cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Error Size of the Helix (screw) Groove by Grinding

This paper presents further results in addressing this issue and builds upon the results obtained within the project GACR No. 101/07/0751 (research was supported by Czech Grant Agency), and the findings and information obtained from grant project GACR No. 101/05/2562. The problems are oriented to the production and sharpening of rotary tools, especially because all the know-how is owned by foreign companies. The main chapter is devoted to "Solution of the dependance of undercutting of the helical grooves on the grinding wheel diameter, its thickness and depth of the cut" at zero thickness of the grinding wheel. This method is an original analytical method for calculating the undercutting and is a part of the theoretical studies of the grinding helix slot. Then follows a passage, which defines the actual width of the spiral groove profiles at various grinding wheels. The present article summarizes only part of a broad range of problems in the area.
Gas permeability and flow characterization of simulated lunar regolith

Abstract Recent discoveries of water ice trapped within lunar topsoil (regolith) have placed a new emphasis on the recovery and utilization of water for future space exploration. Upon heating the lunar ice to sublimation, the resulting water vapor could theoretically transmit through the lunar regolith, to be captured on the surface. As the permeability of lunar regolith is essential to this process, this paper seeks to experimentally determine the permeability and flow characteristics of various gas species through simulated lunar regolith (SLR). Two different types of SLR were compacted and placed into the permeability setup to measure the flow-rate of transmitted gas through the sample. Darcy’s permeability constant was calculated for each sample and gas combination, and flow characteristics were determined from the results. The results show that Darcy’s permeability constant varies with SLR compaction density, and identified no major difference in permeable flow between the several tested gas species. Between the two tested SLR types, JSC-1A was shown to be more permeable than NU-LHT under similar conditions. In addition, a transition zone was identified in the flow when the gas pressure differential across the sample was less than ∼40 kPa.
Removal of hexachlorocyclohexane isomers from water by membrane extraction into oil

Abstract Semi-volatile organic contaminants such as pesticides, PAHs and PCBs, as well as their more volatile counterparts, are being found in ground and surface waters with increasing frequency. It has been shown that removal of the volatile organic contaminants such as carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethene can be performed by membrane-based solvent extraction using a non-volatile oil as the solvent. The membrane is microporous polypropylene, coated to prevent wetting of the membrane pores by the oil phase. Solutes volatilize from water into the gas-filled membrane pores and are transferred to and concentrated in the oil phase. The hollow fiber shape of the membranes leads to a high specific surface area, and a very rapid removal rate; limited in most cases only by diffusion of the contaminant through water to the membrane surface. In this paper the applicability of this technology for removal of less volatile compounds from water is assessed. It is shown that the pesticide lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) and two other isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane can be removed from water at a rate similar to that of the volatile species. A transport model presented earlier is updated to include transfer through the membrane by surface diffusion, a mechanism proposed to explain the rapid transfer of species of low volatility. The model predicts rapid removal from water of a wide range of organic compounds.
Closure of multivariate t and related distributions

Abstract Let T : R n → R k be a Studentizing transformation of the type T ( Y ) = ν 1 2 A′Y /‖ B′Y ‖, and let GM( n ) consist of scale mixtures of Gaussian laws on ≎ R k ; 1 ⩽ k ⩽ n ≎. It is shown that GM( n ) is closed under T (·). Concentration properties of these distributions are studied via peakedness on varying their parameters, showing that peakedness may be diminished, preserved, or increased under T (·). Random ratios having moments of arbitrary order are exhibited when neither the numerator nor denominator has moments of any order.
Broad-band excitation of Pr/sup 3+/ luminescence by localized gap state absorption in Pr:As/sub 12/Ge/sub 33/Se/sub 55/ glass

Photoluminescence (PL) and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopy of Pr/sub 2/S/sub 3/-doped As/sub 12/Ge/sub 33/Se/sub 55/ glass have detected two broad peaks in the PL spectrum, centered at /spl sim/1340 nn and /spl sim/1620 nm, characteristic of the /sup 1/G/sub 4//spl rarr//sup 3/H/sub 5/ and /sup 3/F/sub 3//spl rarr//sup 3/H/sub 4/ transitions, respectively. The 1620-nm band exhibits a strong, broad, below-gap PLE band extending from 500 nm to 1000 nm, which is nearly identical to those previously observed in Er-doped As/sub 12/Ge/sub 33/Se/sub 55/ and As/sub 2/S/sub 3/ glass. This indicates that such broad, below gap PLE bands are not unique to Er-doped systems, but are more general features of rare earth-doped chalcogenide glass. The novel, broad PLE bands are attributed to absorption by below-gap defect and impurity-induced localized states in the host glass that are able to transfer their energy efficiently to the rare earth dopants. A phenomological explanation of the energy transfer process is presented.
Identification and treatment of cervical and oromandibular dystonia in acutely brain-injured patients

Introduction: Primary cervical and oromandibular dystonia (CD and OMD, respectively) are well-recognized movement disorders, often treated with botulinum toxin (BTx). In contrast, dystonia related to acute brain injuries is not well delineated. Our objective was to define in neurocritically ill patients the clinical characteristics of CD and OMD and to investigate the safety of BTx. Methods: All acutely brain-injured patients admitted to a neurocritical care unit over a 10-month period were prospectively screened for CD and OMD. Clinical characteristics, etiology of brain injury, and pattern of dystonia were analyzed. Patients with clinically significant CD and OMD were treated with BTx and followed for 12 weeks. Results: Of 165 patients screened, 33 had new-onset CD or OMD. Of 21 patients enrolled, 14 had CD, 5 had OMD, and 2 had both. The pattern of brain injury included 13 cerebral hemorrhages, 6 ischemic strokes, 1 status epilepticus, and 1 unclear etiology. Improvement after BTx was seen in four of seven patients with CD and two of four with OMD; no adverse effects occurred. Spontaneous improvement was recorded in 7 of 11 nontreated patients with CD or OMD. Conclusions: Acute secondary CD or OMD, associated with a variety of causes, was identified in 20% of acutely brain-injured patients. The temporal profile of dystonia onset and resolution in these patients was variable. Treatment with BTx in the neurocritical care setting seems to be safe. Future, larger scale randomized studies should evaluate the effectiveness of BTx treatment in this patient population.
Non-target impacts of forest defoliator management options: Decision for no spraying may have worse impacts on non-target Lepidoptera than Bacillus thuringiensis insecticides

Management programs for major forest defoliators such as gypsy moths or forest tent caterpillars, and crop pests such as the European corn borer have shifted from broad-spectrum insecticides to more environmentally benign microbial pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis (foliage sprays and transgenic toxin expression in plant tissues). Phytochemically resistant host plants and natural enemies have been used as alternative pest management strategies (including generalist tachinid flies such as Compsilura, viruses, microsporidians, and fungi), but all of these have some non-target impacts, as described from literature review. A sequence of lab and field studies were conducted to determine non-target impacts on native Lepidoptera in North America. The conclusions reached are that a decision not to spray Bt pesticides (i.e. to allow defoliation and natural pest outbreaks to run their course) could be as bad or worse for non-target Lepidoptera as the microbial insecticides would be. The important concept that must be maintained is that all pest management programs have some risk of negative non-target impacts, but it is the magnitude and relative importance that will remain the most critical issue for environmental impacts and pest management.
Resveratrol in the Prevention and Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound found in red wine that is believed to be responsible for its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Extensive research in the past several decades has identified multiple mechanisms by which resveratrol modifies the cardiovascular risk factors that lead to coronary artery disease, yet translation to the clinical arena has been unexpectedly slow. In this article, we review the existing evidence regarding the beneficial effects of resveratrol and briefly discuss its potential therapeutic applications.
Intentions to report questionable acts: An examination of the influence of Anonymous reporting Channel, internal audit quality, and setting

The Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 requires audit committees of public companies’ boards of directors to install an anonymous reporting channel to assist in deterring and detecting accounting fraud and control weaknesses. While it is generally accepted that the availability of such a reporting channel may reduce the reporting cost of the observer of a questionable act, there is concern that the addition of such a channel may decrease the overall effectiveness compared to a system employing only non-anonymous reporting options. The rationale underlying this concern involves the would-be reporter’s likelihood of reporting, the seriousness with which the organization treats an anonymous report, and the organization’s ability to thoroughly follow-up the report. Thus, we explore the extent to which the availability of an anonymous reporting channel influences intended use of non-anonymous reporting channels. Further, in response to Sarbanes–Oxley and the environment of financial scandals that led to its passage, many firms are strengthening their internal audit departments, and providing them with greater independence from upper management’s direct control. Accordingly, our examination tests whether the intended use of the internal audit department as an internal reporting channel is greater when the internal audit department is of “high” versus “low” quality. Finally, the study investigates intended reporting behavior across three different cases (e.g., settings).
Rayleigh wave dispersion in the period range 10 to 500 seconds

A composite Rayleigh wave dispersion curve obtained from earthquake seismograms is presented for the period range 10-500 sec. For periods greater than 75 sec the dispersion is primarily influenced by the shear velocity gradient in the mantle. For periods less than 75 sec the effect of the crustal layer is most important. Brief discussions of the spectrum of the initial impulse and stationary values of group velocity, as they influence the character of seismograms, are given.
Lactic acidosis and recovery of neuronal function following cerebral hypoxia in vitro.

Abstract The rat hippocampal slice preparation was used to study the combined effects of hypoxia and lactic acidosis on neuronal function. Control slices were exposed to a standard hypoxic insult while being perfused with normal artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). Experimental slices were perfused with ACSF containing 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0 or 20.0 mM lactic acid, 30 min before and during the same standard hypoxic insult. Following at 30-min recovery period the ability of these slices to respond to orthodromic stimulation by displaying a population spike (synaptic function) was tested. No significant decreases in the recovery rate of synaptic function were found between control and experimental groups, excluding the combination of 20 mM lactic acid and 10 min hypoxia, where such a decrease was found. The combination of 10 mM lactic acid and 12 min hypoxia brought about an increase in the recovery rate of synaptic function. Thus, the adverse effects attributed to lactic acid in vivo were not seen in the present in vitro study. Neuronal tissue appears to be able to handle excess lactic acid by yet, unknown mechanism (high intracellular buffer capacity?). The suggested in vivo damage due to lactic acidosis could originate in the cerebrovascular system. On the other hand, the possibility that lactic acidosis is harmless under hypoxic conditions should also be considered.
A simple effective interaction for peripheral heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies

Abstract A very simple phenomenological nucleon-nucleon effective interaction is derived by folding-model analyses of 36 sets of heavy-ion elastic-scattering data at energies E/A between 10 and 100 MeV. It is represented by a single Yukawa term with a complex strength that varies slowly with energy. It is appropriate for peripheral collisions at intermediate energies. It is proposed for use in consistent analyses of elastic- and inelastic-scattering measurements. The possible role of spin-orbit coupling in heavy-ion elastic scattering at the higher energies is discussed.
Modeling and Solution of the Large-Scale Security-Constrained Unit Commitment

Security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC), as one of key components in power system operation, is being widely applied in vertically integrated utilities and restructured power systems. The efficient solution framework is to implement iterations between a master problem (unit commitment) and subproblems (network security evaluations). In industrial applications, both Lagrangian relaxation and mixed-integer programming are commonly applied for the unit commitment problem, and both linear sensitivity factor and Benders cut methods are used to generate additional constraints in the phase of network security evaluations. This paper evaluates capabilities and performances of each algorithm through technical discussion and numerical testing. Special topics on the large-scale SCUC engine development are also discussed in this paper, such as input data screening, inactive constrains elimination, contingency management, infeasibility handling, parallel computing, and model simplification. This paper will benefit academic researchers, software developers, and system operators when they design, develop and assess effective models and algorithms for solving large-scale SCUC problems.
Overexpression of the type-1 insulin-like growth factor receptor increases ligand-dependent proliferation and differentiation in bovine skeletal myogenic cultures.

Previous studies demonstrated that overexpression of the type-1 insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor (IGF-1R) in skeletal myogenic cell lines increased proliferation and differentiation responses to IGF. However, it was unclear if such manipulations in primary, untransformed skeletal myogenic cells would result in modulation of these responses, which may be more stringently regulated in primary cells than in myogenic cell lines. In this study, low passage untransformed fetal bovine myogenic cultures were infected with a replication-deficient retroviral expression vector (LISN) coding for the human IGF-1R or with a control retroviral vector (LNL6). Bovine myogenic cultures infected with the LISN vector (Bov-LISN) displayed ten times more IGF-1Rs than controls (Bov-LNL6). Bov-LISN myogenic cultures exhibited elevated rates of IGF-I-stimulated proliferation and increased rates of terminal differentiation which were reduced to control levels by the anti-human IGF-1R antibody αIR3. These findings indicate overexpression of the IGF-1R can enhance IGF sensitivity and thereby modify the proliferation and differentiation behavior of untransformed low passage myoblasts. Such manipulations may be useful to increase muscle mass in clinical or agricultural applications. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Short-circuit modeling of a wind power plant

An important aspect of wind power plant (WPP) impact studies is to evaluate short-circuit current (SCC) contribution of the plant into the transmission network under different fault conditions. This information is needed to size the circuit breakers, to establish the proper system protection, and to choose the transient suppressor in the circuits within the WPP. This task can be challenging to protection engineers due to the topology differences between different types of wind turbine generators (WTGs) and the conventional generating units. This paper investigates the short-circuit behavior of a WPP for different types of wind turbines. The short-circuit behavior will be presented. Both the simplified models and detailed models are used in the simulations and both symmetrical faults and unsymmetrical faults are discussed.
A deficiency of nutrition education in medical training

1 Gaples Institute for Integrative Cardiology, Deerfield, Illinois and Division of Cardiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; 2 Weil Foundation, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona; 3 Samueli Institute, Alexandria, Virginia and Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Nutrition, Boston, Massachusetts; 4 Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; 5 Preventive Medicine Research Institute, Sausalito, California and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California; 6 Section of Integrative Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico; 7 Department of Family Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; 8 Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; 9 Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Organizational Colonization and Silencing in the Indian Media With the Launch of the World's Cheapest Car

I examine organization–media linkages in an emerging economy context, specifically India, tracing how the media upholds organizational ideologies/interests, while silencing dissidence. I provide a conceptual framework to understand the reification and disbarment strategies at play, which are seen to operate through 4 core themes: national progress through globalization, the new national citizen, media surveillance of the State, and reframing the dissident as antinational. This study extends current theory on organizational colonization/silencing by suggesting new mechanisms of legitimization, neutralization of organizational power, personalization, and objectification/subjectification of dissidents. It also problematizes being Indian in the global age for the organization, media, and (both urban and rural) citizens.
"Legal highs"--constituents, activity, toxicology, and herbal folklore.

(1978). “Legal Highs”–Constituents, Activity, Toxicology, and Herbal Folklore. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 1-31.
Synthesis of nanoscale arrays of coupled metal dots

We report on a synthetic strategy for fabrication of close-packed planar arrays of nanometer diameter metal clusters. The clusters are single fcc crystals of gold, each encapsulated by a monolayer of alkyl thiol molecules. They are electronically coupled by means of aryl dithiol molecules. This structure, which is of interest for developing nanoscale electronics, is created using molecular self-assembly methods. It should prove possible to tune the conductivity of such arrays from the metallic limit to the insulating limit by controlling the size of the gold clusters and the strength of the electronic coupling between them.
Bounded Influence and High Breakdown Point Testing Procedures in Linear Models

Abstract Three classes of testing procedures based on one-step high breakdown point bounded influence estimators, for testing subhypotheses in linear models are developed. These are drop-in-dispersion, Wald-type, and score-type tests. The asymptotic distributions of these testing procedures are obtained under the null hypothesis and under contiguous alternatives. Their stability properties are studied in terms of their influence functions and breakdown points. It is shown that the tests have bounded influence functions. For the Wald-type tests, the level and power breakdowns are determined by the breakdown point of the parameter estimate and the associated variance-covariance matrix. The drop-in-dispersion test exhibits high-level breakdown but not high power breakdown point. Similar behavior is exhibited by the score-type tests. But slight modifications can be made in the construction of the test statistics to ensure high breakdown points in terms of both level and power. An example is given to illustrat...
Industrializing nature, knowledge, and labour: The political economy of bioprospecting in Madagascar

This article provides a new way of analyzing and defining contemporary bioprospecting under emerging frameworks of neoliberal conservation. I document how bioprospecting has changed over time on the island-nation of Madagascar due to shifts in environmental governance. The most significant change includes efforts to speed up and industrialize the production of new drugs derived from nature. This has been accomplished through the switching over to rational collection strategies that employ new geo-referencing technologies, global networks of herbarium archives, and high-technology rapid screening methods. Results show that nature is re-constituted, traditional knowledge is rendered inefficient, and labour is mechanized within sites of production. This study demonstrates how changes in bioprospecting alter the way Malagasy scientists and local resource users participate in the practice and diminish their decision making power over natural resources. These developments, in turn, cause some Malagasy scientists, researchers and administrators to question their participation in bioprospecting projects and reveal that current natural resource policies of extraction, commercialization and benefit-sharing face many challenges.
Collective excitation of hydrogen‐bonded ferroelectrics

In a random phase approximation the collective excitations are calculated over the whole temperature range. Starting from a quite general interaction between protons, it turns out that beside the well-known dipole–dipole interactions a cooperative tunneling term is important, at least at low temperatures. The bandwidth of the excitations is discussed as a function of temperature. In the appendix formulas are given for the effect of an applied electric field.
Meeting JCAHO Medication Management Standards: Getting Everyone Involved:

This continuing feature highlights the experiences of various health care organizations regarding the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' (JCAHO) Medication Management St...
Introducing New Contraceptives in Rural China: A Field Experiment

The project on Introducing New Contraceptives in Rural China (INCRC) was carried out between 1991 and 1996 in four counties of rural north China. The experimental component involved the random assignment of a multipronged treatment to four townships in each county. Two townships per county served as controls. The scale of the project made it nearly impossible to maintain the integrity of the experimental model that was at the core of the project's design. In spite of the massive numbers of people in the catchment areas of the study (>100,000), the experimental design was of low power, with but eight controls on sixteen treatments; when random assignment is at higher levels of analysis, masses of individual observations only create greater precision in the estimation of higher-order observations. However, the study would not have been conducted, and valuable observations would not have been made, were it not conceived as an experiment.
The formation of water vapor bubbles in copper and their effect on intergranular creep fracture

Small, closely spaced water vapor bubbles are formed along grain boundaries in coarse grained copper by annealing first in air at 800/sup 0/C and then in hydrogen at 600/sup 0/C. Almost all of the cavities are formed at grain boundaries, primarily because oxygen strongly segregates to grain boundaries in copper. The average cavity diameter and planar spacing are found to be 0.8 and 3.2 ..mu..m, respectively. A study of the creep fracture properties of copper containing the above cavity microstructure indicates that intergranular cavity growth is controlled by the rate of self diffusion along the cavity surface in the manner first described by Chuang and Rice. The stress dependence of the rupture time is found to be of the form t/sub r/ approx. sigma/sup -3/. The temperature dependence for fracture is characterized by an activation energy of 92 kJ/mol, which is close to that for surface self diffusion. These properties, together with the absolute rupture times are in close agreement with the Chuang-Rice theory in the limit of surface diffusion control. The determination fo the controlling fracture mechanism is supported by metallographic and fractographic evidence.
Laboratory assessment of flexible thin-film membranes as a passive barrier to radon gas diffusion

Abstract This paper presents the experimental results of utilizing a flexible thin-film membrane as a passive barrier to radon gas diffusion. Nine commercially available membranes of various compositions and thicknesses were evaluated as retardant to radon gas diffusion. The radon gas concentration ratios across the thin-film membranes alone and in combination with an adjacent concrete sample (effective diffusion coefficient) were measured in a laboratory system with state-of-the-art instrumentation. An 8.89-cm diameter, 10.2-cm thick concrete sample of standard composition (w/c=0.5 and cement:sand:gravel=1:2:4) was used to simulate a basement and slab-on-grade foundation typical of Wisconsin. The radon gas transport characteristics of this concrete sample (porosity, permeability and diffusion) are documented. The experimentation has identified two superior flexible thin-film membranes that may be employed as effective barriers to radon gas diffusion. These include: Polyethylene Naphthalate (7.62×10 −5 m) and Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol, PETG (7.62×10 −5 and 1.27×10 −4 m) which had average diffusion coefficients, D , of 4.10×10 −14 and 1.66×10 −14 m 2 s −1 , respectively. Measurements of the effective membrane/concrete diffusion coefficient yielded a further average reduction in D of 98% for the Polyethylene Naphthalate and 96% for the PETG. Details of the experimental set-ups and procedures are described. The results of this investigation have shown that the application of an effective thin-film membrane adjacent to an intact concrete slab can significantly reduce the diffusion of radon gas entry. Therefore, the employment of a flexible thin-film membrane should be considered as a viable radon reduction technology method for residential new construction.
Fate and metabolism of o-toluidine in the marine bivalve molluscs Mytilus edulis and Crassostrea gigas

The in vivo fate and metabolism of a model aromatic amine (o-toluidine) were determined for mussels (Mytilus edulis) and oysters (Crassostrea gigas). o-Toluidine was found to be relatively nontoxic and was rapidly turned over in mollusc tissues. The biotransformation of o-toluidine and N-acetyl-o-toluidine was determined by the extraction and analysis of eliminated metabolites. The metabolism of [14C]o-toluidine in both bivalve species resulted in the formation of 2-nitrosotoluene, N-methyl-o-toluidine and N-formyl-o-toluidine. Small amounts of N-hydroxy-o-toluidine were detected in experiments with M. edulis. Mussels were found to be capable of N-deacetylation but oysters were not. The total extent of o-toluidine and N-acetyl-o-toluidine biotransformation in mussels from pristine waters was found to be greater than in mussels from contaminated waters. The formation of N-oxidized metabolites is toxicologically important because this pathway constitutes the route of activation for mutagenic and carcinogenic aromatic amines. The formation of an N-formyl metabolite by these bivalves is also interesting, as this detoxication pathway has not been previously reported for marine invertebrates. The lack of carbon oxidizing pathways in these bivalves may be of limited toxicological significance because of their ability to utilize other detoxification (N-conjugation) pathways.
Reversal of hepatic steatosis in rats by addition of glucagon to total parenteral nutrition (TPN).

Infusion of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) with excess carbohydrate calories leads to hepatic steatosis in rats that is associated with an elevated portal insulin/glucagon molar ratio. Previously we have shown that adding glucagon to TPN prevents hepatic steatosis in rats. In this study we attempted to reverse the steatosis by adding glucagon to TPN after 1 week of TPN alone. Adult rats (n = 28) received internal jugular catheters: Group 1 (n = 7), saline (3 cc/h) and chow ad libitum; Group 2 (n = 7), 25% dextrose base TPN solution for 1 week; Group 3 (n = 7), 25% dextrose base TPN for 2 weeks; Group 4 (n = 7), 25% dextrose base TPN for 1 week and then glucagon (15 μg/100 g/day) added to TPN for the second week. The infusion rate of TPN was 1.2 ml/100 g/hr (40% kcal > control). At 7 days (Group 2) and 14 days (Groups 1, 3, and 4) portal and peripheral venous blood levels were drawn for insulin and glucagon radioimmunoassay, blood glucose determination, and liver function tests; livers were removed for histology and lipid content determination. Blood glucose was equivalent among all groups. Liver function tests were within normal limits. Panlobular vacuolization of the hepatocytes was noted on histology in Groups 2 and 3. Hepatic lipid content was significantly elevated in Group 3. The portal insulin/glucagon molar ratio was increased because of excessive portal venous insulin in Groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.05 by ANOVA). In contrast, portal venous insulin and the insulin/glucagon molar ratio did not increase in Group 4 and hepatic lipid infiltration was absent when glucagon was added to the TPN solution after 1 week of TPN solution alone. The results suggest that the addition of glucagon to hypertonic dextrose TPN is not only protective in preventing hepatic steatosis, but may reverse steatosis, possibly by increasing hepatic lipid export.
The isolation of a major structural element of the sea urchin fertilization membrane.

Procedures for isolating the contents of the cortical granules from the ova of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, are reported. Dithiothreitol is used to remove the vitelline coat; the "demembranated" eggs are then subsequently activated with butyric acid. By means of these procedures, the hyaline protein and crystalline or paracrystalline material have been isolated from the cortical granules. The crystalline material consists of sheets of cylinders or tubules 150–200 A in diameter. This material is believed to be a major structural element of the fertilization membrane which, in the absence of the vitelline coat, does not form.
The nuclear-encoded human NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase NDUFA8 subunit: CDNA cloning, chromosomal localization, tissue distribution, and mutation detection in complex-I-deficient patients

We report the cloning of the cDNA sequence of the nuclear-encoded NDUFA8 subunit of NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase, the first mitochondrial respiratory chain complex. The NDUFA8 open reading frame (ORF) includes 519 bp and encodes 172 amino acids (Mr=20.1 kDa). The human cDNA sequence shows 86.2% identity with the bovine sequence, whereas the human NDUFA8 amino acid sequence is 87.8% similar to its bovine PGIV protein counterpart. Both human and bovine NDUFA8 contain a conserved cysteine motif. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of rodent/human somatic cell hybrids maps the human NDUFA8 gene to chromosome 9. A multiple tissue blot has revealed the highest NDUFA8 mRNA expression in human heart, skeletal muscle, and fetal heart. Mutation analysis of the NDUFA8 fibroblast cDNA in 20 patients with an isolated enzymatic complex I deficiency in cultured skin fibroblasts has revealed two polymorphisms, one within the ORF and the other in the 3’ untranslated region of the NDUFA8 cDNA sequence. The allelic frequency of both polymorphisms was similar in controls and complex-I-deficient patients.
The long QT syndrome family of cardiac ion channelopathies: a HuGE review.

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) refers to a group of “channelopathies”–disorders that affect cardiac ion channels. The “family” concept of syndromes has been applied to the multiple LQTS genotypes, LQT1-8, which exhibit converging mechanisms leading to QT prolongation and slowed ventricular repolarization. The 470+ allelic mutations induce loss-of-function in the passage of mainly K+ ions, and gain-of-function in the passage of Na+ ions through their respective ion channels. Resultant early after depolarizations can lead to a polymorphic form of ventricular tachycardia known as torsade de pointes, resulting in syncope, sudden cardiac death, or near-death (i.e., cardiac arrest aborted either spontaneously or with external defibrillation). LQTS may be either congenital or acquired. The genetic epidemiology of both forms can vary with subpopulation depending on the allele, but as a whole, LQTS appears in every corner of the globe. Many polymorphisms, such as HERG P448R and A915V in Asians, and SCN5A S1102Y in African Americans, show racial-ethnic specificity. At least nine genetic polymorphisms may enhance susceptibility to drug-induced arrhythmia (an “acquired” form of LQTS). Studies have generally demonstrated greater QT prolongation and more severe outcomes among adult females. Gene-gene interactions, e.g., between SCN5A Q1077del mutations and the SCN5A H558B polymorphism, have been shown to seriously reduce ion channel current. While phenotypic ascertainment remains a mainstay in the clinical setting, SSCP and DHPLC-aided DNA sequencing are a standard part of mutational investigation, and direct sequencing on a limited basis is now commercially available for patient diagnosis.
Seismic Site Response for Near-Fault Forward Directivity Ground Motions

Forward directivity effects in the near-fault region produce pulse-type motions that differ significantly from ordinary ground motions that occur at greater distances from the causative fault. Current code site factors are based on empirical observations and analyses involving less intense nonpulse ordinary ground motions. Nonlinear site response analyses with bidirectional shaking are performed using representative site profiles to quantify seismic site response effects for intense near-fault motions resulting from forward directivity. Input rock motions are represented with simplified velocity pulses that characterize the amplitude and period of forward directivity motions. Results indicate that site response affects both the amplitude and period of forward directivity pulses, and hence, local site conditions should be considered when evaluating seismic designs in the near-fault region. Stiff soil sites tend to amplify the peak ground velocity and increase the period of pulse-type motions, particularly,...
Role of nitric oxide in the response of capillary blood flow in the rat tail to body heating.

Abstract This study tested whether or not nitric oxide (NO) is involved in mediating the response of cutaneous capillary blood flow to an indirect heat stress. Blood cell velocity (BCV) in capillaries within the subepidermal plexus of the tail of anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats was measured by videomicroscopy while the animals' trunk was exposed to a 35° environment. Vascular conductance, estimated as the ratio of BCV to mean arterial pressure (MAP), increased by 259% in saline (placebo)-treated rats. Intravenous administration of 32 mg/Kg of the NO synthesis inhibitor N G -nitro-L-arginine (NNA) attenuated the response of vascular conductance (BCV/MAP) to body heating regardless of whether NNA was given before or during the heat stress procedure. In a subset of NNA-treated animals, infusion of the NO substrate L-arginine restored the BCV/MAP response to heat stress. In summary, the results of this study support the hypothesis that NO is involved in the response of cutaneous capillary blood flow to heat stress. Possible mechanisms mediating the local release of NO are discussed.
Contribution of GABAB receptor-mediated inhibition to the expression and termination of group I mGluR-induced ictaform bursts

In guinea pig hippocampal slices, the GABA(B) receptor antagonist CGP 35348 increased the length of picrotoxin-induced interictal bursts by only 22%, yet it increased the length of group I mGluR-induced ictaform bursts by 85%. These data suggest that (1) suppression of GABAergic inhibition is insufficient to account for group I mGluR agonist-induced ictaform bursts, and (2) although GABA(B) plays a minor role in terminating interictal bursts, it is a major contributor to the termination of mGluR-induced ictaform bursts.
ANALYSIS OF DIESEL ENGINE EXHAUST BY ULTRAVIOLET ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY

Ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy was used for the analysis of exhaust from internal combustion engines. This technique employs a single pass absorption cell with a high speed photodiode array detector. Differential absorption was used to quantify analytes and to correct for changes in cell transmission. Sulfur dioxide, ammonia, and nitric oxide were detected with little interference from other species. The results obtained using this method compared very favorably with the results obtained using infrared absorption and chemiluminescence techniques.
Body-Size Judgments and Eye Movements Associated with Looking at Body Regions in Obese and Normal Weight Subjects:

Eye movements of 20 male and 20 female obese and nonobese subjects were monitored during two body-size estimation tasks using a computer-based video technology. Analysis indicated no differences in body-size estimation between subjects using the staircase method. All subjects slightly underestimated body size; however, obese subjects were more sensitive than normal-weight subjects in detecting size distortion when a signal-detection task was employed. Eye-movement data indicated subjects looked longest at the chest, followed by waist, head, thighs, and calves/ feet, in both the staircase and the signal-detection methods. Women viewed the waist region longer than men. On a signal-detection task subjects were better at detecting body-size distortion when viewing the body from the back than from front or profile.
Limitations in interlimb transfer of visuomotor rotations.

It has been shown that learning visuomotor rotations with multiple target directions, compared with a single target direction, leads to greater generalization to untrained targets within the same limb. This implies that multiple direction learning results in a more complete internal model of the visuomotor transform. It has also been documented that the extent of transfer of movement information regarding visuomotor adaptations between the limbs is limited, relative to that between different configurations of the same limb. The present study thus investigated the origin of this restriction in interlimb transfer, by comparing the effects of eight-direction and one-direction training conditions with one arm on the subsequent performance with the other arm. It was hypothesized that if multiple direction learning leads to a more complete model of the novel visuomotor transform, interlimb transfer should be enhanced relative to that following single direction training. However, if no differences are observed between single and multiple direction training conditions, this would suggest that such learning is effector dependent. We also tested the hypothesis that interlimb transfer of visuomotor adaptation is not obligatory, by examining the effects of visual rotation direction (same or oppositely directed visuomotor rotations for the two arms). All subjects first adapted to a 30° rotation, either clockwise or counterclockwise, in the visual display during reaching movements. Following this, they adapted to a 30° rotation in either the same or opposing direction with the other arm. Results showed that initial training with the non-dominant arm facilitated subsequent performance with the dominant arm in terms of initial direction control, but only under the same rotation condition. Both single and eight direction training conditions led to substantial transfer in subsequent performance with the other arm, but multiple direction training was no more beneficial than single direction training. This finding suggests that the previously reported intralimb advantages of multiple direction learning are effector specific. Our findings are discussed in the context of hierarchical models of motor control to explain the intralimb advantages of multiple direction training.
The American Academy of Gold Foil Operators and Dental School Education.

You might say that I am a bit daft, since more schools no longer qualify to offer this award than in the past. This is because there are fewer schools that do not teach either direct or indirect gold. This year, 13 schools are presenting this award to students. That is less than 50% of the schools that did so 5 years ago. So why is this “good news?” It is good news because the glass is still half full!
The diametral tensile strengths of various composite resins

Abstract The products exhibiting the greatest tensile strength values were those systems which provided measuring devices enabling the dentist to more accurately control the amounts of material to be mixed. Statistical analysis supported this finding; the means of the powder/liquid and paste/liquid systems formed a group that was significantly different from the five paste/paste systems. This indicates that accurate measurement of components could represent one important factor in the ultimate strength of a composite resin. There was no apparent correlation between average density and mean diametral tensile strength for the seven systems compared in this study.
Augmentative effects of steroids and chorionic hormone on rat ovary.

SummaryThe preliminary administration of high dosages of stilbestrol, estrone, estradiol benzoate and estradiol dipropionate resulted in a marked increase in the ovarian weights of immature rats induced by a chorionic gonadotrophin. The control series were given sesame oil, cottonseed oil, pregnenolone, cholesterol or progesterone. The increase also did not occur if stilbestrol was administered after, instead of before, the chorionic hormone. Although progesterone did not produce increased ovarian weight when given before, a marked enhancement did result when it was administered after, the chorionic hormone.
Thermally evoked tail avoidance reflex: input-output relationships and their modulation.

Abstract Latency to onset and magnitude (angular displacement) of thermally evoked tail avoidance reflexes (TETAR) to graded thermal stimuli were measured in pentobarbital-treated and untreated rats. The latency to onset was inversely and the magnitude was directly proportional to the thermal stimulus intensity. Pentobarbital prolonged the latency to onset of the TETAR to low by not high stimulus intensities. Activation of (−)-nicotine sensitive brainstem hyperalgesic processes shortened the latency and increased the magnitude of the TETAR. The hyperalgesic actions of (−)-nicotine were most demonstrable at lower thermal stimulus intensities. These studies suggest that the TETAR is graded in intensity as the stimulus intensity is increased and that the response evoked by different intensities of stimulus probably involve common neurophysiologic mechanisms.
Interaction of the TaqIA Polymorphism and Poor Parental Socialization on Changes in Adolescent Marijuana Use

The current study uses data from the genetic subsample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) in waves I and II (ages of 11–19 and 12–20 respectively) to investigate the interaction of the TaqIA polymorphism and poor parental socialization on changes in adolescent marijuana use. Results reveal that TaqIA interacts with poor parental rule setting, but not quality of mother–child communication, to influence changes in marijuana use. Adolescents who are homozygous for the A1 and whose parents allow the youth to set their own curfew experience significant increases in marijuana use during adolescence. In contrast, youths with the A1/A1 genotype whose parents do not allow the adolescent to set their own curfew experience significant decreases in the frequency of marijuana use. These results suggest that direct parental social control may effectively suppress the genetic risk of the A1/A1 genotype on marijuana use in adolescence. The study's limitations are noted.
BRAF inhibitor unveils its potential against advanced melanoma.

Summary Unresponsiveness to therapy is a hallmark feature of advanced metastatic melanoma. However, the discovery of BRAF-activating mutations in approximately 50% of human melanomas has provided an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we discuss two recent publications focusing on the mutant BRAF kinase inhibitor PLX4032 that validate oncogene-targeted melanoma therapy.
Not what it looks like: a transient cardiomyopathy.

d s PRESENTATION Significant cardiac signs and symptoms developed in a young patient undergoing treatment for a severe infection. The 23-year-old man presented with a left groin abscess and a 5-day history of fever. Computed tomography (CT) showed findings consistent with fasciitis (Figure 1). He was initially treated with intravenous vancomycin, ampicillinsulbactam, and clindamycin. On hospital day 2, he developed severe chest pain, dyspnea, and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia.
Electrophoretic motion of spherical particles with a nonuniform charge distribution

Abstract The electrophoretic motion of a non-Brownian rigid sphere with an arbitrary particle charge distribution is studied. Utilizing the multipole expansion of the double-layer potential based on the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation, the electrophoretic motion is analyzed for a sphere with an arbitrary double-layer thickness. Only the monopole and quadrupole moments can contribute to the translational motion of the sphere, while only the dipole moment can result in rotational motion. Furthermore, the monopole moment contribution to the electrophoretic mobility exactly follows the classical expression of Henry. Simple relationships are derived for the multipole moments of the surface potential and the multipole moments of the particle charge distribution so that electrophoretic mobility data can be interpreted in terms of either set of moments.