cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical Considerations for Radiological Terrorism

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the medical considerations for radiological terrorism. Radiological warfare (RW) attack is the deliberate use of radiological materials to cause injury and death. The explosion of a radiological weapon causes damage by the heat and blast liberated at the time of detonation. The proliferation of nuclear material and technology has made the acquisition and terrorist use of ionizing radiation more probable than ever. Currently, there are three threat scenarios for radiological terrorism. The most probable scenario for the near future would be a radiological dispersion device. Such a weapon can be developed and used by any terrorist with conventional weapons and access to radionuclides. This is an expedient weapon in that the radioactive waste material is easy to obtain from any location that uses radioactive sources. These sites can include a nuclear-waste processor, a nuclear power plant, a university research facility, a medical radiotherapy clinic, or an industrial complex.
Melting Investigation of the System BaF2-BaO-½Y2O3-CuOx-H2O

In order to understand low-temperature melting during the 'BaF{sub 2} process', equilibria in the quaternary Ba, Y, Cu//O, F reciprocal system have been investigated using a compositional model which can be represented as a trigonal prism. This prism is comprised of three tetrahedra: BaF{sub 2}-Y F{sub 3}-CuF{sub 2}-CuO{sub x}, BaF{sub 2}-Y F{sub 3}-1/2Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-CuO{sub x}, and BaF{sub 2}-BaO-1/2Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-CuO{sub x}. Systematic differential thermal analysis (DTA) studies of compositions spaced along compositional vectors extending from the fluoride end of the prism to the oxide end gave evidence of low-melting liquids (<600 {sup o}C) near the fluorine-rich region in the BaF{sub 2}-Y F{sub 3}-CuF{sub 2}-CuO{sub x} tetrahedron. In the intermediate BaF{sub 2}-Y F{sub 3}-1/2Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-CuO{sub x} tetrahedron, a low-temperature DTA peak (550--570 {sup o}C) was also identified; this has been shown to be due to a reversible phase transformation in crystalline YOF. In the oxide-rich BaF{sub 2}-BaO-1/2Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-CuO{sub x} tetrahedron, where, in the presence of water vapor, the principal defluorination process is generally thought to occur, the lowest melting temperature observed was 815 {sup o}C at p{sub O{sub 2}} = 20 Pa and p{sub H{sub 2}O} = 2.1 kPa. However, published observations on films undergoing the BaF{sub 2}more » process have suggested the presence of an amorphous phase thought to be a liquid at {<=} 735 {sup o}C. Based on our results, the low-melting liquids reported in the literature do not appear to exist as a stable liquid phase in the BaF{sub 2}-BaO-1/2Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-CuO{sub x}-H{sub 2}O system under the conditions of our experiments. Rather, the formation of low-melting liquid in Ba-Y-Cu-O-F films at {<=} 735 {sup o}C may require (a) relatively fluorine-rich compositions, (b) metastable melting, (c) formation of hydroxide- or hydroxyfluoride-based liquids, or (d) some combination thereof.« less
Patient perspectives on self-monitoring of blood glucose: perceived recommendations, behaviors and barriers in a clinic sample of adults with type 2 diabetes

Patient-centered perspectives on self-monitoring of blood glucose (SBMG) were assessed in adults with type 2 diabetes using a self-regulation conceptual framework. Participants (N = 589; 53 % female) were adults with type 2 diabetes who were recruited during routine appointments at a diabetes outpatient clinic in the Southeastern/lower Midwestern region of the United States. Participant’s had varying perceptions regarding provider recommendations for SMBG (responder n = 380). Personal blood glucose testing patterns were also varied and reports frequently omitted (responder n = 296). Respondent’s most frequent personal pattern was to test “occasionally, as needed,” which did not differ by insulin use status, gender or age. In those not prescribed insulin, HbA1c reflected better control in those testing at least once per week (p = .040) or with a blood glucose goal (p = .018). 30.9 % endorsed at least monthly perceived encounters with SMBG barriers, with higher reports by women (p = .005) and younger (p = .006) participants. Poorer glycemic control was observed for participants with more frequently reported scheduling (p = .025, .041) and discouragement (p = .003) barriers. Findings suggest that many may experience difficulty integrating SMBG into their lives and are unsure of recommendations and appropriate function. Research is needed to promote best practice recommendations for SMBG.
Computer Simulation of Probability of Detection

The purpose of this paper is to describe an integrated model for assessing the performance of a given ultrasonic inspection system for detecting internal flaws, where the performance of such a system is measured by probability of detection and other related quantities. The integrated model incorporates much of the work described in Thompson (1982), Gray and Thompson (1982), Thompson and Gray (1982), Addison and Elsley (1982), and Tittmann and Ahlberg (1982), The major challenges to these investigators were to properly account for the effects of real part geometries on sound propagation and to measure noise spectra due to various noise mechanisms. The results of these efforts could be incorporated into a model which computes a signal-to-noise ratio for any given transducer configuration and flaw state. The choice of an optimal transducer configuration might then be guided by such calculations.
Inverse regulation of lipid-peroxidizing and hydroperoxyl lipid-reducing enzymes by interleukins 4 and 13

12/15-lipoxygenases and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidases are opposite enzymes balancing the intracellular concentration of hydroperoxy lipids. We studied the regulation of both enzymes by interleukins 4 and 13 and found an inverse response. When human lung carcinoma cells A549 were cultured in vitro in the presence of these cytokines, an up-regulation of the 12/15-lipoxygenase and a down-regulation of the phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase were observed. A similar inverse regulation was found in human peripheral monocytes. Interleukin 4-treated A549 cells exhibited an impaired capability of reducing exogenous hydroperoxyl lipids and their levels of endogenous lipid hydroperoxides were markedly increased. To find out whether these regulatory processes also occur in vivo, arachidonic acid oxygenase and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase activity was assayed in various tissues of transgenic mice that systemically overexpress interleukin 4. In lung, spleen, kidney, and heart, an increased arachidonic acid oxygenase activity was detected when transgenic mice were compared with inbred controls. The phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase activity was impaired in lung, liver, and spleen of the transgenic animals. These data indicate that lipid-peroxidizing and lipid peroxide-reducing enzymes are inversely regulated in various mammalian cells. Up-regulation of the 12/15-lipoxygenase and simultaneous down-regulation of the phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase may lead to an increased oxidizing potential, which is reflected by an augmented intracellular peroxide tone.
Greater alerting reaction observed during consecutive clinic blood pressure measurements is associated with hypertension and hypertensive heart disease

An arterial pulse contour can be defined by its amplitude and timing landmarks. We studied the effects of aging and hypertension on central blood pressure landmarks in a reference cohort of normotensive and hypertensive individuals (treated and untreated (n1⁄4376, age 16-90) designed to mimic the NHANES III cohort. Each participant had standard cuff BP (oscillometry, Omron CP705) and radial artery tonometry (Sphygmocor) after >5 min sitting. In a subset (n1⁄463), supine heart-femoral pulse wave velocity (hfPWV, Colin VP 1000) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR, impedance cardiography, Bio-Z) were also measured. Variables were inter-correlated (Pearson) and the group was dichotomized at age 55 for landmark comparisons (ttests) and ensemble wave averaging. Mean age of the younger (Y) group (n1⁄4213) was 33 years; the older (O) group (n1⁄4163) was 66 years. Figure 1 demonstrates the ensemble waveforms and landmarks for Y (gray line) and O (black line), with timing (Y long vertical lines, O short verticals) and pressure (vertical intersections for Y, filled dots for O) landmarks. Mean timing values for each landmark deviated by only a few msec between Y and O, with T2/P2 always occurring in late systole. P2 amplitude was most strongly correlated with age and P2 differed most between Y and O groups (highest T-statistic). Amplitude at each pressure landmark correlated with age, brachial BP, hfPWV and SVR, with the highest values occurring in late systole (P2). Further, the amplitude of the first diastolic peak (DT1/DP1) was not greater in Y than O absolutely or relative to other pressure landmarks. A very similar
Osmotic regulation and tissue localization of the myo-inositol biosynthesis pathway in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) larvae.

The myo-inositol biosynthesis (MIB) pathway converts glucose-6-phosphate to the compatible osmolyte myo-inositol, which protects cells from salinity stress. We exposed tilapia larvae just after yolk sac resorption to various hypersaline environments and recorded robust induction of the enzymes that constitute the MIB pathway, myo-inositol-phosphate synthase (MIPS), and inositol monophosphatase 1 (IMPA1). Strong up-regulation of these enzymes is evident at both mRNA (quantitative real-time PCR) and protein (densitometric analysis of Western blots) levels. The highest level of induction of these enzymes occurs at the highest salinity that larvae were exposed to (90 ppt). Less severe salinity stress causes a proportionately reduced induction of the MIB pathway. Two distinct MIPS mRNA variants are present in tilapia larvae and both are induced at comparable levels for all the salinity challenges tested (34, 70, and 90 ppt). Immunohistochemical localization of IMPA1 protein in sagittal sections of salinity stressed and control larvae identified tissues that are particularly potent in inducing the MIB pathway. These tissues include the skin (epidermis), gills, eye (ciliary epithelium) and heart. In particular, the epidermis directly facing the external milieu showed a very strong induction of IMPA1 immunoreactivity. IMPA1 induction in response to salinity stress was not observed in other tissues suggesting that tilapia larvae may also utilize compatible organic osmolytes other than solely myo-inositol for osmoprotection. We conclude that the MIB pathway plays an important role in protecting multiple (but not all) tissues of tilapia larvae from hyperosmotic salinity stress. J. Exp. Zool. 321A: 457–466, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A randomized comparison of sentinel-node biopsy with routine axillary dissection in breast cancer

(2004). A randomized comparison of sentinel-node biopsy with routine axillary dissection in breast cancer. The Women's Oncology Review: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 67-67.
Correlation of radiation treatment interruptions with psychiatric disease and performance status in head and neck cancer patients

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify factors predictive of treatment interruptions during radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer.
Stochastic trigger for clathrin-coated vesicle biogenesis

Kinetic aspects of receptor-mediated endocytosis are identified, particularly as relating to the stochastic formation and released of clathrin coated vesicles at the plasma membrane. We discuss how one might account for the coordinated steps of this process, including receptor activation, association with adaptor proteins, coat formation, and the role of phosphoinosotide metabolism as a regulatory mechanism. In anticipation of building a detailed mathematical theory, we discuss an earlier treatment of the way threshold fluctuations affect the firing probability of nerve axons (H. Lecar, and R. Nossal, Biophys. J. 11, pp. 1048--1067, 1971), in which equations were analyzed by distinguishing different time-scales to identify pertinent kinetic variables
General index for the assessment of cardiac function

Abstract The concept of a “normalized velocity” was employed to provide a uniform approach for the assessment of cardiac function. In particular, the quantities [(dp/dt/)/p]max, [(dV/dt/)/V]max and [t(dl/dt/)/l]max were applied to data taken from 89 studies in 71 infants, children and young adult patients. Here p represented the total left ventricular pressure, V the instantaneous ventricular volume and I the instantaneous outward displacement as recorded from an apex cardiogram at time t from the onset of displacement. Results were as follows: (1) The contractility index [(dp/dt)/p]max appeared to relate to myocardial function assessed clinically and to be more consistent with the clinical findings in the clear-cut situations than Vmax based on total pressure, Vmax based on developed pressure and [(dP/dt)/P] at P = 40 mm Hg developed pressure where P = total pressure minus end-diastolic pressure. (2) The ejection velocity [(dV/dt)/V]max was found to reflect hemodynamic function and correlated with the ejection fraction ( r = 0.80). (3) The index [t(dl/dt)/l]max as obtained from the apex cardiogram related well to [(dp/dt)/p]max ( r = 0.72). These studies suggest that values for “normalized velocity” obtained from direct or indirect methods, give reliable guides to myocardial function and allow for meaningful comparisons among patients.
An automated assay of the behavioral effects of cocaine injections in adult Drosophila.

Abstract Introducing Drosophila models in neuropharmacological research helps to discover new mechanisms of drug action. In fruit flies, the pharmacobehavioral approach has been used to evaluate the effects of drugs of abuse including cocaine. Standard procedures of cocaine administration to flies employ drug vaporization whereas behavior is evaluated either by trained observers or by videotaping followed by analysis via a computer-operated tracking system. Because in mammalian studies cocaine is typically administered by injection, a procedure that ensures precise and timely dose delivery, we developed a method for injecting cocaine into adult Drosophila. To objectively measure the behavioral response of flies to cocaine injections, we adapted the standard Drosophila Activity Monitoring System (Trikinetics). We found that in wild-type Canton S flies, cocaine injections produce a dose-dependent increase in the number of hyperactivity bursts and that repeated injections of cocaine produce behavioral sensitization. Acute responses to cocaine were observed also in period null (per0) mutant flies, but in these flies, repeated injections of cocaine did not produce sensitization. In conclusion, we developed a method for accurately measuring the behavioral effects of cocaine in adult fruit flies that can be applied to studies of the mechanisms of behavioral sensitization.
Baselines for Image Annotation

Automatically assigning keywords to images is of great interest as it allows one to retrieve, index, organize and understand large collections of image data. Many techniques have been proposed for image annotation in the last decade that give reasonable performance on standard datasets. However, most of these works fail to compare their methods with simple baseline techniques to justify the need for complex models and subsequent training. In this work, we introduce a new and simple baseline technique for image annotation that treats annotation as a retrieval problem. The proposed technique utilizes global low-level image features and a simple combination of basic distance measures to find nearest neighbors of a given image. The keywords are then assigned using a greedy label transfer mechanism. The proposed baseline method outperforms the current state-of-the-art methods on two standard and one large Web dataset. We believe that such a baseline measure will provide a strong platform to compare and better understand future annotation techniques.
Do antihistamines have a role in asthma therapy

The coexistence of allergic rhinitis with asthma is widely recognized by clinicians. Histamine, a common mediator for both diseases, has a substantial role in the pathophysiology of asthma through its ability to produce smooth muscle contraction and promote vascular permeability. Because antihistamines often are administered to manage allergic rhinitis symptoms, the effects of antihistamines in asthma should be evaluated. The usefulness of first-generation antihistamines is limited by their side-effect profile, namely sedation and cognitive impairment. Second-generation antihistamines have only a modest effect in attenuating bronchospasm induced by histamine, cold air, exercise, and allergen bronchoprovocation, suggesting that second-generation antihistamines do not have a direct role as a single agent for treating asthma. Studies have shown that controlling allergic rhinitis with antihistamines has a small, indirect effect in improving asthma symptoms. Future work should be directed at improving the potency of antihistamines and defining their antiinflammatory activity.
Changes in rat palatal epithelium during neonatal growth

The epithelium of rat palatal mucosa was examined from 2 to 30 days after birth and changes in epithelial thickness, cellularity, average cell volume, mitotic activity and the turnover time of the nucleated cell layer were determined from histological sections. The mean epithelial thickness, which was 35.3 +/- 1.5 micron at 2 days, remained constant for the first 9 days and then progressively increased, reaching 91.7 +/- 1.7 micron by 30 days. This change in thickness was partly bought about by a doubling of the number of nucleated cells per mm2 of the surface, from 90.4 +/- 2.81 X 10(3) to 187.63 X 5.65 X 10(3), and partly due to a change in the ratio of cells in the progenitor and maturing cell compartments, as assessed by the change in volume of an "average" epithelial cell. Mitotic activity also remained constant for the first 9 days and then increased, reaching levels five times greater than initial levels by 30 days. It is suggested that these changes are brought about by frictional stimulation associated with the initial intake of solid food as well as systemic influences related to general growth mechanisms.
Cytotoxicity assessment of modified bioactive glasses with MLO-A5 osteogenic cells in vitro

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro responses of MLO-A5 osteogenic cells to two modifications of the bioactive glass 13-93. The modified glasses, which were designed for use as cell support scaffolds and contained added boron to form the glasses 13-93 B1 and 13-93 B3, were made to accelerate formation of a bioactive hydroxyapatite surface layer and possibly enhance tissue growth. Quantitative MTT cytotoxicity tests revealed no inhibition of growth of MLO-A5 cells incubated with 13-93 glass extracts up to 10 mg/ml, moderate inhibition of growth with 13-93 B1 glass extracts, and noticeable inhibition of growth with 13-93 B3 glass extracts. A morphology-based biocompatibility test was also performed and yielded qualitative assessments of the relative biocompatibilities of glass extracts that agree with those obtained by the quantitative MTT test. However, as a proof of concept experiment, when MLO-A5 cells were seeded onto 13-93 B3 scaffolds in a dynamic in vitro environment, cell proliferation occurred as evidenced by qualitative and quantitative MTT labeling of scaffolds. Together these results demonstrate the in vitro toxicity of released borate ion in static experiments; however borate ion release can be mitigated in a dynamic environment similar to the human body where microvasculature is present. Here we argue that despite toxicity in static environments, boron-containing 13-93 compositions may warrant further study for use in tissue engineering applications.
MiIP: The Monomer Identification and Isolation Program

Repetitive elements within genomic DNA are both functionally and evolutionarily informative. Discovering these sequences ab initio is computationally challenging, compounded by the fact that selection on these repeats is often relaxed; thus sequence identity between repetitive elements can vary significantly. Here we present a new application, the Monomer Identification and Isolation Program (MiIP), which provides functionality to both search for a particular repeat as well as discover repetitive elements within a larger genomic sequence. To compare MiIP's performance with other repeat detection tools, analysis was conducted for synthetic sequences as well as several α21-II clones and HC21 BAC sequences. The primary benefit of MiIP is the fact that it is a single tool capable of searching for both known monomeric sequences as well as discovering the occurrence of repeats ab initio, per the user's required sensitivity of the search. Furthermore, the report functionality helps easily facilitate subsequent phylogenetic analysis.
Threshold fatigue measurements and fractographic examination of fretting induced cracks in Ti-17

Abstract Fretting damage is a common problem for titanium alloys used in turbomachinery equipment, particularly in the blade and disc contact regions. Under careful laboratory controlled conditions at Purdue University, the fretting process was recreated in specimens known as contact pads. Fretting in the contact pads is recognized for its highly localized damage, which results in the formation of cracks, minor propagation, and then crack arrest. This project studied the threshold behavior of fretting induced cracks in the titanium alloy Ti-17 with and without shot-peening surface enhancements. The approach utilized a unique C-specimen (created from the contact pads) for fatigue threshold experiments in addition to fractography to compare bare (untreated Ti-17) to shot peened Ti-17 contact pads with fretting induced damage. The results show that shot-peening does not mitigate fretting crack nucleation but does cause them to nucleate at steeper angles and arrest at depths less than the untreated specimens. Fracture surfaces are also presented to show the nature and physical characteristics of fretting damage in Ti-17.
Reconstitution of recombination-dependent DNA synthesis in herpes simplex virus 1

The repair of double-strand DNA breaks by homologous recombination is essential for the maintenance of genome stability. In herpes simplex virus 1, double-strand DNA breaks may arise as a consequence of replication fork collapse at sites of oxidative damage, which is known to be induced upon viral infection. Double-strand DNA breaks are also generated by cleavage of viral a sequences by endonuclease G during genome isomerization. We have reconstituted a system using purified proteins in which strand invasion is coupled with DNA synthesis. In this system, the viral single-strand DNA-binding protein promotes assimilation of single-stranded DNA into a homologous supercoiled plasmid, resulting in the formation of a displacement loop. The 3' terminus of the invading DNA serves as a primer for long-chain DNA synthesis promoted by the viral DNA replication proteins, including the polymerase and helicase-primase. Efficient extension of the invading primer also requires a DNA-relaxing enzyme (eukaryotic topoisomerase I or DNA gyrase). The viral polymerase by itself is insufficient for DNA synthesis, and a DNA-relaxing enzyme cannot substitute for the viral helicase-primase. The viral single-strand DNA-binding protein, in addition to its role in the invasion process, is also required for long-chain DNA synthesis. Form X, a topologically distinct, positively supercoiled form of displacement-loop, does not serve as a template for DNA synthesis. These observations support a model in which recombination and replication contribute toward maintaining viral genomic stability by repairing double-strand breaks. They also account for the extensive branching observed during viral replication in vivo.
Cancer pain management among underserved minority outpatients: perceived needs and barriers to optimal control.

BACKGROUND Minority patients with cancer are at risk for undertreatment of cancer-related pain. Most studies of patient-related barriers to pain control have surveyed primarily non-Hispanic Caucasian patients. The purpose of the current study was to explore barriers to optimal pain management among African-American and Hispanic patients with cancer through the use of structured patient interviews. Structured interviews allowed the authors to probe for previously unidentified barriers to pain management in these populations. METHODS Thirty-one socioeconomically disadvantaged minority patients with cancer (14 African-American patients and 17 Hispanic patients) who had cancer-related pain completed structured interviews that assessed three main content areas: information and communication regarding cancer pain, treatment of cancer pain, and the meaning of cancer pain. RESULTS The African-American and Hispanic patients reported severe pain and many concerns about pain management. The majority of patients in both ethnic groups expressed a belief in stoicism and concerns about possible addiction to opioid medications and the development of tolerance. The patients described their physicians as the most frequent and trusted source of information about cancer pain. However, patients also reported difficulties with communication and a reluctance to complain of pain. CONCLUSIONS The reported barriers to pain management indicate that socioeconomically disadvantaged African-American and Hispanic patients can benefit from educational interventions on cancer pain that dispel myths about opioids and teach patients to communicate assertively about their pain with their physicians and nurses. Cancer 2002;94:2295–304. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10414
Oxygen catalysis: The other half of the equation.

Artificial photosynthesis — splitting water with light — is an attractive way to make hydrogen, but what happens to the oxygen? A catalyst that aids in the efficient production of gaseous oxygen improves the viability of this approach.
19F NMR of the 5-fluorodeoxyuridylate-thymidylate synthetase binary complex

Abstract Formation of the 5-fluorodeoxyuridylate-thymidylate synthetase binary complex generates a 19F nmr resonance 1.3–1.4 ppm to higher shielding from free ligand, probably as the result of rotation of the pyrimidine ring about the glycosyl bond. Addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate to the complex produces the spectrum of free ligand indicating that in contrast to the ternary complex of enzyme:nucleotide:cofactor, the binary complex does not contain a covalent bond linking the nucleotide to the enzyme. In the presence of a 2.5 molar excess of nucleotide, 1.55 moles were bound per mole of enzyme in Tris-Cl buffer. Under comparable conditions in sodium phosphate, 0.64 moles were bound, suggesting a specific buffer effect by phosphate.
Sparse cholesky factorization on a simulated hypercube

Solutions to large systems of linear equations are used in a wide range of problems. Many of these systems can be represented by symmetric sparse positive definite matrices, and the Cholesky decomposition has been proved to be one of the best methods for solving symmetric positive definite matrices. Our work deals with the parallel Cholesky decomposition of such matrices and their implementation on a simulated hypercube. We decompose the solution into subtasks that have precedence relations among themselves. These precedence relations are expressed in the form of an elimination tree where each node represents a subtask assigned to a processor for execution. The scheduling of these tasks is based on the Highest Level First policy which has been proved to be an optimal one in case of static and deterministic scheduling. A flexible hypercube simulator is developed in C language under UNIX environment. The simulation studies indicate that this algorithm is very efficient for large and well ordered matrices.
Inhibition of hamster fertilization by phytoagglutinins.

Abstract Unfertilized eggs of the golden hamster were treated with phytoagglutinins and inseminated in vitro with capacitated spermatozoa. Ricinus communis agglutinin was most effective in preventing fertilization, followed by wheat germ agglutinin, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin and finally concanavalin A. The agglutinin-mediated block to fertilization is related to the saccharide-binding activities of agglutinins, because inclusion of the appropriate saccharide inhibitor counteracted the actions of the agglutinins. It is proposed that the agglutinins bind to specific oligosaccharides of the zona pellucida and induce extensive cross-linking of adjacent saccharide chains in such a way that sperm-born zona lysins can no longer depolymerize the zona material. Spermatozoa failed to bind to zona surfaces following treatment of eggs with high concentrations of wheat germ agglutinin, but not with the other agglutinins, suggesting that N -acetyl- d -glucosamine-like or N -acetylneuraminic acid-like residues may be essential or sterically close to sperm attachment sites on the zona pellucida of the hamster egg.
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in retinal microvasculature: implications for the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Retinopathy is one of the most severe ocular complications of diabetes. Multiple effector pathways have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, including activation of the hexosamine and protein kinase C (PKC) pathways, formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and activation of the polyol pathway,1 but the exact mechanism remains elusive. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is considered to provide a common link between hyperglycemia and activation of some of the major pathways associated with the pathogenesis of diabetic complications.2,3 In addition to serving as a critical checkpoint in glycolysis, inhibition of GAPDH contributes to the diversion of upstream glycolytic intermediates to alternative pathways that could lead to the formation of AGEs, activation of PKC, and induction of the hexosamine and polyol pathways.1 Our recent studies have demonstrated that GAPDH is reduced in the retina in diabetes and remains compromised even after good glycemic control is reinstituted; the enzyme is covalently modified and translocated to the nuclear fraction.4 Nuclear translocation of GAPDH is shown to be closely associated with the induction of apoptosis,5 and apoptosis of retinal microvascular cells precedes the histopathology characteristic of diabetic retinopathy.6 However, how diabetes affects GAPDH in retinal microvascular cells, the target of histopathology, remains unclear. Retinopathy is considered largely a microvascular complication of diabetes.7,8 The retina is a complex tissue with multiple cell types, and microvascular and other nonvascular cells could contribute to the inhibition of GAPDH seen in the rat retina in diabetes. The overall objective of this study was to conclusively establish the role of GAPDH and its signaling pathway in the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy. With the use of isolated retinal microvascular cells (endothelial cells and pericytes), we have investigated the mechanism by which high glucose inactivates GAPDH and how the overexpression of GAPDH affects glucose-mediated metabolic abnormalities. Further, our recent studies have shown that reinstitution of good control in diabetic rats does not protect inhibition of retinal GAPDH. We also investigated the effect of reversal of a high glucose exposure to a normal glucose exposure on GAPDH activity and its covalent modification.
Microbial Uptake, Toxicity, and Fate of Biofabricated ZnS:Mn Nanocrystals

Despite their importance in nano-environmental health and safety, interactions between engineered nanomaterials and microbial life remain poorly characterized. Here, we used the model organism E. coli to study the penetration requirements, subcellular localization, induction of stress responses, and long-term fate of luminescent Mn-doped ZnS nanocrystals fabricated under “green” processing conditions with a minimized ZnS-binding protein. We find that such protein-coated quantum dots (QDs) are unable to penetrate the envelope of unmodified E. coli but readily translocate to the cytoplasm of cells that have been made competent by chemical treatment. The process is dose-dependent and reminiscent of bacterial transformation. Cells that have internalized up to 0.5 μg/mL of nanocrystals do not experience a significant activation of the unfolded protein or SOS responses but undergo oxidative stress when exposed to high QD doses (2.5 μg/mL). Finally, although they are stable in quiescent cells over temperatures ranging from 4 to 42°C, internalized QDs are rapidly diluted by cell division in a process that does not involve TolC-dependent efflux. Taken together, our results suggest that biomimetic QDs based on low toxicity inorganic cores capped by a protein shell are unlikely to cause significant damage to the microbial ecosystem.
Unitary-Model-Operator Approach to Nuclear-Structure Physics. I

A discussion of the unitary-model-operator approach to the correlation problem in nuclei is presented and some calculational detials are discussed. The renormalization of the tensor force is carried out in second-order perturbation theory after the introduction of a set of correlated basis functions. It is indicated that the application of the Hartree-Fock method to the resulting effective Hamiltonian extends the range of application of the theory for which a degree of self-consistency in the calculations may be achieved.
Stress-induced changes in c-Fos and corticotropin releasing hormone immunoreactivity in the amygdala of the spontaneously hypertensive rat

The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that dysregulation of the amygdala contributes to the exaggerated autonomic response to stress in an animal model of essential hypertension. Spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar male rats were chronically instrumented and exposed to 20 min of either air jet stress (AJS) or air noise alone (CON). AJS induced a significant increase in both heart rate and arterial pressure that was greater in the SHR. AJS induced a significant increase in c-Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) throughout the caudal-rostral extent of the basolateral, medial, and central (CEA) subnuclei of the amygdala. Differences in FLI between strains were localized to the rostral CEA and the SHR expressed significantly less FLI. AJS also induced a significant increase in the number of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) positive neurons in the CEA. Differences between strains were localized to the caudal CEA and the number of CRH-positive cells was significantly greater in the SHR. The stress-induced increase in CRH labeling in caudal CEA of the SHR was coupled to a greater increase in FLI in the rostral locus coeruleus (LC) of the SHR versus the Wistar. AJS also induced significant increases in FLI in several hypothalamus subnuclei, but no strain-related differences were identified. These results suggest for the first time that dysregulation of CRH-positive cells in the caudal CEA and reduced excitation and/or exaggerated inhibition of rostral CEA neurons may contribute to the exaggerated cardiovascular response to stress in the SHR, possibly through descending modulation of the rostral LC.
Biaxial stress relaxation of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) above the glass transition temperature

A procedure was developed and experiments were performed to measure the biaxial stress relaxation of High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) sheets above the glass transition temperature. Tests were performed at various temperatures and strain magnitudes. The data were normalized to unity at time zero to isolate the time dependence of the stress from the strain dependence. The results show that the time dependent biaxial stress relaxation properties were independent of the magnitude of the stress or strain for small strains. The stress relaxation curves were fitted to a Prony series and i1 was found that time-temperature superposition could be applied to interpolate the normalized relaxation. Uniaxial stress relaxation tests were also performed and the results were compared to that of the biaxial testing program.
Absolute C K x-ray production cross sections for 18--26-MeV protons on thin carbon foils

Absolute C K x-ray production cross-section measurements using 18--26-MeV protons on thin carbon foils extend the range of previous measurements in the asymptotic region. These measurements permit extraction of the two main parameters of the asymptotic theory, viz., M/sup 2//sub tot/ = 0.84 and C/sub tot/ = 8.2, which are in good agreement with those obtained in previous work at lower energies. The ionization cross sections extracted from these measurements are compared with the predictions of the asymptotic theory as well as the binary-encounter, semiclassical, and plane-wave Born approximation theories.
Before the Best Interests of the Child

The authors address the issue of when and why should children's relationship to their parents become a matter of state concern. In their earlier book, Beyond the Best Interests of the Child, the authors strongly advocated keeping the child's interests and developmental needs foremost in arriving at custody decisions. They were concerned with the process of decision making once the state intervened in matters of child custody. This volune asks the question: Under what circumstances should the state be authorized to invade family privacy and overcome the presumption of parental autonomy? The authors adhere to a policy of minimum intervention and support the need for family autonomy in child rearing. In light of the growing children's rights movement, their message is both timely and sobering. They remind us that intervention by the state is no guarantee of a better alternative; that the law lacks the capacity to supervise "the fragile, complex, interpersonal bonds between parents and child"; and that we must hold our rescue fantasies in check. The mere process of intervention by the state undermines the child's trust in his or her parents, and those empowered by the state to recommend or make decisions concerning the child's welfare and custody do not necessarily have the training to make such grave decisions. The authors propose the following guidelines for intervention by the state in child custody matters: I. Request by a separating parent for the court to determine custody. 2. Request by either or both parents for the court to terminate their rights of custody of a child. 3. Request by a child's longtime caretakers to become his or her parents or the refusal by longtime caretakers to relinquish the child to his or her parents or to a state agency. 4. The death or disappearance of both parents, the only parent, or the custodial parent, when coupled with their failure to make provisions for the child's custody and care.
Cosmic ray gradients in the heliosphere

Early estimates of the radial gradient made in the inner heliosphere are presented. In a discussion of discoveries in the outer heliosphere, consideration is given to low radial gradients and nonradial transport, the identification of different components, the large-scale organization of the heliospheric magnetic field, propagating modulation features, and latitude gradients. Current estimates of the spatial distribution of the cosmic ray intensity are presented as well.
Aqueous Phase Reforming of Glycerol for Hydrogen Production Over Pt-Re Supported on Carbon

Hydrogen production from the aqueous phase reforming of glycerol over several 3%Pt-Re/C catalysts (1-4.5% Re) has been studied in the absence and presence of base, and the results compared with a Re-free 3%Pt/C catalyst. Although the Pt/C catalyst is very selective toward the production of hydrogen, catalytic activity is low. Addition of Re significantly increases the conversion of glycerol, at some loss of hydrogen selectivity to light hydrocarbons and water-soluble oxygenates. Addition of 1%KOH to the feedstock increases the selectivity of the Pt-Re/C catalysts toward hydrogen, but selectivity toward aqueous phase oxygenates also increases except for 3%Pt-3%Re/C, where it remains constant. The increase in hydrogen selectivity with base addition arises primarily from reducing the selectivity toward methane and higher alkanes, products that consume H2. For comparison, KOH addition to the glycerol feed with the Re-free 3%Pt/C catalyst provides an increase in glycerol conversion but results in a decline in both H2 and alkanes relative to aqueous phase oxygenates. This indicates that alternative pathways have been enabled by base addition. The highest hydrogen productivity among the catalysts tested is achieved with a 3%Pt-3%Re/C catalyst with added KOH base, but this hydrogen productivity declines with time on stream. The observed product distributionsmore » as well as deactivation with base can be understood in terms of the different reaction pathways that become emphasized depending on catalyst composition and pH.« less
LEAD FROM TROILITE OF THE TOLUCA IRON METEORITE

Lead was recovered from the Toluca meteorite troilite by dithizone extraction and by vaporisation. Lead isotopic ratios were determined mass spectrometrically. With the assumption that the lead originally had the isotopic composition of primeval lead reported by Patterson, a lead-lead age of 4.69 plus or minus 0.12 x 10/sup 9/ years (PbT) or 4.76 plus or minus 0.2 x 10/sup 9/ years (T4) can be calculated for the iron meteorite. Because the meteorite contains much less Pb/sup 204/ than primeval lead, it suggests that the Toluca iron meteorite was formed at approximately the same time as the stone meteorites. The possibility that the meteorite may have had a more complicated history should not be overlooked. (T.R.H.)
Differential information and informational equilibrium

Abstract A concept of informational equilibrium is discussed based on the idea that each economic agent views himself as facing a Markovian decision problem. The case of differential information is considered. This definition is related to those found in general equilibrium theory and in the theory of stochastic games.
Is Alanine Dipeptide a Good Model for Representing the Torsional Preferences of Protein Backbones

The conformational preference for different ϕ/Ψ backbone torsion angles is a key determinant of peptide and protein secondary structure. Often, dipeptides are used as models for understanding protein backbone dynamics and to derive force field parameters. Here, the question is examined to what extent the conformational preferences in dipeptides reflect the backbone dynamics in polypeptides and proteins and to what extent an alanine dipeptide-based backbone torsion parametrization can lead to accurate reproduction of amino acid dependent ϕ/Ψ preferences in protein structures. Results from a comparison of the analysis of Protein Data Bank (PDB) structures with long simulations of selected proteins and amino acid dipeptides suggest that a common alanine dipeptide-based torsion potential does in fact lead to excellent agreement between protein simulations and PDB structures. At the same time, the ϕ/Ψ preferences in the dipeptides are significantly different, suggesting that dipeptides are not good model systems for studying protein backbone dynamics.
Effect of voids on the reliability of BGA/CSP solder joints

Abstract Voids in solder joints have been considered as a defect in electronics assembly. The factors that affect void formation are complex and involve the interaction of many factors. There are no established standards for void size and void area in a solder joint for it to be deemed defective. Inspection criteria have been very subjective. The effect of voids on the reliability of solder joint may depend not only on the size, but also on frequency and location. This study is focussed on investigating the effect of voids on the reliability of solder joints. The size, location and frequency effects on the reliability were studied. Testing was done by mechanical deflection testing (torsion) system and air to air thermal cycling (−40 °C/125 °C). Failures were analyzed for the failure modes by cross sectional analysis. The results indicate that voids reduce the life of the solder joint. Voids which are greater than 50% of the solder joint area, decrease the mechanical robustness of the solder joints. Small voids also have an effect on the reliability, but it is dependent on the void frequency and location.
Cyclic reduction-oxidation of haematite powders

The cyclic reduction-oxidation of haematite (Fe2O3) powders was investigated over the temperature range 723 to 873 K. The hydrogeon reduction of haematite had an approximate activation energy of 53 KJ mol−1. The air oxidation of the resulting iron gave a product whose composition depended on the thermal history of the sample (number of cycles and temperature). At the lowest cycling temperature (723 K) the primary oxide was Fe3O4 and the only influence of cycling was on the relative amount of unreacted iron. At the higher temperatures (798 and 873 K) the primary oxide was Fe2O3 at the end of one cycle but changed to Fe3O4 for a higher number of cycles. The effect of cycling is explained in terms of sintering during both the reduction and oxidation reactions.
Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulation of Diamond Film Growth with the Inclusion of Surface Migration

Diamond films are of interest in many practical applications but the technology of producing high-quality, low-cost diamond is still lacking. To reach this goal, it is necessary to understand the mechanism underlying diamond deposition. Most reaction models advanced thus far do not consider surface diffusion, but recent theoretical results, founded on quantum-mechanical calculations and localized kinetic analysis, highlight the critical role that surface migration may play in growth of diamond films. In this paper we report a three-dimensional time-dependent Monte Carlo simulations of diamond growth which consider adsorption, desorption, lattice incorporation, and surface migration. The reaction mechanism includes seven gas-surface, four surface migration, and two surface-only reaction steps. The reaction probabilities are founded on the results of quantum-chemical and transition-state-theory calculations. The kinetic Monte Carlo simulations show that, starting with an ideal {100}-(2×1) reconstructed diamond surface, the model is able to produce a continuous film growth. The smoothness of the growing film and the developing morphology are shown to be influenced by rate parameter values and by deposition conditions such as temperature and gaseous species concentrations.
Mirror-image stimulation and tonic immobility in chickens

Group-reared chicks manually restrained in the presence of an unrestrained conspecific remained immobile for less time than birds restrained in isolation. On the other hand, chicks restrained in front of their own reflection in a mirror showed exaggerated tonic immobility reactions. Using differently prepared dead conspecifics as stimuli, it was determined that the reason a mirror prolongs the immobility episode relates to the reflected gaze of the “other” immobilized bird.
Tests for mutagenic effects of ammoniated glycyrrhizin, butylated hydroxytoluene, and gum arabic in rodent germ cells

Ammoniated glycyrrhizin, butylated hydroxytoluene, and gum Arabic are "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) substances that are used primarily as additives in foods. These substances were incorporated into rodent diets and fed to male rats and mice for 10 and 8 wk, respectively. The treated male mice and rats were then tested for dominant lethal effects. The mice were also tested for induced heritable translocation. Results of the rat studies indicated a statistically significant dominant lethal effect of each of the compounds tested; however, the biological significance of this response is not known. Results of the mouse dominant lethal and heritable translocation studies, on the other hand, indicated no adverse effects of the compounds tested.