cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endotoxins in cholera and pertussis toxins interfere with in vivo responses to these agents in the albino rabbit eye

Intravitreal injections of cholera or pertussis toxin (CTX or PTX, 0.5–1 μg/eye) decreased intraocular pressure (IOP) up to 50% in the albino rabbit eye, which lasted up to six days. Both toxins were active on G-proteins as determined by in vitro and in vivo effects on ciliary process adenylyl cyclase activity and by ADP ribosylation of G-protein α-subunits with 32P-NAD. However, forty-two hours after toxin injection aqueous humor proteins increased from control levels of 0.8–1.2 nig/ml to 8–25 mg/ml. Both toxins contained 1–3 parts per thousand endotoxin sufficient to cause the IOP and aqueous humor protein responses observed. We conclude that the in vivo responses to intraocular CTX or PTX obtained from commercial sources may not provide unequivocal evidence for the role(s) of G-proteins in aqueous humor dynamics, and must be interpreted with caution.
A Calcium-dependent Tyrosine Kinase Splice Variant in Human Monocytes: ACTIVATION BY A TWO-STAGE PROCESS INVOLVING ADHERENCE AND A SUBSEQUENT INTRACELLULAR SIGNAL

Freshly isolated human monocytes do not express p125FAK but upon adherence to substrata activate the highly related calcium-dependent tyrosine kinase (CADTK), also known as Pyk2, CAKβ, RAFTK, and FAK2. The monocyte CADTK was 5 kDa smaller than protein from epithelial cells; isolation and sequencing of the monocyte CADTK cDNA revealed a predicted 42-amino acid deletion between the two proline-rich domains of the enzyme. The nucleic acid sequence suggests that the deletion is caused by alternative RNA splicing. This species was also found in T and B lymphocytes and appears to be the predominant form of cytoskeletal associated tyrosine kinase in non-neoplastic, circulating, hematopoietic cells. CADTK was not activated when monocytes maintained in suspension were treated with agents that produce an intracellular calcium (thapsigargin) or protein kinase C (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) signal including a chemokine, RANTES, that binds to the HIV co-receptor, CCK5. In contrast, monocyte adherence to tissue culture plastic-stimulated CADTK tyrosine phosphorylation, a process that was enhanced by thapsigargin, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and RANTES but that was completely blocked by preincubation with cytochalasin D. When compared with plastic, adherence to fibronectin- or collagen-coated surfaces produced only minimal CADTK activation but permitted significant stimulation by added thapsigargin. These data suggest that in a cell type that lacks p125FAK, CADTK plays an early role in post-adherence signaling. Its activation involves two stages, cytoskeletal engagement, which is permissive, and co-stimulatory signals (calcium or protein kinase C) generated by extensive cell surface engagement, agonists, or inflammatory chemokines.
Systems-based approaches toward wound healing

Wound healing in the pediatric patient is of utmost clinical and social importance because hypertrophic scarring can have aesthetic and psychological sequelae, from early childhood to late adolescence. Wound healing is a well-orchestrated reparative response affecting the damaged tissue at the cellular, tissue, organ, and system scales. Although tremendous progress has been made toward understanding wound healing at the individual temporal and spatial scales, its effects across the scales remain severely understudied and poorly understood. Here, we discuss the critical need for systems-based computational modeling of wound healing across the scales, from short-term to long-term and from small to large. We illustrate the state of the art in systems modeling by means of three key signaling mechanisms: oxygen tension-regulating angiogenesis and revascularization; transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) kinetics controlling collagen deposition; and mechanical stretch stimulating cellular mitosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. The complex network of biochemical and biomechanical signaling mechanisms and the multiscale character of the healing process make systems modeling an integral tool in exploring personalized strategies for wound repair. A better mechanistic understanding of wound healing in the pediatric patient could open new avenues in treating children with skin disorders such as birth defects, skin cancer, wounds, and burn injuries.
Duplex and hairpin dimer structures for perylene diimide–oligonucleotide conjugates

Perylene diimide-oligonucleotide conjugates can form either duplex or hairpin dimer structures, depending upon the choice of oligonucleotide base sequence; we have used a combination of optical spectroscopy and molecular modeling to investigate the structures of the duplex and hairpin dimer.
Stroboscopic observation of quadrupole hyperfine interactions

Abstract A stroboscopic technique for the observation of quadrupole hyperfine interactions of isomeric nuclear states has been successfully developed. The inherent precision and resolution of this technique have been demonstrated by measuring the quadrupole hyperfine frequency for 69 Ge( 9 2 + 1 , τ = 4.0μ) in Zn metal at several temperatures; ω0 = [19.67 ± 0.06] × 106 s−1 (at 623 ± 3 K).
High-level mobility controller for a remotely operated unmanned land vehicle

The U.S. Army Laboratory Command, as part of the Department of Defense Robotics Testbed Program, is developing a testbed for cooperative, real-time control of unmanned land vehicles. The program entails the development and integration of many elements which allow the vehicles to perform both autonomous and teleoperated functions. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is supporting this program by developing the vehicle control system using the Real-time Control System (RCS) architecture. RCS is a hierarchical, sensory-based control system, initially developed for the control of industrial robots and automated manufacturing systems. NIST is developing the portions of RCS that control all vehicle mobility functions, coordinate the operations of the other subsystems on the vehicle, and communicate between the vehicle and the remote operator control station. This paper reviews the overall control system architecture, the design and implementation of the mobility and communication functions, and results from recent testing.
Resistance of cytotoxic T lymphocytes to lysis by a clone of cytotoxic T lymphocytes

Abstract To investigate how cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) avoid killing themselves when they destroy target cells, we compared 20 different cell lines as target cells, including several CTL cell lines, for their susceptibility to lysis by CTL. Variations in recognition of this diverse set of target cells was circumvented by attaching to all of them a monoclonal antibody to the antigen-specific receptor of a cloned CTL cell line (clone 2C) and using the 2C cell line as the standard aggressor or effector cell. All of the nine tumor cell lines and the four noncytolytic T-helper cell lines tested as targets were highly susceptible to lysis by the aggressor CTL, but seven cytotoxic T-cell lines (six CTL and one T-helper cell line with cytotoxic activity) were largely resistant. These results, and the use of the lectin Con A as an alternative means for triggering CTL activity, point clearly to a level of resistance that could enable CTL to avoid their own destruction when they lyse target cells. The resistance of the cytolytic T cells did not appear to be accompanied by a similar resistance to complement-mediated lysis, indicating that mechanisms of CTL-mediated and complement-mediated lysis are not identical.
Metal-insulator transition in rare-gas-alkali-metal thin films

We report measurements of the conductivity and optical absorption in KrRb and XeCs thin films through the composition range spanning the metal-insulator transition. It is argued from chemical properties of the constituents that the conductivity loss must take the form of a percolative transition. In agreement with this assignment, the optical absorption shows no discontinuous or even marked change through the transitions. "Metallic" and "excitonic" features both persist on each side of the observed transitions in the two systems. The resistivity in metal-rich alloys yields residual resistivities for rare-gas impurities close to the values expected of vacancies, and the resistivity transitions at \ensuremath{\sim} 75 at.% rare gas conform rather closely to the prediction of percolation theory.
Partial Pressures for Several In-Se Compositions from Optical Absorbance of the Vapor

The optical absorbance of the vapor phase over various In-Se compositions between 33.3–60.99 at.% Se and 673–1418 K was measured and used to obtain the partial pressures of Se2(g) and In2Se(g). The results are in agreement with silica Bourdon gauge measurements for compositions between 50–61 at.%, but significantly higher than those from Knudsen cell and simultaneous Knudsen-torsion cell measurements. It is found that 60.99 at.% Se lies outside the sesquiselenide homogeneity range and 59.98 at.% Se lies inside and is the congruently melting composition. The Gibbs energy of formation of the liquid from its pure liquid elements between 1000–1300 K is essentially independent of temperature and falls between −36 to −38 kJ per g atomic weight for 50 and 56% Se at 1200 and 1300 K.
Automatic scanning and measuring using POLLY

Abstract Effects of incorporating a human operator as part of the POLLY scanning and measuring system are briefly described.
Fluorescence studies of a local anesthetic-phospholipid interaction.

Abstract Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence data are reported for the local anesthetic dibucaine in the absence and presence of phospholipid vesicles. These vesicles were comprised of dimyristylphosphatidyl choline and ∼ 10% dimyristylphosphatidyl glycerol. Solute quenching studies show the bound drug to be protected from collision with iodide ion. The fluorescence lifetime of dibucaine is not significantly changed upon binding to vesicles. The fluorescence anisotropy of dibucaine increases upon association with the vesicles. Anisotropy decay measurements show that the rotational correlation time, φ, of bound dibucaine is increased about one hundred fold over that for free dibucaine. This indicates that the rotational motion of bound dibucaine is slowed by its interaction with the phospholipids. However, we find no evidence that the rotational motion of bound dibucaine is anisotropic.
Characteristics of filament induced Dammann gratings fabricated using femtosecond laser

Abstract To establish optimal processing conditions for direct write fabrication of diffractive optical elements such as gratings, waveguides, lenses, we have investigated the effect of process parameters such as scan speed, numerical aperture (NA) of objective lens, pulse energy on the characteristics of the filament induced inside fused silica with a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The optimum process parameters were used to fabricate a number of Dammann gratings, 6×6 array, having different thicknesses and number of layers. The performance of these optical elements was evaluated by measuring their diffraction efficiencies. All gratings fabricated were strongly birefringent, the zero order spot with high intensity was not separated from the spot array, and the intensity distribution of 6×6 spot array exhibited some degree of nonuniformity. The single layer Dammann grating fabricated with a thickness of 80 μm attained a maximum diffraction efficiency of 38.8%.
Genetic Diversity among Soybean Accessions from Three Countries Measured by RAPDs

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] was domesticated in China but has a long history of cultivation on the Korean peninsula and in Japan. All three areas are considered important sources of soybean germplasm. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the genetic variation in soybean within and among China, S. Korea, and Japan by means of 120 accessions from eight Chinese and three S. Korean provinces, and three Japanese districts; and to relate genetic diversity patterns to geographical regions. Genetic relationships were estimated by 115 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers with simple matching coefficients expressed as Euclidean distances. Hierarchical and nonhierarchical cluster analyses as well as principal component analysis were used to define relationships among the genotypes. The results indicate that the mean genetic distance within China is much larger than that within Japan or S. Korea, but smaller than that between China and Japan or S. Korea. Cluster and principal component analyses almost completely separated the accessions from China from those of Japan and S. Korea, but could not distinguish between the accessions from Japan and S. Korea. These results are consistent with previous research using enzymes and morphological data to classify soybean germplasm from Asia. The groups formed by cluster analysis were mainly based on the frequencies of RAPD fragments among accessions and generally reflected the geographical regions of origin. No clear relationship was found between latitude and genetic diversity among accessions from these countries. Although the soybean accessions from Japan and S. Korea originally came from China, these data indicate that current accessions from Japan and S. Korea are genetically very distinct from those from China and more similar to each other.
Frequency-Modulated Fault Locator for Power Lines

This paper describes the use of frequency-modulated radar techniques for accurate location of faults on power transmission lines. It includes the design of a prototype frequency-modulated fault location system. Test results of this system operating on a simulated transmission line are also included.
Resolving Conflict Between Mobility-Impaired Passenger Requirements and Freight Service on Mixed High- and Low-Platform U.S. Railroad Lines

One objective of this paper is to explain the conflict that has emerged and is growing between (1) requirements for passengers on wheelchairs and other mobility-impaired travelers for accessibility onto passenger trains, and (2) requirements for general freight service on the same tracks on certain types of railroad lines. The second objective is to present two designs for entranceways for railroad passenger cars that seem to resolve this problem, and also have additional benefits. This conflict emerges where high level platforms are used (at stations) on tracks that are also used by freight trains, because such platforms intrude into the normal clearance envelope of freight trains. High level platforms are now most commonly used in the Northeastern U.S., but more extensive use elsewhere is contemplated because of various benefits for passenger service. After presenting the problem, this paper reviews prior evaluations of various generic approaches to providing platform to train access —in foreign railways and in rail transit contexts – to identify characteristics of effective ADA-compliant solutions. Then two related new approaches designed for North American railroad conditions are presented. It is hoped that this paper will encourage research into this problem and the testing and ultimately the deployment of technologies that will provide effective transport for mobility-impaired travelers on the railroads while maintaining characteristics necessary for freight service.
Training Factored PCFGs with Expectation Propagation

PCFGs can grow exponentially as additional annotations are added to an initially simple base grammar. We present an approach where multiple annotations coexist, but in a factored manner that avoids this combinatorial explosion. Our method works with linguistically-motivated annotations, induced latent structure, lexicalization, or any mix of the three. We use a structured expectation propagation algorithm that makes use of the factored structure in two ways. First, by partitioning the factors, it speeds up parsing exponentially over the unfactored approach. Second, it minimizes the redundancy of the factors during training, improving accuracy over an independent approach. Using purely latent variable annotations, we can efficiently train and parse with up to 8 latent bits per symbol, achieving F1 scores up to 88.4 on the Penn Treebank while using two orders of magnitudes fewer parameters compared to the naive approach. Combining latent, lexicalized, and unlexicalized annotations, our best parser gets 89.4 F1 on all sentences from section 23 of the Penn Treebank.
Biophysical Parameters Influence Actin-based Movement, Trajectory, and Initiation in a Cell-free System

Using a biochemically complex cytoplasmic extract to reconstitute actin-based motility of Listeria monocytogenes and polystyrene beads coated with the bacterial protein ActA, we have systematically varied a series of biophysical parameters and examined their effects on initiation of motility, particle speed, speed variability, and path trajectory. Bead size had a profound effect on all aspects of motility, with increasing size causing slower, straighter movement and inhibiting symmetry-breaking. Speed also was reduced by extract dilution, by addition of methylcellulose, and paradoxically by addition of excess skeletal muscle actin, but it was enhanced by addition of nonmuscle (platelet) actin. Large, persistent individual variations in speed were observed for all conditions and their relative magnitude increased with extract dilution, indicating that persistent alterations in particle surface properties may be responsible for intrinsic speed variations. Trajectory curvature was increased for smaller beads and also for particles moving in the presence of methylcellulose or excess skeletal muscle actin. Symmetry breaking and movement initiation occurred by two distinct modes: either stochastic amplification of local variation for small beads in concentrated extracts, or gradual accumulation of strain in the actin gel for large beads in dilute extracts. Neither mode was sufficient to enable spherical particles to break symmetry in the cytoplasm of living cells.
The effect of elevated temperature on protein synthesis in cell-free extracts of cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Abstract The effect of elevated temperature on the activity of various components involved in protein synthesis was investigated in extracts from cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells. The translation of exogenous mRNA was markedly inhibited by preincubation of the extract for 15 to 20 minutes at 42°C. However, the following intermediary reactions were not affected, or only slightly inhibited, at 42°C: 1) the incorporation of Met-tRNA f into eIF-2·Met-tRNA f ·GTP ternary complex; 2) the interaction of the ternary complex with 40S ribosomal subunits to form the 40S preinitiation intermediate; 3) the binding of mRNA and 60S subunits to form the 80S initiation complex; and 4) the reactions catalyzed by elongation factors EF-1 and EF-2. The activity of Met-tRNA synthetase was markedly inhibited, affecting the formation of initiator Met-tRNA f required for the initiation of protein synthesis and the translation of natural mRNA. Other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases were not significantly affected by the elevated temperature.
Optimal maintenance, repair, and replacement for Great Lakes marine diesels

Abstract Reliability-based models are developed and implemented to rationalize current winter layup replacement practices for one-engine and two-engine Great Lakes marine diesel ships. A semi-Markov competing-process approach is used in our models, where the age-dependent system failure behavior is treated as a race among engine components. Howard's one-set competing process model is implemented and extended to two sets of competing processes. An efficient enumeration procedure is presented to select the replacement policy which produces the minimum expected cost for the operating season. Computer codes are developed using the above models, and several examples are considered. Sensitivity analyses are performed for several parameters for which we have insufficient or no information from the industry to see their influence on the minimal expected costs and corresponding replacement policies.
Defining bacterial meningitis and other infections of the central nervous system.

Objective: To define central nervous system infections of infants and children that occur as co-morbid or predisposing conditions of sepsis. Design: Standard pediatric infectious disease references and the pertinent literature in English were reviewed from 1960 to 2002 to ascertain the previous methods and definitions utilized in clinical studies of the epidemiology and treatment of bacterial infections of the central nervous system. An accepted definition of bacterial meningitis defined by the Infectious Disease Society of America was reviewed and adapted to the previous clinical definitions. The information was formulated into a proposed standard for definite, probable, and possible bacterial infections of the central nervous system. Results: The diagnosis of definite bacterial infection of the central nervous system, including bacterial meningitis, requires the isolation of the pathogen from the cerebrospinal fluid or other significant clinical site such as surgical tissue, an implanted device, or blood. Probable bacterial infection is defined by the association of a compatible clinical syndrome or cerebrospinal fluid changes associated with bacterial meningitis or other central nervous system infection, and confirmed as an anatomically defined infection by imaging or surgery, in association with positive blood cultures or bacterial antigen from cerebrospinal fluid. Possible bacterial meningitis may be defined as a compatible clinical syndrome with predefined cerebrospinal fluid changes in the absence of a confirmatory culture or antigen test from any site. Conclusions: Bacterial meningitis and other central nervous system bacterial infections can be defined as definite, probable, and possible with a combination of a defining compatible clinical syndrome and an anatomic definition by surgery or imaging, coupled with isolation of the organism, bacterial antigen, or other defining molecular component of the organism. (Pediatr Crit Care Med 2005; 6[Suppl.]:S14‐S18)
A Posterior Composite Case Utilizing the Incremental and Stratified Layering Technique

Composite restorations should bring out the artist in the dentist. Today's composites are made to produce highly aesthetic, functioning restorations. There are several systems from which practitioners can choose, and the techniques for each system can be daunting. Composite restorations are conservative and a viable alternative, if proper protocol is followed. Each manufacturer has its own steps for applying its composites; however, by following the sound basic principles for bonded restorations, the practitioner can apply these procedures to every composite system. Thus, by utilizing proper techniques and understanding the material, one can both achieve a predictable outcome and desired aesthetics. The case study presented here illustrates the necessary steps required to achieve an anatomical, functional and aesthetic restoration.
Chemical Studies of the Intrinsic Factor in Desiccated Stomach and Normal Human Gastric Juice. I. Separation of the Intrinsic Factor

Conclusions1. The intrinsic factor which is present in desiccated hog stomach and normal gastric juice may be salted out from a solution saturated with ammonium sulfate. 2. The intrinsic factor after salting out with ammonium sulfate is not dialyzable.
Characterization of the 1st and 2nd EF-hands of NADPH oxidase 5 by fluorescence, isothermal titration calorimetry, and circular dichroism

Superoxide generated by non-phagocytic NADPH oxidases (NOXs) is of growing importance for physiology and pathobiology. The calcium binding domain (CaBD) of NOX5 contains four EF-hands, each binding one calcium ion. To better understand the metal binding properties of the 1st and 2nd EF-hands, we characterized the N-terminal half of CaBD (NCaBD) and its calcium-binding knockout mutants. The isothermal titration calorimetry measurement for NCaBD reveals that the calcium binding of two EF-hands are loosely associated with each other and can be treated as independent binding events. However, the Ca2+ binding studies on NCaBD(E31Q) and NCaBD(E63Q) showed their binding constants to be 6.5 × 105 and 5.0 × 102 M-1 with ΔHs of -14 and -4 kJ/mol, respectively, suggesting that intrinsic calcium binding for the 1st non-canonical EF-hand is largely enhanced by the binding of Ca2+ to the 2nd canonical EF-hand. The fluorescence quenching and CD spectra support a conformational change upon Ca2+ binding, which changes Trp residues toward a more non-polar and exposed environment and also increases its α-helix secondary structure content. All measurements exclude Mg2+-binding in NCaBD. We demonstrated that the 1st non-canonical EF-hand of NOX5 has very weak Ca2+ binding affinity compared with the 2nd canonical EF-hand. Both EF-hands interact with each other in a cooperative manner to enhance their Ca2+ binding affinity. Our characterization reveals that the two EF-hands in the N-terminal NOX5 are Ca2+ specific.
Analysis of Jet Aircraft Engine Exhaust Nozzle Entrance Profiles, Accountability, and Effects

Methods of averaging total pressure and temperature profiles at the entrance of jet engine exhaust nozzles were evaluated analytically. The concept of "conservation of ideal available thrust" was used to determine the best averaging technique. Results show that pressure profiles should be mass-weighted and temperature profiles should be "thrust"-weighted to determine properly the actual ideal thrust available to the nozzle. A brief analysis of profiles effects on converging-diverging (CD) nozzle performance was conducted using both analytical and experimental approaches. Results indicated that performance is unaffected by the presence of entrance profiles, provided that they are accounted for properly.
Transformative Learning Experiences of International Graduate Students From Asian Countries

This article investigates the transformative learning experiences of international graduate students from Asian countries. Data collection consisted of quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants included international graduate students from Asia, in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Engineering. Overall, 82.3% of the participants reported having experienced transformative learning, while 17.7% reported no transformative experiences. Among participants who experienced transformative learning, 31.8% of the transformative experiences were associated with education only, 33.3% were by both education and noneducation, while 17.2% were noneducational. Ten participants were randomly selected to ensure representations across gender, age-group, and college for follow-up interviews. Majority of the participants experienced transformative learning as a result of both educational and noneducational activities. Major life changes such as student and faculty support, classroom discussions, new life experien...
Patterns of Parent-Reported Homework Problems among ADHD-Referred and Non-Referred Children.

This study was the first to investigate patterns of homework problems, as assessed by parent reports on the Homework Problem Checklist (HPC), among children in general education and those referred to an evaluation and treatment program for attention-deficitihyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In Study I, parents of general education students in grades 3 through 6 (n = 675) completed the HPC. An exploratory factor analysis revealed two salient factors: Inattention/Avoidance of Homework (Factor I), and Poor Productivity/ Nonadherence with Homework Rules (Factor II). Study 2, an exploratory factor analysis of a clinic-referred sample (grades I through 8; n = 356), uncovered a factor structure that was highly similar to that of the general sample. For purposes of validation, the HPC factors were correlated with subscales from the Behavior Assessment System for ChildrenParent and Teacher Ratings Scales. These correlations demonstrated that Factor I was primarily related to aspects of homework functioning that are readily observable by parents (e.g., inattention, avoidance of work, and anxiety during homework); Factor II was primarily related to aspects of homework functioning that are observable by both parents and teachers (failure to accurately record homework assignments, and failure to complete and submit homework). The two-factor model is a useful way to conceptualize homework problems and has important implications for future practice and research aimed at improving assessment and intervention for children with significant homework difficulties.
University/industry (and government) interdisciplinary centers, programs, consortia, inter-relations, and initiatives

The formation of new US university/industry/government interdisciplinary technology development and transfer centers is discussed. The new joint initiatives are intended to help launch new technology research and development initiatives or regain areas under global assault. These consortia programs often involve improvements in design for manufacture, hastening technology transfer and commercialization, improving local and national competitiveness, and increasing the opportunity and appeal for technology-based economic development in the region of the university location. Issues discussed include center and program formation, time frames, challenges and risks, and funding and budgets. >
Acute Cerebral Gas Embolism from Hydrogen Peroxide Ingestion Successfully Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygen

Case Report: We present a case of an adult who suffered an apparent stroke shortly after an accidental ingestion of concentrated hydrogen peroxide. Complete neurologic recovery occurred quickly with hyperbaric therapy. Hydrogen peroxide can produce acute gas embolism. Hyperbaric therapy is the definitive treatment for gas embolism from hydrogen peroxide ingestion as it is for all other causes of acute gas embolism. This is the first case reported in the literature of hyperbaric therapy used successfully to treat cerebral gas embolism caused by hydrogen peroxide.
STRUCTURAL BASIS FOR THE STATIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE AORTIC MEDIA.

The arrangement and interrelation of the structural components of the rabbit aorta were studied by light and electron microscopy. Segments of abdominal aorta were restored to in vivo length and fixed in formalin or osmic acid while intraluminal pressures ranging from 0 to 200 mm Hg were maintained by a constant pressure perfusion apparatus. Transverse, longitudinal, and tangential sections of vessels fixed at various distending pressures were examined. Micrometric measurements included vessel diameters and wall thickness, thickness and waviness of elastin lamellae and interlamellar distances. With increasing pressures below the diastolic value, aortic radius increased and wall thickness decreased rapidly. Waviness of the tubular elastin lamellae decreased uniformly throughout the wall. Interlamellar distances decreased uniformly and markedly. Lamellar thicknesses decreased uniformly but much less than interlamellar distances. A fine fibrillary elastin network connected the thick lamellae. Collagen fibers ...
Line optical tweezers instrument for measuring nanoscale interactions and kinetics

We describe an optical tweezers instrument for measuring short-ranged colloidal interactions, based on a combination of a continuous wave line optical tweezers, high speed video microscopy, and laser illumination. Our implementation can measure the separation of two nearly contacting microspheres to better than 4nm at rates in excess of 10kHz. A simple image analysis algorithm allows us to sensibly remove effects from diffraction blurring and microsphere image overlap for separations ranging from contact to at least 100nm. The result is a versatile instrument for measuring steric, chemical and single-molecular interactions and dynamics, with a force resolution significantly better than achievable with current atomic force microscopy. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the instrument with measurements of the pair interactions and dynamics of microspheres in the presence of transient molecular bridges of DNA or surfactant micelles.
Health care utilization of chronic inebriates

. Chronic inebriates often use emergency services, including the emergency department (ED), because they lack other resources or access to primary care. Because of their complicated medical needs, which are often exacerbated by acute intoxication and related illness or injury, a relatively small number of acutely intoxicated chronic inebriates can stretch ED resources and contribute to ED over-crowding. Objective: In order to address this, as well as overutilization of other county services, three county programs were developed (ethnic- and genderspecific supportive housing; intensive street case management) to reduce emergency resource utilization while still providing a safe environment. This study determined the effectiveness of these programs. The authors hypothesized that program enrollment would reduce medical and detoxification (detox) expenditures for this patient population. Methods: Pre- and postprogram comparisons were made on the number of detox and medical visits, insured days, and charges. Data were retrieved (with patients written informed consent) from hospital and health plan billings and county databases. Descriptive statistics compared groups pre and post enrollment. Least-squares regression predicted total and non-inpatient medical charges. Results: Complete data were available for 92 of 122 patients (mean age = 47 years; 60% Native American; 93% male); seven had severe illnesses or injuries, skewing the mean. However, there were significant overall reductions in the median numbers of yearly detox visits (10 to 1) and medical visits (11 to 8), and in median medical charges (5,436 to 2,770) and total health care charges (9,297 to 5,218). The median number of days insured increased (284 to 353). By regression analysis, injury was the most important preprogram predictor of medical charges; illness drives charges post-entry. Alcohol-related visits added to the model before entry but disappeared post-entry. Conclusions: These programs reduced health care use for most patients. However, serious medical illness or injury in a small number of patients contributed heavily to resource utilization.
Insulae infortunatae: Establishing a Chronology for Late Quaternary Mammal Extinctions in the West Indies

This volume is devoted to recent advances in understanding megafaunal extinctions in the New World during the LQ (for this and all other abbreviations used in this paper, see Table 9.1). A chapter on endemic land-mammal extinctions on the islands comprising the West Indies may therefore seem out of place, because (1) few of the species that once lived on the islands would have qualified as megafaunal, even under a generous definition of that term; and (2) while the WI nonvolant mammal fauna eventually suffered near-total collapse, this happened quite recently, long after losses subsided on the mainlands. Yet to ignore the vicissitudes of the WI biota would be to overlook the only non-mainland context in the Western Hemisphere to suffer major LQ extinctions – one that might in principle help us to critically evaluate what we know, or think we know, about cause-effect relationships which forced dramatic losses elsewhere in the New World. For example, because of the proximity of these islands to the adjacent continents, any large-scale climatic changes sufficient to drive extinctions on the mainlands should also have had a determinable and coeval effect in the West Indies. If no appreciable effect can be detected given the data at hand – and, as we shall see, none has been – we need to ask why end-Pleistocene climate change should continue to be considered as the competent mechanism behind New World extinctions. As to the view that human impacts have been the prime movers in causing near-time extinctions, because Homo sapiens has occupied both islands and continents comparatively recently, losses due to direct anthropogenic effects should exhibit comparable features in both theaters. If features are not comparable, or seem to have worked on vastly different time scales, we need to ask why in this case as well. Finally, it is of great biological interest to assess, to the degree possible, how factors of physiology (e.g., body size) or macroecology (e.g., range collapse) that are putatively correlated with mainland extinctions might have affected the island fauna. Although cataloguing losses among Antillean birds and herps (including the often-overlooked chelonians) would also be pertinent to the development of these themes, in my view the story of faunal collapse in the West Indies is best told from the perspective of the group most affected, the mammals (for information on other vertebrate losses, see Pregill, 1981; Pregill and Olson, 1981; http://www.iucnredlist.org).
Intestinal Calcium-Binding Protein and Rickets

SummaryTo determine the influence of dietary phosphate deficiency and rickets on the level of intestinal calcium-binding protein, weanling rats were raised on 2 types of vitamin D-deficient diets. A group fed a rachitogenic diet, which was vitamin D-free, high in calcium, and low in phosphorus, developed rickets as measured by increased lactate formation after in vitro incubation of tibial epiphyseal cartilage slices. A second group, fed the same diet supplemented with phosphate, did not develop rickets. The level of intestinal calcium-binding activity was the same in animals raised on both dietary regimens and vitamin D administration induced an increase in binding activity of the same magnitude in both groups of rats. Thus the synthesis of calcium-binding protein appears to be independent of dietary phosphate deficiency and of the presence of rickets.
Effects of Retraction of Price Promotions on Brand Choice Behavior for Variety-Seeking and Last-Purchase-Loyal Consumers:

In the context of three laboratory experiments ranging from a computer simulation of purchases to actual product use by subjects, the authors investigate how in-store price promotions affect market...
Conversion of S-benzylglutathione to Benzylmercapturic Acid in the Rat.

Summary1. S-benzylglutathione was synthesized and fed to adult rats. N-acetyl-S-benzyl-1-cysteine was isolated from the urine of these animals and identified by analysis. 2. The results suggest that the benzylated tripeptide was hydrolyzed in the rat to yield S-benzylcysteine which was then acetylated via the mechanism proposed by Knoop.4
Nucleophilic aromatic substitution in chlorinated aromatic systems with a glutathione thiolate model

The conjugation of glutathione with chlorobenzene and di-, tri-, tetra-, and hexa-chlorinated benzenes via nucleophilic aromatic substitution was modeled for isolated reacting species by ab initio molecular orbital theory to provide an understanding of the intrinsic reactivity of unactivated chloroaromatic systems. Computations at the HF/6-31+G(d,p) level were augmented with electron correlation corrections using MP2 theory and density functional theory at the B3LYP level. Features of the reaction hypersurface were elaborated using thiolate (thiomethoxide) as the model for an enzyme-activated glutathione molecule. Unlike the similar reaction with 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene a known substrate with glutathione, no σ-complex or Meisenheimer complex was isolated as a true intermediate on the hypersurface. Instead, the σ-complex appears as a transition state, preceded and followed by two ion-molecule complexes in which the approaching and departing anions reside in the plane of the aromatic ring. Solvent calculations show a very similar hypersurface landscape with only one transition state and no intermediate. Activation energies are somewhat greater than for 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene owing to the lack of nitro substituents, which provide stabilization in these systems. Nevertheless, activation energies calculated at correlated levels indicate that these reactions are still feasible and consistent with experiment. Transition states and activation energies for dichlorobenzenes and polychlorobenzenes are lower in energy than for chlorobenzene implying greater stability conferred to the transition state by ortho and para substituents.
Image quality evaluation of motion-contaminated calcified plaques in cardiac CT

An automated method for evaluating the image quality of motion-contaminated calcified plaques in non contrast-enhanced cardiac CT was developed. This method consisted of using the rapid phase-correlated ROI (RP-ROI) reconstruction algorithm for generating a 4D series of calcified plaque images, and then extracting phase-correlated dynamic, morphological, and intensity-based features of the plaques. Velocity-based linear regression (VLR), multiple linear regression (MLR), and artificial neural network (ANN) regression models were used to predict plaque motion indices based on these extracted features. Since motion indices were reflective of the amount of motion that plaques underwent at multiple phases throughout the cardiac cycle, these indices represented metrics of image quality with respect to motion artifacts. Motion indices were predicted for sixty calcified plaques placed along the left and right coronary arterial trees in the dynamic NCAT phantom. In a five-fold cross-validation scheme involving independent testing groups of twelve plaques, average repeated measures concordance correlation coefficients for the VLR, MLR, and ANN models were 0.848 plusmn 0.022, 0.885 plusmn 0.014, and 0.950 plusmn 0.009. The motion indices predicted by the ANN regression model also were used to obtain optimal phases for image interpretation of individual plaques.
Human Perceptual and Phobic Biases for Snakes: A Review of the Experimental Evidence

ABSTRACTIn this paper I review the literature on the evolutionary origins of phobias and describe the current state of research on the neurobiology and developmental origins of ophidiophobia—fear of snakes. In doing so I compare experimental evidence related to evolutionary explanations for snake fears and phobias which are outlined in Seligman’s Preparedness Theory and Isbell’s Snake Detection Theory. These theories have been tested extensively using a variety of experimental paradigms aimed at determining the “innateness” of snake fears, the neural pathways involved in fear responses to snakes, and the perceptual biases associated with snake stimuli. However, in the vast majority of these experiments, the stimuli presented are photographs of snakes rather than the real thing. I argue that this point of methodology, while ironically supportive of the findings, is based on some assumptions about cognition and consciousness which run counter to neuroscience. In understanding human responses to snakes, we n...
Highlights of ICCAD 2016

Jointly sponsored by the IEEE Council on Electronic Design Automation (CEDA), ACM Special Interest Group on Design Automation (SIGDA), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society, the International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD) is a premium technical conference serving researchers, students, and practitioners in the EDA area. It also serves researchers in related fields such as computer architecture, circuits, device modeling, testing, formal verification, embedded systems, cyberphysical systems, and hardware security. For the second year in a row, the 2016 ICCAD was held in Austin, TX, USA.
Hepatic mRNA expression for genes related to somatotropic axis, glucose and lipid metabolisms, and inflammatory response of periparturient dairy cows treated with recombinant bovine somatotropin

Objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) treatment of periparturient dairy cows on hepatic mRNA expression for genes related to the somatotropic axis, insulin, glucose, and lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Holstein cows were enrolled in the experiment at 253 ± 3 d of gestation and assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: untreated control (n = 53), 87.5 mg of rbST (n = 56; rbST87.5), and 125 mg of rbST (n = 57; rbST125). Cows in the rbST87.5 and rbST125 treatments received weekly injections of rbST from -21 to 28 d relative to calving. A subsample of cows (control = 20, rbST87.5 = 20, rbST125 = 20) was randomly selected for collection of liver samples according to expected calving date, BCS, and previous lactation 305-d mature equivalent milk yield. Only cows that had liver sampled at -21 ± 3, -7 ± 3, and 7 ± 3 d relative to calving were used in the current experiment. Blood, sampled weekly from -28 to 21 d relative to calving, was used to determine the concentrations of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1, insulin, cortisol, fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, haptoglobin, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Liver samples were used to determine hepatic mRNA expression of 50 genes. Treatment with rbST increased growth hormone concentrations during the postpartum period (control = 9.0 ± 0.7, rbST87.5 = 15.3 ± 1.0, rbST125 = 18.5 ± 1.3 ng/mL) and increased insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations during the prepartum period (control = 107.4 ± 7.2, rbST87.5 = 126.9 ± 6.6, rbST125 = 139.4 ± 6.9 ng/mL). Control cows had greater postpartum concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate (control = 776.4 ± 64.0, rbST87.5 = 628.4 ± 59.7, rbST125 = 595.4 ± 60.9 µmol/L) than rbST cows. The rbST87.5 and rbST125 treatments upregulated the hepatic mRNA expression for somatotropic axis genes (GHR, GHR1A, IGF1, IGFBP3, and SOCS2) on d -7 relative to calving and upregulated the mRNA expression for SOCS2 on d 7. On d -7, rbST87.5 and rbST125 treatments increased mRNA expression for genes involved in hepatic lipid transport (ANGPTL4, APOA5, APOB100, and SCARB1) and downregulated mRNA expression for PPARD, which is involved in lipid storage. On d 7, rbST tended to upregulate the mRNA expression for genes involved in gluconeogenesis (PCK1) and fatty acid β-oxidation (ACOX1), and downregulated the mRNA expression for genes involved in inflammation (TNFRSF1A, ICAM1, CXCL1, MYD88, HIF1A, IL1RN, NFKBIA, and SOCS3) and oxidative stress (XBP1). Administration of rbST during the periparturient period may improve liver function and health by increasing hepatic capacity for gluconeogenesis and lipid transport and by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Differentiating Donor Age Groups Based on Raman Spectroscopy of Bloodstains for Forensic Purposes.

Developments in analytical chemistry technologies and portable instrumentation over the past decade have contributed significantly to a variety of applications ranging from point of care testing to industrial process control. In particular, Raman spectroscopy has advanced for analyzing various types of evidence for forensic purposes. Extracting phenotypic information (e.g., sex, race, age, etc.) from body fluid traces is highly desirable for criminal investigations. Identifying the chronological age (CA) of a blood donor can provide significant assistance to detectives. In this proof-of-concept study, Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics have been used to analyze blood from human donors, and differentiate between them based on their CA [i.e., newborns (CA of <1 year), adolescents (CA of 11–13 years), and adults (CA of 43–68 years)]. A support vector machines discriminant analysis (SVMDA) model was constructed, which demonstrated high accuracy in correctly predicting blood donors’ age groups where the lowes...
Chronopotentiometric determinations at solid electrodes

Abstract A technique has been developed for the accurate determination of several substances by means of chronopotentiometry. This method can be used even when the S and equation is not obeyed due to kinetic interferences. Various alloys have been analyzed for manganese using this technique.
The Evidential Value of Near-Death Experiences for Belief in Life After Death

Article exploring the issue of what evidential value near-death experiences (NDEs) offer for belief in life and death, including a survey of major positions on the issue.