cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetics of Parkinsonism

Parkinson’s Disease (PD), the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease (six million patients world-wide), is generally diagnosed after the sixth decade. It causes motor dysfunctions, such as bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity and postural instability, but also affects autonomic functions and cognition. PD results mainly from progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and other monoaminergic cell groups in the brainstem, increased microglial activation and accumulation of proteins in surviving dopaminergic neurons, known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. The etiology of PD is unknown, although older age and neurotoxins are established risk factors, and smoking appears to be protecitive. In the last decade, several causative genes and susceptibility factors have been identified in rare families with Mendelian inheritance, and suggest that abnormal handling of misfolded proteins by the ubiquitin-proteosome and authophagy-lysosomal systems, increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunctions, and other pathogenic dysfunctions, contribute to PD. Although PD was long considered a non genetic disorder of sporadic origin, 5-10% of patients are now known to have monogenic forms of the disease. At least, 13 loci and 9 genes are associated with both autosomal dominant (PARK1 and PARK4/alpha-synuclein (SNCA); PARK5/UCHL1;PARK8/LRRK2;PARK11/GIGYF2,PARK13/Omi/Htra2) and autosomal recessive (PARK2/Parkin; PARK6/PINK1; PARK7/DJ-1;PARK9/ATP13A2) PD. Monogenic forms represent less than 10% of PD in most populations. The vast majority result from complex interactions among genes and between genes and environmental factors. Genetic variations may be susceptibility factors or disease modifiers, affecting penetrance, age at onset, severity and progression. High-density arrays of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) permit the identification of susceptibility factors in genome- wide association (GWA) studies, in which the frequencies of putative risk alleles are compared in patients and controls. The identification and characterization of Mendelian forms of PD and association studies in sporadic PD patients delineating molecular pathways that are involved in dopaminergic cell dysfunction and death.
Disorderly reasoning in information design

The importance of information visualization as a means of transforming data into visual, understandable form is now embraced across university campuses and research institutes world-wide. Yet, the role of designers in this field of activity is often overlooked by the dominant scientific and technological interests in data visualization, and a corporate culture reliant on off-the-shelf visualization tools. This article is an attempt to describe the value of design thinking in information visualization with reference to Horst Rittel's ([1988]) definition of “disorderly reasoning,” and to frame design as a critical act of translating between scientific, technical, and aesthetic interests. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Music, Dance, and Meaning in the Early Nineteenth Century

In early-nineteenth-century Europe, dance was an essential part of celebration and recreation in both city and country and of the rich social and cultural context within which music was performed. As has often been noted, however, the cultural practices of early-nineteenth-century Europe underwent a number of profound changes, and the practices surrounding music and dance were no exception. While in the years before 1800, a clear distinction existed between dance music for a privileged few and dance music for everyone else, circumstances began to change, and by the 1820s the line between dance for the few and dance for the many had blurred, or, in many cases—and the waltz certainly represented one of them—all but disappeared. As a consequence of this change, the meaning to which dance music gave rise in the early nineteenth century also changed: Dance music might be for a literal dance or it might be for a quasi-dramatic evocation of the dance, but its role as a way to structure musical discourse—that is,...
Retinal blood vessel detection using frequency analysis and local-mean-interpolation filters

Unlike the existing automatic retinal blood vessel detection methods in which the vessels are detected by edge detection, thresholding or both (such as successive local probing) in the spatial domain, this paper presents a frequency-domain approach to the vessel detection problem. By having a frequency-domain analysis of the vessel signals, we found that the vessel signals between 0.1 and 0.25 on the normalized frequency scale showed a relatively high signal-to-noise ratio, and thus could be filtered out from the other image signals by using a band-pass filter. Instead of using a conventional digital filter, a band of Local-Mean-Interpolation (LMI) filters were employed. They provide not only the function of a band-pass filter that is needed, but also a number of desirable features from practical point of view, such as easy to implement, computationally fast, and high filtering performance. Twenty randomly selected color retinal images were used in testing the proposed method. The results showed that the vessel details could be successfully detected by this new method. When compared with the hand-labeled ground-truth segmentation and measured by the Figure of Merit (FOM = true positive/(1+false positive)), it was found that the method achieved an FOM of up to 0.79. As a final note, with some modifications, the method presented may be extended to the automatic detection of vessels (or other features/objects) in other 2D or 3D medical images, such as ultra-sound, CAT, MRI images.
Three-dimensional Landau theory for multivariant stress-induced martensitic phase transformations. II. Multivariant phase transformations and stress space analysis

In this paper, the three-dimensional Landau model of austenite-martensite transformations constructed in Part I is generalized to include transformations between an arbitrary number of martensitic variants. The model can incorporate all temperature-dependent thermomechanical properties of both phases for arbitrary crystal symmetries, including higher-order elastic constants, and it correctly describes the characteristic features of stress-strain curves for shape-memory alloys and steels, namely, constant transformation strain tensors, constant or weakly temperature dependent stress hysteresis, and transformation at nonzero tangent moduli. Geometric representations of the conditions for phase equilibrium and phase transformations in six-dimensional stress space are developed. For the cubic-tetragonal phase transformation, equilibrium and transformation surfaces in three-dimensional stress space and the corresponding lines in the deviatoric-stress plane are found at various temperatures, and transformation processes are analyzed. All model parameters are obtained for the NiAl cubic-tetragonal phase transformation using the results of molecular dynamics simulations available in the literature.
Technical considerations in knot construction. Part II. Interrupted dermal suture closure

Abstract The purpose of tins study was to identify the optimal knot construction for interrupted dermal sutures. A synthetic braided absorbable suture, sizes 3-0 and 5-0, was selected for this evaluation. With reproducible mechanical performance tests, we determined that the construction of secure knots without ears required one additional throw as compared with secure knots with 3-mm ears. The direction of applied tension did not alter knot security, with the exception of granny knots, which required an extra throw when tension was applied parallel to the suture loop. Because interrupted dermal knot construction is accomplished without knot ears and with an applied tension parallel to the wound, one additional throw must be added to the knot to ensure knot security.
Frequency Analysis of Pulsed Optoacoustic Signals and the Application to Chemical Analysis

The optoacoustic signal generated via pulsed laser excitation-transducer detection is frequency analyzed via a discrete Fourier transform. The frequency spectrum is found to exhibit a pronounced maximum at the transducer resonant frequency. Use of this maximum as a measure of the optoacoustic signal strength allows for discrimination against window absorption and various electrical and mechanical noise sources.
Repertoire of Theileria equi immunodominant antigens bound by equine antibody.

Theileriosis in horses and cattle is caused by tick-borne Apicomplexa parasites and results in death or life-long infection in their respective hosts. Transmission risk associated with persistent infection severely limits movement of horses and cattle resulting in economic losses. The recent reemergence of Theileria equi infection in U.S. horses demonstrates the continual threat Apicomplexa parasites represent to global animal health. A paucity of data concerning equine immune responses to T. equi, including antigens recognized by antibodies in clinically asymptomatic, persistently infected horses, precludes vaccine development. Therefore, this investigation was initiated to characterize antigens recognized by the equine antibody response to T. equi. This goal was accomplished by defining T. equi merozoite antigens that are recognized by antibodies in horses infected with distinct T. equi isolates. Previously it was shown that equine post-infection serum consistently recognized at least five T. equi merozoite antigens, but their precise identity remained unknown. To determine specificity of antibody target identification, T. equi merozoite antigens were first isolated using equine post-infection serum in affinity chromatography. Proteins recognized by the equine antibodies were then isolated from two-dimensional electrophoresis gels, and analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) using the recently available T. equi genome database. Five T. equi antigens were identified and include Equi Merozoite Antigen-2 (EMA-2), EMA-3 and EMA-6, a previously uncharacterized protein annotated as “signal peptide containing protein”, and 40S ribosomal protein S12.
Social organization of free-ranging ruffed lemurs, Varecia variegata variegata: mother-adult daughter relationship.

The relationship between a mother and an adult daughter is examined in a group of free-ranging ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata) at the Duke University Primate Center (DUPC). Although the two females were affiliative during the birth season, interactions during the mating season were predominantly agonistic. The maturing daughter was dominant to the mother, as has been observed in many caged social groups at the DUPC. Although both mother and daughter produced offspring in the same group, the daughter subsequently aggressively evicted the mother from the enclosure. It was not possible to maintain more than one long-term resident breeding female in the same social group. This pattern contrasts with observations of affiliation among breeding females in the wild. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
DIGITAL PIV MEASUREMENTS IN THE DIFFUSER OF A HIGH SPEED CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) is a powerful measurement technique which can be used as an alternative or complementary approach to Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) in a wide range of research applications. PIV data are measured simultaneously at multiple points in space, which enables the investigation of the non-stationary spatial structures typically encountered in turbomachinery. Obtaining ample optical access, sufficiently high seed particle concentrations and accurate synchronization of image acquisition relative to impeller position are the most formidable tasks in the successful implementation of PIV in turbomachinery. Preliminary results from the successful application of the standard 2-D digital PIV technique in the diffuser of a high speed centrifugal compressor are presented. Instantaneous flow. measurements were also obtained during compressor surge.
Doping of rf-sputtered a-SiGe:H alloys

Abstract Doping of rf-sputtered a-SixGe1−x:H (x = 0.70) films at a constant substrate temperature of 200°C is investigated. Controlled amounts of phosphine and diborane enabled us to vary the conductivity by about two orders of magnitude for the n-type material and about one order of magnitude for p-type material. Thermoelectric power measurements confirmed that electrons and holes were predominant in the conduction process for phosphorus and boron doped samples, respectively. The optical gap does not change upon doping except in the case of high boron concentration (3 mTorr) for which a decrease of 0.05 eV is observed and an enhancement of absorption for lower energies can be detected.
Nurse-midwifery management of women with human immunodeficiency virus disease

Primary care for women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is appropriately provided by nurse-midwives within a well-coordinated system of medical consultation and referral. The issues of access to care, partner notification, reproductive choice, and breast-feeding are discussed. The nature of the collaborative management of HIV in pregnancy is explained. Management issues include the effects of HIV infection and pregnancy upon each other, perinatal transmission risks and postpartum needs, family planning, and gynecologic needs. Clinical care guidelines are included.
Allosteric Regulation of Even-skipped Repression Activity by Phosphorylation

Abstract The Drosophila homeodomain protein Even-skipped (Eve) is a well characterized transcriptional repressor. Here, we show that Eve's ability to function in vitro is negatively regulated by phosphorylation. DNA-binding activity was unaffected by phosphorylation, but phosphorylated Eve was unable to interact with the TATA-binding protein (TBP), a known target for repression. Unexpectedly, phosphorylation of the Eve N terminus, which is dispensable for repression and TBP binding, was necessary and sufficient to inactivate Eve. LiCl, which specifically inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), reduced Eve phosphorylation in nuclear extract and blocked inhibition of repression. In addition, Eve was phosphorylated and inactivated by purified GSK-3β plus casein kinase II. Our results suggest a novel mechanism of transcriptional control involving phosphorylation-induced allosteric interference with a repressive protein–protein interaction.
Thoracic epidural anaesthesia and analgesia for abdominal surgery: effects on gastrointestinal function and perfusion

Abstract Post-operative ileus constitutes a major morbidity after abdominal surgery. While systemic opioid analgesia is thought to interfere with gastrointestinal function, epidural anaesthesia and analgesia can theoretically speed resolution of ileus. This chapter reviews the pathophysiology of post-operative ileus and the experimental and clinical literature which investigates the effects of epidural therapy on gastrointestinal motility and blood flow. The risks of epidural therapy, including the potential stress on fresh colonic anastomoses, are also discussed. Emphasis is placed on the inclusion of local anaesthetics in the epidural analgesic solution and on the vertebral level of epidural catheter placement. Epidural anaesthesia–analgesia targeted to the thoracic and high lumbar spine congruent to the abdominal incision appears to shorten the duration of ileus after abdominal surgery without undue risk to the patient. However, length of hospital stay is not decreased unless fast-track management is implemented.
Crystal defects in the laves phase TiCo∼2

Both intrinsic and extrinsic stacking faults are observed on {111} in well annealed cubic TiCo2+x alloys (x = −0.06, 0.0, 0.13). The faults are more profuse in the stoichiometric phase than in the off-stoichiometric ones. The intrinsic/extrinsic fault populations range from 61 pct extrinsic in the nominally stoichiometric alloy to 67 pct intrinsic in the cobalt-deficient alloy. Partial dislocations bounding all faults studied in CTEM contrast experiments are Shockley-type (bp = 16 〈112〉).
Association of 3H corticosterone-1,2 with macromolecules extracted from brain cell nuclei.

CORTICOSTERONE, the principal adrenal steroid in the rat,, is retained by cell nuclei in the brain of adrenalectomized rats by a process specific to the corticosterone structure1. Nuclear binding of hormone is greatest in the hippocampus, where we have previously found the highest tissue concentration of radioactive hormone, but is also significant throughout the rest of the brain1,2. The binding of steroid hormone to cell nuclei in other target tissues, indicates that the hormone receptor is protein which can be extracted from the nuclei by moderate salt concentrations3–6. We now present evidence that hormone within brain cell nuclei is bound to a macromolecular component, probably protein, which can be extracted from isolated nuclei by 0.4 M NaCl.
Islam and the West: Conflict, Democracy, Identity

This short essay analyzes the deception and self-deception in talk of ‘the clash of civilizations’ and proceeds to diagnose what is wrong in the standard understanding of Islam in the Western media today by looking to the abiding history of colonial relations with Islam down to this day and also looking to the relation between ideals of democracy and the formation of religious identities. The essay closes with some remarks about the nature of identity and the importance to one’s own agency of the distinction between the first and the third person point of view in Muslim self-understanding.
Functional Interaction between the Drosophila Knirps Short Range Transcriptional Repressor and RPD3 Histone Deacetylase

Knirps and other short range transcriptional repressors play critical roles in patterning the early Drosophila embryo. These repressors are known to bind the C-terminal binding protein corepressor, but their mechanism of action is poorly understood. We purified functional recombinant Knirps protein from transgenic embryos to identify possible cofactors that contribute to the activity of this protein. The protein migrates in a complex of ∼450 kDa and was found to copurify with the Rpd3 histone deacetylase protein during a double affinity purification procedure. Association of Rpd3 with Knirps was dependent on the presence of the C-terminal binding protein-dependent repression domain of Knirps. Previous studies of an rpd3 mutant had not shown defects in the pattern of expression of even-skipped, a target of the Knirps repressor. However, in embryos doubly heterozygous for knirps and rpd3, a marked increase in the frequency of defects in the Knirps-regulated posterior domain of even-skipped expression was found, indicating that Rpd3 contributes to Knirps repression activity in vivo. This finding implicates deacetylation in the mechanism of short range repression in Drosophila.
Shotgun metabolomics approach for the analysis of negatively charged water-soluble cellular metabolites from mouse heart tissue.

A shotgun metabolomics approach using MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry was developed for the rapid analysis of negatively charged water-soluble cellular metabolites. Through the use of neutral organic solvents to inactivate endogenous enzyme activities (i.e., methanol/chloroform/H2O extraction), in conjunction with a matrix having minimal background noise (9-amnioacridine), a set of multiplexed conditions was developed that allowed identification of 285 peaks corresponding to negatively charged metabolites from mouse heart extracts. Identification of metabolite peaks was based on mass accuracy and was confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry for 90 of the identified metabolite peaks. Through multiplexing ionization conditions, new suites of metabolites could be ionized and “spectrometric isolation” of closely neighboring peaks for subsequent tandem mass spectrometric interrogation could be achieved. Moreover, assignments of ions from isomeric metabolites and quantitation of their relative abundance was achiev...
Adrenocortical Cytochrome b5 Expression during Fetal Development of the Rhesus Macaque

The developmental expressions of cytochrome b5 (b5), 17hydroxylase/17,20-lyase cytochrome P450 (P450c17), and 3hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were examined in primate fetal adrenals by immunocytochemistry from 50 –160 d gestation. The expression of b5 was evident at 50 d in the developing fetal zone (FZ), but decreased markedly through midgestation, then increased again from 150 d to term. Similar changes in the temporal expression was observed for P450c17. Whereas P450c17 was induced largely in the transitional zone (TZ; outer-most FZ), b5 expression was strongest in FZ cells further from the capsule, although overlap between these regions involved a narrow band of cells beneath the TZ that may represent the developing zona reticularis. Thus, the induction of b5 in the FZ and of P450c17 in the TZ of the fetal adrenal late in gestation coincided temporally with the prepartum rise in dehydroepiandrosterone previously reported. These data are consistent with the proposed role of b5 in supporting 17,20lyase activity of P450c17. However, the lack of cytochrome b5 and P450c17 expression in the FZ of the developing macaque adrenal cortex for much of the second and third trimesters distinguishes it from the mature zona reticularis seen in adult animals. (Endocrinology 143: 1451–1458, 2002)
Managing contract performance: A transaction costs approach

Managing contracts is a complex process, often exacerbated by high transaction costs inherent in negotiating, implementing, and monitoring contract relationships with vendors. Through analyses of data from a 1997 International City/County Management Association survey of municipal and county governments, the way in which municipal and county governments respond to transaction cost factors inherent in contract service delivery is examined. The results of the analyses demonstrate that when governments contract for services in contexts that risk contract failure, they engage in a variety of monitoring techniques to improve their ability to monitor and correct vendor performance. © 2003 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Fatal Malignant Metastastic Epithelioid Angiomyolipoma Presenting in a Young Woman: Case Report and Review of the Literature:

Epithelioid angiomyolipomas (EAMLs) are rare mesenchymal tumors whose malignant variant is extremely uncommon and highly aggressive. Treatment strategies include chemo radiation, transcatheter arterial embolization and surgical resection, which has remained the mainstay treatment. Targeted therapies including mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors such as Temsirolimus may offer some hope for progressive malignant EAMLs that are not amenable to other treatment modalities. We report a fatal case in a young female who presented with rapidly progressive metastatic EAML that did not respond to mTOR therapy. The literature has shown reduction in tumor burden with the use of mTOR inhibitors, but unfortunately due to the rarity of malignant EAML, a meaningful approach to treatment remains challenging.
Growing new endocrine pancreas in situ

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a major cause of endstage renal disease in young adults. Maintenance of normoglycemia in type 1 diabetics using exogenous insulin is difficult under the best of circumstances. Transplantation therapies are limited by the scarcity of human donor organs, rendering a priority the identification of an alternative source for replacing insulin-secreting cells. Embryonic pancreatic primordia transplanted into diabetic animal hosts undergo selective endocrine differentiation in situ and normalize glucose tolerance. Pancreatic primordia can be transplanted across isogeneic, allogeneic, and both concordant (rat-to-mouse) and highly disparate (pig-to-rodent) xenogeneic barriers. Successful transplantation of pancreatic primordia depends on obtaining them at defined windows during embryonic development within which the risk of teratogenicity is eliminated, growth potential is maximized, and immunogenicity is reduced. Here we review studies exploring the potential for pancreatic organogenesis post-transplantation of embryonic primordia as a therapy for type 1 diabetes.
Effect of bound gossypol in cottonseed meal on enzymic degradation

The nutritive value of cottonseed protein is lowered by the presence of bound gossypol. Samples of cottonseed protein containing from 0.003% to 1.03% bound gossypol were hydrolyzed enzymically and the amounts of free amino acids released were determined. The amounts of amino acids contained in peptides not precipitated by 1% picric acid were also determined. The proportionate reduction in the release of free and peptide amino acids in the presence of bound gossypol was noted. Although the amount of lysine released is reduced in the presence of bound gossypol as expected, there is a markedly larger reduction in the release of a number of other amino acids.
Postnatal malnutrition of extremely low birth-weight infants with catch-up growth postdischarge.

Objective: To assess nutritional intakes and subsequent growth of extremely low birth-weight (BW) infants. Study Design: Chart review of 69 extremely low BW infants stratified into two groups by BW: ≤750 g (group 1; n=27) or 751 to 1000 g (group 2; n=42). Dietary intakes, weights, and head circumferences (HC) were collected through discharge and at 1 month postdischarge. The differences between goals and intakes were calculated weekly during hospitalization. Descriptive comparisons were made between growth parameters at birth, discharge, and follow-up. Results: Total energy and protein deficits were inversely related to BW. Both groups exhibited extrauterine growth retardation while hospitalized. After discharge, the rates of weight gain and HC growth increased, leading to some growth recovery at follow-up. Conclusions: Existing feeding methods resulted in sizeable deficits in energy and protein, particularly for the smallest infants. Changing current practices to limit these deficits is essential to improving postnatal growth.
Electric shock titration in squirrel monkeys following administration of nantradol, levonantradol, or N-methyl levonantradol.

The effects of some cannabinoid-related analgesics were examined in squirrel monkeys responding under a schedule of shock titration. Nantradol (0.1–0.3 mg/kg), levonantradol (0.03–0.1 mg/kg), or N-metnyl levonantradol (0.01–0.03 mg/kg) increased the level at which shock was maintained, but did not change rates of responding. Nantradol effects were not blocked by naloxone (0.3–3.0 mg/kg), but they were attenuated following daily administration of nantradol.
A “Moonlighting” Dizinc Aminopeptidase from Streptomyces griseus: Mechanisms for Peptide Hydrolysis and the 4 × 1010-Fold Acceleration of the Alternative Phosphodiester Hydrolysis†

A unique “enzyme catalytic promiscuity” has recently been observed, wherein a phosphodiester and a phosphonate ester are hydrolyzed by a dinuclear aminopeptidase and its metal derivatives from Streptomyces griseus (SgAP) [Park, H. I., Ming, L.-J. (1999) Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. Engl. 38, 2914−2916 and Ercan, A., Park, H. I., Ming, L.-J. (2000) Chem. Commun. 2501−2502]. Because tetrahedral phosphocenters often serve as transition-state inhibitors toward the hydrolysis of the peptide, phosphoester hydrolysis by peptidases is thus not expected to occur effectively and must take place through a unique mechanism. Owing to the very different structures and mechanistic requirements between phosphoesters and peptides during hydrolysis, the study of this effective phosphodiester hydrolysis by SgAP may provide further insight into the action of this enzyme that is otherwise not obtainable from regular peptide substrates. We present herein a detailed investigation of both peptide and phosphodiester hydrolyses catalyze...
Preclinical Testing of Erlotinib in a Transgenic Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma Mouse Model

Rhabdomyosarcoma is an aggressive childhood malignancy, accounting for more than 50% of all soft-tissue sarcomas in children. Even with extensive therapy, the survival rate among alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma patients with advanced disease is only 20%. The receptor tyrosine kinase Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) has been found to be expressed and activated in human rhabdomyosarcomas. In this study we have used a genetically engineered mouse model for alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) which faithfully recapitulates the human disease by activating the pathognomic Pax3:Fkhr fusion gene and inactivating p53 in the maturing myoblasts. We have demonstrated that tumors from our mouse model of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma express EGFR at both the mRNA and protein levels. We then tested the EGFR inhibitor, Erlotinib, for its efficacy in this mouse model of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Surprisingly, Erlotinib had no effect on tumor progression, yet mice treated with Erlotinib showed 10–20% loss of body weight. These results suggest that EGFR might not be an a priori monotherapy target in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.
Performance of dimethoxymethane and trimethoxymethane in liquid-feed direct oxidation fuel cells

Abstract The present study involves the evaluation of dimethoxymethane (DMM) (formaldehyde dimethyl acetal, or methylal) and trimethoxymethane (TMM) (trimethyl orthoformate) in direct oxidation liquid-feed fuel cells as novel oxygenated fuels. We have demonstrated that sustained oxidation of TMM at high current densities can be achieved in half-cells and liquid-feed polymer electrolyte fuel cells [1] , [2] , [3] . In the present study, the performance of dimethoxymethane and trimethoxymethane was compared with that of methanol in 2″ × 2″ (25 cm2 electrode area) and 4″ × 6″ (160 cm2 electrode area) direct oxidation fuel cells. The impact of various parameters upon cell performance, such as cell temperature, anode fuel concentration, cathode fuel pressure and flow (O2 and air), was investigated. Fuel crossover rates in operating fuel cells were also measured for methanol, DMM, and TMM and characterized in terms of concentration and temperature effects. Although DMM and more particularly TMM may present some logistical advantages over that of methanol, such as possessing a higher boiling point, higher flash point, and lower toxicity, the overall performance was observed to be inferior to that of methanol under typical fuel cell operating conditions.
Continuous and Cyclic Progesterone Differentially Interact with Estradiol in the Regulation of Alzheimer-Like Pathology in Female 3×Transgenic-Alzheimer's Disease Mice

Depletion of estrogens and progesterone at menopause has been linked to an increased risk for the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in women. A currently controversial literature indicates that although treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone therapy (HT) may reduce the risk of AD, several parameters of HT may limit its potential efficacy and perhaps, even exacerbate AD risk. One such parameter is continuous vs. cyclic delivery of the progestogen component of HT. Recent experimental evidence suggests that continuous progesterone can attenuate neural actions of estradiol (E2). In the present study, we compared the effects of continuous and cyclic progesterone treatment in the presence and absence of E2 in ovariectomized 3×Tg-AD mice, a transgenic mouse model of AD. We found that ovariectomy-induced hormone depletion increases AD-like pathology in female 3×Tg-AD mice, including accumulation of β-amyloid, tau hyperphosphorylation, and impaired hippocampal-dependent behavior. E2 treatment alone p...
Modelling information seeking

Abstract This article proposes three inter-related models to aid in the understanding of the complex and constructive process of contemporary information seeking: (1) postmodern model of identity; (2) rhizomorphic model of information contexts; and (3) hypertextual model of technology interaction. The nature of the information seeking problem is redefined as an individual's negotiation of identity through the exploration of the interaction of private ignorance and public knowledge. The three models are introduced, and their association with the information seeking problem clarified. The incorporation of foci on interactive processes, borrowed from communication studies, into the current proposed approach to modelling information seeking is justified. Finally, suggestions are offered for further research based on this approach.
Cysteamine Inhibition of Bovine Pituitary Secretory Granule Prolactin Immunoassayability and Release

Cysteamine [2-mercaptoethylamine (CySH)] displays a variety of neuroendocrine effects, the most potent being the depletion of imunoassayable tissue PRL. The present study used bovine adenohypophysial secretory granules to characterize this inhibition of measurable hormone (assayability). CySH decreased assayability in a dose-dependent manner at pH 7.4, with 50% inhibition observed close to 2 mM. Maximal inhibition was found between pH 6.0 and 6.5, whereas diminished (or no) inhibition occurred under alkaline conditions, depending on the buffer. In contrast, reduced glutathione (without CySH) increased assayability at pH 8–8.5, had little potency near neutrality, and inhibited assayability under acidic conditions. Electrophoretic studies under nondenaturing conditions demonstrated that CySH exposure of standard PRL resulted in additional charged species. With granules, CySH markedly decreased the staining of the major PRL band, no new bands were evident, and this effect was abolished by glutathione. Sodium...
Macroalgal bloom dynamics in a highly eutrophic southern California estuary

A 16-mo long monitoring study was carried out in Upper Newport Bay estuary (UNB), Orange County, California, to quantify the macroalgal community of a southern California estuary. Quarterly sampling began December 1996 at 8 stations along the main channel and tidal creeks ranging from the head to the lower end of UNB. At each station, two strata (one at high and one at low elevation) were surveyed. Macroalgal species abundance (% cover and biomass) and algal tissue nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were measured. The algal community changed from sparse macroalgal cover during winter 1996 to larger patches dominated byEnteromorpha intestinalis in spring 1997. The community was characterized by a thick cover of macroalgae comprised ofE. intestinalis andUlva expansa in summer 1997 andU. expansa andCeramium spp. in fall 1997. UNB returned to sparse macroalgal cover by spring 1998. In summer and fall 1997, biomass ofE. intestinalis andCeramium reached over 1,000 g wet wt m−2 each, andU. expansa biomass exceeded 700 g wet wt m−2. Tissue N was high inE. intestinalis andU. expansa collected from UNB (≈3% dry wt) and higher inCeramium (≈3.5% dry wt). Tissue P in all three algae ranged from 0.24–0.28% dry wt. Tissue N∶P (molar) ratios inE. intestinalis andU. expansa ranged from 16.4 to 30.0 and inCeramium from 21.8 to 40.1. A field experiment was conducted in whichE. intestinalis was used as a bioassay of N and P availability. Algal tissue was cultured under known conditions and samples were deployed throughout the estuary and left for 24 h. Tissue N of algae from these bags showed a nominal increase in N with proximity to the primary nutrient input to the system, San Diego Creek (p=0.0251; r2=0.200). Our data indicate that UNB is already a highly eutrophic estuary, but macroalgal blooms in UNB may increase if more N is added to the system.
Mechanisms of retention of organic volatiles in freeze-dried systems *

Summary Retention of organic volatiles was studied in freeze-dried systems containing various carbohydrates ranging in molecular weight from glucose to dextrans. On the basis of the freeze-drying experiments and studies on sorption and desorption after drying, a mechanism for the retention and/or loss of volatiles during drying was postulated. The mechanism involves formation of ‘microregions’in the dry cake in which the volatile is entrapped. The space between the microregions is freely passable by the volatile. The total amount of volatile retained under given conditions depends on the moisture profile during drying, and on the effective vapour pressure of the volatile in the system. The present paper considers the following molecular aspects of the formation of microregions in freeze-drying of solids: 1 orientation of the molecules of the solid with respect to volatile molecules prior to or during freeze-drying; 2 effects of size and polarity of the volatile on orientation of surrounding carbohydrate molecules; 3 effects of mobility of these molecules under conditions of drying; 4 molecular and environmental factors which control the moisture level at which the microregions become sealed, and subsequently impermeable to the volatile.
Delta wing vortex manipulation using pulsed and steady blowing during ramp-pitching

The effectiveness of steady and pulsed blowing as a method of controlling delta wing vortices during ramp pitching has been investigated in flow visualization experiments conducted in a water tunnel. The recessed angled spanwise blowing technique was utilized for vortex manipulation. This technique was implemented on a beveled 60 delta wing using a pair of blowing ports located beneath the vortex core at 40% chord. The flow was injected primarily in the spanwise direction but was also composed of a component normal to the wing surface. The location of vortex burst was measured as a function of blowing intensity and pulsing frequency under static conditions, and the optimum blowing case was applied at three different wing pitching rates. Experimental results have shown that, when the burst location is upstream of the blowing port, pulsed blowing delays vortex breakdown in static and dynamic cases. Dynamic tests verified the existence of a hysteresis effect and demonstrated the improvements offered by pulsed blowing over both steady blowing and no-blowing scenarios. The application of blowing, at the optimum pulsing frequency, made the vortex breakdown location comparable in static and ramp pitch-up conditions.
SIDEWALK/CURB-BREAKING TREE ROOTS. 2. MANAGEMENT TO MINIMISE EXISTING PAVEMENT PROBLEMS BY TREE ROOTS

Summary Management to minimise pavement problems caused by existing tree roots includes water management, soil aeration, root pruning, redesigning structures near trees and tree removal. Avoiding future pavement problems caused by tree roots will necessitate soil modification, plant selection, redesigning fixed structures near trees and considering open-ended containers to direct roots downwards.
Histological findings in cerebellar tonsils of patients with Chiari type I malformation

Objectives Cerebellar tonsillectomy is often performed for relief of symptoms associated with Chiari type I malformation (CMI). Nonetheless, the idea of removing supposedly healthy central nervous tissue has been a source of concern for neurosurgeons. The aim of this paper is to determine the histological changes in the cerebellar tonsils of patients with a wide range of symptoms and conditions related to CMI.
Research Note: Egg Shell Problems: Estimates of Incidence and Economic Impact

Abstract Producers representing 81 million commercial layers were surveyed to determine the percentage of eggs lost or cracked prior to consumer use. Average values obtained for eggs lost in the processing plant, cracked eggs in the processing plant, eggs lost at farm, and uncollectable eggs were 1.16, 4.0, 1.6, and 6.1%, respectively. The percentages of cracked eggs estimated to be in grade A cartons after processing at point of origin and at final destination (store) were 5 and 7%, respectively. Estimates of average of total eggs cracked or lost prior to reaching their final destination ranged from 13 to 20%, with a dollar loss calculated to be between $1.32 to $2.00/bird.
A projection method for signal detection in colored Gaussian noise

The problem of the detection of known signals in colored Gaussian noise is usually studied through infinite-series representations for the signals and noise. In particular, the Karhunen-Loeve (K-L) expansion is often used for this purpose. Such infinite-series methods, while elegant, often introduce mathematical complications because they raise questions of convergence, interchange of orders of integration, etc. The resolution of these problems is difficult and has led, when the K-L expansion is used, to the introduction of subsidiary conditions whose physical meaning is often unclear. We present a method of reducing the detection problem to a finite-dimensional form where many of the difficulties with the infinite-series K-L expansion do not arise. The resulting simplicity provides more direct derivations of and more physical insights into several earlier results. It has also suggested some new results. The method is essentially based on the use of a projection in a special kind of Hilbert space called a reproducing kernel Hilbert space.
Error recovery for interactive video transmission over the Internet

Real-time interactive video transmission in the current Internet has mediocre quality because of high packet loss rates. Loss of packets in a video frame manifests itself not only in the reduced quality of that frame but also in the propagation of that distortion to successive frames. This error propagation problem is inherent in any motion compensation-based video codec. In this paper, we present a new error recovery scheme, called recovery from error spread using continuous updates (RESCU), that effectively alleviates error propagation in the transmission of interactive video. The main benefit of the RESCU scheme is that it allows more time for transport-level recovery such as retransmission and forward error correction to succeed while effectively masking out delays in recovering lost packets without introducing any playout delays, thus making it suitable for interactive video communication. Through simulation and real Internet experiments, we study the effectiveness and limitations of our proposed techniques and compare their performance to that of existing video error recovery techniques including H.263+ (NEWPRED). The study indicates that RESCU is effective in alleviating the error spread problem and can sustain much better video quality with less bit overhead than existing video error recovery techniques under various network environments.
Acetylator phenotype in relation to age and gender in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

This study investigated in healthy Caucasians the possible occurrence of age and gender-associated differences in NAT2 acetylator phenotype. Acetylator phenotype was determined after a single oral dose of 100 mg dapsone during testing of oral glucose tolerance in 510 Caucasian volunteers aged from 19 to 93 years, 339 men and 171 women, from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Participants were classified as slow or rapid acetylators according to the ratio of monoacetyldapsone to dapsone concentration in plasma. The ratio dividing the two groups, 0.30, was chosen after inspection of a probit plot and histogram of the monoacetyldapsone/dapsone ratios. Fifty-one percent of the participants were slow acetylators and 49% were rapid acetylators. Because there was no significant difference between the sexes in the monoacetyl-dapsone/dapsone ratios, all 510 participants were pooled into a single group for further analysis. In the combined analysis, there was a small decline in the prevalence of the slow acetylator phenotype with age, but this age effect accounted for less than 1% of the total variance in the monoacetyldapsone/dapsone ratio (r2 = 0.009). Also, it was shown in a group of 20 participants that administration of glucose with dapsone does not influence the determination of acetylator phenotype. In a large healthy Caucasian. American population, there was no biologically important effect of age or sex on the distribution of NAT2 acetylator phenotype.
Necessary conditions for N distributed sensor detectors connected in parallel under the Neyman-Pearson criterion

Necessary conditions are given for an optimum parallel-connected set of distributed sensor detectors with possibly dependent observations. The focus is on a Neyman-Pearson rule where one wishes to find a complete set of sensor fusion rules to maximize the probability of detection for a fixed false alarm probability. >
The market reaction to layoff announcements: a union‐nonunion comparison

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the market reaction to layoff announcements of union and nonunion employees.Design/methodology/approach – Event study methodology was utilized to assess the effects of layoff announcements of union versus nonunion employees. The union status of the laid‐off employees was determined for 135 layoff announcements reported in the Wall Street Journal in 1993 and 1994 and shareholder returns between the two groups was compared.Findings – Over each event period tested, the market reaction was more negative when nonunion employees were downsized than when the announcement concerned unionized employees. Over the two days surrounding the announcement, the market reaction to the layoff announcement of unionized employees was actually positive, while the reaction was negative when nonunion employees were the subject of the announcement.Research limitations/implications – The sample included layoff announcements from 1993 and 1994 only. The market reaction to announcem...
Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron-oxide-enhanced MR imaging of normal bone marrow in rodents: original research original research.

Rationale and Objectives The objective is to compare three different ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxides (USPIOs) for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of normal bone marrow in rodents. Materials and Methods Femoral bone marrow in 18 Sprague-Dawley rats was examined by using MR imaging before and up to 2 and 24 hours postinjection (PI) of 200 μmol of Fe/kg of SHU555C (n = 6), ferumoxtran-10 (n = 6), or ferumoxytol (n = 6), using T1-weighted (50 ms/1.7 ms/60° = repetition time [TR]/echo time [TE]/flip angle) and T2*-weighted (100 ms/15 ms/38° = TR/TE/flip angle) three-dimensional spoiled gradient recalled echo sequences. USPIO-induced bone marrow was evaluated qualitatively and quantified as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and change in signal intensity (ΔSI) values. A mixed-effect model was fitted to the SNR and ΔSI values, and differences among USPIOs were tested for significance by using F tests. Results At 2 hours PI, all three USPIOs showed marked positive signal enhancement on T1-weighted images and a corresponding marked signal loss on T2*-weighted images. At 24 hours PI, the T1 effect of all three USPIOs disappeared, whereas T2*-weighted images showed persistent signal loss on SHU555C and ferumoxytol-enhanced MR images, but not ferumoxtran-10–enhanced MR images. Corresponding SNR and ΔSI values on T2*-weighted MR images at 24 hours PI were significantly different from baseline for SHU555C and ferumoxytol, but not ferumoxtran-10. Conclusion All three USPIO contrast agents, ferumoxtran-10, ferumoxytol, and SHU555C, can be applied for MR imaging of bone marrow. Ferumoxtran-10 apparently reveals a different kinetic behavior in bone marrow than ferumoxytol and SHU555C.
Outcome of a controlled trial of the effectiveness of intensive case management for chronic public inebriates.

Objective: The objective of this study was to test whether an intensive case management intervention would be effective with a group of homeless chronic public inebriate clients. The primary goals of the case management were to improve the financial and residential stability of the clients and to reduce their use of alcohol. Method: Subjects (N = 298, 81% male) were interviewed at baseline, randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions and given follow-up interviews at 6-month intervals for 2 years. Case management services were provided for the duration of the project. Follow-up rates for the first three interviews averaged 82%. Results: Repeated measures MANCOVAs showed significant group differences favoring the case-managed group in all three areas targeted by the intervention: total income from public sources, nights spent in "own place" out of the previous 60 nights and days drinking out of the previous 30 days. The results held whether the three variables were analyzed jointly or separately ...