cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Incidence of Injury during Olympic-style Shooting Events: A Systematic Review.

# Background Shooting sports are included in collegiate and Olympic events. However, there is minimal evidence examining injury prevalence and incidence for these athletes. # Hypothesis/Purpose The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature to examine the available evidence regarding the incidence, prevalence, and types of injuries that affect athletes in Olympic-style shooting events. # Study Design Systematic review. # Methods The electronic databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, Cinahl, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus were searched utilizing terms related to shooting and injuries. Studies were included if they reported prevalence or incidence of injury in collegiate or Olympic shooting events, and were excluded if inclusion criteria were not met, full text was unavailable, or not in English. Two reviewers independently screened articles in two phases: 1) screening of titles/abstracts 2) full text review. A third reviewer resolved conflicts. # Results Nineteen studies were ultimately included. The sports identified were biathlon, rifle, pistol, and shotgun. Shooting events in both winter and summer Olympics had low percentages of injuries compared to other sports. Winter shooting events had a higher percentage of injuries (6.9%) compared to summer (2.3%). In summer, females demonstrated a higher percentage of injuries (6.9%) compared to males (1.7%). In winter, males had a higher percentage of injuries (8.6%) versus females (5.1%). # Conclusion Injury incidence and prevalence was low for athletes in shooting sports in the Olympics. Injury rate was higher in the winter Olympic shooting events likely from increased physiological demand. With injury surveillance focusing on acute injuries rather than chronic, the number of injuries may be underestimated. Females had higher injury rates than males in the summer Olympics while the opposite was observed in the winter Olympics, likely from sex differences and differences in physiological demand for each event. # Level of Evidence Level 3
Realistic Expanding Source Model for Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

An international search is currently underway for the quark-gluon plasma—a predicted new phase of nuclear matter where quarks roam almost freely throughout the medium instead of being confined to individual nucleons.1,2 Such a plasma could be formed through the compression and excitation that occur when nuclei collide at relativistic speeds. With increasing compression the nucleons overlap sufficiently that they should lose their individual identity and transform into deconfined quarks, and with increasing excitation the many pions that are produced overlap sufficiently that they should lose their individual identity and transform into deconfined quarks and anti-quarks.
The Effect of a Barefoot Running Training Program on Running Economy and Performance

13 Introduction 14 Methods 17 Statistical Design 21 Results 21 Discussion 24 Conclusion 30 References 32
Fluctuation corrections to the mean field description of a nonuniform fluid

The interaction of a fluid of particles is separated into a core-core repulsion and a communally generated attractive field. Existence of a self-maintained density profile between liquid and gas phases is investigated in the Van der Waals model, and then from a microscopic point of view under the assumptions of local homogeneity and fluctuationless mean field. The particle degrees of freedom are riaorously eliminated, and the pure field system analyzed first under the previous assumptions and then in the presence of leading order field fluctuations. Divergent broadening of the density profile in two or three dimensional space is found, and related to the capillary wave picture.
Affleck-Dine Sneutrino Inflation

Motivated by the coincidence between the Hubble scale during inflation and the typical seesaw neutrino mass scale, we present a supergravity model in which the inflaton is identified with a linear combination of right-handed sneutrino fields. The model accommodates an inflaton potential that is flatter than quadratic chaotic inflation, resulting in a tensor-to-scalar ratio that is measurable but not yet ruled out. Small $CP$ violation in the neutrino mass matrix and supersymmetry breaking yield an evolution in the complex plane for the sneutrino fields. This induces a net lepton charge that, via the Affleck\char21{}Dine mechanism, can be the origin of the observed baryon asymmetry of the Universe.
Comments on "The Coronal Heating Paradox" by M.J. Aschwanden, A. Winebarger, D. Tsiklauri and H. Peter [2007, Astrophys J., 659, 1673]

We point out the priority of our paper (Mahajan et al. 2001, Phys. Plasmas, 8, 1340) over (Aschwanden et al. 2007, Astrophys J., 659, 1673) in introducing the term "Formation and primary heating of the solar corona" working out explicit models (theory as well as simulation) for coronal structure formation and heating. On analyzing the Aschwanden et al. (2007) scenario of coronal heating process (shifted to the chromospheric heating) we stress, that for efficient loop formation, the primary upflows of plasma in chromosphere/transition region should be relatively cold and fast (as opposed to hot). It is during trapping and accumulation in closed field structures, that the flows thermalize (due to the dissipation of the short scale flow energy) leading to a bright and hot coronal structure. The formation and primary heating of a closed coronal structure (loop at the end) are simultaneous and a process like the "filling of the empty coronal loop by hot upflows" is purely speculative and totally unlikely.
Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of severe hematochezia

Severe hematochezia , defined as repeated passage of red blood or clots per rectum, suggests a colonic site of hemorrhage. However, for patients admitted with ongoing, severe hematochezia, symptoms of hypovolemia, and severe anemia, an upper gastrointestinal or small bowel lesion with rapid transit of the blood is the source in about one quarter of the patients. Initial treatment of patients who are hospitalized with severe hematochezia is resuscitation and volume and blood replacement, skilled nursing care, monitoring, and combined urgent diagnosis and treatment. Several options are available for urgent diagnosis and/or therapy: (technetium) red blood cell (RBC) scanning, angiography, colonoscopy, and surgery. The diagnostic yield of technetium red cell scanning is low but helpful in some patients to localize the bleeding site. Early positive RBC scans are much more accurate for localization than delayed scans. Emergency angiography can be used for both diagnosis and treatment in selected patients who have active bleeding at the time of the study; it has low sensitivity but high specificity. In most cases, RBC scanning and emergency angiography are complementary to urgent colonoscopy, anoscopy, and enteroscopy, which have much higher diagnostic yields. After preparation of the colon with a purge, either orally or by way of a nasogastric (NG) tube, patients can be effectively and safely examined with urgent colonoscopy and anoscopy for colonic, terminal ileal, and anorectal bleeding sites. If no bleeding site is found in the colon or anorectum, a push enteroscopy is recommended to rule out foregut lesions as the source of the hematochezia. For focal lesions with stigmata of hemorrhage, endoscopic hemostasis can be applied to control bleeding or prevent rebleeding. In two prospective studies of 335 patients with severe hematochezia who were hospitalized for this condition, the diagnostic yield has been high with this endoscopic approach, resource utilization has been reduced, and outcomes relative to watchful waiting or medical management have been improved.
Spatial and electronic characterization of nano-features created by highly charged ions

Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) images of highly charged ion (HCI) synthesized nano-features formed on the Au(111) surface are presented as well as transport studies of HCI modified magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). HCIs can carry a significant amount of neutralization energy (51 keV per ion for Xe44+, used in most of the results presented) in addition to their kinetic energy. This potential energy amplifies the violence of the HCI's interaction with the surface by generating massive secondary electron and sputtered atom yields and can displace thousands of substrate atoms. This paper presents STM images of surface features observed on the Au(111) surface with emphasis on the characteristics of the physical structure and formation mechanisms. In separate experiments, the HCIs are used to ablate small portions of the oxide barrier in MTJs to allow nano-scale metal shunts to be created through the barrier. Electronic measurements of HCI irradiated MTJs demonstrate that the MTJ total conductance increase...
Validity of the Revised Denver Developmental Screening Test for Referred and Nonreferred Samples

The Revised Denver Developmental Screening Test was compared with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development to investigate the validity of the Denver scale for children under 30 mo. of age. Two group...
Millimetric waveguide systems

The propagation of electromagnetic waves in hollow conducting tubes (waveguides) is reviewed and the properties of the low-loss mode are considered. The practical realization of a trunk digital transmission system employing the low-loss mode has been achieved in a Post Office field trial over a route length of 14 km; the system has a potential capacity equivalent to 500000 telephone circuits or three hundred 625-line television channels in each direction of transmission. The design and installation of the waveguide used for the field trial are described, and the results of transmission tests over the frequency band 32-110 GHz are presented. The wide frequency bandwidth available for transmission is subdivided into channels using appropriate filters, each channel providing a digital capacity of 500 Mbit/s. The carrier associated with each channel must be modulated by the digital signals before transmission, amplified and demodulated after transmission along one repeater section, and distortion removed from the digital signals ready for transmission over the next repeater section; techniques for carrying out these operations are outlined. Eight channels were fully equipped and the results of tests on three of the channels are given. Digital colour television transmission has been successfully demonstrated over four of the channels connected in tandem thereby simulating a 57 km route.
A decade of CDK5.

Since it was identified a decade ago, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) has emerged as a crucial regulator of neuronal migration in the developing central nervous system. CDK5 phosphorylates a diverse list of substrates, implicating it in the regulation of a range of cellular processes - from adhesion and motility, to synaptic plasticity and drug addiction. Recent evidence indicates that deregulation of this kinase is involved in the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases.
Observation of Lamb Shifts by Quantum Beats

The technique which we used previously to observe quantum beats due to coherent electron-impact excitation of Zeeman magnetic sublevels is extended to the observation of the Lamb shift in the $n=4$ state of $^{4}\mathrm{He}^{+}$. The quantum beats in our new experiment are due to temporal variations of the fluorescent light. We extend Series' theory and report the first experimental observation of the effect predicted by Series.
On the mode of cytotoxic action of photoactivated porphyrins

Abstract Upon photo-activation, certain porphyrins can exert a substantial cytotoxic action on mammalian cells. A study of the interaction between a group of porphyrins and some transplantable murine ascitic tumors has suggested several major determinants of porphyrin toxicity. Optimally effective porphyrins are water soluble; however, they can be extracted from aqueous solution by octanol, but not by decane. Upon photoactivation, porphyrins accumulated by tumor cells catalyze cross-linking of membrane protein but not of glycoprotein. This cross-linking is associated with a decrease in cell-surface hydrophobicity and with other alterations in vital membrane propeprties.
Footwear and foot orthotic effectiveness research: a new approach.

Measurement of calcaneal inversion and eversion during walking is limited when subjects wear shoes. The authors of this study propose the use of transverse tibial rotation as a viable alternative measurement when barefoot assessment is not possible. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to: 1) determine the relationship between transverse tibial rotation and rearfoot motion during the stance phase of normal walking and 2) demonstrate the usefulness of measuring transverse tibial rotation when evaluating the effect of footwear and insole foot orthotic devices. Part 1 consisted of eight volunteers (five women, three men) whose rearfoot and transverse tibial motion was videotaped while they walked along a 12-m walkway. The results of this study showed that although absolute values were not comparable, the two motion patterns are related to each other. The correlation between the mean rearfoot and tibial motion patterns of all 16 feet was r = .953. Part 2 investigated the effect of footwear and orthotics on transverse tibial rotation using two case presentations. A video camera was positioned in front of each subject as they walked at a self-selected speed under various footwear or orthotic conditions. The results of the case studies revealed that footwear or foot orthotics decrease maximum tibial internal rotation compared with barefoot walking. In addition, internal tibial rotation velocity and acceleration were decreased by the use of shoes, an accommodative orthosis, and an inflatable medial longitudinal arch support. A rigid orthotic produced a slight increase in transverse tibial rotation and a dramatic increase in transverse tibial acceleration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Shedding of ULBP2

UL16 binding proteins (ULBPs) are a family of cell surface proteins that are present in transformed and stressed cells and ligands for NKG2D. Soluble NKG2D ligands have been found in sera from cancer patients with their protein concentrations correlated with poor cancer prognosis. Here we show, for the first time, that human tumor cells lost their surface expression of ULBP2, but not ULBP1 and ULBP3, during NK cell-mediated cytolysis. In contrast to spontaneous shedding of NKG2D ligands, NK cytolysis-mediated shedding of ULBP2 was linked to target cell apoptosis, although both resulted from metalloproteinase cleavages. Inhibition of ULBP2 shedding by a metalloproteinase inhibitor BB-94 lead to reduced NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and cytokine production. These results illustrate a regulation of NK cell effector functions through cytolysis-induced NKG2D ligand shedding. Consequently, compounds inhibiting NKG2D ligand shedding may offer therapeutic means to reduce excessive pathogenic NK cell activities.
p63 is a useful marker for cutaneous spindle cell squamous cell carcinoma.

Background Cutaneous spindle cell squamous cell carcinoma (SCSCC) is a rare variant of SCC. This lesion is sometimes difficult to diagnose based purely on morphologic features. p63 is a member of the p53 gene family that can be identified in epithelial malignancies. Methods Thirteen cases of spindle SCC were stained with p63, CK34betaE12, MNF116, vimentin, and S100. Control cases included desmoplastic melanoma (eight cases), atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) (10 cases), dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (eight cases), and cutaneous leiomyosarcoma (LMS) (four cases). Results p63 was expressed diffusely in the nuclei of 100% (13/13) of SCSCCs. Of controls, p63 showed focal labeling of two LMS and two AFX. MNF116 and CK34betaE12 were positive in 13/13 SCSCCs. Of controls, one LMS was focally positive for MNF116. All SCSCCs and all control cases were positive for vimentin. Conclusions In the given differential diagnosis, p63 appears relatively specific to SCSCC and adds a useful nuclear marker to the available repertoire. The findings also suggest that cytokeratins MNF116 and CK34betaE12 may be more useful than standard cytokeratins in labeling SCSCC.
Does the elemental composition of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 accurately represent the elemental composition of personal PM2.5

Abstract The complex mixture of chemical and elemental constituents that comprise particulate matter (PM) is hypothesized to be, in part, responsible for its toxicity. Epidemiologic studies have identified specific components and sources of PM2.5 associated with adverse health outcomes, but the majority of these studies use the mass concentration of elements in outdoor PM2.5 at central monitoring sites as a surrogate for personal exposure. Personal exposure to PM2.5 and its elemental composition, however, may vary from stationary outdoor measurements. Here, we use concurrent indoor, outdoor, and personal sampling of PM2.5 and its elemental constituents along with personal and home characteristics, collected as a part of the Relationships of Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Air (RIOPA) study to characterize the differences in PM2.5 among indoor, outdoor, and personal air samples. We found that personal exposure to PM2.5 and most elements were significantly correlated with, though frequently exceeded, both indoor and outdoor measurements. Principal component scores were used to determine that the mixture of elemental components in PM2.5 varies significantly across indoor, outdoor, and personal sample types. Using model-based clustering, we identified 7 clusters of RIOPA participants whose personal PM2.5 samples had similar patterns of elemental composition. Using this approach, two subsets of RIOPA participants were identified whose personal exposure to PM2.5 and elemental concentrations were significantly increased compared to both their indoor and outdoor levels. Collectively, our results suggest that the elemental composition of PM2.5 obtained at central monitoring stations do not accurately represent the overall elemental composition of personal PM2.5 exposure.
Large Eddy Simulation of Leading Edge Film Cooling: Part I — Computational Domain and Effect of Coolant Pipe Inlet Condition

A numerical investigation is conducted to study compound angle leading edge film cooling with Large Eddy Simulation. The leading edge has two rows of coolant holes located at ±15° of the stagnation line. Coolant jets are injected into the flow field at 30° (span-wise) and 90° (stream-wise). Mainstream Reynolds number is 100,000 based on the free stream velocity and cylinder diameter. Jet to mainstream velocity and density ratios are 0.4 and 1.0, respectively. It is found that during startup the stagnation line at the leading edge is not stationary but moves on a timescale much larger than the characteristic turbulent scales generated by the jet-mainstream interaction. To alleviate the long time integration necessitated by this feature, only half the domain is calculated (fixed stagnation) by showing that there is very little correlation in the flow structures generated by the jet-mainstream interaction on either side of stagnation. A comparison is made between a laminar uniform profile at the coolant pipe inlet with a time-dependent turbulent profile extracted from an auxiliary turbulent pipe flow calculation. The former over-predicts the span-wise averaged effectiveness, while the latter promotes better mixing in the outer region of jet-mainstream interaction and lowers the adiabatic effectiveness showing good agreement with measurements. In both cases, a characteristic low frequency interaction between the jet and the mainstream is identified at a non-dimensional frequency between 0.79 and 0.95 based on jet diameter and velocity. Even in the absence of any free-stream and jet turbulence, a turbulent boundary layer is established within a diameter downstream of the jet due to the strong lateral entrainment downstream of injection. The entrainment is primarily driven by an asymmetric counterrotating vortex pair in the immediate wake of the coolant jet. The driving mechanism for the formation of these vortices is a low pressure zone in the wake which entrains mainstream flow laterally into this region.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SERUM LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE (LDH) IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH AIDS: A POSSIBLE INDICATOR OF UNCONTROLLED B CELL PROLIFERATION

Elevation of serum LDH activity occurs in isoenzyme patterns characteristic of various disease states. The isomorphic pattern (i.e. equal elevation of all isoenzymes) is pronounced in B cell neoplasia and infectious mononucleosis. In B cell lymphomas LDH levels correlate directly with tumor burden and clinical outcome. We have detected an isomorphic elevation of LDH in 19 of 21 patients with AIDS or AIDS related complex. This elevation occurred invariably during documented Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis (PCP) and in all children with interstitial pneumonitis. LDH levels returned to normal following resolution of PCP (6 of 7 patients) after treatment with antibiotics and periodic intravenous gammaglobulin. Serum LDH levels remained elevated following antibiotic treatment alone. Conversely, treatment of patients with Pneumocystis carinii negative interstitial pneumonitis with i-v gammaglobulin alone resulted in a decrease in LDH levels. I-V gammaglobulin may regulate B cell proliferation in immunodeficient patients and thus indirectly affect LDH levels.
The perception and production of language-specific mid-vowel contrasts: Shifting the focus to the bilingual individual in early language input conditions:

Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions:This study investigates the perception and production of the Catalan mid-vowel contrasts by 60 early Spanish-Catalan bilinguals addressing the following questions: (1) what are the effects of language dominance in the production and perception of the Catalan midvowels? (2) Does the perceptual deficit attributed in Barcelona remain in Majorca? (3) Do these bilinguals maintain the mid-vowel contrasts in production? And (4) what is the relationship between the perception and production of the mid-vowel contrasts within each bilingual individual?Design/Methodology/Approach:Participants completed categorical AXB discrimination and picture-naming tasks to examine their perception and production of the Catalan mid-vowel contrasts.Data and Analysis:The perception data consisted of 8,640 responses and the production dataset comprised 9,585 acoustic measurements that were submitted to mixed-model ANOVAs. Individual variation was explored by calculating the Euclidean di...
Autonomic tone and C-reactive protein: a prospective population-based study.

Objectives To examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between cardiac autonomic tone and serum CRP and to investigate potential causal links between these measures.
Unified maximum particle size prediction for turbulent dilute dispersions

Abstract A new maximum stable particle size model for turbulent dilute dispersion flow is proposed, which includes both droplets and bubbles. The proposed model incorporates, for the first time, the combined effects of the dispersed-phase density and viscosity. The model has been tested against a database consisting of 169 sets corresponding to turbulent dilute dispersions showing a good agreement.
VHA Primary Care Providers’ Perspectives on Screening Female Veterans for Intimate Partner Violence: A Preliminary Assessment

Female Veterans experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at alarming rates. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) requires foundational research to guide the development of policy and programs to detect IPV among women Veterans and provide interventions. This pilot study reports findings from in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with 12 VHA primary care providers treating female Veterans in the New England region. Although most providers indicated that they were not currently routinely screening for IPV, they expressed positive attitudes and beliefs about screening in VHA primary care settings. Themes also included the importance of a comprehensive health care response to IPV, such as interdisciplinary coordination of care and team-based approaches to detection and intervention. Barriers to routine screening were identified, as well as recommendations for training programs and clinical tools to inform the successful implementation of a standardized IPV screening and response program in VHA. Although preliminary, these findings represent an initial step in an essential line of research.
Transition Reversal and Tollmien—Schlichting Instability

Transition reversal—the sometimes observed decrease in transition Reynolds number with surface cooling—has been thought to be other than a Tollmien—Schlichting instability phenomenon since it could not be reconciled with the results of the Dunn and Lin calculations of the temperatures required for complete stabilization of supersonic flat plate boundary layers. Recent theoretical developments in the stability of compressible boundary layers to Tollmien—Schlichting waves, however, point out the importance of considering in the analysis the hitherto neglected temperature fluctuations and thermal boundary condition. Accordingly, the temperatures required for complete stabilization of flat plate boundary layers to both two‐and three‐dimensional disturbances have been recomputed. The new required temperatures are all below the Dunn—Lin values. In the usual diagram of surface temperature vs stream Mach number there are two loops of complete stability. The trends suggested by this diagram tend to substantiate the experimentally observed transition reversal phenomenon. The results are compared with available wind tunnel and flight data.
Valproic acid selectively inhibits conversion of arachidonic acid to arachidonoyl-CoA by brain microsomal long-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetases: relevance to bipolar disorder

Rationale Several drugs used to treat bipolar disorder (lithium and carbamazepine), when administered chronically to rats, reduce the turnover of arachidonic acid, but not docosahexaenoic acid, in brain phospholipids by decreasing the activity of an arachidonic acid-selective phospholipase A2. Although chronic valproic acid produces similar effects on brain arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid turnover, it does not alter phospholipase A2 activity, suggesting that it targets a different enzyme in the turnover pathway.
Highly Efficient Visible-Light-Induced Photocleavage of DNA by a Ruthenium-Substituted Fluorinated Porphyrin

A new porphyrin, meso-5-(pentafluorophenyl)-10,15,20-tris(4-pyridyl)porphyrin, has been synthesized. Coordination of two [Ru(bipy)2Cl]+ moieties (where bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) to the pyridyl nitrogen atoms in the 10,15-positions gives the target complex. Electronic transitions associated with the ruthenium–porphyrin include an intense Soret band and four less intense Q-bands in the visible region of the spectrum. An intense π–π* transition in the UV region associated with the bipyridyl groups and a metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) band appearing as a shoulder to the Soret band are also observed. Electrochemical properties associated with the complex include a redox couple in the cathodic region with E1/2 = –0.84 V vs. Ag/AgCl attributed to the porphyrin and a redox couple in the anodic region at E1/2 = 0.79 V vs. Ag/AgCl due to the RuIII/II couple. DNA titrations and ethidium bromide displacement experiments indicate the ruthenium porphyrin interacts with DNA potentially through a partial intercalation mechanism. Irradiation of aqueous solutions of the ruthenated complex and supercoiled DNA at a 100:1 base pair/complex ratio with visible light above 400 nm indicates that the complex causes double-strand breaks of the DNA.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Tumor size predicts long term survival in colon cancer: an analysis of the National Cancer Data Base

BACKGROUND: American Joint Committee on Cancer uses tumor size for ‘‘T’’ staging of many solid tumors for its effect on prognosis. However, tumor size has not been incorporated in tumor (T), nodal status (N), metastasis (M) staging for colon cancer. Hence, the National Cancer Data Base was used to determine whether tumor size correlates with TNM staging and survival. METHODS: For the 300,386 patients, tumor size was divided into S1 (0 to 2 cm), S2 (.2 to 4 cm), S3 (.4 to 6 cm), and S4 (.6 cm). Statistical comparison was done for TNM stage, grade, and nodal status with tumor size. Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis was done for each ‘‘S’’ stage. RESULTS: Of the 300,386 patients, 13% were classified as S1, 39% S2, 30% S3 and 18% as S4. Right colon was the most common site (48%). Tumor size positively correlated with grade, T stage, and nodal stage. Tumor size was inversely associated with survival. CONCLUSION: Tumor size is positively correlated with important prognostic factors and negatively
Reye Syndnrome: An Association With Type 1 Vaccine-like Poliovirus

Polio type 1 vaccine-like virus was isolated from spinal fluid, ileum, and brain tissue of a 7-year-old girl whose clinical course and postmortem findings were typical of Reye syndrome. History revealed previous immunization with seven courses of inactivated polio vaccine and close contact, three weeks before her illness, with a child recently immunized with oral trivalent attenuated poliovirus.
Purification and comparative study of the kinases specific for branched chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase

Rat heart branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDH kinase) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDH kinase) were purified from their respective complexes to apparent homogeneity. BCKDH kinase consisted of one subunit with molecular weight 44,000-45,000 Da, whereas PDH kinase consisted of two subunits with molecular weight 48,000 Da (alpha) and 45,000 Da (beta) as previously shown for the bovine kidney enzyme (Stepp et al., 1983, J. Biol. Chem. 258, 9454-9458). Proteolysis maps of BCKDH kinase and the two subunits of PDH kinase were different, suggesting that all subunits are different entities. The alpha subunit of the rat heart PDH kinase could be cleaved selectively by chymotrypsin with concomitant loss of kinase activity, as previously shown for the bovine kidney enzyme, suggesting that the catalytic activity of PDH kinase resides in the alpha subunit. The beta subunit appeared to be a different entity unique to the PDH kinase. Both kinases exhibited marked substrate specificity toward their respective complexes and would not inactivate heterologous complexes. The kinases possessed slightly different substrate specificity toward histones. BCKDH kinase preferentially phosphorylated histones in the order f1 greater than f2B much greater than f2A much greater than f3. The relative order for PDH kinase was the same, but f2A and f3 were considerably better substrates than they were for BCKDH kinase. These observations suggest that the kinases have different requirements for the structure of the protein at their phosphorylation sites.
Reduced 5-HT3 receptor binding and lower baseline plus maze anxiety in the alcohol-preferring inbred fawn-hooded rat

Abstract The present investigation sought to explore the relationship between the 5-HT 3 receptor and anxiety-like behavior in fawn-hooded (FH/Wjd) rats, an inbred strain that exhibits a high intake and preference for ethanol, and the alcohol-nonpreferring ACI/N strain. Using quantitative autoradiography, we examined whether there were differences in central 5-HT 3 receptor binding in FH/Wjd versus ACI/N rats. Ten to 14 days prior to being used in the autoradiographic studies, rats were first confirmed to be representative of their strains by subjecting them to a two-bottle choice procedure for 2 weeks. The binding of [ 3 H]LY 278584 to 5-HT 3 receptors was significantly reduced in frontal cortex, CA1 region of hippocampus, and in the medial and lateral nuclei of the amygdala of FH/Wjd versus ACI/N rats. In the anterior cingulate cortex and in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus the reduction in [ 3 H]LY 278548 binding in the FH/Wjd versus ACI/N strain (40% and 41%, respectively) did not reach statistical significance. In a separate group of animals, the effects of the 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist MDL 72222 (3 mg/kg ip) on anxiety-related behaviors were assessed in the elevated plus maze. In vehicle-treated rats, the FH/Wjd strain exhibited significantly greater percent of time spent on the open arms and percent open arm entries, an indication of less anxiety. Pretreatment with MDL 72222 did not alter these behaviors in the FH/Wjd rats, but had an anxiolytic-like effect in the ACI/N strain, significantly increasing the percent of time spent on the open arms and percent open arm entries. Further research into 5-HT 3 receptor function in the alcohol-preferring FH/Wjd rats is needed to elucidate the relationship among 5-HT 3 receptors, alcohol drinking, and anxiety.
Effects of spectral entanglement in polarization-entanglement swapping and type-I fusion gates

We examine how spectral entanglement in polarization-entangled photon states generated from bulk-crystal, spontaneous parametric down-conversion affects the success of entanglement swapping and type-I fusion gates. We quantify the success of the entanglement swapping and fusion gates by calculating the bipartite concurrence and residual tangle, respectively, in terms of the joint spectral probability amplitudes of the initial broad-bandwidth polarization-entangled states. We find that both polarization-entanglement measures depend strongly on the initial spectral entanglement, as well as on the configuration of the independent sources. Specifically, when spectral differences correlate with polarization, the optimal source configuration is different for the two protocols. We conclude that this distinction is founded in how the underlying Bell-state measurement and quantum-erasure techniques respond differently to distinguishing spectral information.
Serum insulin, glucose and lactate concentrations during 18-h fast in female reindeer.

Abstract We investigated whether secretion of insulin occurred in the absence of feeding in a ruminant. Serum insulin, glucose and lactate concentrations were measured in three adult non-pregnant reindeer at hourly intervals during an 18-h fast (17:30–11:30 h) in October. Mean serum insulin concentration was 39±3 μIU/ml (range 2–100). The insulin profile of two animals was characterized by a nocturnal rise and an early morning trough, followed by a mid-morning rise. Within the larger peaks, short-term oscillations occurred at 2–3-h intervals. Serum glucose concentrations significantly increased during the fast and exceeded feeding values by 31–45% at 18 h post feeding. Serum lactate concentrations declined significantly in all three animals. Residuals for serum glucose concentrations were significantly negatively correlated to residuals of serum lactate in two animals, but not the third. Serum glucose and lactate concentrations were not related to serum insulin. In conclusion, insulin secretion in reindeer shows a 2–3-h periodicity in the absence of feeding. The periodicity is of similar duration as the inter-meal interval for pen-fed reindeer during winter (2.5 h). Although not necessarily causal, the results are consistent with a hypothesized role for insulin in meal initiation.
Simulating Molecular Mechanisms of the MDM2-Mediated Regulatory Interactions: A Conformational Selection Model of the MDM2 Lid Dynamics

Diversity and complexity of MDM2 mechanisms govern its principal function as the cellular antagonist of the p53 tumor suppressor. Structural and biophysical studies have demonstrated that MDM2 binding could be regulated by the dynamics of a pseudo-substrate lid motif. However, these experiments and subsequent computational studies have produced conflicting mechanistic models of MDM2 function and dynamics. We propose a unifying conformational selection model that can reconcile experimental findings and reveal a fundamental role of the lid as a dynamic regulator of MDM2-mediated binding. In this work, structure, dynamics and energetics of apo-MDM2 are studied as a function of posttranslational modifications and length of the lid. We found that the dynamic equilibrium between “closed” and “semi-closed” lid forms may be a fundamental characteristic of MDM2 regulatory interactions, which can be modulated by phosphorylation, phosphomimetic mutation as well as by the lid size. Our results revealed that these factors may regulate p53-MDM2 binding by fine-tuning the thermodynamic equilibrium between preexisting conformational states of apo-MDM2. In agreement with NMR studies, the effect of phosphorylation on MDM2 interactions was more pronounced with the truncated lid variant that favored the thermodynamically dominant closed form. The phosphomimetic mutation S17D may alter the lid dynamics by shifting the thermodynamic equilibrium towards the ensemble of “semi-closed” conformations. The dominant “semi-closed” lid form and weakened dependence on the phosphorylation seen in simulations with the complete lid can provide a rationale for binding of small p53-based mimetics and inhibitors without a direct competition with the lid dynamics. The results suggested that a conformational selection model of preexisting MDM2 states may provide a robust theoretical framework for understanding MDM2 dynamics. Probing biological functions and mechanisms of MDM2 regulation would require further integration of computational and experimental studies and may help to guide drug design of novel anti-cancer therapeutics.
On becoming a parasite: evaluating the role of wall oxidases in parasitic plant development

Background: The temporal and spatial control of the transition from vegetative to parasitic growth is critical to any parasite, but is essential to the sessile parasitic plants. It has been proposed that this transition in Striga spp. is controlled simply by an exuded oxidase that converts host cell-surface phenols into benzoquinones which act as developmental signals that mediate the transition. An understanding of this mechanism may identify the critical molecular events that made possible the evolution of parasitism in plants. Results: PoxA and PoxB are identified as the only apoplastic phenol oxidases in Striga asiatica seedlings, and the genes encoding them have been cloned and sequenced. These peroxidase enzymes are capable of oxidizing the 60 known inducing phenols into a small set of benzoquinones, and it is these quinones that induce parasitic development. Analysis of the reaction requirements and comparisons to host enzymes, however, lead us to argue that PoxA and PoxB are not necessary for host recognition. Conclusions: A new model is proposed where constitutive production of an activated oxygen species (in the case of Striga , H 2 O 2 ) mediates host recognition. This strategy would allow a parasite to exploit abundant host enzymes to produce the diffusible recognition signals by converting a standard host defense into a parasitic offense.
Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: A New Model for Schizophrenia?

Lack of patient tissue and relevant disease models have constrained progress toward discovering the causes of schizophrenia. Recently in Nature, Brennand et al. (2011) reprogram schizophrenia patient fibroblasts to derive four iPSC lines, perform subsequent neural differentiation, and provide early insights into a novel approach that may address these issues.
MPEG Video in Software: Representation, Transmission, and Playback

A software decoder for MPEG-l video was integrated into a continuous media playback system that supports synchronized playing of audio and video data stored on a file server. The MPEG-1 video playback system supports forward and backward play at variable speeds and random sending and receiving side heuristics are described that adapt to frame drops due to network load and the available decoding capacity of the client workstation. A series of experiments show that the playback system adds a small overhead to the stand alone software decoder and that playback is smooth when all frames or very few frames can be decoded. Between these extremes, the system behaves reasonably but can still be improved.
Use of froth flotation to remove unburned carbon from fly ash

The fly ash from coal combustion often has a high unburned-carbon content. This can make it unusable as a cement admixture, which is the major fly ash utilization market. As a result, high-carbon fly ashes are currently disposed of by landfilling, at sometimes considerable expense. In this paper, the use of froth flotation to remove the unburned carbon from fly ash is described. Three different fly ashes were studied that had loss-on-ignition (LOI) values of 6.79, 6.90, and 11.11%. It was found that the use of an alkanolamide/oil mixture as a froth-conditioning reagent could greatly reduce the amount of collector needed by increasing the affinity of the collector for oxidized carbonaceous surfaces. For each of the three fly ashes, froth flotation reduced the LOI of the ash to less than 2%, which is well below the ASTM specification of no more than 6.0% LOI for Class F fly ash. Increasing carbon content of the ash tended to increase the quantities of reagents needed in flotation.
Mathematical modeling and simulation of an algorithm for optimistic concurrency control in centralized database systems

This paper presents the analysis of an algorithm for optimistic concurrency control in centralized database systems. The effectiveness of optimistic concurrency control in a centralized database system depends on the probability of transaction conflict being low. When conflict does occur, it is resolved by aborting the older transaction and allowing resubmission. The concern here is to examine the probability that a transaction is able to avoid conflict and commit. Specifically, a set of probabilistic formulas which provide an analysis of this probability is examined. Furthermore, a report of two simulation studies, the design and implementation of a GPSS simulation and the design of a simulation for the IBM token-ring network, is given.
Frequent Endonuclease Cleavage at Off-target Locations In Vivo

Target-site DNA breaks increase recombination frequencies, however, the specificity of the enzymes used to create them remains poorly defined. The location and frequency of off-target cleavage events are especially important when rare-cutting endonucleases are used in clinical settings. Here, we identify noncanonical cleavage sites of I-SceI that are frequently cut in the human genome by localizing adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector-chromosome junctions, demonstrating the importance of in vivo characterization of enzyme cleavage specificity.
Enhancement of radiation-induced cell kill by platinum complexes (carboplatin and iproplatin) in V79 cells.

Abstract Two second generation platinum complexes currently undergoing clinical chemotherapeutic trials, carboplatin (CBDCA) and iproplatin (CHIP), were evaluated for their ability to alter the survival of cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells following irradiation. Two protocols were employed. In the first, the drug was added to preplated cells, some of which were subsequently made hypoxic with nitrogen gas. These hypoxic cells were irradiated following 1 hour exposure to drug and survival was assessed by standard colony forming unit (CFU) methods. Enhancement ratios (ER) of approximately 1.4 were obtained for irradiation under hypoxic conditions, if the cells were exposed to equitoxic doses of CBDCA (500 μM) or CHIP (50 μM). In the second series of experiments, cells were treated with 10 Gy in air and then incubated for various times prior to trypsinization and serial dilution of single cell suspensions. Six hours after irradiation, cells treated with X rays alone had recovered to produce a surviving fraction twice that of cells trypsinized immediately after irradiation (not held). Post-irradiation administration of CBDCA (50 μM) or CHIP (20 μM), at a time when free radical-mediated radiosensitization would not be possible, operationally inhibited this recovery from radiation-induced potentially lethal damage (PLD). Inhibition, expressed as recovery inhibition factor (RIF) after 6 hr with drug, was 2.0 for CBDCA and 1.2 for CHIP. These results suggest that the rationale for designing clinical trials to exploit interactions between cisplatin and radiation might also extend to include combined modality therapy using radiation with either of these two platinum complexes.
A rapid screening method for detection of T antigens in sera of tumor-bearing hamsters.

SummaryA rapid screening test for detection of antibodies to tumor antigens of papovavirus SV-40 and human adenovirus type 31 is described. The procedure is equally specific though slightly less sensitive than the CF test.
Aggregates Assembled From Overexpression of Wild-Type α-Synuclein are not Toxic to Human Neuronal Cells

Filamentous α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates form Lewy bodies (LBs), the neuropathologic hallmarks of Parkinson disease and related α-synucleinopathies. To model Lewy body-associated neurodegeneration, we generated transfectant human neuronal type cells (clone 3D5) in which expression of human wild-type α-syn is regulated by the tetracycline off (TetOff)-inducible mechanism. Retinoic acid-elicited differentiation promoted assembly of α-syn aggregates after TetOff induction in 3D5 cells. The aggregates accumulated 14 days after TetOff induction were primarily soluble and showed augmented thioflavin affinity with concomitant phosphorylation and nitration of α-syn. Extension of the induction led to the formation of sarkosyl-insoluble aggregates that appeared concurrently with thioflavin-positive inclusions. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the inclusions consist of dense bundles of 8- to 12-nm α-syn fibrils that congregate in the perikarya and resemble LBs. Most importantly, accumulation of soluble and insoluble aggregates after TetOff induction for 14 and 28 days was reversible and did not compromise the viability of the cells or their subsequent survival. Thus, this chemically defined culture paradigm provides a useful means to elucidate how oxidative injuries and other insults that are associated with aging promote α-syn to self-assemble or interact with other molecules leading to neuronal degeneration in α-synucleinopathies.
Effect of bursal antisteroidogenic peptide (BASP) on chicken embryonic pituitary secretion of growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL): evaluation in a reverse hemolytic plaque assay (RHPA)

Using the reverse hemolytic plaque assay described in the present investigation, a secretagogue activity of bursal antisteroidogenic peptide (BASP) for growth hormone (GH) or prolactin (PRL) secretion was observed in chicken Day 20e pituitary cell monolayers. Partially purified BASP (ppBASP), at all concentrations evaluated (0.25 BEQ/ml, 0.75 BEQ/ml, or 1.5 BEQ/ml), induced PRL secretion by isolated lactotrophs above (P < 0.05) basal levels during the 2- and 6-hr incubation. At the 18-hr time point, neither ppBASP nor vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was efficacious (P < 0.05) in causing an elevation in PRL-secreting cells above basal levels. ppBASP, at all concentrations evaluated (0.25 BEQ/ml, 0.75 BEQ/ml, or 1.5 BEQ/ml), caused an increase in the percentage of GH-secreting cells above (P < 0.05) basal levels during the 18-hr incubation. When evaluating the 2-hr time point alone, ppBASP, at 0.75 or 1.5 BEQ/ml, significantly (P < 0.05) elevated the percentage of GH-secreting cells to above basal levels. After the 6-hr incubation, ppBASP at 0.25 or 0.75 BEQ/ml, was efficacious in causing elevated (P < 0.05) GH secretion above basal levels. The present study indicates a secretagogue activity of BASP on PRL or GH secretion by chicken embryonic anterior pituitary cells in vitro.