cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aldose Reductase Inhibition Prevents Endotoxin-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Retinal Microglia

Retinal microglia become activated in diabetes and produce pro-inflammatory molecules associated with changes in retinal vasculature and increased apoptosis of retinal neurons and glial cells. We sought to determine if the action of aldose reductase (AR), an enzyme linked to the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, contributes to activation of microglial cells.Involvement of AR in the activation process was studied using primary cultures of retinal microglia (RMG) isolated from wild-type and AR-null mice, or in mouse macrophage cultures treated with either AR inhibitors or small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed to AR. Inflammatory cytokines were measured by ELISA. Cell migration was measured using a transwell assay. Gelatin zymography was used to detect active matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, while RMG-induced apoptosis of adult retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE-19) cells was studied in a cell coculture system.Aldose reductase inhibition or genetic deficiency substantially reduced lipopolysacharide (LPS)-induced cytokine secretion from macrophages and RMG. Aldose reductase inhibition or deficiency also reduced the activation of MMP-9 and attenuated LPS-induced cell migration. Additionally, blockade of AR by sorbinil or through genetic means caused a reduction in the ability of activated RMG to induce apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells.These results demonstrate that the action of AR contributes to the activation of RMG. Inhibition of AR may be a therapeutic strategy to reduce inflammation associated with activation of RMG in disease.
RNA conformational sampling. I. Single-nucleotide loop closure.

We consider the loop-closure problem for nucleic acids and describe an efficient numerical algorithm for closing single-nucleotide loops in nucleic acids. Using six new internal coordinates to represent the nucleotide conformation, which we call the R-representation, the original closure problem with six free torsion angles in each nucleotide can be reduced to one with only four degrees of freedom. Simple numerical techniques have been used to solve the resulting loop-closure equations, and a test of the closure algorithm on a set of RNAs consisting of more than 7000 nucleotides was able to regenerate the native torsion angles in every nucleotide in the test set without exception. We show how the conformational probability density transforms when the original torsion angle representation is mapped onto the new R-representation. We also present statistical evidence showing that the δ and ν2 torsion angles are coupled, and how this coupling affects the conformation probability density in the R-representation. In addition to the backbone, the same loop-closure algorithm can also be applied to close the ribose ring. The algorithm is freely available at http://tyrosine.use.edu/closure. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2008
A novel mouse mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel gene localizes to chromosome 8

Voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs) are small pore-forming channels found in the outer membrane of mitochondria. VDACs translocate adenine nucleotides and are the binding sites for several cytosolic kinases important in intermediary metabolism. Recently two human VDAC cDNAs (HVDAC1 and HVDAC2) were isolated, and possible orthologues of these genes have been isolated from mouse, bovine, and rat tissues. We report the isolation of a novel third VDAC cDNA from the mouse, designated MVDAC3. The deduced MVDAC3 protein is approximately 70% identical to the previously isolated MVDAC1 and MVDAC2 proteins. The MVDAC3 gene was mapped by an interspecies backcross panel to mouse chromosome 8. A database search using the mouse VDACs identified a second yeast VDAC-like gene that retains about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the mouse VDAC genes and 50% identity with the previously isolated yeast VDAC gene. The phylogenetic relationship of the eukaryotic VDAC genes is presented.
Adsorption of glucose oxidase onto single-walled carbon nanotubes and its application in layer-by-layer biosensors.

In this study, we describe the use of a sodium cholate suspension-dialysis method to adsorb the redox enzyme glucose oxidase (GOX) onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). By this method, solutions of dispersed and debundled SWNTs were prepared that remained stable for 30 days and which retained 75% of the native enzymatic activity. We also demonstrate that GOX-SWNT conjugates can be assembled into amperometric biosensors with a poly[(vinylpyridine)Os(bipyridyl)2Cl2+/3+] redox polymer (PVP-Os) through a layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly process. Incorporation of SWNT-enzyme conjugates into the LBL films resulted in current densities as high as 440 μA/cm2, which were a 2-fold increase over the response of films without SWNTs. We also demonstrate that the adsorption pH of the redox polymer solution and the dispersion quality of SWNTs were important parameters in controlling the electrochemical and enzymatic properties of the LBL films.
Co-morbid pain and psychopathology in males and females admitted to treatment for opioid analgesic abuse

The purpose of this study was to identify co-morbidity in a national sample (N=1408) of males and females entering treatment for opioid abuse. Our sample was primarily white, lived in small urban, suburban or rural locations (80%), and was well-educated. Chronic pain was a symptomatic feature in over 60% of all subjects. Furthermore, 79% of male and 85% of female prescription opioid abusers indicated that their first exposure to an opioid was a legitimate prescription for pain which subsequently led 60-70% to misuse to get high. Our data also indicate that the use of prescription opioids to get high represents the end stage on a continuum of substance abuse, beginning at a very early age. The age of first alcohol use, getting drunk, smoking, use of marijuana, stimulants and other non-opioid prescription or illicit drugs occurred very early (13-19) in prescription opioid misusers/abusers, whose first use of opioids did not occur, on average, until age 22. Finally, most of the sample had sought treatment 3 or more times for substance abuse prior to the treatment admission in which the survey was completed. Physical and mental health were very poor in both male and female prescription opioid abusers, but females were more ill and dysfunctional than males in all physical and particularly emotional domains. Our results suggest that a small number of "at risk" opioid naive pain patients, who might abuse their therapeutically appropriate opioid analgesics, can be identified by assessing pre- and co-morbid substance abuse and significant psychopathology.
Model of complex structural unit in condensed media

In the theory of petroleum disperse systems, the concept of the complex structural unit (CSU) establishes the layer-by-layer differentiation of components around the core. Molecules with the highest pair interaction potential (PIP) form the core of the CSU and molecules with lower PIP form the interfacial layer. To support the proposed CSU model, experimental data were analyzed on the heats of mixing of compounds of different classes (paraffins, naphthenes, aromatics) present in crude oils, and the mixing heats were correlated with intermolecular interaction energies. The change in the mixing heat values from an exothermic effect to an endothermic effect corresponded to a change to weaker intermolecular interactions. Two series of hydrocarbons with decreasing interaction strength were established.
The workplace of the organised church: Theories of leadership and the Christian leader

The issue of leadership is one that spans many organisations. While management literature has examined this topic in depth, little comment has been made regarding the legitimacy of traditional business leadership theories, developed primarily in the United States, for use in a values-based organisation such as the organised church. The unique spiritual nature of Christian organisations is in some ways at odds with the assumptions of traditional leadership models. That said, many churches in the United States and churches outside the United States, but influenced by US institutional structures, are desperately seeking improvement in both pastoral and organisational effectiveness. This research examines traditional treatment of leadership and identifies implications of traditional and more recent theories of leadership for pastoral leaders and Christian laypeople.
Clonal trisomy 8 is associated with myeloid phenotype rather than the neoplastic transformation in acute leukemia.

Our studies of an acute leukemia with a clonal t(1;11) marker have demonstrated a conversion from pre-B cell to myelomonocytic phenotype associated with the acquisition of trisomy 8. This finding suggests that trisomy 8, a frequent clonal abnormality in acute myeloid leukemias, may be associated with the myeloid phenotype rather than the neoplastic transformation. A permanent myelomonocytic cell line, designated UF-SK1, has been established from leukemic cells with a 47,XX, + 8,t(1;11) (p31;q25) karyotype and shown to have myelomonocytic characteristics, including phorbol ester-induced differentiation to macrophages. This new cell line will be a valuable tool in the study of leukemogenesis and lineage commitment.
Sins of Omission: Hisaye Yamamoto's Vision of History

I challenge both critical views as I reconsider Yamamoto's politics through an analysis of the vision of history evident in her work and in some key moments of her biography, with a focus on the postwar period that was the peak of her literary production as well as her political activ ity. Beginning with analysis of the debate over Herman Melville's Benito Cereno that erupts in her communication with Winters, followed by a reconsideration of Yamamoto's decision to leave her position as a journal ist for The Los Angeles Tribune (which Lee portrays as her retreat from politics), I trace the emergence of Yamamoto's decidedly counter-hege monic and anti-racist perspective toward history. Turning to "Wilshire Bus," "Yoneko's Earthquake," "Seventeen Syllables," and "The Legend of Miss Sasagawara," four of Yamamoto's best known stories from this era, I examine how this critical vision is expressed through the predicament of
A comparison of regional geochemical data from lakes and streams in northern Labrador; implications for mixed-media geochemical mapping☆

Abstract Labrador has been covered by reconnaissance-scale geochemical surveys under the National Geochemical Reconnaissance program. Lake sediment and water were the chief sample media, but stream sediment and water were employed in the mountainous terrain of northern Labrador. The main objective of these surveys was mineral resource assessment, but the data are also relevant to geological and environmental studies, and would be most useful to the non-specialist if the data from the two drainage types could be combined to produce unified element distribution maps for the whole region. A comparison of stream and lake data for a 5,700-km2 area where both drainage types were sampled suggests that only the pH of the lake and stream waters are directly comparable, showing a common range and similar spatial distribution. Comparing the two types of sediment, most elements show obvious differences in either median content or range or both, indicating that stream and lake sediment are geochemically distinct media, and their element contents cannot be compared directly. The distribution patterns of Cu, Ni and U reflect similar bedrock features in both sediment types. In contrast, Co, F, Fe, Hg, Mn, V and Zn show little or no spatial correlation between stream and lake sediment, but are strongly intercorrelated in the stream sediment data set. The sediments collected from lakes in Labrador represent disturbed column, about 40 cm in length, of organic debris that accumulated over the past several hundred years. Metal accumulation in the sediment is largely through fixation from inflowing surface and groundwater by microorganisms, coprecipitation with hydrous Fe and Mn oxides, sorption by clay minerals and chemical and biochemical processes at and just below the sediment/water interface. The stream sediments in this study were collected from active sediment, and represent principally the mechanical-weathering products of bedrock, with variable amounts of organic matter and hydrous Fe and Mn oxides. Considering the difference in the two sediment types, it is probably not surprising that there is rather limited spatial correlation between the geochemistry of the two sediment types indicating that to a large extent each medium reflects a different facet of the bedrock geochemistry. Only for a few elements should the data sets be merged. The degree of spatial correlation for U, Ni and Cu increases as the data are generalized by averaging into larger blocks, suggesting that the combined data sets will be more successful in defining broad crustal geochemical features rather than local details. The implication of this study for international geochemical mapping is that geochemical patterns for many elements are strongly dependent on the sample medium chosen. Therefore, when it is necessary to change sample media in passing from one terrain type to another, a comparative study must be carried out to determine how the geochemistry of the different sample media compare spatially.
Sortagging: a versatile method for protein labeling

Genetically encoded reporter constructs that yield fluorescently labeled fusion proteins are a powerful tool for observing cell biological phenomena, but they have limitations. Sortagging (sortase-mediated transpeptidation) is a versatile chemoenzymatic system for site-specific labeling of proteins with small (<2 kDa) probes. Sortagging combines the precision of a genetically encoded tag with the specificity of an enzymatic reaction and the ease and chemical versatility of peptide synthesis. Here we apply this technique to proteins in vitro and on the surface of living cells.
Some classes of second order functional differential equations

This paper is dedicated to the concise presentation of some results (mainly, existence theorems and behavior of solutions) related to functional differential equations of the form (E1)ddt[x(t)−(Lx)(t)]=(Vx)(t), or (E2)ddt[x(t)−(Lx)(t)]=(Vx)(t), in which L stands for a linear operator on a certain function space, causal and continuous, while V is acting on the same function space, but it is assumed only causal and continuous (in general, nonlinear). We provide several existence results, under various assumptions. Also, we show that, under extra conditions, the solutions can present various types of behavior on a semi-axis, or on the whole real axis. Some applications are indicated, and references are provided. The results have been obtained by the author and his former students Mehran Mahdavi and Yizeng Li, during the last ten years. Some results are published here for the first time. An earlier account of these kind of problems is given in [C. Corduneanu, Abstract Volterra equations: A survey, Mathematical and Computer Modelling 32 (2000) 1503–1528; C. Corduneanu, Some existence results for functional differential equations with causal operators, Nonlinear Analysis, TMA 47 (2001) 709–716].
Assessing Demand Response Resource locational impacts on system-wide carbon emissions reductions

Demand Response Resource (DRR) curtailments are generally triggered in response to economic signals, such as the locational marginal prices (LMPs). However, consideration of only the economic signals leaves out important information about the impact of the location of DRR curtailments on the system-wide carbon emissions. In this work, we use the marginal carbon intensity (MCI), the carbon emissions analogue of the LMP, to develop a metric which may be used by the Independent System Operator ISO to identify nodes at which DRR curtailments have the greatest impact on both LMP (and thereby consumer payments) and system-wide carbon emissions. Through illustrative simulations, we compare the outcome of various DRR cases and show the usefulness of the identification metric.
Ratiometric Activatable Cell-Penetrating Peptides Label Pancreatic Cancer, Enabling Fluorescence-Guided Surgery, Which Reduces Metastases and Recurrence in Orthotopic Mouse Models

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9)-cleavable ratiometric activatable cell-penetrating peptides (RACPPs) conjugated to Cy5 and Cy7 fluorophores to accurately label pancreatic cancer for fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) in an orthotopic mouse model.
Tidal channel classification for a low-mesotidal salt marsh

Abstract The 5 km wide low-mesotidal (1.3 m mean tidal range) back-barrier system of southern New Jersey is a complex network of tidal channels, salt marsh and lagoons. A 3 year study of the fair weather and storm flow and sediment dynamics within the tidal channel network revealed that the channels could be placed into two fundamental hydraulically based groups: through-flowing and dead-end. A classification for low-mesotidal tidal channels is proposed. The first group (through-flowing channels) act as conduits and are composed of two types with different functions, which either: (1) connect the ocean to the lagoon or, (2) connect two tidal channels. The second group (branching dead-ending channels) terminate in the salt marsh. Each of the three types are distinct and can be distinguished by a set of physical and hydrodynamic characteristics. Their importance varies during the evolution of the back-barrier setting when the environment changes from predominantly open water to predominantly salt marsh. Through-flowing channels apparently have a more prominent role during early stages of salt marsh development, whereas dead-end channels become increasingly important with time and dominate in the late stages when little open water remains.
Molecular basis for the inhibition of 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel drugs binding to their receptors by a nonspecific site interaction mechanism.

The "membrane bilayer" pathway (Rhodes, D. G., J. G. Sarmiento, and L. G. Herbette. 1985. Mol. Pharmacol. 27:612–623.) for 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel drug (DHP) binding to receptor sites in cardiac sarcolemmal membranes has been extended to include the interaction of amphiphiles within the lipid bilayer. These studies focused on the ability of the Class III antiarrhythmic agents bretylium and clofilium to nonspecifically inhibit DHP-receptor binding in canine cardiac sarcolemma. Clofilium was found to inhibit nimodipine binding with an inhibition constant of approximately 5 microM, whereas bretylium had no effect on nimodipine binding. Small angle x-ray diffraction was then used to examine the differential ability of these two Class III agents to inhibit DHP-receptor binding. The time-averaged locations of bretylium, clofilium, and nimodipine in bovine cardiac phosphatidylcholine (BCPC) bilayers (supplemented with 13 mol% cholesterol) were determined to a resolution of 9 A. The location of bretylium as dominated by its phenyl ring in BCPC bilayers was found to be at the hydrocarbon core/water interface, similar to that of the dihydropyridine ring of nimodipine. The location of clofilium as dominated by its phenyl ring was found to be below the hydrocarbon/core water interface within the hydrocarbon chain region of the bilayer, similar to that of the phenyl ring of nimodipine. The location of the dihydropyridine ring portion of nimodipine has previously been shown by neutron diffraction to be located at the hydrocarbon core/water interface of native sarcoplasmic reticulum, consistent with the small angle x-ray data from model membranes in this paper. Therefore, we speculate that the nonspecific inhibition arises from the interaction of clofilium's phenyl ring with the site on the calcium channel receptor where the phenyl ring portion of nimodipine must interact. The DHP-receptor binding pathway would then involve both nonspecific (membrane) and specific (protein) binding components, both of which are necessary for receptor binding.
Low-energy Formulations of Support Vector Machine Kernel Functions for Biomedical Sensor Applications

Although physiologically-indicative signals can be acquired in low-power biomedical sensors, their accurate analysis imposes several challenges. Data-driven techniques, based on supervised machine-learning methods provide powerful capabilities for potentially overcoming these, but the computational energy is typically too severe for low-power devices. We present a formulation for the kernel function of a support-vector machine classifier that can substantially reduce the real-time computations involved. The formulation applies to kernel functions employing polynomial transformations. Using two representative biomedical applications (EEG-based seizure detection and ECG-based arrhythmia detection) employing clinical patient data, we show that the polynomial transformation yields accuracy performance comparable to the most powerful available transformation (i.e., the radial-basis function), and the proposed formulation reduces the energy by over 2500× in the arrhythmia detector and 9.3-198× in the seizure detector (depending on the patient).
Results of Intraoperative 5-Fluorouracil Supplementation on Trabeculectomy for Open-angle Glaucoma

The success rate of filtration surgery has been increased by the postoperative subconjunctival injection of 5-fluorouracil, a potent antimetabolite. However, the optimal route of administration has not been determined. Trabeculectomy was performed on one eye each of 14 patients. Topical 5-fluorouracil was applied intraoperatively (50 mg/ml for five minutes) and subconjunctival 5-fluorouracil was injected postoperatively (an average of 5.8 injections) (mean total dose, 29 mg). Seven of the 14 eyes had primary open-angle glaucoma, and seven eyes had open-angle glaucoma with either uveitis, aphakia, or previous failed trabeculectomy. Mean preoperative intraocular pressure was 24.7 mm Hg during treatment with an average of three antiglaucoma medications, and mean final intraocular pressure was 11.9 mm Hg during treatment with an average of 0.2 medication. Thirteen of 14 eyes (93%) had final intraocular pressure of 18 mm Hg or less. Mean follow-up was 6.4 months (range, four to nine months). No remarkable complications occurred. Visual acuity remained stable in 13 of 14 eyes (93%). Intraoperative 5-fluorouracil may be a helpful adjunct in achieving low final intraocular pressure after trabeculectomy.
Leukotriene B4‐like material in scale of psoriatic skin lesions

Acidic lipid extracts of scale from the lesions of the skin disease, psoriasis, were purified by straight phase high performance liquid chromatography (h.p.l.c.). Assay of fractions by an agarose microdroplet chemokinesis method showed the presence of biologically active material that coeluted with standard leukotriene B4 (LTB4). LTB4-like chemokinetic activity was also detected in fractions collected on reversed phase h.p.l.c. of psoriatic scale extracts that were initially purified by straight phase h.p.l.c. No LTB4-like activity was detected after similar purification of scale obtained by abrasion of large areas of normal skin. The LTB4-like material found in extracts of psoriatic scale may play a role in the pathogenesis of the neutrophil infiltrate which characterizes psoriasis.
Nuclear acoustic resonance in tantalum at high magnetic fields

Abstract Nuclear acoustic resonance has been observed at much higher magnetic fields than previously reported for nonmagnetic materials. Marked differences between the Δm = 1 and the Δm = 2 line shapes in tantalum were noted.
Refractoriness of KB cell cultures carrying Japanese B encephalitis virus to encephalomyocarditis virus infection.

SummaryThe JBE virus showed partial CPE in KB cells. Cells not subject to the CPE grew continuously and entered a virus-carrying state. The JBE-carrying KB cell line was highly resistant to superinfection with EMC virus. The refractory state seems to be an intrinsic, noninterferon-mediated, interference.
A simple and inexpensive technique for closing trocar sites and grasping sutures.

ABSTRACT Grasping sutures during laparoscopic surgery is useful in closing trocar sites, repairing ventral hernias, and securing abdominal wall bleeding. This can be a cumbersome task through small incisions. An 18 gauge spinal needle and the suture of choice for accomplishing the job at hand can be used with a laparoscopic-assisted technique that is simple, inexpensive, and easy to learn. Surgeons performing laparoscopy should add this technique to their repertoire.
Effect of Semen Dose, Frequency of Insemination, Age and Productivity of the Male on Duration and Levels of Fertility and Hatchability in the Turkey

In 3 separate trials, duration and levels of fertility and hatchability were studied in 3 groups of Broad Breasted White turkey hens inseminated on 1, 2 or 3 successive days with 0.030 ml. semen. In the first test, hens in a fourth group were given a single insemination of 0.090 ml. semen. and those in the fifth group received 2 inseminations of 0.045 ml. The semen used in Trial 1, was obtained from males producing different levels of semen, and in Trials 2 and 3 the semen was from males of different age groups. Neither age of the male nor level of semen production appreciably affected duration or levels of fertility in turkey hens. However, duration and level of fertility were slightly better in hens given 2 or 3 inseminations of 0.03 ml. or 2 inseminations of 0.045 ml. of semen on successive days than in comparable hens given a single insemination of 0.030 ml. or 0.090 ml. semen. Hatchability was significantly higher (p = less than .05) in hens inseminated twice with doses of 0.030 ml. as compared with hens inseminated 1 or 3 times with doses of 0.030 ml. In 1 of 2 test years, hatchability in hens inseminated with semen from young males was from 7 to 12 percent greater than for comparable hens inseminated with semen from old males. Semen concentration and percent of normal sperm was generally higher in young males (39 wk.) as compared to older males (89 wk.).
Fracture toughness is dependent on bone location--a study of the femoral neck, femoral shaft, and the tibial shaft.

The fracture toughness of the right femoral neck, femoral shaft, and tibial shaft of matched cadaveric bones, ages 50 to 90 years, was compared. Results of this study indicate that tensile (GIc) and shear (GIIc) fracture toughness vary depending on bone location. The femoral neck has the greatest resistance to crack initiation for both tension and shear loading while the femoral shaft has the least. The relationship between age and the fracture toughness of the femoral neck and shaft was investigated. Gc of the femoral shaft significantly decreased with age for mode I and was nearly significant for mode II. Fracture toughness of the femoral neck did not change with age for the later decades of life. Implications of these findings are discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 49, 380–389, 2000.
Streamlining information science research and education

Abstract Information is needed by a variety of users for various purposes in private and public enterprises. Colleges and universities help meet this need by conducting research and by educating people in information science. The relevant education and research is provided in a fragmented manner by these institutions through business, computer science, and other programs (including library science, communication, and engineering). Each program provides partial, but not complete and integrated, information science education and research. This paper examines the various programs, defines the educational and research gaps, and proposes organizational changes that may streamline the educational and research process.
Adaptive control of tunable laser spectrometers for space flight applications

An architecture and process for the rapid prototyping and subsequent development of an adaptive tunable laser absorption spectrometer (TLS) are described.12 Adaptive in this context refers to the real-time autonomous response of software and electronics to the harsh and hard-to-predict conditions that can be encountered in space flight missions. This approach takes advantage of both software tools as well as highly integrated RTOS/FPGA hardware modules now commercially available. The current state of space-qualified tunable laser spectrometers is described, along with motivations for adaptability.
Scanning electron microscopy for materials characterization

Abstract Current materials are usually complex in chemistry, three-dimensional in form, and of rapidly diminishing microstructural scale. To characterize such materials the scanning electron microscope (SEM) now uses a wide range of operating conditions to target the desired sample volume, sophisticated modeling techniques to interpret the data. It also uses novel imaging modes to derive new types of information. These include depth-resolved three-dimensional data, and spatially resolved crystallographic data.
Global change, a catalyst for the development of hydrologic science

The scientific issues of global change have highlighted the importance and scale of the role of water in the earth system. A case is made for the need to recognize and pursue hydrologic science as a separate and distinct geoscience that cuts across the traditional atmospheric, oceanic, and solid earth sciences (Figure 1).
Doubly charged ion mass spectra: VI—Amines

Doubly charged ion mass spectra of 22 amines (2–10 carbon atoms) were determined using an Hitachi RMU-7L double focusing mass spectrometer. Molecular ions were not observed in the spectra of aliphatic amines. The most intense product ion peaks in the spectra of lower molecular weight amines resulted from hydrogen elimination from the molecular ion; however, as amine molecular weight increased the largest peaks resulted from both hydrogen and heavy atom elimination from the molecular ion. Dominant ions in the doubly charged ion spectra of lower molecular weight aliphatic amines were from reactions of [CnH3N]2+ (n:=2, 3, 4) type ions. The spectra of higher molecular weight aliphatic amines spanned a wide mass range. Appearance energies for some of the more prominent ions were measured in the range from 25 to 49 eV. A geometry optimized quantum mechanical self-consistent field molecular orbital treatment was used to compute the energies and structural parameters of prominent ions in the doubly charged ion mass spectra.
Glycolipid and Mucopolysaccharide Abnormality in Fibroblasts of Fabry's Disease

Cultures of skin fiibroblasts from a patient with Fabry's disease showed an accumulation of the glycolipid, galactosyl-galactosyl-glucosyl ceramide. Such cells also showed metachromasia on staining with toluidine blue and a markedly elevated acid mucopolysaccharide content.
Mueller-matrix description of collimated light transmission through liver, muscle, and skin

Propagation of polarized light through liver, muscle and skin was studied using the Mueller Matrix formalism. Collimated HeNe laser light was passed through a set of polarization elements to create one of four possible polarization states (horizontal (H), vertical (V) and 45- degree (P) orientations of linearly polarized light, and right circularly (R) polarized light). The beam passed through thin sections of tissue of varying thickness (0.2- 0.9 mm thick). The unscattered, collimated, transmitted light passed through a second set of polarization elements to analyze for transmission of each of the 4 possible polarization states (H,V,P,R). Transmitted intensities for 16 possible combinations of source and detector polarization yielded a data matrix that was converted into a Mueller matrix describing the propagation properties of the tissue. The results were roughly consistent with all three tissue types behaving as ideal retarders whose birefringent values, dn = (Delta) *wavelength/(2*(pi) *thickness), were in the range of 1x10-3 to 5x10-3 which is consistent with the literature. The order of the strength of birefringence was liver < muscle < skin. Although the above birefringence values may apply to muscle, the structure of liver and skin are not necessarily consistent with the ideal retarder model and further work is needed.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Action sports athletes as entrepreneurs: Female professional wakeboarders, sponsorship, and branding

This teaching case explores the sport of wakeboarding to examine how its female practitioners need to become entrepreneurial in order to make a living from the sport. Students ponder the financial pressures of becoming a professional female wakeboarder, and how to sustain momentum once one turns professional. The significance and inter-relationship of sponsorship and self-branding/promotion figure prominently. Costs of competing are high in the best of circumstances, and nearly insurmountable without corporate backing. Obtaining such support requires a healthy degree of marketing oneself. The female riders offer a number of anecdotes and recollections providing salience to issues concerning sustainability and gender inequity. Male riders may earn up to four times more on tour than female riders and there is pressure to adapt to the “boys’ club” to advance one's career. Earning a living through involvement in wakeboarding is difficult for women. Models of entrepreneurism are provided to guide student discussion in developing strategies to overcome issues for female wakeboarders making the sport financially attractive for female competitors.
Trace mineral concentrations in goat milk from French-Alpine and Anglo-Nubian breeds during the first 5 months of lactation

Abstract Concentration profiles of Mn, Cu, Al, Fe, and Zn in goat milk of French-Alpine and Anglo-Nubian breeds from onset to 150 days of lactation were determined. Respective overall mean concentrations of Mn, Cu, and Fe for all milk of Alpine and Nubian breeds for the entire experimental period were 0.33, 5.0, and 1.7 ppm (mg/liter). Nubian milk had significantly greater levels of Cu (1.36 vs 1.69 ppm) and Zn (7.9 vs 11.9 ppm) than milk of the Alpine counterparts. Declines in Fe and Zn levels from colostrum to mature milk in the Nubian breed were slower than those in the Alpine breed. Except for Mn, colostrum generally contained 2 to 4 times the mineral levels of mature milk, but the trends for the Cu and Al levels were not consistent. The levels of Cu and Zn were affected by breed, and those of Cu, Al, Fe, and Zn were influenced by stage of lactation. Interaction between breed and lactation period affected the levels of Mn and Fe. Correlations ( r ) among the levels of five minerals in the milk changed with stage of lactation. There were positive and significant r 's between the levels of Al and Mn, Zn and Cu, and Zn and Al.
Chemically induced dynamic electron polarization. Pulse radiolysis of aqueous solutions of micelles

Abstract Pulse radiolysis of aqueous micelle systems has been studied by time-resolved EPR. Chemically induced dynamic electron polarization (CIDEP) is observed in the spectra of the alkyl radicals produced. At all surfactant concentrations S–T O contributions to polarization are observed. At concentrations greater than the critical micelle concentration (CMC) excess emission is also observed in the CIDEP of radicals produced from micelles. The latter, S–T −1 contributions to polarization, apparently become important because of the reduction in diffusion in micelle solutions.
Blood Coagulation Changes Following Hypoxemia in the Near-Term Fetal Lamb

Summary: The effects of severe hypoxemia on blood coagulation factor activities and other physiologic parameters were examined in ten near-term chronically catheterized fetal lambs (135–140 days gestation). Six lambs were subjected to a mean Po2 of 13.8 ± 1.4 mmHg for 60 min. The other four served as controls. Before, during and after hypoxemia, the white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, pH, Pco2, Po2, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, norepinephrine and epinephrine were measured. Measures of coagulation factor activities including platelet counts, partial thromboplastin times, prothrombin times and quantitation of plasma activities for factors I, II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, fibrin degradation products (FDP), antithrombin III, fibrin monomer and ristocetin cofactor activity were also done. An increase in mean arterial pressure from 48 ± 2 mmHg to 56 ± 2 mmHg, and an increase in epinephrine from 22 ± 9 pg/dl to 419 ± 199 pg/dl, and norepinephrine from 431 ± 98 pg/dl to 2408 ± 868 pg/dl occurred in the hypoxemic animals. There was also a slight decrease in the pH from 7.37 ± 0.01 to 7.32 ± 0.03 in the hypoxemic animals. The only significant change in blood coagulation factors during hypoxemia was a slight increase in fibrin monomer from 5.6 ± 0.8 ±g/ml to 12.6 ± 2.0 μg/ml. After the experiment, the animals were allowed to go to term and deliver spontaneously. Delivery occurred from 2–12 days after the experiment (mean 6 days). Blood coagulation factor activities I, II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, antithrombin III, fibrin monomer, and fibrin degradation products were measured after delivery in the hypoxemic and control animals. Except for factor XII, values obtained from ten previously catheterized control fetal lambs after spontaneous delivery did not differ from the current control animals after delivery.
A CFD-based wind solver for an urban fast response transport and dispersion model

In many cities, ambient air quality is deteriorating leading to concerns about the health of city inhabitants. In urban areas with narrow streets surrounded by clusters of tall buildings, called street canyons, air pollution from traffic emissions and other sources may accumulate resulting in high pollutant concentrations. For various situations, including the evacuation of populated areas in the event of an accidental or deliberate release of chemical, biological and radiological agents, it is important that models should be developed that produce urban flow fields quickly. Various computational techniques have been used to calculate these flow fields, but these techniques are often computationally intensive. Most fast response models currently in use are at a disadvantage in these cases as they are unable to correlate highly heterogeneous urban structures with the diagnostic parameterizations on which they are based. In this paper, a novel variant of the popular projection method for solving the Navier–Stokes equations has been developed and applied to produce fast and reasonably accurate parallel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions for flow in complex urban areas. This model, called QUIC-CFD represents an intermediate balance between fast (on the order of minutes for a several block problem) and reasonably accurate solutions. This paper details the solution procedure and validates this model for various simple and complex urban geometries.
Reflections by an American on being a visiting professor in Italy.

feeding tubes for elderly patients with advanced dementia. Our most extensive and vigorous conversations centered on how to help families and patients engage in establishing goals of care, and avoiding unnecessary suffering and burden for both. Hospice and palliative medicine was a topic we returned to in discussions of other core geriatrics topics; e.g., dementia, nursing home care, pressure sores. Multiple students contacted me outside of class and after the end of the course, interested in more detail on many of the topics we discussed. Several expressed interest in research training in the US as part of their residencies, and we are continuing to correspond. I came from the experience with more than 40 new e-mail correspondents and with new mentoring roles for severOn a Friday in December of 2010, an Italian colleague at the University of Padova School of Medicine informed me that annual competitive grants, sponsored by an Italian regional Bank Foundation (Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo), were to be made available to non-Italian university faculty in all disciplines to teach courses during the upcoming academic year 2011-12 in Padova. The only challenge was that proposals were due on Sunday, barely two days later. Nonetheless, I outlined a one-month course of 4 hours of daily lecture and case discussion entitled “Fundamentals of Geriatric Medicine.” Mirabile dictu, two months later, I received notice of success; included was the expectation that I give a public lecture during my stay, and of course I eagerly accepted – more about the lecture later. My students were to be residents in geriatrics at varied levels of post-graduate training; it was uncertain how many residents would enroll in my course; I was told to expect 10 to 15. I then began to cope with the need to develop syllabi and slide sets to cover the most important topics in geriatrics. From May through early September, I wrote course materials, and arrived in Padova on October 1 with 20 flash drives loaded with lecture slides, exam questions and references for my future students. Thirty-five residents and varying numbers of faculty began and finished what was to be an exciting, challenging and deeply satisfying month for me. Formal evaluation by the students is in progress, and early results suggest a positive experience for them as well. Although the students were accustomed to the European-style of learning – not as interactive as in the US – we soon spent increasing time in discussion. Still, lectures and working on test questions together were our dominant activity. The single most provocative topic for the students was end-of-life care, including advanced directives and POINT OF VIEW
Approximation of an optimal convective heat transfer coefficient

The problem studied in this paper is that of a heat source (electronic chip) placed on the top surface of a flat thermal spreader which is cooled by convection on the opposite surface. An optimal convection heat transfer coefficient yielding maximal heat removal from the chip is found using an optimal control technique. We control the solution of the heat equation with the convective boundary condition, taking the heat transfer coefficient as the control. We show the existence and uniqueness of an optimal control. A conjugate gradient method is used to solve the optimal control problem. The results show that the temperature distributions corresponding to the controlled solution are lower and display a flatter profile than those corresponding to the uncontrolled solution. This study can provide guidance in designing micro heat pipe heat sinks, which have emerged as an effective technique for cooling electronic components. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of FISH and Quantitative RT-PCR for the Diagnosis and Follow-Up of BCR-ABL-Positive Leukemias

Background: For Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) leukemias (chronic myelogenous leukemia [CML], acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL], and rare other leukemias), both allogeneic transplantation and treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors offer chances of molecular remission (the molecular marker being consistently undetectable). Molecular remission is defined as a reduction in the quantification of BCR-ABL transcripts to an undetectable level by molecular diagnostic methods, and is considered as a surrogate marker for cure or long-term disease control. The molecular diagnostic methods including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) are more sensitive than classical cytogenetic analysis for the detection of BCR-ABL positive cells. QRT-PCR, due to its superior sensitivity, is considered the gold standard for the follow-up of Ph+ leukemias treated with imatinib. Aim: The objective of our study was to compare the diagnostic and clinical usefulness of FISH and QRT-PCR at different timepoints for Ph+ leukemias. Patients and methods: We investigated 23 unselected patients with Ph+ CML (n = 21) or Ph+ ALL (n = 2) at 77 different timepoints in a comparative study with both FISH and QRT-PCR using commercially available reagents in a routine laboratory. Results: Our study demonstrated a good correlation of QRT-PCR with FISH in detecting the BCR-ABL fusion gene among patients with CML or ALL (coefficient of correlation = 0.77493, p < 0.0001, using Spearman’s correlation procedure). All newly diagnosed or untreated cases were positive with both methods. Lower coefficients of correlation were found when FISH and QRT-PCR were correlated with the white blood cell count (WBC). An overall concordance of FISH and QRT-PCR (being either negative or positive in both tests) was found in 65 cases (84.4%) and a discrepancy identified in 12 cases (15.6%). Conclusions: We confirm that QRT-PCR allows precise measurement of low levels of BCR-ABL transcripts and can serve as a sensitive indicator for minimal residual disease. In addition, we demonstrate in most cases a good correlation of QRT-PCR with FISH in detecting the BCR-ABL fusion gene among patients with CML or Ph+ ALL. FISH is not suitable for monitoring minimal residual disease.
ISRM Suggested method for determination of the Schmidt hammer rebound hardness: Revised version ☆

With its portable, simple and affordable attributes, the Schmidt hammer (SH) is an ideal index apparatus, which underlies its increasing popularity and expanding range of applications. The SH rebound hardness value (R) is perhaps the most frequently used index in rock mechanics practice for estimating the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and the modulus of elasticity (E) of intact rock both in laboratory conditions and in situ. The SH is also widely used for estimating the (UCS) of discontinuity walls and assessing the workability, excavatability and boreability of rocks by mechanical means (cutting, polishing, milling, crushing and fragmentation processes in quarrying, drilling and tunneling).
Factors Associated with Dysphagia in Individuals with High Tetraplegia

The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with dysphagia in individuals with high tetraplegia. The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) has a high tetraplegia program utilizing experienced Speech Pathologists in the early evaluation of dysphagia and in appropriate intervention in individuals with high tetraplegia. The factors associated with dysphagia were ASIA impairment level, intubation, mechanical ventilation, and pulmonary infections. The earlier individuals were admitted to SCVMC, the less likely they were to have pulmonary complications, which may be a result of early screening by the SCVMC Speech Pathology Department for dysphagia.
Behavior of Turbulence Flowing Through a Compressor Cascade

The behavior of grid turbulence flowing through a compressor cascade has been measured and compared with basic predictions using rapid distortion theory (RDT). The cascade, operated at a chord Reynolds number of 3.8 × × 10 5 ,p roduces a turning of 11.8 deg. The inflow turbulence had an intensity of 3.1%, a longitudinal integral scale equivalent to 26% of the upstream projected blade spacing, and spectral and correlation properties consistent with the expectations of homogeneous isotropic turbulence. Near the passage center, the freestream decay of turbulence stresses and spectra is substantially modified by the deceleration and turning of the flow. Near the blades, the turbulence is additionally modified by the blocking of normal velocity fluctuations. Overall, we find the evolution of turbulence through the cascade, including its spectrum and space time correlations, to be quantitatively consistent with RDT effects superimposed over a background of viscous decay. This suggests that, at least in circumstances similar to those modeled here, RDT may offer a viable approach for the calculation of the modification of turbulence passing through a blade row.