cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 Related Arterial Coagulopathy

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which is characterized by a multitude of clinical abnormalities, including hypercoagulability. Although thrombosis is commonly observed in sepsis, the hypercoagulable state associated with COVID-19 is much more dramatic and may not be related to either the severity of the disease or the D-dimer levels. It may be due to a prothrombotic state induced by the disease itself. We report three cases of arterial thrombosis with a significant clot burden requiring urgent medical and surgical intervention. It is now a common practice to initiate anticoagulation for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis based on the D-dimer level in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. However, in our clinical experience, D-dimer levels did not correlate well with the clot burden or the risk for future thrombosis.
Transient receptor potential channels: current perspectives on evolution, structure, function and nomenclature

The transient receptor potential superfamily of ion channels (TRP channels) is widely recognized for the roles its members play in sensory nervous systems. However, the incredible diversity within the TRP superfamily, and the wide range of sensory capacities found therein, has also allowed TRP channels to function beyond sensing an organism's external environment, and TRP channels have thus become broadly critical to (at least) animal life. TRP channels were originally discovered in Drosophila and have since been broadly studied in animals; however, thanks to a boom in genomic and transcriptomic data, we now know that TRP channels are present in the genomes of a variety of creatures, including green algae, fungi, choanoflagellates and a number of other eukaryotes. As a result, the organization of the TRP superfamily has changed radically from its original description. Moreover, modern comprehensive phylogenetic analyses have brought to light the vertebrate-centricity of much of the TRP literature; much of the nomenclature has been grounded in vertebrate TRP subfamilies, resulting in a glossing over of TRP channels in other taxa. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the function, structure and evolutionary history of TRP channels, and put forth a more complete set of non-vertebrate-centric TRP family, subfamily and other subgroup nomenclature.
The Three-Tier Design Process: Streamlined Guidelines for Designing and Developing a Course in a Learning Management System to Promote Effective Learning

We propose a set of guidelines called the Three-Tier Design Process (TTDP), providing a pathway for faculty and other higher-education professionals who intend to design and develop a course in a L...
Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene and metagenome sequencing in pediatric gut microbiomes

Abstract The colonization of the human gut microbiome begins at birth, and, over time, these microbial communities become increasingly complex. Most of what we currently know about the human microbiome, especially in early stages of development, was described using culture-independent sequencing methods that allow us to identify the taxonomic composition of microbial communities using genomic techniques, such as amplicon or shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Each method has distinct tradeoffs, but there has not been a direct comparison of the utility of these methods in stool samples from very young children, which have different features than those of adults. We compared the effects of profiling the human infant gut microbiome with 16S rRNA amplicon versus shotgun metagenomic sequencing techniques in 130 fecal samples; younger than 15, 15-30, and older than 30 months of age. We demonstrate that observed changes in alpha-diversity and beta-diversity with age occur to similar extents using both profiling methods. We also show that 16S rRNA profiling identified a larger number of genera and we find several genera that are missed or underrepresented by each profiling method. We present the link between alpha diversity and shotgun metagenomic sequencing depth for children of different ages. These findings provide a guide for selecting an appropriate method and sequencing depth for the three studied age groups.
The path-independent J-integral and the crack-extension energy-release rate

Abstract The equilibrium, path-independent J-integral is commonly interpreted as the rate of decrease in the potential energy of an elastic body, containing a crack, per unit area of the new surface created by crack extension. Such an interpretation encounters difficulties. The correct, contradiction-free description of the energy-release rate is the approach based on the dynamic energy flow into the crack tip. As a corollary, it leads to the correct quasistatic criteria for brittle-fracture propagation.
GATA2-related myeloid neoplasms in pediatrics: where do we stand?

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare disorder of childhood. It could arise as primary tumor or secondary transformation from a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). While some cases are likely acquired...
GULF HURRICANES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE TEXAS COAST

The word "hurricane" is derived through the Spanish from a word of the extinct Indian aborigines of Haiti, meaning "evil spirit". I do not know whether the Indians who gave this kind of a disturbance its name are extinct because of the "evil spirit", but I am sure that it is a fitting name. Since the time of Columbus, there are records of hurricanes which have caused destruction and death in the West Indies and areas of Central and North America.
A Physical Model for Dynamical Arthropod Running on Level Ground

Arthropods with their extraordinary locomotive capabilities have inspired roboticists, giving rise to major accomplishments in robotics research over the past decade. Most notably bio-inspired hexapod robots using only task level open-loop controllers [22, 9] exhibit stable dynamic locomotion over highly broken and unstable terrain. We present experimental data on the dynamics of SprawlHex— a hexapod robot with adjustable body sprawl — consisting of time trajectory of full body configuration and single leg ground reaction forces. The dynamics of SprawlHexis compared and contrasted to that of insects. SprawlHexdynamics has qualitative similarities to that of insects in both sagittal and horizontal plane. SprawlHexpresents a step towards construction of an effective physical model to study arthropod locomotion.
Metabolism of Isolated Fat Cells VI. THE EFFECTS OF INSULIN, LIPOLYTIC HORMONES, AND THEOPHYLLINE ON GLUCOSE TRANSPORT AND METABOLISM IN "GHOSTS"

Abstract A study was made of the effects of insulin, lipolytic hormones, and theophylline on transport and metabolism of glucose in "ghosts" prepared from isolated fat cells of rat adipose tissue. The ghosts consist of sacs of plasma membrane containing a small amount of cytoplasmic components and enzymes of fat cells. Insulin stimulated, by 30 to 70%, carrier-mediated glucose transport and metabolism of glucose to CO2, glyceride glycerol, and fatty acids over the same dose response range (10 to 1000 microunits per ml) as reported for free fat cells. Potassium ion was essential for insulin-stimulated glucose transport. A particulate fraction (10,000 x g sediment) which did not contain ghosts oxidized glucose but did not respond to insulin. This is suggestive evidence that the plasma membrane of ghosts is necessary for the response to insulin. Because of the absence of fat, lipolysis was not detectable in ghosts even when they were incubated in the presence of lipolytic hormones (adrenocorticotropin, epinephrine, glucagon) or theophylline. These lipolytic agents caused a 30 to 60% reduction in basal glucose utilization, primarily glyceride synthesis, but did not block insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation. Conversely, maximal concentrations of insulin did not block the inhibitory effects of submaximal concentrations of the lipolytic agents on basal glucose utilization. The common effects of lipolytic hormones and theophylline suggested that their inhibitory effect on glucose metabolism was mediated by cyclic 3',5'-AMP. Since the lipolytic agents did not block insulin-stimulated glucose utilization (or transport), it was concluded that cyclic 3',5'-AMP may inhibit basal glucose metabolism but is not involved in the action of insulin on glucose transport.
Transistors performance in the sub-1 nm technology node based on one-dimensional nanomaterials

An open boundary-conditions full-band quantum transport formalism with a plane-wave basis based on empirical pseudopotentials is used to self-consistently simulate transistors in the sub-1 nm technology node, with one-dimensional silicon nanowires, armchair-edge graphene nanoribbons, and zigzag-edge carbon nanotubes as the channel. The electrostatic potential energy and charge density distribution are shown. Current-voltage characteristics of these devices are obtained.
Regulation of Adrenal Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase Activity in Three Inbred Mouse Strains

The regulation of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1) has been studied in the adrenal glands of three inbred mouse strains: DBA/2J, C57BL/Ka, and CBA/J. Although the pituitary gland is involved in the regulation of enzyme activity in each strain, the mechanism of regulation of differs between strains. In the DBA/2J strain, both glucocorticoid and phenoxybenzamine administration as well as cold exposure were effective in increasing enzyme activity. These results suggest that the DBA/2J strain enzyme is under both glucocorticoid and neuronal control. In the C57BL/Ka strain, only cold exposure and ACTH were effective in phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase induction. Exogenous glucocorticoid administration had no effect on enzyme activity. Hypophysectomy both reduced control enzyme levels and abolished the enzyme response to cold exposure. We therefore propose that ACTH exerts a regulatory effect on the enzyme without the mediation of adrenal glucocorticoids. No evidence for neuronal control of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase activity has been found in the C57BL/Ka strain. In the CBA/J strain, hypophysectomy virtually abolished the enzyme activity. Activity could be partially restored by ACTH or dexamethasone administration. Aminoglutethimide blocked the enzyme response to ACTH but not to dexamethasone, suggesting that the enzyme response to ACTH is mediated via glucocorticoids. No evidence for neuronal control of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase could be found in the CBA/J strain. The half-life of the enzyme was estimated to be 1 hr in the DBA strain, 3 hr in the C57BL/Ka strain, and 7 hr in the CBA/J strain. The rate of increase of enzyme activity following induction is 10-fold greater in the DBA/2J strain than in either the C57BL/Ka or CBA/J strains. These results suggest that there are qualitative as well as quantitative differences in genetic regulation of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase activity.
Standardized Test Administration: Why Bother?

ABSTRACT The 1999 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing adopted by AERA, APA, and NCME requires examiners to make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities when administering psychological tests to such persons. Changes in test administration may be required, but the Standards also require the examiner to provide evidence associated with the validity of test score interpretation in the face of such changes in administration. Departures from standard procedures during test administration may change the meaning of test scores, because scores based on norms derived from standardized procedures may not be appropriate; error terms and rates may also be affected. Several United States Supreme Court decisions also discuss the concept of error and reliability of data as relevant to the admissibility of expert testimony. There is a significant body of literature, but one scattered among many venues and journals, addressing modifications of standardized procedures and their effects o...
Delineation of the Molecular Basis for Selenium-induced Growth Arrest in Human Prostate Cancer Cells by Oligonucleotide Array

Despite the growing interest in selenium intervention of prostate cancer in humans, scanty informationis currently available on the molecular mechanism of selenium action. Our past research indicated that methylseleninic acid (MSA) is an excellent reagent for investigating the anticancer effect of selenium in vitro . The present study was designed to examine the cellular and molecular effects of MSA in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells. After exposure to physiological concentrations of MSA, these cells exhibited a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of growth. MSA retarded cell cycle progression at multiple transition points without changing the proportion of cells in different phases of the cell cycle. Flow cytometric analysis of annexin V- and propidium iodide-labeled cells showed a marked induction of apoptosis by MSA. Array analysis with the Affymetrix human genome U95A chip was then applied to profile the gene expression changes that might mediate the effects of selenium. Gene profiling was done in a time course experiment (at 12, 24, 36, and 48 h) using synchronized cells. A large number of potential selenium-responsive genes with diverse biological functions were identified. These genes fell into 12 clusters of distinct kinetics pattern of modulation by MSA. The expression changes of 10 genes known to be critically involved in cell cycle regulation were selected for verification by Western analysis to determine the reliability of the array data. An agreement rate of 70% was obtained based on these confirmation experiments. The array data enabled us to focus on the role of potential key genes ( e.g., GADD153 , CHK2 , p21 WAF1 , cyclin A , CDK1 , and DHFR ) that might be targets of MSA in impeding cell cycle progression. The data also provide valuable insights into novel biological effects of selenium, such as inhibition of cell invasion, DNA repair, and stimulation of transforming growth factor β signaling. The present study demonstrates the utility of a genome-wide analysis to elucidate the mechanism of selenium chemoprevention.
The type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor gene is altered in the opisthotonos mouse

The opisthotonos ( opt ) mutation arose spontaneously in a C57BL/Ks-db2J colony and is the only known, naturally occurring allele of opt . This mutant mouse was first identified based on its ataxic and convulsive phenotype. Genetic and molecular data presented here demonstrate that the type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R1) protein, which serves as an IP3-gated channel to release calcium from intracellular stores, is altered in the opt mutant. A genomic deletion in the IP3R1 gene removes two exons from the IP3R1 mRNA but does not interrupt the translational reading frame. The altered protein is predicted to have lost several modulatory sites and is present at markedly reduced levels in opt homozygotes. Nonetheless, a strong calcium release from intracellular stores can be elicited in cerebellar Purkinje neurons treated with the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist quisqualate (QA). QA activates Group I mGluRs linked to GTP-binding proteins that stimulate phospholipase C and subsequent production of the intracellular messenger IP3, leading to calcium mobilization via the IP3R1 protein. The calcium response in opt homozygotes shows less attenuation to repeated QA application than in control littermates. These data suggest that the convulsions and ataxia observed in opt mice may be caused by the physiological dysregulation of a functional IP3R1 protein.
College Students' Perceptions of Moral Intensity in Sales Situations

Abstract The accreditation agency for collegiate business schools (AACSB) has recently placed increased emphasis on teaching ethics to undergraduate and graduate business students. This study highlights the varying perceptions of moral intensity among 105 demographically diverse college students. Results indicate that gender and age were determining factors, with women perceiving greater moral intensity in marketing scenarios than men, and older students perceiving greater moral intensity than younger students. Student classification and major were also factors, with graduate students perceiving greater moral intensity in questionable situations than upper and lower classmen, and business majors perceiving greater moral intensity than nonbusiness majors.
Biodiversity, host specificity, and dominance by eusocial species among sponge-dwelling alpheid shrimp on the Belize Barrier Reef

Alpheid shrimp represent an abundant and diverse, but poorly characterized, component of the cryptic biodiversity of coral reefs worldwide. Sponge-inhabiting alpheids provide a promising model system for exploring patterns of cryptic reef biodiversity because their habitats (hosts) are discrete and qualitatively distinct units. We tabulated data from 14 years of collections at Carrie Bow Cay, Belize to quantify patterns of diversity, host specificity, and dominance among spongedwelling shrimp ( Synalpheus ), with special attention to eusocial species. From > 600 sampled sponges of 17 species, we recognized at least 36 Synalpheus shrimp species. Of these, 15 (42%) were new to science. Species accumulation curves suggest that we have sampled most of the Synalpheus diversity at Carrie Bow Cay. Diversity of sponge-dwelling Synalpheus was slightly higher in shallow water, probably because of greater habitat diversity, than in deep water. Host specificity was surprisingly high, with > 50% of all shrimp species found in only a single sponge species each, although some shrimp species used as many as six hosts. Cohabitation of individual sponges by multiple shrimp species was rarer than expected by chance, supporting previous distributional and behavioural evidence that competition for hosts is strong and moulds patterns of host association. The fauna of most well-sampled sponge species was dominated, both in numbers of individuals and in frequency of occurrence, by eusocial species. Eusocial shrimp species also inhabited a significantly greater number of sponge species than did non-social shrimp. Consequently, > 65% of shrimp in our quantitative samples belonged to the four eusocial species, and on a per-species basis, eusocial species were 17 times as abundant as non-social species. Our data suggest that the highly diverse sponge-dwelling shrimp assemblage of the Belize Barrier Reef is structured by competition, and that eusociality has allowed a small number of species to dominate the sponge resource.
Disruption of actin cytoskeleton mediates loss of tensile stress induced early phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells in organ culture

Aorta organ culture has been widely used as an ex vivo model for studying vessel pathophysiology. Recent studies show that the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in organ culture undergo drastic dedifferentiation within the first few hours (termed early phenotypic modulation). Loss of tensile stress to which aorta is subject in vivo is the cause of this early phenotypic modulation. However, no underlying molecular mechanism has been discovered thus far. The purpose of the present study is to identify intracellular signals involved in the early phenotypic modulation of VSMC in organ culture. We find that the drastic VSMC dedifferentiation is accompanied by accelerated actin cytoskeleton dynamics and downregulation of SRF and myocardin. Among the variety of signal pathways examined, increasing actin polymerization by jasplakinolide is the only one hindering VSMC dedifferentiation in organ culture. Moreover, jasplakinolide reverses actin dynamics during organ culture. Latrunculin B (disrupting actin cytoskeleton) and jasplakinolide respectively suppressed and enhanced the expression of VSMC markers, SRF, myocardin, and CArG-box-mediated SMC promoters in PAC1, a VSMC line. These results identify actin cytoskeleton degradation as a major intracellular signal for loss of tensile stress-induced early phenotypic modulation of VSMC in organ culture. This study suggests that disrupting actin cytoskeleton integrity may contribute to the pathogenesis of vascular diseases.
Overview: nutrition for pregnant and childbearing adolescents.

Studies have described maternal adaptation to support fetal development at various levels of nutritional status. However the usual conservation and control of energy by the pregnant mother is compromised during adolescent pregnancy when both the mother and the fetus are growing. Maternal growth may have biological consequences similar to starvation with a negative effect upon fetal growth. Research is needed to describe the metabolic response to gestation during various phases of adolescent physical development and how to best nourish both the adolescent mother and her fetus. Epidemiological findings indicate that the goal for birth weight leading to optimal infant survival is the same whether mothers are adolescent or adult. However new results show that young pregnant females gained more weight than older adolescents or adults to produce the same-weight infants. Major points raised at the final session of the Adolescent Nutritional Disorders: Prevention and Treatment conference held December 1995 under the auspices of the New York Academy of Science are summarized. Participants focused upon the biological interaction of the reproductive process with pubertal development complicated by risky patterns of eating developing overweight or idealizing thinness.
Villafranchian Age and its Radiometric Dating, II: ABSTRACT

The Villafranchian, though identified by non-marine phenomena, was one of the most precisely typified of the commonly used European Cenozoic Stages-Ages. Pareto (1865) gave exact geographic location and characteristic rocks of his stratotype for Villafranchian and listed the fossils that were known (three proboscidean species). Villafranchian has been applied throughout Eurasia and Africa on the basis of a characteristic array of species of mammals. These species were obtained first from sites in Italy and France that were believed to be the same age as Pareto's Villafranchian. Validity and utility of the Villafranchian, as recognized through most of the Eastern Hemisphere, are not vitiated because some of its characterizing mammalian assemblages are younger than the type or because its lower boundary may not coincide with the currently accepted lower boundary of the Quaternary. Large mammals now known from the stratotype, together with small mammals, mollusks, and plants End_Page 479------------------------------ recently collected, will provide a more secure paleontologic basis for correlation with type-Villafranchian ecology. Although no materials suitable for radiometric dating of type Villafranchian has been found, volcanic rocks associated with the correlative Etouaires fauna near Issoire, France, have yielded a K/Ar date of 3.4 m.y. The nearby younger Villafranchian fauna of Roca Neyra is 2.5 m.y. In beds from a zone between these two faunas is the fossil flora of Boissac, of perimediterranean type dominated by deciduous trees and containing bamboo. The oldest geological indications of cold climate that have been dated in the Auvergne of France are at Coupet (solifluction), 1.9 m.y., and Vazeills (crioturbated earth), 1.8 m.y. Coupet also has a fauna, thought by Bout to be mid-Villafranchian. The oldest glacial deposit dated from the Northern Hemisphere (Sierra Nevada) is 2.7 m.y., whereas the oldest evidence of Pleistocene cold climate in the Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand) is slightly older than 2.5 m.y. End_of_Article - Last_Page 480------------
Lipids in Wheat Kernels of Varying Size

SUMMARY— Wheat samples from three hard red winter and three hard red spring varieties were separated into kernels of varying size. A two-fold increase in kernel weight was accompanied by a small decrease in protein content and by a substantial decrease in ash (on a percentage basis). Concentrations of free (petroleum-ether extractable) and of bound lipids (water-saturated butanol following petroleum-ether) were higher in small than in large kernels. The hard red spring kernels had, generally, more free lipids than hard red winter kernels; differences in bound lipids were small. Total lipid contents per kernel depended primarily on kernel size, and was affected little by wheat class or variety. Thin-layer chromatography showed triglycerides as the major nonpolar component, and digalactosyl glyceride and phosphatidyl choline as the major polar components. Concentrations of individual nonpolar or polar components were not affected significantly by kernel size. Differences in concentrations of certain nonpolar components and in the composition of monoglycerides seem to be indicated between lipids of hard red winter and hard red spring wheats. Concentrations of polar lipids in petroleum-ether extracts varied substantially from the concentrations of individual components in polar lipids extracted with butanol following petroleum-ether.
Muscular pseudotumor of the breast following doxorubicin and radiation therapy for oat cell carcinoma of the lung

Two male patients developed muscular pseudotumor of the breast following combined treatment of radiation and chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, methotrexate and procarbazine for oat cell carcinoma of the lung. The pathologic findings of the biopsy specimens revealed muscle and capillary changes similar to previously reported myocardiotoxicity from doxorubicin and radiation therapy. Discussed is a possible additive or synergistic toxic effect of doxorubicin and radiation therapy in the development of muscular pseudotumor of the breast.
Aquinas and Weakness of Will

Aquinas’s admirers, reacting against Donald Davidson’s criticisms of him, commonly argue (a) that the will does play a role in Aquinas’s account of incontinence, and (b) that his explanation of incontinent action turns on the weakness of the will. The first part of this paper argues that they are correct about (a) but wholly mistaken about (b). Aquinas rarely even mentions the weakness of the will, and he never invokes it to explain why someone acts counter to her own better judgment. In his view, such a person has the capacity for self-control but fails to exercise it. The second part of the paper considers Gary Watson’s account of incontinence, including and especially his objections to analyzing it as the failure to exercise one’s capacity for self-control. Here I argue that Aquinas’s account better serves the purposes of moral discourse and that it should not be expected to provide the kind of causal explanation Watson seeks.
Clinical significance of hemodynamic findings in hypertension.

The basic hemodynamic principles applicable to the control of arterial pressure have been reviewed in the light of recently reported observations in a variety of the hypertensive diseases. These findings include the description of pathophysiological alterations associated with the development of essential hypertension, hypertensive heart disease and renovascular hypertension. Utilizing these physiological concepts, a rational basis for modern antihypertensive therapy is suggested.
A brief experimental alcohol beverage-tailored program for adolescents.

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop and test a brief, experimental alcohol preventive intervention matched to the use of specific alcohol beverages among adolescents. Method: A total of 232 high school students who drank within the last year participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental intervention or a minimal intervention control. Four-month postintervention data are reported. Results: Overall multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVAs) were significant (p's < .05) on risk factors (influenceability, perceived severity, perceived susceptibility and perceived peer prevalence) for three of six beverages (beer, wine and distilled spirits), with a fourth, malt liquor, approaching significance (p = .06). These tests showed intervention adolescents experiencing less risk for alcohol use than control adolescents. In addition, whereas the overall MANCOVA for malt liquor use was not significant, univariate analyses were significant for 30-day freq...
A curing effect of chloramphenicol on bacteria infected with bacteriophage.

Abstract Early addition of chloramphenicol to cells of Salmonella typhimurium infected with phage P22 results in curing a large proportion of the infected cells. The curing action is mutant strain specific: it is effective on wild-type phage P22 c + and on its virulent mutant c 2 , but is much less effective on another virulent mutant c 1 . Curing by chloramphenicol does not prevent transduction by the phage P22. The helping function of phage mutant c 2 for the establishment of lysogeny by c 1 , and the ability of phage c 2 to contribute genetic markers to c 1 prophage, are not eliminated by chloramphenicol treatment. The frequency of lysogenization by phage P22 c + is much lower on a chloramphenicol-resistant mutant of S. typhimurium than on the sensitive strain.
Polymer Composites with Oriented Magnetic Nanowires as Fillers

Metallic nickel nanowires with excellent physical properties have been introduced into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix to form polymer nanocomposites. Nanowires were synthesized by template-assisted electrochemical deposition. By utilizing ferromagnetic nickel nanowires, small external magnetic field can be used to control their alignment and distribution during composite synthesis. Unlike dielectrophoresis, optical tweezers, and microfluidic flow control, magnetic manipulation provides a cost-effective, non-contact, and versatile approach to control nanostructured materials in fluids over a large area. Polydimethylsiloxane composites with nanowires arranged in longitudinal, transverse, and random orientations with respect to the applied load direction were studied. Tensile tests showed that the composites with longitudinal arrangement have higher elastic modulus and tensile strength than the other composite samples. Experimentally obtained elastic modulus values were compared with the prediction of classical Halpin-Tsai model.
Lithospheric behavior with triple junction migration: an example based on the Mendocino triple junction

Abstract The northward migration of the Mendocino triple junction along the western margin of the North American plate produces a region of thin lithosphere in association with the growth of the San Andreas transform. Numerical modeling of the resultant thermal regime in conjunction with modeling of the mechanical response of the region indicate the role of lithospheric thinning in the tectonism along the western margin of North America. The geometry of the region of thin lithosphere is inherited from the previous subduction regime with resulting implications for the mechanical response. The elevation of the California Coast Ranges is maintained primarily by flexure from buoyant loading from below. Additionally, sporadic volcanism associated with the passage of the triple junction is a likely consequence of super solidus mantle emplaced at shallow depths after the removal of the subducting slab.
Different WASP family proteins stimulate different Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin-nucleating activities

Abstract Background: Assembly and organization of actin filaments are required for many cellular processes, including locomotion and division. In many cases, actin assembly is initiated when proteins of the WASP/Scar family respond to signals from Rho family G proteins and stimulate the actin-nucleating activity of the Arp2/3 complex. Two questions of fundamental importance raised in the study of actin dynamics concern the molecular mechanism of Arp2/3-dependent actin nucleation and how different signaling pathways that activate the same Arp2/3 complex produce actin networks with different three-dimensional architectures? Results: We directly compared the activity of the Arp2/3 complex in the presence of saturating concentrations of the minimal Arp2/3-activating domains of WASP, N-WASP, and Scar1 and found that each induces unique kinetics of actin assembly. In cell extracts, N-WASP induces rapid actin polymerization, while Scar1 fails to induce detectable polymerization. Using purified proteins, Scar1 induces the slowest rate of nucleation. WASP activity is 16-fold higher, and N-WASP activity is 70-fold higher. The data for all activators fit a mathematical model in which one activated Arp2/3 complex, one actin monomer, and an actin filament combine into a preactivation complex which then undergoes a first-order activation step to become a nucleus. The differences between Scar and N-WASP activity are explained by differences in the rate constants for the activation step. Changing the number of actin binding sites on a WASP family protein, either by removing a WH2 domain from N-WASP or by adding WH2 domains to Scar1, has no significant effect on nucleation activity. The addition of a three amino acid insertion found in the C-terminal acidic domains of WASP and N-WASP, however, increases the activity of Scar1 by more than 20-fold. Using chemical crosslinking assays, we determined that both N-WASP and Scar1 induce a conformational change in the Arp2/3 complex but crosslink with different efficiencies to the small molecular weight subunits p18 and p14. Conclusion: The WA domains of N-WASP, WASP, and Scar1 bind actin and Arp2/3 with nearly identical affinities but stimulate rates of actin nucleation that vary by almost 100-fold. The differences in nucleation rate are caused by differences in the number of acidic amino acids at the C terminus, so each protein is tuned to produce a different rate of actin filament formation. Arp2/3, therefore, is not regulated by a simple on-off switch. Precise tuning of the filament formation rate may help determine the architecture of actin networks produced by different nucleation-promoting factors.
Pancreatitis associated with alcoholic liver disease: a review of 1022 autopsy cases

The prevalence with which alcoholic pancreatitis is associated with alcoholic liver disease is unclear. To investigate this association further, we have reviewed the autopsy findings of 1022 patients who died from alcoholic liver disease and compared these findings with those from 352 patients who died from cardiac or pulmonary disease. All patients who died from liver disease had a history of chronic alcoholism with clinical and biochemical evidence of severe liver damage. Death resulted from hepatic coma, gastrointestinal bleeding, or infection. Liver disease patients were classified into two groups: (1) those with cirrhosis (77%) and (2) those without cirrhosis but with acute and/or chronic sclerosing hyaline necrosis (23%). Anatomic and histopathologic changes characteristic of chronic pancreatitis were found in 203 patients in approximately the same frequency (20% and 18%, respectively) in both groups. Acute pancreatitis without chronic lesions was observed in 8% and 10% of both groups, respectively. In the control group of 352 autopsies (122 cardiac and 230 pulmonary patients), the overall prevalence of pancreatitis, at 2.6%, was significantly (P less than 0.001) lower than that observed in the alcoholic liver disease groups. A total of 22 cases (50%) dying from acute or chronic sclerosing hyaline necrosis had severe chronic calcifying pancreatitis compared to 29 patients (18%) (P less than 0.001) dying from cirrhosis. By contrast, dense fibrosis was significantly (P less than 0.001) more commonly observed in patients with cirrhosis. We conclude that pancreatitis occurs frequently in patients dying from alcoholic liver disease but is an uncommon finding in patients dying from other causes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Determination of the complex refractive index profiles in P+31 ion implanted silicon by ellipsometry

Ellipsometry was used to determine the complex refractive index profiles in silicon implanted with P+31 ions with energies of 35, 52,5 and 70 keV. The profiles were determined both by anodization-stripping of the implanted layer and by numerical fitting of multiple-angle-of-incidence ellipsometer data taken on the as-implanted surface, assuming that the implantation would exhibit a Gaussian distribution. Good correlation was obtained between the two types of profiles, indicating that the non-destructive measurements on the as-implanted surface may be useful in process control. Good agreement with published results was also obtained on the increase in depth with energy of both the damage and the implanted species.
Neonatal oxytocin alters subsequent estrogen receptor alpha protein expression and estrogen sensitivity in the female rat

In most species, the effects of oxytocin (OT) on female reproductive behavior are dependent upon estrogen, which increases both OT and OT receptor expression. It is also becoming apparent that OT neurotransmission can influence estrogen signaling, especially during development, as neonatal OT manipulations in prairie voles alter ERalpha expression and estrogen-dependent behaviors. We tested the hypothesis that OT developmentally programs ERalpha expression and estrogen sensitivity in female Sprague-Dawley rats, a species previously used to establish the estrogen-dependence of OT signaling in adulthood. OT treatment for the first postnatal week significantly increased ERalpha-immunoreactivity in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH), but not in the medial preoptic area (MPOA). Conversely, neonatal OT antagonist (OTA) treatment significantly reduced ERalpha-immunoreactivity in the MPOA, but not in the VMH. Both treatments increased OT-immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and reduced estrogen sensitivity, indicated by reduced sexual receptivity following chronic estradiol benzoate (EB) administration. Behavioral deficits in OTA-treated females were apparent during both paced and non-paced tests with 0.5 microg EB (but not 5.0 or 10.0 microg EB), whereas deficits in OT-treated females were only observed during the initial paced test with 0.5 and 5.0 microg EB (but not 10.0 microg EB). The current results demonstrate that OT can positively regulate ERalpha expression within the MPOA and VMH during development; however, endogenous OT selectively programs ERalpha expression within the MPOA. Thus, exogenous OT or OTA exposure during development may have long-term consequences on behavior through stable changes in ERalpha and OT expression.
What is the role of the cerebellum in motor learning and cognition

Abstract The exact role of the cerebellum in motor learning and cognition is controversial. Nonetheless, recent ideas and facts have prompted an attempt at building and testing a more unified and coherent conceptualization. This article will suggest that the cerebellum might indeed participate in both motor control and cognition, and in motor adaptation, motor learning, and procedural learning. The proposed process would entail stimulus–response linkage through trial and error learning, and would consist of groupings of single-response elements—motor and cognitive—into large combinations. After practice, the occurrence of a sensory or experiential `context' would automatically trigger the combined response. The parallel fiber is the proposed agent of stimulus–response linkage and of combining the response elements. The attempt here is to focus on the role of the parallel fiber as a possible combiner of downstream motor and cognitive elements.
A new technique for laser treatment of cutaneous tumors.

. The CO2 laser was used to treat three patients with discrete, cutaneous tumors. For each patient, we established the relationship between the width of the lesions and their maximum thickness, and between pulse energy and the depth of the resultant crater. Optimal parameters for therapy were established from these results.
Novel ordering in the XY spin glass

The replica mean-field theory of the isotropic glass phase of the $\mathrm{XY}$ spin glass is reconsidered. We notice that the conventional order parameter, ${q}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\nu}}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\beta}}={s}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\beta}}{\ensuremath{\delta}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\nu}}$, should be augmented by an additional term, ${a}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\beta}}{\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\nu}}$, which is antisymmetric in both replica and spin space. We show that, in this wider space of order parameters, the conventional phase is not an extremum of the free energy.
Number of different free associates: A general measure of associative meaningfulness

Two operationally distinct data sources yielding estimates of associative meaningfulness have evolved since 1950. One, Noble's m, is an intrasubject estimate. A second one, N, given by the number of different single free associations occurring at least once over Ss, is an inter-subject estimate. The two measures are substantially inversely correlated. Compared with m, N is shown to be more parsimonious, and more general in being rationally applicable to verbal learning, pattern learning, and to the learning of complex serially ordered stimuli such as sentences. Adoption of free associative N as the empirical datum for associative meaningfulness permits prediction of learning in extant studies according to the function: Learning = f(1/N). Interference is assumed to be a positive function of N. Traditional associative probability theory and its paradox then become unnecessary.
Luminescence of arsenic vacancy-related defects in GaAs☆

Abstract Photoluminescence measurements at 77°K on solution grown and heat treated GaAs specimens are shown to exhibit a luminescent band near 8900 A. This band is suggested to be related to arsenic vacancies.
Clinicopathologic correlation in postendarterectomy recurrent stenosis. A case report and bibliographic review.

Abstract The case history of a 60-year-old man with symptomatic recurrent stenosis of the left carotid artery 20 years after carotid endarterectomy is presented. At reoperation (repeat endarterectomy and venous patch angioplasty) the lumen was found to be reduced by 60% and histopathologic study revealed atheromatosis with organizing mural thrombus. The case is discussed in the context of the recent literature concerning restenosis, the reported frequency of which varies depending on the size of the population studied and the method of follow-up, with noninvasive studies revealing that restenosis is more commonly asymptomatic than symptomatic. Early simple fibrous restenosis differs histologically from the more complex, frankly atherosclerotic late restenosis and appears to reproduce the original pathologic condition of the carotid bifurcation; as in the original lesions hemodynamic conditions probably play a major etiologic role in the formation of the restenoses. The most important clinical factor in restenosis is continued cigarette smoking. In the majority of the studies reviewed, more than half of the patients with recurrent disease presented with symptoms referable to the site of the original operation. An argument in favor of routine vein patching during the primary procedure to attempt to prevent restenosis is presented. (J VASC SURG 1986;3:657-62.)
Interactions between antiretroviral drugs and drugs used for the therapy of the metabolic complications encountered during HIV infection.

Treatment of HIV infection with potent combination antiretroviral therapy has resulted in major improvement in overall survival, immune function and the incidence of opportunistic infections. However, HIV infection and treatment has been associated with the development of metabolic complications, including hyperlipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, lipodystrophy and osteopenia. Safe pharmacological treatment of these complications requires an understanding of the drug-drug interactions between antiretroviral drugs and the drugs used in the treatment of metabolic complications. Since formal studies of most of these interactions have not been performed, predictions must be based on our understanding of the metabolism of these agents. All HIV protease inhibitors are metabolised by and inhibit cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. Ritonavir is the most potent inhibitor of CYP3A4. Ritonavir and nelfinavir also induce a host of CYP isoforms as well as some conjugating enzymes. The non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor delavirdine potently inhibits CYP3A4, whereas nevirapine and efavirenz are inducers of CYP3A4. Drug interaction studies have been performed with HIV protease inhibitors and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Coadministration of ritonavir plus saquinavir to HIV-seronegative volunteers resulted in increased exposure to simvastatin acid by 3059%. Atorvastatin exposure increased by 347%, but exposure to active atorvastatin increased by only 79%. Conversely, pravastatin exposure decreased by 50%. Similar results have been obtained with combinations of simvastatin and atorvastatin with other HIV protease inhibitors. Thus, the lactone prodrugs simvastatin and lovastatin should not be used with HIV protease inhibitors. Atorvastatin may be used with caution. Although there are no formal studies available, calcium channel antagonists and repaglinide may have significant interactions and toxicity when used with HIV protease inhibitors because of their metabolism by CYP3A4. Sulfonylurea drugs utilise mainly CYP2C9 for metabolism, and this isoenzyme may be induced by ritonavir and nelfinavir with a resulting decrease in efficacy of the sulfonyl-urea. Losartan may have increased effect when coadministered with ritonavir and nelfinavir because of the induction of CYP2C9 and the expected increase in formation of the active metabolite, E-3174. Overall, well-designed drug-drug interaction studies at steady state are needed to determine whether antiretroviral drugs may be safely coadministered with many of the drugs used in the treatment of the metabolic complications of HIV infection.
On representing integers as products of thep + 1

Every positive integern has a representation $$n = t(p_1 + 1)^{\varepsilon _1 } \ldots (p_k + 1)^{\varepsilon _k } $$ with thep i prime, eache i = ±1, and all the prime divisors oft less than an explicit absolute bound. Furthermore, if such a representation is always possible witht=1, then it is also possible with an absolutely bounded number of factorsk.
Measurement of the resistivity of a thin square sample with a square four-probe array

Abstract Geometrical correction factors are evaluated for the measurement of the resistivity of a square conducting sample whose thickness is small compared to the probe spacing of a square four-probe array. The correction factors allow the computation of the resistivity when the probes are not on the periphery of the square sample. The solution is based on the method of images and is written in a compact, easily-evaluated form. The resistivity measurement error encountered with the square sample is presented in graphical form for use in test structure design.