cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuropharmacological regulation of mouse killing by rats.

The literature concerning the neuropharmacology of mouse killing was reviewed with attention to the behavioral specificity of the response. Several tentative conclusions were forwarded: (1) Increases in monoamine activity (serotonin or catecholamine) result in a behaviorally specific blockade of the killing response by natural killers. (2) Large decreases in brain serotonin by peripheral or central drug treatment or by central brain lesions induce killing in both naive rats and experienced nonkiller rats. Moreover, the mode of depletion is important and, with certain manipulations, the induction of killing is accompanied by increases in general irritability and by an alteration of the stereotypic killing pattern. (3) Large depletions of the catecholamines either by synthesis inhibition or by neurotoxic drug action do not induce killing in the majority of nonkillers. (4) Peripherally administered cholinergic agonists and antagonists, with two exceptions, are ineffective in inducing killing in nonkillers or in blocking killing by killers. Evidence for centrally elicited sterotyped killing by cholinergeric stimulation of brain tissue is not consistent, but cholinergic systems are implicated in the facilitation of killing by spontaneous killers.
Effects of glycosylation on the stability and flexibility of a metastable protein: The human serpin α1-antitrypsin

Protein glycosylation commonly stabilizes proteins thereby increasing protein half-lives and protecting against denaturation or proteolytic degradation. While generally beneficial, such stabilization is potentially disadvantageous in the case of inhibitory serpins. These protease inhibitors are metastable and a conformational transition to a more stable form is key to their function. Instability is therefore essential for these inhibitory serpins and mutagenesis has demonstrated that substantial stabilization results in compromised function. We have used optical spectroscopy and hydrogen/deuterium exchange and mass spectrometry to investigate the effects of glycosylation on the human serpin alpha-1 antitrypsin (α1-AT). Previous studies found that unglycosylated recombinant α1-AT populates a molten globule at low denaturant and that the ability to populate this state is correlated with efficient protease inhibition. Further, a high degree of conformational flexibility was found in several important regions. Guanidine hydrochloride denaturation monitored by circular dichroism indicates that plasma α1-AT, which is glycosylated at 3 sites, is substantially stabilized relative to the unglycosylated form. However, hydrogen exchange reveals complete loss of protection in plasma α1-AT above 1 M GuHCl, similar to what is seen for the recombinant form. Sugars therefore appear to stabilize the compact denatured state of α1-AT without significant stabilization of the folded state. Native state hydrogen exchange reveals minor perturbations to native flexibility, but high flexibility in key regions such as the f helix is conserved. β-strand 1c is stabilized in plasma α1-AT, which may confer increased resistance to forming pathogenic polymers. Overall, our results indicate that glycosylation of inhibitory serpins does not interfere with either native state flexibility or the native instability that is required for efficient function, though it may confer resistance to degradation by proteases and thus extend the half-life of circulating serpins.
Membrane topology of PLP in CNS myelin: Evaluation of models

Three new models for proteolipid protein (PLP) topology in the myelin membrane have been proposed—the 4-helix Nin and Nout models of Popot (J. Membr. Biol. 120:233–246), and the model of Weimbs and Stoffel (Biochemistry 31:12289–12296). Unlike the earlier models proposed by Laursen (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:2912–2916), Stoffel (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 81:5012–5016) and Hudson (J. Cell Biol. 109:717–727), the four hydrophobic clusters are all assigned as membrane-spanning domains. ThePopot-N in andWeimbs models, which are similar to theLaursen model, both assign the positively-charged domain, which is deleted from the DM20 transcript of PLP, to the cytoplasmic surface, while thePopot-N out model, similar to theStoffel andHudson models, assigns this sequence to the extracellular surface. Our calculations of membrane surface charge shows that the disposition of this basic domain greatly influences membrane interactions, by shifting the equilibrium myelin period to alkaline pH due to the electrostatic repulsion force at the extracellular apposition. In theLaursen, Popot-N in andWeimbs models, the onset of swelling was calculated to be at lower pH than in theStoffel, Hudson andPopot-N out models, and lower than that observed experimentally with mouse optic nerve myelin. The absolute electron density profile of the myelin membrane that is derived from the x-ray diffraction patterns shows similar density levels at its cytoplasmic and extracellular surfaces. By contrast, the electron density profile calculated from a chemical model that includes lipids plus myelin basic protein (but not PLP) shows a higher density at the cytoplasmic than at the extracellular side. Among the proposed models of PLP, theHudson model has more residues at the extracellular than at the cytoplasmic side, and consequently gives a symmetric electron density distribution at the two membrane surfaces when included with the myelin lipids and MBP.
E-government services: design and evaluation of crime reporting alternatives

Unreported crime is prevalent worldwide. We developed an interactive internet reporting system for witnesses to report crime. The system emulates police standard interviews. We evaluated its efficacy by comparing it to an example of existing non-interactive reporting systems in terms of completeness and accuracy of resulting reports. Completeness of report was higher for our system with 143% more information. Accuracy of reports was slightly lower for our system with a two percent difference (94% vs. 96%). Our system obtains more complete reports with comparable accuracy and is proposed as an alternative to address unreported crime.
Immunizing Action of a Nonpathogenic Strain of Histomonas against Blackhead in Turkeys

SYNOPSIS. A nonpathogenic strain of Histomonas was used in an attempt to immunize young turkeys against blackhead. Rectal inoculation of several thousand nonpathogenic histomonads on 2 or 3 consecutive days afforded considerable protection against modest rectal challenges with pathogenic histomonads 3 to 6 weeks later, but was much less effective against pathogenic histomonads introduced by feeding eggs of Heterakis gallinae. It is believed that an immune barrier limited to the surface of the cecal mucosa was established, and that the larvae of the cecal worms often penetrated this barrier before liberating their histomonads, thus permitting blackhead to develop. Immunization by the introduction of nonpathogenic histomonads with Heterakis eggs was not satisfactory. Apparently, the nonpathogenic organisms introduced in this way were too few to assure formation of an intact barrier.
Bed mixing and heat transfer in a batch loaded rotary kiln

A pilot-scale rotary kiln simulator has been used to make experimental measurements of the thermal response of solids charged onto a preexisting bed of hot solids material. The measurements clearly show that the bed is not thermally uniform. Time constants for bulk heating and mixing were extracted from the measurements. A simple model is developed that correlates the time constant for mixing to bed turnover rate, allowing the thermal history of a charge of solids to be predicted based on measurable parameters of the kiln and bed. The measured and predicted thermal histories show that mixture greatly augments the initial rate of heal transfer to the fresh charge of solids.
Stand-off Raman instrument for detection of bulk organic and inorganic compounds

We have designed and tested a portable stand-off gated-Raman system that is capable of detecting organic and inorganic bulk chemicals at stand-off distances to 100 m during day and night time. Utilizing a single 532 nm laser pulse (~25 mJ/pulse), Raman spectra of several organic and inorganic compounds have been measured with the portable Raman instrument at a distance of 10 m in a well-illuminated laboratory. Raman spectra, obtained during a very short period of time (2 micro second), from organic compounds such as acetone, benzene, cyclohexane, 2-propanol, naphthalene, and inorganic nitrates, showed all major bands required for unambiguous chemical identification. We have also measured the Raman spectra of acetone, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide (50%) aqueous solution, nitro-methane containing fuel, and nitrobenzene in glass containers with a 532 nm, 20 Hz pulsed laser excitation and accumulated the spectra with 200 to 600 laser shots (10 to 30 sec integration time) at 100 m with good signal-to-background ratio. The results of these investigations show that the stand-off Raman spectra to 100 m distance can be used to identify Raman fingerprints of both inorganic and organic compounds and could be useful for Homeland security and environmental monitoring.
Nonlinear Amplify-and-Forward Distributed Estimation Over Nonidentical Channels

This paper presents the use of nonlinear distributed estimation in a wireless system transmitting over channels with random gains. Specifically, we discuss the development of estimators and analytically determine their attainable variance for two conditions: 1) when full channel state information (CSI) is available at the transmitter and receiver; and 2) when only channel gain statistics and phase information are available. For the case where full CSI is available, we formulate an optimization problem to allocate power among each of the transmitting sensors while minimizing the estimate variance. We show that minimizing the estimate variance when the transmitter is operating in its most nonlinear region can be formulated in a manner very similar to optimizing sensor gains with full CSI and linear transmitters. Furthermore, we show that the solution to this optimization problem in most scenarios is approximately equivalent to one of two low-complexity power allocation systems.
Quantitation of Estrogen Receptor mRNA Copy Numbers in Breast Cancer Cell Lines and Tumors

Several clinical studies have suggested that the content of estrogen receptor (ER) in breast tumors influences the survival, tumor recurrence, and response to antiestrogen therapies. Therefore, the ability to precisely quantitate the ER content in tumor tissues will be of significant benefit to women with breast cancer. Although immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods have been described for the detection and semiquantitation of ER, none of them precisely quantitate ER copy numbers in tumor samples. In the present report we describe a molecular approach to accurately quantitate ER mRNA copy numbers using a reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) template competition method. A competitor template was devised by inserting unrelated nucleic acid sequences into an ER cDNA clone. A template competitive RT-PCR analysis was then performed to determine the number of copies of ER mRNA. As a standard of reference for the ER mRNA copy numbers from various samples, the mRNA copy numbers of a constitutively expressed gene, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), were also quantitated. The ER quantitations were performed in three positive cell lines, MCF-7, T47D, and ZR-75, and two positive tumor tissues by this approach. Our results described here show that among the cell lines studied, T47D expresses the highest copy numbers of ER. We also present here that ER as low as 10(3) copies per 10(5) copies of GAPDH can be detected and quantitated in tumor samples by the template competition method. In addition, the molecular approach can simultaneously detect, distinguish, and quantitate exon deletion variant copy numbers of ER. The results described in this report indicate that the ratios of exon 7 deletion variant to wild type in the tumor tissues are significantly higher than in the cell lines studied.
Space-time information processing with femtosecond laser pulses

Ultrashort pulse laser technology has recently experienced significant advances, producing high peak power pulses of optical radiation few femtoseconds in duration, corresponding to only few cycles of its fundamental frequency. The future progress of this area is inevitable due to the unique properties of ultrashort laser pulses that are crucial for various science and engineering application areas including optical signal processing, secure optical communications, storage, medical and biomedical imaging, chemistry and physics. A common feature of these applications relies on our ability to control the shape of the ultrashort pulses15, store and retrieve them6 as well as, conversely, our ability to detect the shape of the ultrashort pulses7. In this paper we discuss examples on utilizing ultra-fast space-time optical processing for implementing data formats suitable for direct interface and transmission through an optical fiber. Examples on using femtosecond laser pulses for information storage and memory access as well as modulation and detection of information will be addressed. Specifically, we present our recent results on femtosecond pulse imaging by nonlinear three wave mixing and 3-D nonvolatile spectral domain storage of femtosecond pulses. There exists a bandwidth capacity mismatch between optical fiber and electronic devices, which can be used to increase the speed, reduce latency, increase security and reliability in the transmission and distribution of information. To implement these applications, an alloptical multiplexer performing space-to-time (i.e. , parallel-to-serial) transformation at the transmitter and a demultiplexer performing time-to-space (i.e., serial-to-parallel) transformation at the receiver will need to be constructed810. For efficient bandwidth utilization, these processors need to be operated at rates determined by the bandwidth of the optical pulses. Such space-time optical processors have been constructed and applied for pulse shaping, filtering, and space-to-time multiplexing and time-to-space demultiplexing11'12. Another example exploits applications benefiting from an optical memory that will store and retrieve information in a format suitable for direct interface and transmission through an optical fiber network, thereby, providing optimal performance in terms of hardware complexity, memory and network capacity, bandwidth, and latency. In this example a spatial image information need to be converted into time domain. The corresponding data sequence in time is stored employing spectral domain 3-D volume holographic recording13. When the stored data is read out of the spectral domain storage system, the output spectrum is converted back into time sequence and sent through the all-optical fiber network to the user node. At the user node the time sequence is converted to lower rate parallel channels in space domain for optical or electronic filtering and detection.
A chloroplast DNA deletion located in RNA polymerase gene rpoC2 in CMS lines of sorghum

Fertile lines of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) were shown to differ from cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines by the presence of a 3.8 kb HindIII chloroplast DNA fragment in the former and a smaller (3.7 kb) fragment in the latter. DNA/DNA hybridization studies showed that these two fragments are homologous. Fertile plants from S. versicolor, S. almum, S. halepense, and Sorghastrum nutans (Yellow Indiangrass) also have the 3.8 kb fragment, and CMS lines studied containing A1, A2 and A3 cytoplasms have the 3.7 kb fragment. The size difference between the two fragments was localized to a 1.0 kb SacI-HindIII fragment by restriction mapping. A r65 by deletion, which is flanked by a 51 by tandem repeat, was identified in the CMS lines by sequencing the clones. Comparison of the two sequences with those from maize, rice, tobacco, spinach, pea, and liverwort revealed that the deleted sequence is located in the middle of the RNA polymerase β″ subunit encoded by the gene rpoC2. The amino acid sequence deleted in the CMS lines is in a monocot-specific region which contains two protein motifs that are characteristic of several transcriptional activation factors, namely, a leucine zipper motif and an acidic domain capable of forming an amphipathic α-helix. Further studies designed to determine whether or not the deletion is involved in CMS of sorghum are underway.
Initial stages of iridium-semiconductor compound formation and the interface atomic structures: A field ion microscope study

Abstract The early stages of formation of thin layers of IrSi and IrGe on clean Ir surfaces and the interface atomic structures have been studied in the field ion microscope. Distinctive stages of growth of Ir-silicide have been observed. In the earliest stage, two atomic layers of silicide are formed on the Ir(001) plane. Atomically resolved images show a structure resembling the C(2×2) overlayer structure of the substrate, which we believe to have the (011) Ir-layer structure of the (011) plane of IrSi crystal. In the second stage, the (2×1) image structure observed on the Ir(011) is identified to be the Ir-layer of the IrSi(001) fundamental planes. Formation of IrGe on the Ir(001) is similar to the earliest stage of silicide formation. We believe that the ordered interface atomic structures we have observed with the FIM should also be observable at flat interfaces with conventional techniques.
Localization-specific LKB1 loss in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma metastasis.

Background LKB1 loss is associated with invasive carcinoma and metastasis. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), lymph node metastasis status is the strongest predictor of survival. Methods LKB1 immunohistochemistry was performed on primary tumors from patients with HNSCC who never developed metastases, patients with metastases, and their paired lymph node metastasis to determine whether LKB1 was associated with HNSCC metastasis. Results LKB1 was expressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm of tumor cells and HNSCC cell lines. Primary tumors from patients with metastatic carcinoma had decreased nuclear, but not cytoplasmic, LKB1 compared to patients with nonmetastatic cancer. Nuclear LKB1 levels correlated with lymph node metastasis grade and primary tumor site. The percentage of tumor cells negative for nuclear LKB1 staining was greatest in the primary metastatic tumor group, and decreased nuclear LKB1 trended toward worse disease-free survival. Conclusion Decreased nuclear LKB1 levels correlate with HNSCC metastasis and suggest a nuclear function of LKB1 in repressing HNSCC metastasis. Head Neck, 2010
Convergences in Scapula Morphology among Small Cursorial Mammals: An Osteological Correlate for Locomotory Specialization

Small cursorial mammals, such as lagomorphs, elephant shrews, and the more cursorial caviomorph rodents, share both the similar locomotor gait of rapid half-bounding and a similar scapula anatomy of a long, slender, caudally projecting metacromion process. This scapular morphology is also present in some notoungulates (extinct endemic South American ungulates), in rabbit-like taxa such as Propachyruchos. In the rabbit Oryctolagus this elongated metacromion process serves to increase the moment arm of the acromiotrapezius and levator scapulae ventralis muscles, which we propose may aid in scapula stabilization and resisting ground reaction forces during the landing phase onto a single forelimb in half-bounding. A long, slender metacromion process is thus an osteological correlate of locomotor specialization, that of rapid half-bounding in small to medium-sized mammals.
Benchmarking Hydrogen Evolving Reaction and Oxygen Evolving Reaction Electrocatalysts for Solar Water Splitting Devices

Objective comparisons of electrocatalyst activity and stability using standard methods under identical conditions are necessary to evaluate the viability of existing electrocatalysts for integration into solar-fuel devices as well as to help inform the development of new catalytic systems. Herein, we use a standard protocol as a primary screen for evaluating the activity, short-term (2 h) stability, and electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) of 18 electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 26 electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under conditions relevant to an integrated solar water-splitting device in aqueous acidic or alkaline solution. Our primary figure of merit is the overpotential necessary to achieve a magnitude current density of 10 mA cm–2 per geometric area, the approximate current density expected for a 10% efficient solar-to-fuels conversion device under 1 sun illumination. The specific activity per ECSA of each material is also reported. Among HER...
Altered Shear Stress Stimulates Upregulation of Endothelial VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 in a BMP-4- and TGF-β1-Dependent Pathway

Inflammation and calcification are common features of aortic valve (AV) diseases [1]. AV diseases preferentially occur in the aortic side of the valvular leaflets where they are exposed to complex and unstable hemodynamic conditions [2]. The reasons for this side-specific response, potentially associated with the local shear stress environment, are not completely understood. In addition, while it has been shown that exposure of vascular endothelial cells to oscillatory shear stress induces inflammatory responses by bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-4-dependent mechanisms [3], it is not clear whether BMP plays a role in the inflammation of AV leaflet exposed to altered mechanical environment. In the present study, we hypothesized that AV inflammation occurs preferentially in the aortic surface of AV leaflets in a BMP and TGF-β1-dependent manner due to the local hemodynamic loading conditions. This hypothesis was tested via three sets of experiments focused on the biological response of porcine AV leaflets using either a standard or pro-osteogenic medium.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Feedback regulation of nephron filtration rate during pharmacologic interference with the renin-angiotensin and adrenergic systems in rats

Feedback regulation of nephron filtration rate during pharmacologic interference with the renin-angiotensin and adrenergic systems in rats. Tubuloglomerular feedback has been defined as a mechanism in which changes in distal tubular sodium chloride delivery induce changes in glomerular arteriolar resistance. Experiments were performed in rats to test the hypothesis that the alterations in vasomotor activity are controlled by local hormonal mechanisms. Early proximal flow rate (EPFR), used as an index of filtration rate, was assessed at loop perfusion rates of 10 and 40 nl/min and during zero loop flow before and during intravenous administration of agents which interfere with the reninangiotensin or adrenergic systems. During infusion of the angiotensin (A) antagonists [Sar 1 ,Ile 8 ]-AII or [Me 2 ,Gly 1 ,Ile 8 ]-AII at doses ranging from 4.8 to 30.6 µg/kg · min, feedback response, expressed as percent change of EPFR during loop flow elevation from 0 to 40 nl/min, fell from a mean of 47.6 ± 3.3% to 33.2 ± 2.9% (P 1 ,Thr 8 ]-AII (5 mM) or of SQ 20881 (5 or 10 mM) had no effect on the feedback response. A significant reduction in the feedback response was noted also during intravenous infusion of propranolol (46.4 ± 3.2% vs. 29.0 ± 2.8%, P Regulation par feedback de la filtration glomerulaire au cours d'interferences pharmacologiques avec le systeme renine-angiotensine et le systeme adrenergique chez le rat. Le feedback tubuloglomerulaire a ete defini comme un mecanisme dans lequel le charge de sodium chloride delivree au distal determine des modifications de la resistance arteriolaire glomerulaire. Des experiences ont ete realisees pour verifier l'hypothese selon laquelle les modifications de l'activite vaso-motrice sont controlees par des mecanismes impliquant des hormones locales. Le debit proximal precoce (EPFR), utilise comme un index de debit de filtration, a ete evalue a des debits de perfusion de l'anse de 10 et 40 nl/min et au cours de l'absence de perfusion de l'anse, cela avant et apres l'administration par voie intraveineuse d'agents qui interferent avec les systemes renine-angiotensine et adrenergique. Au cours de l'administration des antagonistes de l'angiotensine (A) [Sar 1 , Ile 8 ]-AII ou [Me 2 , Gly 1 ,Ile 8 ]-AII a des doses allant de 4,8 a 30,6 µg/kg · min, la reponse de feedback, exprimee en pourcentage de modification d'EPFR durant l'augmentation du debit de perfusion de l'anse de 0 a 40 nl/min, a diminue de 47,6 ± 3,3% a 33,2 ± 2,9% (P 1 ,Thr 8 ]-AII (5 mM) ou de SQ 20881 (5 ou 10 mM) n'a pas d'effet sur le feedback. Une diminution significative de la reponse de feedback est observee aussi au cours de l'administration intraveineuse de propranolol (46,4 ± 3,2% au lieu de 29,0 ± 2,8%, P
A Formulation of Trichoderma and Gliocladium to Reduce Damping-off Caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Saprophytic Growth of the Pathogen in Soilless Mix

Commercially manufactured cellulose granules (Biodac) were mixed with a sticker and fermentor-produced biomass of isolates of Trichoderma spp. and Gliocladium virens to produce a formulation in which chlamydospores in the biomass were "activated" with dilute acid. Activation resulted in the formation of young, actively growing hyphae of the biocontrol fungi within a 2- to 3-day period under no special aseptic conditions. Activated Biodac with biomass of isolates Gl-3, Gl-21, and Gl-32 of G. virens and isolate TRI-4 of T. hamatum applied to soilless mix at a rate of 1.5% (wt/wt) reduced damping-off of eggplant caused by Rhizoctonia solani (R-23) and resulted in stands comparable to that (88%) in noninfested soilless mix. Saprophytic growth of the pathogen was also reduced. The application of either of two activated Biodac formulations to provide the same amount (1.5% with 9.4 mg of biomass per g of Biodac or 0.2% with 75.0 mg of biomass per g of Biodac) reduced preemergence damping-off as well as saprophytic growth of R-23. Also, there was about a 103-fold population increase of Gl-3 and TRI-4 in the soilless mix at the time of plant harvest compared with that provided to the soilless mix at the time of formulation addition. Activated Biodac of Gl-3 also reduced the spread of R-23 in soilless mix when the pathogen was applied at specific foci rather than evenly distributed. The inhibition of pathogen spread significantly reduced the postemergence damping-off of cucumber, eggplant, and pepper seedlings.
Lymphokine activity in coelenterate envenomation

Four patients were tested to determine whether lymphokine activity could be produced by their peripheral blood leukocytes exposed to jellyfish antigens. One patient was a false positive reactor, one had a prolonged lymphokine response three years after a persistent eruption induced by the venom, and one had lymphokine activity associated only with the cutaneous eruption. These results support the hypothesis that T cell function may be important in the pathogenesis of cutaneous lesions following coelenterate envenomation.
Antiendotoxin strategies for the prevention and treatment of septic shock. New approaches and future directions.

Therapy for Gram-negative sepsis remains unsatisfactory despite a concerted effort to develop new treatments for this common, life-threatening syndrome. Current research continues on several fronts to improve the treatment options available to clinicians in the management of these critically ill patients. Recently, a greater understanding of the complex molecular basis of endotoxin-mediated pathophysiological effects in humans has generated a number of novel therapeutic agents for sepsis. Several of these treatment strategies have already entered clinical trials and it is hoped that some of these therapies will become widely available in the near future.
Internal structure in virus particles.

PREVIOUS electron microscopic studies of chick embryo chorioallantoic membranes infected with herpes simplex virus have revealed that the development of virus in susceptible (ectodermal) cells apparently begins in the nucleus and is completed in the cytoplasm1. In the nucleus, the smallest particles considered to be virus measured 40–60 mµ in diameter and the largest did not exceed 130 mµ in diameter. Larger particles, some having a maximum linear dimension of 250 mµ, were seen in the cytoplasm or in extracellular locations. These observations were made on thin sections of tissue from which the methyl methacrylate had been dissolved by amyl acetate.
Anterolateral lumbar lipomyelomeningocele: case report and review of the literature.

Objective and importance Meningoceles associated with defects of the abdominal wall are exceedingly rare. One such complex case is presented along with a review of the relevant literature. The current pathophysiological theories and surgical management are discussed. Clinical presentation A case of a patient with an anterolateral lumbar lipomyelomeningocele associated with multiple congenital anomalies, including defects in the abdominal wall and urogenital system, is presented. The lipomyelomeningocele presented as an expanding abdominal mass. Intervention Ventriculoatrial shunting and two operations to repair the myelomeningocele were performed to control the expanding abdominal mass. Conclusion This report illustrates that the surgical management of complex lipomyelomeningoceles is similar to the more common types. It also demonstrates that in the infant in whom the intra-abdominal cerebrospinal fluid collection is the primary cause of the symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid shunting may be used to delay the definitive repair until the dura strengthens, thus avoiding the complications of complex repairs of dura with low tensile strength.
Sterilization of biological pathogens using supercritical fluid carbon dioxide containing water and hydrogen peroxide

Novel noninvasive techniques for the removal of biological contaminants to generate clean or sterile materials are in demand by the medical, pharmaceutical and food industries. The sterilization method described here uses supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO(2)) containing 3.3% water and 0.1% hydrogen peroxide (v/v/v) to achieve from four to eight log viability reduction of all tested microbial species, including vegetative cells, spores and biofilms. The sterilization method employs moderate pressure and temperature (80 atm, 50°C) and a short (30-minute) treatment time. The procedure kills various opportunistic pathogens that often persist in biofilm structures, fungal spores commonly associated with nosocomial infections, and Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 endospores that are notoriously hard to eradicate by conventional sterilization techniques.
Efficient algorithm for centroid calculation for multiple-target tracking

Many target tracking methods rely on the use of centroids as features points. In several applications such as the tracking of vehicles on roadways, the appropriate target paths are known a priori. Based on this observation, an efficient centroid computation method is presented and analyzed in this paper.
Gas-liquid chromatographic separation and identification of biologically important indolealkylamines from human cerebrospinal fluid.

Abstract A procedure for the separation, characterization and detection of picogram quantities of biogenic indolealkylamines contained in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been described. It involves extracting these amines from CSF, converting them to their respective O- and/or N-perfluoroacyl derivatives with N-heptafluorobutyrylimidazole, and finally subjecting the mixture of derivatives to gas-liquid chromatographic separation. The unknown amines may be identified by direct comparison with known standards. Quantification can be achieved through comparison of the indolealkylamine peak areas with standard curves prepared from pure derivatized standards.
Recent advances in DNA sequence analysis.

(1975). Recent Advances in DNA Sequence Analysi. CRC Critical Reviews in Biochemistry: Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 455-512.
Comparison of Michigan Basin crude oils

Michigan Basin oils from the Ordovician Trenton, Silurian Niagaran, and Devonian Dundee formations have been geochemically compared by GC, GC-MS, and carbon isotope mass spectrometry. One oil from each formation was selected for detailed analysis which included measurement of individual n-alkane delta 13 C values. The Ordovician and Devonian oils are strikingly similar to one another, yet clearly different from the Silurian oil. This pattern is unexpected because Ordovician and Devonian reservoirs are physically separated by the Silurian strata. From time-temperature considerations, the Devonian oil probably was formed in older strata and has migrated to its present location. Our analyses suggest a common source for the Devonian and Ordovician oils.
Submucosal uterine leiomyomas have a global effect on molecular determinants of endometrial receptivity

Objective To evaluate the effect of uterine leiomyomas on the endometrium using molecular markers of endometrial receptivity: HOXA10 , HOXA11 , LIF , and BTEB1 . Design Case–control study. Setting University medical center. Patient(s) Thirty reproductive-aged women with submucosal, intramural, or no uterine myomas who underwent hysteroscopy or hysterectomy. Intervention(s) Proliferative phase endometrial sampling was performed at the time of surgery. In uteri with a submucosal myoma, directed endometrial biopsies were obtained over the myoma and over normal myometrium. Main Outcome Measure(s) Endometrial HOXA10 expression was evaluated as a primary endpoint using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. HOXA11 , BTEB1 , and LIF were evaluated using real-time RT-PCR. Result(s) Endometrial HOXA10 and HOXA11 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression were significantly decreased in uteri with submucosal myomas compared with controls and with uteri with intramural myomas. A similar trend was seen in BTEB1 mRNA expression; however, no difference was found in LIF mRNA expression. Immunohistochemistry localized the decrease in endometrial HOXA10 protein expression to stroma. In the presence of a submucosal myoma, there were no regional differences in gene expression. Conclusion(s) The molecular mechanism by which submucosal myomas adversely affect reproduction includes a global decrease in endometrial HOX gene expression, not simply a focal change over the myoma. This may explain the reproductive dysfunction observed with submucosal myomas.
Is contralateral exploration necessary in infants with unilateral inguinal hernia

Between 1973 and 1985, 165 infants (aged 1 week to 6 months) underwent unilateral inguinal herniotomy at our hospital. An attempt was made to trace these 165 children. It proved possible to contact and examine 116 children (104 boys and 12 girls). Age at follow-up ranged from 5 to 17 years. Parents were asked whether their children had attended any hospital for the treatment of contralateral hernia. All children were examined for the evidence of contralateral hernia. Boys were also examined for the position and size of the testis. Testicular volume was assessed with the help of Prader's Orchidometer. Twelve children (10.3%), 11 boys and 1 girl, subsequently developed contralateral inguinal hernia. The mean time interval between initial hernia operation and subsequent development of contralateral hernia was 164 days (range, 7 days to 18 months). Diminished size of testes was observed on the side of the operation in six patients and one patient had complete testicular atrophy. Three boys had a testis in the groin, presumably hitched up at operation and all three required orchidopexy. In view of the relatively low incidence of contralateral hernia and increased risk of damage to testes, we feel that routine contralateral exploration is not justified.
Relative Time and Delay of Reinforcement

Abstract Rats were trained on a conditional discrimination in which either a light or a noise cued whether the left or right lever was the correct choice. Faster learning occurred when shorter delays were imposed between presentation of the stimuli and the choice opportunity, and the effect of delay variation was dependent on the value of the intertrial interval (ITI): the effects of the retention interval were smaller with longer ITI's. When the delays were inserted between the choice response and its consequence, main effects of delay and ITI occurred, but there was no interaction between them. The occurrence of relative time effects with delayed stimulus control, but not with delay-of-reinforcement procedures, suggests that different types of delay intervals depend upon different psychological processes.
Retinal evaluation after 810 nm Dioderm laser removal of eyelashes.

background. When operating hair removal lasers on the face or in the periorbital region, even with an ocular shield in place, patients often report seeing “flashing lights” each time the laser is fired. This phenomenon suggests stimulation of retinal photoreceptors and raises laser safety issues. objective. To perform retinal electrophysiologic studies to evaluate the safety of hair removal lasers in the periorbital region. methods. Five patients with severe trichiasis secondary to trachoma were studied. The 810 nm Dioderm laser (Cynosure, Inc., Chelmsford, MA) was used to treat the eyelash follicles on the lower eyelid of each patient. Cox III metal eye shields (OculoPlastik, Inc., Montreal, Canada) were placed behind the eyelids of both eyes during the laser procedure. Prior to irradiation, a comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation including pupillary and slit-lamp examination, funduscopy, and full-field electroretinograms (ERGs) was performed. A comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation including ERG testing was repeated 30 minutes and 3‐6 months after completion of treatment. An independent blinded assessor evaluated the ERG studies. Subjective reports of laser light sensation, pain, and discomfort during and after the laser procedure were also assessed. results. There was no detectable change in slit-lamp, pupillary, or funduscopic evaluations after periorbital laser irradiation. Similarly the pre- and posttreatment ERGs were unchanged. Three patients reported seeing flashing lights during the procedure. conclusion. We found no ERG evidence of retinal damage after laser hair removal in the periorbital region, with Cox IIItype ocular shields over the eyes, even when patients subjectively reported “flashing lights” during laser irradiation.
An Extended Model of Forage Grass Response to Applied Nitrogen

A simple model is needed that relates forage grass production (yield and N removal) to management factors (applied N, harvest interval, and water availability). The objective of this analysis was to extend a previous model to include quantitative coupling between yield and N removal in response to applied N for perennial grasses. The extended model was developed from three postulates: (1) annual dry matter yield follows logistic response to applied N, (2) annual plant N removal follows logistic response to applied N, and (3) the N response coefficients are the same for both. Three additional consequences derive from these postulates: (i) plant N concentration response to applied N follows a ratio of logistic functions, (ii) annual dry matter yield and plant N removal are related by a hyperbolic equation, and (iii) plant N concentration and plant N removal follow a linear relationship [...]
Regulation of the TRP Ca2+ Channel by INAD in Drosophila Photoreceptors

Abstract Drosophila vision involves a G protein-coupled phospholipase C-mediated signaling pathway that leads to membrane depolarization through activation of Na + and Ca 2+ channels. InaD mutant flies have a M442K point mutation and display a slow recovery of the Ca 2+ -dependent current. We report that anti-INAD antibodies coimmunoprecipitate TRP, identified by its electrophoretic mobility, cross reactivity with anti-TRP antibody, and absence in a null allele trp mutant. This interaction is abolished by the InaD point mutation in vitro and in vivo. Interaction was localized to the 19 amino acid C-terminus of TRP by overlay assays, and to the PDZ domain of INAD, encompassing the point mutation. Given the impaired electrophysiology of the InaD mutant, this novel interaction suggests that INAD functions as a regulatory subunit of the TRP Ca 2+ channel.
The development of serum-free hormone-supplemented media for primary kidney cultures and their use in examining renal functions

We have demonstrated the primary kidney cultures and defined medium can be used for several purposes. First, primary kidney cultures can be examined in defined medium to evaluate the physiological significance of studies made with established kidney cell lines. Secondly, new kidney epithelial cell culture systems can be developed, using primary cultures and defined medium. The studies presented here have demonstrated several possible approaches towards these ends. First, a hormone-supplemented serum-free medium (Medium K-1) developed for an established dog kidney epithelial cell line (MDCK) was used to grow primary cultures of baby mouse kidney epithelial cells without fibroblast overgrowth. The primary cultures of baby mouse cells not only grew in response to each of the five supplements in Medium K-1, but also possessed several of the differentiated kidney functions observed in the MDCK cell line. Secondly, defined media were developed for primary cultures of rabbit kidney epithelial cells directly. The rabbit cells were shown to require a different set of supplements than MDCK cells to attain optimal growth. Furthermore primary cultures derived from purified rabbit proximal tubules required a different set of supplements than primary cultures derived from unpurified rabbit kidney tissue. These new primary culture systems should prove invaluable in examining renal transport functions in vitro.
Template-directed synthesis of periodic macroporous organic and carbon aerogels

Abstract We describe a general procedure for the synthesis of ordered macroporous resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) and carbon aerogels (CA) in which colloidal crystals of polystyrene (PS) spheres were used as templates. With this approach, ordered arrays of PS spheres are infused with a resorcinol–formaldehyde sol–gel solution. Following gelation of the sol, the RF/PS composite was washed with toluene to remove the template. Periodic macroporous RF aerogels were obtained after supercritical drying with liquid carbon dioxide. These materials can then be carbonized under a nitrogen atmosphere to afford the corresponding macroporous CAs. Scanning electron microscopic examination shows that both the organic and carbon materials consist of many hexagonally ordered domains of spherical cavities with different crystal orientations, reflecting the symmetry of the original PS template.
Embedding Multilevel Survival Analysis of Dyadic Social Interaction in Structural Equation Models: Hazard Rates as Both Outcomes and Predictors

Objective Demonstrate multivariate multilevel survival analysis within a larger structural equation model. Test the 3 hypotheses that when confronted by a negative parent, child rates of angry, sad/fearful, and positive emotion will increase, decrease, and stay the same, respectively, for antisocial compared with normal children. This same pattern will predict increases in future antisocial behavior. Methods Parent–child dyads were videotaped in the fall of kindergarten in the laboratory and antisocial behavior ratings were obtained in the fall of kindergarten and third grade. Results Kindergarten antisocial predicted less child sad/fear and child positive but did not predict child anger given parent negative. Less child positive and more child neutral given parent negative predicted increases in third-grade antisocial behavior. Conclusions The model is a useful analytic tool for studying rates of social behavior. Lack of positive affect or excess neutral affect may be a new risk factor for child antisocial behavior.
Fluorescence spectroscopic detection of mitochondrial flavoprotein redox oscillations and transient reduction of the NADPH oxidase-associated flavoprotein in leukocytes.

Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy of leukocyte flavoproteins have been performed. Both living human peripheral blood monocytes and neutrophils have been utilized as experimental models, as the former relies much more heavily on mitochondrial metabolism for energy production than the latter. We confirm previous studies indicating that cellular flavoproteins absorb at 460 nm and emit at 530 nm, very similar to that of the FAD moiety. Furthermore, the emission properties of intracellular flavoproteins were altered by the metabolic inhibitors rotenone, antimycin A, azide, cyanide, DNP (2,4-dinitrophenol), and FCCP [carbonyl cyanide p-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone]. Kinetic studies revealed flavoprotein emission oscillations in both monocytes and neutrophils. The flavoprotein intensity oscillations correlated with the physiological status of the cell and the nature of membrane receptor ligation. Microscopy revealed the presence of flavoprotein fluorescence in association with the plasma membrane, intracellular granules and distributed throughout the cytoplasm, presumably within mitochondria. Metabolic inhibitors such as cyanide suggest that the plasma membrane and granular components are cyanide-insensitive and therefore are likely associated with the flavoprotein component of the NADPH oxidase, which is located in these two compartments. This interpretation was found to be consistent with structural localization of the NADPH oxidase using an antibody molecule specific for this protein. Using peripheral blood neutrophils, which display less active mitochondria, and time-resolved emission spectroscopy, we show that the NADPH oxidase-associated flavoprotein undergoes a periodic transient reduction of about 54±2 ms in living cells. This finding is consistent with prior studies indicating that propagating substrate (NADPH) waves periodically promote electron transport across the NADPH oxidase.
Robust, Finite-State Parsing for Spoken Language Understanding

Human understanding of spoken language appears to integrate the use of contextual expectations with acoustic level perception in a tightly-coupled, sequential fashion. Yet computer speech understanding systems typically pass the transcript produced by a speech recognizer into a natural language parser with no integration of acoustic and grammatical constraints. One reason for this is the complexity of implementing that integration. To address this issue we have created a robust, semantic parser as a single finite-state machine (FSM). As such, its run-time action is less complex than other robust parsers that are based on either chart or generalized left-right (GLR) architectures. Therefore, we believe it is ultimately more amenable to direct integration with a speech decoder.