cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some extremal type elliptical distributions

We note that the Kotz type distribution in the class of elliptical distributions can be interpreted as being generated by the Weibull or Type III extreme value distribution. Based on this observation, we develop two new elliptical distributions based on the Type I and Type II extreme value distributions and study their structural properties. We also derive several hitherto unknown properties for the Kotz type distribution.
Partners for Progress and Modernization: Rise and Fall of United States of America’s Soft-Power Relations with Ethiopia

This is a brief historical analysis of U.S. -Ethiopian relations for progress and modernization that lasted for more than 70 years and produced many tangible and significant outcomes for the benefit of both countries. What began as people-to-people contacts led by Africans in the Diaspora in the 19 th century had risen to one of the friendliest official relations that the U.S. has had with an African country in the twentieth century. The paper highlights the various accomplishments that the bilateral relationship produced and makes a critical appraisal of how new patterns that had emerged after the mid- 1970s were less favourable for America’s soft-power resources for Ethiopia. Keywords: United States, Ethiopia, soft-power, partnership, progress, development
Haskell tools from the programatica project

One of the goals of the Programatica Project is to develop tool support for high-assurance programming in Haskell [21]. We have extended Haskell with syntax for property assertions, and envision the use of various techniques to provide evidence for the validity of assertions. We expect our tools to assist the programmer with evidence management, using certificates to record evidence, and to provide whatever translation of Haskell code needed to enable the use of theorem provers and other tools that can serve as sources of evidence. The Programatica Tools, while still work in progress, can manipulate Haskell programs in various ways and have some support for evidence management. In Section 2, we describe a selection of the functionality provided by the tools, starting with functionality that might be of interest to Haskell programmers in general, and ending with functionality more directly aimed at supporting the goals of the Programatica Project. Section 3 contains some notes on the implementation.
Conflict Between Work and Family: An Investigation of Four Policy Measures

Welfare states enact a range of policies aimed at reducing work-family conflict. While welfare state policies have been assessed at the macro-level and work-family conflict at the individual-level, few studies have simultaneously addressed these relationships in a cross-national multi-level model. This study addresses this void by assessing the relationship between work-family and family-work conflict and family-friendly policies in 10 countries. Applying a unique multi-level data set that couples country-level policy data with individual-level data (N = 7,895) from the 2002 International Social Survey Programme, the author analyzes the relationship between work-family and family-work conflict and four specific policy measures: family leave, work scheduling, school scheduling, and early childhood education and care. The results demonstrate that mothers and fathers report less family-work and mothers less work-family conflict in countries with more expansive family leave policies. Also, in countries with longer school schedules mothers report less and women without children more work-family conflict.
Side-chain conformation in poly(γ-phenethyl-L-glutamate)

X-ray diffraction and energy-minimization results are reported for poly(γ-phenethyl-L-glutamate). Orthorhombic unit-cell parameters of drawn fibers are a = 15.4 A, b = 26.6 A, c = 54.4 A. Atomic coordinates are derived for an α-helix peptide conformation that corresponds to a calculated side-chain internal energy minimum. The side-chain conformation correlates well with the electron density projection; the side chains wrap around the α-helical main chain with the phenethyl ester group directed toward the N-terminus. The para-axis of the benzene ring is inclined at an angle nearly nearly normal to the helix axis. The x-ray structure factors calculated for this model, when compared to the 10 observed structure factors, yield a crystallographic reliability index of R = 0.23.
Relationship of Rib Cage and Abdomen Motion to Diaphragm Function During Quiet Breathing

Although rib cage (RC) and abdomen (Ab) motion is believed to reflect intercostal and diaphragm contributions to breathing, systematic investigations have failed to confirm this. We measured inspiratory changes in RC and Ab anterior-posterior diameter (delta RC and delta Ab) both corrected for volume equivalence (isovolume) and not corrected (isodistance, observed), and correlated these with simultaneous changes in gastric (delta Pab) and esophageal (delta Ppl) pressure: delta Pab - delta Ppl = delta Pdi, the change in transdiaphragmatic pressure. The delta Pab/delta Pdi was used as an index of the relative contribution of diaphragm motion to the breathing process. Relative abdomen motion was expressed as delta Ab/(delta Ab + delta RC). Isodistance and isovolume delta Ab/(delta Ab + delta RC) correlated, R = 0.69; observed abdomen motion overestimated abdomen-diaphragm contribution to tidal volume. Isodistance delta Ab/(delta Ab + delta RC) was less for women than men; isovolume delta Ab/(delta Ab + delta RC) was similar for the two sexes. Among individuals, isodistance delta Ab/(delta Ab + delta RC) correlated with delta Pab/delta Pdi (R = 0.73, P less than 0.001). Within a given individual, the mean R for seven subjects for delta Pab/delta Pdi vs delta Ab/(delta Ab + delta RC) was 0.90. We conclude that observed rib cage and abdomen motion reflects intercostal and diaphragm contributions to breathing; the correlation is better within a given subject than among individuals.
PTSD Symptoms Among Male Vietnam Veterans: Prevalence and Associations With Diagnostic Status

The present study examined reported rates of specific posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a veteran sample and the extent to which specific symptoms predicted PTSD diagnostic status. A sample of 1325 unmedicated male Vietnam veterans were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 3rd edition revised (DSM–III–R) by doctoral-level clinicians. Of the total sample, 798 met diagnostic criteria for current PTSD, 189 met criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD, and 338 did not meet criteria for either current or lifetime PTSD. Overall, participants endorsed a median of 9, and a mean of 8.4 (SD 5.4) out of 17 possible PTSD symptoms. The most frequently endorsed symptoms among participants meeting criteria for current PTSD were hypervigilance and detachment from others, followed by intrusive recollections and sleep difficulties. The symptoms with the greatest diagnostic sensitivity in this sample were hypervigilance and detachment from others and those with the greatest diagnostic specificity were flashbacks and nightmares. Intrusive recollections and interpersonal detachment were the overall best predictors of current PTSD diagnostic status. Psychiatric comorbidity was associated with increased overall symptom endorsement rather than the presence of a different pattern of symptom distribution. The finding that hyperarousal and detachment symptoms are more strongly associated with PTSD diagnosis is consistent with reports from other studies conducted with veterans and other trauma-exposed samples. However, certain symptoms were found to occur at higher rates than have been reported in different populations with PTSD.
Effects of Confluent Education on High School Students Identified as Learning Disabled.

Abstract Six confluent education strategics, or modes of instruction which integrate cognitive and affective concerns, were developed and systematically used in eight high school classrooms for 120 students identified as learning disabled. The academic and behavioural effects of their use over one school semester were evaluated. Significant gains were found on academic measures of word recognition, reading comprehension, math computation and problem‐solving. In addition, patterns of behavioural change reported by teachers in post‐study interviews included: hurtful remarks and actions decreased, communication “opened up,” co‐operation increased, and affection developed.
Formation and Maintenance Mechanisms of the Stable Layer over the Po Valley during MAP IOP-8

Abstract During intensive observation period 8 (IOP-8) of the Mesoscale Alpine Program, a strong stable layer formed over Italy’s Po Valley and the northern Ligurian Sea. This stable layer has been shown in previous research to be important for the formation of convection over the Ligurian Sea and the lack thereof over the Po Valley and southern slopes of the Alps. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanisms that acted to form and maintain the stable layer during IOP-8. This aim is accomplished through inspection of observed data as well as numerical simulations and sensitivity experiments. Observations and reanalysis data show that starting on 17 October 1999, a relatively cool, stable air mass was advected around the eastern side of the Alps into the lower atmosphere of the Po Valley. Both observational data and model output show this air mass as being blocked as it encountered the western Alps, thus resulting in an accumulation of cool, stable air at low levels in the Po Valley during th...
Marketing the Eikaiwa Wonderland: Ideology, Akogare, and Gender Alterity in English Conversation School Advertising in Japan:

The English conversation school (eikaiwa) industry in Japan has grown significantly over the past twenty-five years. In this paper I perform a semiological analysis on a set of eikaiwa promotional materials gathered in Tokyo and Kanagawa during the period 1998–2002. This analysis relies on a framework of social modalities (Rose, 2001 Visual Methodologies Sage, London) within which a set of gendered Occidentalized longings (akogare) is discussed. Career development, establishment of relationships with white males, and the potentials for foreign travel and study are highlighted by these eikaiwa promotions. These factors are presented as radical gender alterities that work against the social modalities encountered in Japan. These modalities include a set of rigid life-course expectations and a mode of social regulation that strongly directs women's professional and personal development. While English-language learning and use contain potentials for epistemological challenge to ideologies of gender, the eikai...
Unmasking buffalo bill: Interpretive controversy and the silence of the lambs

(1998). Unmasking buffalo bill: Interpretive controversy and the silence of the lambs. Rhetoric Society Quarterly: Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 33-47.
Consolidation and hierarchy: Chiefdom variability in the Mississippian Southeast

Explaining variability among Mississippian period (A.D. 1000-1600) chiefdoms has become a key research aim for archaeologists in the southeastern United States. One type of variability, in which simple and complex chiejdoms are distinguished by the number of levels of regional hierarchy, has dominated chiefdom research in this part of the world. The simple-complex chiefdom model is less applicable to the Mississippian Southeast, however, as there is little empirical evidence that chiefdotus here varied along this quantitative dimension. This article offers a qualitative model in which regional hierarchies are distinguished hy the manner in which authority is ceded or delegated between an apical or regional chief and constituent community-level leaders; chiefly power may he ceded from local-level leaders upward to the regional chief, or delegated from the regional chief downward to local leaders. This apical-constituent model addresses variation in the administrative structures of chiefdoms: it is not a chiefdom typology. The model is used to contrast two Mississippian polities, Moundrille in west-central Alabama and Powers Fort in southeastern Missouri, and illustrates variability in the process by which local communities were integrated into regional institutions.
Patterns and correlates of Gamblers Anonymous attendance in pathological gamblers seeking professional treatment

Although Gamblers Anonymous (GA) is a popular intervention for gamblers, many attendees later present for professional treatment. This study evaluated gambling and psychosocial problems in individuals seeking professional treatment for gambling and compared those with and without a history of GA attendance. At intake to treatment, 342 pathological gamblers completed the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Fifty-four percent attended GA previously. Compared to non-GA attendees, GA attendees were older, had higher incomes, and were less likely to be single. They had higher SOGS scores, more years of gambling problems, and larger debts. GA attendees also had more serious family conflicts and less serious drug problems. Individuals with a history of GA attendance were more likely to be abstinent from gambling 2 months after treatment initiation. Logistic regression revealed that the number of professional sessions and GA meetings attended during treatment was independently associated with short-term abstinence. These data suggest that individuals entering professional treatment for gambling with a history of GA attendance differ from those who do not, and these differences may impact treatment recommendations and outcomes.
Association of gonadotropin receptor precursors with the protein folding chaperone calnexin.

The lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHR) and follitropin receptor (FSHR) are members of the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. The carboxyl half of each receptor is composed of the classical seven membrane spanning regions connected by intracellular and extracellular loops. In addition, each receptor contains a large extracellular domain. Despite the complexity of the structure of G protein-coupled receptors, little is known about how these receptors assume their correct conformations during biosynthesis. Although the role of chaperone proteins in the folding of other proteins has been well documented, their role in the folding of G protein-coupled receptors has been an enigma. To better understand the folding of the LH and FSH receptors, we examined their association with the general chaperone proteins calnexin, binding protein (BiP), and the 94-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP94). Clonal 293 cell lines expressing comparably high levels of each receptor were solubilized, and the extracts...
Theory of freezing: The inhomogeneous Ornstein-Zernike equation

We present a new freezing theory based on the inhomogeneous Ornstein-Zernike equation. The new theory is nonperturbative, in the sense that crystal and liquid are treated at the same level of approximation. This is in contrast to the popular density functional theory of freezing, which uses the liquid as a reference state for perturbation theory. Due to the demanding nature of the numerical method, preliminary calculations are presented for a model problem — which, in the strictest sense, is unphysical — namely, the freezing of hard disks in two dimensions. We also explore a generalized Percus-Yevick closure appropriate for the crystal.
Characteristics and function of Ca2+ — and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-releasable stores of Ca2+ in neurons

Molecular, biochemical and physiological evidence for the existence of releasable Ca2+ stores in neurons is strong. There are two separate molecules that function as release channels from those Ca2+ stores, the RyanR and InsP3R, and both have multiple regulatory sites for positive and negative control. Perhaps most intriguing is the biphasic, concentration-dependent action of cytosolic Ca2+ on both channels, first to stimulate release then, at higher concentration, to depress release. Whether the InsP3R and RyanR channels regulate Ca2+ release from different or identical functional compartments will need to be defined for each neuron type and perhaps even for each intracellular region within neurons since the evidence for functional separation of stores is mixed. The identification of Ca2+ storage and releasing capacity throughout all subcellular regions of neurons and the increasing evidence for a role for Ca2+ stores in neuronal plasticity suggests that the further characterization of the functional properties of Ca2+ stores will be an increasingly important and expanding area of interest in neurobiology.
Gasometer: An Inexpensive Device for Continuous Monitoring of Dissolved Gases and Supersaturation

Abstract The “gasometer” is a device that measures differential dissolved-gas pressures (δP) in water relative to barometric pressure (as does the “Weiss saturometer”), but operates continuously without human attention. The gasometer can be plumbed into a water-supply system and requires 8 liters/minute of water or more at 60 kilopascals. The gasometer's surfaces are nontoxic, and flow-through water can be used for fish culture. The gasometer may be connected to a small submersible pump and operated as a portable unit. The gasometer can activate an alarm system and thus protect fish from hyperbaric (supersaturation) or hypobaric gas pressures (usually due to low dissolved oxygen). Instructions are included for calculating and reporting data including the pressure and saturation of individual gases. Construction and performance standards are given for the gasometer. Occasional cleaning is required to remove biofouling from the gas-permeable tubing.
Greedy Homes and the Demands They Add to Work-Family Conflict: A Neglected Dimension in Work-Family Policies

Gender Equality is the sixth volume in the Real Utopias Project, a series of workshop conferences sponsored by the A. E. Havens Center for the Study of Social Structure and Social Change at the University of Wiscon sin. The purpose of the project is to propose "realistic, institutionally-based solutions to social problems." Workshop participants— all of whom are distinguished scholars—are asked to engage in a serious discussion of rad ical alternatives to existing institutions. The conference on which this volume was based
Colocalization of Tissue Transglutaminase and Stress Fibers in Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

The subcellular distribution of tissue transglutaminase in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human arterial and venous smooth muscle cells was examined. Double-immunofluorescence staining of smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells with anti-transglutaminase antisera and rhodamine-tagged phalloidin revealed codistribution of transglutaminase with the stress fibers, with endothelial cells also containing a cytoplasmic pool. This pattern of distribution was confirmed by confocal microscopy. Immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that transglutaminase co-immunoprecipitated with myosin in high-molecular-weight complexes, but not with actin, suggesting that the association of transglutaminase with the stress fibers was due to its cross-linking to myosin. About 97% of endothelial cell transglutaminase activity was present in the cytosolic fraction and 3% in the particulate fraction. The detergent-insoluble fraction was practically devoid of activity as measured by the putrescine assay, but was active as evidenced by the covalent cross-linking of 125I-fibronectin. Western blotting with a polyclonal rabbit antiserum raised against human erythrocyte transglutaminase detected high levels of enzyme in endothelial cell cytosol and both detergent-soluble and detergent-insoluble membrane fractions. In contrast, smooth muscle cells contained much less cytosolic transglutaminase, as determined either functionally or antigenically. Furthermore, within the particulate fraction of the smooth muscle cells, most of the enzyme was located in the detergent-insoluble fraction, as assessed by Western blot analysis. Retinoic acid increased the levels of enzyme in the cytosol of all cell types and the increases were correlated with increases in mRNA. Thus, tissue transglutaminase is present in various particulate fractions of vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells and may be present in this cellular fraction by virtue of autocross-linking of the enzyme itself to stress fiber-associated myosin.
Estimates of the quantiles of kendall's partial rank correlation coefficient

The sampling distribution of kendall's partial rank correlation coefficient, Jxy∗z, is not known for N>4, where N is the number of subjectts. Moran (1951) used a direcr conbinatorial method to obtain the distribution of Jxy∗z forN=4; however, ten minor computationa; errors in his Table 2apparently resulted in how erroneous entries for his frequency table. Since the parctial limits of the direct combinatorial approach have been reached once N>4, the first main objective of this paper was to obtain the exact distribution of Jxy∗z for N=f, 6, and 7 using an electronic computer. The second was to use the Monte Carlo method to obtain reliable estimates of the quantiles of Jxy∗z for N=8,9,...,30
Conformational diversity: Six conformers side-by-side in the crystal cell of 2,2′,7,7′-tetramethoxy-9,9′-spiro-9-silabifluorene

X-ray crystal structure analysis of a sublimation-grown spiro silabifluorene, that is highly fluorescent in the violet-blue, established that there are six cocrystallized ordered conformers in the asymmetric unit. Crystals were grown by a vapor transport method under argon gas flow at temperatures between 255–280°C. As expected, there are no cocrystallized solvent molecules. There is no π-stacking of the aryl groups. There is no possibility for normal hydrogen bond formation; however, several CH⋯π bonds occur. The packing is efficient with a density of 1.24 g/cc. Each conformer deviates from tetrahedral geometry around the Si atom. Cell data are: C28H24O4Si×12, sp. gr. P $\bar 1$ , a=16.2750(5) A, b=20.6613(5) A, c=23.8289(5) A, α=102.025(2)°, β=94.252(2)°, and γ=109.916(2)°, V=7275(1) A3.
Analysis of the limit to superresolution in incoherent imaging

Superresolution algorithms have demonstrated impressive image-restoration results in the space domain. We consider the limits on superresolution performance in terms of usable bandwidth of the restored frequency spectrum. On the basis of a characterization of the spectral extrapolation errors (viz., null objects), we derive an expression for an approximate bound on accurate bandwidth extension for the general class of superresolution algorithms that incorporate a priori assumptions of a nonnegative, space-limited object. It is shown that accurate bandwidth extension is inversely related to the spatial extent of the object and the noise level in the image. For superresolution of sampled data, we present preliminary results relating bandwidth extrapolation to the difference between sampling rate and the discrete optical cutoff frequency. Simulation results are presented that substantiate the derived bandwidth extrapolation bounds.
Mode of action of the calcium ionophores X-537A and A23187 on cardiac contractility.

Abstract The effects of two antibiotics, X-537A and A23817, which transport Ca 2+ as a lipid-soluble complex through a number of natural and artificial membranes, have been investigated using a perfused working rat heart preparation. When the contractility of the hearts was depressed by either low Ca 2+ concentration or by addition of ruthenium red to the perfusion medium, X-537A produced a large increase of coronary flow rate, left ventricular pressure development and work output. These effects were suppressed in the presence of propranolol and in the hearts from animals pretreated with reserpine. The other ionophore, A23187, was without significant effect on cardiac contractility but increased the coronary flow rate. These results suggest that the mechanism of action of X-537A in the isolated heart is not via an increased permeability of the plasma membrane to Ca 2+ . The positive inotropic effect of X-537A is better explained as resulting from the release of endogenous norepinephrine.
Effects of ethanol on basal and adenosine-induced increases in β-endorphin release and intracellular cAMP levels in hypothalamic cells

Abstract Recently we have shown that the cAMP system is involved in ethanol-regulated β-endorphin (β-EP) release from rat hypothalamic neurons in primary cultures. The cascade of events that leads to activation of cAMP following ethanol treatment in hypothalamic β-EP neurons is not apparent. In this study the role of adenosine, a cAMP regulator, in ethanol-regulated β-EP release was determined by measuring the cellular incorporation of [ 3 H ]adenosine, intracellular cAMP levels and media immunoreactive (IR) β-EP levels in cultures of rat hypothalamic cells following ethanol treatments in the presence and absence of an adenosine agonist and antagonist. Acute exposure to a 50 mM dose of ethanol for a period of 1 h increased media levels of IR-β-EP and cellular contents of cAMP, but the ethanol treatment decreased [ 3 H ]adenosine uptake. Constant exposure to a 50 mM dose of ethanol for a period of 48 h, failed to alter media levels of IR-β-EP, cell content of cAMP and [ 3 H ]adenosine uptake. The media level of IR-β-EP was elevated following treatment with adenosine receptor agonist phenyl-isopropyl adenosine (PIA) and was reduced following treatment with adenosine receptor antagonist isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) or with adenosine uptake inhibitor adenosine deaminase. The level of cellular cAMP was also increased by PIA but was decreased by IBMX and adenosine deaminase. The stimulatory actions of the adenosine agonist PIA on IR-β-EP release and on cAMP production were potentiated by simultaneous incubation with ethanol for 1 h. However, chronic ethanol exposure reduced PIA-induced IR-β-EP release and cAMP production. Additionally, both IBMX and adenosine deaminase reduced ethanol-induced IR-β-EP release and cAMP levels. These results suggest that ethanol inhibits adenosine uptake in IR-β-EP neurons in the hypothalamus, thereby increasing extracellular levels of adenosine and leading to activation of membrane adenosine receptors, cAMP production and IR-β-EP secretion from these neurons. Chronic ethanol desensitizes the adenosine-regulated cAMP production and IR-β-EP release from hypothalamic neurons.
Lobbying and congressional bill advancement

Interest groups often attempt to influence congressional legislation through lobbying. We study more than 17 000 bills introduced in both houses of the 106th and 107th Congresses, including more than 3500 associated with reported lobbying. We analyze the determinants of interest group lobbying on particular bills and provide initial tests of the relationship between lobbying and the advancement of legislation through committee and floor passage. We find that the incidence and amount of interest group lobbying is associated with majority party sponsorship, extensive co-sponsorship and high-profile issues. Lobbying is also associated with whether bills advance through committee and each chamber, independent of congressional factors typically associated with bill advancement.
On the mechanism of integration following transformation with single-stranded DNA of Hemophilus influenzae.

The biological fate of denatured transforming DNA was examined during transformation of Sr-marked cells with denatured C 25 -marked DNA. Lysates of transforming cells were tested for the presence of the donor transforming activity. It was found that, as a function of time, the denatured C 25 transforming activity decreased in these samples, whereas new native C 25 activity and linked Sr C 25 recombinant activity appeared. Linked recombinant activity indicated integration of the denatured donor DNA. Retention of linked recombinant activity after denaturation provided evidence for the early establishment of covalency between denatured donor and recipient DNA. The physical fate of the denatured donor DNA was determined by cesium chloride density-gradient centrifugation of extracts from transforming cells. The recipient cells were light, labeled with [ 3 H]thymidine and carried the Sr marker; the donor DNA was heavy ( 15 N-D 2 O), labeled with [ 32 P]phosphate and carried the C 25 marker. During uptake of the DNA at low pH, no hybrid density DNA formed and there was no native C 25 or SC recombinant transforming activity. After neutralization, there was a progressive transfer of donor DNA into a hybrid structure concomitant with the appearance of native C 25 and SC recombinant transforming activity. Denaturation of the hybrid DNA increased its density, which indicated that the integrated single-stranded DNA was covalently linked to the recipient DNA. The size of the integrated piece was estimated to be about 6 × 10 6 daltons. Part of the donor DNA banded at its original fully heavy, denatured position, indicating that not all of the donor DNA was covalently linked to the recipient DNA. It is concluded that, aside from the different uptake mechanisms, the processes of integration with single-stranded and double-stranded DNA's are similar.
Intrinsic nerve fibers of the primate endometrium.

Abstract An experiment was designed to test the currently favored theory that inasmuch as nerve fibers are undemonstrable in the outer glandular portion of the uterine mucosa certain endometrial functions must be regulated solely by humoral mechanisms. Searches ordinarily have been confined to tissues removed surgically which have begun to undergo post-mortem changes. A methylene-blue intravital staining method, quite specific for fine peripheral nerve fibers, was used in five anesthetized cats, a guinea pig, and three monkeys; injections of the dye solution were made directly into the superficial glandular layer of the living endometrium. Similar injections were made in pieces of endometrium that had been removed surgically 5 to 10 min previously. Fine nerve fibers were found in all instances, but they stained more sharply and deeply after intravital injections. The presence of neurons in a region usually considered to be exclusively under humoral control may require modifications of current theories. In species that menstruate, the endometrial nerve fibers probably undergo cyclical degeneration and regeneration physiologically.
Expression ofCYP2E1during Embryogenesis and Fetogenesis in Human Cephalic Tissues: Implications for the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome☆

Reverse transcription and the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with oligonucleotide primers designed to target cDNA nucleotides 1241-1357 corresponding to exons 8 (3′ end) and 9 (5′ end) in human genomicCYP2E1detected consistently strong signals in 9 of 10 prenatal human brains. Cephalic tissues analyzed were between 54 and 78 days of gestation. RT-PCR signals for expression ofCYP2E1in corresponding human hepatic or adrenal tissues were weaker or, with only 2 exceptions, undetectable. Attempts to approximate levels of P4502E1 mRNA with Northern blots and RNase protection assays indicated that levels in human prenatal whole brain tissues tended to increase as a function of gestational age but, at the early stages investigated, were far lower than the constitutive levels in hepatic tissues of adult humans or male rats. Localized, P4502E1-dependent cephalic bioactivation of ethanol, with associated generation of several reactive chemical species, could contribute significantly to the etiology of neuroembryotoxic effects of prenatal ethanol exposure.
Using the ACR/NEMA standard with TCP/IP and Ethernet

There is a need for a consolidated picture archival and communications system (PACS) in hospitals. At the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University (BGSM), the authors are enhancing the ACR/NEMA Version 2 protocol using UNIX sockets and TCP/IP to greatly improve connectivity. Initially, nuclear medicine studies using gamma cameras are to be sent to PACS. The ACR/NEMA Version 2 protocol provides the functionality of the upper three layers of the open system interconnection (OSI) model in this implementation. The images, imaging equipment information, and patient information are then sent in ACR/NEMA format to a software socket. From there it is handed to the TCP/IP protocol, which provides the transport and network service. TCP/IP, in turn, uses the services of IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) to complete the connectivity. The advantage of this implementation is threefold: (1) Only one I/O port is consumed by numerous nuclear medicine cameras, instead of a physical port for each camera. (2) Standard protocols are used which maximize interoperability with ACR/NEMA compliant PACSs. (3) The use of sockets allows a migration path to the transport and networking services of OSIs TP4 and connectionless network service as well as the high-performance protocol being considered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Standards Organization (ISO) -- the Xpress Transfer Protocol (XTP). The use of sockets also gives access to ANSI's Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) as well as other high-speed network standards.
Diagnostic imaging in cryptorchidism: utility, indications, and effectiveness.

Background Cryptorchidism (undescended testis) is the most common genitourinary anomaly in male infants.
Effects of antiepileptic drugs on sleep architecture: a pilot study.

Abstract Objectives: The effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on sleep architecture are not well understood, especially in patients with localization-related epilepsy, in whom seizures themselves can disrupt sleep. To clarify the effects of AEDs on sleep architecture, we performed a prospective study, looking at sleep architecture in patients with epilepsy admitted for video-EEG monitoring. Methods: Adult patients with localization-related epilepsy treated with a single AED and admitted between 10/1997 and 04/2001 were included. Control patients on no AEDs were also included. Both groups were withdrawn from other AEDs. Overnight polysomnography was recorded and was scored according to the standard method. Adult patients with localization-related epilepsy on no medication were also recorded and served as controls. Patients with no seizure during the recording and no seizure in the 24 h preceding the recording were analyzed in this paper. Patients with a seizure in the 24 h preceding the recording and patients with a seizure during the recording were analyzed separately. Results: A total of 72 nights were recorded in 39 patients, and patients taking each AED were compared to controls. We did not find any statistically significant effect of carbamazepine (CBZ). Phenytoin (PHT) disrupted sleep by increasing stage 1 sleep (PHT: 13.2±7.3%; control: 7.7±4.8%; P=0.008), and decreasing slow wave sleep (SWS) (PHT: 7.9±4.2%; control: 11.3±4.4%; P=0.03) and REM sleep (PHT: 13.9±6.2; control: 18.8±5.1; P=0.01). Valproic acid (VPA) disrupted sleep by increasing stage 1 sleep (VPA: 16.8±9.8%; control: 7.7±4.8%; P=0.007). Gabapentin (GBP) improved sleep by increasing SWS (GBP: 19.4±4.2%; control: 11.3±4.4%; P=0.0009). PHT and VPA disrupt sleep in the absence of seizures, while CBZ and lamotrigine have no significant effects. GBP improves sleep by increasing SWS. Conclusions: AEDs have differing effects on sleep structure, which can be beneficial or detrimental. Consideration of these potential effects is important in maintaining optimal sleep in patients with epilepsy.
The causes and health effects of the Great Recession: from neoliberalism to 'healthy de-growth'

In 2008, the world experienced the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The crisis is often described in relation to its proximal risk factors such as the proliferation of risky loans and mortgage-based securities, but the root causes of the Great Recession include distal risk factors such as indiscriminate capital flow, excessive financial deregulation, and high concentration of wealth in the top distribution. Ultimately, the crisis is a byproduct of neoliberal policies and the ‘self-correcting market’ ideology that guided national and global macroeconomic reforms since the 1970s. Evidence indicates that the Great Recession led to increases in unemployment and suicides, especially in Europe and in the US. Estimates based on the effects of previous economic downturns suggest that the crisis produced negative health and nutritional outcomes in developing countries. Data, however, also show that recessions can be characterized by increases in life expectancy at birth. These favorable trends se...
Hair cell BK channels interact with RACK1, and PKC increases its expression on the cell surface by indirect phosphorylation

Large conductance (BK) calcium activated potassium channels (Slo) are ubiquitous and implicated in a number of human diseases including hypertension and epilepsy. BK channels consist of a pore forming α-subunit (Slo) and a number of accessory subunits. In hair cells of nonmammalian vertebrates these channels play a critical role in electrical resonance, a mechanism of frequency selectivity. Hair cell BK channel clusters on the surface and currents increase along the tonotopic axis and contribute significantly to the responsiveness of these hair cells to sounds of high frequency. In contrast, messenger RNA levels encoding the Slo gene show an opposite decrease in high frequency hair cells. To understand the molecular events underlying this paradox, we used a yeast two-hybrid screen to isolate binding partners of Slo. We identified Rack1 as a Slo binding partner and demonstrate that PKC activation increases Slo surface expression. We also establish that increased Slo recycling of endocytosed Slo is at least partially responsible for the increased surface expression of Slo. Moreover, analysis of several PKC phosphorylation site mutants confirms that the effects of PKC on Slo surface expression are likely indirect. Finally, we show that Slo clusters on the surface of hair cells are also increased by increased PKC activity and may contribute to the increasing amounts of channel clusters on the surface of high-frequency hair cells.
Prenylated chalcones and flavanones as inducers of quinone reductase in mouse Hepa 1c1c7 cells

The objective of this study was to determine if prenylchalcones (open C-ring flavonoids) and prenylflavanones from hops and beer are inducers of quinone reductase (QR) in the mouse hepatoma Hepa 1c1c7 cell line. All the prenylchalcones and prenylflavanones tested were found to induce QR but not CYP1A1 in this cell line. In contrast, the synthetic chalcone, chalconaringenin, and the flavanone, naringenin, with no prenyl or geranyl groups, were ineffective in inducing QR. The hop chalcones, xanthohumol and dehydrocycloxanthohumol hydrate, also induced QR in the Ah-receptor-defective mutant cell line, Hepa 1c1c7 bp(r)c1. Thus, the prenylflavonoids represent a new class of monofunctional inducers of QR.
Physico-chemical changes in nano-silica and silica fume modified cement pastes in response to leaching

Leaching of calcium ions from cement pastes modified with silica fume and nano-silica, and the physico-chemical changes that this induces in the system are the focus of this paper. The pastes were subjected to slow (in deionised water) and accelerated (in 6M ammonium nitrate) leaching. Mass loss, increase in porosity and thermal analysis were used to quantify the physical and chemical changes in the system due to leaching. The modified cement pastes are found to exhibit better leaching resistance under both exposure conditions. It is shown that leaching in deionised water and cementing materials reaction are essentially coupled. When leached in ammonium nitrate, it is observed that the entire CH is leached from all the pastes, and pastes with very low initial CH contents suffer increased decalcification from C-S-H gel. It is shown that, when subjected to very aggressive leaching agents, a certain amount of CH acts as a buffer delaying C-S-H dissolution. The beneficial effect of nano-silica in controlling calcium ion leaching especially when subjected to accelerated leaching is brought out.
Abstract IA-18: Mouse embryonic stem cells exist in a unique metabolic state

The cell division cycle of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells is considerably more rapid than that of even the most aggressively growing cancer cells. In order to investigate whether mouse ES cells might exist in a unique metabolic state supportive of rapid growth, organic extracts were prepared and analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Upon comparison of mouse ES cells with differentiating embryoid bodies, such assays revealed profound differences in the abundance of metabolites associated with one‐carbon metabolism and purine biosynthesis. It was also noted that the abundance of both threonine and acetyl‐CoA changed markedly as ES cells were cued to differentiate into embryoid bodies. These differences in metabolite abundance were traced to the copious, ES cell specific expression of the gene encoding threonine dehydrogenase (TDH). TDH gene expression was 1,000‐fold higher in ES cells than any of 7 tissues assayed from adult mice. The TDH enzyme catalyzes the mitochondrial breakdown of threonine into glycine and acetyl‐CoA. Glycine is further catabolized by mitochondrial enzymes associated with the glycine cleavage system to foster the charging (methylation) of tetrahydrofolate, a key intermediate in purine synthesis. The acetyl‐CoA produced from TDH‐mediated breakdown of threonine is fed into the TCA cycle. This TDH‐dependent metabolic pathway is used in rapidly growing microbial organisms, including bacteria and yeast — and is a component of what has been termed the high flux backbone of microbial metabolism. “Drop‐out” culture media were prepared individually missing each of the 20 amino acids. It was observed that mouse ES cells grow fine in all drop‐out media except that lacking threonine. Cell division and DNA synthesis of mouse ES cells were abruptly impeded in threonine‐deficient culture medium. Threonine dependence was not observed for any of a number of other cell lines that do not express the TDH gene, including HeLa cells, mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells, or NIH 3T3 cells. These studies provide evidence that mouse ES cells are unique in using threonine as a metabolic fuel. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):IA-18.
Formation of mixed ligand complexes of Gd(III), Th(IV) and UO22+ cations with NTA and dicarboxylic acids

Abstract The stability constants have been measured in 0.10 M (NaClO4) ionic strength solution at 25 °C for the reaction: MX + L = MXL where M = Gd3+, UO22+ and Th4+, X = nitrilotriacetate and L = malonate, succinate, gluturate and adipate. These stability constants, for a particular L, follow order: ThXL > UO2XL > GdXL For the different ternary ligands, the stability constants for all three metals decrease from malonate to succinate to glutarate while those for glutorate and adipate are roughly equal for each metal. The results are discussed in terms of formation by the ternary ligand L of monodentate or bidentate complexes.
Project river recovery: restoration of braided gravel-bed river habitat in New Zealand's high country.

Ecological restoration is increasingly becoming a primary component of broader environmental and water resources management programs throughout the world. The New Zealand Department of Conservation implemented Project River Recovery (PRR) in 1991 to restore unique braided gravel-bed river and wetland habitat in the Upper Waitaki Basin in New Zealand’s high country of the South Island, which has been severely impacted by hydroelectric power development. These braided rivers are highly dynamic, diverse, and globally important ecosystems and provide critical habitat to numerous native wading and shore bird species, including several threatened species such as the black stilt. The objective of this study was to review and summarize PRR after more than 10 years of implementation to provide information and transfer knowledge to other nations and restoration programs. Site visits were conducted, discussions were held with key project staff, and project reports and related literature were reviewed. Primary components of the program include pest plant and animal control, wetland construction and enhancement, a significant research and monitoring component, and public awareness. The study found that PRR is an excellent example of an ecological restoration program focusing on conserving and restoring unique habitat for threatened native bird species, but that also includes several secondary objectives. Transfer of knowledge from PRR could benefit ecological restoration programs in other parts of the world, particularly riverine floodplain and braided river restoration. PRR could achieve even greater success with expanded goals, additional resources, and increased integration of science with management, especially broader consideration of hydrologic and geomorphologic effects and restoration opportunities.
Myotonic dystrophy: Therapeutic strategies for the future

Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure or effective treatment. Investigation of DM pathogenesis has identified a novel disease mechanism that requires development of innovative therapeutic strategies. It is now clear that DM is not caused by expression of a mutant protein. Instead, DM is the first recognized example of an RNA-mediated disease. Expression of the mutated gene gives rise to an expanded repeat RNA that is directly toxic to cells. The mutant RNA is retained in the nucleus, forming ribonuclear inclusions in affected tissue. A primary consequence of RNA toxicity in DM is dysfunction of two classes of RNA binding proteins, which leads to abnormal regulation of alternative splicing, or spliceopathy, of select genes. Spliceopathy now is known to cause myotonia and insulin resistance in DM. As our understanding of pathogenesis continues to improve, therapy targeted directly at the RNA disease mechanism will begin to replace the supportive care currently available. New pharmacologic approaches to treat myotonia and muscle wasting in DM type 1 are already in early clinical trials, and therapies designed to reverse the RNA toxicity have shown promise in preclinical models by correcting spliceopathy and eliminating myotonia. The well-defined ribonuclear inclusions may serve as convenient therapeutic targets to identify new agents that modify RNA toxicity. Continued development of appropriate model systems will allow testing of additional therapeutic strategies as they become available. Although DM is a decidedly complex disorder, its RNA-mediated disease mechanism may prove to be highly susceptible to therapy.
Signature Size and Dominance: A Brief Note

Summary It was hypothesized that signature size is correlated positively with dominance. To test this hypothesis, scores on the dominance scale of the Personality Research Form and signatures from 245 male and female college students were obtained. Signature area in millimeters squared correlated .45 (p < .001) for the females and .07 (ns) for the males.
Represented and representing dimensions in relational information displays

It is speculated that the processing of different types of information (e.g., quantitative, ordinal, or nominal data) will be affected by what type of visual display is used to present that information (e.g.. line graphs, shapes with varying levels of gray saturation, or shapes of different colors). People are expected to be able to more efficiently and accurately process and answer questions about the visual displays if the type of display (i.e., the representing dimension) provides neither too much nor too little information and matches the type of information (i.e., the represented dimension) being processed. In the present study we found that in general task performance was best when the represented and representing dimensions match. An exception to this is discussed.
Mentoring New Mentors: Learning to Mentor Preservice Science Teachers

Becoming a science teacher is a challenging and long-term process. Beginning with preservice education and continuing into the first few years of teaching, novices need to develop the knowledge and...