cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurological effects of acute uranium exposure with and without stress

Circulating uranium rapidly enters the brain and may cause adverse effects on the nervous system that are potentially modulated by stress. In this study, the neurological effects of a single intramuscular injection of 0, 0.1, 0.3, or 1 mg uranium/kg (as uranyl acetate, UA) in rats were examined in the presence and absence of stress. Treatment with UA produced time and dose-dependent increases in serum and regional brain uranium levels. While serum levels returned to control levels by day 30, brain levels remained elevated. Application of stress did not affect the distribution or retention of uranium. Exposure to 1 mg U/kg significantly decreased ambulatory activity, weight gain, forelimb grip strength and transiently impaired working memory. Effects on grip strength and memory were prevented by application of stress prior to uranium exposure. Striatal dopamine content was reduced by 30% 3 days after treatment with 1 mg/kg (59 ± 6 nmol/mg tissue versus 41 ± 5 nmol/mg tissue), but levels returned to control 7 days after uranium exposure. The effect on dopamine was ameliorated by prior application of stress. Exposure to UA did not alter 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels or numbers of D2 receptors in the striatum. No effect of uranium or stress was observed on levels of GABA, serotonin, norepinephrine, or glutathione (GSH) in the striatum, hippocampus, cerebellum, or cortex. These results indicate that single intramuscular exposures to uranium produce sustained elevation of brain uranium levels and at doses above 0.3 mg/kg can have adverse neurological effects. Application of stress prior to uranium administration modulates neurological effects, but the mechanism is not due to effects on uranium distribution. Uranium exposure also produced renal toxicity which must be considered to accurately assess the effects of uranium on neurological function.
Extended use of computed tomography in the management of complex aortic problems: a learning experience.

Abstract Eighty-nine patients with clinical problems arising from the thoracic or abdominal aorta had computed tomography (CT) scans with contrast enhancement in addition to standard aortograms. Forty-four patients had aneurysms, 22 had aortic graft complications, and 23 had aortoiliac occlusion. CT scanning provided diagnostic information not apparent by conventional angiography in 39 patients (43.8%). This additional information did not significantly alter the operative management in 13 patients (14.6%). The helpful information provided by CT in these patients included demonstration of gallstones, renal cysts, anomalous venous structures, horseshoe kidney, and femoral anastomotic aneurysms. However, in 26 of 89 patients (29%), the additional data obtained by CT significantly changed the timing or approach to operative management. Management was altered in 12 of 44 patients (28%) with aneurysms, 7 of 22 patients (32%) with aortic graft complications, and 7 of 23 patients (30%) with aortoiliac occlusive disease or suspected distal thromboembolism. Specific information provided by CT included contained aortic aneurysm rupture, aortic dissection, laminated intraluminal thrombus or pseudointima, extent of perigraft infection, aortic atherosclerosis, anastomotic false aneurysm, and thrombus as a source of distal embolization. Thus, CT had a significant impact on operative management. It serves as a valuable adjunct to aortography in patients with complex aortic problems. (J VASC SURG 1986;4:264-71.)
T Cell Tolerance Induced by Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor is Mediated by P21cip1

MEB [n-butyrate 2-(4-morpholinyl) ethyl butyrate hydrochloride], a histone deacetylase inhibitor and G1 blocker, has been shown to induce unresponsiveness in antigen-activated Th1 cells. MEB was tested for here for its ability to inactivate naive alloantigen-specific T cells from DBA/2 and C57BL/10 mice. Since T cells from these two strains of mice have been shown to differ in their cell cycle regulation, it we hoped that this comparison would provide information concerning the role of cycle regulatory proteins in mediating MEB-induced T cell unresponsiveness. MEB inhibited proliferation in a one-way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in which spleen cells from DBA/2 mice (H-2d) or C57BL/10 mice (H-2b) were stimulated with spleen cells from C57BL/10 or DBA/2 mice, respectively. C57BL/10 responder T cells isolated from the MEB-treated primary MLR remained unresponsive to alloantigen following restimulation in a secondary MLR that did not contain MEB. T cells from DBA/2 mice were less sensitive to MEB-induced ...
Metabolic and Hormonal Changes Induced by Pioglitazone in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by insulin resistance, compensatory hyperinsulinemia, increased prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance, and increased ovarian androgen biosynthesis. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of pioglitazone on whole body insulin action and ovarian androgen biosynthesis in PCOS. Design: We performed a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Setting: The study was conducted at the Special Diagnostic and Treatment Unit of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Diego, and the University of California, San Diego, General Clinical Research Center. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 23 subjects with PCOS were evaluated at baseline and end of treatment. Six age- and body mass index-matched women without PCOS were normal controls for baseline evaluation. Intervention: Subjects with PCOS were randomized to oral placebo or pioglitazone 45 mg daily for 6 months. Main Outcome Measure(s): The primary outcome measures were whole body insulin action as measured by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and ovarian androgen biosynthesis as measured by leuprolide-stimulated production of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP). Results: Compared with placebo, pioglitazone treatment significantly improved multiple measures of insulin action, including glucose disposal rate (P < 0.01), 2-h glucose during 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (P < 0.01), area under the curve glucose during oral glucose tolerance test (P < 0.01), serum adiponectin (P < 0.01), and fasting hyperinsulinemia (P < 0.01). Compared to placebo, pioglitazone treatment reduced the increment of leuprolide-stimulated 17-OHP (P < 0.02). Improvements in glucose disposal rate correlated with reductions in 17-OHP stimulation (P < 0.02). Conclusions: Compared to placebo, pioglitazone treatment in PCOS was associated with improvements in insulin action and glucose homeostasis and ameliorated the hyperandrogenic ovarian response.
Does Gut Passage Affect Post-dispersal Seed Fate in a Wild Chili, Capsicum annuum?

Abstract Seeds of Capsicum spp. (wild chilies ) are coated with capsaicin, which deters mammalian seed predators. During gut passage through frugivorous birds, its presence on seeds likely is greatly reduced, presumably increasing the seeds' susceptibility to postdispersal seed predation by mammals. We tested whether gut passage influences the rate at which dispersed seeds are removed from dispersal sites by different types of seed consumers. We predicted that seeds passed through birds (passed seeds) would be removed at higher rates than seeds taken directly from fruits (non-passed seeds). Removal rates of passed seeds were either lower or no different than removal rates of non-passed seeds, contrary to our prediction. In a second set of trials, we placed caged and exposed (control) seeds in pairs on the ground to determine whether vertebrates or invertebrates were primarily responsible for post-dispersal seed removal. We found an inconsistent effect of caging on frequency of seed removal, indicating tha...
Vibration control of structures using adjustable slippage elements

Abstract A new method for passive control of structural vibrations is introduced and investigated. The method is based on providing nonlinearity to the stiffness of a structure by installing elements with adjustable slippage in the proper locations. An adjustable slippage element (ASE) is a mechanical link with a two-branch elastic force–displacement response. The slippage threshold, which is the transition point between the two branches, can be adjusted within a relatively broad range, and can thus control the shape of the force–displacement curve of the element. An ASE can be used to rearrange the elastic restoring forces in the structure protected, and can be used separately or in combination with other passive control systems such as conventional damping devices. A structure equipped with such elements may gain enhanced dynamic performance, because the ASE redistributes elastic and plastic deformations, decreases force transmissibility, and improves resonance escape properties. These effects are achieved by separating the characteristic displacement within the ASE device among four prestressed elastic springs. The relative deformation between these elastic springs is controlled by their designed stiffness and also by the level of prestressing. The latter also controls the value of the slippage threshold of the device. The present study investigates the behavior and effectiveness of the proposed elements by considering a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system equipped with an ASE and subjected to harmonic loading and earthquake base excitation.
Socialization and Selection in the Link between Friends' Religiosity and the Transition to Sexual Intercourse*

Although much research has examined how friends influence teens' sexual behaviors, little attention has been given to the association between friends' religiosity and coital debut. This study looks at the processes that could produce this association, examining whether friends' religiosity influences the transition to sexual intercourse and whether teens sort into friendship groups on the basis of consistency between their virginity status and their friends' religious attitudes. Using two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this paper finds that friends' reli giosity influences respondents' coital debut even after accounting for the proportion of friends who have had sex. Likewise, teens who delay their coital debut tend to switch to more religious friends, while teens who have had their coital debut tend to switch to less religious friends. These findings add to a growing body of research on the relationship between religious contextual effects and indi vidual behavior. Following several decades of increases, rates of sexual intercourse among high school students have fallen in the last 15 years. Although most teens have their coital debut before they turn 19, a substantial minority (38 percent in 2003) of 12th graders report that they have not transitioned to sexual intercourse (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004). Religion is one of the most prevalent
Mitochondrial DNA in aging and degenerative disease

The mitochondrial DNA encodes only a few gene products compared to the nuclear DNA. These products, however, play a decisive role in determining cell function. Should this DNA mutate spontaneously or be damaged by free radicals the functionality of the gene products will be compromised. A number of mitochondrial genetic diseases have been identified. Some of these are quite serious and involve the central nervous system as well as muscle, heart, liver and kidney. Aging has been characterized by a gradual increase in base deletions in this DNA. This increase in deletion mutation has been suggested to be the cumulative result of exposure to free radicals.
Development of an instrument to visualize RF coverage footprints of mobile adhoc wireless network

A PC based visualization tool is proposed to visualize and track if coverage footprints of mobile ad hoc wireless network. Tire proposed tool is based on GPS, RF prediction software, a radio and a laptop PC. The outcome is a PC based GIS tool that can be used in emergency rescue operations, where workers could form a more efficient mobile ad hoc wireless network, in which each node could visualize one another's if coverage footprints and avoid outage. Details will be presented in the final manuscript.
The use of high speed FIFO chips for implementation of a noise radar

An ultra wide band spread spectrum radar (a noise radar) can be built using a system that generates two wide band spread spectrum (pseudo-random) waveforms. One waveform is transmitted by the system and one waveform is used to correlate against the received signals. Because of system dispersion, propagation channel dispersion and radar target dispersion, it is often appropriate for the receive correlation waveform to be of a different form than that of the transmitted waveform. Thus a noise radar often needs to be able to generate two different wide band waveforms with controlled differential delay time. This paper will discuss the implementation of such a system using commercially available FIFO microchips.
Reactions to Prayer at Governmental Meetings

An interaction of mean ratings of support and intent to vote for officials between scenarios in which the religion of a government official offering a prayer was experimentally manipulated, and the reported reaction of the community, was related to 64 college women's support and intention to vote for the official. Importance of religion to the participants contributed significant variance as a covariate.
Spontaneous human meal patterns are related to preprandial factors regardless of natural environmental constraints.

Abstract There is a positive relationship between the amount people eat in a meal and the length of time since the previous meal (preprandial correlation). This study attempted to ascertain whether this correlation occurs due to environmental constraints on eating. Eight male and 30 female undergraduate students were instructed to list everything they ate and when they ate it. They were asked to make a recording in a diary of their eating and drinking throughout a 9 day period. They were also instructed to indicate whether the meal was spontaneous, in response to hunger or the desire for food, or constrained, determined by external factors. The amount of food energy in each meal was then calculated, and the amount remaining in the stomach at the beginning and end of each meal was estimated with a mathematical model. These data were then correlated with the duration of the intervals preceding and following the meals. The amoung eaten in the meals was found to be predictable on the basis of preprandial factors regardless of whether the meal was initiated spontaneously or under environmental restrictions. Significant preprandial correlations were found for both constrained and spontaneous meals. No relationship was found between the amount ingested in the meal and the following interval (postprandial correlation) even when only the meals preceding a spontaneous meal were correlated. There were no significant correlations between the proportion of the meals that were constrained and the magnitude of either the preprandial or postprandial correlations. The findings suggest that humans initiate eating either in response to an externally determined schedule or to a learned schedule when constraints are not present. Regulation then occurs by adjusting the amount eaten in a meal based in part upon the internal state of nutrient depletion/repletion.
THE WOODSMAN'S ASSAULTS ON THE DOMAIN OF THE CATTLEMAN

In retrospect it appears that the extensive grasslands of the American West stood as an open invitation to the pioneers to establish a grazing or range economy. However, the woodsman settlers coming from the East never conceived, projected, or defined a suitable range economy, and so it was through the “side door” or “back door” of Texas that an appropriated system of grazing burst northward across the Plains following the Civil War. The system, commonly identified as ranching, was appropriated from Spanish America, and was an import from the grasslands of northern Spain. The American woodsman challenged this intrusion with a series of inept land alienation laws, largely based on a variety of geographic misconceptions conceived and formualted within his system of values of verities. The misconceptions expressed themselves mainly in the efforts of the rainmakers, the irrigators, and the exponents of dry farming. An examination of the efforts of these challengers reveals resultant confusion and chaos.
Scanning Electron Microscopy and Molecular Characterization of A New Haplosporidium Species (Haplosporidia), A Parasite of the Marine Gastropod Siphonaria pectinata (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Siphonariidae) In the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Based on scanning electron microscopy and the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA), Haplosporidium tuxtlensis n. sp. (Haplosporidia), a parasite found in the visceral tissues of the false limpet Siphonaria pectinata (Linnaeus, 1758), is described. The spores are ellipsoidal (3.61 ± 0.15 µm × 2.69 ± 0.19 µm), with a circular lid (2.94 ± 0.5 µm) representing the operculum. The spore wall bears filaments occurring singly, or in clusters, of 2 to 8, fusing distally. Phylogenetic relationships of H. tuxtlensis n. sp. were assessed with other described species using the SSU rRNA sequence. Haplosporidium tuxtlensis n. sp. is sister taxon to Haplosporidium pickfordi Barrow, 1961. The morphological characteristics (spore wall structure, shape, size, and filament structure) and the unique host identity corroborate it as a new species. Additionally, this is the first record of Haplosporidia infecting striped false limpets in the Gulf of Mexico.
Curriculum Development for HF/E Graduate Students Lessons Learned in an Ongoing Effort to Educate and Meet Industry Demands

As a department, we were tasked with completely revising a HF/E and safety curriculum that had not been thoroughly revised or updated for years. We were producing students that could recite the same information all HF/E professionals know by heart and is the basis for our profession, but were having trouble finding gainful employment upon graduation. Our task was to update the curriculum in such a way as to still impart the knowledge and skills needed by HF/E professionals, but in a way that tailors that skill set and knowledge to something they can apply in an industry setting based on first-hand experience. Results three years post review shows students graduating with multiple job offers and advancing in their career paths at rates faster than their peers.
Sinus membrane perforations and the incidence of complications: a retrospective study from a residency program

Objective. The purpose of this study is to evaluate sinus membrane perforations and the incidence of complications in a residency program. Study Design. Data from 107 consecutive direct sinus augmentation procedures were reviewed retrospectively from 2008 to 2012. Discussion. All perforations were repaired intraoperatively with the use of a collagen tape. Intraoperative membrane perforations were observed in 64 of 107 cases (59.8%). Of the perforations, 58 were less than 5 mm in diameter and 6 were 5 mm or greater in diameter. It was found that there were 6 cases (5.6%) that experienced postoperative complications. Of those, 3 occurred in cases with no perforations, 2 with perforations less than 5 mm in diameter, and 1 with a perforation 5 mm or more in diameter. These differences were not statistically significant (P > .05). All observed post-operative complications were related to symptoms of acute infection. Conclusions. Although membrane perforation was a frequent intraoperative finding, there was no evidence that the presence and size of membrane perforation influences the likelihood of postoperative complications. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2015;-:1-5)
Imaging biological compounds using the coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscope

The microscopic spatial distribution of biological compounds can be imaged using a coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscope. Spatial resolution of less than one micrometer has been achieved, and excellent molecular discrimination using chemically similar molecular species has been obtained using digital image processing techniques.
The short QT syndrome as a paradigm to understand the role of potassium channels in ventricular fibrillation.

The recently discovered hereditary channelopathy, the Short QT Syndrome (SOTS), is an important advance in clinical and molecular cardiology that has opened new doors for investigating the manner in which alterations in excitability and action potential morphology may facilitate the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation. In this brief review we address the molecular and genetic features of SOTS in which specific mutations in one of three different potassium channels involved in cardiac repolarization substantially increase the risk of life-threatening tachyarrhythmias. We then summarize new knowledge on the mechanism of wavebreak, which is the hallmark of reentry initiation, and on the role of potassium channels in the ionic mechanisms underlying cardiac excitation and its frequency dependence. The article argues for a detailed understanding of the ionic mechanisms that promote wavebreaks and stable rotors as an essential tool for successful anti-arrhythmic therapy in SOTS and other diseases leading to sudden cardiac death.
Observational and Numerical Evidence for Wind-Forced Coastal Trapped Long Waves

Abstract Recent work has shown that the linear, wind-forced quasi-geostrophic motion of stratified water over shelf topography can be described by a sum of modes, the amplitude of each of these modes satisfying a forced, first-order wave equation. The analysis presented suggests that this forced wave equation can qualitatively explain a wide range of observational and numerical results.
Self-Assembly of Photofunctional Cylindrical Nanostructures Based on Perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide)

A perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide)-based electron donor−acceptor monomer was designed to self-assemble using the synergistic effects of π−π stacking, microsegregation, and hydrogen bonding. The...
Management of thrombocythemia

Essential thrombocythemia is a clonal myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by an elevated platelet count, the potential for both microvascular and macrovascular sequelae, and a risk for transformation to myelofibrosis or acute myeloid leukemia. A systematic and detailed initial analysis is essential for accurate diagnosis of essential thrombocythemia, as many etiologies are reactive and benign. Once a diagnosis has been made, risk stratification and symptom assessment are vital to guide the subsequent therapy. Treatment may be required in high-risk disease, such as in cases of advanced age or prior thrombotic events. Systemic therapy is aimed at reducing the thrombotic risk and includes daily low dose aspirin and in some patients, cytoreductive therapy. Currently, the first line cytoreductive therapy includes hydroxyurea or pegylated interferon, with a phase III clinical trial underway comparing these two important agents. Anagrelide and clinical trials are reserved for refractory or intolerant patients. Looking to the future, new therapies including Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and telomerase inhibitors are promising and may become valuable to the treatment armamentarium for those afflicted with essential thrombocythemia.
Plasma density enhancement at the Comet Halley diamagnetic cavity boundary

A one-dimensional single-fluid MHD model was used by Cravens (1989) to predict the existence of a narrow (50 km) layer of enhanced plasma density at the boundary of the Comet Halley diamagnetic cavity. The existence of such a layer was confirmed by measurements made by the Giotto ion mass spectrometer (Goldstein et al., 1989). Here, the time-dependent coupled continuity equations are solved for several species including H3O(+), H2O(+), OH(+), O(+), NH4(+), NH3(+), CH4(+), and CH3(+). For several ion species, factors affecting the magnitude of this enhancement and its relationship to the thickness of the transition layer are investigated. For example, ion species with short chemical lifetimes are shown to have smaller density enhancements than species with longer lifetimes. The cometocentric distance of the cavity boundary also strongly affects the magnitude of the density enhancement; the enhancement increases with increasing distance.
Medical imaging and military technology: opportunities for conversion and cooperation

Economic conversion is the process of transforming defense industries to commercial purposes. This paper presents the case for the necessity of conversion and discusses particular strategies for accomplishing it. Some opportunities for conversion of military technologies to medical imaging are identified, and a six-step plan is offered for defense contractors contemplating conversion.
Threshold gain analysis of second order distributed feedback lasers based on [2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene]

Abstract We present a theoretical study of the threshold analysis of second order surface emitting distributed feedback lasers based on the polymer [2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV). A coupled mode formalism that includes radiation modes is used to describe the propagation of the waves in the periodically corrugated region. A detailed calculation of the threshold gain of the laser that includes the effects of the radiation modes is described.
Political Mobilization in the Pews: Religious Contacting and Electoral Turnout

Objective. We probe the impact of voter contact by religious groups, in the form of direct attempts to encourage voters to vote in a certain way and the placement of voter guides in churches, on voter turnout among white evangelical Protestants, white mainline Protestants, white Roman Catholics, and black Protestants in 1994, 1996, and 1998. Methods. Using data from the 1994, 1996, and 1998 National Election Studies, we fit a series of logistic regression models of voter turnout that feature, as key predictors, variables indicating whether an individual was contacted by “any groups concerned with moral or religious issues that tried to encourage you to vote in a particular way” and whether “information about candidates, parties or political issues [was] made available in your place of worship before the election.”Results. These forms of contact were most commonly experienced by white evangelicals and black Protestants, and in many instances such contacts accomplished their intended purpose. Conclusions. Interest group contacts—at least contacts from the types of groups examined here—have the potential to be no more effective than contacts by political parties, perhaps because their messages can be more narrowly targeted.
Optical properties of the iron-chalcogenide superconductor FeTe0.55Se0.45

Abstract The complex optical properties of the iron-chalcogenide superconductor FeTe 0.55 Se 0.45 with T c =14 K have been examined over a wide frequency range for light polarized in the Fe–Te(Se) planes above and below T c . At room temperature the optical response may be described by a weakly interacting Fermi liquid; however, just above T c this picture breaks down and the scattering rate takes on a linear frequency dependence. Below T c there is evidence for two gap features in the optical conductivity at Δ 1 ≃ 2.5 meV and Δ 2 ≃ 5.1 meV . Less than 20% of the free carriers collapse into the condensate for T ⪡ T c , and this material is observed to fall on the universal scaling line for a BCS dirty-limit superconductor in the weak-coupling limit.
Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting Systems for On-Board Applications

Currently, the onboard applications of many electronic devices that could benefit rail operation are hindered by the lack of availability of electrical power in freight cars. Although the locomotives, of course, have available sources of power, the freight cars usually don’t have any. The systems presented in this paper are meant to provide a solution for distributed power in freight trains. Although ideas like Timken’s generator roller bearing or solar panels exist, the railroads have been slow in adopting them for different reasons, including cost, difficulty of implementation, or limited capabilities. The solutions presented in this paper are vibration-based electromechanical energy harvesting systems. With size and shape similar to conventional shock absorbers, these devices are designed to be placed in parallel with the suspension elements, possibility inside the coil spring, maximizing underutilized space. As the train goes down the track, the suspension will accommodate the imperfections and its relative displacement will be used as the input for the harvesting systems. The first prototype generation used a linear generator, with the advantage of no need for a mechanical transformation of the input. They have proven that they could work but present some limitations in terms of power and efficiency. The second generation of prototypes is built around a rotating generator. The linear input motion is transformed into rotation by a ball screw. The possibility of including a gearbox to increase the speed is the key to greatly improve performances. The latest built prototype has shown during lab tests that it is capable of providing up to 75WRMS with displacements and velocities that resemble the relative motion across a vehicle suspension.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Pyridoxine or pyridoxal-5′-phosphate for neonatal epilepsy: The distinction just got murkier

The discovery of the cause of pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE), a unique autosomal recessive and treatable cause of refractory neonatal seizures, came 50 years after its first description with the identification of ALDH7A1 mutations leading to deficiency of the enzyme α-aminoadipic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (antiquitin).1 Dysfunction of this enzyme interferes with lysine degradation and leads to accumulation of a carboxylate product that irreversibly inactivates pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP), the biologically active form of vitamin B6.
Location, Structure, and Dynamics of the Synthetic Cannabinoid Ligand CP-55,940 in Lipid Bilayers

The widely used hydrophobic cannabinoid ligand CP-55,940 partitions with high efficiency into biomembranes. We studied the location, orientation, and dynamics of CP-55,940 in POPC bilayers by solid-state NMR. Chemical-shift perturbation of POPC protons from the aromatic ring-current effect, as well as 1H NMR cross-relaxation rates, locate the hydroxyphenyl ring of the ligand near the lipid glycerol, carbonyls, and upper acyl-chain methylenes. Order parameters of the hydroxyphenyl ring determined by the 1H-13C DIPSHIFT experiment indicate that the bond between the hydroxyphenyl and hydroxycyclohexyl rings is oriented perpendicular to the bilayer normal. 2H NMR order parameters of the nonyl tail are very low, indicating that the hydrophobic chain maintains a high level of conformational flexibility in the membrane. Lateral diffusion rates of CP-55,940 and POPC were measured by 1H magic-angle spinning NMR with pulsed magnetic field gradients. The rate of CP-55,940 diffusion is comparable to the rate of lipid diffusion. The magnitude of cross-relaxation and diffusion rates suggests that associations between CP-55,940 and lipids are with lifetimes of a fraction of a microsecond. With its flexible hydrophobic tail, CP-55,940 may efficiently approach the binding site of the cannabinoid receptor from the lipid-water interface by lateral diffusion.
Fatal Digoxin-Quinidine Interaction in an Elderly Woman

The medical records of an elderly woman revealed strong evidence of a lethal digoxin-quinidine interaction. This case and several problems contributing to digitalis toxicity are presented. Physicians should be more aware of the potential toxicities involved in cardioactive drug therapy in the elderly. Current concepts of the quinidine-digoxin interaction are discussed.
Borohydride/ethanol reduction of RuCl3(PMe2Ph)3

Abstract Reaction of mer-RuCl3(PMe2Ph)3 with NaBH4 in ethanol at 25 °C gives mer-RuH(η2-BH4)(PMe2Ph)3. In the presence of chloride ion, this reacts with NaBH4/ethanol at reflux to give a 1:1 mixture of cis,mer-RuH2CO(PMe2Ph)3, 1a, and mer-RuHClCO(PMe2Ph)3, 1b, identified by decoupling in the 1H and 31P NMR, IR, and, for 1a, X-ray crystallography. In the absence of chloride ion, pure RuH(BH4)(PMe2Ph)3 in refluxing ethanol still converts to RuH2CO(PMe2Ph)3, 1a, which represents unusually mild conditions for decarbonylation of ethanol. Crystallographic data for RuH2CO(PMe2Ph)3: triclinic, P 1 with (−160 °C): a = 12.752(4) A, b = 11.759(4), c = 9.487(3), α = 75.96(2)°, β = 107.13(2), γ = 102.25(2) and Z = 2.
Enhancing adenosine A1 receptor binding reduces hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in newborn rats.

Hypoxia increases brain adenosine concentrations, which provides neuroprotection through activation of central adenosine A1 receptors. This study was carried out to determine whether PD 81,273, which increases adenosine's binding to A1 receptors, would reduce hypoxia-induced brain injury. PD 81,273 (3 mg/kg, i.p.) decreased by about 50% the weight loss of the left cerebral hemisphere caused by hypoxia-ischemia in neonatal rats. Thus, enhancing adenosine's binding to the A1 receptor decreases hypoxic brain damage.
Attentional Control Theory: Anxiety, Emotion, and Motor Planning

The present study investigated how trait anxiety alters the balance between attentional control systems to impact performance of a discrete preplanned goal-directed motor task. Participants executed targeted force contractions (engaging the goal-directed attentional system) at the offset of emotional and non-emotional distractors (engaging the stimulus-driven attentional system). High and low anxious participants completed the protocol at two target force levels (10% and 35% of maximum voluntary contraction). Reaction time (RT), performance accuracy, and rate of change of force were calculated. Expectations were confirmed at the 10% but not the 35% target force level: (1) high anxiety was associated with slower RTs, and (2) threat cues lead to faster RTs independently of trait anxiety. These new findings suggest that motor efficiency, but not motor effectiveness is compromised in high relative to low anxious individuals. We conclude that increased stimulus-driven attentional control interferes with movements that require greater attentional resources.
Perceptions of helpfulness and behavior in groups

Before, midway, and late in a 50-hour small group experience, 28 persons separately and subjectively appraised the “helpfulness” of 60 items representing Yalom's (1975) 12 “curative factors” of group psychotherapy. Items from the catharsis and interpersonal learning factors proved highly and increasingly helpful, despite their poor internal consistency. Item helpfulness also linked to members' ingroup behavior, as measured by peer ratings of acceptance-rejection of self and others. (Hurley, 1976). Persons more accepting of self and others regarded family reenactment items as more helpful, and advice and guidance items as less helpful, than did members who were more rejecting of self and others.
Parametric dislocation dynamics: A thermodynamics-based approach to investigations of mesoscopic plastic deformation

A thermodynamics-based variational method is developed to establish the equations of motion for three-dimensional (3D) interacting dislocation loops. The approach is appropriate for investigations of plastic deformation at the mesoscopic scale by direct numerical simulations. A fast sum technique for determination of elastic field variables of dislocation ensembles is utilized to calculate forces acting on generalized coordinates of arbitrarily curved loop segments. Each dislocation segment is represented by a parametric space curve of specified shape functions and associated degrees of freedom. Kinetic equations for the time evolution of generalized coordinates are derived for general 3D climb/glide motion of curved dislocation loops. It is shown that the evolution equations for the position $(\mathbf{P}),$ tangent $(\mathbf{T}),$ and normal $(\mathbf{N})$ vectors at segment nodes are sufficient to describe general 3D dislocation motion. When crystal structure constraints are invoked, only two degrees of freedom per node are adequate for constrained glide motion. A selected number of applications are given for: (1) adaptive node generation on interacting segments, (2) variable time-step determination for integration of the equations of motion, (3) dislocation generation by the Frank-Read mechanism in fcc, bcc, and dc crystals, (4) loop-loop deformation and interaction, and (5) formation of dislocation junctions.
Initial experience with minimally invasive in situ bypass procedure with blind valvulotomy

Abstract Objective: The in situ vein (ISV) bypass is uniquely suited to technical modifications designed to reduce the wound morbidity of infrainguinal revascularization. A technique of "blind" valvulotomy and selective vein branch ligation was used, and a preliminary study was performed to assess safety and efficacy. Methods: From November 1998 to July 2001, all patients for infrainguinal bypass procedures underwent evaluation for inclusion in the study. Thirty-five patients underwent ISV bypass procedures with an expandable, selfcentering valvulotome (ESV). Intraoperative selection of veins suitable for the study was assisted with venography and duplex scanning. The ISV bypass procedures were performed with initial groin and distal incisions, with smaller incisions to ligate significant arteriovenous fistulae (AVF). Duplex graft scanning was performed at routine intervals after surgery. Results: Thirty-seven ISV grafts were performed from the common femoral artery to the popliteal (n = 14), tibial (n = 20), and dorsalis pedis (n = 3) arteries. In 35 cases (95%), a full-length incision was avoided. With ESV, all valves in 34 cases (92%) were effectively lysed. Proximal extension of the distal incision was performed in four cases (10.8%). The mean number of incisions per case was 3.1 ± 1.7. One graft failed within 30 days (2.7%), with successful revision. During the early follow-up period (9.9 ± 7.3 months; range, 1 to 33 months), 44% of residual AVF closed spontaneously (15 of 34 AVF; 16 patients) and two anastomotic stenoses and two symptomatic AVF were corrected surgically. Four late graft occlusions occurred, with a 1-year cumulative primary patency rate of 77% and a secondary patency rate of 92%. Conclusion: Blind valvulotomy with ESV facilitates safe and effective minimally invasive ISV bypass. Resultant graft patency rates appear comparable with results with open techniques. This preliminary experience warrants further study to refine patient selection criteria and operative technique and to better clarify the natural history of residual AVF. (J Vasc Surg 10.1067/mva.2002.123325.)
Carotenoid distribution in living cells of Haematococcus pluvialis (Chlorophyceae).

Haematococcus pluvialis is a freshwater unicellular green microalga belonging to the class Chlorophyceae and is of commercial interest for its ability to accumulate massive amounts of the red ketocarotenoid astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-β,β-carotene-4,4′-dione). Using confocal Raman microscopy and multivariate analysis, we demonstrate the ability to spectrally resolve resonance–enhanced Raman signatures associated with astaxanthin and β-carotene along with chlorophyll fluorescence. By mathematically isolating these spectral signatures, in turn, it is possible to locate these species independent of each other in living cells of H. pluvialis in various stages of the life cycle. Chlorophyll emission was found only in the chloroplast whereas astaxanthin was identified within globular and punctate regions of the cytoplasmic space. Moreover, we found evidence for β-carotene to be co-located with both the chloroplast and astaxanthin in the cytosol. These observations imply that β-carotene is a precursor for astaxanthin and the synthesis of astaxanthin occurs outside the chloroplast. Our work demonstrates the broad utility of confocal Raman microscopy to resolve spectral signatures of highly similar chromophores in living cells.
Estimation of personal exposure to tobacco smoke with a newly developed nicotine personal monitor.

Abstract To evaluate the actual level of exposure of nonsmokers to tobacco smoke in their living environments, a convenient personal monitor of nicotine specific for tobacco smoke has been developed. The nicotine personal monitor consists of a sampler tube containing 450 mg of Uniport-S coated with silicon OV-17 and a portable sampling pump with a mechanical counter for obtaining total sampling volume. Using the personal monitor attached to a nonsmoker, ambient nicotine was collected in the sampler tube by drawing environmental air at a constant flow rate for a maximum period of 8 hr. The collected nicotine was desorbed by heating and directly transferred onto a GC column with a carrier gas. The amounts of nicotine inhaled by passive smoking in various living environments were estimated to be in the range of 0.9–40 μg/hr. These levels are equivalent to those from the active smoking of about 0.001–0.044 ordinary cigarettes in 1 hr.
D/H and 18O/16O fractionation factors between vapor and liquid water

Analysis of the data of KAKIUCHI and MATASUO (1979) and other work on H/D fractionation factors for water(liq)↔water(vapor) verifies earlier observations of the ratio, lnRDOD/lnRHOD = γ = 1.91 ± 0.02, (lnRDOD = ln(PHOH/PDOD), lnRHOD = ln(PHOH/PHOD)). Analysis of KM's data on 18O/ 16O fractionation according to the method of JANCSO and VAN HOOK (1978a) shows good agreement between fractionation factors and measurements of vapor pressures of separated isotopes. A significant volume dependence for the high frequency OH stetching motions in water is verified.
Lymphoid organs function as major reservoirs for human immunodeficiency virus.

The total number of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected circulating CD4+ T lymphocytes is considered to be a reflection of the HIV burden at any given time during the course of HIV infection. However, the low frequency of HIV-infected circulating CD4+ T lymphocytes and the low level or absence of plasma viremia in the early stages of infection do not correlate with the progressive immune dysfunction characteristic of HIV infection. In this study, we have determined whether HIV-infected circulating CD4+ T lymphocytes are a correct reflection of the total pool of HIV-infected CD4+ T cells (i.e., HIV burden). To this end, HIV burden has been comparatively analyzed in peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues (lymph nodes, adenoids, and tonsils) from the same patients. The presence of HIV-1 DNA in mononuclear cells isolated simultaneously from peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues of the same patients was determined by polymerase chain reaction amplification. We found that the frequency of HIV-1-infected cells in unfractionated or sorted CD4+ cell populations isolated from lymphoid tissues was significantly higher (0.5-1 log10 unit) than the frequency in peripheral blood. Comparable results were obtained in five HIV seropositive patients in the early stages of disease and in one patient with AIDS. These results demonstrate that a heavy viral load does reside in the lymphoid organs, indicating that they may function as major reservoirs for HIV. In addition, the finding of a heavy viral load in the lymphoid organs of patients in the early stages of disease may explain the progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes and the immune dysfunction associated with the early stages of HIV infection.
1,6-addition of organocopper reagents to 3-ethynyl-2-methyl-2-cyclopentenone

Abstract Enynone 1 undergoes facile 1,6-addition of organocopper reagents to yield allenyl enols 5 which stereoselectively isomerize to Z -dienones 2 .
Characterization of American hazelnut ( Corylus americana ) accessions and Corylus americana × Corylus avellana hybrids using microsatellite markers

The American hazelnut (Corylus americana Marshall) is native to the eastern United States and Southern Canada. In the early decades of the last century, breeding work by several individuals attempted to combine the cold hardiness and disease resistance of the American hazelnut with the larger nut size of the European hazelnut (C. avellana L.). Many hybrid selections grown today trace back to these early efforts. Over the past three decades, representatives of C. americana were collected and are preserved in Corvallis, Oregon. Seeds were collected along roadsides, in hedgerows, in woodland clearings, and in gardens. The seeds were germinated and the best of the resulting seedlings were preserved for later use. In this study, genetic diversity was studied in 87 American and 67 hybrid hazelnut selections using 21 microsatellite loci. The total number of alleles was 266 in the 162 accessions examined, of which 229 were present in C. americana accessions, but only 168 in the Arbor Day Farm hybrids, and 116 in the hybrids of C. americana ‘Rush’. In the American accessions, a high level of genetic diversity was observed (H e = 0.74, H o = 0.68). A genetic similarity matrix of the American and hybrid accessions, and a few European cultivars, was constructed and the resulting dendrogram revealed seven major groups: European cultivars and ‘Rush’ hybrids, two groups of Arbor Day Farm hybrids, three groups of C. americana accessions, and a mixed group of hybrid and American accessions. Analysis confirmed the reported parentage of 10 hybrids. The genetic diversity among the American hazelnut accessions, untapped to date, will be useful in breeding hybrids that will allow expansion of hazelnut production into eastern North America.
Prevention of diabetes: effect of mycophenolate mofetil and anti-CD25 on onset of diabetes in the DRBB rat

Background: Anti-CD25 and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) treatment of patients with new-onset diabetes is currently being tested as one of the trials in TrialNet. We tested the effectiveness of MMF and anti-CD25 in preventing autoimmune diabetes in the diabetes-resistant biobreeding (DRBB) rat. Methods: Autoimmune diabetes in the DRBB rat was induced with a Treg cell depletion regimen starting at 24–26 d of age. Treatment was started on the first day of the depletion regimen in the following groups: (i) control (vehicle); (ii) MMF 25 mg/kg/d intramuscularly daily for 8 wk; (iii) anti-CD25 0.8 mg/kg/d intraperitoneally 5 d/wk for 3 wk; and (iv) combination of MMF and anti-CD25. In a second set of experiments, treatments were started on day 5 of the depletion regimen (delayed treatment) with groups 1, 3, and 4. Rats that had diabetes-free survival for at least 30 d after the treatment was stopped underwent a second Treg depletion (redepletion). Results: In each of the three treatment groups (n = 10/group), onset of diabetes was delayed or prevented in 20, 40 and 80% in groups 2, 3, and 4, respectively. After redepletion, diabetes-free survival was unchanged in group 2 and decreased to 10 and 30% in groups 3 and 4, respectively. With delayed treatment, groups 3 and 4 had 33 and 50% diabetes-free survival that decreased to 0 and 33% after redepletion. Summary: MMF and anti-CD25 alone or in combination are effective in delaying and preventing diabetes in the DRBB rat especially if treatment is started before stimulation and expansion of the autoreactive T cells.