cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A possible cause of non-disjunction of additional chromosome 21 in Down syndrome.

A possible cause of non-disjunction of chromosome 21 in Down Syndromes has been cytogenetically evaluated by examining the parents by Ag-staining technique. In all the cases studied so far, the contributing parents have active ribosomal cistrons on both chromosomes 21 i.e. both chromosomes are stained positively by silver staining. These results show that the active NORs might play an essential role in meiotic non-disjunction. Furthermore, the preliminary results demonstrate that the acrocentric associations of homologous and non-homologous nature involving chromosome 21 are the most frequent in the contributing parent which may further indicate the role of multiple cellular factors affecting the associations in promoting the nondisjunction in addition to active NORs. The possible mechanisms regarding the non-disjunction of chromosome 21 have been described.
A Three-Dimensional Mixed-Ligand Coordination Polymer Featuring Strongly Antiferromagnetically Coupled Dinuclear Copper Paddlewheels Linked into a 6-Connected Self-Penetrated Network

The coordination polymer {[Cu2(glu)2(bpmp)]·4H2O}n (1, glu = glutarate, bpmp = N,N′-bis(4-pyridyl)piperazine) was prepared via solution-phase methods. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed the presence of [Cu2(glu)2]n layers containing “paddle-wheel” dinuclear units. These layers are connected by tethering bpmp ligands into a self-penetrated three-dimensional covalent network with 6-connected 446108 topology. Variable-temperature magnetic studies indicated the presence of very strong antiferromagnetic coupling (J = −283(8) cm−1) within the {Cu2} dinuclear units of 1. Incipient channels within the self-penetrated framework are occupied by ”infinite” C(4) water molecule chains.
Distribution and fine structure of globule leucocytes in respiratory and digestive tracts of the laboratory rat

Study of an unselected population of adult laboratory rats demonstrates the presence of globule leucocytes in the bronchioles, bronchi, trachea, larynx and oropharynx. In the digestive tract, these leucocytes are seldom found in the antral part of the stomach but are abundant in the glandular stomach where they have been confused with mast cells. Numerous globule leucocytes also occur in the large and small intestines. Although most of these leucocytes are located in the epithelium rather than the connective tissue of themucous membranes of these organs, this pattern is reversed in the small intestine of normal rats. Globule leucocytes are present in essentially normal numbers in the trachea and larynx of axenic rats, but are less abundant than normal in the small intestine of these animals. The fine structure of the globule leucocyte and its characteristic inclusions is compared with that of other similar or possibly related cells and with that of the globule leucocyte of the fowl described recently by Toner.
MONOTERPENE AND SESQUITERPENE BIOSYNTHESIS IN GLANDULAR TRICHOMES OF PEPPERMINT (MENTHA PIPERITA) RELY EXCLUSIVELY ON PLASTID-DERIVED ISOPENTENYL DIPHOSPHATE

The subcellular compartmentation of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) synthesis was examined in secretory cells isolated from glandular trichomes of peppermint (Mentha x piperita L. cv. Black Mitcham). As a consequence of their anatomy and the conditions of their isolation, the isolated secretory cells are non-specifically permeable to low-molecular-weight water-soluble metabolites. Thus, the cytoplasm is readily accessible to the exogenous buffer whereas the selective permeability of subcellular organelles is maintained. With the appropriate choice of exogenous substrates, this feature allows the assessment of cytoplasmic and organellar (e.g. plastidic) metabolism in situ. Glycolytic substrates such as [14C]glucose-6-phosphate and [14C]pyruvic acid are incorporated into both monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes with a monoterpene:sesquiterpene ratio that closely mimics that observed in vivo, indicating that the correct subcellular partitioning of these substrates is maintained in this model system. Additionally, exogenous [14C]mevalonic acid and [14C]IPP, which are both intitially metabolized in the cytoplasm, produce an abnormally high proportion of sesquiterpenes. In contrast, incubation with either [14C]citrate or [14C]acetyl-CoA results in the accumulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) with no detectable isoprenoids formed. Taken together, these results indicate that the cytoplasmic mevalonic acid pathway is blocked at HMG-CoA reductase and that the IPP utilized for both monoterpene and sesquiterpene biosynthesis is synthesized exclusively in the plastids.
Increased Severity of Hemorrhage in Transgenic Mice Expressing Cerebral Protease Nexin-2/Amyloid β-Protein Precursor

Background and Purpose— Secreted isoforms of amyloid β-protein precursor (AβPP) that contain the Kunitz proteinase inhibitor domain, also known as protease nexin-2 (PN2), are enriched in brain. Although little is known of its physiological function, the potent inhibition of certain prothrombotic proteinases by PN2/AβPP suggests that it may function to regulate cerebral thrombosis during vascular injury events. Methods— To examine the antithrombotic function of cerebral PN2/AβPP in vivo, we performed measurements of carotid artery thrombosis and experimental intracerebral hemorrhage in transgenic mice with specific and modest overexpression of PN2/AβPP in brain. Comparisons were made with wild-type mice and Tg-rPF4/APP mice, a model that possesses specific and modest overexpression of PN2/AβPP in platelets and exhibits reduced thrombosis in vivo. Results— Modest overexpression of PN2/AβPP in transgenic mouse brain had no effect on intraluminal carotid arterial thrombosis but resulted in larger hematoma vol...
Recruiting and Training Volunteer Standardized Patients in the NCSBN National Simulation Study

Implementation of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing National Simulation Study required participating colleges to provide realistic simulated clinical scenarios throughout the nursing students’ undergraduate education. As the simulation study teams embarked on the planning process, they quickly realized the need to provide a variety of manikin types, environments, content areas, and human contact that would provide the students with a rich assortment of experiences. One way to meet this need was through incorporating standardized patients (SPs) and confederate actors. This article describes how one study team, who did not have an established SP program, develop a process for recruiting and training volunteers to provide an important aspect of simulation during the simulation study.
Retrospective accounts of violent events by gun offenders

Mills (1940) argues that there is a sharp distinction between “causes” and “explanations” or “accounts.” In this study we employ Scott and Lyman's (1968) classic formulation of accounts to examine the narrative explanations gun offenders provide for engaging in their violent acts. These narrative accounts illustrate how inmates attempt to preserve a conventional sense of self. Our observations are drawn from in-depth interviews with a random sample of Colorado inmates convicted of gun-related violent crimes. We find that inmates provide accounts in the form of justifications and excuses. Appeals to defeasibility (excuse) and denial of victim (justification) are the most common types of accounts inmates use to explain their violent behavior. We also find that inmates who report that their victim deserved the injury rarely offer additional accounts for their violence. In contrast, inmates who claim that their violent behavior was beyond their control tend to offer additional accounts in the form of justific...
Novel insertion sequence-like elements in phytoplasma strains of the aster yellows group are putative new members of the IS3 family

Novel insertion sequence (IS)-like elements were isolated and characterized from phytoplasma strains in the aster yellows (AY) group (16SrI). The IS-like elements were cloned from phytoplasma strains AY1 and NJAY or PCR-amplified from 15 additional strains representing nine subgroups in the AY group using primers based on sequences of the putative transposases (Tpases). All IS-like elements contained sequences encoding similar Tpases of 321 amino acids (320 for strain CPh). Substantial amino acid sequence variability suggested multiple species of Tpases or IS-like elements exist in the AY phytoplasma group. These Tpases have an identical DDE motif that is most similar to the DDE consensus of Tpases in the IS3 family.
Postnatal development of corticotropin releasing factor-like immunoreactive amacrine cells in the rat retina.

Abstract The postnatal development of the corticotropin releasing factor-like immunoreactive (CRF-LI) amacrine cells was investigated in the Long—Evans rat retina. The pattern of development of CRF-LI cells was studied by immunohistochemistry, their cell number and density throughout the first two weeks of postnatal development were analyzed, and correlative measures of CRF-LI content were obtained using radioimmunoassay (RIA). The overall pattern of CRF-LI development, as revealed by either method, is characterized initially by faint staining and low content, respectively, which began to increase in staining intensity and content until a peak was reached around postnatal day (PD)-15, the time of eye opening. In determining cell number and density, emphasis was placed on the relationship between the development of CRF-LI neurons in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and that in the ganglion cell layer (GCL). Such quantitative analyses revealed a series of dynamic shifts in the distribution of CRF-LI cell density in both a horizontal orientation and a vertical orientation prior to PD-15. Horizontally, the shift involved a center-to-periphery density gradient which disappeared progressively as the retina matured. Vertically, a reciprocal change in total cell number occurred; the number of CRF-LI cells in the INL decreased while that in the GCL increased. These changes stabilized by PD-15 and, by PD-19, the CRF-LI cells appeared morphologically mature.
The greatest book you never read

There are books that everybody has heard of but few have actually read. Some are out of date, others are timeless; some are utter nonsense, others are profound. Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams (1899); Adam Smith's An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776); Marx's The Communist Manifesto (1848); Dante's Divine Comedy ( circa 1321); Cervantes’ Don Quixote (1605); De Tocqueville's Democracy in America (1835): the list is a long one. High up on the list, perhaps right at the top, is a book that was published 150 years ago this November, and took two decades to write: The Origin of Species (1859) by Charles Darwin. Admit it: you have never read it, have you? I hadn't, until last year. I finally decided that I could not call myself a biologist without having at least dipped into it and, once I did, I found it a fascinating read. Although not a modern stylist—he sometimes uses words that seem to us peculiar in their context, and his sentence structure can be convoluted—Darwin writes clearly enough and his logic is impeccable. So why isn't the book …
Aptamer Nano-flares for Molecular Detection in Living Cells

We demonstrate a composite nanomaterial, termed an aptamer nano-flare, that can directly quantify an intracellular analyte in a living cell. Aptamer nano-flares consist of a gold nanoparticle core functionalized with a dense monolayer of nucleic acid aptamers with a high affinity for adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The probes bind selectively to target molecules and release fluorescent reporters which indicate the presence of the analyte. Additionally, these nanoconjugates are readily taken up by cells where their signal intensity can be used to quantify intracellular analyte concentration. These nanoconjugates are a promising approach for the intracellular quantification of other small molecules or proteins, or as agents that use aptamer binding to elicit a biological response in living systems.
Nonpeptide β-turn mimetics of enkephalin

Abstract The design and synthesis of a conformationally restricted peptide mimetic of the endogenous opiate peptide leucine enkephalin is described. This mimetic incorporates a nonpeptide β-turn prosthetic unit; conformational analysis indicates that the active isomer exhibits a conformation closely corresponding to that of a highly potent, β-selective enkephalin analog. Tyr- d -Pen-Gly-Phe- d -Pen (DPDPE, Pen=Penicillamine). Preliminary pharmacological investigation indicated that one isomer of the mimetic species exhibits significant in vivo analgesic activity, despite relatively low in vitro binding affinity.
Simultaneous occurrence of an ameloblastoma and a squamous cell carcinoma of the mandible

On decrit un cas de coexistence d'un epithelioma spinocellulaire et d'un ameloblastome du maxillaire inferieur. Un aspect interessant est que le malade presentait une histoire de lesion radiotransparente de la partie anterieure du maxillaire inferieur. Ceci suggere que les 2 tumeurs peuvent provenir de la meme lesion
Rethinking Puberty: The Development of Sexual Attraction

tinct and significant studies have pointed to the age of 10 as the mean age of first sexual attrac tion?well before puberty, which is typically defined as the age when the capacity to procreate is attained (Timiras, 1972). These findings are at odds with previous
Falls and the falls efficacy scale in Parkinson’s disease

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fear of falling and fall frequency among patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). One hundred-two participants with idiopathic PD were interviewed and examined. Participants reported the number of falls they had experienced in the preceding 3 months. They completed a mini-mental state exam (MMSE) and the falls efficacy scale (FES) questionnaire. Disease severity was determined by clinical examination using the Hoehn-Yahr staging system. Excluding two outliers who fell more than once each day, the subjects fell an average of 1.2 times in a 3 month period. There was a positive correlation between the number of falls, freezing of gait and Hoehn-Yahr score, and a negative correlation with the MMSE. In a post-hoc analysis the participants were divided into four groups based on fall frequency. The outliers had the lowest FES scores on average, similar to the scores seen in the rare fallers group. This study suggests that many factors are associated with fear of falling, including fall frequency, disease severity, and mental status. In the present study, the patients who fell the most often did not report the most fear. The lack of fear of falling but frequent falls in this small subgroup may suggest that special techniques to instill suitable caution to prevent falls are necessary, or may make training of these patients impossible.
The use of time-out in controlling hallucinatory behavior in a mentally retarded adult

A time-out procedure was used to decelerate hallucinatory behavior in a mentally retarded adult. Time-out consisted of removing the subject from the room in which the behavior occurred and then placing him in a corner for a duration of 5 min. The results show that time-out effectively decelerated hallucinations after 1 week and extinguished the behavior completely after 9 weeks. The notable factor of the research is that it provides a method for treating psychotic behavior that has a minimal amount of interference with nonsymptomatic behavior.
The lognormal distribution of growth rates of soft tissue metastases of breast cancer.

The gross growth rates of 158 soft tissue metastatic lesions of breast cancer in 54 patients seen at Ellis Fischel State Cancer Hospital were studied. The frequency distributions of both the linear diametric and exponential volumetric (doubling time) growth rates were lognormal and were analyzed statistically as such. Among the 66 untreated metastatic lesions, parasternal lymph node had the fastest growth rate, although this could be a reflection of the crudeness of the measurement method. Undifferentiated or poorly differentiated recurrent lesions in the chest wall appeared to consist of two heterogeneous groups: one group grew faster than the more differentiated cancers and the other group slower, suggesting tumor with more necrosis. This paper further documented the prevalence of lognormal distribution of events associated with human cancers.
A simplified procedure for the isolation of pig kidney d-amino acid oxidase

Abstract A simple, quick procedure for the isolation of pig kidney d -amino acid oxidase [EC 1.4.3.3; d -amino acid:oxygen oxidoreductase (deaminating)] is described based upon the use of granulated hydroxylapatite for chromatography. The purity appears to be comparable to that obtained by other procedures. The holoenzyme was isolated as the benzoate complex.
Infrared optical constants of aqueous solutions of sodium sulfate

The optical constants n(ν) and k(ν) for 1.0- and 0.5-M concentrations of sodium sulfate at ambient temperatures were determined by Kramers–Kronig phase-shift analyses of the near-normal reflectances over the spectral region from 2 to 20 μm. For the absorption that is due to the ν3 vibration of the SO42− ion, total band strengths, in reciprocal centimeters/(mol/liter), of 14.2 and 13.6 were measured for the 1.0- and 0.5-M concentrations, respectively. Changes in band position and intensity are discussed for this absorption.
Population pharmacokinetics of 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (Triapine®) in cancer patients

Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model for 3-AP, to evaluate the effect of ABCB1 polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetic profile of 3-AP, and to assess the relationship between 3AP disposition and patient covariates.
Alveolar bone destruction in the immunosuppressed rat

The placement of a ligature around the second maxillary molar of the conventional rat caused osteoclastic bone resorption and simultaneously, alveolar bone formation. The number of peripheral mononuclear cells in the blood and lymphoblastic transformation of spleen cells in response to concanavalin A increased. Cyclophosphamide (CY), an immunosuppressive agent, given shortly after placing the ligature suppressed the lymphoid reactions, spleen size, and bone formation and enhanced bone destruction. CY given in higher doses also suppressed the number of PMN cells. Septicemia developed in several of these animals. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were isolated from the blood and/or ligature. Antibiotics prevented bone destruction. Without placing a ligature, the high dose of CY did not result in bone loss. These findings suggest that 1) bone destruction of the ligature-treated rat is of bacterial origin, 2) CY suppresses proliferation of osteoblasts but does not seem to interfere with the activity of osteoclasts, and 3) suppression of the host defenses greatly facilitates bone destruction.
Site Fidelity and Movement of Eight Species of Pacific Rockfish at a High-Relief Rocky Reef on the Oregon Coast

Abstract We used acoustic telemetry techniques to study the movements of eight species of Pacific rockfish (genus Sebastes) inhabiting Siletz Reef, a high-relief rocky reef complex on the Oregon coast. Our primary interest was evaluating potential residence times for rockfish species in small, no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) like those recently designated for Oregon waters (337–1,502 ha). We tagged 6 black rockfish S. melanops, 31 canary rockfish S. pinniger, 9 yelloweye rockfish S. ruberrimus, 5 quillback rockfish S. maliger, and 2 copper rockfish S. caurinus, along with single specimens of china rockfish S. nebulosus, vermilion rockfish S. miniatus, and tiger rockfish S. nigrocinctus, and monitored their movements with a large (about 5,200-ha) receiver grid for over a year. Canary rockfish showed low site fidelity and wide-ranging movements that exceeded the scale of our detection grid and a wide range of vertical movements (up to 27 m). Quillback, vermilion, tiger, china, and some yelloweye rockf...
The relationship of weight loss to surface roughness of composite resins from simulated toothbrushing

This study was designed to measure percentage of weight loss during simulated toothbrushing of five different composite resins. The surface roughness of each composite resin was also measured after each year of simulated toothbrushing for a period of 5 years. The following conclusions were reached: 1. Despite the loss of toothbrush efficiency, all composite resins tested tended to have a decreasing wear rate with the increasing time of toothbrushing. 2. Profile (with a soft filler) and Isopast (with a microsized filler) showed the greatest resistance to abrasion and retained the smoothest surface. 3. Prestige, which demonstrated the greatest percent weight loss, also has a soft barium filler. Loss of the filler as an alkaline reaction in water due to soluble barium compounds may cause the binder to release filler particles prematurely.
Electromagnetic Respiratory Effort Harvester: Human Testing and Metabolic Cost Analysis

Remote health monitoring is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool in chronic disease management. Continuous respiratory monitoring could be a powerful tool in managing chronic diseases, however it is infrequently performed because of obtrusiveness and inconvenience of the existing methods. The movements of the chest wall and abdominal area during normal breathing can be monitored and harvested to enable self-powered wearable biosensors for continuous remote monitoring. This paper presents human testing results of a light-weight (30 g), wearable respiratory effort energy harvesting sensor. The harvester output voltage, power, and its metabolic burden, are measured on twenty subjects in two resting and exercise conditions each lasting 5 min. The system includes two off-the-shelf miniature electromagnetic generators harvesting and sensing thoracic and abdominal movements. Modules can be placed in series to increase the output voltage for rectification purposes. Electromagnetic respiratory effort harvester/sensor system can produce up to 1.4 V, 6.44 mW, and harvests 30.4 mJ during a 5-min exercise stage. A statistical paired t-test analysis of the calculated EE confirmed there is no significant change ( $P>0.05$ ) in the metabolic rate of subjects wearing the electromagnetic harvester and biosensor.
Establishing fiducials on glancing incidence mirrors.

A method is described for aligning cylindrical glancing incidence mirrors and establishing fiducials prior to axial profile measurements. The residual uncertainty in the absolute axial position is 2.54 microns, and the uncertainty in the absolute radius is 0.812 micron.
Prostaglandin E2 Induced Functional Expression of Early Growth Response Factor-1 by EP4, but Not EP2, Prostanoid Receptors via the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase and Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinases

Prostaglandin E2(PGE2) mediates its physiological effects by interactions with a subfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors known as EP receptors. These receptors consist of four primary subtypes named EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4. The EP2 and EP4 subtypes are known to couple to Gαs and stimulate intracellular cyclic 3,5- adenosine monophosphate formation, whereas the EP1 and EP3 receptors are known to couple to Gαq and Gαi, respectively. Recently we found that EP2 and EP4 receptors can activate T-cell factor signaling; however, EP2 receptors did this primarily through a cAMP-dependent protein kinase-dependent pathway, whereas EP4 receptors primarily utilized a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent pathway (Fujino, H., West, K. A., and Regan, J. W. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 2614–2619). We now report that PGE2 stimulation of EP4 receptors, but not EP2 receptors, leads to phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) through a PI3K-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, this activation of PI3K/ERK signaling by the EP4 receptors induces the functional expression of early growth response factor-1 (EGR-1). Under the same conditions induction of EGR-1 protein expression was not observed following PGE2 stimulation of EP2 receptors. These findings point to important differences in the signaling potential of the EP2 and EP4 receptors, which could be significant with respect to the potential involvement of EP4 receptors in inflammation and cancer.
Real-Time Forecast of Hydrologically Sensitive Areas in the Salmon Creek Watershed, New York State, Using an Online Prediction Tool

In the northeastern United States (U.S.), watersheds and ecosystems are impacted by nonpoint source pollution (NPS) from agricultural activity. Where agricultural fields coincide with runoff-producing areas—so called hydrologically sensitive areas (HSA)—there is a potential risk of NPS contaminant transport to streams during rainfall events. Although improvements have been made, water management practices implemented to reduce NPS pollution generally do not account for the highly variable, spatiotemporal dynamics of HSAs and the associated dynamics in NPS pollution risks. This paper presents a prototype for a web-based HSA prediction tool developed for the Salmon Creek watershed in upstate New York to assist producers and planners in quickly identifying areas at high risk of generating storm runoff. These predictions can be used to prioritize potentially polluting activities to parts of the landscape with low risks of generating storm runoff. The tool uses real-time measured data and 24–48 h weather forecasts so that locations and the timing of storm runoff generation are accurately predicted based on present-day and future moisture conditions. Analysis of HSA predictions in Salmon Creek show that 71% of the largest storm events between 2006 and 2009 were correctly predicted based on 48 h forecasted weather data. Real-time forecast of HSAs represents an important paradigm shift for the management of NPS in the northeastern U.S.
Intense focused ultrasound can reliably induce sensations in human test subjects in a manner correlated with the density of their mechanoreceptors.

Sensations generated by intense focused ultrasound (iFU) can occur cutaneously and/or at depth, in contrast to other forms of stimulation (e.g., heat, electricity), whose action usually occurs only at the skin surface, or mechanical stimulation (e.g., von Frey hairs, calibrated forceps, tourniquets) that compress and thus stimulate all tissue. Previous workon iFU stimulationhas led to the hypothesis that the tactile basis ofiFU stimulation should correlate withthe densityof mechanoreceptors at the site ofiFU stimulation. Herewe tested that hypothesis,corre- lating a ''two-point'' neurological examination—a standard measure of superficial mechanoreceptor density— with the intensity of superficially applied iFU necessary to generate sensations with high sensitivity and specificity. We applied iFU at 1.1 MHzfor 0.1 s to thefingertip pads of 17 testsubjects in ablinded fashion and escalated inten- sities until they consistentlyobserved iFU-induced sensations. Most test subjects achieved high values of sensitivity and specificity, doing so at values of spatially and temporally averaged intensity measuring ,100 W/cm 2 . More- over,thetestsubjects'sensitivitytoiFUstimulationcorrelatedwiththedensityofmechanoreceptorsasdetermined by a standard two-point discrimination neurological examination, consistent with earlier hypotheses. (E-mail: pierre@apl.washington.edu) 2012 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.
Dupin hypersurfaces in R 5, part II

Dupin hypersurfaces in R 5 with three distinct curvatures are studied in the context of Lie sphere geometry. It is shown that they must be reducible.
Four-Port Nanophotonic Frustrated Total Internal Reflection Coupler

Four-port frustrated total internal reflection couplers in InP-based GalnAsP quantum-well substrates are realized and characterized. Each coupler forms an "X" at the perpendicular intersection of two ridge waveguides and is aligned 45° to the optical path. The 180-nm-wide couplers are fabricated by dry etching deep trenches through the quantum wells and backfilling with alumina (n = 1.71) by atomic layer deposition. Coupling coefficients for the fabricated coupler are in good agreement with a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain theory, and an 82% coupler efficiency is estimated.
Ecstasy produces left ventricular dysfunction and oxidative stress in rats

Aims Our aim was to determine whether the repeated, binge administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy; MDMA) produces structural and/or functional changes in the myocardium that are associated with oxidative stress. Methods and results Echocardiography and pressure–volume conductance catheters were used to assess left ventricular (LV) structure and function in rats subjected to four ecstasy binges (9 mg/kg i.v. for 4 days, separated by a 10 day drug-free period). Hearts from treated and control rats were used for either biochemical and proteomic analysis or the isolation of adult LV myocytes. After the fourth binge, treated hearts showed eccentric LV dilation and diastolic dysfunction. Systolic function was not altered in vivo ; however, the magnitude of the contractile responses to electrical stimulation was significantly smaller in myocytes from rats treated in vivo with ecstasy compared with myocytes from control rats. The magnitude of the peak increase in intracellular calcium (measured by Fura-2) was also significantly smaller in myocytes from ecstasy-treated vs. control rats. The relaxation kinetics of the intracellular calcium transients were significantly longer in myocytes from ecstasy-treated rats. Ecstasy significantly increased nitrotyrosine content in the left ventricle. Proteomic analysis revealed increased nitration of contractile proteins (troponin-T, tropomyosin alpha-1 chain, myosin light polypeptide, and myosin regulatory light chain), mitochondrial proteins (Ub-cytochrome-c reductase and ATP synthase), and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase. Conclusion The repeated binge administration of ecstasy produces eccentric LV dilation and dysfunction that is accompanied by oxidative stress. These functional responses may result from the redox modification of proteins involved in excitation-contraction coupling and/or mitochondrial energy production. Together, these results indicate that ecstasy has the potential to produce serious cardiac toxicity and ventricular dysfunction.
Cell-free protein synthesis by kidney from the aging female Fischer F344 RAT

Abstract This is the first report to describe and characterize a cell-free protein synthesis system derived from kidney tissue. The optimum conditions for [ 3 H]valine incorporation into protein by the post-mitochondrial supernatant from whole kidneys were found to be: pH 6.9, 7.5 mM MgCl 2 , 150 mM KCl, 10 mM ATP, and 2 mM GTP. The cell-free protein-synthetising activities of kidneys isolated from 4.5-, 7.5-, 22-, and 31-month-old female Fischer F344 rats were measured using the post-mitochondrial supernatant. A 73–87% decrease in cell-free protein synthesis was observed between 4.5 and 31 months of age. Both the cell sap and microsomal fractions of the kidney post-mitochondrial super-natant from old rats were less active in protein synthesis than these fractions from the kidneys of young rats. No age-related change in the activity of RNA-ase in the kidney post-mitochondrial supernatant was observed. Kidney ribosomes stripped of endogenous mRNA were found to be active in poly(uridylic acid)-directed polyphenylalanine synthesis. The effect of aging on the fidelity of translation was determined by measuring poly(uridylic acid)-directed [ 14 C]-phenylalanine and [ 3 H]leucine incorporation by kidney ribosomes isolated from rats of various ages. No age-related change in the fidelity of poly(uridylic acid) translation by kidney ribosomes was observed.
Optimal block design models for course timetabling

We seek a timetable for courses offered in S sections to maximize contact among K student cohorts over T terms. For this combinatorial optimization problem we propose both integer programming and constraint programming models. The latter straightforwardly reduces the size of solution equivalence classes, thereby facilitating the search for an optimum.
Guided-wave propagation on a cylindrical conductor at millimeter-wave or terahertz frequencies

Surface-wave propagation on coated or uncoated conducting wires, rods, or tubes has been shown to provide low attenuation, moderate field extent, low dispersion, and high power-handling at frequencies from 100 GHz to 1 THz. Typical conductors are copper, aluminum, or stainless steel. Uncoated conductors provide the lowest loss, while conductors coated with a thin layer of low-loss dielectric (such as Teflon, polystyrene, or polyethylene) have the smallest field extent. The guided mode is the TM 01 , often referred to as the Sommerfeld mode. The properties of the guided wave were theoretically analyzed by King and Wiltse in 1962, and measured results were obtained at 105 and 140 GHz. In the last two years the work has been rediscovered, and now four different research groups have reported new results. While the earlier work was conducted in the search for long, low-loss transmission lines (100 meters to 1 kilometer), the current applications are for lengths about 1 meter long, as might be used in probes. The recent results will be summarized, and an optimized design will be presented, along with general curves of attenuation, field extent, and power handling capability from 100 GHz to 1 THz.
Parental Consent for Psychological Evaluations: Legal, Ethical and Practical Considerations.

Abstract This article explores the legal, ethical, and practical considerations underlying the requirement for acquiring parental consent prior to a psychological assessment of children in school settings. Publ. L. 94-142 now mandates that parents for all children potentially labeled as handicapped give permission for a preplacement evaluation. This article reviews in detail specific aspects of that mandate, argues that this procedure be generalized to all situations where psychologists propose to evaluate children by reviewing both current ethical codes and standards for practice and public policy which favors such an undertaking. Finally, the authors indicate methods for implementing the mandate by discussing such issues as who should obtain consent and what information parents should receive prior to giving consent.
Practical efficiency limits in organic photovoltaic cells: Functional dependence of fill factor and external quantum efficiency

We evaluate practical power conversion efficiency limits (ηlim) in bulk-heterojunction organic photovoltaic (BHJ OPV) cells and how the field dependence of exciton dissociation affects cell efficiencies. We treat the fill factor limit as a function of the donor-acceptor lowest unoccupied molecular orbital offset energy (ELLO), calculating how this limit varies with decreasing ELLO. We also evaluate OPV external quantum efficiency as a function of wavelength from the optical transmittance and internal quantum efficiency limitations. For a given ELLO, we numerically optimize donor bandgap and ηlim and show that ηlim>10% should be possible for hypothetical OPV systems generating free charge carriers efficiently at ELLO∼0.3–0.4 eV. Current BHJ OPVs with low ELLO values appear to be limited to cell efficiencies of ∼5% largely as a consequence of incomplete exciton dissociation.
Public health and clinical laboratories: Partners in the age of emerging infections

Clinical and public health laboratories have experienced unprecedented challenges in the form of demands to comply with revised regulations and economic pressures to be more efficient while preparing to respond to everything from pandemic influenza to bioterrorism. These forces have been an impetus for laboratorians to communicate, cooperate, and collaborate as never before and to seek the common ground where knowledge and resources can be shared to weather the profound economic and political forces at work today. The appearance of newly emerging and reemergent infections caused by agents of foodborne illness, anthrax, smallpox, plague, influenza, and other diseases has fostered cooperative network enterprises between clinical and public health laboratories, allowing the early detection of outbreaks of common and unusual pathogens and the measurement of the effectiveness of public health measures.
Coherent phase equilibrium in the NiV system

Abstract The influence of coherency strains on phase equilibrium has been examined experimentally in NiV alloys using in-situ high-temperature X-ray diffraction. The composition changes due to coherency strains have been sampled through shifts in the peak positions. The misfit versus temperature and the elastic constants of the α and β phases were investigated in order to compare experimental results with existing theories. Long-range order vs. temperature was also measured to examine its contribution to the misfit. The influence of coherency is small, but the basic tenets of the theories are supported: (1) the lever rule does not hold in the presence of coherency strains; (2) the composition is different for coherent and incoherent phases. The incoherent phase boundaries were also calculated from the data.
Thrombolytic therapy for pulmonary embolism in pregnancy: A case report

A case of a 19-year-old woman whose pregnancy was complicated by hemodynamically significant pulmonary thromboemboli is reported. The diagnosis was confirmed by radionuclide ventilation-perfusion lung scanning, and urokinase thrombolytic therapy resulted in a good therapeutic response with minimal adverse effects.
Evaluating programmable logic devices

The use of the combinational/register coordinate system as a graphical way of measuring programmable logic devices (PLDs) in terms of gates and registers is reviewed. It is assumed that the I/O resources of the PLD, which constitute a third axis, are adequate. This allows the analysis to be restricted to an x-y plane fixed along the z-axis. The device's application area, which is the area bounded by its combinational and register capability, is discussed, and methods for calculating the application range are described. Three brief examples demonstrate the ways in which the coordinate system might be used in CAD tools that automate the PLD design process. >
On the VLSI design of a pipeline Reed-Solomon decoder using systolic arrays

A novel VLSI design for a pipeline Reed-Solomon decoder is presented. The transform decoding technique used in a previous study is replaced by a time-domain algorithm through a detailed comparison of their VLSI implementations. An architecture that implements the time-domain algorithm permits efficient pipeline processing with reduced circuitry. Erasure correction capability is also incorporated with little additional complexity. By using multiplexing technique, an implementation of Euclid's algorithm maintains the throughput rate with less circuitry. Some improvements result in both enhanced capability and significant reduction in silicon area, making it possible to build the decoder on a single chip. >
Emotion expression among abusive mothers is associated with their children's emotion processing and problem behaviours

The current study evaluated the quality of facial and vocal emotional expressions in abusive and nonabusive mothers, and assessed whether mothers’ emotional expression quality was related to their children’s cognitive processing of emotion and behavioural problems. Relative to non-abusive mothers, abusive mothers produced less prototypical angry facial expressions, and less prototypical angry, happy, and sad vocal expressions. The intensity of mothers’ facial and vocal expressions of anger was related to their children’s externalising and internalising symptoms. Additionally, children’s cognitive processing of their mothers’ angry faces was related to the quality of mothers’ facial expressions. Results are discussed with respect to the impact of early emotional learning environments on children’s socioemotional development and risk for psychopathology.
Isolation of Microsatellite Loci From the Coqui Frog, Eleutherodactylus Coqui

Thirteen microsatellite loci were isolated from the coqui frog ( Eleutherodactylus coqui ) and optimized for future research. The loci were screened across 37 individuals from two Puerto Rican populations. Loci were variable with the number of alleles per locus ranging from three to 38. Polymorphic information content ranged from 0.453 to 0.963 and observed heterozygosity for each population ranged from 0.320 to 0.920.
Evidence for Common Structural Determinants of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Coreceptor Activity Provided through Functional Analysis of CCR5/CXCR4 Chimeric Coreceptors

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in vivo is dependent upon the interaction of the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120 with CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) or CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). To study the determinants of the gp120-coreceptor association, we generated a set of chimeric HIV-1 coreceptors which express all possible combinations of the four extracellular domains of CCR5 and CXCR4. Stable U87 astroglioma cell lines expressing CD4 and individual chimeric coreceptor proteins were tested against a variety of R5, X4, and R5X4 envelope glycoproteins and virus strains for their ability to support HIV-1-mediated cell fusion and infection, respectively. Each of the cell lines promoted fusion with cells expressing an HIV envelope glycoprotein, except for U87.CD4.5455, which presents the first extracellular loop (ECL1) and flanking sequences of CXCR4 in the context of CCR5. However, all of the chimeric coreceptors allowed productive infection by one or more of the viral strains tested. Viral phenotype was a predictive factor for the observed activity of the chimeric molecules; X4 and R5X4 HIV strains utilized a majority of the chimeras, while R5 strains were limited in their ability to infect cells expressing these chimeric molecules. The expression of CCR5 ECL2 within the CXCR4 backbone supported infection by an R5 primary isolate, but no chimeras bearing the N terminus of CCR5 exhibited activity with R5 strains. Remarkably, the introduction of any CXCR4 domain into the CCR5 backbone was sufficient to allow utilization by multiple X4 strains. However, critical determinants within ECL2 and/or ECL3 of CXCR4 were apparent for all X4 viruses upon replacement of these domains in CXCR4 with CCR5 sequences. Unexpectedly, chimeric coreceptor-facilitated entry was blocked in all cases by the presence of the CXCR4-specific inhibitor AMD3100. Our data provide proof that CCR5 contains elements that support usage by X4 viral strains and demonstrate that the gp120 interaction sites of CCR5 and CXCR4 are structurally related.
Power quality analysis of PV system of summer and winter

PV system has been rapidly developed in recent years, while it generates harmonics and there-phase unbalance for its grid-connected inverter, causing voltage fluctuations and flicker for its uncertain power output. Therefore, power quality is highlighted as an important parameter of the PV system. To study the actual power quality characteristics of PV system, a large-scale grid-connected BIPV power plant was investigated. This paper discussed power quality parameters defined by standards of PV system, and introduced the key structure of the BIPV system. Based on the field tests taken under different conditions in summer and winter, the paper explored the operating characteristics of the PV system on voltage harmonics, current harmonics, three-phase unbalance, voltage flicker, active and reactive power properties, etc. Results demonstrate the power quality characteristics and provide a reference for evaluation of similar PV systems. (4 pages)
Telmisartan Exerts Pleiotropic Effects in Endothelial Cells and Promotes Endothelial Cell Quiescence and Survival

Objective— Telmisartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, and amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker, are antihypertensive agents clinically used as monotherapy or in combination. They exert beneficial cardiovascular effects independently of blood pressure lowering and classic mechanisms of action. In this study, we investigate molecular mechanisms responsible for the off-target effects of telmisartan and telmisartan–amlodipine in endothelial cells (ECs), using an unbiased genomic approach. Approach and Results— In human umbilical vein ECs, microarray analysis of gene expression followed by pathway enrichment analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction validation revealed that telmisartan modulates the expression of key genes responsible for cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Amlodipine’s effect was similar to control. ECs exposed to telmisartan, but not amlodipine, losartan, or valsartan, exhibited a dose-dependent impairment of cell growth and failed to enter the S-phase of the cell cycle. Similarly, telmisartan inhibited proliferation in COS-7 cells lacking the angiotensin II type 1 receptor. In telmisartan-treated ECs, phosphorylation and activation of Akt, as well as MDM2, were reduced, leading to accumulation of p53 in the nucleus, where it represses the transcription of cell cycle–promoting genes. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β was also reduced, resulting in rapid proteolytic turnover of CyclinD1. Telmisartan induced downregulation of proapoptotic genes and protected ECs from serum starvation–induced and 7-ketocholesterol–induced apoptosis. Conclusions— Telmisartan exerts antiproliferative and antiapoptotic effects in ECs. This may account for the improved endothelial dysfunction observed in the clinical setting.
Modeling complex access control policies in distributed systems

In a distributed environment where users and resources are dispersed, security policies often require a more complex control mechanism, for access authorization. Authorization for a subject accessing objects depends not only on its normal access rights but also on its access history and interaction with other subjects. In this paper, frequently desirable multilevel exceptions are systematically categorized and it is shown that many state-dependent security policies are actually examples of these multilevel exceptions. An effective access control model based on Boolean expressions of classified categories is proposed to enforce all the multilevel exceptions in a uniform and elegant way.
Adaptive Mixture Modelling Metropolis Methods for Bayesian Analysis of Non-linear State-Space Models.

We describe a strategy for Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis of nonlinear, non-Gaussian state-space models involving batch analysis for inference on dynamic, latent state variables and fixed model parameters. The key innovation is a Metropolis–Hastings method for the time series of state variables based on sequential approximation of filtering and smoothing densities using normal mixtures. These mixtures are propagated through the nonlinearities using an accurate, local mixture approximation method, and we use a regenerating procedure to deal with potential degeneracy of mixture components. This provides accurate, direct approximations to sequential filtering and retrospective smoothing distributions, and hence a useful construction of global Metropolis proposal distributions for simulation of posteriors for the set of states. This analysis is embedded within a Gibbs sampler to include uncertain fixed parameters. We give an example motivated by an application in systems biology. Supplemental materials pro...