cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Citrus Tissue Extracts Affect Juice Cloud Stability

Salt extractable proteins were isolated from hand expressed juice, rag and peel of Valencia oranges. Each tissue extract was divided into dialysis supernatant (DS) and precipitate (DP) (forms during dialysis). DP, DS and DS heated for 2 min at 80°C (HDS) were added to pasteurized, reconstituted frozen concentrated orange juice at 5 U · mL−1 of pectinmethylesterase. Samples were incubated either at 25°C for 14 days or 4°C for 28 days and periodically sampled to determine the effects of tissue extracts on juice cloud stability. Tissue specific differences were observed for the rate of juice cloud precipitation and among the HDS, DS, and DP fractions of a given tissue. HDS fractions destabilized juice cloud more rapidly than DS or DP at both 25 and 4°C.
The potential of asthma adherence management to enhance asthma guidelines

Objective: Expert Panel Report 3 Guidelines recommend that physicians use adherence management strategies; however, the evidence for these interventions is weak. Clinicians need effective proven adherence interventions, because approximately 50% of patients with asthma do not follow physician medication recommendations, resulting in unnecessary morbidity. This review examines components of an organized adherence management program that has been successful in uncontrolled trials promoting adherence and reducing morbidity and cost. Data Sources: Literature review was undertaken in the following areas of asthma management: guidelines, cost; morbidity; adherence, monitoring; and communication skills. Study Selections: Studies that examined outcomes from psychoeducational, behavioral, monitoring, and communication interventions. Results: Studies using individual interventions by themselves were modestly effective in promoting adherence. Two uncontrolled studies of children with severe asthma, treated in both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings, used 4 intervention strategies to achieve marked reduction in morbidity and cost. These strategies included: (1) objective adherence monitoring; (2) identification of the cause(s) of nonadherence; (3) delivery of specific strategies for each cause; and (4) use of motivational interviewing communication skills to enhance the delivery of the strategy. Conclusion: Nonadherence continues to be a significant problem. Physicians need a proven organized approach to improve adherence and reduce morbidity and cost. Evaluation of effective methods in a controlled fashion is warranted to increase adherence management evidence for future asthma guidelines. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2011;106:283–291.
Ribonuclease E Is Involved in the Processing of 5-S rRNA from a Number of rRNA Transcription Units

Strains of Escherichia coli having a thermosensitive RNase E produce a number of 5-S ribosomal RNA precursors at a non-permissive temperature. One of these precursors, 9-S RNA, was reported earlier [Ghora, B.K. and Apirion, D. (1978) Cell, 15, 1055-1066]. Here we show the existence of additional precursors to 5-S rRNA, originating from a number of rRNA genes. All the precursors are very similar in the first 200 nucleotides and the last part of this sequence contains the mature 5-S rRNA. Precursors that contain only these nucleotides (8-S RNA) accumulate. They probably originate from the rrn genes C, D and F which contain trailer tRNAs. The 9-S RNA precursors contain in addition a termination stem and loop structure and are derived from genes which do not contain trailer tRNA (Singh and Apirion, unpublished results). In addition, a 10-S precursor was identified. It contains distal to the 5-S rRNA a trailer tRNA, tRNAAsp, and a transcription termination signal. It is derived from the rrnF gene. The accumulation of an RNA precursor containing an RNase P site in an rne mutant suggests that the efficiency of one RNA processing enzyme depends on the activity of other RNA processing enzymes.
Evluation of Bare Ground on Rangelands Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: A Case Study

Attention is currently being given to methods that assess the ecological condition of rangelands throughout the United States. Bare ground is being considered by a number of agencies and resource s...
Adolescents with Emotional Problems: Responses to a Younger Sibling Who Has Experienced Bullying

ABSTRACT Bullying is severe in many school settings. This study investigated how an older sibling, with an identified emotional disturbance, responded to a younger sibling who had experienced some form of peer bullying in school. Children in 17 urban families with pairs of siblings between 7 and 19 years of age were recruited from an upstate New York child service agency that serves emotionally disturbed adolescents. Personal interviews with the adolescents and use of Latane and Darley's five-step response paradigm revealed that although the teenage siblings were all receiving services, with a diagnosis as ‘emotionally disturbed’, yet they were significantly able to identify and interpret body language and facial expressions that revealed bullying of the younger sibling. Adolescent responses ranged from listening (emotional support), to offering advice (informational support) to the younger sibling. Direct confrontation with the child who had bullied the younger sibling was quite rare (instrumental support).
Rabbit Platelet Aggregation by Tuberculin

SummaryTuberculin irreversibly aggregates rabbit platelets suspended in their native plasma. Phase contrast microscopy shows shape change and tightly packed aggregates. Inactivation of complement components by heat, hydrazine, cobra venom factor, and zymosan inhibit the reaction. Recombination of heat and hydrazine-treated plasma restored the capacity of tuberculin to initiate platelet aggregation. A delayed and diminished pattern of aggregation was observed in plasma chelated with EGTA while no response was observed in plasma anticoagulated with EDTA. The findings indicate that tuberculin can cause aggregation of rabbit platelets through a complement dependent mechanism, possibly utilizing the alternate pathway.
An assessment of the sequence gaps: Unfinished business in a finished human genome

Biological research increasingly depends on 'finished' genome sequences. Deducing what is absent from these sequences is not trivial. More than 99% of the euchromatic portion of the human genome is now represented as a high-quality finished sequence with each base ordered and oriented. However, two principal types of gap remain: heterochromatic (estimated to be ∼200 Mb) and euchromatic (23.0 Mb) gaps. Here, we use various global sources of data to help understand the nature of the gaps in the finished human genome. Not all gaps are recalcitrant to subcloning, nor are most heterochromatic. The presence of recent segmental duplications is the most important predictor of gap location in euchromatic sequences. The resolution of these regions remains an important challenge for the completion of the human genome, gene annotation and SNP assignment.
Democratizing English as an international language

: The aim of this paper is threefold. The first section shows how the political uses of language engendered by both Western-style liberalism on the one hand and various forms of nationalism on the other lead to the negation of democratic ideals. Because of the current international situation, political aspects of language are receiving more and more attention. Second and Third World countries regularly accuse the United States and other First World countries of linguistic imperialism. In the former, national languages have become a weapon against the external imposition of a ‘new world order’. The second section focuses on intellectuals and education and their role in the reproduction of these systems. Language specialists and teachers typically function as instruments of dominant ideologies; their nearly exclusive focus on linguistic and developmental issues tends to obscure the broader sociopolitical context underlying their theories. The third section suggests ways in which EIL could function as a democratic language through the development of a transglossic function for English and through the democratization of education. Only as learners participate in the educational process, and, following Gramsci, are elevated to the status of intellectuals capable of making their own decisions, will we arrive at a democratic model of EIL.
Disappearance rate of adrenocorticotropic hormone from rat's plasma after intravenous injection.

There is reason to suppose that the adrenocorticotropic hormone disappears rapidly from the blood stream but there are few or no determinations of the actual rate of disappearance. Male rats, of the Long-Evans strain, weighing 440 to 500 gms., were anesthetized with ether and injected intravenously, via the tail vein, with 5 m. of pure adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The hormone was prepared by the method of Li et al. (1943). After various time intervals, the animals were reanesthetized with ether and exsanguinated, blood being withdrawn from the inferior vena cava with heparin as an anti-coagulant. The plasma was separated by centrifugation and immediately assayed in doses of 0.5 cc. per 100 gm. body weight of assay animal, for the content of ACTH, by the adrenal ascorbic acid depletion method, as reported by Sayers et al. (1948). A standard curve obtained with this method using pure ACTH
Does androgen influence prolactin secretion

In both intact and castrated male and female rats, administration of the A-ring reduced androgen, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), consistently failed to stimulate prolactin (PRL) secretion although it inhibited LH release and, in males, stimulated ventral prostate growth. In intact females, but not in the other types of rat, DHT actually suppressed PRL release. These findings do not support generalizations, based entirely on findings with testosterone, that both “androgens” and estrogens exert stimulatory actions on PRL secretion. The distinct stimulatory effects of testosterone and its esters on PRL secretion seem attributable, not to their androgenic actions per se, but to the ability of testosterone to form estrogenic metabolites. This ability does not appear to be shared by the “pure” androgen, DHT.
Optical Design Considerations In CO 2 Laser Fusion Systems

The optical design of short-pulse CO2 laser-amplifier systems depends upon five considerations. First is the design for laser output, viz., the desired energy, power, frequency spectrum and pulse shape. These specifications determine the pressure, volume, and gain coefficient of the final amplifier stages, and the characteristics of the oscillator-switchout section. Second, constraints imposed by damage limits of the optical components, especially the output windows and the large beam relay and focus mirrors, fix the minimum laser aperture. Since the performance is limited by the maximum, rather than the average, optical power or energy, the gain should be as uniform as possible across the aperture. Third, parasitics must be suppressed. Although the limits on the small-signal gain which can be supported in CO2 amplifiers have increased with the discovery of nonlinear absorbers and optical blacks at 10-μm wavelength, parasitics always occur if the gain exceeds some limiting value. The value of the allowed small-signal gain influences the pressure and volume of the amplifiers through the interrelation with stored energy and pulse amplification. Fourth, the optical layout of the entire system must be designed to accommodate the considerations mentioned previously, as well as additional systems requirements for multipass energy extraction, efficiency, contrast ratio, beam expansion, aberrations, attenuation of target backscatter, and provision for alignment and focus. Finally, no matter how well the laser has been designed, the performance will be substandard if the optical components are not, or cannot, be manufactured to specifications. The LASL Helios and Antares lasers will be described to illustrate the influence of these considerations on the optical design of the present and future high-performance CO2 lasers, which are necessary for the development of laser fusion. Work performed under the auspices of the US Department of Energy.
ATHLETE mobility performance with active terrain compliance

The All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE) is a modular, heavy-lift vehicle being developed to support NASA operations on the lunar surface. This agile system consists of a symmetrical arrangement of six limbs, each with six articulated degrees of freedom and a powered wheel. The design enables transport of bulky payloads over a wide range of terrains and is envisioned as a tool to mobilize habitats, power generation equipment, and other supplies in for long-range lunar exploration and lunar outpost construction. The first-generation prototype transports payloads of up to 300 kg in terrestrial testing, with flight models projected to carry at least 15 metric tons in a lunar gravity environment. 1 2
An X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic Study of Some Ammonium Uranates

X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopy have been used to investigate the chemical composition of some ammonium uranates, all of which were prepared by the direct titration of uranyl nitrate solution with ammonia. Some correlation is found between the U(4f) binding energy and the pH of the solution used to prepare the uranates, and the v3 asymmetric stretching frequency for the uranyl (UO22+) ion. All samples showed the presence of ammonium ions and possibly two types of hydroxide species. Strong retention of nitrate ions was also observed for all samples.
Regulated secretion of glycosylated human ferritin from hepatocytes

Serum ferritin has been used widely in clinical medicine chiefly as an indicator of iron stores and inflammation. Circulating ferritin also can have paracrine effects. Despite the clinical significance of serum ferritin, its secretion remains an enigma. The consensus view is that serum ferritin arises from tissue ferritins--principally ferritin light--which can be glycosylated. Ferritin heavy and light chains are cytosolic proteins that form cages of 24 subunits to store intracellular iron. We show that ferritin light is secreted when its expression is increased in stable, transfected HepG2 cells or adenovirus-infected HepG2 cells. Export occurs through the classical secretory pathway and some chains are N-glycosylated. Ferritins do not need to form cages prior to secretion. Secretion is blocked specifically, effectively, and rapidly by a factor in serum. The timing of this inhibition of ferritin secretion suggests that normally cytosolic ferritin L is targeted to the secretory pathway during translation despite the absence of a conventional signal sequence. Thus, secretion of glycosylated and unglycosylated ferritin is a regulated and not a stochastic process.
You Can't Get There from Here: Identifying Process Routes to Replication

All too often the reports of our community research and action are presented in an ahistorical and decontextualized fashion focused more on the content of what was done than on the process of how the work was done and why. The story of the university–community partnership and the family literacy intervention that was developed illustrates the importance of several key process variables in project development and implementation. More specifically, the role of the social–ecological context, prehistory, personality, self-correction, and unexpected serendipitous events are discussed. If, as community psychologists, we are serious about conducting our work in the most efficient and effective manner possible, if we truly wish to make our work available for replication, and if we seek to develop standards of “best practice” that are meaningful, our communication regarding process must shift from the anecdotal to a position of central importance.
Teratology of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in a complex environmental mixture from the love canal.

The organic phase of a leachate (OPL) from the Love Canal chemical dump site contains more than 100 organic compounds including 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The teratogenic potential of OPL was determined in two inbred and one hybrid mouse strain which differ in their sensitivity to aromatic hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor-mediated toxicity. OPL was orally administered in corn oil on Days 6–15 of gestation to C57BL6J mice (AhbAhb) at doses of 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 g kg−1 day−1 and to DBA2J (AhdAhd) females, which were mated with either DBA2J or C57BL6J males, at 0, 0.5, 1, and 2.0 g kg−1 day−1. In C57BL6J mice, which express a high-affinity Ah receptor that avidly binds TCDD, the ED50's of OPL for cleft palate and hydronephrosis were 0.44 and 0.11 g OPL kg−1 day−1, respectively. Maternal mortality was 5% at the highest dose. In DBA2J fetuses, which express a low-affinity receptor, neither treatment-related cleft palate nor hydronephrosis was induced by dose levels that caused 36% maternal mortality. In hybrid D2B6F1 fetuses, the incidence of cleft palate reached only 8% at 2 g OPL kg−1 day−1 but the ED50 for hydronephrosis was 0.76 g OPL kg−1 day−1. TCDD was similarly administered to pregnant C57BL6J mice at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 μg kg−1 day−1 and to DBA2J mice at 0, 0.5, 2, 4, and 8 μg kg−1 day−1. In C57BL6J fetuses, the ED50's for cleft palate and hydronephrosis were 4.6 and 0.73 μg TCDD kg−1 day−1, respectively. In DBA2J fetuses the ED50's for cleft palate and hydronephrosis were 15.0 and 6.4 μg TCDD kg−1 day−1, respectively. Both the OPL and TCDD caused maternal hepatomegaly and thymic atrophy in all strains, but increased only C57BL6J fetal weights. OPL decreased the number of fetuses per C57BL6J dam at the two highest doses but there were no other reproductive effects in any of the groups. It was concluded that the OPL is teratogenic and that hydronephrosis is a sensitive measure of TCDD toxicity in a complex organic mixture. Based on the ED50's of OPL- and TCDD-induced cleft palate and hydronephrosis in the C57BL6J strain, the OPL had TCDD equivalence of 6.6 and 10.5 ppm, respectively. These values compare closely with the chemical analysis of 3 ppm. The results suggest that the teratologic effects are due primarily to the TCDD in the OPL and that these effects are mediated through the Ah receptor, but that the maternal thymic atrophy and hepatomegaly were due primarily to the non-TCDD components of the OPL.
A serendipitous identification of a lead extraction complication.

A 57-year-old male with a dual chamber pacemaker and symptomatic, persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) accompanying a febrile illness presented for elective transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-guided cardioversion. The patient was found to have a large 2.5 cm × 2.3 cm, mobile mass attached to the right atrial lead. Following device and lead extraction, he developed progressive shortness of breath which was attributed to his underlying arrhythmia. One month later, AF ablation was pursued and preablation TEE revealed a dilated main pulmonary artery with a 1.8 cm × 1.6 cm mass in the distal left pulmonary artery, which was corroborated by a 1.4 cm × 2.5 cm filling defect in the descending left pulmonary artery on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). To our knowledge, this is the first case report to document the distal migration of vegetation material into the pulmonary artery with serial TEE and highlights the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with large endocardial lead vegetations undergoing transvenous lead extraction.
Method of determining abrasion resistance of refractories with sandblasting equipment

Determining the abrasion resistance of refractories on the “Kalibr” sandblasting equipment reflects the nature of the abrasive action which the refractory lining undergoes in service, and allows the production of rapid results. The compactness of the equipment and the relatively simple technique are advantages of the method.
GABAA receptor interactions with propofol: Binding site location and conformational changes

Abstract The GABA A receptor is a major target of the intravenous anesthetic propofol. In order to obtain an understanding of propofol's actions at a molecular level we have attempted to identify the propofol binding site and the conformational changes that propofol binding induces. Using changes in the reactivity of cysteines substituted in the M3 membrane-spanning segment we show that propofol stabilizes a receptor conformational state that is distinct from the states stabilized by GABA and by diazepam. Separately, we have used propofol's ability to protect engineered cysteines from modification by the sulfhydryl-reactive reagent, pCMBS − , to identify propofol binding site residues. β 2 Met286, near the M3 extracellular end, is protected but the aligned residue α 1 Ala291 and the M2 15′ residues are not. We infer that β 2 Met286 is part of a propofol binding site. These studies are beginning to provide a molecular level description of general anesthetic action on GABA A receptors.
Accelerated reliability analysis for self-healing SONET networks

Recently, a parametric State Reward Markov Model (SRMM/p) has been developed for the reliability and availability analysis of self-healing SONET mesh networks [2]. In this paper, we investigate the factors that affect the run-time complexity of the model presented in [2]. In order to accelerate the reliability and availability analysis, we present an approach that aggregates a set of states in the model based on 2-phase hypoexponential distribution. A comparison of the original and the reduced model, with respect to runtime complexity and accuracy, is carried out by applying the models for the analysis of few complex networks.
Regularized multichannel restoration approach for globally optimal high-resolution video sequence

This paper introduces an iterative regularized approach to obtain a high resolution video sequence. A multiple input smoothing convex functional is defined and used to obtain a globally optimal high resolution video sequence. A mathematical model of multiple inputs is described by using the point spread function between the original and bilinearly interpolated images in the spatial domain, and motion estimation between frames in the temporal domain. Properties of the proposed smoothing convex functional are analyzed. An iterative algorithm is utilized for obtaining a solution. The regularization parameter is updated at each iteration step from the partially restored video sequence. Experimental results demonstrate the capability of the proposed approach.
Pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis.

Purpose of reviewPsoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis that is more common and severe than initially appreciated. The success of biologic agents in psoriatic arthritis has sparked great interest in this disorder, although the disease pathogenesis is poorly unders
Calvinism and Capitalism

Perhaps in nothing, not even in scientific outlook, is the contrast between the Modern Age and the Middle Ages more striking than in the changed attitude toward money and money-making. In the Middle Ages trade was frowned upon and the money-lender despised. In this attitude church and society generally agreed. The church was always castigating the sin of avarice. The making of money was designated by Thomas Aquinas as ‘turpitudo,’ even though he admitted its necessity. The thesis that the shop-keeper could only with difficulty please God was introduced into canon law. Usury, which meant not only extortionate interest but interest of any kind, was prohibited by several councils of the church, and to a usurer the privileges of the sacraments were often denied. Even in those days there were, to be sure, practical qualifications of these theoretical judgments, due to the need of money— a need often as keenly felt by the lords spiritual as by the lords temporal. Nevertheless the generalization is safe that money-making was regarded as socially degrading and morally and religiously dangerous. Today all this is changed. Money-making has become the chief aim of modern civilization. In countless ways, gross or subtle, it determines our lives and thinking. It entices into its service many of the best minds of our college graduates. Even our professions, law, medicine, the ministry (witness the vast development of ecclesiastical advertising), are more and more entangled in its net, while the commercialization of amusements, including our college sports, is notorious.
Foraging activity of a dominant epigeal predator: molecular evidence for the effect of prey density on consumption

Despite the widely held assumption that ‘ generalist ’ predators consume most prey available to them, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting otherwise. Generalists are expected to perform well in disturbed areas because they can switch between prey pathways when one food source becomes depleted. Indeed, these predators have the potential to promote diversity by switching to prey in a frequency dependent manner and consume prey groups in relation to local abundance. It is therefore important to understand how predation rates fl uctuate as local availability changes. We performed open-fi eld and mesocosm experiments in a corn and soybean agroecosystem to delineate the role prey density plays in determining predation frequency of a dominant epigeal predator. To track trophic pathways, molecular gut-content analysis using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to track foraging behavior of the wolf spider Pardosa milvina feeding on dipterans, fl ies. Extensive monitoring of foraging activity and prey populations revealed that predation varied temporally. Importantly, the frequency of individuals testing positive for fl ies was lower than predicted when fl ies were extremely abundant but higher when they were scarce, relative to the prey community as a whole. Furthermore, isolating predators in mesocosms revealed an eff ect of Diptera density on the likelihood of consumption, as determined by ELISA, only when fl ies were at low levels (12.5% of prey provided). Th e molecular results suggest that these spiders do not appear to be consuming fl ies in a frequency-dependent manner where the decision to switch between diff erent prey pathways is driven by relative abundance. Rather, selectivity of prey is somewhat independent of variation of other prey groups, which is indicative of their consistent reliance on dipterans and may be related to nutritional requirements and/or capture success.
Imidazo[4,5-d]pyridazines. III. The Synthesis of 2-phenylimidazo [4,5-d]-pyridazines†

Based upon an analogy with “Dyrenium”, (6-phenyl-2,4,7-triaminopteridine) (I), 4,7-diamino-2-phenylimidazo[4, 5-d]pyridazine (II) has been prepared. This compound has been found to possess diuretic activity. In addition a number of other substituted 2-phenylimidazo[4, 5-d]pyridazines have been prepared.
Shadows, conflict, and the mediator

This article discusses a theory of mediator psychological growth specifically focusing on Carl Jung's concept (1954) of the Shadow. The nature and development of the Shadow are outlined, with particular attention to the mechanism of projection, applied to the perspectives of both the individual and the group. The importance of the mediator uncovering and owning his or her Shadow material is underscored, along with some strategies for doing so. This article responds to Bowling and Hoffman's third stage of mediator development (2003), where the mediator is committed to gaining greater awareness of how personal qualities influence the mediation process.
Value of thyroid scintigraphy in the era of cost containment

Abstract Introduction. Thyroid nodules, the most common lesions seen by endocrine surgeons, are generally overevaluated by referring physicians. Many patients are evaluated by radionucleotide thyroid scans, although these scans have a poor predictive power to diagnose malignancy as compared to fine needle aspiration (FNA). In this study, we analyzed the outcomes of patients referred for “cold” thyroid nodules to determine the value of thyroid scans in deciding the management of thyroid nodules in euthyroid patients. Methods. An analysis of the utility of thyroid scans was performed on 344 euthyroid patients with thyroid nodule(s), referred over a 3-year period (1999–2002) to one of two endocrine surgeons or one endocrinologist. In addition to determining the outcome of the patients, we analyzed the patterns of referring physicians to determine if internists (IM), family practitioners (FP), endocrinologists (EN), gynecologists (GYN) or others were more likely to order scans in their patients with thyroid nodule(s). Results. Of the 344 euthryoid patients referred for evaluation of nodular thyroid disease, 166 (49.3%) had a thyroid scan performed prior to referral and 81% of nodules (135/166) were found to be “cold”. Of the 166 scans performed, 80.1% (133/166) of those patients then proceeded to have FNA. A total of 296 FNAs were performed with or without ultrasound guidance and cytopathology resulted in observation in 187 patients and second surgery in 87 others. Over 25% of referring internists and family physicians ordered a scan prior to referral. Conclusion. Our study indicates that in this era of cost containment and limited resources, the thyroid uptake scan in the evaluation of thyroid nodules in euthyroid patients lacks utility. Thyroid scans are generally a 2-day process, with an approximate cost of $400, potentially taking patients out of work and exposing them to limited yet necessary precautions for what is essentially a nondiagnostic test. Despite this fact, the scans continue to be frequently recommended by radiologists interpreting ultrasounds and ordered by referring physicians. Disseminating the lack of value of thyroid scans in predicting malignancy to referring physicians and health care providers will result in significant cost savings.
Differential Radiation Effect in Tumor and Normal Tissue after Treatment with Ramipril, an Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor

Abstract Kohl, R. R., Kolozsvary, A., Brown, S. L., Zhu, G. and Kim, J. H. Differential Radiation Effect in Tumor and Normal Tissue after Treatment with Ramipril, an Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor. Radiat. Res. 168, 440–445 (2007). The angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, ramipril, has been shown to mitigate radiation injury in normal tissues. Using A549 cell xenografts grown in athymic mice, we measured the effect of ramipril on radiation damage to tumors. Ramipril did not alter tumor response to radiation despite different times of drug administration with respect to radiation delivery (drug started 2 weeks before or immediately after irradiation). In contrast, using the same dose, ramipril reduced normal tissue radiation injury (30 Gy × 2 or 6 Gy × 10) as assessed by a semi-quantitative scale of skin damage and relative leg contraction. The results indicate that ramipril could offer therapeutic gain due to its different effect on normal tissues and tumors.
A Complex Relationship between TRAF3 and Non-Canonical NF-κB2 Activation in B Lymphocytes

The adaptor protein TRAF3 restrains B cell activating factor receptor (BAFFR) and CD40-mediated activation of the NF-κB2 pathway in B cells. Mice lacking TRAF3 specifically in B cells revealed the critical role of TRAF3 in restraining homeostatic B cell survival. Furthermore, loss-of-function mutations of the traf3 gene have been associated with human B cell malignancies, especially multiple myeloma (MM). It has been proposed that receptor-induced TRAF3 degradation leads to stabilization of the NF-κB inducing kinase (NIK), and subsequent NF-κB2 activation. However, it is unclear how receptor-mediated TRAF3 degradation or loss-of-function contributes to B cell-specific NF-κB2 activation. In the current study, we employed two complementary models to address this question. One utilized a mutant traf3 gene found in a human MM-derived cell line called LP1. The LP1 mutant TRAF3 protein lacks the TRAF-N and TRAF-C domains. Consistent with the paradigm described, expression of LP1 TRAF3 in B cells promoted higher basal levels of NF-κB2 activation compared to Wt TRAF3. However, LP1 did not associate with TRAF2, CD40, or BAFFR, and no LP1 degradation was observed following receptor engagement. Interestingly, LP1 showed enhanced NIK association. Thus, TRAF3 degradation becomes dispensable to activate NF-κB2 when it is unable to associate with TRAF2. In a second model, we examined several mutant forms of BAFFR that are unable to induce NF-κB2 activation in B cells. Signaling to B cells by each of these BAFFR mutants, however, induced levels of TRAF3 degradation similar to those induced by Wt BAFFR. Thus, in B cells, receptor-mediated TRAF3 degradation is not sufficient to promote NF-κB2 activation. We thus conclude that there is not a simple linear relationship in B lymphocytes between relative levels of cellular TRAF3, induced TRAF3 degradation, NIK activation, and NF-κB2 activation.
Assessing a Generalized CHNO Intermolecular Potential through ab Initio Crystal Structure Prediction

We have analyzed a previously proposed [J. Phys. Chem. B 1997, 101, 798] Buckingham repulsion-dispersion intermolecular potential originally developed for the nitramine explosive RDX using ab initio crystal prediction methods. A total of 174 crystals whose molecules contain functional groups common to CHNO energetic materials were subjected to this methodology. This database includes acyclic and cyclic nitramines, nitrate esters, nitroaromatics, and nitroaliphatic systems. The results of these investigations have shown that for 148 of the 174 systems studied the predicted crystal structures matched the experimental configurations; 75% of these corresponded to the global energy minimum on the potential energy surface. Root-mean-square percent differences between the predicted and the experimental values for the cell edge lengths and densities are about 2 and 4%, respectively. Root-mean-square deviations of rigid body rotational and translational displacements are 2° and 0.07 A, respectively. Additionally, ...
The MIKE/HIRES Lyman limit survey: first results

We present preliminary results of a detailed analysis of the such systems in an effort to accurately characterise this enigmatic and important class of quasar absorption line systems.
A positron tomograph with 600 BGO crystals and 2.6 mm resolution

A description is given of the imaging performance of the Donner 600-Crystal Positron Tomograph, a single 60-cm-diameter ring of 3-mm-wide bismuth germanate (BGO) crystals coupled individually to 14-mm phototubes. With a pulse height threshold of 200-keV and a slice thickness of 5 mm, the sensitivity is 7024 events/s per mu Ci/Ml in a 20-cm cylinder of water. The measured rates for 18 mu Ci/ml are 95000 trues/s plus 20000 randoms/s. A 0.3-mm-diameter /sup 22/Na line source near the center of the tomograph has a circular point-spread function (PSF) with a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 2.6 mm. At 5 cm from the center the PSF is elliptical with a FWHM of 2.7 mm tangential*3.2 mm radial. At 10 cm the PSF has a FWHM of 2.8 mm tangential*4.8 mm radial. Attenuation data have been accumulated with a 20 mCi /sup 68/Ge orbiting transmission source, and 100 million coincident events have been collected in 200 s. >
Can mycophenolate mofetil substitute cyclophosphamide treatment of pediatric lupus nephritis

Intravenous cyclophosphamide (CYC) has been the standard of care to induce remission of severe and active lupus nephritis for more than 20 years. Potential side effects are significant, and failure to achieve remission is still high. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has emerged as a potential alternative to CYC, with an improved safety profile thus far. Results of two mayor randomized controlled trials in adults indicate no evidence of inferiority in patients treated with MMF, less adverse events, and higher rate of complete remission. Experience in the pediatric population is very limited. Thus far, the efficacy, toxicity, and tolerability record of MMF in adults makes it an acceptable alternative to CYC in the induction phase of treatment. Early treatment is desired. Several questions remain: the optimal dose and length of induction with MMF are unknown, the effect of MMF in severe cases of lupus nephritis with renal failure at presentation is unknown, and the compliance with long-term oral treatment in the adolescent population is certainly unknown. In this review, intravenous (IV) CYC induction in the sickest patients (renal failure at presentation) is considered and/or when compliance with oral treatment cannot be established. Also, MMF induction in reliable patients with mostly preserved renal function is considered. Most likely, MMF will serve as a therapeutic bridge between the previously well-known, broad-spectrum immunosuppressive drugs and the new, targeted biological agents.
A New Charge Storage Mechanism for Electrochemical Capacitors and Charge Storage Density Vs. Crystalline Structure of Metal Oxides

The hydrous ruthenium oxide (RuO2.xH2O) powders with different contents of H20 have been formed by a sol-gel process and have been annealed at different temperatures. It was found that the specific capacitance of RuO2.xH2O is strongly dependent on the crystalline structure. The specific capacitance of over 720 F/g was obtained in an amorphous RuO2.xH2O. This value is at least two times greater than ever reported of this type of material.The specific capacitance dropped rapidly as the amorphous phase transforms into the crystalline phase at high temperatures. In contrast to the crystalline phase the specific capacitance of an amorphous RuO2.xH2O was not dependent on the specific surface area. The charge storage mechanism in amorphous RuO2.xH2O is different from that in the crystalline RuO2. The current in the cyclic voltammetric curve of RuO2.xH2O is nearly constant and is symmetrical with the potential in a range of 1 volts. The resistivity of pellets made from these powders is in the order of 10−3 Ω-cm.
Cyanonaphthalene diimide semiconductors for air-stable, flexible, and optically transparent n-channel field-effect transistors

Core-cyanated naphthalene diimide organic semiconductors were synthesized for use in field-effect transistors. The unusual combination of wide band gap and high mobility in these materials enables the fabrication of the first flexible, air-stable n-type organic transistors with a transparent channel on conventional overhead transparency film or on ITO/glass substrates.
Two centuries of assessing drug risks.

The history of medicine is largely the story of medicines — a continuing tale of unfolding risks and benefits. Since the Journal was launched, long before the systematic use of randomized, controlled trials, it has documented our evolving understanding of drug safety.
Elastic wave velocities in sedimentary rocks

From a study of the transmission of dilatational pulses through rods it has Seen found possible to calculate not only the dilatational velocity but also the rotational (shear) velocity. From these velocities the elastic moduli of isotropic materials can he computed. The results are insensitive to boundary conditions and hence the method can be used when the material is surrounded by oil in a pressure chamber. The velocities in sedimentary rocks have been measured in the ranges 0–1100 kg/cm2 and 25–175°C. In addition, one limestone and one dolomite have been measured up to 2000 kg/cm2. The dilatational and rotational velocities and the elastic moduli as a function of pressure and temperature are presented for selected samples. A comparison of our results with those obtained by other methods is given. Although our measurements are based on pulses which have an equivalent frequency of 2.0–6.0 megacycles, there is no apparent discrepancy with low-frequency and static measurements. This would indicate that, at least for the rocks for which a comparison can be made, dispersion is not important. The elastic moduli are computed as functions of depth with an assumed gradient of 9.5°C per 1000 ft. Values of Poisson's ratio are constant or increase slightly with pressure over the experimental range.
On using coherence to measure distortion in hearing aids.

Coherence is a frequency‐domain measure of the degree to which the output of a system is linearly related to the system input. The signal‐to‐distortion ratio (SDR), where the distortion term includes all nonlinear effects and noise in the system, can be computed from the coherence. The coherence estimate, however, is subject to sources of variance and bias that reduce the accuracy of the measured SDR. The origins of the variance and bias and their effects on distortion measurements are presented. New procedures for reducing the variance and bias effects are described, and the processing effectiveness is demonstrated for a simulated hearing‐aid response.
Mouse Ly-49D Recognizes H-2Dd and Activates Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity

Although activation of natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity is generally inhibited by target major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I expression, subtle features of NK allorecognition suggest that NK cells possess receptors that are activated by target MHC I. The mouse Ly-49D receptor has been shown to activate NK cytotoxicity, although recognition of MHC class I has not been demonstrated previously. To define Ly-49D-ligand interactions, we transfected the mouse Ly-49D receptor into the rat NK line, RNK-16 (RNK.mLy-49D). As expected, anti- Ly-49D monoclonal antibody 12A8 specifically stimulated redirected lysis of the Fc receptor- bearing rat target YB2/0 by RNK.mLy-49D transfectants. RNK.mLy-49D effectors were tested against YB2/0 targets transfected with the mouse MHC I alleles H-2Dd, Db, Kk, or Kb. RNK.mLy-49D cells lysed YB2/0.Dd targets more efficiently than untransfected YB2/0 or YB2/0 transfected with Db, Kk, or Kb. This augmented lysis of H-2Dd targets was specifically inhibited by F(ab')2 anti-Ly-49D (12A8) and F(ab')2 anti-H-2Dd (34-5-8S). RNK.mLy-49D effectors were also able to specifically lyse Concanavalin A blasts isolated from H-2(d) mice (BALB/c, B10.D2, and DBA/2) but not from H-2(b) or H-2(k) mice. These experiments show that the activating receptor Ly-49D specifically interacts with the MHC I antigen, H-2Dd, demonstrating the existence of alloactivating receptors on murine NK cells.
Generic Hypersonic Inlet Module Analysis

A computational study associated with an internal inlet drag analysis was performed for a generic hypersonic inlet module. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of computing the internal drag force for a generic scramjet engine module using computational methods. The computational study consisted of obtaining two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions using the Euler and parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) equations. The solution accuracy was assessed by comparisons with experimental pitot pressure data. The CFD analysis indicates that the 3D PNS solutions show the best agreement with experimental pitot pressure data. The internal inlet drag analysis consisted of obtaining drag force predictions based on experimental data and 3D CFD solutions. A comparative assessment of each of the drag prediction methods is made and the sensitivity of CFD drag values to computational procedures is documented. The analysis indicates that the CFD drag predictions are highly sensitive to the computational procedure used.
Cortactin Is a Substrate of Activated Cdc42-Associated Kinase 1 (ACK1) during Ligand-induced Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Downregulation

Background Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) internalization following ligand binding controls EGFR downstream pathway signaling activity. Internalized EGFR is poly-ubiquitinated by Cbl to promote lysosome-mediated degradation and signal downregulation. ACK1 is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that interacts with ubiquitinated EGFR to facilitate EGFR degradation. Dynamic reorganization of the cortical actin cytoskeleton controlled by the actin related protein (Arp)2/3 complex is important in regulating EGFR endocytosis and vesicle trafficking. How ACK1-mediated EGFR internalization cooperates with Arp2/3-based actin dynamics during EGFR downregulation is unclear. Methodology/principal findings Here we show that ACK1 directly binds and phosphorylates the Arp2/3 regulatory protein cortactin, potentially providing a direct link to Arp2/3-based actin dynamics during EGFR degradation. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis indicates that the cortactin SH3 domain is responsible for binding to ACK1. In vitro kinase assays demonstrate that ACK1 phosphorylates cortactin on key tyrosine residues that create docking sites for adaptor proteins responsible for enhancing Arp2/3 nucleation. Analysis with phosphorylation-specific antibodies determined that EGFR-induced cortactin tyrosine phosphorylation is diminished coincident with EGFR degradation, whereas ERK1/2 cortactin phosphorylation utilized in promoting activation of the Arp2/3 regulator N-WASp is sustained during EGFR downregulation. Cortactin and ACK1 localize to internalized vesicles containing EGF bound to EGFR visualized by confocal microscopy. RNA interference and rescue studies indicate that ACK1 and the cortactin SH3 domain are essential for ligand-mediated EGFR internalization. Conclusions/significance Cortactin is a direct binding partner and novel substrate of ACK1. Tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin by ACK1 creates an additional means to amplify Arp2/3 dynamics through N-WASp activation, potentially contributing to the overall necessary tensile and/or propulsive forces utilized during EGFR endocytic internalization and trafficking involved in receptor degradation.
Prospective Evaluation of Advanced Molecular Markers and Imaging Techniques in Patients With Indeterminate Bile Duct Strictures

METHODS: Cholangiography, routine cytology (RC), intraductal biopsy, DIA, FISH, and IDUS were performed in 86 patients with indeterminate biliary strictures. Patients were stratified based on the presence or absence of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). RESULTS: RC provided low sensitivity (7‐33%) but high specificity (95‐100%) for PSC and non-PSC patients. The composite DIA/FISH results (when considering trisomy-7 [Tri-7] as a marker of benign disease) yielded a 100% specificity and increased sensitivity one- to fivefold in PSC patients versus RC, and two- to fivefold in patients without PSC, depending on how suspicious cytology results were interpreted. For the most difficult-to-manage patients with negative cytology and histology who were later proven to have malignancy (N = 21), DIA, FISH, composite DIA/FISH, and IDUS were able to predict malignant diagnoses in 14%, 62%, 67%, and 86%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DIA, FISH, and IDUS enhance the accuracy of standard techniques in evaluation of indeterminate bile duct strictures, allowing diagnosis of malignancy in a substantial number of patients with false-negative cytology and histology. These findings support the routine use of these newer diagnostic modalities in patients with indeterminate biliary strictures. (Am J Gastroenterol 2008;103:1263‐1273)
The End(s) of Marketing and the Neglect of Moral Responsibility by the American Marketing Association

Abstract The current official definition of marketing by the American Marketing Association—adopted in 2004—ignores marketers' moral responsibility for the socioecological conditions of the world. Other statements and programs by the association hardly do better. This essay suggests that research and education on wisdom and a stronger commitment to a macromarketing orientation could begin to reverse the neglect of moral responsibility. Those actions and several others outlined will require courageous and visionary leadership from the American Marketing Association.