bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of NPS use in patients admitted to acute psychiatric services in Southeast Scotland: a retrospective cross-sectional analysis following public health interventions
Authors: Bennett Kyle H , Hare Helen M , Waller Robert M , Alderson Helen L , Lawrie Stephen
Published: December 2017

Objectives

Assess the impact of selective prohibition and seizure of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) supply on NPS use prevalence within psychiatric admissions and evaluate demographic characteristics of current NPS users.

Design

A 6-month retrospective cross-sectional analysis of discharge letters between 1 October 2015 and 31 March 2016.

Setting

General psychiatry inpatients and intensive home treatment team (IHTT) community patients at a psychiatric hospital in a Scottish city.

Participants

All participants were between the ages of 18 and 65 years. After application of exclusion criteria, 473 discharge letters of general psychiatry patients were deemed suitable for analysis and 264 IHTT patient discharge letters were analysed.

Interventions

A nationwide temporary class drug order (TCDO) was placed on 10 April 2015 reclassifying methylphenidate-related compounds as class B substances. On 15 October 2015, local forfeiture orders were granted to trading standards permitting the seizure of NPS supplies.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome measure was to determine the prevalence of NPS use in two cohorts. Second, demographic features of patients and details regarding their psychiatric presentation were analysed.

Results

The prevalence of NPS use in general psychiatry and IHTT patients was 6.6% and 3.4%, respectively. Inpatients using NPS compared with non-users were more likely to be men (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.28 to 6.66, P=0.009), have a forensic history (OR 5.03, CI 2.39 to 10.59, P<0.001) and be detained under an Emergency Detention Certificate (OR 3.50, CI 1.56 to 7.82, P=0.004). NPS users were also more likely to be diagnosed under International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Version 10, F10–19 (OR 9.97, CI 4.62 to 21.49, P<0.001).

Conclusions

Compared with previous work, psychiatric inpatient NPS use has fallen. NPS continue to be used by a demographic previously described resulting in presentations consistent with a drug-induced psychosis and at times requiring detention under the Mental Health Act. Further research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of the recent prohibition of all NPS.
Frequencies and ethnic distribution of ABO and RhD blood groups in China: a population-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Liu Jue , Zhang Shikun , Wang Qiaomei , Shen Haiping , Zhang Yiping , Liu Min
Published: December 2017

Objectives

ABO and RhD blood groups are key factors affecting blood transfusion safety. The distribution of ABO and RhD blood groups varies globally, but limited data exist for ethnic distributions of these blood groups in Asian populations. We aimed to evaluate the distribution of ABO and RhD blood groups among Chinese ethnic groups.

Design

A population-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

Data on ABO groups and ethnicities were obtained from the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project (NFPHEP) with participants from 220 counties of 31 provinces in China

Participants

There were 3 832 034 participants aged 21–49 years who took part in the NFPHEP from January 2010 to December 2012 and were included in this study.

Outcome Measures

The proportion of ABO and RhD blood groups among different ethnic groups was calculated.

Results

ABO and RhD blood distribution was significantly different among nine ethnic groups (P<0.001). Compared with other ethnic groups, the Yi group had more A phenotypes (34.0%), and the Manchu (33.7%) and Mongolian (33.3%) ethnic groups had more B phenotypes. The Zhuang group had the greatest proportion of O phenotypes (41.8%), followed by the Miao group (37.7%). AB phenotypes were more frequent in the Uygur ethnic group (10.6%) but lower in the Zhuang group (5.5%). Meanwhile, RhD negativity (RhD–) was greater in the Uygur group (3.3%) than in the Mongolian (0.3%) and Manchu ethnic groups (0.4%). O RhD– blood groups were more frequent in the Uygur group (0.8%) than in the other ethnic groups (0.1%–0.4%, P<0.001).

Conclusion

ABO and RhD blood phenotypes vary across different ethnic groups in China. The diversity in the distribution of the ABO and RhD blood groups in different ethnic groups should be considered when developing rational and evidence-based strategies for blood collection and management.
Methodological, political and legal issues in the assessment of the effects of nanotechnology on human health
Authors: Guseva Canu Irina , Schulte Paul A , Riediker Michael , Fatkhutdinova Liliya , Bergamaschi Enrico
Published: December 2017

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) raise questions among the scientific community and public health authorities about their potential risks to human health. Studying a prospective cohort of workers exposed to ENMs would be considered the gold standard for identifying potential health effects of nanotechnology and confirming the ‘no effect’ levels derived from cellular and animal models. However, because only small, cross-sectional studies have been conducted in the past 5 years, questions remain about the health risks of ENMs. This essay addresses the scientific, methodological, political and regulatory issues that make epidemiological research in nanotechnology-exposed communities particularly complex. Scientific challenges include the array of physicochemical parameters and ENM production conditions, the lack of universally accepted definitions of ENMs and nanotechnology workers, and the lack of information about modes of action, target organs and likely dose–response functions of ENMs. Standardisation of data collection and harmonisation of research protocols are needed to eliminate misclassification of exposures and health effects. Forming ENM worker cohorts from a combination of smaller cohorts and overcoming selection bias are also challenges. National or international registries for monitoring the exposures and health of ENM workers would be helpful for epidemiological studies, but the creation of such a registry and ENM worker cohorts will require political support and dedicated funding at the national and international levels. Public authorities and health agencies should consider carrying out an ENM awareness campaign to educate and engage all stakeholders and concerned communities in discussion of such a project.
Turbulent oscillatory flow along unidirectional current over square ribs
Authors: Singh Santosh Kumar , Raushan Pankaj Kumar , Debnath Koustuv , Mazumder Bijoy S.
Published: December 2017

The objective of this research is to examine the turbulent flow characteristics over a series of square rib elements under the combined action of surface wave and unidirectional current. The velocity data were analyzed to determine the distributions of the mean velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, Reynolds shear stress, and the contribution of burst-sweep cycles. These were used for the characterization of flow over square rib due to the superposition of surface waves of different frequencies and thereby compare the results with the current-only case. Mean velocity profiles over the rib roughness, illustrate the well-known downward shift from the flat surface data. Also, the thickness of turbulent boundary layer increases with the superposition of surface wave when compared to current-only flow. Particular attention is also given to understand the behaviour of higher-order moments to explicitly account for turbulent momentum transport characteristics over rib roughness under wave-current interactions.
Effects of hatchery supplementation on abundance and productivity of natural-origin Chinook salmon: two decades of evaluation and implications for conservation programs
Authors: Venditti David A. , Kinzer Ryan N. , Apperson Kimberly A. , Barnett Bruce , Belnap Matthew , Copeland Timothy , Corsi Matthew P. , Tardy Kurt
Published: December 2017

Hatchery supplementation has been developed to conserve salmonid populations and provide fisheries. We evaluated supplemented and reference Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations prior to, during, and after supplementation ceased for 22 years in two major drainages in Idaho, USA. Basin-level analyses showed supplementation increased abundance at some life stages, but effects did not persist into the postsupplementation phase and had no apparent influence on productivity. Natural-origin juvenile abundance increased during supplementation but results for adults were ambiguous. After supplementation ceased, abundance and productivity in supplemented and reference populations returned to their presupplementation relationships. Intensive analyses of supplemented populations with weirs showed abundance increased at some life stages with the addition of female spawners. However, the rate of increase varied with female origin (natural > supplementation ≥ nontreatment hatchery), and effects diminished through the life cycle. Based on these findings, we provide guidance for conservation programs. Supplementation alone is not a panacea because it does not correct limiting factors, which must be addressed to achieve population levels capable of sustaining ecological function and harvest.
EFFECTS OF COLD, ASCORBIC ACID, AND AGE ON “FORMALDEHYDE-INDUCED” ARTHRITIS IN THE WHITE RAT
Authors: Dugal Louis-Paul
Published: December 2017

Ascorbic acid has been claimed to have a definite antirheumatic activity in humans. It has also been found to have a slight protective action against experimental arthritis in animals. We have been able to show that ascorbic acid has a definite and significant beneficial effect on the same disease in adult rats, but not in young animals. Moreover, our results show that the formalde hyde-induced arthritis is greatly aggravated by exposure to cold.
THE LACTIC DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITY AND PYRIDINE NUCLEOTIDE CONTENT OF HUMAN BLOOD CELLS IN ANEMIA
Authors: Blanchaer M. C. , Weiss Pamela , Bergsagel D. E.
Published: December 2017

The lactic dehydrogenase activity and the pyridine nucleotide content of the blood cells (PN/BC) of two normal subjects and 12 patients with various degrees of anemia was measured to determine whether the previously reported elevated PN/BC values in anemia are related to an altered metabolic activity of the cells. In 12 well nourished subjects it was found that the PN/BC, expressed in μgm. DPN per gm. of hemoglobin, was elevated in proportion to the severity of the anemia and that this increase was accompanied by a proportional rise in the cellular lactic dehydrogenase activity. The low PN/BC of two poorly nourished patients was accompanied by correspondingly low lactic dehydrogenase levels. The correlation coefficient for the relationship between the lactic dehydrogenase and PN/BC values for all the subjects was + 0.89 and was considered significant since P < 0.01. The results suggest that the potential activity of an important enzymatic step in erythrocyte glycolysis is increased in anemia in proportion to the decrease in the hemoglobin concentration and the fall in the hematocrit. The increased PN/BC under these conditions is probably a reflection of an elevated cellular diphosphopyridine nucleotide concentration.
PEPTIDASE ACTIVITY IN HUMAN SERUM UNDER VARIOUS PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS, IN PREGNANCY, AND FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION OF ACTH
Authors: Cullen A. M. , Barber V. T. , Birmingham M. K. , Stern K.
Published: December 2017

A study was made of the serum peptidase activity of 37 normal control subjects, of 80 subjects suffering from various pathological conditions, of eight normal subjects following administration of ACTH, and of one case of normal pregnancy. The substrate used was l-leucylglycylglycine and in some cases glycylglycylglycine. The highest values for peptide hydrolysis were observed in cases of lymphatic leukemia. Normal, or close to normal, values were found in the serum of patients with aleukemic lymphatic leukemia and with myelo genous leukemia. In a case of Hodgkin's disease and in four out of six cancer patients the peptidase activity was elevated depending on the severity of the disease. Normal activity was observed in a case of multiple myeloma and nonmalignant tumor. In five out of 11 patients suffering from tuberculosis the peptidase activity of the serum was high. In most cases of acute infection the peptidase activity was elevated, in cases of mild respiratory infections the activity was within or close to the normal range. There was no clear-cut rela tionship between the cellular composition of the blood and the serum peptidase level. Injection of ACTH usually had little or no effect on the serum peptidase level of normal subjects. No change in serum peptidase activity was observed in a subject during the course of a normal pregnancy. The implication of these findings is discussed.
EFFECT OF SODIUM KEMITHAL, TRIMETHADIONE, AND SODIUM DIPHENYLHYDANTOINATE ON SKELETAL MUSCLE
Authors: Riedel Bernard E. , Huston Mervyn J.
Published: December 2017

Sodium kemithal, 325 mgm. per kgm., injected intraperitoneally into rats caused a marked depression in the response of normal and denervated striated muscle. The action is believed to be directly on the muscle. Trimethadione produced a sudden marked depression at an intraperitoneal dosage level of 3500 mgm. per kgm. of both normal and denervated muscles. This action would appear to be due to a direct muscular effect. Sodium; diphenylhydantoinate pro duced no significant effect on the gastrocnemius muscle at a dose of 250 mgm. per kgm. by intraperitoneal injection.
CHANGES INDUCED IN THE ADRENAL CORTEX OF THE RAT BY THE WALKER RAT TUMOR 256
Authors: Kropp B. N. , McEwen H. D.
Published: December 2017

The adrenal cortex in a series of 10 Wistar strain rats, inoculated with the Walker rat tumor 256, was studied histologically. Three types of cells, absent in normal controls, were found: (a) Cells containing coarse eosinophilic granules. These cells were few in number and confined to the zona glomerulosa. (b) Cells having the form of cortical cells, but with markedly basophilic cytoplasm, present in the zona fasciculata, often in dense masses and showing frequent mitoses, (c) Multinucleate giant cells present in the zona fasciculata. None of these cell types were seen in the adrenal medulla, kidney, liver, or spleen of these tumor-bearing rats. The possibility is advanced that the second cell type is derived from cortical cells, while the first and perhaps the third also are of myeloid origin. Neither the presence of these cells nor their abundance is related to tumor size.
THE EFFECT OF AGE, SEX, AND PREVIOUS PREGNANCY ON THE OXYGEN UPTAKE OF RAT MAMMARY TISSUE
Authors: Tuba Jules , Fraser M. Shirley
Published: December 2017

The effect of age, sex, and breeding on oxygen consumption and response to p-phenylenediamine of normal rat mammary tissue has been studied. Oxygen consumption values [Formula: see text] are significantly higher for breeder females than for virgin females or males. The endogenous oxygen consumption by breast tissue of virgin rats more closely resembles that of males than of breeder females. There is a significant lowering of [Formula: see text] with age in all the animals. Oxygen consumption in the presence of p-phenylenediamine [Formula: see text] is not significantly different for mammary tissue of males and breeders of the youngest age group (12–25 weeks) but it is higher for virgins of the same age. A highly significant fall in [Formula: see text] to approximately equal levels appears at a comparatively early age (30–50 weeks) in males and virgins, but this does not occur in the breeder female rats until the ability to reproduce has diminished or ceased (50 weeks and over). Reserves of the cytochrome system [Formula: see text] are lower in breeders than in males or virgins and are decreased by age in the latter two groups. These studies indicate the importance of considering age, sex, and breeding history of animals used for mammary tissue respiratory studies.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF DIETARY FACTORS TO RAT SERUM ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE
Authors: Tuba Jules , Madsen Neil B.
Published: December 2017

Food consumption in alloxan diabetic rats shows a positive correlation with (1) alkaline phosphatase activity, (2) blood glucose level, (3) body weight, similar to the correlation between enzyme activity and food intake in normal adult rats when they are fed a stock laboratory diet. Oral vitamin B12 has no effect on serum alkaline phosphatase levels of normal or diabetic rats, nor does it modify the effect of supplementary methionine in either group. The effect of supplementary choline on the phosphatase of normal rats is unaltered by this vitamin which is reported to have transmethylating and lipotropic influences. Methionine added to animal checkers lowers phosphatase levels in both normal and diabetic adult rats, but this is directly related to lowered food consumption which always accompanies supplementation with this amino acid. The animals maintain their weights and appear to be in good condition, so it may be assumed that the lowered intake of food is adequate. Supplementary choline decreases phosphatase levels of normal rats by about 20% of initial values, and this appears to be due to choline itself and not to altered food consumption. Phosphatase levels of alloxan diabetic rats, however, are slightly but significantly elevated by supplementary choline.
ON RAT SERUM LIPASE
Authors: Tuba Jules , Taylor Jack D.
Published: December 2017

There is no correlation in either weanling or adult normal male rats between daily food consumption of a stock laboratory diet and serum tributyrinase activity. Limiting the food intake of adult male rats has no statistically significant effects on serum tributyrinase. The abnormally elevated serum tributyrinase levels of alloxan diabetic adult male rats may be accounted for on the basis of increased food consumption. Weanling and adult male animals maintained on synthetic diets containing from 5 to 60% fat show a correlation between serum tributyrinase concentration and daily fat consumption. In the case of adult rats increased fat ingestion is accompanied by increased enzyme activity. However, with weanling rats increased fat consumption results in lowered tributyrinase concentrations and retarded growth. The results with growing animals are attributed to the decreased intake of food, and the corresponding decrease in protein consumption, which accompanies the increase in dietary fat concentration. Replacement of the synthetic diets by the stock laboratory diet is followed by altered tributyrinase levels in both weanling and adult animals.
ACTION DE L’ACIDE ASCORBIQUE SUR LES EFFETS VASCULAIRES CARDIO-RÉNAUX DE L’ACÉTATE DE DÉOXYCORTICOSTÉRONE (DCA)
Authors: Héroux par Olivier , Bonenfant J. L.
Published: December 2017

Earlier investigations have demonstrated that ascorbic acid prevents the hypertensive effect of DCA. Additional experiments on rats have shown that a combination of ascorbic acid and DCA results in stunted growth but does not prevent the renal hypertrophy or renal and vascular lesions usually caused by injection of DCA alone. It has also been observed that no cardiac or renal lesions occur in adrenalectonized DCA-treated rats. In normal animals, 17 days after treatment with DCA, vascular lesions are much larger and much more numerous in the heart than in the kidneys. Other workers have shown that cortisone in combination with DCA produces the same effects as those observed by the authors in animals treated with ascorbic acid and DCA. This similarity might be explained by assuming that ascorbic acid may act by stimulating the release of cortisone from the adrenal cortex.
CONTRIBUTION ON THE BEHAVIOR AND STRUCTURE OF THE CYTOPLASMIC MEMBRANE OF BACTERIA
Authors: Fischer Roland , Larose P.
Published: December 2017

The relations previously found to exist between the bactericidal activity of substances and their affinity for wool have been used as the basis for a further study of the similarity between Gram-negative bacteria and intact wool on the one hand, and between Gram-positive bacteria and degraded wool on the other. A porrespondence in behavior has been shown to exist in the case of Gram-staining, of the Eisenberg–Gutstein techniques, and of the Feulgen reaction. It was possible to produce with degraded wool a conversion from a Gram-positive state to a Gram-negative one (corresponding to that of intact wool) just as it is possible to carry out the similar conversion with Gram-positive bacteria by using oxidizing and/or acidic agents. Reconversion to the original Gram-positive state was also shown to be possible with reducing and/or alkaline agents. A mechanism is offered to explain the above findings and the respective cytochemical reactions characteristic of the cytoplasmic membrane of the bacteria. This mechanism is based on similarities in composition and structure (α-keratin) between the cytoplasmic membrane of Gram-positive bacteria and degraded wool, and the “cytoplasmic membrane” of Gram-negative bacteria and intact wool. Further possible similarities are pointed out. A new definition for bactericidal action is given in the light of these results. A direction for future work is indicated and discussed.
THE INFLUENCE OF HEPARIN ON THE ACTIVATION ENERGY OF THROMBIN INACTIVATION
Authors: Spitzer John J.
Published: December 2017

Gerandas’s method for thrombin inactivation was used in these experiments. The activation energy of thrombin inactivation was calculated and found to be about 9000-14,000 cal. per mole. Heparin in vitro decreases the activation energy of thrombin inactivation, indicating that its action is the same as that of a catalyst.
SYNERGISTIC ACTION OF ANTABUSER AND INTRAVENOUS CYANAMIDE ON BLOOD ACETALDEHYDE FOLLOWING ALCOHOL ADMINISTRATION
Authors: Skelton Floyd R. , McConkey Hilda M. , Grant Gordon A.
Published: December 2017

The effect of pretreatment with AntabuseR and intravenous cyanamide on the blood concentration of acetaldehyde following alcohol administration has been studied in rabbits. Both AntabuseR and intravenous cyanamide when administered separately produced an abnormal accumulation of acetaldehyde in the blood under these conditions. Combined pretreatment with AntabuseR and intravenous cyanamide resulted in a blood level of acetaldehyde greater than either substance produced alone and greater than could be accounted for on an additive basis. It is concluded that some synergistic action seems to exist becween AntabuseR and intravenous cyanamide as measured by the blood acetaldehyde concentrations obtained after alcohol injection.
PREPARATION OF A STABLE NONEFFECTIVE SOLUBLE INFLUENZA A ANTIGEN
Authors: Polley John R.
Published: December 2017

When soluble influenza antigen is treated with formaldehyde to render it noninfective, the excess formaldehyde present causes a large loss of antigenicity on lyophilization. It has been shown previously that neutralization of the formaldehyde with ammonium hydroxide would overcome this difficulty. In the present study, a wide range of chemical compounds has been investigated to seek other reagents effective in neutralizing the formaldehyde present in treated soluble influenza antigen and which would possibly have advantages over ammonium hydroxide. It has been found that urea, dibasic ammonium phosphate, and sodium bisulphite are as effective as ammonium hydroxide, and possess the added advantage of not requiring any pH adjustment in the process.
A RAPID ULTRAFILTRATION APPARATUS
Authors: Coleman I. W.
Published: December 2017

An apparatus for the preparation of protein-free filtrates of biological fluids for subsequent amino-acid analysis by paper chromatography is described. The construction allows filtration to be carried out at high pressures, hence increasing the rate of filtration. Contamination by interfering heavy metal ions is avoided by a design in which solutions are exposed only to lucite.
THE INFLUENCE OF DIETARY PROTEIN ON LIVER INJURY DUE TO CARBON TETRACHLORIDE IN DOGS
Authors: Bardawill Charles J. , Gornall Allan G.
Published: December 2017

Six adult dogs, previously exposed to carbon tetrachloride and allowed a recovery period of seven months, have been kept at different times on isocaloric low protein and moderately high protein diets. During each of these periods a series of 16 consecutive doses of carbon tetrachloride was administered. Liver function was tested fortnightly by means of the bromsulfalein excretion test, serum alkaline phosphatase, and serum protein fractionation. Biopsy specimens were also examined. There was a notable variation from one dog to the next and the only useful comparison was the response shown on the two different diets by each individual animal. Analysis of the data indicated that the acute phase of liver injury during carbon tetrachloride administration was accompanied by less derangement of function when the dogs were on a low protein diet. In the recovery phase the higher protein intake resulted in a somewhat more rapid restoration of function. It is suggested that some restriction of protein is probably desirable during the acute phase of any destructive liver lesion. Once recovery and regeneration set in generous amounts of protein in the diet will tend to hasten the repair process.
THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE CIRCULATION OF THE ISOLATED PERFUSED RABBIT EAR
Authors: Nichol James T.
Published: December 2017

Isolated rabbit ears were perfused with Ringer solution, and the rates of flow were measured by a micro flow-gauge. It was found that changes in flow produced by changes in temperature of the ear (amounting to two and a half times between 40° and 0° C), could be quantitatively explained by changes in the viscosity of the perfusion solution with temperature. No evidence of a “hunting reaction” to cold could be demonstrated either with or without a temperature gradient in the ear. The residual “critical closing pressure” of the isolated rabbit ear was shown to be independent of temperature. It is concluded that in the isolated perfused rabbit ear the temperature effects on circulation are entirely explicable in terms of viscosity changes, and that in the intact innervated ear, viscosity effects also underlie, but do not completely explain the observed changes with temperature.
SOME EFFECTS OF A MATERNAL RIBOFLAVIN DEFICIENCY ON REPRODUCTION IN THE RAT
Authors: Gilman J. P. W. , Perry F. Armstrong , Hill D. C.
Published: December 2017

Ten female albino rats were fed a purified riboflavin deficient diet for periods of 17 to 28 days before breeding and throughout pregnancy. Vaginal smears were taken daily throughout this period, and food consumption and weight gains were recorded. All animals were sacrificed 21 days after breeding and examined for viable young, fetal remnants, implantation sites, and corpora lutea. Living young were examined both macroscopically and by the alizarin red S technique for ossification centers. Five of these females produced 24 viable fetuses, of which two showed skeletal anomalies, one was oedematous, and the remainder exhibited a significant weight reduction. An average of 62.5% of the embryos in these litters were undergoing resorption. The remaining five deficient mothers exhibited 100% resorptions. Nine control females, treated similarly to the above except for the addition of riboflavin to their diet, had an average of 10 living fetuses and 14.1% resorptions per litter with no abnormals. The erythrocyte sign ranged from complete absence in controls with no resorbing fetuses to a duration of up to six days in some depleted animals, with a correlation of +0.84 between duration and percentage of resorptions.
THE INADEQUACY OF UNMODIFIED POTATO STARCH AS DIETARY CARBOHYDRATE FOR THE ALBINO RAT
Authors: Jelinek Bohdan , Katayama Mitsuru C. , Harper Alfred E.
Published: December 2017

Unmodified (raw) potato starch was poorly utilized, whereas unmodified corn starch and wheat starch were almost completely digested by the rat. The ingestion of unmodified potato starch caused a distention of the caecum and intestines. This enlargement resulted from the accumulation of food residue in the caecum and the consequent formation of gas from fermentation. The utilization of unmodified potato starch was not appreciably improved by the inclusion of either lactose or sucrose in the ration. However, the utilization of potato starch by the rat was improved when the starch was heated in an autoclave at 120° C, in a dry oven at 145° C, or was finely ground. During digestion studies performed in vitro with pancreatin pronounced hydrolysis of both corn starch and wheat starch occurred, but hydrolysis of unmodified potato starch was very slight. Ground potato starch was hydrolyzed very rapidly. The low digestibility of unmodified potato starch was attributed to the resistance of the outermost layer or layers of the granules to attack by alpha-amylase.
PROTEIN-BOUND PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS IN THE PROXIMAL STUMP OF PERIPHERAL NERVE AFTER NERVE SECTION OR AFTER NERVE CRUSH
Authors: Logan J. E.
Published: December 2017

The concentration of acid-soluble P, lipid P, protein-bound P, total nucleic acid, DNA (desoxypentosenucleic acid), PNA (pentosenucleic acid), PP (“phosphoprotein”), and “inositide P” was determined in the proximal stump of the sciatic nerve of the cat at 16, 32, and 96 days after nerve section and at 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 96 days after nerve crush. There was an increase in the concentration of acid-soluble P at 16 days after nerve section and a decrease in the concentration of PP at 96 days after either nerve section or nerve crush. The lipid P decreased slightly at 96 days after nerve section and the “inositide P” increased somewhat at 96 days after nerve crush, but both of these fractions remained normal at the other time intervals. The greatest changes, however, were observed in the concentration of the nucleic acids. The concentration of total nucleic acid, DNA, and PNA increased after nerve section, the DNA concentration reaching a maximum at 96 days and the PNA at 16 days. The increase in the concentration of nucleic acid after nerve crush was smaller than that observed after nerve section, the greatest difference being noted at 96 days. These increases in the concentration of nucleic acids, which are not so marked as those in the distal stump, suggest that some cellular proliferation occurs, not only in the distal stump, but also in the proximal stump following either nerve section or nerve crush.
A STUDY OF THE PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE INSECTICIDE ALDRIN (HEXACHLOROHEXAHYDRODIMETHANONAPHTHALENE)
Authors: Gowdey C. W. , Graham A. R. , Seguin J. J. , Stavraky G. W. , Waud R. A.
Published: December 2017

The effects of Aldrin were studied in acute experiments on cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, and frogs; in vitro experiments with Aldrin on strips of guinea pig and rabbit intestine and uterus, and on frog sciatic gastrocnemius preparations, were also performed. Aldrin had no effect on isolated tissues, but when injected intravenously, intramuscularly, or intra-arterially it caused bradycardia, vasodepression, and miosis, and potentiated the effect of vagal stimulation on the heart; increased secretory and vasodilator effects of chorda tympani stimulation on the submaxillary salivary gland; and potentiated the effects of acetylcholine. In appropriate quantities it also increased intestinal motility, while in excessive amounts it caused the opposite effect. Both atropine and sodium pentobarbital antagonized some of the effects of Aldrin on the para sympathetic system.

Introduced into the lymph sac of frogs and intra-arterially into the spinal cord of spinal or decerebrate cats, Aldrin caused convulsive twitches and in the latter preparation augmented reflex excitability of the spinal cord. It also increased markedly.the excitability of spinal centers to acetylcholine and to metrazol. Aldrin evoked a series of twitches in the denervated striated muscles of the cat, and increased the muscular contractions induced by acetylcholine or by electrical stimulation of the motor nerve. Repeated administration of Aldrin depressed the excitability of the spinal cord and neuromuscular transmission. Although Aldrin is very similar in action to the known anticholinesterases, its toxic effects may be due to some quite different properties.
MITOCHONDRIAL POPULATION IN MAMMALIAN CELLS
Authors: Allard Claude , de Lamirande G. , Cantero A.
Published: December 2017

The mitochondrial population, computed from the separate determination of the number of cells and mitochondria per gram of fresh rat liver, seems to decrease during carcinogenesis due to 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, 4′-fluoro-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, and 2-acetylaminofluorene. The noncancerigenic azodye, 2-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, seems to provoke the formation of mitochondria within the liver cell. When 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene is incorporated in a complete diet, the mitochondrial population of the liver cell is unaffected. These results indicate that a lower mitochondrial population might be characteristic of a preneoplastic stage of rat liver induced by cancerigenic substances.
THE ROLE OF ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE IN INTESTINAL ABSORPTION I. THE KINETICS OF PHOSPHATASE ACTION ON VARIOUS SUBSTRATES
Authors: Madsen Neil B. , Tuba Jules
Published: December 2017

The kinetics of intestinal alkaline phosphatase action on sodium β-glycerophosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, and egg lecithin have been studied and compared. The Michaelis constants indicate that the enzyme shows considerably less affinity for lecithin than for the other two substrates, and the approximate ratio of activity with lecithin, glucose 6-phosphate, and sodium β-glycerophosphate is 11 : 78.5 : 100. The energies of activation for the hydrolysis of the three substrates do not differ appreciably and the average energy of activation is 14,500 calories per gram-mole. The similarity of the energies of activation together with results from inhibition studies indicate that in all probability the same enzyme is responsible for the release of inorganic phosphorus from each of the three substrates.
CULTIVATION OF POLIOMYELITIS VIRUS IN TISSUE CULTURE IV. FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON VIRUS PROPAGATION IN HUMAN TISSUES WITH A SYNTHETIC NUTRIENT MEDIUM
Authors: Franklin A. E. , Duncan D. , Wood W. , Rhodes A. J.
Published: December 2017

This paper presents further observations on the propagation of the Lansing strain of poliomyelitis virus in Maitland-type cultures of human tissue derived from embryonic brain and cord and from kidney, in a synthetic nutrient medium. The survival time of cultures of human embryonic brain and cord was previously found to be over 70 days, and we now report that cultures of human embryonic kidney have survived for over 100 days. Virus has been detected in the supernatant fluids of cultures of brain and cord for more than 60 days, and of kidney for more than 100 days. Virus titers of more than 10−3.0 have been obtained in cultures of human embryonic kidney. Human tonsillar tissue has survived for more than 50 days in cultures, and virus has been detected in the supernatant fluids for more than 40 days. Studies on glucose utilization have been of value in estimating the level of metabolism of these tissues.
FURTHER STUDIES ON THE NEUROLYTIC PROPERTIES OF THE SPINAL FLUID IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
Authors: Kovacs Ernest
Published: December 2017

The “neurolytic” property of the cerebrospinal fluid of neurologically normal and of various clinical cases was examined with buffered bovine brain-cord emulsion (brei) as substrate. The splitting of the inactivated nerve tissue emulsion was determined by measuring the changes of the acid soluble inorganic phosphorus and of reducing substances, expressed as sugar, before and after incubation. From our results three main groups may be distinguished: specimens of normal or neurologically normal individuals with negative laboratory findings in the cerebrospinal fluid, without neurolytic activity; specimens from patients with inflammatory processes in the central nervous system, with corresponding pathological changes in the cerebrospinal fluid and parallel high neurolytic activity; spinal fluids from degenerative and proliferative processes with moderate changes in the cerebrospinal fluid, exhibiting high neurolytic activity. The significance of neurolysis and the possible source of the enzymes are discussed.
POLIOMYELITIS IN CANADIAN ESKIMOS LABORATORY STUDIES. IV. ANTIGENIC TYPING OF VIRUS STRAINS IN MONKEYS AND IN TISSUE CULTURES
Authors: Wood W. , Clark Eina M. , Shimada F. T. , Rhodes A. J.
Published: December 2017

Three strains of poliomyelitis virus isolated from Eskimos infected in the outbreak of poliomyelitis occurring at Chesterfield Inlet, N.W.T., in February 1949 have been typed. This typing has been carried out in monkeys and in tissue cultures. Typing was carried out by preparing in rhesus monkeys antiserum to the Eskimo strains and testing these for capacity to neutralize a fixed dose of the Brunhilde (Type 1) and Leon (Type 3) strains on thalamic inoculation of monkeys, and of the Lansing (Type 2) strain on cerebral injection of mice. Antisera prepared against Strains E3-56 and E3-227 completely neutralized Brunhilde virus, as shown on thalamic inoculation of virus-serum mixtures in groups of five monkeys. In contrast, these sera did not neutralize Leon virus. Tests carried out in mice showed that antisera to these Eskimo strains failed to neutralize Lansing virus. It was concluded therefore that Eskimo Strains E3-56 and E3-227 belong to Type 1. The same two sera were tested for their capacity to inhibit the cytopathogenic effect induced in roller-tube cultures of monkey testis by representative strains of the three types (Brunhilde, Y-SK, and Saukett). The two Eskimo sera inhibited the cytopathogenic effect induced by the Brunhilde strain but not the changes induced by the Y-SK and Saukett strains, confirming that the corresponding Eskimo viruses belonged to Type 1. Eskimo Strains E3-79 and E3-227 have also been typed in tissue cultures by a direct method; in this method antisera to the three prototype viruses were tested for capacity to inhibit the cytopathogenic effect induced by the Eskimo strains. Results of this test were in agreement, the Eskimo strains belonging to Type 1. Two strains of virus isolated from the Chesterfield Inlet outbreak have previously been typed by U.S. investigators, by techniques involving the use of monkeys. A total of five strains isolated from this epidemic have therefore been typed, and all have been found to belong to Type 1. This study illustrates that the typing of poliomyelitis strains can be carried out more rapidly and more economically in tissue culture than in monkeys.
THE INCIDENCE OF E. COLI GROUP 0111 IN SPORADIC INFANTILE GASTROENTERITIS AND THE SENSITIVITY TO ANTIBIOTICS OF THE STRAINS ISOLATED
Authors: Hinton Norman A. , Nelles J. E. , Reed G. B.
Published: December 2017

E. coli group 0111 was isolated in large numbers from the stools of 24 of 47 cases of infantile gastroenteritis. The in vitro sensitivity of 20 of these strains to seven antibacterial agents was tested and polymyxin B and aureomycin found to be the most effective.
THE LIPID COMPOSITION AND WATER CONTENT OF BRAIN, HEART, LUNG, LIVER, GUT, AND SKIN IN THE HOST COMPONENT OF THE ALBINO RAT–WALKER CARCINOMA 256 DUAL ORGANISM
Authors: Boyd Eldon M. , McEwen H. D. , Shanas M. N.
Published: December 2017

The carcass of albino rats bearing Walker carcinoma 256 contains, at or near death of the dual organism, concentrations of lipids and water altered in the direction of the concentrations of these constituents in the tumor component. The objective of the investigation herein reported was to find the extent to which brain, heart, lung, liver, gut, and skin participated in this shift of lipid and water levels of the host carcass. Total lipid, neutral fat, total fatty acids, total cholesterol, ester cholesterol, free cholesterol, and phospholipid of these tissues were measured by oxidative micromethods in 23 albino rats bearing Walker carcinoma 256 at or near death of the dual organism. The results were expressed as gm. per 100 gm. dry weight of tissue and compared with corresponding values in 23 littermate albino rats without tumors, and differences with a P value of 0.01 or less were noted. Brain could be proved to take no part in the lipid and water shift in the carcass. Heart, lung, liver, and gut participated in the increased water shift. Liver participated in the increased free cholesterol shift. Skin and gut participated markedly in the decreased total lipid, neutral fat, and total fatty acids shift. Gut participated in the increased phospholipid shift. There were no other significant changes in lipid or water levels. These data are further evidence of the metabolism-directing influence of Walker carcinoma 256 on the host.
Norm inequalities for positive semidefinite matrices and a question of Bourin
Authors: Hayajneh Mostafa , Hayajneh Saja , Kittaneh Fuad
Published: December 2017

Let [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are positive semidefinite. It is shown that [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] and for every unitarily invariant norm.

This gives an affirmative answer to one of the questions posed by Bourin regarding subadditivity inequalities in the case of the trace norm. New norm inequalities related to Bourin's question are also presented.
PBSM: An Efficient Top-K Subgraph Matching Algorithm
Authors: Chen Wei , Liu Jia , Chen Ziyang , Tang Xian , Li Kaiyu
Published: December 2017

Top-K subgraph matching is one of the hot research issues in graph data management, which is to find, from the data graph, K subgraphs isomorphic to the query graph with the largest sum of weights. The existing methods of Top-K subgraph matching on large graphs usually use the filter-and-verify strategy. However, they all suffer from inefficiency in both stages. In the filtering stage, there exists repeated enumeration of vertices and the excessive memory cost of the filtering. In the verification stage, there exists redundant verification. Regarding to the above problems, we propose to use the preprocessing of the graph compression based on equivalent vertices to reduce the enumeration. In the filtering stage, we propose to reduce the memory cost by only considering the direct neighbors. In the verification stage, we take the vertex with the minimum number of candidate vertices in the query graph as the start vertex of the matching order, and use the idea of Ranking While Matching (RWM) to terminate the execution of the algorithm as early as possible by estimating the upper bound of the weights, so as to reduce redundant verification and improve the overall performance. Finally, the experimental results show that our method is much more efficient than existing methods in compression and the processing time.
Singular Value Decomposition-Based Generalized Side Lobe Canceller Beamforming Method for Ultrasound Imaging
Authors: Luo Han-Wu , Li Fang , Sun Guang , Cui Shi-Gang , Lin Nan
Published: December 2017

In the previous studies, eigenspace-based minimum variance (ESBMV) algorithms were proposed, however, the quality of the algorithm will degrade in low signal to noise occasions. In this study, a singular value decomposition generalized side lobe canceller (SVD-GSC) beamforming method based on the GSC is proposed. The sample covariance matrix is eigendecomposed, and a kind of further SVD is introduced to establish the noise space and the signal space, respectively. After that, the weighting vectors acquired by GSC are projected into the left singular space of the desired signal space. The performance of the proposed method is investigated by both of the simulation and experimental data. And the sound velocity error is also investigated in this paper. The imaging quality of point targets are measured by the [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]dB main lobe width and the peak side lobe (PSL). The contrast ratio (CR) is introduced to describe the quality of cyst phantom. Both the point targets and cyst phantom simulation show that the proposed SVD-GSC performs better in terms of spatial resolution, PSL and CR. Furthermore, the proposed method has a stronger robustness than the traditional GSC.
Analysis of interacting entropy-corrected holographic and new agegraphic dark energies
Authors: Ranjit Chayan , Debnath Ujjal
Published: December 2017

In the present work, we assume the flat FRW model of the universe is filled with dark matter and dark energy where they are interacting. For dark energy model, we consider the entropy-corrected HDE (ECHDE) model and the entropy-corrected NADE (ECNADE). For entropy-corrected models, we assume logarithmic correction and power law correction. For ECHDE model, length scale [Formula: see text] is assumed to be Hubble horizon and future event horizon. The [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] analysis for our different horizons are discussed.
Orbital dynamics in the post-Newtonian planar circular restricted Sun–Jupiter system
Authors: Zotos Euaggelos E. , Dubeibe F. L.
Published: December 2017

The theory of the post-Newtonian (PN) planar circular restricted three-body problem is used for numerically investigating the orbital dynamics of a test particle (e.g. a comet, asteroid, meteor or spacecraft) in the planar Sun–Jupiter system with a scattering region around Jupiter. For determining the orbital properties of the test particle, we classify large sets of initial conditions of orbits for several values of the Jacobi constant in all possible Hill region configurations. The initial conditions are classified into three main categories: (i) bounded, (ii) escaping and (iii) collisional. Using the smaller alignment index (SALI) chaos indicator, we further classify bounded orbits into regular, sticky or chaotic. In order to get a spherical view of the dynamics of the system, the grids of the initial conditions of the orbits are defined on different types of two-dimensional planes. We locate the different types of basins and we also relate them with the corresponding spatial distributions of the escape and collision time. Our thorough analysis exposes the high complexity of the orbital dynamics and exhibits an appreciable difference between the final states of the orbits in the classical and PN approaches. Furthermore, our numerical results reveal a strong dependence of the properties of the considered basins with the Jacobi constant, along with a remarkable presence of fractal basin boundaries. Our outcomes are compared with the earlier ones regarding other planetary systems.
Quantum coherent transport in a three-arm beam splitter and a Braess paradox
Authors: Zhitlukhina E. , Belogolovskii M. , De Leo N. , Fretto M. , Sosso A. , Seidel P.
Published: December 2017

The Braess paradox encountered in classical user-optimized network system, such as a transportation network, is a counter intuitive phenomenon when the travel cost (time) for every user can be increased by adding a new road or, more generally, when the overall net performance can degrade after addition of an extra available choice. In this work, we discuss the possibility of a similar effect in a phase-coherent quantum transport and demonstrate it by example of a simple Y-shaped metallic fork. To reveal the Braess-like partial suppression of the charge flow in such device, it is proposed to transfer two outgoing arms into a superconducting state. We show that the differential conductance-vs. voltage spectrum of the hybrid fork structure varies considerably when the extra link between the two superconducting leads is added and it can serve as an indicator of quantum correlations which manifest themselves in the quantum Braess paradox.