cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental approaches to therapy and prophylaxis for heat stress and heatstroke

New developments in the fields of biochemistry, physiology, sepsis, cancer therapy, and molecular genetics have led to opportunities for the development of new therapies and prophylaxes for heat illnesses and for improving human performance during conditions of environmental stress. These include antilipopolysaccha-ride agents, anticytokines, potassium channel agents, a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and psychological conditioning. This review summarizes the backgrounds and recent findings in the above fields and provides specific suggestions for potential therapy and prophylaxis for classic and exertional heatstroke and for improving athletic performance.
Biotin diffusion in stored chicken eggs: a re-assessment.

Abstract 1. 1. The possibility that biotin in stored eggs migrates from the yolk into the albumen was re-investigated. 2. 2. Sets of eggs collected from 12 Single Comb White Leghorn hens were stored at 5, 8, 12, 15, or 18°C for 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 days and then frozen. 3. 3. For cach set, yolk and albumen samples adjacent to the yolk membrane were each pooled and assayed for protein-bound biotin by radioligand exchange with non-linear regression analysis of the data. 4. 4. In contrast to previous work reported by Bush and White ( Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 93B , 543–547, 1989), no evidence of biotin diffusion was found. 5. 5. Non-linear regression was used to re-evaluate the data from the earlier study, confirming the results, although less strikingly. 6. 6. The discrepancy is partly due to the method of data analysis, although differences in breed or number of hens may also be contributing factors.
Increased production of TGF-beta and Il-6 by aged spleen cells

Aging is accompanied by a progressive decline in immunity in every species that has been studied. Despite its ubiquity, the causes of immunosenescence are unknown. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is a cytokine with potent immunosuppressive properties. Cells from aged mice produce increased levels of TGF-beta in vitro along with similar increases in interleukin 6 (Il-6), a cytokine which is immunosuppressive at elevated concentrations. Il-6 does not upregulate TGF-beta production, but high concentrations of Il-6 increase the percentage of cells expressing the TGF-beta receptor. Increased TGF-beta production and Il-6-induced upregulation of the TGF-beta receptor may be factors contributing to age-associated immunosuppression.
Asymmetric distribution of the Listeria monocytogenes ActA protein is required and sufficient to direct actin‐based motility

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive facultative intracytoplasmic bacterial pathogen that exhibits rapid actin-based motility in eukaryotic cells and in cell-free cytoplasmic extracts. The protein product of the actA gene is required for bacterial movement and is normally expressed in a polarized fashion on the bacterial surface. Here we demonstrate that the ActA protein is sufficient to direct motility in the absence of other L. monocytogenes gene products, and that polarized localization of the protein is required for efficient unidirectional movement. We have engineered a fusion protein combining ActA with the C-terminal domain of the LytA protein of Streptococcus pneumoniae, which mediates high-affinity binding to DEAE-cellulose and to choline moieties present in the S. pneumoniae cell wall. DEAE-cellulose fragments or S. pneumoniae coated uniformly with the ActA/LytA fusion protein nucleate actin filament growth in cytoplasmic extracts, but do not move efficiently. However, when ActA/LytA-coated S. pneumoniae is grown to polarize the distribution of the fusion protein, the bacteria exhibit unidirectional actin-based movement similar to the normal movement of L. monocytogenes.
Vasculature Formation Using Three-Dimensional Cell Printing Technology

One of the major challenges in tissue engineering is vascularization which provides adequate supplies of oxygen and nutrients to cells within thick tissue-engineered constructs. Oxygen, nutrients and other molecules required for cell growth and survival can only diffuse to 150∼200 μm without proper vascular system. For this reason, thicker tissues have diffusion problems and cannot survive/proliferate well. To date, fabrications of relatively thin tissues such as skin and bladder, and cartilage tissues, which require low level of oxygen and nutrients, are reported. Obstacles in vascularization still exist for thick and complex tissue construct such as kidney, lung and heart (1). Overcoming this problem is a critical step to the clinical applications of tissue engineering (2).Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The longitudinal dependence of black carbon concentration on traffic volume in an urban environment.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of traffic volume on ambient black carbon (BC) concentration in an inner-city neighborhood “hot spot” while accounting for modifying effects of weather and time. Continuous monitoring was conducted for 12 months at the Baltimore Traffic Study site surrounded by major urban streets that together carry over 150,000 vehicles per day. Outdoor BC concentration was measured with an Aethalometer; vehicles were counted pneumatically on two nearby streets. Meteorological data were also obtained. Missing data were imputed and all data were normalized to a 5-min observational interval (n = 105,120). Time-series modeling accounted for autoregressively (AR) correlated errors. This study found that outdoor BC was positively correlated at a statistically significant level with neighborhood-level vehicle counts, which contributed at a rate of 66 ± 10 (SE) ng/m3 per 100 vehicles every 5 min. Winds from the SW-S-SE quarter were associated with the greatest incre...
Sensitized fluorescence (A 1Π−X 1Σ+ and b 3Σ+−a 3Π) of 12C16O, 13C16O, and 12C18O by Kr(3P1) and Kr(1P1)☆

Abstract The Kr( 3 P 1 ) state was shown to excite preferentially the A 1 Π υ′ = 13 state of 13 C 16 O and 12 C 18 O by a resonance process. No resonance energy transfer was observed between Kr( 3 P 1 ) and 12 C 16 O. The Kr( 1 P 1 ) state was shown to excite the b 3 Σ + υ′ = O and υ′= 1 states of 12 C 16 O, 13 C 13 O by a non-resonance process.
The Effect of Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome on Ultrasonographic Median Nerve Measures Before and After Wheelchair Propulsion

Objective To quantify median nerve characteristics before and after strenuous wheelchair propulsion and relate them to symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We hypothesized that persons with and without symptoms of CTS would have significantly different nerve characteristics at baseline and after propulsion. Design A repeated-measures design was used to obtain ultrasound images of the median nerve at 3 levels of the wrist (radius, pisiform, and hamate) before and after wheelchair propulsion. Investigators were blinded to subject history related to CTS. Setting The 2007 and 2008 National Veterans Wheelchair Games and the Human Engineering Research Laboratories. Participants Fifty-four participants between the ages of 18 and 65 years with a nonprogressive disability who used a manual wheelchair as their primary means of mobility completed this study. Methods Participants completed questionnaires regarding demographics and the presence and severity of symptoms of CTS. Ultrasound images of the median nerve were obtained before and after a 15-minute strenuous wheelchair-propulsion task. Main Outcome Measurements Baseline values and post-propulsion changes were determined for median nerve cross-sectional area, flattening ratio, and swelling ratio. Differences in median nerve variables between symptomatic and asymptomatic groups were assessed. Results No significant differences between symptom groups were identified at baseline; however, persons with symptoms of CTS showed a significantly different percent change from baseline compared with the asymptomatic participants for cross-sectional area at pisiform ( P = .014) and flattening ratio at hamate ( P = .022), and they showed a strong trend toward a difference in swelling ratio ( P = .0502). For each of these variables, the change in the symptomatic group was in the opposite direction of the change in the asymptomatic group. Conclusions We found several median nerve responses to wheelchair propulsion associated with symptoms of CTS. These responses occurred even though no baseline ultrasound difference was found based on symptoms. Future research is necessary to determine how propulsion characteristics (ie, force, repetition, and posture) affect the median nerve response.
Comment on “The organization of economic activity”

The task of reviewing The Organization of Economic Activity (Demsetz, 1988 and 1989) is difficult to execute well because the material presented is a collection of papers covering diverse topics. About one-fourth of the material is new. The remainder is a selection of papers already published. The new material makes these volumes a somewhat different publishing venture than recently published collections that consist entirely of already published articles. A reviewer of volumes treating diverse topics inevitably brings an emphasis to his review that is not a balanced reflection of content. He focuses on those papers that cater to his own interest and expertise. Professor FitzRoy (1990) clearly reveals that his interest is in the economics of the firm. FitzRoy obviously took up these volumes expecting them to contain only new work, and in his review he sometimes treats papers published long ago as if they were written only yesterday. It seems improper to critique older papers by referring to more recent work without at least noting that this work has appeared a decade after mine. Thus, in discussing the Alchian and Demsetz paper on the theory of the firm, which appeared in 1972, FitzRoy complains that work by Aoki (1989) and Dertouzos et al. (1989) is ignored. Again ignoring the time dimension, FitzRoy cites as a more serious weakness running through much of the work of "laissez-faire" American institutionalists our "lack of attention to international differences in the organization of economic
Production scale purification of Ge-68 and Zn-65 from irradiated gallium metal.

Abstract Germanium-68 (Ge-68) is produced by proton irradiation of a gallium metal target, purified by organic extraction and used in a medical isotope generator to produce Gallium-68 PET imaging agents. The purpose of this work was to implement a production scale separation of Ge-68 and Zn-65 that does not use organic solvents and uses a limited number of columns. The current separation approach was modified to use AG1 resin and/or Sephadex© G25 with zinc spikes to purify Ge-68 with near quantitative recovery. The purified Ge-68 meets DOE specifications. Methods utilizing zinc spikes resulted in the purist Ge-68 produced at Brookhaven National Lab with no other impurities by ICP-OES. During process optimization approximately 2.5 Ci of Ge-68 was purified utilizing the different processing methods, and the material was sold to the Nuclear Medicine community between 2012–2013.
The matrix metalloproteinase-7 polymorphism rs10895304 is associated with increased recurrence risk in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer.

Purpose To evaluate whether selected high-risk matrix metalloproteinase-7 single nucleotide polymorphisms influence clinicopathologic outcomes in patients with early-stage prostate cancer. Methods and Materials Two hundred twelve prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy were evaluated with a median follow-up of 9.8 years. Genotyping was performed using hybridization with custom-designed allele-specific probes. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms within the matrix metalloproteinase-7 gene were assessed with respect to age at diagnosis, margin status, extracapsular extension, lymph node involvement, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival in paraffin-embedded prostate tissue specimens from patients with early-stage prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy. Results Rs10895304 was the sole significant polymorphism. The A/G genotype of rs10895304 had a statistically significant association with recurrence-free survival in postprostatectomy patients ( p = 0.0061, log-rank test). The frequency of the risk-reducing genotype ( A/A ) was 74%, whereas that of the risk-enhancing genotypes ( A/G and G/G ) were 20% and 6%, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression analyses detected a significant association between rs10895304 and recurrences after adjustment for known prognostic factors. The G allele of this polymorphism was associated with increased risk of prostate cancer recurrence (adjusted hazards ratio, 3.375; 95% confidence interval 1.567–7.269; p Conclusions The A/G genotype of rs10895304 is predictive of decreased recurrence-free survival in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. Our data suggest that for this subset of patients, prostatectomy alone may not be adequate for local control. This is a novel and relevant marker that should be evaluated for improved risk stratification of patients who may be candidates for adjuvant radiation therapy to improve local control.
Large-scale co-aggregation of fluorescent lipid probes with cell surface proteins

Large scale aggregation of fluorescein-labeled immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor complexes on the surface of RBL cells results in the co-aggregation of a large fraction of the lipophilic fluorescent probe 3,3'-dihexadecylindocarbocyanine (diI) that labels the plasma membranes much more uniformly in the absence of receptor aggregation. Most of the diI molecules that are localized in patches of aggregated receptors have lost their lateral mobility as determined by fluorescence photobleaching recovery. The diI outside of patches is mobile, and its mobility is similar to that in control cells without receptor aggregates. It is unlikely that the co-aggregation of diI with IgE receptors is due to specific interactions between these components, as two other lipophilic probes of different structures are also observed to redistribute with aggregated IgE receptors, and aggregation of two other cell surface antigens also results in the coredistribution of diI at the RBL cell surface. Quantitative analysis of CCD images of labeled cells reveals some differences in the spatial distributions of co-aggregated diI and IgE receptors. The results indicate that cross-linking of specific cell surface antigens causes a substantial change in the organization of the plasma membrane by redistributing pre-existing membrane domains or causing their formation.
Development of rapid microwave-mediated and low-temperature bacterial transformations

The introduction of exogenous DNA into Escherichia coli is a cornerstone of molecular biology. Herein, we investigate two new mechanisms for bacterial transformation involving either the use of microwave irradiation or a freeze–thaw protocol in liquid nitrogen. Ultimately, both methods afforded successful transfer of plasmid DNA into bacterial cells, with the freeze–thaw technique yielding efficiencies of ~105. More importantly, both techniques effectively eliminated the need for the preparation of competent cells. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12154-013-0095-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Potior utroque Vespasianus : Vespasian and His Predecessors in Tacitus's Histories

The Histories are threaded through with incidents that allow a comparison between two or more principes. Readers need to be alert to such passages, for Vespasian was preceded by three emperors who got as far as he did but failed to keep their footing there. In essence, Tacitus tells the stories of fall (Galba, Otho, Vitellius) and rise (Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian) three times each, and uses the failures of Vespasian's predecessors to help explain Vespasian's success. Given what remains of the Histories (the last two weeks of Galba, the three months of Otho's principate, Vitellius's uprising against Galba, his defeat of Otho, and his eight-month principate, the Flavian uprising against and defeat of Vitellius, and Vespasian's first eight or so months as princeps in absentia), we can see only how Vespasian succeeded in establishing himself. As to how far, according to Tacitus, success carried into the rest of his decade in power, we are in the dark. In saying that Tacitus creates a portrait of success for Vespasian, I do not mean to imply that his account of that emperor's principate is wholly positive. Indeed, some of the parallel episodes considered below suggest that the civil war context in which Vespasian came to power is characterized by a certain number of constant negatives, such as the excessive influence of imperial freedmen and the fickleness of the Roman populace, and even by deterioration over time, as is illustrated by the decline in military discipline and the increase in senatorial servility. My point is that the presence of parallel incidents in two or more principates enables, and indeed encourages, the reader to measure one princeps against the others and that Vespasian emerges from such an assessment with more to his credit than any of his predecessors. The first such comparative assessment is present in the text: public opinion in Rome in 69, says Tacitus, considered Vespasian better than either Otho or Vitellius (1.50.4: potior utroque Vespasianus). Better, but not necessarily good. Disciplines Arts and Humanities | Classics This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/classics_papers/54
Apparatus for infrared measurement of sorption/desorption in strained polymeric films

A new apparatus has been developed for optical measurement of sorption/desorption in transparent polymer films at a given strain or stress. The technique utilizes a chosen infrared absorption frequency of the diffusing vapor in a spectral region where the film has negligible absorption. From the time dependence of the IR absorption at this frequency the sorption/desorption behavior of the film may be determined at any strain or stress. The simultaneous measurement of mechanical relaxation as a function of the amount of sorbed vapor is also possible. The results presented here show the applicability of the apparatus for determining the transport and mechanical properties of a low-density polyethylene film in ethyl acetate vapor at 30°C.
Electron Microscopy And Electrochemistry Of Nickel Oxide Films For Electrochromic Devices Produced By Different Techniques

In this study we report on our investigation of the microstructure of nickel oxide films produced by e-beam evaporation, sol-gel deposition and, sputtering techniques. We give characteristic cyclic voltammetry, current-voltage relationships, and optical transmission data for films made by each technique. Data is shown for electrodes both uncycled and cycled for 17-20 hrs. We found all samples have at least one phase corresponding to cubic nickel oxide (NaCl structure). Other phases, such as nickel hydroxide, may exist but are not immediately identifiable. The stucture of the films ranges from fine polycrystalline to amorphous. and varies over the surface of the sample. Films that were cycled for 17-20 hours all tended to have improved transmittance, as high as a 20% change. The highest transmission range from bleached to colored was for the evaporated films, which showed ΔT=60%. The sol-gel films showed a large residual coloration in the bleached state after cycling, about a 40% decline was noted. Overall, after cycling the films appeared to be slightly more crystalline. In all films after cycling there were increases in the coloration and bleaching current. Also peak shifts were noted after cycling, the coloration peak tended to shift to higher and the bleaching peak shifted to lower potentials. The overall coloration efficiency (550 nm) for these films ranged from 26-36 cm 2 /C.
Technical pitfalls in image acquisition, processing and display

Optimal image quality is an ideal in nuclear medicine that is not always realized, being subject to a variety of conditions that can act, either singly or in combination, to undermine its accomplishment. These conditions include potential defects and limitations in both the hardware and software used for the acquisition and reconstruction of nuclear medicine images. Factors relating to individual patients can contribute to these obstacles, including limitations in mobility and compliance. Importantly, suboptimal or erroneous technique is a common source of poor imaging results, with loss of diagnostic efficacy. Appropriate test selection and careful attention to patient preparation and procedural details are essential elements in avoiding image flaws and artifacts in nuclear medicine.
Uptake and Phytotoxicity of TNT in Onion Plant

The uptake of 14C-2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in hydroponics was studied using onion plants. Of the total TNT mass (5 microM concentration), 75% was in the roots, 4.4% in the leaves, and 21% in the external solution at 2 days. The percent distribution in roots was lower with higher concentration in the external solution, but in leaves it was comparable at all concentrations (5-500 microM). Root concentration factor (RCF) in hydroponics was more than 85 in constant hydroponic experiment (CHE) at 5 microM and 150 in nonconstant hydroponic experiment (NHE) at 5 microM. The maximum RCF values in the hydroponic system were greater with lower solution concentration. Transpiration stream concentration factor (TSCF) values in the present study (NHE only: 0.31-0.56) were relatively similar to the values with predicted values (0.43-0.78), increasing with higher external TNT concentration. All predicted values for RCF and TSCF were derived in the literature from equations using logKow (log10 octanol-water partition coefficient). For phytotoxicity tested in hydroponics and wet paper method, 500 microM was toxic to onion plant, 50 microM was nontoxic for plant growth but limited the transpiration rate, and 5 microM was nontoxic as control.
Welfare Implications of Stabilizing Consumption and Production: Comment

In a recent paper Subotnik and Houck consider previous theoretical analyses that compare the effects of price instability (no storage) with the effects of price stabilization (storage) and conclude that price stabilization gives rise to an increase in welfare if one is willing to ignore storage costs. Subotnik and Houck claim this result could be used to justify using buffer stocks. We fail to see how a model that ignores storage costs can be used to justify buffer stocks, public or private. Moreover, welfare analysis of government-held buffer stocks must compare outcomes of regimes with and without government, not with and without storage. Clearly, private storage and speculation may occur in the absence of a government buffer stock scheme.
Exploring Hemispheric Differences in Infrared Brain Emissions

SUMMARY Background. Carmen (Toomim & Carmen, 1999) has shown that training to increase frontal lobe infrared emissions with neurofeedback techniques inhibits migraine pain, but nothing is known about the psychological correlates of the infrared signal. We assess if reading out loud would increase activation in the left hemisphere in comparison to the right. We also assessed test/retest reliability by repeating measures a week later. Methods. Measurements of infrared activity, while reading or not, were taken three times from the left, center, and right forehead of 24 persons who had signed Institutional Review Board approved consent forms. The order of reading and non-reading was varied systematically. Results. Significant differences in activation favoring the right rather than the left hemisphere were found, but only in those who read first. Both order-of-reading groups significantly declined in overall activity during the second session. Five of six Pearson correlations measuring test/retest reliabilit...
Imputation-Based Analysis of Association Studies: Candidate Regions and Quantitative Traits

We introduce a new framework for the analysis of association studies, designed to allow untyped variants to be more effectively and directly tested for association with a phenotype. The idea is to combine knowledge on patterns of correlation among SNPs (e.g., from the International HapMap project or resequencing data in a candidate region of interest) with genotype data at tag SNPs collected on a phenotyped study sample, to estimate (“impute”) unmeasured genotypes, and then assess association between the phenotype and these estimated genotypes. Compared with standard single-SNP tests, this approach results in increased power to detect association, even in cases in which the causal variant is typed, with the greatest gain occurring when multiple causal variants are present. It also provides more interpretable explanations for observed associations, including assessing, for each SNP, the strength of the evidence that it (rather than another correlated SNP) is causal. Although we focus on association studies with quantitative phenotype and a relatively restricted region (e.g., a candidate gene), the framework is applicable and computationally practical for whole genome association studies. Methods described here are implemented in a software package, Bim-Bam, available from the Stephens Lab website http://stephenslab.uchicago.edu/software.html.
Winter dialects in the bronzed cowbird and their relationship to breeding-season dialects

Abstract Studies of geographical variation in animal signals generally focus on breeding-season behaviour but, in many species, signalling persists throughout the year. In passerine birds, patterns of variation in the nonbreeding season might provide opportunities for vocal learning that have been neglected by a historic focus on breeding-season behaviour. This study provides the first example of dialect variation outside of the breeding season. Quantitative analysis of acoustic similarity showed discrete differences between the songs of bronzed cowbirds, Molothrus aeneus , in four winter flocks. Most songs produced by members of a given flock were classified as belonging to the same dialect. Songs from one of the four winter dialects were indistinguishable from songs recorded in the breeding season in the same region. Depending on migratory patterns, dialects in one season may be a consequence of dialects in the other season, or the two seasonal patterns may be the result of independent social or evolutionary forces. Because the nonbreeding season is an important period of vocal learning in some bird species, winter dialects might limit the range of signals available for individuals to learn to produce. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
When Forgetting Preserves Memory

There has been a resurgence of interest in defining the circumstances leading to memory modifications. Studies have shown that reactivating a supposedly stable memory re-introduces a time-limited window of plasticity during which presentation of interfering material can cause long-term memory changes. The present study asks whether such memory changes can be prevented if people are instructed to forget the memory before the new material is encoded. Participants learned a set of objects. After 48 hours, they were reminded of this learning episode, and learned another set of objects. Again 48 hours later, they recalled the first (Exp. 1) or second set (Exp. 3). As shown previously, a reminder caused intrusions from the second set into recall of the first set. Here I show that the instruction to forget the first set significantly diminished intrusions from the second set, especially when the instruction was given before the new set was encoded in the second session. Experiment 2 suggests that the reduced intrusions were due to list segregation/isolation, rather than temporarily inhibited access to Set 1. Taken together, the study shows that the attempt to forget a memory can immunize it such that the presentation of interfering material has limited effects, and the memory can be recalled unchanged in the future. This is important when veridical memory is essential, such as in eyewitness testimonies.
Nonlocal magnetoplasmons for cylindrical nanotubes in a perpendicular magnetic field

In this study, we report calculations of the collective plasmon excitations for an electron gas confined to the surface of a cylindrical nanotube in a magnetic field which is perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. The eigenenergies of the single-particle states are first calculated. In a weak magnetic field, only a few of the lowest eigenstates show a coupling between the linear momentum along the axis of the nanotube and the angular momentum around its axis. Numerical results demonstrating this effect for various magnetic field strengths are presented. We then employ the random phase approximation (RPA) to obtain the density fluctuations due to a weak external perturbation by using the single-particle eigenstates to calculate the polarization function in the dispersion equation. Numerical results for the magnetoplasmon dispersion are presented for various magnetic field strengths.
Evaluation of Laboratory, Construction, and Performance Variability by Bootstrapping and Monte Carlo Methods for Rutting Performance Prediction of Heavy Vehicle Simulator Test Sections

This paper demonstrates an innovative reliability analysis approach for prediction of asphalt rutting performance. In this approach, reliability was evaluated by considering the variability in laboratory test results, layer thicknesses, stiffnesses, and measured in situ performance. The effects of input design parameters variability on predicted performance were determined using the calculated distributions of calibration coefficients. To assess the contribution of each input parameter’s precision to the precision of calculated calibration coefficients, various cases were created by including and excluding the variability in these parameters in the calibration process. These distributions were also used for rutting performance prediction and reliability evaluation of highway sections. In this way, rut depths for different reliability levels can be predicted without performing computationally intensive calculations within the design software. The results indicated that distributions of calibration coeffici...
Peptides and the blood-brain barrier.

The demonstration that peptides and regulatory proteins can cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is one of the major contributions of Dr. Abba J. Kastin. He was the first to propose that peptides could cross the BBB, the first to show that an endogenous peptide did so, and the first to describe a saturable transport system at the BBB for peptides. His work shows that in crossing the BBB, peptides and regulatory proteins act as informational molecules, informing the brain of peripheral events. Brain-to-blood passage helps to control levels of peptides with the brain and can deliver information in the brain-to-blood direction. He showed that the transporters for peptides and proteins are not static, but respond to developmental and physiological changes and are affected by disease states. As such, the BBB is adaptive to the needs of the CNS, but when that adaption goes awry, the BBB can be a cause of disease. The mechanisms by which peptides and proteins cross the BBB offer opportunities for drug delivery of these substances or their analogs to the brain in the treatment of diseases of the central nervous system.
Combined UHV-Electrochemical Study of Polycrystalline Iron Electrodes in Borate and Sulfate Media

The passivation and corrosion of polycrystalline iron have been investigated using combined ultrahigh vacuum/electrochemical methods (UHV-EC) in borate electrolytes with and without sulfate contamination under a variety of experimental conditions. The presence of sulfate ions leads to enhanced anodic dissolution of iron under all circumstances, along with an increased hydroxylation of the surface film. Pitting of the iron surface is also observed. We report an unexpected effect: exposure of the electrode surface to sulfate solution significantly retards subsequent passivation in borate solution. This inhibition is observed even if the sulfate exposed sample is cleaned to the atomic level in UHV, prior to immersion in borate. This retardation manifests itself by way of a systematic trend toward higher potentials for the active−passive transition and the observation of increased anodic currents in the passive region. We attribute this effect to changes in surface morphology brought about by pitting of iron...
Preparation of ferrimagnetic SnCr2S4

Abstract SnCr2S4 has been prepared for the first time. It is hexagonal ( a = 21.325 A and c = 3.4690 A ) and ferrimagnetic (TC = 100 K).
Ifosfamide, paclitaxel, and cisplatin for patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract: final report of a phase II trial evaluating two dosing schedules.

BACKGROUND A combination regimen of ifosfamide, paclitaxel, and cisplatin (ITP), recycled every 4 weeks, was reported in the treatment of previously untreated patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). This study sought to examine ITP at 3-week intervals to assess its feasibility and toxicity, compare the results for different schedules, and assess the impact of prognostic factors and postchemotherapy surgery on outcome. METHODS ITP (ifosfamide 1.5 g/m2 daily for 3 days, paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 over 3 hours, and cisplatin 70mg/m2 on Day 1) was administered to patients with metastatic or unresectable TCC and was recycled every 4 weeks (for 30 patients) or 3 weeks (for 15 patients). Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor was given during each cycle. RESULTS Thirty of 44 assessable patients (68%; 95% confidence interval, 52–81%) demonstrated a major response (10 complete responses [23%], 20 partial [45%]), with durations of response ranging from 4 to 36 months. At a median follow-up of 28 months, the median survival was 20 months. Eleven patients (25%) were disease free at last follow-up. Overall toxicity for the 15 patients whose treatment was recycled at 3 weeks was similar to that for patients treated every 4 weeks. Hematologic toxicity included anemia, thrombocytopenia, and febrile neutropenia. Febrile neutropenia was observed in 7 patients (16%) and in 3.3% of cycles of therapy. No Grade 4 nonhematologic toxicity was observed. Grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity included alopecia, renal insufficiency (11%), and neuropathy (9%). CONCLUSIONS ITP is an active, well-tolerated regimen for previously untreated patients with TCC of the urothelial tract, resulting in a median survival of 20 months. Treatment can be recycled at 3-week intervals without enhanced toxicity. Cancer 2000;88:1671–8. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
The fate of synaptic membranes of degenerating optic nerve terminals, and their role in the mechanism of trans-synaptic changes.

The fate of synaptic membranes of degenerating optic nerve terminals has been studied in the lateral geniculate nucleus of Rhesus monkey after eye enucleation. It was shown that pre-synaptic and post-synaptic membranes remain in close apposition to each other during all stages of degeneration and phagocytosis of affected terminals. As a result of this, fragments of presynaptic terminals were engulfed within glial processes, together with synaptic thickenings and parts of post-synaptic dendrites. On occasion small pieces of the degenerating terminals together with the synaptic membranes were engulfed by the post-synaptic dendrite. It is proposed that this pattern of removal of degenerating optic terminals results in injury to the post-synaptic cells, and triggers the transneuronal degeneration.
Pairwise and ipsative comparisons of WISC-III IQ and Index scores.

Two methods to compare the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition Index scores were computed. First, pairwise comparisons of the Index and IQ scores were computed using the Bonferroni correction for the number of comparisons made. Second, the differences required for significance when comparing an individual's Index score to the mean of all the Index scores were computed at the.05 and.01 levels following the method presented by Davis (1959) and Silverstein (1982) for other multiscore intelligence tests. An example of the use of the technique is provided as are interpretation cautions
Evaluation of Methods for Estimating Linear Site-Response Amplifications in the Los Angeles Region

We have evaluated two methods of estimating linear site-response amplifications and the standard index for classifying sites by comparing the results of each technique to observed ground motions at 33 sites in the Los Angeles region. Using velocity and density profiles from 33 boreholes, we evaluated the use of the average 30-m shear-wave velocity and associated site classifications, the quarter-wavelength method, and the Haskell propagator matrix method. We correlated the average 30-m shear-wave velocity and NEHRP site classification at the borehole sites colocated within 290 m of a site with observed ground motion. The observed data follow the expected trend of higher ground-motion amplifications for lower average shear-wave velocities, but there is a significant degree of variability. Also, there is a great deal of scatter in the observed amplifications within each National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) class. We used the velocity and density information in the database to calculate the average frequency-dependent site response in the frequency ranges 1–3 Hz, 3–5 Hz, and 5–7 Hz for a one-dimensional flat-layered structure using the Haskell propagator matrix method and the quarter-wavelength method. There is a general correlation with the ground-motion data; however, once again there is a great degree of scatter, although slightly less for the quarter-wavelength method. We note that both the observed and predicted amplifications can change dramatically over a distance as small as 1 km or less. Even though all techniques considered give results that follow the expected trend of higher amplifications for softer sediments, the “predicted” site response at any particular site with the current level of information may not be representative of the shaking that will actually occur during an earthquake. The disparity between observed and predicted amplifications appears to be a result of oversimplification inherent in the amplificationestimation methods, such as the use of average or assumed values for the site conditions in the absence of measured values, the “smoothing” effect of using an average velocity, limiting the properties considered to the uppermost 30 m of material, and complexities in the wave propagation that are not addressed by these methods.
Does poly-L-lysine coating of the middle cerebral artery occlusion suture improve infarct consistency in a murine model?

Background and Purpose : Rodent models of stroke that employ an intraluminal suture to cause focal cerebral ischemia are associated with some variability of resultant infarct volumes, thus requiring increased numbers of animals to determine significant differences between experimental groups. A recent modification of the occluding suture by coating with poly-L-lysine has been shown to create more uniform infarct volumes in rats. Methods : To evaluate the utility of this modification in murine models of both transient and permanent focal cerebral ischemia, male C57B16J mice were subjected to reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) for 45 minutes (n=42), or to permanent MCAo (n=25), with an intraluminal monofilament suture. Three types of sutures were used: untreated, partially coated, and completely coated with poly-L-lysine. Relative changes in regional cerebral blood flow, severity of neurological deficits, and infarct volumes were measured 24 hours after the ischemic injury. Results : Animals subjected to 45 minutes of temporary occlusion with completely coated poly-L-lysine sutures had infarct volumes of 13.8%±5% compared with infarct volumes of 7.2%±4% in those subjected to partially coated sutures and 22.4%±6% in the group occluded with untreated sutures ( P =ns). Use of completely coated sutures resulted in significantly less reperfusion following suture removal. Control animals undergoing permanent occlusion with untreated sutures had infarct volumes of 17%±7% compared with 14.1%±5% using completely coated sutures and 6.5%±3% in animals with partially coated sutures ( P =ns). There were no significant differences in cerebral blood flow between the experimental groups undergoing permanent MCAo. Conclusions : Poly-L-lysine coating of intraluminal sutures does not increase the consistency of infarct volumes in a murine model of temporary/permanent MCAo. These findings are in marked contrast to findings in rats.
A RESISTANT VARIANT OF MUMPS VIRUS MULTIPLICATION OF THE VARIANT IN THE PRESENCE OF INHIBITORY QUANTITIES OF FRIEDLÄNDER BACILLUS POLYSACCHARIDE

Serial passage of mumps virus in the presence of inhibitory quantities of the capsular polysaccharide of Friediander bacillus type B results in the appearance of a variant strain of the virus. Multiplication of the variant virus is not inhibited by the polysaccharide. A similar resistant variant is obtained with polysaccharide in a single cycle of multiplication when very large inocula of mumps virus are employed. The resistant variant is indistinguishable from the parent strain as to infectivity, reactivity with erythrocytes, and immunological properties, but appears to have a somewhat slower rate of multiplication. Serial passage of the resistant variant in the absence of polysaccharide results in the reappearance of a sensitive strain. It is suggested that mumps virus populations are inhomogeneous; that naturally occurring variants are present in such populations and possess distinctive properties; that the use of a chemical inhibitor of mumps virus multiplication makes possible the selection of a variant possessing a predictable property. The findings are discussed in relation to the mechanism of inhibition of mumps virus multiplication by polysaccharide.
Rat retinal ganglion cells in culture.

Abstract A stable cell culture system of identified retinal ganglion cells would facilitate the investigation of cellular mechanisms of damage from glaucoma and other disorders. We have developed a reliable technique to culture retinal ganglion cells on a glial cell monolayer which extends viability and promotes extensive neurite outgrowth. Dissociated retinal cells from 5–7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured on glial monolayers derived from rat cerebral hemispheres. Retinal ganglion cells were labeled with retrograde fluorescent markers injected into the superior colliculus or in culture with monoclonal antibody to Thy-1 antigen. Since Thy-1 antigen is not entirely specific for retinal ganglion cells, and fluorescent markers fade in older cultures, the identity of Thy-1 marked cells was confirmed with whole-cell electrophysiologic recordings. Labeled, physiologically intact retinal ganglion cells were identified for at least 31 days in culture. Many retinal ganglion cells showed neurite elongation of 2 mm or more and developed complex intercellular networks. This cell culture system may be used to form the basis for future studies of the electrophysiology and transport properties of retinal ganglion cells under normal culture conditions and under adverse conditions such as those that mimic ischemia or mechanical deformation.
Power “smoothing” of a commercial-size photovoltaic system by an energy storage system

Photovoltaic power fluctuations caused by cloud transients can cause power quality and voltage regulation-related problems in distribution systems with high PV penetration. This paper describes such fluctuations in a commercial size concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system, and evaluates the use of an energy storage system (ESS) for power smoothing purposes. Recorded ramp rates at both 1-minute and 1-second sampling intervals are used in the simulations. A simple moving average is applied to determine the power to be generated or absorbed by the ESS at each step. Simulations show that the 1-second sampling is more suitable for this particular PV system size, and the level of smoothing depends on the ESS size to invest in.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation Regulates the Proteolytic Activation of Protein Kinase Cδ in Dopaminergic Neuronal Cells

Oxidative stress is a key apoptotic stimulus in neuronal cell death and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson disease (PD). Recently, we demonstrated that protein kinase C-delta (PKCdelta) is an oxidative stress-sensitive kinase that can be activated by caspase-3-dependent proteolytic cleavage to induce apoptotic cell death in cell culture models of Parkinson disease (Kaul, S., Kanthasamy, A., Kitazawa, M., Anantharam, V., and Kanthasamy, A. G. (2003) Eur. J. Neurosci. 18, 1387-1401 and Kanthasamy, A. G., Kitazawa, M., Kanthasamy, A., and Anantharam, V. (2003) Antioxid. Redox. Signal. 5, 609-620). Here we showed that the phosphorylation of a tyrosine residue in PKCdelta can regulate the proteolytic activation of the kinase during oxidative stress, which consequently influences the apoptotic cell death in dopaminergic neuronal cells. Exposure of a mesencephalic dopaminergic neuronal cell line (N27 cells) to H(2)O(2)(0-300 microm) induced a dose-dependent increase in cytotoxicity, caspase-3 activation and PKCdelta cleavage. H(2)O(2)-induced proteolytic activation of PKC was delta mediated by the activation of caspase-3. Most interestingly, both the general Src tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein (25 microm) and the p60(Src) tyrosine-specific kinase inhibitor (TSKI; 5 microm) dramatically inhibited H(2)O(2) and the Parkinsonian toxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium-induced PKCdelta cleavage, kinase activation, and apoptotic cell death. H(2)O(2) treatment also increased phosphorylation of PKCdelta at tyrosine site 311, which was effectively blocked by co-treatment with TSKI. Furthermore, N27 cells overexpressing a PKCdelta(Y311F) mutant protein exhibited resistance to H(2)O(2)-induced PKCdelta cleavage, caspase activation, and apoptosis. To our knowledge, these data demonstrate for the first time that phosphorylation of Tyr-311 on PKCdelta can regulate the proteolytic activation and proapoptotic function of the kinase in dopaminergic neuronal cells.
The incremental stimulus intensity effect and habituation of autonomic responses in man

Two experiments are reported on the effectiveness of a gradually increasing series of stimulus intensities for reducing autonomic responsiveness to a high-intensity stimulus. In the first, frequency of electrodermal (EDR) responding, but not of finger blood volume responding, to a 100-dB (re.0002 dyne/cm2) white noise was found to be significantly lower, t(18) = 2.35, p <.05, if subjects were previously exposed to a range of intensities from 80 to 100 dB in ascending order than if exposure consisted only of repeated presentation of the 100-dB stimulus itself. In the second experiment, magnitude of the intensity increment was shown to be more critical than the amount of training at each increment in a gradually increasing series of stimulus intensities for reducing EDR magnitude, F(l,36) = 5.36, p <.05, but not magnitude of the heart-rate response to a white noise of 100 dB. Implications of these data for theories of the habituation process proposed by Sokolov and Groves and Thompson were discussed.