cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurotoxic effects of partially oxidized serotonin: tryptamine-4,5-dione.

Abstract Neurotoxicity of tryptamine-4,5-dione (4,5-DKT), a partially oxidized form of serotonin, was assessed after microinjection into the lateral ventricle, hippocampus, or cingulate cortex of rats followed by Fink-Heimer staining for axon terminal degeneration. Intracerebroventricular injections of 4,5-DKT resulted in terminal degeneration which was most dense in layers I and III of insular cortex, layer I of cingulate cortex, and the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. Argyrophilic and probably degeneration neurons were most frequently subjacent to the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus, layers II, III, and IV of entorhinal cortex, and throghout the insula. Injections of 5–20 μg of 4,5-DKT directly into the hippocampus indicated that toxicity was dose-dependent. These injections produced axon terminal degeneration and neuronal argyrophilia in sectors CA1 and CA3 and in the dentate gyrus. Argyrophilic neurons were also observed in layers II, III, and IV of ipsi- and contralateral entorhinal cortices. Injections into anterior and posterior cingulate cortices produced degeneration in the caudate and anterior thalamic nuclei, and contralateral cortex. These results indicate that 4,5-DKT is a novel indole neurotoxin which exhibits a striking propensity for medial limbic system structures including some of those affected in dementia of the Alzheimer type.
Biaxial gas-pressure forming of a superplastic Al2O3/YTZP

The superplastic deformation behavior of fine-grained, 20 wt% alumina/yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia (20 wt% Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]/YTZP) under conditions of biaxial gas-pressure deformation is described. Sheet specimens were deformed into hemispherical caps at temperatures ranging from 1,450 to 1,600 C and at imposed gas pressures of 345 and 690 kPa. For the condition examined, hemispherical caps were formed at times ranging from 10[sup 3] to 2.1 [times] 10[sup 4] s. The correlation between data obtained in uniaxial tensile testing and the behavior observed during the biaxial deformation experiments of this study is discussed.
Museums as a Venue for Public Health Intervention

Big Food: Health, Culture, and the Evolution of Eating broke numerous records for museum attendance, highlighting the public’s appetite for public health. During its 10-month run at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, more than 120 000 visitors attended Big Food, including 25 000 students through the museum’s public education program, an increase of 30% more than the average student attendance in the past decade. Big Food cost approximately $100 000 to build, comprising printed panels and objects, installation displays (e.g., custom-built cases to house such objects as sugar-sweetened beverages and healthy and diseased organs), temporary walls, video monitors, food products, and more. At less than $1 per visitor, this provided extraordinary public health value.
Spin relaxation in quantum dots

Results are given for spin relaxation in quantum dots due to acoustic phonon-assisted flips of single spins at low temperatures. The dominant spin relaxation processes for varying dot size, temperature, and magnetic field are identified. These processes are mediated by the spin-orbit interaction and are described within a generalized effective mass treatment. Particular attention is given to phonon coupling due to interface motion, which dominates the relaxation for dots with diameters $\ensuremath{\lesssim}15\mathrm{nm},$ and also to a direct spin-phonon process that arises from valence-conduction band coupling and dominates the rates for increasing temperature. Low-temperature relaxation rates are found to be small and to depend strongly on size, on temperature, and on magnetic field. Results are illustrated with evaluations for $\mathrm{GaAs}/{\mathrm{Al}}_{x}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\mathrm{As}$ systems, and a minimum in the relaxation rate is found for dot diameters $\ensuremath{\sim}20\mathrm{nm}.$
Linking Intrinsic Disorder to Allosteric Regulation in the NMDA Receptor

Ionotropic glutamate receptors mediate excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. Ligand binding to the extracellular domain triggers opening of a transmembrane ion channel domain allowing sodium influx. The NMDA-sensitive receptor subtype also permits calcium influx, which plays important roles in regulating synaptic strength. With the evolution of vertebrates, the NMDA receptor isoform GluN2B acquired a large cytoplasmic domain (CTD) that enables allosteric modulation by Src kinase. GluN2B-containing receptors are inhibited by extracellular zinc but the block can be reversed by phosphorylation of two tyrosine residues in the distal CTD. The mechanism whereby the CTD affects gating of the ion channel is unknown. The CTD is predicted to contain large stretches of intrinsic disorder. A central palmitoylation motif splits the CTD into two domains. Using ensemble biophysical and biochemical methods, we confirmed that the distal cytoplasmic domain (CTD2) is a disordered globule. Single molecule FRET revealed stochastic transitions that appear to arise from slow conformational dynamics on the second timescale. We found that Src phosphorylation caused a uniform expansion of the polypeptide. We were able to induce compaction in CTD2 by removing proline residues, which retarded the Src-induced expansion. Scanning mutagenesis also revealed a role for proline in aggregation as well as CTD2 binding to small molecules, like the fluorophore ANS, and a PDZ domain involved in synaptic targeting of the receptor. Thus, proline appears to modulate the attractive potential of short linear motifs within regions of intrinsic disorder. In the context of the native NMDA receptor, proline depletion near the Src phosphorylation sites uncoupled allosteric regulation of the channel by zinc and eliminated the zinc block. This suggests that allosteric modulation is linked to the conformational dynamics within the disordered cytoplasmic domain.
Schizophrenia patients demonstrate a dissociation on declarative and non-declarative memory tests

Declarative memory refers to the recall and recognition of factual information. In contrast, non-declarative memory entails a facilitation of memory based on prior exposure and is typically assessed with priming and perceptual-motor sequencing tasks. In this study, schizophrenia patients were compared to normal comparison subjects on two computerized memory tasks: the Word-stem Priming Test (n=30) and the Pattern Sequence Learning Test (n=20). Word-stem Priming includes recall, recognition (declarative) and priming (non-declarative) components of memory. The schizophrenia patients demonstrated an impaired performance on recall of words with relative improvement during the recognition portion of the test. Furthermore, they performed normally on the priming portion of the test. Thus, on tests of declarative memory, the patients had retrieval deficits with intact performance on the non-declarative memory component. The Pattern Sequence Learning Test utilizes a serial reaction time paradigm to assess non-declarative memory. The schizophrenia patients' serial reaction time was significantly slower than that of comparison subjects. However, the patients' rate of acquisition was not different from the normal comparison group. The data suggest that patients with schizophrenia process more slowly than normal, but have an intact non-declarative memory. The schizophrenia patients' dissociation on declarative vs. non-declarative memory tests is discussed in terms of possible underlying structural impairment.
Embryonic Maturation of Sensory Terminals of Primate Facial Hairs

The present study examines the sequence of maturation of sensory nerve terminals that can be identified on primate facial guard hairs. At birth, the sensory innervation of both guard and vellus hairs is mature in that lanceolate, Ruffini, and free nerve ending (FNE) terminals can be identified and resemble those of the adult. Presumptive lanceolate terminals can be identified at the beginning of the third trimester of gestation, and other axons present are either Ruffini or FNEs, but definite identification is not possible. In the latter half of the second trimester only axons arranged circumferentially are present, resembling FNE or Ruffini terminals. Some of these axons directly abut the hair follicle and might eventually become lanceolate endings. The earliest nerve terminals associated with hairs cytologically resemble FNE or Ruffini terminals. At the onset of hair differentiation in the early part of the second trimester, nerves were always associated with developing epithelial hair placodes. Branching Schwann cells in the axons radiating toward the epidermis in these youngest embryos studied were best identified by electron microscopy. The early development of afferent nerve fibers in hairy skin provides an anatomical substrate for the known reflexogenic activity of primate embryos. Adequate cytologic criteria are thus available for the identification of sensory terminals in growing, differentiating, and presumably regenerating axons in primate hairy skin.
Attrition in residents entering US obstetrics and gynecology residencies: analysis of National GME Census data.

Objective We sought to identify risk factors for attrition among obstetrics and gynecology residents. Study Design We analyzed 2001-2006 American Medical Association Graduate Medical Education (GME) Census data for all residents who entered obstetrics and gynecology in 2001 to characterize residents who did not complete a 4-year training period in their initial programs ("attrition"). Multivariable logistic regression models identified predictors of attrition from among age, gender, race, Hispanic ethnicity, medical school type, and medical school graduation year. Results Of 1055 residents entering obstetrics and gynecology in 2001, 228 (21.6%) were in the "attrition" group (133 changed obstetrics and gynecology programs and/or completed training on atypical cycles; 75 changed specialty; 20 discontinued GME). Residents who were older, underrepresented minority race, Asian race, osteopathic- or international medical school graduates were more likely to be in the "attrition" group (each P Conclusion Analysis of a national cohort of obstetrics and gynecology residents identified substantial attrition and demographic risk factors.
CCK-8 stimulation of ventromedial hypothalamic neurons in vitro: a feeding-relevant event?

Bath application of sulfated or non-sulfated cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8s or CCK-8ns, respectively) at concentrations of 25 to 250 nM stimulated the firing activity of 40 to 80% of neurons recorded from the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) in hypothalamic slices maintained in vitro. On the basis of molarity or the percentages of neurons affected, CCK-8s was about 2 to 10 times more potent than CCK-8ns. However, qualitatively, the two forms of CCK-8 were virtually identical: (1) both had a stimulatory action on VMN neurons; (2) both affected VMN neurons in a dose-dependent fashion; (3) both could desensitize their own stimulatory action; and (4) both could cross-desensitize the stimulatory action of the other. These results indicate that not only CCK-8s but also CCK-8ns, which is biologically inactive peripherally, can serve as excitatory neurotransmitters in the VMN, and that both peptides stimulated neurons through the same or a similar neuronal mechanism. It was also found that in the VMN, the stimulatory action of CCK-8 correlated with the actions of norepinephrine, and affected all of the VMN neurons responsive to glucose. Since the actions of glucose and norepinephrine on the activity of VMN neurons are feeding-relevant, our data support the notion that, in addition to acting as a peripheral satiety agent, CCK-8 can also act as a neurotransmitter centrally to mediate satiety.
Electronic Energy Bands in Metallic Tungsten

Calculations of the electronic energy bands in metallic tungsten are carried out by the Wigner-Seitz-Slater method. All numerical integrations were carried out on the M. I. T. differential analyzer. It is found that the $d$ band is broken up into five sub-bands. Some of these $d$ bands are found to be about fifteen electron volts in width. One is about two electron volts in width. The occupied energy range extends about five electron volts. The $s$ band starts at a higher energy than the $d$ bands and is occupied by much less than one electron per atom at the equilibrium interatomic distance. From the results of a previous paper, curves of $E \mathrm{vs}. k$ are plotted for the principal directions of propagation. From these, curves of the number of energy levels per unit energy range were determined by numerical and graphical methods which are described in an appendix. It is assumed that the $n(E)$ curve for tantalum is not greatly different from that for tungsten except that there is one less electron per atom. From the $n(E)$ curves the electronic contribution to the specific heat is calculated for the two metals and the results found to be in good agreement with the excess specific heat at high temperatures for both metals. The computed value does not agree with low temperature data on tantalum. There are no low temperature data for tungsten. Qualitative discussions of the differences in electrical resistance, temperature coefficient of resistance, and thermoelectric power of the two metals are given. The contribution of exchange effects to the paramagnetic susceptibility is treated by a rough model and it is shown that the assumption of the same value of the exchange integral for both metals gives satisfactory agreement with observed data.
Risk factors for postpartum problems in dairy cows: Explanatory and predictive modeling

The postpartum period is associated with a high incidence of most dairy cattle diseases and a high risk of removal from the herd. Postpartum diseases often share risk factors, and these factors may trigger a cascade of other diseases. The objective of this cohort study was to derive explanatory and predictive models for treatment or removal from the herd within the first 30 d in milk (TXR30). The TXR30 outcome was specifically defined as ≥1 treatment for ≥1 occurrence of milk fever, retained placenta, metritis, ketosis, displaced abomasum, lameness, or pneumonia; removal from the herd (sold or died); or both treatment and later herd removal. The study population consisted of 765 multiparous and 544 primiparous cows (predominantly Holstein) from 4 large commercial freestall-housed dairy herds. Treatment or removal from the herd was recorded as a binary outcome for each cow. Potential explanatory and predictive variables were limited to routine cow data that could be collected either before or within 24 h of calving. Models for multiparous and primiparous cows were developed separately because previous lactation variables are available only for multiparous cows. Adjusted odds ratios for TXR30 in the explanatory model for the multiparous cohort were 2.1 for lactation 3 compared with lactation 2, and 2.3 for lactation 4 or greater compared with lactation 2; 2.3 for locomotion score 3 or 4 compared with score 1; 3.3 for an abnormality at calving compared with no calving abnormality; 1.8 for each 1-standard deviation increase in previous lactation length; and 0.4 for each 5,000-kg increment in previous lactation milk yield in cows with longer previous lactation length. The final predictive model for TXR30 in multiparous cows included predictors similar but not identical to those included in the explanatory model. The area under the curve for the receiver operating characteristic curve from the final predictive model for the multiparous cohort was 0.70, with 60% sensitivity. For the primiparous cohort, calving abnormality increased the odds of TXR30 and was the only variable included in both the explanatory and predictive models. The area under the curve for the receiver operating characteristic curve from the final predictive model for the primiparous cohort was 0.66, with 35% sensitivity. This study identified key risk factors for TXR30 and developed equations for the prediction of TXR30. This information can help dairy producers better understand causes of postpartum problems.
A gene chimaera of SV40 and mouse β-globin is transcribed and properly spliced

A gene chimaera of the first exon from simian virus 40 (SV40) sequences coding for T antigen placed upstream from the third exon from mouse beta-globin, and separated by the resultant new chimaeric intron, was cloned into a bacterial plasmid. When transfected into monkey cells, the gene chimaera was transcribed, polyadenylated and spliced using the donor splice site from SV40 and the acceptor splice site from mouse beta-globin. This result suggests that a donor site from one gene can be spliced to an acceptor site from another gene.
Multicolor FISH Mapping with Alu-PCR-Amplified YAC Clone DNA Determines the Order of Markers in the BRCA1 Region on Chromosome 17q12-q21

A gene designated BRCA1, implicated in the susceptibility to early-onset familial breast cancer, has recently been localized to chromosome 17q12-q21. To date, the order of DNA markers mapped within this region has been based on genetic linkage analysis. The authors report the use of multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization to establish a physically based map of five polymorphic DNA markers and 10 cloned genes spanning this region. Three cosmid clones and Alu-PCR-Generated products derived from 12 yeast artificial chromosome clones representing each of these markers were used in two-color mapping experiments to determine an initial proximity of markers relative to each other on metaphase chromosomes. Interphase mapping was then employed to determine the order and orientation of closely spaced loci by direct visualization of fluorescent signals following hybridization of three probes, each detected in a different color. Statistical analysis of the combined data suggests that the order of markers in the BRCA1 regions is cen-THRA1-TOP2-GAS-OF2-17HSD-248yg9-RNU2-OF3-PPY/p131-EPB3-Mfd188-WNT3-HOX2-GP3A-tel. This map is consistent with that determined by radiation-reduced hybrid mapping and will facilitate positional cloning strategies in efforts to isolate and characterize the BRCA1 gene. 27 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.
Measurements of reproductive effort from successive reproductive cycles for the Asian cichlid Etroplus maculatus

Reproductive effort in fish through the time of spawning should include effort spent in producing gametes, territorial defense and courtship. This investment may be repeated if eggs are lost or the pair is separated after spawning has occurred. Little is known about how investments change when fish repeat reproduction. This study examined some changes in gamete production and courtship as initial pairs of orange chromides,Etroplus maculatus, were successively cycled with new partners after spawning had occurred. Results indicate that males' fertilization rate remained the same throughout all cycles. Females' egg number and total egg mass production also remained the same. However, the quality of individual eggs decreased significantly with every successive cycle. Changes in courtship behavior were also documented for some modal action patterns. It appears from these results that there are definite changes in both courtship and spawning characteristics from cycle to cycle. Therefore, the reproductive effort as a whole may change. In turn this may help select for the type of reproductive strategy observed in nature.
Characterization of selected lipids of the parasite Exeristes roborator (Fabricius).

Abstract 1. 1. The triglyceride, diglyceride and free fatty acid lipid fractions of the parasite, Exeristes roborator and its host, Gnorimoschema operculella contained the 16 and 18 carbon fatty acids, palmitate, palmitoleate, stearate, oleate, linoleate and linolenate. 2. 2. Quantitatively, the fatty acid compositions of all three lipid fractions within each species were different. Between the species, the fatty acid compositions of the glycerides of parasite and host were very similar. The compositions of the free fatty acid fractions of the two species however, were markedly different. 3. 3. The results were evaluated with those of previous studies and suggest that dietary regulation over acyl-transferase activity plays a role in determining the levels of fatty acids in the lipid classes of the parasite.
The reachable volume of a robot arm

This paper describes the algorithms necessary to draw a cross section of the working volume of a manipulator,or robotic arm, that has only rotation type joints.
Trimethylstannyl-2,4-cycloheptadiene: A fluxional molecule

Abstract Trimethylstannyl-2,4-cycloheptadiene (II) was synthesized and shown to be fluxional on the NMR time scale. The activation energy for the [1,5] trimethyltin migration is estimated to be ca. 18 kcal/mole. This value is compared with estimated activation energies of 14 kcal/mole for trimethylstannylindene (IV) and 6 kcal/mole for cyclopentadienyltrimethylstannane (I, ESn). 1,1-Dimethyl-4-trimethylstannyl-2,5-cyclohexadiene (VIII) was also synthesized and was shown to be non-fluxional.
Using Internet Resources in Teaching Financial Reporting and Analysis of Multinational Enterprises

Abstract There has been an increase in the number and type of sources of corporate financial information on the Internet in recent years. The number of corporations that have web pages which post corporate financial information is increasing; in addition, many government and regulatory agencies are also posting corporate financial information. Furthermore, there are some third-party sites that post corporate financial information. In recent years some software has been developed or is in the process of being developed to gather, analyze, and monitor information available on the Internet to accomplish specific tasks on behalf of users. The purpose of this article is to provide some sources of corporate financial information on the Internet and illustrate how to use these resources in teaching international business and, more specifically, financial reporting and analysis of multinational enterprises and to point out some of the advantages and limitations of these resources.
bpshape wk4: a computer program that implements a physiological model for analyzing the shape of blood pressure waveforms

We describe the theory and computer implementation of a newly-derived mathematical model for analyzing the shape of blood pressure waveforms. Input to the program consists of an ECG signal, plus a single continuous channel of peripheral blood pressure, which is often obtained invasively from an indwelling catheter during intensive-care monitoring or non-invasively from a tonometer. Output from the program includes a set of parameter estimates, made for every heart beat. Parameters of the model can be interpreted in terms of the capacitance of large arteries, the capacitance of peripheral arteries, the inertance of blood flow, the peripheral resistance, and arterial pressure due to basal vascular tone. Aortic flow due to contraction of the left ventricle is represented by a forcing function in the form of a descending ramp, the area under which represents the stroke volume. Differential equations describing the model are solved by the method of Laplace transforms, permitting rapid parameter estimation by the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. Parameter estimates and their confidence intervals are given in six examples, which are chosen to represent a variety of pressure waveforms that are observed during intensive-care monitoring. The examples demonstrate that some of the parameters may fluctuate markedly from beat to beat. Our program will find application in projects that are intended to correlate the details of the blood pressure waveform with other physiological variables, pathological conditions, and the effects of interventions.
Simulating the Role of Microtubules in Depolymerization-Driven Transport: A Monte Carlo Approach

In this paper we present a model that simulates the role of microtubules in depolymerization-driven transport. The model simulates a system that consists of a 13-protofilament microtubule with "five-start" helical structure and a motor protein-coated bead that moves along one of the protofilaments of the microtubule, as in in vitro experiments. The microtubule is simulated using the lateral cap model, with substantial generalizations. For the new terminal configurations in the presence of the bead, rate constants for association and dissociation events of tubulin molecules are calculated by exploring the geometric similarities between different patterns of terminal configurations and by decomposing complex patterns into simpler patterns whose corresponding rate constants are known. In comparison with a previous model, in which simplifications are made about the structure of the microtubule and in which the microtubule can only depolymerize, the detailed structure of the microtubule is taken into account in the present model. Furthermore, the microtubule can be either polymerizing or depolymerizing. Force-velocity curves are obtained for both zero and non-zero tubulin guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) concentrations. By analyzing the trajectory of the bead under different parameters, the condition for "run and pause" is analyzed, and the time scale of "run" and "pause" is found to be different for different motor proteins. We also suggest experiments that can be used to examine the results predicted by the model.
LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN STUDY ABROAD CONTEXTS, Margaret A. DuFon and Eton Churchill (Eds.)

LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN STUDY ABROAD CONTEXTS. Margaret A. DuFon and Eton Churchill (Eds.) . Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters, 2006. Pp. xiii + 329. $43.96 paper. The goal of this volume is to assess research since Freed (1995) on the effectiveness of study abroad programs on second language learning. An introductory chapter by the editors gives an overview of study abroad research since 1995. This is followed by 10 chapters divided among four sections that focus on pragmatic development, dinner table interaction, a section titled “From Home to School,” and individual and program variables.
Engineering of PDMS surfaces for use in microsystems for capture and isolation of complex and biomedically important proteins: Epidermal growth factor receptor as a model system

Elastomers based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) are promising materials for fabrication of a wide range of microanalytical systems due to their mechanical and optical properties and ease of processing. To date, however, quantitative studies that demonstrate reliable and reproducible methods for attachment of binding groups that capture complex receptor proteins of relevance to biomedical applications of PDMS microsystems have not been reported. Herein we describe methods that lead to the reproducible capture of a transmembrane protein, the human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, onto PDMS surfaces presenting covalently immobilized antibodies for EGF receptor, and subsequent isolation of the captured receptor by mechanical transfer of the receptor onto a chemically functionalized surface of a gold film for detection. This result is particularly significant because the physical properties of transmembrane proteins make this class of proteins a difficult one to analyze. We benchmark the performance of antibodies to the human EGF receptor covalently immobilized on PDMS against the performance of the same antibodies physisorbed to conventional surfaces utilized in ELISA assays through the use of EGF receptor that was 32P-radiolabeled in its autophosphorylation domain. These results reveal that two pan-reactive antibodies for the EGF receptor (clones H11 and 111.6) and one phosphospecific EGF receptor antibody (clone pY1068) capture the receptor on both PDMS and ELISA plates. When using H11 antibody to capture EGF receptor and subsequent treatment with a stripping buffer (NaOH and sodium dodecylsulfate) to isolate the receptor, the signal-to-background obtained using the PDMS surface was 82 : 1, exceeding the signal-to-background measured on the ELISA plate (<48 : 1). We also characterized the isolation of captured EGF receptor by mechanical contact of the PDMS surface with a chemically functionalized gold film. The efficiency of mechanical transfer of the transmembrane protein from the PDMS surface was found to be 75–81%. However, the transfer of non-specifically bound protein was substantially less than 75%, thus leading to the important finding that mechanical transfer of the EGF receptor leads to an approximately four-fold increase in signal-to-background from 20 : 1 to 88 : 1. The signal-to-background obtained following mechanical transfer is also better than that obtained using ELISA plates and stripping buffer (<48 : 1). The EGF receptor is a clinically important protein and the target of numerous anticancer agents and thus these results, when combined, provide guidance for the design of PDMS-based microanalytical systems for the capture and isolation of complex and clinically important transmembrane proteins.
Ability and Performance on Ill‐Structured Problems: The Substitution Effect of Inductive Reasoning Ability

ABSTRACT: Some cognitive abilities may act as partial substitutes for experience. These abilities have the potential to enhance the performance of inexperienced professionals by helping them synthesize and make better use of limited domain or task‐specific experience. This study investigates the substitution effect of inductive reasoning ability. An experiment required 130 practicing business valuation professionals (91 are CPAs) to solve an ill‐structured business valuation case. The results of the experiment show that the worst performance came from inexperienced professionals who had low inductive reasoning ability. However, the performance of inexperienced professionals with high inductive reasoning ability was similar to the performance of more experienced professionals. This suggests that high inductive reasoning ability acted as a partial substitute for experience. The practical importance of this substitution effect is that training in inductive reasoning has the potential to increase the performa...
Activation Dependent Organization of T Cell Membranes: A FCCS Study

While the heterogeneity of the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells is by now a well-established fact, the precise architecture of this important cellular structure is still seriously debated. Here, we focus on the role of specific lipid anchor motifs in the organization of T-cell plasma membranes into distinct domains of particular composition. To that end we generated a combinatorial library of protein constructs by fusing different lipid-modification sites of lipid anchored proteins with one of two fluorescent proteins. Two of these constructs that encode for either myristilation, palmytilation, geranylation or glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) elaboration and are labeled with either enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) or monomeric Cherry fluorescence protein were co-expressed in each cell. We used dual color fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCCS) to exploit co-movement of the same or different lipid anchors as a signature of spatial cluster formation, thereby circumventing the limitations of direct imaging of nano-meter sized membrane structures. Our comparative FCCS studies on membranes of whole T cells and plasma membrane sheets show that in living T cells most anchors only co-localize with themselves, while different anchors move independently from each other. This suggests that the plasma membrane is composed of a variety of different domains (each with specific protein content) and that the lipid anchor structure plays a key role in the specific recruitment of proteins into their target domains. However, in equilibrated membrane sheets, some of the selective aggregation is lost. We also find significant differences in the degree of aggregation between activated and non-activated T cells and their sheets. Furthermore, cholesterol depletion and actin-drug experiments indicate that both actin as well as cholesterol is involved in the dynamic nano- and micrometer scale organization of the T cell plasma membrane.
ERG evaluation of daily, high-dose sildenafil usage.

Purpose Sildenafil can cause transient, mild ERG changes in healthy individuals taking large single doses. Although the drug was originally intended for intermittent use in erectile dysfunction, it has now been approved for chronic use in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The purpose of our study is to investigate possible ERG changes in subjects using large doses of sildenafil on a chronic daily basis. Methods We examined five subjects with PAH taking sildenafil daily for 1–4 years. Full-field electroretinogram (ERG), multifocal ERG (mfERG), and color testing were performed. Three of the subjects returned on a later date for challenge off and on the medication. Results On chronic daily sildenafil, color vision testing was normal, and ERG and mfERG amplitudes were normal; however, cone implicit times on drug were modestly lengthened. There were no consistent full-field ERG changes when off the drug, but the mfERG showed a small amplitude increase and implicit time decrease, which returned 1 h after re-dosing. Conclusion There was a modest lengthening of cone implicit time on chronic daily doses of sildenafil and a hint that some of these changes may be reversible in the short term. It does not appear that chronic sildenafil usage at these dosage levels is seriously toxic or threatening to vision.
Rule-Based String Code Processor

A new and efficient real time technique to produce a string code description of the contour of an object, such as an (angle, length) (0, s) feature space for the arcs describing the contour, is detailed. We demonstrate the use of such a description for an aircraft identification problem case study. Our (0, s) feature space is modified to include a length string code and a convexity string code. This feature space allows both global and local feature extraction. The local feature extraction follows human techniques and is thus quite suitable for a rule-based processor (as we discuss and demonstrate). Aircraft have generic parts and thus are quite suitable for the model-based description.
Alignment system for solid-surface extreme-ultraviolet laser targets

A simple and new target-alignment scheme for short-wavelength lasers is presented in the context of the alignment requirements of a nickel-like molybdenum extreme-ultraviolet laser. The current optical design for the system is presented, along with data indicating alignment capabilities of at least 16 μm.
Adult rat motor cortex connections to thalamus following neonatal and juvenile frontal cortical lesions: WGA-HRP and amino acid studies

Frontal cortex was removed in 1- and 30-day-old rats. When both groups reached 90 days of age, the forelimb motor/sensory cortex in the unlesioned hemisphere was injected with wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) or tritiated leucine. Thalamic neurons were retrogradely labeled only ipsilateral to the WGA-HRP injection site in both neonatally and juvenile-lesioned subjects. Ventrolateral (VL), ventromedial (VM), centromedial (CM), centrolateral (CL), parafascicular (PF), posteromedial (POm), and posterior (PO) thalamic nuclei were labeled. This and the demonstration of only ipsilateral thalamocortical connections at birth helped explain the marked thalamic atrophy which developed ipsilateral to neonatal frontal cortex lesions. Death of thalamic neurons after neonatal removal of their normal cortical target could be due to their failure to sprout into the opposite cortex because that cortex was already innervated by the opposite thalamus at birth. Leucine motor/sensory cortex injections in both neonatally and juvenile-lesioned subjects labeled the ipsilateral VL, VM, CM, CL, PF, POm, and PO thalamic nuclei; contralateral CM, CL, and PF thalamic nuclei; ipsilateral medial, ventral, and lateral pontine nuclei; and parts of the contralateral pontine nuclei. The ipsilateral connections were always more robust than the contralateral connections. The contralateral corticothalamic and corticopontine projections, however, were much more numerous and widespread in neonatally compared to juvenile-lesioned subjects. The greater sparing of some motor functions said to occur in neonatal compared to adult motor cortex-lesioned subjects could be due to the plasticity of corticothalamic, corticopontine, and other corticofugal pathways, but not to the plasticity of thalamocortical pathways.
A source of artifact in the lacZ reversion assay in Escherichia coli

The lacZ reversion assay in Escherichia coli measures point mutations that occur by specific base substitutions and frameshift mutations. The tester strains cannot use lactose as a carbon source (Lac(-)), and revertants are easily detected by growth on lactose medium (Lac(+)). Six strains identify the six possible base substitutions, and five strains measure +G, -G, -CG, +A and -A frameshifts. Strong mutagens give dose-dependent increases in numbers of revertants per plate and revertant frequencies. Testing compounds that are arguably nonmutagens or weakly mutagenic, we often noted statistically significant dose-dependent increases in revertant frequency that were not accompanied by an absolute increase in numbers of revertants. The increase in frequency was wholly ascribable to a declining number of viable cells owing to toxicity. Analysis of the conditions revealed that the frequency of spontaneous revertants is higher when there are fewer viable cells per plate. The phenomenon resembles "adaptive" or "stress" mutagenesis, whereby lactose revertants accumulate in Lac(-) bacteria under starvation conditions in the absence of catabolite repression. Adaptive mutation is observed after long incubation and might be expected to be irrelevant in a standard assay using 48-h incubation. However, we found that elevated revertant frequencies occur under typical assay conditions when the bacterial lawn is thin, and this can cause increases in revertant frequency that mimic chemical mutagenesis when treatments are toxic but not mutagenic. Responses that resemble chemical mutagenesis were observed in the absence of mutagenic treatment in strains that revert by different frameshift mutations. The magnitude of the artifact is affected by cell density, dilution, culture age, incubation time, catabolite repression and the age and composition of media. Although the specific reversion assay is effective for quickly distinguishing classes of mutations induced by potent mutagens, its utility for discerning effects of weak mutagens may be compromised by the artifact.
Supply Chain Resources: Advancing Theoretical Foundations and Constructs

Researchers have increasingly drawn on theories of resources to explain a variety of firm and supply chain outcomes. The concept of resources has become so important that it is now foundational to a large and growing body of supply chain research. In this introduction to the Special Topic Forum on Resources and Supply Chain Management, we provide some background on the concept of resources and recent theoretical advancements on why resources are important in the context of supply chains. We also offer some ways to advance theory related to resources in the supply chain management research. A key implication is that future supply chain management research must examine more granular issues regarding the management and allocation of supply chain resources.
Self-selection of diets

Summary The results of these studies have shown (1) that a close relationshipexists between appetite and dietary needs; (2) that animals make beneficial selections from purified substances, even better than from natural foods; (3) that we have a new tool for the investigation of a variety of nutritional problems (up to the present the results have been largely confirmatory of biochemical studies; in the future we hope with this method actually to be able to point the way to new relationships); and (4) that all of the dietary self-selection activities may be regarded as total organism responses by means of which the organism maintains a constant internal environment.
Sputtering Experiments in the Rutherford Collision Region

Sputtering experiments have been conducted by bombarding the (110) plane and the (100) plane of single crystals of copper by deuterons incident normally with energies from 0.8 to 2.5 Mev from a Van de Graaff accelerator. Electron micrographs showed that surface etch pits were formed by bombardment, even at these high energies. Measurements of optical transmission of the sputtered film collected on a quartz tube indicated a deviation from a cosine distribution in the energy range investigated. For 800-kev deuterons bombarding a (100) plane in Cu, the absolute value of the sputtering ratio was $S=1.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ atom/ion at 25\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} with respect to the surface normal and 5.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ at angles larger than 40\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}; and $Sl0.9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ atom/ion at 25\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for 1.5-Mev deuterons. For 0.80- and 2.5-Mev deuterons bombarding a (110) plane, $Sl5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ atom/ion. These data agree with the calculations of Goldman and Simon and of Pease within a factor of 2, but disagree with those reported by Pleshivtsev by 2 to 4 orders of magnitude. The sputtering ratio was found to decrease with increasing ion energy, in qualitative agreement with the theoretical predictions but contrary to the findings of Pleshivtsev.
Competition and Wage Discrimination: The Effects of Interindustry Concentration and Import Penetration*

Objective. Economic theory suggests that competition reduces employers' latitude to engage in wage discrimination (Becker, 1957). This study investigates the impact of foreign and domestic competition on wage discrimination. Method. Utilizing the sample of males in U.S. manufacturing industries from the 1990 Public Use Micro Sample (PUMS), industry wage equations are estimated. In a second stage, the impact of domestic and foreign competition on racial wage disparity is assessed. Results. We find little evidence to support our hypothesis. Conclusions. Notwithstanding, the failure of conventional economic theory to satisfactorily explain racial wage disparity reiterates the need to incorporate alternative theories of discrimination into mainstream economic theory.
Studies on the triple response of Lewis in patients with spinal cord injury.

When the normal skin is stroked strongly, or when a milder stroking is repeated along the same line, a threefold response occurs, consisting of (1) a red line, known as red dermographism, which develops in 3 to 15 seconds, limited to the stroked area; (2) a flare that appears a few seconds later and extends irregularly for some distance on either side of the red line; and (3) a wheal, that completely replaces the red line. This sequence was called the “type reaction” (Lewis and Grant) (1) and the “triple response” (Lewis) (2). The flare appears and persists in an arterial tint, with an appreciable rise in skin temperature, caused by dilatation of the arched arterioles (Lewis) (2). Lewis and Grant (1), at the suggestion of Dale, injected histamine into the skin, duplicated the triple response and found that in a 1:3000 solution, the time relation of the flare is similar to that produced by stroking. Because of its similarity to the histamine flare, Lewis attributed the flare following stroking to a diffusable “H” substance, released by injury to cutaneous cells, which is now thought to be histamine. He considered that the flare, whether from stroking or injection of histamine, results from a sensory axon reflex.
How Did the Chicken Cross the Road? With Her Striatal Cholinergic Interneurons, Of Course

Recognizing when the world changes is fundamental for normal learning. In this issue of Neuron, Bradfield et al. (2013) show that cholinergic interneurons in dorsomedial striatum are critical to the process whereby new states of the world are appropriately registered and retrieved during associative learning.
An Empirical Assessment of Alternative Conceptualizations of the Psychological Contract Construct: Meaningful Differences or “Much to do about Nothing”?

The reported study helps move the literature beyond conceptual arguments that have been made and repeated in the literature by investigating the equivalence of three psychological contract (PC) measures that were based on alternative conceptualizations of the PC construct. Employees from a wide range of organizations (n = 1054) were randomly assigned to complete either an expectation, obligation, or promise based measure of their PCs. The equivalence of the PC measures was assessed by comparing factor structures across the three forms, and examining the observed pattern of correlations between the PC measures and external criteria (e.g., trust, equity sensitivity, work centrality, education level). The results indicate that while the three PC measures evoke the same general mental framework in the minds of respondents, and behave similarly for some purposes, depending on the specific relationships being investigated, the measures may yield significantly different results (i.e., they are not fully interchangeable). Implications for theorizing and future research regarding the PC construct are discussed. Also reported is new evidence linking individual differences (e.g., work centrality, equity sensitivity) to perceived responsibilities and rights in the employment relationship.
Internal excitation of UF−6 and MoF−6 ions in collisions with argon atoms

Abstract Beams of UF − 6 and MoF − 6 of controlled average internal energy from 0.7 to 2.4 eV have been collided with argon at 200 eV laboratory kinetic energy. Analysis of the outgoing kinetic energy distributions shows that increased internal excitation prior to collision enhances the conversion of kinetic to internal energy.
The HSP70 Gene Family in Pneumocystis carinii: Molecular and Phylogenetic Characterization of Cytoplasmic Members

Pneumocystis carinii, a major opportunistic lung pathogen of AIDS patients, is found in a number of mammals and is proposed to be a member of the fungi. In this work, several members of the highly conserved HSP70 multigene family were characterized from rat-derived P. carinii. Previously, we reported characterization of the ER resident HSP70 homolog known as BiP from prototype (P.c. carinii) and variant (P. c. rattus) strains of the organism. We report here, from P. c. carinii, characterization of Pcsa1, an HSP70 homolog that encodes a cognate/stress-induced HSP70 homolog of the SSA subfamily in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We also identify, from both rat strains and from a human isolate of P. carinii (P.c. hominis), a third set of HSP70 homologs that apparently encode a ribosome-associated cytoplasmic HSP70 homologous to the S. cerevisiae SSB subfamily. Our data indicate that Pcsal mRNA, like Pcbip mRNA, bears an intron in the 5' untranslated region, is induced by heat shock, and suggest that this gene undergoes alternative transcription and splicing. The SSB homologs display significant sequence heterogeneity between P. carinii source strains, supporting the genetic divergence and likely speciation of P. carinii isolates within and between host species. Phylogenetic analysis with the PcSA1 protein supports inclusion of P. carinii among the higher fungi.
DRAINED LAND IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE LIGHT OF THE DRAINAGE CENSUS

(1953). DRAINED LAND IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE LIGHT OF THE DRAINAGE CENSUS. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 5, No. 6, pp. 6-12.