the silicon wire surface, the ChemFET devices are rendered specific to this DNA sequence. Differential measurements minimize the effects of non-specific binding. At a concentration of C DNA =10μM, two different single stranded 24-base DNA oligonucleotides have been clearly distinguished in the sensor response. DNA hybridization on the silicon wire surface is further corroborated by fluorescence spectroscopy and analysis of characteristic time constants in the sensors response.
An assessment of recent advances in external maxillofacial materials

A variety of new materials representing several polymer classes and diverse fabrication procedures are now becoming available for use as external maxillofacial prostheses. Because of the availability of these materials, the severely disfigured patient can now be provided an opportunity to elad a near-normal life in today's society. Remarkable advancements have been made in providing the patient with prostheses which feel and look more like skin. Progress has also been made in simplifying fabrication procedures, thus reducing cost. Much remains to be done in materials research. Processing time is still too long for most of the materials. Some of the materials give variable results in the quality and stability of the prostheses because of sensitivity to contaminants and to lab conditions and operator technique. Extrinsic coloration is extremely tedious and diffult with many of the products. The fitting and attachment of the prosthesis to the patient continues to need much improvement. Margins are difficult to mask even with the best materials. Large prostheses of most of the materials are much too heavy and are poorly retained. Staining of the prostheses by foods, cosmetics, and tobacco is a serious problem. The need for an improved material has been recognized by various government agencies and a few of the industrial suppliers of synthetic polymers. Additional advances are sure to result from these efforts.
Change in DASH diet score and cardiovascular risk factors in youth with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study

Youth with diabetes are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been shown to improve CVD risk. In this study, we evaluated whether changes in diet quality as characterized by DASH are associated with changes in CVD risk factors in youth with diabetes over time. Longitudinal mixed models were applied to data from 797 participants in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study representing three time points: baseline, 12- and 60-month follow-up. Data were restricted to youth whose diabetes was first diagnosed in 2002–2005. DASH-related adherence was poor and changed very little over time. However, an increase in DASH diet score was significantly associated with a decrease in HbA1c levels in youth with type 1 diabetes (β=−0.20, P-value=0.0063) and a decrease in systolic blood pressure among youth with type 2 diabetes (β=−2.02, P-value=0.0406). Improvements in dietary quality may be beneficial in youth with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. However, further work in larger groups of youth with type 1 and 2 diabetes is desirable.
Nutrient Pathways and Breast Cancer Risk: The Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project

The relative importance of biochemical pathways has not been previously examined when considering the influence of diet on breast cancer risk. To address this issue, we used interview data from a population-based sample of 1463 breast cancer cases and 1500 controls. Dietary intake was assessed shortly after diagnosis using a 101-item food frequency questionnaire. Age- and energy-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for individual micro- and macronutrients were estimated with logistic regression. Hierarchical modeling was used to account for biologically plausible nutrient pathways (1-carbon metabolism, oxidative stress, glycemic control, and phytoestrogens). Effect estimates from hierarchical modeling were more precise and plausible compared to those from multivariable models. The strongest relationship observed was for the glycemic control pathway, but confidence intervals (CI) were wide [OR (95% CI): 0.86 (0.62, 1.21)]. Little or no effect was observed for the 1-carbon metabolism, oxidative stress, and phytoestro...
A rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric procedure for the micro determination of carbamazepine in blood

Abstract An ultraviolet spectrophotometric procedure for the micro determination of carbamazepine in blood is described which is based on the original 9-methyl-acridine method proposed by Beyer, K.H. and Klinge, K. (1969) (Arzneim-Forsch. 19, 1759–1760). Carbamazepine is extracted from blood with dichloromethane, which is then washed with alkali and acid. An aliquot of the extractant is evaporated to dryness and the residue heated briefly with hydrochloric acid at 150°C. Following removal of non-specific interference with n-heptane, the absorbance of the acid catalysed rearrangement product (9-methylacridine) is determined at 258 nm. The resulting procedure is rapid, reliable, sensitive and specific. It requires 100–200 μl sample for a single estimation and has a detection threshold of less than 0.1 mg/100 ml. It is concluded that the method is suitable for routine clinical use.
The Use of WISC-R Subtest Scatter in the Identification of Intellectually Gifted Handicapped Children: An Inappropriate Task?.

This paper provides a discussion of several issues involved in the identification of gifted handicapped children, reviewing several research studies that attempted to define a specific configuration of WISC‐R subtest scores that may be indicative of handicapped children possessing intellectual gifts‐The author concludes that although the research examining the WISC‐R subtest scores of gifted handicapped children has generally indicated the existence of a statistically significant pattern when compared to average children, the profiles and scatter are not clinically significant in that they are not observably different from other groups and, therefore, offer little use to the practitioner. The author supports the continued research efforts attempting to identify a clinically observable pattern for the identification of gifted handicapped children, but suggests the administration of alternative instruments, other than the WISC‐R, when a child has a physical and/or sensory handicap, thereby minimizing the ef...
Characterization of Lipase of Pseudomonas fluorescens 27 Based on Fatty Acid Profiles

The objectives of this research were to isolate lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens 27, to compare the purity of the partially purified lipase preparation with crude extract, and to determine if bands of lipase activity revealed by disc gel electrophoresis liberated different free fatty acids from milk fat. Lipases were isolated from a shaken skim milk culture of P. fluorescens 27 by using ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE cellulose (Whatman DE 32) and gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. The principal lipase-rich fractions from gel filtration represented 6.2% of total lipolytic activity. Disc gel electrophoresis of partially purified enzyme revealed two protein bands. These protein bands were cut from disc electrophoresis gels and used as an enzyme source for reaction with butter oil. Free fatty acids were isolated from the assay mixture, separated, and quantified by gas chromatography. Data from gas chromatographic analysis indicated that P. fluorescens 27 produces at least two different lipases.
Chronic C75 treatment of diet-induced obese mice increases fat oxidation and reduces food intake to reduce adipose mass

Obesity and its attendant disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, are global health problems. We previously reported that C75, an inhibitor of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and stimulator of carnitine palm...