cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maturation of opioid sensitivity of fetal mouse dorsal root ganglion neuron perikarya in organotypic cultures: Regulation by spinal cord

Abstract Opioid agonists selectively decrease the duration of the Ca2+ component of the action potential recorded from embryonic dorsal root ganglion neurons in dissociated cell cultures. In contrast, no significant alterations in the action potentials generated by adult dorsal root ganglion neurons in vivo were detected during opioid exposure. In the present study, the perikaryal opioid sensitivity of fetal mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons was analyzed during maturation in organotypic explant cultures. To determine whether spinal cord might influence this sensitivity, neuron perikarya were tested in ganglia grown: (a) in isolation; (b) attached to spinal cord explants; and (c) attached to spinal cord, but decentralized by a dorsal root transection in mature explants 1–2 weeks before the tests. After 2–8 weeks in culture, the duration of the Ba2+-enhanced Ca2+ component of intracellularly recorded action potentials was measured prior to and during bath exposure to the opioid, [ d -Ala2, d -Leu5]enkephalin. Sensitive neurons were characterized by a marked, reversible reduction (averaging about 50%) in the duration of the Ca2+ component (which was antagonized by naloxone). The fraction of opioid-sensitive neuron perikarya in dorsal root ganglia grown attached to cord explants was significantly lower (48%) than in ganglia grown isolated (78%) or decentralized in vitro (79%). The mean duration of the Ca2+ component was significantly shorter in ganglion cells which had been grown attached to cord, or subsequently decentralized, compared to cells grown in isolated ganglia (by 24 and 38%, respectively). This difference was even larger in the opioid-insensitive groups. Although opioid-sensitive perikarya in ganglia grown attached to cord had a significantly longer Ba2+-enhanced Ca2+ component than that of insensitive neurons, some of the insensitive perikarya in all 3 types of explant paradigms displayed Ca2+ components which were as prolonged as those of sensitive cells. The results obtained in this study support the hypothesis that the observed decrease in the fraction of opioid-sensitive perikarya during development of fetal mouse dorsal root ganglia is due to regulation by interactions with their central target tissue, the spinal cord. The developmental decrease in the duration of the Ca2+ component of the action potential of these ganglion cells is also enhanced by the presence of the spinal cord. However, regulation of functional opiate receptors and Ca2+ component duration of the ganglion cell perikarya appear to be independent processes.
Teaching Writing Strategies to Middle School Students With Disabilities

Following less than 8 hr of instruction in the use of strategies to facilitate planning, self-regulation, and revising while writing opinion essays, a group of 3 middle school students with learning disabilities (LD) made substantial gains in each of 5 quality traits on which their papers were scored. On average, posttest scores of students with LD were better by 1 point on a 6-point scale than were those scores obtained by a group of LD students who served as controls. Participants' scores approached the level of writing performance exhibited by a group of peers without disabilities. The authors also observed treatment effects for number of functional essay elements; students who received strategy instruction gained an average of 1.3 functional elements from pretest to posttest. However, generalization to narrative writing was not obtained.
Alpha-recoil damage: Relation to isotopic disequilibrium and leaching of radionuclides

Abstract The observation by Raabe et al. (1973) of large differences between the solubilities of isotopically different plutonium dioxides, has led to the recognition of preferential etching of recoil damage as a widespread phenomenon for alpha-active radionuclides. The associated preferential solubility of the products of alpha decay, along with direct recoil ejection, are the two specific microscopic mechanisms that are documented as causes of isotopic disequilibrium in the U and Th decay series. Similarly, leaching plays a significant role in releasing 222 Rn from natural substances, 222 Rn being the alpha-decay product of 226 Ra. The average annealing time in nature of the damage sites can be inferred from the extent of isotopic disequilibrium for different isotopic pairs in the Th and U decay chains.
Purines and cortisone in lipid mobilization.

Purin-Basen, Kaffein und Cortison fuhren zu einer Vermehrung der Fettsauren im Rattenserum. Adenin vermindert im Gegensatz zu den anderen Purinen die Lipolyse.
Vibronic structure of Frenkel and charge-transfer excitons in PTCDA

Abstract Perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) is ideal for applying molecular exciton theory to the evolution of molecular to solid-state excitations. The spectra of crystalline films and superlattices differ from solution due to the formation of uniform stacks. PTCDA shows mixing of nearly degenerate Frenkel and charge-transfer (CT) excited states and strong coupling to an out-of-phase C-C, C=C intramolecular stretch that corresponds to the effective conjugation coordinate of polymers. Its structural, electronic and vibrational simplicity can be modeled by a diatomic stack rather than a three-dimensional molecular lattice. Uniform stacks are realizations of Holstein models and provide the first example of vibronic coupling to mixed Frenkel-CT excitons. CT participation is analogous to polaron pairs on adjacent polymer chains, while Frenkel excitons are related to polyene and intrachain excitations. Calculated molecular parameters are consistent with spectroscopic values. Absorption processes show ...
Lactate extraction fails to accurately reflect regional lactate production in ischemic myocardium

Lactate extraction (defined as arteriovenous lactate concentration difference divided by arterial concentration and expressed as a percent) is often reported as the indicator of anaerobic cardiac metabolism in studies dealing with myocardial ischemia. However, lactate extraction ignores the effect of regional blood flow and, therefore, fails to consider the total mass of lactate consumed or produced (lactate flux). This study examined the relationship between lactate flux and calculated lactate extraction. Fourteen anesthetized dogs were instrumented to allow sampling of blood from the left anterior descending coronary artery (LADa) and vein (LADv) and a circumflex coronary vein (CFXv), as well as measurement of regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF) using microspheres, and measurement of systemic hemodynamic variables. Complete data sets (before LADa occlusion, after 15 minutes of LAD occlusion, and after 1 hour of reperfusion) were obtained in nine dogs. Only minor systemic hemodynamic changes occurred during LADa occlusion when compared with "before" and "after" values. Likewise, LADa occlusion produced only minor alterations in blood gas tensions, pH, concentrations of glucose, lactate, and RMBF in samples from the CFX perfusion zone. In contrast, LAD occlusion decreased RMBF in the LADa perfusion zone and produced significant hypercarbia and acidemia, as well as an increased LADv lactate concentration. In the LAD zone, lactate extraction decreased significantly from 15.9% +/- 7.0% before LAD occlusion to -77.4% +/- 21.8% during LAD occlusion (P less than 0.05). However, lactate flux (arteriovenous concentration difference x RMBF) in the LAD zone before and during LAD occlusion was not statistically significantly different (1.3 +/- 0.8 mg/min/100 g and -1.5 +/- 0.8 mg/min/100 g, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A mutation that prevents GTP-dependent activation of the α chain of Gs

Membrane-bound G proteins carry information from receptors on the outside of cells to effector proteins inside cells. The α subunits of these heterotrimeric proteins bind and hydrolyse GTP and control the specificity of interactions with receptor and effector elements1,2. Signalling by G proteins involves a cycle in which the inactive αβγ-GDP complex dissociates to produce α*-GTP, which is capable of activating the effector enzyme or ion channel; the α*-GTP complex hydrolyses bound GTP and reassociates with βγ to form the inactive complex. We have characterized a mutation that interrupts this GTP-driven cycle in αs, the α-chain of Gs, the G protein that stimulates adenylyl cyclase. The mutation converts a glycine to an alanine residue in the presumed GDP-binding domain of αs. The location and biochemical consequences of this mutation suggest a common mechanism by which binding of GTP or ATP may induce changes in the conformation of a number of nucleoside triphosphate binding proteins.
Correlations for Film Regeneration and Air Dehumidification for a Falling Desiccant Film With Air in Crossflow

The coupled heat and mass transfer between a falling triethylene glycol (TEG) desiccant film and air in crossflow have previously been presented and solved numerically for the cases of regeneration and dehumidification. Here, correlations for the effects of independent variables on the rate of regeneration in the regenerator and on the rate of dehumidification and sensible cooling in the absorber are developed by statistical analysis of the numerical results. The functional correlations developed should be useful in the design of regenerators and absorbers having falling liquid desiccant films and air in crossflow.
Sonographic diagnosis of omphalocele during 10th week of gestation.

omphalocele, withtheumbilical cordinserting intotheapexofthemasscontaining herniated liverandbowel.Amniocentesis wasper-formedatthistimeandrevealedanormalmalecomplement (46,XY)andanamniotic fluidalpha-fetoprotein levelwithinnormallimits(2.0mg%).Thepatientelectedtocontinue thepregnancy. Sonographyat20weeksshowed nosignificant change intheomphalocele andnootherfetalanomalies.
Comparative analysis of lactate dehydrogenase isozymes in neural tissues of Poecilia (Poeciliidae)

Abstract 1. 1. The tissue specific patterns of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of brain and eye in three species of Poecilia are reported. 2. 2. While all tissues (diencephalon, mesencephalon, optic nerve, metencephalon, myelencephalon and eye) exhibit high A 4 and B 4 isozyme activity, heteropolymers of A and B subunit composition are lacking. 3. 3. The activity of the C 4 homopolymer is observed to predominate in extracts of mesencephalon and eye. 4. 4. Restricted assembly of C subunit-containing isozymes in specific neural tissues is apparently the result of spatial and/or temporal isolation of C and A, or C and B subunits. Where all three subunits are simultaneously accessible to each other, it is suggested that they form CAB heterotetramers due to the presence of the C subunit in the tetramer.
A dual receptor system is required for basic fibroblast growth factor activity

Michael Klagsbrun* and Andrew Bairdt *Departments of Surgery, Biological Chemistry, and Molecular Pharmacology Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts 02115 tDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Growth Biology Whittier Institute at Scripps Memorial Hospitals La Jolla, California 92037 The notion that interaction with a single high affinity recep- tor is the most important step that mediates growth factor binding to the cell surface and its initiation of a mitogenic cascade is now regarded by many as simplistic. The com- plex interactions of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) with high and low affinity receptors provide a good case for amending this view. To date four human genes have been identified that each encode a distinct high affinity receptor (Kd of -10 -11 M)(Houssaint et al., 1990; Johnson et al., 1990; Keegan et al., 1991; Partanen et al., 1991). Each of these genes (shown in Figure 1 as A-D) encodes multiple proteins de- rived from alternative mRNA splicing. Despite their struc- tural similarities, these high affinity receptors may differ in their ability to bind various members of the FGF family, for example, acidic FGF and basic FGF (Partanen et al., 1991). Basic FG F also binds to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) that have been determined to be low affinity receptors (K~ of -2 x 10 -9 M) (Moscatelli, 1987). Low affinity HSPG-binding sites for basic and acidic FGF exist in the extracellular matrix of cells as well. The existence of at least seven genes encoding FGF family members, at least four genes encoding high affinity recep- tors, and heterogeneous populations of HSPG low affinity receptors on cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrix suggests novel mechanisms for regulating FGF activity and determining responsiveness of target cells to FGF. The binding of basic FGF to the extracellular domain of a high affinity receptor and to heparan sulfate moieties on HSPG is shown schematically in Figure 1. Basic FGF exported into the extracellular matrix by the cell (step 1) is sequestered as a complex with HSPG but is made avail- able (through unkown processes) to cell surface HSPG' low affinity receptors (step 2). This cell-associated HSPG can deliver the growth factor to one or several high affinity receptors (step 3) that internalize basic FGF and initiate the cellular response (step 4). The law of mass action pre- dicts that the relative concentration of low and high affinity sites on the cell surface determines which type of binding site is available to a ligand. In the absence of high affinity receptors, all ligands will be inactive; in the absence of low affinity binding, insufficient ligand accumulates at the cell surface. There presumably exists a low affinity receptor number that may concentrate the ligand at the cell surface and optimally mediate its transfer to the high affinity site. It is of paramount importance to study the characteristics
Observations of Barnacle Detachment from Silicones using High-Speed Video

ABSTRACT The detachment of barnacles (under shear and tensile loads) from silicone was investigated with the aid of high-speed digital video recording. A handheld probe was used to apply loads to the shells of barnacles attached to three clear silicone-elastomer coatings of known thickness applied to glass plates. The tests were performed in the laboratory in air and underwater. Representative data are presented as a qualitative description of separation at the barnacle adhesive–silicone interface. Detailed examination of adhesive separation during detachment provided new insight into the nature of a marine biological adhesive on a low modulus, artificial surface. The visible response of the barnacle adhesive on silicone under external shear and tensile loading was suggestive of the viscous fingering seen in Saffman–Taylor instabilities. Complex branching separation occurred in rapid progression, usually within 100 ms. The results suggest that the barnacle adhesive exhibits rheological responses of a visc...
Grand unification near the Kaluza-Klein scale☆

Abstract The supersymmetric grand unification scale is close to the calculable size ≈10 −17 GeV −1 of the extra space dimensions of generalized Kaluza-Klein theory. Grand unification may therefore be a high-dimensional phenomenon with consequences also for cosmology.
Arterial Aging: a Journey into Subclinical Arterial Disease

Purpose Age-associated arterial alterations in cells, matrix, and biomolecules are the foundation for the initiation and progression of cardiovascular diseases in older persons. This review focuses on the latest advances on the intertwining of aging and disease within the arterial wall at the cell and molecular levels.
Bioelectrical activity of isolated cortex—III conditioned electrographic responses in chronically isolated cortex

Abstract A penicillin-induced, epileptogenic focus within the boundaries of chronically isolated cortex of cats could be activated to discharge regularly by intra-muscular administration of pentylenetetrazol. A sensory-sensory conditioning procedure was used to establish temporary connections between a sensory stimulus and these paroxysmal discharges. When a tone was repeatedly paired with a flickering light, it increasingly acquired the property of inhibiting the spike discharges. Another tone, which was not paired with the light, did not show the conditioned inhibition. The shifts of cortical steady potentials evoked by the conditional, unconditional, and differential stimuli, were not correlated with the conditioning process. Polarization with direct current up to 500 μA did not affect the penicillin spikes. The possible mechanisms involved in the conditioned inhibition of the penicillin spikes inside an isolated slab, and the relevance of the present results to neural mechanisms of learning are discussed.
Latest advances and topics in fetal echocardiography

Purpose of review Fetal diagnosis and the supporting specialties of perinatology, neonatology, and surgery have made rapid strides in the last decade. Numerous centers are focusing on this multifaceted niche area as the medical field realizes its vast promise and potential. The authors review some of the major advancements in thought and practice in the field of fetal echocardiography while attempting to give a less detailed overview for the less involved perinatologist. Recent findings First trimester fetal echocardiography has been an area of recent interest as transducer technology improves. As a result, optimum timing of first and subsequent scans and the population profile they are to be applied to have become an issue that begs consensus. Three-dimensional and four-dimensional fetal echocardiography have also received a boost for the same reasons, and both are being studied for feasibility and accuracy. Fetal tissue Doppler and spectral Doppler imaging are potential areas for exploration; the early steps have been taken. Awareness of associated ultrasound markers, such as exaggerated nuchal translucency, as clues to the presence of congenital heart disease is important, even if controversial. Summary The issue of missed prenatal diagnosis is disturbing, especially when it arises against a background of tremendous skill and technologic support. Strategies to minimize mistakes in this critical aspect need to be agreed on by the involved teams and put in place in a multidisciplinary manner if they are to have an important impact.
Serological response to an HPV16 E7 based therapeutic vaccine in women with high-grade cervical dysplasia.

Purpose Infection with oncogenic human papillomaviruses has been linked to the development of cervical neoplasia and cancer. The exclusive expression of E7, a viral oncogene, in infected cells makes this protein an ideal target for immunotherapy. We recently reported on the results of a trial in women with cervical carcinoma-in-situ using HspE7, a protein vaccine consisting of full length HPV16 E7 linked to a heat shock protein from M. bovis. The stimulating effects of HspE7 on specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes have been demonstrated in vitro and in (pre-)clinical trials. The induction of a B-cell response by HspE7 and its association with clinical outcome is unknown, and is the purpose of this study.
Inhibition of HIV-1 replication in primary human T cells transduced with an intracellular anti-HIV-1 p17 antibody gene.

Background Previously we reported that human CD4+ T cell lines stably expressing anti-HIV-1 gag p17 scFv/Cκ in the cytosol or nucleus were resistant to HIV-1 challenge. Inhibition of HIV-1 by anti-HIV-1 gag p17 scFv/Cκ occurred at both the pre- and post-integration steps of the viral cycle. To simulate more closely the in vivo infection process, in this study we tested anti-HIV-1 activity of anti-HIV-1 gag p17 scFv/Cκ in primary human T cells. Methods Anti-HIV-1 gag p17 scFv/Cκ gene that is targeted into cytoplasm was inserted into a MMLV vector and transfected into packaging cell line PT67. The recombinant virus was used to transduce primary human T cells and human CD4+ T cell line Jurkat. Following transduction, transduction efficiency, transgene expression, and cell phenotypes were studied. Transduced cells were then challenged with 100 TCID50 of HIV-1 IIIB and primary isolate 5AO12. Following challenge, HIV-1 replication was monitored by p24 production. Results Both transduced Jurkat and primary human T cells expressed the transgene. The expression of the transgene did not alter cell growth and CD4 or CD8 expression. However, HIV-1 replication in scFv/Cκ-transduced Jurkat cells was inhibited by nearly 90% as compared with vector controls. More importantly, HIV-1 replication in primary human T cells from multiple donors transduced with the anti-HIV-1 gag p17 scFv/Cκ gene was inhibited by as much as 99% as compared with primary T cells transduced with the vector control. The inhibition of replication was not due to interference in viral entry or reverse transcription. The less that HIV-1 replicated in different donor cells, the higher the degree of protection. Conclusions The expression of the anti-HIV-1 gag p17 scFv/Cκ gene construct in primary human T cells renders these cells resistant to HIV-1 and points to the potential clinical usefulness of this gene construct for anti-HIV-1 gene therapy. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fourier analysis and homology of the first molars of the Palaeocene primate family Picrodontidae.

Abstract The correct homology of the first molars of this Palaeocene primate family is uncertain, in particular whether it is a first molar or a fifth premolar. Because of the unique morphology of this tooth, polar coordinates were used to describe its outline and compare it to other primate and non-primate molars and premolars. To determine whether class-dependent shapes could be established, Fourier analysis was used to describe each tooth shape. Using a diagrammatic clustering method, similar shapes could be detected and separated. However, the first molar did not clearly align with either molars or premolars, possibly indicating that it is a deciduous tooth, or that its morphology is very unusual among early Tertiary primate molars or premolars.
Carbon dioxide hydrogenation on potassium-promoted nickel catalysts

Abstract The kinetics of CO 2 hydrogenation were investigated on potassium-promoted Ni/SiO 2 and Ni/ SiO 2 zAl 2 O 3 catalysts for a range of potassium loadings. Potassium does not increase higher hydrocarbon or olefin selectivity, but it changes the CH 4 /CO product distribution. Also, potassium does not change the CO 2 methanation mechanism, and the mechanism appears to be quite similar to that for CO hydrogenation. The changes in activity and selectivity with potassium loading depend significantly on the support. Potassium increases hydrogenation rates on Ni/SiO 2 zAl 2 O 3 at low coverages and then decreases them at higher coverages; the decrease is faster for CO hydrogenation. In contrast, potassium rapidly decreases hydrogenation rates on Ni/SiO 2 . The dependences of CO 2 methanation rates on potassium loading are almost the same as those seen for CO hydrogenation on the Ni/SiO 2 catalysts, and are similar to those on the Ni/SiO 2 zAl 2 O 3 catalysts.
Radiative Recombination Efficiency of InGaN-Based Light-Emitting Diodes Evaluated at Various Temperatures and Injection Currents

The present article discusses the radiative recombination efficiency in electroluminescence of InGaN-based light-emitting diodes prepared on sapphire substrates. The radiative efficiency was studied over a temperature and injection-current range on three samples with different optical performance. The efficiency generally improved as temperature was lowered or current was increased, however, reduced under low-temperature and high-current conditions on high-quality samples. Our model took electron overflow and kinetic carrier generation into account to explain the reduced efficiency, and a calculation based on the model reasonably reproduced the efficiency reduction. The near-UV emission often observed at low temperature was qualitatively explained by the model.
A Comparative Study of Endoscopic Ultrasound Guided Fine Needle Aspiration With and Without a Stylet

Despite lack of evidence, use of a stylet during endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is assumed to improve the quality and diagnostic yield of specimens. The purpose of this study was to compare EUS-FNA specimens obtained with stylet (S+) and without stylet (S−) for: (i) cellularity, contamination, adequacy, and amount of blood and (ii) diagnostic yield of malignancy. Patients who underwent EUS-FNA of solid lesions by two experienced endosonographers at a tertiary referral center using a 22-gauge FNA needle with suction were included. Stylet was used for all EUS-FNA procedures performed between January 2006 and September 2007 and no stylet was used between October 2007 and April 2009 allowing comparison between the two techniques. Cytology slides were retrieved, de-identified and evaluated by two experienced cytopathologists blinded to FNA technique. Slides were evaluated for cellularity, degree of contamination, adequacy, amount of blood and cytologic diagnosis. Fisher’s exact and unpaired t-test were used for comparative analysis. A total of 162 patients with 228 lesions were included. FNA of 106 and 122 lesions each was performed in the S+ and S− groups, respectively. FNA sites included pancreas [41 (18%)], lymph node [125 (55%)], liver [20 (9%)], adrenal [21 (9%)] and others [21 (9%)]. No significant differences in the cellularity (P = 0.37), contamination (P = 0.18), significant blood (P = 0.42) and adequacy of specimen (P = 0.45) were found between S+ and S− specimens. There was no statistically significant difference in the diagnostic yield of malignant lesions (P = 0.48). The use of stylet during FNA does not appear to confer any advantage with regards to the adequacy of specimen or diagnostic yield of malignancy.
Superoxide dismutase and catalase in Toxoplasma gondii

Catalase and superoxide dismutase detected in both RH and C strain Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites were distinctly different in electrophoretic mobility from host cell enzymes. Catalase and superoxide dismutase activity levels were similar in both Toxoplasma strains and showed narrow pH optima around 8.0. Toxoplasma superoxide dismutase was resistant to cyanide but inhibited by azide or peroxide, consistent with an iron-containing enzyme typical of protozoan parasites. These enzymes may play a role in intracellular survival; however, they do not appear to be the basis for differences in virulence to mice.
A COMPARISON OF PULMONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, DIGITAL SUBTRACTION ANGIOGRAPHY, AND 99mTc‐DTPA/MAA VENTILATION‐PERFUSION SCINTIGRAPHY FOR DETECTION OF EXPERIMENTAL PULMONARY EMBOLI IN THE DOG

The abilities of pulmonary angiography, digital subtraction angiography and ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy (V/Q) to detect experimental acute pulmonary emboli were evaluated in a group of 18 research dogs. Emboli were produced by forceful intravenous injection of clotted blood. In five dogs, emboli were labeled with thallium-201 prior to reinjection so that embolus position could be confirmed on scintigraphic studies. Studies were independently reviewed by three observers. Results were combined so that the relative sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of each imaging technique could be compared using chi-square and receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. Digital subtraction angiography and V/Q studies proved to be significantly more specific and accurate than conventional pulmonary angiography. V/Q studies were uniformly of good to excellent quality while the quality of digital subtraction angiography studies was variable depending on the adverse effects of respiratory motion. It was concluded that ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy is the best available method to screen dogs suspected of having pulmonary thromboembolism.
Tapered Cavities for High-Modulation-Efficiency and Low-Distortion Semiconductor Lasers

We show that mode structure and cavity geometry in multisegment semiconductor lasers can be tailored to realize high modulation efficiencies as well as low distortion levels in directly modulated semiconductor lasers using the gain-lever effect. Compared with conventional semiconductor gain-lever lasers, the lasers proposed here can have five times higher modulation efficiencies. The second-order harmonic and third-order two-tone intermodulation distortion levels in the proposed lasers are also significantly lower than in conventional gain-lever lasers. We also show that, in the lasers proposed here, unlike in conventional gain-lever lasers, modulation bandwidths and output power levels may not be sacrificed in order to obtain high modulation efficiencies.
Event-based urbanization and the New Orleans tourist regime: a conceptual framework for understanding structural change in US tourist cities.

Tourism and an event-based economy have fundamentally changed the City of New Orleans, a major urban center in the southern US state of Louisiana. Although the city's stock of tourist establishments declined dramatically in the aftermath of the devastation associated with Hurricane Katrina, recovery of the city's tourism sector has been equally dramatic. Visitor spending is at historic highs, and the number of hotel rooms in the city now exceeds the pre-Katrina figure. Yet the transformation of New Orleans into a tourist city has not occurred in a vacuum: the growth of tourism over the last half century and the industry's rapid recovery since 2005 are due to both structural changes in the international political economy and to deliberate planning strategies adopted at both the state and local levels in response to those changes. In this article, I begin by outlining the impact of tourism and an event-based economy on the New Orleans urban fabric. I then utilize both regulation theory and urban regime theo...
Coupling a quantum dot to an open microcavity

Single InAs semiconductor quantum dots were coupled to a microcavity consisting of a semiconductor Bragg reflector below the quantum dot layer, and an external micromirror fabricated at the tip of a single mode fiber.
Theoretical studies of core excitation and ionization in molecular systems.

Photoionization cross sections have been computed using correlated initial and final target states obtained with standard ab initio techniques and using a numerical representation of the continuum scattering orbitals. Here, core ionization of small molecular systems will be focused on. A brief review of previous results obtained using these methods is given. New results are then given for the N 1s ionization of NO and the N 1s ionization of N2. In the study of NO, the spin-coupling scheme which best describes the shape-resonant state and the energy dependence of the branching ratios for the singlet and triplet final ion states will be considered. In the study of N2 core ionization, the effects of the coupling of nearly degenerate core levels and the effects of correlation on the importance of interchannel coupling will be considered.
Surgical management of hyperparathyroidism in renal failure

In the setting of renal disease and hyperparathyroidism, a near total parathyroidectomy with cryopreservation is a safe and effective treatment. Even with improved dialysis and medical management, parathyroid surgery remains effective therapy for patients with hyperparathyroidism associated with renal failure. Symptomatic patients particularly need to be identified earlier for parathyroidectomy to prevent progression of bone disease in chronic renal failure.
Vibrational analysis of glutarimide and β,β-dimethyl glutarimide in deuterochloroform and acetonitrile solutions

Abstract The i.r. spectra of glutarimide, β,β-dimethyl glutarimide and their N-deuterated analogs, in deuterochloroform and acetonitrile solutions have been obtained. The data were analyzed by normal coordinate calculations and several of the fundamental vibrational modes have been assigned. Possible interactions between the various chemical species in solution are discussed.
Crystal growth of gallium nitride and manganese nitride using an high pressure thermal gradient process

Abstract Standard, semiconductor-industry bulk crystal growth processes are virtually impossible for the production of GaN as this is prohibited by both the high melt temperature of GaN and thermal decomposition of the compound into Ga metal and diatomic nitrogen gas. In this study, a novel hydrostatic pressure system was employed to grow GaN crystals in a very high pressure ambient. The ultra-high pressure, high temperature process uses a solid-phase nitrogen source to form GaN crystals in a metal alloy melt. Using a thermal gradient diffusion process, in which nitrogen dissolves in the high temperature region of the metal melt and diffuses to the lower temperature, lower solubility region, high quality crystals up to ∼0.5 mm in size were formed, as determined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and micro-Raman analysis.
Effect of procainamide on reentry within the His-Purkinje system in man.

Abstract The effects of a single intravenous infusion of 500 mg of procainamide on macro-reentry within the His-Purkinje system were assessed, in 10 patients using bundle of His electrograms and the ventricular extrastimulus method. Procainamide did not abolish reentry in any of the 10 patients and produced repetitive reentry (two or more consecutive reentrant beats) in 8 of 10 patients. On the average, procainamide caused reentry to be initiated at longer S 1 -S 2 intervals, widening the zone of reentry. In all but one patient reentry was manifest at significantly longer S 2 -H 2 intervals than control values. The H-V intervals of reentrant beats (H 2 -V 3 intervals) after procainamide were longer than control values at comparable S 2 -H 2 intervals. Procainamide shortened or abolished the retrograde gap zones thereby causing reentry to be present more frequently within the zone of reentry. No significant change was seen in effective refractory period of ventricular muscle. On the assumption that many clinically encountered ventricular arrhythmias that respond to procainamide result from micro-reentry, the observed differences between the effects of procainamide on macro- and micro-reentry may be explained on the basis of the relation between drug effect and size of the reentrant circuit. Procainamide may produce a greater increase in refractoriness in a micro-reentrant circuit than in macro-reentry, thereby producing bilateral block and abolishing reentry in the former; or if the degree of electrophysiologic changes produced by procainamide were the same in both types of circuits, then for a given change, the pathway in a micro-reentrant circuit may be too small to sustain reentry.
Identification of SNPs and INDELS in swine transcribed sequences using short oligonucleotide microarrays

Genome-wide detection of single feature polymorphisms (SFP) in swine using transcriptome profiling of day 25 placental RNA by contrasting probe intensities from either Meishan or an occidental composite breed with Affymetrix porcine microarrays is presented. A linear mixed model analysis was used to identify significant breed-by-probe interactions. Gene specific linear mixed models were fit to each of the log2 transformed probe intensities on these arrays, using fixed effects for breed, probe, breed-by-probe interaction, and a random effect for array. After surveying the day 25 placental transcriptome, 857 probes with a q-value ≤ 0.05 and |fold change| ≥ 2 for the breed-by-probe interaction were identified as candidates containing SFP. To address the quality of the bioinformatics approach, universal pyrosequencing assays were designed from Affymetrix exemplar sequences to independently assess polymorphisms within a subset of probes for validation. Additionally probes were randomly selected for sequencing to determine an unbiased confirmation rate. In most cases, the 25-mer probe sequence printed on the microarray diverged from Meishan, not occidental crosses. This analysis was used to define a set of highly reliable predicted SFPs according to their probability scores. By applying a SFP detection method to two mammalian breeds for the first time, we detected transition and transversion single nucleotide polymorphisms, as well as insertions/deletions which can be used to rapidly develop markers for genetic mapping and association analysis in species where high density genotyping platforms are otherwise unavailable. SNPs and INDELS discovered by this approach have been publicly deposited in NCBI's SNP repository dbSNP. This method is an attractive bioinformatics tool for uncovering breed-by-probe interactions, for rapidly identifying expressed SNPs, for investigating potential functional correlations between gene expression and breed polymorphisms, and is robust enough to be used on any Affymetrix gene expression platform.
Parametrically excited, standing cross-waves

Luke's (1967) variational formulation for surface waves is extended to incorporate the motion of a wavemaker and applied to the cross-wave problem. Whitham's average-Lagrangian method then is invoked to obtain the evolution equations for the slowly varying complex amplitude of the parametrically excited cross-wave that is associated with symmetric excitation of standing waves in a rectangular tank of width π/ k , length l and depth d for which kl = O (1) and kd [Gt ] 1. These evolution equations are Hamiltonian and isomorphic to those for parametric excitation of surface waves in a cylinder that is subjected to a vertical oscillation, for which phase-plane trajectories, stability criteria and the effects of damping are known (Miles 1984 a ). The formulation and results differ from those of Garrett (1970) in consequence of his linearization of the boundary condition at the wavemaker and his neglect of self-interaction of the cross-waves in the free-surface conditions (although Garrett does incorporate self-interaction in his calculation of the equilibrium amplitude of the cross-waves). These differences have only a small effect on the criterion for the stability of plane waves, but the self-interaction is crucial for the determination of the stability of the cross-waves.
Measurement of dopamine release with continuous infusion of [11C]raclopride: optimization and signal-to-noise considerations.

PET studies with [11C]raclopride provide an indirect measure of changes in synaptic dopamine. Previously, we used the bolus-plus-infusion (B/I) method to assess dopamine response from the percentage change in binding potential (ΔBP) before and after administration of amphetamine. The goal of this work is to optimize the measurement of changes in neurotransmitter with the B/I method by choosing the optimal timing for pre- and poststimulus scanning. Methods: Two sources of variability in ΔBP were considered: within-subject and between-subject noise. A noise model based on a phantom study and human data was used to evaluate the within-subject noise. For between-subject noise, simulated time-activity curves were generated from measured [11C]raclopride input functions. Optimal timing to measure ΔBP was determined and applied to human data. Results: According to the simulation study, the optimal scan times for pre-and poststimulus scans were 39–50 and 58–100 min, respectively. The optimal timing resulted in a 28% noise reduction compared with the original timing. By applying the optimal timing to human studies, the statistical significance of the difference in ΔBP between patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers increased from P = 0.038 to 0.012. Conclusion: Careful assessment of the sources of noise in receptor imaging studies can increase the sensitivity of the B/I method for the detection of biologic signals.
Differential functions of 14-3-3 isoforms in vertebrate development.

Publisher Summary The 14-3-3 proteins are intracellular dimeric phosphoserine/threonine-binding molecules that are found in all eukaryotic organisms. It participates in developmental, signal transduction, checkpoint control, nutrient sensing, and cell survival pathways. In fungi, plants, and animals, there are multiple 14-3-3 proteins encoded by separate genes. This chapter discusses the roles of 14-3-3 family members in animal development. Individual vertebrate 14-3-3 genes exhibit differential expression patterns and may have unique binding partners. Initial experiments suggest that each 14-3-3 protein may specifically regulate different aspects of vertebrate development. The chapter also discusses the structure and regulation of 14-3-3 proteins. The molecular interference model explains the action of 14-3-3 proteins on a variety of binding partners. The role of 14-3-3 proteins in the development of caenorrhabditis elegans is well studied by the analysis of mutants and use of RNAi. There are two 14-3- 3 genes in worms, ftt-1 (par-5) and ftt2. The ftt-1 gene is highly expressed in early embryos as maternal transcript in a symmetrical pattern, but expression decreases markedly in later development. In contrast, ftt-2 is undetectable in 1-cell embryos and is first detected in 2-cell or 4-cell embryos, suggesting that it is an early zygotic transcript. The ftt-2 gene is expressed at high levels in the posterior region of post-proliferative embryos. The unique functional roles of 14-3-3 isoforms in vertebrate development may be due to differential patterns of gene expression, subcellular localization, regulation of activity, or ability to bind to target proteins. In Xenopus development, the asymmetric localization of 14-3-3 ɛ protein clearly seems to underlie its function in the development of left–right asymmetry.
Ductile grinding of silicon carbide as a production method for reflective optics

Ductile regime grinding or shear-mode grinding is an enabling technology that is finding application in the optics manufacturing industry. By definition, ductile removal occurs when the scale of machining is conducted below a material-dependent critical dimension or chip size. Much of the interest in ductile grinding resides in manufacturing glass optics, which experience brittle-ductile transition at on the order of magnitude 10 nm. Silicon carbide has a critical dimension that is on the order of 100 - 200 nm, making it a more attractive candidate for the technology. Preliminary results from an on-axis chemical vapor deposited (CVD) SiC sphere (f/14) indicate 317 angstrom surface roughness and 0.96 wave P-V figure were achieved with this manufacturing method. Surface finish, interferometric measured figure and BRDF scatter results are presented from ductile regime grinding of 40 and 75 mm flats of CVD silicon carbide, bare reaction bonded SiC (RBSiC) and uniaxial hot-pressed SiC (HPSiC).
The Supreme Court and Opinion Content The Influence of Parties' Briefs

Do parties' briefs influence the content of Supreme Court opinions? The author contends that the parties, through the briefs submitted on the merits, have the ability to influence the content of op...
Women's Rights and Wedding Bells 19th-Century Pro-Family Rhetoric and (Re)Enforcement of the Gender Status Quo

Researchers suggest that backlashes to feminism may appear in the form of pro-family campaigns. Social scientists have observed themes in the current pro-marriage movement to support this claim; others note historical cycles of pro-family backlash to feminism. This article is a sociohistorical analysis of texts from a leading organized advocate of 19th-century pro-family reform that examines emergent rhetorical themes illustrative of a backlash to women's rights. I draw on critical feminist theory to suggest that these strategic rhetorical themes were used to stimulate 19th-century women's ambivalence about family and independence. I also briefly engage gender social movement's literature and research on current pro-family campaigns to point out similarities between the backlash rhetorical strategies of the historical and current movements. In accord with previous feminist scholarship, this study is important in “making visible” the often hidden antifeminist bias in pro-family rhetoric.
Technologies toward thermal comfort-based and energy-efficient HVAC systems: A review

This paper reviews thermal comfort based control strategies for modern commercial buildings with heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. In order to make HVAC systems more energy-efficient, better system operations and control algorithms for HVAC systems are demanded. Research conducted predominately within the last decade suggests that commercial building HVAC significantly influences the health, satisfaction, and productivity of the building occupants. This paper also projects the use of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) to enhance energy efficiency of HVAC systems as well as provides comfortable environment to assure occupants' productivities.
Incorporating electrokinetic effects in the porochemoelastic inclined wellbore formulation and solution

The porochemoelectroelastic analytical models and solutions have been used to describe the response of chemically active and electrically charged saturated porous media such as clays, shales, and biological tissues. However, these attempts have been restricted to one-dimensional consolidation problems, which are very limited in practice and not general enough to serve as benchmark solutions for numerical validation. This work summarizes the general linear porochemoelectroelastic formulation and presents the solution of an inclined wellbore drilled in a fluid-saturated chemically active and ionized formation, such as shale, and subjected to a three-dimensional in-situ state of stress. The analytical solution to this geometry incorporates the coupled solid deformation and simultaneous fluid/ion flows induced by the combined influences of pore pressure, chemical potential, and electrical potential gradients under isothermal conditions. The formation pore fluid is modeled as an electrolyte solution comprised of a solvent and one type of dissolved cation and anion. The analytical approach also integrates into the solution the quantitative use of the cation exchange capacity (CEC) commonly obtained from laboratory measurements on shale samples. The results for stresses and pore pressure distributions due to the coupled electrochemical effects are illustrated and plotted in the vicinity of the inclined wellbore and compared with the classical porochemoelastic and poroelastic solutions.