cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diversity, Divergence, and Evolution of Cell-Free Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Vaginal Secretions and Blood of Chronically Infected Women: Associations with Immune Status

Most human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections are believed to be the result of exposure to the virus in genital secretions. However, prevention and therapeutic strategies are usually based on characterizations of HIV-1 in blood. To understand better the dynamics between HIV-1 quasispecies in the genital tract and blood, we performed heteroduplex assays on amplified env products from cell-free viral RNA in paired vaginal secretion (VS) and blood plasma (BP) samples of 14 women followed for 1.5 to 3.5 years. Diversity and divergence were less in VS than in BP (P = 0.03 and P < 0.01, respectively), and divergence at both sites was correlated with blood CD4+ cell levels (VS, P = 0.05; BP, P = 0.01). Evolution of quasispecies was observed in 58% of the women; the loss or gain of quasispecies in VS or BP was always accompanied by such changes at the other site. In addition, sustained compartmentalization of quasispecies in VS was found for four women, even as CD4+ cell levels decreased to low levels (<50 cells/μl). Quasispecies changes over time were associated with fluctuations in CD4+ cell levels; concordant increases or decreases in VS and BP divergence had greater CD4+ cell level changes than intervals with discordant changes (P = 0.05), and women with evolving quasispecies had greater decreases in CD4+ cell levels compared to that for women who maintained the same quasispecies (P < 0.05). Thus, diversity, divergence, and evolution of cell-free HIV-1 in VS can be different from that in BP, and dynamics between their respective quasispecies are associated with changes in CD4+ cell levels.
Preparing children for success: integrating science, math, and technology in early childhood classroom

The purpose of the present study was to study if purposeful math, science, and technology curriculum projects and activities would support Pre-K children's performance in these subject matter areas. In this study, 58 Pre-K children from 4 Pre-K classrooms in a public Pre-K programme in North Carolina participated. Through a quasi-experimental, pre–post intervention design, two experimental classrooms were involved in science curriculum projects that integrated meaningful math and technology content. The curriculum projects revolved around the principles of scientific inquiry process (e.g. engage, investigate, discover, and review). The experimental group classrooms were supported through periodic professional development sessions for teachers and materials to implement more hands-on activities. Results showed that the experimental group children made a significant improvement in their math skills compared to those in the control group. The children's awareness and interest in science-related subjects as w...
Epitaxial morphologies of polyoxymethylene. II. Deposition energetics on alkali halide (001) surfaces

Molecular mechanics energy calculations have been used to assess the relative affinities that an iodobenzene solvent molecule and a segment of a polyoxymethylene chain have for five different alkali halide (001) surfaces. Dispersive-repulsive and coulombic contributions to the interaction energy have been included. The calculated interaction deposition energy correlates well with the nucleation density of rodlike epitaxial crystals formed on these substrates in epitaxial crystallization experiments from solution. Substrates which have a higher preference for solvent (LiF and NaF) than for polymer exhibit relatively low polymer nucleation densities. As the degree of solvent preference decreases, and polymer preference increases, higher nucleation densities are observed (KCI and KI). These results suggest that preferential solvent adsorption may account for the low nucleation densities observed on some substrates in polymer epitaxial crystallization experiments from solution.
Dexamethasone Prevents Podocyte Apoptosis Induced by Puromycin Aminonucleoside: Role of p53 and Bcl-2–Related Family Proteins

Nephrotic-range proteinuria is due to glomerular diseases characterized by podocyte injury. Glucocorticoids are the standard of care for most forms of nephrotic syndrome. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of glucocorticoids on podocytes, beyond its general immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects, are still unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone directly reduces podocyte apoptosis. Growth-restricted immortalized mouse podocytes in culture were exposed to puromycin aminonucleoside (PA) to induce apoptosis. Our results showed that dexamethasone significantly reduced PA-induced apoptosis by 2.81-fold. Dexamethasone also rescued podocyte viability when exposed to PA. PA-induced apoptosis was associated with increased p53 expression, which was completely blocked by dexamethasone. Furthermore, the inhibition of p53 by the p53 inhibitor pifithrin-alpha protected against PA-induced apoptosis. Dexamethasone also lowered the increase in the proapoptotic Bax, which was increased by PA, and increased expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-xL protein. Moreover, the decrease in p53 by dexamethasone was associated with increased Bcl-xL levels. Podocyte apoptosis induced by PA was caspase-3 independent but was associated with the translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) from the cytoplasm to nuclei. AIF translocation was inhibited by dexamethasone. These results show that PA-induced podocyte apoptosis is p53 dependent and associated with changes in Bcl-2-related proteins and AIF translocation. The protective effects of dexamethasone on PA-induced apoptosis were associated with decreasing p53, increasing Bcl-xL, and inhibition of AIF translocation. These novel findings provide new insights into the beneficial effects of corticosteroids on podocytes directly, independent of its immunosuppressive effects.
The effect of 2, 4-dinitrophenol on the turnover of the acid soluble phosphorus of rat diaphragm.

Abstract The effects of dinitrophenol (DNP) on phosphorylation have been studied in the isolated rat diaphragm. Three concentrations of DNP were used: one which stimulated respiration, a higher one which gave initial stimulation followed by depression, and a still higher one which gave principally profound depression. With all concentrations of DNP phosphocreatine was completely hydrolyzed and the concentration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was reduced markedly. The concentration of hexose monophosphate (HMP) was reduced when respiration was depressed. The turnover rate of ATP was not affected by a concentration of DNP which stimulated respiration, but was decreased by the higher concentrations which depressed respiration. The turnover of HMP was increased by the stimulating concentration and not reduced below the control level by the higher concentrations of DNP. This suggests that there are pathways for the formation of HMP in the intact cell which are resistant to DNP and therefore different from those found in particulate fractions.
African guerrillas: Raging against the machine

African guerrillas: Raging against the machine, edited by Morten Boas and Kevin C. Dunn, Boulder, Colorado, Lynne Rienner, 2007, ix + 275 pp. including map, notes, bibliography and index, ISBN 478-...
Calreticulin requires an ancillary adjuvant for the induction of efficient cytotoxic T cell responses.

Molecular chaperones stimulate the immune system to induce both protective immune responses and therapeutic tumor rejection. However, the underlying basis for this immunogenic activity is not well understood. A variety of chaperones, including calreticulin, hsp70 and grp94, function as vehicles to efficiently traffic associated peptides into professional antigen presenting cells. Importantly, these chaperones have also been proposed to function as adjuvants by stimulating the dendritic cell activation and co-stimulatory responses required to elicit peptide-specific CD8+ T cell cytolytic activity. The efficacy of chaperone-mediated tumor rejection has been attributed to the ability of chaperones to function in both of these capacities. However, purified calreticulin has not previously been assessed for its ability to elicit DC maturation and, moreover, recent data indicates that it is not efficient at inducing Nf-κB activity which often accompanies or stimulates DC maturation. Here we use two complementary methods to produce endotoxin-free calreticulin and demonstrate that it does not measurably mature or activate dendritic cells both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, a calreticulin/peptide complex required the addition of an exogenous adjuvant to elicit in vivo cytotoxic CD8+ T cell responses. These data are discussed with respect to current models for chaperone-derived immune responses and in regard to rational vaccine design.
Comment: Businessmen Must Get Active in Politics

The article explains why businessmen in the United States must become active in politics. The author outlines various talents that businessmen can contribute to the government and reasons behind th...
Gravitational spin precession in binary systems

The precessional behavior of a binary system is modeled along the lines of one orbital angular and two spin angular non-dissipatively coupled momenta. It is found that the precessional behavior consists of a periodic nutation superimposed on an overall precession of the system about the axis of total angular momentum. A periodic nutation, superimposed on an overall precession of the system about the axis of total angular momentum, is found to characterize system behavior. It is also shown that the nutation associated with precession in such compact object-containing binaries as the PSR 1913+16 pulsar and the Martin and Rees (1979) model of SS 433 will generally be too small to be observable.
A trajectory tracking algorithm for a hopping rotochute using surrogate models

The Hopping Rotochute is a promising micro vehicle for exploring rough and complex terrains with minimum energy consumption. While it is able to fly over obstacles via thrust produced by its coaxial rotor, its physical architecture, inspired from a “Weebles Wooble,” provides reorientation wherever it hits the ground. In this paper, we propose a control strategy for a Hopping Rotochute to track any pre-planned trajectory autonomously. The proposed control scheme involves some parametric hop models to incorporate the dynamics of the vehicle in the control selection. Based on the models, an optimization problem is solved for the control of each hop during a mission. In this study, we conduct some illustrative simulations on a Hopping Rotochute to demonstrate the success of the proposed approach.
Stability of the cytokinin requirement in Paul's Scarlet Rose cells in culture

Cells ofRosa sp. cv Paul's scarlet have been reported to require cytokinin for growth in suspension culture. This report was verified in the present study. However, a rose cell line that was maintained for 2 yr in suspension culture by routine subculturing developed the capacity to grow without exogenous cytokinin. The stability of the cytokinin requirement and the basis for this altered response to cytokinin was investigated. The parental cell line, which has been maintained independently on agar-solidified medium, was subcloned and the cytokinin dependence of the subclones was determined. The subclones were found to exhibit a continuous spectrum of responses, ranging from a high degree of cytokinin dependence for growth to rapid growth upon the initial transfer to cytokinin-deficient medium. The average growth constant (K=1n W/Wo; Wo=initial fresh weight,W=fresh weight after growth for the stated time interval) of 30 subclones grown on medium containing 0.5 μM zeatin was 3.1, with a range of 1.1 to 4.0. The average growth constant of the same subclones when grown on medium lacking a cytokinin was 1.5, with a range of 0 to 3.9. By comparison, the parental cell line exhibited growth constants of 3.5 in the presence of 0.5 μM zeatin and 1.6 in the absence of exogenous cytokinin. Although the growth of some of the subclones after transfer to cytokinin-deficient medium suggested that they were cytokinin autotrophs, this was not the case because none of them grew after a second transfer to medium lacking cytokinin. Culture in medium containing cytokinin conferred upon the cells the capacity for a limited amount of growth after subsequent transfer to medium lacking cytokinin. The extent of this cytokinin-induced growth potential varied from subclone to subclone. Efforts to determine the frequency with which cytokinin autotrophs appeared in a subclone that required cytokinin suggested that it is a rare event and that the cytokinin requirement is a fairly stable phenotypic characteristic of these cells.
On the Limitations of Therapy Manuals

While the benefits of training manuals can hardly be questioned, they are exceedingly limited in reducing variability attributed to the “therapist factor.” We propose that manuals provide a useful outline of the general principles of a therapeutic approach, but can only reduce therapist variability at the expense of other essential therapeutic phenomena. Manuals cannot adequately convey, for example, how the effective therapist functions as a model of adult living and as a person who provides guidance. We suggest that such an experience cannot readily be packaged in manualized form, though manuals may serve as a useful beginning. Recommendations for therapist manualized training include greater attention to the subtleties of human relationships and adequately conveying that any technique is effective only when catalysed by a living, relational process.
Detection of outliers in bivariate time series data

In this article, we use the influence function matrix of auto and cross-correlations of a bivariate (multivariate) time series for detecting the outliers. The multivariate analog of the graphical method of Chernick et. al. (1982), to detect outliers and partial outliers is presented. A simulation study illustrating the method is also given.
Health literacy and emergency department outcomes: a systematic review

Study objective We assess emergency department (ED) patients' health literacy, the readability of ED patient materials, and the relationship between health literacy and ED outcomes through a systematic literature review. Methods PubMed, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge, and ERIC were searched for studies published January 1, 1980, to July 15, 2010, conducted in the United States, reporting original data, and measuring ED patients' health literacy, the readability of ED materials, or the association between health literacy and ED-related outcomes. Two reviewers evaluated each study and abstracted information from included studies into evidence tables. Results We identified 413 articles, and 31 met inclusion criteria. Collectively, health literacy skills were assessed at or below the eighth-grade level for approximately 40% of ED patients. In contrast, ED patient materials were typically assessed at or above the ninth-grade level. Studies of adults aged 65 years and older found that those with lower health literacy were more likely to use the ED and incur higher ED costs. Studies of pediatric ED patients did not find direct effects of caregiver literacy on ED outcomes. Conclusion A substantial proportion of ED patients have limited health literacy, and ED materials are typically too complex for these patients. It is important for EDs to evaluate the accessibility and patient understanding of information presented. The evidence linking health literacy to ED outcomes is limited. Additional research is needed to better understand the relationship between health literacy and ED outcomes.
Race and ethnicity Latino/a immigrants and emerging geographies of race and place in the USA

Over the past 20 years, Latino/a immigration to the USA has transformed how place and race are lived. The scale of the city-region has emerged as key to understanding these changes. Latino/a immigrants challenge the stark black-white binary that has long shaped race relations in the USA. Labor relations, racial stereotyping, and Latino/a alliances with other demographic groups have emerged as provocative themes in the recent scholarship on Latino/a immigration. Because race and place work iteratively to shape one another, geographic thought on place may be used to sophisticate our conceptual understanding of race. In particular, the fluidity of race is challenged through its close relationship with place.
Bone Histomorphometry in Hypogonadal and Eugonadal Men with Spinal Osteoporosis

We present iliac bone histomorphometric data after in vivo double tetracycline labeling and related biochemical data from 14 nonalcoholic men referred for evaluation of symptomatic spinal osteoporosis. Six patients had previously undiagnosed hypogonadism, and 8 had normal gonadal function and no evident etiology for osteoporosis. Bone histomorphometry revealed no differences in structural measurements or resorption indices between the 2 groups. However, compared to reference values for normal postmenopausal women, osteoblast surface, mineralizing surface, and formation rate were normal or modestly increased in the hypogonadal men and significantly reduced in the idiopathic group. There were significant corresponding differences between the 2 groups in the fasting urinary hydroxyproline to creatinine ratio, an index of bone resorption, and serum total alkaline phosphatase, an index of bone formation. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels did not differ between the 2 groups and were above 10 ng/mL in all patients. Plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)2D] levels were normal in the hypogonadal group and significantly reduced in the idiopathic group, but did not correlate with any histological measurements. The formation indices fell substantially in 3 of 4 hypogonadal men after 7-14 months of therapy with testosterone and a calcium supplement. We conclude the following. In vitamin D-replete hypogonadal men with osteoporosis, 1,25-(OH)2D synthesis is normal, and bone remodeling is modestly increased and correctable by hormone replacement therapy, as in normal postmenopausal women. In middle-aged men with idiopathic osteoporosis, there is impairment of 1,25-(OH)2D synthesis and of the recruitment and activity of teams of osteoblasts, as in postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Moving from systematic treatment to a systemic approach A path for sustainable U.S. healthcare

In 1999, the Core Competencies, a curriculum for second-year medical residents was published by The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in response to safety problems, poor performance and a high rate of expenditure in the U.S. healthcare system. Systems-based Practice - the sixth core competency - was designed specifically to bring systems thinking to the practice of specialized medicine with the stated goal of providing optimal healthcare. This paper applies a systemic analysis technique called The Dimensions of Systems Thinking (DST) to Systems-based Practice. Thirteen years after publication, Systems-based Practice has failed to have the desired effect on the healthcare system due to improperly defined objectives & system boundaries, lack of defined metrics & assessment procedures and the systematic nature of the system into which it was introduced. We make recommendations for improvements to the sixth core competency that would be part of a larger effort to achieve sustainability in the U.S. healthcare system.
Emergency department presentations of typhoid fever

Typhoid fever, a systemic infectious disease caused by Salmonella typhi, is classically characterized by fever, paradoxical bradycardia, abdominal pain, and a rose colored rash. This was a retrospective review of 21 confirmed cases over a 5-year period. Mean age was 32.6 years (range 2-60 years), and Mexico (7/21) and El Salvador (3/21) represented the most common countries of origin. Recent travel to an endemic area was noted in 14 patients. The most common complaints were fever (15/21), headache (10/21), abdominal pain (9/21), and diarrhea (6/21). Average duration of symptoms before presentation to the Emergency Department (ED) was 7.9 days. High fever associated with bradycardia was noted in 12 patients. Leukopenia was present in 7 patients. Blood culture was the most sensitive confirmatory test while the Widal test was positive in 7 out of 11 cases. Fever of unknown origin (12/21), followed by presumed typhoid fever (3/21) were the most common ED diagnoses. It is important to recognize that patients with typhoid fever may present to EDs in the US and this disease should be included in the differential diagnosis of febrile patients from Latin America or those with a history of recent travel to endemic countries.
The effects of postal and telephone reminders on compliance with pravastatin therapy in a national registry: results of the first myocardial infarction risk reduction program.

Abstract Background: Noncompliance with cardiovascular therapy and prevention initiatives is well documented. Objectives: The purpose of the First Myocardial Infarction (MI) Risk Reduction Program, an open-label drug registry involving mainly primary-care patients at increased risk of a first MI, was to examine the effects of postal and telephone reminders, as well as demographic and other baseline characteristics, on patient self-reported compliance with pravastatin treatment. A second objective was to determine whether regimen adherence was associated with the adoption of other lifestyle modifications recommended to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. Methods: Patients with risk scores of ≥4 on a scale of −1 to +16 for men and −1 to +17 for women on the First Heart Attack Risk Test were considered to be at increased risk of a first MI and eligible for enrollment in the registry program. An elevated total cholesterol level despite dietary interventions was an additional inclusion criterion. Patients were prospectively randomized (4:1) to either an intervention involving postal and telephone reminders (about coronary risk reduction and medication compliance), which were sent during the first 2 months of pravastatin treatment, or usual care. Both groups received reminder postcards at 4 and 5 months, in addition to counseling by physicians about coronary risk reduction. At 3 and 6 months (or study discontinuation), patients completed and mailed to the program-coordinating center questionnaires concerning compliance with care, including current use of prescribed pravastatin, as well as self-reported adoption of other lifestyle modifications, such as changing eating habits, losing weight, increasing physical activity, and/or quitting smoking. Compliance with pravastatin therapy and with these coronary risk—reducing behaviors was also assessed by physicians at the 3-month follow-up visit. Results: A total of 10,335 patients were in the intervention group, and 2765 received usual care. The 2 groups were well balanced at baseline with respect to age, race, and total cholesterol values. Neither early reminders nor baseline patient characteristics were significantly associated with reported pravastatin compliance rates, which were ∼79% overall. However, according to self-reports at 6 months, regimen compliance was associated with the adoption of other coronary risk—reducing behaviors. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that early telephone and postal reminders do not improve compliance with drug treatment or with recommended coronary risk—reducing behaviors.
Nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials at high temperatures: A perspective

Abstract The high temperature properties of nanocomposite soft magnetic materials are limited by a combined effect of stability of the microstructure and the ability to maintain exchange coupling in the alloy. We discuss features of alloy design that impact the evaluation of nanocomposite materials and suggest several considerations that must be examined to overcome the challenges of using these nanostructured materials at elevated temperatures.
Site-Isolated Redox Reactivity in a Trinuclear Iron Complex

The symmetric, high-spin triiron complex (PhL)Fe3(THF)3 reacts with mild chemical oxidants (e.g., Ph3C-X, I2) to afford an asymmetric core, where one iron bears the halide ligand (PhL)Fe3X(L) and the hexadentate (PhL = MeC(CH2NPh-o-NPh)3) ligand has undergone significant rearrangement. In the absence of a suitable trapping ligand, the chlorine and bromine complexes form (μ-X)2-bridged structures of the type [(PhL)Fe3(μ-X)]2. In the trinuclear complexes, the halide-bearing iron site sits in approximate trigonal-bipyramidal (tbp) geometry, formed by two (PhL) anilides and an exogenous solvent molecule. The two distal iron atoms reside in distorted square-planar sites featuring a short Fe–Fe separation at 2.301 A, whereas the distance to the tbp site is substantially elongated (2.6–2.7 A). Zero-field, 57Fe Mossbauer analysis reveals the diiron unit as the locus of oxidation, while the tbp site bearing the halide ligand remains divalent. Magnetic data acquired for the series reveal that the oxidized diiron un...
An Effort To Spread Decision Aids In Five California Primary Care Practices Yielded Low Distribution, Highlighting Hurdles

Despite the proven efficacy of decision aids as interventions for increasing patient engagement and facilitating shared decision making, they are not used routinely in clinical care. Findings from a project designed to achieve such integration, conducted at five primary care practices in 2010–12, document low rates of distribution of decision aids to eligible patients due for colorectal cancer screening (9.3 percent) and experiencing back pain (10.7 percent). There were also no lasting increases in distribution rates in response to training sessions and other promotional activities for physicians and clinic staff. The results of focus groups, ethnographic field notes, and surveys suggest that major structural and cultural changes in health care practice and policy are necessary to achieve the levels of use of decision aids and shared decision making in routine practice envisioned in current policy. Among these changes are ongoing incentives for use, physician training, and a team-based practice model in w...
Quantitative Guidelines for Telephone Information Systems

The results of four sequential experiments were combined into integrated empirical models using data bridging. The resulting regression models can be viewed as quantitative design guidelines for telephone-based information systems. A total of ten independent variables involving environmental, hardware, dialogue, and user factors were considered across the four sequential studies that evaluated a telephone-based interface. Three dependent variables including total search time, user added keypresses, and message transcription accuracy were evaluated in each separate study. Polynomial regression was used to generate an integrated second-order empirical model for each of the three dependent variables. The major contributors to total search time were the time delay between the presentation of each menu item (input timeout) and the structure of the menus. Age of the user and menu structure were the primary contributors to user added keypresses required to recover from errors. Overall, the accuracy of message tr...
Factors organizing rocky intertidal communities of New England: Herbivory and predation in sheltered bays

In New England, U.S.A., shores exposed to severe wave action are dominated by the common blue mussel Mytilus edulis L. while moderately protected areas are covered with perennial algae. It is thought that algae are limited by mussels which are a superior competitor. Because the effectiveness of predators is inhibited by wave activity, it is assumed that the rate of predation, which varies across this environmental gradient, accounts for the observed distribution of mussels and algae. Shores along sheltered bays appear to be an exception to this pattern and this study addresses some of the possible causes. In New England bays, mussels and barnacles Semibalanus balanoides (L.) are the most common organisms on the solid surfaces in the lower intertidal zone. Perennial macroalgae, such as Chondrus crispas Stackhouse and Fucus vesiculosus L., are rare. The distribution and abundance of species differs from that on moderately protected shores and is similar to very exposed shores which are dominated by mussels and barnacles. Herbivory by the common periwinkle Littorina littorea (L.) limits the abundance of F. vesiculosus and indirectly affects the success of mussels. During 4 years of experimental manipulations, F. vesiculosus rarely recruited in the presence of periwinkles but dominated experimental surfaces if periwinkles were excluded. When experimental surfaces with F. vesiculosus, which had been protected from herbivory for > 1 year, were exposed to natural conditions, herbivores cleared most of the surfaces within several months. Recruitment by barnacles and mussels was higher when periwinkles were excluded. However, the effect of periwinkles on mussels was indirect; the snails reduced barnacle success and thus reduced mussel recruitment which was enhanced by the surface irregularities provided by barnacles. The occurrence of mussels in sheltered bays is not due to a lack of predators. Predators were commonly seen at all sites. Most mussels on experimental surfaces were removed <4 wk when surfaces were exposed to natural levels of predation. Experiments do not provide an explanation for the occurrence of mussels, although the enhancement of mussel recruitment by barnacles suggests that the availability of settlement sites may be important.
Expression of Different Glycosaminoglycan Synthetic Phenotypes by Lapine Dermal and Dermal Wound Fibroblasts

Synthesis of extracellular matrix by dermal fibroblasts is an important component of cutaneous wound repair. Scar remodeling and maturation is generally seen as the result of a fibroblast-regulated equilibrium between production and degradation of specific matrix constituents. Fibroblasts from normal dermis, reparative granulation tissue and mature scars were compared in vitro in terms of their ability to produce extracellular glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). All cell lines secreted dermatan sulfate (DS) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) into the culture medium. Hyaluronate (HA) was detected in medium from mature granulation tissue and scar cells, but little or none was found in medium from early granulation tissue or skin cells. In medium from normal skin fibroblasts, an unusual GAG was identified as a potential variant of DS on the basis of co-migration with HA but susceptibility to digestion with chondroitinase ABC. Heparan sulfate (HS) was the major pericellular GAG of all cultures except the mature scar cells, which contained a predominance of DS. A second pericellular GAG was identified as CS in mature granulation tissue cells, scar cells and skin cells; while HA was identified in the pericellular matrix of early granulation tissue cells. In addition, fibroblasts from both skin and early granulation tissue contained a GAG believed to be a variant of CS. These differences in GAG synthesis/secretion between cells maintained under identical culturing conditions could indicate either that distinct fibroblastic substrains exist during different stages of healing or that influences present during the healing process induce stable phenotypic alterations that are maintained through explant culturing and subsequent subcultivation.
Interaction, Internet self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning as predictors of student satisfaction in online education courses

Abstract Student satisfaction is important in the evaluation of distance education courses as it is related to the quality of online programs and student performance. Interaction is a critical indicator of student satisfaction; however, its impact has not been tested in the context of other critical student- and class-level predictors. In this study, we tested a regression model for student satisfaction involving student characteristics (three types of interaction, Internet self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning) and class-level predictors (course category and academic program). Data were collected in a sample of 221 graduate and undergraduate students responding to an online survey. The regression model was tested using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). Learner–instructor interaction and learner–content interaction were significant predictors of student satisfaction but learner–learner interaction was not. Learner–content interaction was the strongest predictor. Academic program category moderated the effect of learner–content interaction on student satisfaction. The effect of learner–content interaction on student satisfaction was stronger in Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences than in psychology, physical education or family, consumer, and human development. In sum, the results suggest that improvements in learner–content interaction yield most promise in enhancing student satisfaction and that learner–learner interaction may be negligible in online course settings.
Hydrogen peroxide-induced modulation of intracellular oxidized states in cultured macrophage J774A.1 and neuroactive PC-12 cells, and protection by a novel grape seed proanthocyanidin extract

We have previously compared selected antioxidants including vitamins C and E, β-carotene and a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) with respect to their scavenging abilities against biochemically generated free radicals in both in vitro and in vivo models. The results demonstrated that GSPE is a significantly more potent oxygen free radical scavenger compared with vitamins C and E and β-carotene. GSPE has been reported to exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities including free radical scavenging, antibacterial, antiviral, antiinflammatory, antiallergic and vasodilator actions. In this study hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damage was assessed in macrophage J774A.1 and neuroactive adrenal pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells, and the concentration-dependent ability of GSPE to protect these cells. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to determine intracellular oxidized states. Approximately 5.8- and 4.5-fold increases in fluorescence intensity were observed following incubation of macrophage J774A.1 and PC-12 cells with 0.50 mM H2O2 for 24 h, respectively. Pretreatment of the J774A.1 cells with 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L GSPE decreased H2O2-induced fluorescence intensity by 36% and 70%, respectively, while under these same conditions approximately 50% and 70% decreases in fluorescence intensities were observed in PC-12 cells. The results indicate that hydrogen peroxide significantly increases oxidative stress in these cells as demonstrated by the increase in intracellular oxidized states. Furthermore, GSPE can significantly protect against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in cultured J774A.1 macrophage and neuronal PC-12 cells. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Endothelins: Renal tubule synthesis and actions

1. Renal tubules and, in particular, the inner medullary collecting duct, produce endothelin and express cognate receptors. 2. Endothelins inhibit vasopressin-stimulated cAMP accumulation and water reabsorption in the collecting duct; endothelins may also inhibit sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubule and collecting duct. 3. Autocrine inhibition of sodium and water reabsorption in the inner medullary collecting duct by endothelin may play a role in maintaining extracellular fluid volume homeostasis. 4. Derangements in autocrine inhibition of sodium and water reabsorption in the inner medullary collecting duct by endothelin may be involved in the pathogenesis of the hypertensive state. 5. Nephron-derived endothelins may function in a paracrine manner to regulate interstitial, juxtaglomerular and vascular smooth muscle cell function.
Kinetic measurements of phosphoglucose isomerase and phosphomannose isomerase by direct analysis of phosphorylated aldose–ketose isomers using tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract A mass spectrometry based method for the direct determination of kinetic constants for phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) and phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) is described. PGI catalyzes the interconversion between glucose-6-phosphate (Glc6P) and fructose-6-phosphate (Fru6P) and PMI performs the same function between mannose-6-phosphate (Man6P) and Fru6P. These two enzymes are essential in the pathways of glycolytic or oxidative metabolism of carbohydrates and have been considered as potential therapeutic targets. Traditionally, they are assayed either by spectrophotometric detection of Glc6P with one or more coupling enzymes or by a colorimetric detection of Fru6P. However, no suitable assay for Man6P has been developed yet to study the reaction of PMI in the direction from Fru6P to Man6P. In the work presented herein, a general assay for the isomeric substrate-product pair between Glc6P and Fru6P or between Man6P and Fru6P was developed, with the aim of directly studying the kinetics of PGI and PMI in both directions. The 6-phosphorylated aldose and ketose isomers were distinguished based on their corresponding tandem mass spectra (MS 2 ) obtained on a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer, and a multicomponent quantification method was utilized to determine the composition of binary mixtures. Using this method, the conversion between Fru6P and Glc6P and that between Fru6P and Man6P are directly monitored. The equilibrium constants for the reversible reactions catalyzed by PGI and PMI are measured to be 0.3 and 1.1, respectively, and the kinetic parameters for both substrates of PGI and PMI are also determined. The values of K M and V max for Fru6P as substrate of PMI are reported to be 0.15 mM and 7.78 μmol/(min mg), respectively. All other kinetic parameters measured correlate well with those obtained using traditional methods, demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of this assay.
Arabidopsis Mutants Define an in Vivo Role for Isoenzymes of Aspartate Aminotransferase in Plant Nitrogen Assimilation

Arabidopsis contains five isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) localized to the cytosol, chloroplast, mitochondria, or peroxisomes. To define the in vivo function of individual isoenzymes, we screened for Arabidopsis mutants deficient in either of the two major isoenzymes, cytosolic AAT2 or chloroplastic AAT3, using a native gel activity assay. In a screen of 8,000 M2 seedlings, three independent mutants deficient in cytosolic AAT2 (aat2) and two independent mutants deficient in chloroplastic AAT3 (aat3) were isolated. Mapping of aat2 and aat3 mutations and the five AspAT genes (ASP1-ASP5) established associations as follows: the mutation affecting aat2 maps with and cosegregates with ASP2, one of two expressed genes for cytosolic AspAT; the mutation affecting aat3 maps to the same location as the ASP5 gene encoding chloroplastic AspAT. Phenotypic analysis of the aat2 and aat3 mutants revealed a dramatic aspartate-related phenotype in one of the mutants deficient in cytosolic AAT2. The aat2-2 mutant displays an 80% reduction in levels of aspartate transported in the phloem of light-grown plants, and a 50% reduction in levels of asparagine transported in dark-adapted plants. These results indicate that cytosolic AAT2 is the major isoenzyme controlling aspartate synthesized for nitrogen transport in the light, and that this aspartate pool is converted to asparagine when plants are dark adapted.
UICE: A High-Performance Cryptographic Module for SoC and RFID Applications.

In order to overcome proprietary algorithms with respect to the system manufacturers, a free cryptographic module, the Universal Immobilizer Crypto Engine (UICE), will be proposed. This UICE algorithm is tailored to 8-bit microprocessor architectures and is therefore very fast in software and hardware. The dedicated hardware implementation leads to a small gate count, because the registers for input and output are shared. The important non-linear function, here an 8 x 8 SBox, may be built as a gate array or small ROM with the advantage of flexibility. Several tests – statistical and random-number tests - have been performed in order to analyze the strength properties of the algorithm. So far no weakness was found after ten rounds of encryption. Although this cryptographic module was intentionally developed for RadioFrequency Identification (RFID) systems, it is a proper choice for all systems needing embedded cryptography such as SoC with bus encryption or firmware to be secured. RFID-Systems have become commonplace in access control and security applications, the usage and importance of cryptographic co-processors in RFID transponder devices has grown significantly. Improved vehicle security systems, also known as immobilizers, are required due to increased vehicle theft worldwide. Such devices provide high security at low cost and low power.
Mechanisms by which wind influences transpiration.

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Genetic influences in the epilepsies. Review of the literature with practical implications.

• We review hereditary influences in the epilepsies from the perspective of medical genetics. The recurrence risk for epilepsy in close relatives may vary from 2% to 5% up to 50% depending on the etiology of the seizure disorder in the proband. We emphasize the identification of specific disorders with single-gene inheritance that will lead to useful conclusions regarding treatment, prognosis, and family counseling. Also discussed are chromosomal aberrations, polygenic inheritance, gene-environment interactions, animal models of epilepsy, and the pharmacogenetics of anticonvulsants. ( Am J Dis Child 1981;135:450-457)
Association of kinesin with the Golgi apparatus in rat hepatocytes

The Golgi apparatus is a dynamic membranous structure, which has been observed to alter its location and morphology during the cell cycle and after microtubule disruption. These dynamics are believed to be supported by a close structural interaction of the Golgi with the microtubule cytoskeleton and associated motor enzymes. One microtubule-dependent motor enzyme, kinesin, has been implicated in Golgi movement and function although direct evidence supporting this interaction is lacking. In this study, we utilized two well-characterized kinesin antibodies in conjunction with subcellular fractionation techniques, immunoblot analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy to conduct a detailed study on the association of kinesin with the Golgi and other membranous organelles in a polarized epithelial cell, the primary rat hepatocyte. We found that kinesin represents approximately 0.3% of total protein in rat liver homogenates, with approximately 30% membrane-associated and the remainder in the cytosol. Among membrane fractions, kinesin was concentrated markedly in Golgi-enriched fractions, which were prepared using two independent techniques. Kinesin was also abundant in fractions enriched in transcytotic carriers and secretory vesicles, with lower levels detected on fractions enriched in endosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes and mitochondria. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that kinesin is concentrated on Golgi-like structures in both primary cultured hepatocytes and rat hepatocyte-derived clone 9 cells. Double-label immunofluorescence demonstrated that kinesin staining colocalizes with the Golgi marker, alpha-mannosidase II, in both cell types. These results provide compelling evidence showing that kinesin is associated with the Golgi complex in cells and implicate this motor enzyme in Golgi structure, function and dynamics.
Cardiac-restricted angiotensin-converting enzyme overexpression causes conduction defects and connexin dysregulation

Renin-angiotensin (RAS) system activation is associated with an increased risk of sudden death. Previously, we used cardiac-restricted angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) overexpression to construct a mouse model of RAS activation. These ACE 8/8 mice die prematurely and abruptly. Here, we have investigated cardiac electrophysiological abnormalities that may contribute to early mortality in this model. In ACE 8/8 mice, surface ECG voltages are reduced. Intracardiac electrograms showed atrial and ventricular potential amplitudes of 11% and 24% compared with matched wild-type (WT) controls. The atrioventricular (AV), atrio-Hisian (AH), and Hisian-ventricular (HV) intervals were prolonged 2.8-, 2.6-, and 3.9-fold, respectively, in ACE 8/8 vs. WT mice. Various degrees of AV nodal block were present only in ACE 8/8 mice. Intracardiac electrophysiology studies demonstrated that WT and heterozygote (HZ) mice were noninducible, whereas 83% of ACE 8/8 mice demonstrated ventricular tachycardia with burst pacing. Atrial connexin 40 (Cx40) and connexin 43 (Cx43) protein levels, ventricular Cx43 protein level, atrial and ventricular Cx40 mRNA abundances, ventricular Cx43 mRNA abundance, and atrial and ventricular cardiac Na(+) channel (Scn5a) mRNA abundances were reduced in ACE 8/8 compared with WT mice. ACE 8/8 mice demonstrated ventricular Cx43 dephosphorylation. Atrial and ventricular L-type Ca(2+) channel, Kv4.2 K(+) channel alpha-subunit, and Cx45 mRNA abundances and the peak ventricular Na(+) current did not differ between the groups. In isolated heart preparations, a connexin blocker, 1-heptanol (0.5 mM), produced an electrophysiological phenotype similar to that seen in ACE 8/8 mice. Therefore, cardiac-specific ACE overexpression resulted in changes in connexins consistent with the phenotype of low-voltage electrical activity, conduction defects, and induced ventricular arrhythmia. These results may help explain the increased risk of arrhythmia in states of RAS activation such as heart failure.
Bradykinin-Induced Dilation of Human Coronary Arterioles Requires NADPH Oxidase–Derived Reactive Oxygen Species

Objective— Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor in human coronary arterioles (HCAs). H2O2 mediates bradykinin (BK)-induced vasodilation and reduces bioavailability of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs); however, the cellular and enzymatic source of H2O2 is unknown. Methods and Results— NADPH oxidase expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Superoxide and H2O2 production was assayed in HCAs and human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) using dihydroethidium and dichlorodihydrofluorescein histofluorescence, respectively. Superoxide was quantified by HPLC separation of dihydroethidium products. Diameter changes of HCAs were measured by videomicroscopy. NADPH oxidase subunits Nox1, Nox2, Nox4, p22, p47, and p67 were each expressed in HCA endothelium. In HCAs or HCAECs incubated with dihydroethidium and dichlorodihydrofluorescein, BK induced superoxide and H2O2 formation, which was inhibited by gp91ds-tat or apocynin but not by gp91scram-tat or rotenone. HPLC...