cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional and Developmental Functions of the H3.3 Histone Variant in Drosophila

Changes in chromatin composition accompany cellular differentiation in eukaryotes. Although bulk chromatin is duplicated during DNA replication, replication-independent (RI) nucleosome replacement occurs in transcriptionally active chromatin and during specific developmental transitions where the genome is repackaged. In most animals, replacement uses the conserved H3.3 histone variant, but the functions of this variant have not been defined. Using mutations for the two H3.3 genes in Drosophila, we identify widespread transcriptional defects in H3.3-deficient animals. We show that mutant animals compensate for the lack of H3.3 in two ways: they upregulate the expression of the major histone H3 genes, and they maintain chromatin structure by using H3 protein for RI nucleosome replacement at active genes. Rescue experiments show that increased expression of H3 is sufficient to relieve transcriptional defects. In contrast, H3.3 is essential for male fertility, and germline cells specifically require the histone variant. Defects without H3.3 first occur around meiosis, resulting in a failure to condense, segregate, and reorganize chromatin. Rescue experiments with mutated transgenes demonstrate that H3.3-specific residues involved in RI nucleosome assembly-but not major histone modification sites-are required for male fertility. Our results imply that the H3.3 variant plays an essential role in chromatin transitions in the male germline.
Chloroprocaine-bupivacaine sequence for obstetric extradural analgesia.

Two case reports, one a vaginal delivery, the other a Caesarean Section, have been presented to demonstrate the rationale of employing a chloroprocaine-bupi-vacaine sequence for extradural analgesia in obstetrics. Use of chloroprocaine for initiation and bupivacaine for maintenance of the block offers at least three advantages: (1) onset of pain relief is prompt while duration is prolonged; (2) more than one “test” dose of chloroprocaine may be employed with safety in rapid succession; (3) two drugs with different metabolic patterns are used, each in reduced amount.
Use of cardiac radionuclide imaging to identify patients at risk for arrhythmic sudden cardiac death.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for about ½ of all cardiovascular deaths, in most cases the result of a lethal ventricular arrhythmia. Patients considered at risk are often treated with an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD), but current criteria for device use, based largely on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), leads to many patients receiving ICDs that they do not use, and many others not receiving ICDs but who suffer SCD. Thus, better methods of identifying patients at risk for SCD are needed, and radionuclide imaging offers much potential. Recent work has focused on imaging of cardiac autonomic innervation. 123I-mIBG, a norepinephrine analog, is the tracer most studied, and a variety of positron emission tomographic tracers are also under investigation. Radionuclide autonomic imaging may identify at-risk patients with ischemic coronary artery disease, particularly following myocardial infarction and in the setting of hibernating myocardium. Most studies have been done in the setting of congestive heart failure (CHF), with a recent large multicenter study of patients with advanced disease, typically at high risk of SCD, showing that 123I-mIBG can identify a low risk subgroup with an extremely low incidence of lethal ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac death, therefore, perhaps not requiring an ICD. Cardiac neuronal imaging has been shown to be better predictive of lethal arrhythmias/cardiac death than LVEF and New York Heart Association class, as well as various ECG parameters. Autonomic imaging will likely play an important role in the advancement of cardiac molecular imaging.
Auroral electrojets and evening sector electron dropouts at synchronous orbit

Evidence is presented in support of the concept that, during magnetospheric substorms, ionospheric auroral electrojet currents are directly coupled to the proton partial ring current in the outer magnetosphere. It has been found that for sufficiently isolated substorms the timing of the start of the electron dropout and of its maximum depression is in good agreement with the start and maximum of electrojet activity as indicated by the auroral electrojet index. This correlation suggests a direct coupling between the electrojet currents and the proton partial ring current.
EFFECTS OF HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES ON THE LIPID CONTENT OF THE DIGESTIVE GLAND-GONAD COMPLEX OF BIOMPHALARIA GLABRATA AS DETERMINED BY HIGH PERFORMANCE THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY

High performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) was used to study the effects of both high and low temperatures on the neutral and polar lipid content of the digestive gland-gonad complex (DGG) of Biomphalaria glabrata snails. The low temperature experiments were performed at −10°C, 6°C, 14°C, and ambient (22–24°C) temperatures. The high temperature experiments were performed at ambient (22–24°C), 28°C, and 32°C. Snails were maintained at these temperatures for various periods of time and then their DGGs were examined by HPTLC methods to determine changes that occurred in the lipid content as a function of temperature. In the low temperature experiment, after 30 min, the snails maintained at ambient temperature had significantly greater amounts of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine than those maintained at cold temperatures. These findings suggest that cold temperatures had a detrimental effect on the structural lipids of the snails. In the high temperature study, at 4 weeks after the ini...
Synthesis and nmr conformational studies of polyoxyethylene‐bound, α‐deuterated glutamate oligopeptides

The syntheses of three series of glutamate oligopeptides attached to a macromolecular solubilizing polyoxyethylene (POE) group Boc-[Glu(OMe)]n-OPOE, Ac-[Glu(OMe)]n-OPOE, pGlu-[Glu(OMe)]n−1-OPOE (n − 1–7) and their various analogs specifically deuterated at individual α-CH positions using the liquid-phase method of peptide synthesis are described. It was shown that stepwise synthesis using the symmetrical anhydride gave homo-oligopeptides that are analytically pure. Fragment condensation methods using DCC-HOBt yield POE-peptides with POE-HOBt impurities but the peptide synthesis may be carried stoichiometrically with smaller quantities of amino acid derivatives. 360 MHz 1H-nmr conformational studies of these homo-oligopeptides in DMSO-d6 are presented. The α-deuterated peptides are shown to allow unequivocal homoligopeptide backbone NH assignments.
Feasibility of Group Delivery of the Alexander Technique on Balance in the Community-Dwelling Elderly: Preliminary Findings

ABSTRACT The Alexander Technique (AT) is a task-based approach to perceptuomotor learning that purports to improve coordination. This study examined the feasibility of a 2-week intensive program of AT for improving balance and balance confidence in a group of ambulatory elderly. Nineteen subjects with fall history (average age 78.8) participated. Balance outcomes included the Timed “Up and Go” (TUG) and the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FAB), with the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES) for balance confidence. Compliance approached 100%. Analyses on 18 subjects were significant for the TUG (p = .006) and FAB for the group as a whole (Z = 1.946, p = .05); MFES scores were insignificant. A brief, intensive, group-delivered trial of exploratory perceptual learning appears feasible to incorporate into balance training and results in improved scores on balance outcomes. Further research of balance confidence is warranted to analyze discrepancies between self-reported and observed changes in confidence.
Magnetic resonance and computed tomography imaging of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is a familial cardiomyopathy that causes fibro-fatty replacement of the right ventricle (RV), leading to sudden death due to ventricular arrhythmias. The disease is an important cause of sudden death in individuals younger than 35 years of age. Structural and functional abnormalities of the RV constitute an important diagnostic criterion for the disease. Diagnosis of ARVD is often a challenge as conventional imaging modalities have significant limitations to visualize the RV. Recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomographic (CT) imaging have emerged as robust clinical tools for evaluation of myocardial pathology. In addition to providing morphologic and functional information, both imaging modalities have the ability to demonstrate intramyocardial fat, which is the pathological hallmark in ARVD. This article discusses the current status and role of MRI and CT imaging in the diagnosis of ARVD.
Constructing interaction test suites with greedy algorithms

Combinatorial approaches to testing are used in several fields, and have recently gained momentum in the field of software testing through software interaction testing. One-test-at-a-time greedy algorithms are used to automatically construct such test suites. This paper discusses basic criteria of why greedy algorithms have been appropriate for this test generation problem in the past and then expands upon how greedy algorithms can be utilized to address test suite prioritization.
Microstructure in gold-containing Ag3Sn splat-cooled ribbons

Abstract Recently, a new method of the splat-cooling process has been successfully applied to produce dental alloy ribbons. In the present investigation, gold-containing dental alloy splat-cooled ribbons were prepared and studied primarily by electron optical and x-ray diffraction methods. An Ortec Si(Li) x-ray multichannel energy-dispersive spectrometer was coupled with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) in order to obtain the distribution of elements from the specimen surface. The microstructure revealed the first time in the SEM and showed that the pure Ag3Sn ribbons contain γ grains separated by regions of β phase while the gold-containing Ag3Sn ribbons contain γ grains separated by sharply defined grain boundaries. Electron microprobe analysis further confirmed that the pure Ag3Sn ribbons contain a greater excess of tin inside the γ grains than between the regions of β phase, while ghe gold-containing Ag3Sn ribbons show a uniform distribution of gold all over the γ grains. X-ray diffraction showed that the Ag3Sn lattice contracts with the addition of gold, as expected. The average grain diameter in the splat-cooled ribbons was found to be 3.2 μm.
Latent Heat Fluxes Through Soft Materials With Microtruss Architectures

Microscale truss architectures provide high mechanical strength, light weight, and open porosity in polymer sheets. Liquid evaporation and transport of the resulting vapor through truss voids cool nearby surfaces. Thus, microtruss materials can simultaneously prevent mechanical and thermal damage. Assessment of promise requires quantitative understanding of vapor transport through microtruss pores for realistic heat loads and latent heat carriers. Pore size may complicate exegesis owing to vapor rarefaction or surface interactions. This paper quantifies the nonboiling evaporative cooling of a flat surface by water vapor transport through two different hydrophobic polymer membranes, 112-119 μm (or 113-123 μm) thick, with microtruss-like architectures, i.e., straight-through pores of average diameter of 1.0-1.4 μm (or 12.6-14.2 μm) and average overall porosity of 7.6% (or 9.9%). The surface, heated at 1350 ± 20 W t /m2 to mimic human thermal load in a desert (daytime solar plus metabolic), was the bottom of a 3.1 cm inside diameter, 24.9 cm 3 cylindrical aluminum chamber capped by the membrane. Steady-state rates of water vapor transport through the membrane pores to ambient were measured by continuously weighing the evaporation chamber. The water vapor concentration at the membrane exit was maintained near zero by a cross flow of dry nitrogen (velocity=2.8 m/s). Each truss material enabled 13-14°C evaporative cooling of the surface, roughly 40% of the maximum evaporative cooling attainable, i.e., with an uncapped chamber. Intrinsic pore diffusion coefficients for dilute water vapor (<10.4 mole %) in air (P total ∼112,000 Pa) were deduced from the measured vapor fluxes by mathematically disaggregating the substantial mass transfer resistances of the boundary layers (∼50%) and correcting for radial variations in upstream water vapor concentration. The diffusion coefficients for the 1.0-1.4 μm pores (Knudsen number ∼0.1) agree with literature for the water vapor-air mutual diffusion coefficient to within ±20%, but for the nominally 12.6-14.2 μm pores (Kn ∼0.01), the diffusion coefficient values were smaller, possibly because considerable pore area resides in noncircular, i.e., narrow, wedge-shaped cross sections that impede diffusion owing to enhanced rarefaction. The present data, parameters, and mathematical models support the design and analysis of microtruss materials for thermal or simultaneous thermal-and-mechanical protection of microelectromechanical systems, nanoscale components, humans, and other macrosystems.
Radio Frequency Energy And Impedance Feedback

The object of this study was to show the potential use of tissue electrical impedance as a feedback parameter for the control of therapeutic Radio Frequency (R.F.) energy. Radio Frequency energy is a form of electromagnetic energy with an usable frequency range between 200KHZ and 2MHZ. The low frequency limit is determined by the physiological stimulation of muscle, and the high frequency is limited by the physics of the delivery system.
The effect of amphetamine on plasma cortisol in patients with endogenous and non-endogenous depression☆

Abstract Amphetamine sulphate (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.) produced no consistent change in plasma cortisol levels in 21 depressed patients. Seven patients with endogenous depression (melancholia) were matched with seven patients with non-endogenous depression; there was no difference in the cortisol response to amphetamine between these two groups.
The generation of enzymatically active plasmin on the surface of spirochetes.

The spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, is transmitted to the host by a feeding Ixodid tick. The spirochete subsequently disseminates through the skin, enters the bloodstream, and becomes systemic. A potential mechanism for this invasiveness was identified with the discovery that B. burgdorferi can bind components of the plasminogen activation system (PAS). The methodology for analyzing the generation of enzymatically active plasmin on the surface of this organism is given, and applied to measure spirochete viability, strain differences, and breakdown of extracellular matrix (ECM) macromolecules. Plasmin acquisition by B. burgdorferi was measured photometrically by a specific chromogenic substrate. The growth of B. burgdorferi in culture was not affected by the presence of active plasmin on the spirochete surface. Plasmin-coated B. burgdorferi degraded the purified (ECM) components fibronectin, laminin, and vitronectin, but not collagen. The addition of B. burgdorferi with surface plasmin to a radiolabeled, native ECM resulted in degradation of noncollagenous protein, as measured by release of solubilized radioactivity. Breakdown of purified ECM components or native ECM did not occur after exposure to untreated spirochetes or spirochetes treated with uPA or PLG alone. These results provide in vitro evidence that enzymatically active plasmin on the surface of B. burgdorferi may be partially responsible for its invasiveness.
Early embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans: the cytoskeleton and spatial organization of the zygote.

Early embryogenesis of Caenorhabditis elegans provides a striking example of the generation of polarity and the partitioning of cytoplasmic factors according to this polarity. Microfilaments (MFs) appear to play a critical role in these processes. By visualizing the distribution of MFs and by studying the consequences of disrupting MFs for short, defined periods during zygote development, we have generated some new ideas about when and how microfilaments function in the zygote.
Baryon resonances and pentaquarks on the lattice

Abstract We review recent progress in computing excited baryons and pentaquarks in lattice QCD.
Approximate evaluation of contaminant transport through vertical barriers

Abstract Containment of groundwater contamination using physical barriers can be an important element of a subsurface remediation program. This work presents simple analytical tools for predicting the performance of barriers in terms of the steady-state contaminant flux across the barrier, the duration of the transient period following barrier installation, and the time-dependent contaminant concentration distribution within the barrier. The analytical expressions are developed from approximate boundary layer (BL) solutions to the advective–dispersive equation subject to conservative fixed concentration boundary conditions. Critical ranges of important dimensionless quantities are identified for use in barrier performance assessment, for both steady-state and transient conditions. Comparative calculations made with the BL equations and more exact semi-analytical solutions are used to characterize the accuracy and applicability of the BL approach.
Empirical study of fuzzy compatibility measures and aggregation operators

Two fundamental requirements for the generation of support using incomplete and imprecise information are the ability to measure the compatibility of discriminatory information with domain knowledge and the ability to fuse information obtained from disparate sources. A generic architecture utilizing the generalized fuzzy relational database model has been developed to empirically investigate the support generation capabilities of various compatibility measures and aggregation operators. This paper examines the effectiveness of combinations of compatibility measures from the set-theoretic, geometric distance, and logic- based classes paired with t-norm and generalized mean families of aggregation operators.
A preliminary assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon distributions in the lower Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Water samples were collected in the lower Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico in April 1999; sites in the river were sampled again in November 1999. Samples were separated into particulate (CP) and dissolved (CW) phases using 0.7 μm glass fiber filters. Each phase was analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Total PAH abundance in river samples was higher in November of 1999 (CP: 1300–7000 ng gdw−1; CW: 77–430 ng l−1) than in April 1999 (CP: 1100–1700 ng gdw−1; CW: 12–25 ng l−1), despite higher total suspended sediment concentrations in April. Concentration profiles of PAHs in the lower Mississippi River indicate that compositional differences in PAH particle-water distributions were a function of seasonal discharge across the year. For example, higher PAH distribution coefficients in November correspond to a greater degree of combustion-driven processes indicated by black carbon abundance analyzed in the same samples in a complementary study. Concentrations of three specific PAHs isolated in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico (anthracene, benzo[a]anthracene, and benzo[g,h,i]perylene) were fit into a mass balance model in an attempt to constrain sources of PAHs into the gulf. This portion of the study was based on a limited number of samples. However, these preliminary mass balance calculations indicated that in 1999 on an annual scale, fluvial and atmospheric contributions of PAHs to the Gulf of Mexico were relatively negligible (100 kg) and that coastal erosion (103 kg) may have been the most significant source of PAHs into the gulf.
Self-, cross-, and induced-phase modulations of ultrashort laser pulse propagation

Spectral broadenings of picosecond and femtosecond pulses arising from self-phase modulation, cross-phase modulation, induced-phase modulation, and induced spectral broadening in condensed matter are reviewed. The spectral broadening of the Raman line produced in an optical fiber is compared to the spectral width of the pump-laser line as evidence for cross-phase modulation. Induced-phase modulation of a weak picosecond 527-nm laser pulse in BK-7 glass occurred in the presence of an intense picosecond 1054-nm laser pulse. The induced spectral broadening about a weak nonphase-matched second-harmonic pulse at 527 nm is observed by propagating an intense primary 1054-nm picosecond laser pulse through ZnSe crystals. >
Asymmetry and angular distribution of deuteron photodisintegration in the 20--60 MeV range

Although deuteron photodisintegration has been studied extensively both experimentally and theoretically in the last fifty years, it continues to provide vital testing ground between new measurements and recent calculations incorporating corrections due to meson exchanges, isobar effects, and relativistic corrections, etc. The differences between theory and experimental measurements point to a need for new measurements employing polarized gamma rays. Recently such measurements on the cross section α(θ, φ) and polarization asymmetry Σ(θ) have been reported by De PASCALE et al. [1] in the 20–60 MeV gamma-ray energy range. We have attempted to fit their data by using the amplitude method of RUSTGI et al. [2]. The interaction Hamiltonian H′ for El, Ml, and E2 multipoles is written as $$ H' = - e{E_x}A,\,A = \frac{1}{2}\left( {{{\vec{1}}_E} \cdot \vec{r}} \right) + \frac{i}{8}\left( {\vec{k} \cdot \vec{r}} \right)\left( {{{\vec{l}}_E} \cdot \vec{r}} \right) + \frac{{{f^2}}}{{4m}}\left[ {\frac{1}{3}\left( {{\phi_0}{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} \cdot {{\vec{\sigma }}_2} + {\phi_2}{S_{{12}}}} \right)\vec{r} + \left( {2{\mu_v}\phi - {\phi_1}} \right)\left[ {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1}\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_2} \cdot \vec{r}} \right) + {{\vec{\sigma }}_2}\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} \cdot \vec{r}} \right)} \right]} \right] \cdot {\vec{1}_E} + \frac{3}{2}\frac{{{f^2}}}{M}{\alpha_s}\left[ {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1}\left( {\vec{r} \cdot {{\vec{\sigma }}_2}} \right) - {{\vec{\sigma }}_2}\left( {\vec{r} \cdot {{\vec{\sigma }}_1}} \right)} \right] \cdot {\vec{1}_E} + \frac{{{f^2}}}{{2M}}\frac{1}{\mu } $$ (1) $$ x\left[ {{\phi_0}\left[ {\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_2} \cdot \vec{\nabla }} \right)\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} \cdot \vec{r}} \right) + \left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} \cdot \vec{\nabla }} \right)\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_2} \cdot \vec{r}} \right)} \right]\vec{r} + \frac{1}{3}\left[ {\left( {3{\phi_1} + {\phi_2}} \right)\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} \cdot {{\vec{\sigma }}_2}} \right) + {\phi_2}{S_{{12}}}} \right] \cdot \nabla } \right] \cdot {\vec{1}_E} - \frac{1}{{8{M^2}}}\left[ {\left( {2{\mu_v} - 1} \right)\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} + {{\vec{\sigma }}_2}} \right) + 2\left( {{\mu_s} - 1} \right)\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} + {{\vec{\sigma }}_2}} \right)} \right]x{\vec{P}_r} \cdot {\vec{1}_E} + \frac{h}{{2Mc}}\left[ {\left( {\frac{1}{2}{\mu_v} + {g_1} + {h_1}} \right)\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} - {{\vec{\sigma }}_2}} \right) + \frac{1}{2}\left( {{\mu_s} - \frac{1}{2}} \right)\left( {{{\vec{\sigma }}_1} + {{\vec{\sigma }}_2}} \right) + \left( {{g_{{II}}} + {h_{{II}}}} \right)T_{{12}}^{{\left( - \right)}}} \right] \cdot {\vec{1}_H} $$ (2) .
Delayed CR in classical GSR conditioning.

2 conditioning groups received 3 trials with either a .5-sec. or a 20-sec. ISI, and then 40 trials with a 20-sec. ISI. 2 pseudoconditioning groups received the same number of CSs and UCSs in an unpaired order but differed according to whether CS duration on the first 3 trials was .6 sec. or 20.1 sec. GSR latency and magnitude were the dependent variables. Latency was greater and magnitude smaller in the pseudoconditioning than in the conditioning groups. There was little difference between the conditioning groups in either latency or magnitude. Furthermore, terminal CR latency in the conditioning groups was 4 to 5 sec., a value considerably shorter than what was expected on the basis of previous research. The data were discussed in terms of the kinds of inhibitory processes usually employed to explain such findings and also in terms of how inhibition explanations differ from “instrumental reinforcement” interpretations.
Type 1/type 2 cytokine paradigm and the progression of pulmonary fibrosis.

The pathogenesis of end-stage, chronic lung disease is thought to be characterized by an initial inflammatory response followed by fibroproliferation and deposition of extracellular matrix. Many of these chronic lung disorders share a variety of common properties, including an unknown etiology, undefined mechanisms of initiation and maintenance, and progressive fibrosis. Unfortunately, efficacious therapeutic options are not readily available for the treatment of many chronic lung diseases, which may reflect the limited scientific and mechanistic understanding of these disorders. However, recent studies have shown that cytokine networks are likely operative in dictating the progression of these diseases, as these mediators can influence fibroblast activation, proliferation, and collagen deposition during the maintenance of chronic fibrotic lung disease. Accumulating data support the concept that the specific cytokine phenotype may provide a fundamental mechanism for the regulation or continuation of the fibrotic process. For example, interferon-γ appears to suppresses fibroblast activities, such as proliferation and collagen production, while interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 can augment fibroblast growth and collagen production. Interestingly, these mediators are prototypic cytokines that functionally define either a type-1 or a type-2 immune response. Thus, experimental models of cell-mediated lung inflammation, which are characterized by either a type-1 or a type-2 response, will be useful in delineating the mechanisms that either maintain or resolve chronic lung inflammation and accompanying fibrosis.
Current drug targets for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia among the elderly, is a progressive, degenerative disorder of the brain with a loss of memory and cognition. A defining characteristic of AD is the deposition of amyloid fibrils and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain of afflicted individuals. Biochemically, they are mainly composed of b-amyloid protein (Ab) and phosphorylated tau proteins, respectively. There is also a loss of the presynaptic markers of the cholinergic system, such as acetylcholine, in the brain areas related to memory and learning. The biochemical pathways leading to AD are presently unknown and are a subject of intensive study with current theories favoring a hypothesis where Ab aggregates to toxic forms that induce tau phosphorylation and aggregation. It is believed that this ultimately leads to dysfunction and death of cholinergic neurons, and compensation for this loss had been the primary focus of first generation therapeutic agents. The amyloid and tau hypotheses have lead to a focus on amyloid and tau as therapeutic targets. The current therapeutic goals are to reduce amyloid levels, prevention of amyloid aggregation/toxicity and tau phosphorylation/aggregation. AD has a heterogeneous etiology with a large percentage termed sporadic AD arising from unknown causes and a smaller fraction of early onset familial AD (FAD) caused by mutations in several genes, such as the b- amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilins (PS1, PS2). Other genes, such as apolipoprotein E (APOE), are considered to be risk factors for AD. Several proteins, such as APP, APOE, BACE (b-amyloid cleaving enzyme), PS1/2, secretases, and tau play important roles in the pathology of AD. Therefore, attempts are being made to develop new inhibitors for BACE, PS-1 and g-secretase for treatment of AD. There is also a significant advancement in understanding the function of cholinesterase (ChE) in the brain and the use of ChE inhibitors in AD. The mechanism of a new generation of acetyl- and butyrylChE inhibitors is being studied and tested in human clinical trials for AD. Other strategies, such as vaccination, anti-inflammatory agents, cholesterol-lowering agents, anti-oxidants and hormone therapy, are also being studied for treating or slowing the progression of AD. Developments of early diagnostic tools based on quantitative biochemical markers will be useful to better follow the course of the disease and to evaluate different therapeutic strategies. In the present review, we attempt to critically examine recent trends in AD research from neurochemical to clinical areas. We analyze various neurobiological mechanisms that provide the basis of new targets for AD drug development. These current research efforts should lead to a deeper understanding of the pathobiochemical processes that occur in the AD brain to effectively diagnose and prevent their occurrence. Drug Dev. Res. 56:267-281, 2002. � c 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Late Cretaceous extension in the hinterland of the Sevier thrust belt, northwestern Utah and southern Idaho

Cover rocks of the Raft River metamorphic core complex, located in the Sevier belt hinterland, preserve a structural and metamorphic history that predates the middle Tertiary extension of the region. In the eastern Raft River Mountains, Cambrian( )-Permian rocks form two allochthons that occur in the hanging wall of the mid-Miocene Raft River detachment fault. Dramatically attenuated, metamorphosed Cambrian( )-Pennsylvanian strata of the lower allochthon yield Late Cretaceous muscovite {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar plateau ages (ca. 82-90 Ma) that are interpreted to date cooling during final stages of layer parallel extension. Devonian-Permian rocks exposed in the Black Pine Mountains underwent east-west extension ({approximately} 160%) associated with syntectonic growth of white mica along cleavage. {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar whole-rock spectra of associated slates also indicate a Late Cretaceous metamorphism. Together, field and {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar results suggest that Late Cretaceous extension occurred in the Sevier belt hinterland at the same time as shortening in the eastern foreland and at depth in the hinterland. Sufficient topography must have been present to drive upper-crustal extension in the eastern hinterland.
A Taoist Paradigm of EAP Consultation

Recently, professionals of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have offered consultation services to a diverse clientele, thus necessitating an understanding of the complexity of problems and structures of various organizational systems and subsystems. In this article the authors describe a new Taoist paradigm as an alternative approach to conceptualizing the consultation process and to formulating successful, isomorphic interventions constructed to facilitate four change processes. The paradigm presented stresses the following: the importance of interrelationships between individuals and groups; integrating repulsion and assimilation forces; balancing human and economic factors: cooperation; reinforcing strengths rather than weaknesses; encouraging solutions instead of problems; and respecting the consultee's structure and behavior.
C2-Amidoglycosylation. Scope and Mechanism of Nitrogen Transfer

A one-pot C2-amidoglycosylation reaction for the synthesis of 2-N-acyl-2-deoxy-β-pyranosides from glycals is described. Glycal donors activated by the reagent combination of thianthrene-5-oxide (11) and Tf2O, followed by treatment with an amide nucleophile and a glycosyl acceptor, lead to the formation of various C2-amidoglycoconjugates. Both the C2-nitrogen transfer and the glycosidic bond formation proceed stereoselectively, allowing for the introduction of both natural and nonnatural amide functionalities at C2 with concomitant anomeric bond formation in a one-pot procedure. Tracking of the reaction by low-temperature NMR spectroscopy employing 15N- and 18O-isotope labels suggests a mechanism involving the formation of the C2-sulfonium glycosyl imidate 39 as well as oxazoline 37 as key intermediates in this novel oxidative glycosylation process.
Managerial Integrity: Are Black Employees More Sensitive to Behavioral Breaches?

The article reviews the research article “Racial Difference in Sensitivity to Behavioral Integrity: Attitudinal Consequences, In-group effects, and “trickle down” among Black and non-Black employees,” by T. Simons, R. Friedman, L. Liu, and J. McLean Parks published in the “Journal of Applied Psychology” #92 issue. The authors found that black employees were more sensitive to the behavioral integrity of managers than any other group in the workplace. The author also defines behavioral integrity.
Migration of cortical neurons is altered by gestational exposure to ethanol

Rats prenatally exposed to ethanol exhibit a variety of structural anomalies in the central nervous system. One of the key features of experimental fetal alcohol syndrome is microencephaly. Cerebral cortex is particularly susceptible to the effects of prenatal exposure to ethanol. Its total mass is reduced, it is thinner, and it contains fewer neurons and glia. Various studies in rats and humans suggest that chronic early exposure to ethanol leads to a massive reorganization of cortex characterized by heterotopic clusters of neurons. A pulse and chase study with [3H]thymidine autoradiography was used to determine if gestational exposure to ethanol leads to defects in neuronal migration. Rats were fed an ethanol-containing diet between gestational day (G) 6 and G21, pair-fed a liquid control diet, or fed chow. Ethanol delayed the migration of early-generated neurons (those born on G13) to deep cortex by 2 days. Moreover, the migration of late-generated neurons (those born on G21) was delayed 4 to 6 days by ethanol, and often these neurons terminated their migration in ectopic locations. Ethanol significantly decreased the rate of migration and the time postmitotic cells remained in the proliferative zones. On the other hand, ethanol did not have a significant effect on the rate of cortical expansion and the fraction of cells that left the proliferating population in order to migrate to cortex. Thus, the migration of young neurons was profoundly altered by prenatal exposure to ethanol. Such delays may lead to a desynchronization of cortical development that makes it impossible for cortical neurons to establish a normal circuitry.
Sex differences in coronary artery size assessed by intravascular ultrasound.

Abstract Background Women have worse outcomes after myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization. The explanations are likely multifactorial but may include smaller coronary artery size. Smaller luminal diameter has been confirmed angiographically; however, because of possible confounding effects of coronary remodeling, angiographically silent atherosclerosis, and body size, it is unclear if there is a true sex influence on arterial size. Methods We performed intravascular ultrasound on left main (LM) and proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery segments that were free of significant atherosclerosis in 50 men and 25 women. Arterial and luminal areas were measured by planimetry and corrected for body surface area. We evaluated associations between sex and coronary dimensions with univariate and then multiple linear regression analyses. Results Mean uncorrected LM and LAD arterial areas were smaller in women than in men (21.53 vs 26.95 mm2, P Conclusions LM and LAD arteries are smaller in women, independent of body size. This suggests an intrinsic sex effect on coronary dimensions. Future studies should investigate underlying mechanisms because they may lead to novel therapeutic strategies and improved outcomes for women with coronary artery disease.
Domestic Unrest and the Initiation of Negotiations

The main argument of this article is that we need to incorporate domestic-pressure arguments into conflict management studies and, at the same time, we need to include conflict-management opportunities in the study of domestic-international theory. This study looks at the impact of domestic incentives on a state’s decision to negotiate. The primary hypothesis is that domestic turmoil will increase the likelihood that rival states with a history of aggressive interaction shift their foreign policy to a more accommodative one. Testing my argument on strategic rivals between 1945 and 1995, I find that after controlling for the factors of history and level of hostility between the rivals, anti-government unrest actually increases the likelihood of negotiations taking place, while acts threatening the downfall of the regime tend to decrease the chance of witnessing negotiations.
High-Dose Recombinant Interleukin 2 in the Treatment of Patients With Disseminated Cancer: Responses, Treatment-Related Morbidity, and Histologic Findings

Experience with the administration of high doses of interleukin 2 (IL-2) alone is described herein. Ten patients with a variety of malignant disorders unresponsive to conventional treatments were treated with at least 30 000 U/kg of IL-2 by bolus administration three times a day. Patients were treated intravenously or intraperitoneally from four to 21 days in a single course, usually interrupted by a week of recovery. Three of six patients with melanoma experienced an objective regression (>50% decrease in volume); there was no response to treatment in patients with colorectal (0/3) or ovarian (0/1) cancer. Two patients with initial objective regressions who subsequently developed progression were re-treated and one sustained a second partial response. Responses lasted 1, 3, and 7 months without additional treatment. Responses in the three patients with melanoma were in visceral sites (lung, liver, and spleen), as well as cutaneous sites in one patient. Progressive shrinkage of tumors for three to six months after the conclusion of therapy has been noted in two patients. Marked lymphocytic infiltrate was noted in a patient with lesions accessible to repeated biopsies. This study demonstrates that the administration of IL-2 can mediate the regression of established cancer in some patients. ( JAMA 1986;256:3117-3124)
Miniature Holographic Optical Elements Created Using Hybrid Holograms

This paper describes fabrication of miniature holographic lenses to collimate the output beams from small-aperture systems such as optical fibers and diode lasers. Special attention is given to arrays of such elements. The lenses are created as computer generated holograms by two methods and then copied to form hybrid holograms.
Energy-efficient search for finite-lifetime resources in sensor networks with time-constrained queries

We examine the performance of a random-walk search algorithm for wireless sensor networks when resources are subject to limited lifetimes and queries are constrained by application-specific deadlines. Specifically, via the time-to-live and transmission range parameters, we estimate the appropriate number of resource copies that must be created within the network to minimize the total node arrival rate (the energy-centric approach) or to ensure the total proportion of queries failures does not exceed a specified threshold (the failure-centric approach). The effect of node transmission range on network performance is also investigated. We compare the results of our network simulations to our queueing-based analytic node model and find that there is an inverse relationship between transmission range and the time-to-live value required to minimize the total node arrival rate.
S2DB: a novel simulation-based debugger for sensor network applications

Sensor network computing can be characterized as resource-constrained distributed computing using unreliable, low bandwidth communication. This combination of characteristics poses significant software development and maintenance challenges. Effective and efficient debugging tools for sensor network are thus critical. Existent development tools, such as TOSSIM, EmStar, ATEMU and Avrora, provide useful debugging support, but not with the fidelity, scale and functionality that we believe are sufficient to meet the needs of the next generation of applications.In this paper, we propose a debugger, called S2DB, based on a distributed full system sensor network simulator with high fidelity and scalable performance, DiSenS. By exploiting the potential of DiSenS as a scalable full system simulator, S2DB extends conventional debugging methods by adding novel device level, program source level, group level, and network level debugging abstractions. The performance evaluation shows that all these debugging features introduce overhead that is generally less than 10% into the simulator and thus making S2DB an efficient and effective debugging tool for sensor networks.
Enhancement of weak anti-localization signatures in the magneto-resistance of bismuth anti-dot thin films

Anti-dot array thin films of bismuth were prepared by the e-beam deposition of this semi-metal on nano-porous substrates. The magneto-resistance measurements of bismuth thin films deposited under identical conditions on various substrates displayed signatures from both classical magneto-resistance and weak anti-localization effects. The relative intensity of the two effects could be altered by the choice of the substrate, with the anti-dot array morphology suppressing the classical magneto-resistance, and enhancing the weak anti-localization contribution to the measured magneto-resistance. As a result, the weak anti-localization effect can be traced to higher magnetic field strengths and higher temperatures than is possible in non-patterned films, improving the accuracy of the parameters extracted from the data.
Characterization of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulant: Effects of thermal processing and weathering degradation on its discoloration

Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer used as an encapsulant in photovoltaic (PV) modules turns from clear to yellow-brown after four or more years of weathering. EVA films on PV modules stored in the dark at ambient temperature for six years have not degraded. Various analytical methods were used to analyze and characterize the degraded EVA and to determine the cause of discoloration. As a result of degradation, the gel content increased greatly while the UV absorber, Cyasorb UV 531, decreased concomitantly. The increase in the gel content indicates that a cross-linking reaction was dominant in EVA's structural change. Degradation of the polymer near the cover glass surface took place more rapidly and to a greater extent than that next to the solar cells. While EVA remaines clear when it retains more than 70% of the initial Cyasorb UV 531 concentration, a moderate increase in the gel content indicates that some degradation occurred without producing the yellow color. Further depletion of Cyasorb during the weathering process resulted in the yellow to brown color in the EVA due to formation of polyconjugated (C=C)n double bonds of various lengths (n>3). The discoloration deepens as the extent of degradation increases. Acetic acid and other volatile organic components are also produced from the photothermal decomposition of EVA. The EVA discoloration significantly reduces the electrical performance of solar cells.
Cytochrome c Recognition of Immobilized, Orientational Variants of Cytochrome b5: Direct Force and Equilibrium Binding Measurements

Direct force measurements, surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, and genetic manipulations were used to investigate the impact of the orientation of immobilized cytochrome b5 (cyt b5) on its interactions with cytochrome c (cyt c). In this work, we used two cyt b5 orientational variants that present different regions of the protein surface when immobilized. Direct force measurements demonstrated that the two orientations generate a small difference in the electrostatic surface potential of the protein monolayers, in agreement with the calculated electrostatic potential distribution across the protein surface. This difference did not result in any differences in the electrostatic force between cyt c and the cyt b5 variants, however. The measured equilibrium binding constant for the cyt c interaction with cyt b5 also did not depend on the orientation of the latter. These results suggest that, at large separations, cyt c initially interacts relatively nonspecifically with a large patch of negative charge on...
Process improvement: the case of a drugs manufacturing company

Purpose – Based on a case study of a drugs manufacturing plant in the UK, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how best to improve manufacturing processes using a hybrid model of Total Quality Management (TQM) and Business Process Reengineering (BPR). Insights are provided to a phased implementation of TQM at the strategic, organisational, and process levels of the organization.Design/methodology/approach – The case method was utilized to demonstrate the implementation of a theoretical concept.Findings – Managers naively agree that process improvement failures may be due to the absence of executive‐level commitment and poor execution; however, it is evident from the paper's findings that the poor performance of process‐related techniques is based on the fact that they are often applied organisationally rather taking an operations, strategy and people focused, approach, which would require the interdependence that must exist between strategy and people, people and strategy; and strategy and operatio...
Jitter transfer function model and VLSI jitter filter circuits

A closed form jitter transfer model is developed for modeling jitter-circuit interaction effects, such as jitter amplification and attenuation, in VLSI high-speed I/O circuits. The model is verified using circuit and behavioral simulations with good consistence. A novel jitter filtering concept and circuit is proposed to address VLSI high-speed I/O circuit performance issues.
Force Depression in the Drosophila Jump Muscle

The depression of isometric force after active shortening, termed force depression (FD), is a well-accepted characteristic of skeletal muscle that has been demonstrated in both whole muscle [1,3] and single-fiber preparations [1,2]. Although this history-dependent behavior has been observed experimentally for over 70 years, its underlying mechanism(s) remain unknown. Drosophila melangastor, commonly known as the fruit fly, is a well established, comprehensively understood, and genetically manipulable animal model. Furthermore, Drosophila have proved to be an accurate model species for studying muscle mechanics, and the Tergal Depressor of the Trochanter (TDT), or jump muscle, has most precisely resembled the mechanics of mammalian skeletal muscle [4]. Due to the structural and phenomenological similarities of the TDT muscle to skeletal muscle, in addition to the potential use of genetic mutations in fly models, it is extremely advantageous to investigate the presence of history dependent phenomenon in the TDT. If such phenomena are present, further investigation utilizing different myosin and actin isoforms to study the underlying mechanism(s) could produce new insight into this history-dependent phenomenon, otherwise impossible to elucidate using current experimental models. Thus, it is the goal of this study to determine the presence and degree of FD in the TDT muscle of wild type Drosophila.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A parallel code for the numerical simulation of flux tubes in superconductors and cosmic strings

Abstract We present two programs written in CM Fortran that simulate the dynamical interactions of flux-tubes in superconductors and cosmic strings. One program simulates parallel line-vortices (a 2-dimensional problem) while the other simulates the full 3-dimensional problem. Both programs have been written to take advantage of the parallel architecture and data motion features of the Connection Machine.