cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction of heat shock protein 70 inhibits ischemic renal injury

Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is a potent antiapoptotic agent. Here, we tested whether it directly regulates renal cell survival and organ function in a model of transient renal ischemia using Hsp70 knockout, heterozygous, and wild-type mice. The kidney cortical Hsp70 content inversely correlated with tubular injury, apoptosis, and organ dysfunction after injury. In knockout mice, ischemia caused changes in the activity of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3-β (kinases that regulate the proapoptotic protein Bax), increased active Bax, and activated the proapoptotic protease caspase 3. As these changes were significantly reduced in the wild-type mice, we tested whether Hsp70 influences ischemia-induced apoptosis. An Hsp70 inducer, geranylgeranylacetone, increased Hsp70 expression in heterozygous and wild-type mice, and reduced both ischemic tubular injury and organ dysfunction. When administered after ischemia, this inducer also decreased tubular injury and organ failure in wild-type mice but did not protect the knockout mice. ATP depletion in vitro caused greater mitochondrial Bax accumulation and death in primary proximal tubule cells harvested from knockout compared with wild-type mice and altered serine phosphorylation of a Bax peptide at the Akt-specific target site. In contrast, lentiviral-mediated Hsp70 repletion decreased mitochondrial Bax accumulation and rescued Hsp70 knockout cells from death. Thus, increasing Hsp70 either before or after ischemic injury preserves renal function by attenuating acute kidney injury.
Patient measurement of psoriasis disease severity with a structured instrument

The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) is used by dermatologic investigators to assess psoriasis disease severity. PASI measures are time-consuming and require trained personnel. We developed and evaluated a structured PASI-like instrument for self-measurement of psoriasis disease severity for use in future large-scale epidemiologic studies. The instrument consisted of a silhouette of a body for patients to shade in affected areas and of three modified visual analog scales for recording the redness, thickness, and scaliness of an average lesion. The resulting "patient PASI" score was compared to investigator PASI measurements in 43 patients with mild to severe psoriasis. Patients and investigator also recorded a subjective global severity score. The patient PASI score was highly predictive of the investigator PASI score (r2 = 0.71, p < 0.0001) and the investigator global score (r2 = 0.37, p < 0.0001). The patient global score was also predictive of the investigator PASI (r2 = 0.18, p < 0.0053) and the investigator global score (r2 = 0.10, p < 0.044), but these relationships exhibit wide predicted confidence intervals. Following the initial evaluation by 18.4 +/- 9.1 d of therapy, one-way t tests for paired samples (pre and post) showed significant improvements in the patient PASI (p < 0.003) and investigator PASI (p < 0.05). We conclude that although patients' overall scores may not allow for accurate prediction of clinical disease severity in a single individual, this structured instrument facilitates prediction of psoriasis disease severity in a population.
Mechanotransduction of Interstitial Fluid Stresses by Tumor Cells within 3D Collagen Scaffolds

Solid tumors are characterized by high interstitial fluid pressure, which serves as a barrier to drug delivery and an indicator for poor prognosis (Milosevic et al. Cancer Res. 2001). Elevated intratumoral fluid pressure drives fluid efflux from the tumor and high interstitial flow velocities at the tumor margin. Recently, we have demonstrated that interstitial flow (∼3 m/s) influences the direction of tumor cell migration through two competing mechanisms (Polacheck et al. PNAS 2011). At low cell density and active autocrine chemokine receptors, cells migrate in the direction of flow, while at high cell density or when autocrine chemokine receptors are blocked, cells migrate upstream, against the flow. Tumor cell migration in the direction of flow has been well characterized by the autologous chemotaxis model (Shields et al. Cancer Cell 2007), but the mechanism leading to upstream migration remains unclear. Here, we discuss the nature of fluid stresses imparted on cells embedded within a porous medium, and we introduce a microfluidic platform that we have developed to study the effect of these stresses on cell migration. We demonstrate that interstitial fluid stresses result in a transcellular gradient in matrix adhesion tension.We further show that these stresses result in a statistically significant accumulation of vinculin and actin on the upstream side of the cell, where matrix adhesion tension is maximized. Interstitial flow affects matrix remodeling and results in increased matrix degradation on the downstream side of the cell; however, we observe upstream vinculin and actin accumulation even when MMPs are blocked, further suggesting that the fluid stresses and not matrix remodeling are responsible for the observed vinculin and actin distribution.
Constructing a computer-assisted instructional package to teach case management skills

Summary Using microcomputer abilities, Problem Solving in Case Management (PIC) provides students with the opportunity to learn case management skills through applying the problem solving process to a simulated client situation. The Computer Assisted Instructional Program (CAI) enlists a user-friendly format and was designed and scripted using an Apple Macintosh IICX computer system with HyperCard software (version 1.2.2).
Ferrofluid Transport Analysis for Micro- and Mesoscale Applications

Magnetically induced accumulation and dispersion of ferrofluid in a forced flow of nonmagnetic fluid is studied experimentally and numerically to characterize the ferrofluid transport. The analysis would directly benefit several microscale and mesoscale applications like magnetic drug targeting and ferrofluid lithography. Experimental observation reveals existence of a ferrofluid core near the dipole, where the field gradient is high, and a washaway region. Numerical simulations show the ferrofluid mass flux in a similar configuration. Also, selective deposition of ferrofluid on a substrate wall exposed to a forced flow of nonmagnetic fluid is demonstrated numerically.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
[3H]Norepinephrine binding: Unrelated to catechol-o-methyl transferase

Summary [ 3 H]norepinephrine binds in vitro to microsomal membranes derived from a wide variety of tissues. Controversy exists as to the physiological significance of this binding phenomenon and recently the suggestion has been made that this represents binding to the enzyme catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT). The enzyme and the [ 3 H]norepinephrine binding sites however, are shown to have very different characteristics. Tissues having the highest levels of microsomal catechol-o-methyl transferase(liver, kidney) bind the least [ 3 H]norepinephrine. The enzyme is concentrated in soluble fractions of tissue whereas the binding sites are found almost exclusively in membrane fractions. Purified preparations of the binding sites have no catechol-o-methyl transferase activity. pH optima, K M for epinephrine, and substrate specificity are all strikingly different for the enzyme and the [ 3 H]norepinephrine binding sites. It is concluded that in vitro [ 3 H]norepinephrine binding is unrelated to microsomal catechol-o-methyl transferase.
Systematic observations of neighborhood order: assessing the methodology in evaluating a community-based initiative

A systematic pre- and postintervention neighborhood observation constituted one component of the evaluation of an initiative to eliminate a street-drug market. Analysis focused on multiple indicators of social and physical order and disorder, as well as physical decay. No noticeable changes were found, but variations in physical and social attributes between the market area and other segments of the neighborhood were revealed. These results suggest lessons that can be learned—and questions that should be considered—with regard to the application of the neighborhood observation methodology to an evaluation of this type of strategic, community-based initiative.
SU‐FF‐J‐132: Calculation of Cumulative Dose for Daily CT‐Guided Prostate Irradiation Using Deformable Image Registration

Purpose: To calculate the cumulative dose actually delivered to prostate cancer patients treated with daily image‐guided radiation therapy (IGRT) and to quantify differences between planned and delivereddoses to determine the need of better adaptive strategies. Method and Materials: Daily kV CT data, acquired for ten prostate cancer patients treated with daily IGRT repositioning based on soft‐tissue registration on a CT on Rails (CTVision, Siemens), were analyzed. The dose actually delivered at each fraction was reconstructed by applying the original plan to the daily CT considering the repositioning shifts performed. Each daily CT was deformably registered to the plan CT using a newly developed deformable image registration tool. The resulting deformation field was used to map the delivered daily dose onto the planning CT. The cumulative dose over all treatment fractions was calculated and compared with the planed dose.Results: Accumulated prostate dose is consistently lower than the planned dose. For example, prostate D100 and D95 were reduced by 0.1–6.6% and 0.3–1.2%, respectively, as compared to their planed values. The variation in cumulative dose is reduced as the treatment progresses. The rectum had the largest and most erratic volume disparity, leading to frequent overdosing (mean dose increasing up to 11%). The bladder delivereddose is more likely to be an under‐dose. Conclusion: The cumulative doses actually delivered to the prostate, rectum and bladder are different from their planned values, even with the soft‐tissue‐registration based daily repositioning, the most accurate IGRT, indicating a better adaptive strategy, such as re‐planning, is required to account for interfraction anatomy variation observed in certain treatment fractions/patients.
Laboratory Measurements of Compressional and Shear Wave Speeds through Methane Hydrate

: Simultaneous measurements of compressional and shear wave speeds through polycrystalline methane hydrate have been made. Methane hydrate, grown directly in a wave speed measurement chamber, was uniaxially compacted to a final porosity below 2%. At 277 K, the compacted material had a compressional wave speed of 3,650 ± 50 m/s. The shear wave speed, measured simultaneously, was 1,890 ± 30 m/s. From these wave speed measurements, we derive Vp/Vs, Poisson's ratio, bulk, shear, and Young's moduli.
Cadmium: Simulation of environmental control strategies to reduce exposure

The effects of selected environmental control strategies on human dietary and respiratory exposure to environmental cadmium (Cd) have been simulated. For each control strategy, mean Cd dietary and respiratory exposures are presented for a twenty-year simulation period.
Coping strategy use, personality, and adjustment of parents rearing children with developmental disabilities.

Background Parents rearing children with developmental disabilities encounter stressors that require coping and adaptation. In Glidden et al. 2006, the use of problem-focused coping strategies was more often associated with positive adjustment outcomes than was the use of emotion-focused coping strategies, and parental personality was shown to influence outcomes, with Neuroticism, in particular, associated with lower well-being. Method In the current study we aimed to replicate these results for adjustment outcomes measured 6 years later. Sixty-eight married couples parenting at least one child with developmental disabilities completed measures of depression and subjective well-being, and the Transition Daily Rewards and Worries Questionnaire, an inventory that assesses parental reaction to children transitioning into adulthood. Results For both mothers and fathers, combinations of personality factors and coping strategies were able to significantly predict outcome variables measured 6 years later. Personality, however, was a better predictor for mothers, whereas coping strategies predicted more variance for fathers. Distancing, especially, demonstrated mother–father differences. Conclusions For the most part, the current results demonstrated that the relations among personality, coping and parental outcomes were consistent and stable over the 6-year interval. In addition, although we found some differences between mothers and fathers, there were also many similarities in the frequency of use of different coping strategies, and in the direction of influence of personality and coping strategy on outcome variables.
Altered glycosylation of alpha-fetoprotein in hepadnavirus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma of the woodchuck.

Abstract Altered glycosylation of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has been proposed as a marker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in humans. The lectin-binding properties of woodchuck AFP were investigated to determine if wood-chuck hepatitis virus (WHV)-induced HCCs are also accompanied by changes in AFP glycosylation. Ninety-eight to 100% of the AFP from normal, WHV-free woodchucks with physiologic AFP elevations and from WHV-carrier woodchucks with HCC bound to concanavalin A, indicating that virtually all of the AFP was glycosylated. Three percent or less of the serum AFP of normal woodchucks bound to Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA). In contrast, the AFP from woodchucks with HCC had an increased LCA-binding fraction (range, 8–77%). The increased LCA-binding AFP in WHV-induced HCC is analogous to that which frequently accompanies hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced HCC in humans. This study corroborates the relationship of altered glycoconjugate synthesis to virus-induced malignant transformation, confirms the importance of AFP glycoforms as markers of HCC, and demonstrates that the WHV-infected wood-chuck should be useful in investigating changes in AFP glycosylation during hepadnavirus hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC growth.
Linear programming approach to optimize 3D data obtained from multiple view angiograms

Three-dimensional (3D) vessel data from CTA or MRA are not always available prior to or during endovascular interventional procedures, whereas multiple 2D projection angiograms often are. Unfortunately, patient movement, table movement, and gantry sag during angiographic procedures can lead to large errors in gantry-based imaging geometries and thereby incorrect 3D. Therefore, we are developing methods for combining vessel data from multiple 2D angiographic views obtained during interventional procedures to provide 3D vessel data during these procedures. Multiple 2D projection views of carotid vessels are obtained, and the vessel centerlines are indicated. For each pair of views, endpoints of the 3D centerlines are reconstructed using triangulation based on the provided gantry geometry. Previous investigations indicated that translation errors were the primary source of error in the reconstructed 3D. Therefore, the errors in the translations relating the imaging systems are corrected by minimizing the L1 distance between the reconstructed endpoints, after which the 3D centerlines are reconstructed using epipolar constraints for every pair of views. Evaluations were performed using simulations, phantom data, and clinical cases. In simulation and phantom studies, the RMS error decreased from 6.0 mm obtained with biplane approaches to 0.5 mm with our technique. Centerlines in clinical cases are smoother and more consistent than those calculated from individual biplane pairs. The 3D centerlines are calculated in about 2 seconds. These results indicate that reliable 3D vessel data can be generated for treatment planning or revision during interventional procedures.
Quality-Adjusted Survival Estimation with Periodic Observations: A Multistate Survival Analysis Approach

Abstract Quality-adjusted survival is a composite measure that combines quality-of-life and survival data. Analyzing quality-adjusted survival with data collected at periodic intervals can be difficult because of incomplete information resulting from dropouts or missing visits. Dropouts could be purely random or caused by treatments or the illness itself. In a multistate model, dropout information can be incorporated into analysis by including the “dropout” state as a state of the patient's health. Under a Markovian assumption on patients' health status, we applied a multistate survival analysis approach that extends Chen and Sen's study [Chen, P.-L., Sen, P. K. (2001). Quality adjusted survival estimation with periodic observation. Biometrics 57:868–874] which estimated the mean quality-adjusted survival where the transition probability between health states and patients' expected survival time can be estimated simultaneously. Here we show that the estimator is asymptotically normal with simple variance ...
Structural plasticity of the Flp-Holliday junction complex.

Abstract The Flp recombinase, a member of the lambda integrase or tyrosine-based family of site-specific recombinases, is an interesting example of an enzyme whose catalytic activity is regulated by protein–protein contacts. It exhibits half-of-the-sites activity throughout its catalytic cycle. Flp is unique among these recombinases, in that it assembles each active site in trans through the interaction of two protein monomers within the catalytic tetramer, with isomerization of interacting pairs being essential to complete a full reaction. We report here the structure of a DNA-bound tetramer of Flpe, a variant of Flp that is more active at 37 °C than the wild-type recombinase. This new structure includes the first observation of a tyrosine recombinase with an invading 5′-OH poised to attack the covalent phosphotyrosine residue. Comparison with the previously determined Flp structure highlights differences in flexibility between the two types of protein–protein interfaces in the tetramer and better defines the range of conformations available to this remarkably flexible complex. These results suggest a steric occlusion model for enforcement of half-of-the-sites activity.
Subdural Hematoma and Lupus Anticoagulants

Background and Purpose Patients with lupus anticoagulants do not typically have a bleeding tendency. However, a few reports of hemorrhage in patients with lupus anticoagulants in the absence of known risk factors for bleeding have been published, raising the question of an etiologic connection between lupus anticoagulants and certain types of hemorrhage. The presentation of three patients with subdural hematoma and lupus anticoagulants within only 1 year at our institutions and the report of two such patients in the literature led us to conduct a retrospective study to determine whether patients with lupus anticoagulants may have an increased risk for the development of subdural hematoma. Case Descriptions All patients with a discharge diagnosis of nontraumatic subdural hematoma and lupus anticoagulant at three medical institutions between 1985 and 1996 were identified, and their medical histories and laboratory evaluations were reviewed. Of 733 patients with a discharge diagnosis of nontraumatic subdural...
The 'plentifull Lady-feast' in Brome's A Madd Couple Well Matcht

Brome’s late city comedy A Mad Couple Well Match’d (1639) devotes specific attention to women as consumers and foregrounds the financial and erotic rivalries that consumption spurs between them. Alicia Saleware, a mercer’s wife, acquires the extravagant clothing she craves by offering sex to wealthy men—often with her husband’s consent. Lady Thrivewell, however, outsmarts her when she claims in goods from Alicia’s shop the hundred pounds that her husband has spent there for sex. The familiar city comedy equation between sex, cash, and commodities gains a fresh perspective when all three things circulate exclusively among scheming female characters. A great deal of their contact is antagonistic; much of it is homosocial, and with a cross-dressed heroine wooed by two wives, it frequently crosses into the homoerotic. This erotic and financial competition between women articulates cultural anxieties specific to Caroline London and pushes the thematic boundaries of city comedy to their outer limits.
Activating transcription factor-2 DNA-binding activity is stimulated by phosphorylation catalyzed by p42 and p54 microtubule-associated protein kinases.

Recent studies have detailed the ability of activating transcription factor-2 (ATF-2) to mediate adenoviral E1a stimulation of gene expression; however, an endogenous regulator for the transcriptional activity of this protein has not been described. To characterize the regulation of ATF-2 activity, we have expressed full-length and truncated peptides corresponding to various regions of the ATF-2 protein in bacteria and the baculovirus insect cell system. Bacterially expressed truncated (350-505) but not full-length ATF-2, was able to bind a consensus cAMP response element-containing oligonucleotide, suggesting the N-terminal moiety may serve as a negative regulator of DNA-binding activity. In contrast, the full-length ATF-2 protein expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells using a recombinant baculovirus was fully competent to bind DNA. Protein phosphatase 2A reversed the DNA-binding activity by dephosphorylating the ATF-2 polypeptide. Microtubule-associated protein kinase catalyzed the phosphorylati...
Tracking losses of brevetoxins on exposure to phytoplankton competitors: Ecological impacts

Abstract The frequent occurrence of devastating blooms of the harmful dinoflagellate Karenia brevis in the Gulf of Mexico has motivated research into bloom dynamics and potential mitigation strategies. The use of competing phytoplankton to lower waterborne concentrations of the most abundant and toxic brevetoxins produced during these blooms has been proposed. However the ecological impacts of using such biocontrol agents have not been addressed. This study investigated the impact on marine invertebrates of lowered brevetoxin concentrations due to the presence of competing phytoplankton. Even at low brevetoxin concentrations, the presence of the common diatom Skeletonema grethae ameliorated harmful toxic effects of brevetoxins upon the brine shrimp, Artemia salina , and reduced the incidence of negative physiological and morphological responses of the sea anemone Aiptasia pallida . In addition, brevetoxin biotransformation products formed by competing phytoplankton appear to be non-toxic or do not trigger the same physiological responses as brevetoxins in the model organisms used. These findings may impact the interpretation of ecotoxicological data gathered during bloom events, since the presence of phytoplankton competitors in Karenia blooms is likely to reduce the harmful effects seen on many marine invertebrates.
Theoretical analysis of localized heating in human skin subjected to high voltage pulses

Abstract Electroporation, the increase in the permeability of bilayer lipid membranes by the application of high voltage pulses, has the potential to serve as a mechanism for transdermal drug delivery. However, the associated current flow through the skin will increase the skin temperature and might affect nearby epidermal cells, lipid structure or even transported therapeutic molecules. Here, thermal conduction and thermal convection models are used to provide upper and lower bounds on the local temperature rise, as well as the thermal damage, during electroporation from exponential voltage pulses (70 V maximum) with a 1 ms and a 10 ms pulse time constant. The peak temperature rise predicted by the conduction model ranges from 19 °C for a 1 ms time constant pulse to 70 °C for the 10 ms time constant pulse. The convection (mass transport) model predicts a 18 °C peak rise for 1 ms time constant pulses and a 51 °C peak rise for a 10 ms time constant pulse. The convection model compares more favorably with previous experimental studies and companion observations of the local temperature rise during electroporation. Therefore, it is expected that skin electroporation can be employed at a level which is able to transport molecules transdermally without causing significant thermal damage to the tissue.
Status of the IEEE P896 Future Backplane Bus

The IEEE P896 Future Backplane Bus project has been influenced by and has influenced FASTBUS and several other contemporary bus designs. This paper summarizes the current status of that project, which is directed toward the needs of modern 32-bit microprocessor systems with multiple processors. Some of the technology developed for P896 will be important for future non-ECL implementations of FASTBUS and other buses. In particular, new bus drivers and receivers should greatly improve the performance and reliability of backplane buses and cable buses. The current status of the P896 serial bus is also summarized.
Oxidation of proteins by mixed-function oxidation systems: implication in protein turnover, ageing and neutrophil function

Abstract The modulation of oxygen-radical mediated oxidation of amino acids in proteins underlies a general mechanism for regulating the turnover of one enzyme with respect to another. The accumulation of altered enzyme forms which occurs during ageing and in some premature ageing diseases may reflect shifts in the balance between the rate of protein oxidation on the one hand, and the rate of degradation of oxidized protein on the other. The oxidation of key enzymes may also be involved in the bactericidal action of neutrophils and in the autodestruction of neutrophils following periods of respiratory burst. In defining the molecular basis of oxygen toxicity, the oxidative inactivation of key enzymes must be taken into account, along with lipid peroxidation and DNA strand scission.
Experiences of injectable contraceptive users in an urban setting.

Objective To examine method-related experiences and acceptability of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) among women using this contraceptive for the first time. Methods Five hundred thirty-six women who received an injection of DMPA from any of seventeen clinical settings in southeast Texas, United States, were followed for 1 year. At each follow-up visit, patients were asked about their experiences with DMPA during the past 3 months and their plans to use this method in the future. Results Amenorrhea, irregular bleeding, and weight gain were the conditions reported most frequently. Reports of amenorrhea, weight gain, and acne or skin problems increased over time, but complaints of longer periods decreased ( P P P Conclusion Intolerable side effects and changes in menstrual pattern are the most frequently indicated reasons for discontinuing DMPA use. Our results suggest that DMPA's 1-year continuation rate may be lower than previously reported.
Regulation of intracellular car☐ypeptidase activity inCandida albicans

Abstract The physiological regulation of intracellular car☐ypeptidase activity of Candida albicans was examined. Car☐ypeptidase specific activity of logarithmicphase yeast increased 3- to 5.5-fold under conditions of nitrogen starvation. Car☐ypeptidase activity of nitrogen-starved stationary cells increased 1.5- to 2-fold. The increase in car☐ypeptidase activity during nitrogen starvation was suppressed by exogenous ammonium. In addition, the amino acids arginine, asparagine, and glutamine prevented enzyme activity from increasing during nitrogen starvation. The release of stationary yeast into fresh media containing glucose and ammonium effected a 50% reduction of car☐ypeptidase activity during a 3-h period but activity returned to 83% of the pretreatment level after an additional 3 h. The results suggest that intracellular car☐ypeptidase is part of the protein catabolic system and that it is regulated by nitrogen repression.
Ethnic Disparities in the Treatment of Dementia in Veterans

Objectives: To test for ethnic disparities in the evaluation and treatment of dementia. Methods: We reviewed 1,401 charts of patients from 4 veteran clinics that routinely evaluate dementia patients. A total of 410 patients met criteria for dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their charts were reviewed in detail. Results: Regarding their evaluation, laboratory and imaging testing did not differ between ethnic groups (p > 0.05). Depression screening was more common in African-American (AA) patients (p = 0.03). Significantly more Caucasian patients underwent neuropsychologic testing (p = 0.001). Regarding management, in a multivariate analysis, AA patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (odds ratio (OR) 0.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.02–0.5) or ‘all dementia types’ (OR 0.6, 0.3–0.9) were significantly less likely to receive acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (CHEIs). Other independent predictors of CHEI use were age ≥71 years (OR 5.2, 2.8–9.6), a diagnosis of AD (OR 3.1, 1.6–6.3) or MCI (OR 0.3, 0.1–0.7), and if their evaluation included imaging (head CT or MRI; OR 1.9, 1.05–3.3). Conclusions: AA patients underwent comparable evaluations for dementia and the percentage of CHEI-responsive diagnoses rendered was similar across ethnic groups. However, dementia management differed significantly: AAs were prescribed CHEIs at considerably reduced rates. The reasons for this great disparity warrant further investigation because it may produce significantly greater cognitive impairment and hence suffering amongst AA patients.
RED CELL TRIOKINASE DEFICIENCY - ANOTHER BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE FETAL ERYTHROCYTE

The erythrocytes of normal adults have the capacity to incorporate and metabolize dihydroxyacetone (DHA). This substrate has been found to be useful for the maintenance of 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) in stored red cells. The metabolism of DHA by cord blood erythrocytes was examined in an attempt to find a substrate for DPG synthesis that bypassed the early steps in red cell glycolysis. When the cells from adults and infants were incubated in the presence of DHA (10 mM), pyruvate (10 mM), and inorganic phosphate (10 mM), the DPG level increased by 2.34 μmoles/ml RBC's in the adult samples but only increased by 0.1 μmoles/ ml in the cells of infants during a period of 2 hours. DHA consumption averaged 3.76 μmoles/ml RBC's/hr in the cells from adults but was only 1.16 μmoles/ml RBC's/hr in the erythrocytes of the newborn. Assays of triokinase, the enzyme responsible for the phosphorylation of DHA, were performed in the hemolysates from newborn and adult erythrocytes. Triokinase activity averaged 4.56 ± 0.69 units/100 ml RBC's in adults and was only 2.97 ± 0.54 units in the cells from newborns (p <.01). Relative triokinase deficiency appears to be another biochemical characteristic of the red cells of the newborn infant.
Pyrethroid insecticides indirectly inhibit GABA-dependent 36Cl- influx in synaptoneurosomes from the trout brain.

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are extremely sensitive to the neurotoxic activity of pyrethroid insecticides. One possible target for pyrethroids is the GABAA receptor of brain of the trout, the function of which can be tested by measurement of influx of 36Cl − into synaptoneurosomes, in response to the application of agonists. γ-Aminobutyric acid produced a time- and concentration-dependent increase in influx of 36Cl− in synaptoneurosomes from the brain of the trout, which exhibited the pharmacology characteristic of a response mediated by activation of a GABAA receptor. Deltamethrin, (1RαS)-cia-cypermethrin and permethrin produced a dose-dependent increase in the basal uptake and a corresponding decrease in GABA-dependent influx, with a maximum inhibition of 70–82%. This effect of pyrethroid was stereospecific, of high potency and inhibited by tetrodotoxin (TTX) and t-butylbicy-clophosphorothionate (TBPS). The sensitivity of the effect of the pyrethroid to TTX suggested an activation by pyrethroid of the voltage-dependent sodium channel. Veratridine, a sodium channel activator, elicited similar changes in the basal uptake of chloride, which were TTX-sensitive. Neither deltamethrin nor veratridine had a measurable effect on the efflux of 36Cl− from synaptoneurosomes. Thus, pyrethroid insecticides may interfere with the function of GABAA receptors indirectly through an interaction with the voltage-dependent sodium channel in the brain of the trout and consequently perturb chloride influx, possibly through a voltage-dependent chloride channel.
Surface Characterization of Ti and Ti (6% AI-4%, V) Metal Powders and Interaction with Primer Solutions

Abstract The surfaces of Ti and Ti (6% Al-4% V) powders were characterized by several techniques. BET surface areas as a function of temperature were measured using nitrogen adsorption. Heats of immersion (δwH) of these metal powders in water were measured after evacuation over the temperature range 100°–400°C. The δwH in water increased with increasing evacuation temperature and an anomalous increase was observed between 300° and 400°C. This was attributed to exposure of water to elemental titanium by cracking of the oxide layer at 400°C. XPS analysis did not support the possibility of metal migration through the oxide layer. Higher heats of immersion in water were determined for chemically pretreated compared to untreated Ti 6–4 powders. Water vapor adsorption isotherms were measured after evacuation of the metal powders at 100°C. Partial irreversibility of the water adsorption was observed on both powders. Water adsorption on Ti was temperature dependent. Heats of immersion measurements were used to st...
Improvements on a radio-controlled stimulator system for primate studies

Abstract A commercially available model airplane radio control transmitter-receiver system has been modified for nonhuman primate telestimulation studies. The circuit design has since been improved to decrease the size and weight and increase the performance of this system. The stimulator provides symmetrical, biphasic constant current pulses to electrodes implanted in the monkey brain.
Electronic nose for space program applications

The ability to monitor air contaminants in the shuttle and the International Space Station is important to ensure the health and safety of astronauts, and equipment integrity. Three specific space applications have been identified that would benefit from a chemical monitor: (a) organic contaminants in space cabin air; (b) hypergolic propellant contaminants in the shuttle airlock; (c) pre-combustion signature vapors from electrical fires. NASA at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is assessing several commercial and developing electronic noses (E-noses) for these applications. A short series of tests identified those E-noses that exhibited sufficient sensitivity to the vapors of interest. Only two E-noses exhibited sufficient sensitivity for hypergolic fuels at the required levels, while several commercial E-noses showed sufficient sensitivity of common organic vapors. These E-noses were subjected to further tests to assess their ability to identify vapors. Development and testing of E-nose models using vendor supplied software packages correctly identified vapors with an accuracy of 70-90%. In-house software improvements increased the identification rates between 90 and 100%. Further software enhancements are under development. Details on the experimental setup, test protocols, and results on E-nose performance are presented in this paper along with special emphasis on specific software enhancements. c2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Incorporation of fresh tissue surgical simulation into plastic surgery education: maximizing extraclinical surgical experience.

Background As interest in surgical simulation grows, plastic surgical educators are pressed to provide realistic surgical experience outside of the operating suite. Simulation models of plastic surgery procedures have been developed, but they are incomparable to the dissection of fresh tissue. We evolved a fresh tissue dissection (FTD) and simulation program with emphasis on surgical technique and simulation of clinical surgery. We hypothesized that resident confidence could be improved by adding FTD to our resident curriculum. Methods Over a 5-year period, FTD was incorporated into the curriculum. Participants included clinical medical students, postgraduate year 1 to 7 residents, and attending surgeons. Participants performed dissections and procedures with structured emphasis on anatomical detail, surgical technique, and rehearsal of operative sequence. Resident confidence was evaluated using retrospective pretest and posttest analysis with a 5-point scale, ranging from 1 (least confident) to 5 (most confident). Confidence was evaluated according to postgraduate year level, anatomical region, and procedure. Results A total of 103 dissection days occurred, and a total of 192 dissections were reported, representing 73 different procedures. Overall, resident predissection confidence was 1.90±1.02 and postdissection confidence was 4.20±0.94 (p Conclusions A high-volume FTD experience was successfully incorporated into the residency program over 5 years. Training with FTD improves resident confidence, and this effect increases with seniority of training. Although initial data demonstrate that resident confidence is improved with FTD, additional evaluation is needed to establish objective evidence that patient outcomes and surgical quality can be improved with FTD.
Development of the aerobic dive limit and muscular efficiency in northern fur seals ( Callorhinus ursinus )

Northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus; NFS) populations have been declining, perhaps due to limited foraging ability of pups. Because a marine mammal’s proficiency at exploiting underwater prey resources is based on the ability to store large amounts of oxygen (O2) and to utilize these reserves efficiently, this study was designed to determine if NFS pups had lower blood, muscle, and total body O2 stores than adults. Pups (<1-month old) had a calculated aerobic dive limit only ~40% of adult females due to lower blood and, to a much greater extent, muscle O2 stores. Development of the Pectoralis (Pec) and Longissimus dorsi (LD) skeletal muscles was further examined by determining their myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition and enzyme activities. In all animals, the slow MHC I and fast-twitch IIA proteins typical of oxidative fiber types were dominant, but adult muscles contained more (Pec ~50%; LD ~250% higher) fast-twitch MHC IID/X protein characteristic of glycolytic muscle fibers, than pup muscles. This suggests that adults have greater ability to generate muscle power rapidly and/or under anaerobic conditions. Pup muscles also had lower aerobic and anaerobic ATP production potential, as indicated by lower metabolically scaled citrate synthase, β-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities (all P values ≤0.001). In combination, these findings indicate that pups are biochemically and physiologically limited in their diving capabilities relative to adults. This may contribute to lower NFS first year survival.
Toxicity of copper to the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Chlorophyceae), as affected by humic substances of terrestrial and freshwater origin

Abstract Population growth, loss of flagella and encystment were used as indices of copper toxicity to Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . Copper concentrations up to 64 μg/l had no effect on population growth in any of the treatments. Deflagellation occurred at copper concentrations ranging from 6.7 to 25.4 μg/l with terrestrial humic acid (HA) having the greatest effect on toxicity and aqueous fulvic acid (FA) having no effect on toxicity. The effect of aqueous HA was intermediate. Encystment was a less sensitive index of copper toxicity than was defiagellation but it may offer protection against extinction when algae are exposed to pulses of higher copper concentrations. Based on our results, we conclude that terrestrially derived humic acids are an inappropriate model to be used in predicting the effects of freshwater humic substances oa the toxicity of metals.
Analysis of the mechanisms involved in the stimulation of neutrophil apoptosis by tumour necrosis factor-α

We have previously reported that human neutrophils pretreated with tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and then exposed to a variety of agents such as immune complexes, zymosan, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), C5a, fMLP, or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), undergo a dramatic stimulation of apoptosis, suggesting that TNF-alpha is able to prime an apoptotic death programme which can be rapidly triggered by different stimuli. We report here that this response involves the participation of Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18), is dependent on caspases 3, 8 and 9, and is associated with both a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and a down-regulation in expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, Mcl-1. Interestingly, we also found that the anti-apoptotic cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) improves the ability of TNF-alpha to promote apoptosis, supporting the notion than TNF-alpha, acting together with IL-1, may favour the depletion of neutrophils from the inflammatory areas during the course of acute inflammation.
Physiology of Thermoregulation

Core body temperature is one of the most tightly regulated parameters of human physiology. At any given time, body temperature differs from the expected value by no more than a few tenths of a degree. However, slight daily variations are due to circadian rhythm, and, in women, monthly variations are due to their menstrual cycle. Importantly, both anesthesia and surgery dramatically alter this delicate control, and as a result intraoperative core temperatures 1 to 3 degrees C below normal are not uncommon. Consequently, perioperative hypothermia leads to a number of complications including postoperative shivering (which unacceptably increases patients' metabolic rates), impaired coagulation, prolonged drug action, and negative postoperative nitrogen balance. In this review I will describe how anesthesia and surgery impair thermoregulation, the resulting changes in heat balance, and the physiological responses provoked by perioperative alterations in body temperature.
A disk-aware algorithm for time series motif discovery

Time series motifs are sets of very similar subsequences of a long time series. They are of interest in their own right, and are also used as inputs in several higher-level data mining algorithms including classification, clustering, rule-discovery and summarization. In spite of extensive research in recent years, finding time series motifs exactly in massive databases is an open problem. Previous efforts either found approximate motifs or considered relatively small datasets residing in main memory. In this work, we leverage off previous work on pivot-based indexing to introduce a disk-aware algorithm to find time series motifs exactly in multi-gigabyte databases which contain on the order of tens of millions of time series. We have evaluated our algorithm on datasets from diverse areas including medicine, anthropology, computer networking and image processing and show that we can find interesting and meaningful motifs in datasets that are many orders of magnitude larger than anything considered before.
Antiproliferative Action of Calcitonin on Lactotrophs of the Rat Anterior Pituitary Gland: Evidence for the Involvement of Transforming Growth Factor β1 in Calcitonin Action

Calcitonin-like pituitary peptide, which is synthesized and secreted by gonadotrophs of the rat anterior pituitary (AP) gland, is a potent inhibitor of prolactin biosynthesis and lactotroph cell proliferation. Because TGF-β1 is an autocrine inhibitor of lactotroph cell proliferation, we investigated a possibility that calcitonin (CT) interacts with TGF-β1 to inhibit lactotroph cell proliferation. The actions of CT on GGH3 cell proliferation were examined in the absence or presence of anti-TGF-β1 serum. Subsequent experiments tested the effects of CT on TGF-β1 mRNA abundance as well as TGF-β1 synthesis. The studies also tested whether the stimulatory action of CT on TGF-β1 mRNA expression involves stabilization of TGF-β1 mRNA. Finally, the experiments investigated in vivo actions of CT on TGF-β1 synthesis in the AP gland. This was accomplished by studying the changes induced by iv administered CT in TGF-β1-immunopositive cell populations of adult female rat AP glands. The results have shown that the inhibi...
Iodine-125 implants versus external beam therapy for stages A2, B, and C prostate cancer.

Abstract From 1974 to 1984, 307 patients with local prostate cancer (Stage A2, B, or C) were referred to the Hunter Radiation Therapy Center, Yale-New Haven Hospital for definitive radiation therapy. One hundred forty-one patients underwent an interstitial Iodine-125 implant (IMP) and 166 patients received external beam irradiations (EB). For IMP patients with Stage A2, B, and C tumors, the actuarial 5-year disease-free survival (NED) rates were 88%, 84%, and 38% and the 9-year NED survival rates were 88%, 62%, and 30%, respectively. For EB patients with Stage A2, B, and C tumors, the 5-year NED survival rates were 88%, 77%, and 43% and the 9-year NED survival rates were 74%, 63%, and 37%, respectively. The NED survival rates by histologic grade were equivalent for the IMP and EB patients. The absolute local control rate (LCR) was 77% for all of the IMP patients but if one excludes patients who were inadequately treated, the LCR was 82%. LCR in the EB patients was 86%. The LCR for Stage A2, B, and C patients treated with EB was 100%, 94%, and 82%, respectively. The LCR for Stage A2, B, and C patients treated with an adequate IMP was 100%, 83%, and 71%, respectively. The complication rate was 8.5% in the IMP patients (with 0% severe complications) and 14% in the EB patients (with 3% severe complications). Our results indicate that a carefully selected group of IMP patients (Stage A2, B) will have an equivalent NED survival rate and an excellent LCR compared to EB patients but with fewer and less severe side effects.
Suppression of Evaporation Losses during Flame Photometry

When samples are analyzed in a flame photometer in a volatile solution, the effects of evaporation often cannot be neglected. This effect generally becomes more apparent whenever large numbers of samples are aspirated from an automatic sample changer. It has been found at Scripps Institution that evaporation losses can be greatly reduced by using slotted covers over the sample cups. The covers are pierced with slotted openings that admit the aspirator tip during aspiration but restrict the free escape of saturated vapor standing above the sample.