cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of prekallikrein activation in human plasma by components of bovine plasma.

Contact of plasma with a negatively charged surface activates prekallikrein and factor XII reciprocally. Activation of prekailikrein by several activators was impaired in bovine plasma when compared to that in human plasma. The activated partial thromboplastin time of bovine plasma, induced by several activators, was significantly longer than that of human plasma. Cleavage of [125I]factor XII was optimum at 10 min in human plasma but took up to 60 min in bovine plasma. Addition of bovine plasma to human plasma caused significant inhibition of dextran sulfateinduced prekailikrein activation, indicating that the impaired rate of contact activation in bovine plasma is due to the presence of inhibitors. The inhibitory effect was greater at lower concentrations of dextran sulfate but could not be abolished by increasing the concentration. The inhibitory activity eluted in two peaks at low and medium salt concentrations on carboxymethyl ion-exchange chromatography of bovine plasma.
The perplexing spectrum of AFGL 2789 /V645 CYGNI/

Visual spectra and photometry from 0.35 to 18 microns show that AFGL 2789 may be one of the most interesting of the infrared sources now identified with reflection nebulae. It has an Ae-type shell spectrum with strong emission lines of hydrogen, Fe II, Cr II, and Ti II, but the most remarkable feature is a broad absorption band near 5500 A, presumably molecular, with three possible band heads. This absorption band was present on only one of two spectra taken one night apart. The two known molecules with wavelengths closest to the observed band heads are C2 and H2O(+), although there are problems with either of these as possible identifications.
SU‐FF‐T‐63: Breast IMRT Based On Direct Aperture Optimization

Purpose: To investigate the advantages of DAO (Direct Aperture Optimization) based IMRT planning for breast cancer. Method and Materials: The IMRT plans were generated, using a DAO algorithm implemented in a commercial planning system (Panther, PROWESS), for 5 breast cancer patients who were treated in our clinic with 3D conformal plans. These 3D plans were produced by the Xio planning system (CMS) employing 4–6 tangential beams of different energies and wedges. In addition, we generated another IMRT plan for each of these patients using a beamlet-based conventional IMRT planning system (Xio, CMS). Both the DAO and beamlet-based IMRT plans employed two opposite tangential beam directions with about 70% of the dose delivered with stationary fields covering whole breast with 2–3 cm of flash. The target volume for all plans was the whole breast tissue; boost PTVs were not considered. All plans were done with homogeneous density calculation. The three sets of plans, DAO IMRT, 3D and beamlet IMRT, were compared in terms of dose uniformity, hot spots, normal tissue sparing, number of segments and MUs. Results: The results show that: 1) dose uniformity and coverage of breast is improved significantly with either IMRT methods compared to 3D, DAO method providing slightly better coverage than conventional beamlet method, 2) hot spots typical for an IMRT plan with a large number of segments are significantly reduced, for the DAO plan, 3) number of segments and MUs with the DAO plan were significantly less than those for beamlet IMRT plan. Also, the planning time for a DAO plan is short compared to a 3D plan which involves a search of multiple wedges and energies by a trial-and error method. Conclusion: DAO based IMRT planning is capable of generating superior IMRT plans for breast irradiation, in terms of dosimetric criteria and delivery efficiency.
Is there more than one type of quantum critical points in heavy-fermion metals?

Abstract I review the basic physical picture that has traditionally been associated with the quantum phase transitions in clean heavy fermion metals, as well as some new questions that have been raised by recent neutron scattering experiments. I will then describe the results from an extended dynamical mean-field theory of the Kondo lattice models. Unlike all previous studies of the model, our approach treats on an equal footing the quantum fluctuations associated with both the Kondo and RKKY couplings. Two types of quantum phase transitions are found — the first a conventional spin-density-wave transition, the second driven by local physics. The second type of quantum critical point appears to have already been seen experimentally.
Ophthalmic viscosurgical device–assisted sutureless-incision cataract surgery for a hard nucleus or mature cataract

We describe a modified method of sutureless-incision cataract surgery using an ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD) to extract a hard lenticular nucleus or mature cataract. After an isosceles trapezoid-shaped sclerocorneal tunnel and a round 7.0 mm diameter capsulorhexis are made, the nucleus is displaced into the anterior chamber. As OVD is injected, the OVD cannula acts as a slide to guide the nucleus out of the eye. Ophthalmic viscosurgical device–assisted sutureless-incision cataract surgery was used in a consecutive series of 182 eyes with a hard nucleus (57 eyes), mature cataract (47 eyes), or both (78 eyes). No posterior capsule rupture or vitreous loss occurred during surgery and no wound leakage or hypotony occurred postoperatively. The uncorrected visual acuity improved to 20/60 or better in 122 eyes (67%) on the first postoperative day. Ophthalmic viscosurgical device–assisted sutureless-incision cataract surgery, usually without additional instruments or sutures, offers an effective and uncomplicated technique for managing a brunescent or mature cataract. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Underground opening damage from earthquakes

Abstract A summary of worldwide qualitative data regarding the behavior of underground openings during earthquakes is presented. This information has been collected for 192 reports of underground behavior from 85 earthquakes throughout the world. The data have been assembled into a data base to determine some of the significant factors that may affect underground stability. The parameters of interest are: (1) extent of damage; (2) overburden cover; (3) predominant rock type; (4) form of support (i.e. type of internal liner or opening support); (5) geographic location; and (6) magnitude and epicentral distance of the affecting earthquake. A significant contribution to this study is the development of a correlation between peak ground acceleration at the surface, overburden depth and damage. This relationship will allow for preliminary assessment of stability of new underground structures prior to extensive dynamic analyses. Also, the vulnerability of existing underground facilities may be assessed rapidly on the basis of the qualitative data presented herein.
Toll-like receptor 6 drives differentiation of tolerogenic dendritic cells and contributes to LcrV-mediated plague pathogenesis.

Summary Educating dendritic cells (DC) to become tolerogenic DC, which promote regulatory IL-10 immune responses, represents an effective immune evasion strategy for pathogens. Yersinia pestis virulence factor LcrV is reported to induce IL-10 production via interaction with Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2. However, TLR2 −/− mice are not protected against subcutaneous plague infection. Using complementary in vitro and in vivo approaches and LcrV as a model, we show that TLR6 associates with TLR2 to induce tolerogenic DC and regulatory type-1 T cells selectively secreting IL-10. In contrast, TLR1 heterodimerizes with TLR2 to promote proinflammatory IL-12p40 cytokine, producing DC and inflammatory T cell differentiation. LcrV specifically hijacks the TLR2/6 pathway to stimulate IL-10 production, which blocks host protective inflammatory responses. These results explain why TLR2 can mediate both pro- and anti-inflammatory responses and identify TLR6 as a distinct receptor driving regulatory IL-10 responses.
Proteomic View of Basement Membranes from Human Retinal Blood Vessels, Inner Limiting Membranes, and Lens Capsules

Basement membranes (BMs) are extracellular matrix sheets comprising the laminins, type-IV collagens, nidogens, and the heparan sulfate proteoglycans, perlecan, collagen XVIII, and agrin. In intact BMs, BM proteins are physiologically insoluble and partially resistant to proteolytic digestion, making BMs a challenge to study. Here three types of BMs from adult human eyes, the inner limiting membrane (ILM), the retinal vascular BMs, and the lens capsule, were isolated for analysis by 1D-SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS. Peptide and protein identifications were done using MaxQuant. 1129 proteins were identified with a 1% false discovery rate. Data showed that BMs are composed of multiple laminins, collagen IVs, nidogens, and proteoglycans. The dominant laminin family member in all BMs was laminin α5β2γ1. The dominant collagen IV trimer in lens capsule (LC) and blood vessel (BV) BMs had a chain composition of α1(IV)2, α2 (IV), whereas the dominant collagen IV in the ILM had the α3(IV), α4(IV), α5(IV) chain composition. The data also showed that the ratio of laminin and collagen IVs varied among different BM types: the ratio of collagen IV to the other BM proteins is highest in LC, followed by BV and lowest for the ILM. The data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001025.
“Virtual Inquiry”: Teaching Molecular Aspects of Evolutionary Biology Through Computer-Based Inquiry

Genetic diversity is a core concept in evolutionary biology; genetic variation is a prerequisite for heritable differential selection, and biodiversity plays a central role in debates about environmental policy today. The technique of gel electrophoresis provides a simple, visual demonstration of the variation that exists on the genetic level among individuals of a species. “DNA fingerprinting”, in particular, is a method that exploits variation within species and has been explored extensively by the news media and popular television shows. In this paper, we suggest that science educators can capitalize on this momentum of interest and incorporate gel electrophoresis to their teaching as a starting point for the examination of genetic diversity that connects fundamental concepts of the molecular, cellular, organismic, and population levels of ecological organization. As a pedagogical tool toward this aim, we examine how increasingly complex inquiry learning can be supported in classrooms by the application of software tools called “virtual laboratories”. The paper is a synthesis of current research on the integration of software design and instructional design to illustrate how two software tools can be employed for different levels of inquiry learning.
Developmental regulation and butyrate-inducible transcription of the Xenopus histone HI° promoter

We have isolated genomic clones of the Xenopus laevis histone H1(0) promoter and identified regulatory elements mediating the transcriptional regulation of the H1(0) gene. Expression of H1(0) is associated with the terminal differentiation of many cell types. During X. laevis development, H1(0) mRNA is present in the oocyte and egg, but remains at low levels during embryogenesis until hatching. After this time, mRNA levels accumulate dramatically correlating with the differentiation of many tissue types, e.g., liver and skin. Accumulation of H1(0) mRNA can be induced at earlier development stages by treating embryos with butyrate. The enhanced transcription of H1(0) in adult somatic cells, as well as the butyrate inducibility of the gene, have been investigated using transfection of adult X. laevis A6 somatic cells. We have defined specific protein-nucleic acid interactions with three cis-acting elements. Two previously defined gene regulatory elements: the H1 box, normally involved in the regulation of the H1 gene, and the H4TF2 site, normally involved in the regulation of the H4 gene, appear to have novel roles in determining differentiation-specific H1(0) expression. These two elements act together with a new distal cis-acting element in order to sustain high levels of basal transcription and to potentiate transcription following butyrate treatment.
Binding of Iron by Cellulose, Lignin, Sodium Phytate and Beta‐Glucan, Alone and in Combination, Under Simulated Gastrointestinal pH Conditions

Cellulose (Ce), Lignin (L), Na phytate (P) and beta-glucan (G), alone, and in combination, were evaluated as to their effect on iron profiles in model systems containing FeSO4• 7H2O under simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions. Both cellulose and lignin alone, were found to bind a high percentage of the iron in an insoluble form at pH 5.7±0.4 and pH 6.6±0.1, but less at pH 2.0±0.1. However, in the presence of other model components, cellulose unlike lignin had a minimal effect on total binding at all pH levels. Na phytate, alone, formed soluble complexes at all pH levels and when added to lignin led to the solubiization of some of the iron bound to lignin. Beta-glucan formed soluble iron complexes, which appeared to have a low binding strength with iron.
Nonlinear convection at a porous flat plate with application to heat transfer from a dike

Solutions for a class of coupled nonlinear differential equations, arising in free convection flow at a vertical flat plate embedded in a saturated porous medium at high Reynolds numbers in the presence of heat sources (or sinks) and with nonlinear density temperature variation, are obtained. Further, using the Schauder theory and numerical results, existence and analyticity results are established.
Comment on "Submicrocrystallites and orientational proximity effect"

A Comment on the Letter by A. Ourmazd, J. C. Bean, and J. C. Phillips, Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 1599 (1985).
Evaluation of the content and interaction in an online clinical conference for students in advanced psychiatric mental health nursing

Clinical conferences have traditionally been a significant part of the education of psychiatric nurses. With the innovation and increasing popularity of Internet courses, the value of these conferences may be diluted or even lost. This study evaluates an online clinical conference for advanced psychiatric mental health students. The issues raised by students in the conferences were relevant to the objectives of the course. Content analysis of representative conferences indicated that the characteristics of involvement: personal, emotion, and metacognition, and interactivity were evident. Students reported advantages to online discussions, but acknowledged the loss of the greater spontaneity in face-to-face meetings.
The nature of light: what are photons?

We are told that our present understanding of physical law was ushered in by the Quantum Revolution, which began around 1900 and was brought to fruition around 1930 with the formulation of modern Quantum Mechanics. The "photon" was supposed to be the centerpiece of this revolution, conveying much of its conceptual flavor. What happened during that period was a rather violent redirection of the prevailing world view in and around physics - a process that has still not settled. In this paper I critically review the evolution of the concepts involved, from the time of Maxwell up to the present day. At any given time, discussions in and around any given topic take place using a language that presupposes a world view or zeitgeist. The world view itself limits what ideas are expressible. We are all prisoners of the language we have created to develop our understanding to its present state. Thus the very concepts and ways of thinking that have led to progress in the past are often the source of blind spots that prevent progress into the future. The most insidious property of the world view at any point in time is that it involves assumptions that are not stated. In what follows we will have a number of occasions to point out the assumptions in the current world view, and to develop a new world view based on a quite different set of assumptions.
Dynamic response of sagged cables

Abstract The equations of motion of the cable are developed for the general case when the cable is supported at two different elevations and subjected to static and dynamic loads between supports. The nonlinear strain-displacement relationship is used, which accounts for the change in cable tension during motion. The equations of motion are solved using the finite difference method for fixed and movable support conditions. The time history of the three components of the displacement and tension in the sagged cable are determined for the following forcing functions: a suddenly applied uniform load constant with time; a load varying sinusoidally with time; and a prescribed time history of motion of one end of cable.
Estimation of the Full Nye Tensor by EBSD-Based Dislocation Microscopy

An extension to a previously published, novel stereological method is reported which infers experimentally inaccessible components of the Nye GND tensor. Limitations imposed by electron-opacity of metals prevent direct measurement of four components of the Nye tensor, but it is possible to use additional experimentally-obtainable information in connection with underlying field equilibrium equations to estimate these additional components. This approach uses derivatives to the infinitesimal elastic distortion tensor to reduce error imposed by pattern center inaccuracy.
Religious cognition down-regulates sexually selected, characteristically male behaviors in men, but not in women

Abstract Men are typically stronger, riskier, "showier," and more impulsive than women. According to sexual selection theory, such behaviors may have enhanced reproductive fitness for ancestral human males. However, such behaviors are facultative, and the mechanisms that cause them respond to social and environmental cues that indicate whether outlays of strength, risk-taking, showing off, or impulsivity are likely to lead to payoffs in any given instance. Recent research based on the Reproductive Religiosity Model suggests that, in contemporary Western societies, religious beliefs and institutions are differentially espoused and promulgated by restricted sexual strategists (whose reproductive strategies focus on high fertility, monogamy, and high parental care) to limit the exercise of unrestricted sexuality, which threatens the viability of restricted sexual strategies (e.g., by reducing paternity certainty and male parental investment). On this basis, we hypothesized that experimental manipulations of religious cognition would reduce men's impulsivity and motivation to demonstrate their physical prowess. Supporting this hypothesis, three experiments revealed that priming participants with religious concepts (i.e., participants wrote essays about religion, read an essay supporting the existence of an afterlife, or were implicitly exposed to religious words) reduced men's (but not women's) impulsivity with money and their physical endurance on a hand grip task. The primes affected men's behaviors irrespectively of men's scores on a self-report measure of religious commitment.
Effects of kelp supplementation on thyroid function in euthyroid subjects.

Objective: To study the effects of ingestion of two different doses of supplemental kelp on the thyroid function of healthy euthyroid subjects. Methods: We conducted a double-blind prospective clin...
Mentoring in the Technical Disciplines: Fostering a Broader View of Education, Career, and Culture in and beyond the Workplace.

Examples of mentoring in engineering are provided as models for how to relate to students beyond the traditional classroom format. Mentoring expands the opportunities to interact with students and provides rewards for both students and the faculty mentors.
Reaction of SO 2 with stoichiometric and defective NiO(100) surfaces

The interaction of ${\mathrm{SO}}_{2}$ with both stoichiometric and defective NiO(100) surfaces has been studied by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, Auger-electron spectroscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction. Surface defects are found to play an important role in chemisorption. ${\mathrm{SO}}_{2}$ interacts only weakly with the stoichiometric NiO(100) surface at room temperature. The adsorption that does occur yields adsorbates having direct S-O bonds (i.e., the S 2p core-level binding energy is 167 eV); the species is presumably associatively adsorbed ${\mathrm{SO}}_{2}$. Subsequent heating of the ${\mathrm{SO}}_{2}$-exposed surface to 570 K results in desorption of the adsorbate without any changes in the S 2p binding energy. In contrast, the interaction of ${\mathrm{SO}}_{2}$ with the defective, reduced NiO(100) surface is much stronger. At 111 K only associatively adsorbed ${\mathrm{SO}}_{2}$ is present. Upon heating to about 260 K, in addition to the original adsorbates with direct S-O bonds, adsorbates having a S 2p binding energy of 162 eV are observed; these correspond to sulfide bonds to surface metal cations, which indicates that some of the ${\mathrm{SO}}_{2}$ has completely dissociated. By comparing the results from stoichiometric and defective NiO(100) surfaces, active adsorption sites that involve oxygen vacancies and steps are suggested as an explanation for the dissociation at room temperature, and a thermally activated dissociation mechanism is proposed that involves adsorption at oxygen-vacancy sites only.
Changing Referral Characteristics of Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Abstract Objective Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is the most frequent life-threatening hereditary disease. The study objective was to assess whether the clinical characteristics of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease who are referred to a major autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease center have changed over time. Methods The clinical characteristics of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease were compared between period A (1961-1990) and period B (1991-2011). The study took place at the Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Center at the University of Colorado. A total of 837 patients referred with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease were included. Blood pressure control and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition were instituted. Renal function, blood pressure, end-stage renal disease, and mortality were analyzed. Results The results in period B compared with period A demonstrated an earlier age of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease diagnosis (29 vs 35 years, P P 001), better estimated glomerular filtration rate (63.6 vs 44.6 mL/min, P 001), and more therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition (42.5% vs 13.6%, P 001). Time from birth to end-stage renal disease (52.8 ± 0.6 vs 49.1 ± 0.6 years, P P Conclusions In period B, there was significantly better blood pressure control, more renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition, better preservation of renal function, and a longer period from birth to end-stage renal disease and death.
The development of pediatric fluid resuscitation: An interview with Dr. Frederic A. 'Fritz' Berry

Summary Dr. Frederic A. ‘Fritz’ Berry (1935), Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics at the University of Virginia, has played a pioneering role in the development of pediatric anesthesiology through training generations of anesthesiologists. He identifies his early advocacy of balanced electrolyte solution for perioperative fluid resuscitation as his defining contribution. Based on his clinical experiences, he pushed to extend the advances in adult fluid resuscitation into pediatric practice. He imparted these and other insights to his colleagues although textbooks, book chapters, original journal publications, and decades of Refresher Course Lectures at the American Society of Anesthesiologists' annual meetings. A model educator, clinician, and researcher, he shaped the careers of hundreds of physicians-in-training while advancing the field of pediatric anesthesiology.
Lessons Learned from the hGH Era

Today, many medical interventions that begin as treatments for disease often expand into therapies that reduce disability, lessen disadvantage, or even confer advantage. Forces that propel profitable drugs, devices, and procedures dominate over considerations of efficient and equitable distribution of resources. This dominance is fueled by industry-physician collaborations often biased by prior assumptions, reliant on surrogate outcomes, and advantageous to marketing. Interventions are justified by “medicalization” of physiologic variations (e.g. short stature) as defects or disease, and nudged into “standard practice” by key opinion leaders. The story below of recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) treatment of short stature is one vivid example, but others (e.g. expansion of drug treatment to “optimize” cholesterol profiles, bone health, psychological well-being) can be found throughout medicine. In the new obesity era, lessons learned from the hGH era will be needed to keep the field of pediatric endoc...
Dynamic detection of subgraphs in computer networks

Most distributed algorithms for computer networks are designed to work with arbitrary graph structures. Most networks, however, can usually be decomposed into subgraphs with a specific structure. Detecting and exploiting these subgraphs can considerably reduce the storage and communication cost of the algorithm. In this paper we propose a distributed algorithm for detecting and exploiting tree subgraphs. In a network with fixed topology, the algorithm is optimal in terms of communication complexity. The algorithm also dynamically adapts to changes in network topology caused by link failure and recovery. The dynamic operation of the algorithm is incremental as only nodes that may be affected by the change reinitiate the algorithm. Another important property of our algorithm is that it requires no node identities or sequence numbers. We examine how this idea can be extended to other subgraph structures.
Multiphysics modeling of THz photoconductive antennas

A new method for modeling terahertz photoconductive antennas (THz-PCAs) is presented. The finite element method solver COMSOL® is utilized to combine Maxwell's, Poisson's and the Drift-Diffusion equations into a single 2D/3D multiphysics model. This model can then be used to computationally investigate and design THz-PCAs with more complex geometries compared with current numerical methods. Preliminary results show good agreement between the proposed model and the standard analytical methods for calculating photocurrent generation in THz-PCAs, as well as supporting previously reported experimental observations.
Indian Country, God's Country: Native Americans and the National Parks

Historian Philip Burnham traces the complex and still changing relationship between Native Americans and the national parks from the earliest years of the National Park Service to the latest Congressional initiatives. He recounts how Indians were first removed from their traditional lands (which sub
Effects of Toxic Agents at the Protein Level: Quantitative Measurement of 213 Mouse Liver Proteins following Xenobiotic Treatment

Abstract By analyzing two-dimensional electrophoretic patterns of mouse liver proteins with a computerized image analysis system, we have observed quantitative changes in the abundance of more than 70 proteins in mice treated with various agents. Aroclor 1254, a mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls known to induce a broad spectrum of microsomal activity, induces the largest group of changes (60 proteins altered at p
Cloning and characterization of the Arabidopsis thaliana lupeol synthase gene

Abstract A 2274 bp Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA was isolated that encodes a protein 57% identical to cycloartenol synthase from the same organism. The expressed recombinant protein encodes lupeol synthase, which converts oxidosqualene to the triterpene lupeol as the major product. Lupeol synthase is a multifunctional enzyme that forms other triterpene alcohols, including β -amyrin, as minor products. Sequence analysis suggests that lupeol synthase diverged from cycloartenol synthase after plants diverged from fungi and animals. This evolutionary order is the reason that fungi and animals do not make lupeol.
Complete lives, short lives, and the challenge of legitimacy.

Kerstein and Bognar (2010) correctly articulate some critical shortcomings of the “complete lives system” for allocating scarce resources proposed by Persad, Wertheimer, and Emanuel (2009). Focusin...
Development of methotrexate proline prodrug to overcome resistance by MDA-MB-231 cells

The resistance to methotrexate by a number of cancer cells such as breast cancer cell-line MDA-MB-231 due to poor permeability renders it less effective as an anticancer agent for these cells. Proline prodrug of methotrexate (Pro-MTX) was designed as a substrate of prolidase which is specific for imido bond of dipeptide containing proline and expected to penetrate MDA-MB-231 cells more efficiently. The prodrug was synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis method and examined as a substrate of pure prolidase as well as cell homogenate. The cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 and non-methotrexate resistant breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 was also examined by XTT assay. The results showed that Pro-MTX was a substrate of prolidase. It was also shown that the prodrug could be converted to parent drug methotrexate in Caco-2 and HeLa cell homogenate. When tested with Caco-2 and MCF-7 cells, Pro-MTX showed weaker cytotoxicity compared with methotrexate. But for methotrexate resistant MDA-MB-231 cells, Pro-MTX showed stronger activity than methotrexate. The results indicated that the proline prodrug of methotrexate may overcome the resistance of human breast cancer cells in culture.
Recycling size exclusion chromatography for the analysis and separation of nanocrystalline gold.

Recycling size exclusion chromatography (RSEC) provides a high-resolution technique for the analysis and separation of materials based on size. We show here the application of this method to gold nanocrystals stabilized by thiols. Alternate recycling is more effective at separating nanomaterials as compared to closed-loop recycling because of its improved efficiency and high resolution. With the use of this technique, we find the resolution ratio of nanocrystal separation increases with the square root of the cycle number, in good agreement with theory. The increased resolution of the size exclusion chromatograms permits the use of RSEC in the baseline separation of nanocrystals which differ by only 6 A in size. In addition to separations, RSEC is valuable as an analytical tool. For example, after recycling processes an initially broad and chromatographic feature from a gold nanocrystal solution resolves into three distinct peaks. Transmission electron microscopy of collected fractions reveals that these ...
Winter Leaf Conductance Rates of Pinus Strobus L. (Eastern White Pine)

Our knowledge of winter leaf conductance and transpiration rates during the winter and early spring is especially weak for Pinus strobus L. (eastern white pine). Hence, the present study was conducted to: (1) measure and examine the winter leaf conductance and transpiration rates among 10 P. strobus trees to supply preliminary data for an understudied tree species; and (2) investigate whether observed leaf conductance and transpiration rates are large enough to merit incorporation into existing water balance models. The fieldwork was conducted at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in northeastern Maryland (39°42'N, 75°50'W) using a Li-Cor 1600M Steady State Porometer. Meteorological data were acquired from a continuously recording meteorological station on-site. Meteorological data were recorded at five-minute intervals to ensure that weather conditions could be temporally sequenced with porometer readings. The 10 co-occurring P. strobus sample trees were of similar age and health on uniform ...
Adhesions in patients with chronic pelvic pain: a role for adhesiolysis?

Objective To review the relation between adhesions and pelvic pain and the effectiveness of adhesiolysis in pain control. Design Selective review of the literature. Patient(s) Patients with pelvic pain and/or undergoing adhesiolysis for pain control. Result(s) Intraabdominal adhesions are accepted as etiologic factors for infertility and small bowel obstruction; however, the contribution of adhesions to pelvic pain is less clear. The most common laparoscopic findings in patients with and without pelvic pain were endometriosis and adhesions. Immunohistologic studies also have shown evidence of nerve fibers in adhesions that had been removed from patients with and without pelvic pain. Multiple adhesiolysis techniques have been employed, with outcome of surgical procedures ranging from no pain relief to pain relief in 90% of patients. However, randomized trials have shown that adhesiolysis is ineffective in improving the outcome of the treatment of pelvic pain, possibly because of adhesion reformation. Interestingly, adhesions are usually not described as an etiologic factor for pelvic pain in men; this might be related to a gender difference in pain perception or the possibility that adhesions per se do not cause pain. Conclusion(s) The correlation between pelvic pain and adhesions is uncertain. Adhesiolysis has not been shown to be effective in achieving pain control in randomized clinical studies.
Characterization of the low-energy electronic excited states of benzoyl-substituted ruthenocenes

Electronic absorption and resonance Raman spectral studies of benzoylruthenocene (BRc) and 1,1‘-dibenzoylruthenocene (DRc) indicate that the low-energy electronic excited states of these 4d6 metallocenes possess metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) character. While this MLCT contribution should weaken the metal-ring bonding in the excited state, neither compound is photosensitive in nonhalogenated solvents such as methanol, acetonitrile, and cyclohexane. In contrast, irradiating BRc and DRc in the good electron-accepting solvent, carbon tetrachloride, results in ring loss via a pathway that appears to originate from a charge-transfer-to-solvent excited state. Both metallocenes function as photoinitiators for the anionic polymerization of ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate, and the kinetics and mechanism of this process have been investigated. Comparing the present results on BRc and DRc with those reported earlier for the corresponding benzoyl-substituted ferrocene compounds reveals some interesting commonalities an...
Receptor recognition and cross-species infections of SARS coronavirus.

Receptor recognition is a major determinant of the host range, cross-species infections, and pathogenesis of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). A defined receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the SARS-CoV spike protein specifically recognizes its host receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This article reviews the latest knowledge about how RBDs from different SARS-CoV strains interact with ACE2 from several animal species. Detailed research on these RBD/ACE2 interactions has established important principles on host receptor adaptations, cross-species infections, and future evolution of SARS-CoV. These principles may apply to other emerging animal viruses, including the recently emerged Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). This paper forms part of a series of invited articles in Antiviral Research on “From SARS to MERS: 10 years of research on highly pathogenic human coronaviruses”.
Applications and Performance of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil Abutments on Soft Subsurface Soil Conditions

The use of geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) as a bridge abutment foundation has been adapted by the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division in several projects. This adaptation is considered ideal and appropriate because of the nature of these projects. The design, construction, and performance of a GRS abutment system to support two bridges in the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge in Hyde County, North Carolina, are illustrated. The bridge foundations were constructed over soft, silty fat clay (A-7-6[CH]) soils. The GRS abutment alternative was favored over a deep foundation system of driven prestressed concrete piles for economic and constructability reasons. A cellular confinement system (CCS) filled with gravel was used for the GRS abutment facing instead of the types of flexible facings typically used with GRS abutments. CCS facing has the advantage of providing abutment face protection against erosion and shallow scour, and the outer cell on both sides of the abutment can be filled with topsoil...
Secrets and the Secretive Mode

Abstract While keeping secrets and revealing secrets are ubiquitous in the human condition, these phenomena can have special effects and significance in the development and in the treatment of individuals. In this paper the case reports of two people who were raised with a secret are presented. The secrets appear to have determined a particular way the individuals defined and maintained an image and sense of self. The therapeutic and developmental implications of these findings are then briefly raised.
It is time for the sonoscope.

t has been many years since my days as a medical student. However, I still remember buying my stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, and otoscope as I readied myself for my first physical diagnosis course. I believe that in the near future, medical students will also be buying a “sonoscope.” There has been a spectrum of opinions about this concept from those involved in sonographic imaging. Let me tell you why I think that the sonoscope is a wonderful idea—if it is introduced and used properly. First of all, I specifically use the term sonoscope for a very small, inexpensive, basic sonographic device with good resolution. We need to get rid of the term handheld sonography for this type of device. I think that it is essential that these small sonographic devices be considered as aids to physical diagnosis and not as sonographic imaging devices. We need to differentiate between the use of a sonoscope during a physical examination to detect the edge of the liver, to further characterize a pulsatile abdominal mass, or even to look at the gallbladder in a patient with right upper quadrant discomfort from a sonographic imaging procedure. The sonoscope should be used by a clinician to enhance the physical examination. No images should be taken, and no charge should be generated. This is what currently happens when a clinician uses the stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, or otoscope. If there is an abnormality seen or suspected with the sonoscope, the patient should be referred to an accredited ultrasound facility for a sonographic examination in which published examination standards are followed. This scenario will probably lead to an increase in the number of these imaging procedures, because sonoscopes will be “screening” an enormous number of patients. Is this any different from patients being referred to cardiologists when abnormalities are thought to be heard with a stethoscope? If sonoscopes are considered sonographic imaging devices, and if there are charges generated by their use, it could be disastrous for all currently involved with true sonographic imaging: users, patients, and even equipment manufacturers. The number of sonographic examinations performed throughout the United States would increase astronomically because of the large number of clinicians. The practice expense for sonographic examinations would markedly decrease, because sonoscopes are very inexpensive compared with the high-end machines we currently use. This combination would lead to a precipitous drop in reimbursement by the government and thirdparty payers. This would set off a domino effect all the way back to equipment manufacturers. Sonologists and their institutions will not be able to afford to buy the high-resolution sonography machines that we have now, let alone future equipment
The Economic Impact of Postseason Play in Professional Sports

An empirical examination of the determinants of real per capita income in cities with pro- fessional sports teams from 1969 to 1997 shows that postseason appearances are not associated with any change in the level of real per capita income in these cities. However, in the city that is home to the winning team from the Super Bowl,real per capita personal income is found to be higher by about $140,perhaps reflecting a link between winning the Super Bowl and the productivity of workers in cities. Overall,economic benefits flow- ing from future postseason appearances cannot justify public expenditures on profes- sional sports franchises or facilities.
GOLGI LOCALIZATION AND FUNCTIONAL EXPRESSION OF HUMAN URIDINE DIPHOSPHATASE

A full-length E(ecto)-ATPase (Plesner, L. (1995)Int. Rev. Cytol. 158, 141–214) cDNA was cloned from a human brain cDNA library; it encodes a 610-amino acid protein that contains two putative transmembrane domains. Heterologous expression of this protein in COS-7 cells caused a significant increase in intracellular membrane-bound nucleoside phosphatase activity. The activity was highest with UDP as substrate and was stimulated by divalent cations in the following order: Ca2+ ≫ Mg2+ > Mn2+. The results of immunofluorescence staining indicate that this protein is located in the Golgi apparatus. UDP hydrolysis was increased in the presence of Triton X-100 or alamethicin, an ionophore that facilitates movement of UDP across the membrane, suggesting that the active site of this UDPase is on the luminal side of the Golgi apparatus. This is the first identification of a mammalian Golgi luminal UDPase gene. Computer-aided sequence analysis of the EATPase superfamily indicates that the human UDPase is highly similar to two hypothetical proteins of the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans and to an unidentified 71.9-kDa yeast protein and is less related to the previously identified yeast Golgi GDPase.
Role of Development in Infant and Toddler Food Refusal

The purpose of this manuscript is to inform clinicians working with infants who are tube fed about the brain-gut connections that may influence adaptation to oral feedings. Developmental changes in...
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma in Youth in Juvenile Detention

Objective To determine prevalence estimates of exposure to trauma and 12-month rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among juvenile detainees by demographic subgroups (sex, race/ethnicity, and age). Design Epidemiologic study of juvenile detainees. Master's level clinical research interviewers administered the PTSD module of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, version IV (DISC-IV), to randomly selected detainees. Setting A large, temporary detention center for juveniles in Cook County, Illinois (which includes Chicago and surrounding suburbs). Participants Randomly selected, stratified sample of 898 African American, non-Hispanic white, and Hispanic youth (532 males, 366 females, aged 10-18 years) arrested and newly detained. Main Outcome Measures Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, version IV. Results Most participants (92.5%) had experienced 1 or more traumas (mean, 14.6 incidents; median, 6 incidents). Significantly more males (93.2%) than females (84.0%) reported at least 1 traumatic experience; 11.2% of the sample met criteria for PTSD in the past year. More than half of the participants with PTSD reported witnessing violence as the precipitating trauma. Conclusion Trauma and PTSD seem to be more prevalent among juvenile detainees than in community samples. We recommend directions for research and discuss implications for mental health policy.
TSLP expression: Analysis with a ZsGreen TSLP reporter mouse

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a type I cytokine that plays a central role in induction of allergic inflammatory responses. Its principal targets have been reported to be dendritic cells and/or CD4 T cells; epithelial cells are a principal source. We report in this study the development of a reporter mouse (TSLP-ZsG) in which a ZsGreen (ZsG)-encoding construct has been inserted by recombineering into a bacterial artificial chromosome immediately at the translation initiating ATG of TSLP. The expression of ZsG by mice transgenic for the recombinant BAC appears to be a faithful surrogate for TSLP expression, particularly in keratinocytes and medullary thymic epithelial cells. Limited ZsG and TSLP mRNA was observed in bone marrow-derived mast cells, basophils, and dendritic cells. Using the TSLP-ZsG reporter mouse, we show that TNF-α and IL-4/IL-13 are potent inducers of TSLP expression by keratinocytes and that local activation of Th2 and Th1 cells induces keratinocyte TSLP expression. We suggest that the capacity of TSLP to both induce Th2 differentiation and to be induced by activated Th2 cells raises the possibility that TSLP may be involved in a positive feedback loop to enhance allergic inflammatory conditions.
Neutralizing Antibodies Do Not Mediate Suppression of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Elite Suppressors or Selection of Plasma Virus Variants in Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Neutralizing antibodies (NAb) against autologous virus can reach high titers in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients with progressive disease. Less is known about the role of NAb in HIV-1-infected patients with viral loads of <50 copies/ml of plasma, including patients on effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and elite suppressors, who control HIV-1 replication without antiretroviral therapy. In this study, we analyzed full-length env sequences from plasma viruses and proviruses in resting CD4+ T cells of HAART-treated patients, elite suppressors, and untreated HIV-1-infected patients with progressive disease. For each patient group, we assessed plasma virus neutralization by autologous, contemporaneous plasma. The degree of env diversity, the number of N-linked glycosylation sites, and the lengths of variable loops were all lower in elite suppressors than in HAART-treated and untreated viremic patients. Both elite suppressors and HAART-treated patients had lower titers of NAb against HIV-1 lab strains than those of untreated viremic patients. Surprisingly, titers of NAb against autologous, contemporaneous plasma viruses were similarly low in chronic progressors, elite suppressors, and HAART-treated patients. In elite suppressors and HAART-treated patients, titers of NAb against autologous plasma viruses also did not differ significantly from titers against autologous proviruses from resting CD4+ T cells. These results suggest that high-titer NAb are not required for maintenance of viral suppression in elite suppressors and that NAb do not select plasma virus variants in most HAART-treated patients. Both drug-mediated and natural suppression of HIV-1 replication to levels below 50 copies/ml may limit the stimulation and maintenance of effective NAb responses.