cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systematics and Distribution of Two Chromosome Forms in the Southern Grasshopper Mouse, Genus Onychomys

Chromosomes from 61 individuals representing 20 populations currently referable to Onychomys torridus were examined from Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Two distinct karyotypes were observed. In both chromosome forms the diploid number was 48. The principal differences reside in the morphology of biarmed chromosomes and number of acrocentric chromosomes. A contact zone between the two cytotypes was located in southwestern New Mexico. Based on karyotypes, no hybrid nor backcross individual was detected. These data indicate that two species have been included under the name O. torridus . The name arenicola is the oldest available name and is herein raised to specific rank. A morphometric analysis using 12 cranial and six external measurements was carried out on a total of 363 specimens representing both cytotypes. Age, secondary sexual, and geographic variation were analyzed. A final discriminant analysis showed significant separation between the two species.
Buddhist Mind and Matter

Classic Buddhist thought understands the mind as arising in dependence on the body. This causal dependence may be fashioned as a kind of “Buddhist materialism”. However, this should not be confused with any variety of scientific materialism, in which ontological and/or causal reductions of mind to brain affirm matter as the fundamental entity or property. Buddhist materialism, in contrast, is a purely phenomenological description that rejects both “mind” and “matter” as entities possessing substance or essential natures. This view questions the presumption that matter is external, real, and scientifically accessible, whereas mind is internal, subjective, and harder to empirically observe. Instead, perceptions of mind and matter are understood to be different kinds of experiences of equal phenomenological reality.
Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanoparticles for Protection and Delayed Release of Enzymes in Alkaline pH and at Elevated Temperature during Hydraulic Fracturing of Oil Wells

Please note that this is an author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication following peer review. The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.com
Persistent Infections of Salmonid Cell Lines with Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus (IPNV): A Model for the Carrier State in Trout

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) persistence in carrier brook trout and persistently infected cell lines was examined. Viral persistence in vivo and in vitro was characterized by a fluctuating release of infectious virus (<101.6 to 106.0 TCID50/g or ml) in the absence of external signs or cytopathic effects. Infectious center assays indicated that virus was produced by less than 1% of the cell population of persistently infected lines and carrier trout kidney tissues. Antibody was not involved in viral persistence in vitro and its role in vivo was not clear. Interferon was not detected in the two persistently infected lines or in the sera of carrier trout examined in this study. Viral replication in one of these cell lines was controlled instead by the presence of defective interfering (DI) virus which had the capability of interfering with infectious virus multiplication and viral-induced cell lysis. The similarities of viral persistence in cell lines and carrier brook trout suggested that the same virus host cell interactions occur in vitro and in vivo.
Delivery of Gender-Sensitive Comprehensive Primary Care to Women Veterans: Implications for VA Patient Aligned Care Teams

The Veterans Health Administration (VA) has undertaken a major initiative to transform primary care delivery through implementation of Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACTs). Based on the patient-centered medical home concept, PACTs aim to improve access, continuity, coordination, and comprehensiveness using team-based care that is patient driven and patient centered. However, how PACT principles should be applied to meet the needs of special populations, including women veterans, is not entirely clear. While historical differences in military participation meant women veterans were rarely seen in VA healthcare settings, they now represent the fastest growing segment of new VA users. They also have complex healthcare needs, adding gender-specific services and other needs to the spectrum of services that the VA must deliver. These trends are changing the VA landscape, introducing challenges to how VA care is organized, how VA providers need to be trained, and how VA considers implementation of new initiatives, such as PACT. We briefly describe the evolution of VA primary care delivery for women veterans, review VA policy for delivering gender-sensitive comprehensive primary care for women, and discuss the challenges that women veterans’ needs pose in the context of PACT implementation. We conclude with recommendations for addressing some of these challenges moving forward.
Flow visualization study of post-critical heat flux in inverted flow

Abstract A visual study of film boiling was carried out to determine the flow regime transition in the post-CHF region for a transient bottom reflooding of a hot transparent test section. The effect of test liquid subcooling and inlet velocity on flow transition as well as on the quench front propagation was investigated. The respective ranges for liquid velocity and subcooling were 1.8–26.8 cm/s, and 20–45°C, respectively. The test liquid was Freon 113 which was introduced into the bottom of the quartz test section whose walls were maintained well above the film boiling temperature of the test liquid, via a transparent heat transfer fluid. The flow regimes observed down stream of the upward moving quench front were the rough wavy, the agitated, and the dispersed droplet/ligaments in agreement with a steady state, two-phase core injection study carried on recently by one of the authors. A correlation for the flow regime transition between the inverted annular and the dispersed droplet/ligament flow patterns was developed. The correlation showed a marked dependence on the void fraction at the CHF location and hence on the flow regime encountered in the pre-CHF region.
Carbachol Inhibits Insulin-Stimulated Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Activity in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells

SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells express muscarinic M3 receptors as well as insulin receptors, thus offering the opportunity to investigate possible cross-talk following activation of two distinct intracellular signal transduction pathways that convert the precursor phosphatidylinositol (PI) to its 3' phosphate or its 4' phosphate, respectively. In this study, the effect of carbachol on insulin-stimulated PI 3-kinase (PI3K) activity was examined in SH-SY5Y cells. Insulin addition to the cell medium induced a 10-26-fold increase in anti-phosphotyrosine-immunoprecipitable PI3K activity. Preincubation with 1 mM carbachol inhibited the insulin-stimulated PI3K activity in a time-dependent manner, with half-maximal and maximal inhibition times of 4 and 15 min, respectively. Atropine blocked the inhibitory effect of carbachol. Although carbachol did not change the amount of 85-kDa subunit protein regulatory unit associated with tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, either in control or in insulin-stimulated cells, it appears to decrease the amount of associated 110-kDa catalytic subunit protein in the latter instance. Because PI3K activity from SH-SY5Y cells has been shown to be inhibited in vitro in the presence of cytidine diphosphodiacylglycerol (CDP-DAG) or phosphatidate (PA), we examined the presence of these lipids in SH-SY5Y cells that had been treated with carbachol. Formation of both lipids was increased in a time-dependent manner following carbachol addition, and their increased levels are proposed to account for the observed in vivo inhibition of PI3K. Addition of the cell-permeable homologue didecanoyl-CDP-DAG to intact cells inhibited insulin-stimulated PI3K activity up to 75%, with an IC50 of 0.5 microM, a result that further supports a proposed lipid-mediated inhibition of PI3K. Exogenously added didecanoyl-PA, however, did not affect PI3K activity. The possibility that stimulation of the PI 4-kinase-mediated signal transduction pathway leads to down-regulation of the PI3K-mediated signal transduction pathway in vivo, via inhibition of PI3K by CDP-DAG or by other consequences of phosphoinositidase C-linked receptor activation, is discussed.
Maternal serum vascular cell adhesion molecule concentration during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE Vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1), a transmembrane glycoprotein known primarily as a mediator of white blood cell adhesion and extravasation from the intravascular space, is synthesized by vascular endothelial cells, macrophages, epithelial cells, and placental trophoblasts. Vascular cell adhesion molecule has also been identified as an angiogenic agent, and it appears to play an important role in early placental development. The expression of VCAM-1 is stimulated by cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, and interferon gamma, as well as by oxidatively modified lipoproteins. Our objective was to determine the concentration of soluble VCAM-1 normally present throughout gestation. METHODS Maternal serum soluble VCAM-1 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in healthy pregnant women. RESULTS In 78 patients, soluble VCAM concentrations ranged from 128.02 to 728.6 ng/mL between 5 and 39 weeks of gestation. Maternal soluble VCAM concentrations showed a negative correlation with gestational age. The mean concentration (+/-standard deviation) was significantly higher before 20 weeks (406.76 +/- 134.41 ng/mL) than at or after 20 weeks (346.04 +/- 111.20 ng/mL). CONCLUSION These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that VCAM-1 may play an important role in the normal process of placentation during early pregnancy.
The security kernel approach to secure operating systems

The security kernel is a disciplined approach to the organization and isolation of security-related functions. To guarantee completeness of the security kernel and enhance the possibility of formal verification, the design is based upon a mathematical representation of a secure system. The mathematical model most often used as the basis for kernel design is examined. A basic set of kernel functions is presented and issues relevant to kernel architectures are discussed.
The propagation of sound in the ionosphere

Abstract The propagation of a pressure-step discontinuity in an attenuating and dispersive medium is analyzed in the acoustic approximation. An exact solution is obtained, valid for all times and all distances. Approximate solutions for very short times and asymptotically large times are also presented. The range of validity of these approximations is indicated. The presence of an acoustic precursor signal, demonstrated by the exact solution only, appears to be a novel result.
In vivo visualization and functional characterization of primary somatic neurons

In vivo electrophysiological recordings from cell bodies of primary sensory neurons are used to determine sensory function but are commonly performed blindly and without access to voltage- (patch-clamp) electrophysiology or optical imaging. We present a procedure to visualize and patch-clamp the neuronal cell body in the dorsal root ganglion, in vivo, manipulate its chemical environment, determine its receptive field properties, and remove it either to obtain subsequent molecular analyses or to gain access to deeper lying cells. This method allows the association of the peripheral transduction capacities of a sensory neuron with the biophysical and chemical characteristics of its cell body.
Viable gravity-mediated supersymmetry breaking

We present a complete, viable model of gravity-mediated supersymmetry breaking that is safe from all flavor constraints. The central new idea is to employ a supersymmetry breaking sector without singlets, but with $D$-terms comparable to $F$-terms, causing supersymmetry breaking to be dominantly communicated through $\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{R}$-symmetric operators. We construct a visible sector that is an extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model where an accidental $\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{R}$-symmetry emerges naturally. Gauginos acquire Dirac masses from gravity-mediated $D$-terms and tiny Majorana masses from anomaly-mediated contributions. Contributions to soft breaking scalar $(\mathrm{mass}{)}^{2}$ arise from flavor-arbitrary gravity-induced $F$-terms plus one-loop finite flavor-blind contributions from Dirac gaugino masses. Renormalization group evolution of the gluino causes it to naturally increase nearly an order of magnitude larger than the squark masses. This hierarchy, combined with an accidentally $\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{R}$-symmetric visible sector, nearly eliminates all flavor violation constraints on the model. If we also freely tune couplings and phases within the modest range 0.1--1, while maintaining nearly flavor-anarchic Planck-suppression contributions, we find our model to be safe from $\ensuremath{\Delta}{m}_{K}$, ${ϵ}_{K}$, and $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e$ lepton flavor violation. Dangerous $\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{R}$-violating K\"ahler operators in the Higgs sector are eliminated through a new gauged $\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{X}$ symmetry that is spontaneously broken with electroweak symmetry breaking. Kinetic mixing between $\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{X}$ and $\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{Y}$ is present with loop-suppressed (but log-enhanced) size $ϵ$. The ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ associated with this $\mathrm{U}(1{)}_{X}$ has very peculiar couplings---it has order one strength to Higgs doublets and approximately $ϵ$ strength to hypercharge. The ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ could be remarkably light and yet have escaped direct and indirect detection.
Sufentanil transfer in the human placenta during in vitro perfusion

Sufentanil, a lipophilic opioid, is used to provide analgesia for labour and Caesarean section, but may cause neonatal depression. Factors affecting placental transfer of sufentanil were investigated using human placentas. Transfer and uptake of sufentanil by the human placenta were studied using a single pass (open)in vitro perfusion model. The effects of change in sufentanil concentration (1–100 ng· ml−1) and change in fetal pH (range 7.4–6.8) on placental transfer were studied. Placental metabolism of sufentanil and the effects of maternal protein content (fresh human plasma, albumin 4%, Media 199) on placental transfer were also investigated utilizing a closed (recirculated)in vitro perfusion system. Sufentanil transfer was 2% at five minutes and plateaued at 12% by 45 min. The clearance index (Cl =sufentanil clearance/antipyrine clearance) was 0.56 ± 0.2 for maternal to fetal (MTF) and 0.44 ± 0.2 in the fetal to maternal (FTM) directions (P=NS). The Cl was 0.5 ± 0.2 for 1 ng· ml−1 and 0.61 ± 0.3 for 100 ng· ml−1 sufentanil concentration (P=N.S.). The placenta contained 7.1 ± 2 and 9.8 ± 3 ng· g−1 sufentanil following MTF and FTM perfusions for 90 min at 1 ng· ml−1. The placenta did not metabolize sufentanil. After one hour MTF washout, placental sufentanil content was 2.3 ±.5 ng· g−1 with 0.08 ng· ml−1 sufentanil in the umbilical vein. Maternal plasma decreased MTF Cl from 0.41 ± 0.1 for albumin and 0.4 ± 0.1 for Media 199 to 0.17 ±.06 for plasma (P < 0.05). Decreasing fetal pH increased MTF Cl from 0.57 ±.13 at pH 7.4 to 1.6 ±.4 at pH 6.8 (P < 0.05). Sufentanil crossed the placenta by passive diffusion and accumulated in placental tissue, which acted as a drug depot, slowing the initial transfer. Placental transfer was decreased by maternal plasma proteins, but not by albumin. Fetal acidosis increased placental transfer. Due to its low initial umbilical vein concentration, sufentanil may be the opioid of choice when delivery is imminent (< 45 min).
Effect of intracoronary stenting on intimal dissection after balloon angioplasty: Results of quantitative and qualitative coronary analysis

The effect of the Palmaz-Schatz stent on the angiographic appearance and residual luminal stenosis in patients with intimal dissection after balloon angioplasty was evaluated in 84 consecutive patients (90 lesions). Coronary angiography was performed before angioplasty, after conventional angioplasty and after stent implantation. The degree of intimal disruption was assessed as follows: grade 0, no dissection; grade 1, simple dissection (intraluminal linear defect or extraluminal cap extravasation); or grade 2, complex dissection (nonlinear spiral defect or luminal defect with multiple irregular borders). Quantitative coronary analysis of digitized cineangiograms was performed with use of a computerized automatic edge detection algorithm. After balloon angioplasty, 31 (34%) of 90 lesions demonstrated intimal dissection (18 simple, 13 complex). After stent implantation, intimal dissection improved by greater than or equal to 1 grade in 29 (94%) of the 31 lesions with 27 (87%) reduced to grade 0 (that is, no dissection). Dissection grade improved after stenting in 16 (89%) of 18 simple dissections and in all 13 complex dissections. Mean diameter stenosis was 77 +/- 17% before angioplasty, 47 +/- 17% after angioplasty and 14 +/- 10% after stenting (before angioplasty vs. after angioplasty and after angioplasty vs. after stenting, p less than 0.0001). In conclusion, intracoronary stenting is effective in reducing the residual luminal stenosis and in improving the angiographic appearance of intimal dissections after conventional balloon angioplasty.
An experimental study of flow and heat transfer in sinusoidal wavy passages

Abstract Local heat transfer and flow behavior are investigated for laminar and transitional flows in sinusoidal wavy passages. The experimental geometry consists of a channel with a 10 : 1 aspect ratio bound by two wavy walls. The walls are from 12 to 14 wavelengths long, and the wave amplitude, phase angle, and wall-to-wall spacing are varied during the experiments. Using visualization methods, the flow field is characterized as steady or unsteady, with special attention directed toward detecting the onset of macroscopic mixing in the flow. The location of the onset of mixing is found to depend on the Reynolds number and channel geometry. Instabilities are manifest near the channel exit at low Reynolds numbers (Re ∼200) and move toward the channel entrance as the Reynolds number is increased; the entire channel exhibits unsteady, macroscopic mixing at moderate Reynolds numbers (Re ∼800) . The onset of macroscopic mixing is directly linked to significant increases in local heat transfer.
Metastatic cancer stem cells: an opportunity for improving cancer treatment?

Many human cancers are driven by cancer stem cells (CSCs) whose connection to metastatic spread remains incompletely understood. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Pang et al. (2010) isolate a subpopulation of human colorectal CSCs that uniquely possesses metastatic potential.
The Recoil of Electrons from Scattered X-rays

Quantum theory of the recoil of electrons from scattered x-rays.---This is an extension of the quantum theory of scattering suggested by Compton, which assumes that each directed x-ray quantum is scattered by a single electron. Expressions for the distribution of recoil velocities, of energies and of ranges are developed for each of two postulates, assuming (1) the scattered radiation consists of directed quanta, and (2) the scattered radiation proceeds as spherical waves. On the first postulate the maximum recoil energy is shown to be ${E}_{m}=h{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{0}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\frac{2\ensuremath{\alpha}}{(1+2\ensuremath{\alpha})}$, where $\ensuremath{\alpha}=\frac{h}{\mathrm{mc}{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{0}}$; the recoil electrons are shown to be concentrated at angles near the direction of the primary beam; and from the distribution of energy, using a relation given by C. T. R. Wilson, the distribution of ranges is found to be such that two-thirds have tracks shorter than half the maximum range. The maximum range increases rapidly with frequency. The values for the maximum ranges in the case of x-rays (.34 to.48 A) are computed to be about one-third of those observed by Wilson for his fish tracts, but the difference may be due to the lack of homogeneity of the rays used. The relative number of recoil electrons to photo-electrons increases with the frequency and is in agreement with observations by Wilson. The second postulate, however, leads to a value for ${E}_{m}$ only one-fourth that given above, a value which is inconsistent with that derived from a consideration of radiation pressure and which leads to values for maximum ranges one-fiftieth of those observed by Wilson. Other experimental observations are cited which also lead to the conclusion that the first postulate is much more likely to be true than the second, hence, that each quantum of scattered radiation is probably emitted in a definite direction.
Two-level fractional factorial designs in blocks of size two for the orthogonal estimation of all main effects and two-factor interactions

Abstract In this paper we consider the problem of constructing two-level fractional factorial designs in blocks of size two that allow for the orthogonal estimation of all main effects and two-factor interactions (after adjusting for blocks). This problem has been considered in the literature, e.g., see Yang and Draper (2003) , Wang (2004) and Kerr (2006) . In this paper we give two systematic methods for the construction of such designs. The first construction method gives in many situations designs requiring fewer runs than those designs previously given whereas the second method gives a systematic method for constructing designs analogous to those illustrated in Yang and Draper (2003) by example.
On the collision rate of small particles in isotropic turbulence. II. Finite inertia case

Numerical experiments have been performed to study the geometric collision rate of finite-size particles with zero inertia (i.e., fluid elements) in isotropic turbulence. The turbulent flow was generated by the pseudospectral method. We argue that the formulation of Saffman and Turner [J. Fluid Mech. 1, 16 (1956)] for the average collision kernel is correct only under the assumptions that the particles are kept in the system after collision and allowed to overlap in space. This was confirmed, for the first time, by numerical experiments to within a numerical uncertainty as small as 1%. Finite corrections to the Saffman and Turner result must be made if one applies the theory to actual coagulation process where particles are not allowed to overlap before collision and particles are removed from a given size group after collision. This is due to the fact that Saffman and Turner assumed a uniform, time-independent concentration field in their formulation of the average collision kernel, while in the actual modeling of population evolution the particle number concentration changes in time and may be locally nonuniform as a result of a biased removal process due to spatially nonuniform coagulation rates. However, the quantitative level of the deviations from the Saffman and Turner result remain to be explained. Numerical experiments in simple shear flow were also conducted to elaborate our findings.
The selection, training, tasks and careers of microcomputer support personnel: a normative perspective

Microcomputers are being used extensively for business purposes. This use has created new jobs and careers for micro-computer support personnel. Definitions of three new positons: the micro-computer support person, the micro-manager, and the super-user are presented, along with their selection, training and career needs. Additionally, suggestions for where to locate the micro support function are made.This paper may be used by researchers as a source of questions, needing investigation, regarding the micro-computer support function. Further, this paper may serve as an outline for educational and training programs for microcomputer support personnel.
In Defense of Orthodoxy: Notes on the Validity of an Index

An empirical measure of religious belief-the Orthodoxy Index-has drawn criticism on both theological and methodological grounds. Analysis of the theological criticisms shows them to be irrelevant to sociological pursuits. Furthermore, new survey data based on 1,580 ministers from 9 major Protestant denominations in California suggest that the methodological criticisms may be frivolous. The Index satisfies normal criteria of validity equally well among clergymen as in prior studies based on laymen. Finally, it is shown that the Orthodoxy Index is interchangeable with minister's personal theological self-conceptions. A n eighteenth century clerical wit, William Warburton, is credited with the remark that "orthodoxy is my doxy, heterodoxy is another man's doxy." This is an apt description of some recent disputes in the social scientific study of religion. Much of the recent work of the senior author (in collaboration with Charles Y. Glock, 1966; 1968a) has been severely criticized from a number of standpoints for its reliance on a relatively simple * This is publication A-107 of the Survey Research Center, University of California, Berkeley. The research was supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation (GS-1592). The NSF is in no way responsible for the views expressed and exercises no editorial control over the content of reports written from research it financially supports. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.211 on Mon, 08 Aug 2016 06:04:41 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
The social phobia and anxiety inventory: Construct validity

The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI) is a new instrument composed of social phobia and agoraphobia subscales. The latter scale is used to detect social anxiety that may result from agoraphobia. The SPAI's construct validity was assessed through several procedures. First, confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to validate the existence of the two subscales. Second, exploratory factor analyses examined the underlying structure of the social phobia subscale. Third, a Q factor procedure determined if different anxiety diagnostic groups could be differentiated by their SPAI response pattern. The results confirmed the utility of the two SPAI subscales and identified a number of dimensions contained within the social phobia subscale which differed depending upon the specific subject sample. In addition, the complaints of social phobies appeared more homogeneous than those of an agoraphobic comparison group. The results are discussed in terms of construct validity and the sensitivity of the SPAI to various dimensions of social phobia fears.
Characterization of an Analytical Theta-Pinch Plasma Generated with a Unidirectional Capacitive Discharge

The plasma produced by a high-current capacitive discharge through a graphite fiber bundle is compressed by a magnetic field coaxial with the plasma. The magnetic field is generated by the plasma current in a large coil surrounding the plasma. The field induces an azimuthal (theta) current in the plasma. This current couples with the external magnetic field and produces a radial Lorentz force which reduces the rate of plasma expansion. A diode shunt in the capacitive discharge circuit is used for the generation of a unidirectional discharge current. This arrangement eliminates zero-crossings of the discharge current and thus increases the effectiveness of the magnetic field in controlling the radiative properties of the plasma. Design features of the discharge circuit are presented, as well as a comparison of the plasma properties with oscillatory and unidirectional discharge current waveforms.
Effects of aging on cardiac and skeletal muscle AMPK activity: basal activity, allosteric activation, and response to in vivo hypoxemia in mice

Although a diminished ability of tissues and organisms to tolerate stress is a clinically important hallmark of normal aging, little is known regarding its biochemical basis. Our goal was to determ...
Portable malignant lesion detection with low cost mobile infrared thermography

Cancerous skin lesions, specifically melanoma, are strongly thought to be hyperthermic in relation to surrounding skin. Through a process called thermography, cancerous skin lesions can be detected with manual analysis of infrared imaging. In current practice, thermography is very costly and not mobile because thermal imaging cameras are very expensive, bulky, and higher-end models are usually export-restricted due to the military uses for this technology. This paper proposes a system that utilizes mobile technology, cloud computing, and low cost thermal sensors to create a complete system that can accurately, quickly, and automatically predict the presence of cancerous tissue on a patient in home environment. More specifically, in this on-going project we design a small, portable, low-cost infrared sensors embedded micro-controller for anywhere anytime use. We also develop a small apparatus for calibration that is integrated to the system to help image stabilization, to help color and thermal calibration, and fix image registration problems. This micro-controller is wirelessly connected to a mobile phone and also connected to cloud computing environment as a medium for a secure data storage and image processing purposes.
The structure of neutrophil defensin genes.

Defensins are a family of microbicidal peptides abundant in the granules of mammalian neutrophils, in rabbit alveolar macrophages, and in human and murine intestinal Paneth cells. We cloned and sequenced the genes of three neutrophil-specific defensins. Human HNP-1 and HNP-3 are nearly identical and rabbit NP-3a is closely related. The four known neutrophil-specific defensin genes are strikingly similar in the structure and organization of their three exons and two introns, but the three defensin genes expressed in macrophages (MCP-1 and -2) or Paneth cells (HD-5) are organized differently: HD-5 has only two exons, and MCP-1 and -2 have a comparatively short first intron. The diverse genomic organization of defensin genes may contribute to their cell-specific expression.
Analysis of phytate in raw and cooked potatoes

The phytate (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate) contents of eight varieties of potato (Solanum tuberosum) stored at 4°C for approximately 3 months ranged from 0.111% to 0.269% of dry weight. The phytate was distributed evenly throughout raw unpeeled russet potatoes. There were no significant differences in phytate content between raw russet potatoes and those which had been boiled, baked or microwaved until fully cooked. French fries, potato chips and dehydrated potato flakes contained 0.174%, 0.095% and 0.205% phytate, respectively, on a dry weight basis. Only phytate was detected in raw russet potatoes, but smaller amounts of inositol pentakisphosphate were also present in the fries, chips and flakes. Sufficient phytate is consumed in cooked potatoes in the United States to comprise a substantial portion of the daily intake of this multifaceted phytochemical.
Differential activation of adrenal steroid receptors in neural and immune tissues of Sprague Dawley, Fischer 344, and Lewis rats

Sprague Dawley (SD), Fischer 344 (F344), and Lewis (LEW) rats are used in a wide variety of laboratory studies. Compared to SD and LEW rats, F344 rats show significantly greater corticosterone secretion in response to stress, or to immune challenge. These strain differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsivity have been the basis for many comparative studies investigating immunological and behavioural differences between the three strains. However, the effects of these strain differences in HPA axis responsivity have not been investigated at the level of adrenal steroid receptor activation in target tissues. The present study demonstrates that compared to SD and LEW rats, F344 rats exhibited a greater magnitude of Type II adrenal steroid receptor activation in brain tissues during stress. In contrast, Type II receptor activation in immune tissues of F344 rats following stress was similar to that of SD rats. Importantly, LEW rats exhibited the lowest magnitude of activation of Type II receptors in immune tissues during stress. No differences were observed between strains in the extent of stress-induced Type I adrenal steroid receptor activation. The observed differences between strains in corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) levels in plasma, pituitary, and immune tissue may mediate the differential access of corticosterone to neural versus immune tissues. These results indicate that strain differences in corticosterone secretion are manifested by differences in Type II receptor activation in neural as well as immune tissues. Moreover, they suggest that increased access of corticosterone to adrenal steroid receptors in brain areas of F344 rats may contribute to behavioural differences between strains, whereas decreased access of hormone to receptors in immune tissues of LEW rats may contribute to strain differences in susceptibility to autoimmune disease.
"We do it cuz it's fun": Gendered fun and leisure for midlife women through Red Hat Society membership

The Red Hat Society (RHS) offers midlife and older women a brief, chosen escape from everyday family, paid, and unpaid work duties. Toying with traditional notions of femininity and aging, the women in this study used a campy performance of gender as embodied in the RHS to both rewrite and reproduce traditional gendered scripts. That is, these midlife and older women enacted elaborate and frivolous alternate feminine identities using their RHS membership as a venue. In doing this, RHS members re-appropriated previously diminishing societal attention and recaptured the heterosexist and ageist male gaze. In their research, the authors found that these older women renegotiated and resisted traditional gender roles through self-defined “fun” activities such as going out in public in hyperfeminine dress and engaging in feminine activities such as lunch, tea, and shopping. RHS members are not fading into the woodwork as society expects of aging women, as they publicly take up leisure space, have fun, and engage...
Missed Opportunities to Treat Atherosclerosis in Patients Undergoing Peripheral Vascular Interventions Insights From the University of Michigan Peripheral Vascular Disease Quality Improvement Initiative (PVD-QI2)

Background— Peripheral vascular disease is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Methods and Results— We examined clinical outcomes in 66 consecutive patients undergoing peripheral vascular interventions at our institution between January 2001 and October 2001. At hospital discharge and at 6 months, lifestyle modifications and use of evidence-based therapy was suboptimal. At 6 months, a significant proportion continued to smoke (22.7%) and only half of the patients exercised, controlled their weight, or modified their diet for lipid control. The use of antiplatelet therapy was 77.2%; of angiotensin-converting enzyme, 35.9%; of β-blockers, 42.5%; and of statins, 50%. Twelve of the 66 patients (18.2%) had a clinical event of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. An appropriateness algorithm for use of secondary prevention measures was created with the use of evidence-based therapy guidelines, and a composite appropr...
Microglia Biology in Health and Disease

Microglia cells are resident central nervous system (CNS) leukocytes that regulate innate immunity and participate in adaptive immune responses in CNS tissue. However, microglia cells also appear to play an important role during normal function of the mature nervous system. In response to injury, ischemia, and inflammatory stimuli, microglia cells assume an activated phenotype associated with proliferation, migration to the site of injury, phagocytosis of cellular debris, and elaboration (Power and Proudfoot 2001) of both neurotoxic and neurotrophic factors. Recent reports strongly suggest that regulating microglia function may be a fruitful future therapeutic target for the prevention of neurological dysfunction in a variety of CNS injuries and chronic diseases. Thus, developing a thorough understanding of extracellular signals that activate microglia as well as a complete catalogue of microglia responses to activating stimuli in both the healthy and diseased state are crucial scientific endeavors. This review presents the current understanding of the biology of microglia during normal CNS function as well as in response to CNS injury or neurodegenerative disease. In addition, microglia modulate both the activation and down-regulation of the adaptive immune response in the CNS. Evidence that microglia cells play a primary role in regulating CNS immune responses will also be discussed.
Four-level minimally invasive lateral interbody fusion for treatment of degenerative scoliosis

The benefits of anterior interbody arthrodesis in deformity surgery are well known and include load sharing and increased fusion rates. A minimally invasive lateral transpsoas approach to the anterior lumbar spine is a promising alternative to traditional interbody techniques for the treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis. The reported advantages of the minimally invasive lateral transpsoas approach include reduced blood loss and shorter length of stay. However, there are several approach-related complications associated with this technique including injury to the nerves within the abdominal wall leading to abdominal wall paresis, bowel injury, and injury to the lumbar plexus. In this video, we demonstrate the key steps of the minimally invasive lateral retroperitoneal transpsoas technique for interbody fusion in the treatment of adult degenerative scoliosis. The video demonstrates patient positioning, surgical opening, passage through the anatomical safe zone, use of multidirectional EMG to navigate a...
The central loop of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase is flexible and functionally passive.

Abstract Bacterial glutamine synthetases (GSs) are dodecameric aggregates comprised of two face-to-face hexameric rings, which form a cylindrical aqueous channel. Available crystal structures indicate that each subunit provides a ‘central loop’ that protrudes into this channel. Residues on either side of this loop contribute directly to substrate or metal ion cofactor binding. Although it has been suggested that this conspicuous structural feature may be functionally important, a systematic structure–function analysis of this loop has not been done. Here, we examine the behavior of a cysteine mutant, E165C, which yields inter-subunit disulfide bonds connecting the central loops. The inter-subunit disulfide bonds are readily detected by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Based on molecular models, the disulfide bonds would form only if the engineered cysteines on adjacent subunits moved ∼5 A. Surprisingly, inter-subunit disulfide bonds between the central loops caused no detectable changes in the K M s for glutamate or ATP, nor the K D for either ATP or the transition state analog ( l )-methionine sulfoximine (MSOX). Furthermore, covalent and quantitative adduction of the E165C mutant with iodo-acetamido-pyrene yielded nearly fully active enzyme bearing fluorescent pyrene excimers. The relative contribution of pyrene monomers to excimers in the steady state fluorescence is temperature dependent, suggesting thermal equilibrium between loop conformational states. However, the monomer–excimer ratio is independent of ligands such as MSOX, glutamate, or Mn 2+ . These results validate the suspected flexibility of the central loop, but raise significant doubt about its direct functional role in GS catalysis via conformational switching, including the proposed regulation of GS via ADP-ribosylation within this loop.
3D of Brain Shape and Volume After Cranial Vault Remodeling Surgery for Craniosynostosis Correction in Infants.

The skull of young children is made up of bony plates that enable growth. Craniosynostosis is a birth defect that causes one or more sutures on an infant’s skull to close prematurely. Corrective surgery focuses on cranial and orbital rim shaping to return the skull to a more normal shape. Functional problems caused by craniosynostosis such as speech and motor delay can improve after surgical correction, but a post-surgical analysis of brain development in comparison with age-matched healthy controls is necessary to assess surgical outcome. Full brain segmentations obtained from pre- and post-operative computed tomography (CT) scans of 8 patients with single suture sagittal (n=5) and metopic (n=3), non-syndromic craniosynostosis from 41 to 452 days-of-age were included in this study. Age-matched controls obtained via 4D acceleration-based regression of a cohort of 402 full brain segmentations from healthy controls magnetic resonance images (MRI) were also used for comparison (ages 38 to 825 days). 3D point-based models of patient and control cohorts were obtained using SPHARM-PDM shape analysis tool. From a full dataset of regressed shapes, 240 healthy regressed shapes between 30 and 588 days-of-age (time step = 2.34 days) were selected. Volumes and shape metrics were obtained for craniosynostosis and healthy age-matched subjects. Volumes and shape metrics in single suture craniosynostosis patients were larger than age-matched controls for pre- and post-surgery. The use of 3D shape and volumetric measurements show that brain growth is not normal in patients with single suture craniosynostosis.
C-reactive protein as a predictor for chorioamnionitis in cases of premature rupture of the membranes.

We evaluated C-reactive protein for its ability to predict the occurrence of clinical chorioamnionitis in 51 patients with spontaneous premature rupture of the membranes at ≤ 34 weeks of gestational age. All the patients had determinations of C-reactive protein on admission, and then 25 patients were tested daily. Of the total 51 patients, 14 developed clinical signs compatible with a diagnosis of chorioamnionitis. An analysis was conducted to compare the use of C-reactive protein to that of white blood cell count in predicting febrile disease. Our study indicates that C-reactive protein is an accurate and early marker for predicting clinical chorioamnionitis. White blood cell and differential counts are less accurate in such prediction, especially after steroid treatment.
Density-functional theory in strong magnetic fields.

We formulate the current-density--functional theory for systems in arbitrarily strong magnetic fields. A set of self-consistent equations comparable to the Kohn-Sham equations for ordinary density-functional theory is derived, and proved to be gauge invariant and to satisfy the continuity equation. We prove that the exchange-correlation energy functional ${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{xc}[\mathrm{n}}$,${\mathrm{j}}_{\mathrm{p}}$] [n(r) is the density and ${\mathrm{j}}_{\mathrm{p}}$(r) is the ``paramagnetic'' current density] depends on the current via the combination \ensuremath{\nu}(r)=\ensuremath{\nabla}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${[\mathrm{j}}_{\mathrm{p}}$(r)/n(r)]. An explicit formula for ${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{xc}}$ is derived, which is local in \ensuremath{\nu}(r).
Effective Thermal Conductivity of Continuous Matrix-spherical Dispersed Phase Composite with Single-point Interfacial Thermal Contact: Continuum Regime Gas Conduction in the Gap:

Analytical solutions are presented for the effective thermal conductivity of a continuous matrix composite with fully debonded spherical inclusions in single-point contact with the matrix. This situation represents the lower bound on the effect of partial debonding between the dispersed and the matrix phase on composite thermal conductivity. The heat transfer across the gap in the debonded regions is assumed to occur by gaseous conduction. Solutions for the temperature gradient parallel and perpendicular to the point of contact are considered. Numerical results for a sodaborosilicate glass matrix with spherical nickel inclusions and a range of values for the thermal conductivity kgap of the gas phase in the gap are presented. The effective composite thermal conductivity values for gradients imposed parallel and perpendicular to the point of contact were found to differ significantly depending on the magnitudes of the contact conductance and the thermal conductivity of the gas. When kgap approaches zero, t...
Cocaine use and syphilis trends: findings from the arrestee drug abuse monitoring (ADAM) program and syphilis epidemiology in Houston.

There has been speculation that trends in syphilis have been fueled by crack cocaine use. This study examined the data on syphilis notifications and arrestee drug abuse monitoring (ADAM) to ascertain the relationships between syphilis and cocaine use trends in three racial/ethnic groups. Syphilis notifications and data from the ADAM project were compared in Houston/Harris County, Texas, from 1991–1998 using a linear regression equation. Data indicated significant relationships between the data for cocaine use and syphilis in African Americans but not Hispanics or non-Hispanic whites. For African Americans, 58% of the variance between cocaine use and syphilis was explained. When data limited to jail syphilis notifications and ADAM cocaine in African Americans were examined, the association was stronger for males than for females. For African Americans, cocaine (probably crack cocaine) use trends were significantly associated with syphilis trends in this population. These data suggest that control of crack ...
Preoperative Chemotherapy for Osteogenic Sarcoma: Selection of Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy Based on the Response of the Primary Tumor to Preoperative Chemotherapy

Since June 1978, 57 patients with primary osteogenic sarcoma of an extremity were treated with high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) and citrovorum factor rescue (CFR), Adriamycin, and the combination of bleomycin, cyclophosphamide and dactinomycin (BCD) given for 4-16 weeks prior to definitive surgery. Histologic examination of the resected primary tumor determined the effect of preoperative chemotherapy with many primary tumors showing greater than 90% tumor necrosis attributable to preoperative chemotherapy. All patients having this favorable effect of chemotherapy on the primary tumor were continued on the same chemotherapy regimen postoperatively (regimen B). However, in those patients not having a good effect of preoperative chemotherapy on the primary tumor, HDMTX with CFR was subsequently deleted from their postoperative chemotherapy and they were placed on a regimen containing cisplatinum at the dose of 120mg/M2 with mannitol diuresis combined with Adriamycin in addition to BCD (regimen A). In the current study, 35 of the 57 patients did not demonstrate a good effect of chemotherapy on the primary tumor and were assigned to regimen A postoperatively. Of these 35 patients, 32 (91%) have remained continuously free of recurrent or metastatic disease from 6-34 months following the start of therapy. Among the 22 remaining patients having a good histologic response and treated with regimen B postoperatively, there has been only one relapse in a patient who had a local recurrence in the area of an inadequately resected primary tumor three months after the cessation of chemotherapy. Thus, 53 of 57 patients (93%) are continuously with no evidence of recurrent or metastatic disease from 6-35 months (median, 20 months) from the start of treatment. This study demonstrates the value of thorough histologic examination in predicting survival in responding patients and in helping identify patients whose disease-free survival rate can be substantially increased if they are given alternative postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy after failing to have a good response to preoperative chemotherapy. This individualized chemotherapeutic strategy has yielded the highest disease-free survival rate reported to date for osteogenic sarcoma.