cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Storable good monopoly: The role of commitment

We study dynamic monopoly pricing of storable goods in an environment where demand changes over time. The literature on durables has focused on incentives to delay purchases. Our analysis focuses on a different intertemporal demand incentive for consumers: the key force on the consumer side is advance purchases or stockpiling. This stockpiling motive can be present in the case of standard durables as well, in environments unmodeled in the prior literature. We show that if the monopolist cannot commit, then prices are higher in all periods, and social welfare is lower, than in the case in which the monopolist can commit. This is in contrast with the durable goods analysis in the literature on the Coase conjecture.
Combined Effect of Salt Concentration and Redox Potential of the Medium on the Initiation of Vegetative Growth by Clostridium welchii

Summary Four strains of Clostridium welchii grew in a medium containing 6% (w/v) of NaCl within 14 days at 37°. In one instance growth was obtained with 7% of NaCl from a large, but not a small, inoculum. Three of the strains grew from a large inoculum in the presence of 0.5 % of NaCl at Eh values of + 194 to + 238 mv. In a medium containing 5% of NaCl no growth occurred unless the Eh level was considerably reduced. The fourth strain was less affected until the NaCl concentration was increased to 6%.
Prosthodontic management of ridge deficiencies

The treatment goals in prosthodontics and dental laboratory technology are to provide patients with long-term predictable and esthetic outcomes. The periodontal tissues define the framework that will maintain ridge height, thickness, color, texture, and gingival-tooth frame. The loss of teeth, residual ridge resorption and the loss of gingival tissues continue to affect long-term and esthetic treatment outcomes. Prosthodontic treatment requires consideration of the potential negative tissue effect that time and normal biologic change might have on the completed prosthetic design. This article describes alternative restorative solutions for clinical conditions that have traditionally been managed by surgery, removable prosthodontics, or esthetically compromised fixed restorations. Different clinical conditions for tooth-retained and implant-retained fixed partial dentures as well as the laboratory technology describing construction of these different restorations will be discussed.
Molecular dissection of psoriasis: integrating genetics and biology.

Psoriasis is a common and debilitating disease of the skin, nails, and joints, with an acknowledged but complex genetic basis. Early genome-wide linkage studies of psoriasis focused on segregation of microsatellite markers in families; however, the only locus consistently identified resided in the major histocompatibility complex. Subsequently, several groups mapped this locus to the vicinity of HLA-C, and two groups have reported HLA-Cw6 itself to be the major susceptibility allele. More recently, the development of millions of single-nucleotide polymorphisms, coupled with the development of high-throughput genotyping platforms and a comprehensive map of human haplotypes, has made possible a genome-wide association approach using cases and controls rather than families. Taking advantage of these developments, we participated in a collaborative genome-wide association study of psoriasis involving thousands of cases and controls. Initial analysis of these data revealed and/or confirmed association between psoriasis and seven genetic loci—HLA-C, IL12B, IL23R, IL23A, IL4/IL13, TNFAIP3, and TNIP1—and ongoing studies are revealing additional loci. Here, we review the epidemiology, immunopathology, and genetics of psoriasis, and present a disease model integrating its genetics and immunology.
In situ blood-brain barrier transport of nanoparticles.

Purpose. Two novel types of nanoparticles were evaluated as potential carriers for drugs across the blood–brain barrier (BBB).
Ontogenetic influence on neural spine bifurcation in diplodocoidea (dinosauria: Sauropoda): A critical phylogenetic character

Within Diplodocoidea (Dinosauria: Sauropoda), phylogenetic position of the three subclades Rebbachisauridae, Dicraeosauridae, and Diplodocidae is strongly influenced by a relatively small number of characters. Neural spine bifurcation, especially within the cervical vertebrae, is considered to be a derived character, with taxa that lack this feature regarded as relatively basal. Our analysis of dorsal and cervical vertebrae from small-sized diplodocoids (representing at least 18 individuals) reveals that neural spine bifurcation is less well developed or absent in smaller specimens. New preparation of the roughly 200-cm long diplodocid juvenile Sauriermuseum Aathal 0009 reveals simple nonbifurcated cervical neural spines, strongly reminiscent of more basal sauropods such as Omeisaurus. An identical pattern of ontogenetically linked bifurcation has also been observed in several specimens of the basal macronarian Camarasaurus, suggesting that this is characteristic of several clades of Sauropoda. We suggest that neural spine bifurcation performs a biomechanical function related to horizontal positioning of the neck that may become significant only at the onset of a larger body size, hence, its apparent absence or weaker development in smaller specimens. These results have significant implications for the taxonomy and phylogenetic position of taxa described from specimens of small body size. On the basis of shallow bifurcation of its cervical and dorsal neural spines, the small diplodocid Suuwassea is more parsimoniously interpreted as an immature specimen of an already recognized diplodocid taxon. Our findings emphasize the view that nonmature dinosaurs often exhibit morphologies more similar to their ancestral state and may therefore occupy a more basal position in phylogenetic analyses than would mature specimens of the same species. In light of this, we stress the need for phylogenetic reanalysis of sauropod clades where vital characters may be ontogenetically variable, particularly when data is derived from small individuals. J. Morphol., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Antioxidant effect of aqueous extracts from wheat based ready-to-eat breakfast cereals

Aqueous extracts from high bran, whole grain and refined wheat cereals are capable of inhibiting iron/ascorbic acid induced phosphatidylcholine liposome oxidation. High bran and whole grain cereal extracts contained the highest antioxidant activity and were able to inhibit both iron and peroxyl radical-promoted oxidation. Antioxidants in aqueous extracts from the high bran cereal were found in both high and low molecular weight fractions. Aqueous extracts from cereal homogenates that were subjected to simulated gastrointestinal pH treatments exhibited greater antioxidant activity than the untreated aqueous extracts. These data indicate that wheat-based cereals contain antioxidants whose activity is enhanced by gastrointestinal conditions suggesting that they could be important dietary antioxidants.
Impact of carrier fluid composition on recovery of nanoparticles and proteins in flow field flow fractionation

Flow field flow fractionation (F4) is an invaluable separation tool for large analytes, including nanoparticles and biomolecule complexes. However, sample loss due to analyte-channel membrane interaction limits extensive usage of F4 at present, which could be strongly affected by the carrier fluid composition. This work studied the impacts of carrier fluid (CF) composition on nanoparticle (NP) recovery in F4, with focus on high ionic strength conditions. Successful analysis of NPs in a biomolecules-friendly environment could expand the applicability of F4 to the developing field of nanobiotechnology. Recovery of the unfunctionalized polystyrene NPs of 199, 102, and 45 nm in CFs with various pH (6.2, 7.4 and 8.2), increasing ionic strength (0-0.1M), and different types of co- and counter-ions, were investigated. Additionally, elution of the 85 nm carboxylate NPs and two proteins, human serum albumin (HSA) and immunoglobulin (IgG), at high ionic strengths (0-0.15M) was investigated. Our results suggested that (1) electrostatic repulsion between the negatively charged NPs and the regenerated cellulose membrane was the main force to avoid particle adsorption on the membrane; (2) larger particles experienced higher attractive force and thus were influenced more by variation in CF composition; and (3) buffers containing weak anions or NPs with weak anion as the surface functional groups provided higher tolerance to the increase in ionic strength, owing to more anions being trapped inside the NP porous structure. Protein adsorption onto the membrane was also briefly investigated in salted CFs, using HSA and IgG. We believe our findings could help to identify the basic carrier fluid composition for higher sample recovery in F4 analysis of nanoparticles in a protein-friendly environment, which will be useful for applying F4 in bioassays and in nanotoxicology studies.
Modeling the heterogeneous effects of retained austenite on the behavior of martensitic high strength steels

The effects of pockets of retained austenite on the behavior of martensitic steels have been investigated. A dislocation-density based crystalline plasticity and specialized finite-element formulation were used to investigate how f.c.c. austenite pockets interact with b.c.c. martensitic laths. Quasi-static and dynamic analyses were undertaken to investigate how the effects of the orientations of parent austenite grains and different crystallographic interfaces affect shear strain localization, strength, and toughness. It is shown that the orientations of the parent austenite grain have a significant effect on the dominance of specific interfacial slip systems, and this subsequently affects whether the retained austenite has incompatible slip with martensitic laths, for low austenite Euler angles, or compatible slip with martensitic laths, for high values of austenite Euler angles.
Designing Catalysts for Functionalization of Unactivated C–H Bonds Based on the CH Activation Reaction

In an effort to augment or displace petroleum as a source of liquid fuels and chemicals, researchers are seeking lower cost technologies that convert natural gas (largely methane) to products such as methanol. Current methane to methanol technologies based on highly optimized, indirect, high-temperature chemistry (>800 °C) are prohibitively expensive. A new generation of catalysts is needed to rapidly convert methane and O2 (ideally as air) directly to methanol (or other liquid hydrocarbons) at lower temperatures (∼250 °C) and with high selectivity.Our approach is based on the reaction between CH bonds of hydrocarbons (RH) and transition metal complexes, LnM–X, to generate activated LnM–R intermediates while avoiding the formation of free radicals or carbocations. We have focused on the incorporation of this reaction into catalytic cycles by integrating the activation of the CH bond with the functionalization of LnM–R to generate the desired product and regenerate the LnM–X complex. To avoid free-radical ...
Rotor health monitoring combining spin tests and data-driven anomaly detection methods

Health monitoring is highly dependent on sensor systems that are capable of performing in various engine environmental conditions and able to transmit a signal upon a predetermined crack length, while acting in a neutral form upon the overall performance of the engine system. Efforts are under way at NASA Glenn Research Center through support of the Intelligent Vehicle Health Management Project (IVHM) to develop and implement such sensor technology for a wide variety of applications. These efforts are focused on developing high temperature, wireless, low cost, and durable products. In an effort to address technical issues concerning health monitoring, this article considers data collected from an experimental study using high frequency capacitive sensor technology to capture blade tip clearance and tip timing measurements in a rotating turbine engine-like-disk to detect the disk faults and assess its structural integrity. The experimental results composed at a range of rotational speeds from tests conduct...
Efficient Generation of Random Nonsingular Matrices

We present an efficient algorithm for generating an n × n nonsingular matrix uniformly over a finite field. This algorithm is useful for several cryptographic and checking applications. Over GF[2] our algorithm runs in expected time M(n) + O(n2), where M(n) is the time needed to multiply two n × n matrices, and the expected number of random bits it uses is n2 + 3. (Over other finite fields we use n2 + O(1) random field elements on average.) This is more efficient than the standard method for solving this problem, both in terms of expected running time and the expected number of random bits used. The standard method is to generate random n × n matrices until we produce one with nonzero determinant. In contrast, our technique directly produces a random matrix guaranteed to have nonzero determinant. We also introduce efficient algorithms for related problems such as uniformly generating singular matrices or matrices with fixed determinant. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. © 1993 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Emotions, fiction, and cognitive architecture

Recent theorists suggest that our capacity to respond affectively to fictions depends on our ability to engage in simulation: either simulating a character in the fiction, or simulating someone reading or watching the fiction as though it were fact. We argue that such accounts are quite successful at accounting for many of the basic explananda of our affective engagements in fiction. Nontheless, we argue further that simulationist accounts ultimately fail, for simulation involves an ineliminably ego-centred element that is atypical of our experience of fiction. We then draw on recent work in philosophical psychology to articulate a more psychologically plausible account of our emotional engagement with fiction.
Measurements of hydrogen cyanide and its chemical production rate in a laminar methane/air, non-premixed flame using cw cavity ringdown spectroscopy

Cavity ringdown spectroscopy using an external cavity tunable diode laser is coupled with microprobe sampling to quantitatively determine hydrogen cyanide concentrations in a methane/air non-premixed flame. HCN concentration data were combined with concentration, velocity, and temperature data previously collected in this flame system to perform a net production rate analysis from a solution of the species conservation equation. This net rate profile exhibits two dominant features: a production feature in a flame region just rich of the stoichiometric surface and a destruction feature at the stoichiometric surface. A reaction path analysis was performed for a series of HCN elementary reactions. The net rate of HCN formation and destruction calculated from this chemical approach agreed well in peak locations with those calculated using the transport rates described above. Analysis of the individual reaction data suggests that destruction of HCN is dominated by oxygen-atom reactions producing several radical species that are likely to oxidize further to NO. Thus, the magnitude of this destruction feature may be an indirect measure of the local NO formation rate through the prompt mechanism.
Elevated overall rates of transmethylation in cell lines from diverse human tumors.

In a study of a diverse set of human tumor cell lines previously shown to all have a defect in methionine metabolism (Stern, P. H., Wallace, C. D. and Hoffman, R. M. J. Cellular Physiology119, 29–34, 1984), we demonstrate in this report that all have enhanced overall rates of transmethylation compared to normal human fibroblasts. Transmethylation rates were measured by blocking S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and measuring the AdoHcy which accumulates as a result of transmethylation. The enhanced transmethylation rates may be the basis of the above-mentioned defects in methionine metabolism previously reported in human tumor cells, including the basis of the inability of the majority of the tumor cells to grow when methionine is replaced by homocysteine. The excess and unbalanced tRNA methylation observed for the last 25 years in many types of cancer may be at least in part explained by our results of elevated rates of overall transmethylation in cancer cells. The alteration of such a fundamental process as transmethylation in cancer may be indicative of its importance in the oncogenic process.
Mode competition in Raman free electron lasers

Abstract A relativistic electromagnetic particle code with conducting boundary conditions in the transverse direction has been developed to investigate mode competition in Raman free electron lasers. The model allows three-dimensional spatial motion for electrons, as well as transverse inhomogeneity of the wiggler magnetic fields and is capable of including a finite number of various relevant TEmn modes. The code also contains sufficient longitudinal modes to revolve the finite bandwidth of free electron laser radiation. The parameters used in the simulations are relevant to the most recent experiment carried out at NRL. The simulation results show that the generated radiation is dominated by the TE11 mode in the case of an axis-centered beam, and the TE01 mode is excited through a nonlinear effect at a later time. However, if the beam center is off axis, both TE11 and TE01 modes are excited with comparable growth rate and reach comparable amplitudes, which is in agreement with the experimental observation. Longitudinal mode competition is also observed in the computer simulation and the resulting bandwidth is about 10% that of the peak frequency.
1646 NEONATAL RESPIRATORY MUSCLE BLOOD FLOW: EFFECTS OF REBREATHING AND SEDATION

Respiratory muscle blood flow is necessary for the delivery of adequate energy substrate to maintain required respiratory muscle work rates. Diaphragmatic blood flow (Qdi) and cardiac output (Qc) were measured in 8 newborn dogs age 4-15 days using the radionuclide-labelled microsphere method. Measurements were made during quiet breathing (QB) and CO2 rebreathing (CR) (steady state FiO2=.31±.09, FiCO2=.029±.008, mean±SEM) with and without pentobarbital sedation (5-7mg/kg). In the unsedated newborn dog, rebreathing results in increased respiratory frequency (38±7 v 53±11bpm), alveolar ventilation (VA), Qdi, and Qc. Although VA increased during sedated rebreathing, Qdi and Qc were unchanged. Thus the cardiovascular response to increased ventilation produced by CO2 rebreathing is adversely affected by pentobarbital sedation, suggesting that sedation may impair respiratory muscle endurance.
Proximal His-Purkinje conduction defects due to peripheral myocardial ischemia and infarction.

Clinical reports have described 2:1 A-V block distal to the recorded His bundle potential which was induced by sudden, rapid atrial pacing. This functional effect was thought to be a normal variant of refractoriness in the His-Purkinje system. Using standard ECG leads and His bundle recordings, 10 control and 3 sham operated dogs were studied. No incidence of 2:1 A-V block distal to the His bundle potential in response to abrupt rapid atrial pacing (from 50-90 beats/min to 250-330 beats/min) was observed. Also in response to closely coupled atrial premature beats (H-H equal to 250-300 msec) aberrant QRS complexes were seen but H-V delays were restricted to a range from 35 to 50msec. Another group of 13 anesthetized dogs was studied using similar methods and pacing procedures 3 to 10 days after left anterior descending artery ligation. In 4 dogs, high grade stenosis (equal to or greater than 70%) was induced and these dogs studied 4 to 22 days later. In the 13, postmortem examination revealed the area of gross infarction was localized to the apical and midseptal portions of anterior wall of left ventricle not involving the His bundle or proximal bundle branches. Eight of the 13 (62%) showed 2:1 A-V block distal to the recorded His bundle potential in response to abrupt rapid atrial pacing. In addition, presented are evidences of intra-His bundle block (marked widening of H potentials) and marked prolongation of H-V intervals (35-80 msec) in response to atrial premature beats with H-H intervals similar to those of the control group. Furthermore, in association with the prolonged H-V intervals of aberrant beats, ventricular echo beats localized within the His-Purkinje system were noted. In the 4dogs with high grade stenosis, 3 showed functional 2:1 A-V block distal to the His bundle potential. We suggest that substances released from peripheral ischemic or necrotic tissue can alter the refractoriness of conduction in non-infarcted areas, e.g., non-ischemic His-Purkinje system. Such conduction defects can lead to functional 2:1 A-V block distal to the His bundle recording and/or reentrant arrhythmias localized within the His-Purkinje system.
Familial Ovarian Cancer

Familial cancer clusters provide a unique opportunity to elucidate the molecular mechanisms central to the development of malignancy. We have identified four families in which 11 members developed epithelial ovarian cancer. The clinical course of disease in these individuals with familial ovarian cancer appears to be very different from that of patients with nonfamilial ovarian cancer. In order to compare these disease states, 34 cases matched for age at diagnosis (57 years), tumor histology (all adenocarcinomas), and a preponderance of advanced grade and FIGO stage of disease were selected. Patients with familial ovarian cancer exhibited a 67% 5-year survival in comparison with a 17% 5-year survival in the nonfamilial ovarian cancer cases. Preliminary studies indicate a lack of overexpression of the HER-2/neu oncogene in the familial cancer members' tumors. This may correlate with the indolent character of their disease. Abnormal p53 tumor suppressor gene expression was noted in four of six cancers tested. We also found germ line p53 mutations in three of the four families, but neither the germ line or tumor p53 prevalence was 100%. This is the first report of germ line p53 mutations associated with familial ovarian cancer and indicates that this gene may play a role in the development of some familial ovarian cancers.
Necking of a bar

The necking process of an axisymmetric tension specimen made of elastic-plastic, strain-hardening material is analyzed by a generalized J2-flow theory for large deformations. The governing equations are solved in a Kantorovich type approach based on a variational principle. The effects of both geometric nonlinearities resulting from large deformation and the physical nonlinearities arising from plastic material behavior are considered. Numerical results have been found for the stress and deformation histories in the specimen up to 50 per cent reduction of the neck radius. The shape of the neck, for the first time, is rationally calculated.
Cognitive Predictors of Medical Decision-Making Capacity in Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE: To identify cognitive predictors of medical decision-making capacity (MDC) in participants with traumatic brain injury (TBI) at time of acute injury (baseline) and at six-month follow-up. PARTICIPANTS: At baseline, participants were 34 adults with moderate to severe TBI and 20 healthy adults. At six-month follow-up, participants were 24 adults with moderate to severe TBI and 20 normal adults. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were administered a consent capacity instrument (Capacity to Consent to Treatment Instrument: CCTI) and neuropsychological test measures. In the TBI group, univariate and multivariate cognitive predictor models were developed at baseline and six-month follow-up for clinically relevant CCTI consent abilities/standards (S) of understanding (S5); reasoning (S4); and appreciation (S3). RESULTS: At baseline, measures of short-term verbal memory and semantic fluency predicted TBI group performance on understanding (S5); short-term verbal memory and attention predicted performance on reasoning (S4); and working memory predicted performance on appreciation (S3). Regarding six-month follow-up models, measures of basic executive function, verbal processing speed, and working memory predicted TBI performance on understanding (S5); working memory and short-term memory predicted reasoning (S4); and basic executive functioning predicted appreciation (S3). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple cognitive functions are associated with acute impairment and partial recovery of MDC in patients with moderate to severe TBI. Short-term verbal memory was strongly associated with impairments in consent capacity in TBI participants at the time of acute inpatient hospitalization. As patients experience cognitive and functional recovery post-hospitalization, executive functioning and working memory abilities were associated with improved capacity at six-month follow-up. The results offer insight into the relationship between different standards of competency and cognitive changes and recovery following acute TBI.
Reduced emissions of CO2, NOx, and SO2 from U.S. power plants owing to switch from coal to natural gas with combined cycle technology

Since 1997, an increasing fraction of electric power has been generated from natural gas in the United States. Here we use data from continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS), which measure emissions at the stack of most U.S. electric power generation units, to investigate how this switch affected the emissions of CO2, NOx, and SO2. Per unit of energy produced, natural gas power plants equipped with combined cycle technology emit on an average 44% of the CO2 compared with coal power plants. As a result of the increased use of natural gas, CO2 emissions from U.S. fossil-fuel power plants were 23% lower in 2012 than they would have been if coal had continued to provide the same fraction of electric power as in 1997. In addition, natural gas power plants with combined cycle technology emit less NOx and far less SO2 per unit of energy produced than coal power plants. Therefore, the increased use of natural gas has led to emission reductions of NOx (40%) and SO2 (44%), in addition to those obtained from the implementation of emission control systems on coal power plants. These benefits to air quality and climate should be weighed against the increase in emissions of methane, volatile organic compounds, and other trace gases that are associated with the production, processing, storage, and transport of natural gas.
Environmental photooxidation of dibenzothiophenes following the Amoco Cadiz oil spill

Abstract Photooxidation products of dibenzothiophenes (sulfur containing petroleum heteroaromatic hydrocarbons) were characterized in an oil slick sample obtained from a field location following the AMOCO CADIZ oil spill. The same oxidation products were formed in the laboratory by the photooxidation of a medium Arabian crude oil which contained the identical precursor hydrocarbons. Analytical techniques included fractionation by liquid/solid chromatography and characterization using high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. To the best of the author's knowledge, this represents the first reported instance for the formation of photooxidation products following an actual oil spill. A comparison of the quantities of various oxidation products was carried out by quantitative mass spectrometry using extracted ion current profiles of dibenzothiophenes and their corresponding sulfoxides. The geochemical and physiological implications of such photooxidation processes are also discussed.
Tumor Endothelial Cells Join the Resistance

The field of antiangiogenesis research has been met with some surprises, including the realization that tumor blood vessels are more complex and labile than expected. In this issue of Clinical Cancer Research, Xiong and colleagues show that tumor-specific endothelial cells are less sensitive to cytotoxic and antiangiogenic drugs compared to their normal counterparts.
Delayed awakening from general anaesthesia in a patient with Hunter syndrome

Hunter syndrome is one of a heterogeneous group of recessively inherited mucopolysaccharide storage diseases (MPS) with similar biochemical defects manifested by impairments in muco-polysaccharide catabolism with variable but progressive clinical courses. Abnormal accumulation and deposition of mucopoly-saccharides in the tissues of several organs lead to numerous anatomical, musculoskeletal and neurological abnormalities which are known to complicate anaesthetic and airway management. Hunter syndrome has a wide variance of clinical phenotypes ranging from mild to severe. We present a patient having physical and neurological features consistent with a severe clinical presentation of Hunter syndrome (MPS, Type II). Following a seemingly uneventful intraoperative anaesthetic course including isoflurane, nitrous oxide and fentanyl (0.93 μg · kg−1), resumption of spontaneous ventilation and return to consciousness were delayed until intravenous naloxone (200 μg) was administered 100 min after the opioid administration. The cause of delayed recovery from anaesthesia in this patient is unknown.
Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall: Is Your Personality Healthy after All?

(2001). Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall: Is Your Personality Healthy after All? American Journal of Health Education: Vol. 32, Special Issue on Mental Health, pp. 310-312.
Cisplatin induced Mitochondrial DNA damage in dorsal root ganglion neurons

Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent that induces peripheral neuropathy in 30% of patients. Peripheral neuropathy is the dose limiting side effect, which has no preventative therapy. We have previously shown that cisplatin induces apoptosis in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons by covalently binding to nuclear DNA (nDNA), resulting in DNA damage, subsequent p53 activation and Bax-mediated apoptosis via the mitochondria. We now demonstrate that cisplatin also directly binds to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with the same binding affinity as nDNA. Cisplatin binds 1 platinum molecule per 2166 mtDNA base pairs and 1 platinum molecule per 3800 nDNA base pairs. Furthermore, cisplatin treatment inhibits mtDNA replication as detected by 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine (BrdU) incorporation and inhibits transcription of mitochondrial genes. The relative reduction in mtDNA transcription is directly related to the distance the gene is located from the transcription initiation point, which implies that randomly formed platinum adducts block transcription. Cisplatin treated DRG neurons exhibit mitochondrial vacuolization and degradation in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, this data suggests that direct mtDNA damage may provide a novel, distinct mechanism for cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity separate from the established nDNA damage pathway.
Primary appendiceal intussusception.

There have been 132 cases of primary appendiceal intussusception reported since it was first described by McKidd in 1859. Five of the 132 patients were asymptomatic, the diagnosis having been made at operation in patients with acute or recurrent right lower quadrant pain. The 2 cases presented here are unusual in that each patient had symptoms related to another primary disease. In addition, the first case was clearly demonstrated and diagnosed on barium enema examination, and the second case was listed in the differential diagnosis and confirmed at operation. The presence of PAI should be suspected when a cecal filling defect is noted on the same side as the ileocecal valve, especially if the appendix fills from the center of the defect or is nonvisualized.
Studies in isobaric analog resonances. I. Gross properties

Abstract The gross-structure of isobaric analog resonances in the N, Z + 1 system is described in terms of the intermediate structure associated with the analogs of the low-lying states of the N + 1, Z nucleus. These analog states are shown to act as “doorway states” of a rather special nature in producing generally asymmetric gross anomalies in the elastic and inelastic scattering. This description leads to a model-independent parametrization of the isobaric analog resonances. A discussion of (p, n) processes involving isobaric analog resonances is also given.
Structural characterization of the circulating soluble FGF receptors reveals multiple isoforms generated by secretion and ectodomain shedding

Soluble fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) have been identified in multiple biological fluids, including blood. Efforts to examine the biological properties of these proteins have been hampered by the incomplete chemical characterization of the receptors within the second half of the third immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domain, where alternative splicing leads to receptor variants with different ligand binding properties. Using mass spectrometry techniques, we have mapped the soluble FGFRs to the secreted receptor, FGFR1(IIIa), the two and three Ig-like domain isoforms of FGFR1(IIIc) and a carboxyl-terminal cleavage peptide from the two and three Ig-like domain isoforms of FGFR1(IIIb). The secreted FGFR is produced by the translation of an alternatively spliced transcript and the cleaved receptors are released by ectodomain shedding of the transmembrane receptors.
Reversal of the inhibitory action of ammonia on the respiration of rat-liver mitochondria

Abstract 1. 1. Glutamate reverse the inhibitory effect of ammonia on respiration of rat-liver mitochondria by preventing further amination of α-ketoglutarate. 2. 2. Succinate also abolishes this inhibition but without interfering with the reductive amination of α-ketoglutarate. 3. 3. A method of calculating the ratio: reduced/oxidized mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides, based on the equilibrium constant of the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction, is discussed.
Dilute nitride multi-quantum well multi-junction design: a route to ultra-efficient photovoltaic devices

The current high-efficiency triple junction (Al)InGaP (1.9eV)/GaAs(1.42eV)/ Ge(0.66eV) design for a solar cell can be improved upon by the use dilute nitrides to include a sub-cell in the 1eV range. Addition of a small percentage of nitrogen to III-V semiconductor alloys (such as GaAsN) enables us to achieve the required bandgap, however these bulk dilute nitride structures suffer from a reduced minority carrier lifetime, decreasing the overall current output. The route suggested herein is to include dilute nitride multi-quantum wells (with thicknesses much lesser than the minority carrier diffusion length) within the intrinsic region of a GaAs subcell. Modeling has been done for this structure to obtain the confined energies of the electrons and holes, as well as the absorption coefficient and thereby the spectral response of the 4-junction cell. The results show that it is possible to achieve with the appropriate current matching, a conversion efficiency of ~40% under AM0 (1 sun) with up to ~18 mAcm -2 short circuit current.
Synergy in ERK activation by cytokine receptors and tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signal through EGF and PDGF receptors, which are important receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) are four helical bundle peptide hormones that signal via GHR and PRLR, members of the cytokine receptor superfamily. In this study, we examine crosstalk between signaling pathways emanating from these disparate receptor groups (RTKs and cytokine receptors). We find that GH and EGF specifically synergize for activation of ERK in murine preadipocytes. The locus of this synergy resides at the level of MEK activation, but not above this level (i.e., not at the level of EGFR, SHC, or Raf activation). Furthermore, dephosphorylation of the scaffold protein, KSR, at a critical serine residue is also synergistically promoted by GH and EGF, suggesting that GH sensitizes these cells to EGF-induced ERK activation by augmenting the actions of KSR in facilitating MEK-ERK activation. Similarly specific synergy in ERK activation is also detected in human T47D breast cancer cells by cotreatment with PRL and PDGF. This synergy also resides at the level of MEK activation. Consistent with this synergy, PRL and PDGF also synergized for c-fos-dependent transactivation of a luciferase reporter gene in T47D cells, indicating that events downstream of ERK activation reflect this signaling synergy. Important conceptual and physiological implications of these findings are discussed.
On delta-operator Schur-Cohn zero-location tests for fast sampling

A stability test, or, more generally, a zero location test, algorithm similar to the well-known Schur-Cohn test is proposed when a complex polynomial formulated in the delta-operator is given. The real polynomial case falls out naturally as a special case. The method used is a simple linear transformation based on the Schur-Cohn test, and the proposed algorithm is computationally efficient. Furthermore, it is shown that as the sampling interval vanishes, the new algorithm converges to a new continuous-time test, therefore providing a smooth transition from the shift-operator based discrete-time algorithm to the continuous-time one. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis shows that the sensitivity of the new test in the delta operator remains finite with respect to parameter perturbation and converges to that of the continuous-time one, whereas that of the shift operator grows without bound as the sampling interval vanishes. Examples are given to show the clear numerical advantages over the traditional shift-operator-based Schur-Cohn test in the case of fast sampling.
Human papillomavirus vaccine—recent results and future developments

A subset of human papillomaviruses that infect the anogenital tract and the upper aero-digestive tract is the cause of a number of benign and malignant tumors in these locations, including cervical cancer. Since the past year, a vaccine directed at human papillomaviruses types 6 and 11, the main cause of genital warts, and types 16 and 18, the main cause of cervical cancer, has been on the international market. Another vaccine directed at types 16 and 18 alone is soon expected to be widely available. This review presents the updated, currently available clinical information that has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of these vaccines. It examines the questions remaining on their safety, true efficacy, spectrum of activity, and protection duration. The future directions of the current clinical research and its possible impact on prevention are discussed.
Statistical analysis of proliferative index data in clinical trials

Measurements of proliferative activity in colonic epithelial cells are being used as surrogate endpoints in clinical trials for colon cancer prevention. Proliferative index data exemplify an important type of clinical trial endpoint. The outcome variable is a proportion in which the denominator is an ancillary statistic and in which measurement error and technician judgement are important sources of variability. The paper proposes a statistical model for a repeated measures clinical trial with this type of endpoint, in the context of proliferative activity data. The model is a two-stage random effects linear model in the log scale. In addition to fixed effects covariates, it explicitly incorporates two major sources of variability: the number of epithelial cells counted and the reader effect. Although the resulting likelihood is complicated, one can fit an approximate likelihood with minimal loss of efficiency using standard packages. We apply the model to a pilot randomized clinical trial.
Telemedicine in Stroke Care and Rehabilitation

Telemedicine allows prompt assessment of acute stroke patients. This new technology has increased the administration of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) to eligible patients. In addition, telemedicine is being utilized in the rehabilitation of patients with cerebrovascular disease. This article will review the use of telemedicine in patients with acute ischemic stroke and its implementation in telerehabilitation to patients with residual neurologic deficit.
Numerical Study of the Efficiency of Acoustic Streaming for Enhancing Heat Transfer between Two Parallel Beams

In this paper, the efficiency of acoustic streaming for enhancing heat transfer in a channel composed by two parallel beams is studied. A rectangular heat source isattached to the upper beam. The lower beam, kept at a constantand uniform temperature, vibrates and scatters standing acousticwaves into the gap, which induces acoustic streaming in the gapdue to the non-zero mean of the acoustic field. By utilizing theperturbation method, the compressible Navier–Stokes equationsare decomposed into the first-order acoustic equations and thesecond-order streaming equations. Only the steady state energyequation associated with the streaming field is of interestbecause the acoustic field is adiabatic. These governingequations are discretized by the finite-difference method on auniform mesh and solved numerically. Nonreflective boundaryconditions are imposed at the open ends. SIMPLER algorithm isutilized to solve the streaming equation. The cooling effect isinvestigated by comparing the average temperature of the heatedregion of the upper beam with and without the acoustic streamingin the gap. Analysis of the steaming flow field reveals a systemof steady vortices in the gap that are responsible for heattransfer enhancement. Acoustic streaming generated by vibrationof the lower beam with the angular frequency of 1000 rad/s andthe amplitude of 100 microns reduces the temperature of theupper beam by 1% for the constant heat flux case and by 0.5%for the case of a heat source with a constant rate of internalheat generation. A more significant cooling effect is expectedif the intensity of the acoustic field is increased.
Adaptation of Columbia SK virus to sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cells in vivo and passage in the cells in vitro.

SummaryAdaptation of Columbia SK virus from Ehrlich ascites cells to Sarcoma 180 ascites cells in vivo, and the serial passage in vitro are described. The adaptation was successful only through the use of mixtures of both cells. The new adapted virus propagates efficiently in Sarcoma 180 ascites cells in vitro with CPE and production of HA. This virus-host system has been used for screening tests of antiviral drugs.
Helping Children in Times of Trouble and Crisis.

Abstract This paper highlights the impact of personal and social crisis in the lives of young children and distinguishes categories of potential stress in today's world. Examination of various roles and actions of helping adults in assisting children to adaptively confront personal and social crisis provides illustration of how parents, teachers, and other helping adults can affirm innate resiliency while simultaneously strengthening understanding.
Hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and academic achievement: Distinguishing constructs and levels of specificity in predicting college grade-point average.

Abstract Research shows that Snyder's (1994) goal-directed hope construct predicts college GPA. However, studies have documented relatively weak relationships between these variables, possibly because hope was measured regarding goals generally, not academic-specific goals. Additionally, most studies have not compared variance accounted for in GPA by hope relative to other expectancy constructs. In a cross-sectional sample of 89 college students, we administer the Hope Scale, Domain Specific Hope Scale (academic subscale), General Self-Efficacy Scale, Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, Life Orientation Test-Revised (optimism), among others. We test a path-analytic model where academic-specific expectancies (e.g., academic hope, academic self-efficacy) have direct paths to GPA, and generalized expectancies (e.g., general hope, general self-efficacy) have paths to these academic-specific variables. A modified version of this hypothesized model demonstrated good fit. Generalized hope predicted academic-specific hope and academic self-efficacy, both of which then predicted GPA. Optimism and general self-efficacy did not predict academic-specific expectancy variables nor GPA.
Thermodynamics of polyvinyl chloride solutions: II. Solutions in cyclopentanone

Abstract Six samples of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) ranging in molecular weight from 23,200 to 155,400, were used to determine in cyclopentanone the intrinsic viscosities, molecular weights, and the polymer-solvent interaction parameters over a wide range of temperatures. The solutions were found to behave normally and to exhibit no evidence of “aggregate” formation. The molecular weights obtained were independent of temperature and agreed well with those measured in cyclohexanone. The interaction parameters observed were independent of concentration but were dependent on temperature and molecular weight. Again, the intrinsic viscosities as functions of molecular weight were found to follow the Mark-Houwink relation between 20° and 60°C with a constant a, but with a K linearly dependent on the temperature. From the temperature coefficient of the interaction parameter, it was deduced that, above a molecular weight of ca. 13,000, the heats of mixing of completely amorphous PVC with cyclopentanone as well as th...
Structural and functional brain asymmetries in human situs inversus totalis

Objective: To determine whether individuals with situs inversus totalis (SI), a condition in which there is a mirror-image reversal of asymmetric visceral organs, have alterations in brain asymmetries. Background: The human brain is asymmetric in structure and function. Although correlations between anatomic asymmetries and functional lateralization in human brain have been demonstrated, it has been difficult to further analyze them. Characterization of asymmetries of brain structure and function in SI might advance the understanding of these relationships. Methods: Using anatomic and functional MRI techniques, we analyzed asymmetries in the brains of three individuals with SI. Results: Two major anatomic asymmetries of the cerebral hemispheres, the frontal and occipital petalia, were reversed in individuals with SI. In contrast, SI subjects had left cerebral hemisphere language dominance on functional MRI analysis as well as strong right-handedness. Conclusion: These observations suggest that the developmental factors determining anatomic asymmetry of the cerebral petalia and viscera are distinct from those producing the functional lateralization of language.
Airway Epithelial MyD88 Restores Control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Murine Infection via an IL-1–Dependent Pathway

The opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes rapidly progressive and tissue-destructive infections, such as hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonias. Innate immune responses are critical in controlling P. aeruginosa in the mammalian lung, as demonstrated by the increased susceptibility of MyD88(-/-) mice to this pathogen. Experiments conducted using bone marrow chimeric mice demonstrated that radio-resistant cells participated in initiating MyD88-dependent innate immune responses to P. aeruginosa. In this study we used a novel transgenic mouse model to demonstrate that MyD88 expression by epithelial cells is sufficient to generate a rapid and protective innate immune response following intranasal infection with P. aeruginosa. MyD88 functions as an adaptor for many TLRs. However, mice in which multiple TLR pathways (e.g., TLR2/TLR4/TLR5) are blocked are not as compromised in their response to P. aeruginosa as mice lacking MyD88. We demonstrate that IL-1R signaling is an essential element of MyD88-dependent epithelial cell responses to P. aeruginosa infection.