cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of some d-mannosyl-oligosaccharides containing the methyl and 4-nitrophenyl β-d-mannopyranoside units

Abstract Methyl 3, 4, 6-tri-O-benzyl-β- d -mannopyranoside (2), methyl 2, 3-O-isopropylidene-β- d -mannopyranoside (11), and 4-nitrophenyl 2, 3-O-isopropylidene-β- d -mannopyranoside (12) were each condensed with 2, 3, 4, 6-tetra-O-acetyl-α- d -mannopyranosyl bromide (1) in the presence of mercuric cyanide, to give after deprotection, methyl 2- (5) and 6-O-α- d -mannopyranosyl-β- d -mannopyranoside (15), and 4-nitrophenyl 6-O-α- d -mannopyranosyl-β- d -mannopyranoside (20), respectively. A similar condensation of 11 with 3, 4, 6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-(2, 3, 4, 6-tetra-O-acetyl-α- d -mannopyranosyl)-α- d -mannopyranosyl bromide (21) and 2, 3, 4-tri-O-acetyl-6-O-(2, 3, 4, 6-tetra-O-acetyl-α- d -mannopyranosyl)-α- d -mannopyranosyl bromide (25), followed by removal of protecting groups, afforded methyl O-α- d -mannopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-α- d -mannopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -mannopyranoside (24) and methyl O-α- d -mannopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-α- d -mannopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -mannopyranoside (28), respectively. Bromide 25 was also condensed with 12 to give a trisaccharide derivative which was deprotected to furnish 4-nitrophenyl O-α- d -mannopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-α- d -mannopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β- d -mannopyranoside (31). Phosphorylation of methyl 3, 4, 6-tri-O-benzyl-2-O-α- d -mannopyranosyl-β- d -mannopyranoside and 15 with diphenyl phosphorochloridate in pyridine gave the 6′-phosphates 6 and 16, respectively. Hydrogenolysis of the benzyl and phenyl groups provided methyl 2-O-(disodium α- d -mannopyranosyl 6-phosphate)-β- d -mannopyranoside (7) and methyl 6-O-(disodium α- d -mannopyranosyl 6-phosphate)-β- d -mannopyranoside (17) after treatment with Amberlite IR-120 (Na+) cation-exchange resin. The structures of compounds 5, 7, 15, 17, 20, 24, 28, and 31 were established by 13C-n.m.r. spectroscopy.
Acute pulmonary toxicity of beryllium sulfate inhalation in rats and mice: cell kinetics and histopathology.

The acute response in the lung of mice and rats exposed to an aerosol of BeSO4 was characterized by cell kinetics and histopathology. Animals were exposed for 1 hour in a nose-only chamber to a 13 μg/liter chamber concentration of BeSO4 or to H2SO4 as control aerosol, and killed thereafter over a period of 21 days. Lung cell kinetics were evaluated as the labeling index (LI), defined as the percentage of cells labeled with tritiated thymidine. The labeled cells were also differentiated as to type. In rats, the LI showed a peak response on Day 8 following exposure, while the LI of mice showed a maximum response at Day 5. In rats, the proliferative response involved type II alveolar epithelial cells, interstitial and capillary endothelial cells. Histopathology showed type II alveolar cell hyperplasia and vacuolization of their cytoplasm, a thickened interstitium with infiltrates of interstitial macrophages and segmental leukocytes; a prominent feature was alveolar macrophages with ragged membranes. Three weeks after exposure, the interstitial response was largely resolved. In mice, the proliferative response was mainly found in the alveolar macrophage population and the interstitial and endothelial cells. Histopathological changes were similar to those found in rats, although less severe.
Selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide by ethylene in the presence of oxygen over Cu2+ ion-exchanged pillared clays

Abstract Cu 2+ ion-exchanged pillared clays are substantially more active than Cu 2+ -ZSM-5 for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO by hydrocarbons. More importantly, H 2 O (or SO 2 ) has only mild effects on their activities. First results on Cu 2+ -exchanged TiO 2 -pillared montmorillonite were reported by this laboratory (Yang and Li, Ref. [1]), that showed overall activities two to four times higher than Cu 2+ -ZSM-5. A delaminated pillared clay was subjected to Cu 2+ ion-exchange and studied for SCR by C 2 H 4 in this work. The Cu 2+ ion-exchanged delaminated Al 2 O 3 -pillared clay yielded substantially higher SCR rates than both Cu 2+ -exchanged TiO 2 -pillared clay and Cu 2+ -ZSM-5 at temperatures above 400°C. The peak NO conversion was 90% at 550°C and at a space velocity of 15,000 h −1 (with O 2 = 2%). The peak temperature decreased as the concentration of O 2 was increased. The macroporosity in the delaminated pillared clay was partially responsible for its higher peak temperatures (than that for laminated pillared clays). At 1000 ppm each for NO and C 2 H 4 , the NO conversion peaked at 2% O 2 for all temperatures. H 2 O and SO 2 caused only mild deactivation, likely due to competitive adsorption (of SO 2 on Cu 2+ sites and H 2 O on acid sites). The high activity of Cu 2+ -exchanged Al 2 O 3 -pillared clay was due to a unique combination of the redox property of the Cu 2+ sites and the strong Lewis acidity of the pillared clay. The suggested mechanism involved NO chemisorption (in the presence of O 2 ) on Cu 2+ O Al 3+ -on the pillars, and C 2 H 4 activation on the Lewis acid sites to form an oxygenated species.
Spin-nematic squeezed vacuum in a quantum gas

Squeezed states—which permit precision beyond the scope of Heisenberg’s uncertainty relation—are well established for spin-1/2 particles. Now an elegant demonstration of squeezing in spin-1 condensates generalizes the criteria for squeezed states to higher spin dimensions.
Use of Pharmacy Database to Investigate Patterns of Physician Practice as Related to Patient Outcomes

Background: It has been observed that physidans vary considerably in their dose prescribing in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Objective: To investigate the relationship between heparin dose and patient outcome and demonstrate the effectiveness of data mining in investigating variation in physician practice. Methods: The pharmacy database containing information about heparin dose prior to angioplasty was merged with a clinical database containing information about patient weight and length of hospital stay. The data were analyzed using data mining and kernel density estimation. Results: Cardiologists practice differing methods for administering heparin doses. This variability has impact on patient length-of-stay. Patients receiving heparin doses greater than 80 mg/kg stayed in the catheterization lab longer than patients receiving less (p < 0.001). This was independent of the number of vessels treated during angioplasty. Conclusions: Length of stay related to angioplasty is significantly related to physician decisions concerning the heparin dose prescribed. Data mining is an effective tool that can be used to exploit the pharmacy database for research into physician practice.
Chinese and US Middle-School Science Teachers' Autonomy, Motivation, and Instructional Practices

This study examined Chinese and US middle-school science teachers' perceptions of autonomy support. Previous research has documented the link between teachers' perceptions of autonomy and the use of student-oriented teaching practices for US teachers. But is not clear how the perception of autonomy may differ for teachers from different cultures or more specifically how motivation factors differ across cultures. The survey measured teachers' motivation, perceptions of constraints at work, perceptions of students' motivation, and level of autonomy support for students. Exploratory factor analysis of responses for the combined teacher sample (n = 201) was carried out for each of the survey assessments. Significance testing for Chinese (n = 107) and US (n = 94) teachers revealed significant differences in teachers' motivation and perceptions of constraints at work and no significant differences for perceptions of students' motivation or their level of autonomy support for students. Chinese teachers' percepti...
Estimating economic information for fisheries using unequal probability sampling

This study provides detailed descriptions of procedures for conducting unequal probability sampling (UPS) and deriving the population parameters for important economic variables that are critical in economic analysis of fisheries. This study uses a Pareto sampling method and describes how the Horvitz-Thompson (HT) estimator is adjusted for non-response and how this adjustment is applied to the certainty units and non-certainty units separately. As an example, this study applies the UPS method without replacement to fisheries in the Southwest region of Alaska, to estimate the total employment and total labor income for each of three disaggregated harvesting sectors. This study shows that the suggested method is a useful approach that can be used to estimate similar economic information through surveys of fish harvesting and processing sectors.
Absorption and emission in the cidnp derived from 1,6-biradicals

Abstract The CIDNP field-dependence curves for methyl cyclohexanones show absorption due to T + -S mixing at low fields and emission due to T - -S mixing at high fields. This is consistent with both triplet and singlet ground status on the biradical potential surface, which implies regions of S-T intersection. Additional data imply that intersystem crossing in the biradical is to some extent involved in determining the product ratio.
Atomic kinetic energies in liquid 4He

Abstract Atomic kinetic energies in liquid 4He are computed using Sposito's empirical potential. Results are in closer agreement with a neutron scattering experiment than are similar results based on the Lennard-Jones potential.
Pseudorandom Frequency Modulation in Range-Doppler Radar

In many radar systems, efficient use of transmitter power requires the transmission of a constant-amplitude signal for a substantial fraction of time; for a monotonic transmission, however, the range resolution is restricted by the length of the transmitted pulse. Linear frequency modulation removes this constraint for targets with negligible, or known, radial velocities; it is not suitable, however, for simultaneous observations of range and radial velocity (Doppler shift). This paper describes a class of waveforms suitable for simultaneous measurement of range and Doppler shift. These waveforms are characterized by a uniform distribution in frequency and by pseudorandom frequency changes. Uniform frequency distribution is attained by a uniform spacing of frequencies with each frequency present for an identical length of time. Frequency changes are effected by sequencing the frequencies with a pseudorandom number generator. Ambiguity functions are computed for pseudorandom frequencymodulated waveforms designed for ionospheric backscatter studies. By suitable choice of parameters, the ambiguity function becomes a narrow central peak surrounded by a plateau whose height varies randomly between zero and approximately twice its average. Waveform generation by means of a digital frequency synthesizer and data reconstruction considerations are described.
Seasonal variation in the leaf resin components of Mimulus aurantiacus

The chaparral subshrub, Mimulus aurantiacus, produces leaf surface resins in excess of 30% of leaf dry weight. The resin provides some defense against the insect herbivore, Euphydryas chalcedona, and perhaps from desiccation and injury from UV light. The resin comprises six flavanones and an α-pyrone. The different components may differ in their ecological roles. Methoxylated components may be most effective as antidesiccants. Because plants face different risks at different times of the year, they may vary seasonally in resin composition. The quantities of each component from plants from five different populations but reared in a common garden were determined at 12 monthly intervals. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) plants would produce greater proportions of methoxylated components as drought stress increased during the season, (2) such increases would be greater for plants from the more xeric sites, and (3) the production of methoxylated components would occur at the expense of analogous unmethoxylated components. Resin quantity and composition differed significantly and consistently among populations, however, the seasonal increase in the proportional production of methoxylated components was slight relative to the consistent differences among populations. The production of all but one component was highly, positively correlated. The strong positive correlations among the concentrations of the five geranylflavanones suggests that their synthesis is limited by the synthesis of the geranylflavanone nucleus, and not by the attachment of different functional groups with presumably differing ecological roles.
Approximation scheme for restricted discrete gate sizing targeting delay minimization

Discrete gate sizing is a critical optimization in VLSI circuit design. Given a set of available gate sizes, discrete gate sizing problem asks to assign a size to each gate such that the delay of a combinational circuit is minimized while the cost constraint is satisfied. It is one of the most studied problems in VLSI computer-aided design. Despite this, all of the existing techniques are heuristics with no performance guarantee. This limits the understanding of the discrete gate sizing problem in theory. This paper designs the first fully polynomial time approximation scheme (FPTAS) for the delay driven discrete gate sizing problem. The proposed approximation scheme involves a level based dynamic programming algorithm which handles the specific structures of a discrete gate sizing problem and adopts an efficient oracle query procedure. It can approximate the optimal gate sizing solution within a factor of (1+?) in O(n 1+c m 3c /? c ) time for 0<?<1 and in O(n 1+c m 3c ) time for ??1, where n is the number of gates, m is the maximum number of gate sizes for any gate, and c is the maximum number of gates per level. The FPTAS needs the assumption that c is a constant and thus it is an approximation algorithm for the restricted discrete gate sizing problem.
ASTERIX: an open source system for "Big Data" management and analysis (demo)

At UC Irvine, we are building a next generation parallel database system, called ASTERIX, as our approach to addressing today's "Big Data" management challenges. ASTERIX aims to combine time-tested principles from parallel database systems with those of the Web-scale computing community, such as fault tolerance for long running jobs. In this demo, we present a whirlwind tour of ASTERIX, highlighting a few of its key features. We will demonstrate examples of our data definition language to model semi-structured data, and examples of interesting queries using our declarative query language. In particular, we will show the capabilities of ASTERIX for answering geo-spatial queries and fuzzy queries, as well as ASTERIX' data feed construct for continuously ingesting data.
177 TWO DISTINCT TARGET SITES ON IMP DEHYDROGENASE IN CHEMOTHERAPY

The inhibitory mechanisms of ribavirin 5′-monophosphate, (RMP), SM-108 nucleotide (bredinin 5′-monophosphate, BMP) and thiazole-4-carboxamide adenine dinucleotide (TAD), the active forms of the antimetabolites, ribavirin, SM-108 and tiazofurin, were studied in IMP dehydrogenase purified to homogeneity from rat hepatoma 3924A. RMP and BMP as well as XMP inhibited competitively with IMP and noncompetitively with NAD+. The inhibition by TAD was similar to that of NADU: uncompetitive with IMP and mixed type with NAD+. Ki values for RMP (0.8 uM), BMP (0.11 uM) and TAD (0.13 uM) were markedly lower than those for XMP (136 uM) and NADH (210 uM), and also the Km for IMP (23 uM) and NAD (65 uM). Thus, the drugs interact with IMP dehydrogenase with higher affinities than the natural metabolites, RMP or BMP with IMP-XMP and TAD with NADH site. Preincubation of the purified enzyme with RMP enhanced its inhibitory effect in a time-dependent manner. The enzyme was protected from inactivation by IMP or XMP but not by NAD or NADH. Ribavirin and tiazofurin together provided synergistic killing of hepatoma cells in clonogenic assays and the metabolic flux of de novo guanylate synthesis was also synergistically inhibited. The results provide a biochemical basis for combination chemotherapy with tiazofurin and ribavirin against the 2 different ligand sites of IMP dehydrogenase. (Supported by Outstanding Investigator Grant CA-42510 to G.W.)
On sequences cat(fk)

Abstract We prove that, for every decreasing sequence {ak} of natural numbers, there exists a map f :X→X with catfk=ak.
Recall of a twice-presented item without recall of either presentation: generic memory for events

Abstract Evidence is presented for the recall of twice-presented items without recall of either of their individual presentations. Subjects studied a list of verbal items, some of which were presented twice and others once. In order that it could be separately identified, each item presentation was distinguished by a designated attribute, namely, the color in which the presented item was printed (Experiment 1) or a verbal context (Experiments 2 and 3). As indexed by recall of these attributes, the individual presentations of repeated items were found to be less recallable than presentations of nonrepeated items. Nevertheless, recall of the items themselves was increased by repetition to such an extent that recall of a repeated item was more probable than recall of at least one of two nonrepeated items. The implication is that at least some of the repeated items were recalled, not through recollection of one or other of their individual presentations, but rather through recollection of their presentations as pairs. In short, presentation events were recalled generically.
Improved serial analysis of V1 ribosomal sequence tags (SARST-V1) provides a rapid, comprehensive, sequence-based characterization of bacterial diversity and community composition.

Serial analysis of ribosomal sequence tags (SARST) is a recently developed technology that can generate large 16S rRNA gene (rrs) sequence data sets from microbiomes, but there are numerous enzymatic and purification steps required to construct the ribosomal sequence tag (RST) clone libraries. We report here an improved SARST method, which still targets the V1 hypervariable region of rrs genes, but reduces the number of enzymes, oligonucleotides, reagents, and technical steps needed to produce the RST clone libraries. The new method, hereafter referred to as SARST-V1, was used to examine the eubacterial diversity present in community DNA recovered from the microbiome resident in the ovine rumen. The 190 sequenced clones contained 1055 RSTs and no less than 236 unique phylotypes (based on ≥ 95% sequence identity) that were assigned to eight different eubacterial phyla. Rarefaction and monomolecular curve analyses predicted that the complete RST clone library contains 99% of the 353 unique phylotypes predicted to exist in this microbiome. When compared with ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (RISA) of the same community DNA sample, as well as a compilation of nine previously published conventional rrs clone libraries prepared from the same type of samples, the RST clone library provided a more comprehensive characterization of the eubacterial diversity present in rumen microbiomes. As such, SARST-V1 should be a useful tool applicable to comprehensive examination of diversity and composition in microbiomes and offers an affordable, sequence-based method for diversity analysis.
An electrophoretic study of Sphenodon proteins.

1. 1. Proteins from a Sphenodon and a member of the other reptilian orders were studied by acrylamide, starch gel and cellulose acetate electrophoresis. 2. 2. Two major hemoglobins were present in Sphenodon which exhibited overlapping patterns with the hemoglobins of Anolis and Caiman. 3. 3. The major plasma proteins of Sphenodon showed patterns which more closely resembled those of Anolis and Caiman than those of Chrysemys. 4. 4. Tissue proteins and LDH isozymes from liver, heart and pectoral muscle of Sphenodon showed the greatest similarity to those of Anolis and Caiman. 5. 5. The results reflect superficially the established phylogenies of this group.
Perception of time among college students and residents of a metropolitan community

A sample of college undergraduates and a sample of residents in the city in which the college is located were asked to draw 3 circles representing the past, present, and future. Among the college students, 52% indicated future dominance by drawing the future circle largest, while only 44% of the residents of the city did so. Relatedness was indicated by 54% of the students who drew circles that were touching, overlapping, or concentric, while only 11% of the city residents did so. Of the metropolitan sample, 14% did not respond to the test at all, but all of the college students did.
How I treat POEMS syndrome

POEMS syndrome is a paraneoplastic syndrome whose acronym stands for less than half of the defining features of the disease, that is, polyradiculoneuropathy, organomegaly, potentially including coexisting Castleman disease, endocrinopathy, monoclonal plasma cell neoplasm, and skin changes. The other important features include papilledema, extravascular volume overload, sclerotic bone lesions, thrombocytosis, elevated VEGF, and abnormal pulmonary function. The diagnosis is based on having both the polyradiculoneuropathy and the monoclonal plasma cell disorder, and at least 1 of the other 3 major criteria (Castleman disease, sclerotic bone lesions, or elevated VEGF) and at least one minor criterion. The diagnosis is often delayed with intervening incorrect diagnoses of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, myeloproliferative disorder, and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Prompt treatment directed at the underlying plasma cell clone produces dramatic responses in the majority of patients. Although there are no randomized clinical trial data to direct best therapy, for patients with disseminated disease, high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood transplantation has yielded durable benefit, whereas radiation therapy is typically effective for patients with a more localized presentation. More universal recognition of and more scientific inquiry into the underpinnings of the disease will provide direction toward the best treatment strategies in the future.
New devices for percutaneous coronary intervention are rapidly making bypass surgery obsolete.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review summarizes recent and cumulative progress in the success, safety, applicability, and durability of percutaneous coronary intervention. RECENT FINDINGS Improvements in basic percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) equipment and the availability of bare metal stents in the mid-1990s improved acute procedural success to 98%, reduced the emergency surgery rate to 0.2%, and reduced the incidence of recurrent symptoms due to restenosis at the treated site to 15 to 20%. The recent availability of drug-eluting stents has reduced the in-stent neointimal proliferation that causes restenosis and reduced the incidence of symptomatic recurrence to less than 5%, rivaling that of bypass surgery. The work on better antithrombotic pharmacology, distal embolic protection, and devices for crossing chronic total occlusions will further add to the armamentarium for catheter-based revascularization. SUMMARY Based on progress over the past decade, PCI has grown to represent about two-thirds of all coronary revascularization (800,000 PCI vs 350,000 bypass surgeries). Recent and ongoing progress will make bypass surgery largely obsolete within the next several years.
Generating Projects for Urban Research

This paper provides an overview of the author's derivation of the most productive areas for urban research. The first general topic to be considered is the understanding of the urban process, together with the role of that understanding in planning; the second general topic is the problem of generating a limited number of alternative policies which may be considered to be in some sense optimal—in part, the problem of urban design. In each case, the nature of the problems associated with the topic is explored, and a number of suggestions are made for fruitful directions for research.
Recovery curves of the blink reflex during wakefulness and sleep

The paired shock technique was used to study the effect of sleep on the excitability of the short latency R1 and long latency R2 components of the electrically elicited blink reflex. During wakefulness, R1 returned, after transient potentiation, to its original level in about 150 ms following the conditioning stimulus. Contrastingly, R2 remained profoundly suppressed up to 800 ms, suggesting sustained reduction of excitability of the polysynaptic reflex pathways after the passage of a preceeding impulse. During non-REM and REM sleep, the recovery curve of R1 was similar in character, although different in time course to the one obtained during wakefulness. However, R2 was potentiated rather than suppressed by the conditioning stimulus during both phases of sleep. These findings indicate that, during sleep, the polysynaptic reflex pathways are not inhibited by a preceeding impulse to the same degree as in wakefulness.
Dopachrome conversion factor functions as an isomerase

Dopachrome conversion factor is an enzymatic activity associated with the pigmentary system which catalyzes the conversion of dopachrome, an intermediate in melanin biosynthesis, to dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA). To date, the mechanism of action of DCF has been unknown because all previous assays have employed a dopachrome substrate contaminated with L-dopa. It has therefore not been possible to determine whether L-dopa acts as a hydrogen donor in the reaction or whether the formation of DHICA occurs through an isomerization of dopachrome. In this study it is shown that DCF catalyzes the conversion of dopachrome to DHICA equally well in the presence or absence of L-dopa. The DCF-mediated reaction thus appears to be an isomeric rearrangement of hydrogen ions from one portion of the dopachrome molecule to another. The results indicate that the name "dopachrome isomerase" appropriately describes the function of DCF.
Triplet EPR of fluorobenzonitriles

Abstract The triplet EPR spectra of the three monofluorobenzonitriles in ethanol glasses at ≈90 K have been compared. Ortho- and meta-fluorine merely broaden the Δ M = 2 signals, whereas para-fluorine produces a 54 G splitting. In accord with simple symmetry considerations, the 3 L a state of benzonitrile is predominately a 1,4-diradical with little free spin density at the ortho and meta positions.
Documentation of cumulative impacts in environmental impact statements

Abstract The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations in the United States require federal agencies to apply an environmental impact assessment (EIA) in decision-making related to their actions. One aspect requires an examination of direct, indirect and cumulative impacts (CIs). Historically, cumulative impact assessment (CIA) has been given limited attention in EIA and resultant environmental impact statements (EISs), not because of its lack of importance, but owing to limitations in methodologies and procedures, including documentation consistency. The objectives of this study were to identify deficiencies in the documentation of CIs and CIA in EISs and to formulate appropriate recommendations (potential solutions) related to such deficiencies. The study involved the systematic review of 33 EISs (11 each from the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration). The results indicate that improvements have been made in documentation practices since 1990; however, inconsistencies and inadequacies still exist. Therefore, the following recommendations were developed: (1) CIs should be reported in a separate part of the “Environmental Consequences” section, and they should be addressed for each pertinent environmental resource; (2) a summary of CIs should be included; (3) any CIs considered not significant should be mentioned plus the reason(s) for their non-significance; (4) spatial and temporal boundaries addressed within the CIA process should be defined for pertinent environmental resources; and (5) utilized guidelines and methodologies should be described.
The Relationship of Grade Level and Sex Differences to Certain Rhythmic Responses of Primary Grade Children

The purpose was to examine the relationship of grade level and sex differences with rhythmic responses of clapping, chanting, and stepping with K–3 children after one year of school music instructi...
Assessing thymopoiesis in patients with common variable immunodeficiency as measured by T-cell receptor excision circles

Background Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is one of the most common primary immune deficiencies. The immunologic hallmark of CVID is failure of B-cell differentiation and impaired secretion of immunoglobulins. However, there is mounting evidence of accompanying T-cell dysregulation, which could be due to abnormal thymic function because the thymus plays a crucial role in T-cell development. Recently, it was shown that the human thymus remains functional well into adulthood. Current data show that the level of T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) correlates well with active thymopoiesis. Objective To determine whether thymic dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of CVID. Methods We evaluated 15 patients, aged 19 to 65 years, previously diagnosed as having CVID. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of each patient. Thymic output was evaluated by measuring coding joint TRECs in the total T-cell population using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Results were compared with known age-matched reference values. The median TREC level in patients with CVID (82,034 copies/μg of DNA) was significantly higher than that in the healthy cohort (43,000 copies/μg of DNA) ( P Conclusions In these patients, thymic dysregulation may be a factor in CVID, with an accelerated rate of TREC loss with age compared with healthy adults.
Sex-related difference in substance P level in rat anterior pituatary: a model of neonatal imprinting by testosterone

Abstract There was a distinct sex-related difference in the anterior pituitary level of substance P-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) in adult rats: the anterior pituitaries of male rats contained a higher concentration of SP-LI than those of females. Neonatal castration (day 1) resulted in a marked decrease of the SP-LI level in adult males, and this decrease in the SP-LI level was restored by neonatal testosterone replacement (days 2, 4, 6) but not by androgen replacement in adulthood. On the other hand, testosterone injection of neonatal females (days 2, 4, 6) caused a significant elevation of the SP-LI level after maturation. Ovariectomy of adult females failed to alter the SP-LI level. These results indicate that neonatal exposure to testosterone plays a critical role in the sexual differentiation of the substance P level in rat anterior pituitary.
Rodrigues type formula for orthogonal polynomials on the unit ball

For a class of weight functions invariant under reflection groups on the unit ball, a family of orthogonal polynomials is defined via a Rodrigues type formula using the Dunkl operators. Their properties and their relation with several other bases are explored.
Aggressive surgery combined with intensive chemotherapy improves survival in poor-risk neuroblastoma

One hundred eighteen children with metastatic (Childrens Cancer Study Group [CCSG] stage IV), extensive regional (stage III), or stage II neuroblastoma with N-myc amplification received an intensive chemotherapeutic regimen of cis-platinum, etoposide, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide combined with persistent aggressive attempts at complete primary tumor resection. Fourteen patients were unevaluable and 42 left the study to be placed on bone marrow transplant protocols. The remaining 62 children were evaluated in detail. Complete excision was eventually accomplished in 39 patients (63%), 23 of whom are disease-free survivors after 8 to 47 months (median, 20 months). Twenty-three patients underwent partial excision or biopsy of their lesion and only 6 are alive without evidence of disease (P = .0011). Timing of surgery or site of tumor did not influence surgical outcome. N-myc oncogene expression could not predict which lesions would be completely resectable. Surgical complications occurred 21% of the time but the impact on the clinical course and chemotherapy administration was minimal. The ipsilateral kidney was removed with the tumor in 18 cases, 14 of which were during complete resection. Twelve of these children are disease-free survivors. With new intensive chemotherapy capable of eliciting an effective response from primary and metastatic neuroblastoma, aggressive surgical approaches for complete tumor resection are warranted and can be expected to improve patient outcome.
Stress measurement in graphite/epoxy uniaxial composites by X-rays

X-rays can be used to measure residual as well as applied stresses in polymers and reinforced polymeric composites by diffracting from filler particles that are embedded before curing. We have investigated various fillers that exhibit suitable stress-induced shifts of diffraction angle when embedded in uniaxial graphite fiber/epoxy composites. Stresses in the particles determined by X-rays are proportional to the corresponding composite stresses, in agreement with the model of H. T. Hahn. Results indicate that the stress sensitivity (change in X-ray strain per MPa applied to the composite) increases in the order W, CdO, Ni, Ag, Nb, Al. The elastic range terminates at a yield point beyond which the stress sensitivity is markedly reduced for metallic fillers, but no such yield point has appeared with CdO particles. Oppositely directed particle strains are seen after unloading from stress levels that have exceeded the yield point. Theoretical predictions for these findings are discussed. Residual stresses in the particles were determined after curing and storage under ambient conditions. In the fiber direction the residual stresses were always found to be positive and larger than the principal stresses orthogonal to these.
Neural circuitry of play fighting in golden hamsters

In hamsters, play fighting matures gradually into adult aggression. As these two behaviors share many similarities in this species, we predicted that a single neural circuitry controls their offensive component. The goal of the present study was to identify neural systems associated with offensive play fighting in male juvenile golden hamsters. The neural circuitry related to this behavior was identified through quantification of c-Fos immunolabeling. We also looked for vasopressin cells possibly associated with play fighting. We found that areas previously associated with offensive aggression in adult hamsters, including the ventrolateral hypothalamus, the medial amygdala, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, also showed enhanced c-Fos expression after play fighting. In addition, vasopressin neurons in the nucleus circularis and the medial division of the supraoptic nucleus expressed enhanced c-Fos immunolabeling in juveniles after play fighting, as previously reported in adult hamsters after aggression. Finally, enhanced c-Fos expression associated with play fighting was also found in areas previously unexplored in adult hamsters, such as the prefrontal cortex. Together, our results support the hypothesis of a single core neural circuitry controlling the offensive components of play fighting and adult aggression throughout puberty in hamsters.
Efficient catalysis of polycytidylic acid-directed oligoguanylate formation by Pb2+☆

Abstract Pb2+ is a very effective catalyst for the template-directed self-condensation of guanosine 5′-phosphorimidazolide on a polycytidylate template. In the presence of 0.01 m -Pb2+ at 0 °C, up to 85% of the input ImpG † is converted to a mixture of oligomers with a mean chain length of up to 17. Substantial amounts of material longer than (pG)40 are formed. About half the ImpG reacts within an hour. The oligomeric products are predominantly (2′–5′)-linked. If poly(C) is incubated with ImpG and an equimolar quantity of the corresponding derivative of adenosine, uridine or cytidine, the “incorrect” nucleotide, is incorporated about 10% as often as G.
Relaxation times in systems with chemical exchange: Some exact solutions

Abstract Exact solutions for relaxation times T 1 and T 2 in chemically exchanging systems are obtained. From the solutions, approximations can be easily obtained for special conditions. These approximations are derived from less restrictive, more rigorous assumptions than have been used previously.
Coordination of outer arm dynein activity along axonemal doublet microtubules.

This study considers the mechanism by which ODA based sliding is produced and the relationship of that mechanism to the determination of beat frequency. Two models of activity have been examined: a stochastic model, where ODA activity is random and a metachronal model, where activity is sequentially triggered along a doublet. Inactivation of a few ODAs would have virtually no effect on stochastic activity, but would completely block metachronal activity. We (Seetharam and Satir [2005]: Cell Motil Cytoskeleton 60:96–103) previously demonstrated that ODAs produce high speed sliding of about 200 μm/s, followed by a pause. IDAs produce slow, 5 μm/s, continuous sliding. We have examined the effects of nM concentrations of vanadate on sliding, measuring velocity and extent of high speed sliding and pause distribution or sliding cessation. In 5 nM vanadate, where photocleavage experiments show about 16/270 ODAs per doublet are affected, no differences from control are seen, but at 10 and 25 nM vanadate, high speed velocity is greatly reduced and pause distribution changes. The results support a model, in which high speed sliding is produced by metachronal activity. Blockage of two or more heavy chains of one ODA or a small group of adjacent ODAs produces cessation of sliding, but cessation is only temporary, probably because IDA activity continues, allowing ODA activity re-initiation beyond the block. These conclusions are consistent with Sugino and Naitoh's [1982; Nature 295:609–611] proposal, whereby during each beat, every ODA along a doublet becomes activated in succession, with repetitive activation determining beat frequency. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Bootstrapping phylogenies: Large deviations and dispersion effects

SUMMARY A large deviation result is established for the bootstrap empirical distribution in a finite sample space, thereby validating both nonparametric and parametric bootstrapping in certain phylogenetic inference problems. The bias previously observed in the bootstrap distribution of the estimated tree topology is shown to stem from dispersion effects in the joint distribution of sample and bootstrap empirical distributions. Both results are examined for maximum likelihood estimation in a three-taxon model having particularly simple geometry. They are also applicable to discrete parameter problems outside of phylogenetic inference.
Antiproton Annihilation Propulsion

Abstract : Antiproton annihilation propulsion is a new form of space propulsion, where milligrams of antimatter are used to heat tons of reaction fluid to high temperatures. The hot reaction fluid is exhausted from a nozzle to produce high thrust at high specific impulse. This study was to determine the physical, engineering, and economic feasibility of antiproton annihilation propulsion. The conclusion of the study is that antiproton propulsion is feasible, but expensive. Because the low mass of the antimatter fuel more than compensates for its high price, comparative mission studies show that antimatter fuel can be cost effective in space, where even normal chemical fuel is expensive because its mass must be lifted into orbit before it can be used. Antiproton annihilation propulsion is mission enabling, in that it allows missions to be performed that cannot be performed by any other propulsion system. Keywords: Antimatter propulsion; Antiproton; Advanced propulsion.
Otalgia in infants and children--a manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux.

Abstract To investigate if there is a relationship between gastroesophageal reflux and ear pain in the Pediatric age group, a series of children presenting with this picture were analyzed. Infants and children are often seen in an emergency room setting because of fretfulness, irritability, and pulling on the ears. A diagnosis of otitis media is usually made, but in some cases the diagnosis may be referred otalgia secondary to gastroesophageal reflux. Six children who presented with the above picture were seen by one of the authors (W.S.G.) the following morning and noted to have a normal ear exam. These children were studied for gastroesophageal reflux by esophageal pH monitoring and in some cases esophagoscopy with biopsy. All children exhibited gastroesophageal reflux and an anti-reflux regimen eliminated the pattern of ‘recurring otitis media’. This paper will review the mechanism of referred otalgia along with data supporting the concept of GE reflux as a cause of otalgia in infants and children.
Fabrication of Novel Single-Chamber Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Towards Green Technology

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is a green energy technology that offers a cleaner and more efficient alternative to fossil fuels. The fabrication of miniaturized device structure for fuel cell manufacturing is a viable method for improving their efficiency. In this research, single chamber-SOFC with inter-digitized structure of electrolyte and electrodes has been developed by two novel methods. In the deposition method, the SC-SOFC design patterns were created with photolithography and micro-structured thin film electrolytes and electrodes were prepared with pulsed laser deposition (PLD). In the direct-writing method, micro-structured electrodes were injected on electrolyte substrates. These studies showed good potential of manufacturing methods for fabricating novel type of fuel cell design.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Circular dichroic discrimination of inclusion and peripheral complexes of the ionophore lasalocid A.

Summary Circular dichroism (CD) was utilized to probe two discrete loci of the ionophore lasalocid A during conformational perturbations associated with complex formation. This required deconvolution of the observed CD spectrum into components arising from the terminal aromatic ring and the medial ketonic carbonyl. The resultant data allowed us to distinguish between formation of true inclusion complexes with small alkali ions and peripheral ion pairing with alkylammonium ions too bulky to enter and perturb the molecular interior.
cAMP involvement in the control of corticosterone and aldosterone output in the adrenal of the frog (Rana berlandieri forreri)

Abstract The mechanism of ACTH action in the adrenal of the frog ( Rana berlandieri forreri ) was evaluated in vitro . Basal cAMP levels remained constant, but the total output of corticosterone and aldosterone increased with time. The rate of basal steroid output, however, decreased with time. ACTH, frog pituitary homogenate, and theophylline increased cAMP levels rapidly and temporally preceding increased outputs of corticosterone and aldosterone. The responses were rapid and dose-dependent. The role of cAMP in the frog adrenal steroid output is similar to that described in mammals and contrasts with that present in the crocodile. The mechanism of ACTH action in the frog adrenal involves cAMP in the stimulation of corticosterone and aldosterone output.
Prediction of amputation wound healing with skin perfusion pressure

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether laser Doppler skin perfusion pressure (LD-SPP) could accurately predict amputation wound healing. Methods: We studied a total of 62 limbs in 52 patients (28 men and 24 women) with a mean age of 62.2 years (range 34 to 93 years). From this, 39 limbs underwent major amputation (15 above-the-knee, 24 below-the-knee), and 23 limbs underwent minor amputations (4 transmetatarsal and 19 toes). There were five postoperative deaths, leaving a total of 57 limbs available for analysis. Results: Three of 13 above-knee amputations failed to heal. Twenty-one of 23 below-knee amputations healed. Three of four transmetatarsal amputations failed to heal and eight of 17 toe amputations failed to heal. Binary table analysis showed that an LD-SPP value of 30 mm Hg or greater had a negative predictive value (healing occurred) of 90%. An LD-SPP value of less than 30 mm Hg at the amputation site had a positive predictive value (healing failure) of 75%, ( p p p Conclusion: These data support the use of the LD-SPP test in the selection of major amputation level consistent with healing in ischemic limbs. Further study of the value of this parameter in the determination of minor amputation wound healing is necessary.
Severe hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, acidosis, and shock in a 5-month-old child following the administration of an adult Fleet enema.

We report the case of a 5-month-old girl who was given an adult Fleet ® enema by her mother because of her concern that the baby was constipated. Within minutes the child became extremely ill. She developed shock, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, and acidosis. This case is presented to demonstrate that life-threatening events may result after the injudicious use of enemas in children.
A Strain-Specific Epitope of Enterovirus 71 Identified by Cryo-Electron Microscopy of the Complex with Fab from Neutralizing Antibody

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a picornavirus that causes outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), primarily in the Asia-Pacific area. Unlike coxsackievirus A16, which also causes HFMD, EV71 induces severe neuropathology leading to high fatalities, especially among children under the age of 6 years. Currently, no established vaccines or treatments are available against EV71 infection. The monoclonal antibody MA28-7 neutralizes only specific strains of EV71 that have a conserved glycine at amino acid VP1-145, a surface-exposed residue that maps to the 5-fold vertex and that has been implicated in receptor binding. The cryo-electron microscopy structure of a complex between EV71 and the Fab fragment of MA28-7 shows that only one Fab fragment occupies each 5-fold vertex. A positively charged patch, which has also been implicated in receptor binding, lies within the Fab footprint. We identify the strain-specific epitope of EV71 and discuss the possible neutralization mechanisms of the antibody.
The structure and thermodynamics of protein—SDS complexes in solution and the mechanism of their transports in gel electrophoresis process

Abstract A unified exposition of the structure, thermodynamics and transport of complexes formed by association of a surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) with water-soluble globular proteins in solution is presented. From small angle neutron scattering experiments we have determined the structure of the complex to be a polymer-like object consisting of a string of SDS micelles decorating the hydrophobic patches of the unfolded polypeptide chain in solution. Based on this structural model we have predicted and observed a polymer-like phase separation of the denatured protein solution at suitable pH. This model can also successfully predict the mobility of the complexes in polyacrylamide gel during an electrophoresis process, if we adapt the well known reptation concept of diffusion of a single chain of polymer in gels.