cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbohydrate Reaction Intermediates: Effect of Ring-Oxygen Protonation on the Structure and Conformation of Aldofuranosyl Rings

The effect of ring-oxygen protonation on the structure and conformational properties of a model deoxyaldofuranose, 2-deoxy-β-d-glycero-tetrofuranose 2, has been examined with the use of NMR spectroscopy and ab initio molecular orbital calculations conducted at the HF/6-31G* level of theory. The computational method was validated by comparing the conformational behavior of 2 derived from PSEUROT treatment of 3JHH values measured in 2 (2H2O solvent) with that predicted from the theoretical calculations. Coupling data indicate that 2 favors S forms in solution (∼89% 4T3, ∼11% E2), while MO data indicated more comparable populations of the same or very similar N and S forms. Protonation of 2 at the ring oxygen (O4), yielding 1, gave two distinct protonated forms which differed in the orientation of the proton about O4. Both forms showed substantial changes in ring structure and conformation compared to 2. Protonated forms almost exclusively prefer S forms (E3), and energy barriers for N/S interconversion were...
Effect of Escherichia coli endotoxin on locomotor activity of mice.

Abstract A single injection of E. coli endotoxin (39–156 μg per kg. i.p.) depressed locomotor activity in mice. It also decreased the ability of amphetamine to stimulate spontaneous locomotion. The behavioral effects were not related to the effect on body temperature.
Hydrophobic interaction microscopy: mapping the solid/ liquid interface using amphiphilic probe molecules.

The adsorption, interfacial mobility, and desorption of amphiphilic molecules are extremely sensitive to the chemical properties of the interface at which they adsorb; we demonstrate here that this sensitivity can be used to map subtle spatial variations of surface hydrophobicity. We have used total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to observe the dynamic behavior of individual fluorescently labeled fatty acid molecules at the interface between water and a hydrophobically modified fused silica surface. Patterned surfaces were prepared by photodegradation of trimethylsilane-modified surfaces using a contact photomask; the degree of hydrophobic contrast was varied by controlling the dose of ultraviolet radiation. Cumulative images of single-molecule fluorescence, integrated over various exposure times, exhibited structural features consistent with the photopattern, and the fluorescence contrast was systematically related to the hydrophobic contrast. Lateral force microscopy was also used to charac...
Red blood cell transfusion, feeding and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants

Preliminary studies suggested an association between red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature neonates. An advantageous effect of withholding feeds during transfusion has never been studied. We aimed, first, to determine whether preterm infants who developed NEC were more likely to be transfused in the 48 to 72 h before the diagnosis of NEC; second, to test if a strict policy of withholding feeds during transfusion would decrease the incidence of transfusion-associated NEC. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1: a retrospective case–control study of premature low-birth weight (<32 weeks and <2500 g) infants who developed NEC over a 6-year period. Phase 2: a comparison study of the incidence of NEC during the 18-months preceding, and the 18 months following the change of practice to withholding feeds during RBC transfusion. In the case–control study (25 infants with NEC and 25 controls), more infants in the NEC group received transfusions in the 48 and 72 h preceding diagnosis (56 vs 20% within 48 h, P=0.019; and 64 vs 24% within 72 h, P=0.01). The total number of transfusions and age of RBCs were not different between the two groups. Implementing the policy of withholding feeds during transfusion was associated with a decrease in the incidence of NEC from 5.3 to 1.3% (P=0.047). Infants who developed NEC frequently received RBC transfusions in the 48 and 72 h preceding presentation of NEC. A strict policy of withholding feeds during transfusion may have a protective effect from NEC.
A TIME-SEQUENCE STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF PEROXIDATION, LYSOSOMAL ENZYMES, AND NUTRITIONAL MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY.

Abstract Removal of supplemental methionine from a vitamin E-deficient diet of 3-week-old chicks precipitated symptoms of muscular dystrophy within 48 hours. Concurrent increases occurred in peroxidation in the muscles, as measured by TBA index, and in the lysosomal enzyme, β-glucuronidase. Recovery from dystrophy was faster following resupplementation of the basal diet with methionine than with addition of vitamin E. Peroxidizability of the tissues remained high in the chicks receiving the vitamin E-deficient diet even though muscular dystrophy was cured by addition of methionine. Vitamin E caused an immediate improvement in peroxidizability of tissues, yet was slower than methionine in its effect upon dystrophy. Thus peroxidizability of the tissues was not correlated with the recovery from dystrophy as effected by methionine. Lysosomal enzyme concentration in the muscles rose sharply immediately after methionine resupplementation and then regressed with recovery. The results indicated that the lysosomal enzymes are not directly implicated in the cause of nutritional muscular dystrophy; their increase apparently is involved in the hydrolytic breakdown and removal of degradative products from the tissues. The finding that methionine was completely effective, not only in prevention but also in reversion of nutritional muscular dystrophy under conditions of high peroxidizability of the muscle tissues, re-emphasizes the primary role of the sulfur amino acids in prevention of nutritional muscular dystrophy in the chick.
Contributions of La niña and El Niño to middle Holocene drought and late Holocene moisture in the American Southwest

Eolian landforms in Estancia basin, central New Mexico, record two episodes of extreme drought and low groundwater levels during the middle Holocene (7000-5400 1 4 C yr B.P.), followed by a rise in the water table throughthe late Holocene. Blowouts and associated lunettes formed when water levels fell below the desiccated floor of pluvial Lake Estancia, allowing widespread deflation. Elevation of the water table in the basin is regulated by a balance between evaporation from playas that occupy the blowouts and recharge of aquifers in the adjacent Manzano Mountains. Isotopic analyses of modern precipitation and groundwater reveal that recharge originates primarily as winter moisture, which is amplified during El Ninos and diminished during La Ninas. Thus, changes in the elevation of a reconstructed Holocene water table may reflect systematic changes in El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) circulation.
Role of a genetic region on chromosome 4 in the regulation of natural killer cell activity in mice

SUMMARY Natural killer cell (NK) activity is regulated by both the H-2 and non-H-2 genes. Using bilineal congenic HW26C and HW13 mice which differ from the background strain C57BL/6By (B6) in a region of chromosome 4, we investigated the role played by a gene/genes in a segment of chromosome 4 of BALB/cBy on NK cell activity. Percoll separated low density spleen cells from young HW26C and HW13 mice showed a 3.5 fold higher NK activity than the B6. We also observed that the increase in NK activity of HW26C was not due to an increase in the number of NK cells. Using five other bilineal congenics containing different regions of chromosome 4 of BALB/cBy, we observed that the putative gene(s) regulating NK activity may be located between b and IFN-α/β genes of chromosome 4. The level of NK activity of (B6xHW26C)F1 ranked between the HW26C and B6 suggesting that the gene product described is inherited in an incompletely dominant fashion.
Effect of a phosphate supplement on urine pH in patients with neurogenic bladder receiving intermittent catheterization.

Effect of a phosphate supplement on urine pH in patients with neurogenic bladder receiving intermittent catheterization
Carbon Storage and Minesoil Properties in Relation to Topsoil Application Techniques

Reclaimed minelands could act as C sinks, but shallow soil, nutrient deficiency, and compaction could limit C accretion in these ecosystems. This study evaluated the impact of topsoil application techniques on total C storage (tree biomass and soil organic C [SOC]) in 15-yr-old experimental plots established on reclaimed land in southeastern Ohio. Treatments included topsoil (graded overburden [OV] and standard [ST] and ripped topsoil [RT]) and P fertilization (0 and 2.24 Mg ha -1 of rock phosphate). One half of each plot was planted with Austrian pine (Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold ssp. nigra) and the other half with green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall). A significant effect of topsoil application on tree growth and SOC was noted. In green ash plots, aboveground biomass was always RT (29.8 Mg C ha-') > OV (17.8 Mg C ha -1 ). The lower SOC in RT than in ST plots was attributed to enhanced C mineralization by soil ripping, but with the fast-growing Austrian pine, this SOC deficit was compensated by a greater (by 4.9 Mg C ha -1 ) standing tree biomass in the RT plots, resulting in comparable total C storage with either ST or CT. With the slow-growing green ash, however, total C storage was significantly lower in RT (27.9 Mg C ha -1 ) than in ST (37.4 Mg C ha -1 ) plots. Thus, the impact of topsoil application technique on C storage in these aggrading ecosystems is largely determined by tree growth and productivity.
Intelligent home systems

The home automation system module, communications standards developed in the US by the Electronic Industry Association (EIA) and known as the Consumer Electronic Bus (CEBus) is reviewed. The CEBus network node architecture application layer, network layer, data link layer, physical layer, and access protocol are discussed. The different media used for CEBus communication are described. >
Analysis and optimization of in-situ error detection techniques in ultra-low-voltage pipeline

In-situ error-detection and correction techniques have a strong potential to eliminate the worst-case margins in ultra-low-voltage (ULV) pipelines while achieving high variation tolerance. Adding the capability of error detection, however, can incur large hardware overhead, especially in ULV due to the larger variability. In this paper, we analyze the hardware overhead of error-detection techniques and propose a technique called sparse insertion of error-detecting registers. The proposed technique, applied on benchmark 3-stage pipeline operating at 0.35V, can reduce the error-detecting register count by 1.3-4.3×, total area by 15-40% and timing violation rate by 19-37×, compared to the conventional techniques.
Interspecific competition enhances nitrogen fixation in an actinorhizal shrub

In forest understory restoration, the establishment of reintroduced species may be strongly linked to their ability to compete for belowground resources. In this study, we provide isotopic and morphological evidence for competition-induced increases in nitrogen fixation by Morella cerifera (L.) Small (wax myrtle) when planted with Pinus palustris Mill (longleaf pine). Compared to a competition-free treatment, we found no significant differences in tissue N concentrations for M. cerifera. However, 15N enrichment in leaves, stems and roots, as well as whole-plant values for nitrogen derived from fertilizer were significantly lower when the plants were subject to interspecific competition from P. palustris. Plants in the competition treatment also allocated a significantly greater percentage of belowground biomass to root nodules than those in the competition-free treatment (0.65 vs. 0.41%). This strongly suggests that M. cerifera is capable of upregulating nitrogen fixation in response to interspecific competition. This may help explain why M. cerifera outperformed non-nitrogen-fixing species reintroduced on the same site.
Methysergide augments the acute, but not the sustained, hypoxic ventilatory response in goats.

Abstract Ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia (VAH) is the time-dependent increase in ventilation that occurs during sustained hypoxia. As serotonin (5-HT) has been reported to be an important modulator of respiratory output, 5-HT may also play a role in VAH. Methysergide (a broad-spectrum 5-HT antagonist), was given to awake goats (1 mg kg−1 i.v.) 30 min prior to being exposed to 4 h of isocapnic hypoxia. Although methysergide slightly decreased arterial pH, presumably due to a non-significant increase in arterial PCO2, it did not alter normoxic ventilation. Following methysergide, the expired minute ventilation ( V e ) was significantly elevated above the control (saline) response after 30 min of hypoxia, but methysergide did not otherwise alter VAH. We repeated the study in the same goats using ketanserin, a specific 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist (1.2 mg kg−1 i.v.). Ketanserin had no effect on the acute hypoxic ventilatory response, or on VAH. We conclude that while 5-HT modulates the acute hypoxic ventilatory response in goats, it does not appear to act through the 5-HT2A/2C receptor subtypes.
Curves of growth for van der Waals broadened spectral lines

Curves of growth are evaluated for a spectral line broadened by the van der Waals interactions during collisions. The growth of the equivalent widths of such lines is shown to be dependent on the product of the perturber density and the 6/10 power of the van der Waals potential coefficient. When the parameter is small, the widths grow as the 1/2 power of the optical depth as they do for the Voigt profile: but when the parameter is large, they grow as 2/3 power and, hence, faster than the Voigt profile. An approximate analytical expression for the computed growth characteristics is given.
Calcium dynamics and endoplasmic reticular function in the regulation of protein synthesis: implications for cell growth and adaptability

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) possesses the structural and functional features expected of an organelle that supports the integration and coordination of major cellular processes. Ca(2+) sequestered within the ER sustains lumenal protein processing while providing a reservoir of the cation to support stimulus-response coupling in the cytosol. Release of ER Ca(2+) sufficient to impair protein processing promotes ER stress and signals the "unfolded protein response" (UPR). The association of the UPR with an acute suppression of mRNA translational initiation and a longer term up-regulation of ER chaperones and partial translational recovery is discussed. Regulatory sites in mRNA translation and the mechanisms responsible for the early and later phases of the UPR are reviewed. The regulatory significance of GRP78/BiP, a multifunctional, broad-specificity ER chaperone, in the coordination of ER protein processing with mRNA translation during acute and chronic ER stress is addressed. The relationship of ER stress to protein misfolding in the cytoplasm is examined. Translational alterations in embryonic cardiomyocytes during treatments with various Ca(2+)-mobilizing, growth-promoting stimuli are described. The importance of ER Ca(2+) stores, ER chaperones, and cytosolic-free Ca(2+) in translational control and growth promotion by these stimuli is assessed. Some perspectives are provided regarding Ca(2+) as an integrating factor in the generation or diversion of metabolic energy. Circumstances impacting upon cellular adaptability during exposure to growth stimuli or during stressful conditions that require rapid adjustments in ATP for continued viability are considered.
Argon-40-argon-39 dating of Apollo sample 15555.

An age of 3.33 (plus or minus 0.05) b.y. was obtained for Apollo 15 sample 15555 by argon-40-argon-39 dating. The age of rock 15555, a basalt from the rim of Hadley Rille, establishes an upper limit to the age of the rille. The basalt flows filling the Hadley Rille section of the Imbrium basin postdate the formation of the basin - as measured by the Apollo 14 samples of the Fra Mauro formation - by at least 500 m.y. Therefore, the mare basalts cannot be simple impact melts but rather must result from some igneous activity on the moon.
Radiohalogenation of non activated aromatic compounds via aryltrimethylsilyl intermediates

The utility of aryltrimethylsilyl derivatives to regiospecifically introduce carrier and no-carrier-added quantities of radiobromine and radioiodine into certain aromatic rings has been demonstrated. Using trimethylsilyltoluenes as a model system for aromatic rings that are not highly activated, conditions for the rapid and efficient incorporation of radiobromine and radioiodine were found. Reaction conditions necessary for the radiobrominations were very mild; however, the slower radioiodinations required elevated temperatures or highly acidic conditions.
The ionization behavior of retinoic acid in lipid bilayers and in membranes

The ionization behavior of retinoic acid (RA) incorporated in unilamellar vesicles of different lipid compositions and in biological membranes was studied. Titration of RA in the various membranes was followed by monitoring the red shift in the absorption maximum of RA that occurred upon deprotonation. It was found that, similar to other hydrophobic carboxylic acids, the protonated form of RA is stabilized by incorporation into bilayers vs. RA monomers in an aqueous phase. The pK of RA in bilayers comprised of neutral phospholipids was approximately 7 regardless of the composition of the fatty acyl chains. Incorporation of RA in bilayers comprised of negatively charged phospholipids stabilized the protonated form to a larger extent vs. neutral lipids, resulting in pK's that were about 1 pH unit higher. The ionization behavior of RA in plasma membranes from rat liver and in erythrocyte membranes was similar to its behavior in negatively charged bilayers. The data indicate that RA incorporated in membranes is predominantly protonated at physiologic pH.
CSF neurotransmitter markers in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Beal, M. Flint, and John H. Growdon: CSF Neurotransmitter markers in Alzheimer's disease. Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. and Biol. Psychiat. 1986, 10 (3–5): 259–270. 1. 1. CSF neurotransmitter markers may reflect neurochemlcal alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD). 2. 2. The best studied neurochemical deficit in AD is that of acetylcholine. 3. 3. Both acetylcholinesterase and butyrlcholinesterase activity have been reported to be reduced in some but not all studies of AD CSF. 4. 4. Studies of monoamine metabolites have also been controversial but most authors have found reduced concentrations of CSF HVA, lesser reductions in HIAA and no change in MHPG. 5. 5. CSF GABA concentrations have been found to be reduced in AD. 6. 6. Studies of CSF neuropeptides in AD have shown reduced concentrations of somatostatin and vasopressin, normal concentrations of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and either normal or decreased concentrations of beta-endorphin and corticotropin releasing factor. 7. 7. Although no individual CSF neurochemical markers are specific for AD it may be possible to develop a profile of several neurochemlcal markers which will have enhanced specificity.
Effect of expression level on immune responses to recombinant oral Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccines

Live, attenuated Salmonella has been used to express heterologous antigens for development of oral vaccines. Often, expression must be regulated because of deleterious effects on the Salmonella vector. The effect of varying expression levels on immune response parameters has not been well defined. In this study we introduced mutations in the -10 region of the trc promoter in the expression plasmid to generate series of vaccine strains with different levels of expression of a model antigen, the hemagglutinin HagB from Porphyromonas gingivalis. There was no difference in growth rates of the Salmonella vaccine strains containing the wild-type, the mutant plasmids or the empty expression vector. The primary IgG response in serum in mice orally immunized with the wild-type strain peaked 3-4 weeks earlier than the intermediate expression level strains, suggesting that high expression levels may favor an earlier response. While there was a trend for anti-HagB recall responses to correlate with higher expression level, the peak levels were not significantly different even for expression levels as low as 33% of wild-type. A similar trend in terms of response level was seen with serum and salivary IgA. The subclass of the IgG response was predominately IgG2a regardless of expression level, consistent with a Th1 response. These data suggest that isotype distribution, immune response level and T helper cell profile are largely unaffected over a wide range of expression levels.
Gastrointestinal safety profile of meloxicam: a meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials

This article provides a systematic review of the frequency and severity of adverse gastrointestinal (GI) events among patients using meloxicam, a cyclooxygenase (COX)-2-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). A MEDLINE search of English language articles from 1990-1998, a manual search of citations from primary trials and review articles, and a manual search of proceedings from international gastroenterology meetings were conducted. Randomized clinical trials comparing the frequency of GI adverse events for meloxicam versus non-COX-2-selective NSAIDs were selected. Specific data about the frequency of dyspepsia; perforations, ulcers, and bleeds (PUBs); and withdrawal of medication because of adverse GI events was also extracted. From a pool of 62 potentially relevant citations, 12 randomized trials were identified. All trials concerning symptomatic GI adverse events used the World Health Organization's Adverse Reaction Terminology List (WHO-ARTL) to code adverse events. Patients using meloxicam had fewer GI adverse events compared with non-COX-2-selective NSAIDs (odds ratio = 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.69). Patients using meloxicam experienced less dyspepsia (odds ratio = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.64-0.84), fewer PUBs (odds ratio = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.28-0.96), and less frequent discontinuation of NSAID because of adverse GI events (odds ratio = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.52-0.67) compared with non-COX-2 selective NSAIDs. Meloxicam, a COX-2-selective NSAID, appears to cause fewer adverse GI events than standard, non-COX-2-selective NSAIDs. However, the generalizability of these data may be limited by the low dose of meloxicam used in most trials and the use of the WHO-ARTL to code adverse events.
Understanding Students' Religious and Spiritual Pursuits: A Case Study at New York University

Utilizing a survey sample of 988 out of 2,000 randomly selected students, this 2002 report addresses the overarching questions: (1) What are the religious/spiritual beliefs and practices of NYU students? How do students differ by religious/spiritual backgrounds? (2) How has NYU affected these changes? Three analytical methods– frequency analyses, cross-tabulations, and regression analyses–were conducted.
Link-Based Ranking of the Web with Source-Centric Collaboration

Web ranking is one of the most successful and widely used collaborative computing applications, in which Web pages collaborate in the form of varying degree of relationships to assess their relative quality. Though many observe that links display strong source-centric locality, for example, in terms of administrative domains and hosts, most Web ranking analysis to date has focused on the flat page-level Web linkage structure. In this paper we develop a framework for link-based collaborative ranking of the Web by utilizing the strong Web link structure. We argue that this source-centric link analysis is promising since it captures the natural link-locality structure of the Web, can provide more appealing and efficient Web applications, and reflects many natural types of structured human collaborations. Concretely, we propose a generic framework for source-centric collaborative ranking of the Web. This paper makes two unique contributions. First, we provide a rigorous study of the set of critical parameters that can impact source-centric link analysis, such as source size, the presence of self-links, and different source-citation link weighting schemes (e.g., uniform, link count, source consensus). Second, we conduct a large-scale experimental study to understand how different parameter settings may impact the time complexity, stability, and spam-resilience of Web ranking. We find that careful tuning of these parameters is vital to ensure success over each objective and to balance the performance across all objectives.
Testicular microorganisms in Heliothis : ultrastructure and distribution in H. virescens, H. subflexa, F1 hybrid, and backcross males

Abstract Bacterial microorganisms were found in the testis lumen of three groups of F 1 hybrid males and in first and second generation backcross (BC 1 and BC 2 ) males involving the interspecific cross Heliothis subflexa (female) × Heliothis virescens (male). Three pleomorphic forms (dense bodies, initial bodies, and intermediate bodies) were identified in adult moths of these groups, but only dense bodies were present in H. virescens and H. subflexa males. The intermediate form was not observed in either of the parental species and was only rarely seen in late-generation BC males. Intermediate bodies were absent from larval and pupal testes in each of the groups examined (F 1 , H. subflexa, H. virescens ), but cytoplasmic forms in various developmental stages were observed in developing spermatids in pupal as well as adult testes. Spherical to oblong mitochondrial derivative bodies (MD bodies) were found associated with sperm of both species as well as in late-generation BC males. A hypothesis is presented to account for the presence of intermediate bodies in F 1 and early BC testes and for their absence in the parental species. According to this hypothesis, each of the parental species harbors a similar but genetically distinct organism whose development is inhibited within its own host but not in a foreign host environment.
Alternative Measures of Bilingualism.

A variety of techniques for the measurement and description of bilingualism, derived separately from the disciplines of linguistics, psychology, and sociology, were administered to the same respondents, 48 Spanish-English bilinguals who lived in a Peurto Rican neighborhood near New York, in order to assess the relationship among these measures and their relative utility as predictors of four proficiency criterion variables. A factor analysis, performed on the intercorrelations among 124 scores, indicated areas of interdisciplinary overlap as well as uniqueness. The best predictors of the criteria were obtained from retrospective reports of proficiency and usage. However, scores from other techniques provided significant increments in the cumulative prediction of the four proficiency criteria, a very high proportion of whose variance was explainable through multiple regression analysis.
Let's Be Realistic: Evolutionary Complexity, Epistemic Probabilism, and the Cognitive Science of Religion

John Dewey famously argued that Darwin had introduced a new conceptual vocabulary that would completely overhaul the traditional philosophical enterprise. His sense was that the kinds of monumental metaphysical questions that philosophy typically asked about causes, trends and purposes start to look meaningless and willfully unanswerable once we absorb the tough lessons of natural selection. More specifically, Dewey thought that The Origin of Species provided a strong but beneficial dose of philosophical therapy because it illustrated how to simultaneously abandon the lifeless questions of the past while formulating new questions to take their place. Darwin's achievement revealed for Dewey that sometimes philosophical progress is not “an affair of different ways of dealing with old problems, but of relegation of the problems to the attic in which are kept the relics of former intellectual bad taste.” From this perspective, the litmus test for measuring intellectual growth is surprisingly simple. If we examine the concerns that once excited our ancestors and feel only the shudder of regret that so much energy was wasted on a lost cause, we can be reasonably confident that we have taken a few steps forward.
Bone Marrow–Derived Stromal Cell Therapy in Cirrhosis: Clinical Evidence, Cellular Mechanisms, and Implications for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Current treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are often limited by the presence of underlying liver disease. In patients with liver cirrhosis, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy all carry a high risk of hepatic complications, ranging from ascites to fulminant liver failure. For patients receiving radiation therapy, cirrhosis dramatically reduces the already limited radiation tolerance of the liver and represents the most important clinical risk factor for the development of radiation-induced liver disease. Although improvements in conformal radiation delivery techniques have improved our ability to safely irradiate confined areas of the liver to increasingly higher doses with excellent local disease control, patients with moderate-to-severe liver cirrhosis continue to face a shortage of treatment options for HCC. In recent years, evidence has emerged supporting the use of bone marrow–derived stromal cells (BMSCs) as a promising treatment for liver cirrhosis, with several clinical studies demonstrating sustained improvement in clinical parameters of liver function after autologous BMSC infusion. Three predominant populations of BMSCs, namely hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and endothelial progenitor cells, seem to have therapeutic potential in liver injury and cirrhosis. Preclinical studies of BMSC transplantation have identified a range of mechanisms through which these cells mediate their therapeutic effects, including hepatocyte transdifferentiation and fusion, paracrine stimulation of hepatocyte proliferation, inhibition of activated hepatic stellate cells, enhancement of fibrolytic matrix metalloproteinase activity, and neovascularization of regenerating liver. By bolstering liver function in patients with underlying Child's B or C cirrhosis, autologous BMSC infusion holds great promise as a therapy to improve the safety, efficacy, and utility of surgery, chemotherapy, and hepatic radiation therapy in the treatment of HCC.
An Unusual Cause of Acute Gastroenteritis

A 51 -year-old man came to the Mayo Clinic approximately 6 weeks after a 3-day episode of severe watery diarrhea (25 bowel movements per day). Because of associated pronounced abdominal distention, use of a long intestinal tube had been necessary while he was hospitalized. Small bowel roentgenography demonstrated a diffuse inflammatory process from the stomach to the ileocecal valve, suggestive of Crohn's disease. The patient had had a similar episode of diarrhea 1 xh years previously. At that time, roentgenograms showed a diffuse inflammatory process of the small bowel, again suggestive of Crohn's disease. Findings on a roentgenogram 1 month later were normal. During the interim between the two episodes and since the last one, the patient had been asymptomatic. On admission to our institution, the patient's vital signs were normal. Results of abdominal and rectal examinations were normal. The following laboratory studies yielded normal results: routine urinalysis, 24-hour urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, complete blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, chemistry group, serum protein electrophoresis, and total thyroxine. Elicitation of a detailed dietary history from the patient and his wife revealed a sporadic habit of eating jalapeno peppers. His wife confirmed that he had ingested 40 to 50 jalapeno peppers the evening before each of the two episodes
Probing dynamical disorder kinetics with chemical relaxation techniques

Abstract A number of theoretical models describing non-exponential kinetic behavior in complex media exist. It is often difficult to discriminate between these models on the basis of their ability to provide good statistical fits to experimental data. In this work the use of chemical relaxation techniques to discrminate non-exponential models is explored. A class of simple dynamical disorder models is considered and it is shown that relaxation techniques can be used to distinguish these models from structural disorder models. In these dynamical disorder models the activation energy of the chemical process is assumed to be linearly related to a fluctuating thermodynamic variable of the system. These fluctuations alter the rate constant for the chemical process and, therefore, the integrated rate expression must be averaged to obtain the macroscopic law. Highly accurate approximations can be derived for the model using a cumulant expansion. For irreversible chemical processes, the systems' response to an external periodic perturbation is derived. This response can be used to separate parameters related to the internal fluctuations from those related to the chemical process. For chemical relaxations about equilibrium (reversible dynamical processes), it is shown that double pulse perturbations can be used to distinguish general classes of structural disorder models from dynamical disorder models. Experimental design strategies for discriminating non-exponential models are also discussed.
A bone and cable girth-hitch technique for atlantoaxial fusion in pediatric patients. Technical note.

✓ A new technique for performing a posterior rib and multistranded cable atlantoaxial fusion in children is described. The technique has been used successfully, in two patients 22 and 18 months of age, respectively. In both cases, fusion was used to augment C1–2 transarticular screw fixation, and solid arthrodesis was achieved without a halo orthosis.
Altered radio sensitivity in a mouse carcinoma after administration of clofibrate and bezafibrate

We have investigated the ability of the antilipidaemia drugs clofibrate and bezafibrate, to reduce the binding affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen and to sensitize an experimental tumour (the SCCVII/St carcinoma) in the mouse to radiation. Clofibrate at a high dose (4.1 mmol/kg, p.o.) increased the P50 of the blood by about 10 mm Hg. Its effect on tumour radiosensitivity was dependent on tumour size. Highly significant sensitization, equivalent to a 40-fold reduction in the number of hypoxic cells, was seen in small tumours; but in large tumours there was much less effect. At a low dose, which is close to that currently used clinically (0.3 mmol/kg), clofibrate produced a small and barely significant increase in P50. The effect of low dose clofibrate on tumour radiosensitivity also depended on tumour size, small tumours (200 mg) being significantly sensitized, while no significant effect was seen in large tumours. Bezafibrate, at the low dose of 0.3 mmol/kg, gave a significant increase in P50 (by approximately equal to 8 mm Hg), but sensitization to radiation in small tumours was not impressive and not statistically significant. We must gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in these effects before applying this approach to clinical radiotherapy.
Towards a Christian Republic: Antimasonry and the Great Transition in New England, 1826-1836

This is a study of the Antimasonry Party, but it is also a sweeping reinterpretation of America between 1820 and 1840 in social, political, cultural, and religious terms. The Order of the Masons became important in Europe and America in the wake of the American and French Revolutions. It was a cosmopolitan and tolerant Order that reflected the best aspects of the Enlightenment in many ways. But it was also a secret society, open only to men, that stressed sociability and appealed particularly to middle-class and upper-class members in small towns. When a former Mason, William Morgan, disappeared in western New York in 1826, the Antimasonary movement was fuelled and soon became a presence in state and national politics. The opposition was partly class inspired (against the ruling and upper classes) and partly religious (for an open religion with more emotional content). Part of the book provides a detailed account of Antimasonry politics in the six New England states. Scholars and students of American history; those interested in Masronry.
Experience with intraplaque injection of verapamil for Peyronie's disease.

Purpose: We examined the use of intraplaque injection of verapamil for the treatment of Peyronie’s disease through its effects on pain, curvature, indentation, sexual function and erectile capacity.Materials and Methods: A total of 156 men underwent treatment with intraplaque verapamil injection. Patients were assessed objectively, during dynamic penile duplex ultrasound, as well as subjectively using a questionnaire before and after initiation of the treatment protocol. Patients were also stratified by duration of disease before therapy and into 1 of 3 Kelami classification groups based on pretreatment plaque size and severity of curvature. Differences before and after treatment and among the Kelami classification groups were assessed.Results: Of the 140 patients who completed treatment 73 (60%) had an objectively measured decrease in curvature while 79 (62%) reported a subjective decrease in curvature during the followup interview. After treatment 111 (83%) men reported an increase in girth, 107 (80%) a...
Estrogenic environmental chemicals and drugs: Mechanisms for effects on the developing male urogenital system

Development and differentiation of the prostate from the fetal urogenital sinus (UGS) is dependent on androgen action via androgen receptors (AR) in the UGS mesenchyme. Estrogens are not required for prostate differentiation but do act to modulate androgen action. In mice exposure to exogenous estrogen during development results in permanent effects on adult prostate size and function, which is mediated through mesenchymal estrogen receptor (ER) alpha. For many years estrogens were thought to inhibit prostate growth because estrogenic drugs studied were administered at very high concentrations that interfered with normal prostate development. There is now extensive evidence that exposure to estrogen at very low concentrations during the early stages of prostate differentiation can stimulate fetal/neonatal prostate growth and lead to prostate disease in adulthood. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine disrupting chemical that binds to both ER receptor subtypes as well as to AR. Interest in BPA has increased because of its prevalence in the environment and its detection in over 90% of people in the USA. In tissue culture of fetal mouse UGS mesenchymal cells, BPA and estradiol stimulated changes in the expression of several genes. We discuss here the potential involvement of estrogen in regulating signaling pathways affecting cellular functions relevant to steroid hormone signaling and metabolism and to inter- and intra-cellular communications that promote cell growth. The findings presented here provide additional evidence that BPA and the estrogenic drug ethinylestradiol disrupt prostate development in male mice at administered doses relevant to human exposures.
Hyperextension-dislocation of the cervical spine. Ligament injuries demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging

We reviewed the magnetic resonance (MR) images of eight adults with acute hyperextension-dislocation of the cervical spine. The images were obtained to evaluate damage to the spinal cord. All eight patients had disruption of the anterior longitudinal ligament and of the annulus of the intervertebral disc, and separation of the posterior longitudinal ligament from the subjacent vertebra. Some, but not all, showed widening of the disc space, posterior bulging or herniation of the nucleus pulposus, and disruption of the ligamentum flavum. The MR demonstration of these ligament injuries, taken with the clinical and radiographic findings, establishes the mechanism of hyperextension-dislocation, confirms the diagnosis, and is relevant to management.
Effects of reverse transcriptase inhibitors on telomere length and telomerase activity in two immortalized human cell lines.

The ribonucleoprotein telomerase, a specialized cellular reverse transcriptase, synthesizes one strand of the telomeric DNA of eukaryotes. We analyzed telomere maintenance in two immortalized human cell lines: the B-cell line JY616 and the T-cell line Jurkat E6-1, and determined whether known inhibitors of retroviral reverse transcriptases could perturb telomere lengths and growth rates of these cells in culture. Dideoxyguanosine (ddG) caused reproducible, progressive telomere shortening over several weeks of passaging, after which the telomeres stabilized and remained short. However, the prolonged passaging in ddG caused no observable effects on cell population doubling rates or morphology. Azidothymidine (AZT) caused progressive telomereshorteninginsomebutnotallT-andB-cellcultures.Telomeraseactivitywaspresentinbothcelllines andwasinhibitedinvitrobyddGTPandAZTtriphosphate.Prolongedpassaginginarabinofuranyl-guanosine, dideoxyinosine (ddI), dideoxyadenosine (ddA), didehydrothymidine (d4T), or phosphonoformic acid (foscarnet) did not cause reproducible telomere shortening or decreased cell growth rates or viabilities. Combining AZT, foscarnet, and/or arabinofuranyl-guanosine with ddG did not significantly augment the effects of ddG alone. Strikingly, with or without inhibitors, telomere lengths were often highly unstable in both cell lines and varied between parallel cell cultures. We propose that telomere lengths in these T- and B-cell lines are determined by both telomerase and telomerase-independent mechanisms.
16. Functions of buffer plantings in urban environments

Abstract Buffer plantings are linear strips of vegetation that have been either retained or purposefully planted in urban environments. As biologically diverse ecosystems interspersed among much simpler systems, buffer plantings function as environmental regulators that help stabilize the urban ecosystem while simultaneously separating incompatible land uses and providing visual amenity values. Sensitive land planning integrates existing buffers and new plantings into the urban fabric to maximize potential benefits. Mandatory tree protection and planting programs provide planners with a means of promoting the use of buffer plantings to enhance the livability of our cities. A comprehensive program would restrict the removal of existing vegetation, provide protective measures for vegetation not removed during development, and require planting of additional buffers with new developments. Standards that offer developers a variety of options to achieve a specified level of performance are currently preferred by most planners and developers. Further research is needed to help designers to design buffers that provide the functional benefits required, and which are relatively inexpensive to plant and maintain.
A 2.4-GHz, Wide Tuning Range GmC VCO Using a Novel Load Biasing Technique

This paper presents a 2.4-GHz monolithic GmC fully differential voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) fabricated in 0.24-mum CMOS technology with a wide tuning range between 1.77 GHz and 2.73 GHz. This VCO can be used for data clock recovery applications in optical receivers for such standards as SONET OC-48 or European SDH STM-16. Two published techniques for quadrature generation are discussed for use in data clock recovery. The circuit implementation is purely transistor based OTA stages with the entire VCO covering 60 mum x 90 mum. A novel technique for active load biasing is introduced which provides marginal temperature insensitivity and eliminates a need for external bias source. The power dissipation is less than 50 mW at 2.0 V power supply and the measured phase-noise is -93 dBc/Hz at 2 MHz offset.
Integration of Pharmacotherapy Poster Presentations into the Advanced Practice Experience

ABSTRACTThis article describes the incorporation of poster presentations into the pharmacy curriculum at the Harrison School of Pharmacy. A poster presentation assignment was incorporated into the Advanced Practice Experiences (APE) as a way to have students identify therapeutic issues relevant to pharmacy practice, evaluate bio-medical literature, and professionally communicate information in a written and oral format. Student performance indicators included observation-based assessment with mean scores for years 1–3 of 92%, 93%, and 93%, respectively. Faculty rated students highest with regard to dimensions of professionalism (94–100%) and lowest with respect to biomedical literature analysis (83–93%). Student and faculty perceptions regarding the achievement of specific ability-based outcomes were measured through surveys. Overall, 80% of students during the 3 years agreed that poster presentations were useful to their future professional careers. Modifications focusing on the grading process, communic...
Intonation and evaluation in oral narratives

Abstract This paper explores the distribution of pitch maxima in the texts of oral narratives solicited from native speakers of standard North American English and second language speakers of English from Japan. Based on the hypothesis that intonational high points associate with emotionally prioritized text, the highest pitch maxima for each story were identified using computerized speech technology. The main finding for both native and nonnative speaker narratives was that intonation peaks were associated with evaluative language as conceived of by Labov (1972). This is consistent with Wolfson's (1982) notion that ‘performance features’ in story-telling, among which shifts in pitch range can arguably be included, are a mechanism for encouraging the audience to view the situation through the teller's eyes and to thereby support his or her value judgments. This finding lends support to the view that the emotional function of intonation is not language-specific, but can instead be a resource in cross-cultural communication. A second finding was that, especially for native speakers, changes in pitch range accompanied structural shifts in the progression of the narratives. This included transitions from one narrative component to another as well as other episodic shifts and is consistent with prior research on the relationship between pitch range and the topic structure of discourse.
DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES IN THE PRECEDENCE EFFECT : ESTIMATES OF MINIMUM AUDIBLE ANGLE

The precedence effect refers to an auditory phenomenon which occurs when two similar sounds are presented from different locations with a brief delay, and only one sound is heard whose perceived location is dominated by the first source. Although the lagging source is not localized as an independent event, under some conditions, adults are able to extract its directional cues. Developmental studies suggest that this ability changes during development. However, those studies have used stimulus configurations which minimize the measurement of that ability. In the present study adults were first tested under several conditions, and the one which produced optimal performance was chosen for testing children. Using the minimum audible angle (MAA) task in the azimuthal plane, performance was compared for a single-source condition and two precedence conditions: in lag discrimination the lagging source changed location while the lead remained at midline, and in lead discrimination the reverse occurred. Subjects were 18 months old, 5 years old, and adult. Significant improvements in MAA occurred with an increase in age, especially in the precedence conditions. Within each group, performance was significantly better in single-source condition, followed by the lead and the lag discrimination.