cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validity of unbound digoxin measurements by immunoassays in presence of antidote (Digibind).

Abstract Measurement of unbound digoxin in presence of Fab fragments may be useful in management of overdoses. The analysis can be performed on serum directly or on ultrafiltrate of serum. The architecture of the immunoassay may influence the validity of results obtained using these two approaches. We tested this hypothesis by preparing serum mixtures containing various concentrations of digoxin and Digibind ® and analyzed them by the immunoassays before and after ultrafiltration. Four samples collected from Digibind ® -treated patients were also analyzed before and after ultrafiltration. The slopes and the y -intercepts of the measured versus the expected values for serum and its ultrafiltrate overlapped for the MEIA digoxin assay. For other three immunoassays tested (ACS:180, Stratus, and On-Line), either the slope or the intercept for measured versus the expected results for serum were significantly different ( P ® , differences in results for serum analyzed directly or after ultrafiltration were ® had differences of >1.0 ng/ml. Previous claims reporting direct analysis of digoxin in presence of antidote but not having used patient samples for validation should be revisited. To date, analysis of serum ultrafiltrate by an immunoassay proven not to have matrix bias remains the most accurate approach in measuring unbound digoxin in presence of antidote.
Response to Mostafaie and Harrington

To the editors:—We thank Drs. Mostafaie and Harrington for their comments and agree that the literature on perioperative β-blockade has been limited by observational studies and a small number of randomized trials. Given the underutilization of preoperative β-blocker we observed, we hypothesized that questions regarding appropriate patient selection may be contributing to this finding, although we did not test this hypothesis in our study. During the planning stages of our quality initiative, the 2002 ACC/AHA guidelines and the then recent review by Auerbach and Goldman, while consensus opinions provided a graded evaluation of the quality of the evidence supporting perioperative β-blocker use in light of conflicting published results at that time.1,2 The authors site several primary studies and a review published after the completion of our quality initiative that do not support the use of perioperative β-blocker in select populations. However, these were not available at the time of our study. While we agree that more information has been gained and questions raised we are still cautious in drawing conclusions from recent studies owing to ongoing methodologic concerns. For instance, the Metoprolol after vascular surgery (MaVS) unpublished study reported few events and is likely underpowered for their primary outcome.3 While the review by Devereaux et al.4 included heterogeneous studies of varying patient populations, we believe the updated 2006 ACC/AHA clinical guidelines are useful in their assessment of the strength and quality of ongoing research, with size of the study being only one factor, balanced by the cumulative evidence to date. Beyond these guidelines, we agree that the POISE trial and other well designed large studies should provide more definitive answers and shape clinical practice.
Transient shear and extensional properties of biodegradable polycaprolactone

Transient shear and extensional properties of two grades of partially crystalline biodegradable aliphatic polyesters, poly e caprolactone (PCL), were investigated at three different temperatures. Uniaxial extensional viscosity at a constant strain rate was obtained using the Meissner apparatus. The magnitudes of the stress-overshoot during stress growth experiments were smaller than those typically observed for other polymers. Higher melt temperature and higher strain led to faster relaxation, while the lower molecular weight PCL 767 relaxed faster than the higher molecular weight PCL 787. The relaxation moduli are independent of strain for strain values below 0.1. Transient extensional measurements were conducted at strain rates of 0.01 to 1.0 s -1 . At small stresses the extensional viscosity has the threefold value of shear viscosity as predicted by Trouton. There appeared to be no steady state regime for either grade of PCL studied and as a result η e (e) could not be determined. The departure from the linear limit is fastest for the highest extensional rate. Extension thickening behavior is observed at Hencky strains ranging from 1.0 to 2.0. PCL 767 displayed greater extension thickening than PCL 787 at the same temperatures. The Wagner integral constitutive equation was found to give an acceptable fit to the stress growth data in shear and extension, with the fit being better for PCL 767 than for PCL 787.
Histopathology and correlates of systemic disease in adult Henoch-Schönlein purpura: A retrospective study of microscopic and clinical findings in 68 patients at Mayo Clinic

Background The histopathology of Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is well defined, but specific markers have not been correlated with systemic involvement. Objective We sought to evaluate whether histopathologic markers were associated with renal or other systemic involvement in adult HSP. Methods We retrospectively reviewed clinical information and pathology slides of 68 adult patients with HSP seen at Mayo Clinic between 1992 and 2011. Results Of the 68 patients, mean age was 45.8 years and 41 (60%) of the patients were male. Renal involvement was observed in 30 patients (44%), gastrointestinal tract in 27 (40%), joint in 32 (47%), and any systemic signs in 52 (76%). Patients who were older than 40 years and had leukocytoclastic vasculitis with an absence of eosinophils on skin biopsy specimen had higher rates of renal involvement than those who did not have both of these features (75% vs 27%; P P = .03). Age of 40 years or younger was associated with increased risk for gastrointestinal tract involvement and a nonsignificant trend for joint involvement ( P = .004 and P = .06, respectively). Limitations This study is retrospective, and the causative factors of HSP were unable to be determined in many patients. Conclusion Patients older than 40 years with HSP who had an absence of eosinophils on skin biopsy specimen had a nearly 3-times increased risk of renal involvement compared with patients who did not have both features.
Trapped by the international dollar standard

In 2004, the world economy showed robust economic growth. Among the industrial countries, the United States led the way with annual growth of about 3.7 percent. Among developing countries, China enormous growth of 9.5 percent stimulated economic activity throughout East Asia. India grew about 6.6 percent—well above population growth and its own past history. More astonishingly, after languishing for more than two decades, Latin America’s growth averaged 5 to 6 percent. True, the euro area and Japan are lagging, with annual growth averaging less than 2 percent, but elsewhere the world economy is quite buoyant.
An interactional approach to conflict resolution and its application to Israeli‐Palestinian relations 1

(1979). An interactional approach to conflict resolution and its application to Israeli‐Palestinian relations. International Interactions: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 99-122.
Optimal estimation of ship's attitudes and attitude rates

Estimation of ship rotational motions induced by ocean waves plays a central role in many navigation and fire control applications. Inertial-type instruments are available which give good measurements of the attitude, but some form of signal processing is necessary to obtain angular rates or predict attitudes. Using optimal moving-average (or transversal) filters, we can obtain very good estimates of attitude rates as well as predictions of these values. Filter parameters can be changed adaptively to maintain good performance as the ship changes heading or velocity. The problem of designing these optimal filters is examined in detail and numerical results are given for a particular set of conditions. Two implementations of the adaptive filter are discussed. One is based on a recursive estimation of the process autocorrelations with the filter coefficients being recomputed at periodic intervals or whenever nonstationary conditions are detected. The second implementation is based on Widrow's LMS algorithm. Both alternatives for the adaptive filter implementation are quite reasonable in terms of their computational requirements. The steady-state performance analysis can be considered to be a lower bound on the errors incurred by an adaptive filter.
Medical and psychological characteristics of "crocks".

The so-called “crock” is a familiar and difficult patient for physicians to treat. This paper presents, through case illustration, one example of the treatment and course of such patients and descr...
Parametric excitation of the J = 2+ modes by zero sound in superfluid 3He-B

Abstract We discuss order-parameter collective modes in weakly inhomogenous states of superfluid 3 He-B, i.e., states in which the scale of the inhomogeneities is considerably longer than the coherence length ξ 0 = v f /2π T c and the energy associated with the inhomogeneity is small compared to the condensation energy. The theory describes resonance phenomena between order-parameter modes and zero sound. We discuss two specific cases, both of which involve excitation of the J = 2 + modes via a parametric field that lifts the selection rule due to particle-hole symmetry. In the case of a static superflow the modes with J = 2 + , M = ±1 couple to sound for q ‖ H , and should be observable as Zeeman states with a maximum absorption that scales as the square of the superflow velocity. The J = 2 + modes may also be excited parametrically in a three-wave resonance process involving two zero-sound phonons. We summarize the nonlinear response theory for two-photon excitation of these modes.
Economic comparisons of alternative fiber‐based local access architectures using ATM components

This paper presents some engineering and economic comparisons of several fiber-based network architectures providing narrowband, and in some cases broadband, services in the subscriber loop. Specifically, comparisons are made between different bus and star configurations in the sub-feeder plant using asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network components. The study reports in detail an engineering cost model used to determine the installed first cost of several access architectures, including several fiber-to-the-curb approaches which interface to the existing copper drop. The results show that these approaches can reduce the initial first cost of fiber installation, although other issues regarding network operations, maintenance, and evolution still need to be addressed.
Assessment of myocardial oxidative metabolism in aortic valve disease using positron emission tomography with C-11 acetate.

C-l 1 acetate has recently been introduced as a tracer of myocardial oxidative metabolism with the use of positron emission tomography. To evaluate this approach in the pressure- or volume-loaded heart, C-l 1 acetate clearance rate constants were determined in 22 patients with chronic aortic valve disease and in nine normal subjects. Global myocardial C-l 1 clearance was significantly higher in patients with predominant aortic stenosis (n = 11) or aortic regurgitation (n = 11) than in normal subjects (0.06s t 0.017 mine1 and 0.072 + 0.010 min-’ compared with 0.050 ?I 0.004 min-‘, p < 0.05) and correlated significantly with the rate-pressure product corrected for mean aortic valve gradient (r = 0.73, p = 0.0001) for all studies. However, analysis of patient subgroups demonstrated that this correlation held only for aortic stenosis (r = 0.79, p < 0.005 for gradient-corrected rate-pressure product). Additionally, C-l 1 clearance was strongly correlated with the product of heart rate and mean wall stress in patients with aortic stenosis (r = 0.89, p < 0.005) but not in patients with aortic regurgitation. Normalization of C-l 1 acetate clearance rate constants for gradient-corrected rate-pressure product were significantly lower in patients with loaded ventricles, particularly in the presence of a low ejection fraction, compared to normal subjects. Possible mechanisms include myocardlal adaptation through hypertrophy or depressed contractility, which would both tend to reduce oxygen consumption under any given load. Serial comparison of C-l 1 acetate kinetics and noninvasive indexes of oxygen demand may provide assessment of disease progression in pathologic ventricular loading. (AM HEART J lgg2;123:653.)
Therapeutic opportunities through modulation of the endocannabinoid system.

The discovery of the cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoid ligands has generated a great deal of interest in identifying opportunities for the development of novel cannabinergic therapeutic drugs. Such an effort was first undertaken three decades ago by a number of pharmaceutical industries, but was rewarded with only modest success. However, the newly acquired knowledge on the physiological roles of the endocannabinoid system has significantly enhanced these prospects. At the June 27, 2004 workshop ‘‘Future Directions in Cannabinoid Therapeutics II: From the Bench to the Clinic’’, sponsored by the University of California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, we on the Scientific Planning Committee were asked to identify the areas of research with the most immediate promise for the development of novel therapeutic agents. The Committee identified four broad areas involving modulation of the endocannabinoid system as particularly promising in this regard: agonists for central CB1 cannabinoid receptors and peripheral CB2 receptors, antagonists of CB1 receptors, inhibitors of endocannabinoid deactivation, and endocannabinoid-like compounds that act through mechanisms distinct from CB1 and CB2 receptors activation. Below, we summarize the data presented at the Workshop and the consensus of its participants on the most exciting opportunities for drug discovery.
Suramin Is an Active Site-directed, Reversible, and Tight-binding Inhibitor of Protein-tyrosine Phosphatases

Abstract The effect of suramin, a well known antitrypanosomal drug and a novel experimental agent for the treatment of several cancers, on protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) has been examined. Suramin is a reversible and competitive PTPase inhibitor withK is values in the low μm range, whereas the K is for the dual specificity phosphatase VHR is at least 10-fold higher. Although suramin can also inhibit the activity of the potato acid phosphatase at a slightly higher concentration, it is 2–3 orders of magnitude less effective against the protein Ser/Thr phosphatase 1α and the bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase. Suramin binds to the active site of PTPases with a binding stoichiometry of 1:1. Furthermore, when suramin is bound to the active site of PTPases, its fluorescence is enhanced approximately by 10-fold. This property has allowed the determination of the binding affinity of suramin for PTPases and several catalytically impaired mutant PTPases by fluorescence titration techniques. Thus, the active site Cys to Ser mutants bind suramin with similar affinity as the wild type, while the active site Arg to Ala mutant exhibits a 20-fold reduced affinity toward suramin. Interestingly, the general acid deficient Asp to Ala mutant PTPases display an enhanced affinity toward suramin, which is in accord with their use as improved “substrate-trapping” agents. That suramin is a high affinity PTPase inhibitor is consistent with the observation that suramin treatment of cancer cell lines leads to an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of several cellular proteins. Given the pleiotropic effects of suramin on many enzyme systems and growth factor-receptor interactions, the exact in vivo actions of suramin require further detailed structure-activity investigation of suramin and its structural analogs.
A-Monotonicity and Its Role in Nonlinear Variational Inclusions

The notion of A-monotonicity in the context of solving a new class of nonlinear variational inclusion problems is presented. Since A-monotonicity generalizes not only the well-explored maximal monotone mapping, but also a recently introduced and studied notion of H-monotone mapping, the results thus obtained are general in nature.
Skeletal muscle myosin light chains are essential for physiological speeds of shortening

In muscle each myosin head contains a regulatory light chain (LC2) that is wrapped around the head/rod junction, and an alkali light chain that is distal to LC2 (ref. 1). The role of these light chains in vertebrate skeletal muscle myosin has remained obscure. Here we prepare heavy chains that are free of both light chains in order to determine by a motility assay whether the light chains are necessary for movement. We find that removal of light chains from myosin reduces the velocity of actin filaments from 8.8 microns s-1 to 0.8 microns s-1 without significantly decreasing the ATPase activity. Reconstitution of myosin with LC2 or alkali light chain increases filament velocity to intermediate rates, and readdition of both classes of light chains fully restores the original sliding velocity. We conclude that even though the light chains are not essential for enzymatic activity, light-chain/heavy-chain interactions play an important part in the conversion of chemical energy into movement.
Cultural difference and the eugenics law.

The author would like to thank Dr. Shi-Han Chen, who provided a copy of the survey questionnaire used in Mao's study.
Psychiatric side effects of ketamine in hospitalized medical patients administered subanesthetic doses for pain control

Objective To assess the psychiatric side effects of ketamine when administered in subanesthetic doses to hospitalized patients. It is hypothesized that such effects occur frequently. Methods In this retrospective study, the medical records of 50 patients hospitalized on medical and surgical units at our facility who had continuous intravenous infusions of ketamine for pain or mild sedation were reviewed. Patient progress in the days following the start of ketamine infusion was reviewed and response to ketamine was noted. Results Twenty-two percent of the patients were noted to have some type of psychiatric reaction to ketamine, including agitation, confusion, and hallucinations. These reactions were relatively short lived, namely, occurring during or shortly after the infusions. No association was found between patient response to ketamine and gender, age, or infusion rate. Conclusion Awareness of the psychiatric side effects of ketamine is an important consideration for clinicians administering this medication either for pain control or for depressive illness.
Purification and characterization of cytochrome P-450 isozymes from phenobarbital-induced adult hen liver.

Abstract 1. Two cytochrome P-450 isozymes (P-450 PB-A, PB-B) and cytochrome b 5 were purified from livers of phenobarbital-treated adult hens. 2. Both the enzymes exhibited the same apparent molecular weight (54,000). 3. They could be distinguished on the basis of immunochemical properties, spectral properties, peptide pattern after partial proteolysis, tryptic peptide pattern, and N-tenninal sequence. 4. The antibodies raised against P-450 PB-A and PB-B did not cross-react with microsomal P-450s of rat, mice, cat, or catfish species by immunoblotting.
Use of bacterial cell walls to improve the mechanical performance of concrete

Abstract This research presents the role of bacterial cell walls of Bacillus subtilis as a concrete admixture to improve the mechanical performance of concrete. The bacterial cell walls are known to mediate microbially induced carbonate precipitation, a process in which CaCO3 is formed from Ca2+ ions and dissolved CO2. Consistent with such knowledge, incorporation of bacterial cell walls increased carbonation of Ca(OH)2 and formation of CaCO3 in concrete. Furthermore, the bacterial cell walls significantly increased compressive strengths of concrete by 15% while also decreased porosity at 28 days of curing. Assay for CaCO3 precipitation in vitro indicated that bacterial cell walls, but not dead cells, accelerated carbonation of Ca2+ ions in Ca(OH)2 solution. Since CaCO3 formed can fill up the void, decrease the porosity and increase the compressive strength in concrete, bacterial cell walls could act as a promising concrete admixture with benefits in enhancing mechanical performance and improving other carbonation-related properties.
Current Lliterature: Pediatric Feeding Disorders

Pediatric feeding disorders are common: 25% of children are reported to present with some form of feeding disorder. This number increases to 80% in developmentally delayed children. Consequences of feeding disorders can be severe, including growth failure, susceptibility to chronic illness, and even death. Feeding disorders occur in children who are healthy, who have gastrointestinal disorders, and in those with special needs. Most feeding disorders have underlying organic causes. However, overwhelming evidence indicates that abnormal feeding patterns are not solely due to organic impairment. As such, feeding disorders should be conceptualized on a continuum between psycho-social and organic factors. Disordered feeding in a child is seldom limited to the child alone; it also is a family problem. Assessment and treatment are best conducted by an interdisciplinary team of professionals. At minimum, the team should include a gastroenterologist, nutritionist, behavioral psychologist, and occupational or speec...
Some Appealing Applications of Interactive Voice Response

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology has come a long way since it was first used for voice mail and automatic call directing. The most common input method is still a key press on a telephone keypad. Auditory interfaces are being used in a variety of applications many people might not have considered, including psychological screening and assessment, access to information about government services and matters, self-management of employee investments, and providing access to graphical user interfaces and scientific instruments to the visually impaired. With such widespread use of IVR technology, it makes sense to promote research into the development of better interfaces for auditory environments. Interactive Voice Response systems will continue to be used since not all applications of computer technology can support visual or graphical user interfaces, nor would visual interfaces be appropriate for all applications. The future will bring new applications of IVR incorporating speech input and the use...
Poisoning the Active Site of Electrochemical Reduction of Dioxygen on Metal Monolayer Modified Electrode Surfaces

The four electron electroreduction of dioxygen to water on the (2 × 2) Bi upd adlattice on Au(111) has been studied by deliberately poisoning the adlattice with thiocyanate and ethanethiol during t...
A New Understanding of Demineralization: The Dynamics of Brushite Dissolution

In situ atomic force microscopic studies of brushite dissolution suggest an exactly analogous mechanism to that of crystallization in which embryo formation takes place only after critical conditions are reached. Experimentally, the relationship between the spreading rate of dissolution steps and their sizes is first measured and the elimination of active dissolution sites is observed at different undersaturations. The results reinforce our previous “self-inhibition” model in which the dissolution rates decrease with time and the reactions are effectively suppressed. The data suggest a metastable zone for dissolution in undersaturated solutions, and this is confirmed by constant composition dissolution experiments near equilibrium. Clearly, it is important to understand the mechanism of dissolution when attempts are made to measure, experimentally, the solubilities of sparingly soluble minerals. Surface dissolution pits not only play important roles in dissolution kinetics, but also they can directly infl...
Melting behavior of Snx(SiO2)100−x granular metal films

We have prepared a series of SnxSiO2)100−x granular metal films by RF magnetron sputtering with nominal Sn compositions from x = 30 to x = 90 at. %. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy measurements confirm that these films consist of small Sn particles, ranging from about 10 nm to 200 nm in mean diameter, embedded in an amorphous SiO2 matrix. These measurements also indicate that the mean Sn particle size decreases and the particle size distribution becomes more narrow as the Sn concentration is reduced. A differential scanning calorimeter has been used to study the size dependence of the melting temperature of the Sn particles. The melting temperature has been found to be increasingly depressed from the bulk value as the Sn particle size decreases. No evidence of an enhancement in the melting temperature at any particle size has been found. The evolution of the melting behavior of each sample with repeated melting and solidification cycles has also been studied.
Impact of an Anisotropic Fin Surface Design on the Thermal-Hydraulic Performance of a Plain-Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchanger

In this study, we have explored the effectiveness of heat exchangers constructed using anisotropic, micro-patterned aluminum fins to more completely drain the condensate that forms on the heat transfer surface during normal operation with the aim of improving the thermal-hydraulic performance of the heat exchanger. This study presents and critically evaluates the efficacy of full-scale heat exchangers constructed from these micro-grooved surfaces by measuring dry/wet air-side pressure drop and dry/wet air-side heat transfer data. The new fin surface design was shown to decrease the core pressure drop of the heat exchanger during wet operation from 9.3% to 52.7%. Furthermore, these prototype fin surfaces were shown to have a negligible effect on the heat transfer coefficient under both dry and wet conditions while at the same time reducing the wet airside pressure drop thereby decreasing fan power consumption. That is to say, this novel fin surface design has shown the ability, through improved condensate management, to enhance the thermal-hydraulic performance of plain-fin-and-tube heat exchangers used in air-conditioning applications. This paper also presents data pertaining to the durability of the alkyl silane coating.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Ultrastructural studies of protostelids: The cyst stage ofCavostelium bisporum

The ultrastructure of encystment stages in the flagellate protostelidCavostelium bisporum was studied with sectioned material fixed in sequential glutaraldehyde-OsO4.
Uniform circular array pattern synthesis using second-order cone programming

Here, the authors formulate second-order cone programs (SOCPs) for synthesising complex weights for far-field directional (single-point mainbeam) patterns for narrowband arrays. These formulations, while constructed here with the uniform circular array (UCA) in mind, are actually quite general in that they control the arbitrary-pol sidelobe level (SLL) and co-pol signal-to-noise ratio loss relative to ideal by minimising either while upper bounding the other. The SLL can be addressed in either an L-infinity sense or an L1 sense, and elements are assumed characterised by individual embedded complex patterns, modelled or measured, and so need not be identical. Conformal arrays are the obvious application, but we leave that for others and here instead apply the SOCPs to UCAs of directional elements. Design examples assume an antipodal Vivaldi element design with an embedded element pattern obtained through simulation using appropriate unit-cell boundary conditions. Rotation and translation of that simulated pattern provides embedded element patterns for all elements of the circular array.
Stereoelectronic Effects in Sulfur Heterocycles. Thiosulfonium Ions

Abstract The conformational and configurational preferences of a novel type of sulfur heterocycle (cyclic thiosulfonium ions) have been studied by high field NMR. Six-membered S-methyl-1,2-dithianium cations were prepared as fluoroborate salts by the methylation of corresponding 1,2-dithianes with Me3O+ BF4 −. Methylation produced only one of two possible diastereomers in the cases studied, and the products displayed fixed conformations in which the S+Me group is axial. In contrast, methylation of 1,2-dithiolanes produced S-methyl-1,2-dithiolanium ions nonselectively. Proton and C-13 NMR revealed a dynamic process involving S-methyl-1,2-dithiolanium ions and methyl sulfide which rapidly intercon-verted configurational isomers (enantiomers and diastereomers). The process is attributed to sulfide-induced ring-opening by S-S+ cleavage that is both rapid (>105 sec−1. mole−1) and reversible. The equilibrium position strongly favors ring closure. Ring strain effects are therefore unimportant. A similar sulfide-...
NMR rotating frame relaxation studies of intramolecular motion in peptides. Tyrosine ring motion in methionine-enkephalin

Summary Proton, rotating frame, nuclear magnetic spin-lattice relaxation measurements have been performed in aqueous solution on the unlabelled tyrosyl ring nuclei in [1-(α,ββ,δδ-2H5)-L-Tyr,5-L-Met]-enkephalin. In the temperature range measured, 7°C to 30°C, the chemical shift difference between the two epsilon protons is modulated by motions of the main chain and the ring with an average rate of the order of ∼ 400 sec.−1 This work confirms an earlier suggestion by us that the ring of the tyrosyl residue in Methionine-enkephalin is quite rigidly fixed with respect to the peptide main chain compared with overall molecular tumbling.
An NMR relaxation study of polynucleotide - nucleotide interactions.

A study has been made of the influence of polyuridylic acid (poly U)-adenosine (A) interactions upon the NMR proton relaxation behavior of H2O protons in aqueous solutions doped with Mn++ ions. Factors investigated included the effect of adenine oligonucleotide chain length, nucleoside concentration, and temperature upon the relaxation behavior of H2O. The results show that in all cases where solution and temperature conditions favor 2 poly U:A triple strand formation, a significant enhancement in H2O relaxation rate occurs over that for poly U or nucleotide solutions alone. Moreover, plots of relaxation enhancement versus temperature show well-defined transition regions with the enhancement approaching values for free poly U above the transition temperature, Tm. The data also show that Tm increases with increasing adenosine concentration and oligomer chain length. No comparable changes were observed for poly U solutions containing guanosine or cytidine derivatives. The increased relaxation rate in 2 poly U:A solutions is consistent with a more rigid secondary structure in the complex than in poly U; melting of this structure leads to an increase in polymer segmental mobility and a corresponding decrease in relaxation rate. The “melting” transitions and variation of Tm with concentration and chain length have been interpreted quantitatively in terms of recent statistical models and yield values of ΔH = −20 ± 3 kcal/mole (base triplet) and ΔS = −63 ± 10 cal/mole °K (base triplet) in satisfactory agreement with results of optical studies.
Analysis of collagen, glycoproteins and acid mucopolysaccharides in the bovine and porcine dental pulp.

Abstract Bovine and porcine pulps were analyzed for the relative proportions of different constitutions of the connective tissue. Both pulps were similar in their composition. Collagen comprised 12.7 per cent of porcine and 16.8 per cent of bovine pulp. Total carbohydrate accounted for 7.8 per cent of porcine and 5.9 per cent of bovine pulp. Relatively high concentrations of hexo-samine, sialic acid, neutral sugars and fucose were found. Of the total hexosamine, 1/5 was recovered in the acid mucopolysaccharides. This meant that most of the hexosamine was bound to glycoproteins. Electrophoretically, two types of acid mucopolysaccharides were identified, hyaluronate and chondroitin sulphate. A third, as yet unidentified, component was also present. It thus appears that the pulp contains very small amounts of collagen and relatively high concentrations of glycoproteins and acid mucopolysaccharides. These findings are consistent with histologic observations on the pulp and would explain its high water and calcium content.
Exact power calculations for detecting hypotheses involving two correlated binary outcomes

Exact power calculations to jointly test two correlated binomial outcomes are discussed using Biswas and Hwang's bivariate binomial distribution. We prove that power is a non-decreasing function of correlation. The method is extended to two-stage exact group sequential designs.
Simplified method for isolation of intact avian and rat liver parencymal cells

Abstract A new, simplified procedure is described for the isolation of intact liver cells from cockerel or rat liver. The technique involves a 15 min perfusion of the liver in situ through the portal vein with a solution of collagenase and hyaluronidase, and subsequent incubation of the minced liver in the enzyme solution. The yield of cells was excellent. Most cells excluded a vital stain and were undamaged when viewed with the electron microscope. The cells actively incorporated labeled precursors into lipids and proteins without specific cofactor requirements and responded to insulin in vitro . The biosynthetic capacity of the cells was retained for several days in culture.
Sumptuary Legislation: Demarketing by Edict

Sumptuary legislation, or governmental control over consumption, is better known to historians of the Middle Ages than to modern marketing scholars. Yet, such legislation (and related semi-formal c...
The Effect of Ceramide on Model Membranes and Apoptotic Cells Determined by X-Ray Scattering, Solid State NMR, and Flow Cytometry

Ceramides (Cer) are sphingolipids involved in the development of lung alveolar cell apoptosis (programmed death) and possibly in the clearance of apoptotic cells by alveolar macrophages. Typically, the clearance process is initiated by the binding of the phosphatidylserine (PS) receptor on the macrophage plasma membrane to PS which is externalized on the plasma membrane of the apoptotic (target) cell. We use a combination of molecular and cellular methods to determine the effect of ceramides on the ability of alveolar macrophages to engulf apoptotic cells. Engulfment experiments of labeled apoptotic Jurkat cells were performed with rat alveolar macrophages (AM) obtained via bronchoalveolar lavage. AM were treated with various ceramide species and efferocytosis was quantified by flow cytometry. Using small-angle X-ray scattering and solid state 2H NMR we determined how ceramides (C6:0, C18:1) affect the molecular organization and the physical properties of PS-containing membranes. By investigating model membranes with various Cer:PS:PC ratios and deuterated species we show how ceramides alter membrane thickness, bending rigidity, and the ordering of the lipid acyl chains. These studies can lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for apoptotic cell clearance. If the clearance process is impaired, apoptotic cells may progress to secondary necrosis, resulting in release of harmful cellular contents and tissue inflammation. (IUPUI Membrane Biosciences Signature Center grant.)
dr-ROC Software. Mathew D. Mitchell. Glenside, PA: Dr2Consulting, 2005, CD. Individual license, $150.00; Departmental license, $400.00; Commercial license, $500.00; Student/resident license, $105.00.

dr-ROC is an Excel workbook that provides the ability to combine multiple independent estimates of the sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic test into a summary ROC curve. It runs under Windows Excel 2002 or Excel 2003 and under Macintosh Excel v.X or Excel 2004. The current version of dr-ROC is only partially compatible with Excel 2000 for Windows. For this evaluation, the dr-ROC software was run on a Pentium 4 platform, with the Windows 2000 operating system running Excel 2003. It is common for multiple studies to appear in the literature that provide estimates of a test’s diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Often there can be considerable variation in the sensitivities and specificities reported in these studies. These differences may be caused by numerous factors, including random variation attributable to small sample sizes, differences in patient population or clinical setting, or differences in testing methodologies. Likewise, variation in reported sensitivities and specificities may be the result of differences in the diagnostic threshold (cutoff) used in each study. This is the assumption that underlies the estimation of a summary ROC curve. A summary ROC analysis estimates a smooth curve that defines the relationship between the true-positive rate (TPR) and false-positive rate (FPR) …
Geometry representation issues associated with p-version finite element computations

This paper addresses issues related to accurate geometry representation for p-version finite elements on curved three-dimensional domains. Specific options to account for domain geometry information during element-level computation are identified. Accuracy requirements on the geometry related approximations to preserve the optimal rate of finite element error convergence for second-order elliptic boundary value problems are given. An element geometric mapping scheme based on blending the exact shape of the domain boundary is described that can either be used directly during element integrations, or used to construct element-level geometric approximations of required accuracy. Smoothness issues of the rational blends on simplex topologies are discussed and a numerical example based on the solution of Poisson's equation in three dimensions is presented to illustrate the impact of the rational blends on the optimal rate of finite element error convergence.
Cryopreserved allograft repair of aortic hypoplasia and interrupted aortic arch

Mortality for interruption of the aortic arch approaches 100% within the first year of life if untreated. Prostaglandin E1 can stabilize the patient's condition in anticipation of surgical palliation, but total repair is required for long-term survival. Successful complete repair of type B interrupted aortic arch, hypoplasia of the left ventricular outflow tract, and ventricular septal defect was possible using a cryopreserved allograft in a child who previously had undergone unusual palliation.
Regulation of β-tubulin isotypes by micro-RNA 100 in MCF7 breast cancer cells†

Antimitotic drugs are key components of combination chemotherapy protocols for hematological and solid tumors. The taxanes (e.g., paclitaxel) bind to the β subunit of the tubulin heterodimer and reduce microtubule dynamics, leading to cell cycle arrest in G2/M. The effectiveness of combination chemotherapy is limited by tumor resistance to drugs initially or as a cumulative effect after several cycles of treatment. Because changes in the drug receptor may be linked to drug resistance, we investigated changes in β-tubulin isotypes in response to paclitaxel treatment in MCF7 breast cancer cells. We found that paclitaxel induced a 2-3 fold increase in mRNA for β-tubulin IIA and III genes, TUBB2A, and TUBB3. β-Tubulin class III protein increased; however, β-tubulin class II protein was not detected in these cells. Paclitaxel treatment following pretreatment with actinomycin D showed that the change in β-tubulin class III was due to increased transcription and linked to G2/M arrest. The increase in β-tubulin IIA mRNA was due to both enhanced stability and increased transcription, unassociated with G2/M arrest. We used micro-RNA superarrays to look for changes in families of micro-RNAs that might be linked to drug-induced changes in β-tubulin isotype mRNA and/or protein. We found a significant decrease in the tumor suppressor, miR-100, in MCF7 cells in response to paclitaxel treatment. Transfection of MCF7 cells with miR-100 significantly reduced β-tubulin I, IIA, IIB and V mRNA and prevented paclitaxel-induced increases in β-tubulin isotypes. This is the first report of a micro-RNA that regulates these specific β-tubulin isotype mRNAs.
An Examination of the Contribution of Dispositional Affect on Ethical Lapses

The popular press and academic research has focused primarily on the characteristics of corporate leaders. Subordinates have been studied much less frequently than leaders and yet they play a pivotal role in destructive leadership processes. An area holding significant potential to bring clarity to subordinates’ ability to withstand (or succumb) to pressures from superiors is dispositional affect. In our exploratory study, we examine how specific affective states influence subordinates’ unethical behavior. We performed an experiment with 63 mid-level managers having significant work experience. Participants were given ethical scenarios and asked to assess their intentions to comply with their superiors’ requests to engage in unethical conduct. The participants also completed the positive affect negative affect schedule (PANAS) which provides measures of affective states. Our results provide support for theory-based predictions. The findings of our study make important contributions and have implications to both practice and theory. First, we identify certain affective states that encourage subordinates to adopt the behavior of a conformer or colluder and thus be susceptible to their superiors’ unethical directives. Second, our results suggest the need for training programs to assist employees in managing affect in the work place and consideration of organizational changes that provide a culture of empowerment of its employees. Third, unlike a large majority of prior research, we measured naturally occurring affective states rather than providing a contrived (and potentially exaggerated) triggering event to elicit affective states. Fourth, we examined specific affective states rather than examining only general positive and negative valence categories.
Glass-to-Metal Seal Interfacial Analysis using Electron Probe Microscopy for Reliable Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The chemical compatibility between sealing glasses and interconnect materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) has been studied in SOFC environments. Two borate-based glass compositions were sealed to interconnect materials, 441 stainless-steel (441SS) and Mn1.5Co1.5O4-coated 441SS. The Mn1.5Co1.5O4-coated 441SS coupons were analyzed as-received using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) to obtain structural information and concentration profiles, respectively. The concentration profiles and the lack of Fe-containing phases present in the XRD spectrum show Fe is present throughout the coating, suggesting that Fe is partially substituted in the Mn1.5Co1.5O4 spinel. The glass–metal coupons were heat treated in air at 750°C for 500 h. The specimens were analyzed by EPMA and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to obtain images of the glass microstructure at the interface, to verify seal adherence, and to record concentration profiles across the glass–metal interface, with an emphasis on Cr. In total, four seal configurations were tested and analyzed, and in all cases the glasses remained well adhered to the metal and coating, and there was no microstructural evidence of new reaction phases present at the interface. There was slight diffusion of Cr from the 441SS into the sealing glasses, and Cr diffusion was hindered by the coating on the coated 441SS samples.
Thermal stabilization of austenite in iron - nickel - carbon alloys

Abstract Thermal stabilization of the athermal austenite → martensite transformation in Fe-31.5% Ni-0.01% C, Fe-27% Ni-0.35% C, and Fe-12% Ni-1% C was evaluated experimentally in the isothermal aging temperature range 0°–200°C. The character of thermal stabilization of austenite was found to change distinctly within this range of aging temperatures. At low aging temperatures the stabilization phenomenon behaved in a manner consistent with a mechanism based on pinning of the interface of the martensite nucleus by a carbon atmosphere formed during aging. At higher temperatures, the positive temperature dependence of thermal stabilization, the irreversibility of the phenomenon, and the insensitivity of the effect to carbon content indicate that some other mechanism is responsible for thermal stabilization.
Foetal rat pancreas in organ culture: effects of media supplementation with various steroid hormones on the acinar and islet components.

Foetal rat pancreas (20-day postcoitum) was grown in organ culture using a natural media (serum and chick embryo extract). The media was supplemented with several adrenal and gonadal steroids; precursors, glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, estrogens, androgens and progesterone. The effects of the steroids on the pancreatic explants were quantitated biochemically by analysis of amylase and insulin in the incubated culture media and in the explanted pancreatic tissue, and morphologically by quantitative morphometric analysis. Corticosterone, hydrocortisone, aldosterone and dexamethasone fully preserved the acinar cell component. The effect was concentration-dependent. Deoxycorticoste-rone and cortexolone had intermediate effects even at the highest concentration. Gonadal steroids had no effect on the acinar or islet component in this culture system. Some of the steroids inhibited the selective islet growth seen in the control explants as well as inhibiting insulin secretion. The relationship between these data and other work in this area is summarised. In addition, the possible implications of these data relating to normal in vivo pancreatic development are discussed.
The role of matrix metalloproteinases in ulcerative keratolysis associated with perioperative diclofenac use.

Abstract Objective To investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the pathogenesis of ulcerative keratolysis associated with topical use of generic diclofenac preoperatively and postoperatively. To characterize the inflammatory response of the cornea in this case of ulcerative keratolysis. Design Case report with clinicopathologic correlation. Main outcome measures Corneal culture for microbial growth. Clinical and histopathologic examinations including routine histolopathologic, immunofluorescent, and immunohistochemical studies. Results Microscopic examination of the corneal button disclosed fibrinous material with neutrophils and mononuclear inflammatory cells. The corneal epithelial basement membrane was irregularly thickened and patchy. Immunohistochemical staining detected weak staining of MMP-1 and a strong presence of MMP-8 in the epithelium. MMP-8 and 9 were also present in areas of leukocytic infiltration. MMP-2 appeared in a few stromal cells. Macrophages and leukocytes were the predominant infiltrating cells. Conclusions A nonspecific inflammatory response occurred in this case of ulcerative keratolysis. Corneal epithelial cells are capable of secreting MMP-1 and 8 and may participate in the stromal degradation and repair process of the ulcerative keratolysis associated with topical nonsteroidol antiinflammatory use.