cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory effect of a liver extract on the incorporation of 3H-deoxycytidine into thymus DNA of adrenalectomized and adrenalectomized-hepatectomized rats.

Using the depression of incorporation of 3H-deoxycytidine into thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of adrenalectomized rats as a means of assessing an inhibitory influence on lymphocyte metabolism, it has been shown that administration of extracts of liver or liver acetone powder mimics the effect of cortisol injection. Activity of these extracts was associated with a nondialyzable heat labile fraction which became less potent when kept in the frozen state. Extracts of acetone powders of spleen and kidney had detectable activity but were considerably less active than those prepared from liver acetone powder. Human serum α2-globulin and bovine serum albumin were inactive in the assay procedure. Neither glutamine nor glutamic acid, possible products of hepatic gluconeogenesis, was active in the test system. Injection of laparotomized rats with cortisol depressed incorporation of 3H-thymidine or 3H-deoxycytidine into lymphatic tissue DNA, whereas treatment of hepatectomized rats with cortisol failed to decrea...
Prevention of hepatocyte injury and lipid peroxidation by iron chelators and α‐tocopherol in isolated iron‐loaded rat hepatocytes

These experiments were performed to characterize the relationship between lipid peroxidation and hepatocyte viability in iron overload. Hepatocytes were isolated from rats with chronic dietary iron overload and the effects of in vitro iron chelation on lipid peroxidation, cell viability and ultrastructure were studied over a 4-hr incubation period. Cell viability was significantly reduced at 3 and 4 hr in iron-loaded hepatocytes compared with controls and was preceded by an increase in iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Similarly, extensive degenerative ultrastructural changes were observed in iron-loaded hepatocytes compared with controls after 4 hr of incubation. In vitro iron chelation with either deferoxamine or apotransferrin protected against lipid peroxidation, loss of viability and ultrastructural damage in iron-loaded hepatocytes. The addition of an antioxidant, α-tocopherol, also protected against lipid peroxidation and preserved cell viability over a 4-hr incubation. The protective effects of iron chelators and α-tocopherol support a strong association between iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and hepatocellular injury in iron overload. (HEPATOLOGY 1990;12:31–39).
Probabilistic Brain Lesion Segmentation in DT-MRI

Lesion segmentation in MRI scans is used for lesion quantification as pertaining to various medical conditions. We propose a novel technique for chronic stroke lesion segmentation based on multiple modalities including T1-weighted and T2-weighted images as well as diffusion tensor-based modalities. The proposed approach is based on a mixture-parametric probabilistic model whereas the model parameters are optimized by maximizing the incomplete-data log-likelihood function through expectation maximization. The mixture components are selected to have Cauchy distributions thus facilitating efficient computation and increased robustness to noise. A probabilistic prior is computed by evaluating the feature vectors for a set of registered brain scans in a control set. Experimental results on actual clinical data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Fast tracking in ambulatory surgery.

Fast tracking after ambulatory surgery is a new paradigm which involves transferring patients from the operating room to the phase II recovery unit (i.e. bypassing the postanaesthesia care unit). The success of fast tracking depends upon appropriate modification of the anaesthetic technique, which would allow rapid emergence from anaesthesia, and the prevention of common postoperative complications such as pain, nausea and vomiting using a multimodal approach. Implementation of a fast track program involves use of clinical pathways that would reduce hospital stay and ensure patient safety. Finally, the concept of fast tracking should be expanded to the overall postoperative recovery, not just bypassing the postanaesthesia care unit.
Persistent Metastable States in Vortex Flow at the Peak Effect in NbSe2.

Non-Gaussian flux-flow noise was measured in the ``peak-effect'' regime of NbS${\mathrm{e}}_{2}$. The form of the second spectra showed that neither flux bundles with Poisson statistics nor simple flow channels switching on and off could account for the noise. More complicated persistent flow patterns were needed. These metastable flow states were shown to correspond to different pinned configurations.
Transport protein genes in the murine MHC: possible implications for antigen processing

T lymphocyte activation requires recognition by the T cell of peptide fragments of foreign antigen bound to a self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule. Genetic evidence suggests that part of the class II region of the MHC influences the expression, in trans, of MHC class I antigens on the cell surface, by regulating the availability of peptides that bind to and stabilize the class I molecule. Two closely related genes in this region, HAM1 and HAM2, were cloned and had sequence similarities to a superfamily of genes involved in the ATP-dependent transport of a variety of substrates across cell membranes. Thus, these MHC-linked transport protein genes may be involved in transporting antigen, or peptide fragments thereof, from the cytoplasm into a membrane-bounded compartment containing newly synthesized MHC molecules.
Dynamic Clamp Analyses of Cardiac, Endocrine, and Neural Function

The dynamic clamp introduces artificial conductances into cells to simulate electrical coupling, votage-dependent, leak, and synaptic conductances. This review describes how the dynamic clamp has been used to address various questions in the cardiac, endocrine, and nervous systems.
Antibiotic Susceptibility of Streptococcus mutans: Comparison of Serotype Profiles

A total of 82 strains of Streptococcus mutans representing serotypes a through g were tested for susceptibility to erythromycin, penicillin, methicillin, lincomycin, tetracycline, vancomycin, gentamicin, streptomycin, neomycin, kanamycin, bacitracin, and polymyxin B. Strains included stock cultures and isolates from human and animal dental plaque. Minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined by a broth-microdilution procedure. The major differences in antibiotic susceptibility observed among the serotypes resulted with antibiotics which act on the cell surface. Bacitracin was most active against serotype a strains and polymyxin B against serotype b strains. Serotypes a, d, and g were less susceptible than the other serotypes to methicillin.
The EU's emergent space diplomacy

Abstract Science and technology (S&T) have always been at the heart of the European political construction. This started in the Cold War through a series of pan-European collaborative schemes in a panoply of different scientific fields like molecular biology and nuclear research. However, while most of these early collaborative patterns focused on intra-European cooperation, in the post-Cold War era international S&T relations have evolved to encompass a broader international dimension. The European Union is now building a diverse and robust network of cooperation with non-EU partners to become a centre of gravity in international S&T affairs. This increasing linkage between S&T and foreign policy is particularly explicit in space activities. Even though it is the newest space actor in Europe, the EU is pushing the continent to extend the scope of its partnerships with Russia and China, while at the same time modifying its relations with the traditional European partner, the USA, illustrating therefore the emergence of a distinct “EU space diplomacy”.
Convenient Beta Distribution Likelihood Techniques for Describing and Comparing Meteorological Data

Abstract A simple reparameterization of the beta distribution is presented. This reparameterization provides a more intuitive description of the beta distribution than the usual version. As a consequence, easily interpreted beta distribution likelihood ratio tests based on this reparameterization are introduced. To facilitate the use of this approach, convenient iterative procedures are given for obtaining the required maximum likelihood estimates of the relevant parameters. In addition, numerical examples of these techniques are illustrated with recently acquired data from a hail suppression project.
The histochemistry of the neurosecretory system in Hirudo medicinalis.

The histochemistry of the neurosecretions of the brain of Hirudo is examined. The secretions of all of the cell types studied ( α 1 , α 2 β 1 β 2 ) are found to be proteinaceous, with possible small carbohydrate and lipid moieties. The PF-positive secretions of both α cell subtypes are characterized by a high content of cystine and a low content of tryptophan or other 3-indolyl derivatives. The β 1 cells (orange G-staining) react weakly with all tests applied. The β 2 cells (which stain with fast green FCF) have a high content of tryptophan or other 3-indolyl derivatives and little or no cystine. The possible significance of the differing responses of the β cell subtypes to the histochemical tests is discussed.
BIOCHEMICAL EVENTS IN JOINT DISEASE.

FORMERLY untouchable human joints are now receiving the attention of workers in widely separated fields. This is not surprising for there has been a growing realization that in the synovial joint, biochemistry, anatomy and mechanics converge and influence each other in many direct and intimate ways. A movable joint is composed of the synovial membrane and capsule, articular cartilage and subchondral bone, ligaments, tendons and fibrocartilages, and synovial fluid. The most urgent need has been a means to obtain specimens of these joint components from living subjects. This need was perhaps first met by the introduction of safe and effective needles [24] that permitted biopsies of synovial membrane from closed joints of ambulatory patients. Specimens of synovial membrane, cartilage, or bone are now obtained with increasing frequency by orthopedic surgeons during arthrotomy [5, 61, or from amputated limbs [7]. A great deal of information is accumulating from studies on joint components using techniques of chemistry, immunology, histology, cytochemistry, electron microscopy, and immunohistology. Integration and synthesis of this information into a coherent view of joint function is making progress, especially in the normal joint [8, 91. New studies and ideas relate the structure and metabolism of the synovial membrane to its secretion of synovial fluid, and explore the function of this viscous fluid as a nutrient source and lubricant for the moving articular cartilages. This paper will concentrate on some aspects of the altered structure and function of synovial joints involved by rheumatoid arthritis.
Photomask Degradation In Contact Printing Of LSI Circuits Onto Silicon Wafers

This paper discusses the results of an experiment which quantifies the impact of photo-mask materials - both glass substrate and thin film - on mask life and wafer yield in a contact printing process. Chromium, DC triode sputtered iron oxide and RF sputtered iron oxide were deposited on soda lime, alumina soda lime and borosilicate glass substrates making up a matrix of seven mask types. Mask degradation was caused by bringing test wafers into contact with each mask and then exposing them. Masks were inspected at specific intervals as printing progressed; defects were classified and tabulated at each inspection. The results are presented graphically for comparison of each photomask system. The experiment was statistically designed to provide a 95% confidence level in the overall results.
Interferometry Of Full Spheres: Experimental Validation

This report describes recent research in application of interferometry to measurement of the aberrations of full spheres using an extension of subaperture testing theory. Theoretical and numerical studies have substantiated the method. Experimental validation has been done by comparison with mechanical roundness traces. Direct comparison is impossible because both methods suffer from misalignment errors. In this paper, a data reduction technique is developed for the mechanical roundness traces and comparison is made of the reduced data from both methods.
On the use of video images as social stimuli in birds: audience effects on alarm calling

The production of certain vocal signals in birds, such as food and alarm calls, is potentiated by the presence of an appropriate audience, and reduced when the signaller is alone. In this study, it is shown that the potentiating effects of a female chicken, Gallus domesticus, on the production of aerial alarm calls by a cockerel can be perfectly replicated by substituting the video image of a hen, with soundtrack, for a live vocalizing hen. The potentiating effect of a live conspecific audience is greater than that of a live bobwhite quail, Colinus virginianus, which is in turn more effective than an empty cage. Similarly, a hen videotape with sound is more effective than a bobwhite videotape with sound, which is in turn more effective than a videotape of an empty cage. A second experiment, using various combinations of the optical and sound tracks of videotapes, revealed that stimulation by both sensory modalities contributes to the audience effect. In this situation, visual and auditory cues play roughly equivalent roles. These experiments open up new prospects for the analysis of processes of visual communication in birds. For example, a domestic hen is normally more active than a bobwhite quail. By selecting bobwhite videotapes with high activity rates, it is demonstrated that the species specificity of the audience effect persists with activity rates reversed in favour of the heterospecific stimulus.
Activation of Extracellular Signal–Regulated Kinase Is Involved in Mechanical Strain Inhibition of RANKL Expression in Bone Stromal Cells

Mechanical input is known to regulate skeletal mass. In vitro, application of strain inhibits osteoclast formation by decreasing expression of the ligand RANKL in bone stromal cells, but the mechanism responsible for this down-regulation is unknown. In experiments here, application of 1.8% equibiaxial strain for 6 h reduced vitamin D-stimulated RANKL mRNA expression by nearly one-half in primary bone stromal cells. Application of strain caused a rapid activation of ERK1/2, which returned to baseline by 60 minutes. Adding the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 30 minutes before strain delivery prevented the strain effect on RANKL mRNA expression, suggesting that activation of ERK1/2 was required for transduction of the mechanical force. Mechanical strain also activated N-terminal Jun kinase (JNK) that, in contrast, did not return to baseline during 24 h of continuous strain. This suggests that JNK may represent an accessory pathway for mechanical transduction in bone cells. Our data indicate that strain modulation of RANKL expression involves activation of MAPK pathways.
Low-Temperature Etching of Cu by Hydrogen-Based Plasmas

A simple, plasma-based, low-temperature etch process was developed for the subtractive etching of copper (Cu) films. Hydrogen (H2) plasma etching of Cu thin films was performed in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor at temperatures below room temperature. This process achieved anisotropic Cu features and an etch rate of ∼13 nm/min. Cu etch rate and patterning results were consistent with an etch process that involved both chemical and physical characteristics. This conclusion was reached by consideration of the plasma as a source of ultraviolet photons, ions, and hydrogen atoms, which promote Cu etching.
Formal Techniques for SystemC Verification; Position Paper

SystemC has emerged lately as a de facto, open, industry standard modeling language, enabling a wide range of modeling levels, from RTL to system level. Its increasing acceptance is driven by the increasing complexity of designs, pushing designers to higher and higher levels of abstractions. While a major goal of SystemC is to enable verification at higher level of abstraction, enabling early exploration of system-level designs, the focus so far has been on traditional dynamic validation techniques. It is fair to see that the development of formal-verification techniques for SystemC models is at its infancy. In spite of intensive recent activity in the development of formal-verification techniques for software, extending such techniques to SystemC is a formidable challenge. The difficulty stems from both the object-oriented nature of SystemC, which is fundamental to its modeling philosophy, and its sophisticated event-driven simulation semantics. In this position paper we discuss what is needed to develop formal techniques for SystemC verification, augmenting dynamic validation techniques. By formal techniques we refer here to a range of techniques, including assertion-based dynamic validation, symbolic simulation, formal test generation, explicit-state model checking, and symbolic model checking.
Subexponentiality of the product of independent random variables

Suppose X and Y are independent nonnegative random variables, We study the behavior of P(XY> t), as t + SC, whenXhas a subexponential distribution. Particular attention is given to obtaining sufficient conditions on I’( Y> t) for XY to have a subexponential distribution. The relationship between P(X> t) and P(XY> t) is further studied for the special cases where the former satisfies one of the extensions of regular variation.
Results of modern therapy for patients with mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors

Background The aim of this study was to determine the effects of independent prognostic variables, such as prechemotherapy tumor markers, the extent of disease at diagnosis, the tumor markers postchemotherapy (PC), and the pathology of the PC residual mass on the overall survival of patients with primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (PMNSGCT). Methods The authors undertook a retrospective review of 39 patients with PMNSGCT between 1983 and 1997 who received their initial chemotherapy at Indiana University and 36 additional patients referred for PC resection. All patients received chemotherapy based on the combination of cisplatin and etoposide. The median follow-up was 22 months (range, 12-144 months). Results The prechemotherapy tumor markers did not affect overall survival. Extent of disease (mediastinal only vs. visceral metastases) was an important prognostic factor for survival in univariate analysis (P = 0.042). Sixty-two of 75 patients underwent PC resection of residual disease. Fifteen of the 62 patients achieved a CR with chemotherapy alone, as the PC resection revealed only necrosis. Fourteen of these 15 patients continuously had no evidence of disease (NED). Forty-seven of the 62 patients had NED with chemotherapy and PC resection, including 31 with teratoma and 16 with carcinoma. However, 11 of 31 with teratoma and 11 of 16 with carcinoma subsequently relapsed. Although 18 patients had elevated tumor markers at the time of PC resection, 6 of 18 had only necrosis and 4 had teratoma. The PC tumor markers did not affect survival. The pathology of the resected specimen was the most significant predictor of survival in multivariate analysis (P Conclusions Twenty-eight of 39 patients (71.8%) with PMNSGCT treated at Indiana University achieved NED status, but only 16 (41%) continuously had NED. Twenty of 36 (55.5%) referred for resection continuously had NED. Disease confined to the mediastinum and necrosis in the PC specimen were important prognostic factors for survival.
On the Possibility of Approximation of Irregular Porous Microstructure by Isolated Spheroidal Pores

Calculation of the effective elastic constants of a material with irregularly shaped porous space is discussed. It is shown that isolated pores of irregular shapes may be approximated, with good accuracy, by the spheroidal ones. Procedure of evaluation of the average aspect ratio from the photomicrograph is described. Several commonly used approximate schemes are applied to predict effective Young’s and shear moduli of a material with spheroidal pores. Comparisons of these predictions with the experimentally measured elastic constants for completely sintered hydroxyapatite exhibit reasonably good accuracy. The best agreement is given by self-consistent and effective field methods.
An historical analysis of disclosure of terminal status.

Purpose: To examine the concept of disclosure of terminal status and trace its development and implementation over time. An individual's ability to make appropriate end-of-life decisions, exert some control over the place and manner of death, and prepare self and significant others for this loss depends on knowing that life is drawing to a close. Organizing Framework: An analysis of disclosure of terminal status was performed within the context of American social, political, and cultural history from 1930 to 1990. Methods: A combination of manual and computerized search mechanisms was performed utilizing popular, nursing, medical, sociological, psychological, and thanatological literature from 1930 to 1990. The articles and books obtained through these searches were scanned and those articles and books that dealt with health care disclosure issues were selected. Works included in the review were 149 articles and 22 books. Findings: A long-standing tradition of nondisclosure exists in the medical profession. Societal events in the 1950s and 1960s influenced individuals' perceptions of death, individual rights, and physician responsibility, and culminated in some change in this tradition in the 1970s. The magnitude of this change is unknown. Current practice has not been investigated. This topic is rarely addressed in nursing literature even though nursing care is influenced by physicians' practice. Conclusions: A tradition of nondisclosure prohibits patients from managing the end of their lives and making choices about their manner of death. Nursing care of terminally ill patients is compromised when patients are uninformed.
Protein degradation and protein synthesis in long-term memory formation

Long-term memory (LTM) formation requires transient changes in the activity of intracellular signaling cascades that are thought to regulate new gene transcription and de novo protein synthesis in the brain. Consistent with this, protein synthesis inhibitors impair LTM for a variety of behavioral tasks when infused into the brain around the time of training or following memory retrieval, suggesting that protein synthesis is a critical step in LTM storage in the brain. However, evidence suggests that protein degradation mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system may also be a critical regulator of LTM formation and stability following retrieval. This requirement for increased protein degradation has been shown in the same brain regions in which protein synthesis is required for LTM storage. Additionally, increases in the phosphorylation of proteins involved in translational control parallel increases in protein polyubiquitination and the increased demand for protein degradation is regulated by intracellular signaling molecules thought to regulate protein synthesis during LTM formation. In some cases inhibiting proteasome activity can rescue memory impairments that result from pharmacological blockade of protein synthesis, suggesting that protein degradation may control the requirement for protein synthesis during the memory storage process. Results such as these suggest that protein degradation and synthesis are both critical for LTM formation and may interact to properly “consolidate” and store memories in the brain. Here, we review the evidence implicating protein synthesis and degradation in LTM storage and highlight the areas of overlap between these two opposing processes. We also discuss evidence suggesting these two processes may interact to properly form and store memories. LTM storage likely requires a coordinated regulation between protein degradation and synthesis at multiple sites in the mammalian brain.
Effects of Reward and Behavioral Context on Neural Activity in the Primate Inferior Colliculus

Neural activity in the inferior colliculus (IC) likely plays an integral role in the processing of various auditory parameters, such as sound location and frequency. However, little is known about the extent to which IC neural activity may be influenced by the context in which sounds are presented. In this study, we examined neural activity of IC neurons in the rhesus monkey during an auditory task in which a sound served as a localization target for a saccade. Correct performance was rewarded, and the magnitude of the reward was varied in some experiments. Neural activity was also assessed during a task in which the monkey maintained fixation of a light while ignoring the sound, as well as when sounds were presented in the absence of any task. We report that neural activity increased late in the trial in the saccade task in 58% of neurons and that the level of activity throughout the trials could be modulated by reward magnitude for many neurons. The late-trial neural activity similarly increased in the fixation task in 39% of the neurons tested for this task but was not observed when sounds were presented in the absence of a behavioral task and reward. Together, these results suggest that a reward-related signal influences neural activity in the IC.
Evaluation of Es/wic Initiative for Latino Women

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To examine nutrition education on pregnancy outcomes of WIC eligible Latina women. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of supplementary nutrition education and support by Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) bilingual peer paraprofessionals on Spanish speaking, WIC eligible Latina women. The study included 40 WIC-only control subjects and 29 intervention subjects who were enrolled in both WIC and EFNEP. Breast-feeding (BF), practices, birthweights, hemoglobin values, and pre/post 24-hour food recalls were obtained by searching WIC files. Nutritional behaviors and opinions were obtained from a Spanish version of a pre/post EFNEP Survey. Data were statistically analyzed using SAS. Significance was set at p≤.05. Intervention subjects from one site attained 100 percent BF initiation rates, and continued to BF for an average of 16.9 weeks, significantly more than control subjects who initiated BF at a rate of 67 percent and continued to BF for an average of only 7.8 weeks. Intervention subjects increased their intakes of grain products, fruits, vegetables and milk significantly more than control subjects. Intervention subjects ran out of food less often than controls, and they examined food labels for fat more frequently than controls. Considering the rapidly growing population of Spanish speaking clientele at WIC, expanded efforts of cooperation between EFNEP and WIC may enhance efforts to promote breast-feeding in this ethnic group. Interagency teamwork may also help ethnic clientele to increase their use of food labels, influence desirable eating practices during pregnancy, and optimize resources.
The Permanence of Learning in World History

(1934). The Permanence of Learning in World History. The Social Studies: Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 133-136.
Cytolytic activities of activated macrophages versus paraformaldehyde-fixed macrophages; soluble versus membrane-associated TNF.

Abstract Membrane-associated tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and soluble TNF were compared as to their lytic activities, and as to the kinetics of their expression by macrophages activated with LPS and/or IFN-γ in the presence or absence of cycloheximide. EL 4 tumor cells, resistant and sensitive to lysis by recombinant TNF or membrane-associated TNF (paraformaldehyde (PF) -fixed activated macrophages) were used as targets. In the presence of cycloheximide the TNF-resistant S-EL4 cells were lysed by both TNFs. PF-fixed macrophages was cytolytic after 1 hr activation but not after 3 or more hours of activation. Their activity was totally inhibited by anti-TNF antibodies and was a composite of transmembrane (integral) TNF and soluble TNF conjugated to macrophage membrane TNF receptors. Treatment of the macrophages with glycine pH 3.0 buffer dissociated the conjugated TNF without affecting the integral membrane TNF. When macrophages were activated with LPS ± IFN-γ in the presence of cycloheximide or activated just with IFN-γ their activity after fixation with paraformaldehyde was no longer detected. Nonfixed macrophages under these conditions still remained cytotoxic. Tumor cell susceptibility to membrane-associated TNF activity, in contrast to recombinant (soluble) TNF, was greatly reduced in the presence of nicotinamide, an inhibitor of ADP-ribosyltransferase, suggesting that the mechanisms of lysis by these TNFs may be different. The lytic activity of both TNFs was found to be receptor-dependent in that tumor cells, whose TNF binding sites were “down-regulated” by TPA, were rendered resistant to lysis by both membrane-associated and soluble TNFs.
Naloxone antagonizes striatally-induced suppression of globus pallidus unit activity

Abstract This study was designed to examine the ability of naloxone to antagonize the inhibition of neurons in the globus pallidus produced by electrical stimulation of the caudate nucleus. In rats anesthetized with chloral hydrate, bipolar stimulating electrodes were placed in the head of the caudate and seven-barrel micropipettes were utilized for recording extracellular activity of globus pallidus cells as well as for microiontophoretic application of experimental drugs. In most globus pallidus cells which were inhibited by caudate stimulation, application of naloxone (at currents which antagonized morphineelicited depression) attenuated the caudate-induced effect. Naloxone did not antagonize depression of globus pallidus neurons induced by γ-aminobutyrate. The results indicate that caudate stimulation causes the release of endogenous enkephalins which act to suppress neuronal activity in the globus pallidus. Thus, this study supports biochemical and histochemical studies which provide evidence for an enkephalinergic component in the striatopallidal projection.
HYPERAMMONEMIA WITH PARTIAL CARBAMYL PHOSPHATE SYNTHASE (CPS) DEFICIENCY RESPONSIVE TO ARGININE THERAPY

The six week old son of a first cousin marriage presented with hyperammonemia, transient acidosis, hepatosplenomegaly, failure to thrive, and seizures. Quantitative plasma and urine amino acids, including lysine clearance, were normal, orotic acid excretion was not increased, and no organic acid abnormalities were evident by GLC-mass spectroscopic analyaia. Notably, during periods when the patient was placed on a diet containing 1 gm/kg/day protein intake, arginine supplementation (100 mgm/kg/day) consistently and significantly lowered plasma ammonia (on arginine, 82 μgm% ± 3, S.E.; off arginine, 113 ± 8; p<.01). The mean value for plasma ammonia during periods on a 2gm/kg/day protein diet without arginine (80 ± 17) was lower than on 1 gm/kg/day protein (p=0.1). Liver biopsy was examined by light and electron microscopy. Enzymes of the urea cycle were assayed by Dr. P. J. Snodgrass, revealing a partial deficiency of CPS (0.49 μmol/mg prot/hr; normal neonatal mean 1.13, range 0.81-1.41), assayed in the presence of excess N-acetylglutamate. Since arginine activates glutamate N-acetylase and N-acetylglutamate produced by this reaction is a cofactor for CPS, we postulate that arginine, supplied as such or through moderate amounts of dietary protein, lowered plasma ammonia in our patient by stimulating residual CPS activity.
Lyell on the Geological Similarity of North America and Europe

During his travels in America in 1841-1842 and 1845-1846, Charles Lyell was impressed by the difference of the living flora and fauna of North America from those of Europe. The fossil shells of the Cretaceous strata of New Jersey and of the Tertiary formations of the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the United States showed that North America had also constituted a separate biological region during the Cretaceous and throughout the Tertiary. By contrast, the fossil plants of North American coal formations were so closely similar to those of Europe that Lyell concluded that during the Carboniferous, Europe and North America must have formed a continuous land area. As evidence of a former land connection between North America and Europe, Lyell observed that the distribution of sediments among the strata of the Appalachians indicated that the Carboniferous strata of North America had been derived from land lying to the East — where the Atlantic Ocean now is. Similarly, the North American Silurian and other Paleozoi...
The influence of river stage on endangered least terns and their fish prey in the Mississippi River (USA)

Spatial and temporal availability of small fishes, as forage for interior least terns (Sterna antillarum), was compared to the least tern reproductive period during 1993 and 1994 in the lower Mississippi River, Missouri. Timing of forage availability and least tern reproduction was also related to river stage and temperature regimes. Four deep-water habitats (main channel, secondary channel, side channel, and connected slough) and two shallow-water habitats (main-channel interface and side-channel interface) were sampled using a seine and neuston net, yielding 67 245 fish≤10 cm. Catch-per-volume and richness were highest in shallow-water habitats in both years. Highest catches in deep- and shallow-water habitats occurred between 56 and 64 days after peak spring flows in both years. Water temperature was increasing rapidly during the spring flood peak each year. About 80% of total fish catch consisted of taxa known to spawn in floodplain habitats, supporting the connection between the spring flood and the timing and amount of forage available for nesting least terns. Timing of least tern reproduction was related to falling river stages in May and increased forage–fish availability in June. A conceptual model integrates the abiotic factors of hydrology and sand island area to least tern reproduction and small fish availability. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Working memory performance and cholinergic effects in the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra

The nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine has been found to impair working memory performance in the radial-arm maze (RAM) after s.c. or i.c.v. administration. Mecamylamine has important interactions with dopaminergic (DA) systems. Mecamylamine-induced memory deficits in the RAM are potentiated by the D2 antagonist raclopride and reversed by the D2 agonist quinpirole. The nicotinic agonist nicotine has been found to improve working memory performance in the RAM after s.c. or i.c.v. administration. Nicotine-induced memory improvement in the RAM is potentiated by the D2 agonist quinpirole. The midbrain DA nuclei, the substantia nigra (SN) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have relatively dense concentrations of nicotinic receptors which may be critical sites of action for mecamylamine and nicotine. In the current study, the effects of mecamylamine (1, 3.3 and 10 micrograms/side) infusions into the SN (n = 12) and VTA (n = 13) on working memory in the radial-arm maze were examined in adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. The 10-micrograms/side dose of mecamylamine significantly impaired radial-arm maze working memory performance when infused into either the SN or VTA. No significant effects of mecamylamine on response latency were seen. The nicotinic agonists cytisine (0.1, 0.33 and 1.0 microgram/side) and nicotine (0.3, 1.0 and 3.3 micrograms/side) were administered in a counterbalanced order. The high dose of cytisine (1 microgram/side) nearly caused a significant deficit in choice accuracy. Nicotine slightly depressed choice accuracy but not significantly in this study. The interaction of nicotine and mecamylamine was then studied. A dose of 1.0 microgram/side of nicotine caused a significant decrease in choice accuracy. Interestingly, this was significantly reversed by a 3.3-micrograms/side dose of mecamylamine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Aluminum loading in children with chronic renal failure

Plasma aluminum levels were measured in 17 children with chronic renal failure who were receiving aluminum containing antacids for the control of hyperphosphatemia. Seven children were on hemodialysis, five on peritoneal dialysis, and five were awaiting dialysis with creatinine clearances between 10 to 20 cc/min/1.73 m2. Plasma aluminum levels correlated directly with oral aluminum dosage; extremely high levels were documented in small, nondialyzed children. Bone aluminum levels were measured in four children with high plasma levels and confirmed significant aluminum loading. Other factors such as the level of aluminum in dialysate and tap water were measured and were not contributory. All patients with plasma aluminum levels greater than 100 micrograms/liter had signs of aluminum toxicity and were receiving greater than 75 mg/kg/day of elemental aluminum orally. We concluded that children who require greater than 30 mg/kg/day of elemental aluminum to control hyperphosphatemia should have plasma aluminum levels monitored and/or be considered for other forms of therapy including more restricted diets and earlier or more aggressive dialysis.
DN1p Circadian Neurons Coordinate Acute Light and PDF Inputs to Produce Robust Daily Behavior in Drosophila

Summary Background Daily behaviors in animals are determined by the interplay between internal timing signals from circadian clocks and environmental stimuli such as light. How these signals are integrated to produce timely and adaptive behavior is unclear. The fruit fly Drosophila exhibits clock-driven activity increases that anticipate dawn and dusk and free-running rhythms under constant conditions. Flies also respond to the onset of light and dark with acute increases in activity. Results Mutants of a novel ion channel, narrow abdomen ( na ), lack a robust increase in activity in response to light and show reduced anticipatory behavior and free-running rhythms, providing a genetic link between photic responses and circadian clock function. We used tissue-specific rescue of na to demonstrate a role for ∼16–20 circadian pacemaker neurons, a subset of the posterior dorsal neurons 1 (DN1 p s), in mediating the acute response to the onset of light as well as morning anticipatory behavior. Circadian pacemaker neurons expressing the neuropeptide PIGMENT-DISPERSING FACTOR (PDF) are especially important for morning anticipation and free-running rhythms and send projections to the DN1 p s. We also demonstrate that DN1 p Pdfr expression is sufficient to rescue, at least partially, Pdfr morning anticipation defects as well as defects in free-running rhythms, including those in DN1 molecular clocks. Additionally, these DN1 clocks in wild-type flies are more strongly reset to timing changes in PDF clocks than other pacemaker neurons, suggesting that they are direct targets. Conclusions Taking these results together, we demonstrate that the DN1 p s lie at the nexus of PDF and photic signaling to produce appropriate daily behavior.
Water and NaCl consumption in Long-Evans rats and Egyptian spiny mice

Water and NaCl consumption in Long-Evans rats (Rattus norvegicus) and Egyptian spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) was examined after periods of acute water deprivation (0–100 h) and NaCl deprivation (via 0–10 mg/kg furosemide i.p.). Rats’ intake of water was monotonically related to the length of the deprivation period, with only nominal changes in water intake observed for spiny mice. NaCl intake for rats was also monotonically related to furosemide dose, again with only nominal changes in NaCl intake observed for spiny mice. The patterns of water and NaCl consumption for rats were in agreement with those reported previously, whereas similar observations have not been described for spiny mice. Differences in adaptation to deprivation states were attributed to the desert heritage and physiological characteristics of the spiny mouse.
Crosslinking Between Different Food Proteins by Transglutaminase

Guinea pig liver transglutaminase has been found to catalyze the formation of inter- and intramolecular e-(γ-glutamyl)lysyl crosslinks in proteins. In this paper we study the formation of polymers between different proteins by reacting them with transglutaminase. Analysis of reaction products between acetylated αs1 -casein and several proteins (αs1 -, k-casein, β-lactoglobulin, soybean 11S and 7S globulin) by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography indicated that the different proteins were polymerized through the formation of intermolecular crosslinks. This reaction may represent a procedure to improve the properties of food proteins.
Isolation and characterization of a new gene encoding a member of the HIRA family of proteins from Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract The HIRA family of genes (named after yeast HIR genes; HIR is an acronym for `histone regulator') includes the yeast HIR1 and HIR2 repressors of histone gene transcription in S. cerevisiae, human TUPLE-1/HIRA, chicken HIRA, and mouse HIRA. Here, we describe a new member of the HIRA family, Dhh, for the Drosophila homolog of HIRA . Northern analysis with poly (A)+ mRNA isolated from different developmental stages of Drosophila melanogaster shows hybridization with a single Dhh transcript of 4.1 kb. Hybridization is strong in female adults, unfertilized eggs and 0–3-h-old embryos, then diminishes, but is still detectable, during later stages of development and in adult males. More specifically, in-situ hybridization shows that Dhh transcripts, which are initially detected in nurse cells during mid-oogenesis, become localized to the developing oocyte at high levels. Transcripts persist strongly during early blastoderm stages then fade dramatically by 3 h of development. The Dhh cDNA encodes an open reading frame of 1061 amino acids with high similarity scores to the HIRA polypeptides, as well as two hypothetical polypeptides from C. elegans and S. pombe, in a protein database search. They all share three highly homologous regions: a WD-repeat cluster, a small domain with clustered positively charged amino acids, and a domain comprising two repeats with close resemblance to WD repeats plus a region with no homology outside of the family. The conservation of these homologous regions in HIRA-encoded proteins from evolutionary distant organisms suggests that they are important for the activity of the members of the family.
Dynamics of Core Electron Temperature Fluctuations during Sawtooth Oscillations on TEXT-U.

Core electron temperature fluctuations are measured in a tokamak plasma where some degree of time resolution is achieved. There is a strong correlation between the turbulence level and the phase of the sawtooth oscillations. The enhancement in fluctuations at the sawtooth crash is correlated to a steepening of the electron temperature gradient created as the sawtooth heat pulse propagates outward. A global linear relationship between the temperature fluctuation amplitude and the electron temperature gradient scale length is found.
Upper gastrointestinal tract metastasis from lung cancer

A 62 year-old female with a history of smoking presented ith abdominal pain, melena, and cough for one month. She was ypotensive and tachycardic. Her haemoglobin was 9 g/dl. Esophgogastroduodenoscopy showed multiple odd-looking lesions in he mid-gastric body measuring 1.5 cm with heaped up edges and entral ulceration (Fig. 1). Similar lesions were noted throughout he duodenum. One of the lesions in proximal D2 had a large cenral ulceration and a prominent vessel in the base. Biopsy of the astric lesion showed poorly differentiated large cell carcinoma Fig. 2). Helicobacter pylori was not detected. Computed Tomogaphy/Positron Emission Tomography scan showed avid uptake in he left hilum, adrenal glands and numerous osseous and soft tisue lesions. The overall condition was consistent with lung cancer ith metastasis to the upper gastrointestinal tract. A similar picure might be seen with gastrointestinal stromal tumours which
Soft-tissue reticulum-cell sarcoma of the oral cavity.

Three new cases of the rare oral soft-tissue reticulum-cell sarcoma are presented. The literature on the subject is reviewed, and the four previously reported cases are noted.
Accurate Prediction of Band Gaps in Neutral Heterocyclic Conjugated Polymers

Heterocyclic π-electron polymers such as polythiophene, polypyrrole, and polyfuran attract wide interest on both experimental and theoretical levels. While the optical properties of these materials are dominated by the band gap, no accurate, reliable computational method currently exists to predict the band gaps of large oligomers. Six computational methods, including ZINDO/CIS, ZINDO/RPA, HF/CIS, HF/RPA, TDDFT/TDA, and TDDFT are compared here for a set of 60 structurally well-defined heterocyclic oligomers of varied structure. All six methods are compared using both AM1 semiempirical and B3LYP DFT predicted geometries. Among the methods, the semiempirical ZINDO/CIS method applied to DFT-predicted geometries affords the best agreement between computed and experimental band gaps, yielding an RMS error of 0.31 eV over the data set considered. Analysis of the computed band gaps provides a simple, straightforward empirical correction that significantly improves the accuracy of all six methods, with RMS errors...
European Member State Elites’ Diverging Visions of the European Union: Diverging Differently since the Economic Crisis and the Libyan Intervention?

Abstract In the midst of the EU’s economic crisis and in the heat of the Libyan intervention, immediate concerns have seemingly crowded out consideration of the long-term issues that have been at the center of the major debates, such as the constitutionalization of the EU, enlargement to the east, or the EU as a global actor. But although these issues appear to be forgotten, the underlying questions about what the EU should be and do that nourished the debates remain. Although each member state naturally has its own specific answer to these questions, the answers have more generally divided into four basic discourses about the EU as a free market, a values-based community, a rights-based union, and/or a strategic global actor. Leaders’ visions of the EU have long appeared associated with particular discourses, with these continuing to inform and explain their actions. But their responses to the economic crisis of the EU as well as to the humanitarian crisis of Libya have thrown such discourses, whether un...
Early Trauma, Defense, and Effects on Later Development: A Discussion of the Papers of Anzieu, Mathelin, and Marans, December 2007, at the Conference Where the Wild Things Are Now: Exciting and Scary Things for Children and Therapists

IAM PRIVILEGED TODAY TO DISCUSS THE PAPERS OF THREE TALENTED and dedicated professionals. Our topic is a generously broad one, and the speakers have written both about anxiety-inducing trauma to ch...
Differential toxicity of Physalia physalis (Portuguese man-o'war) nematocysts separated by flow cytometry

Abstract J. W. Burnett , J. V. Ordonez and G. J. Calton . Differential toxicity of Physalia physalis (Portuguese man-o'war) nematocysts separated by flow cytometry. Toxicon 24, 514 – 518, 1986. — Flow cytometric separation of Physalia physalis nematocysts resulted in isolation of the two previously reported sizes of organelles measuring 10.6 and 23.5 nm in diameter. The venom of the smaller nematocysts, which are present in greater abundance, was lethal in vitro to chick embryonic cardiocytes at doses of 0.6 μg protein/culture, whereas 20 μg protein prepared from the larger nematocysts was inocuous. SDS gel electrophoresis revealed common proteins of 69,000, 82,000 and 50,000 – 65,000 mol. wt in the nematocyst contents of both sizes of organelles.