cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Melatonin entrains free-running blind people according to a physiological dose-response curve

The specific circadian role proposed for endogenous melatonin production was based on a study of sighted people who took low pharmacological doses (500 microg) of this chemical signal for the "biological night": the magnitude and direction of the induced phase shifts were dependent on what time of day exogenous melatonin was administered and were described by a phase-response curve that turned out to be the opposite of that for light. We now report that lower (physiological) doses of up to 300 microg can entrain (synchronize) free-running circadian rhythms of 10 totally blind subjects that would otherwise drift later each day. The resulting log-linear dose-response curve in the physiological range adds support for a circadian function of endogenous melatonin in humans. Efficacy of exogenous doses in the physiological range are of clinical significance for totally blind people who will need to take melatonin daily over their entire lifetimes in order to remain entrained to the 24 h day. Left untreated, their free-running endocrine, metabolic, behavioral, and sleep/wake cycles can be almost as burdensome as not having vision.
Hepatocyte cytokeratin 7 expression in chronic allograft rejection.

We examined hepatocyte cytokeratin 7 (CK7) expression in chronic allograft rejection (CR), a ductopenic condition in which this has not been systematically evaluated, in 20 patients with the clinicopathologic diagnosis of CR and age-, sex-, and native-disease-matched control subjects. We also studied baseline biopsy specimens from both groups. Three pathologists independently reviewed HE 1+, rare; 2+, multifocal, predominantly periportal; 3+, extension into the lobule; 4+, diffuse). Mean BD/PT ratios and CK7 scores were calculated. The mean BD/PT ratio (0.58) and CK7 score (1.01) for the "CR, diagnostic" group were significantly different from all other group means (P .05). A CK7 score of 1 or more was observed in 9 (56%) of 16 CR specimens and in 3 (7%) of 41 remaining specimens. Hepatocyte CK7 expression is frequently noted in CR, and it would appear to reflect ductopenia. CK7 staining may be a useful diagnostic adjunct in evaluation of transplant liver biopsy specimens.
Plasticity and ontogeny of the central 5-HT transporter: effect of neonatal 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine lesions in the rat.

Abstract 5,7-Dihyroxytrptamine (5,7-DHT) is unique as a serotonin (5-HT) neurotoxin in that i.p. injection of neonatal rats increases concentrations of 5-HT in brainstem while depleting 5-HT in cortex, hippocampus and spinal cord. To study the mechanism of this effect we measured the 5-HT transporter or uptake site, a presynaptic marker, using [ 3 H]paroxetine binding. There were significant regional differences in B max of vehicle-injected rats: biencephalon > striatum, cortex, spinal cord > hippocampus, cerebellum. There were also regional differences in the ontogeny of bindings: at postnatal day 7,[ 3 H]paroxetine sites were 39% of adult levels in cortex compared to 63% in brainstem. Thirty days after 100 mg/kg 5,7-DHT i.p., B max of [ 3 H]paroxetine binding was significantly increased in brainstem (+67%) and diencephalon (+136%), whereas it decreaed in cortex (-59%), hippocampus (-94%) and spinal cord (-99%), striatum (-41%) and cerebellum (-37%). K D remained unaltered. In dose-response studies (0–200 mg/kg),was the threshold dose for B max effects and 200 mg/kg was letha In weekly time-course studies, changes were apparent 1 week after 5,7-DHT lesions. Binding site increases in diencephalon and brainstem were not maximal until 3 weeks after injection, whereas percent decreases in cortical sites remained unchanged at eeek studied. Lesion effects on theontogeny of [ 3 H]paroxetine binding sites were region-dependent: cortical sites continued to increased with age but spinal sites did not. There was no significant recovery in spinal cord. These data show significant regional, dose- and time-dependent effects of neonatal 5,7-DHT lesions made by i.p. injection on [ 3 H]paroxetine binding sites. They are evidence for brainstem 5-HT hyperinnervation (sprouting) as a cause of increased 5-HT concentrations rather than other mechanisms following neonatal i.p. 5,7-DHT injections.
Perceptions of the food environment are associated with fast-food (not fruit-and-vegetable) consumption: findings from multi-level models.

Diets low in fruits and vegetables and/or high in fast foods are associated with obesity and chronic diseases. Such diets may relate to different aspects of neighborhood food environments. We sought to evaluate if people’s perceptions of their neighborhood food environment are associated with reported fruit-and-vegetable and fast-food consumption. Cross-sectional analysis of a community health survey from Philadelphia, PA and four surrounding suburban counties (n = 10,450 individuals). We used mixed-effects multi-level Poisson models, nesting individuals within neighborhoods—i.e. census tracts (n = 991). Negative perceptions of the food environment (perceived difficulty finding fruits and vegetables, having to travel outside of one’s neighborhood to get to a supermarket, and perceived poor grocery quality) were each directly associated with fast-food consumption (incident rate ratios [IRRs] 1.31, 1.06, 1.20; p < 0.001, 0.04, < 0.001 respectively), but not significantly associated with fruit-and-vegetable consumption. Perceived difficulty finding or accessing produce and high-quality groceries may support the eating of more fast food. Neighborhoods where food-environment perceptions are worst might benefit from interventions to improve availability, accessibility, and quality of healthy foods, towards shifting consumption away from fast foods.
193-nm lithography (Review Paper)

The trend in microelectronics toward printing features 0.25 micrometers and below has motivated the development of lithography at the 193-nm wavelength of argon fluoride excimer lasers. This technology is in its early stages, but a picture is emerging of its strengths and limitations. The change in wavelength from 248 to 193 nm will require parallel progress in projection systems, optical materials, and photoresist chemistries and processes. This paper reviews the current status of these various topics, as they have been engineered under a multi-year program at MIT Lincoln Laboratory.
Comparison of EQ-5D, HUI, and SF-36-derived societal health state values among spine patient outcomes research trial (SPORT) participants.

Purpose: To compare societal values across health-state classification systems and to describe the performance of these systems at baseline in a large population of persons with confirmed diagnosis of intervertebral disc herniation (IDH), spinal stenosis (SpS), or degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). Methods: We compared values for EQ-5D (York weights), HUI (Mark 2 and 3), SF-6D, and the SF-36-derived estimate of the Quality of Well Being (eQWB) score using signed rank tests. We tested each instrument’s ability to discriminate between health categories and level of symptom satisfaction. Correlations were assessed with Spearman rank correlations. We evaluated ceiling and floor effects by comparing the proportion at the highest and the lowest possible score for each tool. In addition, we compared proportions at the highest and lowest levels by dimension. The number of unique health states assigned was compared across instruments. We calculated the difference between those who were very dissatisfied and all others. Results: Mean values ranged from 0.39 to 0.63 among 2097 participants ages 18–93 (mean age 53, 47 female) with significant differences in pair-wise comparisons noted for all systems. Correlations ranged from 0.30 to 0.78. Although all systems showed statistically significant differences in health state values when baseline comparisons were made between those who were very dissatisfied with their symptoms and those who were not, the magnitude of this difference ranged widely across systems. Mean differences (95 CI) between those very dissatisfied and all others were 0.30 (0.269, 0.329) for EQ-5D, 0.22 (0.190, 0.241) for HUI(3), 0.18 (0.161, 0.201) for HUI(2), 0.11 (0.095, 0.117) for SF-6D, 0.04 (0.039, 0.049) for eQWB, and 0.07 (0.056, 0.077) for VAS (with transformation applied to group means). Conclusion: Differences in preference-weighted health state classification systems are evident at baseline in a population with confirmed IDH, SpS, and DS. Caution should be used when comparing health state values derived from various systems.
De novo lipogenesis predicts short-term body-composition response by bioelectrical impedance analysis to oral nutritional supplements in HIV-associated wasting

We studied the effects of enteral supplements on protein and energy intakes, body composition, energy expenditure, and gastrointestinal histology in 49 subjects with human immun- odeficiency virus-associated weight loss (12.7 ∠ 0.9% of body wt). We also determined whether a stable-isotope mass spectro- metric measurement at baseline might predict the short-term response of fat-free mass (FFM) measured by bioelectrical imped- ance analysis. Thirty-nine subjects completed the study after being randomly assigned to receive either a whole-protein-based (n = 22) or a peptide-based (n = 17) formula. A nonsupplement- ed, nonrandomly assigned group (n = 13) was followed concur- rently. Both formulas were well tolerated. Voluntary intakes of energy and protein from nonsupplement sources decreased signi- ficantly during supplementation (by 819-1638 kJ (196-382 kcal)/d and 5.6-14.4 g protein/d, respectively; P< 0.01) but to a lesser extent than the intake from the supplement (2300-2510 kJ(550-600 kcal)/d and 19-28 g protein/d, respectively), so that net increases in intakes of protein and energy ( P< 0.03), as well as of several vitamins and trace elements were increased. Neverthe- less, the mean FFM did not increase for the group as a whole, although there was considerable interindividual heterogeneity. Changes in FFM at 6 wk were significantly inversely correlated (r = 0.65, P< 0.01) with baseline synthesis of fat (de novo hepatic lipogenesis), but not with other potential measures of energy intake (insulin-like growth factor 1 or its binding protein) or inflammation (soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors I or II). The prospective identification of FFM response by measurement of de novo hepatic lipogenesis supported the hypothesis that the sub- set of wasting patients whose FFM is unresponsive to nutrient supplementation have altered nutrient metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr 1998;68:154-63.
TRANSFER PLASMAS DESTROY PCB FLUIDS

High voltage, ac transfer arcs were used as a reaction zone to destroy polychlorinated biphenyls dissolved in transformer fluid. The extremely high temperature of the arc is of sufficient magnitude that it destroys both the PCB's and the oil in which the PCB's are dissolved. Although fast pyrolysis is the major destructive mechanism, several other features of the process are unique. For example, the transfer arc discharge is submerged. The arc is created beneath the surface of the transformer oil at a water interface. Furthermore, the water phase is part of the electrical circuit; but it also participates in the reaction chemistry of the plasma arc. Water vapor created by the discharge reacts with the carbon and acetylene formed by pyrolysis to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This retards carbon buildup within the system. The presence of the water phase also provides a convenient adsorption medium for acid gases (HC1) which are formed by pyrolysis of the PCB's, These gases are infinitely more solubl...
Superfluidity of the Lattice Anyon Gas

I consider a gas of “free” anyons with statistical paremeter δ on a two dimensional lattice. Using a recently derived Jordan-Wigner transformation, I map this problem onto a gas of fermions on a lattice coupled to a Chern-Simons gauge theory with coupling . I show that if and the density , with r and q integers, the system is a superfluid. If q is even and the system is half filled the state may be either a superfluid or a Quantum Hall System depending on the dynamics. Similar conclusions apply for other values of ρ and δ. The dynamical stability of the Fetter-Hanna-Laughlin goldstone mode is insured by the topological invariance of the quantized Hall conductance of the fermion problem. This leads to the conclusion that anyon gases are generally superfluids or quantum Hall systems.
Screams, slaps, and love: the strange birth of applied behavior analysis.

* Abbreviations: ABA — : applied behavior analysis UCLA — : University of California at Los Angeles On May 7, 1965, an extraordinary photo essay titled “Screams, Slaps, and Love” appeared in the pages of Life magazine. It portrayed the lives of 4 “utterly withdrawn children whose minds are sealed against all human contact and whose uncontrolled madness had turned their homes into hells.”1 Their diagnosis was “childhood schizophrenia,” the term applied at the time to the condition we know as autism. Two were nonverbal, 2 others had no language other than endlessly repeating television commercial jingles, and all 4 exhibited very disruptive behaviors such as head-banging to the point of bruising. The article’s focus was on a novel treatment that had recently been developed for autism at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). In an age when psychoanalytic ideas dominated therapy for autism in the United States, this new intervention was grounded in behaviorism.2 The therapists in the photo essay were depicted using rewards and punishments to change the children’s behavior. Mimicking speech led to food and hugs; uncooperative behavior was met with scolding and stern shaking. The essay’s most disturbing image showed a therapist administering an electric shock to one recalcitrant child (Fig 1).1 FIGURE 1 Therapist administering an electric shock to one recalcitrant child. It is hard not to look at “Screams, Slaps, and Love” without a feeling of repugnance, if not horror, a depiction of the “dark age” of the treatment of autism. Yet for many of the article’s original readers, its message was one of hope. The climax of the … Address correspondence to Rachel A. Bowman, PhD, Durham Child Development and Behavioral Health Clinic, Duke University School of Medicine, 402 Trent Drive #2906, Durham, NC 27705. E-mail: rachel.bowman{at}duke.edu
Universal quantum observables

Abstract It is shown how one can estimate the ensemble average of all operators of a quantum system by measuring only one fixed “universal” observable on an extended Hilbert space. This is equivalent to run a tomographic reconstruction in a kind of “quantum parallelism”, measuring all the quorum observables with a single universal observable. An experimental implementation in quantum optics is given, based on Kerr cross-phase modulated homodyning.
Noble Patrons and Religious Innovators in 18th-Century Germany: The Case of Johann Lorenz Schmidt

Imperial law strictly prohibited religious novelty in eighteenth-century Germany. The Westphalian Peace accords of 1648, which served as the constitutional framework for the German empire until Napoleon, banned all public expression objectionable to the three sanctioned churches: the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinist or Reformed. Various ordinances applied the Westphalian definitions broadly, but the jurisdictional quilt of the empire frustrated implementation. In particular, noble patrons could enable a writer accused of spreading heterodox, antichurch, or even anti-Christian views to remain active and influential.
Happy Birthday, JASE!

doi:10.1016/j. Astute readers will realize that it has been quite some time since I dusted off my pen andwrote a short article for the Editor’s Page. However, I have been shaken out of my torpor by the start of a new year, and the auspicious occasion that will accompany the arrival of January 2012. The first issue of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography (JASE) was published in January 1988 (although some of ASE’s more mature members will recall that from 1988-1996, JASE was published on a bimonthly basis, so—technically— the inaugural issue was the January-February 1988 issue). Therefore, the arrival of January 2012 heralds the publication of the first issue of the 25 volume of the Journal. A 25 birthday is a memorable event, and all members of the American Society of Echocardiography have reason to be proud of how our official journal has grown during its first 24 years. According to PubMed, the inaugural issue of JASE included a total of 9 articles, most of which focused on the role of echocardiography in evaluating various forms of cardiomyopathy, and used a total of 102 editorial pages. The 6 issues that constituted volume 1 of JASE included a total of 76 papers that filled fewer than 500 editorial pages. By 1996 (volume 9), the year’s content totaled 126 papers and filled more than 800 pages. This justified expansion of the Journal in 1997 to a total of 9 issues. In 1998, JASE became a monthly publication; volume 11 contained 12 issues, a total of 172 articles, and more than 1,170 editorial pages. In the ensuing 14 years, the Journal has continued to grow, albeit less rapidly. It is worth noting that toddlers and young children grow quickly, but once they reach puberty and become teenagers the rate of physical growth is slower. Height and body weight do not increase each year, on a percentage basis, as rapidly in teenagers as in younger children – instead, maturation must be measured in other ways. Similarly, while JASE has continued to grow and mature, the number of papers published each year, and the total editorial pages used to publish these papers, has not increased as rapidly as it did in the Journal’s first 10 years. In 2011, by my estimates, we will have published over 1,500 pages of editorial content, and a total of about 190 articles. Over time, JASE has published more guideline documents and review articles, and fewer case reports. As they grow older, most 25 year olds do not expect to gain in height, and in general they hope not to gain much more weight. However, they do continue to learn, and to become more accomplished, over time. I believe that the same can be said for JASE. How one grades the accomplishments of a journal such as JASE is an ongoing source of discussion. Some consider that a journal’s acceptance rate is a marker of quality, and believe that a journal that publishes only 10% of the articles that authors submit for consideration is intrinsically ‘‘better’’ than a journal that publishes 50% of the articles it
A via-loaded annular-ring RSW antenna

Microstrip antennas excite surface waves and produce lateral radiation, and these fields deteriorate the radiation pattern due to diffraction and also couple with neighboring patches in an array environment. Recently, microstrip antennas denoted as ldquoreduced-surface-waverdquo (RSW) antennas were developed that minimize the surface-wave excitation and lateral radiation (D. R. Jackson, et al., August 1993) (M. A. Khayat, et al., Oct. 2000). However, these antennas have the disadvantage of being physically larger than conventional microstrip antennas. The design proposed here realizes a reduced-surface-wave microstrip antenna that is smaller than the previous design by using via loading of an annular ring configuration.
Fabrication and characterization of SiO2/PVDF composite nanofiber‐coated PP nonwoven separators for lithium‐ion batteries

SiO2/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite nanofiber-coated polypropylene (PP) nonwoven membranes were prepared by electrospinning of SiO2/PVDF dispersions onto both sides of PP nonwovens. The goal of this study was to combine the good mechanical strength of PP nonwoven with the excellent electrochemical properties of SiO2/PVDF composite nanofibers to obtain a new high-performance separator. It was found that the addition of SiO2 nanoparticles played an important role in improving the overall performance of these nanofiber-coated nonwoven membranes. Among the membranes with various SiO2 contents, 15% SiO2/PVDF composite nanofiber-coated PP nonwoven membranes provided the highest ionic conductivity of 2.6 × 10−3 S cm−1 after being immersed in a liquid electrolyte, 1 mol L−1 lithium hexafluorophosphate in ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate. Compared with pure PVDF nanofiber-coated PP nonwoven membranes, SiO2/PVDF composite fiber-coated PP nonwoven membranes had greater liquid electrolyte uptake, higher electrochemical oxidation limit, and lower interfacial resistance with lithium. SiO2/PVDF composite fiber-coated PP nonwoven membrane separators were assembled into lithium/lithium iron phosphate cells and demonstrated high cell capacities and good cycling performance at room temperature. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1719–1726
2,2‐Dimethyl‐1,3‐propanediol

[126-30-7] C5H12O2 (MW 104.17) InChI = 1S/C5H12O2/c1-5(2,3-6)4-7/h6-7H,3-4H2,1-2H3 InChIKey = SLCVBVWXLSEKPL-UHFFFAOYSA-N (protecting group for aldehydes and ketones;9 a ligand used in boron chemistry12) Physical Data: mp 123–127 °C.1 Solubility: sol H2O, chloroform, benzene; very sol ethyl alcohol, diethyl ether.2 Form Supplied in: white crystals. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: skin irritant; hygroscopic; store in cool dry place.1
The Justice of the Wehrmacht Legal System: Servant or Opponent of National Socialism?

Was the Wehrmacht legal system during the Nazi era a tool for Hitler's regime or an oppositional force attempting to resist the Nazis' skewed version of justice? This article analyzes how the issue was originally addressed in one work and reviews a recent monograph thoroughly discrediting the first. Following the Second World War, works about the Nazi legal system were written exclusively by jurists who had served in the system. These were largely apologetic works similar to those written about the Wehr? macht by former officers. Though individuals, men like Keitel or Freisler, were held up as examples of individual failure, the general institutions of the armed forces and its legal system were portrayed as following orders and nothing more. Such is the flavor ofthe 1977 monograph written by Peter Schweling and edited by Erich Schwinge, former judges of the German Wehrmacht legal establishment.1 Manfred Messerschmidt,2 who has recently retired after many years as Chief Historian at the Military History Research Office (Militargeschichtliches Forschungsamt) in Freiburg, and co-author Fritz Wullner, tireless
PLAC-24 Is a Cytoplasmic Dynein-Binding Protein That Is Recruited to Sites of Cell-Cell Contact

We screened for polypeptides that interact specifically with dynein and identified a novel 24-kDa protein (PLAC-24) that binds directly to dynein intermediate chain (DIC). PLAC-24 is not a dynactin subunit, and the binding of PLAC-24 to the dynein intermediate chain is independent of the association between dynein and dynactin. Immunocytochemistry using PLAC-24–specific polyclonal antibodies revealed a punctate perinuclear distribution of the polypeptide in fibroblasts and isolated epithelial cells. However, as epithelial cells in culture make contact with adjacent cells, PLAC-24 is specifically recruited to the cortex at sites of contact, where the protein colocalizes with components of the adherens junction. Disruption of the cellular cytoskeleton with latrunculin or nocodazole indicates that the localization of PLAC-24 to the cortex is dependent on intact actin filaments but not on microtubules. Overexpression of β-catenin also leads to a loss of PLAC-24 from sites of cell-cell contact. On the basis of these data and the recent observation that cytoplasmic dynein is also localized to sites of cell-cell contact in epithelial cells, we propose that PLAC-24 is part of a multiprotein complex localized to sites of intercellular contact that may function to tether microtubule plus ends to the actin-rich cellular cortex.
Review of biological mechanisms and pharmacological treatments of comorbid PTSD and substance use disorder.

Abstract Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol/substance use disorder (A/SUD) are frequently comorbid. Comorbidity is associated with poorer psychological, functional, and treatment outcomes than either disorder alone. This review outlines biological mechanisms that are potentially involved in the development and maintenance of comorbid PTSD and A/SUD including neurotransmitter and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal dysregulation, structural differences in the brain, and shared genetic risk factors. The literature regarding pharmacological treatments that have been investigated for comorbid PTSD and A/SUD is also reviewed. Empirical data for each proposed mechanism and pharmacological approach is reviewed with the goal of making recommendations for future research. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder’.
Incentive Compensation and The Choice of Inventory Buffer

[enter Abstract Body]Previous research in management accounting and economics has noted the potential for complementarities between the firm’s performance measurement system and its other organizational design choices. We add to this literature by studying how the informativeness and incentive properties of a performance metric can be influenced by one particular organizational design choice — the size of the firm’s inventory buffers. We model a manufacturing setting in which an agent manages a workstation that processes intermediate units. As intermediate units arrive, they are stored in an inventory buffer until the agent can process them. The buffer can hold a maximum number of intermediate units — its buffer size. The agent is compensated on the basis of his workstation’s throughput. We characterize the conditions under which reducing the inventory buffer enhances/degrades the informativeness of the performance metric and, hence, mitigates/exacerbates the agent’s incentive problem.
Molecular characterization of mitofilin (HMP), a mitochondria-associated protein with predicted coiled coil and intermembrane space targeting domains

We have identified and characterized a human protein of the mitochondria which we call mitofilin. Using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, we have isolated cDNA clones and characterized mitofilin biochemically. It appears as a 90 and 91 kDa doublet in western blots and is translated from a single 2.7 kb mRNA. Antibodies raised against cellular and bacterially-expressed protein given identical cytoplasmic immunofluorescence and immunoblot results. Mitofilin co-localizes with mitochondria in immunofluorescence experiments and co-purifies with mitochondria. Double label studies show co-localization only with mitochondria and not with Golgi or endoplasmic reticulum. Co-localization with mitochondria is retained when actin or tubulin are de-polymerized, and mitofilin is expressed in all human cell types tested. The cDNA encodes a polypeptide with a central alpha-helical region with predicted coiled coil domains flanked by globular amino and carboxy termini. Unlike coiled coil motor proteins, mitofilin is resistant to detergent extraction. The presence of mitochondrial targeting and stop-transfer sequences, along with the accessibility of mitofilin to limited proteolysis suggests that it resides predominantly in the intermembrane space, consistent with immuno-electron micrographs which show mitofilin mainly at the mitochondrial periphery. The cDNA sequence of mitofilin is identical to that recently reported by Icho et al. (1994; Gene 144, 301-306) for a mRNA preferentially expressed in heart muscle (HMP), consistent with the high levels of mitochondria in cardiac myocytes.
Recruiting Participants from a Community of Bangladeshi Immigrants for a Study of Spousal Abuse: An Appropriate Cultural Approach

In this article, the authors describe a recruitment strategy used to enroll female Bangladeshi immigrants into a study of spousal abuse, crucial in the process of identifying abuse in this community. The researchers used a qualitative method involving a three-staged process designed for sampling and recruiting for focus groups and in-depth interviews. The Bangladeshi women declined participation in either of these qualitative genres, but the modified and adapted strategies proved effective in recruiting participants from the tightly knit immigrant community. Key to the success of the effort was the involvement of a Bangladeshi investigator, unspecified time to establish rapport with key informants and representatives of the larger community, and maintaining contact with the target population after completion of the project.
Structure and function of spiny lobster ligamental nerve plexuses: evidence for synthesis, storage, and secretion of biogenic amines.

Three pairs of ligaments support not only the heart of spiny lobsters but also ligamental nerve plexuses, the complex terminal aborizations of segmental nerves. Segmental nerves 1–4 project from the thoracic ganglia into the pericardial cavity and ultimately ramify along the strands of the anterior, medial, and posterior ligaments. In each branch, a core of large axons sends fibers to terminate in a surrounding cortex of fine and varicose secretory processes. Electron micrographs reveal at least five distinct populations of granule-filled neuronal profiles, many with vesicles clustered at membrane thickenings adjacent to the epineural sheath. The ligamental nerve plexuses synthesize and accumulate octopamine, dopamine, 5-HT, and acetylcholine. Octopamine and 5-HT are predominant, comprising 33% and 65%, respectively, of the synthetic activity devoted to the four amines. Thus, the anatomy, ultrastructure, and neurochemistry of the ligamental nerve plexuses establishes their homology with the pericardial organs of other Crustacea. Octopamine and 5-HT are released by a Ca++-dependent mechanism upon electrical stimulation of preterminal nerve trunks, and, in vivo, would be swept immediately through ostia into the heart. These observations, when considered with known effects of octopamine and 5-HT on crustacean cardiac activity, neuromuscular transmission, muscle tension, and cyclic AMP metabolism provide a strong case for hormonal actions at target sites throughout the animal. Segmental nerve processes in the dorsal nerve trunk ramify into a plexus around the dorsal nerve apparatus, a small muscular bulb that lies recessed in the cardiac surface. The dorsal nerve, carrying excitatory and inhibitory input to the cardiac ganglion directly through the bulb's hollow interior. The apparatus synthesizes and contains acetylcholine and the three amines mentioned above. In situ, it may beat rhythmically out of phase with the heart.
Malignant parotid tumors: presentation, clinical/pathologic prognostic factors, and treatment outcomes.

Abstract Purpose To determine the important clinical/pathologic prognostic factors and optimal treatment of malignant parotid tumors. Methods and materials This study was a retrospective chart review of 163 patients treated for malignant parotid tumors at two institutions. Of the 163 patients, 91 were treated with surgical resection and radiotherapy (RT), 56 were treated with surgery alone, and 13 were treated with RT alone. The median follow-up was 5.1 years (range, 0–37 years). Results Locoregional recurrence occurred in 37% of surgery-only, 11% of surgery plus RT, and 15% of RT-only patients ( p = 0.001, Pearson's chi-square test). Cox proportional hazard multivariate analysis revealed that increasing age and higher stage were each statistically significantly ( p Conclusion In Cox proportional hazards multivariate analysis, only increasing age and stage were statistically significant prognostic factors for survival. The addition of RT to surgery did not improve overall survival but did reduce locoregional recurrence and improve local failure–free survival.
Transcriptional activation of the rat glucagon gene by the cyclic AMP-responsive element in pancreatic islet cells.

Abstract The 5'-flanking region of the rat glucagon gene contains, from nucleotides -291 to -298, a sequence (TGA CGTCA) which mediates cyclic AMP (cAMP) responsiveness in several genes (cAMP-responsive element [CRE]). However, because of nonpermissive bases surrounding the CRE octamer, the glucagon CRE does not confer cAMP responsiveness to an inert heterologous promoter in placental JEG cells that do not express the glucagon gene. This report describes transient transfection experiments with glucagon-reporter fusion genes that show that glucagon gene expression is activated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase A in a glucagon-expressing pancreatic islet cell line. This activation is mediated through the glucagon CRE.
Dynamic strain aging and serrated flow in MnO

The effects of aging on the upper yield stress tau/sub up/ and serrated flow have been studied in MnO single crystals at 900/sup 0/C for oxygen partial pressures p2 of 10/sup -11/ and 10/sup -7/ Pa. Aging initially increases tau/sub up/ as a consequence of segregation of aliovalent impurities to dislocations for both p2 values. For long aging times and p2 = 10/sup -11/ Pa, serrated flow accompanied by solute softening is observed. The data fit predictions of a Portevin--Le Chatelier model for serrations, but with impurity atmospheres causing softening instead of hardening. This is believed to result from changes in local defect equilibria caused by segregation of impurities with valences greater than two to dislocations.
NMR structure of the myristylated feline immunodeficiency virus matrix protein.

Membrane targeting by the Gag proteins of the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV types-1 and -2) is mediated by Gag’s N-terminally myristylated matrix (MA) domain and is dependent on cellular phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2]. To determine if other lentiviruses employ a similar membrane targeting mechanism, we initiated studies of the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a widespread feline pathogen with potential utility for development of human therapeutics. Bacterial co-translational myristylation was facilitated by mutation of two amino acids near the amino-terminus of the protein (Q5A/G6S; myrMAQ5A/G6S). These substitutions did not affect virus assembly or release from transfected cells. NMR studies revealed that the myristyl group is buried within a hydrophobic pocket in a manner that is structurally similar to that observed for the myristylated HIV-1 protein. Comparisons with a recent crystal structure of the unmyristylated FIV protein [myr(-)MA] indicate that only small changes in helix orientation are required to accommodate the sequestered myr group. Depletion of PI(4,5)P2 from the plasma membrane of FIV-infected CRFK cells inhibited production of FIV particles, indicating that, like HIV, FIV hijacks the PI(4,5)P2 cellular signaling system to direct intracellular Gag trafficking during virus assembly.
Analysis of the current care model of the COPD patient: a health outcomes assessment and economic evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: Because chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common but serious illness affecting millions worldwide, we present an overview of the disease and discuss its underdiagnosis and treatment options. SUMMARY: COPD, a disease encompassing emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is associated with cigarette smoking, chronic exposure to environmental pollutants, and, occasionally, genetic conditions. The disease is severely underdiagnosed and underrecognized. The economic costs of COPD, which accounted for about 14 million office visits and 3.5 million hospital days in 1993, are estimated at more than $7 billion, and another $8 billion worth of productivity was lost to morbidity and mortality in the same year. 1 The death rate from COPD is rising, principally among women. Uniform diagnosis and treatment standards are now being realized. The American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society recommend treatment, based on worsening symptoms, with bronchodilators and, in more advanced cases, inhaled corticosteroids. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) treatment algorithm also uses a step-care approach. The GOLD guidelines recommend a management program that prevents disease progression, relieves symptoms, improves exercise tolerance and health status, and prevents and treats complications and exacerbations, thereby reducing mortality. The GOLD guidelines recommend avoiding risk factors, using short- or long-acting bronchodilators, and adding rehabilitation and inhaled glucocorticoids. In severe cases, the GOLD guidelines recommend long-term oxygen administration and even surgery. Decisions in managing COPD require a consideration of multiple outcomes measures. Although spirometry remains the foundation for diagnosis and demonstration of efficacy, the patients and their families may be more concerned with symptoms, quality of life, and prevention of exacerbations. In patients with COPD, bronchodilators such as tiotropium produce significant improvements in all of these outcomes measures. CONCLUSIONS: COPD is a common disease that substantially affects patients, health care systems, and society. With increasing awareness of the disease, improved diagnostic guidelines, and newer cost-effective pharmacologic regimens, this chronic progressive disorder can be effectively recognized and treated, helping to improve patients’ overall health and quality of life.
Evaluating Internet end-to-end performance: overview of test methodology and results.

Objective: An evaluation of Internet end-to-end performance was conducted for the purpose of better understanding the overall performance of Internet pathways typical of those used to access information in National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases and, by extension, other Internet-based biomedical information resources. Design: The evaluation used a three-level test strategy: 1) user testing to collect empirical data on Internet performance as perceived by users when accessing NLM Web-based databases, 2) technical testing to analyze the Internet paths between the NLM and the user's desktop computer terminal, and 3) technical testing between the NLM and the World Wide Web (“Web”) server computer at the user's institution to help characterize the relative performance of Internet pathways. Measurements: Time to download the front pages of NLM Web sites and conduct standardized searches of NLM databases, data transmission capacity between NLM and remote locations (known as the bulk transfer capacity [BTC], “ping” round-trip time as an indication of the latency of the network pathways, and the network routing of the data transmissions (number and sequencing of hops). Results: Based on 347 user tests spread over 16 locations, the median time per location to download the main NLM home page ranged from 2 to 59 seconds, and 1 to 24 seconds for the other NLM Web sites tested. The median time to conduct standardized searches and get search results ranged from 2 to 14 seconds for PubMed and 4 to 18 seconds for Internet Grateful Med. The overall problem rate was about 1 percent; that is, on the average, users experienced a problem once every 100 test measurements. The user terminal tests at five locations and Web host tests at 13 locations provided profiles of BTC, RTT, and network routing for both dial-up and fixed Internet connections. Conclusion: The evaluation framework provided a profile of typical Internet performance and insights into network performance and time-of-day/day-of-week variability. This profile should serve as a frame of reference to help identify and diagnose connectivity problems and should contribute to the evolving concept of Internet quality of service.
Challenges and Opportunities for Medical Directors in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Because the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine evolves rapidly, laboratory medical directors must constantly introduce new tests and services and continue to provide consistent, reliable results for existing tests. Innovations in laboratory medicine are frequently introduced, and the number of commercial vendors of test kits and reagents increases yearly. These innovations, however, may pose barriers to standardization and integration of laboratories and to interpretation of results generated by different laboratories. We propose a practical framework for medical directors to address the seemingly contradictory challenges of standardizing and integrating while simultaneously providing the flexibility to introduce innovations. We recommend initiating standardization first, then integration, while maintaining flexibility for innovation. As organizations strive to create effective processes to enhance value, the role of the laboratory medical director will become critical in resolving the natural tension between standardization/integration and innovation in laboratory medicine and pathology.
Progression of Nicotine Dependence, Mood Level, and Mood Variability in Adolescent Smokers

Mood processes are theorized to play a role in the initiation and progression of smoking behavior. Available work using real-time assessments in samples of young smokers, including several reports from the Social and Emotional Contexts of Adolescent Smoking Patterns (SECASP) study, has indicated that smoking events acutely improve mood and that escalating smoking frequency may stabilize mood. However, prior analyses have not specifically evaluated within-person change in nicotine dependence, which is conceptually distinguishable from frequent smoking and may be associated with unique mood consequences. The current investigation addressed this question using data from 329 adolescent SECASP participants (9th or 10th grade at recruitment) who contributed mood reports via ecological momentary assessment in up to four 1-week bursts over the course of 24 months. Mixed-effects location scale analyses revealed that within-person increases in scores on the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale were associated with elevations in negative mood level and increased variability of both positive and negative moods. These effects remained when within-person changes in smoking frequency were covaried and were not fully attributable to a subgroup of youth who rapidly escalated their smoking frequency over time. The findings indicate that adolescents tend to show increasing levels of positive mood states, decreasing levels of negative mood, and diminishing mood variability between ages 16 to 18, but progression of nicotine dependence may counteract some of these developmental gains. Emergence of withdrawal symptoms is a likely explanation for the adverse mood effects associated with dependence progression. (PsycINFO Database Record
An Equation for Finite Groups

(1971). An Equation for Finite Groups. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 78, No. 3, pp. 274-275.
Solvent-dependent spectral diffusion in a hydrogen bonded "vibrational aggregate".

Two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy (2DIR) is used to measure the viscosity-dependent spectral diffusion of a model vibrational probe, Mn2(CO)10 (dimanganese decacarbonyl, DMDC), in a series of alcohols with time scales ranging from 2.67 ps in methanol to 5.33 ps in 1-hexanol. Alcohol−alkane solvent mixtures were found to produce indistinguishable linear IR spectra, while still demonstrating viscosity-dependent spectral diffusion. Using a vibrational exciton model to characterize the inhomogeneous energy landscape, several analogies emerge with multichromophoric electronic systems, such as J-aggregates and light-harvesting protein complexes. An excitonic, local vibrational mode Hamiltonian parametrized to reproduce the vibrational structure of DMDC serves as a starting point from which site energies (i.e., local carbonyl frequencies) are given Gaussian distributed disorder. The model gives excellent agreement with both the linear IR spectrum and the inhomogeneous widths extracted from 2DIR, indicating t...
A Hematological Menace: Multiple Venous Thrombosis Complicated by Acquired Factor VIII Deficiency.

Patient: Male, 21 Final Diagnosis: Acquired Factor VIII Deficiency Symptoms: Abdominal hematoma • DVT • life threatening bleeding Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Life saving medical therapy Specialty: Hematology Objective: Rare disease
Facile Synthesis of Functionalized Lactones and Organocatalytic Ring-Opening Polymerization

A facile one-step synthesis of functionalized valerolactones was carried out by the conjugate addition of thiols to the α,β-unsaturated valerolactone 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one. The resultant 3-mercaptovalerolactones undergo ring-opening polymerization in solution or in the melt to generate polyesters functionalized either with benzyl mercaptans or oligoethylene glycol pendant groups. The copolymerization of the 3-mercaptovalerolactones with e-caprolactone generates random copolymers.
Vector competence of Aedes hendersoni (Diptera: Culicidae) for La Crosse virus and evidence of a salivary-gland escape barrier.

Seven strains of Aedes hendersoni were infected orally with La Crosse virus. Subsequent refeeding on suckling mice showed, contrary to an earlier report, that all strains were able to orally transmit at low levels. The mean transmission rate (9%) was significantly less than for Aedes triseriatus (62% for the WALTON control strain); however, the dissemination rate for Ae. hendersoni was significantly higher (85% vs. 68% for Ae. triseriatus). In some individual Ae. triseriatus, a mesenteronal escape barrier blocks virus dissemination. This barrier is virtually absent in Ae. hendersoni. The significantly lower transmission rate by Ae. hendersoni is apparently due to a salivary-gland escape barrier. Salivary glands of both species were dissected 21 days after an infectious blood meal. Infectious La Crosse virus was isolated in cell culture from Ae. hendersoni (11 of 17 glands) as well as Ae. triseriatus (10 of 17 glands). Indirect immunofluorescence indicated that 8 of 8 glands from Ae. hendersoni had viral antigen within the tissue.