cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma p-tau181, p-tau217, and other blood-based Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in a multi-ethnic, community study.

Introduction Blood-based Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers provide opportunities for community studies and across ethnic groups. We investigated blood biomarker concentrations in the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP), a multi-ethnic community study of aging and dementia. Methods We measured plasma amyloid beta (Aβ)40, Aβ42, total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181, and p-tau217, and neurofilament light chain (NfL) in 113 autopsied participants (29% with high AD neuropathological changes) and in 300 clinically evaluated individuals (42% with clinical AD). Receiver operating characteristics were used to evaluate each biomarker. We also investigated biomarkers as predictors of incident clinical AD. Results P-tau181, p-tau217, and NfL concentrations were elevated in pathologically and clinically diagnosed AD. Decreased Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio and increased p-tau217 and p-tau181 were associated with subsequent AD diagnosis. Discussion Blood-based AD biomarker concentrations are associated with pathological and clinical diagnoses and can predict future development of clinical AD, providing evidence that they can be incorporated into multi-ethnic, community-based studies.
The neural G protein Gαo tagged with GFP at an internal loop is functional in C. elegans

Abstract Gαo is the alpha subunit of the major heterotrimeric G protein in neurons and mediates signaling by every known neurotransmitter, yet the signaling mechanisms activated by Gαo remain to be fully elucidated. Genetic analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans has shown that Gαo signaling inhibits neuronal activity and neurotransmitter release, but studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects have been limited by lack of tools to complement genetic studies with other experimental approaches. Here we demonstrate that inserting the green fluorescent protein (GFP) into an internal loop of the Gαo protein results in a tagged protein that is functional in vivo and that facilitates cell biological and biochemical studies of Gαo. Transgenic expression of Gαo-GFP rescues the defects caused by loss of endogenous Gαo in assays of egg laying and locomotion behaviors. Defects in body morphology caused by loss of Gαo are also rescued by Gαo-GFP. The Gαo-GFP protein is localized to the plasma membrane of neurons, mimicking localization of endogenous Gαo. Using GFP as an epitope tag, Gαo-GFP can be immunoprecipitated from C. elegans lysates to purify Gαo protein complexes. The Gαo-GFP transgene reported in this study enables studies involving in vivo localization and biochemical purification of Gαo to complement the already well-developed genetic analysis of Gαo signaling.
Genomic patterns of structural variation among diverse genotypes of Sorghum bicolor and a potential role for deletions in local adaptation.

Genomic structural mutations, especially deletions, are an important source of variation in many species and can play key roles in phenotypic diversification and evolution. Previous work in many plant species has identified multiple instances of structural variations (SVs) occurring in or near genes related to stress response and disease resistance, suggesting a possible role for SVs in local adaptation. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is one of the most widely grown cereal crops in the world. It has been adapted to an array of different climates as well as bred for multiple purposes, resulting in a striking phenotypic diversity. In this study, we identified genome-wide SVs in the Biomass Association Panel, a collection of 347 diverse sorghum genotypes collected from multiple countries and continents. Using Illumina-based, short-read whole genome resequencing data from every genotype, we found a total of 24,648 SVs, including 22,359 deletions. The global site frequency spectrum of deletions and other types of SVs fit a model of neutral evolution, suggesting that the majority of these mutations were not under any types of selection. Clustering results based on single nucleotide polymorphisms separated the genotypes into eight clusters which largely corresponded with geographic origins, with many of the large deletions we uncovered being unique to a single cluster. Even though most deletions appeared to be neutral, a handful of cluster-specific deletions were found in genes related to biotic and abiotic stress responses, supporting the possibility that at least some of these deletions contribute to local adaptation in sorghum.
Incorporating Campus-Based Cultural Resources into the Humanities Curriculum

The article sheds light on the subject of changing the Holocaust learning experience for students by incorporating cultural resources in the curriculum, such as The Kupferburg Holocaust Center (KHC) in Queensborough or the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. As many students do not have a direct connection the Holocaust, educators sought out to find how to teach students about the Holocaust in a way they understand the importance thereof. In the article, Jacobowitz presents her personal experience, her educational approach and how she ultimately started a Colloquium Series under the name of “The Holocaust in a Global Context: Connections Across the Community College” with the intent that students reflect the social justice perspective. As they do so, they find comparisons between the past and presents, upon which they vow to make sure history does not repeat itself.
Inception Point for Stepped Chute Designs with Multiple Sections of Different Step Heights

AbstractIn the literature, a classical free-surface inception point empirical relationship for smooth chutes serves as a basis for the development of a free-surface inception point relationship for...
Thermodynamic properties of the Nd-Bi system via emf measurements, DFT calculations, machine learning, and CALPHAD modeling

Abstract Thermodynamic properties of the Nd-Bi system were investigated using a combination of experimental measurements, first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), data mining and machine learning (DM + ML) predictions, and calculation of phase diagrams (CALPHAD) modeling. The electromotive force (emf) of Nd-Bi alloys in molten LiCl-KCl-NdCl3 at 773–973 K was measured via coulometric titration of Nd into Bi for the determination of thermochemical properties such as activity coefficients and solubilities of Nd in Bi. A new peritectic reaction of [liquid + NdBi2 = Nd3Bi7] at 774 K was confirmed using differential scanning calorimetry, structural (X-ray diffraction), and microstructural (scanning electron microscopy) analyses. The unknown crystal structure of NdBi2 was suggested to be a mixture of the anti-La2Sb configuration and the La2Te-type configuration based on ML predictions for over 26,000 data-mined AB2-type configurations together with DFT-based verifications. Using the newly acquired experimental data and DFT-based calculations, the thermodynamic description of the Nd-Bi system was remodeled, and a more complete Nd-Bi phase diagram was calculated, including the Nd3Bi7 compound, invariant transition reactions, and liquidus temperatures.
The Association Between Leisure Activity Engagement and Health-Related Quality of Life in Middle-Aged and Older People with HIV.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Middle-aged and older adults with HIV are at risk for decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL) which may be improved by engaging in leisure activities. We examined associations between HRQoL and participation in cognitive, physical, social, and passive leisure activities, and whether depressive symptoms mediated these relationships. Wilson and Cleary's conceptual model of HRQoL guided this study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In this cross-sectional observational study, we enrolled 174 adults living with HIV aged 40 and older (M = 51.3, SD = 7.03). Participants completed assessments of leisure activities, depressive symptoms, and HRQoL. Data were analyzed using Spearman's rho correlations, hierarchal multiple regression, and mediation analyses. RESULTS Greater engagement in physical activities was associated with higher physical HRQoL (b = 2.02, p < .05). Greater engagement in social activities was associated with both higher physical (b = 1.44, p < .05) and mental HRQoL (b = 1.95, p < .01). However, all associations between leisure activities and HRQoL were fully attenuated by depressive symptoms. Cognitive and passive leisure activities were not significantly correlated with HRQoL. Mediation analyses confirmed that depressive symptoms were the mediator mechanism by which social activities impacted mental and physical HRQoL. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS More frequent engagement in physical and social leisure activities are associated with better HRQoL, and social leisure activities improve HRQoL via their impact on mood. Interventions to increase leisure activities, especially among people living with HIV who have poorer affective functioning, may be the most effective approach to improving HRQoL.
Formulation and Multigrid Solution of the Discrete Adjoint Problem on Unstructured Meshes

The use of the adjoint equations is now well established for design-optimization problems in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for the Euler and NavierStokes equations. In the continuous adjoint method approach, the original continuous governing equations are first linearized, and then discretized, while in the discrete adjoint approach, these two steps are performed in reverse order. Because the continuous approach affords more flexibility at the discretization stage, formulations involving reduced memory and cpu overheads have generally been achieved with this approach [1]. On the other hand, the discrete approach reproduces the exact sensitivity derivatives of the original discretization of the governing equations, which provides a verifiable consistency check on the final gradients produced by the adjoint solution [2]. If f(w∗,D) represents a cost functional to be minimized in an optimization process, where D is a design variable, and w∗ represents flow-field values which result from the solution of the discretized flow equations, given in residual form as R(w,D) = 0, the sensitivity derivative of f with respect to D is given by:
Peroxisomal beta-oxidation of branched chain fatty acids in rat liver. Evidence that carnitine palmitoyltransferase I prevents transport of branched chain fatty acids into mitochondria

Fatty acid beta-oxidation was investigated in highly purified mitochondrial and peroxisomal preparations from rat liver. Under isotonic conditions, pristanic and homophytanic acid beta-oxidation in purified peroxisomes was severalfold greater compared to the oxidation in purified mitochondria. Branched chain fatty acid beta-oxidation in purified mitochondria was very low, and the oxidation was not stimulated by exogenous L-carnitine or L-malate. In contrast, stearic acid beta-oxidation by purified mitochondria depended upon exogenous L-carnitine, and the oxidation was stimulated by L-malate. Both mitochondrial and peroxisomal beta-oxidation of branched chain fatty acids was strongly inhibited by fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin, whereas stearic acid oxidation was either unaffected or slightly inhibited by bovine serum albumin. The results presented clearly indicate that branched chain fatty acids are mainly degraded in peroxisomes in rat liver. Branched chain fatty acids were efficiently converted to coenzyme A thioesters by purified mitochondria, peroxisomes, and microsomes. Although pristanic and phytanic acids were rapidly converted to pristanoyl-CoA and phytanoyl-CoA, respectively, they were not converted to carnitine esters by mitochondrial outer membranes. The results indicate that acyl-CoA synthetase and carnitine acyltransferase located at the mitochondrial outer membranes regulate entry of branched chain fatty acids into mitochondria. Mitochondrial carnitine acyltransferase I appears to be highly specific for straight chain fatty acids and restricts entry of branched chain fatty acids into mitochondria. Thus, branched chain fatty acids which cannot be transported across the mitochondrial membranes via the carnitine acyltransferase system are directed to peroxisomes for beta-oxidation. The results reported indicate that phytanic acid, the fatty acid which can be initially degraded by alpha-oxidation due to the presence of a beta-methyl group in the molecule, cannot be transported across the mitochondrial membranes. The data presented strongly suggest that phytanic acid alpha-oxidation occurs in organelles other than mitochondria and possibly in peroxisomes.
Development of Glass Compositions to Immobilize Alkali, Alkaline Earth, Lanthanide and Transition Metal Fission Products from Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) waste management strategy revolves around specific treatment of individual or groups of separated waste streams. A goal for the separations processes is to efficiently manage the waste to be dispositioned as high level radioactive waste. The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) baseline technology for immobilization of the lanthanide (Ln) and transition metal fission product (TM) wastes is vitrification into a borosilicate glass. A current interest is to evaluate the feasibility of vitrifying combined waste streams to most cost effectively immobilize the wastes resulting from aqueous fuel reprocessing. Studies showed that high waste loadings are achievable for the Ln only (Option 1) stream. Waste loadings in excess of 60 wt % (on a calcined oxide basis) were demonstrated via a lanthanide borosilicate (LaBS) glass. The resulting glasses had excellent relative durability as determined by the Product Consistency Test (PCT). For a combined Ln and TM waste stream glass (Option 2), noble metal solubility was found to limit waste loading. However, the measured PCT normalized elemental releases for this glass were at least an order of magnitude below that of Environmental Assessment (EA) glass. Current efforts to evaluate the feasibility of vitrifying combined Ln, TM, alkalimore » (Cs is the primary radionuclide of concern) and alkaline earth (Sr is the primary radionuclide of concern) wastes (Option 3) have shown that these approaches are feasible. However, waste loading limitations with respect to heat load (Cs/Sr loading), molybdenum solubility and/or noble metal solubility will likely be realized and must be considered in determining the cost effectiveness of these approaches.« less
A comparison of two aluminizing methods for corrosion protection in the wet seal of molten carbonate fuel cells

The corrosion of aluminized Type 310S stainless steel in the wet seal of molten carbonate fuel cells was investigated. Samples prepared with two aluminizing methods were used: thermal spray and slurry coating. At first, the diffusion of Fe and Cr into the aluminum is limited to the interfacial area. With time at 650/spl deg/C, Fe and Cr aluminides precipitate in the Al layer. The slurry-coated layer contains a higher concentration of FeAl and Fe/sub 3/Al than does the thermal spray layer. Because of the high iron content, the corrosion protection of the slurry layer is lower than that of the thermal spray layer.
The development and evolution of polyembryonic insects.

Publisher Summary Polyembryony refers to the formation of multiple embryos from a single egg. Sporadic polyembryony, such as identical twinning, occurs in most animal taxa, whereas obligate polyembryony occurs more rarely. Taxa, in which obligate polyembryony is reported, include certain groups of parasitic invertebrates (some cestodes, trematodes, and insects), colonial, aquatic invertebrates (oligochaetes, bryzoans), and a few mammals (armadillos). Polyembryony was first reported in insects, by Marchal, and has since been documented in two orders, the hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants) and strepsiptera. The most extreme examples of obligate polyembryony in the metazoa occur in the hymenoptera, where some species produce more than two thousand embryos from each egg they lay. Because so little is known about polyembryony in strepsipterans, this chapter focuses on polyembryony in wasps. This chapter describes the general phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic analyses based on the fossil record and living species indicate that the most primitive winged (pterygote) insects reside in hemimetabolous orders, such as the Odonata (dragonflies) and Orthoptera (grasshoppers), whereas the most advanced insects occur in the holometabolous orders. While not fully resolved, the sister group to the hymenoptera is most likely the panorpoid complexh that includes the diptera. If so, the nearest relatives at the ordinal level to the wasps are flies, such as the model insect Drosophila melanogaster .
Effects of in vitro and in vivo growth conditions on expression of type 8 capsular polysaccharide by Staphylococcus aureus.

Type 8 capsular polysaccharide (CP8) is widely prevalent among clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, but the role that the capsule plays in the pathogenesis of staphylococcal infections is unclear. This study was performed to identify growth conditions that would optimize the production of CP8 and to determine whether enhanced CP8 expression would influence staphylococcal virulence. S. aureus Becker grown in a chemically defined broth medium with 350-fold more cell-associated CP8 per milligram of biomass when grown on the surface of Columbia agar than when grown in Columbia broth. Most of the CP8 produced by broth-grown cells was secreted into the culture medium. S. aureus cultivated on the surface of nitrocellulose membranes floating on Columbia broth produced levels of CP8 similar to those produced by cells grown on Columbia agar. Similarly, bacteria harvested from endocardial vegetations of rabbits infected with S. aureus produced high levels of CP8. These results indicate that staphylococci grown on surfaces, both in vitro and in vivo, produce larger quantities of cell-associated CP8 than those grown in liquid cultures. However, no differences were observed in the 50% lethal dose for mice of strain Becker grown on solid medium (high levels of capsule expression) or in liquid medium (low levels of capsule expression).
Cp[TmMe]ZrCl2, a Tris(2-mercapto-1-methylimidazolyl)hydroborato Complex of Zirconium and a New Type of Precatalyst for Olefin Polymerization

Cp[TmMe]ZrCl2, the first tris(2-mercapto-1-methylimidazolyl)hydroborato complex of zirconium, is obtained by reaction of CpZrCl3 with [TmMe]K. The molecular structure of Cp[TmMe]ZrCl2 has been determined by X-ray diffraction, and the geometry closely resembles the bent-metallocene motif of Cp2ZrCl2. An important distinction, however, is that Cp[TmMe]ZrCl2 is chiral, with C1 symmetry. The chirality of Cp[TmMe]ZrCl2 is a consequence of the fact that the [TmMe] ligand exhibits a propeller-like twist such that it has local C3 symmetry and is therefore devoid of a mirror plane. Variable-temperature 1H NMR studies demonstrate that enantiomer interconversion does not occur on the NMR time scale. In combination with methylalumoxane, Cp[TmMe]ZrCl2 produces an active catalyst for ethylene polymerization.
Heat flow in relativistic equilibrium thermodynamics

An attempt is made to clarify a thought experiment introduced by P. T. Landsberg concerning the relativistic heat flow between bodies in relative motion. It is shown that if the problem is analyzed within the covariant thermodynamics developed by R. Balescu, supplemented by the second law of thermodynamics as proposed here, then such heat flow considerations do not fix the transformation of temperature as Landsberg contends. Instead, the transformation of temperature is left as being purely a matter of definition.
Optical coherence spectroscopy in solution: determining the system-bath correlation function

We present a method to determine system-bath correlation functions from third order optical coherence measurements. The importance of these correlation functions for understanding solvation dynamics is explained. A physical argument is made to explain why one coherence measurement, the photon echo peak shift, should strongly reflect system- bath dynamics. Finally, this method is applied to the system of bacteriochlorophyll in tetrahydrofuran solution.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The management of foreign affairs of the GI tract

The flexible fiberoptic endoscope has not been employed consistently in the removal of foreign bodies from the gastrointestinal tract due to size limitations of the forceps and biopsy channel. The following report describes a technique for extracting large irregular objects from the upper-gastrointestinal tract, employing the polypectomy snare. It is a safe and reproducible procedure for the careful extraction of impacted objects.
Low phosphorus and low potassium food list

This Low Phosphorus and Low Potassium handout was created to assist the dialysis patient in making food selections from a list of “allowed foods” instead of “avoid these foods.” The renal diet can be quite difficult for patients and their family members. Therefore, this handout emphasizes the positive food choices instead of the negative ones. Many food choices are high in phosphorus and potassium. This quick reference guide includes foods that are low in phosphorus (<50 mg/serving) and low in potassium (cl50 mg/serving). Keep in mind the listed portion sizes when making your food choices. Check with your dietitian for more information and help when using this list.
Allergic fungal sinusitis. A report of two cases with diagnosis by intraoperative aspiration cytology.

Background Allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is a newly recognized form of sinusitis characterized by opacification of the paranasal sinuses by "allergic mucin" (AM) admixed with scattered fungal organisms. AM consists of necrotic, or partially necrotic, eosinophils and Charcot-Leyden crystals suspended in lakes of laminated, mucinous material. AFS is characterized by the absence of bone or soft tissue invasion, purulent exudate or granulomatous inflammation. Clinically, it is important to differentiate AFS from both acute invasive fungal sinusitis and noninvasive mycetoma because the three diseases are treated with different modalities and have different prognoses. Although the radiologic features of AFS are often characteristic, occasionally it may be difficult to exclude neoplasia. Cases Two cases of AFS, in which intraoperative diagnosis was made on the basis of the presence of both AM and fungal organisms, are reported. Conclusion Cytologic diagnosis of AFS can be made from intraoperative sinus aspirates from the presence of AM and fungal elements. AM and fungi provide presumptive evidence for a noninvasive, allergic fungal disease and can help reassure clinicians intraoperatively and guide clinical management.
Moving Forward With fMRI Data.

The use of fMRI to inform cognitive theory depends upon the assumption that there is an isomorphic relationship between functional states and brain states. Even if this assumption is accepted, employing fMRI to make cognitive inferences is not straightforward. We discuss these inferential difficulties and describe an example in which fMRI data has had a significant impact on a cognitive theory despite them. The embodied cognition framework states that accessing a conceptual feature engages the same processes that are active when the feature is directly experienced. fMRI studies have consistently found that accessing a feature activates cortical regions slightly anterior to the regions activated when the feature is experienced. We suggest that this neural dissociation between accessing and perceiving a feature is inconsistent with the strong form of embodied cognition theory and that this inconsistency would likely not have been identified without fMRI. We describe how the observation of this forward shift...
Online Collection Evaluation, Course by Course

In view of the fact that evaluating library collections is so valuable in learning to what degree they lend support to all phases of curricula, it is surprising that so little attention is paid to evaluation techniques based on library support for individual courses of instruction. Surveying relevant library materials for specific courses is much superior to merely analyzing collection support for academic departments or programs. The first step in the process usually involves assigning call numbers to courses in order to measure the library shelflist and count the number of relevant materials. This is a laborious and sometimes frustrating experience, but not without significant advantages for librarians pursuing such quantitative evaluations.
THE OAK RIDGE RELATIVISTIC ISOCHRONOUS CYCLOTRON

Abstract A variable-energy cyclotron of unusual versatility is described. In this cyclotron a spatially varying magnetic field provides for both focusing and isochronous orbits. This azimuthally varying field has three-fold symmetry and gives an estimated maximum energy of 75 MeV for protons, 100 MeV for N 4+ . Flexibility in energy and choice of particle to be accelerated are achieved with a resonant system tunable between 22.5 and 7.5 Mc/s and with 21 sets of magnet coils which can be adjusted individually to control the magnetic field configuration. Background information on the development of this type of cyclotron is included.
Gridlock: Labor, migration, and human trafficking in Dubai

Gridlock: Labor, migration, and human trafficking in Dubai, by Pardis Mahdavi, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2011, 264 pp., US$27.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-8047-7220-4 Human trafficking can...
Graphics-based operator control station for local/remote telerobotics

A prototype operator control station (OCS) for controlling a remote telerobotic system is being developed and tested. The operational scenario is for an OCS which may be on the ground or in space, controlling a telerobot during the performance of assembly and maintenance tasks in space. The principal goal of this effort is to demonstrate effective remote control of telerobotic operations on realistic tasks, with communications between local and remote sites constrained in both latency and thruput. The prototype OCS will be used to control a telerobot located at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, as well as one co-located with the OCS prototype at JPL. This paper provides an overview of the OCS architecture and operator interface and describes implementation status.
Free riding with discrete and continuous public goods: Some experimental evidence*

Two experimental designs were employed in which subjects were offered either a "dis- crete" public good, for which group contributions must meet a provision point before subjects receive payoffs; and a "continuous" public good, which returned 30 percent of group contribu- tions to each subject at all contributions levels. Free riding, or non-contribution, is a dominant strategy in the continuous case. Non-contribution is not a dominant strategy in the discrete case; there are multiple equilibria. Contribution levels were similar in both cases, and did not vary significantly with method of pay- ment (hypothetical versus real money); earnings, however, were higher in the continuous and real- money versions of the experiment. Subjects' demographic characteristics made little difference to contribution patterns. The most significant determinant of contributions was the round of the "game." Roughly speaking, subjects contributed less the longer they played, regardless of other factors.
Electric field-induced quenching of luminescence in quantum wells

Abstract Photoluminescence measurements have been performed on GaAs quantum wells under an electric field perpendicular to them. With an increasing field, the intensity decreases and becomes completely quenched at an average field of a few tens of kV/cm. This is accompanied by a shift to lower energies of the peak positions. The results are interpreted as caused by the field, which induces a separation of electrons and holes and modifies the energies of the quantum states.
Cannabichromene and Tetrahydrocannabinol Determination in Mouse Blood and Brain by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Cannabichromene (CBC) is a phytocannabinoid, the second most abundant cannabinoid quantitatively in marijuana. CBC has been shown to produce antinociception and anti-inflammatory effects in rodents. This method is validated for the measurement of THC and CBC simultaneously after extraction from mouse blood or brain. Whole brain harvested from mice was homogenized 2:1 (v/w) with normal saline. Fifty nanograms of THC-d₃ was added to 0.5 mL of heparinized mouse blood, brain homogenate, and THC and CBC fortified blood or brain calibrators, then equilibrated overnight at 5 °C. Two milliliters of "ice cold" acetonitrile was added drop-wise while the sample was vortex mixed, and then the sample was centrifuged and stored overnight at -30 °C. The cannabinoids were extracted from the acetonitrile layer with 2 mL of 0.2 N NaOH and 4 mL of hexane/ethyl acetate (9:1). The solvent was isolated and evaporated to dryness. Trimethylsilyl derivatives were prepared and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Linearity in blood and brain of THC and CBC was 2-10,000 ng/mL (ng/g). THC and CBC recovery ranged from 56 to 78% in blood and brain. Precision was demonstrated at 100 ng/mL and 1000 ng/mL with CVs < 15%. The validated method allows for blood and brain concentrations of cannabinoids to be quantificated and correlated with pharmacological effects produced in mice.
On the stereochemistry of the bis-nor-wieland-miescher ketome

Abstract The chemo- and stereoselective reduction and the absolute configuration of 5-methylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct-1-en-3,6-dione is reported.
Pituitary Prolactin Secretion in Female Rats Made Persistently Estrous or Diestrous by Hypothalamic Deafferentation

Serum prolactin levels and pituitary prolactin concentration and total content were determined by radioimmunoassay in adult female rats which had been made constant-diestrous by complete deafferentation (CC) or constant- estrous by anterior deafferentation (AC) of the medial basal hypothalamus. Either cut severely altered prolactin secretion by blocking the “proestrous surge” of prolactin. In completely deafferented rats, serum prolactin levels were low but not significantly lower than cyclic diestrous levels. The pituitary weight in CC rats was markedly reduced and the pituitary prolactin concentration was as low as that seen late on the afternoon of proestrus or after long-term ovariectomy. In contrast, anterior-deafferented rats had serum prolactin levels almost as high as those observed late on the afternoon of proestrus. The pituitaries were enlarged in AC rats, the mean concentration of pituitary prolactin was similar to diestrous values, and the total pituitary content of prolactin was raised to a ...
Ethical alterity and asymmetrical reciprocity: A Levinasian reading of Works of Love

Following and extending the recent tradition of Kierkegaard–Levinas comparativists, this essay offers a Levinasian commentary on salient aspects of Kierkegaard’s ethico-religious deliberations in Works of Love, a text that we are unsure whether or not Levinas actually read. Against some post/modern interpreters, I argue that one should adopt both a Jewish and a Christian perspective (rather than an oversimplified either/or point of view) in exploring the sometimes “seamless passages” between Kierkegaard and Levinas’s thought. The first argument of this essay is that interhuman ethical relationships, as seen by Kierkegaard and Levinas, are premised upon an original asymmetry or inequality. Ethical alterity requires more on the part of the responsible I for the destitute Other. However, this original ethical alterity is not at all the last word in loving and healthy human relationships. In the second section of this study, a dual asymmetry on the part of each participating human yields an “asymmetrical reciprocity,” or in Kierkegaard’s words, “infinity on both sides.” While they are of no concern␣to me, your ethical duties to me are revealed to you upon our face-to-face encounter.
Structure of the PLP Degradative Enzyme 2-Methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-5-carboxylic acid Oxygenase from Mesorhizobium loti MAFF303099 and its Mechanistic Implications

A vitamin B6 degradative pathway has recently been identified and characterized in Mesorhizobium loti MAFF303099. One of the enzymes on this pathway, 2-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-5-carboxylic acid oxygenase (MHPCO), is a flavin-dependent enzyme and catalyzes the oxidative ring-opening of 2-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-5-carboxylic acid to form E-2-(acetamino-methylene)succinate. The gene for this enzyme has been cloned, and the corresponding protein has been overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The crystal structure of MHPCO has been solved to 2.1 A using SAD phasing with and without the substrate MHPC bound. These crystal structures provide insight into the reaction mechanism and suggest roles for active site residues in the catalysis of a novel oxidative ring-opening reaction.
Amplification and expression of the cyclin D1 gene in anal and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas

Abstract Cyclin Dl is a cell-cycle regulator and candidate proto-oncogene implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous tumor types. Amplification of the cyclin Dl gene occurs commonly in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. However, no studies have examined the role of cyclin D1 in anal carcinogenesis. We examined 20 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas and 24 anal carcinomas for cyclin Dl alterations. Protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using the cyclin D1GM antibody (Novocastra, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK). Cyclin D1 amplification was examined by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), using a cyclin D1 probe obtained from Toshiya Inaba at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN. The FISH sections were analyzed using a Leica (Deerfield, IL) confocal microscope. By immunohistochemistry, 75% of esophageal carcinomas showed evidence of cyclin D1 expression. Cyclin Dl amplification was detected by FISH in 65% of esophageal cancers. There was good correlation between cyclin D1 protein expression and gene amplification, although some tumors showed protein overexpression in the absence of gene amplification. Among the 24 anal carcinomas studied, 8% showed weak cyclin D1 immunoreactivity in rare tumor cells. None of the anal tumors showed cyclin D1 amplification. We conclude that cyclin Dl alterations are common in esophageal carcinomas but do not appear to be important in anal carcinogenesis. Immunohistochemical detection of cyclin D1 protein overexpression is a good predictor of cyclin D1 amplification.
The Development of a Prospective Data Collection Process in a Traditional Chinese Medicine Teaching Clinic

Abstract Objective: There is a growing need for students and practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine to gain experience with standardized data collection, patient outcomes measurement, and practice-based research. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a process for standardized data collection that could eventually be adopted for clinical, research, and quality assurance purposes. Settings/location: The setting for this study was an acupuncture and Oriental medicine teaching clinic in Bloomington, Minnesota. Methods: Four (4) aspects of data collection were assessed and improved, including intake and post-treatment questionnaires, follow-up with patients, integration of data collection into clinic flow, and commitment of resources to the project. Outcome measures: The outcomes measures were data collection and missing data rates, burden on patients and clinic staff, and efficiency of data entry. Results: Revision to the data collection process resulted in decreased burden to pa...
Biliverdin reductase: A novel regulator for Induction of activating transcription factor-2 and heme oxygenase-1

Biliverdin IXα reductase (BVR) catalyzes reduction of the HO activity product, biliverdin, to bilirubin. hBVR is a serine/threonine kinase that contains a bZip domain. Presently, regulation of gene expression by hBVR was examined. 293A cells were infected with adenovirusdoxycycline (Ad-Dox)-inducible hBVR cDNA. High level expression of hBVR was determined at mRNA, protein, and activity levels 8 h after induction. Cell signal transduction microarray analysis of cells infected with expression or with the control Ad-inverted (INV)-hBVR vector identified ATF-2 among several up-regulated genes. ATF-2 is a bZip transcription factor for activation of cAMP response element (CRE) and a dimeric partner to c-jun in MAPK pathway that regulates the stress protein, HO-1, expression. Northern and Western blot analyses showed increases of ∼10-fold in ATF-2 mRNA and protein at 16 and 24 h after Dox addition. Ad-INV-hBVR did not effect ATF-2 expression. In hBVR-infected cells, levels of HO-1 mRNA and protein were increased. In vitro translated hBVR and nuclear extract containing hBVR in gel mobility-shift assay bound to AP-1 sites in the ATF-2 promoter region and to an oligonucleotide containing the CRE site. Both bindings could be competed out by excess unlabeled probe; in the presence of hBVR antibody, they displayed shifted bands. Co-transfection of hBVR with ATF-2 or c-jun promoters caused a severalfold increase in luciferase activity. hBVR modulation of ATF-2 and HO-1 expression suggests it has a potential role in regulation of AP-1 and cAMP-regulated genes and a role in cell signaling. We propose that increased expression of the protein can be used to alter the gene expression profile in the cell.
Man as a mammal: Psychoacoustics

In trying to describe the auditory capabilities of vertebrates, investigators often use measures of critical bands, temporal integration or localization. The results obtained from nonhuman animals are quite often compared to classical data obtained from man. In recent years both psychoacousticians and auditory physiologists have begun to modify the classical theories of frequency selectivity, temporal acuity, and localization. The concept of an internal filter to describe frequency selectivity has given way to more complex functions that indicate frequency regions of excitation and inhibition. Measures of the time constant of temporal integration have varied from a few to hundreds of milliseconds indicating complex temporal processing. The ability of man to accurately lateralize high‐frequency sounds that contain low repetition frequencies has challenged the original duplex theory of localization. The research in these three areas will be reviewed in the context of comparative animal psychophysics.
Genetic heterogeneity for the development of audiogenic seizures in mice.

Abstract Susceptibility to audiogenic seizures (AS) in mice is age dependent. In the prototype DBA/2 (D2) strain, AS susceptibility is greatest around 21 days of age (juvenile-onset), but then gradually subsides. By the time D2 mice reach adulthood (60–80 days) they become completely resistant to AS. Mice of the C5BL/6 (B6) strain are resistant to AS at all ages. Even though the D2 and B6 strains are AS-resistant at adult ages, several B6 × D2 (BXD) recombinant inbred (RI) strains are highly AS-susceptible as adults. Previous studies showed that AS susceptibility in 21-day-old mice was strongly influenced by a major gene,Ias, closely linked to theAh locus. It appears, however, thatIas does not influence AS susceptibility in adult mice since no association was found between theAh locus and AS susceptibility in adult BXD RI strains. Furthermore, the developmental profile of AS susceptibility in one RI strain, BXD-15, was biphasic. The incidence of clonic-tonic seizures in these mice at 21, 42 and 60–80 days of age was 82.2%, 14.8%, and 66.6%, respectively. The inheritance of AS susceptibility in the F1 hybrids from crosses between the B6, D2, and BXD-15 strains was also different at young and adult ages. The incidence of clonic-tonic seizures in the B6BXD-15F1 hybrids went from 0% at 21 days of age to 24% at 60–80 days; whereas the incidence of clonic-tonic seizures in the D2BXD-15F1 hybrids went from 100% at 21 days to 0% at 60–80 days. Subtle differences were also observed between young and adult mice for the latency period (in seconds) to seizure onset, for the type of seizures, and for the incidence of seizures in males and females. Taken together, these findings suggest that the genetic mechanism responsible for juvenile-onset AS susceptibility is different from that responsible for adult-onset AS susceptibility in BXD-15 mice. The implications of these findings to the study of certain human idiopathic epilepsies are mentioned.
Fabrication of patterned-surface reactivity templates using physisorption of reactive species in solvent-imprinted nanocavities

A critical requirement for using thin polymer films in many microelectronics applications is the ability to selectively immobilize materials on patterned polymer templates. Selective surface functionalization using covalent solution- phase chemistries is the most direct approach, but suffers several drawbacks, including reduced reaction rates or yields on a surface compared to solution environments; surface template distortion due to reagent/polymer incompatibilities; and concerns arising from the use of hazardous or expensive materials. We describe here an alternative noncovalent patterning approach based on selective trapping of ligands in solvent-imprinted nanocavities on aromatic polymer film surfaces. Noncovalent binding is based upon exclusion of a ligand from aqueous solution into hydrophobic cavities within the polymer film. Spatial control of the binding is accomplished either by: increasing local hydrophilicity sufficiently to suppress ligand binding (masked DUV, STM, proximity x-ray), selective placement of the ligand on the film (microcontact printing) or selective removal of pre-loaded ligand from the film (25 kV or 50 kV e-beam). Retained reactivity of the adsorbed ligands is illustrated by fabrication of metal or fluorescent patterns on treated polymer surfaces. The fabrication of features in metal films with resolutions to ~40 nm is demonstrated.
The effects of narcotic analgesics and narcotic antagonists on ganglionic transmission in the rat.

Abstract The effects of narcotic analgesics, narcotic-antagonist analgesics and narcotic antagonists on ganglionic transmission in the superior cervical ganglia of the rat were studied in vivo and in vitro . In vivo administration of morphine, meperidine, methadone, pentazocine or naltrexone blocked ganglionic transmission. Levorphanol, cyclazocine, nalorphine and naloxone had no effect on ganglionic transmission in this procedure. In vitro studies confirmed the in vivo results with the exception of levorphanol, cyclazocine and nalorphine, which were also found to block ganglionic transmission in vitro . In both preparations, naloxone did not antagonize the effect of morphine, suggesting that the effects of morphine and the other opiates were nonspecific. Similar potency of d - and l -isomers of pentazocine and cyclazocine support this conclusion. The observation that naltrexone blocked ganglionic transmission, but the other pure narcotic antagonist, naloxone, was inactive is somewhat unique to this test procedure and possibly significant.
A Microphysical Connection Among Biomass Burning, Cumulus Clouds, and Stratospheric Moisture

A likely causal chain is established here that connects humidity in the stratosphere, relative humidity near the tropical tropopause, ice crystal size in towering cumulus clouds, and aerosols associated with tropical biomass burning. The connections are revealed in satellite-observed fluctuations of each quantity on monthly to yearly time scales. More aerosols lead to smaller ice crystals and more water vapor entering the stratosphere. The connections are consistent with physical reasoning, probably hold on longer time scales, and may help to explain why stratospheric water vapor appears to have been increasing for the past five decades.
Raman scattering temperature probe of laser disk marking

The laser-induced temperature rise in a dye/polymer system for optical storage was directly obtained by measuring the intensity ratio of the Raman scattered radiations (anti-Stokes to Stokes). The laser beam that writes is used to collect scattering data. Computer simulated laser-induced temperature distribution and its corresponding intensity ratio were used to extract the actual temperature information developed on the recording films. Experiments have been done at laser powers below and up to the point of threshold of marking.
Are granular materials simple? An experimental study of strain gradient effects and localization

Experiments test the dependence of shearing stress on the first two gradients of shear strain. The tests were conducted by direct numerical simulation using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) on a large two-dimensional (2D) assembly of circular disks. The assembly was coerced into non-uniformly deformed shapes by applying body forces to the material region. The tests show that shearing stress is affected by both the first and second gradients of shear strain, and the measured responses to strain and its gradients are all incrementally non-linear. The dilation rate is unaffected by strain gradients. Particle rotations, although highly erratic, are, on average, consistent with the mean-field rotation and unaffected by strain gradients. In independent unconstrained tests, the material was sheared without body forces so that localization could freely occur. Three localization patterns were observed: microbands at very small strains; non-persistent shear bands at moderate strains; and persistent bands at large strains. The observed features of microbands and shear bands are consistent with the measured influences of shearing strain and its first two derivatives.
Pollen Morphology of the Tribe Neottieae and its Impact on the Classification of the Orchidaceae

Abstract Pollen of 41 species representing all seven genera of the Neottieae were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Except for Lecanorchis, the genera of the Neottieae constitute a natural group based on pollen morphology. Pollen occurs as single grains in the primitive species and in tetrads in the other species. Most grains are monoaperturate, porate or tenuate, and the tetrads often have irregularly shaped grains. Exine structure varies from tectate-perforate to semitectate. Lecanorchis is anomalous among the Neottieae in that it has 0–5, sunken, relatively small pores. Pollen morphology of this genus indicates that it is probably more closely related to the Gastrodieae than the Neottieae. There are at least four basic phyletic units in the Orchidaceae: the Neottioideae, Apostasioideae, Cypripedioideae, and Epidendroideae. These groups are distinguished by the presence of monads in at least their more primitive members and by their unique pollen types.