cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of artificial sebum with human and hamster sebum samples

Abstract To understand drug delivery to the sebum filled hair and sebaceous follicles, it is essential to use an artificial sebum as a surrogate of the human sebum for the investigation of drug transport properties. Artificial sebum L was developed in-house based on the chemical similarity to human sebum. The partition and diffusion of model compounds (ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, and hexyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) were measured in human sebum, hamster ear and body sebum (a commonly used animal model), and four representative artificial sebum samples (N, S, F, and L) in which artificial sebums, N, S and F were selected based on the available literature. DSC and NMR studies were also conducted on all sebums to compare their melting properties and chemical compositions. In vitro studies show that the partition coefficients of the three model compounds in artificial sebum L were similar to that of human sebum, whereas the hamster ear and body sebum, and other three artificial sebum samples were different from that of human sebum. Additionally, the in vitro sebum flux (μg/(cm2 min) of three model compounds through artificial sebum L was closer to that of human sebum when compared with the other three artificial sebum (N, S and F), hamster body and hamster ear sebum. The results of this study indicate that the artificial sebum L could be used as an alternative to human sebum, as the physicochemical properties of this artificial sebum is relatively similar to human sebum.
The practice of econometrics: A feminist critique

This paper defines feminist research methods and econometrics and then constructs a feminist critique of traditional methods of econometrics, notably regression and time series analysis. The role of academe and economics programs in maintaining masculinist econometric practices is also addressed. A list of remedies to be followed includes multimethod and interdisciplinary research, as well as increased reliance on inductive rather than deductive methods.
Expression of α1 adrenergic receptor subtype mRNAs in the rat cardiovascular system with aging

α1 adrenoreceptors mediate inotropic and chronotropic responses in the heart and vasoconstriction in blood vessels. Pharmacological studies using selective antagonists for subtypes of α1 receptor suggest that different receptor subtypes may mediate different physiological effects. Prior studies have demonstrated that α1-mediated cardiac responses are altered in aging and that α1 receptor number declines with age in the rat heart. The distribution of α1 receptor subtypes in cardiac tissue and subtype-specific changes with aging, however, have not been established. Using RNase protection assays and in situ hybridization techniques, we have detected message for α1B, α1A, and α1D in all four chambers of the rat heart and in multiple blood vessels. We found no significant changes in α1 receptor subtype mRNA levels in hearts from young (4 months) and old (25 months) Sprague-Dawley rats. Also, there was expression of these three subtypes in all blood vessels assayed. We conclude that transcriptional regulation of α1 adrenoreceptor subtypes does not account for age-related changes in cardiac α-adrenergic responsiveness.
Growth of large pure, doped and co-doped La2CuO4 single crystals

La 2 CuO 4 single crystals doped with Sr, Ba, Nd and Zn as well as co-doped Sr, Nd have been grown by the top-seeded solution growth technique. In very low gradients, crystals of very good quality could be grown up to 3 cm 3 but had small amounts of flux inclusions. Higher thermal gradients have produced high quality, large area, crack-free crystals. Crystals were grown along the tetragonal (100) and (001) directions in low as well as larger thermal gradients
DOWN'S SYNDROME AT YOUNG MATERNAL AGES: CHROMOSOMAL AND FAMILY STUDIES.

Forty-one patients with Down's syndrome born to women whose age at delivery wasless than 20 years have been studied. Three of the patients had chromosomal translocations; a parent of one of these had a similar chromosomal translocation. Three of the patients were mosaics. The data for the patients in this series were combined with data from the literature of patients with Down's syndrome whose mothers' ages at the time of delivery were less than 30 years. For women of less than 30 years of age, and without chromosome study, it is estimated that the maximum empiric risk of a second affected child as a result of a maternally transmitted D/G translocation is about 1 per cent.
New Interior Penalty Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for the Keller-Segel Chemotaxis Model

We develop a family of new interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin methods for the Keller-Segel chemotaxis model. This model is described by a system of two nonlinear PDEs: a convection-diffusion equation for the cell density coupled with a reaction-diffusion equation for the chemoattractant concentration. It has been recently shown that the convective part of this system is of a mixed hyperbolic-elliptic-type, which may cause severe instabilities when the studied system is solved by straightforward numerical methods. Therefore, the first step in the derivation of our new methods is made by introducing the new variable for the gradient of the chemoattractant concentration and by reformulating the original Keller-Segel model in the form of a convection-diffusion-reaction system with a hyperbolic convective part. We then design interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin methods for the rewritten Keller-Segel system. Our methods employ the central-upwind numerical fluxes, originally developed in the context of finite-volume methods for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. In this paper, we consider Cartesian grids and prove error estimates for the proposed high-order discontinuous Galerkin methods. Our proof is valid for pre-blow-up times since we assume boundedness of the exact solution. We also show that the blow-up time of the exact solution is bounded from above by the blow-up time of our numerical solution. In the numerical tests presented below, we demonstrate that the obtained numerical solutions have no negative values and are oscillation-free, even though no slope-limiting technique has been implemented.
A stable isotopic study of fog: the Point Reyes Peninsula, California, U.S.A.

Rain and fog were collected at four locations for almost two years for stable isotopic analysis, on the Point Reyes Peninsula on the north coast of California. The fog water ranged from −18 to −7%o in δD, and −3.1 to −1.7%o in δ18O. The rain was isotopically more depleted, and ranged from −41 to −33%o in δD, and −7.0 − 5.8%o in δ18O. Six groundwater samples were also collected on the Point Reyes Peninsula for stable isotopic analysis. These samples ranged from −32 to −29%o in δD and −5.8 to −5.2%o in δ18O, and are ∼10%o more enriched in δD than the rain. A geographic variation in the δD of fog on the Point Reyes Peninsula is explained by the loss of ∼5% of the condensing atmospheric vapor in the form of fog drip. This explanation, coupled with the observed stable isotopic composition of groundwater, may indicate that a small portion of fog-drip water infiltrates and recharges the groundwater system. The stable isotopic ratios of California coastal fogs, collected on the Point Reyes Peninsula, were compared to those of mountain fogs collected in northern Kenya. Coastal fogs, collected in California, plot below the MWL and are consistently depleted in D and 18O with respect to SMOW. These coastal fogs are the result of an early-stage condensate representing a single-stage evaporation over the open ocean/condensation cycle at the coast. The mountain fogs, collected in northern Kenya, plot above the MWL, are consistently more enriched in deuterium than SMOW, and are thought to contain water that has been evapotranspired and recycled upwind.
Metformin does not Enhance Insulin-Stimulated Vasodilation in Skeletal Muscle Resistance Arteries of the OLETF Rat

Objective To test the hypothesis that chronic metformin treatment enhances insulin-induced vasodilation in skeletal muscle resistance arteries and arterioles. Methods We assessed the effect of metformin treatment (from 20 to 32 weeks of age) of obese Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats and lean LETO rats (300 mg/kg) on insulin-stimulated vasodilation in isolated skeletal muscle feed arteries and arterioles. Results Metformin treatment significantly lowered food intake, body weight, percent body fat, and HbA1c in OLETF rats. Metformin resulted in a ~30% reduction in insulin-induced vasodilation of soleus feed arteries (SFA) from OLETF rats. Inhibition of endothelin-1 (ET-1) signaling produced 20% dilation and eliminated the difference between metformin-treated and untreated OLETF rats in insulin-induced dilation of SFA. In contrast to the SFA, metformin did not alter insulin-stimulated vasodilation in gastrocnemius feed arteries (GFA), or second-order arterioles in the red (G2A-R) or white (G2A-W) portions of the gastrocnemius muscle of OLETF rats. Metformin had no effects on vasomotor responses of arteries from LETO. Conclusions Although metformin exerts favorable effects on body composition and HbA1c, it does not enhance the vasodilatory responses to insulin in the skeletal muscle feed arteries or arterioles of the obese OLETF rat.
A novel observer based adaptive output feedback approach for control of uncertain systems

We consider the adaptive output feedback control of nonlinear systems. Given a smooth reference trajectory, the problem is to design a controller that forces the system measurement to track it with bounded errors. The classical approach requires building a state observer. However, finding a good observer for a highly nonlinear and uncertain plant is not an obvious task. We argue that it should be sufficient to build an observer for the output tracking error. The uniform ultimate boundedness of error signals is shown through a Lyapunov stability analysis. Simulations of a nonlinear second order system illustrate the theoretical results.
X-ray determination of strain in ion implanted GaN

Abstract The out-of-plane c , and in-plane a , lattice parameters of wurtzite gallium nitride (GaN) films, grown on the [0 0 0 1] basal plane of sapphire have been determined and the impact of ion implantation having dose between 5×10 13 and 5×10 15 cm −2 investigated. The thickness of the GaN layers was in the 1–3.5 μm range. The overall effect of the (0 0 0 1) GaN growth on (0 0 0 1) sapphire is biaxial compression in wurtzite α-GaN. Earlier X-ray studies have indicated that the films of GaN grow either purely in α-GaN phase or in α-GaN phase with a cubic β-GaN component. In contrast, our high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement revealed two isostructural polymorphs of α-GaN phases having different lattice parameters. Influence of ion implantation is to increase the values of lattice parameters a and c and could be rationalized in terms of an increase in the defects. At doses above 5×10 15 cm −2 , XRD analysis indicates the existence of an amorphous layer preventing the determination of a and c accurately.
Patients and profits.

The thesis of the paper is that For Profit Hospitals are morally inappropriate health care delivery institutions. The thesis is established first by elaborating on the beneficent nature of medicine, hospitals, and the physician/patient relationship. The primary obligation of the physician, who draws on the resources of medicine and the hospitals, is to restore personal autonomy that is diminished by illness and suffering within the constraints of the ‘canon of loyalty’ that frames the physician patient relationship. Hospitals have historically played the role of facilitator enhancing a physician's ability to administer treatment. Next it is argued that For Profit Hospitals may neglect the role of facilitator. This neglect may occur given the institutions' motivations to return a profit to investors by exploiting the patient/physician relationship. This exploitation is clearly shown to be contrary to the ‘canon of loyalty’ that ought to exist between the patient and physician.
The effect of a portable HEPA-filtered body exhaust system on airborne microbial contamination in a conventional operating room.

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of a portable HEPA-filtered air exhaust system (Stackhouse Freedom Surgical Helmet System) on airborne microbial contamination in a modern conventional operating room. DESIGN AND SETTING Microbial air sampling was done with a two-stage Anderson sampler at the wound site during 46 total joint replacements. All operations were performed by the same surgeon in the same operating room at a large community hospital. RESULTS In 18 cases done without air exhaust hoods, the number of bacterial and fungal colony-forming units (CFU) ranged from 0.6 to 11.7 (mean, 3.6). Air sampling during 28 operations with the operating team in air exhaust hoods revealed a mean of 3.6 CFU (range, 0 to 11.4). Bacterial CFU averaged 3.4 without hoods and 3.2 with exhaust hoods. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most common isolates (48% of isolates with hood, 55% without hood). No infections occurred. CONCLUSION We concluded that these air exhaust hoods did not lower airborne microbial contamination detectable with this air sampling method, as compared to standard head cover and mask, in a modern conventional operating room.
Thermal effects of polymerization of methyl-methacrylate on small tubular bones

This study was designed to investigate the thermal effects of polymerization on small tubular bones. The results demonstrated only a slight increase in temperature during cement-curing in the medullary canals of these bones. The maximum rise (11.7° C) was within the levels of tolerance for living bone cells. It was demonstrated that the small volumes of methyl-methacrylate cool more rapidly, hence further decreasing the deleterious effects of heat. The histological studies showed no recognisable adverse reaction to the thermal effects of methyl-methacrylate polymerization on small tubular bones or on the overlying tissue.
Analysis of cyclic vacuum drying curve

The objective of this research was to analyze the cyclic vacuum drying curve within one cycle. Red oak specimens of two different groups, square in cross-section, were used. Group one was comprised of four different thicknesses (2.54, 3.81, 5.08, and 6.35 cm) with a length of 25.4 cm and group two was comprised of three different lengths (12.7, 25.4, and 38.1 cm) with the thickness of 2.54 cm. The specimens were heated to 60°C in the heating oven and then dried in the vacuum oven at 18 mm Hg. The vacuum oven was at room temperature (20°C). The vacuum pump was kept running for 140 min. It was found that the cyclic vacuum drying curve consisted of two distinct parts. The fast drying period lasted about 10 to 15 min. The slow drying period occurred when the pressure inside wood approached the ambient pressure. Most of the moisture was removed during the fast drying period.
The kinetics of changes in the fatty acid composition of Neurospora crassa lipids after a temperature increase.

Abstract The fatty acid composition of the total lipids, phospholipids and neutral lipids of log-phase shaker cultures of the bd (band) strain of Neurospora crassa , were measured every 2 h for an 8-h period following a temperature increase from 22 to 40°C. For purposes of comparison, the fatty acid composition was also measured when cultures were grown from inoculation at temperatures between 22 and 40°C. In the phospholipids, the temperature jump produced, over a 4–6 hour span, a linear decrease in the linolenic acid (18:3) content from 31 to 10 mol% and an increase in the linoleic acid (18:2) content from 41 to 45 mol% for a few hours, followed by a decrease to 38 mol%. The oleic acid (18:1) content increased, after a 2 h lag, from 5 to 26 mol%. The temperature increase caused a decrease in the double bond index from 180 to 135 but produced no changes in the mol% of the saturated fatty acids, the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids, the total amount of fatty acids per gram dry weight, or the growth rate of the cultures. After the switch to 40°C the total amount of 18:3 per flask increased only slightly over the 8 h period, indicating that there was little loss of 18:3 from the mycelia by β-oxidation, or by conversion to other fatty acids. Since the mass of the culture increased some 4-fold in this time, it suggests that the decrease in the mole percent of 18:3 is probably due to a decrease in the rate of synthesis of 18:3.
Protein structure alignment using a genetic algorithm

We have developed a novel, fully automatic method for aligning the three-dimensional structures of two proteins. The basic approach is to first align the proteins' secondary structure elements and then extend the alignment to include any equivalent residues found in loops or turns. The initial secondary structure element alignment is determined by a genetic algorithm. After refinement of the secondary structure element alignment, the protein backbones are superposed and a search is performed to identify any additional equivalent residues in a convergent process. Alignments are evaluated using intramolecular distance matrices. Alignments can be performed with or without sequential connectivity constraints. We have applied the method to proteins from several well-studied families: globins, immunoglobulins, serine proteases, dihydrofolate reductases, and DNA methyltransferases. Agreement with manually curated alignments is excellent. A web-based server and additional supporting information are available at http://engpub1.bu.edu/-josephs.
Electrospinning for tissue engineering scaffolds

Abstract Tissue engineering involves fabrication of three-dimensional scaffolds to support cellular in-growth and proliferation. The goal: generation of ‘neotissues’ that the body can adapt to carry out physiological function. To achieve this generation of scaffolds having tailored, biomimetic (across multiple scales) geometries has become important. The functional complexity of electrospun scaffolds provides significant advantages over other techniques; however, improvements are required before optimal utilization in vivo becomes routine. Cells on such surfaces are sensitive to topography. Electrospinning can be altered to influence either (1) the surface topography of the fibers themselves or (2) the larger topography of the ‘web’ of spun fibers. Improved deposition efficiencies are a necessary advance needed to maintain the attractiveness of this technique. While the role of residual solvent in the electrospun polymer remains unclear, high pressure CO2 can be used to enhance chemical functionality while maintaining polymer morphology. Electrospun pore sizes, as spun, are typically too small for cells to pass through. Post-processing of these scaffolds to improve internal proliferation is expected to yield considerable benefits as tissue engineering matures as a subdiscipline and the limits of the basic electrospinning process are more widely realized.
Validation of nitroxyl spin‐label force‐field parameters through molecular dynamics simulations

A molecular mechanics parameter set for the nitroxyl spin-label 3-formyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxypyrroline was developed by application of Gaussian94 at the HF/6-31G(d) level suitable for use in molecular dynamics simulations. The parameter set was validated through molecular dynamics calculations for the methyl ester of N-(2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxypyrrolinyl-3- carboxyl)-L-tryptophan to simulate its conformation and structure in methanol and in chloroform at 300 K with use of the program package CHARMM. Excellent agreement of structural parameters derived by molecular dynamics simulations of the solute in both solvent systems was observed with the structure and conformation of the solute defined through electron nuclear double resonance studies (Wells, G. B. et al., JA m Chem Soc1990, 112, 2566). Although rotation about the C(2)—C(15) bond connecting the oxypyrrolinyl ring system to the carbonyl group in the pseudopeptide linkage of the tryptophanyl moiety was governed by a potential energy function having two symmetrically placed minima separated by ±42 ◦ and a barrier height equivalent to only 2.5 kJ/mol, the spin label exhibited preferred occupancy of the −42 ◦ conformer, in direct agreement with spectroscopic studies. The excellent agreement observed between molecular dynamics and spectroscopically derived results provides a firm base for further applications of the force-field parameter set of this spin label for investigation of macromolecular structure and conformational flexibility through
Mutations in the pho2 (bas2) transcription factor that differentially affect activation with its partner proteins bas1, pho4, and swi5.

The yeast PHO2 gene encodes a homeodomain protein that exemplifies combinatorial control in transcriptional activation. Pho2 alone binds DNA in vitrowith low affinity, but in vivo it activates transcription with at least three disparate DNA-binding proteins: the zinc finger protein Swi5, the helix-loop-helix factor Pho4, and Bas1, an myb-like activator. Pho2 + Swi5 activates HO, Pho2 + Pho4 activatesPHO5, and Pho2 + Bas1 activates genes in the purine and histidine biosynthesis pathways. We have conducted a genetic screen and identified 23 single amino acid substitutions in Pho2 that differentially affect its ability to activate its specific target genes. Analysis of the mutations suggests that the central portion of Pho2 serves as protein-protein interactive surface, with a requirement for distinct amino acids for each partner protein.
Analyzing the distribution of cells expressing mRNA for T cell receptor γ and δ chains in a virus-induced inflammatory process

Abstract Acute inflammatory processes are extremely complex, containing sets of activated cells that may be difficult to categorize. The interface between two methodologies for characterizing the involvement of γδ T cells, in situ hybridization to detect T cell receptor (TCR) mRNA and flow cytometric analysis of surface TCR expression, is utilized here to study the pneumonia caused by intranasal (i.n.) infection of mice with influenza A viruses. Substantial numbers of cells expressing mRNA for the γ and δ TCR chains are present in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) populations obtained either late in the course of primary infection with an H3N2 virus or within a few days of secondary challenge with an H1N1 virus. The majority of the γδ TCR mRNA+ cells detected in FACS-separated BAL populations partition to the Thy1+ γδ TCR+ subset, while relatively few ( 1 2 rather than Cγ4 mRNA. While some γδ TCR lymphocytes can be demonstrated by in vitro stimulation of the CD3ϵ+ subset within this H-SSC population, the majority of the γδ T cell precursors that can be expanded in culture demonstrate a low side scatter (L-SSC) profile more characteristic of normal T lymphocytes. The possibility that subsets of activated, granular (H-SSC) αβ TCR+ and Cγ 1 2 mRNA+ γδ T cells are being missed when conventional FACS analysis is used to study this viral pneumonia is discussed.
Cómo se mejora el trabajo de baja retribución en los Estados Unidos

Resumen. Pese aqueel mercado laboral de los Estados Unidos demuestra tenermu-cho dinamismo, alrededor de una quintaparte de la poblacion activa del sector pri-vado desempena empleos de mala calidad, cobra salarios de pobreza —o aun peores—y no tiene apenas ningunaperspectiva deprogreso. Con este telon defondo, el autor estudia que politicas en el ambito de la demanda defuerza de trabajo sirven para alentar a las empresas a mejorar la calidad de los empleos. Expone y valora di-versos programas en marcha que persiguen este proposito, y aboga por que las ac-tuaciones sean mas coherentes y equilibradas. Defiende un planteamiento que conjugue dos facetas: los programas de formation profesional y desarrollo econo-mico impulsados en colaboracion con las empresas, y el fomento de la afiliacion sindical y de la mejora de los salarios y las condiciones de trabajo.
Excitatory action of TRH on spinal motoneurones.

THE recent isolation and characterisation of a number of peptide hypothalamic-releasing (and release-inhibiting) hormones led to an unexpected bonus. Many of these peptides have been found to be widely distributed in brain in areas remote from established hypothalamic neuro-endrocrine systems. For instance, two thirds of the brain thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is located outside the hypothalamus1,2. This finding suggests that TRH might have some neuroregulatory role in the brain besides its role as a releasing hormone. The marked behavioural effects of central origin produced by TRH support this notion3–7. In particular, the finding that TRH can be localised by immunohistochemical techniques to nerve fibres in a variety of brain regions8, that it depresses neuronal activity when applied by microiontophoresis9–11 and that it has stereoselective, high-affinity binding sites in brain12 suggests that TRH may be a neurotransmitter. There is little evidence, however, on the transmembrane effects and mechanism of action of TRH or other peptides on central neurones.
Automated NMR structure refinement via NOE peak volumes. Application to a dodecamer DNA duplex

In NMR structure determination, the initial estimation of distances from NOE cross peaks usually involves the use of a two-spin approximation and the resulting distance geometry initial structures satisfy a set of initial distances that contain some spin-diffusion errors. In order to account for spin diffusion in a multiple-spin system, NOE back-calculation methods are frequently employed, using either numerical integration ( I, 2) or relaxation-matrix methods (3). Iterative back-calculation structure refinements have been carried out by visual comparison of simulated cross-peak intensities (4-6) and by full relaxation-matrix methods ( 7-10) to produce refined structures whose simulated spectra better match the experimental spectra. For visual comparison against experimental data, simulated spectra are generated with the appropriate chemical shifts, linewidths, and lineshapes. NOESY cross-peak volumes depend not only on peak height but also on linewidths and lineshapes (multiplet splitting) that, if incorrect, can lead to volume errors in matching peaks of similar intensity. The relaxation-matrix approaches IRMA ( 7, 8) and MORASS ( 10) use a “hybrid matrix,” that is, a combination of experimental volumes and simulated volumes generated from the coordinates of the current model structure. In the hybrid-matrix approach, distance constraints are not determined by the actual intensity differences between experimental and calculated cross peaks, but by the distance matrix derived from the hybrid volume matrix; because of this, the hybrid-matrix method does not minimize the R factor (the average NOE intensity difference between experimental and calculated cross-peak volumes) very rapidly or efficiently. For example, Koning et al. (8) reported that the average R factor for a simulation of an octamer DNA duplex was about 0.5 after the first cycle of refinement and improved relatively little during further iterations. Furthermore, the relaxation-matrix structural-refinement procedure is confined to fully resolved NOE cross peaks (unless independent spectral deconvolution methods are applied to partially overlapped peaks), while visual inspection can interpolate partially overlapped multiple peaks reasonably accurately. We have developed an automated back-calculation refinement method that operates on all NOE cross peaks, including overlapped cross peaks, by using experimental
Possible Basis for the Evolution of Lateral Specialization of the Human Brain

WORK carried out during the past few years with patients whose neocortical commissures have been surgically divided for the control of epilepsy has revealed an organizational differentiation of the hemispheres for perceptual and cognitive functions1,2.
Population-based norms for the mini-mental state examination by age and educational level

Objective. —To report the distribution of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores by age and educational level. Design. —National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program surveys conducted between 1980 and 1984. Setting. —Community populations in New Haven, Conn; Baltimore, Md; St Louis, Mo; Durham, NC; and Los Angeles, Calif. Participants. —A total of 18 056 adult participants selected by probability sampling within census tracts and households. Main Outcome Measures. —Summary scores for the MMSE are given in the form of mean, median, and percentile distributions specific for age and educational level. Results. —The MMSE scores were related to both age and educational level. There was an inverse relationship between MMSE scores and age, ranging from a median of 29 for those 18 to 24 years of age, to 25 for individuals 80 years of age and older. The median MMSE score was 29 for individuals with at least 9 years of schooling, 26 for those with 5 to 8 years of schooling, and 22 for those with 0 to 4 years of schooling. Conclusions. —Cognitive performance as measured by the MMSE varies within the population by age and education. The cause of this variation has yet to be determined. Mini-Mental State Examination scores should be used to identify current cognitive difficulties and not to make formal diagnoses. The results presented should prove to be useful to clinicians who wish to compare an individual patient's MMSE scores with a population reference group and to researchers making plans for new studies in which cognitive status is a variable of interest. (JAMA. 1993;269:2386-2391)
Recent employment and expenditure trends in city police departments in the United States

Abstract Trends in employment and expenditures in thirty-three major city police departments in the United States are separated into two groups and examined for the years 1959 through 1973. Among the items considered are: the size of the growth in city expenditures for the police on an absolute basis and in relation to expenditures for the provision of other services; changes in expenditures for salaries and wages and for the various types of fringe benefits; salary and wage increases for sworn police employees and for supervisory personnel, in inflated and in constant prices; and changes in the size and composition of police work forces. A number of interesting patterns emerge from this analysis and offer the basis for some inferences on possible future disputes and conflicts in this area.
Basal and inducible CYP1 mRNA quantitation and protein localization throughout the mouse gastrointestinal tract

The CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1 enzymes are inducible by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD); metabolism of BaP by these enzymes leads to electrophilic intermediates and genotoxicity. Throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, we systematically compared basal and inducible levels of the CYP1 mRNAs by Q-PCR, and localized the CYP1 proteins by immunohistochemistry. Cyp1(+/+) wild-type were compared with the Cyp1a1(−/−), Cyp1a2(−/−), and Cyp1b1(−/−) single-knockout and Cyp1a1/1b1(−/−) and Cyp1a2/1b1(−/−) double-knockout mice. Oral BaP was compared with intraperitoneal TCDD. In general, maximal CYP1A1 mRNA levels were 3-10 times greater than CYP1B1, which were 3-10 times greater than CYP1A2 mRNA levels. Highest inducible concentrations of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 occurred in proximal small intestine, whereas the highest basal and inducible levels of CYP1B1 mRNA occurred in esophagus, forestomach, and glandular stomach. Ablation of either Cyp1a2 or Cyp1b1 gene resulted in a compensatory increase in CYP1A1 mRNA — but only in small intestine. Also in small intestine, although BaP- and TCDD-mediated CYP1A1 inductions were roughly equivalent, oral BaP-mediated CYP1A2 mRNA induction was ∼40-fold greater than TCDD-mediated CYP1A2 induction. CYP1B1 induction by TCDD in Cyp1(+/+) and Cyp1a2(−/−) mice was 4–5 times higher than that by BaP; however, in Cyp1a1(−/−) animals CYP1B1 induction by TCDD or BaP was approximately equivalent. CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 proteins were generally localized nearer to the lumen than CYP1B1 proteins, in both squamous and glandular epithelial cells. These GI tract data suggest that the inducible CYP1A1 enzyme, both in concentration and in location, might act as a “shield” in detoxifying oral BaP and, hence, protecting the animal.
Full-field velocity imaging technique using high-energy pulsed laser velocimetry

Digital Pulsed Laser Velocimetry (DPLV) is a novel full-field, two dimensional, noninvasive, quantitative flow visualization technique. The technique described here includes the use of direct digitization of the images for flow analysis using a high resolution imaging system. The image data is stored for further analysis by a series of new image processing and analysis software developed for flow experiments. The imaging processing and analysis software developed includes a compression program for reducing storage requirements of the image data to 10%. An image finding, smoothing, and defining program has also been developed. Analysis time has been greatly reduced and the software is now running on a PC/AT compatible. This program groups pixels that could logically be defined as one image, smooths that image and calculates important parameters for the image. In the technique images via a high resolution camera (1024 x 1024), ten consecutive frames of data, separated by a time increment of 150 ms, are recorded. Each of these ten frames contains the images of particles at that one instant of time. A third computer program is developed to match the image from each of the frames into tracks of the particles through time. The program uses a statistical technique to determine the best possible path of the fluid seeds. The ability of pulsed laser velocimetry with these image processing techniques to capture simultaneous and quantitative rather than qualitative information is its most important capability.
Antler stiffness in caribou (Rangifer tarandus): testing variation in bone material properties between males and females.

Abstract Vertebrate bones, including deer antler, often exhibit variation in their mechanical properties that corresponds to differences in the functional demands they encounter. Among deer, antlers are found in both males and females only in caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Several differences between male and female R. tarandus in behavior and physiology might subject their antlers to differing demands, potentially making divergence of antler material properties between the sexes advantageous. Alternatively, antler material properties might not differ between male and female R. tarandus because both sexes are members of the same species, and the properties of their antlers could, therefore, have emerged under similar pressures and constraints through evolution. To test for sexual dimorphism in antler material properties, we compared the stiffness (Young's modulus of elasticity) of antler specimens from male and female caribou using three-point bending tests. Despite behavioral and physiological differences between males and females, stiffness values did not differ significantly between the sexes in caribou, with a mean (±S.E.) stiffness of 5.8±0.4 GPa across all specimens. This value differed by less than 10% from the values published for R. tarandus specimens of unknown sex, verifying the comparability of bone material property data collected across multiple studies, and lending confidence to recent analyses of the evolution of antler stiffness in deer that have drawn on literature data.
Neutrino-heated winds from rotating protomagnetars

We calculate the steady-state properties of neutrino-driven winds from strongly magnetized, rotating proto-neutron stars (`proto-magnetars') under the assumption that the outflow geometry is set by the force-free magnetic field of an aligned dipole. Our goal is to assess proto-magnetars as sites of r-process nucleosynthesis and gamma-ray burst engines. One dimensional solutions calculated along flux tubes corresponding to different polar field lines are stitched together to determine the global properties of the flow at a given neutrino luminosity and rotation period. Proto-magnetars with rotation periods of P~2-5 ms are shown to produce outflows more favorable for the production of third-peak r-process nuclei due to their much shorter expansion times through the seed nucleus formation region, yet only moderately lower entropies, as compared to normal spherical PNS winds. Proto-magnetars with moderately rapid birth periods P~3-5 ms may thus represent a promising Galactic r-process site which is compatible with a variety of other observations, including the recent discovery of possible magnetar-powered supernovae in metal poor galaxies. We also confirm previous results that the outflows from proto-magnetars with P~1-2 ms can achieve maximum Lorentz factors Gamma ~ 100-1000 in the range necessary to power gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The implications of GRB jets with a heavy nuclei-dominated composition as sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays are also addressed.
Sigmoid plasmacytoma mimicking colon cancer in a patient with multiple myeloma: case report and review of literature

Congenital duodenal occlusion presenting as a neonatal emergency may be caused by a diaphragm or a complete obliteration of the duodenal lumen. Complete obliteration may result from vascular occlusion in utero. A diaphragm may represent incomplete vacuolation of the proliferating epithelial lining of the duodenum between the sixth and eighth weeks of gestation. 1 If the occlusion caused by the diaphragm is complete, symptoms appear from birth. In some cases, a lumen persists in the diaphragm, and presentation is delayed. The lumen is rarely wide enough to avoid symptoms or for symptomstobedelayeduntiladultlife.Thehistoryinadults isusuallyoneofpersistent vomitingandweightloss.Twenty adult patients with duodenal web were reported in a large series of congenital duodenal anomalies from one center in the United States. 3 The onset of symptoms in adult life seems to be the effect of progressive decompensation of the peristaltic force of the stomach and proximal duodenum.
ANALYSIS BY DANSYLATION OF AMINO ACIDS DISSOLVED IN MARINE AND FRESHWATERS1

Dissolved amino acids in seawater, pond water, and spent algal media have been qualitatively analyzed by dansylation, extraction, and thin-layer chromatography. The amino acids were dansylated directly following adjustment of the pH of the samples, and at least l,OOO-fold concentration was achieved by using diethyl ether to extract the amino acid derivatives, which were then applied to thin-layer plates and chromatographed in two dimensions. Analyses revealed aspartic acid to be present in all samples; the other amino acids most frequently found were serine, glycine, alanine, and arginine. Additional amino acids, peptides, and several unidentified spots were also observed.
Euthanasia in Animal Shelters: Management's Perspective on Staff Reactions and Support Programs

ABSTRACTPerforming euthanasia services in animal shelters is a necessary function, yet one that can take a heavy toll on shelter staff. The aims of this exploratory study were to understand animal shelter management's perspective on staff reactions to euthanasia, to identify support programs and policies, and to understand the challenges and barriers to offering such services. A convenience sample of 54 shelter managers in the United States was surveyed using structured questionnaires. As expected, euthanasia was a common practice in shelters, averaging 869 dogs and cats annually per shelter. In response to performing euthanasia, sadness (83.3%), crying (68.5%), anger (57.4%), and depression (57.4%) were the most commonly reported staff reactions. Most shelter managers (74.0%) agreed that euthanasia contributed to burnout in staff, yet far fewer (26.0%) felt that euthanasia led to turnover. Shelter managers indicated that support programs were important for staff who perform euthanasia services. The most ...
Nash implementation with a private good

I construct a general model of social planning problems, including mixed production economies and regulatory problems with negative externalities as special cases, and I give simple mechanisms for Nash implementation under three increasingly general sets of assumptions. I first construct a continuous mechanism to implement the (constrained) Lindahl allocations of an economy, and I then extend this to arbitrary social choice rules based on prices. I end with a mechani sm to implement any monotonic social choice rule, assuming only the existence of a private (not necessarily transferable) good. In that general case, each agent simply reports an upper contour set, an outcome, and I need two agents to make binary numerical announcements. I do not require the usual no-veto-power condition.
Import penetration and strike activity in manufacturing, 1961–77

The model estimated in this paper shows that foreign trade has an impact on the industrial relations process in the domestic market. The impact of trade on industrial conflict, however, is not uniform across all manufacturing industries. Stratifying the manufacturing sector by net exports shows that where import penetration is a problem for the industry, labor and management have modified their relationship in ways that have reduced the incidence of formal strikes. When strikes do occur, however, the state of the economy is an important determinant of the action. In those industries where import penetration is not substantial, strike events are not influenced significantly by the state of the economy.
XBSS: the X-Ray Background Spectroscopic Survey

The x-ray background spectroscopic survey (XBSS) is a SMEX mission proposed to perform a high spectral resolution all-sky survey of diffuse x-ray emission in the 50 - 2000 eV range. This spectral exploration of the x-ray background with high energy resolution will resolve important questions about the role of hot gas in the structure and evolution of the interstellar medium, the Galactic halo, and nearby intergalactic space that cannot be answered in any other way. The temperature distribution, emission measure, ionization distribution, and metallicity of the gases responsible for this emission are unknown. The survey is performed with a 6 by 6 array of cryogenic microcalorimeters that have spectral resolution of approximately 4 eV FWHM. The satellite is spin- stabilized with the spin axis directed toward the sun. The detectors look 90 degrees to the spin axis with a mechanically collimated field of view that is 5 degrees in radius. The instrument scans the entire sky twice in twelve months. During the second survey, deep exposures are performed along selected ecliptic meridians with the span axis fixed for up to 20 days at a time.
Computational analysis of Thr203 isomerization in green fluorescent protein.

Abstract Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is an extensively used fluorescent tag. Photoisomerization between two spectroscopically distinct states in wild-type GFP is responsible for its two visible absorption bands at 398nm (A) and 475nm (B). We have used molecular mechanics and database analysis to support the suggestion of other researchers that the anionic form of the GFP chromophore is responsible for the B absorption band, while the phenol form is responsible for band A. The anionic ( − O tyr , N imid , Glu 222 H) species is the only form that has a low energy pathway allowing for isomerization of Thr203 to a conformation where it stabilizes the phenolate form and is therefore the most likely species responsible for the B absorption band. The rotation of the Thr203 side-chain is restricted; this may be significant in the formation of the intermediate state which is central to the photoisomerization. Our calculations support the most commonly accepted mechanism for photoisomerization, and we have shown that the 201LSTQS205 sequence does not allow a g+ conformation for Thr203.
Potent Inhibition of CTLA-4 Expression by an Anti-CTLA-4 Ribozyme

Blockading the negative-regulatory CTLA-4 receptor has emerged as a powerful strategy with clinical potential to enhance T-cell responses. Some experimental tumors, for example, are rejected when anti-CTLA-4 antibodies are administered in vivo. The concise target cells and downstream events, however, remain to be defined. The development of gene transfer reagents that inhibit CTLA-4 may facilitate such investigations and may expand the therapeutic range. This communication describes an anti-CTLA-4 hairpin ribozyme that specifically abrogates CTLA-4 expression after gene transfer into a murine T-cell model. The analysis of multiple and independently derived clones and bulk cultures showed that CTLA-4 induction was inhibited > 90% at the RNA level and that it was undetectable at the protein level, with and without selective pressure. This potent inhibition required the catalytic function of the ribozyme. The anti-CTLA-4 ribozyme may be an alternative tool with which to continue the functional and therapeutical exploration of CTLA-4.
Outcomes registries: an untapped resource for use in surgical education.

Objective To examine the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) for use in profiling the aggregated resident operative experience by postgraduate training year and to demonstrate the extent to which a surgical registry could be used to examine resident exposure to adverse events. Background Independent data regarding the operative experience and clinical effectiveness across residency programs remain elusive. In the absence of reliable data, the ability to standardize surgical education and reduce variation in practice remains an unachievable goal. Methods We identified general surgery cases using the ACS NSQIP Participant Use File 2011. Resident participation was defined according to postgraduate year (PGY). Descriptive statistical analyses were performed regarding procedure type and clinical outcomes. Results Of the total general surgery cases, a PGY 1 to 5 resident participated in 87% (45,423), and 28% ( n = 14,559) were performed with PGY 5 residents. Interns were involved with 10% ( n = 5448) of the cases. The type of procedures performed varied by PGY, but cholecystectomy was the most common. Overall, 11% (4773) of cases were associated with an adverse event or mortality or both, with a mortality rate of 0.8% (374). The most common adverse event was bleeding (5%). Conclusions The ACS NSQIP captures the breadth of the resident experience in operative case mix and exposure to adverse events. Although the program was originally designed to uncover areas for quality improvement, the findings of our study demonstrate the utility of an outcomes registry as a guide for the development of future educational content in the resident curriculum.
Frontiers of social policy in Europe and America

The cumulative growth of social programs and public income distribution is leading to a grave need for policy harmonization, i.e., efforts to take into account interdependencies across formerly distinct areas of public and private activity. This need is particularly severe with regard to income support programs, labor market relations and taxation systems. While any fundamental backlash against the welfare state is unlikely, so too is any comprehensive solution through negative income taxation or other abstract forms of economic planning. Prospects for coping with problems of policy harmonization differ among nations, but all countries face the challenge of building consensus around noneconomic values lying at the heart of social policy. Without this cushion of legitimacy, increased policy complexity and higher public expectations threaten to overwhelm democratic political systems.