cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression and functional relevance of UGT1A4 in a cohort of human drug-resistant epileptic brains.

The pharmacologic effects of drugs depend on their availability and levels reached in a given organ. When considering the brain, a combination of physical and dynamic barriers determines the pattern of drug distribution close to neuronal targets. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) plays a crucial role in the brain influx and efflux of several xenobiotics (Abbott, 2005; Oby & Janigro, 2006). Several hypotheses have been offered to elucidate the mechanisms regulating drug brain distribution under pathologic conditions. In the drug-resistant epileptic brain, extensive studies have focused on the possibility that overexpression of multi-drug transporters at the BBB impedes penetration of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) into the brain parenchyma (Dombrowski et al., 2001; Abbott et al., 2002; Loscher & Potschka, 2005; Loscher & Sills, 2007; Marchi et al., 2010). However, the results obtained have not translated into clinical improvement in the management of drug-resistant seizures (Loscher & Sills, 2007; Perucca et al., 2007). Recent evidence has suggested that various cytochrome P450 (CYP) (phase I) and phase II metabolic enzymes are expressed in the human and rodent brain (Ghersi-Egea et al., 1993, 1995; Dauchy et al., 2008, 2009; Ghosh et al., 2011b; Shawahna et al., 2011). Metabolic enzymes are accountable for the hepatic metabolism of AEDs (Brodie et al., 2013). Levels of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 can be detected in immortalized human brain microvascular cells (Dauchy et al., 2008, 2009), and CYP3A4 is upregulated in primary brain endothelial cells (EPI-ECs) derived from drug-resistant epileptic brain specimens (Ghosh et al., 2010, 2011a). Overexpression of CYP3A4 in EPI-ECs is accompanied by an increased metabolism of the AED carbamazepine (Ghosh et al., 2012). The expression and function of phase II enzymes in the human epileptic brain remains to be fully elucidated. Phase II conjugation enzymes (glutathione-S-transferases [GSTs], sulfotransferase, and UDP-glucuronosyl-transferase [UGTs]) are involved in the biotransformation of important AEDs, such as lamotrigine, which is a substrate of UGT1A4 (Anderson, 2004, 2008; Ghosh et al., 2012). It is unknown whether UGT1A4 is expressed in the drug-resistant human epileptic brain and whether this expression plays a role in drug metabolism. We evaluated the pattern of UGT1A4 expression in a cohort of brain specimens obtained from temporal lobectomies performed to relieve drug-resistant seizures. We then compared UGT1A4 expression and lamotrigine metabolism in EPI-ECs to commercially available, control brain endothelial cells. We evaluated the possible association between UGT1A4 expression and cell viability.
A historical review of complete denture impression materials.

The development of various impression materials, and the use of the various techniques associated with them, are chronologically reviewed. The history of complete denture impression procedures has been influenced largely by the development of impression materials from which new ideas and techniques arose. Apparently, some procedures have been devised solely for the promotion of certain impression materials. For the most part, however, impression materials have been developed to accomplish specific goals and, at the time at least, were considered desirable for the purpose.
A report on seventy-eight cases treated by eye movement desensitization.

Abstract This article reports the author's experience with 78 cases treated with eye movement desensitization. Mean improvement on 530 disturbing themes was 1.85 on a 0–3 point scale. Most diagnostic groups scored 2.0 or better. Treatment was most effective with post trauma and least with generalized negative themes and cravings, helping only a little in the worst areas. Suggestions are made for more rigorous studies.
Nonstoichiometric disorder in single-crystalline BaTiO3 at elevated temperatures

Abstract The electrical conductivity of single-crystalline BaTiO 3 was measured over the temperature range 800–1200°C while in thermodynamic equilibrium with oxygen partial pressures from 10 0 to 10 −19 atm. The behavior was consistent with the presence of barium and oxygen vacancies, due to the inherent BaO deficiency of the crystal, combined in the form of neutral defect complexes. The n -type electrical conductivity indicated the formation of additional, fully ionized oxygen vacancies while the p -type disorder resulted from the partial filling of oxygen vacancies present to compensate the accidental acceptor impurity content. This model takes into account two factors which are commonly ignored in ternary oxides: (1) Deviations from ideal cation-cation stoichiometry may result in substantial concentrations of defects; (2) in close-packed structures with multivalent cations and substantial band gaps, the enthalpies of formation for intrinsic defects are so unfavorable that impurity-related defects will be dominant in the near-stoichiometric region.
Unanswered questions in hormonal replacement therapy

This review addresses many of the unanswered questions existing relative to the use of exogenous estrogens and progestins in postmenopausal women (PMW). The literature in the field is reviewed and summarized, with a particular effort to identify key questions of major concern. The effect of selection bias on conclusions reached from retrospective studies involving hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has not been examined. Less is actually known about the effects of progestins than estrogens. Many of the endocrine changes that occur with aging remain poorly defined. Effects of estrogens and progestins on the breast and on breast cancer are unclear. Estrogens have recognized beneficial effects and progestins have detrimental effects on lipoprotein metabolism. Estrogens also have direct effects on the vasculature and may impact on cardiovascular risk in other ways. Although estrogens are the only agents known to eliminate hot flushes, the mechanism by which flushes arise is not known. Estrogens may have ameliorating effects on mood and behavior and may improve dementia, but research in this area has been limited to date. Lastly, the preferred estrogens and progestins, their dosages and routes of administration, remain to be more completely defined.
The Insanity of Place

This paper uses English examples to scrutinize the complex interrelations of insanity and place over the past three centuries, taking as its starting point the late Erving Goffman's paper of the same title. From eighteenth-century Bedlam and the emerging trade in lunacy, through the county asylums and licensed madhouses of the nineteenth century to the return of the the mentally ill to the 'community' in the last half of the twentieth century, the place occupied by insanity has varied sharply, symbolically as well as concretely. These various techniques of containment and damage limitation must be understood as a response to the threats, symbolic and practical, that serious mental illness poses to the social order, at both the micro- and macroscopic levels of analysis.
The Mating Behavior of Teleogryllus commodus (Walker) and its Central and Peripheral Control4

Central nervous action determines the cyclic sequence of mating behavior in the Teleogryllus commodus ♂ and the patterns can appear predictably without external stimulation. However, the copulatory act triggers the onset of the cycle and peripheral factors, such as the presence of a ♀, may modify performance and duration of some of the patterns. The highly flexible capability of the central nervous system is thereby acknowledged.
Endosome to Golgi Retrieval of the Vacuolar Protein Sorting Receptor, Vps10p, Requires the Function of the VPS29, VPS30, and VPS35 Gene Products

Mutations in the S. cerevisiae VPS29 and VPS30 genes lead to a selective protein sorting defect in which the vacuolar protein carboxypeptidase Y (CPY) is missorted and secreted from the cell, while other soluble vacuolar hydrolases like proteinase A (PrA) are delivered to the vacuole. This phenotype is similar to that seen in cells with mutations in the previously characterized VPS10 and VPS35 genes. Vps10p is a late Golgi transmembrane protein that acts as the sorting receptor for soluble vacuolar hydrolases like CPY and PrA, while Vps35p is a peripheral membrane protein which cofractionates with membranes enriched in Vps10p. The sequences of the VPS29, VPS30, and VPS35 genes do not yet give any clues to the functions of their products. Each is predicted to encode a hydrophilic protein with homologues in the human and C. elegans genomes. Interestingly, mutations in the VPS29, VPS30, or VPS35 genes change the subcellular distribution of the Vps10 protein, resulting in a shift of Vps10p from the Golgi to the vacuolar membrane. The route that Vps10p takes to reach the vacuole in a vps35 mutant does not depend upon Sec1p mediated arrival at the plasma membrane but does require the activity of the pre-vacuolar endosomal t-SNARE, Pep12p. A temperature conditional allele of the VPS35 gene was generated and has been found to cause missorting/secretion of CPY and also Vps10p to mislocalize to a vacuolar membrane fraction at the nonpermissive temperature. Vps35p continues to cofractionate with Vps10p in vps29 mutants, suggesting that Vps10p and Vps35p may directly interact. Together, the data indicate that the VPS29, VPS30, and VPS35 gene products are required for the normal recycling of Vps10p from the prevacuolar endosome back to the Golgi where it can initiate additional rounds of vacuolar hydrolase sorting.
Ionization processes in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: Matrix-dependent formation of [M + H]+ vs [M + Na]+ ions of small peptides and some mechanistic comments

The relative signal intensities of [M + H]+ vs [M + Na]+ ions of some small peptides were found to be highly matrix-dependent in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) experiments when sinapinic acid, α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid were used as matrices. Presumably, this observation results from the competition of two different mechanisms for the ionization steps. Possible mechanisms for the formations of [M + H]+ and [M + Na]+ ions are proposed and discussed in the pursuit of defining the ionization step in MALDI. Several experiments were designed and performed for the further refinement of the mechanism. The results suggest that proton transfer from a matrix molecule to an analyte plays an important role in the ionization step. The transferring proton may be derived from photoionized or electronically excited matrix molecules. In contrast, some data are most consistent with a gas-phase mechanism for [M + Na]+ ions.
Self-retraction clamp for dissection of the posterior prostatic fossa during radical retropubic prostatectomy.

Dissection of the posterior prostatic fossa is a critical part of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). Two main goals during this portion of surgery are 1. to identify the correct plane on the anterior wall of the rectum to ensure all layers of Denonvilliers fascia are excised, and 2. to avoid trauma to the neurovascular bundle. After resection of the anterior urethra, the Foley catheter is brought through, clamped and divided, followed by incision of the posterior urethral wall. With the aid of a hemostat clamp on the divided Foley catheter, the prostate is retracted cranially to dissect the lateral pelvic fascia and identify the neurovascular bundle. However, manual cranial retraction of the prostate is imprecise; too much retraction can damage the neurovascular bundle, and too little retraction does not delineate the fascial planes between the prostate and the rectum. Therefore, a self-retraction prostate clamp was designed to enable the surgeon to apply constant traction on the Foley catheter during dissection of the posterior prostatic fossa during RRP. (The prostate self-retraction clamp can be purchased from: J Hugh Knight Instrument Company, 226 S. Villere St., New Orleans, LA 70112, 504-524-2797.)
Vibrational frequencies and structural determination of diethynyldimethylstannane

Abstract The normal mode frequencies and corresponding vibrational assignments of diethynyldimethylstannane are examined theoretically using the gaussian 98 set of quantum chemistry codes. Each of the vibrational modes was assigned to one of nine types of motion predicted by a group theoretical analysis (Sn–C stretch, CC stretch, C–H stretch, CC–H bend, Sn–CC bend, C–Sn–C bend, H–C–H bend, CH 3 wag, and CH 3 twist) utilizing the C 2 v symmetry of the molecule. Uniform scaling factors were derived for each type of motion. Predicted infrared and Raman intensities are reported.
Amorphous and Semicrystalline Solid Polymers: Experimental and Modeling Studies of Their Inelastic Deformation Behaviors

The study of the inelastic deformation behavior of six amorphous and semicrystalline polymers was performed to develop and verify the capabilities of a constitutive material model. The test conditions consisted of piecewise constant strain rates for loading and unloading. Immediate control mode switching capability permitted using load control for creep and recovery tests. Positive, nonlinear rate sensitivity was observed in all cases for monotonic loading and the prior loading rate was found to have a strong influence on creep, relaxation and strain recovery (emulating creep at zero stress) tests. In particular, a fast prior rate engenders a larger change in the output variable: strain in conditions of creep and stress drop in relaxation. Based on the absence of any distinctive deformation traits, the preponderance of data collected in the experimentation program suggests that both categories of polymers can be modeled using the same phenomenological approach. Modeling of the experimental data is introduced with a uniaxial form of the Viscoplasticity Theory Based on Overstress for Polymers (VBOP). Simulations and model predictions are provided for various loading histories. Additional modifications necessary to extend the theory to finite deformation and inelastic compressibility are then presented. An objective formulation is obtained in the Eulerian framework together with the recently proposed logarithmic spin by Xiao [Xiao, H., Bruhns, O., and Meyers, A., 1997, “Hypoelesticity Model Based Upon the Logarithmic Stress Rate ,” J. Elast., 47, pp. 51–68].
Hydrogels coupled with self-assembled monolayers : An in vitro matrix to study calcite biomineralization

This paper describes the control of the nucleation and growth of calcite crystals by a matrix composed of an agarose hydrogel on top of a carboxylate-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM). The design of this matrix is based upon examples from biomineralization in which hydrogels are coupled with functionalized, organic surfaces to control, simultaneously, crystal morphology and orientation. In the synthetic system, calcite crystals nucleate from the (012) plane (the same plane that is observed in solution growth). The aspect ratio (length/width) of the crystals decreases from 2.1 ± 0.22 in solution to 1.2 ± 0.04 in a 3 w/v % agarose gel. One possible explanation for the change in morphology is the incorporation of gel fibers inside of the crystals during the growth process. Etching of the gel-grown crystals with deionized water reveals an interpenetrating network of gel fibers and crystalline material. This work begins to provide insight into why organisms use hydrogels to control the growth of crystals.
The influence of virus-induced changes in plants on aphid vectors: insights from luteovirus pathosystems

Plant virus infection can alter the suitability of host plants for their aphid vectors. Most reports indicate that virus-infected plants are superior hosts for vectors compared to virus-free plants with respect to vector growth rates, fecundity and longevity. Some aphid vectors respond preferentially to virus-infected plants compared to virus-free ones, while others avoid infected plants that are inferior hosts. Thus, it appears vectors can exploit changes in host plant quality associated with viral infection. Enhanced vector performance and preference for virus-infected plants might also be advantageous for viruses by promoting their spread and possibly enhancing their fitness. Our research has focused on two of the most important luteoviruses that infect wheat (Barley yellow dwarf virus), or potato (Potato leafroll virus), and their respective aphid vectors, the bird-cherry oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi, and the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae. The work has demonstrated that virus infection of host plants enhances the life history of vectors. Additionally, it has shown that virus infection alters the concentration and relative composition of volatile organic compounds in host plants, that apterae of each vector species settle preferentially on virus-infected plants, and that such responses are mediated by volatile organic compounds. The findings also indicate that plants respond heterogeneously to viral infection and as a result different plant parts change in attractiveness to vectors during infection and vector responses to virus-infected plants are dynamic. Such dynamic responses could enhance or reduce the probability of virus acquisition by individual aphids searching among plants. Finally, our work indicates that compared to non-viruliferous aphids, viruliferous ones are less or not responsive to virus-induced host plant volatiles. Changes in vector responsiveness to plants after vectors acquire virus could impact virus epidemiology by influencing virus spread. The potential implications of these findings for virus ecology and epidemiology are discussed.
Dynamic heater for display elements

Liquid crystal display (LCD) deliver optimal performance when the entire display surface is isothermal and at a controllable temperature. This condition creates uniform electro-optical properties within the liquid crystal layer. This paper describes a dynamic, multicontact heater system that actively compensates for uneven heat loads, thereby creating the desired isothermal condition. The heater system includes a uniform resistive sheet, with multiple electrical contacts around the perimeter. A switch network connects each heater contact to a power supply, ground potential, or a high impedance. A microprocessor monitors the display temperature, and detects non-uniformity, and selectively applies heat to cold areas of the display. The dynamic heater system employs a variety of heating patterns to create the desired isothermal condition.Heating patterns vary in duration, power applied, and location on the display face. The microprocessor control loop can also detect and isolate faulty drive elements, and compensate for non- uniformity in the heater itself. The heater prevents stress- induced delaminations, mechanical distortions, and stress- induced birefringence in optical components. Test results indicate that a dynamic heater can be beneficial in the thermal design of LCD products.
The Paradoxic Effect of Tolazoline Hydrochloride on Pulmonary Hypertension of Mitral Stenosis

The administration of 25 mg of tolazoline hydrochloride (Priscoline) into the pulmonary artery of a patient with severe pulmonary hypertension due to mitral stenosis resulted in significant elevation in the pulmonary artery and left atrial pressures, and pulmonary vascular resistance. The elevation in the pulmonary artery pressures and the pulmonary vascular resistance was out of proportion to the increase in the left atrial pressures and the cardiac output. A discussion of the possible mechanism of this paradoxic response is given.
The effect of inhibitors of HCl secretion on the unidirectional fluxes of chloride across bullfrog gastric mucosa

Abstract 1. 1. The unidirectional fluxes of Cl− across isolated bullfrog gastric mucosa were measured under normal conditions and after inhibition of acid secretion. Inhibition was accomplished by deprivation of oxidative metabolism or by addition of SCN−. 2. 2. Removal of O2 from the solutions bathing the gastric mucosa reduced the net Cl− flux and short-circuit current, reversibly. Unidirectional Cl flux from nutrient to secretory solution (JCl−ns) was decreased, while the backflux, from secretory to nutrient solution (JCl−ns) weas increased. A generalized increase in tissue permeability does not account for the observed rise of (JCl−ns) since the total mucosal conductance was decreased during anoxia. Other explanations based on the accompanying decrease of bulk flow from nutrient to secretory solution as well as an alteration of carrier-site availability might explain the increased (JCl−ns) which occured with anoxia. 3. 3. Addition of SCN− to gastric mucosa depresed (JCl−ns) and this agent agent appears to be relatively specific for the component of Cl− directly associated with H+ secretion. The exchange diffusion component of Cl− flux is only slightly decreased by SCN−. 4. 4. The action of SCN− in the reduction of HCl secretion is interpreted on the basis of a competition with Cl− for enzymic sites which normally operate for the translocation of H+ by an ATP-driven mechanism.
Prenatal cocaine exposure leads to enhanced long-term potentiation in region CA1 of hippocampus

Cocaine use by pregnant women is currently of concern for its social and economic impact. Clinical studies of cocaine exposed offspring are limited by methodological constraints. In this study we used a rabbit model to examine the effects of gestational cocaine exposure on substrates of learning and memory. Rabbits, 30 to 40 days old, were examined for alterations in synaptic plasticity using an intact hippocampal slice preparation. Extracellular recordings revealed in utero cocaine exposure predisposed slices to larger long-term potentiation compared to controls.
The Changing Faces of Community College Students in Arizona, Indiana, Maryland, Tennessee, and Washington

One of the most fundamental drivers of change at the nation's community colleges is enrollment. This paper examines the enrollment patterns of community colleges across five different regions of the country. It illustrates how changing populations will affect the demographic make-up of the student body for each state.
Spindle‐cell lesions of the mediastinum: Diagnosis by fine‐needle aspiration biopsy

Spindle cells seen in fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the mediastinal lesions can be a component of a wide variety of benign and malignant conditions. Few of these conditions, however, are described in the FNA cytopathology literature. This review discusses the cytopathologic features, differential diagnoses, and potential pitfalls of a variety of lesions with a significant component of spindle cells encountered in mediastinal FNAB. The cytopathology files from four institutions were searched for cases of mediastinal FNAB containing a spindle-cell component that was a key or predominant cytologic feature of the diagnostic specimen. The cytomorphologic features of these cases were analyzed, and their differential features are discussed. Of 196 mediastinal FNABs, 22 (11%) were lesions with significant spindle-cell component: granulomatous inflammation (four); benign nerve sheath tumor (four); thymic cyst (two); spindle-cell thymoma (two); large-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with sclerosis (two); nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease (two); liposarcoma (two); spindle-cell squamous carcinoma possibly arising in a teratoma (one); unspecified high-grade sarcoma (one); spindle-cell malignant melanoma (one); and nonspecific fibrous tissue (one). The cytologic features of each lesion were analyzed as an aid for accurate classification. These findings were correlated with radiologic and clinical information when available. The value of ancillary studies performed on aspirated material in selected cases was also reviewed. FNA of mediastinal lesions with significant spindle-cell morphology represents an infrequent and heterogeneous group of entities that may pose significant diagnostic challenges. This review presents the salient cytopathologic features of various spindle-cell lesions of the mediastinum with particular emphasis on differential diagnosis and pitfalls. The pathologist must use caution when interpreting these lesions and ancillary studies may be of significant value in selected cases.
Documentation of In-training Assessment for Radiology Trainees

Aim To determine if the assessment of radiology trainees can be improved by modifying the in-training assessment form issued by the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR). Materials and methods A qualitative study comparing the RCR assessment form with other alternative forms in use in the U.K. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with trainees (21) and trainers (18) in Sheffield to collect their views on the RCR form and an alternative form introduced on the North Trent Training Scheme. A postal questionnaire was sent to Heads of Training (24) to find out what assessment forms were in use at other centres and collect their views on the different forms. Results Trainees and trainers in Sheffield were virtually unanimous in their support of the new North Trent assessment form. The main advantages perceived were the encouragement of appraisal, setting of objectives and feedback from the trainees. Six other radiology training centres were using alternative assessment forms and all believed their forms had advantages over the RCR in-training assessment form. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the assessment process for radiology trainees can be improved by modifications to the RCR in-training assessment form and allows various recommendations to be made.
Ultrafast electron dynamics at semiconductor surfaces and interfaces studied with subpicosecond laser photoemission

The technique of subpicosecond angle-resolved laser photoemission spectroscopy is described. Investigation of the dynamics of electrons excited into normally unoccupied states at the cleaved GaAs (110) 1×1 and Ge (111) 2×1 surfaces are detailed. In addition, we discuss experiments carried out on heterostructures formed by the growth of Ge and the cleaved GaAs (110) surface as well as the molecular beam epitaway (MBE) surfaces of GaAs (100) and (111)
Optical Design Strategies for the Large-Aperture Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

The Large-aperture Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will survey the visible sky 50 times faster than current facilities. Strategies that led to designs with unprecedented data gathering rates while achieving reasonable manufacturing goals will be discussed.
Risk factors associated with human brucellosis in the country of Georgia: a case-control study

Human brucellosis occurs when humans ingest or contact Brucella spp. from shedding animals or contaminated environments and food. In Georgia animal and human brucellosis is endemic, but the epidemiology has not been fully characterized. A case-control study was conducted in 2010 to identify risk factors for human brucellosis. Using multivariable logistic regression, the following risk factors were identified: animal-related work [odds ratio (OR) 77·8, 90% confidence interval (CI) 4·7-1278], non-animal-related work (OR 12·7, 90% CI 1·1-149), being unemployed or a pensioner (OR 13·1, 90% CI 1·7, 101), sheep ownership (OR 19·3, 90% CI 5·1-72·6), making dairy products (OR 12·4, 90% CI 1·4-113), living in eastern Georgia (Kakheti) (OR 278·1, 90% CI 9·5-8100), and being aged >44 years (OR 9·3, 90% CI 1·02-84·4). Education of at-risk groups about risk factors and control of disease in sheep may reduce the human disease risk. This is the first study of its kind in Georgia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Temporomandibular disorders after early class II treatment with bionators and headgears : results from a randomized controlled trial

Symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders were assessed in children enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of early treatment for Class II malocclusion. Children (mean age of 9.8 years) were assigned to a treatment protocol (bionator, n = 60; observation, n = 60; headgear/bite plane, n = 71) using randomized block stratification. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds, joint capsule pain to palpation, and muscle pain to palpation were scored as binary responses (present/absent in a subject). Determinations were made by blinded, calibrated examiners initially (DC1) and after a Class I molar correction was achieved or 2 years had elapsed (DC3). Univariate relationships among explanatory factors (group assignment, gender, age, time interval between DC1 and DC3, Class II severity, mandibular plane angle, preparatory treatment, whether Class I molar relation was achieved) and binary responses were explored using Chi square tables and ANOVA methods. Logistic regression modeled the relationship between binary responses and the explanatory variables. At DC1, the 3 groups were equivalent in the explanatory variables (P > .05). Subjects with a TMJ sound, joint pain, and/or muscle pain at follow-up were more likely those who had the sign at baseline (P < .01). Early treatment with bionators and headgear/bite planes did not place healthy children without these signs at risk for developing these signs. Only increasing age (for the development of sounds, P < .04) and failure to achieve a Class I molar relation (for development of muscle pain, P < .04) placed sign-free children at greater risk. Subjects with TMJ pain at baseline were 7 times more likely to have pain at follow-up if they had been treated with a headgear/bite plane or observed than if they had been treated with a bionator (P = .007). We conclude that an immediate benefit or risk for children receiving early Class II treatment with bionators and headgear/bite planes with respect to temporomandibular joint function does not exist with the prospect that Class II children with TMJ capsule pain may benefit from bionator therapy.
A Comparison of South American and African Preferential Pathways for Extreme Cold Events

AbstractIn the Southern Hemisphere, a relatively well-known preferential pathway along which cold air surges equatorward is situated to the east of the Andes Mountains. In this study, a second preferred pathway is identified to the east of the African Highlands, with additional minor pathways identified east of the Brazilian Highlands and Madagascar. The primary objective of this study is to compare climatological and synoptic characteristics of extreme cold events (ECEs) along the Andes and African Highlands pathways. ECEs are defined as the top 1% coldest 925-hPa temperatures within the Andes and the African Highlands pathways using the 1977–2001 subset of the 2.5° × 2.5° 40-yr European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40). ECEs within the Andes and African Highlands pathways are associated with dynamically forced anticyclogenesis and have low-level characteristics that vary substantially. Along the Andes pathway, ECEs feature 925-hPa temperatures as much as 17°C below ...
The relationship among lower urinary tract symptoms, prostate specific antigen and erectile dysfunction in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia: results from the proscar long-term efficacy and safety study.

ABSTRACT Purpose: We evaluated the associations among lower urinary tract symptoms, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with benign prostatic enlargement enrolled in the Proscar (Merck, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey) Long-Term Efficacy and Safety Study. Materials and Methods: The Proscar Long-Term Efficacy and Safety Study was a 4-year, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study that enrolled 3,040 men with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms and an enlarged prostate gland. Two questions assessed ED. A logistic regression model, including the effect of patient age, was used to examine the relationships among quasi-American Urological Association Symptom Score (AUASS), PSA, and ED at baseline. Changes in ED scores from baseline to study closeout were analyzed with ANOVA. Results: A total of 2,981 patients had baseline data available for analysis. Mean age was 64 years, mean quasi-AUASS was 15, mean PSA was 2.8 ng/ml and mean prostate volume was 55 cm 3 . At baseline every 1 point increase in quasi-AUASS was associated with a 2% increased risk of ED even after controlling for age (p Conclusions: We found a moderately strong association between baseline quasi-AUASS and the ED rate in men with an enlarged prostate, a finding that was supported by longitudinal data in the placebo arm. The absence of a relationship between PSA and ED highlights the need for further investigation into the mechanisms of benign prostatic hyperplasia related sexual dysfunction.
Crystalloid flush with backward unclamping may decrease post-reperfusion cardiac arrest and improve short-term graft function when compared to portal blood flush with forward unclamping during liver transplantation

During liver transplant (LT), the release of vasoactive substances into the systemic circulation is associated with severe hemodynamic instability that is injurious to the recipient and/or the post-ischemic graft. Crystalloid flush with backward unclamping (CB) and portal blood flush with forward unclamping (PF) are two reperfusion methods to reduce reperfusion-related cardiovascular perturbations in our center. The primary aim of this study was to compare these two methods. After institutional review board (IRB) approval, cadaveric whole LT cases performed between 2003 and 2008 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups based on reperfusion methods: CB or PF. After background matching with propensity score, the effect of each method on post-operative graft function was assessed in detail. In our cohort of 478 patients, CB was used in 313 grafts and PF in 165. Thirty-day graft survival was lower, and risk of retransplantation was higher in PF. Multivariable model showed that CB is an independent factor to reduce primary non-function, cardiac arrest and improve 30-d graft survival. Also, the incidence of ischemic-type biliary lesions was significantly higher in the PF group. Reperfusion methods affect intraoperative hemodynamics and post-transplant outcome. CB allows for control over temperature and composition of the perfusate, perfusion pressure, and the rate of infusion.
A Comparative Study of the Chemical Defensive System of Tenebrionid Beetles. Defensive Behavior and Ancillary Features

The behavior accompanying the release of the defensive secretion of 64 species of tenebrionid beetles was studied. The secretion was characteristically released by eversion of the reservoir, by exuding, or by spraying, with intermediates between these occasionally represented. Everting is considered primitive and is found among several genera of Tenebrionini, Bolitophagini, Strongyliini, and Lagriini with a few occurrences in other tribes. Spraying is restricted mostly to the subgenera Eleodes and Steneleodes of Eleodes but scattered occurrences are found in other subgenera of Eleodes as well as other genera within the family. Some species of Meracanthini and Amarygmini spray by rapidly everting the glands, a method quite distinct from all other spraying species. Species of Eleodes frequently exhibit headstanding behavior when disturbed and prior to giving off secretion, but headstanding has evolved in other groups as well and is frequently associated with species which spray. Certain species which lack defensive glands also headstand, and the evolution of headstanding is discussed in this light. Many species in all taxa have evolved the ability to wipe the secretion via the metalegs, from the abdominal tip onto the handler; species of Argoporis can transfer secretion between adjacent pairs of legs. Numerous species of Diapirini, Tenebrionini, Scaurini, Ulomini and Phaleriini fold the legs and antennae flat against the ventrum and remain motionless when disturbed; this habit is also represented in a few species of other groups. In some species of Diapirini and Ulomini, the epipleural margins of the elytra are formed into “gutters” which conduct secretion forward, and in some the elytra are entirely wet by secretion. In a species of Zadenos, elytral sulcae conduct the secretion. All species of Platynotini possess gular stridulatory apparati, and several stridulate when releasing secretion.
NMR of optically pumped xenon thin films

NMR of 129Xe has been observed in thin films of xenon frozen onto the surfaces of glass sample cells with various geometries. The 129Xe polarization was enhanced by optical pumping, and the xenon was then transferred to a high-field pulsed NMR spectrometer allowing the observation of strong signals from xenon films of approximately 1 μm thickness. The line shape depends on the film geometry because of the bulk diamagnetic susceptibility χD of solid xenon. The spectral line shape and resonance frequency also depend on temperature.
Induction of hepatic metallothionein by alcohols: evidence for an indirect mechanism.

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to determine the ability of various short-chain alcohols to induce metallothionein (MT) in the liver and to determine whether the induction results from a direct action of alcohol on liver or an indirect action mediated by zinc, glucocorticoids, or catecholamines. Mice were administered alcohol by gavage and hepatic MT was quantitated by the Cd-hemoglobin radioassay. Ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, and propanol increased MT content to seven to nine times that of control liver. In vitro , ethanol did not increase MT concentrations in rat hepatocyte cultures, indicating that the in vivo induction is not a direct effect of ethanol on the liver. Adrenergic blocking agents did not reduce the MT content of ethanol-treated mice, indicating that catecholamines are probably not involved in the MT induction. Corticosterone and zinc concentrations in plasma were increased in mice 1 hr after ethanol treatment. Corticosterone, give in vivo , was a less effective inducer of MT than was ethanol treatment. In conclusion, (1) hepatic MT was increased by several alcohols, (2) the induction was not due to direct action of alcohol on the liver, and (3) while the mechanism of alcohol induction of MT is unclear, it may be due to an alteration in zinc and glucocorticoid homeostasis.
A Caccioppoli inequality and partial regularity in the calculus of variations

A new proof is given of the partial regularity of minimisers under the principal assumptions of uniform strict quasiconvexity and polynomial growth. The proof is based on a Caccioppoli inequality and an “indirect” blow-up argument; this avoids the technical complications of a “direct” argument.
A Characterization of Bartlett's statistic involving incomplete beta functions

SUMMARY Exact expressions are obtained for the density and distribution functions of Bartlett's (1937) statistic for testing for homogeneity of variances of k normal populations, when random samples of not necessarily the same size are taken. The latter expression facilitates computation of exact critical values. An illustrative computation is presented.
Expression and Loading of Recombinant Heavy and Light Chain Homopolymers of Rat Liver Ferritin

Abstract The full-length genes for the heavy (H) and light (L) chains of ferritin isolated from a rat liver cDNA library were amplified using polymerase chain reaction. Each was inserted at the unique Bgl II site downstream of the p10 promoter of the baculovirus transfer vector pAcUW21. The genes were transferred separately to infectious Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) expression vectors after in vivo homologous recombination. Ferritin homopolymers of either H or L chain were expressed up to approximately 1.5 mg per 100 ml of infected cultures (2.0 × 10 6 cells/ml) of Spodoptera frugiperda, Sf-21, 4 days postinfection. Both recombinant H chain ferritin (rH-Ft) and recombinant L chain ferritin (rL-Ft) assembled as multi-subunit complexes with predicted electrophoretic mobility. Neither rH-Ft nor rL-Ft homopolymers had ferroxidase activity in 50 m M NaCl, as we have reported previously for native ferritin [D. DeSilva, D. M. Miller, D. W. Reif, and S. D. Aust (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 293, 409–415]. When ceruloplasmin, a copper-containing protein, was used as a ferroxidase, rH-Ft loaded iron at rates comparable those obtained with native rat liver apoferritin, but rL-Ft failed to load any iron. The initial rate of Fe(II) oxidation catalyzed by ceruloplasmin was increased in the presence of rH-Ft or rat liver ferritin but not in the presence of rL-Ft. A maximum of about 2500 atoms of iron were incorporated into both rH-Ft and rat liver ferritin. These results demonstrate that both rat liver rH-Ft and rL-Ft homopolymer can be properly produced by the baculovirus expression system and ceruloplasmin can only load iron into H chain ferritin. The physiological significance of these results is discussed.
Environmental enhancement of creep crack growth in Inconel 718 by oxygen and water vapor

Inconel 718 alloy is widely used in high temperature applications. Because of its sensitivity to environmentally enhanced crack growth at high temperatures, its use has been limited to modest temperatures (i.e., below 973 K). To improve its performance and to better predict its service life, it is important to develop a better understanding of the processes of crack growth at high temperatures in this alloy. It has been shown that the creep crack growth rates (CCGR) in air are at least two orders of magnitude faster than those in vacuum or inert environments. CCGR were also found to depend strongly on temperature. Fractographic studies showed that crack growth was intergranular in air and in vacuum with brittle appearing grain boundary separation in air and extensive cavity formation in vacuum. The increased CCGR in air has been attributed to the enhancement by oxygen; principally through enhanced cavity nucleation and growth by high-pressure carbon monoxide/dioxide formed by the reactions of oxygen that diffused into the material with the grain boundary carbides. The appropriateness of this mechanism, however, may be questioned by the absence of cavitation on the crack surfaces produced in air. As such the mechanism for crack growth needs to bemore » re-examined. Because of the presence of moisture in air, the possible influence of hydrogen needs to be considered as well. In this study, preliminary experiments were conducted to examine the process of environmentally enhanced creep crack growth in Inconel 718 alloy in terms of possible mechanisms and rate controlling processes. Creep crack growth experiments were carried out in air, oxygen (from 2.67 to 100 kPa), moist argon (water vapor) and pure argon at temperatures from 873 to 973 K.« less
Treatment of insomnia by paradoxical intention: A time-series analysis

Paradoxical instructions were presented to an individual suffering from chronic insomnia. To control for improvement attributable to demand characteristics alone, counterdemand manipulations were utilized during the treatment period. Results, analyzed via time series analysis, indicated significant improvement on five of eight self-recorded sleep dimensions. These findings were discussed with regard to the hypothesized interruption of the “exacerbation cycle”.
Synaptic adhesion molecules.

Formation, differentiation and plasticity of synapses, the specialized cell-cell contacts through which neurons communicate, all require interactions between pre- and post-synaptic partners. Several synaptically localized adhesion molecules potentially capable of mediating these interactions have been identified recently. Functional studies suggest roles for some of them in target recognition (e.g. SYG-1 and sidekicks), formation and alignment of synaptic specializations (e.g. SynCAM, neuroligin and neurexin), and regulation of synaptic structure and function (e.g. cadherins and syndecan).
The Retroactive Effects of Prior Knowledge and Elaborative Processing on Prose Retention

AbstractAn experiment was conducted to examine the relative contributions of prior knowledge and elaborate processing to prose memory using a retroactive interference paradigm. One hundred eighty undergraduates from introductory educational psychology classes were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group in one of six treatment conditions (n = 15). Using the mean scores of the control group from each condition as expected values, derived scores indicating the amount of retroactive interference or facilitation were calculated for experimental groups in each condition. Treatment conditions, allowing prior knowledge to operate, differed reliably from the baseline condition. However, conditions which precluded prior knowledge mediation differed reliably from the baseline condition. Results indicate that both prior knowledge and elaborative processing operate to diminish retroactive interference generated by reading a second passage. These data are seen as a basis for speculation on the rel...
Statistical common author networks

A new method for visualizing the relatedness of scientific areas has been developed that is based on measuring the overlap of researchers between areas. It is found that closely related areas have a high propensity to share a larger number of common authors. A method for comparing areas of vastly different sizes and to handle name homonymy is constructed, allowing for the robust deployment of this method on real data sets. A statistical analysis of the probability distributions of the common author overlap that accounts for noise is carried out along with the production of network maps with weighted links proportional to the overlap strength. This is demonstrated on 2 case studies, complexity science and neutrino physics, where the level of relatedness of areas within each area is expected to vary greatly. It is found that the results returned by this method closely match the intuitive expectation that the broad, multidisciplinary area of complexity science possesses areas that are weakly related to each other, whereas the much narrower area of neutrino physics shows very strongly related areas.
Parental investment in two solitary wasps Ancistrocerus adiabatus and Euodynerus foraminatus (Eumenidae: Hymenoptera)

Females of the solitary eumenid wasps Ancistrocerus adiabatus and Euodynerus foraminatus control the adult size of their offspring by the amount of food provded to the larvae. For both species, larger females provision more offspring and collect more food than smaller females. Males of E. foraminatus, upon emergence as adults, fight for control of the nest area. The winning brother remains at the nest and mates with his sisters as they emerge several days later. Males of A. adiabatus are not as agonistic as males of E. foraminatus so that a number of males may remain near the natal nest. When females nest near each other, male-male interactions increase, and the likelihood of sibling mating decreases. Under conditions of clumped nesting, females make larger offspring and invest more in males than when nesting in isolation.