cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Therapy of Otitis Media

Otitis media is the most common diagnosis made in the pediatrician’s office and the most common indication for antimicrobial therapy. Discussed are the clinical course, natural history, etiology, and pathogenesis of the disorder as well as the management of acute otitis media, recurrent otitis media, and persistent middle ear effusions.
DIURNAL RHYTHM OF HEME TURNOVER ASSESSED BY BREATH CARBON MONOXIDE CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENTS

Measurements of pulmonary carbon monoxide (CO) excretion can be used as a quantitative indicator of heme turnover. We determined whether a diurnal variation of heme turnover occurs by using a recently described technique that estimates breath CO excretion from measurements of alveolar CO concentration corrected for environmental CO to yield an endogenous PCO. This simple technique, unlike the previously employed rebreathing method, makes it possible to repeatedly measure CO excretion throughout a 24-hour period. Nine studies in seven healthy adult subjects demonstrated a diurnal rhythm of CO excretion with a peak excretion rate at about noon that was 26% greater than the nadir, which occurred at about midnight. The rhythm of CO production underlying the observed breath CO excretion was calculated to have an amplitude of about twice that of CO excretion and a phase shift relative to excretion of about 4 hours. We conclude that a diurnal variation in the rate of heme turnover occurs, and when CO determinations are used to assess minor alterations in heme turnover, consideration must be given to the time of day at which the measurements are obtained.
Epilepsy: A dietary supplement for SUDEP prevention?

A new study has shown that dietary supplementation with a serotonin precursor reduces seizure-induced respiratory arrest (S-IRA) and death in mouse models. Development of strategies to prevent S-IRA is paramount, because S-IRA is thought to be associated with a high risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
Sorption Kinetics of Non-Ionic Organic Pollutants Onto Suspended Sediments

The results of controlled batch experimental studies of the adsorption and desorption kinetics of dichlorobenzene to 1) size fractionated, washed sediments, 2) aggregate, washed sediment, 3) dissolved/colloidal sediment materials, and 4) bulk sediments,are used to determine the effect of inhomogeneous mixtures on the overall sorption rates. The size-segregated sediments are modeled as spherical particles with a porous outer shell of organic matter for sorption and an inert, inorganic core. The characteristic times of intraparticle diffusive transport are found to vary with particle size by about two orders of magnitude. The distribution of natural organic matter content with particle size results in sorption rates which differ greatly from that predicted by the monodisperse, homogeneous particle model. Coupled, reversible reactions between the solute and each solid size fraction are presented as a conceptual model for the interpretation of the empirical results of batch experiments.
Pyroxenite causes fat plumes and stagnant slabs

Conventional wisdom holds that there is a change in the pattern of mantle convection between 410 and at 660 km, where structural transformations convert olivine into its high-pressure polymorphs. In this regard, recent tomographic studies have been a complete surprise, revealing (i) rapid broadening of slow seismic anomalies beneath hotspots from hundreds of kilometers wide at shallow depths to 2000–3000 km wide deeper than ~ 800 km and (ii) fast seismic anomalies associated with subducted lithosphere that appear to flounder at 800–1,000 km. It is difficult to reconcile these observations with the conventional view of mantle mineralolgy that experiences limited mineralogical change below 660 km. Here we propose that plumes and slabs contain significant proportions of lithologies that experience an entirely different suite of mineral reactions, demonstrating that both subducted basalt and pyroxenite upwelling in plumes experience substantial changes in mineralogy and thus physical properties at ~ 800 km depth. We show the importance of this for mantle rheology and dynamics and how it can explain hitherto puzzling mantle tomographic results.
Pimavanserin, a novel antipsychotic for management of Parkinson's disease psychosis.

Introduction: Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP) may develop in up to 60% of Parkinson’s patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. It also correlates with depression and d...
Hair Pulling in the Art Classroom: A Phenomenology of Un/marked Bodies

In this chapter, Emily Jean Hood discusses bodies of difference. Bodies that are gendered, raced, sexual, and able/disable that emerge from a vast array of contexts. Her writing is a phenomenological analysis of an experience she had as an instructor in a junior high art class. She reflects on a memory as a rupture in the everyday quickness of classroom interaction. The extension of another body toward hers in an unexpected way, the grasping of her hair as an object of curiosity, the lines that were crossed, and the invasion of proximity called her being into awareness. Hood’s hair, an object that is an extension of her being, suddenly becomes a point of difference. In this chapter, she digs further into this notion of bodies and difference in the art classroom. Using Linda Alcoff’s phenomenology of racial embodiment and Sara Ahmed’s notion of orientation, she discusses possible structures that facilitated hair pulling in her art classroom.
Assessing Population Subdivision

Nei’s G ST is widely used as a measure of population subdivision, especially now that molecular data are abundant. The standard assumption is that G ST measures the degree of subdivision independent of allele frequencies. In this article, I show that this is indeed true, provided there is no selection or mutation and that migration, splitting, and fusion are independent of allele frequencies. G ST has other desirable properties in addition: It is determined mainly by the absolute number of migrants per generation; it approaches equilibrium rapidly; and it can be used, with molecular markers, to assess the degree of altruism that would be expected with the current population structure.
Understanding brand fan page followers’ discontinuance motivations: A mixed-method study

Abstract As companies recognize the effectiveness of social media as a marketing channel, firms are leveraging brand fan pages (BFPs) to foster deeper relationships with their customers. While most extant studies focus on the motivations behind customers’ participation in BFPs, only little is known about the discontinuance behaviors of BFP followers. This study identifies a comprehensive inventory of BFP followers’ unfollowing motivations. By conducting a mixed-method study, the study develops and empirically validates a five-factor scale that measures BFP followers’ discontinuance motivations. The impact of the motivations on BFP users’ unfollowing intention is also examined. Theoretical and practical implications are subsequently discussed.
Real-time local oxygen measurements for high resolution cellular imaging

Abstract Single-cell metabolic investigations are hampered by the absence of flexible tools to measure local partial pressure of O2 (pO2) at high spatial-temporal resolution. To this end, we developed an optical sensor capable of measuring local pericellular pO2 for subcellular resolution measurements with confocal imaging while simultaneously carrying out electrophysiological and/or chemo-mechanical single cell experiments. Here we present the OxySplot optrode, a ratiometric fluorescent O2-micro-sensor created by adsorbing O2-sensitive and O2-insensitive fluorophores onto micro-particles of silica. To protect the OxySplot optrode from the components and reactants of liquid environment without compromising access to O2, the micro-particles are coated with an optically clear silicone polymer (PDMS, polydimethylsiloxane). The PDMS coated OxySplot micro-particles are used alone or in a thin (~50 μm) PDMS layer of arbitrary shape referred to as the OxyMat. Additional top coatings on the OxyMat (e.g., fibronectin, laminin, polylysine, special photoactivatable surfaces etc.) facilitate adherence of cells. The OxySplots report the cellular pO2 and micro-gradients of pO2 without disrupting the flow of extracellular solutions or interfering with patch-clamp pipettes, mechanical attachments, and micro-superfusion. Since OxySplots and a cell can be imaged and spatially resolved, calibrated changes of pO2 and intracellular events can be imaged simultaneously. In addition, the response-time (t0.5 = 0.7 s, 0–160 mmHg) of OxySplots is ~100 times faster than amperometric Clark-type polarization microelectrodes. Two usage example of OxySplots with cardiomyocytes show (1) OxySplots measuring pericellular pO2 while tetramethylrhodamine methyl-ester (TMRM) was used to measure mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m ); and (2) OxySplots measuring pO2 during ischemia and reperfusion while rhod-2 was used to measure cytosolic [Ca2+]i levels simultaneously. The OxySplot/OxyMat optrode system provides an affordable and highly adaptable optical sensor system for monitoring pO2 with a diverse array of imaging systems, including high-speed, high-resolution confocal microscopes while physiological features are measured simultaneously.
Sizeism in Mental Health Training and Supervision

Graduate programs in the mental health professions provide training in multicultural issues, but sizeism is rarely included in this training. Here we provide suggestions for fat-affirmative graduate training, including the Health at Every Size Movement, terminology about weight, women’s appearance in a cultural context, and the long-term failures of most diets. We also provide recommendations for fat-affirmative clinical supervision, so that trainees do not inadvertently contribute to clients’ self-hatred of their bodies.
A Qualitative Exploration of Parental Separation and Coping: Attachment Disruptions Among Newcomer Immigrant Adolescents:

Qualitative interview data were used to explore parental separation and coping strategies among newcomer immigrant adolescents. Participants included 58 newcomer immigrant adolescents from 21 count...
Concordance of Patient and Caregiver Reports on the Quality of Colorectal Cancer Care.

PURPOSE:We aimed to better understand how similarly patients with colorectal cancer and caregivers view care quality and to assess factors that may influence concordance.MATERIALS AND METHODS:We co...
Degenerative Meniscus Tear in Older Athletes

Older athletes consist of a relatively healthier population with a high desire for return to sport despite knee injury. A meniscal tear is a common injury that has lasting impacts on joint function and activity level. Lower extremity loading from sporting activity in conjunction with degenerative meniscal changes increases the risk of meniscal tear in older athletes. Optimal treatment of degenerative meniscal tears is often debated with varying studies reporting the benefits of strictly nonoperative treatment or the value of surgery. Postoperative rehabilitation is crucial to enhance the possibility of return to sport.
A mechanism of defect-enhanced phase transformation kinetics in lithium iron phosphate olivine

Antisite defects are a type of point defect ubiquitously present in intercalation compounds for energy storage applications. While they are often considered a deleterious feature, here we elucidate a mechanism of antisite defects enhancing lithium intercalation kinetics in LiFePO4 by accelerating the FePO4 → LiFePO4 phase transformation. Although FeLi antisites block Li movement along the [010] migration channels in LiFePO4, phase-field modeling reveals that their ability to enhance Li diffusion in other directions significantly increases the active surface area for Li intercalation in the surface-reaction-limited kinetic regime, which results in order-of-magnitude improvement in the phase transformation rate compared to defect-free particles. Antisite defects also promote a more uniform reaction flux on (010) surface and prevent the formation of current hotspots under galvanostatic (dis)charging conditions. We analyze the scaling relation between the phase boundary speed, Li diffusivity and particle dimensions and derive the criteria for the co-optimization of defect content and particle geometry. A surprising prediction is that (100)-oriented LiFePO4 plates could potentially deliver better performance than (010)-oriented plates when the Li intercalation process is surface-reaction-limited. Our work suggests tailoring antisite defects as a general strategy to improve the rate performance of phase-changing battery compounds with strong diffusion anisotropy.
Worth Our Salt: Reflections of an Early Career Clinical Ethicist

As an early career clinical ethicist who completed fellowship training less than two years ago, I am heartened to see real action toward the professionalization of our field and excited to see wher...
A queer “socialist brotherhood”: the Guardian web series, boys’ love fandom, and the Chinese state

Discussing the mainland Chinese web series Guardian, adapted from a homoerotic “boys’ love” novel, this paper examines the practices and discourses of producers, viewers, and the state with respect...
Power Allocation for Coexisting Multicarrier Radar and Communication Systems in Cluttered Environments

In this paper, power allocation is examined for the coexistence of a radar and a communication system that employ multicarrier waveforms. We propose two designs for the considered spectrum sharing problem by maximizing the output signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) at the radar receiver while maintaining certain communication throughput and power constraints. The first is a joint design where the subchannel powers of both the radar and communication systems are jointly optimized. Since the resulting problem is highly nonconvex, we introduce a reformulation by combining the power variables of both systems into a single stacked variable, which allows us to bypass a conventional computationally intensive alternating optimization procedure. The resulting problem is then solved via a quadratic transform method along with a sequential convex programming (SCP) technique. The second is a unilateral design which optimizes the radar transmission power with fixed communication power. The unilateral design is suitable for cases where the communication system pre-exists while the radar occasionally joins the channel as a secondary user. The problem is solved by a Taylor expansion based iterative SCP procedure. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed joint and unilateral designs in comparison with a subcarrier allocation based method.
Medication Discontinuation Following Transurethral Prostatectomy: an Unrecognized Effectiveness Measure?

Freedom from medication is a common goal for patients undergoing surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)/lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Knowing medication discontinuation rates following various forms of transurethral prostatectomy may aid patient counseling and assessing the comparative effectiveness of different approaches. This review examined discontinuation rates of BPH/LUTS medications following transurethral prostatectomy. Rates of BPH/LUTS medication use after transurethral resection of the prostate varied from 15% to 55%, and discontinuation rates were 54–95% across medications and follow-up periods. For laser prostatectomy, approximately 18% of patients continued medications postoperatively and discontinuation rates ranged from 53% to 75%. Minimal data on holmium laser enucleation existed. For reference, medication discontinuation rates after transurethral needle ablation or microwave therapy were only 15–28%. No recommendations or best practices inform the use of medical therapy following BPH surgery. Rates of BPH/LUTS medication use following transurethral prostatectomy are considerable.
The clinical utility of pediatric cardiomyopathy genetic testing: From diagnosis to a precision medicine-based approach to care.

Abstract Background Pediatric-onset cardiomyopathies are rare yet cause significant morbidity and mortality in affected children. Genetic testing has a major role in the clinical evaluation of pediatric-onset cardiomyopathies, and identification of a variant in an associated gene can be used to confirm the clinical diagnosis and exclude syndromic causes that may warrant different treatment strategies. Further, risk-predictive testing of first-degree relatives can assess who is at-risk of disease and requires continued clinical follow-up. Aim of Review In this review, we seek to describe the current role of genetic testing in the clinical diagnosis and management of patients and families with the five major cardiomyopathies. Further, we highlight the ongoing development of precision-based approaches to diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Key Scientific Concepts of Review Emerging application of genotype-phenotype correlations opens the door for genetics to guide a precision medicine-based approach to prognosis and potentially for therapies. Despite advances in our understanding of the genetic etiology of cardiomyopathy and increased accessibility of clinical genetic testing, not all pediatric cardiomyopathy patients have a clear genetic explanation for their disease. Expanded genomic studies are needed to understand the cause of disease in these patients, improve variant classification and genotype-driven prognostic predictions, and ultimately develop truly disease-preventing treatment.
Ability of the Putative Decomposition Products of 2,3-dioxetanes of Indoles to Photosensitize Cyclobutane Pyrimidine Dimer (CPD) Formation and its Implications for the “Dark” (Chemisensitized) Pathway to CPDs in Melanocytes†

The formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) by a "dark" pathway in melanocytes has been attributed to chemisensitization by dioxetanes produced from peroxynitrite oxidation of melanin or melanin precursors. These dioxetanes are proposed to decompose to triplet state compounds which sensitize CPD formation by triplet-triplet energy transfer. To determine whether such compounds are capable of sensitizing CPD formation, the putative decomposition products of 2,3-dioxetanes of variously substituted indoles were synthesized and their triplet state energies determined at 77 K. Their ability to photosensitize CPD formation was determined by an enzyme-coupled gel electrophoresis assay in comparison with norfloxacin (NFX) which has the lowest triplet energy known to sensitize CPD formation. The decomposition products of 2,3-dioxetanes of 5-hydroxy and 5,6-dimethoxy indoles used as models for melanin precursors had lower triplet energies and were incapable of photosensitizing CPD formation. Theoretical calculations suggest that the decomposition products of the 2,3-dioxetanes of melanin precursors DHI and DHICA will have similarly low triplet energies. Decomposition products of the 2,3-dioxetanes of indoles lacking oxygen substituents had higher triplet energies than NFX and were capable of photosensitizing CPD formation, suggesting that peroxynitrite oxidation of tryptophan could play a hitherto unrecognized role in the dark pathway to CPDs.
Cochran v. City of Atlanta: Assessing the Relationship between Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech

This work assesses the relationship between religious liberty and freedom of speech in the United States constitutional context. Using the federal case of Cochran V. City of Atlanta as a Springbroad, the work argues that the recent trend of subsuming religious liberty under a broader freedom of expressive speech risks reducing the protections afforded the right of religious liberty.
Multiple Criteria Sampling Plans for Total Fraction Nonconformance

In many industrial environments, a product must be tested against multiple specifications and pass all of them in order to be accepted for use. The basic methodology of single sampling plans is extended to multiple criteria by defining tests for each cr..
Air Pollution Models

In parallel with the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and its amendments have established standards relating to the reduction of air pollution emissions from existing and new sources. Regulations exist for many pollutants but much of the research and impact simulation has focused on six major pollutants: sulfur oxides, particularly SO2; nitrogen oxides, including NO2, NO3 and others; total suspended particulates or TSP; hydrocarbons (HC); carbon monoxide (CO); and photochemical oxidants, particularly ozone. The Clean Air Regulations are rather complex, involving a number of different standards as well as multiple approvals for new sources of air pollution. It might be useful to give a brief overview of these regulations since the models used to describe air pollution impacts are so heavily influenced by them. Following this review, the basic theories behind the air pollution models will be discussed and followed by specific model reviews.
Infant Compromise Orders in New York

In New York, most personal-injury lawsuits never reach trial. They settle. To settle infant claims, both plaintiff and defendant attorneys should note the peculiarities of Infant Compromise Orders, which are integral to a personal-injury practice. Misunderstanding the basics of Infant Compromise Orders will result in frustrated clients, increased costs, and unnecessary delays. This article covers the requirements of New York Infant Compromise Orders and offers some practical tips -- and pitfalls to avoid -- when litigating infant cases.
Osteoporosis Therapy: Mechanistic Antiresorptives

Osteoporosis is defined as the thinning of bone resulting from the imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation, the two cellular mechanisms that regulate the remodeling of skeletal tissue. This loss of bone ultimately results in an increased risk of fracture. One therapeutic approach to treating patients with osteoporosis is to inhibit the process of bone resorption. This has been clinically manifested by the development of a number of large and small molecules that include calcitonin, integrin inhibitors, cathepsin K inhibitors, OPG/RANKL inhibitors, bisphosponates, and SERMS. This chapter describes recent advances in the anti-resorptive field with a focus on clinically validated targets and the molecules that have been developed to regulate these pathways. Keywords: Osteoporosis; Osteoclast; Osteoblast; Calcitonin; Cathepsin K Inhibitors; Osteoprotegerin; RANKL; Bisphosponates; Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; SERMs
The Effect of Web Site Perceptions on Initial Trust in the Owner Company

This study is an empirical examination of the effect of a firm's Web site on a customer's development of initial trust beliefs after a first visit to the Web site. Specifically, it examines the impact of Web site appeal and usability on the initial trust beliefs of new customers with respect to an on-line company. Web site appeal is found to be a significant predictor of initial trust, which in turn has a significant effect on intention to use the Web site in the future, but the results do not support a relationship between Web site usability and initial trust. Web skills are found to have a positive relationship to perceptions of a Web site's usability, but initial trust in a company has no significant relationship to individual trust propensity. Finally, there is some indication, although not conclusive, that the relationship between Web site usability and initial trust may be significant only for travel-related Web sites, an area where the customer's search task can be very complex.
Clinical usefulness of rectal biopsy in Crohn's disease

Initial rectal biopsies from 349 patients judged on clinical, radiologic, or pathologic grounds to have Crohn's disease were studied, and findings were compared with a variety of clinical varibles. Biopsies from only 54 patients (15% of total) contained histologic changes characteristic of Crohn's disease, and all but one of these were previously known to have colonic involvement. Yield of diagnostic findings was directly associated with the presence of sigmoidoscopic or radiologic abnormality in the distal colon or rectum. Minor, nondiagnostic abnormalities were more common. It is concluded that routine single rectal biopsy in unselected cases of Crohn's disease has limited diagnostic value under usual conditions of practice, and that histologic abnormalities are most likely to be found in patients with known colonic, and especially sigmoid and rectal involvement.
Pathologic physiology and chemotherapy of Plasmodium berghei. V. Suppression of parasitemia, diuresis, and cardiac depression by pteridines.

Abstract Two pteridines were investigated for their antimalarial activity in mice and rats infected with Plasmodium berghei . WR 3090 (2,4,7-Triamino-6- o -tolyl-pteridine) and triamterene (2,4,7-Triamino-6-phenylpteridine) caused a suppression of parasitemia and prolongation of survival of the infected rodent. The antimalarial activity of both pteridines potentiated that of the sulfones. In noninfected rats, WR 3090 increased urine flow and sodium excretion, but reduced potassium excretion. There is some depression in myocardial contractile force and hypotension after intravenous injection of lethal doses of WR 3090.
CAD-based biomedical modeling and visualization

The authors describe MFMS (mechanical finger modeling system), a computer model that was built to simulate a generic human finger. The MFMS permits the study of relationships among bone, muscle, and tendon, in addition to geometric and static properties of the finger. A specific application addressed is the determination of the existence of one-to-many mappings between tendon lengths and finger joint angles. For a given set of tendon lengths determined by the application of muscle forces from the extrinsic muscles of the finger, there exists more than one set of joint angles that the finger can assume. This research shows that for an anthromorphically motivated mechanical finger model there can be more than one finger position with the exact same tendon lengths. This can be carried over to the human finger model and is a key concept for the understanding of joint position perception by the finger. Implications for robot hand control are considered. >
Group-like elements in quantum groups, and Feigin's conjecture

Let $A$ be an arbitrary symmetrizable Cartan matrix of rank $r$, and ${\bf n}={\bf n_+}$ be the standard maximal nilpotent subalgebra in the Kac-Moody algebra associated with $A$ (thus, ${\bf n}$ is generated by $E_1,\ldots,E_r$ subject to the Serre relations). Let $\hat U_q({\bf n})$ be the completion (with respect to the natural grading) of the quantized enveloping algebra of ${\bf n}$. For a sequence ${\bf i}=(i_1,\ldots,i_m)$ with $1\le i_k\le r$, let $P_{\bf i}$ be a skew polynomial algebra generated by $t_1,\ldots,t_m$ subject to the relations $t_lt_k=q^{C_{i_k,i_l}}t_kt_l$ ($1\le k<l\le m$) where $C=(C_{ij})=(d_ia_{ij})$ is the symmetric matrix corresponding to $A$. We construct a group-like element ${\bf e}_{\bf i}\in P_{\bf i}\bigotimes \hat U_q({\bf n})$. This element gives rise to the evaluation homomorphism $\psi_{\bf i}:{\bf C}_q[N]\to P_{\bf i}$ given by $\psi_{\bf i}(x)=x({\bf e}_{\bf i})$, where ${\bf C}_q[N]=U_q({\bf n})^0$ is the restricted dual of $U_q({\bf n})$. Under a well-known isomorphism of algebras ${\bf C}_q[N]$ and $U_q({\bf n})$, the map $\psi_{\bf i}$ identifies with Feigin's homomorphism $\Phi({\bf i}): U_q({\bf n})\to P_{\bf i}$. We prove that the image of $\psi_{\bf i}$ generates the skew-field of fractions ${\cal F}(P_{\bf i})$ if and only if ${\bf i}$ is a reduced expression of some element $w$ in the Weyl group $W$; furthermore, in the latter case, ${\rm Ker}~\psi_{\bf i}$ depends only on $w$ (so we denote $I_w:={\rm Ker}~\psi_{\bf i}$). This result generalizes the results in [5], [6] to the case of Kac-Moody algebras. We also construct an element ${\cal R}_w\in \big({\bf C}_q[N]/I_w\big)\bigotimes \hat U_q({\bf n})$ which specializes to ${\bf e}_{\bf i}$ under the embedding ${\bf C}_q[N]/I_w\hookrightarrow P_{\bf i}$. The elements ${\cal R}_w$ are closely
CONTINGENCIES OF SELF-WORTH AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract The relationship between contingencies of self–worth and vulnerability to depressive symptoms was investigated in a longitudinal sample of 629 freshmen over the first semester of college. Higher levels of external contingencies of self–worth, in a composite measure of four external contingencies of self–worth (approval from others, appearance, competition, academics), predicted increases in depressive symptoms over the first semester of college, even controlling for initial level of depressive symptoms, social desirability, gender, and race. Internal contingencies of self–worth (God's love, virtue) were not associated with the level of depressive symptoms. We conclude that external contingencies of self–worth may contribute to vulnerability to depressive symptoms.
Cross-sectional morphometric data on a population of semifree-ranging squirrel monkeys, Saimiri sciureus (Iquitos)

Eight morphometric measurements and weights were taken on 169 members of a semifree-ranging population of squirrel monkeys, Saimiri sciureus (Iquitos), at the MonkeyJungle, Goulds, Florida. Age- and sex-related differences were determined. Weight and brow-rump length correlated most highly with age. Sexually dimorphic differences were particularly evident in weight and head width, and both of these showed seasonal variation in the males.
Solution structure of duplex DNA containing an extrahelical abasic site analog determined by NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics

Translesional DNA synthesis past abasic sites proceeds with the preferential incorporation of dAMP opposite the lesion and, depending on the sequence context, one or two base deletions. High-resolution NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations were used to determine the three-dimensional structure of a DNA heteroduplex containing a synthetic abasic site (tetrahydrofuran) residue positioned in a sequence that promotes one base deletions. Analysis of NMR spectra indicates that the stem region of the duplex adopts a right-handed helical structure and the glycosidic torsion angle is in anti orientation for all residues. NOE interactions establish Watson-Crick alignments for all canonical base pairs of the duplex. Measurement of distance interactions at the lesion site shows the abasic residue excluded from the helix. Restrained molecular dynamics simulations generated three-dimensional models in excellent agreement with the spectroscopic data. These structures show a regular duplex region and a slight bend at the lesion site. The tetrahydrofuran residue extrudes from the helix and is highly flexible. The model reported here, in conjunction with a previous study performed on abasic sites, explains the structural bias of one-base deletion mutations.
PERINATAL ASPHYXIA AND RESIDUAL PLACENTAL BLOOD VOLUME

Summary The present data suggest that perinatal asphyxia may result in a transfer of blood, in utero, from placenta to fetus. The data contain no suggestion that asphyxia causes pooling of fetal blood in the placenta.
Cyclodextrin-Modified Gold Nanospheres

A new procedure for the modification of gold nanospheres (2−7 nm diameter) with thiolated cyclodextrin receptors is described. The resulting monolayer-protected nanoparticles behave as multisite hosts in aqueous media, engaging in host−guest interactions with guest molecules in the solution.
Recent advances in monolithic operational amplifier design

The state of the art in monolithic operational amplifier design is surveyed. A set of large- and small-signal performance parameters are defined and discussed. Relationships between the important operational amplifier parameters of slew rate, offset voltage, and unity gain bandwidth are demonstrated. The dependence of settling time upon the fine structure of the open-loop frequency response is discussed, and the recent technological and circuit design approaches to the minimization of settling time are reviewed.
Neutrophils generate microparticles during exposure to inert gases due to cytoskeletal oxidative stress.

This investigation was to elucidate the mechanism for microparticle (MP) formation triggered by exposures to high pressure inert gases. Human neutrophils generate MPs at a threshold of ∼186 kilopascals with exposures of 30 min or more. Murine cells are similar, but MP production occurs at a slower rate and continues for ∼4 h, whether or not cells remain under pressure. Neutrophils exposed to elevated gas but not hydrostatic pressure produce MPs according to the potency series: argon ≃ nitrogen > helium. Following a similar pattern, gases activate type-2 nitric-oxide synthase (NOS-2) and NADPH oxidase (NOX). MP production does not occur with neutrophils exposed to a NOX inhibitor (Nox2ds) or a NOS-2 inhibitor (1400W) or with cells from mice lacking NOS-2. Reactive species cause S-nitrosylation of cytosolic actin that enhances actin polymerization. Protein cross-linking and immunoprecipitation studies indicate that increased polymerization occurs because of associations involving vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein, focal adhesion kinase, the H+/K+ ATPase β (flippase), the hematopoietic cell multidrug resistance protein ABC transporter (floppase), and protein-disulfide isomerase in proximity to short actin filaments. Using chemical inhibitors or reducing cell concentrations of any of these proteins with small inhibitory RNA abrogates NOS-2 activation, reactive species generation, actin polymerization, and MP production. These effects were also inhibited in cells exposed to UV light, which photoreverses S-nitrosylated cysteine residues and by co-incubations with the antioxidant ebselen or cytochalasin D. The autocatalytic cycle of protein activation is initiated by inert gas-mediated singlet O2 production.
Imaging and analysis of immobilized particle arrays.

An automated imaging system was developed to quantify fluorescence signals from particles immobilized on hydrogel-coated slides. Arrays of submicrometer-diameter particles were printed with up to 600 particles/spot. The slides were read under 20× magnification without cover slips. Software was written to image individual spots and measure the median particle fluorescence in each spot. To locate array spots, an alignment program made use of two fiducial grids of fluorescent reference particles at either end of the slide. Focusing was adjusted locally using spots of reference particles located at the centers of focusing neighborhoods. The response was linear across a two-decade range, and the precision of readings was better than 5% down to ∼1000 fluors/particle. Exposure times varied with signal intensity, reaching 1 s at the lowest levels of fluorescence. Data demonstrate feasibility for measuring fluorescence from immobilized particle arrays on an automated microscope with accuracy and precision similar ...
Cognitive-behavioral treatment of body dysmorphic disorder: A case report

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) refers to preoccupation with an imagined physical defect or the exaggeration of a slight physical anomaly. Since BDD's inclusion in the DSM-III-R, there have been only a handful of reports of its cognitive-behavioral treatment. We describe one successful short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment of a BDD patient whose presenting concern was small hand size. After nine sessions of therapy, the patient evidenced substantial change on indices measuring affective, cognitive, and behavioral facets of BDD. There was also clinically meaningful improvement in overall levels of depression and anxiety. It is suggested that cognitive-behavioral treatment programs for BDD should take into account comorbid conditions such as social phobia, and avoidant personality disorder.
3D opto-electrical device stacking on CMOS

We report on the 3D integration and interconnect of top-emitting VCSEL and photodiode (PD) arrays on a CMOS substrate. This technology represents a radically new way to increase the I/O bandwidth of processors and enables a path beyond 10Tb/s I/Os by using a high level of integration of opto-electrical devices (OED) directly on the processor. The integration process developed includes an OED placement of better than [email protected], OED thinning down to [email protected], and an interconnect technology with copper vias into the planarization polymer. Although the process is fully compatible with the back-end-of-line of CMOS, the experiments performed were done on dummy CMOS wafers. The opto-electrical characterization performed revealed a minimal impact of the integration process on the OED performance, demonstrating the high potential of the concept.
Riboflavin Requirement of Broiler Chicks Fed a Corn-Soybean Diet

Two 21-day battery experiments were conducted with day-old broiler chicks fed a corn-soybean meal diet to re-evaluate the riboflavin requirement for optimum performance. In each experiment a total of 384 birds was assigned to six dietary treatments and given 0, 0.9, 2.0, 2.8, 3.6, or 4.4 mg of supplemental riboflavin/kg of feed. The corn-soybean meal diet was formulated to contain 22% CP and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg of feed. The analyzed riboflavin content of the unsupplemented diet was 2.6 mg/kg. A severe leg paralysis (inability to walk and to move one or both legs) was first observed between 10 to 12 days of age in birds receiving no supplemental riboflavin. Besides leg paralysis, high mortality and poor growth were the main signs of riboflavin deficiency observed. A minimum requirement for growth of 3.6 mg of riboflavin/kg of feed was determined using the broken-line technique. However, in order to prevent signs of leg paralysis, the minimum requirement of 4.6 mg riboflavin/kg of feed was suggested. Based on the maximum feed intake (834 g) observed for birds to reach maximum body weight (593 g) at 21 days of age, a minimum intake of approximately 6.5 micrograms riboflavin/g body weight was needed for maximum performance.
Effect of Finasteride, a 5α-Reductase Inhibitor on Prostate Tissue Androgens and Prostate-Specific Antigen

Whole tissue dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone (T) concentrations have been measured after finasteride, a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, and this was compared to other methods of androgen inhibition. In 10 patients treated for 1 week with finasteride, whole tissue DHT decreased to a mean of 0.302 ng/g. This value was significantly less than DHT values in control patients (mean, 4.5 ng/g) and patients treated with either surgical castration (mean, 1.14 ng/g), megestrol (160 mg/day) plus diethylstilbestrol (0.1 mg), or megestrol plus ketoconazole (1200 mg/day; mean, 0.609). Tissue T levels were significantly increased in finasteride-treated patients (1.18 ng/g) compared to a mean of 0.171 ng/g in controls and 0.105 ng/g in megestrol-treated patients. Part of the prostate tissue obtained at surgery was mechanically separated into epithelium and stroma. The epithelial cells were homogenized, the supernate was assayed for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), an androgen-dependent protein, and the pellet was assayed for DHT and DNA. Epithelial cell PSA and DHT values significantly decreased in finasteride- and megestrol- plus estrogen-treated patients compared to controls. However, the slope and position of the regression lines for DHT vs. PSA in patients treated with megestrol plus low dose estrogen (r = 0.79) differed significantly (P less than 0.05) from the regression line relating epithelial DHT to PSA in patients treated with finasteride (r = 0.82). Since the regression slope for finasteride described a greater increase in PSA per unit change in DHT compared to the slope for megestrol plus estrogen, which lowers both DHT and T, finasteride, despite its drastic lowering of DHT, may have a modest residual androgenic effect related to its effect on tissue T.
Regulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Gene Expression

Synthesis and metabolism of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor are extensively regulated to modulate cellular responses to ligand. To study regulation of EGF receptor gene expression, the 5′ region of the gene was isolated from a human placental genomic library. A 5′ proximal 1.1-kilobase fragment (−1100 to −19 relative to the ATG translation start site) and subfragments of this were subcloned in both forward and reverse orientations into the luciferase expression vector pSVOALΔ5′ and transfected into human cell lines. Luciferase activity was stimulated by treatment of transfected HeLa cells with EGF, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), (Bu)2 cAMP, retinoic acid, and dexamethasone. Deletion analysis indicated full retention of activity after removal of the −1100 to −485 region (−485 to −19 fragment), but a 5-fold reduction in activity on removal of the −485 to −153 region (−153 to −19 fragment). Despite a reduction in basal activity, the proximal 134-basepair fragment retained responses to...
Building Conditions, Parental Involvement, and Student Achievement in the District of Columbia Public School System

Little research has been done on the need to repair and refurbish school buildings because of the impact that the condition of buildings has on the students, rather than just the need to maintain local government's capital investment. This study uses Washington, DC, as a case study showing that the size of a public school's Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) budget is positively related to the school building 's condition. The condition is, in turn, shown to be statistically related to the student's academic achievement. An improvement in the school's condition by one category, say from poor to fair. is associated with a 5.5 point improvement in average academic achievement scores.
An Overview of Anomaly Detection

Security automation continues to depend on signature models, but vulnerability exploitation is exceeding the abilities of such models. The authors, in reviewing the different types of mathematical-based constructs in anomaly detection, reveal how anomaly detection can enhance network security by potentially solving problems that signature models can't address.
Tracking Single Quantum Dots in Three Dimensions

We describe new instrumentation developed in our lab (essentially a confocal microscope with feedback) capable of following 3 dimensional motion of single quantum dots moving at rates comparable to intracellular protein traffic (microns/sec).
The kinetics and mechanics of ultrasonically-induced cell lysis produced by non-trapped bubbles in a rotating culture tube

Abstract The kinetics of ultrasonically-induced cell lysis are examined in terms of classical radiation biology target theory. A theoretical expression relating the concentration of intact cells remaining after a given period of sonication in a rotating culture tube to the number of non-trapped bubbles, l , which a cell must encounter in order to be lysed is obtained. The expression is compared to experimental results in order to determine the actual value of l . It is found that l equals one (1). The concentration of non-trapped bubbles which is responsible for the observed cell lysis is calculated to be 250–500 cm −3 . Finally, it is proposed that non-trapped bubbles tunnel into cells while undergoing stable cavitation and that cell lysis is produced by one or more transient events inside the cell.
Chemical Modification and Site-directed Mutagenesis of Cysteine Residues in Human Placental S-Adenosylhomocysteine Hydrolase

Human placental S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase (EC 3.3.1.1) was inactivated by 5′,5-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) following pseudo-first-order kinetics. Modification of three of the 10 cysteine residues per enzyme subunit resulted in complete inactivation of the enzyme. The three modified cysteine residues were identified as Cys113, Cys195, and Cys421, respectively, by protein sequencing after modification with [1-14C]iodoacetamide. Of the three modifiable cysteines, Cys113 and Cys195 could be protected from modification in the presence of the substrate adenosine (Ado), which also protected the enzyme from inactivation. On the other hand, Cys421 was not protected by Ado, and modification of Cys421 alone did not affect the enzyme activity. To verify whether some of these cysteine residues are important for the enzyme catalysis, these three cysteine residues were replaced by either serine or aspartic acid using site-directed mutagenesis. Mutants of both Cys113 (C113S and C113D) and Cys421 (C421S and C421D) had enzyme activities similar to that of the wild-type enzyme, and only slight changes were observed in the steady-state kinetics measured in both the synthetic and hydrolytic directions. However, mutants of Cys195 (C195D and C195S) displayed drastically reduced enzyme activities, and kcat values were only 7 and 12% of that of the wild-type enzyme, respectively, resulting in a calculated loss in binding energy (ΔΔG) of approximate 1 Kcal/mol. The Cys195 mutants were capable of catalyzing both the 3′-oxidative and 5′-hydrolytic reactions, as evidenced by the reduction of E·NAD+ to NADH and formation of the 5′-hydrolytic product when incubated with (E)-5′,6′-didehydro-6′-deoxy-6′-chlorohomoadenosine at rates comparable with those catalyzed by the wild-type enzyme. However, mutations of the Cys195 severely altered the 3′-reduction potential as evidenced by the drastic reduction in the rate of [2,8-3H]Ado release from the E−NADH·[2,8-3H]3′-keto-Ado complex. Circular dichroism studies of the Cys195 mutants confirmed that the observed effects are not due to changes in secondary structure. These results suggested that the Cys195 is involved in the catalytic center and may play an important role in maintaining the 3′-reduction potential for effective release of the reaction products and regeneration of the active form (NAD+ form) of the enzyme; the Cys113 is located in or near the substrate binding site, but plays no role beneficial to the catalysis; and the Cys421 is a nonessential residue, which also explains why Cys421 does not occur in any other known AdoHcy hydrolases.
Experimental Phragmites control through enhanced sediment sulfur cycling

Abstract Additions of sulfate or sulfur (S o ), with and without carbon amendments, were made to large cores vegetated with Phragmites collected from a brackish N.J. marsh. Impairment of Phragmites growth from various carbon and sulfur additions was monitored over 1 yr. Initial increase in porewater sulfide was inhibited by sediment sulfide sequestration capacity concentrated in more inorganic surface layers which required millimolar sulfide inputs before concentrations rose to biologically significant levels. Even with sulfate concentrations sufficient to support sulfate reduction, sorption and reoxidation kept sulfide levels Phragmites although evapotranspiration and regrowth, indicated ‘stress’. Sulfide levels were limited by sulfate and/or biologically available carbon. Determination of adequate sulfate dose also requires an initial measurement of the sulfide sequestration capacity of the sediments to allow adequate sulfate availability to support porewater sulfide levels sufficient to cause plant stress.