cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Prenatal Breastfeeding Education on Breastfeeding Success and Maternal Perception of the Infant

A quasi-experimental design was used to determine the effect of prenatal breastfeeding education on maternal reports of success in breastfeeding and maternal perception of the infant. The sample consisted of 40 primiparous women who desired to breastfeed their Infants. All subjects were enrolled to attend childbirth education classes and vaginally delivered full-term, healthy infants without complication. Twenty subjects attended a prenatal breastfeeding education class and 20 served as controls. Data revealed that primiparous women who received prenatal breastfeeding education reported a significantly higher frequency of success in breastfeeding than those who did not (P = 0.01). There was a significant difference in the Neonatal Perception Inventory (NPI) I scores of experimental and control subjects at one to two days postpartum (P = 0.05). The NPI II scores of the experimental mothers were significantly more positive at one month postpartum (P = 0.001). Primiparous women who received prenatal breastfeeding education reported significantly more positive NPI II scores than the control group (P = 0.001).
On the reduction in moisture measuring time of dried lignite

Lignite taken from dryers, before being fed to the press for making briquettes, is subjected to moisture tests to evaluate the performance of the dryers in reducing the moisture of the wet lignite from the mines. Many times, a quick and approximate estimation of the moisture content of the dried lignite from the dryers is required to adjust the dryer operating parameters. Knowledge of the moisture content lost from the sample after 10 minutes was found to be enough to have a reasonable estimate of the total moisture content of the sample.
A rare polymorphism affects a Mitogen-Activated Protein kinase site in synapsin III: possible relationship to schizophrenia

Abstract Background Synapsin III plays a role in neuronal plasticity and maps to chromosome 22q12-13, a region suggested to be linked to schizophrenia. To determine if synapsin III plays a role in this disease, we searched for polymorphisms in this gene in patients with schizophrenia and controls. Methods The synapsin III gene was initially sequenced from 10 individuals with schizophrenia to identify polymorphisms. Association analysis was then performed using 118 individuals with schizophrenia and 330 population controls. Synapsin III expression was studied by immunoblot analyses, and phosphorylation sites were mapped by sequencing trypsin-digested synapsin III fragments phosphorylated with phosphorus-32. Results A rare, missense polymorphism, S470N, was identified in the synapsin III gene and appeared more frequently in individuals with schizophrenia than in controls ( p = .0048). The site affected by the polymorphism, Ser470, was determined to be a substrate for mitogen-activated protein kinase, a downstream effector of neurotrophin action. Phosphorylation at Ser470 was increased during neonatal development and in response to neurotrophin-3 in cultured hippocampal neurons. Conclusions Our observations suggest an association of a rare polymorphism in synapsin III with schizophrenia, but further studies will be required to clarify its role in this disease.
Recent Developments in the Understanding of Astrocyte Function in the Cerebellum In Vivo

Several studies have contributed to our understanding of astrocytes, especially Bergmann glia, in the cerebellum; but, until recently, none has looked at their function in vivo. Multicell bolus loading of fluorescent calcium indicators in combination with the astrocytic marker SR101 has allowed imaging of up to hundreds of astrocytes at once in the intact cerebellum. In addition, the selective targeting of astrocytes with fluorescent calcium indicator proteins has enabled the study of their function in vivo without the confounding effects of other neuropil signals and with a resolution that surpasses multicell bolus loading and SR101 staining. The two astrocyte types of the cerebellar cortex, Bergmann glia, and velate protoplasmic astrocytes display a diverse signaling repertoire in vivo, which ranges from localized calcium elevations in subcellular processes to waves, triggered by the release of purines and mediated by purinergic receptors that span multiple processes and can involve tens of astrocytes. During locomotor behavior, even larger numbers of astrocytes display calcium increases that are driven by neuronal activity and correlate with global changes in blood flow. In this review, we give an overview of our current understanding of the function of Bergmann glia and velate protoplasmic astrocytes and the promise of the tools used to study their calcium dynamics and function in vivo.
Institutional Cohesion in the High Court of Australia: Do American Theories Travel Well Down Under?

Abstract Political scientists pay consistent attention to the institutional cohesion of the US Supreme Court; that is, the extent to which and conditions under which the judges collaborate to write joint or unanimous judgments. This article tests whether factors that explain cohesion in the US Supreme Court are relevant in other Anglo-derived judicial systems. It tracks variation in judgment writing patterns on the Australian High Court from 1940 to 2002 and assesses the individual, institutional, and political forces that influence its cohesion. The article concludes that much of the Supreme Court scholarship has explanatory power in the Australian context, but that comparative court scholars must be attentive to the idiosyncrasies of particular courts when developing generalisable theories on court cohesion.
Long-term effects of calcium carrageenan in rats.--II. Effects on foetal development.

Abstract Long-term multigeneration effects of the dietary intake of calcium carrageenan were measured in a three-generation reproduction and tetratology study in Osborne-Mendel rats. Dietary levels of 0·5, 1·0, 2·5 or 5·0% were ingested throughout the study. Developmental effects were studied in the F2C and F3C litters. No dose-related effect on material weight gain was observed. The average numbers of corpora lutea, implantations and early or late deaths, and the average percentage resorptions per litter showed no dose-related differences. No specific external, skeletal or soft-tissue anomaly could be correlated with dosage.
What Is the Minimal Pacing Rate that Prevents Torsades de Pointes? Insights from Patients with Permanent Pacemakers

In the acquired long QT syndrome, torsades de pointes (TP) is invariably preceded by pauses or bradycardia. Thus, it has been proposed that out-of-hospital initiation of drugs that prolong repolarization should be safe in patients with permanent pacemakers. However, a minimal protective pacing rate has not been identified. The authors reviewed published reports of acquired TP in patients with permanent pacing. Those providing documentation of tachycardia onset and pacemaker programming were included in the analysis. Events occurring 70 beats/min. TP is possible in the presence of a functional permanent pacemaker. Programmed lower rates 70 beats/min, TP may occur only when facilitated by programmable pause-promoting features or oversensing. It remains to be seen if rate smoothing algorithms can prevent TP when the baseline rate is programmed < or = 70 beats/min.
Electrochemical measurements of serotonin (5-HT) release from the guinea pig mucosa using continuous amperometry with a boron-doped diamond microelectrode.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal (GI) disorder characterized by chronic abdominal discomfort, including pain, bloating and changes in bowel habits. The pathophysiology of IBS is multi-factoral to be sure, but is not fully understood. Recent studies have shown that IBS may be associated with altered serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) levels within the GI tract. About 90% of 5-HT in the human body is produced and stored in enterochromaffin (EC) cells that reside in the mucosal layer of the intestine. Measurements of serotonin availability locally in the mucosa can provide insight on the functionality of these cells and potentially the pathophysiology of the disease. In this study, we used continuous amperometry with a diamond microelectrode to record serotonin levels in vitro in the ileum mucosa as an oxidation current. The boron-doped diamond (BDD) microelectrode is quite practical for these measurements because if its low background signal, low sensitivity to solution pH changes, and excellent resistance to fouling by adsorbed serotonin oxidation reaction products. In fact, the measurements are only possible because of the unique properties of diamond. We present electrochemical data that demonstrate the diamond microelectrode's utility for assessing 5-HT handling on the gut. Confirmation that the oxidation current measured was associated with endogenous serotonin release came from pharmacological studies. These types of in vitro electrochemical measurements may lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of IBS.
The New Capitalists: How Citizen Investors Are Reshaping the Corporate Agenda

This article reviews the book “The New Capitalists: How Citizen Investors Are Reshaping the Corporate Agenda,” by Stephen Davis, Jon Lukomnik, and David Pitt-Watson.
Decreased placental monooxygenase activities associated with birth defects

We have measured monooxygenase activities in placentas from 82 women who smoked throughout their pregnancies and correlated these with the presence or absence of major somatic anomalies. Monooxygenase activities toward benzo(a)pyrene and ethoxyresorufin in placentas from 18 abnormal infants were compared with activities in placentas from 64 concurrently studied normal infants. Placentas from normal infants were found to have high levels of monooxygenase activities and low apparent Kms toward ethoxyresorufin (10(-7) M), reflecting induction of cytochrome P-450 enzymes usually associated with maternal cigarette smoking. Placentas from the abnormal infants, however, had significantly lower monooxygenase activities and higher apparent Kms toward ethoxyresorufin (10(-5) M), indicating that induction of specific cytochrome P-450 systems occurred less frequently among placentas from abnormal infants. The reasons for this association are unclear. Apparent lack of induction of monooxygenase activity occurred most frequently in placentas from anencephalic infants but was neither exclusively nor consistently found with this defect. No specific maternal condition or environmental exposure associated with lack of monooxygenase induction was identified.
Abstract IA23: The BRCA1 tumor suppressor network

BRCA1 is an essential component of multiple distinct protein complexes that are dedicated to DNA damage recognition and repair. Germline heterozygous mutations to genes encoding multiple BRCA associated proteins result in cancer susceptibility, while biallelic mutations lead to developmental abnormalities, cancer predisposition, and systemic hypersensitivity to chemotherapy. BRCA1 associates with the RAP80 complex to recognize lysine63-linked ubiquitin chains at DNA damage sites. Three members of the RAP80 complex are mutated in hereditary breast cancer, implicating ubiquitin recognition as a bona fide component of BRCA1 dependent tumor suppression. This presentation will describe in vivo interactions between BRCA1 associated DNA damage site ubiquitin recognition and other protein complexes that are dedicated to homologous recombination mediated DNA repair to S-phase. Relevance to cancer etiology and response to therapy will be discussed. Citation Format: Roger A. Greenberg. The BRCA1 tumor suppressor network. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Cancer Susceptibility and Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes; Jan 29-Feb 1, 2014; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(23 Suppl):Abstract nr IA23. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.CANSUSC14-IA23
Canine Lyme borreliosis.

Canine Lyme borreliosis is an affliction of the young and old. It is a tickborne bacterial disease that is most likely to be contracted during June through September, when dogs and humans frequently are outdoors walking in wooded areas and long grasses. This article presents information on the causative agent, clinical features, laboratory findings, therapeutic considerations, and preventive recommendations for canine Lyme borreliosis.
On the propagation of turbulent flames

Abstract Richardson's rigorous definition of the turbulent burning velocity is restated for a one-dimensional turbulent approach flow and an average flame orientation perpendicular to the flow direction. This definition is then used to discuss the transient behaviour of flames in a turbulent environment. Schlieren observations of the growth and structural changes in outwardly propagating spherical flames in laminar and isotropic turbulent flow fields are presented and discussed, both in light of the new definition and the cellular instability behaviour of the flame. Laminar studies are reported for methane-air and propane-air mixtures while turbulent studies are reported for propane-air mixtures only. The results indicate that even after 8 cm of travel the turbulent flames are still transient flames in the spirit of the rigorous definition. However, the studies indicate that for these low turbulence levels (less than five per cent) the flame appears as a characteristically wrinkled sheet flame and has an effective ‘thickness’ which is not changing with time after the first 2 cm of travel.
Singular stress behavior at an adhesive interface corner

Abstract The singular stress behavior at a bimaterial wedge corner was studied analytically using the Williams' Airy stress function approach. In addition, the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Finite Element Iterative Method (FEIM) were used to investigate the asymptotic field in adhesive butt joints of various geometries. In particular, the singular power λ and the geometry of the singular stress zones in the joints were analyzed as a function of the elastic properties of the bonded materials. It was found that the singular power λ and the singular zone geometry at the interface corners in the joints are strongly dependent on the elastic properties of the adhesive and adherend. Moreover, the numerical results of the singular powers obtained from the FEIM analysis showed excellent agreement with previously published analytical data.
What impact has practitioner research had in the marketing academy

Purpose – Given marketing's fundamentally applied nature, to compare the relative impacts in the academy of work published by three groups – practitioners, practitioner‐academic alliances, and academics.Design/methodology/approach – Social Sciences Citation Index data were used to estimate the influence of 438 articles published by practitioners, practitioner‐academic alliances, and academics in five marketing journals over the period 1970‐2000.Findings – Citations for academic research were more than twice as high as those for practitioners. Conversely, citations for practitioner‐academic research rival those of the academics, and sometimes exceed them.Research limitations/implications – Only considered US marketing journals.Practical implications – Despite some excellent citation evidence for practitioner‐academic work, additional cooperative efforts must be pursued to ensure the relevance of academic marketing research to practitioner needs.Originality/value – This is the only study to “objectively” ad...
Standard enthalpies of formation of CeNi5 and of RENi (RE=Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Ho, Tm and Lu), determined by high-temperature direct synthesis calorimetry

Abstract The standard enthalpies of formation of 10 alloys formed between nickel and rare earth elements have been determined or redetermined by high-temperature direct synthesis calorimetry at 1476±2 K, 1400±2 K (for TmNi), or 1274±2 K (for SmNi). The following values of Δ H f o , in kJ (mol atom) −1 , are reported: CeNi 5 , −28.1±1.3; CeNi, −30.3±1.4; PrNi, −28.1±1.1; NdNi, −25.0±1.5; SmNi, −36.4±0.7; GdNi, −29.9±1.1; TbNi, −36.8±1.4; HoNi, −41.7±1.4; TmNi, −46.4±1.6; and LuNi, −47.3±2.2. The results are compared with predicted values from the Miedema model and with earlier calorimetric values in the literature for CeNi 5 , GdNi, DyNi and ErNi.
Revenue estimation for logistics customer service offerings

– In logistics strategy, it is now being recognized that revenue generation is as important as cost reduction. Although it has long been known that logistics customer service has a positive effect on customer satisfaction, little research has been conducted to determine precisely the degree to which logistics customer service affects sales and generates the revenues for the firm. The purpose of this paper is to identify, categorize, and illustrate methods for estimating revenues associated with various levels of logistics customer service offerings., – The purpose is achieved through simulation, statistics, and case studies., – When the revenue effects of logistics customer service can be approximated, logistics strategies can be formulated that optimize profits and/or return on investment. Otherwise, logistics strategy is in danger of being sub‐optimized when logistics customer service levels are treated as planning constraints and costs minimized to meet them., – The paper sets forth a number of methods by which this sales‐service relationship can be generated and the effect of service on sales quantified. This provides an important basis for optimizing logistics strategy.
The effect of dissolved oxygen partial pressure on growth, metabolism and immunoglobulin production in a permanent human lymphocyte cell line culture.

SummaryThe effect of liquid phase pO2 (concentration equivalent of dissolved oxygen) on the growth of human lymphocyte cell line cultures was investigated. The pO2 was monitored and controlled continuously and automatically. A maximum cell yield was obtained with a pO2 of 166 mm Hg and lower cell yields were observed with lower pO2. No cell growth occurred in cultures where the pO2 was zero or higher than the normal 100% oxygen saturation. Immuno-globulin production was pO2-dependent. Higher yields and synthetic rates of immunoglobulin were observed at low pO2 (33 mm Hg).Glucose consumption and lactic acid production rates increased as the pO2 decreased.Maintenance of the optimal pO2 is desirable for the cultivation of large quantities of lymphocytes and for increased immunoglobulin yields.
Current analytical methods for the detection of dityrosine, a biomarker of oxidative stress, in biological samples

Dityrosine is a fluorescent molecule formed as a result of normal posttranslational processing. In many structural proteins, dityrosine confers resistance to proteolysis and physicochemical trauma as a stabilizing crosslink. Dityrosine has also been found in oxidative/nitrative stress under a variety of conditions and biological systems. In this regard, it has been used as an important biomarker for oxidatively modified proteins during UV and gamma-irradiation, aging, and exposure to oxygen free radicals, nitrogen dioxide, peroxynitrite, and lipid hydroperoxides. Renewed interest in dityrosine and other tyrosine oxidation products as clinical indicators of oxidative modification has driven the development of important techniques for the specific analysis and quantification of these molecules. The presence of elevated levels of dityrosine in mammalian tissue and urine samples has been measured by chromatographic separation followed by mass spectrometry GC-MS and HPLC-MS/MS. Increases in dityrosine levels have been associated with pathologies such as eye cataracts, atherosclerosis, acute inflammation, and Alzheimer's disease. The continued development of, and increased accessibility to, improved mass spectrometric instrumentation will expand the capability, feasibility, and sensitivity with which specific biomarkers like dityrosine can be measured.
Silicon/metal/polyimide (SIMPOL) interconnects for broadband mixed signal silicon MMICs

A novel silicon/metal/polyimide (SIMPOL) RF interconnect for broadband mixed signal silicon MMICs is proposed. Full-wave simulation using a pre-verified FDTD code reveals that extremely low crosstalk (< –100 dB) between adjacent channels up to 40 GHz can easily be achieved with this SIMPOL structure.
Blood Group Substances A and B

. Immune globulins prepared from placentas, venous plasma and mixtures of the two sources were assayed by hemagglutination inhibition for blood group substances A and B. The maximum amount of B substance in placental immune serum globulin (human) was 200 μg/ml; in venous immune serum globulin (human), 5 μg/ml; in immune serum globulin (human) from mixed sources, 27 μg/ml. The amount of blood group substance A was approximately 10% of the amount of B substance in placental globulins. Tetanus immune globulin (human) derived from venous plasma contained levels of blood group substance similar to those in immune serum globulin (human) from mixed sources.
Dislocation generation instability and the brittle-to-ductile transition

Abstract We propose a new model for the brittle-to-ductile transition based on a statistical mechanics description of dislocation generation. We begin with a summary of the deformation and fracture behavior of titanium trialuminides to illustrate the need for a new approach to understanding the ubiquitous brittleness of intermetallic compounds. We then describe the important features of the new model, which is applicable not only to intermetallic compounds but also to the wider class of crystalline materials that exhibit the brittle-to-ductile transition. In two dimensions the onset of the ductile behavior corresponds to a cooperative dissociation instability of many dislocation dipoles driven primarily by thermal fluctuations and assisted by the applied stress. The mutual interactions between the dipoles are taken into account using the Kosterlitz-Thouless concept of thermally induced dislocation screening. The predictions of the transition temperature for several materials are discussed.
Using Contingent Valuation to Measure User and Nonuser Benefits: An Application to Public Transit

The contingent valuation method (CVM) was used to measure the value of a community service, rural transit, that has both user and nonuser values. Traditional focus groups and a CVM questionnaire provide estimates of willingness to pay and willingness to accept. Tobit analysis was used to test relationships among the variables. Income was not related to the amount of perceived benefit, but the alternative desire to provide transit for others was statistically significant. Ranges for possible total benefits, user and nonuser, are provided for the test transit systems. Proper aggregation of benefits to the population was found to be critical.
Fractionation of the motor unit: response to decamethonium.

Abstract The electrical response of the motor unit of the gastrocnemius of the rat to ventral root-filament and reflex stimulation was studied during administration of decamethonium. Decline of the peak-to-peak electrical amplitude of the unit was found to occur gradually or in a series of “steps”. This decline resulted from a differential alteration in latency and decrease in number of subunits which compose the unitary response. Alteration of latency suggests that the initial effect of the drug is a “competitive” curarelike action at the end-plates of a single motor unit.
Reprint of: The anatomy of a large-scale hypertextual web search engine

In this paper, we present Google, a prototype of a large-scale search engine which makes heavy use of the structure present in hypertext. Google is designed to crawl and index the Web efficiently and produce much more satisfying search results than existing systems. The prototype with a full text and hyperlink database of at least 24million pages is available at http://google.stanford.edu/ To engineer a search engine is a challenging task. Search engines index tens to hundreds of millions of web pages involving a comparable number of distinct terms. They answer tens of millions of queries every day. Despite the importance of large-scale search engines on the web, very little academic research has been done on them. Furthermore, due to rapid advance in technology and web proliferation, creating a web search engine today is very different from 3years ago. This paper provides an in-depth description of our large-scale web search engine - the first such detailed public description we know of to date. Apart from the problems of scaling traditional search techniques to data of this magnitude, there are new technical challenges involved with using the additional information present in hypertext to produce better search results. This paper addresses this question of how to build a practical large-scale system which can exploit the additional information present in hypertext. Also we look at the problem of how to effectively deal with uncontrolled hypertext collections, where anyone can publish anything they want.
B.c.c.-f.c.c. allotropy, F-bands, and metallization in xenon and krypton

Abstract APW-Xα calculations of a f.c.c.-b.c.c. phase transition in Xe prior to metallization give P ⩾ 950 kbar, contrary to the 820 kbar result of Hama and Matsui; their use of non-touching APW spheres (f.c.c.) may be the crucial difference. Hartree-Fock plus correlation calculations in Kr indicate that f-bands play no role in rare gas crystal metallization.
New guidance on SOX 404

The internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) have been called the most significant change in public company auditing since the advent of the federal securities laws. But do the costs—or companies struggling to meet those requirements—outweigh the benefits of SOX? That's the motivation for important new guidance recently issued. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Viscous Interaction between the Solar Wind and the Magnetosphere

With the discovery of the magnetospheric low latitude boundary layer (LBL) at least partly on closed geomagnetic field lines it is becoming apparent that viscous effects are due to the LBL acting as a dynamo. As such, viscous interaction will reflect the observed dependence of the LBL on the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF); it does have a dependence on the IMF, in contrast to what is commonly assumed. The massive tailward flow requires polarization of the layer: plasma on closed field lines has to do work to maintain its momentum. A by-product is the convection in the plasma sheet and the inner magnetospheric, resulting in auroral phenomena. The most urgent question for solar wind-magnetospheric interaction is the mechanism for the transfer of solar wind plasma through the magnetopause onto closed field lines. The process cannot be steady state reconnection, since the reconnected field lines would be open. The same is true of flux transfer events as commonly viewed; it is serious mistake to try to explain a localized and time-dependent process with a constant electric field, hence zero curl. We must include an inductive electric field according to Faraday's law with a finite curl (by definition) and thus an electromotive force. The plasma can respond by a polarization electric field, which has curl E=0; the latter property means that the polarization of the plasma cannot affect the electromotive force of the induction field. Elementary analysis shows that this can result in plasma flow onto closed field lines. Now what we have is a plasma transfer event (PTE). This process is a form of transient reconnection (preferably called merging to distinguish it from the steady state process usually called reconnection). Thus, when viewed on a broad scale there is a synthesis between merging (reconnection) and viscous interaction, but both processes have changed considerably from the ones proposed years ago.
Theme-Based Tests: Teaching in Context.

Theme-based tests provide an assessment tool that instructs as well by providing a single general context for a broad set of biochemical concepts. A single story line connects the questions on the tests and models applications of scientific principles and biochemical knowledge in an extended scenario. Theme-based tests are based on a set of interrelated journal articles or a fictional story derived from popular culture or local events that interweaves biochemical principles into a story line. Theme-based tests engage students during an exam and promote their creativity.
Role of soil water content in the carbon and nitrogen dynamics of Lumbricus terrestris L. burrow soil

We evaluated the role of soil water content in controlling C and N dynamics within the drilosphere created by the anecic earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (L.). Mesocosms (volume = 3.1 l) were each amended with corn litter and three earthworms. Control treatments received no earthworms and no other earthworm species were present in the soil. WET and DRY treatments received a total of 9.25 cm and 3.25 cm of water, respectively. Water was added on weeks 1, 3, 7, and 10 at a rate of 2.0 cm per mesocosm for WET treatments and 0.5 cm per mesocosm for DRY treatments. Mesocosms were sampled destructively after incubation at 18–20 8C for 0, 3, 7, and 13 weeks. The water content of WET burrow soil ranged from 0.12 g g � 1 to 0.18 g g � 1 and was significantly higher than in the DRY treatment throughout the incubation period. The live weight of earthworms was significantly higher in the WET treatment only on week 13, whereas litter consumption was significantly lower in the DRY treatment for week 13. Carbon mineralization, measured as CO2 evolved after a 24-h incubation, was consistently higher in WET than in DRY burrow soil. Effects of differences in soil water content were also apparent for biomass C and metabolic quotient. Soil water content did no affect the total C concentration of burrow soil. DRY burrow soil had consistently lower levels of nitrate than WET soil throughout the experiment. Lower levels of ammonium and inorganic N were observed for WET burrow soil on weeks 3 and 7. Water content did not have a significant effect on burrow soil total N. We concluded that the water content of the drilosphere affects both C and N dynamics and can affect the speciation of inorganic N; yet, the effects of soil water content do not appear to result from differences in the feeding activities of anecic earthworms. # 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Modeling attenuation in reservoir and nonreservoir rock

Elastic waves attenuate in earth. The number of wavelengths over which the amplitude decreases by a factor of ten is 0.733·Q, where Q is the quality factor. For VP = 3 km/s and frequency f = 30 Hz, the wavelength λ = VP/f = 0.1 km. Then for Q = 10, the amplitude decreases by a factor of 10 as the wave travels 0.733·Q·λ = 0.733 km.
On the Absorption Rate of Desoxycorticosterone Acetate Pellets

THE USE of pellets of desoxycorticosterone acetate as a means of administering hormone to patients with Addison's disease was first described by Thorn and coworkers in 1939 (1). Since that time numerous reports confirming the efficacy of this mode of treatment have appeared (2–7). Very few of these, however, include data on the actual rate of absorption of the hormone or on variations in the rate of absorption which might be expected in different patients or in the same patient with successive implants. The following report summarizes such data on 11 patients. In 9, Addison's disease seemed a certain diagnosis and was established in every case by physical examination and confirmatory roentgen-ray and laboratory studies. The data on 3 patients have not been included in the charts because in one there was some fragmentation of the pellets and in 2 others the diagnosis was questionable. METHODS Two types of pellets were used.
Insects on Plants: Macroevolutionary Chemical Trends in Host Use

Determining the macroevolutionary importance of plant chemistry on herbivore host shifts is critical to understanding the evolution of insect-plant interactions. Molecular phylogenies of the ancient and speciose Blepharida (Coleoptera)-Bursera (Burseraceae) system were reconstructed and terpenoid chemical profiles for the plant species obtained. Statistical analyses show that the historical patterns of host shifts strongly correspond to the patterns of host chemical similarity, indicating that plant chemistry has played a significant role in the evolution of host shifts by phytophagous insects.
Inhibitors of complement and neutrophils: a critical evaluation of their role in the treatment of sepsis.

Objective: Damage to the vascular system is a major finding of sepsis and its sequelae. This damage is caused, in part, by the recruitment and adhesion of neutrophils to the endothelium and their release of destructive molecules. Mediators released by various cell types, including the neutrophil itself, control these destructive actions of the neutrophil. The complement system is one such group of mediators. Through the use of medications that decrease neutrophil activation and adherence and block complement activation, it may be possible to control the course of sepsis. Data Sources: The issues discussed in this paper come from a wide variety of sources, including several broad-based clinical studies of humans with inflammatory disease. Many animal studies are discussed, along with some in vitro cell culture studies and work in molecular genetics. Study Selection: This article reviews a subject that is rapidly evolving, with frequent new discoveries. Thus, much of the article discusses research in basic science, particularly the use of experimental drugs in animals. Few clinical studies have been performed using these agents. Data Extraction: Most cited literature was found in reputable, peer review journals, including important basic science and clinical journals such as Science, Journal of the American Medical Association, New England Journal of Medicine, and Critical Care Medicine. Data Synthesis: Occasionally, contradictions do occur in the results of various studies. These contradictions are discussed and may often be due to different protocols and different definitions of the various clinical states. Conclusions: Pentoxifylline has been shown to decrease neutrophil adhesion and provides increased survival rate in various animal models of sepsis. Early studies regarding monoclonal antibodies to adhesion molecules are exciting. However, the possible effects of these agents in sepsis has yet to be studied. Drugs have been discovered that show potential to block the numerous destructive agents released by degranulating neutrophils.
Ultrastructural localization and identification of adrenergic and cholinergic nerve terminals in the olfactory mucosa

Pharmacological and ultrastructural methods were used to demonstrate alpha-adrenergic regulation of secretory granule content of acinar cells of Bowman's glands and to localize and identify adrenergic and cholinergic axonal varicosities and terminals in the olfactory mucosa of the tiger salamander. The alpha-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine caused secretory granule depletion from Bowman's glands; the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine partially blocked this effect. These observations were quantified using light microscopic computer-assisted morphometric techniques. Both drugs caused morphological signs of electrolye/water transport. Adrenergic axonal varicosities were identified by the presence of small granular vesicles (SGVs, 45-60 nm in diameter) containing electron-dense material that was enhanced by 5-hydroxydopamine loading and chromaffin reaction fixation techniques. Throughout the lamina propria, small fascicles with axons containing SGVs as well as varicosities and terminals with SGVs were located adjacent to blood vessels, Bowman's gland acini, and melanocytes. Mean vesicle diameters at these sites were 54 +/- 7 nm, 50 +/- 9 nm, and 56 +/- 8 nm, respectively; varicosities were located approximately 0.1-1.0 microns from their presumed cellular targets. Axonal varicosities containing small agranular vesicles (AGVs, 65 +/- 8 nm in diameter), identified as cholinergic by their size and by the absence of electron-dense material after 5-hydroxydopamine loading and chromaffin reaction fixation, were located between adjacent acinar cells. In addition, adrenergic varicosities containing SGVs (56 +/- 6 nm in diameter) were found within 1 micron of blood vessels associated with Bowman's gland ducts and sustentacular cells near the base of the olfactory epithelium. These results characterize the ultrastructural basis for adrenergic and cholinergic regulation of vasomotor tone and secretion within the olfactory mucosa.
Monologues of Learning

In the award-winning film Educating Rita (1983), a hairdresser decides to find herself by taking an Open University course. Her English literature tutor is an alcoholic, in a failing marriage, and aspires to be a poet. The University of Liverpool don is saddened when Rita replaces her warm impulsive reactions by the sort of pretentious analytical approach he so much despises. Yet the teacher ends up learning as much from his pupil as she learns from him. The story is an inspiring tale of self-discovery and of the power of choice that comes through education, especially through the now unfashionable one-on-one tutoring. In the time of massive open online courses (MOOCs) is the education system ripe for a revolutionary change? One-on-one tutoring has existed since the beginning of civilization. Lecture-based instruction commenced before the invention of the printing press. Correspondence education is about a century old, and MOOC blasted off during the 2000s. There are already a number of journals devoted to online learning, teaching, and administration, for example, MOOCs Forum, Hybrid Pedagogy, and The Internet and Higher Education. In her influential lecture delivered at Oxford in 1947, “The Lost Tools of Learning,” celebrated crime writer, essayist, and Christian humanist Dorothy L. Sayers advocated a return to the method of the medieval university, which divided the syllabus into the trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) and the Acad. Quest. (2014) 27:310–312 DOI 10.1007/s12129-014-9435-2
Gene Transfer and Expression of Human Phenylalanine Hydroxylase

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is caused by a genetic deficiency of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). A full-length complementary DNA clone of human PAH was inserted into a eukaryotic expression vector and transferred into mouse NIH3T3 cells which do not normally express PAH. The transformed mouse cells expressed PAH messenger RNA, immunoreactive protein, and enzymatic activity that are characteristic of the normal human liver products, demonstrating that a single gene contains all of the necessary genetic information to code for functional PAH. These results support the use of the human PAH probe in prenatal diagnosis and detection of carriers, to provide new opportunities for the biochemical characterization of normal and mutant enzymes, and in the investigation of alternative genetic therapies for PKU.
Hapten-induced primary and memory humoral responses are inhibited by the infusion of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (IDEC-C2B8, Rituximab).

Blocking the elicited humoral immune response has proven useful in treating individuals with autoimmune disorders or those who are at risk of developing antibodies which might be pathologic, e.g., transplant patients. Unfortunately, humoral immunity has evaded efforts at ablation and those therapies aimed at ameliorating it have resulted in only partial success. In addition, some of the current anti-humoral therapies not only target B-cells but also cross-react with other elements of immune response, making these therapies nonspecific. Thus there is a need in the clinical arena for specific anti-humoral therapies. Here we report the impact of infusion of a chimeric monoclonal, an anti-CD20 IgG, on the primary humoral and memory response against a simple hapten (DNP) in a nonhuman primate model. Anti-CD20 IgG interfered with the elicited humoral response and with the memory response when administered prior to antigen exposure. Furthermore, we provide evidence that anti-CD20 blocks the humoral response by eliminating those B-cells capable of responding to the hapten.
Food Insecurity and Mental Disorders in a National Sample of U.S. Adolescents

Objective To examine whether food insecurity is associated with past-year DSM-IV mental disorders after controlling for standard indicators of family socioeconomic status (SES) in a U.S. national sample of adolescents. Method Data were drawn from 6,483 adolescent–parent pairs who participated in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement, a national survey of adolescents 13 to 17 years old. Frequency and severity of food insecurity were assessed with questions based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Security Scale (standardized to a mean of 0, variance of 1). DSM-IV mental disorders were assessed with the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Associations of food insecurity with DSM-IV /Composite International Diagnostic Interview diagnoses were estimated with logistic regression models controlling for family SES (parental education, household income, relative deprivation, community-level inequality, and subjective social status). Results Food insecurity was highest in adolescents with the lowest SES. Controlling simultaneously for other aspects of SES, standardized food insecurity was associated with an increased odds of past-year mood, anxiety, behavior, and substance disorders. A 1 standard deviation increase in food insecurity was associated with a 14% increase in the odds of past-year mental disorder, even after controlling for extreme poverty. The association between food insecurity and mood disorders was strongest in adolescents living in families with a low household income and high relative deprivation. Conclusions Food insecurity is associated with a wide range of adolescent mental disorders independently of other aspects of SES. Expansion of social programs aimed at decreasing family economic strain might be one useful policy approach for improving youth mental health.
THE SYNTHESIS OF Γ‐FLUOROISOLEUCINE

Abstract Condensation of 3-fluoro-2-butanone ( 2 ) with alkyl diethylphosphonoacetates ( 4a–d ) gave alkyl 4-fluoro-3-methyl-2-pentenoates ( 5a–d ). Addition of bromine yielded alkyl-2,3-dibromo-4-fluoro-3-methylpentanoates ( 6a,b ) which were dehydrobrominated to alkyl 2-bromo-4-fluoro-3-methyl-2- pentenoates ( 7a,b ). Since these compounds could not be hydrogenated to the desired alkyl 2-bromo-4-fluoro-3-methylpentanoates ( 8a,b ), another route was taken. The esters 5a–d were hydrogenated to alkyl 4-fluoro-3- methylpentanoates ( 11a–c ) which were converted to their carbanions. Treatment with bromine gave esters 8a–c , and iodine gave alkyl 4-fluoro-2-iodo- 3-methylpentanoates ( 12a,b ). Esters 8a–c and 12a,b were converted to alkyl 2-azido-4-fluoro-3-methylpentanoates ( 13a–c ) whose hydrogenation gave alkyl 2-amino-4-fluoro-3-methylpentanoates ( 14a–c ). Hydrolysis afforded γ-fluoroisoleucine ( 1 ).
Inflammatory breast cancer.

• Historically, the prognosis of inflammatory breast cancer has been poor. We conducted a retrospective review to evaluate the recent Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center experience, to evaluate the role of combination chemotherapy, and to compare the effect of surgery and radiation on local/regional failure. Fifty-six patients with local/regional inflammatory breast cancer diagnosed between 1975 and 1984 were identified. All were treated with combination chemotherapy. Overall 5-year survival was 45%, with a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 37%. Twenty-one patients were treated with induction chemotherapy followed by mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Survival and diseasefree survival rates were similar to those achieved in patients treated with mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. Residual cancer was found in all 21 patients treated with induction chemotherapy, with extensive disease present in 18, including six of seven complete responders. The local/regional failure rate was 34%. ( Arch Surg . 1991;126:304-306)
Development of vaginal rings for sustained release of nonhormonal contraceptives and anti-HIV agents

Abstract Objectives Construction of vaginal rings to deliver nonhormonal contraceptives and 3���-Azido-3���-deoxythymidine (AZT) as an anti-HIV agent and determination of their daily release and efficacy in vitro. Materials and Methods Intravaginal rings of 0.5���0.7 cm rim and 5���5.5 cm in diameter were cast in the molds. The rings were composed of biosoluble acacia gum or nonbiodegradable hydrogel of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and sodium methacrylate (SMA) [P(HEMA-co-SMA)]. The rings were impregnated with nonhormonal contraceptives such as ferrous gluconate to cause spermiostasis, l-ascorbic acid to increase the viscosity of the cervical mucus, and pharmalytes of pH 4���5 or AZT. Results The daily release rate of nonhormonal contraceptives as well as AZT from the rings was efficacious in vitro. Cumulative effect of nonhormonal contraceptives showed complete spermiostasis within 30 s up to 10 and 28 days, respectively. Daily release of AZT from both rings was also likely to be efficacious to inhibit HIV proliferation in vitro for 10 and 28 days, respectively. Conclusion The data indicate that the rings described here can be developed for intravaginal delivery of nonhormonal contraceptives and/or anti-HIV agents.
The effects of caloric restriction or exercise cessation on the serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations of endurance athletes

The interaction of exercise and diet in determining the lipid profiles of endurance athletes is poorly defined. Since active men consume more calories than sedentary individuals, we examined the effects of caloric restriction alone or in combination with exercise cessation on the serum lipid levels of men running 16 km daily. For seven days before each study, subjects consumed diets composed of 15% protein, 32% fat, and 53% carbohydrate. During ten-day experimental periods, one group (n = 10) continued running and consumed the same diet containing 3670 kcal/day, while two other groups consumed an identical diet containing 20% fewer calories and either continued (n = 16) or stopped (n = 15) exercise training. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations decreased 1% to 5% in all groups during the seven-day preliminary diet. Additional reductions in total HDL-C concentrations were similar in the control and exercise cessation groups, but HDL2-C level decreased 15% during exercise cessation. During caloric restriction and continued running, in contrast, HDL-C concentration increased 8% and the HDL2-C subfraction increased 23%. There was little change in levels of apolipoprotein A-I concentrations during any of the protocols, demonstrating that changes in HDL-C are not necessarily attended by changes in the major HDL apoprotein. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level decreased 10% to 15% in all groups during the preliminary period. Only small additional reductions occurred in men who continued running. Exercise cessation, however, was associated with a 10% increase in LDL-C level after only two days of inactivity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Iso-immunization following skin homografting in man.

KREFFT'S1 demonstration of blood group substances in aqueous extracts of human hair first suggested their possible existence in human skin epithelium. Coombs2 and Nelken3 and their co-workers, and afterwards Szulman4 were able to establish definitely their presence in human skin by techniques dependent on the immunological reactivity between iso-agglutinins and their respective α- or β-epithelial cell agglutinogens.
Hole localization in underdoped superconducting cuprates near (formula presented) doping

Measurements of thermal conductivity versus temperature over a broad range of doping in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$ and HgBa$_2$Ca$_{n-1}$Cu$_n$O$_{2n+2+\delta}$ ($n$=1,2,3) suggest that small domains of localized holes develop for hole concentrations near $p$=1/8. The data imply a mechanism for localization that is intrinsic to the CuO$_2$-planes and is enhanced via pinning associated with oxygen-vacancy clusters.