cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low levels of protein divergence detected between Gavialis and Tomistoma: evidence for crocodilian monophyly?

1. 1. Eighteen homologous blood proteins were compared among the 21 living species of the order Crocodilia using immunodiffusion, fingerprint and starch gel electrophoretic techniques. 2. 2. All results were concordant in aligning the true gavial (Gavialis gangeticus) and the false gavial (Tomistoma schlegelii) in a lineage that is clearly distinguishable from other living crocodilians. 3. 3. The true gavial is apparently not as phylogenetically distinct from other crocodilians as previous morphological and paleontological studies have suggested. 4. 4. These data suggest that the living members of the order Crocodilia represent a monophyletic association.
Properties of polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate copolymers of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes: A molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out on copolymers of both styrene and methyl methacrylate with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) derivatives to identify the origin of the property changes imparted upon the chemical incorporation of POSS. Simulations were carried out on these hybrid copolymers and the parent homopolymers to elucidate the effect of the T 8 , T 10 , and T 12 POSS cages. These POSS comonomers were derivatized with a single polymerizable function and 7, 9, and 11 nonpolymerizable hydrocarbon moieties, respectively. Glass transition temperatures (Tg) were computed from specific volume versus temperature plots. The packing of POSS units around the polymer backbone was analyzed via their radial distribution functions. The effect of POSS on polymer motion was analyzed through the mean square displacement function. The improvements in the elastic moduli upon incorporation of POSS were computed by employing the static deformation method.
CHRONIC RECURRENT ABDOMINAL PAIN

Chronic recurrent abdominal pain remains a common medical and surgical problem, frequently dismissed as functional. Instead, these patients should be approached systematically, based on the pattern of recurrent abdominal pain. It is vital to seek out the potential cause of this type of chronic pain because specific and often curative treatment is available.
A paleomagnetic spinner magnetometer using a fluxgate gradiometer

Abstract A spinner magnetometer, for paleomagnetic research, consisting of a 5 cps spinner shaft, a fluxgate gradiometer pickup, and a phase sensitive voltmeter is described. A major consideration in the design of the system is that it may be duplicated with a minimum of available technical facilities. A discussion is given of possible improvements in sensitivity. The present sensitivity is 1 × 10 −7 emu/cm 3 for an 11.5 cm 3 specimen.
Photojournalism and Memory: Agustí Centelles in the Transition and Today

Agusti Centelles was one of the principal news photographers of the Spanish Civil War, but his photographs have only recently been discovered by historians and the wider Spanish public. In the las three decades Centelles’ photographs have been transformed into lieux de memoire, or places of memory, which according to Pierre Nora are the places and objects that embody a national or cultural memory of the past, and are created when the lived memory of an event is in danger of extinction. Spanish Civil War photographs assisted in the development of myths during the conflict and continue to do so today because they occupy a problematic liminal space between historical document and aesthetic object. This article examines various contextualizations of Agusti Centelles’ work during the Transition and the first decade of the twenty-first century and explores how various ideological, cultural and political groups have used and continue to use Centelles’ photographs to illustrate their narratives and discourses of ...
Preclinical Studies for Gene Therapy of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

The muscular dystrophies are a diverse group of genetic disorders without an effective treatment. Because they are caused by mutations in various genes, the most direct way to treat them involves correcting the underlying gene defect (ie, gene therapy). Such a gene therapy approach involves delivering a therapeutic gene cassette to essentially all the muscles of the body in a safe and efficacious manner. The authors describe gene delivery methods using vectors derived from adeno-associated virus that are showing great promise in preclinical studies for treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It is hoped that variations on these methods might be applicable for most, if not all, of the different types of muscular dystrophy.
Developmental aspects of renal beta-amino acid transport. V: Brush border membrane transport in nursing animals--effect of age and diet.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the Na+-dependent accumulation of the β-amino acid, taurine, by brush border membrane vesicles isolated from nursing animals compared to uptake in adult animals. The diets fed to the mothers nursing these pups were altered so as to provide a low sulfur amino acid intake or a high taurine diet as well as conventional sulfur amino acid intake. Taurinuria is greater in nursing animals than in adult controls, but animals of all ages respond to exposure to the low sulfur amino acid intake by conservation of taurine and to the high taurine diet by hyperexcretion of taurine. Taurine uptake at 10 μM by brush border membrane vesicles is influenced by age in all groups and by diet in 14− and 21-day-old animals. A precession of uptake is seen both in terms of initial and peak rate of uptake with the lowest values in 7-day-old animals to the highest in adult. Greater brush border membrane vesicle uptake is found in 14− and 21-day-old rats after exposure to the low sulfur amino acid intake and reduced uptake after the HTD, whereas no dietary influence on uptake was found in 7-day-old rats. Neither the pattern of the time course of uptake nor the uptake values at equilibrium (45 min) are affected by age or diet. Kinetic analyses of concentration dependent uptake show that the maturational process involves a change in the Vmax of initial uptake. Kinetic analysis of the adaptive response reveals an increase in Vmax after low sulfur amino acid intake and a decline after high taurine diet in 14− and 21-day-old pups, but not in 7-day-old pups. Uptakes at high taurine concentrations (5 mM) which are 10-fold higher than the Km are uninfluenced by age or diet. This study indicates that the physiologic taurinuria of immature rats may relate, in part, to a lower rate of uptake at the brush border surface, but that after 1 wk and before 2 wk of age the kidney can adapt to changes in sulfur amino acid intake.
The vomeronasal organ is involved in discrimination of individual odors by males but not by females in golden hamsters.

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) has a wide variety of functions in terrestrial vertebrates, some of which involve responses to classical pheromones whereas others do not. We examined the role of the VNO in discrimination of individual differences in odors of male and female golden hamsters using a habituation paradigm. Removal of the VNO resulted in elimination of the ability of male hamsters to discriminate between some individually distinctive odors (e.g., flank gland secretion), but not others (e.g., urine). In females, such lesions had no effect. The type of test trial also influenced the results; in test trials employing a single, novel odor, removal of the VNO in males did have an effect but in test trials in which both the novel and the familiar odor were presented, VNO removal had no effect. It is concluded that (a) there is a sex difference in the role of the VNO in the discrimination of individual odors, (b) the role of the VNO in discrimination of individual odors varies from odor to odor, and (c) deficits due to VNO removal are more readily observed in more difficult tasks.
Effects of turbulent flow on cell adhesion molecule expression in endothelial cells

Introduction: Turbulent flow induces atherosclerosis and neointimal hyperplasia to a greater degree than arterial levels of laminar flow. Little is known regarding the effects of turbulent flow on endothelial cells (EC), including the regulation of cell adhesion molecule expression. We have previously observed that orbital flow yields two populations of cells, in the center and periphery of the culture well, corresponding to turbulent and laminar components, respectively, and suggesting the utility of this model to study differential effects of flow types. Since expression of some EC cell adhesion molecules, ICAM, are regulated by the Shear Stress Response Element (SSRE), whereas others, E-selectin, are not, we hypothesized that laminar and turbulent flow would differentially affect EC E-selectin and ICAM expression. Methods: Human umbilical vein EC were differentially seeded in either the center or periphery of culture wells. Cells were treated with or without TNF-alpha (10ng/ml) and orbital flow (210rpm) for 6 hours. E-selectin and ICAM expression were analyzed with FACS. Results: EC exposed only to orbital flow demonstrated an up-regulation of ICAM expression, despite the area of seeding. However, TNF induced E-selectin expression was down-regulated in the periphery, whereas in the center, TNF induced E-selectin expression was similar to those cells exposed to TNF but no flow (n = 3, p < 0.0001, ANOVA). Conclusions: ICAM expression is stimulated by both laminar and turbulent flow, whereas E-selectin expression is downregulated by laminar, but not turbulent flow. This suggests that laminar and turbulent flow may differentially regulate EC function both through SSRE-dependent and independent pathways.
Relative effects on atmospheric ozone of latitude and altitude of supersonic flight

Three calculations are reported of the potential depletion of ozone by supersonic aircraft. These calculations utilized a two-dimensional model and a three-dimensional photochemical-dynamical model of the atmosphere in which ozone and the dynamical variables of the atmosphere were derived simultaneously. All calculations were based on a continuous atmospheric injection of 1.8 million tons/yr of NO2. Injections of 45 deg N and 20 km, at equilibrium, resulted in a 36% increase in total odd nitrogen between 8 and 38 km and in global ozone depletion of approximately 12%. Injection at 45 deg N and 17 km produced a 27% increase in odd nitrogen, but, because much of this increase occurred below 20 km, the ozone depletion amounted to only 6%. Injection at 10 deg N and 29 km resulted in a 55% increase of odd nitrogen; however, although there was more depletion above 20 km altitude, there was less below that altitude, and the ozone depletion was only 12.5%. In all three calculations, at least half as much ozone depletion occurred in the Southern Hemisphere as in the Northern Hemisphere.
Dynamic Evolution of the LPS-Detoxifying Enzyme Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase in Zebrafish and Other Vertebrates

Alkaline phosphatases (Alps) are well-studied enzymes that remove phosphates from a variety of substrates. Alps function in diverse biological processes, including modulating host-bacterial interactions by dephosphorylating the Gram-negative bacterial cell wall component lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In animals, Alps are encoded by multiple genes characterized by either ubiquitous expression (named Alpls, for their liver expression), or their tissue-specific expression, for example in the intestine (Alpi). We previously characterized a zebrafish alpi gene (renamed here alpi.1) that is regulated by Myd88-dependent innate immune signaling and that is required to prevent a host’s excessive inflammatory reactions to its resident microbiota. Here we report the characterization of two new alp genes in zebrafish, alpi.2 and alp3. To understand their origins, we investigated the phylogenetic history of Alp genes in animals. We find that vertebrate Alp genes are organized in three clades with one of these clades missing from the mammals. We present evidence that these three clades originated during the two vertebrate genome duplications. We show that in zebrafish alpl is ubiquitously expressed, as it is in mammals, whereas the other three alps are specific to the intestine. Our phylogenetic analysis reveals that in contrast to Alpl, which has been stably maintained as a single gene throughout the vertebrates, the Alpis have been lost and duplicated multiple times independently in vertebrate lineages, likely reflecting the rapid and dynamic evolution of vertebrate gut morphologies, driven by changes in bacterial associations and diet.
The nature of expertise in fingerprint examiners

Latent print examinations involve a complex set of psychological and cognitive processes. This article summarizes existing work that has addressed how training and experience creates changes in latent print examiners. Experience appears to improve overall accuracy, increase visual working memory, and lead to configural processing of upright fingerprints. Experts also demonstrate a narrower visual filter and, as a group, tend to show greater consistency when viewing ink prints. These findings address recent criticisms of latent print evidence, but many open questions still exist. Cognitive scientists are well positioned to conduct studies that will improve the training and practices of latent print examiners, and suggestions for becoming involved in fingerprint research are provided.
Breakdown of the Hellmann-Feynman theorem: Degeneracy is the key

The Hellmann-Feynman theorem is a powerful and popular method to efficiently calculate forces in a variety of dynamical processes, but its validity has rarely been addressed. Here a surprising failure of this theorem is reported. The forces calculated by the theorem can be more than fifty times smaller than the forces calculated by the finite differential method. Numerical evidence shows that the energy-level degeneracy is the main reason. An analytical proof reveals that although eigenvalues do not depend on a linear combination of degenerate wave functions, forces do sensitively depend on it, which leads to ill-defined forces. A scheme is proposed to overcome this difficulty.
Reflections on This 100th Anniversary of Marie Curie's Nobel Prize in Chemistry

The anniversary of Marie Curie’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry is a time for celebration of her accomplishments and those of other women chemists. It also is a time to take renewed efforts to ensure that everyone has a chance to succeed in science—regardless of race or gender.
A novel phenotype for Laron dwarfism in miniature Bos indicus cattle suggests that the expression of growth hormone receptor 1A in liver is required for normal growth

Mutations within the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene that lead to an inactivated or truncated GHR protein cause abnormal growth and small adult size in a variety of species (Laron dwarfism). We studied a line of miniature Bos indicus cattle that have phenotypic (small mature size) and endocrine (increased blood growth hormone and decreased blood insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations) similarities to Laron dwarfs. Liver mRNA from miniature and control cattle was used to amplify a cDNA within the coding region of the GHR. The miniature cattle had GHR mRNA size (determined by Northern blot) and cDNA sequence that were similar to control cattle and, therefore, were unlike most Laron dwarf genotypes in which the GHR gene is mutated. Amounts of mRNA from liver as well as muscle (superficial neck and longissimus) were analyzed by ribonuclease protection assay for IGF-I, total GHR, GHR 1A (inducible, liver-specific GHR mRNA), and GHR 1B (constitutive GHR mRNA). Four control and five miniature bulls were tested. As expected, liver IGF-I mRNA was decreased in the miniature cattle (approximately 12% of control; P < 0.01). The amount of the total GHR as well as GHR 1A mRNA were also decreased in liver (17% and 19% of control, respectively; P < 0.01). Other GHR mRNA, including GHR 1B mRNA, were similar for miniature and control cattle. In muscle, there was a tendency (P < 0.10) for decreased IGF-I mRNA and increased GHR mRNA in miniature compared with control cattle. In summary, a novel phenotype for Laron dwarfism in Bos indicus cattle was associated with underexpression of GHR 1A mRNA, but not other GHR mRNA variants in liver. In addition to decreased GHR 1A mRNA, the miniature cattle had decreased liver IGF-I mRNA. Full expression of GHR 1A in liver, therefore, may be required for full liver IGF-I expression and normal growth.
Orthostatic change in blood pressure and incidence of atrial fibrillation: results from a bi-ethnic population based study.

Background Autonomic fluctuations are associated with the initiation and possibly maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, little is known about the relationship between orthostatic blood pressure change, a common manifestation of autonomic dysfunction, and incident AF. Methods We examined whether supine-to-standing changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) are associated with incident AF in 12,071 African American and white men and women aged 45–64 years, enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risks in Communities (ARIC) study. Orthostatic hypotension (OH) was defined as a supine-standing drop in SBP by ≥20 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure by ≥10 mmHg. AF cases were identified based on study scheduled 12-lead ECG, hospital discharge ICD codes, and death certificates through 2009. Results OH was seen in 603 (5%) at baseline. During an average follow-up of 18.1 years, 1438 (11.9%) study participants developed AF. Incident AF occurred more commonly among those with OH than those without, a rate of 9.3 vs. 6.3 per 1000 person years, (p<0.001). The age, gender, and race adjusted hazard ratio (95%CI) of AF among those with OH compared to those without was 1.62 (1.34, 2.14). This association was attenuated after adjustment for common AF risk factors to HR 1.40 (1.15, 1.71), a strength similar to that of diabetes or hypertension with AF in the same model. A non-linear relationship between orthostatic change in SBP and incident AF was present after multivariable adjustment. Conclusions OH is associated with higher AF incidence. Whether interventions that decrease OH can reduce AF risk remains unknown.
Prediction of matrix fatigue crack initiation in notched SCS-6/Ti-15-3 metal matrix composites

Several lay-ups of SCS-6/Ti-15-3 metal matrix composites were tested in either a center hole or a double edge notched geometry. At different cyclic stress levels, the number of cycles required to develop matrix fatigue cracks at the notches was recorded. A fatigue strat-life curve was developed for the Ti-15-3 matrix material. This modified parameter predicted the number of cycles required for matrix crack initiation at the notches. The predictions were in good agreement with the experimental data.
The feasibility of a structured cognitive training protocol to address progressive cognitive decline in individuals with vascular dementia.

Purpose Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, better known as CADASIL, is a rare, genetic form of early-onset vascular dementia. The purpose of...
Medication reconciliation accuracy and patient understanding of intended medication changes on hospital discharge

BACKGROUND Adverse drug events after hospital discharge are common and often serious. These events may result from provider errors or patient misunderstanding.
Prognosis of Alcoholic Patients: Comparisons of Abstainers and Moderate Drinkers *

Summary The issue of whether alcoholics can become moderate drinkers has recently been debated on empirical and ideological grounds. The present study compared residentially treated alcoholics who subsequently abstained with those who became moderate drinkers. Data were analysed separately for two groups of patients: 262 patients who were low in socio-economic status and related variables and who had been discharged from one of three programmes - Salvation Army, public hospital-based setting, or a half-way house that functioned as a therapeutic community; and 167 patients who were relatively high in socio-economic status and related variables and who had been treated at either an aversion conditioning programme or a milieu oriented programme. Three sets of variables were studied: socio-demographic and pre-morbid psycho-social and drinking factors; post-hospital treatment experiences; and post-hospital psycho-social and drinking factors. Six to eight months after discharge, 22 per cent of ‘low-bottom’ alcoholics and 29 per cent of ‘high-bottom’ alcoholics were drinking moderately; 15 per cent of ‘low-bottom’ alcoholics and 46 per cent of ‘high-bottom’ alcoholics were abstinent. Few predictive or concurrent differences between abstaining and moderate drinking alcoholics were found. In light of the absence of controlled studies which incorporate biological and psycho-social data, the authors cautioned against drawing clinical and theoretical conclusions from existing research.
The histone H3 N-terminal tail: a computational analysis of the free energy landscape and kinetics

Histone tails are the short peptide protrusions outside of the nucleosome core particle and they play a critical role in regulating chromatin dynamics and gene activity. A histone H3 N-terminal tail, like other histone tails, can be covalently modified on different residues to activate or repress gene expression. Previous studies have indicated that, despite its intrinsically disordered nature, the histone H3 N-terminal tail has regions of notable secondary structural propensities. To further understand the structure–dynamics–function relationship in this system, we have carried out 75.6 μs long implicit solvent simulations and 29.3 μs long explicit solvent simulations. The extensive samplings allow us to better characterize not only the underlying free energy landscape but also kinetic properties through Markov state models (MSM). Dihedral principal component analysis (dPCA) and locally scaled diffusion map (LSDMap) analysis yield consistent results that indicate an overall flat free energy surface with several shallow basins that correspond to conformations with a high α-helical propensity in two regions of the peptide. Kinetic information extracted from Markov state models reveals rapid transitions between different metastable states with mean first passage times spanning from several hundreds of nanoseconds to hundreds of microseconds. These findings shed light on how the dynamical nature of the histone H3 N-terminal tail is related to its function. The complementary nature of dPCA, LSDMap and MSM for the analysis of biomolecules is also discussed.
Transmission of hepatitis A via WBC-reduced RBCs and FFP from a single donation.

BACKGROUND: Currently, individuals donating whole blood and cellular components are not screened for hepatitis A (HA). However, transfusion-transmitted HA can occur, albeit very rarely. Although infection is typically mild and self-limited, it may be catastrophic in a small percentage of cases. Two cases of HA transmission from a single donation to two patients with subsequent variable morbidity are reported. CASE REPORTS: A 50-year-old, asymptomatic, volunteer blood donor made a whole-blood donation. He was found to have HA 18 days later. When notified, the donor center initiated a recall of the components produced from the donated unit. However, the RBCs and FFP had already been transfused. Subsequently, both recipients developed HA as documented by IgM anti-HA serology. The RBC recipient was a 49-year-old woman, transfused after a hysterectomy, who was found to have HA at the time of unit recall (20 days after transfusion). Her condition required the use of medical disability leave. The FFP was infused to a 52-year-old female cardiac surgical patient. Her course was marked by multiple complications, including postoperative development of mild hepatic dysfunction. After testing negative for HA, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C (24 days after transfusion), she suffered a second bout of more severe hepatic dysfunction and was documented to have HA at Day 55 after transfusion. Evaluation of both recipients' close contacts revealed no evidence for exposure to HA by any route other than transfusion. CONCLUSION: HA can be transmitted by transfusion of units obtained from asymptomatic, infectious donors. Two patients contracted HA from components obtained from a single whole-blood donation. The RBC recipient had a typical self-limited course of HA. The FFP recipient developed HA of relatively delayed onset. Both recovered from HA.
Theoretical neuroanatomy and the connectivity of the cerebral cortex

Over recent years, a wealth of neuroanatomical information on the pattern of interconnections between segregated areas of the cerebral cortex has become available. Here, we describe a set of structural measures, based on graph theory, which can be used to analyze these anatomical patterns. We describe relationships between these structural measures and measures based on patterns of functional connectivity, i.e. patterns of correlations in neural activity. We find that networks capable of producing highly complex functional dynamics share common structural motifs. These motifs are also found in cortical connection matrices, which are characterized by the existence of densely linked groups of areas, low potential wiring length, and a high abundance of reciprocal connections and short cycles. An analysis of cortical functional connectivity demonstrates the existence of functional clusters of highly interactive areas, producing highly complex dynamics. The combined structural and functional analysis outlined in this chapter provides insight into the large-scale functional organization of distributed cortical systems.
Correlation of left ventricular systolic dysfunction determined by low ejection fraction and 30-day mortality in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Introduction The prognostic implications of myocardial dysfunction in patients with sepsis and its association with mortality are controversial. Several tools have been proposed to evaluate cardiac function in these patients, but their usefulness beyond guiding therapy is unclear. We review the value of echocardiographic estimate of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the setting of severe sepsis and/or septic shock and its correlation with 30-day mortality. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic functionality of newly diagnosed LV systolic dysfunction by transthoracic echocardiography on critical ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit with severe sepsis or septic shock. Results A search of EMBASE and PubMed, Ovide MEDLINE, and Cochrane CENTRAL medical databases yielded 7 studies meeting inclusion criteria reporting on a total of 585 patients. The pooled sensitivity of depressed LVEF for mortality was 52% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29%-73%), and pooled specificity was 63% (95% CI, 53%-71%). Summary receiver operating characteristic curve showed an area under the curve of 0.62 (95% CI, 0.58-0.67). The overall mortality diagnostic odd ratio for septic patients with LV systolic dysfunction was 1.92 (95% CI, 1.27-2.899). Statistical heterogeneity of studies was moderate. Conclusion The presence of new LV systolic dysfunction associated with sepsis and defined as low LVEF is neither a sensitive nor a specific predictor of mortality. These findings are limited because of the heterogeneity and underpower of the studies. Further research into this method is warranted.
The Analysis of Digitoxin Tablets

A method is proposed for the isolation of pure digitoxin from digitoxin tablets by partition chromatography, and the determination of the glycoside by colorimetric procedures. The method permits the recovery and estimation of gitoxin and digitoxigenin in digitoxin tablets.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Social Experience Questionnaire in Adolescents: Descriptive Data, Reliability, and Factorial Validity

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Social Experience Questionnaire (SEQ) in a sample of 1158 adolescents aged 13-17 years. Confirmatory factor analysis fit indices supported the hypothesized three-factor model of the SEQ that assesses overt and relational victimization, and prosocial behaviors from peers. Analyses of gender differences revealed that boys reported being overtly victimized more than girls, and girls reported greater receipt of prosocial behaviors from peers than boys. No gender differences in relational victimization were found. The internal consistency was adequate across gender, and test-retest stability over 12 months was modest. Intercorrelations among overt and relational victimization subscales suggest that these subscales assess related, but relatively independent constructs of peer victimization. These findings support the use of the SEQ with adolescents.
Screening for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

To determine the role of screening and to screen in a cost-effective manner, it is important to define the high-risk patient population that is most likely to benefit from screening and to identify a readily available diagnostic modality that is sensitive, specific, and inexpensive. Moreover, to have a major effect on the outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma, the test should be applicable in the majority of high-risk subjects. Herein, we identify the high-risk patient population, discuss various diagnostic modalities, and recommend a practical and cost-effective strategy for screening.
Translational suppression by Ca2+ ionophores: Reversibility and roles of Ca2+ mobilization, Ca2+ influx, and nucleotide depletion

The divalent cation selective ionophores A23187 and ionomycin were compared for their effects on the Ca2+ contents, nucleotide contents, and protein synthetic rates of several types of cultured cells. Both ionophores reduced amino acid incorporation by approximately 85% at low concentrations (50–300 nmol/L) in cultured mammalian cells without reducing ATP or GTP contents. At these concentrations A23187 and ionomycin each promoted substantial Ca2+ efflux, whereas at higher concentrations a large influx of the cation was observed. Ca2+ influx occurred at lower ionophore concentrations and to greater extents in C6 glioma and P3X63Ag8 myeloma than in GH3 pituitary cells. The ATP and GTP contents of the cells and their ability to adhere to growth surfaces declined sharply at ionophore concentrations producing increased Ca2+ influx. Prominent reductions of nucleotide contents occurred in EGTA-containing media that were further accentuated by extracellular Ca2+. Ionomycin produced more Ca2+ influx and nucleotide decline than comparable concentrations of A23187. The inhibition of amino acid incorporation and mobilization of cell-associated Ca2+ by ionomycin were readily reversed in GH3 cells by fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin, whereas the effects of A23187 were only partially reversed. Amino acid incorporation was further suppressed by ionophore concentrations depleting nucleotide contents. Mitochondrial uncouplers potentiated Ca2+ accumulation in response to both ionophores. At cytotoxic concentrations Lubrol PX abolished protein synthesis but did not cause Ca2+ influx. Nucleotide depletion at high ionophore concentrations is proposed to result from increased plasmalemmal Ca2+-ATPase activity and dissipation of mitochondrial proton gradients and to cause intracellular Ca2+ accumulation. Increased Ca2+ contents in response to Ca2+ ionophores are proposed as an indicator of ionophore-induced cytotoxicity.
Comparison of acoustic and Miller high-speed sampler estimates of larval fish abundance in Oneida Lake, New York

Abstract We compare acoustic measures of target strength (TS) (at 70 kHz) and fish abundance with fish size and abundance obtained from high-speed Miller larval fish samplers in Oneida Lake, New York, collected in June and July, 1995–1999. High-speed Miller samplers showed two peaks in size distributions on all dates, 3–15 and 15–30 mm. Corresponding acoustic TS distributions also showed two peaks, one between −76 and −64 dB and the other between −64 and −52 dB. TS of small yellow perch (Perca flavescens) 15–30 mm followed expectations from a widely used equation by Love, but this equation overestimated the TS of smaller larvae. Depth distribution in Miller samplers and acoustics were also similar. Abundance estimates obtained with the two methods were highly correlated (r>0.8) for both fish groups. However, acoustics gave higher abundance estimates than Miller samplers for the smaller fish larvae when densities in the samplers were low. We conclude that reliable estimates of abundance of fish as small as 15 mm are obtainable with acoustics, but that it is difficult to exclude noise or invertebrate targets in abundance estimates of smaller fish larvae.
SU‐GG‐T‐63: Determination of Dose Objective Parameters and Dose Evaluation during Inverse Planned HDR Brachytherapy Based on a Global DVH‐Based Statistical Comparison

Purpose: Since brachytherapydose distribution contains steep dose gradients, plan evaluation over the whole DVH (rather than a few dose points) may be beneficial. We developed a rapid dose evaluation procedure to determine the optimization parameters, facilitate the planning process, and complete the dose distribution evaluation simultaneously for all regions of interest. Materials and Methods: After each dose calculation for a prostate implant, the DVH are automatically compared to the clinically validated reference data for prostate, urethra, rectum, bladder and bulb. The reference data was generated for each DVH from 50 HDR patients planned with IPSA, separated by volumes into three groups. Upper and lower 95% and 99% confidence intervals and the mean were computed for each structure from 10% to 200% of the prescribed dose. The data were entered into the OncentraBrachy planning system. Results: The observation of the color‐coded deviations provide an immediate visual cue indicating which organ(s) and what DVH dose intervals are above or below the preset reference range and require attention, and therefore the optimization parameters to be adjusted, such as the minimum or maximum dose objective values. The process is completed when all dose intervals for all structures are within the normal range in relation to the reference data. This approach is now clinically implemented. Conclusion: The similarity of the DVH, over a wide range of prostate volumes and shapes, illustrates the consistency of the dose distributions when IPSA is used. A global DVH‐based statistical procedure has been developed to quickly determine whether, and for which structure, a dose modification is needed during the dose optimization planning process. In addition to rapidly identifying which optimization parameters need adjustment, the comparison with clinically validated reference values provides an automatic, immediate, and global quantitative quality assurance. Research sponsored by Nucletron and DOD‐PCRP‐W81XWH‐04‐1‐0262 research contracts.
Communicating in Print: A Comparison of Consumer Responses to Different Promotional Formats

Abstract Consumer response to marketing messages in varying promotion-mix formats (advertising, coupons, and publicity, appearing singly and in various combinations) conveyed in a print medium is the focus of two studies. Compared to consumers exposed to information in a single promotional format, those receiving messages in more than one format processed them more thoroughly and were more likely to recall and use the information. Similarly, consumers receiving information in a form containing both visual and verbal elements had superior recall to those exposed only to copy or a photo. Of the various promotional formats, publicity led to more intense readership and higher recall than advertisements. Involvement is shown to moderate these effects.
Designing a masters program in cybersecurity and leadership

The Master of Cybersecurity and Leadership (MCL) taught at the University of Washington Tacoma is a partnership between the Institute of Technology and the Milgard School of Business. The 10-course graduate level program was initially benchmarked against existing masters programs, surveys of prospective student population were conducted, and an assessment was done on the estimated demand for MCL graduates in the region. The program outcomes were then mapped against the course objectives to insure the correct mix of courses and topics. The program's admission requirements and schedule were then tailored to our expected pool of applicants. The MCL program is proposed to start in January 2013.This paper discusses the design process and possible ways to reduce risk in the start-up of a new degree program. How a program is marketed to prospective students and what program graduates will do after program completion is just as important as the initial design of the program. Planning for the administration of the program and the assessment process is an important phase of the initial design.
Local Lp-saturation of positive linear convolution operators

Abstract Local L p -saturation of positive linear convolution operators is investigated. Results are obtained for two important classes of operators previously studied by Bojanic, DeVore, Korovkin and the authors.
Accelerated Photorelease of NO from {Ru-NO}6 Nitrosyls Containing Carboxamido-N and Carboxylato-O Donors : Syntheses, Structures, and Photochemistry

Three ruthenium nitrosyls, namely, [(Me2bpb)Ru(NO)(OAc)], [(Me2bpb)Ru(NO)(OBz)] (1), and [(Me2Qb)Ru(NO)(qca)](BF4) (2), have been synthesized from designed ligands with carboxamido-N donors. In all three complexes, a carboxylato-O donor is trans to the bound NO. The structures of 1 and 2 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. The nearly linear Ru−N−O bond angles [175.18(18)° and 175.0(3)°, respectively] and diamagnetism of the two nitrosyls are indicative of the {Ru-NO}6 configuration. All three complexes exhibit νNO in the range 1830−1890 cm−1. When solutions of 1 and 2 are exposed to low-intensity (milliwatts) UV light, rapid release of NO is observed. The results of photochemical measurements indicate that the placement of the carboxylato-O donor trans to NO promotes the photorelease of NO in these nitrosyls much like Cl− and py. The presence of the carboxamido-N donor is, however, essential for the observed NO photolability because the structurally similar nitrosyl [(pyca)2Ru(NO)(Cl)] (3) (wit...
Paclitaxel (Taxol)-Induced Killing of Leishmania major in Murine Macrophages

The antitumor drug paclitaxel (Taxol) has been demonstrated to be a lipopolysaccharide mimetic in murine macrophages. In this study, the capacity of paclitaxel to activate macrophages to become microbicidal for Leishmania major was examined. Paclitaxel and gamma interferon synergized to kill intracellular L. major in Lpsn, but not Lpsd, macrophages by a nitric oxide (NO·)-dependent mechanism.
Preliminary report: Rescue robot at Crandall Canyon, Utah, mine disaster

This video provides a preliminary report of the use of a rescue robot from Aug. 24, to Sept. 2, 2007, at the Crandall Canyon, Utah, mine disaster. The customized Inuktun teleoperated robot was able to traverse over 1,400 feet through an 8 7/8" uncased borehole drilled, enter the mine and travel approximately 7 feet. The robot showed that the walls had deteriorated, indicating that a major collapse had occurred. The large debris combined with dense mud created unfavorable navigational conditions for the robot. The robot was lost on the ascent, approximately 52 feet from the surface, due to eroding borehole conditions. The video identifies open research questions.
Cost-Effectiveness of Implementing the Chronic Care Model for Diabetes Care in a Military Population

Background: Applying the chronic care model (CCM) for diabetes management helps improve health outcomes and patient care. The CCM was implemented at U.S. Air Force Wilford Hall Medical Center through the Diabetes Outreach Clinic (DOC) in 2006, but its cost-effectiveness in this setting is unknown. Methods: We constructed a Markov decision model to estimate DOC cost-effectiveness compared with usual care (UC) over a 20-year period. Based on empirical, post-intervention demographic and clinical data, we applied United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study risk equations to predict long-term probabilities of developing microvascular or macrovascular complications. Health care system and societal perspectives were considered, discounting costs and benefits at 3% annually. Intervention costs and outcomes were obtained from military data, while other costs, disease progression data, and utilities were drawn from published literature. Results: From a health care system perspective, the DOC cost $45,495 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) compared with UC; from a societal perspective, the DOC compared with UC cost $42,051/QALY (when the model started with the uncomplicated diabetes cohort), $61,243/QALY (when starting with the DOC cohort), or $61,813/QALY (when starting with the UC cohort). In one-way sensitivity analyses, results were most sensitive to yearly costs for specialty care visits. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, the DOC was favored in 51% of model iterations using an acceptability threshold of $50,000/QALY and in 72% at a threshold of $100,000/QALY. Conclusions: The DOC strategy for diabetes care, performed with the CCM methodology in a military population, appears to be economically reasonable compared with UC.
The law of mass action applied to neurodegenerative disease: a hypothesis concerning the etiology and pathogenesis of complex diseases

Loci underlying autosomal dominant forms of most neurodegenerative disease have been identified: prion mutations cause Gerstmann Straussler syndrome and hereditary Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease, tau mutations cause autosomal dominant frontal temporal dementia, and alpha-synuclein mutations cause autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease. In all these cases, the pathogenic mutation is in the protein that is deposited in the diseased tissue and in these cases the whole protein is deposited. In Alzheimer's disease, mutations in APP or presenilin 1 or 2 cause autosomal dominant disease and these are the substrate and proteases, respectively, which are responsible for the production of the deposited peptide, Abeta. Thus, in all cases, the mutations lead to the disease by a mechanism that involves the deposition process. We briefly review this remarkably predictable biology, but also point out that it seems sporadic forms of all these diseases are predisposed to by genetic variability at the same loci, strongly suggesting that the quantity of the normal protein produced influences risk for the sporadic forms of the disease. The evidence for this assertion is strongest in Parkinson's disease (PD), where genetic variability in alpha-synuclein expression affects risk of developing disease, although the oldest evidence for the notion that increased expression of normal sequence protein can lead to disease comes from the observation of Alzheimer's disease in trisomy 21 cases. From these observations, we make predictions concerning the etiology and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases in general.
Anomalous Dispersion of Chemical Waves in a Homogeneously Catalyzed Reaction System

We present experimental results that demonstrate anomalous dispersion in a Belousov−Zhabotinsky system. The reaction is carried out at high concentrations of sulfuric acid and involves 1,4-cyclohex...
Who Fights? The Determinants of Participation in Civil War

A range of seemingly rival theories attempt to explain why some individuals take extraordinary risks by choosing to participate in armed conflict. To date, however, competing accounts have typically not been grounded in systematic, empirical studies of the determinants of participation. In this article, we begin to fill this gap through an examination of the determinants of participation in insurgent and counterinsurgent factions in Sierra Leone’s civil war. We find some support for all of the competing theories, suggesting that the rivalry between them is artificial and that theoretical work has insufficiently explored the interaction of various recruitment strategies. At the same time, the empirical results challenge standard interpretations of grievance-based accounts of participation, as poverty, a lack of access to education, and political alienation predict participation in both rebellion and counterrebellion. Factors that are traditionally seen as indicators of grievance or frustration may instead proxy for a more general susceptibility to engage in violent action or a greater vulnerability to political manipulation by elites. hy do some individuals take enormous risks to participate as fighters in civil war? What differentiates those who are mobilized from those who remain on the sidelines? What distinguishes those who rebel from those who fight to defend the status quo? In spite of a large literature on the topic, scholars continue to debate the conditions under which men and women take up arms to participate in deadly combat. In this article, we examine the evidence for prominent, competing arguments in the context of Sierra Leone’s civil war, drawing on a unique dataset that records the attitudes and behavior of 1,043 excombatants alongside a sample of 184 noncombatants.
Recent advances in computational transonic aerodynamics

The near-term prospects are discussed for calculation of viscous transonic flow fields about realistic configurations at full-scale Reynolds numbers. Three basic algorithms are considered: The central-difference, three-factor ADI method; the central-difference, explicit, multistep Runge-Kutta method with multigrid acceleration; and the relaxation method for the upwind-differenced, flux-split equations. Each method has distinct advantages and disadvantages regarding stability, convergence rate, and vectorizability. It appears that computation times can be 15 to 60 hours on the latest super computers unless 3D algorithms are improved to perform as well as current 2D algorithms.
A perceptron network for functional identification and control of nonlinear systems

Tracking control of a general class of nonlinear systems using a perceptron neural network (PNN) is presented. The basic structure of the PNN and its training law are first derived. A novel discrete-time control strategy is introduced that employs the PNN for direct online estimation of the required feedforward control input. The developed controller can be applied to both discrete- and continuous-time plants. Unlike most of the existing direct adaptive or learning schemes, the nonlinear plant is not assumed to be feedback linearizable. The stability of the neural controller under ideal conditions and its robust stability to inexact modeling information are rigorously analyzed. >
Studies on a reconstituted acetylcholine receptor system: effect of agonists.

Abstract An impure preparation of acetylcholinesterase from electroplax of the electric eel can be incorporated into a bimolecular lipid membrane. The acetylcholinesterase-modified bimolecular lipid membrane shows a concentration-dependent increase in membrane conductance elicited by several agonists (acetylcholine, carbamylcholine, phenyltrimethylammonium ion, tetraethylammonium ion, decamethonium ion, and nicotine) added to the compartment opposite that to which acetylcholinesterase was originally added. Affinity and efficacy of the various agonists in generating the conductance increase were measured from dose-response curves; these are in good quantitative agreement with corresponding values observed for depolarization of intact eel electroplax. The ion conduction pathways induced by agonists in the modified bimolecular lipid membrane show a slight cation selectivity, Na ≳ K > Cl (3:3:1), similar to that observed for the depolarized electroplax membrane. Evidence is presented that suggests that some components other than acetylcholinesterase induce the acetylcholine receptor response in the bimolecular lipid membrane.