cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS OF CIRCUMBINARY ACCRETION DISKS: DISK STRUCTURES AND ANGULAR MOMENTUM TRANSPORT

We present the first three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of a circumbinary disk surrounding an equal-mass binary. The binary maintains a fixed circular orbit of separation a. As in previous hydrodynamic simulations, strong torques by the binary can maintain a gap of radius {approx_equal} 2a. Streams curve inward from r {approx_equal} 2a toward the binary; some of their mass passes through the inner boundary, while the remainder swings back out to the disk. However, we also find that near its inner edge the disk develops both a strong m = 1 asymmetry and growing orbital eccentricity. Because the MHD stresses introduce more matter into the gap, the total torque per unit disk mass is {approx_equal} 14 times larger than found previously. The inner boundary accretion rate per unit disk mass is {approx_equal} 40 times greater than found from previous hydrodynamic calculations. The implied binary shrinkage rate is determined by a balance between the rate at which the binary gains angular momentum by accretion and loses it by gravitational torque. The large accretion rate brings these two rates nearly into balance, but in net, we find that a-dot /a < 0, and its magnitude is about 2.7 times larger than predicted bymore » the earlier hydrodynamic simulations. If the binary comprises two massive black holes, the accretion rate may be great enough for one or both to be an active galactic nucleus, with consequences for the physical state of the gas both in the disk body and in its inner gap.« less
Whose voice do community development organizations speak? The trajectory of CBOs in Latino Pilsen in Chicago

Most of the literature and other publications on CBOs assume that they speak the voices and pursue the interests of the communities they claim to represent. While acknowledging the transformative w...
Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in late-onset GM2-gangliosidosis.

Abstract Objective Our study aimed to quantify structural changes in relation to metabolic abnormalities in the cerebellum, thalamus, and parietal cortex of patients with late-onset GM2-gangliosidosis (LOGG), which encompasses late-onset Tay-Sachs disease (LOTS) and Sandhoff disease (LOSD). Methods We enrolled 10 patients with LOGG (7 LOTS, 3 LOSD) who underwent a neurological assessment battery and 7 age-matched controls. Structural MRI and MRS were performed on a 3 T scanner. Structural volumes were obtained from FreeSurfer and normalized by total intracranial volume. Quantified metabolites included N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), myo-inositol (mI), creatine (Cr), and combined glutamate-glutamine (Glx). Metabolic concentrations were corrected for partial volume effects. Results Structural analyses revealed significant cerebellar atrophy in the LOGG cohort, which was primarily driven by LOTS patients. NAA was lower and mI higher in LOGG, but this was also significantly driven by the LOTS patients. Clinical ataxia deficits (via the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia) were associated with neuronal injury (via NAA), neuroinflammation (via mI), and volumetric atrophy in the cerebellum. Interpretation The decrease of NAA in the cerebellum suggests that, in addition to cerebellar atrophy, there is ongoing impaired neuronal function and/or loss, while an increase in mI indicates possible neuroinflammation in LOGG (more so within the LOTS subvariant). Quantifying cerebellar atrophy in relation to neurometabolic differences in LOGG may lead to improvements in assessing disease severity, progression, and pharmacological efficacy. Lastly, additional neuroimaging studies in LOGG are required to contrast LOTS and LOSD more accurately.
Evaluation of medical student program with the use of a reflective portfolio: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The concept of reflective practice is at the center of professional practice, allowing a bridge between theory and practice and learning from our own experiences in an ongoing process. Understanding what learners need such as regular observation of work, more responsibility, and technical and problem-solving with answers allows the teacher to help learners to progress to independence in pursing their own learning needs. Therefore, it is important that medical educators continually reflect and evaluate teaching ability to meet learners' needs and provide evidence to support it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, qualitative study was carried out using a combination of questionnaires and observed assessments. The study participants consisted of twenty final-year medical students from King's College London and took place at a hospital education center in the UK, April 2019. Two educational sessions were delivered by a doctor to the study group and a video recording was conducted. The educator completed a reflective portfolio using feedback questionnaires, peer observation forms, and observation of the video recording, and the results were analyzed using a video critique tool. RESULTS: Twenty learner feedback forms were completed, and a peer observation form was completed. This allowed a critical analysis of educator performance, reflection, and improvement. This was further solidified by in-depth analysis and critique of teaching session playback video. DISCUSSION: This study evaluates a medical student teaching program using a reflective portfolio. This study confirms the effectiveness of using a reflective portfolio to enhance the teaching experience. Video analysis can be self-critical, however this study shows how it is useful to review human experience first-hand, and identifying any specific techniques that create a positive or negative change can enable educators to improve as time progresses.
Survival and associated comorbidities in inclusion body myositis.

Objective To evaluate survival and associated comorbidities in inclusion body myositis (IBM) in a population-based, case-control study. Methods We utilized the expanded-Rochester Epidemiology Project medical records-linkage system, including 27 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, to identify patients with IBM, other inflammatory myopathies (IIM), and age/sex-matched population-controls. We compared the frequency of various comorbidities and survival among groups. Resutls We identified 50 IBM patients, 65 IIM-controls, and 294 population-controls. Dysphagia was most common in IBM (64%) patients. The frequency of neurodegenerative disorders (dementia/Parkinsonism) and solid cancers was not different between groups. Rheumatoid arthritis was the most common rheumatic disease in all groups. 36% of IBM patients had a peripheral neuropathy, 6% had Sjogren's syndrome, and 10% had a hematologic malignancy. T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia was only observed in the IBM group. None of the IBM patients had hepatitis B or C, or HIV. IBM patients were 2.7-times more likely to have peripheral neuropathy, 6.2-times more likely to have Sjogren's syndrome, and 3.9-times more likely to have a hematologic malignancy than population-controls. IBM was associated with increased mortality, with a 10-year survival of 36% from index, compared to 67% in IIM and 59% in population-controls. Respiratory failure or pneumonia (44%) was the most common cause of death. Conclusions IBM is associated with lower survival, and higher frequency of peripheral neuropathy, Sjogren's syndrome, and hematologic malignancies than the general population. Close monitoring of IBM-related complications is warranted.
Scaling Membership of Byzantine Consensus

Scaling Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) systems in terms of membership is important for secure applications with large participation such as blockchains. While traditional protocols have low latency...
V.B.4. Prophylaxis and Cure of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) remains an important cause of reduced vision and blindness throughout the world. The pathogenesis of this important disorder is intimately related to changes in the vitreous gel and at the vitreoretinal interface. It is important to realize that the state of the vitreous influences decisions regarding both the prevention and treatment of RRD.
Learning the kernel matrix with low-rank multiplicative shaping

Selecting the optimal kernel is an important and difficult challenge in applying kernel methods to pattern recognition. To address this challenge, multiple kernel learning (MKL) aims to learn a kernel from a combination of base kernel functions that perform optimally on the task. In this paper, we propose a novel MKL-themed approach to combine base kernels that are multiplicatively shaped with low-rank positive semidefinitve matrices. The proposed approach generalizes several popular MKL methods and thus provides more flexibility in modeling data. Computationally, we show how these low-rank matrices can be learned efficiently from data using convex quadratic programming. Empirical studies on several standard benchmark datasets for MKL show that the new approach often improves prediction accuracy statistically significantly over very competitive single kernel and other MKL methods.
Hepatic Metabolism of 3-Hydroxypropionate a Byproduct in Propionic Acidemia

Propionic acidemia (PA) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder leading to inhibition of propionate entering an anaplerotic pathway, via propionyl-CoA, of the citric acid cycle (CAC). PA is characte...
Aligned microstructure of some particulate polymer composites obtained with an electric field

Alignment by an electric field was obtained for a variety of particles dispersed in photopolymerizable fluids. The particle shapes studied were irregular, spherical, rhombohedral, rod-like (fibres), and platelet. The sizes ranged from sub-micrometres to tens of micrometres, and the dielectric constants of the particles varied from less than that of the lquid matrix to very much greater than that of the matrix. Polymerization or hardening of the matrix was possible at room temperature, required only a few seconds, and the aligned structures obtained were able to be examined by both light and scanning electron microscopy after fracture or sectioning. Nominally equiaxed particles, containing a statistical proportion of non-equiaxed particles, could be completely aligned at 48 vol% concentration in a fluid having a viscosity of about 2.5 Pa s, but at 57 vol%, the mixture behaved as a paste, and only particle rotation and local rearrangements were possible. The rate of alignment seemed to depend generally on the magnitude of e1(aβ)2, where e1 is the relative dielectric constant of the liquid resin, a is the particle radius, and β is the particle dipole coefficient given by (e2−e1)/(e2+2e1), where e2 is the relative dielectric constant of the particles. e1(aβ)2 emphasizes the importance of particle size and the relative unimportance of the particle dielectric constant for alignment, except when e2≈e1. Platelets were more rapidly aligned than fibres.
Can Distance and Classroom Learning Be Increased

Professor Scott Overmyer of Baker College, in a discussion list post, raised four points bearing on a question of interest to those involved in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL): Can Distance and Classroom Learning Be Increased? My answer: “YES” judging from the fact that pre/post testing in courses in Newtonian mechanics has demonstrated an approximately two-standard-deviation superiority in average normalized gains for classroom “interactive engagement” methods over “traditional” classroom methods. Similarly, pre/post testing might demonstrate a substantive superiority over traditional classroom teaching for both classroom and distance education that recognize recent advances in cognitive science and emphasize learning rather than teaching. But such demonstration probably cannot be achieved if scholars of teaching and learning continue to rely on low-resolution gauges of students' learning.
Studies of hydrogen exchange in proteins. I. The exchange kinetics of bovine carbonic anhydrase.

Bovine carbonic anhydrase form B studied by hydrogen exchange kinetics shows slower rates than measured in model compounds for 50% of its hydrogen atoms; 18% of the hydrogen atoms remain unchanged after 24 hours. In this respect the enzyme is similar to ribonuclease and chymotrypsinogen. The pH and ionic strength dependence favors out-exchange with different rate constants for a large number of hydrogen sites both in native and in acid-unfolded states. The pH dependence further indicates that the protein molecule expands or shows loosening of structure with pH changing from 9 to 5. The activation energy for the exchange rate in the unfolded state is 21 ± 4 kcal. In the native state, the exchange of the 80 slowest hydrogen atoms shows an activation energy varying with temperature from 37 ± 4 kcal at 37° to 48 ± 4 kcal at 40°. The present observations are best explained by the existence of two exchange mechanisms; one proceeding through cooperative reversible thermal unfolding, the dominating process at higher temperatures, and another proceeding through noncooperative local rearrangements of low activation energy, dominating the exchange at low temperature.
The value of foreign ownership

We use ﬁrm level data on cross-border mergers and acquisitions and share prices to explore the extent to which foreign ownership increases the proﬁtability of ﬁrms in emerging markets. We ﬁnd that cross-border ac¬quisitions add value to target ﬁrms. However, there is only weak evidence that such acquisitions add more value than purely domestic acquisitions. Further, most of this latter eﬀect occurs when the target ﬁrm’s country is in a crisis.
Eddies and jets over the slope of the northeast Gulf of Mexico

The eddy circulation over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico slope and the DeSoto canyon has been characterized using data from a 13 mooring array and 7 hydrographic surveys over a period of two years. The presence of cyclones and anticyclones over the lower Mississippi-Alabama slope is strongly influenced by the positions of cyclonic frontal eddies on the Loop Current or a Loop Current warm eddy to the south of the study region. Both anticyclones and cyclones feed an eastward surface jet on the upper slope that can follow the rim of the canyon or meander across the slope. Since this eastward jet often transports part of the discharge of the Mississippi delta, it provides a mechanism to transfer nutrient-rich, river-derived water to offshore or, on occasion, to the outer west Florida shelf. A westward countercurrent, between 200 and 500 m depth against the Alabama slope, often accompanies this surface jet. This usually occurs in conjunction with a cyclone over the slope of the west Florida terrace. The eastward jet and its countercurrent are replaced by westward cyclonic flow if a Loop Current frontal eddy extends northwards onto the middle and upper slope. A time scale for the dominant eddies is of order 100 days, with eddy diameters and swirl speeds of order 100-150 km and 50 cm/s, respectively. Over the head of the canyon smaller scale cyclones and anticyclones occur with shorter time scales (∼ 20 days), and their interaction with the Alabama slope eddies can cause strong cross-slope currents, which are an effective mechanism for the transport of material on and off the shelf. The predominance of the eastward jet and anticyclonic currents promotes upwelling at the head of the canyon and along the shelf break of the west Florida shelf, where the water is ∼ 2° C colder on average than further west.
Adsorption of guanine and guanosine at the pyrolytic graphite electrode. Implications for the determination of guanine in the presence of guanosine.

Abstract Guanine and guanosine are both electrochemically oxidized at the pyrolytic graphite electrode in aqueous solution. D.c. voltammetric concentration and scan rate studies and alternating current voltammetry have shown that both guanine and guanosine are adsorbed at this electrode. Adsorption of the compounds causes non-linear concentration vs. peak current curves, an increase in the voltammetric peak current function with scan rate and pronounced depressions of the alternating base current for pure solutions of both compounds. In the presence of guanosine, adsorbed guanine is displaced from the electrode surface, resulting in a decrease in the guanine D.c. voltammetric peak current. The extent of this decrease depends upon the relative concentrations of guanine and guanosine. Complete replacement of adsorbed guanine by guanosine appears to occur when greater than a 5-fold amount of guanosine is present. The electrooxidation of guanine then becomes diffusion-controlled. A simple and rapid determination of guanine in the presence of guanosine has been developed ; a large amount of guanosine is added to the mixture, and the current for the guanine voltammetric oxidation peak is measured.
HMGA proteins: isolation, biochemical modifications, and nucleosome interactions.

Publisher Summary High mobility group A (HMGA) proteins act as architectural transcription factors that function by recognizing and modulating the structure of both DNA and chromatin substrates. A number of chromatographic procedures have been successfully used to purify HMGA proteins eluted by either the salt or acid extraction method, ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) is employed for such separations because it provides a fast and convenient method for obtaining highly purified forms of each of the different members of the HMGA protein family. Acid extracted proteins isolated from mammalian cells growing in culture, RP-HPLC chromatography can be used to separate the HMGA1a and HMGA1b isoform proteins not only from each other but also from other contaminating protein species in the extracts. A variety of procedures have been employed to determine the sites of individual types of in vivo biochemical modifications on HMGA proteins, mass spectrometry (MS) techniques have proved to be the most efficient and facile methods for analyzing the complex patterns of multiple modifications that are simultaneously present on these proteins in living cells. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI/ TOF) MS has been successfully used in the laboratory to analyze the types and in some cases even the actual locations, of posttranslational modifications (PTMs) on HMGA1 proteins32, 42 isolated from mammalian cells. Methods for analyzing the modes of interaction of HMGA1 proteins with both native and in vitro reconstituted nucleosome core particles are also presented.
Na-K pump site density and ouabain binding affinity in cultured chick heart cells.

The possible existence of multiple [3H]ouabain binding sites and the relationship between ouabain binding and Na-K pump inhibition in cardiac muscle were studied using cultured embryonic chick heart cells. [3H]ouabain bound to a single class of sites in 0.5 mM K (0.5 Ko) with an association rate constant (k+1) of 3.4 X 10(4) M-1.s-1 and a dissociation rate constant (k-1) of 0.0095 s-1 [corrected]. Maximal specific [3H]ouabain binding RT to myocyte-enriched cultures is 11.7 pmol/mg protein and Kd is 0.43 microM in 0.5 Ko, whereas Kd,apparent is 6.6 microM in 5.4 Ko. The number of binding sites per myocyte was calculated by correcting for the contribution of fibroblasts in myocyte-enriched cultures using data from homogeneous fibroblast cultures (RT = 3.3 pmol/mg protein; Kd = 0.19 microM in 0.5 Ko). Equivalence of [3H]ouabain binding sites and Na-K pumps was implied by agreement between maximal specific binding of [3H]ouabain and 125I-labeled monoclonal antibody directed against Na+-K+-ATPase (approximately 2 X 10(6) sites/cell). However, [3H]ouabain binding occurred at lower concentrations than inhibition of ouabain-sensitive 42K uptake in 0.5 Ko. Further studies in both 0.5 K and 5.4 Ko showed that ouabain caused cell Na content Nai to increase over the same range of concentrations that binding occurred, implying that increased Nai may stimulate unbound Na-K pumps and prevent a proportional decrease in 42K uptake rate. The results show that Na-K pump inhibition occurs as a functional consequence of specific ouabain binding and indicate that the Na-K pump is the cardiac glycoside receptor in cultured heart cells.
Methylglyoxal Comes of AGE

The posttranslational modification of proteins by methylglyoxal, a highly reactive compound derived from glycolysis, may contribute to aging, diabetes, and other disorders. In this issue of Cell, Brownlee and colleagues (Yao et al., 2006) demonstrate a specific mechanism by which methylglyoxal modifies a transcriptional corepressor to enhance gene expression.
Melting and Polymorphism of Indium Antimonide at High Pressures

THE change of electrical resistivity with pressure of indium antimonide has been studied by Keyes1 up to 12,000 atmospheres and recently by Gebbie et al.2, who extended measurements to 70,000 atmospheres. The resistivity measured at room temperature, according to them, shows an initial increase with pressure and drops several orders of magnitude at 30,000 atmospheres. This sharp drop in resistance was attributed by Gebbie et al. to melting, with the indium antimonide changing from a state of semi-conduction in the crystal to metallic conduction in the liquid phase. A melting curve, based on the pressures giving a drop in resistivity at temperatures of 150°–800° K., was presented by them. The plotted points exhibit a wide scatter and the authors mention that the latent heat of melting calculated from the melting curve slope, namely 27 cal./gm., compares unfavourably with the experimentally determined value of 47.2 cal./gm. Hence it appeared to us that the melting curve of indium antimonide should be investigated again.
Garments Worn by Production Workers in Cleanrooms: A Needs Assessment

This study represented a preparatory effort to improve understanding of contamination from cleanroom garments worn in the microelectronic and semiconductor industries. Previous research pertaining ...
Response to Intervention and Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing are increasingly being educated in regular education classrooms along with their typical hearing peers. Establishing educational environments that address their unique needs is essential for their success. Response to intervention (RtI), as it is being implemented in the United States, provides a framework for educators to use to identify students who need supplemental instruction; a problem-solving process to guide databased decision making; and a way to monitor how successful specific interventions are working for individual students in need of assistance. When properly implemented, RtI provides a dataset that allows educators to respond to students’ learning needs earlier, and to make immediate tier-model instructional changes while monitoring students’ growth to ensure that students meet their goals. When students do not make sufficient progress, RtI requires a change in instruction to increase students’ growth rate. Doing so helps professionals better meet the needs of all students, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, and improve overall academic performance. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of RtI, discuss potential benefits and challenges of using an RtI framework, and to advocate for increasing the use of this model with students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Neural regulation of gene expression by an acetylcholine receptor promoter in muscle of transgenic mice.

Abstract Motor neurons regulate the quantity and distribution of acetylcholine receptors (AChR) in the muscles they innervate. Here, we report that an AChR α subunit gene fragment contains cis -acting regulatory sequences that confer neural regulation as well as tissue-specific regulation of transcription. An 850 by fragment from the 5′ end of the chicken AChR α gene fused to the reporter gene, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT), has been introduced into the genomes of several lines of transgenic mice. Expression of CAT enzyme activity in these mice is tissue-specific; the onset of expression in embryonic muscle correlates well with that of many other muscle-specific proteins. Most importantly, CAT enzyme is down-regulated 100-fold soon after birth, an effect that can be completely reversed by denervation.
Evaluation of neural cochlear structures after noise trauma using X-ray tomography

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2010 hearing loss affected more than 278 million people worldwide. The loss of hearing and communication has significant consequences on the emotional well-being of each affected individual. The estimated socio-economic impact is about $100 billion in unrealized household income per year. Despite this impact on society, no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug intervention is available today that would either protect or reverse the effects of hearing loss. A limiting factor for all efforts to validate drugs for treatment relates to the time consuming animal experiments and subsequent histology. Here, we present an imaging method that is superior to current gold standard methods in flexibility and time for evaluation of histology. Tissue processing times are reduced from weeks to hours. As an example, we show that Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) reduces the effect of noise induced hearing loss.
Mechanoreceptivity of Prehensile Tail Skin Varies Between Ateline and Cebine Primates

Prehensile tails evolved independently twice in primates: once in the ateline subfamily of platyrrhine primates and once in the genus Cebus. Structurally, the prehensile tails of atelines and Cebus share morphological features distinguishing them from nonprehensile tails (e.g., robust and strong caudal vertebrae, well developed lateral tail musculature, etc.). However, because of their independent evolutionary histories, the prehensile tails of atelines exhibit some differences from the Cebus prehensile tail. Ateline tails are relatively longer than those of Cebus, and they have less well-developed extensor compartment musculature. However, perhaps the most obvious difference is the distinctive hairless friction pad on the ventrodistal surface of the ateline tail; the tail of Cebus is completely covered in hair. This study documents the presence of four epicritic histologic mechanoreceptors in the friction pad of atelines: Meissner's corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles, Ruffini corpuscles, and Merkel discs. Ruffini corpuscles and Merkel cells were also identified in the ventrodistal skin of the Cebus tail. However, Meissner's and Pacinian corpuscles (not typically associated with hairy skin) were not found in Cebus. Cebus was also compared to its closest living sister taxon, nonprehensile-tailed Saimiri, in which genus only Ruffini corpuscles are observed (no Merkel discs). The differences in mechanoreceptor type and morphology are attributed to the contrasting behavioral and tactile demands of the tail as it is used in posture and locomotion, which also distinguishes atelines from Cebus. Anat Rec,, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influence of Various Milk Protein Isolates on Ice Cream Emulsion Stability

The adsorption of protein to the fat globule surface in an emulsion such as ice cream mix has a large influence on the resulting emulsion stability and on the fat destabilization process that occurs upon whipping and freezing the mix into ice cream. The performance of several milk protein preparations in an ice cream system have been examined. Enhanced levels of whey proteins at the fat globule surface, arrived at through either a selective homogenization process or an enhancement of the whey protein:casein ratio in the mix by addition of whey protein concentrate (36% protein), contributed to a decrease in the lipid-serum interfacial tension, a slight increase in mix viscosity, an increase in ice cream dryness upon freezing, and an increase in the amount of fat destabilization in the frozen ice cream. However, 95% whey protein isolate contributed more to desirable properties in the ice cream mix and frozen product. Several caseinates were also examined and sodium caseinate contributed to enhanced overrun in the ice cream but resulted in an emulsion that was too stable to produce the desired degree of fat destabilization upon ice cream manufacture.
Continuous identification technology

The Air Force Research Laboratory's Sensor Directorate is developing the next step in target recognition, a continuous identification capability. This capability consists of a wide range of algorithms, sensor modes and technologies that work in concert to the overall goal of identification of moving as well as stationary targets. Three major pieces of this emerging capability are stationary identification, correlation of this information with tracks and the moving target recognition technologies. Although a brief discussion of each of these pieces will be provided in this paper, the concentration will be on the actual algorithm and technologies of the moving target recognition exploiting High Range Resolution (HRR) radar mode and how this complements Ground Moving Target Indication tracking and Synthetic Aperture Radar Automatic Target Recognition. This paper will expand on the overall continuous ID vision, work performed under several efforts, new sources of HRR data, and how this data will push the state of the art.
Cyclic Stretch of Alveolar Epithelial Cells Alters Cytoskeletal Micromechanics

Cytoplasmic transport of large molecules such as plasmid DNA (pDNA) has been shown to increase when cells are subjected to mild levels of cyclic stretch for brief periods. In the case of pDNA, this is in part due to the increased active transport of pDNA along stabilized, acetylated microtubules in the cytoplasm, whose levels are increased in response to stretch. It also has been shown that disruption of the dense actin network leads to increased pDNA and macromolecule diffusion as well. We hypothesize that stretch not only increases active transport of pDNA but also, similar to actin disrupting drugs, decreases cytoplasmic stiffness leading to a less restive pathway for macromolecules to diffuse. To test this we used particle tracking microrheology to measure cytoplasmic mechanics. We conclude that while cyclic stretch transiently decreases cytoplasmic stiffness and increases diffusivity, stretch-independent modulation of the levels of acetylated, stable microtubules has no effect on cytoplasmic stiffness. Furthermore, stretching cells that have maximally acetylated microtubules increases cytoplasmic trafficking of pDNA, without increasing levels of acetylated microtubules. These findings suggest that stretch-enhanced gene transfer may occur by two independent mechanisms: increased levels of acetylated microtubules for directed active transport, and reduced cytoplasmic stiffness for increased diffusion.
Extracranial aneurysms of the internal carotid artery.

Aneurysm of the internal carotid artery in its cervical portion is not a benign lesion. A sufficient number of cases has been reported to serve as a warning that a unilateral lump in the throat may be an aneurysm and should be so regarded until proved otherwise. Neurological manifestations, particularly signs and symptoms of cerebral ischemia are common. Angiography is essential for diagnosis and provides valuable information regarding the size and location of the lesion, in addition to demonstrating associated cerebral hemodynamic disturbances.
A conservative approach to rebasing an implant-retained fixed complete denture

After years of service, the acrylic resin base of an implant-retained fixed complete dental prosthesis may need to be replaced because of the wear of the acrylic resin teeth. The most common methods used by dental laboratories to remove the acrylic resin from the metal framework are either burning with a flame or grinding. Both of these methods risk exposing the dental laboratory technician to hazardous by-products and damaging or contaminating the metal framework or the gold cylinders. This article presents a safe approach to removing acrylic resin while preserving the integrity of the framework. The technique involves heating the prosthesis to beyond the glass transitional temperature of the acrylic resin to allow the resin to be safely peeled off the framework.
DNA BINDING BY C/EBP PROTEINS CORRELATES WITH HEPATOCYTE PROLIFERATION

The leucine zipper transcription factors C/EBPα and C/EBPβ exhibit growth-related variations of expression and DNA binding during liver regeneration. We examined the expression of C/EBP proteins in relation to hepatocyte proliferation by studying their DNA-binding activity in primary mouse hepatocytesin vitro. Mouse hepatocytes were dissociated by collagenase perfusion and cultured in a serum-free, defined medium containing a variety of growth factors and hormones. Cell protein extracts were collected every 24 h for up to 10 d and examined for DNA-binding activity by gel retardation analysis using a C/EBP consensus sequence oligomer (bZIP). C/EBPα is the major bZIP-binding protein present in the dissociated cells prior to plating. With the culture conditions we employed, little or no binding of C/EBP proteins was observed in the first 24 to 48 h of cultivation. After 48 h, C/EBPβ binding activity was elevated relative to the level seen in freshly dissociated cells. In contrast, C/EBPα binding continued to be greatly reduced and no C/EBPδ binding was observed. C/EBPβ binding remained elevated for the duration of the experiment. Additional growth factor treatment (EGF, FGF, TGFα, and HGF) of the hepatocytes did not appreciably alter the pattern of C/EBP binding. However, TGFβ treatment, known to decrease hepatocyte proliferation, increased C/EBPβ binding activity earlier and more actively than in control cells. This study confirms a negative correlation between DNA binding by the C/EBP transactivator proteins and the proliferation of primary mouse hepatocytesin vitro.
Control of XeF laser output by pulse injecton

Injection locking is investigated as a means for control of optical pulse duration and polarization in a XeF laser. Intense short‐pulse generation in the ultraviolet is achieved by injection of a low‐level 1‐ns optical pulse into a XeF oscillator. Control of laser output polarization by injection locking is demonstrated and studied as a function of injected signal level. Enhancement of XeF electric‐discharge laser efficiency by injection pulse ’’priming’’ is observed.
Justice in the Wake of War

Peace with Justice? War Crimes and Accountability in the Former Yugoslavia. By Paul R. Williams, Michael P. Scharf. Landham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. 352 pp., $75.00 cloth (ISBN 0-7425-1855-8), $26.95 paper (ISBN 0-7425-1856-6). Throughout history, political leaders have thought strategically about when and how to wage war. Far less deliberation has gone into crafting peace settlements. Yet battlefield success, no matter how impressive, does not automatically yield an enduring peace. The diplomatic landscape is littered with military triumphs that were never converted into lasting peace settlements. It is easy for victors to slap together a peace treaty that will hold for a generation, warned British Prime Minister David Lloyd George (cited in Gilbert 1966:189) at the end of World War I. What is difficult is to forge a peace that will not incite another round of fighting once those who have experienced the horrors of combat have passed away. Wars, as Lloyd George pointed out, can be concluded with agreements that either dampen or inflame relations between former belligerents. How the vanquished are treated has far-reaching consequences for building a durable peace. Among policy-makers, one school of thought on postwar policies advocates punitive measures: Victors should be harsh to ensure that the enemy's defeat is irreversible. Another school calls for more lenient policies: Victors should be magnanimous to extinguish any desire for revenge by the defeated. The first approach seeks stability by eliminating an adversary's capacity to mount a future military challenge; the second by …
Outcomes of Long-Term Administration of Intravenous Hepatitis B Immunoglobulins for the Prevention of Recurrent Hepatitis B After Liver Transplantation

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of lifelong therapy with intravenous hepatitis B immunoglobulins (IV HBIg) to prevent recurrence of hepatitis B after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Methods This was a single-center retrospective study of the long-term outcome of 56 patients who were transplanted for active hepatitis B–related liver disease. In addition to IV HBIg, patients received antiviral therapy for at least 1 year. Results 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 95%, 82%, and 80%, respectively. None of the patients died due to hepatitis B virus (HBV)–related complications. In 3 patients (5%), a hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)–negative status was not reached. All of these patients had a very high viral load at the time of OLT. HBsAg and HBV DNA reappeared in 6 patients (11%): In 1 patient, recurrence occurred 9 months after OLT while still under combination treatment with lamivudine, and 2 patients were temporarily treated abroad with intramuscular HBIg. Only 3 patients suffered from HBV recurrence while under monotherapy with IV HBIg. No serious side effects to IV HBIg were reported during this long-term follow-up. Conclusion Lifelong administration of IV HBIg is safe, and recurrence of HBV disease occurred only in a minority of the patients during long-term follow-up. Prognosis of HBV-related OLT with this therapy is excellent.
Description of the FAA's Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS)*

The Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS) is the Federal Aviation Administration's ground-based augmentation system (GBAS) for local area differential GPS (DGPS). It will support all categories of precision approach. LAAS is currently under advanced development and specification. The purpose of this paper is to provide a system description of LAAS and to describe important related developments for the aviation and navigation communities. Both top-level and intermediate-level descriptions are given, with emphasis on the Ground Segment. Three distinguishing advances are described in more detail: Multipath Limiting Antenna, Airport Pseudolite, and a method for transforming integrity parameters from the pseudorange to the position domain.
A Diffuse-Avoidant Identity Processing Style: Strategic Avoidance or Self-Confusion?

Three studies were designed to investigate the strategic nature of a diffuse-avoidant identity style. In Study 1, individuals with a diffuse-avoidant identity style were differentiated from their informational and normative counterparts primarily by a reliance on strategies that enabled them to avoid self-relevant conflicts and problems and by the use of self-handicapping attributions that enabled them to excuse and rationalize negative self-relevant feedback. Study 2 revealed that diffuse-avoiders strategically attempted to circumvent self-diagnostic information by engaging in behaviors beforehand (i.e., listening to noise) that later could be used to obscure the causal bases of their performance on an evaluative task. Study 3 indicated that diffuse-avoiders looked to others for information about how to act and present themselves in social situations and they endorsed Machiavellian tactics such as using flattery and deceit to advance their self-interest. Results are discussed in terms of the strategic na...
Effect of zuclomiphene on cholesterol formation in the developing central nervous system of the rat.

— The effect of zuclomiphene, a hypocholesterolemic agent, on developing rat CNS cholesterol biosynthesis was examined. Sterol content and composition was studied in relation to age in four regions of the CNS, cerebrum, brain stem, spinal cord and cerebellum. Sterol content of all four regions was slightly lower in drug-treated animals than in controls. Brain stem and spinal cord were more susceptible to the effects of zuclomiphene than were cerebrum and cerebellum. Drug treatment resulted in the accumulation of desmosterol and zymosterol (5x-cholesta-8,24-dien-3β-ol) in all CNS regions. After 15 days of drug treatment, desmosterol constituted more than 50% of the total sterol in the four examined regions. Six to 9% of the total sterol was zymosterol. Examination by electron microscopy indicated only minimal morphological changes. Occasionally, neuronal membranous cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were evident.
Microstructural effects on the friction and wear of zirconia films in unlubricated sliding contact

Abstract Friction and wear of sapphire and steel counterfaces sliding on unlubricated thin films of zirconia were studied using conventional multiple pass pin-on-disk testing and single pass testing with a ‘friction microprobe’. The zirconia films were grown by electron-cyclotron-resonance (ECR) oxygen plasma assisted deposition on r-cut (0112) sapphire using different growth parameters to produce films with varying degrees of order. The microstructure of the zirconia films is correlated to the widely varying observed friction and wear characteristics. Anisotropic stress effects produced during scratch tests are also presented.
ENERGY CONSERVATION IN DRYING OF FRUITS IN TUNNEL DEHYDRATORS

This study reports the energy use and thermal losses associated with tunnel dehydrators and discusses methods of increasing energy efficiency. These dehydrators can operate with an efficiency of water removal greater than 50%. It is shown that energy conservation techniques such as minimizing air leakage, increasing air recirculation, utilizing a furnace heat shield to prevent heat losses, and maximizing input can result in significant energy savings.
Energy Barrier against Self-Trapping of the Hole in Silver Chloride

We report the first observation of an energy barrier in the transition of a metastable free hole to the self-trapped state. The lifetime of the free hole was monitored by using electron paramagnetic resonance to measure the competition between self-trapping and trapping at such substitutional ions as ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{+}$. Over the range 4.5 to 30 K, the lifetime against self-trapping decreases with increasing temperature, with an activation energy of 1.7 meV.
Growth Hormone Doping in Sports: A Critical Review of Use and Detection Strategies

GH is believed to be widely employed in sports as a performance-enhancing substance. Its use in athletic competition is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and athletes are required to submit to testing for GH exposure. Detection of GH doping is challenging for several reasons including identity/similarity of exogenous to endogenous GH, short half-life, complex and fluctuating secretory dynamics of GH, and a very low urinary excretion rate. The detection test currently in use (GH isoform test) exploits the difference between recombinant GH (pure 22K-GH) and the heterogeneous nature of endogenous GH (several isoforms). Its main limitation is the short window of opportunity for detection (∼12–24 h after the last GH dose). A second test to be implemented soon (the biomarker test) is based on stimulation of IGF-I and collagen III synthesis by GH. It has a longer window of opportunity (1–2 wk) but is less specific and presents a variety of technical challenges. GH doping in a larger sense also includes dop...
Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes From an Institutional Series of Acinar Cell Carcinoma of the Pancreas and Related Tumors

PURPOSE: Acinar cell carcinoma is a rare tumor of the exocrine pancreas. Clinical features such as prognostic information, survival, and treatment outcomes are unknown. We present the largest retrospective review to date. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with pathologically confirmed acinar neoplasms of the pancreas were identified between August 1981 and January 2001. Demographic data, tumor characteristics, and treatment information were obtained by chart review. Survival probabilities were estimated by using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: The median survival for all patients was 19 months. On the basis of a univariate analysis, the patients’ stage of disease correlated significantly with survival. The median survival of patients with localized disease was 38 months, versus 14 months for those presenting with metastases (P = 0.03). Patients who could be treated with surgery as first-line therapy had a longer survival time (36 months) compared with those ...
Pathologic Response to Preoperative Therapy: Does It Mean What We Think It Means?

Tumors treated with preoperative chemotherapy or radiation often demonstrate evidence of response in the resection specimen. Pathologic response is often interpreted as a surrogate for recurrence or survival outcomes. With a valid surrogate for long-term outcomes, investigators can explore treatment strategies with immediate endpoints. The financial and time costs of trials measuring recurrence and survival may be lessened by using short-term pathologic outcomes as an endpoint. This review is intended to examine the current status of pathologic response as a surrogate for tumor behavior. We address questions regarding the definitions of pathologic response, as well as the current literature regarding the meaning of pathologic response for some common tumor types. We explore some of the potential confounding effects that may explain the frequent discordance between tumor response and patient outcomes. In addition, we address some alternative strategies to gauge the response of a tumor to preoperative therapy.
The discriminative stimulus properties of LY233708, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, in the pigeon.

Rationale: Understanding the contribution of the various serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtypes to the behavioral effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may contribute to the discovery of increasingly effective drugs for the treatment of conditions such as depression, panic and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Objectives: A drug discrimination procedure was used to determine whether the administration of an SSRI was associated with a specific interoceptive stimulus cue and to what extent that cue was related to activation of the 5-HT1A receptor. Method: Pigeons were trained to discriminate 20 mg/kg of the short acting, SSRI, LY233708 dihydrochloride dihydrate [(–)-cis-1-(6-chloro-1,2,3,4- tetrahydro-1-methyl-2-naphthalenyl)piperazine] from saline. Results: LY233708 induced a specific, dose-related stimulus cue. The SSRIs, fluoxetine and citalopram, induced dose-related responding on the LY233708-associated key. In contrast, nisoxetine, a selective norepinephrine uptake inhibitor, induced responding on the saline-associated key. The prototypical 5-HT1A agonist, 8-OH-DPAT [8-hydroxy-(2-di-n-propylamino)tetralin] substituted for LY233708. This generalization was blocked by the selective 5-HT1A antagonist, WAY-100635 [N-{2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl}-N-(2-pyridinyl) cyclohexanecarboxamide]. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that an SSRI can induce a specific, stable discriminative stimulus that appears to involve activation of the 5-HT1A receptor in the pigeon.