cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Propranolol has direct antithyroid activity: Inhibition of iodide transport in cultured thyroid follicles

The effect of propranolol on the process of thyroid hormone formation was studied in a physiological culture system. Porcine thyroid follicles were preincubated with propranolol for 24 h. Iodide transport, iodine organification, and de novo thyroid hormone formation were measured by incubating these follicles with the mixture of carrier-free 0.1 microCi Na125I and 50 nM NaI for 2 to 6 h at 37 degrees C. A concentration of propranolol greater than 100 microM inhibited iodide transport in a dose-dependent manner; this inhibition was non-competitive with iodide and independent of thyrotropin (TSH). Reduced iodine organification and thyroid hormone formation was seen with 150 microM propranolol or greater. The inhibitory action of propranolol was not caused by beta-blocking activity, since D-propranolol (devoid of beta-blocking activity) inhibited iodide transport, and other beta-blockers (metoprolol, atenolol, and labetalol) did not inhibit iodide transport. The inhibition of iodide transport was most likely caused by membrane stabilizing activity since quinidine, which possesses the same membrane stabilizing activity as propranolol, also inhibited iodide transport. TSH-mediated cAMP generation and Na+K+ ATPase activity, membrane functions for iodide transport, were unaffected by propranolol. Our study has shown, for the first time, that propranolol has a direct antithyroid action, namely inhibition of iodide transport in the intact thyroid follicle.
High-Precision U-Pb Zircon Geochronology and the Stratigraphic Record

The rock stratigraphic record exists as a rich, albeit complex and incomplete repository of Earth history, tracing the processes of biological evolution, climate change, oceanic and atmospheric chemistry, sea-level fluctuations, mountain-building and erosion, and basin subsidence. Without a detailed and precise temporal framework, however, the richness of the record, including global stratigraphic correlations, evaluation of cyclicity and rates of regional and global change, major sedimentary depositional hiatuses, and biological extinctions cannot be fully exploited. In the past two decades major advances in U-Pb zircon geochronology have allowed us to evaluate the distribution of time in the rock record and rates of geological processes with unprecedented precision (see Parrish et al., this volume; Davis et al., this volume). While much work has focused on major transitions in Earth history, there is considerable promise for a highly calibrated time scale from the Neoproterozoic to Holocene that will permit increasingly more sophisticated questions to be addressed using the rock record. It has been long appreciated that there are dramatic events in the diversification and extinction of life such as the Cambrian radiation, the end-Permian extinction, and the end-Cretaceous extinction. However, important questions remain regarding the tempo and causes of evolutionary radiation and extinction. For example, what are the durations of mass extinctions? How long does ecological recovery take following a major extinction? Do evolutionary radiations correlate with changes in chemistry and temperature of the ocean-atmosphere system and global climate? Are there relationships between evolution and the aggregation and dispersal of supercontinents? Are apparently abrupt isotopic excursions in seawater chemistry globally synchronous and of similar duration? Although the biostratigraphic record has been historically used to address these questions, we are now moving into an era where an essential test of correlation and tempo will and must be high-precision geochronology of volcanic rocks interlayered with …
Disruption of Vertical Motility by Shear Triggers Formation of Thin Phytoplankton Layers

Thin layers of phytoplankton are important hotspots of ecological activity that are found in the coastal ocean, meters beneath the surface, and contain cell concentrations up to two orders of magnitude above ambient concentrations. Current interpretations of their formation favor abiotic processes, yet many phytoplankton species found in these layers are motile. We demonstrated that layers formed when the vertical migration of phytoplankton was disrupted by hydrodynamic shear. This mechanism, which we call gyrotactic trapping, can be responsible for the thin layers of phytoplankton commonly observed in the ocean. These results reveal that the coupling between active microorganism motility and ambient fluid motion can shape the macroscopic features of the marine ecological landscape.
MATERIAL AND MORAL INCENTIVES AS ECONOMIC POLICY INSTRUMENTS

The collapse of command economies in the Second World, and the monopoly of structural adjustment as prescribed development policy for the Third World, have thrust incentives to the center of debates about economic policy. As one political economist declares, “Few economists today would dispute the desirability of using incentives to invite and welcome the contributions of people's resources to the economy rather than employing commands and public appeals.” The British development economist Reginald Green puts it more pointedly: “The importance of incentives is not a matter open to debate, nor is the importance of material incentives and participation. The divergence is one which incentives are most cost effective and how to package them in specific contexts.”
Methodology primary enzyme immunoassay (PEIA): Studies of the mutant enzyme in metachromatic leukodystrophy (primary enzyme immunoassay of arylsulfatase-A)

Abstract A primary enzyme-antibody binding test has been developed to study antigenic differences between normal and mutant enzymes which cannot be distinguished by routine immunoprecipitation techniques. The test depends on enzyme substrate specificity and does not require monospecific antibody nor pure antigen, one of which is needed for most other primary biding tests. Goat antiserum to normal human arylsulfatase A was coupled to sepharose 4B using cyanogen bromide. The mutant enzyme protein from patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy or normal enzyme protein was assayed by its ability to saturate the Sepharose bound antibody and thus block the subsequent binding of a standard normal enzyme preparation. Enzyme activity was then measured by hydrolysis of the substrate, nitrocatechol sulfate. Significant binding differences between normal and mutant enzyme were detected using this method. These antigenic differences were not detectable using immunodiffusion or immunoelectrophoresis. The method also made it possible to compare the binding of enzymes from different species. Monkey enzyme, and, to a lesser extent, dog enzyme, was found to be related to the human enzyme. The primary binding test was also useful in quantitating normal enzyme protein during purification. The determination of enzyme specific activity based on enzyme protein rather than total protein is now possible in the carrier state. The primary enzyme immunoassay (PEIA) suitably modified may be extended to study qualitative and quantitative enzyme or inhibitor protein deficiencies in other diseases caused by inborn errors of metabolism.
The epidemiology of psoriasis

This review will focus on the incidence and prevalence of psoriasis, the risk factors for psoriasis and diseases that may be associated with psoriasis. Psoriasis is a heterogeneous disease and, for the purposes of this review, the focus will be plaque psoriasis. Prevalence studies indicate that psoriasis is a common disease and its frequency varies based on age, ethnicity and geography. Family history is the strongest risk factor for the development of psoriasis. Additionally, emerging evidence suggests that some potentially modifiable exposures such as smoking, alcohol, stress and obesity may increase a patient’s risk of developing psoriasis. The evolving literature suggests that psoriasis is associated with multiple other diseases including cancer, cardiovascular, autoimmune and psychiatric disease. Epidemiological studies of psoriasis contribute to measuring the public health burden of this disease and guide the care of patients with psoriasis through a better understanding of its natural history.
Metabolism of Cyclopropavir and Ganciclovir in Human Cytomegalovirus Infected Cells

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen that can cause severe disease in immunologically immature and immunocompromised patients. The current standard of therapy for the treatment of HCMV infections is ganciclovir (GCV). However, high incidence rates of adverse effects are prevalent and limit the use of this drug. Cyclopropavir (CPV) is 10-fold more effective against HCMV in vitro than GCV (50% effective concentrations [EC 50 s] = 0.46 and 4.1 μM, respectively) without any observed increase in cytotoxicity (S. Zhou, J. M. Breitenbach, K. Z. Borysko, J. C. Drach, E. R. Kern, E. Gullen, Y. C. Cheng, and J. Zemlicka, J. Med. Chem. 47:566–575, 2004, doi:10.1021/jm030316s). We have previously determined that the viral protein kinase pUL97 and endogenous cellular kinases are responsible for the conversion of CPV to a triphosphate (TP), the active compound responsible for inhibiting viral DNA synthesis and viral replication. However, this conversion has not been observed in HCMV-infected cells. To that end, we subjected HCMV-infected cells to equivalently effective concentrations (∼5 times the EC 50 ) of either CPV or GCV and observed a time-dependent increase in triphosphate levels for both compounds (CPV-TP = 121 ± 11 pmol/10 6 cells; GCV-TP = 43.7 ± 0.4 pmol/10 6 cells). A longer half-life was observed for GCV-TP (48.2 ± 5.7 h) than for CPV-TP (23.8 ± 5.1 h). The area under the curve for CPV-TP produced from incubation with 2.5 μM CPV was 8,680 ± 930 pmol · h/10 6 cells, approximately 2-fold greater than the area under the curve for GCV-TP of 4,520 ± 420 pmol · h/10 6 cells produced from incubation with 25 μM GCV. We therefore conclude that the exposure of HCMV-infected cells to CPV-TP is greater than that of GCV-TP under these experimental conditions.
The large-scale structure of convection in the Earth's mantle

The Earth's mantle is undergoing subsolidus thermal convection, driven by internal radiogenic heat sources and heat conducted from the outer core. Seismic tomographic images reveal a large-scale pattern of convection in the upper mantle compatible with surface plate motions, demonstrating the central role of mantle convection in tectonics. A circum-Pacific ring of descending flow extends throughout the lower mantle. The most controversial issue is the amount of mass exchanged between the upper and lower mantle.
Stability constant of ethylenebisbiguanidenickel(II) ion

Abstract The stability constant (β) for formation of the 1:1 square-planar diamagnetic complex of nickel(II) with the tetradentate ligand ethylenebisbiguanide was measured at 25° in aqueous solution by a spectrophotometric method after prolonged equilibration. The acid dissocisation constants of ethylenebisbiguanidinium ion were also measured at 25° in aqueous solution by a glass-electrode method. Results (corrected to zero ionic strength) are: log β =19·5±0·2(or β =3×10 19 ).pK 1 =12·075±0·05and 2 =13·08* plusmn ;0·2
Gonadal steroids mediate the opposite changes in cocaine-induced locomotion across adolescence in male and female rats

Evidence from both human studies and animal models indicates that cocaine elicits more behavioral stimulation in females than males. The present study sought to determine whether sex-specific responses to cocaine emerge during adolescence and to determine if gonadal steroid action during puberty affects adult responsiveness to cocaine. We administered cocaine using an escalating dose model in male and female rats at ages postnatal (PN) 28, 42, and 65 days. To assess the effects of pubertal gonadal steroid action, we compared the effects of binge cocaine administration on intact and prepubertally gonadectomized male and female rats in adulthood. Cocaine responses changed in opposite directions in males and females as they progressed through adolescence. At most doses, adolescent males were more responsive than adult males whereas adult females were more responsive than adolescent females. Ambulatory activity was age-dependent in males whereas non-ambulatory activity was age-dependent in females. Prepubertal gonadectomy increased behavioral responsiveness to the highest dose of cocaine in males whereas it decreased behavioral responsiveness to lower doses of cocaine in females. We conclude that sex differences in behavioral responses to cocaine arise during adolescence from a concurrent decrease in male responsiveness and increase in female responsiveness. Our results suggest that gonadal steroids exert lasting and opposing effects on the sensitivity of males and females to psychostimulants during development.
Predictors of partner relationships during pregnancy and infancy

The partner relationship of 153 women hospitalized for a high-risk pregnancy, 75 of their partners, 218 women who experienced a low-risk pregnancy and 147 of their partners was studied to determine risk-status or gender differences at pregnancy, the postpartal hospitalization, 1, 4, and 8 months following birth. A theoretical causal model predicting partner relationships was tested, followed by model respecification to derive the best explanatory model for each group. No differences were observed between low- and high-risk mothers' partner relationship; however, high-risk fathers scored lower than low-risk fathers. Partner relationships for all groups were significantly higher during pregnancy and at birth than at 4 and 8 months after birth. Respecified models explained from 26% to 63% of the variance in partner relationship during pregnancy, and from 31% to 52% at 8 months after birth. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
PVT experiments for precise VLE data for mixtures of similar volatility

Abstract The separation of components of similar volatility is a major industrial problem requiring precise VLE data. Classical VLE experiments provide liquid and vapor compositions, x1 and y1 to ±0.2%, at best, when the important difference Δz ≡ y1 − x1 may be only 0.008 leaving the designer with 0.008 ± 0.004. That is, the uncertainties can fail to exclude an azeotrope for systems where none exist. The Burnett-Isochoric (B-I) method allows precise measurement of densities along isochores leading to the isopleth for mixtures of fixed overall composition. Determination of each isopleth by the change of isochoric slope method provides complete VLE information when a series of isopleths of different compositions are overlayed on the P/T diagram. Because both densities and dew-bubble loci are measured, these data can test the accuracy of an Equation of State - Mixing Combining Rules (EOS/MCR), both as to its ability to predict densities (vapor and liquid) as well as VLE. Further, such dual data allow experimental consistency checks through the Gibbs-Duhem equation. Starting with equations similar to those of Manley and Swift (1971) we here derive further equations valid only for narrow dew-bubble gaps in pressure for isopleths. One particularly simple and useful result is that (Δz)2 α BΔDP. The fractional error in Δz is thus one-half of that of the measured BΔDP; the absolute error e(Δz) for our apparatus is about 4 × 10−5 when BΔDP = 0.55 psi (3.8 kPa). This manuscript presents these derivations as well as an error analysis based upon simulated results.
The clinical significance of the irregular fetal heart rhythm

Abstract Objective: Irregular fetal heart rhythms are common in clinical practice, but there is little information available on their significance or appropriate management. Study Design: This was a retrospective review of fetuses seen during 10 years that either were referred for fetal echocardiography because of a fetal arrhythmia or were found incidentally to have an arrhythmia during fetal echocardiography for other indications. Results: From 1988 through 1997 we performed 5566 fetal echocardiograms on 4838 different fetuses. There were 614 fetuses with irregular fetal heart rhythms. Among 595 referred for arrhythmias, extrasystoles were found in 255 (42.9%), normal rhythms were seen in 330 (55.4%), and hemodynamically significant arrhythmias were seen in 10. There were 2 fetuses with arrhythmias and structural heart disease. Nine of 10 fetuses with hemodynamically significant arrhythmias survived. An additional five neonates were found to have hemodynamically significant arrhythmias only postnatally. A total of 15 fetuses (2.4%) among those referred for irregular rhythms had significant arrhythmias. Conclusions: Irregular fetal heart rhythms signify hemodynamically significant arrhythmias in a small but important proportion of fetuses. Those without persistent irregularities on evaluation can be followed up with routine prenatal care. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;182:813-9.)
Recommendations for Provoked Challenge Urine Testing

“Urine mobilization test,” “challenge test,” and “provoked urine test” are all terms used to describe the administration of a chelating agent to a person prior to collection of their urine to test for metals. There is no standard, validated challenge test. Despite recommendations by professional and government organizations against the use of provoked urine testing, the tests are still commonly used and recommended by some practitioners. Challenge testing utilizes a variety of chelating agents, including dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The agents are given by a variety of routes of administration, doses used are inconsistent, and urine collection procedures vary. Additional problems with challenge tests include comparison of results to inappropriate reference ranges and creatinine correction of urine obtained within hours of chelator administration. Human volunteer studies demonstrate that mercury is detected in the urine of most people even in the absence of known exposure or chelator administration, and that urinary mercury excretion rises after administration of a chelator, regardless of exposure history and in an unpredictable fashion. Studies also demonstrate that challenge testing fails to reveal a “body burden” of mercury due to remote exposure. Chelating agents have been associated with adverse reactions. Current evidence does not support the use of DMPS, DMSA, or other chelation challenge tests for the diagnosis of metal toxicity. Since there are no established reference ranges for provoked urine samples in healthy subjects, no reliable evidence to support a diagnostic value for the tests, and potential harm, these tests should not be utilized.
RACK1 Regulates Specific Functions of Gβγ

We showed previously that Gbetagamma interacts with Receptor for Activated C Kinase 1 (RACK1), a protein that not only binds activated protein kinase C (PKC) but also serves as an adaptor/scaffold for many signaling pathways. Here we report that RACK1 does not interact with Galpha subunits or heterotrimeric G proteins but binds free Gbetagamma subunits released from activated heterotrimeric G proteins following the activation of their cognate receptors in vivo. The association with Gbetagamma promotes the translocation of RACK1 from the cytosol to the membrane. Moreover, binding of RACK1 to Gbetagamma results in inhibition of Gbetagamma-mediated activation of phospholipase C beta2 and adenylyl cyclase II. However, RACK1 has no effect on other functions of Gbetagamma, such as activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway or chemotaxis of HEK293 cells via the chemokine receptor CXCR2. Similarly, RACK1 does not affect signal transduction through the Galpha subunits of G(i), G(s), or G(q). Collectively, these findings suggest a role of RACK1 in regulating specific functions of Gbetagamma.
The Horizontal and Vertical Damper Systems at the Zero Gradient Synchrotron and Their Performance Characteristics

Inherent to the Zero Gradient Synchrotron (ZGS) are spontaneous intensity dependent beam size growths that can lead to precipitous beam losses. Vertical losses can occur at intensities > 5 × 1011 protons/pulse. Horizontal beam losses can occur at intensities > 1012 protons/pulse. This paper discusses the factors affecting the beam size growth, the characteristics of the signals observed, and the equipment developed to control these losses; in particular, the (1-vx) horizontal damper and the wide-band vertical damper. Because of the space limit for the paper, the discussion will be limited primarily to the (1-vx) horizontal damper.
Some of Robert K. Merton's Contributions to Justice Theory

For more than fifty years, Robert K. Merton has been a towering figure in sociology, contributing to both the development of sociological theory and the empirical test of sociological propositions, and applying sociological principles to a multiplicity of domains. His ideas and insights have shaped sociology in fundamental ways, providing fresh new perspectives that clarify old questions, and that lead to new ways of addressing them. As is evident in this article, Merton's work on reference groups made foundational contributions to justice theory. But, perhaps more importantly we honor him not only by celebrating those contributions already visible to us but by continuing to think hard about the problems he posed. Justice theorists of tomorrow may have even greater cause to honor him
Ψ-resonances, gluons and the Zweig rule

On the basis of the quark-gluon field theory we discuss the dynamical manifestations of gluons in hadron physics. Especially we concentrate on the Zweig rule for meson decays and the decays of the Ψ-resonances. Depending on the various possibilities for the spectrum of the glue mesons, we describe both the glue annihilation and the mixing mechanism for the Zweig-rule-violating meson decays. Furthermore we discuss the break-down of PCAC for the pseudoscalar analogue of the Ψ-meson and the importance of the glue mixing term for the mass spectrum of the pseudoscalar mesons.
Myosin light chain phosphorylation regulates barrier function by remodeling tight junction structure

Epithelial tight junctions form a barrier against passive paracellular flux. This barrier is regulated by complex physiologic and pathophysiologic signals that acutely fine-tune tight junction permeability. Although actomyosin contraction and myosin light chain phosphorylation are clearly involved in some forms of tight junction regulation, the contributions of other signaling events and the role of myosin light chain phosphorylation in this response are poorly understood. Here we ask if activation of myosin light chain kinase alone is sufficient to induce downstream tight junction regulation. We use a confluent polarized intestinal epithelial cell model system in which constitutively active myosin light chain kinase, tMLCK, is expressed using an inducible promoter. tMLCK expression increases myosin light chain phosphorylation, reorganizes perijunctional F-actin, and increases tight junction permeability. TJ proteins ZO-1 and occludin are markedly redistributed, morphologically and biochemically, but effects on claudin-1 and claudin-2 are limited. tMLCK inhibition prevents changes in barrier function and tight junction organization induced by tMLCK expression, suggesting that these events both require myosin light chain phosphorylation. We conclude that myosin light chain phosphorylation alone is sufficient to induce tight junction regulation and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms that mediate this regulation.
Age‐strain interrelations in lipid metabolism of rats

Various aspects of lipid metabolism were compared in Fisher 344 (F) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats aged 2, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. The analyses included free and total cholesterol of serum and liver, LCAT, hepatic HMG-CoA reductase, cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, fatty acid synthetase, acetyl CoA carboxylase and cholesterol synthesis from acetate or mevalonate. The body weight of SD rats increases with age whereas that of F rats plateaus at 9-12 months. Liver and aorta cholesterol levels were comparable for the 2 strains. Serum cholesterol varied but was usually lower in F rats. HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activities were not significantly different. Cholesterol synthesis from acetate was significantly higher only in 2-month-old F rats; synthesis from mevalonate was similar at each level. Acetyl CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase activity were generally higher in F rats at every age level. The major difference between F and SD rats is in their pattern of weight gain with age. Differences in lipid metabolism are most marked between the young (2-month) rats.
Spreading cortical depression and the maternal behavior of guinea pigs

Female guinea pigs and their young were observed for 9 h over Days 2–26 postpartum. Prior to 50% of the observation periods, the females had 20% KCl applied to the neocortex through double cannulae. The results show that cortical deactivation does not modify the female’s nursing time, responsiveness to its offspring, or weight gain of the piglets.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Herpes Zoster Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background & Aims: An increased risk of herpes zoster in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is hypothesized based on altered immune function, especially among patients receiving immunosuppressive medications. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study and a retrospective nested case-control study using 1988–1997 data from the General Practice Research Database. In the cohort study, 7823 Crohn's disease (CD) and 11,930 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients were matched on age, sex, and primary care practice to 79,563 randomly selected controls without CD or UC. In the nested case-control study, 185 CD patients with zoster and 266 UC patients with zoster were matched on sex and year of birth to 1787 IBD patients without zoster. Results: In the cohort study, the incidence of zoster was higher in patients with CD and UC compared with their matched controls (UC incidence rate ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.40; CD incidence rate ratio, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.35–1.92). In the nested case-control study, receipt of a prescription for corticosteroids (adjusted odds ratio, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.2) or azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine (adjusted odds ratio, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.7–5.6) were both associated with zoster. Conclusions: Patients with IBD, especially those on immunosuppressive medications, are at higher risk for herpes zoster compared with the general population. Future studies should clarify the relative risk associated with anti–tumor necrosis factor α therapies and determine the use of the new zoster vaccine for patients with IBD.
Acoustic Impedance Studies of the Normal Ear

Repeated measurements of the acoustic impedance at the eardrum were performed on 33 normal subjects. The data are analyzed from the standpoint of the development of criteria for the compliance and ...
Presidential Power vs. Congressional Time: Legislative History in the First Congress of the Civil War

This study tests whether major policy shifts require several years of congressional deliberation before passage even during periods of crisis and disorganization in the minority political party. By...
The Citizen Side of Journalism Ethics

Mihailidis, P. (Ed.). (2012). News literacy: Global perspectives for the newsroom and the classroom. New York, NY: Peter Lang. 211 pp., $36.95 (Pbk) In every communication ethics class I teach, I i...
Structure, function and specificity of the DNA packaging signals in double-stranded DNA viruses

Abstract The selective packaging of viral DNA into a capsid raises a number of interesting questions. How is the viral DNA specifically selected from the pool of viral and host DNA for packaging? What protein/protein and protein/DNA interactions are involved in this process? Lastly, is the packaging process coordinated with one or more aspects of DNA replication and/or genome maturation? The focus of this review will be on the specific cis-acting elements that direct the selective encapsidation of different prokaryotic and eukaryotic double-stranded viral DNAs. We will focus on prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems that have been analyzed in detail and that have not been reviewed recently in the literature.
THE EFFECT OF ANTISERUM AGAINST THE SOLUBLE TOXIC SUBSTANCE OF BACILLUS COLI IN BACILLUS COLI PERITONITIS

When colon bacilli in sufficient numbers were injected into the peritoneal cavity of rabbits the animals died within a few hours. There was an incubation period of 1 to 1½ hours which was followed by a set of symptoms that culminated in death. The peritoneum, however, showed only very slight changes. It was thought that the soluble toxic substance of B. coli which was demonstrated by Aronovitch, Zinsser, and Branham may be an important lethal factor. Young cultures of B. coli in broth were centrifugalized and after killing the remaining bacteria by heat the supernatant fluid was injected into the peritoneal cavity of rabbits. There ensued the same set of symptoms terminating in death which were seen on the injection of the whole culture when the supernatant fluid alone was given. The potency of the toxic substance is variable. This variability is probably in part inherent in the material and in part depends upon the individual resistance of the animals. Rabbits were injected intravenously with the supernatant fluid of centrifugalized young cultures of B. coli and an antiserum was elaborated against the soluble toxic substance of this organism. When this antiserum was given intravenously to rabbits immediately or ½ hour after receiving intraperitoneally five times the usual lethal dose of B. coli, ten out of twelve animals survived.
Low-molecular-weight heparin may alter point-of-care assay for international normalized ratio.

Study Objective. To compare the international normalized ratio (INR) measured by a point-of-care testing device with that measured by a reference laboratory method for patients receiving either warfarin only or warfarin plus low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). Design. Retrospective study. Setting. Outpatient anticoagulation clinic. Subjects. Ninety-one patients receiving warfarin for various indications; 59 of them receiving only warfarin and 32 receiving warfarin plus LMWH. Intervention. Capillary blood was obtained for INR determination by a point-of-care device, and venous blood was obtained for INR determination in a standard reference laboratory. Measurements and Main Results. Ninety-one patients had INR pairs run on a point-of-care device and by the laboratory. In both the patients receiving only warfarin and in those receiving warfarin plus LMWH, the mean INR as determined by the point-of-care testing device was statistically significantly higher than the mean INR determined by the laboratory. Although the differences were statistically significant in both groups, the clinical significance of this difference was accentuated in the patients receiving warfarin plus LMWH. The measure of divergence between the point-of-care and laboratory methods was greater in the group receiving warfarin plus LMWH than in the warfarin-only group, with a mean ± SD percent change between the INR values of 24.19 ± 27.54% in the warfarin plus LMWH group and 7.21 ± 17.73% in the warfarin-only group. In assessing the clinical impact of such variability, a greater degree of discordance in dosing adjustment decisions was noted for patients receiving warfarin plus LMWH. In this group, a 25% rate of discordance was noted compared with 8% in the warfarin-only group. Such discrepancy in dosing decisions based on the point-of-care INR would have resulted in discontinuation of LMWH therapy before the patient acquired a true therapeutic INR, with use of the laboratory measurement. Conclusion. The INR measured with the point-of-care device in patients receiving concurrent LMWH and warfarin therapy may be inaccurate. Patients receiving LMWH in addition to warfarin should have INRs checked by means of the standard reference laboratory method.
Transversely isotropic moduli of two partially debonded composites

Abstract The effective transversely isotropic moduli of two hybrid composites containing both partially debonded and perfectly bonded spheroidal inclusions are derived. In this derivation a fictitious, transversely isotropic inclusion is introduced to replace the isotropic, partially debonded one so that Eshelby's solution of a perfectly bonded inclusion could be used. [Eshelby, J. D. (1957). The determination of the elastic field of an ellipsoidal inclusion, and related problems. Proc. R. Soc. London A241 , 376–396]. Two types of debonding configuration are considered: the first type occurs on the top and bottom of the oblate inclusions and the second one exists on the lateral surface of the prolate inclusions. Albeit approximate, the method is simple and capable of providing explicit results for the five independent moduli in terms of the volume concentrations and aspect ratio of the partially-debonded and perfectly-bonded inclusions. The results are given for the spherical and various inclusion shapes. It is shown that, with spherical inclusions, the longitudinal Young's modulus E 11 and axial shear modulus μ 12 in type 1, and the transverse Young's modulus E 22 , plane-strain bulk modulus k 23 , and the axial and transverse shear moduli in type 2, can all be greatly affected by partial debonding. Examination on the influence of inclusion shape indicates that disc-shaped inclusions in the first type and prolate ones is the second type lead to stronger moduli reduction than spheres.
Adolescent girls' attitudes toward contraceptive subdermal implants

Norplant, which has been shown to be a highly effective and acceptable contraceptive for adult women, may also be a very useful contraceptive for adolescents. This study is designed to determined the level of interest in Norplant for adolescent girls with and without children, their attitudes toward various features of Norplant, and the demographic and psychosocial factors predictive of their interest. A self-administered questionnaire was given to 112 adolescents attending our pediatric or adolescent clinic. Data from 28 adolescent mothers and 79 nulliparous adolescents were analyzed. Fifty-six percent of the subjects had heard of Norplant prior to the survey. The overall level of interest in Norplant was high; 70% of the adolescents without children, and 79% of the adolescent mothers were interested. In comparison to oral contraceptives, 73% of those without children and 89% of those with children thought Norplant would be a better contraceptive. The specific features of Norplant liked by 87% and 81% of the subjects, respectively, were not needing to take pills every day and its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy. The characteristics seen as most undesirable related to potential side effects with acne being mentioned by 87% of the subjects. Recursive partitioning analysis demonstrates that more than one prior pregnancy was the main characteristic predictive of very high levels of interest. In summary, this study demonstrates high levels of interest in Norplant by adolescents and suggests that it should be offered as a contraceptive option, especially to those girls who have previously been pregnant.
Toward the production of artemisinin through tissue culture: Determining nutrient-hormone combinations suitable for cell suspension cultures

Artemisia annua L. is the source of a potent antimalarial, artemisinin. As part of a program to produce artemisinin through tissue culture, a series of 14 multifactorial experiments were conducted to determine suitable conditions for initiating and maintaining friable callus fromA. annua. In the first six experiments, three different nutrient formulations [Gamborg B5 (B5), Murashige and Skoog (MS), and Whetmore and Rier (WR)], each with 32 combinations of auxins and cytokinins [2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) with benzyladenine (BA), or 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) with 6-furfurylaminopurine (kinetin)], were tested. Both B5 and WR nutrients supported friable callus formation from leaf explants with some combinations of auxin and cytokinin. Inasmuch as friable callus seemed to be produced over a wider range of auxin and cytokinin concentrations in combination with B5, the remaining experiments were conducted solely with this nutrient formulation. In the remaining eight experiments, it was determined that friable callus formed when combinations of NAA with kinetin or 2,4-D and BA were used with B5 medium. Lighter colored, more friable callus formed in response to 2,4-D and BA than with NAA and kinetin. No single combination of concentrations of auxin and cytokinin seemed to be “ideal” for producing friable callus. Ranges of 2,4-D from 0.5 to 2.0 with BA between 0.025 and 0.1, or NAA between 0.5 and 2.0 with kinetin between 0.5 and 1.0 mg/liter, produced acceptable results.
High-order unconditionally stable FC-AD solvers for general smooth domains I. Basic elements

We introduce a new methodology for the numerical solution of Partial Differential Equations in general spatial domains: our algorithms are based on the use of the well-known Alternating Direction Implicit (ADI) approach in conjunction with a certain "Fourier continuation" (FC) method for the resolution of the Gibbs phenomenon. Unlike previous alternating direction methods of order higher than one, which can only deliver unconditional stability for rectangular domains, the present high-order algorithms possess the desirable property of unconditional stability for general domains; the computational time required by our algorithms to advance a solution by one time-step, in turn, grows in an essentially linear manner with the number of spatial discretization points used. In this paper we demonstrate the FC-AD methodology through a variety of examples concerning the Heat and Laplace Equations in two and three-dimensional domains with smooth boundaries. Applications of the FC-AD methodology to Hyperbolic PDEs together with a theoretical discussion of the method will be put forth in a subsequent contribution. The numerical examples presented in this text demonstrate the unconditional stability and high-order convergence of the proposed algorithms, as well the very significant improvements they can provide (in one of our examples we demonstrate a one thousand improvement factor) over the computing times required by some of the most efficient alternative general-domain solvers.
Thermal roughening of a thin film: A new type of roughening transition

The equilibrium thermal roughening of thin Ge layers (one and two monolayers) deposited on Si(001) has been investigated with low-energy electron microscopy. A Ge-coverage-dependent roughening is observed. For two monolayers, the temperature at which imaging contrast is lost due to surface roughness is $900\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}25\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$, between the roughening temperatures of Ge(001) and Si(001). Lower Ge coverages move this temperature closer to that of Si(001). The roughening is confined to the Ge overlayers. It is believed that this phenomenon represents a new type of surface roughening transition that should be generally applicable for heteroepitaxial films.
COMPARISON OF FINAL HEIGHTS OF GH TREATED VERSUS UNTREATED CHILDREN WITH IDIOPATHIC GROWTH FAILURE. † 494

COMPARISON OF FINAL HEIGHTS OF GH TREATED VERSUS UNTREATED CHILDREN WITH IDIOPATHIC GROWTH FAILURE. † 494
Linkages between life history type and migration pathways in freshwater and marine environments for Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Abstract Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, are commonly categorized as ocean-type (migrating to the ocean in their first year of life) or stream-type (migrating after a full year in freshwater). These two forms have been hypothesized to display different ocean migration pathways; the former are hypothesized to migrate primarily on the continental shelf whereas the latter are hypothesized to migrate off the shelf to the open ocean. These differences in migration patterns have important implications for management, as fishing mortality rates are strongly influenced by ocean migration. Ocean-type Chinook salmon predominate in coastal rivers in the southern part of the species' range, whereas stream-type predominate in the interior and northerly rivers. This latitudinal gradient has confounded previous efforts to test the hypothesis regarding ocean migration pathways. To address this problem, we used a pair-wise design based on coded wire tagging data to compare the marine distributions of stream- and ocean-type Chinook salmon from a suite of rivers producing both forms. Both forms of Chinook salmon from the lower Columbia River, Oregon coast, lower Fraser River, and northern British Columbia rivers followed similar migration paths, contradicting the hypothesis. In contrast, recoveries of tagged Chinook salmon from the upper Columbia River, Snake River, and the upper Fraser River revealed migration patterns consistent with the hypothesis. These findings have important implications for our understanding of these life history types, and also for the conservation and management of declining, threatened, or endangered stream-type Chinook salmon populations in the US and Canada.
Economic theory and exchange rate forecasts

Abstract Businesses use forecasts of exchange rates to make decisions about production, employment, investment, financial management, and pricing decisions. The proper statistical criteria for making and evaluating these exchange rate forecasts are implied by the underlying decision problem. That decision problem is in turn affected by the economic environment facing the firm and its industry, the overall macroeconomic situation, and the main types of disturbances affecting exchange rates. In general, the proper loss function for the forecasting problem will be asymmetric.
Management of hypoventilation in motor neuron disease presenting with respiratory insufficiency

A 57-year-old man presented with a three-month history of somnolence, hypoventilation, cor pulmonale, and episodes of apnea during sleep. Neurological studies revealed motor neuron disease, mainly confined to the muscles of respiration, that was causing respiratory insufficiency in the supine position. Nighttime treatment of respiratory insufficiency has permitted independent activity during wakefulness.
Investigations into the Crandem Approach to Word Recognition

We suggest improvements to a previously proposed framework for integrating Conditional Random Fields and Hidden Markov Models, dubbed a Crandem system (2009). The previous authors' work suggested that local label posteriors derived from the CRF were too low-entropy for use in word-level automatic speech recognition. As an alternative to the log posterior representation used in their system, we explore frame-level representations derived from the CRF feature functions. We also describe a weight normalization transformation that leads to increased entropy of the CRF posteriors. We report significant gains over the previous Crandem system on the Wall Street Journal word recognition task.
Targeted Delivery of Pulmonary Arterial Endothelial Cells Overexpressing Interleukin-8 Receptors Attenuates Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling

Objective—Interleukin-8 (IL-8) receptors IL8RA and IL8RB (IL8RA/B) on neutrophil membranes bind to IL-8 with high affinity and play a critical role in neutrophil recruitment to sites of injury and inflammation. This study tested the hypothesis that administration of rat pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (ECs) overexpressing IL8RA/B can accelerate the adhesion of ECs to the injured lung and inhibit monocrotaline-induced pulmonary inflammation, arterial thickening and hypertension, and right ventricular hypertrophy. Approach and Results—The treatment groups included 10-week-old ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats that received subcutaneous injection of PBS (vehicle), a single injection of monocrotaline (monocrotaline alone, 60 mg/kg, SC), monocrotaline followed by intravenous transfusion of ECs transduced with the empty adenoviral vector (null-EC), and monocrotaline followed by intravenous transfusion of ECs overexpressing IL8RA/B (1.5×106 cells/rat). Two days or 4 weeks after monocrotaline treatment, end...
Neutrophil recruitment to the lungs during bacterial pneumonia.

In the respiratory system, the upper tract is colonized with commensal bacteria, whereas the lower tract is sterile. The respiratory system is continuously exposed to a variety of bacteria. To combat these intruders, the lung has developed a multifaceted system of defense. One of the most important
Uniformly redundant arrays: digital reconstruction methods

Several new digital reconstruction techniques for coded aperture imaging are developed which are especially applicable to uniformly redundant arrays (URAs). The techniques provide improved resolution without upsetting the artifact-free nature of URAs. Two new techniques are described; one which allows self-supporting URAs and one which avoids (or at least mitigates) a blur which has been associated with previous correlation analyses. Each of the methods and their resolution improvements are demonstrated with reconstructions of a laser-driven compression. Particular emphasis has been placed on the special sampling required of the encoded picture and the decoding function if artifacts are to be avoided. For large URAs, it is shown that another new digital technique, periodic decoding, is much faster. Periodic decoding does produce artifacts, but they usually are negligible.
Required source distribution for interferometry of waves and diffusive fields

SUMMARY The Green’s function that describes wave propagation between two receivers can be reconstructed by cross-correlation provided that the receivers are surrounded by sources on a closed surface. This technique is referred to as ‘interferometry’ in exploration seismology. The same technique for Green’s function extraction can be applied to the solution of the diffusion equation if there are sources throughout in the volume. In practice, we have only a finite number of active sources. The issues of the required source distribution is investigated, as is the feasibility of reconstructing the Green’s function of the diffusion equation using a limited number of sources within a finite volume. We study these questions for homogeneous and heterogeneous media for wave propagation and homogeneous media for diffusion using numerical simulations. These simulations show that for the used model, the angular distribution of sources is critical in wave problems in homogeneous media. In heterogeneous media, the position and size of the heterogeneous area with respect to the sources determine the required source distribution. For diffusion, the sensitivity to the sources decays from the midpoint between the two receivers. The required width of the source distribution decreases with frequency, with the result that the required source distribution for early- and late-time reconstruction is different. The derived source distribution criterion for diffusion suggests that the cross-correlation-based interferometry is difficult to apply in field condition.