cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Terramycin® 200 for Fish (Oxytetracycline Dihydrate) for the Skeletal Marking of Rainbow Trout

In 2009, we conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of Terramycin® 200 for Fish (TM200; 44.1% active oxytetracycline dihydrate) administered in feed at a target dosage of 3.75 g/100 lbs fish/day for 10 days for the skeletal (fluorescent) marking of fingerling rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The in-life phase of the study was conducted indoors at a mean water temperature of 10.3 oC and comprised a 1-day acclimation period (no feed administered), 10-day treatment period (TM200-treated feed fed to six treated tanks; nontreated control feed fed to three control tanks), and 22-day post-treatment period (control feed administered to all tanks). At the end of the posttreatment period, all fish were collected and individually frozen. One month later, all fish were thawed, and two vertebrae were extracted from each fish. Each vertebra extracted was cleaned and then evaluated under ultraviolet light and a dissecting scope for the presence and quality of a fluorescent mark. All vertebrae extracted from TM200-treated fish (n = 120) had clearly visible marks, whereas no vertebrae extracted from control fish (n = 60) were marked. Consequently, in this study, TM200 administered in feed at a target dosage of 3.75 g OTC/100 lbs fish/d for 10 day was effective for the skeletal (fluorescent) marking of fingerling rainbow trout. Results will be used to support a U.S. approval of an expanded skeletal marking claim for TM200.
Disc Hemorrhages and Glaucoma

A disc hemorrhage (DH) represents an isolated flame or splinter-shaped bleeding site with radial orientation perpendicular to the disc margin on the optic disc tissue (Fig. 17.1). Alternatively, the DH may be present in the peripapillary retina reaching the disc rim, usually within one disc diameter of the disc margin. Though often associated with glaucoma, the DH may be caused by other conditions such as vascular occlusive disease, diabetic retinopathy, or ischemic optic neuropathy.
Impacts of Recent Power Plants on the Hudson River Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) Population

The impact of the Bowline, Roseton, and Indian Point power plants has been studied by estimating entrainment and impingement mortality rates on striped bass at these plants and relating these mortality rates to reduction in equilibrium stock size under various hypothetical stock-recruitment relationships. The conditional rates of mortality due to entrainment by these three plants were 0.0811 in 1974 and 0.1188 in 1975. The conditional rates of mortality due to impingement were calculated to be 0.0426 in 1974 and 0.0229 in 1975. Based on a range of potential Ricker stock-recruitment curves, reduction in equilibrium stock size due to the estimated levels of power-plant-induced mortality were discussed.
Of Straws, Camels, Research Regulation, and IRBs:

Institutional review boards (IRBs) have become beleaguered by a growth in responsibilities related to research oversight in the past several decades. A number of regulatory bodies have appeared in response to these novel and complex responsibilities, seeking to respond to among other issues, conflicts of interest, new technologies, and the potential misuse of research findings. Here, we examine several examples of these novel regulatory bodies as well as a number of concerns related to them that have been largely unacknowledged. Evidence suggests that there can be disharmony and conflicts between these regulatory bodies and IRBs, a lack of clarity with regard to their roles and responsibilities, as well as shortcomings within these entities that, at times, look a lot like the worries that have long been raised in relation to IRBs. We offer a brief discussion of how some of these concerns might be ameliorated, either through a significant restructuring of the system of research oversight, or perhaps through smaller changes to these regulatory bodies.
Learning to Grasp by Extending the Peri-Personal Space Graph

We present a robot model of early reach and grasp learning, inspired by infant learning without prior knowledge of the geometry, kinematics, or dynamics of the arm. Human infants at reach onset are capable of using a sequence of jerky submotions to bring the hand to the position of a nearby object. A robotic learning agent can produce qualitatively similar behavior by using a graph representation to encode a set of safe, potentially useful arm states and feasible moves between them. These observations show that the Peri-Personal Space (PPS) Graph model is sufficient for early reaching and suggest that infants may use analogous models during this phase. In this paper, we show that the PPS Graph, with a simulated Palmar reflex (a reflex in infants that closes the fingers when the palm is touched), allows accidental grasps to occur during continued reaching practice. Given these occasional events, the agent can bootstrap to a simple deliberate grasp action. In particular, the agent must learn three new necessary conditions for a grasp: the hand should be open as the grasp begins, the final motion of the hand should be led by the gripper opening so that it reaches the target first, and the wrist must be oriented such that the gripper fingers may close around the target object, often requiring the opening to be perpendicular to the object's major axis. Combined with the existing capability to reach and interact with target objects, knowledge of these conditions allows the agent to learn increasingly reliable purposeful grasps. The first two conditions are addressed in this paper, and allow 45% of grasps to succeed. This work contributes toward the larger goal of foundational robot learning after the model of infant learning, with minimal prior knowledge of its own anatomy or its environment. The ability to grasp will allow the agent to control the motion and position of objects, providing a richer representation for its environment and new experiences to learn from.
The first example of a “click” reaction with a carboranyl azide and an olefin

Abstract While typical organic azides have long been known to undergo 1–3 dipolar cycloadditions with strained C C multiple bonds, such chemistry has never been reported between organomimetic carboranyl azides and alkenes. Here we show that the carborane o-PhCN3CB10H10 readily undergoes cycloaddition with norbornene at ambient temperature to afford the corresponding triazole adduct with perfect exo-selectivity. The structure of the ensuing heterocycle was unambiguously determined by multinuclear NMR, correlation NMR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. This first example of such reactivity demonstrates a method to easily introduce carborane clusters directly to scaffolds of interest, without having an organic spacer between the azide functionality and cluster.
Predicting nucleation sites in chemotaxing Dictyostelium discoideum

Abstract Blebs, pressure driven protrusions of the plasma membrane, facilitate the movement of cell such as the soil amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum in a three dimensional environment. The goal of the article is to develop a means to predict nucleation sites. We accomplish this through an energy functional that includes the influence of cell membrane geometry (membrane curvature and tension), membrane-cortex linking protein lengths as well as local pressure differentials. We apply the resulting functional to the parameterized microscopy images of chemotaxing Dictyostelium cells. By restricting the functional to the cell boundary influenced by the cyclic AMP (cAMP) chemo-attractant (the cell anterior), we find that the next nucleation site ranks high in the top 10 energy values. More specifically, if we look only at the boundary segment defined by the extent of the expected bleb, then 96.8% of the highest energy sites identify the nucleation. Author summary This work concerns the prediction of nucleation sites in the soil amoeba-like Dictyostelium discoideum. We define a real valued functional combining input from cortex and membrane geometry such as membrane curvature and tension, cortex to membrane separation and local pressure differences. We show that the functional may be used to predict the location of bleb nucleation. In the region influenced by the cAMP gradient (the cell anterior), the next blebbing site lies in the ten highest energy functional values 70% of the time. The correctness increases to 96.8% provided we restrict attention to the segment in the general location of the next bleb. We verify these claims through the observation of microscopy images. The images are sequential at 1.66 and 0.8 seconds per image. We first identify the earliest sign of the bleb. We then use several observational factors to identify the nucleation site and estimate the corresponding location in the prior image.
NOT ALL AMYLOIDOSIS IN CANCER IS AL AMYLOIDOSIS: A CASE OF ATTR AMYLOIDOSIS IN A PATIENT WITH WALDENSTROM'S MACROGLOBULINEMIA

Plasma cell dyscrasias, including multiple myeloma and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) have been associated with AL amyloidosis, with IgM-related disease comprising approximately 6% of cases. Tissue biopsy is often not performed, and a diagnosis of AL amyloidosis assumed. Recently, tafamidis
A narrative analysis of anti-abortion testimony and legislative debate related to Georgia's fetal "heartbeat" abortion ban.

Fetal “heartbeat” bills have become the anti-abortion legislative measure of choice in the US war on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). In 2019, Georgia House Bill 481 (HB 481) passe...
Chapter 2 – Elementary Particles

This chapter gives the reader an insight in the world of “sub-electron” particles. It is in no way exhaustive but is intended to tease the interest of the reader into studying more literature dedicated to this specific subject. The basics of nuclear physics is of great importance to understand the mechanism governing the physics inside a nucleus. The electron, proton and neutron are well known elementary particles. However, high energy nuclear collisions, such as those that occur in the atmosphere when it is hit by very high energy particles from space, are known to produce a wealth of other particles which once used to be called elementary particles. Such particles can now also be formed using large particle accelerators on earth, e.g. the one in CERN.
Highlights of Studies in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Presented at the 2020 American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session

The review highlights selected studies related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention that were presented at the American College of Cardiology 2020 Virtual Scientific Session (ACC.20)/World Cardiology Congress (WCC). The studies reviewed include clinical trials on the efficacy and safety of alirocumab (Study in Participants with Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia [ODYSSEY HoFH]) and evinacumab in the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH); Evaluating the Efficacy of E-cigarettes for Smoking Cessation (E3); the use of renal denervation in the treatment of hypertension (SPYRAL HTN-OFF MED PIVOTAL); and the assessment of vericiguat in the treatment of heart failure (A Study of Vericiguat in Participants with Heart Failure with Reduce Ejection Fraction [VICTORIA]). In addition, results from the pooled analysis of phase III trials on inclisiran and secondary analysis examining eicosapentaenoic acid levels and cardiovascular outcomes from the Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with Icosapent Ethyl-Intervention Trial (REDUCE-IT) were included. Finally, we discuss studies examining the use of polygenic risk score with low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) on lifetime cardiovascular risk. The studies presented at the ACC.20/WCC represent notable contributions in the field of CVD prevention.
Assessing Clinical Skills Via Telehealth Objective Standardized Clinical Examination: Feasibility, Acceptability, Comparability, and Educational Value.

Background: In March 2020, students' in-person clinical assessments paused due to COVID-19. The authors adapted the June Objective Standardized Clinical Examination (OSCE) to a telehealth OSCE to p...
Optimization of time domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy parameters for measuring brain blood flow.

Significance: Time domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy (TD-DCS) can offer increased sensitivity to cerebral hemodynamics and reduced contamination from extracerebral layers by differentiating photons based on their travel time in tissue. We have developed rigorous simulation and evaluation procedures to determine the optimal time gate parameters for monitoring cerebral perfusion considering instrumentation characteristics and realistic measurement noise. Aim: We simulate TD-DCS cerebral perfusion monitoring performance for different instrument response functions (IRFs) in the presence of realistic experimental noise and evaluate metrics of sensitivity to brain blood flow, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and ability to reject the influence of extracerebral blood flow across a variety of time gates to determine optimal operating parameters. Approach: Light propagation was modeled on an MRI-derived human head geometry using Monte Carlo simulations for 765- and 1064-nm excitation wavelengths. We use a virtual probe with a source–detector separation of 1 cm placed in the pre-frontal region. Performance metrics described above were evaluated to determine optimal time gate(s) for different IRFs. Validation of simulation noise estimates was done with experiments conducted on an intralipid-based liquid phantom. Results: We find that TD-DCS performance strongly depends on the system IRF. Among Gaussian pulse shapes, ∼300 ps pulse length appears to offer the best performance, at wide gates (500 ps and larger) with start times 400 and 600 ps after the peak of the TPSF at 765 and 1064 nm, respectively, for a 1-s integration time at photon detection rates seen experimentally (600 kcps at 765 nm and 4 Mcps at 1064 nm). Conclusions: Our work shows that optimal time gates satisfy competing requirements for sufficient sensitivity and sufficient SNR. The achievable performance is further impacted by system IRF with ∼300 ps quasi-Gaussian pulse obtained using electro-optic laser shaping providing the best results.
Signal processing of ultrasonic backscattered echoes for evaluating the microstructure of materials—a review

The microstructure evaluation of materials using ultrasonic backscattered echoes has significant practical implications. Ultrasonic backscattered grain echoes are random signals which bear information related to the attenuation caused by scattering and absorption. The variation of attenuation as a function of position and frequency represents changes in the scattering cross-section and absorption effects of grains. We present a statistical model of backscattered signals which is used for developing signal processing techniques in both time and frequency domain. The attenuation in the backscattered signal is evaluated by performing temporal and spatial averaging. The spectral shift in the backscattered signal is characterized using moment analysis. Furthermore, frequency-dependent attenuation is estimated by applying cepstral processing. Experimental results using steel samples of different grain sizes are in close agreement with theoretical predictions.
Dopamine-Induced Post-Translational Modifications of a-Synuclein

a-Synuclein (SYN) comprises the major component of aggregates present in Parkinson's disease (PD). Moreover, dopamine (DA) mediated SYN post-translational modifications (PTM) play an important role...
Chapter 5 – P blood group system

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the P blood group system. The terminology, expression, carrier molecule, and the disease association of the P blood group system are also reviewed. The P blood group was discovered by Landsteiner and Levine in 1927 in immunizing rabbits. It was named P because this was the first letter after the already assigned M, N, and O. The P system originally also contained P, Pk and LKE antigens; however, a different locus and biochemical pathway are involved in the production of these and they were moved in 1994 to the Globoside collection. Paragloboside is the precursor for P1 antigen. Red blood cells (RBCs) with either the P1 or the P2 phenotype express P and Pk antigens. The in vitro characteristics of alloanti-P1 and the clinical significance of alloanti-P1 are also reviewed.
Measurement of the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) to Study Auditory Sensitivity in Mice

The ABR is an electroencephalographic response measured with scalp electrodes. It provides a quick, easy, and reliable method for physiological assessment of auditory sensitivity in mice. A series of brief tone pips or clicks is presented to an anesthetized mouse at a high rate of speed; each click evokes waves of neural activity in the brainstem that are computer-averaged so they are differentiated from non-auditory background voltages. The intensity of the clicks is reduced in steps until an ABR can no longer be discerned, thereby defining the ABR threshold, which is closely related to the hearing threshold. Key procedural issues are: (1) accurate calibration of the acoustics (what sounds arrive at the mouse's ear), (2) anesthetization of the mouse, (3) setting up the recording electrodes, (4) the protocol for presenting acoustic stimuli and obtaining thresholds, and (5) interpretation of ABR data.
Towards Electronic Shopping of Composite Product

In the paper, frameworks for electronic shopping of composite (modular) products are described: (a) multicriteria selection (product is considered as a whole system, it is a traditional approach), (b) combinatorial synthesis (composition) of the product from its components, (c) aggregation of the product from several selected products/prototypes. The following product model is examined: (i) general tree-like structure, (ii) set of system parts/components (leaf nodes), (iii) design alternatives (DAs) for each component, (iv) ordinal priorities for DAs, and (v) estimates of compatibility between DAs for different components. The combinatorial synthesis is realized as morphological design of a composite (modular) product or an extended composite product (e.g., product and support services as financial instruments). Here the solving process is based on Hierarchical Morphological Multicriteria Design (HMMD): (i) multicriteria selection of alternatives for system parts, (ii) composing the selected alternatives into a resultant combination (while taking into account ordinal quality of the alternatives above and their compatibility). The aggregation framework is based on consideration of aggregation procedures, for example: (i) addition procedure: design of a products substructure or an extended substructure ('kernel') and addition of elements, and (ii) design procedure: design of the composite solution based on all elements of product superstructure. Applied numerical examples (e.g., composite product, extended composite product, product repair plan, and product trajectory) illustrate the proposed approaches.
Who Really Leads Whom? Leadership and Responsiveness Among Multiple Publics in Reagan'S Central America Policy

Studies of the reciprocal influence of public opinion and foreign policy decision-making are substantial, yet most only discuss mass public opinion, overlooking other kinds of instrumental public opinion. This conceptual and empirical gap complicates our ability to fully assess presidential responsiveness or leadership of public opinion. Using unique letter writing data collected at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, this article parses the directionality of leadership and/or responsiveness and evaluates the specific opinion to which President Reagan was leading or responding on his policies in Central America. The findings reveal that President Reagan’s rhetoric stimulated the mail-writing public (suggesting he was leading his core supporters) but public opinion polling favoring his policies caused his rhetoric to be more aggressive regarding intervention in Central America (suggesting he was following mass opinion). The results demonstrate the importance of understanding variations of public opinion and that presidents can lead public opinion by stimulating their core constituents.
“FUZZY” SOFTWARE PATENT BOUNDARIES AND HIGH CLAIM CONSTRUCTION REVERSAL RATES

Bessen and Meurer (2008) theorize that a breakdown in notice of patent boundaries caused the patent litigation surge of the 1990s. They argue a prime source of this breakdown was the proliferation of software patents with particularly uncertain scope. In this paper I seek evidence that software patent scope is more uncertain by extending the empirical literature on claim construction reversal rates to determine whether the Federal Circuit has been more likely to find error in district court construction of software patents. Not only do I find that it has, since 2002 software patents account for forty percent of the difference between the Federal Circuit’s high claim construction reversal rate and its lower average reversal rate on all other patent issues. These results are cause for optimism because, in general, the application of existing claim construction law has been more predictable than many have feared. However, that optimism does not extend to software claim construction, which remains highly unpredictable.
Sacred Painting in Bali: Tradition in Transition

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Thomas L. Cooper Year: 2005 Pages: viii + 184 Publisher: Orchid Press ISBN: 9745240346 (hard cover).
mTOR inhibitors in cancer therapy

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a key role in regulation of cellular metabolism, growth, and proliferation. The frequent hyperactivation of mTOR signaling makes it an attractive target for therapeutic intervention and has driven the development of a number of mTOR inhibitors. Encouraging data from preclinical studies have resulted in initiation of multiple clinical trials. Furthermore, combinational strategies are being studied in an effort to overcome resistance and enhance efficacy. Although additional studies are required to determine their specific role in the clinical setting, mTOR inhibitors remain a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of cancer.
Dynamic sensor management using multi-objective particle swarm optimizer

This paper presents a Swarm Intelligence based approach for sensor management of a multi sensor network. Alternate sensor configurations and fusion strategies are evaluated by swarm agents, and an optimum configuration and fusion strategy evolves. An evolutionary algorithm, particle swarm optimization, is modified to optimize two objectives: accuracy and time. The output of the algorithm is the choice of sensors, individual sensor’s thresholds and the optimal decision fusion rule. The results achieved show the capability of the algorithm in selecting optimal configuration for a given requirement consisting of multiple objectives.
5-HT5a receptors in the carotid body chemoreception pathway of rat.

Abstract By using a specific antibody, 5-HT 5a receptor-like immunoreactivity was revealed in the chemoreceptive, oxygen sensitive, carotid body (CB) type I cells, and neurons of the petrosal ganglion (PG) and the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) in rat. mRNA encoding for the 5-HT 5a receptor was also detected in these tissues by RT-PCR, and confirmed with DNA sequencing. The present study provides direct evidence that 5-HT 5a receptors are expressed in the CB, PG and SCG, which all likely play fundamental roles in arterial chemoreception.
GRB 970228 Revisited: Evidence for a Supernova in the Light Curve and Late Spectral Energy Distribution of the Afterglow

At the time of its discovery, the optical and X-ray afterglow of GRB 970228 appeared to be a ringing endorsement of the previously untried relativistic fireball model of gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows, but now that nearly a dozen optical afterglows to GRBs have been observed, the wavering light curve and reddening spectrum of this afterglow make it perhaps the most difficult of the observed afterglows to reconcile with the fireball model. In this Letter, we argue that this afterglow's unusual temporal and spectral properties can be attributed to a supernova that overtook the light curve nearly 2 weeks after the GRB. This is the strongest case yet for a GRB/supernova connection. It strengthens the case that a supernova also dominated the late afterglow of GRB 980326 and the case that GRB 980425 is related to SN 1998bw.
Effect of Environmental Variables on Localized Corrosion of Carbon Steel

Abstract Environmental conditions under which localized corrosion of carbon steel could take place in simulated groundwater were examined. Using specimens with crevices, it was determined that at potentials above the repassivation potential, the ratio of the chloride concentration to the total carbonate concentration, solution pH, and solution temperature played critical roles in establishing conditions that promote localized corrosion, as well as in influencing the rate of propagation. Preoxidation in air at 200°C for short times improved the resistance to localized corrosion, but was detrimental for longer times. Monitoring of the open-circuit potential of samples with crevices in air-saturated, alkaline (pH 11) solutions revealed that the repassivation potential could be exceeded and localized corrosion can occur under free corrosion conditions. Factors important to the use of carbon steel as a construction material for high-level radioactive waste disposal containers were discussed.
β-estradiol influences differentiation of hippocampal neurons in vitro through an estrogen receptor-mediated process

We utilized morphometric analysis of 3 day cultures of hippocampal neurons to determine the effects of both estradiol and the synthetic estrogen receptor modulator raloxifene on several parameters of neuronal growth and differentiation. These measurements included survival, neurite production, dendrite number, and axon and dendrite length and branching. 17 beta-Estradiol (10 nM) selectively stimulated dendrite branching; this effect was neither mimicked by alpha-estradiol, nor blocked by the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182780. The selective estrogen receptor modulator raloxifene (100 nM) neither mimicked nor reversed the effects of estradiol on dendritic branching. Western immunoblotting for the alpha and beta subtypes of estrogen receptor revealed the presence of alpha, but not beta, estrogen receptors in our hippocampal cultures. There is growing recognition of the effects of 17 beta-estradiol on neuronal development and physiology, with implications for brain sexual dimorphism, plasticity, cognition, and the maintenance of cognitive function during aging. The role of estradiol in hippocampal neuronal differentiation and function has particular implications for learning and memory. These data support the hypothesis that 17 beta-estradiol is acting via alpha estrogen receptors in influencing hippocampal development in vitro. Raloxifene, prescribed to combat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, is a selective estrogen receptor modulator with tissue-specific agonist/antagonist properties. Because raloxifene had no effect on dendritic branching, we hypothesize that it does not interact with the alpha estrogen receptor in this experimental paradigm.
Glutamate AMPA receptors in the fascia dentata of human and kainate rat hippocampal epilepsy

The present study examined the relationship between the patterns and densities of glutamate AMPA receptor sub-units GluR1 and GluR2/3 in the molecular layer of the fascia dentata and aberrant mossy fiber neoinnervation in human and kainate rat hippocampal epilepsy. Because AMPA sub-units modulate the fast glutamate synaptic transmission, we hypothesized that the AMPA receptor densities would be related to the glutamate-secreting mossy fibers, which could then contribute to seizure generation. In human hippocampal epilepsy, we found that the immunocytochemical labeling of GluR1 and GluR2/3 dendrites was positively related to the densities and spatial locations of the densest, aberrant neo-Timm stained supragranular mossy fibers. We used quantitative densitometry for the mossy fibers. However, the relatively faint and punctate immunocytochemical staining of the receptors did not allow true quantitative densitometry of the dendritic trees because in human epilepsy granule cell densities were decreased on average 50% of normal. Nevertheless, visual observations did confirm spatial relations between dense fascia dentata inner molecular layer mossy fibers and dense AMPA receptor staining. In the outer molecular layer, the mossy fibers were present only in the lower portion, were not densely-stained, and the AMPA receptors were only faintly-labeled. Nevertheless, outer molecular layer AMPA receptor densities were usually present more distally than were the mossy fibers. Experiments were done using intrahippocampal kainate epileptic rats to test the time courses for the changes in mossy fibers and AMPA receptors. The upregulation of inner and outer molecular layer AMPA receptors occurred maximally within 5 days post-kainate injection, prior to any mossy fiber supragranular ingrowth. One hundred and eighty days after ipsilateral kainate the AMPA receptors were increased bilaterally in the inner and outer molecular layers despite the fact that the contralateral aberrant supragranular mossy fibers were minor in comparison to the dense ipsilateral mossy fiber hyperinnervation. These results suggest that in hippocampal epilepsy AMPA receptor numbers increase throughout the length of the molecular layer dendrites; however the AMPA receptor densities are greater in rough relation to the greatest aberrant mossy fiber presynaptic inputs. Interestingly, the receptor upregulation precedes the mossy fiber ingrowth and may play a role in initiating axonal sprouting or in maintaining the aberrant mossy fiber synapses.
Effect of iodide on thyroid glands of rats kept at low temperature.

SummaryThe hyperplasia of the thyroid epithelium produced in rats by exposure to cold-room conditions for 3 weeks can be prevented by increasing the iodide level of the diet. The mechanism of this effect would appear to correspond to the involuting action of iodide in the thyroids of patients with hyperthyroidism. It is difficult to explain these effects on the basis of the inhibition of hormone synthesis, and it is submitted that iodide may stimulate the secretion of colloid into the lumen of thyroid follicles by a mechanism related to its stimulating influence on salivation.
Degradation of phenol, cinnamic and quinic acid in the terrestrial crustacean, Oniscus asellus

Abstract In experiments involving feeding, significant amounts of ring radioactively-laheled cinnamic and quinic acids were respired as 14 CO 2 by the terrestrial isopod Oniscus asellus L. In experiments involving injection, approximately 25% of ring radioactively-labelcd cinnamic acid, phenol and quinic acid were recovered as respiratory 14 CO 2 during 7 days at 15°C. Less than, or about, 1% of the dose was present in feces and sand occupied by the animal. Only 0. 10 and 4% respectively of the cinnamic acid, phenol and quinic acid were recovered from the body unchanged after 7 days. It is not known whether the test compounds were metabolized by animal oxidases or internal microbes.
Activation of the CheA kinase by asparagine in Bacillus subtilis chemotaxis.

Summary: Past experiments have shown that CheA and CheY are required to generate smooth swimming signals in Bacillus subtilis chemotaxis. This study, as anticipated from in vivo experiments, demonstrates in vitro that an attractant-bound chemoreceptor leads to an increase in CheA activity, which in turn leads to an increase in the Che Y-P pool that ultimately causes a behavioural change in the bacteria. Asparagine has been found to increase the rate of Che Y-P formation in the presence of McpB-containing membranes, CheA, and an excess of CheY. This asparagine effect requires the presence of both CheA and McpB, the latter of which has been shown to be the sole receptor for this attractant. Utilizing membranes from a number of B. subtilis null mutant strains, insight has also been gained into the potential roles of a number of unique chemotaxis proteins in the regulation of CheA activity in the presence and absence of this attractant.
Social character of materialism.

Scores for 170 undergraduates on Richins and Dawson's Materialism scale were correlated with scores on Kassarjian's Social Preference Scale, designed to measure individuals' character structure. A ...
PTH differentially regulates expression of RANKL and OPG.

RANKL and OPG gene expressions were measured with and without PTH at different stages of osteoblast development. Mouse stromal cells were cultured in osteoblast differentiating conditions, and RANKL, OPG, COL1, ALP, OC, and PTHRec genes were measured using qRT-PCR. OPG:RANKL ratios indicate that PTH may induce a possible switch in the regulatory mechanism of osteoclastogenesis where OPG is inhibited early and RANKL is increased at late stages of osteoblast differentiation. Introduction: RANKL is essential for osteoclastogenesis, and its decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG) negatively regulates this process. Both genes are expressed in cells of the osteoblast lineage, but the precise relationship between the state of osteoblast differentiation and RANKL and OPG expression is not clearly defined. The goal of this project was to quantify changes in RANKL and OPG gene expression in response to parathyroid hormone (PTH) at different stages of osteoblast differentiation. In this study, mouse primary bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were cultured for up to 28 days. At specific time-points of cell culture, cells were stimulated with bovine PTH peptide [bPTH (1–34)] for 2 h. Levels of RANKL, OPG, α-1 (type I) collagen (COL1), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC), and PTH receptor (PTHRec) mRNA were assayed using quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Materials and Methods: In control cells, there was a gradual increase of RANKL gene expression with murine osteoblastic stromal cell maturation to a 3-fold level at day 28. In contrast, OPG mRNA levels were maximal at day 14 of cell culture and decreased through the latter stages of osteoblast differentiation. Exposing the cells to 100 ng/ml of bPTH(1–34) induced minimal increases in RANKL mRNA levels from days 7 to 14 but elevated expression significantly at days 21 (2-fold) and 28 (3-fold). PTH inhibited OPG gene expression maximally at day 14, but continued to have inhibitory effects on cultured cells at days 21 and 28. Alterations of RANKL and OPG mRNA levels by PTH in day 14 osteoblasts were sufficient to sustain a 5.6-fold increase in the number of TRACP+ cells when cocultured with osteoclast precursor cells. Cells in culture after 28 days showed a 1.9-fold increase in TRACP+ cells after PTH treatment. Results and Conclusions: We conclude that (1) PTH significantly upregulates RANKL mRNA in primary bone marrow stromal osteoblasts with maximal sensitivity occurring late in osteoblast differentiation; (2) PTH inhibits OPG gene expression at all stages of osteoblast differentiation; and (3) changes in RANKL and OPG mRNA levels after exposure to PTH are associated with increased osteoclastogenesis as demonstrated by increased numbers of TRACP+ cells in cocultures. The results further suggest that the osteoclastogenic activity of PTH occurs primarily by suppression of OPG gene expression in early osteoblasts and elevation of RANKL gene expression in mature osteoblasts.
Disease in Natural Plant Populations, Communities, and Ecosystems: Insights into Ecological and Evolutionary Processes.

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-94-5-0492
Delayed effect of pinealectomy on hibernation of the golden-mantled ground squirrel.

Pinealectomy or radical sham pinealectomy were performed on adult golden-mantled ground squirrels,Spermophilus (=Citellus) lateralis, approximately 1 month prior to the date of normal winter emergence. The first hibernatory period and subsequent active season were not different in either of the operated groups from intact animals. However, although the initiation of the second hibernatory period was not affected in the pinealectomized animals, this group failed to show the progressive increase in the length of heterothermic bouts that is characteristic of normal hibernation. Also, terminal arousal occurred approximately 6 weeks earlier in the second year after pinealectomy. Male squirrels showed a corresponding time compression in their annual gonadal cycle, as was assessed by testicular state.
Hydrolethalus (Salonen-Herva-Norio) syndrome: Further clinicopathological delineation

Two brothers with severe CNS abnormalities, cleft lip/palate, polydactyly, and lung hypoplasia are reported as examples of the hydrolethalus syndrome, an autosomal recessive disorder. Death from cardiopulmonary arrest occurred in patient 1 at age 4 months and in patient 2 at age 17 days. Detailed radiological and neuropathological description is provided on patient 2. We recommend realtime ultrasonography and, when indicated, fetoscopy for antenatal detection of the craniofacial and limb malformations associated with this syndrome.
Graduate engineering professional development

Effective focus on professional development in graduate engineering programs benefits students, academia, and industry. Formal communication skills, such as writing and presentation skills, are integral to professional development and are an asset for engineers in both academia and industry. However, graduates destined for careers in industry also benefit from informal professional development skills, sometimes called "soft skills" or "people skills" that help them effectively promote ideas and negotiate engineering project concepts with peers inside and outside of the field of engineering. Although industry leaders have noted the lack of soft skills in engineers, even those graduate engineering programs that include instruction in formal communication skills often neglect to include the professional development skills that are so crucial for success in industry. A n engineering program that includes both professional development and communication skills at the graduate level truly prepares students to succeed as engineering professionals in the 21st century.
Doxorubicin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles by nanoprecipitation: preparation, characterization and in vitro evaluation.

Aims: The lack of specificity of chemotherapeutic agents to cancer tissue commonly leads to dose-limiting side effects and poor therapeutic results. Drug delivery systems promise to improve the deficiencies of chemotherapeutic treatment by modifying the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of the drug in vivo. Here, we report the preparation, characterization and in vitro evaluation of a carrier for the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin based on acid-capped poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles. Methods: Doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles were prepared by nanoprecipitation with bovine serum albumin as the stabilizer. Nanoparticles were characterized and their interaction with MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells was examined with confocal microscopy and a toxicological assay. Results: Spherical particles with an average diameter of 230 nm, a zeta-potential of -45 mV and a maximum drug loading of 5 wt% were prepared. Doxorubicin was found to be quickly released at endolysosomal pH of 4.0 but was released at ...
Determination of Total Glycoalkaloids (TGA) in Dehydrated Potatoes

A method was developed to optimize TGA extraction for dehydrated potato products. Maximum TGA content was obtained from uncooked dehydrated powder with hydration ratio (powder:water) of 1:4 (by weight) for the freshly prepared powder. Powders prepared from precooked potatoes required a hydration ratio (1:5) for optimum TGA extraction. For powders that were stored for 4 months, 1 hr of hydration was necessary for maximum TGA extraction. In all varieties tested the TGA content of powders was slightly less than the fresh tissue but these differences were not statistically significant. However, significant varietal differences were observed. The Chipbelle and Katahdin varieties were significantly higher in TGA content than Rosa and Pontiac varieties.
The annihilator of Bergman space

LetD be a bounded plane domain (with some smoothness requirements on its boundary). LetBp(D), 1≤p<∞, be the Bergmanp-space ofD. In a previous paper we showed that the “natural projection”P, involving the Bergman kernel forD, is a bounded projection fromLp(D) ontoBp(D), 1<p<∞. With this we have the decompositionLp(D)=Bp(D)⊕Bq⊥(D,p–1+q–=1, 1<p< ∞. Here, we show that the annihilatorBq⊥(D) is the space of allLp-complex derivatives of functions belonging to Sobolev space and which vanish on the boundary ofD. This extends a result of Schiffer for the casep=2. We also study certain operators onLp(D). Especially, we show that Open image in new window , whereI is the identity operator and ℒ is an operator involving the adjoint of the Bergman kernel. Other relationships relevant toBq⊥(D) are studied.
Increasing Transmission Power for Higher Base-Station Anonymity in Wireless Sensor Network

In a wireless sensor network nodes probe ambient conditions and send the measurements over multi-hop routes to a base-station. The base-station aggregates the received reports, and based on the findings it orchestrates a response either autonomously or through consultation with a remote commend center. Thus, the role of the base-station is so crucial that the network can be non-functional and/or isolated if the base-station breaks down or gets destroyed. No wonder in a hostile environment, an adversary will target the base-station to inflict the most damage to the network. The fact that the base-station acts as a sink of all data traffic makes it vulnerable to attacks by tracking packet transmission and detecting its location. This paper investigates a novel strategy to counter traffic analysis and boosts the anonymity of the base-station. A sensor transmits at a higher power in order to increase its number of neighbors and confuse an adversary who is assessing the linkability of nodes in quest to identify the route to the base-station. Both analytical and simulation results are provided to capture the effect of increased transmission power on the base-station anonymity.
Troponin T and Ca2+ dependence of the distance between Cys48 and Cys133 of troponin I in the ternary troponin complex and reconstituted thin filaments

Contraction of vertebrate striated muscle is regulated by the interaction of Ca2+ with the heterotrimeric protein troponin (Tn), composed of troponin-C (TnC), troponin-I (TnI), and troponin-T (TnT). Although much is known about the Ca2+-induced conformational changes in TnC, the Ca2+-binding subunit of Tn, little is known about how TnI, the inhibitory subunit, responds to the binding of Ca2+ to TnC. In this work, we used resonance energy transfer to measure the distance between probes attached at Cys48 and Cys133 in the N- and C-terminal domains, respectively, of TnI. A mutant rabbit skeletal TnI, TnI48/133 (C64S), was constructed by converting Cys64 into Ser. The remaining two thiols at Cys48 and Cys133 were labeled with the fluorescent donor 1,5-IAEDANS, and the nonfluorescent acceptor, DAB-Mal. We found an interprobe distance of approximately 41 A for both uncomplexed TnI and TnI in the binary complex with TnC. This distance increased to 51 A in the ternary Tn complex with TnT. These distances did not change significantly on binding of Ca2+ to TnC. In the reconstituted thin filament, this distance remained to be 50 A in the presence of saturating Ca2+, but increased to approximately 66 A on removing Ca2+ with EGTA in the presence of Mg2+. Our results indicate firstly that while TnC has only small effects on the global conformation of TnI, the presence of TnT in the ternary Tn complex gives rise to an apparent elongation of TnI. Secondly, whereas there is no detectable Ca2+-dependent change in the global conformation of TnI in the Tn complex free in solution, the removal of Ca2+ caused a substantial separation of the N- and C-terminal TnI regions in the reconstituted thin filament, owing to the interaction between the C-terminal region of TnI and actin in the relaxed state.
Mozzarella Cheese: Impact of Cooking Temperature on Chemical Composition, Proteolysis and Functional Properties

Abstract The impact of cooking temperatures on chemical composition, proteolysis, and functional properties of Mozzarella cheese during storage was determined. Three vats of cheese were made in 1 d using three different cooking temperatures (38, 41, and 44°C). Cheese making was replicated on 3 different d using a 3 × 3 Latin square design. No significant effect of cooking temperature on fat, protein, and salt contents of the cheese was detected. However, a higher cooking temperature produced cheese with a lower moisture and decreased proteolysis during 50 d of storage at 4°C. Nitrogen soluble in 12% TCA and pH 4.6 acetate buffer increased, and α s ,-caseins decreased, but β -casein remained constant for all cheeses during storage. Differences in cooking temperature did not significantly change functional properties, such as meltability and free oil formation. However, apparent viscosity of melted cheese was higher with higher cooking temperature. Increased storage time at 4°C decreased hardness of unmelted cheese, increased meltability, decreased apparent viscosity, and increased free oil formation.
Microstructural evolution of nickel-doped 9Cr steels irradiated in HFIR

Abstract The microstructures of reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels, 9Cr–1MoVNb, 9Cr–1MoVNb–2Ni, 9Cr–2WVTa and 9Cr–2WVTa doped with 2% Ni, irradiated at 400 °C up to 12 dpa in the high flux isotope reactor, were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The cavity number density of Ni-doped steels was higher than that of Ni-undoped steels due to the higher concentration of helium. There was no difference of cavity number density between the steels tempered at 700 and 750 °C, but the mean size of the cavities in the steels tempered at 750 °C was larger than that tempered at 700 °C. There was a tendency for the number density of loops in Ni-doped steels to be higher than in Ni-undoped steels. In addition, the mean size of loops in the steels tempered at 750 °C was larger than for those tempered at 700 °C, while there was not much difference of number density between them. In the steels doped with Ni, irradiation-produced precipitates, identified as M 6 C( η )-type carbide and M 2 X phase, were found in the 9Cr–2VWTa–2Ni steel and 9Cr–1MoVNb–2Ni, respectively. Irradiation of Ni-doped steels showed the effect of helium on cavity nucleation, however, the effect of helium on dislocation structure and precipitation was not made clear.