cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression Changes in Tolerant Murine Cardiac Allografts After Gene Therapy With a Lentiviral Vector Expressing α1,3 Galactosyltransferase

Comparison of intragraft gene expression changes in tolerant cardiac allograft models may provide the basis for identifying pathways involved in graft survival. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that tolerance to the gal al,3 gal epitope, the major target of rejection of wild-type pig hearts in human cardiac transplantation, can be achieved after transplantation with bone marrow transduced with a lentiviral vector expressing α1,3 galactosyltransferase. We now present intracardiac gene expression changes associated with long-term tolerance in this model. Biotin-labeled cRNA was hybridized to Affymetrix GeneChip 430 2.0 Mouse Genome Arrays. Data were subjected to functional annotation analysis to identify genes of known function in which expression was increased or decreased by at least 2-fold (t-test, P <.05) in tolerant gal +/+ wild-type hearts as compared to transplanted syngeneic controls. Tolerant hearts demonstrated increased expression of genes associated with the stress response, modulation of immune function and cell survival (HSPa9a, CD56, and Akt1s1), and decreased expression of several immunoregulatory genes (CD209, CD26, and PDE4b). These data suggest that tolerance may be associated with activation of immunomodulatory and survival pathways.
A new LC-MS/MS method for the clinical determination of reduced and oxidized glutathione from whole blood

Reduced levels of glutathione (γ-glutamylcysteinylglycine, GSH) and the ratio of GSH to glutathione disulfide (GSSG) can serve as important indicators of oxidative stress and disease risk. Measured concentrations of GSH and GSSG vary widely between laboratories, largely due to the instability of GSH during sample handling and variables arising from different analytical methods. We have developed a simple and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for measuring whole blood GSH and GSSG that minimizes preanalytic and analytic variability, reliably eliminates interference from ion suppression, and can easily be implemented in clinical laboratories. Samples were deproteinized with sulfosalicylic acid (SSA) and derivatized with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) in a single preparative step, and the resulting supernatants combined with stable-isotope internal standards (GSH-(13)C, (15)N-NEM and GSSG-(13)C,(15)N), subjected to chromatographic separation using a Hypercarb column, and analyzed by MS/MS in the positive-ion mode. Results showed excellent linearity for both GSH and GSSG over the ranges of physiologic normal, with inter- and intra-assay CV's of 3.1-4.3% and accuracy between 95% and 101%. The lower limits of detection (LLOD) were 0.4μM for GSH and 0.1μM for GSSG and the lower limits of quantitation (LLOQ) were 1.5μM for GSH and 0.1μM for GSSG. Derivatized samples are stable for at least 3 years when stored at -80°C, and underivatized samples for at least 24h at either 4°C or room temperature. Reference intervals were determined for 59 control samples, and were (mean±SD): GSH 900±140μM; GSSG 1.17±0.43μM; GSH/GSSG 880±370.
Early postnatal cellular proliferation and survival in the olfactory bulb and rostral migratory stream of normal and unilaterally odor-deprived rats.

Unilateral naris occlusion in rats on postnatal Day 1 results in dramatic decreases in the size of specific olfactory bulb cell populations when pups are examined 30 days later (Frazier and Brunjes: J. Comp. Neurol. 269:355–370, '88). The observed reductions must result from alterations in cell proliferation and/or survival, alternatives examined in the present study. During early postnatal development, most cells destined for the bulb are produced in regions caudal to the structure and migrate to the bulb in the massive rostral migratory stream. The dynamics of the stream were examined in both normal rats and pups with a single naris closed on Day 1. 3H-thymidine injections were made on postnatal Days 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30. Groups of pups were killed 2 hours later to assess patterns of proliferation and 24 hours later to gauge initial stages of migration. A gradient of labeled cells was observed in the stream, with higher levels occurring at more caudal locations. The supply of cells to the bulb peaked on Day 5 and was still substantial as late as Day 30. The deprivation procedure did not affect patterns of cell labeling at any stage tested, indicating the procedure does not affect early cellular proliferation. A third group of pups was examined 30 days after thymidine injection to assess both time of cell origin and survival rates. Dark granule cells and glia in the granule cell layer were produced at a consistent rate until Day 20 with cells added during the period evenly spread throughout the layer. Light granule and periglomerular cell production decreased dramatically after P5. Thirty days after injections on P2, fewer labeled dark granule cells and their associated glia were found in deprived bulbs, indicating that enhanced cell death plays a major role in the deprivation-induced decrease in cell number.
Strategies for the design of hepatoselective glucokinase activators to treat type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a rapidly expanding healthcare challenge. There is a significant need for novel therapies to help patients achieve and maintain glycemic control in order to avoid the long-term microvascular and macrovascular complications associated with the disease. Small molecule allosteric activators of the glucokinase enzyme, an important regulator of glucose homeostasis, have emerged as a potential new class of therapeutics. Glucokinase activators have been shown to effectively lower fasting and postprandial glucose in T2DM patients; however, hypoglycemia emerged as a potential risk limiting their therapeutic potential. To mitigate this risk, recent efforts have focused on the design of liver-specific activators that seek to normalize hepatic glucose uptake and production without potentiating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Areas covered: The article reviews the various drug discovery strategies that have emerged for the development of candidates that se...
First-principles phase stability in the Ti-V alloy system

Phase stability in the transition metals are mostly dictated by the bonding of the d electrons and is believed to be fairly well understood from either a canonical-band picture or a tight-binding model. These models are related and capture the fact that as one proceeds through the nonmagnetic d-transition series one encounters the hexagonal close-packed (hcp), body-centered cubic (bcc), hcp, and face-cen- tered cubic (fcc) phases. This structural sequence depends on the gradual filling of the d band (roughly one electron per atomic number increase) that is altered when magnetism is present simply due to the spin polarization of the d band. However, recent more careful experimental and theoretical studies have shown that the aforementioned appealing models do not entirely explain the bonding and phase stability in the transition metals. First, there is a destabilization of the bcc phase due to pressure in the Group Vb metals (V, Nb, and Ta) and second, a temperature-induced stabilization of the bcc phase in the Group IVb (Ti, Zr, and Hf) metals even though at low temperatures it is strongly unstable. Here we address the latter phenomenon and study the influence of alloying titanium with its next neighbor vanadium by applying the recently developed self-consistent ab initio lattice dynamics (SCAILD) approach that has heretofore never been utilized for an alloy system.
Mitochondrial DNA depletion analysis by pseudogene ratioing.

Abstract The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion status of ρ 0 cell lines is typically assessed by hybridization or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments, in which the failure to hybridize mtDNA or amplify mtDNA using mtDNA-directed primers suggests thorough mitochondrial genome removal. Here, we report the use of an mtDNA pseudogene ratioing technique for the additional confirmation of ρ 0 status. Total genomic DNA from a U251 human glioma cell line treated with ethidium bromide was amplified using primers designed to anneal either mtDNA or a previously described nuclear DNA-embedded mtDNA pseudogene (mtDNAψ). The resultant PCR product was used to generate plasmid clones. Sixty-two plasmid clones were genotyped, and all arose from mtDNAψ template. These data allowed us to determine with 95% confidence that the resultant mtDNA-depleted cell line contains less than one copy of mtDNA per 10 cells. Unlike previous hybridization or PCR-based analyses of mtDNA depletion, this mtDNAψ ratioing technique does not rely on interpretation of a negative result, and may prove useful as an adjunct for the determination of ρ 0 status or mtDNA copy number.
The pattern electroretinogram as a tool to monitor progressive retinal ganglion cell dysfunction in the DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma

Purpose To determine the baseline characteristics, reliability and dynamic range of the pattern electroretinogram (PERG) as a tool to monitor progressive RGC dysfunction in the DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma with spontaneously elevated intraocular pressure (IOP).
Example applications of the linear adaptive design technique

Adaptive controllers can be designed by a variety of different methodologies that have been developed over the past 35 years. However, all these methodologies have one thing in common; they lead to adaptive controllers that are intriniscatly non-linear in structure. Recently a new, unorthodox approach to the adaptive control problem has been developed. This new methodology leads to a new class of adaptive controllers that, in many cases, are entirely linear and have all-constant parameters (constant gains). In the present paper this new approach to adaptive control is used to design‘linear adaptive controllers’for two example applications, and the closed-loop adaptive performance obtained in each case is illustrated by digital simulation tests. These results demonstrate that the new linear adaptive controllers are able to produce a surprisingly high-degree of adaptation over significant ranges of plant parameter variations and disturbances.
Evaluation of a New Assay for Cardiac Troponin I vs Creatine Kinase-MB for the Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective: To compare a new assay for cardiac troponin I (cTn-I) with an assay for creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study of patients presenting with symptoms consistent with cardiac ischemia was performed at a university teaching hospital. Serum sampling for cTn-I and CK-MB was performed at 0, 1, 3, 8, and 16 hours after presentation. Normal values were defined as CK-MB ≤ 7 ng/mL and a relative index ≤ 2%, cTn-I ≤ 1.4 ng/mL. Final diagnosis was made using World Health Organization criteria, including standard enzyme sampling. Consecutive patients with AMI were compared with a randomly selected subset of patients without AMI to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the cTn-I and CK-MB assays for AMI, stratified by time from symptom onset. The ability of the biochemical cardiac markers obtained within 6 hours of symptom onset to predict later complications or need for interventions was assessed using odds ratios (ORs). Results: Thirty-five patients who had AMI were compared with 136 patients who did not have AMI. The sensitivities and specificities of the cTn-I and CK-MB assays, stratified by time from symptom onset, were: Patients who had elevations in either CK-MB or cTn-I within 6 hours of symptom onset were at increased risk for cardiovascular complications and/or interventions (CK-MB, OR 5.8; cTn-I, OR 6.3). Conclusion: cTn-I was as sensitive and specific for AMI as was CK-MB in ED patients who presented within 24 hours of symptom onset. However, cTn-I was more sensitive in patients who presented ≥ 24 hours after symptom onset. Elevations of either marker within 6 hours of symptom onset predict an increased risk of complications and/or need for interventions.
Insurgency Campaigns and the Quest for Popular Democracy: Theodore Roosevelt, Eugene McCarthy, and Party Monopolies

American politics has featured numerous intra-party and third-party insurgency campaigns. Scholarship on minor party, independent, and dissident campaigns has focused on how they have influenced electoral and policy outcomes. In particular, the existing literature highlights the capacity of these campaigns to play spoilers in presidential voting or to place new issues on the public agenda, but says little about their efforts to transform the political process. Revisiting forgotten elements of V.O. Key's work, we highlight the fundamental procedural ambitions of many intra-party and third-party insurgencies, campaigns driven as much (if not more in some cases) by visions of stronger popular democracy in national electoral politics as by final vote counts or specific policy innovations. Two significant dissident campaigns receive special emphasis: the insurgencies of Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 and Eugene McCarthy in 1968. Like many other major electoral insurgencies, both cases exemplify the centrality of procedural reform aspirations for these campaigns and, on occasion, their capacity to leave an indelible mark on the rules of electoral and partisan politics. Ultimately, their procedural triumphs compelled political leaders and other insiders to adapt but they did little to advance popular democracy or better serve the interests of ordinary citizens.
An examination of 1997-2007 surface layer temperature trends at two heights in Oklahoma

[1] This study assesses near surface lapse rates and temperatures over the past decade at two heights from the Oklahoma Mesonet. A statistically significant change in lapse rate was detected of −0.21 ± 0.09°C (10 m)−1 per decade. The trend of nighttime lapse rate was about three times larger than the magnitude of trend of the daytime lapse rate. The lapse rate trends at the time of the daily maximum and minimum temperatures were larger during calm conditions. Significantly, changes of temperature trends at a single height were inconclusive when the data was not segmented by wind speed classes. For daily maximum and minimum station series at two heights, the temperature trends of these station series were the largest for daily minimum temperature at 1.5 m under calm conditions, and the second largest for daily minimum temperatures at 9.0 m under calm conditions. These observations document that monitoring long term near-surface daily minimum temperature trends at a single level on light wind nights will not produce the same trends as for long term temperature trends at other heights near the surface.
Extraparticulate chain interaction between different electron transport particles.

Interaction or cross-linking between the respiratory chains of the electron transport particles of bacterial origin occurs with a mixture of active and inactive particles. Interaction between bacterial particles and liver sub-mitochondrial particles also occurs. Irradiation of the bacterial particles at 360 nanometers resulted in the destruction of quinone and consequent loss of ability of reduced nicotinamide adenine, dinucleotides to reduce cytochromes b, c1, c, and a plus a3. A mixture of both irradiated and untreated particles in the presence of the reduced dinucleotide resulted in the reduction of cytochromes c and a plus a3, in an amount equivalent to the total concentration of these cytochromes in both types of particles. In contrast, the amount of cytochrome b reduced was equivalent to half the particle concentration or to that observed with the active particles alone. The rate of reduction of cytochromes c and a plus a3 with the mixture of particles was similar to that with the active particles alone. The interaction or cross-linking between the particulate respiratory chains of bacteria or of bacterial and mammalian systems occurs after cytochrome b and before or at cytochrome c.
Environmental attitudes in less developed countries

Abstract Environmental policies in the developing countries are the product of circumstances quite different from those found in advanced nations. As a result, such policies have thus far been rather permissive. There is, however, considerable variance among developing countries in this respect, as well as substantial change over time. Not much evidence has been uncovered pointing to a migration of industry and mining to ‘pollution havens’ in developing countries—the reverse in fact seems to be the case. Nevertheless, it is likely that environmental policies will remain less stringent in developingthan developed countries for the foreseeable future. Indeed, the gap may well widen substantially.
Available Special Edueation Faculty Positions in Higher Education

In this article we summarize a study designed to assess the status of available IHE special education faculty positions from 1984-88 and projected faculty needs from 1989-94. Two hundred eighty-one IHEs reported 216 available positions in special education for 1984-88. Two hundred ninety-eight positions were projected by 209 IHEs for 1989-94. Results suggest that many of the IHE positions were filled by individuals already in higher education, creating a situation in which need shifts from institution to institution. Also, a substantial number of vacancies are filled by individuals previously employed at SEAs or LEAS. These findings suggest that a substantial number of potential applicants (i.e., supply) for IHE special education positions includes existing faculty and SEA/LEA personnel and, to a lesser degree, doctoral graduates. Implications for future research are discussed
Propyne Pyrolysis in a Flow Reactor: An Experimental, RRKM, and Detailed Kinetic Modeling Study

The pressure-dependent rate coefficients for several reactions relevant to propyne pyrolysis were determined with ab initio quantum mechanical calculations and Rice−Ramsperger−Kassel−Marcus (RRKM) analyses. These reactions include the mutual isomerization of propyne and allene, the chemically activated reactions of propyne and allene with the H atom and of acetylene with methyl on the C3H5 potential energy surface. Propyne pyrolysis was experimentally studied in a flow reactor at 1210 K and 1 atm. A detailed reaction mechanism, employing the current RRKM rate coefficients, is shown to accurately predict the experimental acetylene and methane profiles determined in the flow reactor and literature shock-tube data of propyne and allene pyrolysis up to 1500 K.
Thermodynamic Stability of a κI Immunoglobulin Light Chain: Relevance to Multiple Myeloma

Immunoglobulin light chains have two similar domains, each with a hydrophobic core surrounded by β-sheet layers, and a highly conserved disulfide bond. Differential scanning calorimetry and circular dichroism were used to study the folding and stability of MM-κI, an Ig LC of κI subtype purified from the urine of a multiple myeloma patient. The complete primary structure of MM-κI was determined by Edman sequence analysis and mass spectrometry. The protein was found to contain a cysteinyl post-translational modification at Cys214. Protein stability and conformation of MM-κI as a function of temperature or denaturant conditions at pH 7.4 and 4.8 were investigated. At pH 4.8, calorimetry demonstrated that MM-κI undergoes an incomplete, cooperative, partially reversible thermal unfolding with increased unfolding temperature and calorimetric enthalpy as compared to pH 7.4. Secondary and tertiary structural analyses provided evidence to support the presence of unfolding intermediates. Chemical denaturation resulted in more extensive protein unfolding. The stability of MM-κI was reduced and protein unfolding was irreversible at pH 4.8, thus suggesting that different pathways are utilized in thermal and chemical unfolding.
Memory for Day of the Week: A 5 + 2 Day Cycle

People use a variety of schemes to keep track of time. One such scheme is the week, with its 7 distinctly named days. This article examines memory for day of the week and its relation to memory for time of day and for elapsed time (number of days). Data are presented from a study in which people answered a set of interview questions about the time of occurrence of a particular event. Two issues are addressed. The first issue concerns the way different temporal schemes are organized in relation to each other in memory. Memory for day of the week is independent of other aspects of temporal memory. The second issue concerns whether the week is organized hierarchically into either weekday periods or weekend periods or both. The weekday period forms a distinct 5-day unit within the 7-day weekly cycle. The present data, together with those from the authors' earlier work, suggest that the time an event occurred is encoded in relation to a set of separate temporal scripts (e.g., daily and weekly) and that such scripts may be hierarchically organized.
Regional selectivity in ethanol-induced pro-oxidant events within the brain

Several biochemical parameters that reflect the presence of excess levels of reactive oxygen species were modulated in the brains of rats exposed acutely or subchronically to ethanol. These parameters included depression of cytosolic glutathione (GSH) concentration and of glutamine synthetase levels. However, using these indices, there was a significant difference in susceptibility to ethanol in different brain regions. After dietary exposure to ethanol for 12 days, these indices were selectively depressed in the striatum but not in the cerebral cortex or cerebellum. Eighteen hours after a single acute dose of ethanol (4.5 g/kg body wt), the striatum was also the only one of these areas in which proteolytic activity was elevated by ethanol treatment. Two injections of acetaldehyde (300 mg/kg), given 18 and 2 hr prior to tissue preparation, caused a specific reduction of glutamine synthetase in the striatum and a decrease of GSH levels in both striatum and cerebellum. Taken together, the results suggest a distinctive vulnerability of the striatum to ethanol-promoted oxidative events. Rather than ethanol exerting effects directly, the metabolite acetaldehyde may be the primary agent responsible for these changes.
Nocturnal gastric acidity and acid breakthrough on different regimens of omeprazole 40 mg daily

Background On chronic intake of omeprazole, most healthy volunteers and patients still have nocturnal acid breakthrough (NAB), defined as night-time periods with gastric pH < 4.0 lasting for longer than 1 h. Gastro-oesophageal reflux during NAB may be particularly injurious to the oesophageal mucosa, contributing to the chronic lesions complicating the condition. Aim To compare the effect of three different dosing regimens of omeprazole 40 mg daily with regard to suppressing nocturnal gastric acidity and avoiding NAB. Methods Eighteen healthy volunteers were given three different regimens of omeprazole for 7 days each in randomized order: 40 mg before breakfast (qAM), 40 mg before dinner (qPM) and 20 mg before breakfast and dinner (b.d.). On day 7, 24-h intragastric and intra-oesophageal pH-metry was performed. Tracings were analysed for the period from 22.00 h until 06.00 h with regard to the percentage of time at which gastric pH was below 4.0, 3.0 and 2.0, and also the occurrence and duration of NAB. Results Nocturnal acid breakthrough was significantly more common on qAM than on qPM and b.d. (P < 0.05) dosing. The percentage of time gastric pH was less than 4.0 overnight was significantly lower on qPM (median 31.3) and b.d. (median 20.5) than on qAM (median 66.3) dosing (P = 0.01 and P < 0.02, respectively). A pH threshold of 3 and 4 showed the same differences, as did median 24-h gastric pH. Daytime acidity was not significantly different. Conclusions In healthy volunteers, dinner time or split dosing of omeprazole 40 mg daily is significantly more effective than dosing before breakfast in preventing NAB and controlling gastric acidity. These regimens should be preferred in patients in whom suppression of nocturnal gastric acidity is desirable.
On best rational approximation of analytic functions

This paper contains some theorems related to the best approximation ρn(f; E) to a function f in the uniform metric on a compact set E ⊂ C- by rational functions of degree at most n. We obtain results characterizing the relationship between ρn(f; K) and ρn(f; E) in the case when complements of compact sets K and E are connected, K is a subset of the interior Ω of E, and f is analytic in Ω and continuous on E.
Using rapid prototyping in computer architecture design laboratories

This paper describes the undergraduate computer architecture courses and laboratories introduced at Georgia Tech during the past two years. A core sequence of six required courses for computer engineering students has been developed. In this paper, emphasis is placed upon the new core laboratories which utilize commercial CAD tools, FPGAs, hardware emulators, and a VHDL based rapid prototyping approach to simulate, synthesize, and implement prototype computer hardware.
Esophageal pressures, polysomnography, and neurobehavioral outcomes of adenotonsillectomy in children.

Background Esophageal pressure monitoring during polysomnography in children offers a gold-standard, "preferred" assessment for work of breathing, but is not commonly used in part because prospective data on incremental clinical utility are scarce. We compared a standard pediatric apnea/hypopnea index to quantitative esophageal pressures as predictors of apnea-related neurobehavioral morbidity and treatment response. Methods Eighty-one children aged 7.8 ± 2.8 (SD) years, including 44 boys, had traditional laboratory-based pediatric polysomnography, esophageal pressure monitoring, multiple sleep latency tests, psychiatric evaluations, parental behavior rating scales, and cognitive testing, all just before clinically indicated adenotonsillectomy, and again 7.2 ± 0.8 months later. Esophageal pressures were used, along with nasal pressure monitoring and oronasal thermocouples, not only to identify respiratory events but also more quantitatively to determine the most negative esophageal pressure recorded and the percentage of sleep time spent with pressures lower than −10 cm H 2 O. Results Both sleep-disordered breathing and neurobehavioral measures improved after surgery. At baseline, one or both quantitative esophageal pressure measures predicted a disruptive behavior disorder ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition -defined attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, or oppositional defiant disorder) and more sleepiness and their future improvement after adenotonsillectomy (each P P > .10). The addition of respiratory effort-related arousals to the apnea/hypopnea index did not improve its predictive value. Neither the preoperative apnea/hypopnea index nor esophageal pressures predicted baseline hyperactive behavior, cognitive performance, or their improvement after surgery. Conclusions Quantitative esophageal pressure monitoring may add predictive value for some, if not all, neurobehavioral outcomes of sleep-disordered breathing. Trial registry ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00233194; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov
On the mean field theory bound on the magnetization

The mean field bound on magnetization is proved for a class of one-component ferromagnetic systems and forD components systems with arbitraryD.
Intermediate mass fragment emission by 197Au projectiles at relativistic energy in nuclear emulsion.

The charge distribution of multifragment decays of $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ projectiles at 10.6A GeV in nuclear emulsion is fitted with a power law. The correlations between the charges emitted are given as a function of the total charge confined in fragments ${\mathit{Z}}_{\mathrm{bound}}$ for Z\ensuremath{\ge}2, which is a measure of the violence of the collision. The observables of the present experiment are compared to the $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ beam at 600A MeV in the domain of limiting fragmentation and they are also reproduced by the predictions of the statistical and the percolation models. Small changes in the values of some of these observables are revealed in the two energies.
An anticoagulation therapy elective for third-year pharmacy students.

Objective. To develop an anticoagulation elective course for third-year pharmacy students to enhance their knowledge and skills for providing anticoagulation services. Design. Content developed for the course focused on standards of care, evaluation of primary literature, clinical application, billing and regulatory issues, written and verbal communication, and patient education. Teaching methods included lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and self-directed learning. Assessment. Assessment methods included multiple-choice examinations, evaluation of patient cases, student presentations, and a practical examination. Students demonstrated competencies in multiple areas and rated the course favorably. Students who completed the elective reported being more prepared for anticoagulation activities than those who did not. Confidence levels regarding participation in anticoagulation services postgraduation were similar. Conclusion. The elective provided valuable experience in anticoagulation therapy and incr...
State of the art on stabilization of hazardous organic liquid wastes and sludges

The principal motivation for undertaking this study was to examine stabilization techniques to determine the technical feasilibity of stabilizing/solidifying organic liquid wastes and sludges. The performance of the processes must often be judged on the basis of the manufacturer's claims rather than the evaluation of an impartial referee. The study was largely concerned with documenting the state‐of‐the‐art and identifying promising directions for additional research. The most recent available literature, supplemented by telephone contacts with vendors and companies, were the primary information sources. Based on an exhaustive search of the research literature dealing with the solidification and stabilization of hazardous organic wastes, the following observations can be made: (1) Few adequately documented studies have been reported on the performance (physical and chemical stability) of solidified and/or stabilized mixtures containing hazardous organic wastes. (2) Almost no published information exists o...
Reversal Of Fortune: Commercial HMOs In the Medicaid Market

ABSTRACT: Between 1992 and 1996 the number of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) entering the Medicaid market grew at an average annual rate of approximately 22 percent. Participation among all ownership segments grew, resulting in a broad distribution of beneficiaries across the HMO industry. However, recent declines in financial performance within the industry appear to be more dramatic for plans with many Medicaid members. In addition, growing concerns about rate adequacy and volatility as well as expanding administrative demands raise questions about the long-term commitment of commercial HMOs to Medicaid participation. This paper analyzes operating characteristics and financial performance of licensed commercial HMOs from 1992 through 1996, drawing on indepth interviews with health plan executives and managed care stock analysts.
Performance and diagnostic evaluation of ozone predictions by the Eta-Community Multiscale Air Quality Forecast System during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study.

Abstract A real-time air quality forecasting system (Eta-Community Multiscale Air Quality [CMAQ] model suite) has been developed by linking the National Centers for Environmental Estimation Eta model to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) CMAQ model. This work presents results from the application of the Eta-CMAQ modeling system for forecasting ozone (O3) over the Northeastern United States during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS). Spatial and temporal performance of the Eta-CMAQ model for O3 was evaluated by comparison with observations from the EPA Air Quality System (AQS) network. This study also examines the ability of the model to simulate the processes governing the distributions of tropospheric O3 on the basis of the intensive datasets obtained at the four Atmospheric Investigation, Regional Modeling, Analysis, and Estimation (AIRMAP) and Harvard Forest (HF) surface sites. The episode analysis reveals that the model captured the buildup of O3 concentrations over the northeas...
Succinate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase from Escherichia coli.

Abstract Succinate-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (SQR) as part of the trichloroacetic acid cycle and menaquinol-fumarate oxidoreductase (QFR) used for anaerobic respiration by Escherichia coli are structurally and functionally related membrane-bound enzyme complexes. Each enzyme complex is composed of four distinct subunits. The recent solution of the X-ray structure of QFR has provided new insights into the function of these enzymes. Both enzyme complexes contain a catalytic domain composed of a subunit with a covalently bound flavin cofactor, the dicarboxylate binding site, and an iron–sulfur subunit which contains three distinct iron–sulfur clusters. The catalytic domain is bound to the cytoplasmic membrane by two hydrophobic membrane anchor subunits that also form the site(s) for interaction with quinones. The membrane domain of E. coli SQR is also the site where the heme b556 is located. The structure and function of SQR and QFR are briefly summarized in this communication and the similarities and differences in the membrane domain of the two enzymes are discussed.
Picosecond dynamics in amorphous systems with local order

Abstract We discuss here the rapid time-dependent dynamics of the intermolecular potential in a varied class of “glassy” systems through the evaluation of the vibrational amplitude correlation, i.e. the numerical Fourier transform of the isotropic Raman profile, of an isolated and appropriate system oscillator (Linear Response Theory). We consider the stochastic fluctuations of the intermolecular potential coupling to the oscillator coordinate to represent an equilibrium renewal process that switches, “at random”, the transition frequency of the oscillator about its equilibrium value (“Vibrational Dephasing with Motional Narrowing”). We assign the stretched exponential, to give a useful and problem-related limiting description of the probability density function of the “backward recurrence time”, i.e. the time interval from time t back to the previous frequency switch, and the “forward recurrence time”, i.e. the time from t the next instant of an oscillator frequency switch. The assumed F(t) causes a series of switches (“events’) that are clustered at early observation times, modelling the particular, rapid dynamics of many glass-like systems in terms of “catastrophic” relaxation steps in the medium. Examples are comformational rearrangement of alkyl chains in liquid crystals, jump motion of holes in fused inorganic salts, and jump motion of water-shell molecules between ions in concentrated electrolytes. We discuss here the first and third example.
Imaging of 180° Ferroelectric Domains in LiTaO3 by Means of Scanning Electron Microscopy

The 180° ferroelectric domains, engineered through field poling in single crystalline LiTaO 3 were directly observed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on its polished polar surfaces without metal coating. Two kinds of domain images, the brightness-contrast image and topographic-boundary image, were found with slow scan rate under the condition of a cathode voltage of V 0 = 3 to 5 kV and a probing beam current of I b = (4 to 20) × 10 -11 A. They appeared at the initial and subsequent frames of scanning, respectively. The formation of these two kinds of images is explained as pyroelectric and piezoelectric effects which originated from the beam electron heating and the charge accumulation on the top surface of a LiTaO 3 crystal.
Postoperative rupture of an aortic aneurysmal dilation associated with a patent ductus arteriosus in a dog.

Objective— To describe an unusual case of fatal aortic aneurysm rupture after standard ligation of a left-to-right shunting patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and review the literature concerning the causes of aneurysm and applicable medical physics of blood flow that may contribute to mural failure. Study design— Clinical case report. Sample population— An 11-month-old female Brittany spaniel. Results— A PDA was diagnosed in the dog after referral for a grade IV/IV cardiac murmur. Diagnostic tests performed included a minimum database, thoracic radiography, and echocardiography. Conventional surgical ligation of the PDA was performed. The postoperative recovery from anesthesia was uneventful. Approximately 5 hours after surgery, the dog vocalized once and collapsed. All resuscitative efforts failed. Necropsy showed a large, spiral rupture of the cranial and dorsal wall of the aorta that extended from the left subclavian artery to 2 cm distal to the PDA-aorta junction. No evidence of intramural, perianeurysmal hemorrhage or inflammation was noted. Histopathologic examination of the ruptured aneurysm showed that the wall lacked a defined tunica intima and endothelial cell layer. A distinct separation of the thinned tunica media parallel to the elastic fibers was noted. Conclusions and clinical relevance— Dilatation of the aorta near the area of a PDA is one of the recognized abnormalities associated with the condition. Aneurysmal dilatation results from and contributes to abnormal blood flow dynamics and increased aortic wall tension, which promotes expansion. Although an unusual and previously unreported sequela, rupture of the aneurysm should be considered a possible complication when ligation of a PDA with a conspicuous aortic aneurysmal dilation is performed.
An alternative solution method for goal programming problems: The lexicographic goal programming case

Abstract This article provides an example of the use of an alternative goal programming solution procedure. The solution procedure is applied to solve a lexicographic goal programming problem. In the process of illustrating the problem, a number of unique technical problems and their solution procedures are discussed. This study provides a flowchart as a procedural guide to aid in its use. This article also provides a comparative analysis of GP algorithms. The results demonstrate the tableau element reduction capabilities of the proposed alternative goal programming solution procedure.
Acceleration of noradrenaline biosynthesis in the guinea-pig vas deferens by potassium

Summary 1 . Increasing the concentration of KC1 in Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate solution enhanced the formation of 14C-noradrenaline (14C-NA) from 14C-tyrosine in the guinea-pig vas deferens. In 52 mm KC1 Krebs-Henseleit solution the specific activity of the newly formed 14C-NA was double that of controls. 2 . The rate of synthesis of 14C-NA from 14C-tyrosine was constant for up to 2 h in 52 mm KC1 Krebs-Henseleit solution and for 4 h in unmodified Krebs-Henseleit solution. 3 . There was no increase in NA formation in the presence of KC1 rich Krebs-Henseleit solution if 14C-DOPA was used as the starting substrate instead of 14C-tyrosine. 4 . The specific activity of 14C-tyrosine in the high KC1 treated vas deferens was 80% of that of control tissues. Thus the enhanced synthesis of 14C-NA in high KC1 Krebs-Henseleit solution did not arise from an increase in the specific activity of precursor. 5 . The effect of K+ on NA synthesis was not mimicked by ganglionic stimulants nor blocked by tetrodotoxin. 6 . Removal of Ca2+ ions or increasing the concentration of Mg2+ ions abolished the increase in synthesis of NA seen in high KC1 Krebs-Henseleit solution but left the basal rate of NA synthesis in unmodified Krebs-Henseleit solution unaltered. 7 . The spontaneous release of newly synthesized catecholamines (14C-labelled) or tritiated noradrenaline (3H-NA) from vasa deferentia was increased in 52 mm KC1 Krebs-Henseleit solution. Removal of Ca2+ ions reduced the increased efflux of newly synthesized amine in high KC1 media to that seen in unmodified Krebs-Henseleit solution. The efflux of 3H-NA was reduced to one-third of its former rate in the absence of Ca2+. 8 . High KC1 Krebs-Henseleit solution caused a substantial contraction of the vas deferens which was not abolished by tetrodotoxin. Release of 3H-NA paralleled the contractile response, and was likewise unaffected by tetrodotoxin. 9 . No evidence was obtained for any alterations in the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme in the formation of NA from tyrosine, in homogenates of vas deferens which had been treated with 52 mm KC1 Krebs-Henseleit solution. 10 . These results support the hypothesis that acceleration of NA synthesis occurs when tyrosine hydroxylase is freed from end-product inhibition by the release of noradrenaline, brought about in this case, by high concentrations of KC1.
Guillain‐Barré syndrome: Clinical and therapeutic observations

Better outcomes for patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome are associated with five factors: younger age, no requirement for respiratory assistance, slower progression of disease, normal peripheral nerve function by electrodiagnostic criteria, and treatment by plasmapheresis. Plasmapheresis is the only factor that the treating physician can modify. Consideration of the use of plasmapheresis in children, type of replacement fluid, plasma exchange by simpler methods than plasmapheresis, and possible alternative approaches to therapy are discussed.
Effects of chlorpromazine on escape and avoidance responses: A closer look

Abstract While a wealth of evidence has implicated the nigrostriatal dopamine system in the initiation of movement, most or all of these movements have been in a conditioned avoidance framework, and on the order of 3–14 seconds in latency. It is proposed tere that an elucidation of dopaminergic involvement initiation requires a behavioral paradigm wherein experimental animals must rapidly and voluntarily respond to a stimulus to move (i.e., in less than 300 msec, paralleling human reaction time). Such a paradigm was developed and implemented in a re-analysis of earlier reports of chlorpromazine (CPZ) effects on escape from and avoidance of electric shock. Catecholaminergic or dopaminergic receptor blocking by CPZ resulted in clear impairment of the ability to initiate rapid avoidance movements, but in contrast to earlier work, some impairment of escape responses was also seen. Results are seen as further support for dopaminergic involvement in the initiation of voluntary movement.
The Color of the Overcast Sky

A theory is developed for the spectral irradiance of the overcast sky, and also of the top of the overcast, in terms of incident radiation, droplet size and concentration, and cloud thickness. The absorption of light by cloud water is allowed for.Some samples of highly polluted cloud water have been spectrophotometered, and calculations made which show that the absorption produces very little effect in the visible spectrum, and only a moderate effect in the ultraviolet, even for very impure cloud water. On the other hand, the color of the ground has a considerable effect on the spectral irradiance of the overcast sky, and thus on its color. The color of the top of the overcast is, however, not greatly affected by that of the ground.
Reaction-path energetics and kinetics of the hydride transfer reaction catalyzed by dihydrofolate reductase.

We have studied the hydride transfer reaction catalyzed by the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH); the substrate is 5-protonated 7,8-dihydrofolate, and the product is tetrahydrofolate. The potential energy surface is modeled by a combined quantum mechanical-molecular mechanical (QM/MM) method employing Austin model 1 (AM1) and a simple valence bond potential for 69 QM atoms and employing the CHARMM22 and TIP3P molecular mechanics force fields for the other 21 399 atoms; the QM and MM regions are joined by two boundary atoms treated by the generalized hybrid orbital (GHO) method. All simulations are carried out using periodic boundary conditions at neutral pH and 298 K. In stage 1, a reaction coordinate is defined as the difference between the breaking and forming bond distances to the hydride ion, and a quasithermodynamic free energy profile is calculated along this reaction coordinate. This calculation includes quantization effects o...
Grazing pressure impacts on potential foraging competition between Angora goats and white-tailed deer

Abstract Increased Angora and Spanish goat populations in the Tamaulipan Province of southern Texas and northeast Mexico and the economic importance of white-tailed deer lease hunting in the region has heightened concern as to negative interactions between these two herbivores. This study selected a shallow ridge range site, dominated by palatable shrubs, as a high potential community for herbivore interaction at the landscape level. The site was stocked at 0, 2, 4, 6 goats/ha on an experimental ranch in South Texas. Deer and goat biting tactics, diet selection and reconstructed dietary crude protein and digestible organic matter were compared across stocking treatments. Dietary overlap indices were 0.75-0.88 between the herbivores across season and stocking rate. Deer had a greater tendency to use nip bites than goats in the non-grazed pastures (60–65% vs. 42–55%, respectively). However, goats increased the use of nip bites more than deer as intraspecific competition increased while deer used similar strategies across all stocking rates. Increased stocking rates had little impact on dietary composition of woody species in the diet of goats. The greatest dichotomies of dietary selection between both herbivores was shrubby bluesage where deer exhibited a positive preference while goats generally avoided the species, regardless of its availability. Both herbivores were generally able to stabilize nutrient concentration in their respective diets regardless of grazing pressure by goats.
Preliminary report on the clinical use of a new anticoagulant, phenylindandione.

Heparin and dicumarol are both useful drugs but each has its limitations and accordingly search goes on for newer drugs that lack some of these limitations. A new anticoagulant, phenylindandione produces a prothrombopenia more rapidly than dicumarol and its catabolism is equally more rapid. This, therefore, aroused interest in clinical trials utilizing this new prothrombopenic agent. The drug is a light yellow, crystalline compound put up in tablet form and administered by mouth.
Neurocognitive performance in family-based and case-control studies of schizophrenia

Background Neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) are established and the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS) investigated such measures as endophenotypes in family-based (COGS-1) and case-control (COGS-2) studies. By requiring family participation, family-based sampling may result in samples that vary demographically and perform better on neurocognitive measures.
Remote monitoring of aerosols with ocean colour sensors: then and now

Synoptic coverage of the temporal and spatial variability of aerosol distribution patterns can only be achieved with satellites. Results from the first ocean colour sensor, the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS), indicate an annual cycle of the major mineral aerosol plumes that is consistent with the published literature. Seasonality and interannual aerosol variability observed with the CZCS agrees well with that found by ground data measurements and other satellite platforms used to monitor aerosols. The successor to the CZCS—the Sea viewing Wide Field of view Sensor (SeaWiFS)—provides estimates of aerosol load and particle size, both on a global scale. Seasonal maps of both of these aerosol optical properties are in accord with well-known distribution patterns and also with independent satellite estimates. These results indicate that ocean colour sensors are capable of monitoring the variability of global aerosol loads and, more recently, with the retrieval of aerosol particle size, they can be used to c...