cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mesozoic tectonics of the Gondwanan terranes of the Pamir plateau

Abstract The Central and Southern Pamir terranes represent Gondwanan crustal fragments within the Pamir plateau, and are bounded by the Tanymas, Rushan–Pshart, and Wakhan-TBZ suture zones from north to south. Stratigraphic and geochronologic data suggest that collision of the Central and Southern Pamir terranes with the southern margin of Asia was broadly coeval during the latest Triassic–earliest Jurassic Cimmerian orogeny (∼200 Ma). The Cimmerian orogeny in the Pamir region does not appear to have resulted in significant crustal thickening of the Central and Southern Pamir as both terranes are overlain by Lower to Middle Jurassic carbonate platform deposits. Post-suturing latest Triassic–earliest Jurassic sandstones with a strong arc signature in the Southern Pamir suggest derivation from the Karakul–Mazar terrane to the north, implying the Northern Pamir were a region of elevated topography relative to the Gondwanan terranes immediately after closure of the Palaeotethys and Rushan ocean basins. A key question in the post-Cimmerian tectonic evolution of the Pamir is the extent and magnitude of Mesozoic deformation of the Central and Southern Pamir. Three lines of evidence suggest that much of the post-Jurassic crustal shortening documented in the Central and Southern Pamir is related to Mesozoic tectonic activity, rather than the Cenozoic India–Asia collision as generally interpreted: (1) The Southern Pamir does not record post-Jurassic marine deposition indicating the terrane elevated above sea level by the Early Cretaceous, most likely due to crustal shortening and thickening; (2) Coarse terrigenous deposits distributed throughout the Central and Southern Pamir interpreted to be syn-tectonic with regional folding and thrust faulting are poorly dated with many studies interpreting them to be Jurassic to Cretaceous rather than Paleogene; (3) Strong Cretaceous crustal thickening and shortening documented to the south in the Karakoram terrane, and to the north in the Northern Pamir, suggest that the Central and Southern Pamir were similarly affected. These relationships suggest that most of the upper crustal shortening documented in the Central and Southern Pamir is related to retroarc deformation north of the Jurassic–Cretaceous Andean margin that developed within the Karakoram and Southern Pamir terranes during subduction of the Neotethys Ocean. Thus, the Pamir plateau may have been a westward continuation of the pre-Cenozoic “Lhasa-plano” of the Tibetan plateau.
Proteolipid-lipid relationships in normal and vitamin D-deficient chick cartilage.

Previous studies have shown thatin vitro calcification of chick epiphyseal cartilage matrix vesicles is proteolipid-dependent. The purpose of this research is to examine the role of proteolipid in cartilage calcificationin vivo by comparing the proteolipid concentration of normal and vitamin D-deficient chick epiphyseal cartilage, the relationship of proteolipid to other tissue lipids, and its ability to supportin vitro apatite formation. Proteolipid was isolated from the upper growth centers (reserve cell zone, upper proliferative zone) and lower growth centers (lower proliferative, hypertrophic, and calcified cartilage zones) of long-bone epiphyses from 3-week-old normal and rachitic male white leghorn chicks by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography of the crude phospholipid component of the total lipid extract. In both normal and rachitic tissue the proteolipid/dry weight and proteolipid/total lipid ratios were greater in the lower growth center than in the upper zones. No statistically significant change in the proteolipid/total lipid ratio in rachitic tissues relative to comparable cell zones in normal cartilages was observed. However, there was an increase in the nonproteolipid phospholipid content of rachitic tissues, altering the relative proteolipid/phospholipid composition. Whereas proteolipids from normal tissue supportedin vitro calcification, proteolipids from rachitic tissues did not, indicating a direct effect of vitamin D on proteolipid structure. These data support the hypothesis that failure of rachitic cartilage to calcifyin vivo may be due in part to alterations in phospholipid and proteolipid metabolism.
Public awareness of head and neck cancers: a cross-sectional survey.

Importance Head and neck cancer (HNC) is responsible for substantial morbidity, mortality, and cost in the United States. Early detection and lifestyle risk factors associated with HNC, both determinants of disease burden and outcomes, are interrelated with public knowledge of this disease. Understanding of current public knowledge of HNC is lacking. Objective To assess awareness and knowledge of HNC among US adults. Design, Setting, and Participants Online survey of 2126 randomly selected adults in the United States conducted in 2013. Interventions Online survey administration. Main Outcomes and Measures Subjective and objective assessment of knowledge of HNC including symptoms, risk factors, and association with the human papillomavirus. Results Self-reported respondent knowledge of HNC was low, with 66.0% reporting that they were “not very” or “not at all” knowledgeable. This did not vary significantly with tobacco use ( P = .92), education ( P = .053), sex ( P = .07), or race ( P = .02). Regarding sites comprising HNC, 22.1% of respondents correctly identified throat cancer, 15.3% mouth cancer, and 2.0% cancer of the larynx, with 21.0% incorrectly identifying brain cancer as HNC. Regarding symptoms, 14.9% of respondents identified “red or white sores that do not heal,” 5.2% “sore throat,” 1.3% “swelling or lump in the throat,” and 0.5% “bleeding in the mouth or throat.” Smoking and chewing or spitting tobacco were identified by 54.5% and 32.7% of respondents as risk factors for mouth and throat cancer, respectively. Only 0.8% of respondents identified human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as a risk factor for mouth and throat cancer, but specific questioning revealed that 12.8% were aware of the association between HPV infection and throat cancer whereas 70.0% of respondents were aware of the vaccine targeting HPV. Conclusions and Relevance Self-reported and objective measures indicate that few American adults know much about HNC including risk factors such as tobacco use and HPV infection and common symptoms. Strategies to improve public awareness and knowledge of signs, symptoms, and risk factors may decrease the disease burden of HNC and are important topics for future research.
Esophageal Stenting and Radiotherapy: A Multimodal Approach for the Palliation of Symptomatic Malignant Dysphagia

Esophageal stents provide immediate palliation of malignant dysphagia; however, radiotherapy (RT) is a superior long-term option. We review the outcomes of combined esophageal stenting and RT for patients with malignant dysphagia. We retrospectively reviewed patients with esophageal stents placed for palliation of malignant dysphagia from esophageal stricture, esophageal extrinsic compression, or malignant tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). We excluded patients with radiation-induced TEF in the absence of tumor. We analyzed and compared outcomes between patients with no RT, RT before stent placement, and RT after stent placement. We placed stents in 45 patients for esophageal stricture from esophageal cancer (n = 30; 66.7 %), malignant TEF (n = 8; 17.7 %), and esophageal compression from airway, mediastinal, or metastatic malignancies (n = 7; 15.6 %). Twenty patients (44.4 %) had no RT; 25 patients had RT before stent placement (n = 16; 35.6 %), RT after stent placement (n = 8; 17.8 %), or both (n = 1; 2.2 %). Median follow-up was 30 days. Complications requiring stent revision were similar with or without RT. Subjective symptom relief was achieved in 68.9 % of all patients, with no differences noted between groups (p = 0.99). The 30-day mortality was 15.6 %. Patients with RT after stent placement had a longer median survival compared to those without RT (98 vs. 38 days). Esophageal stent placement with RT is a safe approach for malignant dysphagia.
Going Public with the Scientific Process

The idea of using framing strategies to communicate science to the public has recently been taken up in scientific forums ([1][1], [2][2]), the mainstream media ([3][3]), and the blogosphere ([4][4], [5][5]). Most participants in the framing science debate limit their notion of scientific
Factors Influencing the Acculturation of Burmese, Bhutanese, and Iraqi Refugees Into American Society: Cross-Cultural Comparisons

We examined the acculturation experiences of Burmese, Bhutanese, and Iraqi refugees living in central Virginia based on the model of acculturation developed by J. W. Berry. We identified themes in examining the effects of English language proficiency, level of social support, financial stability, and expectations about and satisfaction with life in the United States on acculturative stress. Language difficulty and barriers to accessing education, employment opportunities, and health care caused stress in all cultural groups. Nearly all refugees were happy they had immigrated due to the personal freedom, safety, and hope for the future they found in the United States.
Identity and vocational development

Vocational choice and development are central to one's occupational identity in western society as one's occupation is a primary source of information about social class, education, and values. The relationship between occupational identity status and vocational development, however, has not been fully explored.
AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology: 1 year later.…

i am writing to the readers of AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology a little more than a year after assuming the stewardship of the journal. I am one year older, and I hope, a thousand papers wiser. This first year has been a wondrous learning experience, full of twists and turns
Mental health and risk behaviours of rural–urban migrants: Longitudinal evidence from Indonesia

Using longitudinal data from Indonesia and drawing on relevant literature—on the stress process, social support, and migrant assimilation—this study examines the consequences of rural-to-urban labour migration for mental health (as measured by depressive symptoms) and risk behaviours (as measured by smoking). The study addresses two analytic difficulties facing previous studies—the choice of an appropriate comparison group and selection bias. The results demonstrate that migration imposes considerable costs on mental health and encourages higher levels of smoking, and that the effects differ between women and men: female migrants tend to internalize the stress experienced in migration and display depressive symptoms, whereas male migrants tend to externalize various stressors by smoking more cigarettes if they already smoke though not by starting smoking. The negative impacts of migration are mitigated by family-level social support and a high degree of migrant assimilation.
EXIT: a PC-based expert system for industrial truck selection

SUMMARY A microcomputer-based, Turbo Prolog expert system for selection of industrial trucks is described. Details of the industrial truck information supporting the development of the expert system are provided. The structuring of this information into a usable knowledge base and design of the inference mechanism to specifically address the truck selection problem are overviewed. Implementation details are discussed and the use of various AI concepts as applied within the expert system is described. Advantages and limitations of the expert system are suggested.
Disparate time spans in sequential studies of aging

Abstract In several published studies of intelligence and adult age, a sequential design was used in which birth cohort and time of measurement were the independent variables in an ANOVA. The time spans of these two variables were quite disparate; the cohort variable covered about 50 years whereas the time-of-measurement variable covered 7 or 14 years. It was demonstrated here that when time spans are disparate, even when all differences are attributable entirely to age changes, the F values typically will be larger for the cohort variable and errors in interpretations become likely. When cohort differences are statistically significant and time-of-measurement differences are not, the conclusion that age differences are “generational” and not due to age changes within individuals may be wrong.
Extracting discriminative shapelets from heterogeneous sensor data

We study the problem of identifying discriminative features in Big Data arising from heterogeneous sensors. We highlight the heterogeneity in sensor data from engineering applications and the challenges involved in automatically extracting only the most interesting features from large datasets. We formulate this problem as that of classification of multivariate time series and design shapelet-based algorithms for this task. We design a novel approach, called Shapelet Forests (SF), which combines shapelet extraction with feature selection. We evaluate our proposed method with other approaches for mining shapelets from multivariate time series using data from real-world engineering applications. Quantitative analysis of the experiments shows that SF performs better than the baseline approaches and achieves high classification accuracy. In addition, the method enables identification of noisy sensors from multivariate data and discounts their use for classification.
Prostaglandins and the regulation of uterine blood flow in pregnancy.

IN late pregnancy, uterine blood flow (UBF) has increased by as much as thirty- to forty-fold1 and uterine vascular reactivity to vasoconstrictor hormones and adrenergic nerve stimulation has decreased2,3. For example, angiotensin II increases blood flow to the gravid uterus3,4, an uncommon response to this agent which is the most potent vasoconstrictor hormone5. Prostaglandins of the E series (PGE) have been reported to maintain some regional blood flows6,7 and to modulate the vasoconstrictor activity of angiotensin II and noradrenaline8,9. In view of the findings that the uterus synthesises prostaglandins10,11, we have investigated the possible participation of locally synthesised prostaglandins in the regulation of blood flow and vascular reactivity of the gravid uterus.
The Location and Nature of General Anesthetic Binding Sites on the Active Conformation of Firefly Luciferase; A Time Resolved Photolabeling Study

Firefly luciferase is one of the few soluble proteins that is acted upon by a wide variety of general anesthetics and alcohols; they inhibit the ATP–driven production of light. We have used time–resolved photolabeling to locate the binding sites of alcohols during the initial light output, some 200 ms after adding ATP. The photolabel 3-azioctanol inhibited the initial light output with an IC50 of 200 µM, close to its general anesthetic potency. Photoincorporation of [3H]3-azioctanol into luciferase was saturable but weak. It was enhanced 200 ms after adding ATP but was negligible minutes later. Sequencing of tryptic digests by HPLC–MSMS revealed a similar conformation–dependence for photoincorporation of 3-azioctanol into Glu-313, a residue that lines the bottom of a deep cleft (vestibule) whose outer end binds luciferin. An aromatic diazirine analog of benzyl alcohol with broader side chain reactivity reported two sites. First, it photolabeled two residues in the vestibule, Ser-286 and Ile-288, both of which are implicated with Glu-313 in the conformation change accompanying activation. Second, it photolabeled two residues that contact luciferin, Ser-316 and Ser-349. Thus, time resolved photolabeling supports two mechanisms of action. First, an allosteric one, in which anesthetics bind in the vestibule displacing water molecules that are thought to be involved in light output. Second, a competitive one, in which anesthetics bind isosterically with luciferin. This work provides structural evidence that supports the competitive and allosteric actions previously characterized by kinetic studies.
On-line HPLC electrospray mass spectrometry of phosphorothioate oligonucleotide metabolites.

Metabolism of 2‘-deoxyphosphorothioate oligonucleotides ISIS 11061 and ISIS 11637 was examined with capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) and on-line HPLC electrospray mass spectrometry (HPLC/ES-MS). Oligonucleotides were isolated from plasma, liver, and kidneys of rats injected with ISIS 11061 and ISIS 11637. Metabolites found in plasma were consistent with 3‘-exonuclease activity. Metabolites isolated from liver and kidney were consistent with 3‘- and/or 5‘-exonuclease activity. HPLC/ES-MS analysis of ISIS 11061 isolated from kidney indicated extensive degradation from the 3‘ terminus, but metabolites consistent with 5‘ degradation and combinations of 3‘ and 5‘ truncations also were observed. ISIS 11061 isolated from liver showed less extensive degradation. The 5‘ truncated metabolites represented the predominant species in contrast to the kidney sample. Metabolites with masses consistent with combinations of 3‘ and 5‘ truncations were also observed in liver. The metabolic profiles generated by CGE analys...
Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to assess land use impact on water resources in an East African watershed

Summary Land cover and land use changes in Kenya’s Rift Valley have altered the hydrologic response of the River Njoro watershed by changing the partitioning of excess rainfall into surface discharge and groundwater recharge. The watershed contributes a significant amount of water to Lake Nakuru National Park, an internationally recognized Ramsar site, as well as groundwater supplies for local communities and the city of Nakuru. Three land use maps representing a 17-year period when the region underwent significant transitions served as inputs for hydrologic modeling using the Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) tool, a GIS-based hydrologic modeling system. AGWA was used to parameterize the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), a hydrologic model suitable for assessing the relative impact of land cover change on hydrologic response. The SWAT model was calibrated using observation data taken during the 1990s with high annual concordance. Simulation results showed that land use changes have resulted in corresponding increases in surface runoff and decreases in groundwater recharge. Hydrologic changes were highly variable both spatially and temporally, and the uppermost reaches of the forested highlands were most significantly affected. These changes have negative implications for the ecological health of the river system as well as Lake Nakuru and local communities.
Native and Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein Induction of Tissue Factor Gene Expression in Smooth Muscle Cells Is Mediated by Both Egr-1 and Sp1

Tissue factor, in association with factor VIIa, initiates the coagulation cascade. We studied the influences of two pathophysiological stimuli, native (unmodified) and oxidized low density lipoprotein, on tissue factor gene expression in a cell important in vascular remodeling and vascular diseases, the smooth muscle cell. Our results demonstrated that both lipoproteins significantly induced tissue factor gene expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells; oxidized low density lipoprotein was slightly more potent. Both lipoproteins increased tissue factor mRNA in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Results from nuclear run-on assays and mRNA stability experiments indicated that increased tissue factor mRNA accumulation in response to the lipoproteins was principally controlled at the transcriptional level. By using lipid extracts of low density lipoprotein or methylation of the intact lipoprotein to block receptor recognition, we showed that this lipoprotein induced tissue factor mRNA via both receptor-independent and receptor-augmented pathways. Transfection studies using a series of deleted tissue factor promoters revealed that a -143- to +106-base pair region of the rat tissue factor promoter contained regulatory elements required for lipoprotein-mediated induction. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that the binding activities of the transcription factor Egr-1, but not Sp1, were markedly elevated in response to these lipoproteins. Transfection of site-directed mutants of the tissue factor (TF) promoter demonstrated that not only Egr-1 but also Sp1 cis-acting elements in the TF (-143) promoter construct were necessary for optimal TF gene induction. Our data show for the first time that both low density lipoprotein and oxidized low density lipoprotein induce tissue factor gene expression in smooth muscle cells and that this tissue factor gene expression is mediated by both Egr-1 and Sp1 transcription factors.
Predictions of vertical sediment flux in oscillatory flows using a two-phase, sheet-flow model

Abstract A two-phase sheet flow model is utilized to investigate the wave-induced vertical sediment flux in the benthic boundary layer. The near-bed vertical sediment flux is a critical parameterization for suspended load models. In this paper, we show that the vertical sediment fluxes predicted by the two-phase model agree with the U-tube data for oscillatory flows. Both the measured data and model results indicated that the sediment upward flux (pick-up) increases with Shields parameter (or bottom bed stress) during the flow acceleration phase, but quickly reaches a saturated value with a “plateau” near the peak flow. This feature is also captured by the reference concentration formulation, but not the pick-up function formulation, developed empirically for steady flows. With further consideration of wave–current interaction and wave-induced streaming inside the boundary layer, we conclude that to accurately parameterize the upward sediment flux, the feedback of the sediment phase to the carrier flows must be included. The feedback mechanism is introduced through sediment stresses and drag forces.
CRUISE FORAGING OF INVASIVE CHAMELEON (CHAMAELEO JACKSONII XANTHOLOPHUS) IN HAWAI'I

Abstract We quantified the foraging behavior of the Jackson's chameleon (Chamaeleo jacksonii xantholophus), an invasive insectivorous lizard species in Hawai'i. Using video taken in the field, we focused on percent time moving, moves per minute, and movement speeds. Our results supported previous findings that chameleons are “cruise foragers” (sensu Butler, 2005), a foraging behavior unlike almost all other species of lizards.
An axially loaded model of the ankle after pronation external rotation injury

Using a testing apparatus that allows axial loading and displacement in the sagittal, axial, and coronal planes, 6 ankles were tested under experimental conditions intended to model the Lauge-Hansen pronation external rotation injury. All specimens were rotated through a continuous range of sagittal motion with the ankle under 300 N of axial load as the coupled motion of the ankle in the coronal and axial axes was recorded. Combinations of fibular osteotomy, disruption of the syndesmosis up to 6 cm above the plafond, and deltoid transection were tested to mimic Stages I to III of the pronation external rotation ankle fracture. The effects of stabilization of the fibula and syndesmosis also were examined. Neither fracture of the fibula 4 cm above the plafond nor disruption of the syndesmosis to 6.0 cm resulted in a significant change in coupled motion of the talus. When the superficial deltoid was sectioned, the ankle had increased external rotation in plantar flexion. When the deep deltoid was sectioned, the ankle dislocated in plantar flexion unless the fibula was stabilized. This prevented dislocation but failed to restore normal talar kinematics. This study found no biomechanical support for placement of a syndesmotic screw unless the medial side cannot be stabilized anatomically.
Dichotomizing Axons in Spinal and Vagal Afferents of the Mouse Stomach

Visceral sensory input is typically poorly localized. We hypothesized that gastric sensory neurons frequently dichotomize, innervating more than one anatomically distinct region and contributing to the poor spatial discrimination. The neurochemical phenotype and projections of gastro-duodenal sensory neurons were determined in adult mice. Choleratoxin B (CTB) coupled to different fluorophors was injected into fundus, corpus, antrum, and/or distal duodenum. Immunoreactivity for TRPV1, neurofilament (N52), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), presence of isolectin B4 (IB4) and labeling for retrograde labels was determined. Depending on the distance between injection sites, staining for two retrograde tracers was seen in 6–48% of neurons. Most dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons showed immunoreactivity for TRPV1 and CGRP. In contrast, about half of the gastric nodose ganglion (NG) neurons had TRPV1 immunoreactivity or showed IB4 labeling with only 10% CGRP-positive neurons. N52 immunoreactivity was present in one-fourth of gastroduodenal DRG and NG neurons. Visceral sensory neurons have neurochemical properties and may project to more than one anatomically distinct area. Neurons with such dichotomizing axons may contribute to the poor ability to localize or discriminate visceral stimuli.
Plane-strain, buckling-driven delamination of thin films: Model experiments and mode-II fracture

Abstract A series of model experiments have been conducted to compare observations on buckling-driven delamination of thin films under plane-strain compression with an existing analysis. The results are consistent within the range considered by the theory, which applies when the delamination crack is open to the tip. However, the observations indicate that delamination can occur beyond this range, when the crack tip is closed and undergoing mode-II advance. The theory was extended to incorporate the effect of a contact region in which frictional effects shields the crack tip. A comparison of the analysis with the data indicates that the frictional stress required to explain the apparent toughness observed in this regime is larger than the shear yield strength of the interface. It is inferred that large-scale plasticity may have a significant effect on the results, but this effect has not been included in the analysis.
Hydrolysis of corn oil by lipase fromHelminthosporium maydis race T

Corn oil was used as the sole carbon source for growth ofHelminthosporium maydis Race T (NRRL 5128) in shaken flasks at 28 C. Oil recovered by hexane extraction from culture medium and mycelia at 2-day intervals was analyzed by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography. Triglyceride content of the oil was reduced, whereas free fatty acid, monoglyceride, and diglyceride contents increased as a result ofHelminthosporium maydis growth. Free sterol and steryl ester contents were unaffected. Lipase production was demonstrated byHelminthosporium maydis cells grown on corn oil, but the enzyme was not detected in cells grown on sucrose.
Rapid annexin-V labeling in synaptosomes

Distal neuronal terminals may be the site of apoptotic events and early synapse loss in neurodegenerative disease. To examine apoptosis in synaptic regions, we established a cell-free assay using a rat brain crude synaptosomal preparation (P-2 fraction) as a model system. The apoptosis marker annexin-V was used to measure phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure, and to ensure that only intact terminals were assayed, synaptosomes were dual labeled with a viability marker (calcein AM). Fluorescence was quantified by flow cytometry analysis. Annexin-V labeling increased rapidly in synaptosomes, following a 1 min incubation with staurosporine. However, increased caspase-3-like activity was not measured until 30 min with a fluorometric assay. The addition of a peptide inhibitor of caspase-3-like activity (Ac-DEVD-CHO) during homogenization was not able to block the initial increase in annexin labeling, but resulted in a partial blockade of annexin labeling after 30 min. These data demonstrate that PS externalization and caspase activation occur rapidly in this widely used neurochemical preparation.
Congenital unilateral hydronephrosis in the rat

Major genitourinary anomalies have been observed in both man and laboratory animals. Kissane has estimated that approximately 10% of humans are born with a "potentially significant" malformation of the urinary system [1]. Urinary tract malformations were the cause of end-stage renal failure in 22% of children under the age of 5 receiving renal transplants and in 6% of transplant recipients between the ages of 6 and 15 years [2]. Hydronephrosis in animals has been noted periodically. Two reports have described strains of rats with unilateral right hydronephrosis [3, 4], whereas others have reported variably right- or left-sided unilateral hydronephrosis or bilateral hydronephrosis. Warner [5] and Lozzio, Buonocore, and Kentera [6] reported elevated BUN concentrations in hydronephrotic animals. Detailed studies of the physiologic alterations in a colony of animals with congenital hydronephrosis have not been reported. We have developed a colony of albino rats with congenital, physiologically significant, persistant, unilateral hydronephrosis suitable for such studies. The lesion in this colony has been stable over several generations of breeding.
MEASUREMENT OF THE INHERENT GROWTH ENERGY OF TISSUES

1. The residual growth energy of fibroblasts is expressed by the extent of their migration and multiplication in a non-nutrient medium. 2. The residual energy of fibroblasts is related to their inherent energy and the variations of the inherent energy can be ascertained by the measurement of the residual energy.
Effect of Daclizumab induction therapy on the development of cardiac transplant vasculopathy.

confusing influence of blood signal when myocardial T2 is calculated to detect myocardial oedema. This study was aimed at determining whether myocardial T2, determined using a black-blood sequence, could predict acute heart transplant rejection. A total number of 123 investigations, including cardiac MRI and myocardial biopsy, were performed 8611 months after transplantation. Myocardial T2 was determined using and inversion-recovery/spin-echo sequence. A higher than normal T2 ($ 56 ms) allowed an accurate detection of the moderate acute rejections evidenced at baseline biopsy ($ ISHLT grade-2): sensitivity 89% and specificity, 70% (p,0.0001). T2 was increased in grade 2 (n511; 5765 ms) compared with grade 0 (n549; 5065 ms, p50.001), grade 1A (n534; 5165 ms, p50.006) and grade 1B (n521; 5168 ms, p50.009); and T2 was further increased in grade 3 (n58; 6568 ms) compared with grade 2 (p50.005). In addition, in patients without $ grade-2 rejection at baseline, a T2 higher than normal was correlated with the subsequent occurrence of $ grade-2 rejection within the following 3 months: sensitivity, 63% (12/19) and specificity, 78% (64/82) (p50.001). Myocardial T2, determined using black-blood MRI sequence, is sufficiently sensitive to identify most of the moderate acute rejections documented with biopsy at the same time, but is also a predictor of the subsequent occurrence of such biopsydefined rejections.
Delocalization of some small nucleolar RNPs after actinomycin D treatment to deplete early pre-rRNAs.

Retention of some components within the nucleolus correlates with the presence of rRNA precursors found early in the rRNA processing pathway. Specifically, after most 40S, 38S and 36S pre-rRNAs have been depleted by incubation ofXenopus kidney cells in 0.05 μg/ml actinomycin D for 4 h, only 69% U3 small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA), 68% U14 snoRNA and 72% fibrillarin are retained in the nucleolus as compared with control cells. These nucleolar components are important for processing steps in the pathway that gives rise to 18S rRNA. In contrast, U8 snoRNA, which is used for 5.8S and 28S rRNA production, is fully retained in the nucleolus after actinomycin D treatment. Therefore, U8 snoRNA is in a different category than U3 and U14 snoRNA and fibrillarin. It is proposed that U3 and U14 snoRNA and fibrillarin, but not U8 snoRNA, bind to the external transcribed spacer or internal transcribed spacer 1, and when these binding sites are lost after actinomycin D treatment some of these components cannot be retained in the nucleolus. Other binding sites may also exist, which would explain why only some and not all of these components are lost from the nucleolus.
Conformational Changes of Hsp104 Revealed through Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS)

Hsp104 is a hexameric AAA+ disaggregase found in yeast. Hsp104 has two key roles in vivo; thermotolerance and the regulation of prions. After thermal or chemical stress Hsp104 has the ability, in collaboration with co-chaperones Hsp40 and Hsp70, to remodel cytosolic aggregates and return proteins to their soluble, native form. Its role in prion regulation is two- fold. In yeast, prions function as non-genetic heritable traits. Hsp104 is required for prion propagation from mother to daughter through nucleation and fiber fragmentation, but cures some prion phenotypes when overexpressed.Hsp104 is a large, multidomain protein. Each monomer contains two AAA+ domains resulting in an oligomeric species containing 12 sites of ATP hydrolysis. To date, there are no high resolution structures of either monomeric or hexameric Hsp104, and little is known about how the protein changes in shape during the ATPase cycle and how it uses these changes to exert remodeling forces on a variety of substrates.Here I present ongoing work that uses an in solution technique, SAXS, to study the conformational changes of the Hsp104 hexamer during the ATPase cycle. SAXS studies are well suited to the Hsp104 system due to the large size of the particle, the large available yield after purification, the monodispersity of the hexamer and the large changes that take place in the presence of different nucleotides.
Matrix metalloproteinases in tumor invasion and metastasis.

Extensive work on the mechanisms of tumor invasion and metastasis has identified matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as key players in the events that underlie tumor dissemination. Studies using natural and synthetic MMP inhibitors, as well as tumor cells transfected with cDNAs encoding the MMPs characterized thus far have provided compelling evidence that MMP activity can induce or enhance tumor survival, invasion and metastasis. Because of the ability of MMPs to degrade extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, the principal mechanism whereby MMPs promote tumor development has been thought to be the proteolytic breakdown of tissue barriers to invasion and the associated facilitation of circulating tumor cell extravasation. However, recent evidence stemming from the use of novel experimental approaches indicates that MMPs do not play a major role in the process of extravasation itself. Rather, they appear to promote intravasation (the process of penetrating the circulation following invasion of blood vessels) and regulate the relationship between tumor cells and host tissue stroma subsequent to extravasation. In addition, the discoveries that a growing number of proteolytically active MMPs may localize to the cell surface in association with adhesion receptors, and that MMP substrates include latent cytokines and growth factors, provide a new conceptual framework for the mechanisms whereby MMPs influence tumor behavior.
Gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease in recipients of autologous hematopoietic stem cells: incidence, risk factors, and outcome.

Abstract Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is seen in skin, intestinal mucosa, and liver after autologous stem cell transplantation. We reviewed 681 consecutive patients to estimate the probability of gastrointestinal (GI) GVHD, response to treatment, risk factors for development, and effect on survival. GI GVHD was defined by persistent symptoms, mucosal abnormalities at endoscopy, and histology showing apoptotic crypt cells with or without lymphoid infiltrates. The proportion of patients with GI GVHD was 90/681 (13%). Nausea and vomiting occurred in 90% and diarrhea in 40%. The mean time to developing symptoms was day +15, that to histologically proven diagnosis was day +42, and that to starting prednisone treatment was day +45 after stem cell infusion. Treatment with a short course of prednisone effected durable responses in 79% of patients, and an additional 18% responded to a second course of prednisone. A multivariable logistic regression model demonstrated that the combined factor of a diagnosis of breast cancer or hematologic malignancy and female sex was statistically significantly associated with the probability of GI GVHD (P = .003). Survival in patients with GI GVHD was not statistically different than that in those without GVHD. We conclude that women with breast cancer or hematologic malignancy are more likely to develop GI GVHD after autologous transplantation, and that treatment with prednisone was effective.
Implications of early inflammation and infection in cystic fibrosis: A review of new and potential interventions

Airway infection and inflammation occur early in cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease, suggesting the need for early treatment. Our current approach to routine management of CF includes a comprehensive, CF center-directed program that aims at maintaining normal nutrition and delaying the progression of lung disease. Regular secretion clearance, frequent antibiotics, and bronchodilators are commonly used. However, despite this early, aggressive comprehensive management, airway inflammation and infection progress. Several other recent approaches such as the use of corticosteroids and ibuprofen to decrease inflammation, as well as dornase alfa to thin secretions and improve pulmonary function, are under investigation in young children. Other potential treatments include amiloride/uridine triphosphate and hypertonic saline aerosol. Early treatment offers the promise of reducing morbidity as well as delaying the progression of later disease.
A Model for Repeated Measurements of a Multivariate Binary Response

Abstract This article presents a logit model for a vector of binary variables observed for each subject under multiple conditions. The model contains a vector of random effects to account for correlations among the repeated measurements. A nonparametric treatment of the random effects implies a multivariate log-linear model having quasi-symmetric structure for the cross-classification of responses at the various conditions. The fit yields estimates of within-subject effects comparing the conditions for each variable. The estimates are identical to conditional maximum likelihood estimates for a fixed-effects version of the logit model. Extensions incorporate independent groups or allow variables to have multiple response categories.
In vitro comparison of shock wave lithotripsy machines.

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that shock wave lithotripsy machines vary in the ability to fragment stones to small size.Materials and Methods: Calcium oxalate monohydrate, calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, cystine and magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate calculi were fragmented in vitro with the 22 kV. Dornier HM3, § §Dornier Medical Systems, Inc., Marietta, Georgia. 20 kV. Storz Modulith SLX, ∥ ∥Storz Medical, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland., 15.6 kV. Siemens Lithostar C, ¶ ¶Siemens Medical Systems, Inc., Iselin, New Jersey. 24 kV. Medstone STS-T, ** **Medstone International, Inc., Aliso Viejo, California. 26 kV. HealthTronics LithoTron 160, †† ††HealthTronics, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia. 20 kV. Dornier Doli § and 22.5 kV. Medispec Econolith ‡‡ ‡‡Medispec, Montgomery Village, Maryland. lithotriptors. Stones were given 500 or 2,000 shocks, or the Food and Drug Administration limit. Post-lithotripsy fragment size was characterized using sequential sieves and compared.Results: Stone mass was statistically...
Platelet-induced suppression of baroreceptor activity is mediated by a stable diffusible factor.

We have demonstrated recently that platelets aggregating in the carotid sinus decrease baroreceptor sensitivity. The goals of the present study were to determine whether platelet-induced suppression of baroreceptor activity is mediated by a diffusible, transferable factor and, if true, whether the factor is short-lived or stable. Baroreceptor activity was recorded from the isolated carotid sinus during slow ramp increases in nonpulsatile pressure in rabbits anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. Intraluminal exposure of the carotid sinus to washed rabbit platelets resuspended in Krebs buffer (3–5 × 108 cells/ml) and activated by thrombin decreased baroreceptor activity significantly (n = 7, P < 0.05). Maximum baroreceptor activity recorded at a pressure of 140 mmHg was reduced to 81 ± 7% of the control maximum. Injection of cell-free supernatant obtained from filtered thrombin-activated platelets also suppressed baroreceptor activity to a similar extent after 10 min (n = 7) and after 2 h (n = 5) of incubation when maximum baroreceptor activity was reduced to 84 ± 5 and 82 ± 5% of the control maximum, respectively. The inhibitory influence of activated platelets and platelet supernatant on baroreceptor activity was still apparent after 10–60 min of heating (95°C) (n = 5) and was reversible upon removal of platelets and supernatant from the sinus. The results indicate that activated platelets release a stable diffusible factor that suppresses baroreceptor activity. We speculate that this ‘inhibitory factor’ may contribute to impairment of the baroreceptor reflex and neurally-mediated increases in arterial pressure in atherosclerotic and thrombotic states.
Role of Vitamin D in Chronic Kidney Disease

Decline in renal function is related directly to cardiovascular mortality. However, traditional risk factors do not fully account for the high mortality in these patients. Activated vitamin D, a hormone produced by the proximal convoluted tubule of the kidney, appears to have beneficial effects beyond suppressing parathyroid hormone (PTH). However, activated vitamin D also can cause hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia in chronic kidney disease. Newer agents such as vitamin D receptor activators (eg, paricalcitol) suppress PTH with reduced risk of hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia. Recent evidence from animal and preliminary human studies supports an association between vitamin D receptor activators and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease deaths, irrespective of PTH levels. New pathways of vitamin D regulation also have been discovered, involving fibroblast growth factor-23 and klotho. Although considerable work has been performed to advance our understanding of the effects of vitamin D in health and chronic kidney disease, more investigations and randomized trials need to be performed to elucidate the mechanistic underpinnings of these effects.
35.1: A New Design to Improve Performance of Wide‐Viewing Angle Back‐Side Exposure Multi‐Domain Homeotropically Aligned LCD

A BSE-MHA (Back-Side Exposure Multi-domain. We developed a new design to improve optical performance. The optical transmittance was improved by newly introduced Superimposed Spacing Wall-Bump (SSWB) structure to freeze the disclination lines. The transmittance improvement effect is measured to be 20%, more than 70% of TN-LCD, in typical. The SSWB type BSE-MHA also makes the spacers spraying process unnecessary by the Superimposed Spacing Method (SSM). Homeotropically Aligned) TFT-LCD panel has been demonstrated in 1999. It has excellent high performance and been manufacturing without rubbing and polymer stabilized process. However, the light efficiency of BSE-MHA LCD is only 60% of TN (Twisted Nematic)-LCD
Molecular mechanisms of copper resistance and accumulation in bacteria

An unusual mechanism of metal resistance is found in certain plant pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas syringae that are exposed to high levels of copper compounds used in disease control on agricultural crops. These bacteria accumulate blue Cu2+ ions in the periplasm and outer membrane. At least part of this copper sequestering activity is determined by copper-binding protein products of the copper resistance operon (cop). Potential copper-binding sites of the periplasmic CopA protein show conservation with type-1, type-2, and type-3 copper sites of several eukaryotic multi-copper oxidases. In addition to compartmentalization of copper in the periplasm, two components of the cop operon, copC and copD, appear to function in copper uptake into the cytoplasm. Copper resistance operons related to cop have been described in the related plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris and in Escherichia coli, but these resistance systems may differ functionally from the Pseudomonas syringae system.
Walt Whitman: A Current Bibliography, Summer 2000

This Bibliography is brought to you for free and open access by Iowa Research Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walt Whitman Quarterly Review by an authorized administrator of Iowa Research Online. For more information, please contact lib-ir@uiowa.edu. Recommended Citation Folsom, Ed. "Walt Whitman: A Current Bibliography, Summer 2000." Walt Whitman Quarterly Review 18 (Summer 2000), 93-99.
Multidimensional Hybrid Modulations for Ultrahigh-Speed Optical Transport

From Shanon's theory, we know that information capacity is a logarithmic function of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) but a linear function of the number of dimensions. By increasing the number of dimensions D, we can dramatically improve the spectral efficiency. At the same time, in D-dimensional space (D >; 2), for the same average symbol energy, we can increase the Euclidean distance between signal constellation points compared with the conventional in-phase (I)/quadrature (Q) 2-D signal space. The 4-D space, with two phase coordinates per polarization, has already been intensively studied. To satisfy the ever-increasing bandwidth demands, in this paper, we propose the D-dimensional signaling (D >; 4) by employing all available degrees of freedom for transmission over a single carrier including amplitude, phase, polarization, and orbital angular momentum (OAM). The proposed modulation scheme can be called hybrid D-dimensional modulation as it employs all available degrees of freedom. The proposed hybrid 8-D coded-modulation scheme outperforms its 4-D counterpart by 3.97 dB at a bit error rate (BER) of 10-8 while outperforming its corresponding polarization-division-multiplexed (PDM) iterative polar quantization (IPQ)-based counterpart by even a larger margin of 6.41 dB (at the same BER). The improvement of the proposed scheme for two amplitude levels per dimension and D = 8 over conventional PDM 64-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is indeed a striking 8.28 dB at a BER of 2 × 10-8.
A Pilot Evaluation of the Use of a Decision Support Center for Application Requirements Gathering

Groups of individuals working together effectively and efficiently are key to successful organizations, and ways in which new technologies can be exploited to support groups at work are being explored. The Decision Support Center (DSC) provides one approach to enhancing group productivity. The DSC consists of a series of networked PCs running software programs (Team Focus) that provide automated support for group communication and decision making. The present evaluation was designed to provide some initial data on the potential benefits that may be realized by utilizing the DSC in the development of new products. Output from traditional methods employed during the requirements phase of the AD/M process was compared to output from a parallel Decision Support Center (DSC) requirements gathering session. The results indicated that the DSC session, in addition to validating already known system requirements, generated a substantial number of new requirements. The results provide sufficient evidence to warrant...