cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lag Screw Fixation for Steindler Flexorplasty

When the flexor pronator origins are transplanted proximally on the humerus, Campbell's modification of Steindler's flexorplasty may be used. In this modification, the medial epicondyle is excised with the flexor pronator origin and secured to a prepared portion of the anterior surface of the distal humerus (Figs. 62-1 A Figs. 62-1 B Figs. 62-1 C-G).
Combination Therapy with Cisplatinum and EGF Receptor Blockade

Simultaneous treatment of xenografts of human A431 vulvar squamous carcinoma cells and MDA-468 breast adenoma cells with anti-EGF receptor monoclonal antibody (MAb) plus maximal tolerated doses of cisplatinum (cis-DDP) results in eradication of well-established tumors that are resistant to either therapy when administered alone. Hypotheses that could explain this synergistic antitumor activity are presented. We suggest that activation of dual checkpoints by the combination therapy results in cell death.
Dengue/Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever: History and Current Status

Dengue fever (DF) is an old disease; the first record of a clinically compatible disease being recorded in a Chinese medical encyclopaedia in 992. As the global shipping industry expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries, port cities grew and became more urbanized, creating ideal conditions for the principal mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. Both the mosquitoes and the viruses were thus spread to new geographic areas causing major epidemics. Because dispersal was by sailing ship, however, there were long intervals (10-40 years) between epidemics. In the aftermath of World War II, rapid urbanization in Southeast Asia led to increased transmission and hyperendemicity. The first major epidemics of the severe and fatal form of disease, dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), occurred in Southeast Asia as a direct result of this changing ecology. In the last 25 years of the 20th century, a dramatic global geographic expansion of epidemic DF/DHF occurred, facilitated by unplanned urbanization in tropical developing countries, modern transportation, lack of effective mosquito control and globalization. As we go into the 21st century, epidemic DF/DHF is one of the most important infectious diseases affecting tropical urban areas. Each year there are an estimated 50-100 million dengue infections, 500000 cases of DHF that must be hospitalized and 20000-25 000 deaths, mainly in children. Epidemic DF/DHF has an economic impact on the community of the same order of magnitude as malaria and other important infectious diseases. There are currently no vaccines nor antiviral drugs available for dengue viruses; the only effective way to prevent epidemic DF/DHF is to control the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti.
EXTRUDED CORN GRITS‐QUINOA BLENDS

Quinoa, a high protein, high lysine grain, was blended with corn grits at levels of 10, 20, and 30%. These blends were extruded under various conditions. Proximate composition, nitrogen solubility and in-vitro digestibility of the raw materials and products were determined. Sensory analysis was performed to judge the acceptability of the products. Quinoa addition produced unprocessed and extruded products which were higher in protein, fiber, ash and some amino acids than 100% corn grit products. the products containing quinoa had a greater nitrogen solubility and a somewhat lower in-vitro digestibility than the products containing only corn grits. Sensory evaluation of the extruded blends indicated that the products were acceptable.
Effect of the second-generation antihistamine, fexofenadine, on cough reflex sensitivity and pulmonary function.

Aims Current guidelines recommend the use of first-generation antihistamines for the treatment of cough due to rhinitis/postnasal drip syndrome. The antitussive activity of the second-generation antihistamine, fexofenadine, has not been investigated. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of fexofenadine on capsaicin-induced cough in healthy volunteers and in subjects with acute viral upper respiratory tract infection (URI). Methods Twelve healthy volunteers and 12 subjects with URI underwent pulmonary function testing and capsaicin cough challenge on two separate days, 2 h after ingesting 180 mg fexofenadine or matched placebo. Subjects inhaled single, vital-capacity breaths of capsaicin aerosol, administered in incremental doubling concentrations, until the concentration inducing five or more coughs (C5) was determined. Results In both subject groups, C5 was not significantly different after fexofenadine compared to placebo. In subjects with URI, pulmonary function studies were also similar. In healthy volunteers, however, FEV1 and FEF25−75, pulmonary function parameters reflecting the degree of airway dilatation, were significantly increased after fexofenadine. Mean (95% CI) values for FEV1(L) after fexofenadine and placebo were 3.16 (2.77, 3.55) and 3.08 (2.69, 3.47), respectively (P = 0.017). Mean values for FEF25−75(L/s) were 3.49 (3.10, 3.88) and 3.26 (2.79, 3.72), respectively (P = 0.029). Conclusions Fexofenadine demonstrated no antitussive activity against capsaicin-induced cough in healthy volunteers and subjects with URI. The ineffectiveness of fexofenadine in suppressing cough probably reflects the lack of anticholinergic activity and central nervous system penetrance that is characteristic of first-generation antihistamines. The mild bronchodilation induced by fexofenadine in healthy volunteers is of unclear clinical significance and requires further investigation.
A Professional Ethics Code for Economists

Perhaps economists would not need a professional ethics code if they knew with certainty what the outcomes of their policies would be. But they do not, and therefore they should abide by a higher standard of conduct.
The Alkylation of Esters and Nitriles

This chapter is concerned with the reactions of metal salts (enolates) of active methylene compounds with alkylating agents such as alkyl halides to produce allyl derivatives. The first example of this reaction is found in the literature when Geuther prepared ethyl alpha-ethyl acetoacetate by the reaction of the sodium enolate of ethyl acetoacetate with ethyl iodide. The active methylene compounds considered in the chapter include malonic esters, cyanoacetic esters, malonitriles, monocarboxylic esters and mononitriles. These classes of compounds are characterized by the presence of one or more acidic hydrogen atoms attached to carbon. Only C-alkylation has been observed with active methylene compounds and are discussed here. Several alternative methods for the preparation of alkyl and aryl derivatives of carboxylic esters and nitriles have been included. Keywords: Alkylation; Esters; Nitriles; Malonic esters; Cyanoacetic esters; Active methylene compound; Alkylating agents; Side reactions; Substituted esters; Mononitriles; Monocarboxylic acids
A readily pretestable, reworkable MCM

An MCM (multichip module) architecture that could permit the assembly of low-cost, high-performance modules based on the existing manufacturing infrastructure is described, and results from an initial investigation of a few key issues are reported. How the adoption of DTAB (demountable tape automated bonding) technology for the chip-substrate interconnect enables fully tested and burned-in chips to be delivered to module assembly without invoking major changes in the IC manufacturing strategy is discussed. The question of how initial assembly and rework can be accomplished simply with DTAB and the FIM (flexible interconnect module) architecture is addressed. The flexibility in choice of substrate used is discussed, and it is indicated how the performance potential inherent to this architecture is more than sufficient for future workstation applications, both electrically and thermally. Module-motherboard mounting and mechanical support are discussed. This technology strategy could result in the attainment of computer system performance levels which are achievable only with the highest-performance MCMs, within a packaging cost profile acceptable for the highly competitive workstation business. >
The “Loft Cause” or “Bohemia Gone Bourgeois?” Artist Housing and Private Development in Greenwich Village

The Westbeth Arts Center in New York’s Greenwich Village was one of the first large-scale institutionally sponsored conversions of nineteenth-century factories into residential lofts for artists. A privately and publicly financed project to provide housing for low-income artists, Westbeth stood apart from individual-artist-led loft conversion in SoHo in both its scope and its philanthropic goals of democratizing the arts in postwar America. Westbeth never met its sponsors’ hopes that it would serve as a model for similar nonprofit artist residences in cities throughout the nation, but it did prove to private real estate developers that residential lofts had cultural value in postindustrial cities. Ultimately, Westbeth represented a transitional moment in postwar urban development between publicly funded urban renewal and private real estate development.
The Minimal k-Core Problem for Modeling k-Assemblies.

The concept of cell assembly was introduced by Hebb and formalized mathematically by Palm in the framework of graph theory. In the study of associative memory, a cell assembly is a group of neurons that are strongly connected and represent a “concept” of our knowledge. This group is wired in a specific manner such that only a fraction of its neurons will excite the entire assembly. We link the concept of cell assembly to the closure of a minimal k-core and study a particular type of cell assembly called k-assembly. The goal of this paper is to find all substructures within a network that must be excited in order to activate a k-assembly. Through numerical experiments, we confirm that fractions of these important subgroups overlap. To explore the problem, we present a backtracking algorithm to find all minimal k-cores of a given undirected graph, which belongs to the class of NP-hard problems. The proposed method is a modification of the Bron and Kerbosch algorithm for finding all cliques of an undirected graph. The results in the tested graphs offer insight in analyzing graph structure and help better understand how concepts are stored.
Workshop highlights progress in solar-heliospheric physics

The Solar, Heliospheric, and Interplanetary Environment (SHINE) group is an affiliation of researchers dedicated to promoting an enhanced understanding of the processes by which magnetic fields, plasmas, and energetic particles are produced near the Sun and propagated through the interplanetary medium to Earth and other locations in the heliosphere. The group conducted its annual workshop in July to discuss recent developments in the study of solar variability and its impact on Earth's space environment. One hundred fifty-five scientists, including 27 students, participated in the plenary working group, and poster sessions. Student Day activities on 10 July consisted of tutorials given by experienced scientists: solar flares and particle acceleration (Robert Lin, University of California Berkeley), the origin of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) (Spiro Antiochos, Naval Research Laboratory Washington, D.C.),connecting the Sun and heliosphere (Thomas Zurbuchen, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor),and acceleration and transport of solar energetic particles (SEPs) (Christina Cohen, California Institute of Technology Pasadena). The tutorials were followed by student presentations on CMEs near the sun and in the interplanetary medium, solar wind, and SEPs.
Total Reflection Phenomena in Second-Harmonic Generation of Light

The direction, polarization, and intensity of second-harmonic light beams generated in a crystal of NaCl${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ have been observed as a function of the angle of incidence, when the primary laser beam is incident from a denser linear fluid. When the angle of incidence ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{i}$ is smaller than the critical angle for total reflection ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{crit}}(\ensuremath{\omega})$, a reflected harmonic beam and two distinct spatially resolved transmitted harmonic beams with polarizations precessing in opposite senses are observed. When ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{crit}}(2\ensuremath{\omega})g{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{i}g{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{crit}}(\ensuremath{\omega})$, the incident laser power is totally reflected, but one of the transmitted harmonic beams still exists. For ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{i}g{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{crit}}(2\ensuremath{\omega})$, only the reflected harmonic beam remains. When two totally reflected laser beams are incident from opposite sides of the normal, second-harmonic radiation occurs in the direction of both the inward and outward normal. The results agree quantitatively with the theory of Bloembergen and Pershan.
Postoperative bypass bleeding: a bypass-associated dilutional (BAD) coagulopathy?

Abstract A number of associations with post-bypass bleeding have been described in the accompanying paper. Herein we hypothesize that dilution is an underlying cause through a malign series of bypass-associated events. Heparinized blood behaves anomalously when diluted. Clotting times first shorten somewhat, then – as the dilution of whole blood approaches 50% – rapidly lengthen to unclottability. During cardiopulmonary bypass, low blood volume patients are at a significant risk of clotting factor dilution which will always be more severe than the level of whole blood dilution. If severe enough, this dilution may lower plasma clotting factors to a critical level and may result in excess protamine administration, secondary to overestimation of heparin. The presence of un-neutralized protamine combined with critically lowered clotting factors leads to marked coagulopathy.
Electron microscope visualization of giant polysomes in sea urchin embryos.

Chromatin spreading techniques have been applied to the electron microscopic visualization of polysomes in sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) eggs and embryos. Polysomes of giant size are commonly found after the 8-cell stage. The largest seen, from an early gastrula, was 13.6 μm in length, carried 277 ribosomes, with a message calculated to contain 6.49×104 nucleotides and potentially to encoded 2.38×106 daltons of peptide. Polysomes are rare and very large ones absent from lysates of unfertilized eggs. Giant polysomes appear in 4- to 8-cell stages and are common in 16-cell stages and thereafter. They are of two forms: a compact form with no spacing between ribosomes characteristic of stages through early mesenchyme blastulae, and an extended form found only after late mesenchyme blastulae. Both have potential for massive informational content. Some of each type have ribosome-free tails at one end, as long as 733 A in the compact forms, and 7,890 A in the extended ones. Occasionally they have a single array of fibrous material increasing from one end of a polysome to the other, interpreted to be nascent peptide chains. Polysomes are not found after brief, mild exposure of lysates to RNase A, or from embryos treated with puromycin. Very large polysomes are present in lysates of blastulae exposed since fertilization to actinomycin D, cycloheximide, or cordycepin. They appear in parthenogenetically activated or fertilized enucleate merogones, but are absent from unactivated merogones, demonstrating that egg masked messages can generate them. A potential embryological significance of giant, potentially polycistronic polysomes is suggested.
Neonatal pain facial expression: Evaluating the primal face of pain

The primal face of pain (PFP) is postulated to be a common and universal facial expression to pain, hardwired and present at birth. We evaluated its presence by applying a computer-based methodology consisting of "point-pair" comparisons captured from video to measure facial movement in the pain expression by way of change across two images: one image before and one image after a painful stimulus (heel-stick). Similarity of facial expression was analyzed in a sample of 57 neonates representing both sexes and 3 ethnic backgrounds (African American, Caucasian and Hispanic/Latino) while controlling for these extraneous and potentially modulating factors: feeding type (bottle, breast, or both), behavioral state (awake or asleep), and use of epidural and/or other perinatal anesthesia. The PFP is consistent with previous reports of expression of pain in neonates and is characterized by opening of the mouth, drawing in of the brows, and closing of the eyes. Although facial expression was not identical across or among groups, our analyses showed no particular clustering or unique display by sex, or ethnicity. The clinical significance of this commonality of pain display, and of the origin of its potential individual variation begs further evaluation.
Effect of a proteolytic enzyme produced by Clostridium perfringens upon porcine muscle

Abstract Purified proteolytic enzyme preparations isolated from actively growing cultures of Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 13124—Type A) were added to aseptic porcine muscle and incubated at 37°C. Samples were removed after one, two and four days incubation. The sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins were extracted and subjected to both conventional and SDS-polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis to assess the changes due to the enzyme treatment. The enzyme preparation caused little change in the sarcoplasmic protein fraction but caused some proteolysis in the myofibrillar extract. Comparison of the protein profile from muscle incubated with the purified enzyme preparation and that incubated with the actively growing organisms per se showed that the organisms caused more degradation, suggesting that they produced additional enzymes causing proteolysis of porcine muscle.
Assessing Gender-Based Circumscription of Occupational Aspirations

The circumscription and compromise theory of vocational aspirations draws attention to the possibility that many adolescents may unnecessarily limit their vocational options. This article describes key elements of the theory, particularly its emphasis on children's perceptions of occupational sextype, and the changes the theory requires in how to conceptualize and assess vocational aspirations. It also describes a theory based Mapping Vocational Challenges1 (MVC; Lapan, Loehr-Lapan, & Tupper, 1995) activity that helps adolescents map and discuss the beliefs and background factors that can lead them to rule out careers they might actually find interesting and perform well.
Organizing a bis(iminoylnitroxide) diradical into antiferromagnetically coupled chains by co-crystallization with dichloromethane

1,3-Bis(4′,4′,5′,5′-tetramethyl-4′,5′-dihydro-1′H-imidazol-2′-yl-1′-oxyl)-5-iodobenzene (IPhIN2) forms a co-crystal with dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) and some water, with columnar π-stacking of radical N–O moieties organized into antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled 1-D chains.
Possibility, Actuality, and Freewill

I describe recent developments of Conway and Kochen on the physical meaning of freewill and their theorem that the assertion of freewill for human beings, in their specific sense, implies the same for elementary particles. This description is given in simplified metaphorical terms that nonetheless address the key physical axioms and essential analytic content of their argument. I then give points of contact of our metaphor with the full technical analysis of the cited authors and conclude with some associated metaphysical speculations. These include the implications of the freewill theorem for dual aspect theories and, in particular, for process metaphysics.
Numerical Modeling of the Transport to an Intravascular Bubble in a Tube with a Soluble/Insoluble Surfactant

Using a newly developed algorithm in conjunction with the front tracking scheme, we have evaluated the transport associated with a deformable bubble moving in a tube in the presence of a soluble or an insoluble surfactant. Such evaluations are useful to the understanding of gas embolism--a common syndrome for decompression sickness. Decompression sickness may be encountered in performing extravehicular activity during space exploration. The numerical evaluations indicate that as the location of the adsorptive interface gets closer to the vessel wall, the surfactant amount on the wall gets depleted. The implication is that the process by which a bubble occluding a vessel dislodges may depend both on the strength of the diffusivity of the surfactant and the adsorption process. More detailed study is needed to clarify this observation. The numerical results evaluated include Marangoni flow, which causes a bubble to propel out of its initial static location, and bubble motion in Poiseuille flow. The presence of a soluble/insoluble surfactant slows down the bubble motion. For identical surface concentrations of the surfactant, the effect of the presence of a soluble surfactant is more severe on the retardation of the bubble motion than that of an insoluble surfactant.
Changing strategies in the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer

Hormone Receptor concept provides better prediction of hormone dependency of breast cancer and therefore proper selection of therapy. The fate of receptors following hormonal manipulation is not clearly understood. It is suggested that in a hormone-dependent breast cancer, the cessation of response to one form of hormonal therapy is not an indication of emergence of hormone independence of the cancer. Contrary to the present belief, the author suggests that the hormone-dependent tumors retain their biological and biochemical characteristics in the recurrent tumor and therefore will respond to other forms of endocrine therapy. The presence of extraglandular synthesis of estrogen is considered as a major reason for the relapse of a regressing breast cancer following endocrine manipulation. A hypothesis is advanced for test in a clinical trial.
Modeling of small scale reverse osmosis systems

Abstract A simulation model was developed and verified for a small scale reverse osmosis (RO) system operating in a closed-loop concentrating mode. The model combines material balances on the feed tank, membrane module and product tank with membrane mass-transfer models. The proposed model is a nonlinear differential equation representing the feed concentration as a function of operating time. Correlations of flux, solute concentrations, and rejection with operating time and overall system recovery are functions of the model. Total dissolved solids (TDS) was the parameter representing solute concentration. Data from simple salt and industrial wastewater experiments were used to verify the model. The model suggests a good fit to the data over the range studied.
A kinetic model for corrosion and precipitation in non-isothermal LBE flow loop

Abstract A kinetic model was developed to estimate the corrosion/precipitation rate in a non-isothermal liquid lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) flow loop. The model was based on solving the mass transport equation with the assumptions that convective transport dominates in the longitudinal flow direction and diffusion dominates in the transverse direction. The species concentration at wall is assumed to be determined either by the solubility of species in LBE in the absence of oxygen or by the reduction reaction of the protective oxide film when active oxygen control is applied. Analyses show that the corrosion/precipitation rate depends on the flow velocity, the species diffusion rate, the oxygen concentration in LBE, as well as the temperature distribution along a loop. Active oxygen control can significantly reduce the corrosion/precipitation of the structural materials. It is shown that the highest corrosion/precipitation does not necessarily locate at places with the highest/lowest temperature. For a material testing loop being constructed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the highest corrosion occurs at the end of the heater zone, while the highest precipitation occurs in the return flow in the recuperator.
Intraoperative apnea in children after buffered 5% povidone-iodine site sterilization for strabismus surgery

Summary Background Presurgical preparation for ocular surgery typically utilizes a buffered 5% povidone-iodine preparation solution. It was our observation that a significant number of spontaneously ventilating patients under sevoflurane anesthesia would become apneic upon ophthalmic instillation of this solution. This study was performed to confirm or refute this observation and to determine whether there were any patient variables that might predict this phenomenon. Methods After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, thirty pediatric patients scheduled for strabismus surgery were enrolled. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with sevoflurane via laryngeal mask airway, and all patients were breathing spontaneously. All patients received preoperative sedation with oral midazolam (0.5 kg·kg−1, maximum 12 mg). Presurgical preparation was performed with saline wash followed by instillation of buffered 5% povidone-iodine solution. Respiratory rate was recorded at the time of surgical preparation. Apnea was defined as lack of respiratory effort for 20 s or greater. Results Data from twenty-eight children (ages 1.4–11 years) were ultimately recorded. Fifteen of the twenty-eight patients developed apnea (median duration 40, IQR 37, range 20–262 s) at the time of surgical site preparation. Conclusions Apnea at the time of ocular preparation with buffered 5% povidone-iodine solution is common. The precise mechanism of this response is unknown.
The effects of stimulus density on children’s analysis of hierarchical patterns

In three experiments, 4-, 5-, 6- and 8-year-olds and adults were asked to draw hierarchical letter and geometric forms from memory. Across the experiments, the number of elements comprising the hierarchical models was systematically varied. For each drawing of a hierarchical form, the quality of the participant’s reproduction of global and local level information was evaluated separately. Results showed that young children demonstrated significant analytic competence. However, the data also suggested that changes in stimulus density were more disruptive, in specific ways, to 4- and 5-year-old children’s processing than to that of the older children and adults.
Biomechanical basis for recommendation of transurethral sphincterotomy in spinal-cord-injury patients with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia.

The analysis, clinical determination (from cystometry data) and prognostic application of biomechanical indices (of bladder distensibility and contractility), and their application in providing guidelines for recommendations of transurethral sphincterotomy on spinal injury patients are presented.
Integrative Therapies and Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The Current Evidence.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) primarily describes two distinct chronic conditions with unknown etiology, ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). UC is limited to the colon, while CD may involve any portion of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus. These diseases exhibit a pattern of relapse and remission, and the disease processes are often painful and debilitating. Due to the chronic nature of IBD and the negative side effects of many of the conventional therapies, many patients and their families turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for symptom relief. This article focuses on the current available evidence behind CAM/integrative therapies for IBD.
Effects of ion solvation on the miscibility of binary polymer blends.

We study the effects of adding salt ions on the miscibility of a binary blend of polymers having different dielectric constants. The competition between the preference of the ions to be solvated by the component of the higher dielectric constant and the entropic tendency for the ions to be distributed uniformly results in nontrivial effects on the miscibility. We first study the thermodynamics of the polymer blend−ion mixture using a simple Born model in a uniform dielectric medium of the average composition of the polymer blend. We then study the effect of local enrichment of the higher dielectric constant polymer near the ion. We find that when the dielectric constants of the polymers are both low, adding salt decreases the miscibility, while when the dielectric constants of the polymers are both high, the addition of salt enhances the miscibility. When the blend consists of a high dielectric constant polymer and a low dielectric constant polymer, miscibility is decreased if the low dielectric constant component is the majority and is increased if the high dielectric constant component is the majority. The effect becomes significant at ion concentrations corresponding to an order of one ion per polymer chain. The quantitative change in the effective χ parameter depends on the functional form of the composition dependence of the dielectric constant of the mixture. We also illustrate the difference between fixed ion concentration and fixed chemical potential of the ions.
Activation energy measurement in thin gold film by MEMS-based tensile testing device

In this paper, we report a methodology to measure activation energy for time-dependent stress-relaxation in a thin free-standing tensile specimen by utilizing a MEMS-based tensile testing device. An analytical model is developed to investigate its stress-relaxation behavior. Along with this analytical model of the MEMS tensile tester, Arrhenius relation is applied to estimate relaxation times for different temperatures of a free-standing sample beam. From the relation between relaxation time and temperature, the activation energy for the stress-relaxation is obtained. For a 200-nm Au film, we obtained the relaxation time of 250, 67, and 40 seconds for the corresponding temperatures of 295, 312, and 323 K, respectively. The activation energy for stress-relaxation was 0.544 eV. The experimental data is fitted with the analytical model to find the relaxation time. The thin film on the MEMS tensile tester is prepared by sputter-deposition. By optical lithography and ICP DRIE Si etching, the MEMS tensile tester with a free standing beam is fabricated.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A Novel Ligand Blot Assay Detects Different Hyaluronan-Binding Proteins in Rat Liver Hepatocytes and Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells

We have developed a sensitive ligand blot assay to detect hyaluronan (HA) binding proteins in cell extracts using 125I-HA. Samples to be tested are electrophoresed using standard, nonreducing SDS-PAGE conditions, electro-transferred to nitrocellulose then blocked in buffer containing Tween 20. After incubation with 125I-HA the nitrocellulose is washed and HA-binding proteins are detected by autoradiography. This method was used to detect different HA-binding proteins in isolated rat liver cell preparations. Two HA-binding bands of 175 kD and 350 kD were detected in sinusoidal endothelial cells. Both bands were competed virtually 100% with nonlabeled HA. Using rat hepatocytes, the assay detected major bands at 85 kD and 180 kD. In addition, histones present in both cell types were readily detected in the low MW region. Thus, two different liver cell types show different HA-binding patterns. The blocking procedure is critical for successful renaturation of HA-binding activity, since substitution of BSA for Tween 20 did not result in detectable 125I-HA-binding. This ligand blot assay will be a powerful tool to detect HA-binding proteins in various other tissues and cell types.
Problems in simulating the stratocumulus-topped boundary layer with a third-order closure model

The Andre et al. (1976, 1978) third-order closure model, in which the time rate of change terms, the relaxation and rapid effects for pressure-related terms, and the clipping approximation are used along with the quasi-normal closure, is invoked in the study of turbulence in a cloudy layer that is radiatively cooled from above. A spurious oscillation whose greatest amplitude lies near the inversion is shown by analysis to arise from the mean gradient and buoyancy terms of the triple-moment equations. An attempt is made to damp the oscillation through the introduction of diffusion terms into the triple-moment equations. The results obtained are noted to be sensitive to the ad hoc eddy coefficient applied in the third-moment equations.
Adatom registry on Si(111)-(√3 × √3 )R30°-B

We have used tunneling microscopy to determine the binding site of adatoms on Si(111)-(\ensuremath{\surd}3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} \ensuremath{\surd}3 )R30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} stabilized by surface boron doping. The adatoms are found to occupy the ${\mathit{T}}_{4}$ binding site, regardless of either the local dopant concentration or the presence or absence of a substitutional boron atom directly underneath individual adatoms.
Piezoelectrically Induced Selective Flame Signal Modulation

The design and performance of two devices for selective spectral modulation in flame emission and atomic absorption spectrometry are reported. The similar techniques use periodic piezoelectrically induced deformation of one or two fluidic channels to the solution nebulizer. The mechanically simpler channel device generates a regular ac ripple on the solution flow into the flame. In certain situations, the influence of the solvent pulsing on the flame temperature permits the differentiation of flame background signals from signals of analytical interest; alternatively, advantage can be taken of mutually compensating flame processes which negate the influence of solvent modulation on the flame background. In the generally applicable dual channel technique, the nominal solution uptake rate is constant and the ac components in the flame spectra represent the differences in chemical composition between the analytical and the blank solutions. Effective background discrimination ratios for certain band systems exceed 103:1.
Viscosities of acacia and sodium alginate after sterilization by cobalt-60.

Acacia and sodium alginate powders were sterilized by cobalt-60 irradiation to a total dose of 2.5 Mrad with no increase in residual radioactivity of the gums as a result of the treatment. Viscosity measurements showed an 11% reduction in the viscosity of acacia in water and a 16% decrease in the intrinsic viscosity in barium chloride solution due to the irradiation. Viscosities of sodium alginate solutions in 0.1 N sodium chloride showed a 70% decrease in intrinsic viscosity, indicating changes in the molecular structure corresponding to degradation to 30% of the original degree of polymerization. This dose of γ-radiation from cobalt-60 is not an appropriate method of sterilization for these gums.
Evaluating worksite-based interventions that promote safety belt use

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of worksite-based interventions in increasing the use of safety belts among employees. Search Strategies: Using the Cochrane Collaboration search strategy, we searched in electronic databases, review articles, U.S. government documents, and reports of research agencies. Selection Criteria: Studies had to be evaluations of worksite-based interventions with a clear description of the program. The outcomes evaluated were the percentage of drivers using their safety belts before and after the intervention and (when possible) after a follow-up period. Safety belt use had to be measured in an objective manner, and a comparison group was necessary. Results: Forty-eight interventions met the selection criteria. All interventions increased safety belt use among employees, and in 16 the increases were significant ( p Conclusions: All reviewed interventions had a positive impact on increasing driver use of safety belts. However, it is important to note the low baseline safety belt use existing at the time when the studies took place, the short-term duration of most interventions, and the short-term follow-up reported (if any). More rigorous research in contemporary worksites is needed.
Degradation of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Sphingomonas paucimobilis

The ability of Sphingomonas paucimobilis, strain EPA 505 (a soil bacterium capable of utilizing fluoranthene as the sole source of carbon and energy for growth) to metabolize a variety of high molecular weight polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated. After 16 h of incubation with 10 ppm of a PAH, a resting cell suspension (1 mg wet cells/mL) of S. paucimobilis grown on fluoranthene degraded 80.0, 72.9, 31.5, 33.3, 12.5, and 7.8% of pyrene, benz[a]anthracene (B[a]A), chrysene, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[b]F), and dibenz[a,h]anthracene (DB[a,h]A), respectively. No degradation of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene was detected under these conditions. 1-Nitropyrene was degraded at a lower rate than pyrene. The extent of degradation of the PAHs increased with an increase in cell density. Studies with [7-14C]B[a]P and [5,6,11,12-14C]chrysene showed that, after 48 h of incubation, the cells degraded nearly 28 and 42% of [14C]B[a]P and [14C]chrysene to 14CO2, respectively, suggesting that t...
Turbulence and wind speed characteristics within a model canopy flow field

Abstract A model study of canopy flow over tall roughness elements was carried out in a wind tunnel using roughness consisting of pegs 9 cm high and 0.48 cm in diameter, arranged in four geometrical patterns. The mean and fluctuating velocities were measured within and above the roughness elements. Empirical expressions derived from field measurements for mean velocity profiles and fluctuating velocity were used to examine the data obtained in this model study. The logarithmic profile was adapted to analyze the data of mean velocity above the canopy. In this analysis, the friction velocity and the roughness parameter were calculated from the mean velocity profiles and related to the density of roughness elements to show the effects of roughness density on the flow field. Although the coefficient of anisotropy above the canopy in this model study is larger than in the field, the model study produced a turbulent flow field similar to field conditions.
Gender and environmental effects on regional brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression after experimental traumatic brain injury.

Alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression have been reported in multiple brain regions acutely after traumatic brain injury, however neither injury nor post-injury environmental enrichment has been shown to affect hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene expression in male rats chronically post-injury. Studies have demonstrated hormone-related neuroprotection for female rats after traumatic brain injury, and estrogen and exercise both influence brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Despite recent studies suggesting that exposure post-traumatic brain injury to environmental enrichment improves cognitive recovery in male rats, we have shown that environmental enrichment mediated improvements with spatial learning are gender specific and only positively affect males. Therefore the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gender and environmental enrichment on chronic post-injury cortical and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein expression. Sprague–Dawley male and cycling female rats were placed into environmental enrichment or standard housing after controlled cortical impact or sham surgery. Four weeks post-surgery, hippocampal and frontal cortex brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression were examined using Western blot. Results revealed significant increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the frontal cortex ipsilateral to injury for males (P=0.03). Environmental enrichment did not augment this effect. Neither environmental enrichment nor injury significantly affected cortical brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression for females. In the hippocampus ipsilateral to injury brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression for both males and females was half (49% and 51% respectively) of that observed in shams housed in the standard environment. For injured males, there was a trend in this region for environmental enrichment to restore brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels to sham values. However, there were robust increases in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression ipsilateral to the injury for injured females in environmental enrichment compared with both sham and injured females placed in standard housing (P≤0.005). In the hippocampus contralateral to injury, there were also significant injury-related increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression for females (P≤0.05) that were not further augmented by environmental enrichment. These results show significant, region-specific gender differences in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression with both injury and environmental enrichment that may be important for recovery. However, these data do not support a critical role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor in environmental enrichment mediated improvements with spatial learning.
Juvenile Friends, Behavior, and Immune Responses to Separation in Bonnet Macaque Infants

Individual differences in the response to maternal separation in nonhuman primate infants have been attributed to (among other variables) presence or absence of processes that may model social support in humans. Alternative attachments to other members of the social group buffer the infant against a depressive response to maternal separation. This hypothesis was tested in a group of bonnet macaques by manipulating the presence or absence of alternative juvenile attachment figures (friends) during separation. Infants who retained such attachments showed fewer behavioral evidences of depression when separated from their mothers. These infants without friends also showed changes in lymphocyte activation by mitogens or natural cytotoxicity that were not evident in the infants with juvenile friends. Across all separated infants, natural cytotoxicity was positively correlated with juvenile affiliative behavior directed toward the infants during the separation. These results support the hypothesis that social support, available from alternative attachments, can modulate the response to loss, and can account for some of the individual differences seen in these responses.
Exposure to context may contribute to within-session changes in responding

Rats and pigeons responded on multiple variable interval 30-s variable interval 30-s and multiple variable interval 60-s variable interval 60-s schedules. The 60-min sessions began 0, 5, 10, 15 or 30 min after the subject was placed in the experimental enclosure, determined randomly. Early-session response rates were usually higher, and the early-session increases in responding were usually smaller, when the beginning of the session was delayed than when it was immediate. These results show that factors related to reinforcement (e.g. satiation, sensitization-habituation to the reinforcers) do not provide a complete explanation for within-session changes in operant responding. Instead, an additional factor, possibly arousal or sensitization to the experimental context, also contributes. The results suggest an explanation for the spontaneous recovery of extinguished behavior.
Type 5 Phosphodiesterase Inhibition in Heart Failure: The Next Step⁎

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. —George Santayana ([1][1]) The possibility that selective inhibition of type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5) might be helpful in heart failure (HF) is currently receiving attention. This approach consistently and significantly reduces
A New Basal Sauropodomorph Dinosaur from the Lower Jurassic Navajo Sandstone of Southern Utah

Background Basal sauropodomorphs, or ‘prosauropods,’ are a globally widespread paraphyletic assemblage of terrestrial herbivorous dinosaurs from the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic. In contrast to several other landmasses, the North American record of sauropodomorphs during this time interval remains sparse, limited to Early Jurassic occurrences of a single well-known taxon from eastern North America and several fragmentary specimens from western North America. Methodology/Principal Findings On the basis of a partial skeleton, we describe here a new basal sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Lower Jurassic Navajo Sandstone of southern Utah, Seitaad ruessi gen. et sp. nov. The partially articulated skeleton of Seitaad was likely buried post-mortem in the base of a collapsed dune foreset. The new taxon is characterized by a plate-like medial process of the scapula, a prominent proximal expansion of the deltopectoral crest of the humerus, a strongly inclined distal articular surface of the radius, and a proximally and laterally hypertrophied proximal metacarpal I. Conclusions/Significance Phylogenetic analysis recovers Seitaad as a derived basal sauropodomorph closely related to plateosaurid or massospondylid ‘prosauropods’ and its presence in western North America is not unexpected for a member of this highly cosmopolitan clade. This occurrence represents one of the most complete vertebrate body fossil specimens yet recovered from the Navajo Sandstone and one of the few basal sauropodomorph taxa currently known from North America.
Modeling Tactical Product-Mix Decisions: A Theory-of-Constraints Approach

Notwithstanding the wide-spread inclusion of product-mix decisions in marketing simulation games, little theoretical work has been done to ensure that the algorithms driving them reflect current knowledge regarding product-mix strategy. Recent work based on relationship marketing theory has sought to address this problem strategically, focusing on the impact of demand correlation within the product mix. This article extends this line of research to a tactical level, using Goldratt's theory of constraints to address the impact of supply constraints on product-mix interactions. It shows how these factors can be incorporated into a standard simulation objective function.
Characterization of plasmepsin V, a membrane-bound aspartic protease homolog in the endoplasmic reticulum of Plasmodium falciparum

Aspartic proteases participate in a wide variety of cellular processes in eukaryotic organisms. The genome of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum encodes 10 aspartic protease homologs. Functions have been assigned to four of these: plasmepsins I, II, IV and histo-aspartic protease are key players in the catabolism of hemoglobin in the food vacuole. The functions of the other six remain obscure. To better understand the roles of aspartic proteases in blood stage growth and asexual reproduction of P. falciparum, we have characterized the biosynthesis, cellular location and pepstatin-binding properties of plasmepsin V (PM V). PM V is expressed over the course of asexual intraerythrocytic development. The amount of PM V in the parasite is lowest in the ring stage and increases steadily through schizogony. The proregion of this aspartic protease homolog exhibits remarkable interspecies diversity and appears not to be removed following biosynthesis. In intraerythrocytic parasites, PM V is located in the endoplasmic reticulum but not in ERD2-associated Golgi structures. Fractionation and solubilization experiments demonstrate that PM V is an integral membrane protein, a result that is consistent with the presence of a C-terminal putative transmembrane domain in the PM V sequence. In contrast to the food vacuole plasmepsins, detergent-solubilized PM V does not bind the aspartic protease inhibitor pepstatin. Together, these results strongly suggest that the role of PM V in P. falciparum is distinct from those of previously characterized plasmepsins.