cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aortic smooth muscle contains guanylate-cyclase-coupled 130-kDa atrial natriuretic factor receptor as predominant receptor form. Spontaneous switching to 60-kDa C-receptor upon cell culturing.

Photoaffinity labeling of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) receptor in the plasma membranes from bovine aortic smooth muscle tissue using Nα5-(4-azidobenzoyl)-ANF-(5-28)-peptide labeled with 125I yielded a 130-kDa band. However, when smooth muscle cells from the same bovine aorta were placed in culture, the 130-kDa receptor quickly disappeared and a 60-kDa band began to appear at high density. After three passages, essentially no 130-kDa band was found and only the 60-kDa band was strongly labeled. The primary structures of the two receptor forms were compared by radiochemical peptide mapping after endoproteinase Glu-C digestion of photoaffinity-labeled and detergent-solubilized 130-kDa receptor from the aorta or the 60-kDa receptor from the cultured cells. The peptide mapping showed courses of digestion that were significantly different from each other, suggesting difference in their primary structures. The basal guanylate cyclase activity in the aortic membranes was 1.0 pmol cGMP produced · min−1· mg protein−1 at 37°C using Mn2+-GTP as substrate. The corresponding activity in the membranes from the cultured cells was 20 fmol cGMP · min−1· mg protein−1· Binding studies gave a density of binding sites (Bmax) of 82 fmol/mg protein for the aortic membranes and 850 fmol/mg protein for the cultured cell membranes. These data suggest that the major form of ANF receptor in the cultured cells, namely the 60-kDa receptor, lacked guanylate cyclase activity. Northern blot analysis of poly(A)-RNA extracted form bovine thoracic aorta or adrenal cortex gave a single 3.6-kb band when 32P-labeled human A-type ANF receptor cDNA was used as a hybridization probe. However, no band was detected when C-receptor cDNA was used as a probe. In addition to the major 130-kDa band, extended SDS/PAGE revealed two additional faint bands with estimated molecular masses of 126 kDa and 135 kDa. Treatment with endoglycosidase H resulted in disappearance of the 126-kDa band and appearance of a 100-kDa band. The 130-kDa and 135-kDa bands were unchanged. Treatment by endoglycosidase F or glycopeptidase F reduced all three bands to a single 100-kDa band. These results suggest that the slight difference in mobility is due to different states of glycosylation. Competitive protection experiments showed binding specificity in the order of ANF > BNP ≫ CNP, AP-I for all three bands, indicating that the state of glycosylation had no effect on the ligand specificity. Photoaffinity labeling of bovine adrenal cortex membranes gave a single 130-kDa band. The same experiment with lung membranes yielded a 130-kDa band and a 60-kDa band at about 1: 1 ratio. The data presented in this report indicate that the vascular smooth muscle contains predominantly the 130-kDa guanylate-cyclase-coupled ANF receptor in vivo, and that C-receptors found in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells have been induced artificially from cell culturing.
Quantitative Microinjection of Oocytes, Eggs, and Embryos

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a method for microinjection of oocytes, eggs, and embryos with quantitative techniques initially used by Pierre de Fonbrune in the 1930s to inject amoeba. This chapter describes the version found in current laboratories. Microinjection is used to introduce precisely defined amounts of test substances into the cytoplasm without altering other components within the cell. The sources of the equipment and supplies needed for these microinjection methods are discussed in the chapter. The method applied for the preparation of the microinjection slide and for injecting solution into the cytoplasm of the cell is described. The microinjection slide is used as a culture and observation chamber until the embryos reach a stage where they swim away. For culturing, the slide is kept in a moist environment. The microinjection apparatus are set up in a quiet location, out of the way of traffic, vibration, and distractions.
Use of the DiscoveRx Hithunter cAMPII Assay for Direct Measurement of cAMP in Gs and Gi GPCRs

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are druggable targets of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Generally, functional cell-based assays can be employed to detect agonists (inverse, partial, and full) in addition to allosteric and classical orthosteric antagonists. Several different homogenous assay systems can be used to monitor the signaling cascades of GPCRs. This chapter details the authors' collective experience of using the DiscoverX Hit Hunter cAMPII kit from GE Healthcare/DiscoverX Corporation for the direct quantification of cAMP levels in Gs and Gi GPCRs.
Family Policy Paradoxes: Gender Equality and Labour Market Regulation in Sweden, 1930–2010 by Åsa Lundqvist

Sweden is well-known for its wide array of government policies and programs that promote the twin goals of family well-being and gender equality. Today, the goals for gender equality are an equal d...
Learning driven by the concepts structure

Initially, concepts are described in terms of values of attributes. These descriptions are in a probabilistic DNF form. Assuming a growing language, concepts already taught can be used in describing new concepts. The order of teaching the concepts is the key to producing their optimal descriptions. By "optimal" we mean the minimum number of occurences of constants in descriptions. The problem of finding the minimal description for each concept is NP-complete, hence our proposed algorithm has to be heuristic. Our strategy is based on clustering terms in concept descriptions in order to replace them by shorter higher level terms. Concepts are taught with respect to the increasing order of disjuncts in their descriptions. The outcome of the algorithm are optimized concepts descriptions in terms of a growing language, and a concept hierarchy that can be used for further learning and as a tool for generalization/specialization/similarity based reasoning.
Actinide Recovery Experiments with Bench-Scale Liquid Cadmium Cathode in Real Fission Product-Laden Molten Salt

This article summarizes the observations and analytical results from a series of bench- scale liquid cadmium cathode experiments that recovered transuranic elements together with uranium from a molten electrolyte laden with real fission products. Variable parameters such as the ratio of Pu3+/U3+ in the electrolyte, liquid cadmium cathode voltage, and feed materials were tested in the LCC experiments. Actinide recovery efficiency and Pu/U ratio in the liquid cadmium cathode product under variable conditions are reported in the article. Separation factors for actinides and rare earth elements in the salt/cadmium system are also presented.
Rate of rise of intrapulmonary CO2 drives breathing frequency in garter snakes.

Garter snakes increase ventilation in response to elevated venous PCO2 without a concomitant rise in arterial PCO2 (Furilla et al. Respir. Physiol. 83: 47–60, 1991). Elevating venous PCO2 will incr...
ZnO Transparent Thin-Film Transistor Device Physics

ZnO transparent thin-film transistors (TTFTs) are a recent and important development in the emerging field of transparent electronics. The objective of this contribution is to elucidate TTFT device physics issues related to channel mobility and output conductance.
Respiratory Mechanics and Gas Exchange

Knowledge of respiratory mechanics and pulmonary gas transport is essential for understanding both pulmonary function testing and mechanical ventilation. Although sophisticated models of solid and fluid mechanics have been applied to respiration, simple physical principles suffice for clinical use. This article addresses those concepts of respiratory system structure, static and dynamic mechanical behavior, and gas transport essential for those who would either work in a pulmonary function laboratory or deal with mechanical ventilators. Briefly, the normal lung consists of subunits which are relatively homogeneous both in mechanical properties and in the relative distribution of the ratio of air flow to blood flow. Diseases can result in inhomogeneity, and this affects both tests measuring respiratory mechanics and the expected gas transport. A knowledge of how and why this occurs is essential for anyone concerned with respiration. Keywords: respiratory mechanics; respiratory compliance; airway resistance; oxygen transport; carbon dioxide elimination; alveolar ventilation; ventilation/perfusion matching; shunt; lung volumes and capacities; pulmonary function testing
Search for Massive Particles in the Cosmic Radiation at Sea Level

We have found no evidence for the existence of long-lived, massive particles in the cosmic radiation at sea leavel. The experimental limit for masses above 2 BeV/${\mathit{c}}^{2}$ is 2.2 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ particles ${({\mathrm{cm}}^{2}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{r}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{c})}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
Heterogeneous crosslinking of waterborne two-component polyurethanes (WB 2K-PUR); stratification processes and the role of water

Abstract Stoichiometric imbalance and crosslinking conditions during film formation of waterborne two-component polyurethanes (WB 2K-PUR) play a significant role in the development of material properties. Changing isocyanate-to-hydroxyl (NCO:OH) ratios from 1.0 to 2.2 over a range of humidities significantly affects film morphology, and these studies show that while films with higher NCO:OH exhibit increased Tg and surface roughness when crosslinked at high RH, a Tg decrease is observed at elevated RH. Higher RH conditions not only result in increased urea and decreased urethane content, but also facilitate enrichment of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) functionality near the film–air (F–A) interface due to stratification of PEG-modified polyisocyanate crosslinkers. Reaction-induced stratification also occurs during film formation resulting in the Tg differences between F–A and F–S interfaces: namely Tg,F–A>Tg,F–S at 32 and 52%RH, whereas Tg,F–A≤Tg,F–S at 75%RH, as determined by interfacial micro thermal analysis (μTA). This behavior is attributed to concentration gradients of water during film formation and their corresponding effects on isocyanate hydrolysis reactions in conjunction with PEG stratification near the F–A interface. Furthermore, excessive stoichiometric NCO:OH imbalance results in the formation of microscopic ‘hills’ and ‘valleys’ on the F–A surface having Tg differences of 6 °C. These phenomenological processes are incorporated into a model describing WB 2K-PUR film formation as a function of crosslinking conditions and resulting morphological features.
Sleep and immune function: glial contributions and consequences of aging.

The reciprocal interactions between sleep and immune function are well-studied. Insufficient sleep induces innate immune responses as evidenced by increased expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in the brain and periphery. Conversely, immune challenges upregulate immunomodulator expression, which alters central nervous system-mediated processes and behaviors, including sleep. Recent studies indicate that glial cells, namely microglia and astrocytes, are active contributors to sleep and immune system interactions. Evidence suggests glial regulation of these interactions is mediated, in part, by adenosine and adenosine 5′-triphosphate actions at purinergic type 1 and type 2 receptors. Furthermore, microglia and astrocytes may modulate declines in sleep–wake behavior and immunity observed in aging.
Severe acute kidney injury according to the RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss, end stage) criteria affects mortality in lung transplantation.

Background The RIFLE criteria (risk, injury, failure, loss, end stage) are new consensus definitions for acute kidney injury (AKI) associated with increased mortality; however, they have not been applied in lung transplantation (LTx). Using the RIFLE criteria, we examined the effect of AKI on outcomes and cost in LTx. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all LTx patients at our institution since the lung allocation score (LAS) system was initiated (May 2005–August 2010). Using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula, we assigned appropriate RIFLE class (R, I, F) comparing baseline creatinine to peak levels in the first 7 days after LTx. Generalized linear models assessed the effect of AKI on in-hospital and 1-year mortality. Hospital charges were used to examine the financial effect of AKI. Results During the study, 106 LTx were performed. Excluding patients bridged to LTx with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, 84 (86%) lived 1 year. Median LAS was 37.1 (interquartile range, 34.1–45.2). RIFLE status was I or F in 39 (36.7%), and 14 (13.2%) required renal replacement therapy (RRT). After adjusting for LAS, RIFLE-F had an increased relative rate (RR) of in-hospital mortality (RR, 4.76, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65–13.7, p = 0.004) and 1-year mortality (RR, 3.17, 95% CI 1.55–6.49, p = 0.002). RIFLE-R and I were not associated with higher in-hospital or 1-year mortality. Post-operative RRT was associated with increased in-hospital (RR, 28.2; 95% CI, 6.18–128.1; p < 0.001) and 1-year mortality (RR, 4.97; 95% CI, 1.54–16.0; p < 0.001). AKI patients had higher median hospital charges of $168,146 vs $143,551 for no AKI (p = 0.02). Conclusions This study shows high rates of AKI using the new RIFLE criteria in LTx. RIFLE-F is associated with higher in-hospital and 1-year mortality. Less severe degrees of AKI are not associated with increased mortality. The financial burden associated with AKI is significant.
Susceptibility Tensor Components for Polycrystalline Ferromagnetic Materials

Using the Herring-Kittel macroscopic magnon theory, the Kubo-Tomita resonance theory, and the Bogoliubov-Tyablikov equations of motion for the Green's functions of the magnon operators, explicit expressions for the components of the dynamic magnetic-susceptibility tensor are derived. As an example, the uniform precession mode (magnon wave vector $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}=0$) of a flat polycrystalline ferromagnetic plate is examined in two geometries: the static magnetic field parallel and perpendicular to the plate's surface.
A handheld wireless device for diffuse optical spectroscopic assessment of infantile hemangiomas

Infantile hemangiomas (IH) are common vascular growths that occur in 5-10% of neonates and have the potential to cause disfiguring and even life-threatening complications. With no objective tool to monitor IH, a handheld wireless device (HWD) that uses diffuse optical spectroscopy has been developed for use in assessment of IH by measurements in absolute oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration as well as scattering in tissue. Reconstructions of these variables can be computed using a multispectral evolution algorithm. We validated the new system by experimental studies using phantom experiments and a clinical study is under way to assess the utility of DOI for IH.
Re-framing the urban blight problem with trans-disciplinary insights from ecological economics

Abstract Similar to circumstances in the field of economics, market fundamentalism dominates urban blight policy spaces in the U.S. despite criticisms of the paradigm. Unlike the unified alternative that ecological economics (EE) provides to conventional economic theory, however, disagreement over the meaning of “blight” has prevented a commonly held pre-analytic vision and policy agenda from forming in critical blight scholarship. This paper asserts that “applied EE” offers a framework in which to develop such a vision, and to strengthen the inchoate critical blight policy stream. We draw on the EE theory and concepts to argue that blight can be understood as a stock that accumulates in an urban system as a result of underinvestment into real property. Our conceptualization of the problem has several important implications for public policy. A brief illustration compares the relative efficacy of one city's characteristically neoliberal blight policies with more “EE-consistent” policies in a second city to show that the latter might in fact outperform the former.
Cor triatriatum: A multimodality imaging approach

A 60-year-old man presented with congestive heart failure and was diagnosed with cor triatriatum after echocardiography. The various imaging modalities used for the definitive diagnosis of this condition are reviewed.
Analytical and experimental study of flow through an axial turbine stage with a nonuniform inlet radial temperature profile

Results are presented for a typical nonuniform inlet radial temperature profile through an advanced single-stage axial turbine and compared with the results obtained for a uniform profile. Gas temperature rises of 40 K to 95 K are predicted at the hub and tip corners at the trailing edges of the pressure surfaces in both the stator and rotor due to convection of hot fluid from the mean by the secondary flow. The inlet temperature profile is shown to be mixed out at the rotor exit survey plane (2.3 axial chords downstream of the rotor trailing edge) in both the analysis and the experiment. The experimental rotor exit angle profile for the nonuniform inlet temperature profile indicates underturning at the tip caused by increased clearance. Severe underturning also occurs at the mean, both with and without the nonuniform inlet temperature profile. The inviscid rotational flow code used in the analysis fails to predict the underturning at the mean, which may be caused by viscous effects.
Theory of a magnetic cooling system at very low temperatures

The totally anisotropic magnetic cooling compound, hydrated cerium magnesium nitrate, CMN, is treated at very low entropy values with the formalism of molecular-field theory. The magnetic phase-boundary line separating the ordered antiferromagnetic type region from the disordered paramagnetic region is well accounted for by the theory when compared with recent data of the Berkeley Low-Temperature Experimental Group. The ordered region refers to the canted antiferromagnetic or transverse magnetic field configuration of the Ce ions in CMN single crystals. One of the main experimental results refers to the temperature-scale functions obtained indirectly through largely arbitrary functions fitted to enthalpy-entropy data, treating simultaneously and indiscriminately both the ordered antiferromagnetic and disordered paramagnetic regions, with the data in the latter outweighing those in the former. The theoretical enthalpy-entropy function in the ordered range is in fair agreement with the corresponding data in absence of magnetic field with these data exceeding the calculated enthalpies. This may refer to the possible inclusion in the data of excitations in excess of the magnetic excitations alone accounted for by the theory. The entropy derivatives of the empirically fitted multi-parameter enthalpy-entropy functions define the indirectly derived temperature scales of strictly numerical significance at the very low temperatures. The molecular-field-theoretical entropy-temperature function, while approximate, is conceptually well grounded and may be preferable to, or at least competitive with, the indirectly derived Berkeley CMN temperature scales. There is fair agreement between them at the larger entropies approaching the zero magnetic-field critical transition entropy.
Nonexistence of the dipole-driving mechanism in the dc ferromagnetic Hall effect

We show that the so-called "dipole-driving" mechanism for the dc ferromagnetic Hall current is nonexistent.
The Accuracy of Instructor Perceptions of Student Interest and Learning: An Exploratory Study

Instructors adjust pace, methods, and other aspects of instruction based on their perceptions of student interest and learning. The current study is an exploratory investigation of the congruence between faculty and student perceptions within a single class session. The study examined the degree to which faculty could predict each student’s self-reported interest, perceived learning and actual learning. Overall, instructors are more accurate in reading their students’ level of interest than their perceived or actual learning. There is, however, great inconsistency between faculty in their ability to accurately predict interest and learning. Personal characteristics of the instructor may significantly impact predictive accuracy. Results suggest that faculty should assess the accuracy of their own student perceptions in the classroom. The task of assessing instructors’ effectiveness in the classroom is often equated with the administration of student evaluations at the end of the semester. The primacy of student evaluations as a source of feedback regarding instructor effectiveness and student engagement has been documented by Berk (2005). However, student feedback provided by end-of-course evaluations does not assist the instructor in adapting classroom activities in real time, based upon the immediate needs of the students. These classroom adjustments in pace and learning activities are made by instructors based on their in-class perceptions of students’ learning and interest. Though there exists a significant body of literature concerning end-of-course evaluations, there are virtually no studies of instructor perceptions of student interest and learning during instruction. The current research was undertaken as an exploratory study regarding instructor ability to accurately predict student interest and learning in a classroom setting.
Bureaucracies, bureaucrats and information technology

Abstract Bureaucracy, as rationalized administration, is implemented in the form of explicit rules and procedures, executed by (human) bureaucrats. However, emerging developments in information technology, especially artificial intelligence, make the automation of these functions increasingly feasible and economically attractive. It is argued that theories of bureaucracy need to explicitly recognize the role, significance and potential limitations of information technology as an important component of organizational rationalization.
A tether sling for lunar and interplanetary exploration

Abstract In this paper, we analyze the concept of a tether sling for lunar and planetary missions. By continuous application of torque (generated by a solar-powered electric motor), the spacecraft, attached to the end of the tether, achieves the required injection velocity. Since no propulsive maneuver is required, the tether supplies a virtually inexhaustible capacity to catapult deep space probes. It is shown that all of the engineering difficulties associated with this problem are surmountable and often have simple and elegant solutions. The tether must be tapered according to a simple formula, which allows the tether to support its own mass as well as the probe's. Although chemical propulsion provides a much better mass ratio for high energy transfer, the great advantage of the tether is its simplicity and reusability.
Generation of internal tides in an ocean of finite depth: analytical and numerical calculations

Mixing in the abyssal ocean is known to play an important role in controlling the large-scale ocean circulation. In the search for sources of mechanical energy for mixing, internal tides generated by the interaction of the barotropic tide with bottom topography (mode conversion) have been implicated. However, estimates of the rate at which barotropic tidal energy is converted into the internal wave field are quite uncertain. Here, I present analytical and numerical calculations of internal tide generation in a fluid layer of finite depth to better understand the energetics of the wave generation process. Previous theoretical models of wave generation have assumed an upper radiation boundary condition (BC) appropriate for an ocean of infinite depth. But recent observations of internal tides at significant distances from their generation region indicate that this BC is not always valid, and that reflection from the upper surface is important. I show that the presence of an upper free-surface reduces the rate at which energy is fed into the internal wave field (the power) and thus the energy available for mixing. This reduction increases with the horizontal extent of the topography (relative to the wavelength of a mode-1 internal wave). Fully nonhydrostatic, nonlinear numerical calculations are used to both test the theory and to explore more realistic parameters for which linear theories are formally invalid. As bottom topography becomes steeper, linear theory underestimates mode conversion by an increasing amount, although even at critical slope the difference is quite small (O(20%)). An important finding of this study is that for certain topographic shapes the power input into the wave field can saturate as the topography becomes supercritical. A comparison of model results with a recent finite amplitude theory suggests that even though finite depth effects may be negligible in the linear regime, they may become important when the topography is of finite amplitude. The results of process studies such as this should lead to improved estimates of mode conversion in the ocean.
Contemporary Update on the Treatment of Dog Bite: Injuries to the Oral and Maxillofacial Region

Purpose The purpose of the present retrospective record review was to evaluate the patient demographics, treatment rendered, and long-term outcomes of patients injured in dog bite attacks to the oral and maxillofacial region. Materials and Methods In the present study, a retrospective medical record review was conducted of patients treated by the oral and maxillofacial surgery department at the University of Tennessee Medical Center who had presented with injuries to the head, neck, and face region from dog bite attacks from February 1, 2006 to October 31, 2013. Each patient included had to have had at least 1 follow-up visit. The data obtained from the patients' medical records included patient demographics, event details, injuries sustained, and treatment rendered and analyzed. Results The medical records from 20 patients were included and reviewed. More than one half (60%) of the patients were younger than 12 years old. The dog was owned by the patient or a relative in 58% of the cases. The children sustained injuries requiring hospital admission and repair in an operating room setting more often than did the adults. Pit bulls were more frequently associated with injuries than other breeds (9 of 20). Conclusions Our patients required a total of 28 hospital inpatient days, 29 total procedures, and follow-up treatment for up to 2 years. Our review has shown the complexity of soft tissue injury treatment and the significant financial impact associated with dog bite injuries owing to the multiple hospital admissions, surgical revisions, and lengthy follow-up period required.
Pursuing failure: the distribution of program failures in a profile space

Observation-based testing calls for analyzing profiles of executions induced by potential test cases, in order to select a subset of executions to be checked for conformance to requirements. A family of techniques for selecting such a subset is evaluated experimentally. These techniques employ automatic cluster analysis to partition executions, and they use various sampling techniques to select executions from clusters. The experimental results support the hypothesis that with appropriate profiling, failures often have unusual profiles that are revealed by cluster analysis. The results also suggest that failures often form small clusters or chains in sparsely-populated areas of the profile space. A form of adaptive sampling called failure-pursuit sampling is proposed for revealing failures in such regions, and this sampling method is evaluated experimentally. The results suggest that failure-pursuit sampling is effective.
Interrelationships between increased vascular permeability and acute neuronal damage following temperature-controlled brain ischemia in rats.

This study examined regional patterns of increased vascular permeability and morphological indicators of acute neuronal injury following normothermic and mildly hyperthermic forebrain ischemia. Rats underwent 20 min of four-vessel occlusion during which intraischemic brain temperature was maintained at either 37°C or 39°C. At 45-min recirculation, the blood-brain barrier (BBB)-tracer horseradish peroxidase was injected and rats were perfusion-fixed at 1-h recirculation for light and electron microscopic analysis. In normothermic and hyperthermic rats, sites of increased vascular permeability were spatially correlated with dark shrunken type IV neurons. Neuronal alterations within cortical, hippocampal, striatal, and thalamic areas ranged from mild cytoplasmic vacuolation and mitochondrial swelling to severe cytoplasmic shrinkage and increased density. Although dark shrunken neurons were routinely associated with permeable blood vessels in both temperature groups, dark neurons were not detected in regions demonstrating an intact BBB. Following normothermic brain ischemia, the appearance of dark shrunken neurons was restricted to the cerebral cortex and striatum. In both temperature groups, luminal leukocytes were detected within otherwise well-perfused forebrain microvascular beds. Our studies suggest a close interrelationship between postischemic microvascular abnormalities, including increased vascular permeability, and morphological indicators of acute neuronal injury following brain ischemia.
Superovulation in immature and mature Chinese hamsters

Mature female Chinese hamsters ovulate an average of 8.8 +/- 1.0 (mean +/- SD) eggs per female in each estrous cycle. Superovulation can be induced in both immature and mature females by subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injections of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and either human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or pituitary luteinizing hormone (PLH). The best superovulation in immature females was induced by the administration of 15 IU of PMSG followed 72 hr later by injection of 15 IU of hCG (about 25 eggs per female) or 0.2 mg (200 IU) PLH (about 46 eggs per female). Ovulation started about 13-15 hr after administration of hCG (or PLH) and was completed during the next 5-6 hr. Superovulation in mature females could be induced by injecting PMSG any day of the estrous cycle, but the best superovulation (about 39 eggs per female) was induced by injecting 15 IU of PMSG on day 1 (day of ovulation) followed by the injection of 0.4 mg of PLH 72 hr later. When immature females treated with the best superovulatory protocol were mated on the evening of PLH injection, only 5% of the eggs were found fertilized 50 hr after PLH administration. On the other hand, about 60% of the eggs were found fertilized in mature females mated following treatment with the best superovulatory protocol. The majority (83-85%) of superovulated eggs obtained from both immature and mature females were normally fertilized in vitro.
β1-Integrin is required for kidney collecting duct morphogenesis and maintenance of renal function

Deletion of integrin-β1 (Itgb1) in the kidney collecting system led to progressive renal dysfunction and polyuria. The defect in the concentrating ability of the kidney was concomitant with decreas...
Neuroendocrine factors affecting the steady-state levels of early trypsin mRNA in Aedes aegypti

Abstract Transcription of the early trypsin gene occurs in the midgut after adult emergence under control of juvenile hormone (JH). We tested the hypothesis that factors that affect the steady-state levels of early trypsin mRNA do so by influencing the levels of JH. We investigated the effect of ingesting different meals on early trypsin mRNA levels as well as on JH levels. We also studied how early trypsin mRNA levels changed when the midgut was isolated from different components of the neuroendocrine system by abdominal ligation and decapitation. Early trypsin transcripts levels are high in unfed females; feeding different meals had three distinct effects on the changes of steady-state levels of early trypsin mRNA: (1) blood and protein meals caused the level to decrease drastically and remained low for at least 24 h; (2) amino acid meals caused a transient decrease in the mRNA level, but it returned to high levels after 12–18 h; and (3) sugar, latex and saline meals had no effect on the early trypsin mRNA steady-state levels. The changes in JH levels after ingesting blood and amino acid meals show profiles resembling the changes in early trypsin mRNA levels for the corresponding meal. Decapitation at 1, 2 and 3 days after emergence does not affect the steady-state levels of early trypsin in unfed females. In contrast, 24 h after feeding, transcript levels were significantly higher in decapitated females when compared with non-decapitated fed females. We propose that the changes in the steady-state levels of early trypsin mRNA observed after the ingestion of different meals, ligations and decapitations are generated by changes in the levels of juvenile hormone.
The δ Subunit of Type 6 Phosphodiesterase Reduces Light-induced cGMP Hydrolysis in Rod Outer Segments

The delta subunit of the rod photoreceptor PDE has previously been shown to copurify with the soluble form of the enzyme and to solubilize the membrane-bound form (). To determine the physiological effect of the delta subunit on the light response of bovine rod outer segments, we measured the real time accumulation of the products of cGMP hydrolysis in a preparation of permeablized rod outer segments. The addition of delta subunit GST fusion protein (delta-GST) to this preparation caused a reduction in the maximal rate of cGMP hydrolysis in response to light. The maximal reduction of the light response was about 80%, and the half-maximal effect occurred at 385 nm delta subunit. Several experiments suggest that this effect was not due to the effects of delta-GST on transducin or rhodopsin kinase. Immunoblots demonstrated that exogenous delta-GST solubilized the majority of the PDE in ROS but did not affect the solubility of transducin. Therefore, changes in the solubility of transducin cannot account for the effects of delta-GST in the pH assay. The reduction in cGMP hydrolysis was independent of ATP, which indicates that it was not due to effects of delta-GST on rhodopsin kinase. In addition to the effect on cGMP hydrolysis, the delta-GST fusion protein slowed the turn-off of the system. This is probably due, at least in part, to an observed reduction in the GTPase rate of transducin in the presence of delta-GST. These results demonstrate that delta-GST can modify the activity of the phototransduction cascade in preparations of broken rod outer segments, probably due to a functional uncoupling of the transducin to PDE step of the signal transduction cascade and suggest that the delta subunit may play a similar role in the intact outer segment.
De novo synthesis of 4'-ethoxy nucleoside analogues.

Butenolides 5a and 13 were used as optically active templates in the de novo synthesis of 4‘-disubstituted nucleoside analogues. The butenolides were reduced and acylated in situ to give acetates 10 and 14. Vorbruggen coupling gave the protected nucleoside analogues 11 and 15. Reduction of 11 gave 4‘-ethoxy-2‘,3‘-dideoxythymidine (6) and deprotection of 15 gave 4‘-ethoxy-2‘,3‘-dideoxydidehydrothymidine (7). The cis-dihydroxylation of a variety of butenolides occurred with the major product formed from oxidation of the β-face.
Peach rootstock differences in ring nematode tolerance related to effects on tree dry weight, carbohydrate and prunasin contents

Ring nematode (Criconemella xenoplax; Cx) predisposes peach trees to the disease peach tree short life. Peach genotypes vary widely in survival rates when they are infested with Cx, but all are suitable hosts to Cx. Differences among peach genotypes in carbohydrate depletion and release of cyanide from prunasin degradation have been correlated with sensitivity to Cx, but cause and effect relations are not known. We compared dry weight, nonstructural carbohydrates (CHO) and prunasin in a highly sensitive (Nemaguard) and a highly tolerant (BY520-9) peach rootstock inoculated with 0 or 10 Cx (ml soil) -1 in a pot study. Plant responses to the four treatment combinations were evaluated after 11 months of incubation with and without Cx. Cx parasitism reduced dry weight and concentrations of starch and soluble carbohydrates of all organs in Nemaguard, but not in those of BY520-9. Prunasin content was not affected by Cx in either rootstock. Increased partitioning of dry weight and carbohydrate fractions from shoots to roots and shifts in proportional composition of individual sugars occurred in Nemaguard but not in BY520-9. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Nemaguard is more sensitive to Cx than is BY520-9 because it allows more of its CHO reserves to be partitioned from shoot to root in response to Cx parasitism. When parasitism is severe, reduced levels of CHO in the aboveground portion of the tree could result in tree injury or death at levels of environmental and biological stresses that do not injure healthy trees
The blood biochemistry of overwintering diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin)

Abstract Estuarine ectothermic vertebrates, such as diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin, Schwartz 1955), inhabit a dynamic environment, and many aspects of their biology reflect their ability to withstand and respond to these environmental challenges. The physiological adjustments necessary to maintain water and salt balance and the metabolic adjustments that accompany seasonal changes in activity and behavior have not been well-characterized for overwintering terrapins under field conditions. To investigate terrapin osmotic and metabolic physiology during winter when activity levels are depressed, we obtained repeat blood samples from 10 radio-tagged female terrapins maintained in a semi-natural, open-air salt marsh enclosure in southeastern North Carolina, USA. From November 2011 to April 2012, we measured monthly plasma osmolality, plasma concentrations of inorganic osmolytes (Na+, K+, Cl−), and protein catabolic indices (urea and uric acid), as well as monthly plasma concentrations of total Ca2 +, lactate, and glucose as metabolic indices. We used linear mixed models to determine the best predictors of blood chemistry, where time (i.e., day) and environmental variables were fixed factors and individual terrapins were random factors. Day was a poor predictor of blood chemistry concentrations, indicating that the progression of winter did not elicit corresponding changes in biochemical indices as documented in other semi-aquatic turtles exposed to more severe winter and/or laboratory conditions. Carapace temperature was the most common predictor of blood chemistry concentrations in all models, underscoring its relative influence on physiology. In contrast to previous laboratory-based studies on the overwinter physiology of terrapins, our study demonstrates that terrapins in their natural environment are able to maintain biochemical homeostasis throughout winter. The use of evasive behavioral strategies may be an important factor for terrapins to reduce the passive exchange of water and salts with the estuarine environment.
Regulation of pellet egestion: The influence of feeding time and soundproof conditions on meal to pellet intervals of red-tailed hawks

Abstract 1. 1. Feeding time was found to be the most important variable affecting time of egestion and meal to pellet interval (MPI) in red-tailed hawks. Hawks fed 2 hr after lights-on egested a pellet within 45 min of lights-on the next day. When fed 6 and 10 hr after lights-on they did not egest in response to dawn the next day, but their MPIs were significantly shorter. 2. 2. Hawks took significantly longer to digest meals when they were housed in a soundproof room, suggesting that light is not the only environmental cue affecting MPI. 3. 3. In some experiments individual birds had significantly different MPI's. 4. 4. Meal size did not significantly influence MPI. 5. 5. Red-tailed hawks egested one pellet per meal for > 97% of the feedings.
Van der Waals heterostructures: Stacked 2D materials shed light.

A powerful strategy to leverage and combine the optoelectronic characteristics of different 2D materials is to stack them into vertical van der Waals heterostructures. This approach is now used to realize efficient light-emitting devices.
The carotid rete and artiodactyl success

Since the Eocene, the diversity of artiodactyls has increased while that of perissodactyls has decreased. Reasons given for this contrasting pattern are that the evolution of a ruminant digestive tract and improved locomotion in artiodactyls were adaptively advantageous in the highly seasonal post-Eocene climate. We suggest that evolution of a carotid rete, a structure highly developed in artiodactyls but absent in perissodactyls, was at least as important. The rete confers an ability to regulate brain temperature independently of body temperature. The net effect is that in hot ambient conditions artiodactyls are able to conserve energy and water, and in cold ambient conditions they are able to conserve body temperature. In perissodactyls, brain and body temperature change in parallel and thermoregulation requires abundant food and water to warm/cool the body. Consequently, perissodactyls occupy habitats of low seasonality and rich in food and water, such as tropical forests. Conversely, the increased thermoregulatory flexibility of artiodactyls has facilitated invasion of new adaptive zones ranging from the Arctic Circle to deserts and tropical savannahs.
Limitations of mild traumatic brain injury meta-analyses

Primary objective: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) meta-analyses are sometimes cited as evidence that by 3 months post-injury the clinical effects are insignificant. In contrast to these conclusions are findings that long-term mTBI outcome can vary depending on (1) the mechanism of the injury, (2) which diagnostic criteria are employed, (3) which assessment tools utilized and (4) whether symptomatic groups are considered separately.Research design: The present study was designed to clarify opposing conclusions in the mTBI literature by re-analysing meta-analytic datasets.Methods and procedures: The most frequently cited mTBI meta-analysis is by Binder, Rohling and Larrabee in 1997; this study was updated in 2005 by Frencham, Fox and Maybery. Data combined in these studies were re-categorized according to the four variables above; associated effect sizes and heterogeneity statistics were calculated.Main outcomes and results: Considerable qualitative and statistical heterogeneity was identified within th...
Higher-Order Spectral Analysis of Limit Cycle Oscillations of Fighter Aircraft

DOI: 10.2514/1.34841 Higher-order spectral analysis is implemented to identify quadratic and cubic nonlinear aeroelastic phenomena associated with limit cycle oscillations encountered in a specific F-16 flight-test maneuver that consists of a straight and level flight followed by a windup turn at a Mach number near 0.95 and an altitude of 10,000 ft. The results show that nonlinear manifestations of the limit cycle oscillations are most prominent at the forward locations on the wingtip and underwing launchers. Physical explanations of identified nonlinearities and relations to vibration modes of the different components are presented.
The analysis of thermal data

Abstract The thermal analysis of simple endothermic solid state decomposition reactions at either fixed or programmed furnace temperatures can yield precisely analyzable data. Rigid experimental controls are dictated by mathematical expressions that are derived from a basic heterogeneous reaction theory. At a fixed furnace temperature, solid state kinetics type runs give proportionate values of reaction heat, reaction temperature, and thermal transfer and conductivity. At a linear programmed furnace temperature, TGA type runs give reaction heat and thermal coefficient values, while DTA—DSC type runs give reaction heat and temperature. These thermodynamic and physical parameters alone control the decomposition. By uniform agreement, the experimental conditions may be relaxed to give universally reproducible results. The exact conditions are specified for gravimetric and thermal calorimetry, and the required relaxation agreements stated for precisely reproducible results. Illustrations of analyzable gravimetric calorimetry are given for decompositions of CaCO3 and BaCl2·H2O.
Growth stimulation of human melanocytes: identification and characterization of melanoma-derived melanocyte growth factor (M-McGF)

Abstract The melanocyte growth stimulating factor from human melanoma cells grown in vitro [Eisinger, M. et al, (1985) Science 229 ,984–986] has been purified and identified as a 14kDa peptide. The activity was shown to be sensitive to acid and heat treatments but resistent to reduction. The factor has strong affinity for heparin-Sepharose and was separated into two fractions by ion-exchange chromatography. Based on its properties, it is grouped in the family of heparin-binding growth factors. Identification of this growth factor will provide a tool for studies of growth regulation of normal and transformed human melanocytes.
Self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus modified by insulin and glucagon ☆

Abstract In rats with implanted lateral hypothalamic electrodes which elicited feeding as well as self-stimulation, subcutaneous insulin injections increased self-stimulation, and glucagon decreased it. A decrease in self-stimulation rate was also obtained when a mock injection followed the series of glucagon injections, indicating a conditioning effect. It is concluded that pancreatic hormones which control blood sugar can influence lateral hypothalamic reward.
Linearization of a class of n coupled Bernoulli equations

Abstract Analytic linearization maps are found for autonomous systems of n coupled Bernoulli equations of a certain class. The class of equations is determined by the requirement that the nonlinear system linearize to its linear part. These equations have applications as models for interacting biological systems.
Mechanism-specific effects of adenosine on atrial tachycardia

BACKGROUNDRecent reports suggest that adenosine, in addition to terminating supraventricular tachycardia involving the atrioventricular (AV) node, may have antiarrhythmic effects on atrial tachycardia. The electrophysiological effects of adenosine on supraventricular tissue include shortening of action potential duration in atrial myocytes mediated by the potassium current, IKACh,Ado; shortening of action potential duration and hyperpolarization in sinus node cells; and anti-adrenergic electrophysiological effects resulting from inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. We therefore hypothesized that the response of atrial tachycardia to adenosine would be mechanism specific, with termination of atrial tachycardia due to sinus node reentry or cAMP-mediated triggered activity, transient suppression of automatic atrial tachycardia, and an absence of antiarrhythmic effect on tachycardia due to intraatrial reentry.METHODS AND RESULTSAdenosine (mean +/- SD, 143 +/- 54 micrograms/kg IV) was administered to 27 patients (5...
Developing an employee balanced scorecard: linking frontline performance to corporate objectives

Increasing emphasis is being given to corporate measurement systems which integrate customer satisfaction, process quality, innovation and financial performance. Managers are realizing that non‐financial criteria (customer service, process quality, new product development) are as important as financial criteria in corporate measurement systems. These factors need to be monitored closely and their relationship studied. Many executives have difficulty balancing the various types of measures at different levels of the company. Provides a detailed account of how a balanced set of measures was translated in a large company through corporate, group, divisional and plant levels. Concludes that the translation of a corporate scorecard into a frontline employee scorecard is essential for the implementation of strategy in most firms. Provides recommendations on how this can be done.