cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Backorders optimization in a one-warehouse N-identical retailer distribution system

This article examines the allocation of safety stock between sectors in a one-warehouse N-retailer distribution system which follows a (Q,R) inventory replenishment policy. In particular, the so-called „portfolio” motive for holding warehouse safety-stock inventory is investigated. Two optimization problems involving the tradeoff between average system inventory investment and customer service, i.e., customer backorders, are considered and shown to be equivalent to a simpler optimization problem involving the tradeoff between customer service and system safety stock. Equivalence implies that the set of optimal policies for the simpler optimization problem provides all of the optimal policies for the more complex ones. This equivalence result is applied to the Deuermeyer and Schwarz (DS) model of the distribution system under study. Bounds on the set of optimal policies are provided. A heuristic for minimizing expected backorders with respect to a constraint on average system on-hand inventory is introduced, and empirical tests described. The heuristic, which prescribes little warehouse on-hand inventory, appears to be near optimal for the DS model. A simulation study supports this „near-zero” inventory prescription for the warehouse.
Common QTL Affect the Rate of Tomato Seed Germination under Different Stress and Nonstress Conditions

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the rates of tomato seed germination under different stress and nonstress conditions were under common genetic controls by examining quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting such traits. Seeds of BC1 progeny of a cross between a slow-germinating tomato breeding line and a rapid-germinating tomato wild accession were evaluated for germination under nonstress as well as cold, salt, and drought stress conditions. In each treatment, the most rapidly-germinating seeds were selected, grown to maturity, and subjected to molecular marker analysis. A selective genotyping approach detected between 6 and 9 QTL affecting germination rate under each of the four conditions, with a total of 14 QTL identified. Ten QTL affected germination rate under 2 or 3 conditions, which were considered germination-related common QTL. Four QTL affected germination rate only in one treatment, which were considered germination-related, condition-specific QTL . The results indicated that mostly the same QTL affected seed germination under different stress and nonstress conditions, supporting a previous suggestion that similar physiological mechanisms contribute to rapid seed germination under different conditions. Marker-assisted selection for the common QTL may result in progeny with rapid seed germinability under different conditions.
NMR imaging of adhesive-bonded structures: the use of the T1 and T2 relaxation time information

—Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) is used to obtain cross-sectional images of three poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) stabilized poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) emulsions in glass vials and in glue-lines between a wood block and a ceramic tile. From a series of T, and T2 weighted images acquired with different repetition and echo times, pure T, and T2 images of the emulsions are calculated. The T1 relaxation times are between 0.83 and 1.04 s and the T2 relaxation times between 15 and 26 ms for the emulsions. The relaxation information is used to compute a proton spin density image. Optimum pulse sequence parameters are determined to detect and to create a maximum intensity contrast for the signals of two different emulsions in a 200-300 μm glue-line.
Elastic-Plastic Analysis of Boron/Aluminum Composite Under Constrained Plasticity Conditions

The modelling of Boron/Aluminum composites under constrained plasticity is in vestigated. Testing is performed on a tapered specimen and one with a centered circular hole. A finite element analysis is compared with the experimental strain gage results.
An Approximate Algorithm for Resource Allocation Using Combinatorial Auctions

Combinatorial Auctions (CAs), where users bid on combination of items, have emerged as a useful tool for resource allocation in distributed systems. However, two main difficulties exist to the adoption of CAs in time-constrained environments. The first difficulty involves the computational complexity of winner determination. The second difficulty entails the computational complexity of eliciting utility valuations for all possible combinations of resources to different tasks. To address both issues, we developed a new algorithm, Seeded Genetic Algorithm (SGA) for finding high quality solutions quickly. SGA uses a novel representational schema that produces only feasible solutions. We compare the winner determination performance of our algorithm with Casanova, another local stochastic search procedure, on typically hard-to-solve bid distributions. We show that SGA converges to a better solution than Casanova for large problem sizes. However, for many bid distributions, exact winner determination using integer programming approaches is very fast, even for large problem sizes. In these cases, SGA can still provide significant time savings by eliminating the requirement for formulating all possible bids.
Centrosome Positioning in Large Cells via Dynein-Powered Intracellular Cargo Transport

Correct positioning of the centrosome is critical for the survival of the cell. For small and medium-sized cells, the force required to move the centrosome can arise from either microtubule pushing on the cortex, or cortically attached dynein pulling on microtubules. However, in large cells, such as the fertilized Xenopus laevis embryo, where microtubules are too long or they do not reach all boundaries before centrosome centering begins, a different force-generating mechanism must exist. Here, we present a centrosome positioning model in which the cytosolic drag experienced by cargos hauled by cytoplasmic dynein on the sperm aster microtubules can move the centrosome towards the cell's center. As opposed to previously published studies, that conclude that large, slow or stationary, cargoes are required to move the centrosome, we find that small, fast moving cargos (diameter 100nm, cargo velocity 2μm/s) are sufficient to move the centrosome in Xenopus laevis within the experimentally observed length and time scales.
Plasma physics: A promising advance in nuclear fusion

Experiments conducted at the US National Ignition Facility have cleared a hurdle on the road to nuclear fusion in the laboratory, encouraging fusion scientists around the world. See Letter p.343 Efforts to develop fusion as a viable alternative energy source continue but progress has been slow. In the context of inertial confinement fusion, in which a fuel target is compressed and heated to initiate nuclear fusion, a key experimental goal is to reach a stage where the amount of energy deposited into the fuel during the compression/heating process is exceeded by the amount of energy generated by the induced fusion reactions. This threshold — the attainment of a 'fuel gain' that is greater than one — has now been reached at the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, California. They used 192 laser beams to heat and compress a fuel pellet to the point at which nuclear fusion reactions take place and obtained a yield 10 times greater than previously achieved. Further advances will be required, however, before the fusion energy yield exceeds the total energy required to compress the fuel pellet.
S9-7 Isolation, characterization, and reactivity of biomimetic hydrodisulfide (RSSH) complexes

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is now recognized as an established biologically-relevant signaling molecule with important and diverse roles in various physiological processes. In addition to its varied biologically-relevant protonation states, H2S is postulated to be stored as hydrodisulfide (RSSH) and organic polysulfide (RSxH or RSxR) complexes. Furthermore, cysteine sulfhydration is proposed to constitute an important mechanism by which H2S exerts its physiological actions. A primary challenge in understanding the biological roles of hydrodisulfides is that the chemistry and reactivity of this functional group remains unexplored. Toward broadening our understanding of this important biological functional group, we have prepared and fully-characterized small molecule biomimetic hydrodisulfide (RSSH) complexes, which serve as a platform on which to study the spectroscopic properties and reactivity of these important small molecule H2S storage and signaling compounds. We will present the synthesis, characterization, and physical properties of small molecule hydrodisulfides. Additionally, we will present the reactivity of hydrodisulfides toward important biologically-relevant reactive sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen species including thiols, NOx, and H2O2. Taken together, these results provide new insights into the reactivity and biological importance of hydrodisulfide complexes.
Pyoderma gangrenosum associated with anticardiolipin antibodies in a pregnant patient

A 40-year-old pregnant woman at 17 weeks of gestation presented with a 10-day history of pain and erythema in the right leg. She had experienced a similar episode in the postpartum period (1 week) 14 months earlier, lasting 2 months. This was diagnosed as cellulitis and resolved following antimicrobial therapy. The patient had no fever or chills. Pertinent past medical history involved a possible history of ampicillin allergy. The initial differential diagnosis included cellulitis and thrombophlebitis. Antibiotic therapy with intravenous (IV) cefazolin was started at the same time as anticoagulation with heparin. Over the next few days the ulceration enlarged. No microbial growth was detected on wound cultures and Doppler studies carried out prior to admission revealed normal venous flow. The patient did not respond to therapy. A dermatology consult was requested. When the patient was first examined by us, the ulceration had been progressively increasing in size. There was an oozing ulcerated patch 7 cm in diameter on the right distal medial thigh (Fig. 1). The ulcer contained crater-like holes and fistulous tracts from which pus could be expressed upon application of pressure. The surrounding border was undermined and violaceous. A clinical diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) was made. Antinuclear antibodies and antibodies to Smith antigen were negative; anticardiolipin antibody was positive. A 3-mm punch biopsy showed an intense neutrophilic response with fibrinoid change in some vessels (Fig. 2), which was felt to be consistent with PG with a concomitant small vessel vasculitis. No fibrin thrombi were noted. The heparin was replaced with aspirin and the IV antibiotics were changed to oral cephalexin. Intralesional triamcinolone (40 mg/cc) was started and a 3-day course (80 mg/40 mg/20 mg) of oral prednisone was initiated. Within 2 days of starting steroid therapy, the inflammation and discharge were greatly reduced. Approximately 2 weeks after admission the therapy was noted to halt the progression. The lesion became more well demarcated with healthy granulation tissue and decreased tenderness and warmth. The patient was discharged on Burow's solution, saline soaks, and bacitracin and was seen by us on two occasions after discharge for intralesional steroid administration. One flare-up since discharge was controlled by increasing her prednisone from 10 mg to 20 mg daily. The patient had premature rupture of membranes at 37 weeks, had a spontaneous vaginal delivery, and delivered a healthy baby boy weighing 5 Ib 14 oz. Since then, the ulcer had re-epithelialized with tapering doses of prednisone.
Crash performance of strong-post W-beam guardrail with missing blockouts

Missing blockouts in a strong-post w-beam guardrail, a condition most commonly associated with environmental decay or crash damage, has never been thoroughly investigated. To determine the risks posed by the removal of a blockout, a combination of component-level pendulum testing and full-scale finite element models of crash tests was used to assess whether a missing blockout renders the guardrail performance unacceptable. Finite element models were developed for three pendulum tests. (1) A 30.1-kph impact into a test installation with proper blockout installation resulting in containment, (2) a 30.5-kph impact into a test installation with one missing blockout resulting in splice rupture, and (3) a 26.7-kph impact into a test installation with one missing blockout resulting in containment. The finite element model was able to reproduce the splice failure in test 2 when the appropriate mesh quality and failure criteria were used. Full-scale crash test models of a 2000-kg pickup truck striking a 29 post guardrail at 25° were developed. The simulation results indicated that wheel snagging was not a major problem. Although a missing blockout increases the maximum rail tension and deflection by as much as 13%, such guardrails are still capable of safely redirecting of vehicles.
WE-C-M100F-04: Electron Density Mapping for MRI-Based Treatment Planning

Purpose: To develop an accurate MRI‐based treatment planning method by assigning MR images the desired electron density information through the use of diagnostic CT and a deformable registration model. Method: MR and CTimages are registered using deformable or rigid registration method depending on the disease site or the patient positioning when acquiring the CT data. Based on the voxel‐to‐voxel correspondence established by the registration, the electron density distribution of the CTimages (this can be a diagnostic CT with patient positioned arbitrarily) is mapped onto the MRI and plan is computed based on the modified MR images, which take advantage of the useful features of CT and simulation MRI. To evaluate the accuracy of the MRI‐based dose calculation, six clinical cases, including three brain and three head‐and‐neck cases are studied. For each case, three IMRT plans are computed with the same beam configuration but different image basis: CT,MRI with mapped electron density, and MRI with voxel values replaced by that of water. The dose distributions from the three types of calculations are compared. Results: In all cases, the MRI with mapped electron density yielded very close dose values as compared with the CT‐based calculation. The maximum discrepancy between the two is found to be less than 2.0% in the high dose region. Compared to the MRI with mapped CT electron density, MRI with uniform water voxel value yielded quite different dose distributions in all regions, and the dose discrepancy can be as large as 3–5% for both brain and H&N cases. Conclusion: The MR images with mapped CT electron density yield very similar treatment plan compared with the CT‐based calculations. The approach has potential to eliminate simulation CT by planning a patient treatment with only simulation MRI and diagnostic CT data.
A Pivotal Role of the Coiled Coil of Sir4

The C terminus of Sir4 forms a coiled-coil structure. The coiled-coil domain is responsible for the dimerization of Sir4 and contains the binding site of Sir3. Structural and biochemical analyses of the Sir4 coiled-coil domain provide important insights into the molecular mechanisms of Sir3-Sir4 interaction and the assembly of a ternary Sir2/Sir3/Sir4 complex that are essential for epigenetic control of gene expression in S. cerevisiae.
Effects of antibodies to dynorphin A and β-endorphin on lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation in ad libitum fed and food-deprived rats

Many laboratories have reported that systemically administered naloxone has little or no effect on lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation (LH ICSS). In the present study, lateral ventricular infusion of beta-endorphin antiserum and a high dose of naloxone (100 micrograms) produced small but significant increases in stimulation frequency threshold for LH ICSS. beta-Endorphin activity, mediated by a non-mu (e.g. delta or epsilon) receptor, may therefore be involved in the reinforcement of self-stimulation behavior. When rats are deprived of food for 24 h, LH ICSS thresholds decline. Under this condition, systemic naloxone elevates the LH ICSS threshold, often returning it to the pre-deprivation level. In the present study, lateral ventricular infusion of dynorphin A(1-13) antiserum similarly reversed the threshold-lowering effect of food deprivation. The effects of systemic naloxone and intraventricular dynorphin A antiserum on LH ICSS, which are specific to food-deprived animals, may be related to previous findings that these two treatments elevate LH stimulation threshold for eliciting feeding behavior. Results of the ICSS and stimulation-induced feeding studies suggest a model for the mediation of incentive stimuli by dynorphin A activity that is afferent to LH 'reward' neurons and positively gated by 'hunger'. An hypothesized role for 'hunger'-gated dynorphin A release in potentiating the hedonic response to alimentary stimuli and drugs of abuse is discussed.
Blepharoptosis repair outcomes from trainee versus experienced staff as the primary surgeon

Purpose To compare outcomes of conjunctival Mullerectomy with or without tarsectomy versus external levator advancement for correction of upper blepharoptosis when performed by trainee versus staff surgeons. Design Retrospective, nonrandomized, interventional, consecutive case series. Methods Charts of patients undergoing conjunctival Mullerectomy with or without tarsectomy and external levator advancement blepharoptosis repair from January 2006 through December 2009 were reviewed. Main outcome measures included age, gender, preoperative and postoperative use of artificial tears, preoperative and postoperative marginal reflex distance, surgical complications, surgeon (trainee or staff surgeon), and anesthesia time. The Student t test was used for statistical analysis. Results A total of 170 patients underwent 248 surgeries (154 conjunctival Mullerectomies with or without tarsectomy and 94 external levator advancements). There were 108 female and 62 male patients. Mean patient age was 62 years (range, 3 to 94 years). Forty-one (24%) patients (26 conjunctival Mullerectomies with or without tarsectomy and 15 external levator advancements) underwent concurrent eyelid surgery, such as blepharoplasty. Trainees performed surgery on a total of 88 (35%) eyelids in 60 patients (35%). There was no significant difference in the percentage of cases undergoing concomitant surgery between trainee and staff surgeons ( P = .18). The mean postoperative marginal reflex distance difference was 0.53 and 0.59 for trainee and staff surgeons, respectively. Mean overall anesthesia time was 26.8 minutes and 30.3 minutes for trainee and staff surgeons, respectively. Complications, including increase in dry eye or irritative symptoms and reoperation, occurred in 8 (13%) of 60 patients undergoing surgery by a trainee surgeon and in 22 (20%) of 110 patients undergoing surgery by staff surgeon. There was no significant difference in eyelid symmetry ( P = .55), mean anesthesia time ( P = .14), complication rate ( P = .26), or reoperation rate ( P = .17) when surgery was performed by a trainee versus a staff surgeon. Conclusions There is no significant difference in mean postoperative marginal reflex distance, mean anesthesia time, complication rate, or reoperation rate between either conjunctival Mullerectomy with or without tarsectomy or external levator advancement blepharoptosis repair performed by trainee versus staff surgeons.
REGIONAL PATTERNS OF FEMALE STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES

Two measures of female status displayed dissimilar spatial distributions. Absolute status, measured by income, education, and occupation, was highest in the West and Northeast and lowest in the South. Female status was high where male status was high. The relative status of women compared to men, however, was high in the West and the rural Middle West and South but low in the Mountain West and industrial Northeast. Nationwide, where men enjoyed high absolute status, the relative status of women compared with men was poor.
Taurine transport by rat hepatocytes in primary culture

Abstract Hepatic taurine concentration is 30–100 times that of plasma, suggesting an efficient taurine uptake mechanism in the hepatocyte. The characteristics of hepatic taurine transport were studied in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. Taurine uptake was concentrative and linear for over 4 h. At taurine concentrations 2.5–100 μM, uptake was saturable with constants K m = 44 μ M , V = 0.28 nmol/mg protein per min and E A = 13.2 kcal/mol . Uptake was inhibited 41% by incubation under N2 and was competitively inhibited by β-alanine ( K i = 94 μ M ) and hypotaurine ( K i = 14 μ M ). Uptake was linearly dependent upon Na+ concentration from 0 to 140 mM. A second nonsaturable uptake process was identifiable only at taurine concentrations greater than 1 mM. This process was presumed to represent passive diffusion. At taurine concentrations existing in plasma, taurine enters the hepatocyte primarily by a single, Na+-dependent, carrier-mediated, oxygen-requiring transport process.
A Study on the Influence of Calcified Intervertebral Disk and Aorta in Determining Bone Mineral Density

Abstract This study utilized dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to determine the association that age-related calcinosis of the aorta and intervertebral disks have in determining bone mineral density (BMD). Eight cadavers were chosen at random and were scanned with DXA before and after the removal of the aorta and intervertebral disks. Our results showed that the removal of sclerotic aortas decreased the vertebral BMD an average of 4.64% and the removal of two lumbar intervertebral disks further decreased BMD an average of 11.93%. These results were deemed significant at the 0.01 level using a Friedman two-way analysis of variance by ranks. It can be concluded that the presence of aortic arteriosclerotic lesions and intervertebral disk chondrocalcinosis add a significant contribution to BMD.
Research and Development Activities in Geothermal Drilling, Completion, and Logging

Sandia National Laboratories manages the Geothermal Drilling and Completion Program for the US Department of Energy. The primary purpose of this program is to expand access to the geothermal resource by reducing the cost of drilling and completing geothermal wells. This cost is typically two to five times that for an oil well of comparable depth, and well cost is usually about half the total capital investment for a geothermally-powered plant to generate electricity.
Evaluation of thymidylate synthase RNA expression by polymerase chain reaction

Abstract 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), an antimetabolite often used for the treatment of breast cancer, binds to and inactivates the enzyme thymidylate synthase (TS). Measurement of TS levels may be useful in examining resistance to 5FU, but current methods involving ligand binding assays present considerable problems due to the low basal level of this enzyme in many tissues. Therefore, a semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to measure TS RNA concentration in breast tumour cell lines has been developed with potential for measuring TS RNA levels in individual breast tumours. Using less than 1 μg of total RNA, we determined that the T47D breast cancer cell line expressed TS levels 1·3 to 4·4 times lower than those of four other breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, and MDA-A1 R . Using the MCF-7 cell line as a representative of relatively high TS expression, the relationship between the S-phase fraction (SPF), and TS levels in MCF-7 and T47D cells was next examined because cell cycle kinetics can also influence drug response. TS expression was directly related to SPF. MCF-7 cells had a higher SPF, corresponding to their higher TS level relative to T47D cells. Lastly, 5FU sensitivity was assayed for and it was found that MCF-7 cells were more sensitive to 5FU than T47D, despite having higher TS levels. A semiquantitative technique for assessing TS RNA expression by PCR in breast cancer cell lines has been demonstrated. In the cell lines tested, there was no direct relationship between TS level and 5FU sensitivity, though there was a direct relationship between cell proliferation and sensitivity to 5FU.
Electron microscopic demonstration of horseradish peroxidase-tetramethylbenzidine reaction product as a method for identifying sensory nerve fibers in the rat tooth pulp

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine if the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) technique could be used as a method for labeling sensory nerve fibers (specifically, tooth pulp afferents) for detailed uhrastructural analyses. HRP injected into the trigeminal ganglion of adult rats was taken up by ganglion cell bodies and transported anterogradely to their peripheral endings in the dental tissues. Following perfusion-fixation, the teeth were decalcified in EDTA, sectioned, reacted for HRP activity according to the tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) technique, and processed for electron microscopy. The HRP-TMB reaction product was clearly visible within most of the axons in the dental pulp, appearing as conspicuous, rectangular shaped aggregates of fine rods or needles. Considerable research has been directed in recent years towards the succesful identification and morphological analysis of sensory nerve fibers in the dental pulp organ [1-4, 7]. Detailed information concerning the morphology and mode of termination of these fibers is of great interest because the majority (if not all) of the fibers are thought to be nociceptive in nature. Unfortunately, the ability to identify neural elements in the dental pulp organ and to trace them successfully to their ultimate sites of termination has been hampered in previous ultrastructural studies due to the extremely small size of the nerve fibers and the apparent lack within the pulpal nerve endings of specific organelles (i.e. mitochondria, synaptic vesicles) that are characteristic of axonal terminals in other sensory systems. Recently, Byers and coworkers [3, 4] have reported that they can facilitate greatly the light and electron microscopic identification of these extremely fine diameter sensory fibers/by labeling them intraaxonally with radioactive compounds. Similarly, we have d/emonstrated that the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP), can also be used ~s ~ an anterograde tracer substance for labeling sensory nerve endings in dental, and other tissues
Synthetic Modeling of Nitrite Binding and Activation by Reduced Copper Proteins. Characterization of Copper(I)−Nitrite Complexes That Evolve Nitric Oxide

In an effort to provide precedence for postulated intermediates in copper-protein-mediated nitrite reduction, a series of novel complexes containing the CuI−NO2- unit, including monocopper(I), dicopper(I,I), and mixed valence dicopper(I,II) and copper(I)−zinc(II) species, were prepared, fully characterized, and subjected to reactivity studies designed to probe their ability to produce nitric oxide. Treatment of solutions of [LCu(CH3CN)]PF6 (L = Li-Pr3, 1,4,7-triisopropyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, or LBn3, 1,4,7-tribenzyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) in MeOH with excess NaNO2 yielded the novel dicopper(I,I) complexes [(LCu)2(μ-NO2)]PF6. The complex with L = Li-Pr3 was cleaved by PPh3 to afford [Li-Pr3Cu(PPh3)]PF6 and Li-Pr3Cu(NO2), a structural model for the substrate adduct of copper nitrite reductase. Oxidation of the dicopper(I,I) compound (L = Li-Pr3) with (Cp2Fe)(PF6) in CH2Cl2 yielded the deep red, mixed valent, dicopper(I,II) species [(Li-Pr3Cu)2(μ-NO2)](PF6)2, which was structurally characterized as its...
Glucose transport through cellulose acetate membranes: The influence of dimethyl sulfoxide

Abstract The diffusion through cellulose acetate membranes of d -glucose dissolved in water, dimethyl sulfoxide mixed solvents has been measured. A new diffusion cell using polarimetry is described. The mixed solvent system has a maximum viscosity at about 0.35 mol fraction DMSO. The permeability constant decreases with an increase in DMSO content and in solvent viscosity. At the viscosity-maximum composition the permeability constant is seen to decrease steadily in time. Beyond this maximum at higher DMSO concentrations the membrane disintegrates. The inhibitory influence of DMSO on glucose transport probably involves both a viscosity and a membrane-damage effect.
Urological anomalies and chronic kidney disease in children with anorectal malformations

Background This study aims to predict risk factors for urological anomalies in children with anorectal malformations (ARM) and describes the clinical features of patients who have developed chronic kidney disease.
Cardiorespiratory regulation and activity patterns of rat pups studied with their mothers during the nursing cycle.

Rat pups aged 10 to 19 days were implanted with chronic electrodes and recorded while freely moving in the litter situation, during nursing and throughout naturally occurring maternal absences. Heart rates were significantly higher in the mother's presence (p<.01) while respiratory rates and percent of time spent active were identical under the 2 conditions. Pups' inactive heart rates progressively increased during the 20 min of nursing, while no such time trends were evident in other measures. Inactive heart rates decreased significantly (p<.01) as a function of age; respiratory rates and activity during nursing showed similar trends. A histogram of number of periods of activity bursts of different durations while pups were nursing showed a preponderance of 1- to 5-sec bursts which were observed to be associated with active sucking and pawing movements. This pattern of short bursts of spontaneous activity was repeated almost identically when the mother was absent, although the behavior was qualitatively different. In a second experiment, increases in pups' body temperature of .2°C to 1.0°C were found to accompany active nursing. If such increases were imposed by an artificial heat source, heart rates of pups actually fell slightly. In a third study, heart rates were recorded from nursing mothers and found to be relatively unaffected by stimulation from the pups.
TOPOS: An Advice System for the Invention of Persuasive Arguments

This article presents a conceptual model for a computer assisted, advice-giving system to help speakers or writers develop lines of arguments in persuasive situations. The model combines a traditional bibliographic database of issues-oriented publications with sets of terse conclusions and an expectancy-value attitude paradigm to form a type of expert system. It would supply lists of conclusions concerning an issue that the persuader uses to measure or estimate the audience's attitudes. The system would analyze those measurements and give advice based on rhetorical theory. The output would be a set of statements about how best to develop arguments, accompanied by supporting literature citations. It is proposed that the advice would not only teach argument development to beginning students, but it would become a cognitive tool in their repertoire of skills.
Long‐term course and outcome in panic disorder: A naturalistic follow‐up study

Fifty-five of 102 consecutively evaluated patients with panic disorder seen in consultation at a specialty anxiety and mood disorders clinic were reinterviewed from 15 to 60 months later after naturalistic treatment in the community. Over the follow-up period, most patients displayed improvement in panic attack frequency and severity, phobic avoidance, depression, and major role functioning, although only five (10%) were asymptomatic on all measures at follow-up. The majority of patients with impaired interpersonal functioning showed no improvement on this measure. Thirty percent of the patients were panic-free at 12 months and 28% at the time of follow-up, with 43% experiencing at least three panic-free months during the follow-up period. Comorbid agoraphobia, major depression, and Axis II disorders were associated with worse outcome on selected measures of symptomatic and functional impairment. However, the strongest predictors of overall improvement were avoidance coping for outcome at 12 months and Axis I comorbidity for outcome at the time of the follow-up evaluation.
Experimental Study of Interactions of Shock Wave With Free-Stream Turbulence

Phenomena related to turbulence interactions with shock waves have been studied in detail. The present investigation is focused on interactions of a normal shock wave with homogeneous/grid-generated turbulence. When a shock wave formed in a shock-tube is passed through a grid, the induced flow behind the shock has the features of a compressible flow with free-stream turbulence. The decaying turbulence is subjected to an interaction with the reflected shock traveling in the opposite direction. Data were sampled simultaneously from four channels of high frequency response pressure transducers and dual hot-wires probes. A cold-wire was used to provide instantaneous total temperature measurements while a single hot-wire provided instantaneous mass flux measurements. Amplification of velocity and temperature fluctuations and dissipative length scales has been found in all experiments. Velocity fluctuations of large eddies are amplified more than the fluctuations of small eddies. The dissipative length scale, however, of the large eddies is amplified less than the length scale of the small eddies
Welcome to medical gas research.

Medical gas is a large family including oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, xenon, hydrogen sulfide, nitrous oxide, carbon disulfide, argon, helium and other noble gases. These medical gases are used in various disciplines of both clinical medicine and basic science research including anesthesiology, hyperbaric oxygen medicine, diving medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, and many basic science subjects such as physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, microbiology and neuroscience. Unfortunately, there is not even one journal dedicated to medical gas research at the basic, translational, or clinical sciences level; especially in the neurobiology or neuroscience fields let alone the other various medical fields. Therefore, I am thrilled to introduce this new journal named Medical Gas Research to you in this launching editorial.
Butyryl adenylate and its possible function in the fatty acid activating system.

Abstract The preparation of butyryl adenylate (BuAMP) from butyric anhydride and AMP and some of the properties of this compound are described. Synthetic BuAMP is able to react with pyrophosphate to form ATP and with CoA to form butyryl CoA when incubated in presence of the fatty acid activating enzyme from beef liver. Butyryl CoA formation from BuAMP occurs at a rate which is compatible with the concept that BuAMP is a true intermediate in the overall reaction of butyrate activation by ATP and CoA.
An Electromyographic Investigation of Neck Angles for Microscopists

This study investigated the musculoskeletal stress experienced by microscopists for different neck angles. Electromyography was employed for objective evaluation of the musculoskeletal stress which was compared with the subjective assessmnent obtained through questionnaire. Subjects viewed through the microscopes for two hours at a time in a constrained posture with neck angles of 25, 45 and 65 degrees. Electromyograms (EMG) were recorded for the cervical, trapezius, lattisimus dorsi and erector spinae regions. Subjects also reported the perceived level of stress every fifteen minutes. Both objective and subjective criteria revealed significant increases in the levels of musculoskeletal stress over time of the experiment for all levels of neck angles, in most muscles tested. Higher levels of stress were observed for erector spinae and cervical regions for 65 and 45 degree neck angles. It was concluded that the stress may be reduced by utilizing optimal neck angle in designing the microscope workplace layout.
New Vaccine Technologies

PREVENTION of disease is a tenet of all the various approaches to health care reform. One of the most effective medical interventions ever devised are vaccines, with their high level of benefit and cost-effectiveness for public health. There has never been a more exciting time for vaccine research and development, largely as a result of the implementation and refinement of a variety of new technologies. Several new vaccines have been licensed recently in different countries for routine use, including recombinant hepatitis B (HB),Haemophilus influenzaetype b (Hib) conjugate, and hepatitis A (HA) vaccines. Several more are expected to be licensed throughout the 1990s, including acellular pertussis (for infants), varicella, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Of potentially greater importance are several technological developments that, if successful, would revolutionize the way in which vaccines are produced and used. This article reviews three such developments, each of which is being researched and developed
Erratum to ``Blood and urine levels of long half-life toxicants by nativity among immigrants to the United States'' [Sci. Total Environ. 412-413 (2011) 109-113]

a Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 600 West 168th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10032, USA b United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Research, Office of Research and Development, Ariel Rios Building MC 8723P, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460, USA c University of California, Los Angeles, School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, USA
Separation of deoxypentose and pentose nucleic acids.

CRUDE preparations of deoxypentose nucleic acids are almost invariably contaminated with pentose nucleic acids. This admixture renders many studies of the chemical and biological specificity of nucleic acids difficult. A preliminary separation must be carried out before the exact determination of the constituent purines and pyrimidines becomes possible1. Only in a few cases (sperm, thymus and, possibly, spleen) will suitable washing of the biological material, prior to its extraction, sufficiently depress the extent of contamination of the nucleic acid specimens2–4.
Effects of a specific glucocorticoid receptor antagonist on corticotropin releasing hormone gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the neonatal rat

Mechanisms controlling the synthesis of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in neonatal rats, and the ontogeny of glucocorticoid (GC) feedback control of hypothalamic CRH remain unknown. Specific issues are whether stress induces up-regulation of CRH gene expression during the first postnatal week, and the role of GC feedback, at the hypothalamic level, in the stress-hyporesponsive period. We studied the ontogeny of the negative feedback regulation of CRH gene expression by GC in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). We implanted chronic cannulae containing a GC-receptor antagonist, RU 38486, in rats on postnatal days 3 to 13. Three days later, animals were sacrificed, and brains were analyzed for CRH-messenger RNA (CRH-mRNA), using semi-quantitative in situ hybridization. Animals implanted with cholesterol-containing cannulae served to evaluate the stressful effect of implantation on CRH-mRNA abundance. The presence of GC receptor messenger RNA (GR-mRNA) in the PVN of neonatal rats was also determined. RU 38486 did not increase CRH-mRNA abundance during the first postnatal week, despite the presence of GR-mRNA in the PVN. Chronic-implantation stress also failed to increase CRH synthesis. CRH gene expression in the PVN was enhanced in infant rats implanted with RU-38486 on postnatal day 9 or later. Cholesterol implantation on days 9, 10 (but not later), resulted in increased PVN-CRH-mRNA. Thus, CRH-mRNA is up-regulated by chronic blockade of GC receptors only subsequent to the eighth postnatal day. Furthermore, such blockade does not affect the response of CRH-mRNA to chronic stress in the neonatal rat.
Adult Learners’ Perceptions of a Professional Development Program Comparing Live Distance Learning Versus Live Local Learning

Abstract Reduced corporate training budgets require cost efficiencies in professional development. Distance learning, with its lower intrinsic costs, will likely become more prevalent. Therefore, the educational experience will change for many professionals. The objective of this study was to examine the perceptions of adult learners attending a drug development conference. One group participated in the live presentation while a second group joined via a simultaneous webcast. Following the presentations, both groups were asked nearly identical questions concerning their perceptions of their learning environment, course content, and utility to their work. Analysis of the data showed that both the distance and local groups were demographically similar, both groups were satisfied with the presentation method, audio and visual quality, and both felt that they would be able to apply what they learned in their work. The distance group felt more disconnected from the audience and speaker while the participants p...
Comparing the Effects of Amount of Conflict on Children's Adjustment Following Parental Divorce

This study examined the immediate and short-term effects on children of the conflict (as reflected by the level of court involvement) their family experiences during divorce proceedings. Families going through various levels of divorce (dissolution, divorce with little litigation, moderate litigation, and high levels of litigation) were investigated. Seventy-six parents (31 men and 45 women) between the ages of 22 and 53 who had children ranging in age from 2 to 17 years old participated. The Divorce Adjustment Inventory–Revised was completed by the parents immediately following the divorce hearing and again 6 months later. Results indicated that families experiencing a higher level of conflict (as measured by level of court involvement) displayed more family conflict or maladjustment, less favorable divorce conditions and child coping ability, and less positive divorce resolution. Implications of the study and indications for future research are discussed.
Mechanistic studies of synthetic and naturally occurring hydroxamic acid complexes of iron(III) relating to biological iron transport

Abstract Iron is essential nutrient for microorganisms and higher forms of life. Due to the insolubility of iron(III) in aqueous medium at physiological pH, aerobic and facultative aerobic microorganisms require iron transport compounds, called siderophores. The specific function of these siderophores is to solubilize the iron by forming an iron(III) complex, and then transport it to the cell where the iron is released. The siderophores may be divided into two classifications based on the nature of the iron binding site: catechols and hydroxamic acids. A series of eighteen monohydroxamic acids, R 1 C(O)N(OH)R 2 , have been synthesized with various R 1 and R 2 groups. Kinetic data will be presented for the complexation and dissociation of iron(III) with this homologous series of synthetic hydroxamic acids. The relative influence of the R 1 and R 2 substituent on the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of the complex will be discussed. Relative rates, linear free energy relationships, and activation parameters will be used to support an associative interchange (I a ) mechanism for iron(III) complex formation, with initial bond formation at the carbonyl oxygen atom. A limited comparison between the kinetic complexation behavior of thiohydroxamic acids, R 1 C(S)N-(OH)R 2 , relative to their oxygen counterparts will be presented. These data and the corresponding mechanistic interpretations will be used as a model for iron transport by hydroxamic acid based siderophores. The specific case of the hexadentate siderophore ferroxamine B will be presented. Data to illustrate the catalyzed removal of iron(III) from ferroxamine B will be presented and discussed as a possible model for iron bioavailability.
Increased levels of erucic acid in Brassica carinata by co-suppression and antisense repression of the endogenous FAD2 gene.

Abstract Erucic acid and its derivatives represent important industrial feedstock compounds, and there is an increasing demand for the production of high erucate oils in this regard. Our goal therefore, is to develop high erucic acid (HEA) Brassicaceae lines with increased proportions of erucic acid and very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs). We proposed that oleate availability may be a rate-limiting factor in the biosynthesis of erucic acid. We have tried to address this question by manipulating the expression of the endogenous FAD2 gene in B. carinata using co-supression and antisense approaches. Both methods resulted in transgenic lines exhibiting decreased proportions of polyunsaturated C 18 fatty acids (18:2+18:3) and concomitant and significantly increased proportions of 18:1, 22:1 and total VLCFAs. Co-suppressed FAD2 B. carinata lines exhibited 3–18% decreases in 18:2, 22–49% decreases in 18:3 and significantly increased proportions of 18:1 (36–99%), 22:1 (12–27%) and VLCFAs (6–15%). Transgenic B. carinata lines developed using an antisense FAD2 approach exhibited decreased proportions of 18:2 and 18:3 (9–39% and 33–48%, respectively) and significantly increased proportions of 18:1 (54–130%), 22:1 (5–19%) and VLCFAs (6–21%). The possibility of using these approaches to produce prototype transgenic germplasm of the Brassicaceae accumulating seed oils with improved proportions of erucic and other VLCFAs is discussed.
Self-assembly driven by molecular motors

The outcome of a self-assembly process is not only determined by the specified connections between building blocks, but also by the means of bringing building blocks into contact and of testing for the formation of an intended connection. Endowing each building block with the ability to actively move overcomes some limitations of diffusion-driven molecular and nanoscale self-assembly by accelerating transport, reducing unwanted connections, and introducing self-organization phenomena with desirable consequences. Proof-of-principle experiments utilizing biomolecular motors, e.g. motor proteins, to propel nanostructures and the underlying concepts are reviewed, and the potential impact for nanomanufacturing is discussed.
Ferritin-catalyzed consumption of hydrogen peroxide by amine buffers causes the variable Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry of iron deposition in horse spleen ferritin

Ferritin catalyzes the oxidation of Fe2+ by O2 to form a reconstituted Fe3+ oxy-hydroxide mineral core, but extensive studies have shown that the Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry changes with experimental conditions. At Fe2+ to horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) ratios greater than 200, an upper limit of Fe2+ to O2 of 4 is typically measured, indicating O2 is reduced to 2H2O. In contrast, a lower limit of Fe2+ to O2 of approximately 2 is measured at low Fe2+ to HoSF ratios, implicating H2O2 as a product of Fe2+ deposition. Stoichiometric amounts of H2O2 have not been measured, and H2O2 is proposed to react with an unknown system component. Evidence is presented that identifies this component as amine buffers, including 3-N-morpholinopropanesulfonic acid (MOPS), which is widely used in ferritin studies. In the presence of non-amine buffers, the Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry was approximately 4.0, but at high concentrations of amine buffers (0.10 M) the Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry is approximately 2.5 for iron loadings of eight to 30 Fe2+ per HoSF. Decreasing the concentration of amine buffer to zero resulted in an Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry of approximately 4. Direct evidence for amine buffer modification during Fe2+ deposition was obtained by comparing authentic and modified buffers using mass spectrometry, NMR, and thin layer chromatography. Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, MOPS, and N-methylmorpholine (a MOPS analog) were all rapidly chemically modified during Fe2+ deposition to form N-oxides. Under identical conditions no modification was detected when amine buffer, H2O2, and O2 were combined with Fe2+ or ferritin separately. Thus, a short-lived ferritin intermediate is required for buffer modification by H2O2. Variation of the Fe2+ to O2 stoichiometry versus the Fe2+ to HoSF ratio and the amine buffer concentration are consistent with buffer modification.