cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DNA/RNA Degradation Rate in Long Term Fixed Museum Specimens

In today’s research driven society, it has become commonplace for institutions to rely upon DNA and RNA extraction techniques to help obtain genomic data from old specimens. Generally, specimens are preserved for future gross examination and/or teaching. Using histological examination of specimens from museum jars from the Pathology Department at the Indiana University School of Medicine, the sequential and chronological degradation of DNA and RNA has been studied. We examined gross specimens from 1920 to 2000. We evaluated histologic preservation of kidney, liver, heart, lung, spleen, uterus and brain for nuclear structure in these samples. Nuclear preservation was based on amount of nuclei per microscopic field and the crispness of the nuclear membrane and internal features. The nuclei in high lipid tissues such as the brain were found to degrade at a quicker rate than dense tissues such as the heart and uterus. Our study has shown that specimens preserved beyond fifty years were likely to have little to no nuclei left, thus indicating that there was little to no DNA and RNA remaining. This technique of histologic evaluation is an important finding and a general guideline which may save research institutions from the expensive process of DNA and RNA extraction.
The New Classical Electrodynamics

EXCEPT for a gauge-fixing condition, Dirac's recent theory1–3 corresponds to the natural form of Maxwell–Lorentz electrodynamics for very fine-grained streams of charged corpuscles all with the same constant mass μ and charge e; the velocity field in the stream is supposed to be continuous and differentiable. The ratio μ′/e is written k; here μ′ is the measure of μ in energy units: μ′ ≡ μc2. (We call this first special form of the theory the superconductive theory, since its equations will be seen to be entirely equivalent to those of the relativistic form of the Maxwell–London theory when only supercurrents are present. As not all electrodynamics is superconductive, this theory is insufficiently general.) It is evident intuitively that in the uniform stream theory3, where μ and e are everywhere constant, a non-trivial electrostatics is impossible; for example, it is not possible to describe as a static situation a charged dielectric, or any system with a space-charge which appears at rest macroscopically. For this and other reasons, connected with the existence of more than one kind of elementary particle, one is led to generalize the prequantum theory by allowing the mass μ and charge e to be variable in space-time. Such a theory may be called the general stream theory, and will be considered elsewhere. Here we confine ourselves to discussing some characteristic physical consequences of (a) the equations of motion, and (b) the gauge condition of the uniform stream theory. These follow from the assumption of:
Precipitation Variation and the Identification of High-Risk Wet Accident Locations in California

To improve safety continually along California's roadways, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) developed a list of high-collision concentration locations that required further evaluation and treatment. One version of this list, Wet Table C, analyzes only wet accidents (those during or following precipitation). In developing Wet Table C, wet percent factors—which quantify the proportion of time per year during which pavement is damp enough to cause traffic accidents (measured on an hourly basis)-are employed. These factors were originally developed at the county level (i.e., one factor per county). A recent updating of factors allowed for their development at a finer spatial level (quartermile segments of roadway). This research examined whether such finer-resolution factors produced different results when incorporated into the Caltrans Wet Table C process. Results of McNemar tests indicated that there was no statistical difference between lists produced using a singular wet percent fact...
Wound Healing and Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Potentials After Experimental Ventral Tympanic Bulla Osteotomy in Dogs

Ventral tympanic bulla osteotomy was performed in 13 normal dogs to evaluate healing and retention of brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BSAEP). Healing was evaluated by gross and microscopic examination of the middle ears after 1 (n = 2), 4 (n = 8), 5 (n = 1), and 6 (n = 1) weeks. One dog was eliminated from the study. Brain stem auditory evoked potentials were measured using an air-conducted sound stimulus before and after surgery and before killing. Nine of 12 dogs re-formed the tympanic bulla by formation of fibrous connective tissue lined with cuboidal epithelium in the osteotomy site. Four of the nine dogs had a reduced tympanic bulla volume (estimated 20% to 40% volume reduction) caused by soft tissue ingrowth through the osteotomy. Nine of 12 dogs had proliferation of subperiosteal new bone from the inner surface of the tympanic bulla that varied in severity. Three of these nine dogs had nearly complete obliteration of the tympanic cavity by proliferating subperiosteal new bone. Eight dogs had nodules of granulation tissue containing new bone and mineralization diffusely distributed on the surfaces of the middle ear. The measured BSAEP sensitivity before killing was equivalent to preoperative levels in 11 dogs. The remaining dog had no change in auditory sensitivity after surgery but had a markedly reduced BSAEP detection threshold before killing. This appeared to be attributable to mechanical impingement on the ossicles and tympanic membrane by proliferating bone within the tympanic cavity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Do pediatric healthcare providers know how to use metered dose inhaler plus spacer devices

We tested whether health practitioners correctly used MDI-spacer devices. Of 122 subjects, 89% had instructed a patient on using a spacer. Whilst performance with the Aerochamber was the best, only 3% correctly demonstrated all the steps for that device.
Signatures of the Tricritical Point in QCD

Several approaches to QCD with two {ital massless} quarks at finite temperature T and baryon chemical potential {mu} suggest the existence of a tricritical point on the boundary of the phase with spontaneously broken chiral symmetry. In QCD with {ital massive} quarks there is then a critical point at the end of a first order transition line. We discuss possible experimental signatures of this point, which provide information about its location and properties. We propose a combination of event-by-event observables, including suppressed fluctuations in T and {mu} and, simultaneously, enhanced fluctuations in the multiplicity of soft pions. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society }
Hormonal Therapy for the Treatment of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women. The majority of breast cancers diagnosed in postmenopausal women are hormone receptor positive and involve therapy with hormonal agents. Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen-receptor modulator, has been the mainstay of hormonal therapy since the 1970s. The more recent approval and success of aromatase inhibitors, such as anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane, have seen these agents move to the front line of therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone-positive breast cancer in the adjuvant and metastatic settings. Fulvestrant, a selective estrogen receptor— downregulator, provides an additional hormonal therapy with a novel mechanism of action. This article reviews the current literature available regarding the use of these agents for postmenopausal women with early stage or advanced breast cancer.
U-Th-Pb and Rb-Sr systematics of Apollo 17 boulder 7 from the North Massif of the Taurus-Littrow Valley

Portions of highland breccia boulder 7 collected during the Apollo 17 mission were studied using U-Th-Pb and Rb-Sr systematics. A Rb-Sr internal isochron age of 3.89 plus or minus 0.08 b.y. with an initial Sr-87/Sr-86 of 0.69926 plus or minus 0.00008 was obtained for clast 1 (77135,57) (a troctolitic microbreccia). A troctolitic portion of microbreccia clast 77215,37 yielded a U-Pb internal isochron of 3.8 plus or minus 0.2 b.y. and an initial Pb-206/Pb-207 of 0.69. These internal isochron ages are interpreted as reflecting metamorphic events, probably related to impacts, which reset Rb-Sr and U-Pb mineral systems of older rocks.
Teaching for Understanding and Application of Science Knowledge

James Gallagher is Professor of Science Education at Michigan State University and currently co-editor of Journal of Research in Science Teaching. He was a member of the Working Group on Teaching in the formulation of National Science Education Standards. His recent work has included the me of continuous assessment as a tool to aid teachers in teaching for understanding.
Phase information from a conservation law

Using a conservation law obeyed by the degenerate parametric amplifier, we find a bound to the accuracy that can be obtained by using the signal mode to measure a phase shift. In particular, we show that there is a limit, which depends only on the initial state of the pump and signal modes, on how sharp the phase distribution of the signal mode can be. If the pump mode is initially in a coherent state and the signal mode is in the vacuum state, the phase distribution of the signal mode can be sharper than that of the initial state of the pump mode by at most a factor of two.
Impaired Pituitary Thyrotroph Function in Uncontrolled Type II Diabetes Mellitus: Normalization on Recovery*

Abstract Altered thyroid hormone metabolism with decreased serum T3 and increased rT3 concentrations in patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus has been well documented. However, data regarding TSH secretion are sparse, especially the inti uence of glycemic control. Therefore, we examined serum T4, free T4, T3) rT3, T3 resin uptake, and TSH as well as the TSH response to TRH administration [expressed as TSH increment (δTSH) and area under the curve (θTSH)] in 29 newly discovered type II diabetic patients (DM) before treatment and in 12 normal subjects. The study was repeated in the DM patients after attainment of euglycemia and normalization of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlC) following therapy with diet and tolazamide for 8-12 weeks. Serum T4, free T4, and T3 resin uptake were not significantly different in DM compared to those in normal subjects. Serum T3 was low and rT3 was high in DM before treatment, and both normalized on achieving the euglycemic state. Basal TSH in uncontrolled DM was not signi...
Synthesis and characterization of gold-based nanoscopic additives for polymers

A new chemical route for the synthesis of alkanethiol-derivatized gold clusters of controlled size to be used for polymer functionalization has been developed. Gold clusters were prepared by reduction of tetrachloroauric acid with ethylene glycol in presence of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as stabilizer. PVP-protected gold clusters were separated from the reactive mixture by flocculation with acetone; then, they were dissolved in a dodecanethiol/ethanol solution to produce thiol-derivatized Au clusters. Passivated clusters were dispersed in polystyrene/chloroform solutions and high-transparent purple-colored nanocomposite films were obtained by solution casting. This preparative scheme allows to produce polymer-based high-quality optical filters with complete control over the absorption properties.
Cocaine deprivation effect: Cue abstinence over weekends boosts anticipatory 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in rats

In drug dependence studies, rats are often tested daily with short breaks (such as weekends) spent untested in their home cages. Research on alcohol models has suggested that breaks from continuous testing can transiently enhance self-administration (termed the “alcohol deprivation effect”). The present study explored whether the salience of cocaine-access cues is increased after skipping weekend cocaine and cue exposures. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) of the 50-kHz class are emitted by rats exposed to intravenous cocaine and have been shown to increase with repeated drug exposure at the same dose level (sensitization). The present study found that over the course of several weeks of cocaine self- or yoked-administration pre-drug cues signaling forthcoming access or delivery of cocaine elicited marked amounts of anticipatory 50-kHz USVs, and that weekend deprivation from cues and cocaine exaggerated further the level of calling (more calls on Mondays compared to Fridays). Anticipatory USVs extinguished less rapidly when weekend access to unreinforced cues was denied. The results may have clinical implications, in that intermittently avoiding cues or context may enhance drug cue salience and resistance to extinction.
Using the Evolutionary Selection Principle in Selective Area Growth to Achieve Single-Crystalline GaN on SiO2

Conventional epitaxial techniques requires single crystalline substrates to form semiconductor material of desired material quality for device applications. The use of amorphous substrates, in many applications, provides an opportunity to consider new materials and designs, which can fundamentally alter the performance, functionality and/or cost limitations of many optoelectronic devices. Here, a growth process is described to achieve single crystalline GaN material on amorphous SiO2. The evolutionary selection principle in crystal growth is the basis of this technique, and the mechanism is described and analyzed in detail. It is expected that this process can be extended to other semiconductor and substrate combinations, allowing heterogenous integration with functional substrates to produce new classes of semiconductor devices.
The Redistributive Potential of Transfer Taxation

The United States imposes substantial federal taxes on estates, gifts, and generation-skipping transfers exceeding high exemption levels (currently US$5.25 million). These transfer taxes are very distortionary compared to other federal taxes, and raise little revenue; their appeal lies in their distributional properties. Gratuitous transfers benefit both those who make the transfers and those who receive them; transfer taxes therefore impose burdens on both donors and recipients, in addition to distorting economic behavior. This article considers a potential reform of replacing federal transfer taxes with greater income taxes on the highest-income earners. Such a reform holds the prospect of raising additional federal tax revenue with improved efficiency and greater measured tax progressivity.
Effects of the Special Olympics of Texas athletes for outreach program on communication competence among individuals with mental retardation

Previous research has indicated that individuals with mental retardation exhibit deficits in communication and social competence. In addition, earlier studies have provided some evidence that Special Olympics programs can provide increased physical and social competence for participants, but prior to this study no one has addressed Special Olympics’ impact on communication competence. Communicative performance is critical to social interaction and impacts perceived social competence. Consequently, if individuals participating in the Special Olympics’ Athletes for Outreach program (AFO) develop improved communication skills and an enhanced social role as a result of their involvement, the authors speculate that others could benefit from a similar program and experience.
Perceptions of Vulnerability to Victimization

Individuals who have not been victimized by negative life events, such as serious illness, accidents, or crime, tend to perceive themselves as “uniquely invulnerable,” as less vulnerable to victimization than others. The actual experience of victimization, however, appears to shatter this illusion of invulnerability, creating in victims a new and unfamiliar sense of vulnerability often accompanied by psychological distress. This article reviews literature documenting nonvictims' perceptions of unique invulnerability and victims' heightened perceptions of vulnerability, and addresses the potentially adaptive versus maladaptive consequences of these perceptions. It is argued that victims who have the most difficulty coping with their misfortune may be precisely those individuals who initially felt least vulnerable prior to being victimized. Therefore, how victims cope may depend in part on their prior beliefs about risk. In addition, a distinction is made between victims who feel “uniquely vulnerable” (more vulnerable than others) and those who feel “universally vulnerable” (equally vulnerable as others) to future misfortune. It is proposed that perceptions of universal vulnerability may be a more adaptive reaction to victimization than are perceptions of unique vulnerability.
A computer assisted scheduling system for retail organizations

Abstract A knowledge-based system is developed to produce work schedules for personnel in large retail settings. The system considers part- and full-time employment, specific and general assignments, minimum and maximum hours per work period and per week, absences due to vacation and illness, and other constraints. The major objective is to schedule employees in relation to sales activity over the year without exceeding a certain budgetary allocation for sales labor. This allocation is defined as a percentage of sales. The system is developed in Arity/Prolog and includes a forecasting module which forecasts sales by week on the basis of the previous three years of data and activity by hour and day on the basis of several weeks of aggregated data. Schedules are produced for periods of one week but the user may override the schedule as circumstances warrant.
Recent highlights from atomic force microscopy of DNA.

Seven recent highlights are presented from atomic force microscopy (AFM) of DNA in this lab. The first two involve advances in the observation of enzymatic reactions in near-physiological solutions...
Use of carotid-subclavian arterial bypass and thoracic endovascular aortic repair to minimize cerebral ischemia in total aortic arch reconstruction.

Objective Total aortic arch replacement typically requires hypothermic circulatory arrest, carrying risks of cerebral ischemia. We recently introduced left carotid–subclavian bypass before total aortic arch replacement with thoracic stent grafting to achieve hybrid arch reconstruction with short periods of selective antegrade cerebral perfusion. Methods From 2004 to 2009, 332 patients underwent ascending aorta or arch replacements. Of these, 37 underwent total aortic arch replacement. In 2008, we began performing left carotid–subclavian bypass before subtotal arch replacement, with side-graft anastomoses to innominate and left carotid arteries. Patients then underwent aortic graft stent deployment to complete arch reconstruction. Twenty-eight patients underwent conventional arch replacement (group I); 9 underwent hybrid arch replacement (group II). Results Selective antegrade cerebral perfusion time in group I was 33.3 ± 13.7 minutes versus 18.9 ± 9.2 minutes in group II ( P = .007). Among group I patients, 82% required hypothermic circulatory arrest (vs 0% in group II, P P P = .55). Conclusions Left carotid–subclavian bypass before arch replacement with staged thoracic stent grafting to achieve hybrid arch reconstruction was associated with decreased selective antegrade cerebral perfusion, cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic crossclamp times and eliminated hypothermic circulatory arrest. This technique may minimize neurologic complications associated with arch replacement and provide a viable hybrid approach to patients with arch aneurysms and dissections.
Active Surveillance Screening of MRSA and Eradication of the Carrier State Decreases Surgical-Site Infections Caused by MRSA

Background Surgical-site infections (SSI), because of MRSA, are a challenge for acute care hospitals. The current study examines the impact of best practices and active surveillance screening for MRSA on reduction of MRSA SSIs. Study Design Beginning February 2007, all admissions to a 761-bed tertiary care hospital were screened for MRSA by nasal swab using polymerase chain reaction-based testing. Positive nasal carriers of MRSA were treated before operation. The subset of patients undergoing procedures that are part of the Surgical Infection Prevention Project were followed for MRSA SSIs. SSI rates (per 100 procedures) were determined using the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance definitions. MRSA SSI rates were compared before and after the MRSA screening intervention. Differences were analyzed using Fisher's exact test and chi-square with Yate's continuity correction. Where specimens were available, genotyping of MRSA was performed using a commercially available assay. Results After universal MRSA surveillance, 5,094 patients underwent Surgical Infection Prevention Project procedures. The rate of MRSA SSI decreased from 0.23% to 0.09%. The reduction was most pronounced in joint-replacement procedures (0.30% to 0%; p=0.04). No other differences were statistically significant. Of the seven patients in whom MRSA SSI developed after universal screening, four had positive MRSA screens; none had received preoperative eradication of MRSA. In two of these patients, the genotype of MRSA detected on screening and in SSI was genetically indistinguishable. Conclusions Surveillance for MRSA and eradication of the carrier state reduces the rate of MRSA SSI.
EFFECT OF A CONFLICT MANIPULATION ON CHILDREN'S MORAL JUDGMENTS

Recent literature in the area of children's moral judgments has presented data which contradict the findings of Piaget (4) and those of others who used his traditional paradigm. Berg-Cross (1) identified three methodological problems with this paradigm which were responsible for the consistently found failure of children under 8 yr. to make moral judgments based on the intentions of the actors. Correction of the methodological weaknesses by Berg-Cross and others (2, 5) has exposed children to tasks requiring moral judgment which are less complex, clearer in the presentation of intentional and accidental events, and more likely to tap the child's judgment than an experimenter's inference. Such results support the position that children younger than 8 yr. use an actor's incentions in making moral judgments. The present study was based on one by Peterson, et al. (3) which exposed children to a conflict situation-respect for adult authority and concern for the amount of damage done were put in conflict using the story-pair procedure. By including black line drawings to depict the anion of the story, the present writers sought to extend the age at which moral judgments based on intentions had been found downward to the preschool level. Except for posing a question to determine if the children comprehended the story-pairs, the procedure was the same as that used by Peterson, et al. Chi squared indicated a significant relationship between grade level and type of judgment (intention/damage) for the child-adult conflic: pair (~2' = 9.05, p < .02) and two non-conflict control pairs, adult-child (~2 = 10.5, p < .01) and adult-adult (~2 = 18.4, p < .001). Analysis of the child-child conflict story-pair yielded nonsignificant results. The preschool subjects' frequenq of judgments of intention was about equal to that of fourth/fifth graders, and both these groups were greater in frequency of judgments of intention and less in frequency of judgments of damage than the second grade group. An analysis for sex differences in type of judgment uncovered significant relationships between sex of child and type of judgment at each grade level for at least one story-pair. Among preschoolers boys made more judgments of intention and fewer of damage than girls on the adult-child non-conflict story-pair = 6.8, p < .01). On the child-adult conflict pair and the adult-adult non-conflict pair, second grade girls made more judgments of intention and fewer of damage than boys = 14.6, p < .001), and (x12 = 7.29, p < .01, respectively). Among fourth/fifth graders, girls made more judgments of intention and fewer of damage than boys on all story-pairs. The were 10.23 (p < .01), 6.55 (p < .02), 7.29 (p < .Ol), and 6.42 (p < .02),
Plumbing the Depths of the Bogus Pipeline: A Reprise.

Abstract Several years ago a debate appeared in this journal concerning the utility of the “bogus pipeline” attitude measurement technique. Cherry, Byrne, and Mitchell ( Journal of Research in Personality , 1976, 10 , 69–75) found that the bogus pipeline technique was vulnerable to demand characteristics, especially among persons high in social desirability. However, Gaes, Quigley-Fernandez, and Tedeschi ( Journal of Research in Personality , 1978, 12 , 189–192) criticized this study on methodological grounds. The present conceptual replication failed entirely to produce the Cherry et al. finding; indeed, the present data show a tendency for responsiveness to demand characteristics only among subjects responding via “paper and pencil.” This finding is consistent with the traditional conceptualization of the bogus pipeline procedures and supports the meaningfulness of data obtained using the technique within the impression management literature. Interestingly, social desirability did not enter in any way into the effects; this fact raises some intriguing questions about the social desirability construct itself.
Labeling of the active subunit of cholera toxin from within the membrane bilayer

Abstract Using the photoreactive glycolipid probe 12-(4-azido-2-nitrophenoxy)-stearoylglucosamine-[1-14C], we have effected the radiolabeling of the active A1 subunit of cholera toxin from within the membrane bilayer. The membrane employed as a target was the envelope of Newcastle disease virus which contained the photoreactive probe. Radiolabeling of the A1 subunit occurred after cholera toxin and virus were incubated together for 15 min at 37° and then irradiated at 366 nm for 1 min. Labeling of A1 did not occur when cholera toxin was irradiated in a solution of probe without virus or when the 15 min incubation with virus was performed at 0° instead of at 37°.
Effects of soil–structure interaction on seismic base isolation

Abstract The effects of soil–structure interaction on the performance of a nonlinear seismic base isolation system for a simple elastic structure are examined. The steady-state response of the system to harmonic excitation is obtained by use of the equivalent linearization method. Simple analytical expressions for the deformation of the base isolation system and of the superstructure at resonance are obtained in terms of an effective replacement oscillator characterized by amplitude-dependent frequency, damping ratio, and excitation. Numerical results suggest that the seismic response of a structure resting on an inelastic base isolation system may be larger when the flexibility of the soil is considered than the corresponding response obtained by ignoring the effects of soil–structure interaction. It is shown that, in the undamped case and in the absence of soil–structure interaction effects, a critical harmonic excitation exists beyond which the steady-state resonant response of the isolators and structure become unbounded.
Periodic solutions and stability of a nonlinear flexible slider crank mechanism by HBM/FFT

Periodic steady state solutions are generated by the Harmonic Balance/Fast Fourier Transform method from the nonlinear differential equation of an Euler-Bernoulli beam rod, constant speed crank, slider crank mechanism. Stability and response of those solutions are examined when piston mass and crank length are varied. Jump, period doubling bifurcations, and amplified response were found.
Quantum chemistry of macromolecules and solids.

Two classes of electronic structure methods for macromolecules and nonmetallic solids are reviewed, showcasing their applications to hydrocarbon polymers and organic molecular crystals. One is the crystalline orbital theory for periodic extended systems and the other is a localized-orbital, embedding-field approach for periodic or nonperiodic systems consisting of weakly-interacting subsystems. Both implement rigorous electron-correlation theories such as coupled-cluster and perturbation theories as well as density-functional approximations and can treat not just ground-state energies but also equilibrium structures, phonons (in the harmonic approximation and beyond), excitons, and quasiparticle energy bands (by the crystalline orbital theory only). Three key concepts underlying macromolecular and solid-state electronic structure theories—decay of effective inter-particle interactions, size extensivity, and periodicity—are identified and analyzed in the context of these two closely related approaches.
Environmental satellite data utilization: determination of wind vectors by tracking features on sequential moisture analyses derived from hyperspectral IR satellite soundings

Traditional methods for deriving wind vectors from sequential geostationary satellite imagery involve the tracking of coherent clouds and moisture features in single channels (spectral bands). While this data source has proven to be important to global wind analyses, the approach is limited in two major ways: 1) The heights assigned to the vectors are not precise, leading to problems in data assimilation, and 2) Vertical profiles of the wind at a given geo-location are not provided, adding further stress to objective data assimilation (difficulty with single-level observations). A new approach to deriving winds from sequential satellite observations is being advanced at CIMSS. The method utilizes the same basic automated tracking code developed at CIMSS, however the input to the algorithm is in the form of constant-level moisture analyses derived from hyperspectral sounding information. Since the altitude of the features being tracked are already determined by the soundings/analyses, the height assignment ambiguities associated with the traditional approaches are ameliorated. Furthermore, the hyperspectral infrared (IR) information provides detailed vertical profiles of moisture where there are no clouds. This allows analyses of moisture at multiple vertical levels, which can then be used in an attempt to retrieve vertical profiles of wind. To date, the new scheme has been trialed on simulated data from GIFTS, and on one case of real data from airborne observations provided by the NAST-I instrument. From these first attempts, the "proof of concept" is successfully illustrated, and will be shown in the presentation.
Alveolar Cells Depressant Effect of Cigarette Smoke on Protein Synthesis

SummaryThe water soluble constituents of cigarette smoke depress protein synthesis in rabbit alveolar cells in vitro. This effect is dose dependent, partly reversible, and greater than can be accounted for by the increase in acidity caused by addition of smoke solution to cell suspensions. It occurs at concentrations of smoke solution which do not affect cell viability or protein turnover. The major portion of this depressant activity is in the gas phase.
Monstrous Freedom: Charting Fat Ambivalence

In this article, the author charts some of the ambiguities and ambivalences embodied by fatness. Using critical discourse analysis of the stories Westerners, particularly U.S. citizens, tell about fatness and fat persons, the author applies Julia Kristeva’s notion of abjection to fat bodies. Abject bodies straddle boundaries and, as monstrous sites, reinscribe categories of normalcy; however, like all abject bodies, fat bodies in their monstrousness also challenge these categories. The author addresses four categories of contradictions that fatness embodies: biological and social, self and other, desire and resentment, and death as both annihilative and liberatory. Fat bodies encompass these contradictory categories, creating a productive and ambivalent tension that simultaneously reinforces and challenges their authenticity.
Cost-effectiveness comparison of five interventions to increase mammography screening.

Abstract Background. Mammography is the primary method used for breast cancer screening. However, compliance with recommended screening practices is still below acceptable levels. This study examined the cost–effectiveness of five combinations of physician recommendation and telephone or in-person individualized counseling strategies for increasing compliance with mammography. Methods. There were 808 participants who were randomly assigned to one of six groups. A logistic regression model with compliance as the dependent variable and group as the independent variable was used to test for significant differences and a ratio of cost to improvement in mammogram compliance evaluated the cost–effectiveness. Results. Three of the interventions (in-person, telephone plus letter, and in-person plus letter) had significantly better compliance rates compared with the control, physician letter, or telephone alone. However, when considering costs, only one emerged as the superior strategy. The cost–effectiveness ratios for the five interventions show that telephone-plus-letter is the most cost–effective strategy, achieving a 35.6% mammography compliance at a marginal cost of $0.78 per 1% increase in women screened. Conclusions. A tailored phone prompt and physician reminder is an effective and economical intervention to increase mammography. Future research should confirm this finding and address its applicability to practice.
A comparison of large-scale electron beam and bench-scale 60Co irradiations of simulated aqueous waste streams

Abstract The effectiveness of using high energy electron beam irradiation for the removal of toxic organic chemicals from water and wastewater has been demonstrated by commercial-scale experiments conducted at the Electron Beam Research Facility (EBRF) located in Miami, Florida and elsewhere. The EBRF treats various waste and water streams up to 450 l min −1 (120 gal min −1 ) with doses up to 8 kilogray (kGy). Many experiments have been conducted by injecting toxic organic compounds into various plant feed streams and measuring the concentrations of compound(s) before and after exposure to the electron beam at various doses. Extensive experimentation has also been performed by dissolving selected chemicals in 22,700 l (6000 gal) tank trucks of potable water to simulate contaminated groundwater, and pumping the resulting solutions through the electron beam. These large-scale experiments, although necessary to demonstrate the commercial viability of the process, require a great deal of time and effort. This paper compares the results of large-scale electron beam irradiations to those obtained from bench-scale irradiations using gamma rays generated by a 60 Co source. Dose constants from exponential contaminant removal models are found to depend on the source of radiation and initial contaminant concentration. Possible reasons for observed differences such as a dose rate effect are discussed. Models for estimating electron beam dose constants from bench-scale gamma experiments are presented. Data used to compare the removal of organic compounds using gamma irradiation and electron beam irradiation are taken from the literature and a series of experiments designed to examine the effects of pH, the presence of turbidity, and initial concentration on the removal of various organic compounds (benzene, toluene, phenol, PCE, TCE and chloroform) from simulated groundwater.
Rates of Nucleotide Substitution in Primates and Rodents and the Generation–Time Effect Hypothesis

Abstract DNA sequence data from introns, flanking regions, and the η globin pseudogene region all show a significantly higher rate of nucleotide substitution in the Old World monkey lineage than in the human lineage after the separation of the two lineages, or, in other words, the data support the hominoid rate-slowdown hypothesis. Data from both protein sequences and DNA sequences show that the rate of evolution is significantly higher in the rodent lineage than in the primate lineage. Furthermore, DNA sequences from introns show that the rate of nucleotide substitution is at least two times higher in rodents than in higher primates. The male-to-female ratio of mutation rate is estimated to be between 3 and 6 in higher primates, whereas it is only 2 in mice and rats. These ratios are similar to the corresponding male-to-female ratios of germ cell divisions in higher primates and in rodents, suggesting that errors in DNA replication during germ cell division are the primary source of mutation, or, in other words, mutation is largely DNA replication-dependent. This conclusion provides further support for the generation–time effect hypothesis.
Neurogenesis and cell death in the ganglion cell layer of vertebrate retina

Abstract The correct formation of all central nervous system tissues depends on the proper balance of neurogenesis and developmental cell death. A model system for studying these programs is the ganglion cell layer (GCL) of the vertebrate retina because of its simple and well-described structure and amenability to experimental manipulations. The GCL contains approximately equal numbers of ganglion cells and displaced amacrine cells. Ganglion cells are the first or among the first cells born in the retina in all the studied vertebrates. Neurogenesis and cell death have been studied extensively in the GCL of various amniotes (rodents, chicks, and monkeys) and anamniotes (fish and frogs), and the two processes highlight developmental differences between the groups. In amniotes, neurogenesis occurs during a defined period prior to birth/hatch or the opening of the eyes, whereas in anamniotes, neurogenesis extends past hatching into adulthood—sometimes for years. Roughly half of GCL neurons die during development in amniotes, whereas developmental cell death does not occur in the GCL neurons of anamniotes. This review discusses the spatial and temporal patterns of neurogenesis, cell death, and possible explanation of cell death in the GCL. It also examines markers widely used to distinguish between ganglion cells and displaced amacrine cells, and methods employed to birth date neurons.
High-throughput screening of selectivity of melt polymerization catalysts using fluorescence spectroscopy and two-wavelength fluorescence imaging.

A new general approach for rapid assessment of polymerization catalysts is introduced. Native fluorescence emission of solid polymers is measured directly in combinatorial 96-microreactor arrays and polymers produced in a laboratory-scale validation reactor. Fluorescence features collected with a CCD-based spectrofluorometer are correlated with chemical properties of interest such as polymer molecular weight, amount of branching, and catalyst selectivity. The approach is illustrated by screening of selectivity of melt polymerization catalysts used in synthesis of an aromatic bisphenol A polycarbonate. Selectivity of catalysts correlated with the ratio of fluorescence intensities at 400 and 500 nm at 340-nm excitation. The relative standard deviation (RSD) in spectroscopic serial measurements was 1−12.5%. This spread included instrument variability (≤1% RSD) and sample inhomogeneity. Parallel quantitative screening of catalyst selectivity in combinatorial 96-microreactor arrays was performed as a two-wavel...
Studies of Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency of the Growing Domestic Cock

Abstract PROBABLY the earliest report of an uncomplicated essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency in chicks was Bieri et al. (1956). These workers reported obtaining a very small growth response to added fat when chicks were fed a purified low fat diet for 10 to 12 weeks. Rand et al. (1958) and Dam et al. (1959) then presented evidence indicating that the chick would respond to fat supplementation during the first few weeks. The two groups of workers interpreted their results quite differently; however, Rand et al. (1958) interpreted their results to indicate a nonspecific response to fat probably due to protein sparing while Dam et al. (1959) interpreted their results as indicating the need for some unknown factor in the oil (possibly an essential fatty acid). Machlin and Gordon (1961) conducted studies indicating that methyl linoleate had the same activity as safflower oil in promoting growth of chicks, while methyl linolenate . . .
Predictive-Transform Source Coding With Subbands

Minimum mean squared error (MMSE) predictive-transform (PT) source coding is integrated with subband compression to further improve the performance of low bit rate MMSE PT source coders. A desirable byproduct of the advanced scheme is that the incorporation of joint optimum prediction and transformation from subband to subband is ideally suited to its integration with JPEG2000 to yield even higher compression levels while producing an outstanding objective as well as subjective visual performance.
A reevaluation of the fertilizin hypothesis of sperm agglutination and the description of a novel form of sperm adhesion.

Abstract The classical isoagglutination of sea urchin sperm by egg jelly is not an agglutination of cells, as proposed by the fertilizin-antifertilizin hypothesis. Sperm motility is required to obtain the isoagglutination of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sperm, and the sperm do not adhere to each other in the isoagglutination clusters, which cannot be fixed for microscopy and which disperse rapidly into individual cells when sperm motility is inhibited. These observations suggest that isoagglutination is the swarming of freely moving sperm to a common focus and is quite distinct from the agglutination of sperm by known crosslinking agents (antibodies or lectins). A previously unrecognized form of sperm agglutination is described which follows induction of an acrosome reaction by egg jelly, ammonia, or the ionophore A23187 in a suspension of sea urchin or sand dollar sperm. The sperm form rosettes of up to 100 cells in which the newly extended acrosomal processes adhere to each other. Rosettes can form containing sperm of different species, in which the acrosomal processes adhere without species preference. As observed by transmission electron microscopy, the acrosomal process of Lytechinus pictus sperm consists of an acrosomal tubule covered by a sheath of extracellular material. Rosette formation results from attachment between the extracellular materials of adjacent sperm. Less frequently, the acrosomal process of one sperm adheres to the midpiece of another by fusion of the acrosomal tubule and midpiece plasma membranes.
Disomic balanced reciprocal translocation

The previously unreported and unique finding of a complete disomy of an apparently balanced reciprocal translocation is described. The parents are second cousins once removed and each parent contributed the same balanced reciprocal translocation chromosome. Although the complete disomy involves balanced translocation chromosomes from unaffected parents, it is possible that a hemizygous state of some genes may be present on each translocation chromosome, which in a disomic homozygous state could result in an abnormal phenotype, as manifested by infantile seizures in this patient.
Clinical Application of Molecular Biology: A Study of Allograft Rejection With Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract This article explores the clinical usefulness of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in organ graft recipients. In this study, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to identify intrarenal expression of cytotoxic attack molecules (granzyme Band perforin) and immunoregulatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IFN-y, and TGF-Pl) in human renal allograft biopsies. The biopsies (n = 127) were classified using the Banff criteria, and intrarenal gene expression was correlated with the histologic diagnosis. Molecular analyses revealed that intragraft display of mRNA encoding granzyme B, IL-lO, or IL-2 is a correlate of acute rejection, and intrarenal expression of TGFPl mRNA is a correlate of chronic rejection. In addition to demonstrating differential and highly selective intragraft gene expression during rejection, these data suggest that therapeutic strategies directed at the molecular correlates of rejection might refine existing antirejection strategies.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in tissues of the rainbow trout

Angiotensin-converting enzyme activity (ACE) was assayed in homogenized rainbow trout tissues and plasma. The physiological role of ACE was examined by injection of the ACE inhibitor captopril (SQ 14,225) into the dorsal aorta of chronically cannulated trout. Gills and corpuscles of Stannius exhibited greatest ACE activity and contained over 30 times more enzyme than plasma on a per-wet-weight basis. ACE was barely detectable in skeletal muscle, liver, and kidney tissues. Captopril lowered dorsal aortic pressure (DAP) within 1 min after injection. Pressure fell 5-7 mm Hg below control over the next 30 min and remained at this level for an additional hour. Because the gills receive the entire cardiac output they are, like the mammalian lungs, ideally situated to regulate plasma hormone levels. Activation of angiotensin II (AII) appears to be only one example of branchial metabolic capability.
Analytic expression for the diamagnetic susceptibility of a uniform electron gas

The diamagnetic (Landau) susceptibility is a key ingredient in current-density functional theory. We calculate this quantity of a uniform electron gas beyond the random-phase approximation and present an analytic expression for it which recovers the exact high-density limit.
Controlling feeding behavior by chemical or gene-directed targeting in the brain: what's so spatial about our methods?

Intracranial chemical injection (ICI) methods have been used to identify the locations in the brain where feeding behavior can be controlled acutely. Scientists conducting ICI studies often document their injection site locations, thereby leaving kernels of valuable location data for others to use to further characterize feeding control circuits. Unfortunately, this rich dataset has not yet been formally contextualized with other published neuroanatomical data. In particular, axonal tracing studies have delineated several neural circuits originating in the same areas where ICI injection feeding-control sites have been documented, but it remains unclear whether these circuits participate in feeding control. However, comparing injection sites with other types of location data requires careful anatomical registration between the datasets. Here, a conceptual framework is presented for how such anatomical registration efforts can be performed. For example, by using a simple atlas alignment tool, a hypothalamic locus sensitive to the orexigenic effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) can be aligned accurately with the locations of neurons labeled by anterograde tracers or those known to express NPY receptors or feeding-related peptides. This approach can also be applied to those intracranial “gene-directed” injection (IGI) methods (e.g., site-specific recombinase methods, RNA expression or interference, optogenetics and pharmacosynthetics) that involve viral injections to targeted neuronal populations. Spatial alignment efforts can be accelerated if location data from ICI/IGI methods are mapped to stereotaxic brain atlases to allow powerful neuroinformatics tools to overlay different types of data in the same reference space. Atlas-based mapping will be critical for community-based sharing of location data for feeding control circuits, and will accelerate our understanding of structure-function relationships in the brain for mammalian models of obesity and metabolic disorders.