cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A simple biuret method for the estimation of protein in samples containing detergents.

Abstract A biuret procedure suitable for the determination of protein in samples containing detergents has been developed. In the procedure, 1,2-propandiol is employed to solubilize the copper-protein complex. The method is applicable to samples in which protein is accompanied by phospholipid, urea, guanidine·HCl, ammonium sulfate and retinal, but not hydroxylamine.
Bullying, Victimization, and Sexual Harassment During the Transition to Middle School

Bullying, in the form of physically, verbally, relationally, or sexually aversive behaviors, increases as youngsters make the transition to middle school. To date, however, policy and research in education and educational psychology has attended only minimally to the social dynamics of school organization or peer groups that may underlie this crisis. We argue that a combination of school- and peer-level factors contribute to bullying, victimization, and sexual harassment. We suggest that adolescents' exploration of new social roles and their quest for status among peers are factors motivating aggression, especially as students make the transition from primary to middle school. More disturbing, and less studied, is the finding that adults in schools have a hand, either directly or indirectly, in perpetrating these acts. Suggestions for future research to guide policy are made.
Microglandular hyperplasia has a cytomorphological spectrum overlapping with atypical squamous cells-cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H).

We retrospectively evaluated cytological interpretations of conventional cervical smears in 48 cases of biopsy-proven microglandular hyperplasia and compared them with 15 negative controls. A glandular pattern was noted in all 48 cases but was predominant in 73% (35/48) of the cases. Immature metaplastic pattern was present in 71% (34/48) and was predominant in 27% (13/48). These features were not observed in negative control smears. 85% of cases (41/48) were interpreted as negative for epithelial cell abnormality. Two cases with predominantly glandular pattern (6%, 2/35) were interpreted as atypical glandular cells. Five cases with predominantly immature metaplastic pattern (38%, 5/13) showed checkerboard arrangement or rows of single cells with slightly larger atypical nuclei leading to interpretation as “atypical squamous cells—cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion.” The metaplastic cells with normoblast-like karyorrhectic apoptotic debris confined to the nuclear area were scattered among these cells in microglandular hyperplasia with metaplastic pattern. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2004;30:57–61. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Is there any relationship between long-term behavior disturbance and early exposure to anesthesia?

Purpose of reviewThere is now more than a decade of mounting animal data that anesthetic drugs can cause apoptosis during a critical period of brain development and that this correlates with later behavioral disturbances. Initial articles examining the effects of early anesthesia on human infants ha
A prospective comparison of scalpel versus bipolar scissors in the elevation of radial forearm fasciocutaneous free flaps.

Objectives/Hypothesis The radial forearm fasciocutaneous free flap has become the workhorse for reconstruction of head and neck ablative defects. A location distal to the head and neck allows this flap to be elevated concurrent with the ablation. Most commonly, the flap is elevated under tourniquet control. This involves a primary ischemic insult with a certain amount of hemorrhage after the tourniquet is released. Bipolar scissors are a new method of dissection. They may allow for a speedier dissection with a concomitant decrease in ischemic time. Their hemostatic properties may control hemorrhage after use of the tourniquet. Study Design A prospective study of patients undergoing radial forearm free flaps over a 12-month period at a tertiary care referral center was undertaken. Results Forty patients were entered into the study, flaps were elevated with scalpel (20) and with bipolar scissors (20). Mean time under tourniquet was 39 minutes (range, 30–56 min) with scalpel compared with 27 minutes (range, 21–31 min) with bipolar scissors (P <.001). Total mean time of elevation (including control of hemostasis and pedicle dissection) for scalpel elevation was 50 minutes (range, 35–61 min) compared with 32 minutes (range, 20–41 min) for bipolar scissors elevation (P <.001). Mean blood loss was 46 mL (range, 15–110 mL) in the scalpel elevation group compared with 14 mL (range, 0–50 mL) in the bipolar scissors elevation group (P <.001). Complications at the donor site were equal between groups. Conclusions Bipolar scissors are a safe, efficient method for elevating radial forearm free flaps.
Glycoprotein analysis using protein microarrays and mass spectrometry.

Protein glycosylation plays an important role in a multitude of biological processes such as cell‐cell recognition, growth, differentiation, and cell death. It has been shown that specific glycosylation changes are key in disease progression and can have diagnostic value for a variety of disease types such as cancer and inflammation. The complexity of carbohydrate structures and their derivatives makes their study a real challenge. Improving the isolation, separation, and characterization of carbohydrates and their glycoproteins is a subject of increasing scientific interest. With the development of new stationary phases and molecules that have affinity properties for glycoproteins, the isolation and separation of these compounds have advanced significantly. In addition to detection with mass spectrometry, the microarray platform has become an essential tool to characterize glycan structure and to study glycosylation-related biological interactions, by using probes as a means to interrogate the spotted or captured glycosylated molecules on the arrays. Furthermore, the highthroughput and reproducible nature of microarray platforms have been highlighted by its extensive applications in the field of biomarker validation, where a large number of samples must be analyzed multiple times. This review covers a brief survey of the other experimental methodologies that are currently being developed and used to study glycosylation and emphasizes methodologies that involve the use of microarray platforms. This review describes recent advances in several options of microarray platforms used in glycoprotein analysis, including glycoprotein arrays, glycan arrays, lectin arrays, and antibody/ lectin arrays. The translational use of these arrays in applications related to characterization of cells and biomarker discovery is also included. # 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 29:830–844, 2010
Semantic Topic-based Hybrid Learning Resource Recommendation

Recommending learning resources to help readers understand any portion of the reading content where they have difficulty to understand is an useful and important task. Treating the whole unclear passage as the query and submit it to a search engine is unsuccessful since existing search engines were designed to accept small queries. In addition, as search engines usually transform the query and candidate resources into bags or vectors of words, the semantic topics underlying the content are totally overlooked. We believe that topics offer a better choice for truly understanding both the query and the candidate documents. In this paper, we propose a novel recommendation system for text content that facilitates the learning process by enabling search using as queries text passages of any length and retrieving a ranked list of resources (documents, videos, etc) that match the different topics covered within the selected passage. The recommended resources are ranked based on two criteria (a) how they match the different topics covered within the selected passage, and (b) the reading complexity level of the original text where the selected passage comes from. Our recommendation system has been built and being pilot from local universities and high schools, the user feedbacks from students who use our system in pilots for their courses suggest that our system is promising and effective. Beside this, we also provide a quantitative experimental evaluation, the results show that our proposed approach is promising and effective.
Cultural studies vs. political economy: Is anybody else bored with this debate?

The author answers Nicholas Garnham by rejecting the latter’s definition and genealogy of cultural studies and the political economy of communication. Grossberg notes that the populist and celebratory current with which Garnham identifies cultural studies actually represents a minority, and is challenged within that very research field. While reasserting that political economy has not always managed to move away from reductionism, he defends the validity of the epistemological and empirical boundaries between political economy and cultural studies. Finally, he advocates not their reconciliation, but a broad use of the concept of articulation to grasp the links between politics, economics and culture.
3,3′-Diindolylmethane Induces a G1 Arrest in Human Prostate Cancer Cells Irrespective of Androgen Receptor and p53 Status

3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a potential chemopreventive phytochemical derived from Brassica vegetables. In this study we characterized the effect of DIM on cell cycle regulation in both androgen-dependent LNCaP and androgen receptor negative p53 mutant DU145 human prostate cancer cells. DIM had an anti-proliferative effect on both LNCaP and DU145 cells, as it significantly inhibited [3H]-thymidine incorporation. FACS analysis revealed a DIM-mediated G(1) cell cycle arrest. DIM strongly inhibited the expression of cdk2 and cdk4 protein and increased the expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p27(Kip1) protein in LNCaP and DU145 cells. Promoter deletion studies with p27(Kip1) reporter gene constructs showed that this DIM-mediated increase in p27(Kip1) was dependent on the Sp1 transcription factor. Moreover, using a dominant negative inhibitor of p38 MAPK, we showed that the induction of p27(Kip1) and subsequent G(1) arrest by DIM involve activation of the p38 MAPK pathway in the DU145 cells. Taken together, our results indicate that DIM is able to stop the cell cycle progression of human prostate cancer cells regardless of their androgen-dependence and p53 status, by differentially modulating cell cycle regulatory pathways. The Sp1 and p38 MAPK pathways mediate the DIM cell cycle regulatory effect in DU145 cells.
Organic matter and the geotechnical properties of submarine sediments

Continental slope deposits off Peru and Oregon where coastal upwelling is a pronounced oceanographic process possess significant concentrations of organic carbon. Geotechnical properties are altered to varying degrees by the organic matter. Organic matter absorbs water and causes clay-size particles to aggregate forming an open fabric. This causes unusually high water contents and plasticity and exceptionally low wet bulk densities. Some of these deposits show notable increases in shear strength, sensitivity and degree of apparent overconsolidation. Owing to the unique geotechnical properties, sediment stability characteristics are considered to be poor in situations of excess pore pressures. Failure appears to take the form of a fluidized flow somewhat similar to the quick clays of Scandinavia.
Effects of diet and high density lipoprotein subfractions on the removal of cellular cholesterol.

The effects of isocaloric substitutions of dietary polyunsaturated and saturated fat on the composition and function of plasma high density lipoproteins (HDLs) were studied in 3 normal subjects who were fed saturate-rich and polyunsaturate-rich diet programs. Compared to the saturated diets (P/S=0.4), polyunsaturated fat diets (P/S=4 or 2) reduced both plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In 2 of the subjects, HDL cholesterol concentrations increased with polyunsaturated fat caused a reduction in HDL fatty acyl content of oleate and an increase in linoleate. To determine whether the altered composition affected the removal of cell membrane cholesterol, HDL and their subfractions, HDL2 and HDL3, which were isolated from each of the diets, were incubated with Ehrlich ascites cells in vitro. The cells were prelabeled with [3H] cholesterol, and the release of labeled cholesterol from the cells into the medium containing the various HDL fractions was determined. HDL, irrespective of the type of dietary fat, caused a release of [3H] cholesterol from the cells into the medium. The amount of [3H] cholesterol recovered in the medium was dependent on the absolute concentration of HDL cholesterol added to the cells and was independent of the type of diet. These results indicate that HDL facilitates the removal of cholesterol from cells, but that the amount and rate of removal are independent of the changes in HDL composition that can be obtained by dietary perturbations.
Influence of Onset Density on Spoken-Word Recognition

Previous research has suggested that the initial portion of a word activates similar sounding words that compete for recognition. Other research has shown that the number of similar sounding words that are activated influences the speed and accuracy of recognition. Words with few neighbors are processed more quickly and accurately than words with many neighbors. The influences of the number of lexical competitors in the initial part of the word were examined in a shadowing and a lexical-decision task. Target words with few neighbors that share the initial phoneme were responded to more quickly than target words with many neighbors that share the initial phoneme. The implications of onset-density effects for models of spoken-word recognition are discussed.
Online exclusive: a model of health behavior to guide studies of childhood cancer survivors

Purpose/objectives To describe the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior (IMCHB) and its application to health promotion in childhood cancer survivors. Data sources Periodical literature about cancer survivors, health behavior models, and the IMCHB. Data synthesis Childhood cancer survivors are at risk for various late complications of treatment. The primary goal of intervention is the modification of health-related behavior. Conceptual models that extend beyond health beliefs are needed to guide explanatory and intervention studies in this group. Conclusions The IMCHB identifies background, cognitive, affective, motivational, and contextual variables that explain health-related behaviors. The model defines the interactive and collective contributions of a survivor, family, and provider to adherence to protocols, reduction of risk behavior, and promotion of health-protective behavior. Implications for nursing This model may identify new determinants of health-related behavior that can be targeted by specific inter- or intrapersonal interventions to protect the health of childhood cancer survivors and reduce their risk of late sequelae.
Transaction costs, quality, and economies of scale: examining contracting choices in the hospital industry

Abstract This study examines make or buy decisions for 196 hospitals in the United States using transaction costs as the basis for analysis. We examine the potential effects of quality and economies of scale on these decisions. We find evidence to support the view that transaction costs, quality and economies of scale play an important role in the integration decision and that this role depends on whether the transaction is industry-specific or generic in nature. This study examines the contracting choices of many firms across multiple transactions with a significantly larger data set than previous work in the area.
Microenvironments at Specific Chain Sites in Atactic Polystyrene Gels Studied by Photoisomerization

Microenvironments in atactic polystyrene solutions of a wide range of viscosities in either toluene or tetrohydrofuran (THF) are investigated as a function of temperature from -60 to 25 °C by the studies of the photoisomerization of azobenzene, attached to specific sites on a polystyrene (PS) chain. The sites investigated are the chain center (CPS), the chain end (EPS), and the side chain (SPS). A free probe, 4-(phenylazo)aniline, is studied for comparison. The photoisomerization behavior is explained by a biphasic process, involving fast and slow processes. The fraction of the fast process is used as a useful indicator of the microenvironments. Also, the fast fraction is correlated with the macroscopic viscosity of the solution to incorporate the temperature and concentration effects. The site dependencies both in dilute solution and near the gel temperature were observed and interpreted to shed light on the gelation mechanism of atactic polystyrene.
Implicit and explicit schemes for mass consistency preservation in hybrid particle/finite-volume algorithms for turbulent reactive flows

This work addresses the issue of particle mass consistency in Large Eddy Simulation/Probability Density Function (LES/PDF) methods for turbulent reactive flows. Numerical schemes for the implicit and explicit enforcement of particle mass consistency (PMC) are introduced, and their performance is examined in a representative LES/PDF application, namely the Sandia-Sydney Bluff-Body flame HM1. A new combination of interpolation schemes for velocity and scalar fields is found to better satisfy PMC than multilinear and fourth-order Lagrangian interpolation. A second-order accurate time-stepping scheme for stochastic differential equations (SDE) is found to improve PMC relative to Euler time stepping, which is the first time that a second-order scheme is found to be beneficial, when compared to a first-order scheme, in an LES/PDF application. An explicit corrective velocity scheme for PMC enforcement is introduced, and its parameters optimized to enforce a specified PMC criterion with minimal corrective velocity magnitudes.
Modeling multi-axial deformation of planar anisotropic elasto-plastic materials, part II: Applications

Abstract In order to predict the deformations under multi-axial and multi-path loadings in a phenomenological framework, a new rotational-isotropic-kinematic (RIK) hardening model has been suggested in the theory part of the paper combining isotropic, kinematic and rotational hardening. Essential features of this material model are Armstrong–Frederick type backstress components for kinematic hardening and a plastic spin for the rotational hardening describing the evolution of the symmetry axes of the anisotropic yield function. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the significance of the RIK hardening model in sheet metal forming applications as well as in springback predictions. With the rotational hardening and a correction term related to the kinematic hardening, the flow stress in each orientation can be described with few material parameters. Several benchmark problems are considered to illustrate and assess the performance of the RIK hardening model in comparison with other hardening models and experimental results.
Thermal infrared cross-sections of C2F6 at atmospheric temperatures

Abstract Spectral absorption cross-sections, kν ( cm −1 atm −1 ), have been measured in the 8.0 and 8.95 μm bands of C2F6. Temperature and total (N2-broadening) pressure have been varied to represent the conditions specified in various models of the terrestrial atmosphere so that the absorption cross-sections can be applied directly to the optical remote-sensing of C2F6 in the atmosphere. The measured absolute intensities of the 8.0 and the 8.95 μm bands are (1.636±0.003)×10−16 and ( 0.467±0.0018)×10 −16 cm molecule −1 , respectively.
Risk factors for closed-head injuries during military airborne operations.

INTRODUCTION: One of the more serious adverse outcomes of military airborne operations is closed-head injuries. This investigation examined risk factors for closed-head injuries in an Army airborne infantry unit. METHODS: Closed-head injuries were defined as energy exchanges in which the head contacted the ground or an object and the soldier sought medical care for external trauma, headache, loss of consciousness, or altered mental state. Injury data were obtained by investigators in the drop zone and diagnoses were confirmed by a physician. Operational data on potential injury risk factors were obtained from routine reports published by the infantry unit. Weather data were obtained using a pocket weather tracker. RESULTS: There were 96,132 jumps resulting in 310 closed-head injuries for a crude incidence of 3.22/1000 jumps. In 98% of known cases the injury was associated with parachute landings. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that independent risk factors for closed-head injuries included night jumps, combat loads, higher wind speeds, higher temperatures, enlisted rank, and entanglements. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies the current incidence and extrinsic risk factors for closed-head injuries during military airborne operations. Although it is necessary to conduct airborne training under realistic conditions, trainers and commanders should be aware of these risks and plan airborne operations accordingly. Language: en
A comparison of hybrid and magnetic sector tandem mass spectrometry for ions above m/z 1000

Abstract Tandem mass spectromety data were obtained for relatively high mass precursor ions (
EFFECTS OF RESEARCHER STATUS AND UNIVERSITY STATUS ON THE EVALUATION OF SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES

The present study examined the influence of the status of the researcher and the status of the university on the evaluation of research articles. Twenty-seven graduate students in clinical psychology, each of whom had had at least two graduate courses in statistics and experimental design, were asked to evaluate a fictitious research article (Commoner, 1972) dealing with the efficacy of aversion therapy vs an analytic approach to weight reduction. The research article included only the introduction, the methodology, and the raw data which were marginally significant (p = .lo), favoring aversion therapy. Nine subjects evaluated the article, purportedly written by a H~gh status researcher from a High status university (Leonard Krasner,' State University of New Yotk). Nine other subjects rated the article, purportedly written by a Low stams researcher from a High scatus university (M. Lynch, State University of New York); the remaining nine subjects rated the article, purportedly written by a Low status researcher from a Low status school (M. Lynch, Rockford College). The items on which the article was rated were five Likert-type scales (Commoner, 1972) dealing with the adequaq of methodology, recommendations concerning publication, confidence in evaluating the article, and eight evaluative scales of the semantic differential (Osgood, Suci, & Tannenbaum, 1957). After evaluating the article, the subjects rank-ordered 17 psychologists and three fictitious names, including Krasner and Lynch respectively, according to their contributions to psychological research and practice. The six dependent measures were analyzed in separate one-way analyses of variance. The three groups differed significantly on only one scale assessing statistical significance of the article (F = 4.61, df = 2/24, p = .02), which may have been simply the most difficult item the subjects were asked to judge. Also the interpretation of the P ratio is virtually impossible because the Low-Low condition was rated more positively than the High-High condition which was rated more positively than the Low-High condition. When the 17 psychologists and 3 fictitious names were rank-ordered, with one being equal to the greatest contribution, the mean number attributed to Krasner was 4 (SD = 3.71) and to Lynch was 14 (SD = 5.431, indicating that the subjects at least recognized Krasnet's name. A question often arises concerning whether the statuses of given researchers affect how their scientific articles are reviewed. Specifically do the statuses of the researchers and their universities influence how their articles are evaluated? In the present study in which graduate students were reviewers, the find~ngs suggest that these students did not differentially rate the articles as a function of the starus of the researcher and university.
ERRATUM “Estimating Evapotranspiration and Seepage for a Sinkhole Wetland from Diurnal Surface‐Water Cycles”1,2

: This study used measured diurnal surface-water cycles to estimate daily evapotranspiration (ET) and seepage for a seasonally flooded sinkhole wetland. Diurnal surface-water cycles were classified into five categories based on the relationship between the surface-water body and the surrounding ground-water system (i.e., recharge/discharge). Only one class of diurnal cycles was found to be suitable for application of this method. This subset of diurnal cycles was used to estimate ET and seepage and the relative importance of each transfer process to the overall water budget. The method has limited utility for wetlands with erratic hydrologic regimes (e.g., wetlands in urban environments). This is due to violation of the critical assumption that the inflow/outflow rate remains constant throughout the day. For application to surface-water systems, the method is typically applied with an assumed specific yield of 1.0. This assumption was found to be invalid for application to surface-water systems with a noncylindrical pond geometry. An overestimation of ET by as much as 60% was found to occur under conditions of low pond stage and high water loss. The results demonstrate the high ET rates that can occur in isolated wetlands due to contrasting roughness and moisture conditions (oasis and clothesline effects). Estimated ET rates ranged from 4.1 to 18.7 mm/day during the growing season. Despite these large ET rates, seepage (recharge) was found to be the dominant water loss mechanism for the wetland.
Effects of an unnatural base pair replacement on the structure and dynamics of DNA and neighboring water and ions.

Incorporating small molecule probes into biomolecular systems to report on local structure and dynamics is a powerful strategy that underlies a wide variety of experimental techniques, including fluorescence, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements. When an unnatural probe is inserted into a protein or DNA, the degree to which the presence of the probe has perturbed the local structure and dynamics it was intended to study is always an important concern. Here, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to systematically study the effect of replacing a DNA base pair with a fluorescent probe, coumarin 102 deoxyriboside, at six unique sites along an A-tract DNA dodecamer. While the overall structure of the DNA oligonucleotide remains intact, replacement of A•T base pairs leads to widespread structural and dynamic perturbations up to four base pairs away from the probe site, including widening of the minor groove and increased DNA flexibility. New DNA...
Policy discourse as sanctioned ignorance: theorizing the erasure of feminist knowledge

Framing ‘feminization’ as a policy puzzle, this paper examines the policy relevance of scripted practices of subordination involved in the feminization of labor, migration, and poverty in the contemporary era of globalization. I argue that feminization challenges the central logic and the purported benefits of globalization and raises important questions about the long term prospects of the majority of the world population, the nature of women's waged and unwaged work, the conditions of labor within the global economy, the scope of democratic practices within neoliberalism, and gendered power relations within families, communities, nations, global institutions and transnational arenas. Given the importance of such questions for policy-makers and policy analysts, I then explore several hypotheses to explain the absence of feminist knowledge about feminization from mainstream policy discourses. I suggest that fundamental epistemological assumptions that inform policy studies contribute to the erasure of fem...
Full Stokes Polarimetry in the Near Field

An optimization technique is demonstrated to correct for inherent errors in near-field polarimetry. Stokes analysis of electromagnetic fields in reflection geometry can be optimized based on the local degree of polarization.
Terminal steps of chlorophyll a biosynthesis in higher plants

Abstract In a number of common higher plants, the formation of chlorophyll a has been found to require a dark, enzymic reaction following a photochemical step. Solubility and chromatographic data indicate that protochlorophyllide is photochemically reduced to chlorophyllide a, which is then esterified with phytol, in the presence of chlorophyllase, to form chlorophyll a.
Mild oxidations of coal models

Abstract Relative rates of oxidation of numerous coal models have been determined by two methods in radicalinitiated oxidations at 50 °C. The results show that hydroaromatic rings (as in 9,10-dihydroanthracene and tetralin) and some anthracenes are so much more reactive than CH 2 O or CH 2  links between benzene rings that cleavage reactions of the latter groups would be excluded in competitive oxidation. However, similar connecting links between naphthalene or more condensed rings will be more competitive. Rates of oxidation of condensed aromatic hydrocarbons can now be related to extensive previous data on alkylbenzenes and a variety of aliphatic compounds.
A comparative analysis on pixel-based blind cloning techniques

Digital image forensic is an emerging discipline that signifies a never ending struggle against image forgery. In this paper an attempt is made to overview the recent developments in the field of blind forensic detection techniques. The cloning forgery is one in which instead of having an external image as the source, the textured region from the same image is copied and moved to a different location for vanisihing or adding certain feature(s) in an image. We would limit our focus in this paper to the artefacts introduced at pixel level in an image, rather than anomalies introduced at format, camera, geometric and physical based. Two types of pixel based forgery detection techniques exist in literature, the Block based methods and Key-point based methods. Both the methods have their own advantages and limitations. The aim of this paper is to develop an analytical framework which provides comparison on performance & results, to narrow down the techniques which are more efficient, robust and give better evaluation.
Estimating relative carbonyl levels in muscle microstructures by fluorescence imaging

The increase in the levels of protein carbonyls, biomarkers of oxidative stress, appears to play an important role in aging skeletal muscle. However, the exact distributions of carbonyls among various skeletal muscle microstructures still remain largely unknown, partly owing to the lack of adequate techniques to carry out these measurements. This report describes an immunohistochemical approach to determine the relative abundance of carbonyls in the intermyofibrillar mitochondria (IFM), the subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM), the cytoplasm, and the extracellular space of skeletal muscle. These morphological features were defined by labeling the nucleus, the Z-lines, and mitochondria. Carbonyls were detected by derivatization with dinitrophenylhydrazine followed by labeling with an Alexa 488-labeled anti-dinitrophenyl primary antibody. Alexa 488 fluorescence (green) in different fiber microstructures was used to estimate the relative abundance of carbonyls. On the basis of the samples examined, preliminary results suggest that the most dramatic age-related changes in carbonyl levels occur in the extracellular space, followed in a decreasing order by SSM, IFM, and the cytoplasm. These observations were confirmed in the soleus and semimembranosus muscles composed predominantly of type I and type II fibers, respectively. This approach could easily be extended to the investigation of carbonyl levels in other muscles (composed of mixed skeletal muscle fiber types) or other tissues in which protein carbonyls are present.
The thermal analysis of Sn-Rich CdSn alloys

Abstract Thermal analysis represents a most effective technique for determining the constitution of alloys. However, when using the conventional analytical procedure of slow-cooling the alloy from above the liquidus, non-equilibrium structures can be generated via coring reactions. The structures may persist through subsequent heat-treatments with the result that spurious thermal effects may be observed not only during the initial cooling run but also in subsequent heating and cooling runs. This study of CdSn alloys shows that the spurious effects can largely be avoided by the use of a technique in which the DTA specimen is initially quenched from above its liquidus. After a relatively short homogenising treatment, the sub-solidus phase changes are first defined before reactions involving the liquid phase are investigated. This technique should considerably simplify the study of the very many other systems which would be expected to be vulnerable in this way. The solidus temperatures measured with this improved technique were confirmed using tensile tests.
Individualizing Hearing Preservation in Acoustic Neuroma Surgery

Surgical series of hearing preservation in acoustic neuroma usually emphasize a team's results with one particular technique. This report reviews acoustic neuroma outcomes of individualizing the surgical approach to patient and tumor characteristics. This study reviews 60 consecutive hearing preservation acoustic neuroma surgeries in a total series of 330 acoustic neuromas. Tumor sizes ranged from 0.3 to 4 cm in patients ranging from 23 to 74 years of age. Middle fossa surgery was performed in 57%, retrosigmoid in 43%. Overall, measurable hearing was preserved in 77%, and useful hearing in 67%. Among middle fossa cases, 85% had measurable and 74% had useful hearing. Among retrosigmoid surgeries, 65% had measurable hearing and 58% had useful hearing. Overall, long-term facial nerve function was excellent (grade I or II) in 90% and poor (grade V or VI) in 2%. There was one case of bacterial meningitis (2%), and cerebrospinal fluid leaks requiring surgery occurred in four patients (7%). The hearing preservation and other outcome parameters in this series compare favorably with other reports. We believe that individualizing the surgical approach to the patient's tumor characteristics and clinical features contributed to the high rate of hearing preservation.
Surges of electroencephalogram activity at the time of death: a case series

Abstract Level of consciousness at the end of life in critically ill patients is poorly characterized. We report a case series of seven patients who were neurologically intact before the decision to withdraw care due to extensive systemic critical illness. As part of our end-of-life care protocol, bispectral index (BIS) monitor (Aspect Medical Systems, Newton, MA) or SEDline™ (Hospira, Lake Forest, IL) monitoring devices are placed on each patient to ensure adequate comfort. Both monitoring systems use an integer-based system (BIS or PSI, respectively) to reflect the level of consciousness/effect of anesthesia. In each case, loss of blood pressure, as monitored by indwelling arterial line, was followed by a decline is BIS/PSI activity followed by a transient spike in BIS/PSI activity that approached levels normally associated with consciousness. This spike in electroencephalogram (EEG) activity had short duration and the activity then declined to a level of activity associated with burst suppression. In o...
Three women with lupus transverse myelitis : Case reports and differential diagnosis

Although the association between transverse myelitis (TM) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been reported previously, it remains a rare clinical condition. Our experience treating three women with lupus TM within a few months is presented. In each patient, spinal cord dysfunction was accompanied by laboratory or clinical evidence of SLE. Further neurologic manifestations, such as optic neuritis, developed in all patients, suggesting other diagnoses, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Devic's syndrome, and lupoid sclerosis. The outcomes for these three women were severe disability, death, and moderate disability, respectively. The severity of outcome did not seem to correlate with the timing or intensity of treatment. Physiatrists should be aware of the potential for neurologic progression in lupus TM, because patients with this condition invariably require rehabilitation.
The B‐Cell Adhesion Molecule CD22 is Cross‐Species Reactive and Recognizes Distinct Sialoglycoproteins on Different Functional T‐Cell Sub‐Populations

CD22 is a B cell lineage restricted cell-surface adhesion glycoprotein which recognizes ligands on human T and B cells and cell lines. A soluble recombinant form of human CD22 (hCD22Rg) has been used to identify and characterize CD22-specific ligands on human T cells, one of which has been shown to be the receptor-linked phosphotyrosine phosphatase CD45. Because CD45 plays a pivotal role in lymphocyte activation, we assessed whether human CD22 might display cross-species reactivity with CD45. In the study presented here we demonstrate that human CD22Rg recognizes several murine cell-surface sialoglycoproteins, including CD45, containing sialic acid in alpha 2,6 linkage. Furthermore, hCD22Rg recognizes different ligands on functionally distinct T helper-cell subpopulations and selectively binds medullary thymocytes in vivo. Our results confirm and extend previous observations that CD22 is a sialic acid-binding lectin which interacts with CD45 and other glycoproteins capable of presenting alpha 2,6-linked sialic acid in a manner that promotes high affinity binding. The cross-species reactivity of CD22 with its ligands underscores the potential physiologic importance of CD22-mediated lymphocyte interactions.
Problem solving and functional design features: experiments on cotton-top tamarins, Saguinus oedipus oedipus.

In any problem-solving situation, there are features associated with the problem that are relevant from a functional perspective and other features that are irrelevant. To determine whether animals are sensitive to the distinction between functionally relevant and irrelvant features of a problem, we conducted two main experiments with a New World monkey, the cotton-top tamarin. In the first condition of both experiments, subjects were required to pull a piece of cloth to gain access to a piece of food. The first experiment involved choosing between food that was on the cloth and food that was off the cloth. The second experiment involved choosing between food that was on a connected piece of cloth and food that was on two pieces of cloth separated by a horizontal gap. Having learned to solve either of these two problems, we conducted a series of probe conditions to determine whether the tamarins would generalize to changes in the shape, size, colour, and texture of the cloth and food, the position of the food relative to the cloth, and the type of connection between two pieces of cloth. For most of the probe conditions, the tamarins readily generalized, showing no decrement in performance, even on the first trial. For other conditions, involving apparently more subtle discrimination (e.g. a narrow vertical gap between the two pieces of cloth), explicit training was required. These results indicate that tamarins solve means-end relationships, and that their ability depends on a discrimination between properties that are functionally relevant as opposed to irrelevant. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Bioprotection of Tendon Repair: Adjunctive Use of Botulinum Toxin A in Achilles Tendon Repair in the Rat

Background: Tendon-repair techniques have evolved to increase the construct strength of the repair site in order to permit early active range of motion without tendon gap or rupture. The present study evaluated the hypothesis that the injection of botulinum neurotoxin type-A (BoNT-A) into the gastrocnemius muscle will reduce the active force production of that muscle below the force required to rupture the associated, repaired Achilles tendon. Methods: Seventy-nine rat Achilles tendons were surgically bisected and were repaired with use of a two-strand core suture with a running epitenon repair. After the repair, the animals were treated with unilateral intramuscular (gastrocnemius) injections of either BoNT-A (6 U/kg body weight) (thirty-seven rats) or saline solution (forty-two rats). Operatively treated ankles were fixed in the neutral position with a percutaneous pin for the first two days after surgery. Unrestricted ankle motion and weight-bearing were allowed after the second postoperative day. An assessment of gap formation or rupture at the repair site, electrophysiologic measurements of force applied to the tendon, and an assessment of the strength of the repaired tendon were performed. Results: Intramuscular BoNT-A injections produced a significant, reversible reduction in active muscle force (p < 0.007). Twitch and tetanus contractions decreased to approximately 25% of the values for the control side within one week, remained at <50% of the values for the control side at one month, and returned to normal levels by six months. The tetanic force capability of the muscles that had been injected with BoNT-A was fivefold to tenfold less than the force required to rupture the associated Achilles tendon for as long as four weeks after tendon repair. The spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture rate of repaired tendons in the BoNT-A group was three times lower than that in the saline solution group at one week, and the tendon rupture force was significantly higher in the BoNT-A group between one and three weeks after repair (p < 0.007). There was no significant difference in tendon rupture force between the two groups after three weeks. Conclusions: Intramuscular gastrocnemius BoNT-A injections were associated with a significant reduction in force-generating potential, such that the muscle was incapable of actively producing enough force to rupture the repaired Achilles tendon in this rat model of tendon repair. Clinical Relevance: The temporary decrease of active muscle-tendon forces produced by intramuscular BoNT-A injections has the potential to allow early active motion, to provide a pharmacologically mediated aid (bioprotection) to improve patient compliance with rehabilitation, and to enhance patient outcomes.
Gene Therapy and Targeted Toxins for Glioma

The most common primary brain tumor in adults is glioblastoma. These tumors are highly invasive and aggressive with a mean survival time of nine to twelve months from diagnosis to death. Current treatment modalities are unable to significantly prolong survival in patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. As such, glioma is an attractive target for developing novel therapeutic approaches utilizing gene therapy. This review will examine the available preclinical models for glioma including xenographs, syngeneic and genetic models. Several promising therapeutic targets are currently being pursued in pre-clinical investigations. These targets will be reviewed by mechanism of action, i.e., conditional cytotoxic, targeted toxins, oncolytic viruses, tumor suppressors/oncogenes, and immune stimulatory approaches. Preclinical gene therapy paradigms aim to determine which strategies will provide rapid tumor regression and long-term protection from recurrence. While a wide range of potential targets are being investigated preclinically, only the most efficacious are further transitioned into clinical trial paradigms. Clinical trials reported to date are summarized including results from conditionally cytotoxic, targeted toxins, oncolytic viruses and oncogene targeting approaches. Clinical trial results have not been as robust as preclinical models predicted, this could be due to the limitations of the GBM models employed. Once this is addressed, and we develop effective gene therapies in models that better replicate the clinical scenario, gene therapy will provide a powerful approach to treat and manage brain tumors.
Quality of life of endodontically treated versus implant treated patients: a University-based qualitative research study.

Introduction: Up-to-date studies comparing endodontic treatment versus implant-supported prosthesis have shown similar clinical outcome and survival rates. However, no data are available comparing both treatment modalities based on the patient’s perception ofqualityoflife.Thisstudywasdesignedtoqualitatively describe and compare the quality of life of patients with restored, single endodontically treated teeth versus patients with single implant-supportedfixed prostheses. Methods: Forty-eight patients agreed to participate in the study (n = 24 from each treatment modality). Of those, 37 actually participated in the study: 17 were endodontically treated and 20 had an implantsupported prosthesis. Patients in each of the two groups were randomly selected from the Graduate Endodontics and Graduate Periodontics Departments, respectively. Six focus group discussions (n = 3 per treatment group) were held and audio-recorded for subsequent thematic analysis. Data were analyzed to identify common themes within each category and compared to assess any differences in quality of life between the two treatments. Additionally, a quality of life survey, the shortened version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), was given before the discussion group and the responses analyzed. Results: The results obtained from this study show similar overall OHIP scores and show a high rate of satisfaction with both treatment modalities. Content analysis of the discussion groups revealed several themes and subthemes. The major themes were importance of overall health, financial implications of the treatments, perception of the treatments and its outcomes, time since treatment, and follow-up dental visits. Conclusions: The results help identify patients’ perception and concerns with each treatment modality and assist the clinician and patient in the selection of an optimal treatment for their given situation. In addition to the prognosis and outcomes, clinicians should consider patients’ perceptions and preferences as well as the influence each therapy may have on their quality of life, both short- and long-term. Overall, all the participants in this study were pleased with the treatment received and expressed a clear message to save their natural dentition whenever possible. (J Endod 2011;37:903–909)