cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pneumococcus-specific immunoglobulin E in cigarette smokers

Summary A relationship between elevated scrum immunoglobulin E levels and smoking has been demonstrated in epidemiological studies. Allergy skin test data suggest that the excess immunoglobulin E of smokers is not specific for aeroallergens. It is possible that the excess immunoglobulin E is specific for microorganisms that often infect the lower respiratory tract of smokers. To investigate this possibility we utilized a radio-allergosorbent test assay for detecting serum immunoglobulin E specific for Streptococcus pneumoniae, an organism commonly isolated from the respiratory tract of smokers with chronic bronchitis. We assayed sera of thirty smokers and thirty nonsmokers for immunoglobulin E specific for Streptococcus pneumoniae. Individual sera were considered positive for pneumococcus-specific immunoglobulin E if the binding was at least twice the non-specific binding at the total immunoglobulin E concentration of the particular serum. Eleven of the thirty sera of smokers and two of the thirty nonsmokers were positive for pneumococcus-specific immunoglobulin E. By chi-square analysis of these data, the prevalence of pneumococcus-specific immunoglobulin E was significantly greater in the smoking group compared with the non-smoking group (P<0·02). These results suggest that the excess immunoglobulin E of smokers is, at least in part, specific for microorganisms that infect the airways.
The Impact of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program Services on Law Enforcement Investigational Practices: A Mediational Analysis

Sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) programs can be a vital resource to victims and the legal community. This study examined how police may use SANE services during the investigation phase and how...
Integrating ideology and archetype in rhetorical criticism

This essay develops an approach to rhetorical criticism by integrating the work of Marxist literary critic Frederic Jameson with that of the depth psychologist C. G. Jung. The emergent perspective reconceptualizes the cultural psyche as composed of historical and universal elements, redefines the rhetorical and moral functions of narrative texts, and casts the rhetorical critic as an agent of moral change.
Early and Late Outcomes Following Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Requiring a Suprarenal Cross-Clamp

METHODS: Patients from 1998-2011 who required a suprarenal aortic crossclamp during elective open AAA repair were reviewed. Data abstracted included demographics, comorbidities, preoperative, perioperative, and late renal function; late interventions related to AAA repair, and late mortality. A decrease in renal function was defined as a >30% decline in eGFR as compared to the preoperative value. Primary outcomes included renal function, intervention free survival and overall survival.
A MATHEMATICAL THEORY FOR LEARNING, AND ITS APPLICATION TO TIME-VARYING COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

The brain has evolved to enable organisms to survive in a complicated and dynamic world. Its operation is based upon a priori models of the environment which are adapted, during learning, in response to new and changing stimuli. The same qualities that make biological learning mechanisms ideal for organisms make their underlying mathematical algorithms ideal for certain technological applications, especially those concerned with understanding the physical processes giving rise to complicated data sets. In this paper, we offer a mathematical model for the underlying mechanisms of biological learning, and we show how this mathematical approach to learning can yield a solution to the problem of imaging time-varying objects from X-ray computed tomographic (CT) data. This problem relates to several practical aspects of CT imaging including the correction of motion artifacts caused by patient movement or breathing.
Expression of highly disulfide-bonded proteins in Pichia pastoris.

Vectors and yeast strains for expression in P. pastoris are available from INVITROGEN, San Diego, CA. Preliminary fermentation experiments were carried out by New Brunswick Scientific. This work was supported by NIH Grant #HL47463, by the Rita Allen Foundation, and by the Searle Scholars Program.
Modulating molecular chaperone Hsp90 functions through reversible acetylation

The molecular chaperone protein Hsp90 is a key regulator of approximately 100 'client' proteins crucial for numerous cell signaling processes. Consequently, understanding the molecular underpinnings that regulate Hsp90 activity is an important biological endeavor. Exciting new results now suggest that, at least for nuclear receptor activity, Hsp90 function is directly regulated by histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6). These observations have consequences for various biological processes and potentially important implications for the development of cancer therapeutics.
Dose-Response Analysis under Unimodality of Response-to-Dose

Suppose a dose-response curve π is sigmoidal with mode (inflection point) M. Then the response-to-dose ratio π(×)/× is unimodal and maximized at a point H ≥ M. If π(O) is known, if H is known, and if ×O ≤ × ≤ H, then an upper confidence bound (UCB) for π(×O) can be constructed from a UCB for π(×) Unfortunately, H is seldom known in practice. In the setting of quantal bioassay, two lower confidence bounds for H and corresponding UCB’s for π(×O) when H is unknown are obtained and contrasted. One is based on a likelihood-ratio statistic; the other on a weighted sum of constraint contrasts. Both tests are deficient in several ways, but have practical utility nevertheless. A maximum-violator algorithm with guaranteed convergence is given for computing the maximum likelihood estimates of the response probabilities subject to unimodality of π(×)/×.
Infrared synchrotron radiation, review of properties and prospectives

This article reviews the properties of synchrotron radiation as an infrared source for spectroscopy.
A Framework for Autonomous Vehicles With Goal Inference and Task Allocation Capabilities to Support Peer Collaboration With Human Agents

This paper proposes a framework for autonomous vehicles to collaborate with human agents as peers in task completion scenarios. In this framework, the autonomous vehicles utilize the Bayesian inference method to determine human intention. An optimal task allocation that minimizes the mission completion time while respecting the intention of the human agents is developed using the Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) method. The proposed framework can accommodate different levels of suboptimality in human agents’ behavior by adjusting a tunable parameter in the inference model. The effectiveness of the framework in facilitating human-autonomous vehicle collaboration is demonstrated through simulations.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Does the myosin V neck region act as a lever

Recent research efforts from several groups have addressed the question of whether the amplitude of myosin's unitary step size is proportional to the length of the neck region. Unconventional myosin V, which has an extended neck region with 6IQ motifs, provides a natural template by which to test the lever arm model via mutational analysis. The most stringent test requires that a series of single-headed molecules from the same myosin class be analyzed. Here we characterized the unitary mechanics of three single-headed fragments of myosin V expressed in the baculovirus/insect cell system. Each construct consisted of the motor domain (MD) and a variable number of IQ motifs (MD2IQ, MD4IQ and MD6IQ) that bind calmodulin, followed by an epitope tag so that the molecule can be attached to the nitrocellulose surface via an antibody. The results show a correlation between the unitary step size and the number of IQ motifs, confirming that the myosin neck region acts as a lever. The step size of MD2IQ is twice that observed from single-headed subfragments of class II myosins with the same neck length. Our results are discussed in relation to data obtained concurrently from other laboratories with similar constructs.
Sense of Effort and the Effects of Fatigue in the Tongue and Hand

Fatigue and increased effort are common symptoms for people with movement disorders and dysarthria, but they are rarely quantified. In an attempt to develop a clinically useful and physiologically meaningful measure of fatigue, we used a task that involves sustaining a target effort level without visual feedback while squeezing a bulb connected to a pressure transducer. In the first experiment, 12 healthy young adults performed the constant-effort task with the tongue and the preferred hand at 3 submaximal levels of effort. The resulting pressure declined over time as a negative exponential function with a nonzero asymptote. In the second experiment, 6 subjects performed the constant-effort task before and after acutely fatiguing the tongue and hand. The rate of pressure decline was significantly greater after fatigue. One possible mechanism for the characteristic negative exponential function is that it reflects a constant descending drive from higher centers in the CNS to the appropriate motoneuron pools. Thus, this technique may elucidate the contribution of central fatigue to normal and disordered speech.
Occupational Advantage and the Impact of College Rank on Labor Market Outcomes

Most analyses of the effects of college rank on labor market outcomes focus on its average impact across sub-populations and employment situations. The framework adopted in this paper, however, suggests that the effects of college rank may vary by individual characteristics and type of job. Using data from the 1973 Occupational Changes in a Generation Survey, we test three hypotheses suggesting that occupational advantage, as measured either by family of origin or current position, is a significant determinant of capacity to convert increments in college prestige into labor market success. The findings suggest that where one went to college is especially consequential for (1) the occupational status of individuals from professional families; (2) the earnings of individuals from both professional and managerial families; and (3) the earnings of individuals in both professional and managerial positions. Overall, these findings tend to confirm the study's underlying hypothesis that aggregate analyses of college rank may be misleading when applied across sub-populations and employment situations.
Limits to the polarization for spin-exchange optical pumping of 3He.

Based on measurements of the temperature dependence of $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ relaxation in a wide range of spin-exchange optical pumping cells, we report evidence for a previously unrecognized surface relaxation process. The relaxation rate was found to be linearly proportional to the alkali-metal density with a slope that exceeds the spin-exchange rate, which limits the polarization for current applications, including neutron spin filters, polarized targets, and polarized gas magnetic resonance imaging. We find that the magnitude of this excess relaxation can vary widely between cells, and that the variation is larger for cells of higher surface to volume ratio. We have observed $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ polarization as high as 81%, but further improvements require understanding the origin of this relaxation.
ORTHOTOPIC HEART TRANSPLANTATION & PSEUDORESTRICTIVE LV FILLING PATTERN: A STUDY OF TRANSMITRAL DOPPLER FLOW / TISSUE DOPPLER IMAGING AND COMPARATIVE INVASIVE HEMODYNAMICS IN PATIENTS WITH ORTHOTOPIC HEART TRANSPLANTATION

Echo studies in heart transplant patients often show elevated early diastolic filling (E) velocities and an E/A ratio > 2. Whether this represents left ventricular diastolic dysfunction or it is a benign finding is yet to be ascertained. In a retrospective study we analyzed echocardiographic and
The elephant in the room is awake and takes things personally: The North Korean nuclear threat and the general public's estimation of American diplomacy

Abstract The general audience for a global crisis can become a grassroots force in the ultimate fate of policy decisions. Focusing on the North Korean nuclear crisis case, certain contingent factors (dominant coalition characteristics, external threat, and external public characteristics) were overall strong predictors for public estimation about the government stance. Further, perception of situational factors (external threat and external public characteristics) was a stronger predictor for the participants’ stance estimation than perception of predisposing factors (dominant coalition characteristics). Implications for international diplomacy were discussed.
Stiffening hydrogels to probe short- and long-term cellular responses to dynamic mechanics

Biological processes are dynamic in nature, and growing evidence suggests that matrix stiffening is particularly decisive during development, wound healing and disease; yet, nearly all in vitro models are static. Here we introduce a step-wise approach, addition then light-mediated crosslinking, to fabricate hydrogels that stiffen (for example, ~3-30 kPa) in the presence of cells, and investigated the short-term (minutes-to-hours) and long-term (days-to-weeks) cell response to dynamic stiffening. When substrates are stiffened, adhered human mesenchymal stem cells increase their area from ~500 to 3,000 μm(2) and exhibit greater traction from ~1 to 10 kPa over a timescale of hours. For longer cultures up to 14 days, human mesenchymal stem cells selectively differentiate based on the period of culture, before or after stiffening, such that adipogenic differentiation is favoured for later stiffening, whereas osteogenic differentiation is favoured for earlier stiffening.
INDUCED SPAWNING OF THE SPOTTED SEATROUT, Cynoscion nebulosus (CUVIER)

Induced spawning of spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) during their natural spawning season was accomplished by injecting human chorionic gonadtropin. Thirteen of 31 injected females produced viable eggs. Ovulation occurred 26 to 32 hours after injection. Viable eggs resulted only when average initial ova diameters were 0.462 mm or greater. Eggs incubated at 23.5 C hatched in 22 hours but larvae failed to survive to metamorphosis. Eggs incubated at 28 C hatched in 15 hours. Larvae held at 28 C completed metamorphosis after 10 days, at which time an average length of 8 mm had been obtained.
Compounds produced from potential tunicate-blue-green algal symbiosis: A review

Tunicates of the family Didemnidae can be host to two genera of blue-green algae:Synechocystis andProchloron. The presence of symbiotic algae raises questions as to the exact origin of the biologically important metabolites which have been isolated from tunicates in recent years. Is the compound produced by the tunicate, the alga, or through a combined effort of both organisms? Although this question cannot be fully addressed at the present time, there is evidence which supports the argument that the metabolic origin of certain ascidian metabolites resides in the alga, or is due to a collaborative effort of both organisms. The purpose of this review is to present compounds isolated from tunicates that possess a likely symbiotic relationship with eitherSynechocystis orProchloron. Attention will also be given to the ecology of the organisms and the biological activities of metabolites isolated.
The use of computer-assisted diagnosis in cardiac-perfusion nuclear medicine studies: A review

Computer-assisted diagnosis (CAID) is commonly used to evaluate cardiac nuclear medicine studies such as thallium perfusion scans. Part 1 of this series (Journal of Digital Imaging, 5:209–222, 1992) reviewed the basic theory underlying CAID in nuclear medicine and its use in planar thallium imaging. Part 2 discussed the application of CAID to SPECT perfusion studies (Journal of Digital Imaging, 6:1–15, 1993). This article reviews new variations of CAID programs for SPECT imaging and the application of expert systems and neural networks to CAID of nuclear medicine perfusion studies.
Thematic review series: The Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis. An interpretive history of the cholesterol controversy: part II: the early evidence linking hypercholesterolemia to coronary disease in humans

The first in this series of historical reviews dealt with the pioneering animal model work of Anitschkow, implicating blood cholesterol in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and the pivotally important work of Gofman, providing evidence that lipoprotein-bound cholesterol was a major factor in the human disease. This second installment reviews the early lines of evidence linking hypercholesterolemia in humans to the progression of atherosclerosis and the risk of coronary heart disease. The argument is made that by 1970, the evidence was already strong enough to justify intervention to lower blood cholesterol levels if all the available lines of evidence had been taken into account. Yet, it would be almost two decades before lowering blood cholesterol levels became a national public health goal. Some of the reasons the "cholesterol controversy" continued in the face of powerful evidence supporting intervention are discussed.
Oral Definitions of Newly Learned Words: An Error Analysis.

This study examined and compared patterns of errors in the oral definitions of newly learned words. Fifteen 9- to 11-year-old children with language learning disability (LLD) and 15 typically devel...
Copolymerization of sodium styrene sulfonate with sodium chloroacrylate

Sodium styrene sulfonate was copolymerized with sodium chloroacrylate in water-isopropanol mixtures by radical initiation at 70°C. Analysis of the copolymers showed that due to dehalogenation reaction chloroacrylate units underwent various transformations with predominant formation of lactone structures. The copolymer composition was evaluated from NMR spectra. Monomer reactivity ratios were calculated using the integrated copolymerization equation.
Shot Peening Effect on Low Cycle Fatigue Properties of Ti-6Al-4V and Inconel 718

This study investigates the shot peening effect on low cycle fatigue properties of two turbo engine materials, Ti-6Al-4V and Inconel 718, in view of the residual stress relaxation by the cyclic load and the thermal relaxation. Strain controlled fatigue tests for Ti-6Al-4V were carried out at room temperature. The fatigue tests for Inconel 718 were conducted at room temperature and 620C. An X-ray diffraction method was used to measure the residual stresses induced by shot peening. The compressive residual stress of Ti-6Al-4V specimen had retained about 60% after half the number of cycles to failure. It is confirmed that shot peening enhances strain range capability of Ti-6Al-4V at the life between 104 and 105 cycles region about 1.5 times higher than that of non-peened specimen. This result is attributed to the retained compressive layer even after applied cyclic loading. Shot peening enhanced the strain range capability of the Inconel 718 specimen at room temperature, by a factor of 1.3 compared to polished specimen at the life of 104 cycles region. The residual stress near the surface has been relaxed rapidly at turbine engine temperature, however, the residual stresses in the deep subsurface have been retained. The peened specimen tested at 620C tended to be slightly higher strain range than those of polished specimen at the life of 105 cycles.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Matrix-independent Activation of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase, Stat3, and Cyclin A-associated Cdk2 Is Essential for Anchorage-independent Growth of v-Ros-transformed Chicken Embryo Fibroblasts

The question remains open whether the signaling pathways shown to be important for growth and transformation in adherent cultures proceed similarly and play similar roles for cells grown under anchorage-independent conditions. Chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) infected with the avian sarcoma virus UR2, encoding the oncogenic receptor protein-tyrosine kinase (RPTK) v-Ros, or with two of its transformation-impaired mutants were grown in nonadherent conditions in methylcellulose (MC)-containing medium, and the signaling functions essential for Ros-induced anchorage-independent growth were analyzed. We found that the overall tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins in CEF transformed by v-Ros or by two oncogenic nonreceptor protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKs), v-Src and v-Yes, was dramatically reduced in nonadherent conditions compared with that in adherent conditions, indicating that cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix plays an important role in efficient substrate phosphorylation by these constitutively activated PTKs. The UR2 transformation-defective mutants were differentially impaired compared with UR2 in the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and Stat3 in nonadherent conditions. Consistently, the constitutively activated mutants of PI 3-kinase and Stat3 rescued the ability of the UR2 mutants to promote anchorage-independent growth. Conversely, dominant negative mutants of PI 3-kinase and Stat3 inhibited UR2-induced anchorage-independent growth. UR2-infected CEF grown in nonadherent conditions displayed faster cell cycle progression than the control or the UR2 mutant-infected cells, and this appeared to correlate with a PI 3-kinase-dependent increase in cyclin A-associated Cdk2 activity. Treatment of UR2-infected cells with Cdk2 inhibitors led to the loss of the anchorage-independent growth-promoting activity of UR2. In conclusion, we have adopted an experimental system enabling us to study the signaling pathways in cells grown under anchorage-independent conditions and have identified matrix-independent activation of PI 3-kinase and Stat3 signaling functions, as well as the PI 3-kinase-dependent increase of cyclin A-associated Cdk2 kinase activity, to be critical for the Ros-PTK-induced anchorage-independent growth.
The Secret Life of Memories

Recent evidence has challenged the view that memories are made permanent by a consolidation process that happens just once and instead have suggested that memories are "re-consolidated" after reminders. The current findings of Morris et al. in this issue of Neuron suggest that reconsolidation may involve a complex interaction between synaptic and system processing of recent as well as remote experiences.
Mandated quality measures and economic implications of venous thromboembolism prevention and management.

Abstract Background Although considerable evidence describes optimal prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE), a gap still exists in the implementation of these measures. With increasing recognition from quality accreditation organizations, VTE prevention recently has become a mandated health care quality measure. A broad effort to implement quality care measures in the health care system is under way, but the economic implications of this effort have yet to be realized. This article reviews the current status and future trends of quality care measures for VTE prevention and treatment and the potential economic implications of wider implementation of evidence-based guidelines. Data sources A MEDLINE literature search was performed to identify original studies. The National Guidelines Clearinghouse was searched to identify appropriate guidelines. Conclusions Increased public awareness about risk factors and symptoms is needed, and patients must feel empowered to speak with health care providers about VTE. Health care practitioners require clearly understood and routinely applied evidence-based practices for the screening, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Further research is required to determine the most efficient translation of these practices from bench to bedside.
Increasing Our Understanding of Biological Models Through Visual and Sonic Representations: a Cortical Case Study

In this study, general aspects of the rendering of data are discussed, with applications to visual and auditory representations of neurobiological data. Scientific sim ulations or real-world models frequently lead to large quantities of complex numerical output. The generat ing model is often realized through a set of static and/ or dynamic descriptors. The rendering of this descrip tor set is formally considered in terms of mappings that result in visual, sonic, and other sensorial simula tions. The visual and sonic maps are described for complex data resulting from a simulation of the mam malian cerebral cortex. A computational model of sig nal flow in a vertically organized slab of neural tissue in cat area 17 has been developed. The complexity of the data requires both visual and sonic rendering. In this study, a number of issues concerned with render ing complex descriptor sets are discussed, but the em phasis is on sonic orchestration, termed BioSymphics.â¢
Strategies for the successful implementation of workflow systems within healthcare: a cross case comparison

The implementation of computerized workflow systems to support the collection and dissemination of patient information has been an area of focus in healthcare for many years. This multiple case study is an analysis of the implementation of a commercially available healthcare workflow system in two hospital settings. The case study protocol uses an analytical framework built upon six theoretical propositions identified as having a major impact on the implementation of workflow technologies. Findings indicated that organizational support for workflow as a strategic solution and employing a cross-functional implementation team were key factors for success and developing an understanding of the flow of data into and through the system, given the complexities of work processes, was challenging. Understanding the organizational impact of workflow, the maturity of the workflow management system, and the human interaction and participation intrinsic to workflow is also necessary. Greater insight into the applicability and benefits of the technology will emerge as workflow is successfully implemented in more organizations.
Clinical factors associated with hyperkalemia in patients with congestive heart failure.

Summary Background: Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) are at risk for hyperkalemia because of coexisting comorbidities and use of multiple medications that impair potassium (K) excretion such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Objective: To identify clinical factors associated with hyperkalemia on initial presentation in patients hospitalized for CHF. Design: A case–control study. Setting: Two university-affiliated tertiary-care hospitals. Subjects: Using ICD-9 code for CHF, CHF admissions with hyperkalemia on presentation (cases) were identified from a population of 938 non-dialysis-dependent CHF patients. CHF admissions with normokalemia on presentation were used as controls. Hyperkalemia was defined as serum K ≥ 5·6 mmol/L, and normokalemia as serum K ≥ 3·5 and ≤5·5. Methods: Data were collected on demographic characteristics, clinical variables, comorbidity and medication use. Factors associated with hyperkalemia on initial presentation were examined. Results: Mean age did not differ between cases [76 years, standard deviation (SD) = 12] and controls (75 years, SD = 12) (P = 0·824). Mean potassium levels for cases and controls were 6·2 mmol/L (range 5·6 to 8·2) and 4·3 mmol/L respectively (P < 0·001). On multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus [odds ratio (OR) = 2·42, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1·04–5·59], creatinine clearance <40 mL/min (OR = 8·36, CI = 2·73–25·56), use of spironolactone (OR = 4·18, CI = 1·27–13·79), and use of ACE inhibitors (OR = 2·55, CI = 1·06–6·13) were independently associated with hyperkalemia. Conclusions: In CHF patients, hyperkalemia on presentation is independently associated with diabetes, creatinine clearance <40 mL/min, use of spironolactone, and use of ACE inhibitors. Recommendations for use of spironolactone and ACE inhibitors in CHF, and the intensity of serum K monitoring need to be clarified to account for patients at higher risk for hyperkalemia.
Photocalorimetric measurement of the quantum efficiencies of phosphors

Abstract A calorimetric method was developed to measure the absolute quantum efficiency (QE) of a phosphor at 254 nm excitation. Samples of the commonly used lamp phosphors Y2O3: Eu (YOE), LaPO4:Ce, Tb(LAP), CeMgAl11O19:Tb (CAT), GdMgB5O10:Ce, Tb (CBT) and BaMgAl10O17:Eu (BAM) were investigated and had QEs 91%, 80%, 80%, 84%, and 91 %. The uncertainty in QE is as small as 2.5% for phosphors with small reflectance. Neither a measurement of the absolute temperature nor knowledge of thermal capacities or conductivities are required.
LOCALIZATION OF DNA AND PROTEIN IN TIPULA IRIDESCENT VIRUS (TIV) BY ENZYMATIC DIGESTION AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

De-embedded ultrathin sections of ethanol-fixed Tipula Iridescent Virus particles were incubated with pepsin at pH 1.8, trypsin at pH 7.7, and DNase at pH 7.7. The outer shell of the particles, but not an inner core, was removed by the action of pepsin. Conversely, the inner core, but not the outer shell, was removed by the action of trypsin and DNase in combination, but not by either enzyme acting alone. These results are taken to mean that the outer shell of the particles is protein in nature and the inner core is nucleoprotein. Whole virus particles were also exposed to the same 3 enzymes. Trypsin and/or DNase had no effect on the whole particles, while pepsin at pH 1.8 digested away the outer shell of the particles and released an intact core, resistant to pepsin. The protein nature of the digested outer shells and the nucleoprotein nature of the released cores were confirmed by ultraviolet absorption spectra. Chemical analyses showed that the cores contain 89 per cent of the whole virus phosphorus but only 35 per cent of the nitrogen, while the outer shells contain only 5 per cent of the phosphorus but 63 per cent of the nitrogen. On the basis of nitrogen: phosphorus ratios the composition of the cores is estimated to be about 30 per cent DNA and 60 to 65 per cent protein.
Platelet-derived growth factor protects neurons against gp120-mediated toxicity

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 has been implicated in mediating neuronal apoptosis, a hallmark feature of HIV-associated dementia (HAD). Mitigation of the toxic effects of gp120 could thus be a potential mechanism for reducing HIV toxicity in the brain. In this study the authors hypothesized that neurotrophic factor, such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), could protect the neurons against gp120-mediated apoptosis. SH-SY5Y cells treated with gp120 exhibited increased cell death when measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, with concomitant loss of neurites and increased cell rounding. Pretreatment with PDGF-BB, however, reduced gp120-associated neurotoxicity and rescued the neurite outgrowth. Additionally, gp120-mediated activation of caspase-3 was also significantly reduced in cells pretreated with PDGF-BB. Antiapoptotic effects of PDGF-BB were also confirmed by monitoring levels of anti- and proapoptotic genes, Bcl-xL and Bax, respectively. Furthermore, PDGF-mediated protection against gp120 involved the phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase/Akt pathway. Taken together these findings lead us to suggest that PDGF-BB could be considered as a therapeutic agent that can mitigate gp120-mediated neurotoxicity in HAD.
Interferon-α—a new therapeutic option in refractory juvenile Behçet's disease with CNS involvement

Objective. To report the successful treatment with recombinant human IFN- 2a (rhIFN-2a) in two male adolescents suffering from severe treatment-resistant Behcet's disease (BD) with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Methods. The patients were 14- and 15-yrs old. Both met the International Study Group for Behcet's disease, O'Duffy and the Japanese criteria for the classification or diagnosis of BD. Signs of CNS involvement were impaired sensorimotor function of the left arm, hemiparesis of right arm and leg, dizziness and walking instability in Patient 1, weakness of both legs, impaired bladder-, bowel- and sexual function in Patient 2 and vasculitic lesions on cranial MRI in both patients. RhIFN-2a was administered initially at 3 million IU/day for 4 weeks followed by 33 million IU/week. Results. Complete remission was achieved in Patient 1 (reduction in BD activity score from 17 to 2). Patient 2 experienced remarkable improvement (reduction of BD activity score from 23 to 15). In both patients the MRI lesions improved. Patient 2 had mild flu-like symptoms as adverse effect. Conclusion. RhIFN-2a was effective and well tolerated in these juvenile patients with severe neurological BD. Regarding the serious consequences following ocular and CNS affection and adverse effects of steroid dependency, administration of rhIFN-2a at an earlier time point needs to be considered.
Clusters of Multiple Mutations: Incidence and Molecular Mechanisms*

It has been long understood that mutation distribution is not completely random across genomic space and in time. Indeed, recent surprising discoveries identified multiple simultaneous mutations occurring in tiny regions within chromosomes while the rest of the genome remains relatively mutation-free. Mechanistic elucidation of these phenomena, called mutation showers, mutation clusters, or kataegis, in parallel with findings of abundant clustered mutagenesis in cancer genomes, is ongoing. So far, the combination of factors most important for clustered mutagenesis is the induction of DNA lesions within unusually long and persistent single-strand DNA intermediates. In addition to being a fascinating phenomenon, clustered mutagenesis also became an indispensable tool for identifying a previously unrecognized major source of mutation in cancer, APOBEC cytidine deaminases. Future research on clustered mutagenesis may shed light onto important mechanistic details of genome maintenance, with potentially profoun...
Some Costs and Pitfalls in Field Research

Field research is not for the soft-hearted, the self-conscious, or the person who requires a great deal of structure. Some of the hesitations that many social scientists feel about venturing into the field are discussed. These include the difficulty in remaining anonymous, a reluctance to pry, fear of observing illicit behavior, lack of patience, and personal danger and discomfort.
Cardiovascular reactivity to stress predicts future blood pressure in adolescence.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the prospective relationship between cardiovascular reactivity to psychological stress and increases in resting blood pressure across a 3-year period among a multiethnic pediatric sample (N = 149). METHODS Systolic and diastolic blood pressure; EKG heart rate, pre-ejection period, and mean successive difference of R to R intervals; and impedance-derived measures of cardiac output, stroke volume, and total peripheral resistance were collected during performance of four tasks that elicited different hemodynamic response patterns. Changes from baseline to each task were standardized and averaged to form eight composite scores. Analyses adjusted for time 1 baseline blood pressure and age, body mass index at baseline and change to follow-up, and duration of follow-up. RESULTS Rises in SBP over the follow-up period were independently predicted by SBP (beta = 0.161, p =.009), DBP (beta = 0.132, p =.02), and CO (beta = 0.144, p =.02) composite measures of reactivity. Rises in DBP over the follow-up period were predicted by DBP (beta = 0.292, p =.003, respectively), and MSD (beta = -0.176, p <.03) composite measures of reactivity. TPR reactivity was not related prospectively to blood pressure rises. CONCLUSIONS This study adds to the pediatric literature documenting an association between cardiovascular reactivity to stress and subsequent risk for hypertension. It is the first to show that impedance-derived measures of myocardial function during stress are related to future blood pressure levels.
Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane for Modulation of Periodontal Soft Tissue Healing:A Pilot Study

Background: The purpose of this randomized study is to evaluate cryopreserved amniotic membrane (CAM) for helping cicatrization and wound healing after dental implant surgery. Epithelialization, pain, infection, inflammation, and scarring were studied.Methods: CAM was placed in surgical wounds related to implant surgery. The extent of healing was evaluated by a masked investigator for lesion size, epithelialization, pain, infection, inflammation, and scarring. A clinical evaluation occurred at baseline, 72 and 144 hours, 2 weeks, and 1, 1.5, and 3 months. The results were compared to conventionally managed, similar lesions that were treated the same day in the same patient allowing each patient to serve as their own control.Results: This prospective randomized study showed statistically significant differences between experimental and control groups regarding cicatrization, wound healing, and pain. The effects of the membrane were statistically significant during the first 3 weeks of the study, and therea...
Fundamental Mechanisms for Hg Vacancy and Interstitial Modeling in Mercury Cadmium Telluride

Due to the large concentration of electrically active defects in Hg1-xCdxTe, it is important to properly account for them when designing fabrication processes for infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs). Stanford University’s Mercury Cadmium Telluride Process Simulator, SUMerCad, is being developed to simulate the interaction of native defects and dopants in Hg0.8Cd0.2Te in order to accurately model various processing techniques. Non-linear coupled differential equations are used to model the physics of the diffusion mechanisms, rather than extrapolating the diffusion profiles from experimental data. The fundamental constants for the point defects were obtained by exercising the simulator over the various parameter spaces and comparing the results to experimental work and best principle calculations. The methodologies used, point defect mechanisms modeled, and parameters determined are discussed.
Handedness and Psychomotor Performance

Abstract The results of three independent experiments with five diversified tasks and a total of 106 naive nonindustrial subjects tend to support the hypothesis that right-handed subjects are more likely to have a higher performance and to improve more on psychomotor tasks than do left-handed subjects.
Book Review: The Chief Purpose of Universities: Academic Discourse and the Diversity of Ideas, by William M. Bowen and Michael Schwartz

This review of The Chief Purpose of Universities: Academic Discourse and the Diversity of Ideas, by William M. Bowen and Michael Schwartz, makes several points. First, it discusses how unusual, and refreshing, it is to have a sitting university president authoring a book about higher education. Second, it explicates, and generally agrees with, the authors' primary notions - that universities exist to conserve the variation of ideas and that the enemies of higher education (authoritarianism, supernaturalism, corporatism, and political correctness) must be resisted to the death. (Well, "to the death" is a bit of an overstatement, but Messrs. Bowen and Schwartz occasionally engage in hyperbole themselves.) Finally, the review questions whether Bowen and Schwartz give the concept of "variation of ideas" too broad an interpretation, one that could protect almost anything a faculty member does (or doesn't do).
Who Needs Local Government Anyway? Dissolution in Pennsylvania's Distressed Cities

Pennsylvania is home to an exceptionally high number of small, fiscally troubled local governments — each one a monument to the decline of American manufacturing and its middle class jobs. The state has 2,561 municipalities and townships, and most of them govern areas with tiny populations, extremely low tax revenue, and sagging real estate values. An extraordinary 98% of cities and 67% of boroughs in the state experienced a decline in their relative fiscal health between 1970 and 2003. The struggling Monongahela River Valley, for instance, is carved into more than a dozen boroughs, towns, and cities that have been draining away businesses, jobs, and residents for several decades of steel industry decline. Each town’s borders are rooted in distinct histories as bedroom communities for this or that handful of industrial complexes, but in the present day their small size and fiscal vulnerability raise a difficult question: Should each of these municipalities continue to have its own municipal government? Dissolution of troubled cities has risen on the political agenda in Pennsylvania. Recently enacted Public Law 2983, No. 199 (Act 199) amends the state’s fiscal receivership law, Act 47, to permit economically distressed municipalities to dissolve their borders and hand local management over to a state appointee. This article comments on the proposed legislation, arguing that, unfortunately, a mismatch between the problem and the Act 199 solution makes the law look unlikely to be used or useful.
Treatment of the depressed outpatient.

Suicidal or potentially suicidal patients can, at times, be treated effectively on an outpatient basis, providing the physician has the time, patience, and knowledge required. Proper choice of drug can be crucial to success. The wrong drug, or a large supply of the right one, can be fatal.
Weighted Bergman projections on the Hartogs triangle

Abstract We prove the L p regularity of the weighted Bergman projections on the Hartogs triangle, where the weights are powers of the distance to the singularity at the boundary. The restricted range of p is proved to be sharp. By using a two-weight inequality on the upper half plane with Muckenhoupt weights, we can consider a slightly wider class of weights.
User Feedback on Moldex N-100 Filtering Face Piece Design

Male landscaping mulch handlers were asked to use the Moldex N-100 filtering facepiece and provide feedback on factors associated with usability, comfort, and perceived value of the respirator. Recommendations for design changes to improve comfort and usability were solicited. Mean responses to questions employing a Likert-type scale indicated that the workers found it easy to communicate while wearing the mask and agreed that the head straps were easy to adjust. Questions concerning comfort and voluntary use yielded low scores, indicating that the workers found the masks uncomfortable and that they would be unlikely to adopt patterns of voluntary use. When the results were analyzed along with worker age, the study found that older workers were more interested in voluntary use, however were also more concerned about comfort. Key suggestions for design change involved greater adjustability of the nose piece and improvement of the exhalation valve.
LOOKING BACK FROM THE YEAR 3,000

Many people have asked me how I can justify living with the earthquake threat in the Los Angeles area. My answer is usually that we have some reasonably strict building codes and that the threat of earthquakes to life safety is minimized if our buildings survive our coming quakes. The current building code calls for buildings to sustain at most repairable damage from the strongest shaking that is anticipated with a 10% probability in 50 years. If the building is a critical structure, such as a hospital, then the requirement is increased to 10% in 100 years. Furthermore, buildings of both classes should not collapse for the strongest ground shaking that can be anticipated at the location of the building. If the building code works as it's supposed to, then we endure far greater risks from other factors than from earthquakes.
Flapping wing aerodynamics: from insects to vertebrates

More than a million insects and approximately 11,000 vertebrates utilize flapping wings to fly. However, flapping flight has only been studied in a few of these species, so many challenges remain in understanding this form of locomotion. Five key aerodynamic mechanisms have been identified for insect flight. Among these is the leading edge vortex, which is a convergent solution to avoid stall for insects, bats and birds. The roles of the other mechanisms - added mass, clap and fling, rotational circulation and wing-wake interactions - have not yet been thoroughly studied in the context of vertebrate flight. Further challenges to understanding bat and bird flight are posed by the complex, dynamic wing morphologies of these species and the more turbulent airflow generated by their wings compared with that observed during insect flight. Nevertheless, three dimensionless numbers that combine key flow, morphological and kinematic parameters - the Reynolds number, Rossby number and advance ratio - govern flapping wing aerodynamics for both insects and vertebrates. These numbers can thus be used to organize an integrative framework for studying and comparing animal flapping flight. Here, we provide a roadmap for developing such a framework, highlighting the aerodynamic mechanisms that remain to be quantified and compared across species. Ultimately, incorporating complex flight maneuvers, environmental effects and developmental stages into this framework will also be essential to advancing our understanding of the biomechanics, movement ecology and evolution of animal flight.
Oblitimonas alkaliphila gen. nov., sp. nov., in the family Pseudomonadaceae, recovered from a historical collection of previously unidentified clinical strains.

Eight Gram-stain-negative bacteria (B4199T, C6819, C6918, D2441, D3318, E1086, E1148 and E5571) were identified during a retrospective study of unidentified strains from a historical collection held in the Special Bacteriology Reference Laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The strains were isolated from eight patients: five female, two male and one not specified. No ages were indicated for the patients. The sources were urine (3), leg tissue (2), foot wound, lung tissue and deep liver. The strains originated from seven different states across the USA [Colorado, Connecticut (2), Indiana, North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania]. The strains grew at 10-42 °C, were non-motile, alkalitolerant, slightly halophilic, microaerophilic, and catalase- and oxidase-positive. The DNA G+C content was 47.3-47.6 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were tetradecanoic acid (C14 : 0), hexadecanoic acid (C16 : 0) and 11-octadecenoic acid (C18 : 1ω7c). Polar lipids detected were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol and unknown phospholipids; the only respiratory quinone detected was the ubiquinone Q-9 (100 %). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis produced results with 95.6 % similarity to Pseudomonas caeni DSM 24390T and 95.2 % similarity to Thiopseudomonas denitrificans X2T. The results of the biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses between the study strains and some related type strains indicated that these strains represent a novel species of a new genus within the family Pseudomonadaceae, for which the name Oblitimonas alkaliphila gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B4199T (=DSM 100830T=CCUG 67636T).
Comparison of prostatic cancer tissue dihydrotestosterone levels at the time of relapse following orchiectomy or estrogen therapy.

AbstractDihydrotestosterone concentrations have been measured in prostatic tissue from patients with recurrent advanced prostatic cancer after 1.0 to 5.0mg. diethylstilbestrol per day or castration with or without estrogen therapy. Although medical or surgical castration usually leads to tissue dihydrotestosterone concentrations of less than 2.4ng./gm. 2 of 20 surgically castrated and 4 of 9 estrogen-treated patients had values above this level. The difference between the number of patients with dihydrotestosterone levels greater than 2.4ng./gm. in the surgical castrated and estrogen-treated groups was statistically significant by a chi-square test. These differences suggest that 1) increased tissue dihydrotestosterone levels in diethylstilbestrol-treated patients may be caused by inadequate dosage or decreased compliance, and 2) increased tissue dihydrotestosterone concentrations greater than 2.4ng./gm. in castrated patients suggest an adrenocortical androgen contribution to the prostatic dihydrotestoste...