cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The cleaved peptide of PAR1 is a more potent stimulant of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion than is thrombin.

Abstract Purpose: Platelet-endothelial cell adhesion is an important pathologic response to vessel injury or inflammation. On binding to its endothelial or platelet G protein-linked seven-transmembrane domain receptor, protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR1), thrombin releases a 41-amino acid peptide (TR 1-41 ). We examined the effect of TR 1-41 on platelet activation and on platelet-endothelial cell adhesion. Methods: A monolayer of confluent human saphenous vein endothelial cells was incubated with washed human platelets. Platelets were stimulated with either TR 1-41 , TR 21-41 , scrambled TR 1-41 , adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-epinephrine (EPI), thrombin, or thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP). Platelet activation was identified with flow cytometry. The magnitude of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion was determined with a laser scanning cytometer that scanned the monolayer of endothelial cells and identified fluorescently bound platelets. Results: Maximal thrombin stimulation (0.1 U/mL) induced a threefold increase in platelets bound to endothelial cells compared with buffer alone. Stimulation with TR 1-41 (20 mmol/L) tripled the number of platelets bound to endothelial cells compared with thrombin. Scrambled sequence of TR 1-41 (20 mmol/L) and TR 21-41 (20 mmol/L), neither of which induces platelet activation, had minimal effect on platelet adhesion. Both TRAP (20 mmol/L) and ADP-EPI (20 mmol/L) induced less platelet-endothelial cell adhesion than did thrombin. TR 1-41 -induced platelet-endothelial cell adhesion was partially blocked by glycoprotein (GP)IIb-IIIa-specific monoclonal antibody, 10E5 (10 mg/mL). Conclusions: TR 1-41 , the cleaved peptide of PAR1, is a more potent stimulant of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion than is thrombin, TRAP, or ADP-EPI, and this adhesion is at least in part mediated by the platelet GPIIb-IIIa receptor. (J Vasc Surg 2003;37:440-5.)
AGE-DEPENDENT CHANGES IN THE SYNTHESIS AND RELEASE OF PITUITARY GONADOTROPINS IN THE MALE RAT FOLLOWING LH-RH AND CRYPTORCHIDISM

Even with more understanding regarding the ‘shift’ in the hypothalamic sensitivity threshold occurring with the onset of puberty the synthesis and release of the pituitary gonadotropins in the intact male rat still remains in the dark. We have studied the pituitary content and circulating levels of LH and FSH in the intact animal and under the modulatory effects of LH-RH and bilateral cryptorchidism during sexual maturation. Both gonadotropins registered increment in content with maturation until day 35 of life and then declined. The peripheral levels however were not parallel with maturation, and while LH level rose to a new postmaturation height, the FSH concentration showed characteristic decline with maturity. With LH-RH the maximal depletion in the pituitary reserve of LH occurred at day 35 within 10–30 min post-LH-RH, during which period the peripheral circulation registered maximal concentration. Most prominent depletion of the pituitary reserve of FSH was also noted in the 35-day-old animals 30 min post-LH-RH with a concomitant rise in the peripheral concentration. Bilateral cryptorchidism caused marked depletion of the pituitary reserve of LH during this critical 30–35 day of life and raised the peripheral concentration to a high level. FSH, however, registered a simultaneous higher pituitary content and circulating level at comparable ages. The data revealed that the age 30–35 day in the life of the male rat is associated with the most dynamic changes in this regulatory mechanism.
Sociolinguistically oriented language surveys: Reflections on the survey of language use and language teaching in Eastern Africa (Review Article)*

Though a number of sociolinguistically oriented language surveys have been conducted elsewhere in the world from the Philippines to Belize none is comparable in size, scope, impact, financial support, and manpower input to the Survey of Language Use and Language Teaching in Eastern Africa conducted in I 968-1971 with a generous grant from the Ford Foundation under the sponsorship of the African institutions of higher learning in the countries surveyed: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The complex administrative procedures, which included preliminary meetings of an Advisory Committee, the establishment of a central office in Nairobi with a Field Director and staff, regular meetings of a Survey Council with representatives of the various countries involved, backstopping operations by the University of California at Los Angeles and the Center for Applied Linguistics, need not be discussed here. ' More important are the aims assigned to the Survey and the methods used to attain them, because they throw a particular light on the theoretical background of the techniques of sociolinguistic surveys and may allow certain interesting generalizations. Actually, the aims of the Survey of Language Use and Language Teaching in Eastern Africa, as agreed upon by representatives of the Universities of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, went far beyond the collection and adequate presentation of data. It was expected to stimulate linguistic, sociolinguistic, and pedagogical work in the five countries under consideration and to create links between scholars in Africa, across national and disciplinary boundaries, while contributing to the development of the manpower resources of each country in the field of language study. While such results would normally be the practical outcome of the collaboration of the research teams with the local language specialists and educational authorities, they were pursued as a major goal in the Eastern African Survey, and Clifford Prator, the first Field Director himself a specialist in the teaching of English as a second language considers that this strengthening of local resources may well turn out to have been more significant than the gathering of research data (1975: 147). Obviously, the first task of a country language survey is, as Ferguson (1975: 2) puts it: "to determine which are the major languages of the county and to
The geometry of the adult canine proximal femur

The canine is often used as a model to study functional bone adaptation after total hip replacement. To improve our understanding of the model, we defined the central tendencies and statistical variations in the cross-sectional geometry, angle of anteversion, and cervicodiaphyseal angle of the proximal femur in 15 adult male mongrel dogs and compared the results with published reports of the human femur. Numerous similarities in the cross-sectional geometry of the canine and the human femur were noted, supporting the use of the canine as a model. The two species differed in that the orientation of the principal axes in the proximal cross sections was not related to the angle of anteversion in the canine femur, whereas these angles are related in humans. In addition, the canine medullary canal is larger than the human medullary canal relative to the external dimensions of the femur, and hence the canine has relatively thinner cortical bone. This difference in femoral cross-sectional geometry may explain, in part, why the canine provides an accentuated model of bone loss in hip arthroplasty experiments.
Chemokines and tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a respiratory pathogen responsible for tuberculosis. A primary pathologic feature of M. tuberculosis infection is the formation of a granuloma. Immune cells migrate to the lung and then through the lung to the site of infection to form a granuloma. This structure contains the infection, and is often maintained for a long period of time. The signals responsible for granuloma formation and maintenance are largely unknown. Since chemokines and chemokine receptors direct cells to specific sites within the tissues, it is plausible that these cells participate in granuloma formation. In this review, the current literature on chemokines and M. tuberculosis infection, as well as the specific role that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) plays in granuloma formation and chemokine expression are discussed.
Clinical Features of Heart Failure and Acute Coronary Syndromes

This article provides a brief overview of the clinical presentation, laboratory and radiologic features, and basic management principles in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and acute coronary syndromes (ACS). CHF is a clinical syndrome that typically results in symptoms of congestion and hypoperfusion. A thorough physical examination complemented by cardiac biomarkers and imaging are essential in making the diagnosis. Medical and device therapies for CHF target improvement in survival as well as control of symptoms. The management of ACS involves making a prompt diagnosis through the use of a focused history and physical examination, electrocardiogram assessment, and cardiac biomarker evaluation. Timely revascularization along with optimal medical management have helped to improve patient outcomes and mortality.
Therapeutic vaccination using CD4+CD25+ antigen-specific regulatory T cells

Autoimmune disease results from the dysregulation of basic tolerogenic processes designed to control self/non-self-discrimination. Approaches to treat autoimmunity have focused historically on potent immunosuppressives that block the activation and expansion of antigen-specific T cells before they differentiate into pathogenic T cell responses. These therapies are very efficient in reducing clonal expansion and altering early signaling pathways. However, once the pathogenic responses are established (i.e., autoimmunity), the interventions are less effective on activated and differentiated T cell subsets (including memory T cells) or acting in the presence of an inflammatory milieu to abort immune responses at the target tissue and systemically. Moreover, the current immunotherapies require continuous use because they do not redirect the immune system to a state of tolerance. The continuous treatment leads to long-term toxicities and can profoundly suppress protective immune responses targeted at viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens. Over the past decade, there have been tremendous advances in our understanding of the basic processes that control immune tolerance. Among the most exciting has been the identification of a professional regulatory T cell subset that has shown enormous potential in suppressing pathologic immune responses in autoimmune diseases, transplantation, and graft vs. host disease. In this review, we summarize current efforts to induce and maintain tolerance in the autoimmune diabetes setting by using therapeutic vaccination with CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. Emphasis will be placed on approaches to exploit regulatory T cells either directly or through the use of anti-CD3 immunotherapy.
Determination of Hydrocarbons in Seawater Extracts of Crude Oil and Crude Oil Fractions

IN spite of very convincing evidence to the contrary, crude oil and oil products are still occasionally considered to be “insoluble” in aqueous systems. In view of recent reports of major ecological disruptions caused by oil pollution1,2, it seemed imperative to collect more data on the solubility of oil and oil products in water systems3,4. We have isolated, identified and quantitatively determined major components present in seawater extracts of several crude oils and a kerosene.
Multiple Sclerosis and the Cerebellum

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, demyelinating disease that has unpredictable symptomatology and severity. Cerebellar manifestations in MS can be present at any time of the clinical course. Early cerebellar findings are a predictor of disability and disease progression. Most patients have cerebellar manifestations once they enter the progressive stages of the disease. Of the cerebellar findings, tremor is by far the most common.
Appreciating music: An active approach

A particularly innovative use of laptops is to enhance the music appreciation experience. Group listening and discussion, in combination with a new Web-based application, lead to deeper understanding of classical music.
Rat salivary gland blood flow and blood-to-tissue partition coefficients following X-irradiation

Effects of a single high dose of X-irradiation (15 Gy) to the head and neck region in adult male rats were examined. Three days after radiation, rats were infused with [14C]-iodoantipyrine (IAP) via the femoral vein. Animals were killed at designated times thereafter and the three major salivary glands removed. The uptake of IAP by these tissues was analysed using a pharmacokinetic model. Radiation had relatively modest effects on all measured variables when compared with results from the non-irradiated control and pair-fed groups.
An enlarged study of genotype and recovery of sex drive in male mice

This experiment replicated a previous study which showed that genotype affects the time required to recover sex drive in the male mouse. The present study involved larger samples and more genotypes than were used in the previous study. An orderly pattern of inheritance for recovery of sex drive was found.
Effect of 2,3-DPG Concentration on Hemoglobin-Oxygen Affinity of Whole Blood

The influence of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentration (DPG) on hemoglobin-oxygen affinity (P50) in whole blood from adults and newborns has been studied. In blood from adults a decrease in DPG of 0.61 mol DPG/mol Hb is associated with a decrease in P50 of 13 mm Hg. In samples from newborns a decrease in DPG of 0.95 mol/mol Hb is associated with a decrease in P50 of 4.7 mm Hg. This difference may be due to a lesser affinity of fetal hemoglobin for DPG, and/or to the effect of DPG on the adult hemoglobin present in newborn blood.
Carbohydrate utilization by clostridium thermocellum : importance of internal pH in regulating growth

Abstract Clostridium thermocellum can utilize cellulose, cellobiose, glucose, and fructose as carbon sources, although initial growth on the monosaccharides from an inoculum grown on cellobiose occurs only after a long lag period of 180–200 h. The lag phase, during which no growth occurs, cannot be due to lack of uptake and phosphorylation of glucose and fructose by cellobiose-grown cells as measured by 13 C- and 31 P-NMR spectroscopy. ATP levels and Δψ, the transmembrane electrical potential, are comparable in growing cells and lag phase cells. Of the parameters measured, the only significant difference between cellobiose-grown cells incubated with monosaccharides versus such cells incubated with cellobiose is that the internal pH (and the pH gradient) are lower in the nongrowing cultures. Assuming that the value of the internal pH (or ΔpH) is critical for growth, the following alternative hypotheses are proposed: either the breakdown and internalization of the disaccharide cellobiose contributes to the formation of the essential pH gradient, or the transport of glucose or fructose via proton symport dissipates the pH gradient and effectively prevents growth of these cells .
Insulin stimulates the degradation of IRS-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

One of the first steps that follows insulin receptor activation is the tyrosine phosphorylation of the 160-185 kDa insulin receptor substrate IRS-1. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, expression of IRS-1 is down-regulated by chronic exposure to insulin. Expression of IRS-1 mRNA is essentially unchanged. However, [35S]Met pulse-chase labeling demonstrates that the rate of degradation of IRS-1 protein is about 10 times faster in insulin-treated cells than in basal cells. The down-regulation occurs in the presence of cycloheximide or actinomycin D and therefore is not dependent upon protein synthesis. Chloroquine does not inhibit the insulin-induced degradation, suggesting that the site of proteolysis is an extra-lysosomal compartment. The insulin-regulated proteolysis of IRS-1 may contribute to the insulin resistance seen in these cells following chronic exposure to insulin.
Measurement of Width and Pressure in a Propagating Hydraulic Fracture

Measurements of width and pressure in a propagating hydraulic fracture have been made in tests conducted at the U.S. DOE's Nevada test site. This was accomplished by creating an ''instrumented fracture'' at a tunnel complex (at a depth of 1,400 ft (425 m)) where realistic insitu conditions prevail, particularly with respect to stress and geologic features such as natural fractures and material anisotropy. Analyses of these data show that the pressure drop along the fracture length is much larger than predicted by viscous theory, which currently is used in models. This apparently is caused by the tortuosity of the fracture path, multiple fracture strands, roughness, and sharp turns (corners) in the flow path resulting from natural fractures and rock property variations. It suggests that fracture design models need to be updated to include a more realistic friction factor so that fracture lengths are not overestimated.
Poliovirus-Mediated Disruption of Cytoplasmic Processing Bodies

Metazoan cells form cytoplasmic mRNA granules such as stress granules (SG) and processing bodies (P bodies) that are proposed to be sites of aggregated, translationally silenced mRNAs and mRNA degradation. Poliovirus (PV) is a plus-strand RNA virus containing a genome that is a functional mRNA; thus, we investigated if PV antagonizes the processes that lead to formation of these structures. We have previously shown that PV infection inhibits the ability of cells to form stress granules by cleaving RasGAP-SH3-binding protein (G3BP). Here, we show that P bodies are also disrupted during PV infection in cells by 4 h postinfection. The disruption of P bodies is more rapid and more complete than disruption of stress granules. The kinetics of P body disruption correlated with production of viral proteinases and required substantial viral gene product expression. The organizing mechanism that forms P body foci in cells is unknown; however, potential scaffolding, aggregating, or other regulatory proteins found in P bodies were investigated for degradation. Two factors involved in 5'-end mRNA decapping and degradation, Xrn1 and Dcp1a, and the 3' deadenylase complex component Pan3 underwent accelerated degradation during infection, and Dcp1a may be a direct substrate of PV 3C proteinase. Several other key factors proposed to be essential for P body formation, GW182, Edc3, and Edc4, were unaffected by poliovirus infection. Since deadenylation has been reported to be required for P body formation, viral inhibition of deadenylation, through Pan3 degradation, is a potential mechanism of P body disruption.
Arabidopsis gynoecium structure in the wild and in ettin mutants

The gynoecium is the female reproductive structure of flowering plants. Here we present a description of the Arabidopsis thaliana gynoecium at anthesis. The cylindrical organ can be broken down into three longitudinal regions arranged in an apical-basal order: stigma, style, and ovary. Each region can be distinguished histologically and morphologically. The transmitting (pollination) tract is axially positioned along the center of the gynoecium and spans stigma, style and ovary. Histochemistry, scanning electron microscopy and a style-specific reporter gene are used to compare the wild-type pattern of gynoecium cell types and regions, with patterns formed in gynoecia of individuals homozygous for a series of allelic mutations at the ETTIN locus. ettin gynoecia show morphological and histological alterations that appear to result from the merging of apical and basal regions and the development of abaxial into adaxial tissues. These developmental abnormalities result in a reduction of the ovary region, an expansion of the stylar and stigmatic regions, and the abaxial (outward) proliferation of transmitting tract tissue. The alterations in the mutants can be interpreted as resulting from misspecifications of position along the longitudinal and transverse axes during gynoecium development. The results suggest that early patterning events underlie wild-type gynoecium development, and that ETT functions during this early programming.
TATA-binding protein is limiting for both TATA-containing and TATA-lacking RNA polymerase III promoters in Drosophila cells.

We have investigated the role of the TATA-binding protein (TBP) in modulating RNA polymerase (Pol) III gene activity. Epitope-tagged TBP (e-TBP) was both transiently and stably transfected inDrosophilaSchneider S-2 cells to increase the total cellular level of TBP. Analysis of the transcripts synthesized from cotransfected tRNA and U6 RNA genes revealed that both types of RNA Pol III promoters were substantially stimulated by an increase in e-TBP in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, a TBP-dependent increase in the levels of endogenous tRNA transcripts was produced in the stable line induced to express the e-TBP. We further determined whether the ability of increased TBP to induce RNA Pol III gene expression was due to a direct effect of increased TBP complexes on RNA Pol III gene promoters or an indirect consequence of enhanced expression of RNA Pol II genes. A TBP expression plasmid (e-TBP332), containing a mutation within the highlyconservedcarboxy-terminaldomain,wasbothtransientlyandstablytransfectedintoS-2cells.e-TBP332 augmented the transcription from two RNA Pol II gene promoters indistinguishably from that observed when e-TBPwasexpressed.Incontrast,e-TBP332wascompletelydefectiveinitsabilitytostimulateeitherthetRNA or U6 RNA gene promoters. In addition, increasing levels of a truncated TBP protein containing only the carboxy-terminal region failed to induce either the tRNA or U6 RNA gene promoter, whereas it retained its ability to stimulate an RNA Pol II promoter. Thus, the TBP-dependent increase in RNA Pol II gene activity is not sufficient for enhanced RNA Pol III gene transcription; rather, a direct effect on RNA Pol III promoters is required. Furthermore, these results provide thefirst direct evidence that the amino-terminal region of TBP is important for the formation or function of TBP-containing complexes utilized by TATA-less and TATAcontainingRNAPolIIIpromoters.Together,thesestudiesdemonstratethatTBPislimitingfortheexpression of both classes of RNA Pol III promoters in Drosophila cells and implicate an important role for TBP in regulating RNA Pol III gene expression. RNA polymerase (Pol) III is responsible for the transcription of many small cellular and viral RNAs which are untranslated. There are three major classes of promoters that dictate the expression of the genes transcribed by RNA Pol III (43). The tRNA and 5S RNA classes of promoters each contain intragenic promoter elements and generally lack TATA sequences upstream of the gene. Both of these types of promoters require TFIIIB and TFIIIC components to reconstitute transcription in vitro, while the 5S RNA gene additionally uses
Effect of irrigation water salinity and sodicity and water table position on water table chemistry beneath Atriplex lentiformis and Hordeum marinum

Coal bed methane (CBM) extraction in Montana and Wyoming's Powder River Basin (PRB) produces large quantities of modestly saline-sodic water. Such water can cause dispersion of clays, degradation of soil structure, and osmotic stress in plants. This study assessed effects of irrigation water quality and water table position on water chemistry of closed columns, simulating a perched or a relatively shallow water table. The experiment presents an assessment of potential salt loading in areas where shallow or perched water tables prevent leaching or where artificial drainage is not possible. Water tables were established in sand filled PVC columns (0.20 m diameter × .005 m wall thickness × 1.22 m tall) at 0.38, 0.76, and 1.14 m below the surface, after which columns were planted to one of three species, two halophytic Atriplex spp. and Hordeum marinum Huds. (maritime barley), a glycophyte. Results for the two Atriplex ssp. did not differ significantly, and therefore, only results from Atriplex lentiformis (T...
The effect of mental status screening on the care of elderly emergency department patients.

Abstract Study objectives: We determine the effect of screening examinations for mental status impairment on the care of elderly patients in the emergency department and prospectively assess recognition of mental status impairment by emergency physicians. Methods: We performed a prospective cross-sectional study. Patients were 70 years of age or older and presented to an urban teaching hospital ED over a 17-month period. Mental status impairment screening comprised the Orientation Memory Concentration examination for cognitive impairment and the Confusion Assessment Method for delirium. Emergency physicians who were blinded to the patient's screening results were interviewed to assess recognition of mental status impairment, dispositions, and referrals. Results of mental status impairment screens were then given to emergency physicians, and emergency physicians were reinterviewed regarding any change in care. Results: Two hundred seventy-one of the 327 eligible patients were enrolled. Seventy-four (27%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 22% to 33%) patients had impaired mental status. Nineteen (7%; 95% CI 4% to 11%) had delirium, and 55 (20%; 95% CI 16% to 25%) had cognitive impairment without delirium. Mental status impairment was recognized in only 28 (38%; 95% CI 27% to 50%) of 74 patients: 3 (16%; 95% CI 3% to 40%) of 19 with delirium and 25 (46%; 95% CI 32% to 59%) of 55 with cognitive impairment without delirium. Emergency physicians altered management in none of the study patients on the basis of survey results. Five (26%; 95% CI 9% to 51%) of the 19 patients with delirium were discharged to home. Of these 5 patients discharged to home with unrecognized delirium, 1 presented with fall, 2 returned 3 days later and required hospitalization, and 1 with a history of colon cancer was given a new diagnosis of metastatic disease 4 days after the initial ED visit. Conclusion: Mental status impairment is highly prevalent in older ED patients. There is a lack of recognition by emergency physicians of mental status impairment in this group. Screening tools for mental status impairment in the ED did not substantially alter the care of elderly patients with mental status impairment. [ Ann Emerg Med. 2003;41:678-684.]
Violation of the 2-triple property by resistive networks

An (m + 1)terminal resistive network forms a strongly Ptolemaic metric space Sm which violates the 2-triple property; i.e. linearity of any 2-triples among four pairwise distinct terminals does not imply linearity of the two remaining triples.
The role of ecotin dimerization in protease inhibition.

Ecotin is a homodimeric protein from Escherichia coli that inhibits many serine proteases of the chymotrypsin fold, often with little effect from the character or extent of enzyme substrate specificity. This pan-specificity of inhibition is believed to derive from formation of a heterotetrameric complex with target proteases involving three types of interface: the dimerization interface, a primary substrate-like interaction, and a smaller secondary interaction between the partner ecotin subunit and the protease. A monomeric ecotin variant (mEcotin) and a single-chain ecotin dimer (scEcotin) were constructed to study the effect of a network of protein interactions on binding affinity and the role of dimerization in broad inhibitor specificity. mEcotin was produced by inserting a beta-turn into the C-terminal arm, which normally exchanges with the other subunit. While the dimerization constant (K(dim)) of wild-type (WT) ecotin was found to be picomolar by subunit exchange experiments using FRET and by association kinetics, mEcotin was monomeric up to 1 mM as judged by gel filtration and analytical centrifugation. A crystal structure of uncomplexed mEcotin to 2.0 A resolution verifies the design, showing a monomeric protein in which the C-terminal arm folds back onto itself to form a beta-barrel structure nearly identical to its dimeric counterpart. The kinetic rate constants and equilibrium dissociation constants for monomeric and dimeric ecotin variants were determined with both trypsin and chymotrypsin. The effect of the secondary binding site on affinity was found to vary inversely with the strength of the interaction at the primary site. This compensatory effect yields a nonadditivity of up to 5 kcal/mol and can be explained in terms of the optimization of binding orientation. Such a mechanism of adaptability allows femtomolar affinities for two proteases with very different specificities.
Increased Renal Metabolism in Diabetes: Mechanism and Functional Implications

The coupling between the Na+/glucose cotransporter and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase (NKA) described for epithelial cells (1) prompted us to study in rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes the effect of increased tubular glucose load on tubular Na+ reabsorption, NKA-dependent O2 consumption (QO2), and NKA activity. Filtered glucose is mainly reabsorbed in the proximal tubuli via the phlorizin-sensitive Na+/glucose cotransporter. In this study, the diabetic rats had a significantly higher renal blood flow (RBF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and Na+ reabsorption than the control rats. Total renal QO2 as well as QO2 in cortical tissue, which consists mainly of proximal tubular cells, was significantly higher in diabetic than in control rats. The increase in tissue QO2 was entirely caused by increased NKA-dependent QO2. NKA activity, measured as rate of ATP hydrolysis, was increased in cortical tubular but not glomerular tissue from diabetic rats. Phlorizin treatment abolished the increase in NKA activity, Na+ reabsorption, and QO2, as well as the increase in RBF and GFR in diabetic rats. We conclude that diabetes is associated with increased renal O2 metabolism secondary to the increase in coupled Na+ reabsorption via the Na+/glucose cotransporter and NKA. The increased oxygen consumption might contribute to the hyperperfusion and hyperfiltration in the diabetic kidney.
Expression of Cytochrome P450 Genes of the CYP4 Family in Midgut and Fat Body of the Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta

Two conserved regions in the alignment of cytochrome P450 family 4 (CYP4) proteins served as guide to the synthesis of degenerate oligonucleotide primers. The primers were used in PCR from a midgut cDNA library and RT-PCR from fat body mRNA, both from last instar larvae of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. The PCR products of 443-449 bp were cloned and sequenced. Nine P450 clones representing four new genes were obtained from the midgut. Fifteen P450 clones representing three new genes were obtained from the fat body. Two genes were expressed in both tissues. A number of putative allelic variants were also observed for three of the P450 genes. The resulting sequences of 130-132 amino acids were aligned to generate a parsimony analysis of CYP4 P450 proteins. Two new subfamilies of CYP4 were designated from M. sexta by these procedures, CYP4L and CYP4M. The sequence of a full-length cDNA clone for CYP4M2 (41.2% identity to CYP4C1) confirmed that the PCR products obtained by this method were P450s belonging to the CYP4 family. The developmental expression of the CYP4 genes appeared to be coordinately regulated in both fat body and midgut. In the fat body, CYP4 mRNA levels declined after the first day of the final larval instar, peaked during the wandering stage, and fell again until the prepupal molt. Midgut CYP4 mRNA levels were higher during the active feeding, midwandering, prepupal, and pupal stages. Addition of 2-tridecanone or 2-undecanone to the diet induced several P450s in the midgut and in the fat body. Phenobarbital induced CYP4M1 in the fat body and dietary clofibrate induced the mRNA levels of CYP4M1 and CYP4M3 in the midgut. The results indicate that at least four CYP4 genes are expressed in single tissues of a Lepidopteran insect. Several of these P450 may be involved in tissue responses to xenobiotics.
The ligand effect in Ti-mediated living radical styrene polymerizations initiated by epoxide radical ring opening. 1. Alkoxide and bisketonate Ti complexes

Bisketonate and alkoxide Ti(III) complexes derived from Zn reduction of Ti(IV) precursors were evaluated as catalysts for the living radical polymerization (LRP) of styrene initiated by Ti-catalyzed epoxide radical ring opening and mediated by reversible termination with Ti(III). No polymerization occurred with tris(2,2,6, 6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)titanium (III), whereas dichlorobis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)titanium (IV) affords only a free radical polymerization. Preliminary living features were displayed by ( i PrO 2 TiCl 2 . Investigations of the effect of epoxide/Ti/Zn ratios, temperature, and nature of the epoxide demonstrated that ( i PrO) 3 TiCl provides a linear dependence of M n on conversion over a wide range of conditions with an optimum for [Sty|/[epoxide group]/[Ti]/[Zn] = 50/1/2/4 at 90 C. However, the polydispersity could not be reduced below 1.4-1.5, with an initiator efficiency of 0.15. These results were rationalized in terms of a combination of decreased Ti oxophilicity and ligand exchange. The lowered oxophilicity decreases the initiation rate and broadens M w /M n . The fast alkoxide exchange promotes a weak dependence of the polymerization on reaction conditions and generates macromolecular Ti species with reduced ability to mediate LRP. Thus, while monofunctional epoxides provide homogeneous polymerizations and narrower M w /M n , difunctional initiators may lead to gel formation at high conversion. Nonetheless, all polymerizations were light gray to colorless and afforded white polymer.
Isometric cycles, cutsets, and crowning of bridged graphs

A graph G is bridged if every cycle C of length at least 4 has vertices x,y such that dG(x,y) < dC(x,y). A cycle C is isometric if dG(x,y) = dC(x,y) for all x,y ∈ V(C). We show that every graph contractible to a graph with girth g has an isometric cycle of length at least g. We use this to show that every minimal cutset S in a bridged graph G induces a connected subgraph. We introduce a “crowning” construction to enlarge bridged graphs. We use this to construct examples showing that for every connected simple graph H with girth at least 6 (including trees), there exists a bridged graph G such that G has a unique minimum cutset S and that G[S] = H. This provides counterexamples to Hahn's conjecture that dG(u,v) ≤ 2 when u and v lie in a minimum cutset in a bridged graph G. We also study the convexity of cutsets in bridged graphs. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 43: 161–170, 2003
Mechanisms of vasopressin-induced intracellular Ca2+ oscillations in rat inner medullary collecting duct.

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) causes increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration with an oscillatory pattern. Ca2+ mobilization is required for AVP-stimulated apical exocytosis in inner medullary col...
Carter G. Woodson and the Collection of Source Materials for Afro-American History

Until recently, white libraries and archives generally showed no interest in collecting primary source materials that dealt specifically with black culture. J. Franklin Jameson, chief of the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress during the late 1920s, recognized the need to acquire these sources and assisted Afro-American historian Carter G. Woodson in his endeavor to collect them. With only a small amount of grant funds and a great deal of enthusiastic support from the black community, Woodson collected over five thousand documents which now comprise the "Carter G. Woodson Collection of Negro Materials" in the Manuscript Division.
Are You Justified

Should legal documents be fully justified or use left justification with a ragged right margin? This piece presents the arguments for both choices.
Cross-linguistic Variation in a Processing Account: The Case of Multiple Wh-questions∗

0. Introduction The distinction between acceptable and unacceptable sentences has long served as the empirical basis for theoretical linguistics. Traditionally, two kinds of explanations have been offered to account for perceived unacceptability. In the first, unacceptability reflects the violation of grammatical constraints. The second explanation attributes unacceptability to processing complexity: a construction is judged unacceptable because it is hard to process. The unacceptability of nested constructions like (1) has been attributed to their extreme processing complexity (Gibson 2000; Miller & Chomsky 1963). The acceptability of this construction improves when the processing load is reduced by replacing the lexical NPs with pronouns, as in (2).
Abstract 162: The Challenges of Decision-making Regarding Futility in a Randomized Trial: The IMS III Experience

INTRODUCTION: IMS 3 Trial is a multicenter randomized study to compare the effectiveness of the bridging (IV tPA + intra-arterial) therapy to the IV tPA only treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke presenting within 3 hours of symptom onset. The trial intended to enroll 900 subjects to ensure adequate statistical power to detect an absolute 10% difference in the % of subjects with good outcome, defined as mRS score of 0-2 at 3 months. In April 2012, after 656 subjects were randomized, further enrollment was terminated by the NINDS upon recommendation by the DSMB. The decision was based on the pre-specified criterion for futility using conditional power of METHOD: Conditional power was defined as the likelihood of finding statistical significance at the end of the study given the accumulated data to date and with the assumption that a minimum hypothesized difference of 10% truly exists between the two groups. Hence, it is akin to ordinary statistical power. RESULTS: The futility boundary was crossed at the Trial’s 4 th interim analysis. The details of the evolution of the study that led to the futility determination are presented, including the interaction between the unblinded study statisticians and the DSMB in the complex deliberation of the data analysis results. CONCLUSION: Even in spite of pre-specifying the parameters of interim analysis, interim looks at the data pose challenges in the interpretation and decision-making. It therefore underscores the importance of taking utmost care in the design of the study, including specification of objective stopping guidelines.
Transgressing Theological Shibboleths: Culture as Locus of Divine (Pneumatological) Activity

Building on the proposals of Jennings, Bantum, and Carter toward constructing alternative theological articulations that move away from racialized framings, this paper proposes a reinterpretation of the cultural dimension as locus of divine activity. This methodological shift requires that the historically-culturally specific event of Jesus be reinterpreted as opening the door for the celebration of other ethnocultural traditions, which, when coupled with the event of Pentecost, provides enough grounds for discerning the Spirit at work at the level of culture. The two events of Jesus and Pentecost challenge us to reconceive the particular culturally bound ways in which the Spirit is involved in the process of divine disclosure, leading us toward the recognition of the contextual, plurivocal, and multicultural nature of theological reflection.
Effect of secretin on colonic DNA synthesis.

SummaryThis study examined whether or not secretin inhibited pentagastrin stimulated growth of colonic mucosa in rats. Pentagastrin (250 μg/kg) caused an approximate doubling of mucosal DNA synthesis which was completely prevented by secretin in doses of 37.5 and 75 U/kg. The effect of secretin was dose dependent and occurred with as little as 9 U/kg. Secretin had no effect on either DNA synthesis or content when administered by itself. The dose of 75 U secretin per kg also completely prevented a 60% increase in DNA content stimulated by pentagastrin.
Potential effects of opportunity cost on dental school patients.

Predoctoral clinic fees are set below those of private practices to attract patients. Treatment in a predoctoral clinic requires more and longer appointments and patients spend more time waiting to be seen than in a private practice. This time has a value that economists call opportunity cost, the value of the next best alternative (the hourly wage for an employed patient). A model comparing total cost (fee plus opportunity cost) of treatment in dental schools and private practices for insured and uninsured patients is presented. As patient income increases, the total cost of some treatment plans becomes higher in dental schools than in private practices. To insured patients, however, the out-of-pocket cost of a treatment plan depends on copayments rather than fees. This makes predoctoral clinics less competitive. Considering opportunity cost further increases dental schools9 lack of competitiveness. For insured patients, more treatment plans will have a lower total cost in private practice. Clinic directors must realize that if opportunity costs are not reduced, the market may dictate that fees be lowered to remain competitive with private practitioners. They are in competition for patients based on total cost, and efficiencies that reduce opportunity cost may increase revenue and attract patients.
The Massachusetts HIV, hepatitis, addiction services integration (HHASI) experience: responding to the comprehensive needs of individuals with co-occurring risks and conditions.

SYNOPSIS Categorical funding mechanisms traditionally used to fund public health programs are a challenge to providers serving individuals with complex needs that often span multiple service areas. Integration-a formalized, collaborative process among service systems- responds to the challenge by decreasing fragmentation of care and improving coordination. In 2000, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) received a one-year planning grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to evaluate opportunities for integrating HIV/AIDS programs and substance abuse treatment programs. The project was later expanded to include viral hepatitis programming. Outcomes include the development of a strategic plan, joint procurement initiatives, and an ongoing commitment to sustain inter-bureau integration efforts, even in the face of substantial budget reductions. Integrated approaches can promote greater efficiency, improving communication and coordination among clients, providers, and government funding agencies.
Tales of a Therapist

ABSTRACT Historically, theorists and clinicians from various schools of family therapy have discussed therapist self-disclosure in terms of either helping or inhibiting therapeutic progress. Although postmodern language-based theorists and therapists accept and encourage its use, few clinical examples of therapist self-disclosure exist in the family therapy literature. In this paper, a postmodern family therapist working within the language-based tradition describes the use of self-disclosures with a couple. The therapist then reviews the effects of those self-disclosures through the eyes of husband, wife, and therapist.
Herpes zoster involving the fifth and tenth cranial nerves.

Abstract Herpes zoster of the oral mucosa with no cutaneous lesions is comparatively rare. It is noteworthy that in the case presented here the area of involvement was limited to the left side, with only a small amount of erythema crossing the midline of the hard and soft palate and three or four apparently scattered lesions on the right side of the palate. Treatment for the most part is symptomatic.
Low Soluble Syndecan-1 Precedes Preeclampsia.

Introduction Syndecan-1 (Sdc1; CD138) is a major transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan expressed on the extracellular, luminal surface of epithelial cells and syncytiotrophoblast, thus comprising a major component of the glycocalyx of these cells. The “soluble” (shed) form of Sdc1 has paracrine and autocrine functions and is normally produced in a regulated fashion. We compared plasma soluble Sdc1 concentrations, in relation to placental Sdc1 expression, in uncomplicated (control) and preeclamptic pregnancies.
Disease-specific classification using deconvoluted whole blood gene expression

Blood-based biomarker assays have an advantage in being minimally invasive. Diagnostic and prognostic models built on peripheral blood gene expression have been reported for various types of disease. However, most of these studies focused on only one disease type, and failed to address whether the identified gene expression signature is disease-specific or more widely applicable across diseases. We conducted a meta-analysis of 46 whole blood gene expression datasets covering a wide range of diseases and physiological conditions. Our analysis uncovered a striking overlap of signature genes shared by multiple diseases, driven by an underlying common pattern of cell component change, specifically an increase in myeloid cells and decrease in lymphocytes. These observations reveal the necessity of building disease-specific classifiers that can distinguish different disease types as well as normal controls, and highlight the importance of cell component change in deriving blood gene expression based models. We developed a new strategy to develop blood-based disease-specific models by leveraging both cell component changes and cell molecular state changes, and demonstrate its superiority using independent datasets.
Serious rotator cuff injuries.

Usually, serjous rotator cuff injuries can be operated upon and a high level of performance can be achieved after surgery. This is not so for the substantial tears seen in baseball pitchers. However, a damaged rotator cuff can be rehabilitated and can recover from the threatened tear without surgery if detected early enough and given the proper treatment.
The Density Code for the Development of a Vaccine

The development of prophylactic vaccines remains largely empirical in nature and rarely have general rules been applied in the strategic decision and the formulation of a viral vaccine. Currently, there are a total of 15 virus agents from 12 unique virus families with vaccines licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Extensive structural information on these viral particles and potential mechanisms of protection are available for the majority of these virus pathogens and their respective vaccines. Here I review the quantitative features of these viral surface antigens in relation to the molecular mechanisms of B-cell activation and point out a potential correlation between the density of immunogenic proteins displayed on the surface of the vaccine antigen carrier and the success of a vaccine. These features help us understand the humoral immunity induced by viral vaccines on a quantitative ground and re-emphasize the importance of antigen density on the activation of the immune system. Although the detailed mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain to be explored, it implies that both the size of antigen carriers and the density of immunogenic proteins displayed on these carriers are important parameters that may need to be optimized for the formulation of a vaccine.
Characterization of Lanthanide Complexes with Bis-1,2,3-triazole-bipyridine Ligands Involved in Actinide/Lanthanide Separation.

The complexation of selected trivalent lanthanide ions with derivatives of the tetranitrogen donor ligands 6,6′-bis-1R,1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl-2,2′-bipyridines (BTzBPs, R = alkyl or aryl) was investigated in solid state and in solution. An anhydrous solid [Ce(Bn-BTzBP)(NO3)3] (Bn = benzene) complex was synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Eu(III) complexes with the 2-ethyl(hexyl) derivative EH-BTzBP in methanol were studied by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Earlier studies have identified the EH-BTzBP as a potentially useful solvent extraction reagent for the separation of americium from lanthanide metal ions, a challenging component of advanced nuclear fuel cycles for actinide transmutation. To help identify species formed in the extraction process, the influence of 2-bromohexanoic acid (identified as an essential component of the separation system) on Eu(III) complexes was investigated. Comparison with an organic phase after extraction of Eu(III) by EH-BTzBP and 2-b...