cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Web-Based Publishing-Management System

The management of a large number of manuscripts is integral to the publishing of a scientific journal. The process of submitting articles should be as simple as possible, both for the sake of the authors and for the reduction of the overhead associated with mailing and handling. For these reasons, the entire pre-press process at Presence is now based on standard Internet protocols. Although a hardcopy document is still required by the publisher, the pre-press process---from original submission through the stages of review---to final acceptance for publication---can now be done electronically. All functions involving electronic manuscript submission and management, as well as correspondence with reviewers, has been bundled in a modular package amenable to modifications. This publishing system was developed in-house at a fraction of the cost of acquiring a commercially available system. It was designed in close cooperation with the editorial staff to ensure optimal functionality.
Factors that influence surgical wound infections Role of Prophylactic Antibiotic Therapy

A comprehensive review of the factors responsible for postoperative wound sepsis is discussed, along with the experimental basis for the use of prophylatic antibiotics and a review of the results of the use of systemic and topical antibiotics on the incidence of surgical wound infections. Based on the data presented, suggestions are made which should minimize the development of postoperative wound infections.
Enabling control over adaptive program transformation for dynamically evolving mobile software validation

Many researchers are investigating the use of adaptive program transformation as a way to efficiently improve program performance. Performance improving transformations are performed at runtime to adapt to the possibly changing runtime characteristics of the program. Leveraging this kind of program transformation on multiple hosts can achieve these same performance gains while reducing the overhead to apply the transformations on the local machine running the program. The reduction in overhead is obtained by distributing the responsibilities for the transformation process to multiple hosts throughout the network. The use of this technology could greatly benefit applications running on networked computation nodes; however, one must first establish confidence in the secure generation and distribution of the transformed versions of the original program before acceptance and execution can occur for many network environments.Since programs are being transformed dynamically, traditional program validation methods such as checksums and digital signatures will be unable to efficiently meet the security needs of this possibly itinerant, transforming software. New validation methods must be developed in order to allow future software to avail itself of the advantages that dynamic program modification may provide while mitigating potential security risks. In this paper, we present our framework to validate dynamically-transforming software in a manner that enables the system to restrict how the software can transform as it executes on a network of hosts. Our prototype system utilizes specification languages to communicate program transformations and controls for those transformations on hosts in the system. This first step towards validating evolving mobile code before transformation occurs, will make dynamically-transforming software a safe and viable future technology.
Low contact resistance nonalloyed ohmic contacts to Zn-implanted p+ GaAs

Contact resistance of nonalloyed metal contacts to Zn-implanted shallow (∼1000 A) p+ GaAs layers was investigated. Contact resistance as low as 9×10−7 Ωcm2 was achieved for evaporated Ti/Pt/Au contacts to Zn 40 keV and Zn 100 keV double-implanted layers with a peak concentration of 7×1019/cm3.
Controversies in the management of sudden sensorineural hearing loss: an evidence-based review.

Background Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is considered an otological emergency. It may present as an isolated condition or be the presenting feature of a systemic disease process. Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is diagnosed when an underlying cause or condition cannot be identified. Objective of review To review the current literature on SSNHL and propose a treatment algorithm based on the highest quality evidence. Search strategy and type of review An evidence-based literature review using medline (search terms ‘sudden sensorineural hearing loss’ and ‘acute sensorineural hearing loss’). Results (i) Baseline Investigations: All patients should be assessed with a thorough history and examination. This should include a pure tone audiogram (PTA) where possible. Baseline and targeted laboratory tests should be carried out to diagnose specific conditions. (ii) Imaging: MRI should be carried out in all cases of ISSNHL. If MRI imaging is contraindicated either CT or auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing should be performed. (iii) Medical Management: If a specific cause for a SSNHL is found, the patient should be managed accordingly. If idiopathic in nature, patients may be offered a course of oral steroid. If systemic steroids are contraindicated and/or there is no improvement with initial oral therapy, intratympanic steroids (IT) as either primary or salvage therapy may be considered. (iv) Further Management: There is no evidence to support the routine use of antiviral therapy. The cost, limited availability and lack of strong evidence for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) make it impractical at present. Due to the variability in the vasodilator and vasoactive agents used, there is insufficient evidence to support the routine use of these agents. Consideration should be given to both temporary and permanent hearing amplification when required. Conclusions SSNHL is an important condition that can have a significant impact on quality of life. Some patients respond spontaneously without intervention; however, evidence tells us that certain interventions such as corticosteroid treatment may improve outcomes. Further high-quality research is required. Meanwhile, an interim indicative treatment algorithm for SSNHL based on the current best evidence available is outlined.
Rutherford forward scattering and elastic recoil detection (RFSERD) as a method for characterizing ultra-thin films

Abstract We present a novel ion beam analysis technique combining Rutherford forward scattering and elastic recoil detection (RFSERD) and demonstrate its ability to increase efficiency in determining stoichiometry in ultrathin (5–50 nm) films as compared to Rutherford backscattering. In the conventional forward geometries, scattering from the substrate overwhelms the signal from light atoms but in RFSERD, scattered ions from the substrate are ranged out while forward scattered ions and recoiled atoms from the thin film are simultaneously detected in a single detector. The technique is applied to tantalum oxide memristors but can be extended to a wide range of materials systems.
Identifying Determinants of EGFR-Targeted Therapeutic Biochemical Efficacy Using Computational Modeling

We modeled cellular epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine phosphorylation dynamics in the presence of receptor-targeting kinase inhibitors (e.g., gefitinib) or antibodies (e.g., cetuximab) to identify systematically the factors that contribute most to the ability of the therapeutics to antagonize EGFR phosphorylation, an effect we define here as biochemical efficacy. Our model identifies distinct processes as controlling gefitinib or cetuximab biochemical efficacy, suggests biochemical efficacy is favored in the presence of certain EGFR ligands, and suggests new drug design principles. For example, the model predicts that gefitinib biochemical efficacy is preferentially sensitive to perturbations in the activity of tyrosine phosphatases regulating EGFR, but that cetuximab biochemical efficacy is preferentially sensitive to perturbations in ligand binding. Our results highlight numerous other considerations that determine biochemical efficacy beyond those reflected by equilibrium affinities. By integrating these considerations, our model also predicts minimum therapeutic combination concentrations to maximally reduce receptor phosphorylation.
Efficient O‐ and N‐(β‐fluoroethylation)s with NCA [18F]β‐fluoroethyl tosylate under microwave‐enhanced conditions

Reactions of no-carrier-added (NCA) [18F]β-fluoroethyl tosylate with amine, phenol or carboxylic acid to form the corresponding [18F]N-(β-fluoroethyl)amine, [18F]β-fluoroethyl ether or [18F]β-fluoroethyl ester, were found to be rapid (2–10 min) and efficient (51–89% conversion) under microwave-enhanced conditions. These conditions allow reactants to be heated rapidly to 150°C in a low boiling point solvent, such as acetonitrile, and avoid the need to use high boiling point solvents, such as DMSO and DMF, to promote reaction. The microwave-enhanced reactions gave about 20% greater radiochemical yields than thermal reactions performed at similar temperatures and over similar reaction times. With a bi-functional molecule, such as DL-pipecolinic acid, [18F]β-fluoroethyl tosylate reacts exclusively with the amino group. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An overview of deinstitutionalization.

We are now beginning to realize that treating the most severely impaired of our mentally ill citizens involves the thoughtful conceptualization of complex public policy problems.
Solar Photobiochemistry: Simultaneous Photoproduction of Hydrogen and Oxygen in a Confined Bioreactor

Simultaneous photoevolution of hydrogen and oxygen by an aqueous suspension of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was measured in a confined bioreactor. The headspace above the liquid was about three times the volume of the liquid. The objective of the experiments was to determine the extent to which Henry's Law partitioning between the liquid and gas phases of the reactor volume can be used to minimize the antagonistic effect of photosynthetically produced oxygen on the evolution of molecular hydrogen by photosynthesis. The results indicate, to within upper limits, that light-driven oxygen and hydrogen produced by microalgal water oxidation in the aqueous phase can partition favorably into the gas phase such that photosynthetically produced oxygen does not inhibit the hydrogenase enzyme. Continual cycles of light-driven hydrogen and oxygen production, with intervals of added gas-phase carbon dioxide for rejuvenating the algae, were performed for about 60 days on the same culture. Absolu...
Zero cancelling compensators for singular control problems and their application to the inner–outer factorization problem

Many control problems fall into the category of what we call singular control problems, i.e., problems for which known solutions fail owing to the fact that the relevant transfer functions have zeros on the extended imaginary axis, 0e. An example of this is the inner–outer factorization (IOF) problem for such transfer functions. In this paper, we show how to design compensators which would allow for a direct solution to these problems through cancellation of the offending 0e zeros. This is demonstrated for the IOF problem mentioned above. Our interest lies primarily with infinite zeros but we develop formulae for finite 0e compensators as well. The paper also presents some discussions on the infinite zero structure of linear time-invariant systems.
Transformation of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a stream food web.

The enantiomeric composition of chiral PCB congeners was determined in Twelvemile Creek (Clemson, SC) to examine potential mechanisms of biotransformation in a stream food web. We measured enantiomeric fractions (EFs) of six PCB atropisomers (PCBs 84, 91, 95, 136, 149, and 174) in surface sediment, fine benthic organic matter (FBOM), coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM), periphyton, Asian clam, mayflies, yellowfin shiner, and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) using gas chromatography (GC-ECD). Nonracemic EFs of PCBs 91, 95, 136, and 149 were measured in almost all samples. Enantiomeric compositions of PCBs 84 and 174 were infrequently detected with racemic EFs measured in samples except for a nonracemic EF of PCB 84 in clams. Nonracemic EFs of PCBs 91, 136, and 149 in SPMDs may be due to desorption of nonracemic residues from FBOM. EFs for some atropisomers were significantly different among FBOM, CPOM, and periphyton, suggesting that their microbial communities have different biotransformation p...
Managing the order pipeline to reduce supply chain volatility

The bullwhip effect in particular, and supply chain volatility in general, has been the subject of much analytical and empirical investigation by researchers. One goal of this work has been to determine supply chain designs and policies that minimize volatility. Using a system dynamics approach, we use three distinct supply chain volatility metrics to compare the ability of two alternative pipeline inventory management policies to respond to a demand shock. The results indicate that no one policy dominates on all three metrics of supply chain volatility. A simplistic static pipeline policy minimizes the bullwhip effect and lessens the likelihood of on-hand inventory oscillations, while a more sophisticated dynamic pipeline policy may converge more rapidly to the new equilibrium. In addition, simulation results suggest that the dynamic policy provides better customer service through fewer stockouts and backorders.
Solar neutrinos and other problems and their relation to energy production in the Sun

Models of the solar interior, based on the usual physical assumptions1, predict a neutrino flux several times greater than that observed in the Davis 37Cl experiment2,3. If, as is widely accepted, this discrepancy represents a ‘flaw’ in the standard solar model one would expect this flaw to manifest itself in other ways also. Here we point out some less well known discrepancies between theoretical predictions of the standard solar model and relevant observations. We suggest that an additional source of energy production that competes with the proton–proton chain and carbon-nitrogen cycles, can reduce these discrepancies if it has a sufficiently strong temperature dependence. Model calculations based on a possible new mode of nucleosynthesis4,5 support this conclusion.
Repetitive burst-firing neurons in the deep layers of mouse somatosensory cortex

Intracellular recordings were made from neurons of the mouse somatosensory cortex isolated in vitro. Two physiologically distinct classes of pyramidal cells were observed: regular-spiking cells were the majority, and generated accommodating trains of single spikes; bursting cells generated clusters of 2-5 action potentials, and clusters were separated by prolonged afterhyperpolarizations. The bursting cells of the mouse neocortex were unusual in producing repetitive bursting during sustained current pulses, and in being localized to a laminar zone straddling layers V and VI.
Effects of fiber-end cracks on the stiffness of aligned short-fiber composites

Abstract The longitudinal Young's modulus of an aligned short-fiber reinforced composite with fiber-end cracks extending into the matrix is predicted theoretically in this paper. The analytical technique is based upon a modified Eshelby's equivalent inclusion method where infinite number of three kinds of ellipsoidal inhomogeneities are embedded in the matrix. The results indicate the importance of two parameters in affecting the stiffness of the composite: the size of the fiber-end crack, and the ratio of the number of fibers with fiber-end cracks to the total number of fibers.
Heat transfer with isotropic scattering

The heat transfer in a conducting, absorbing, emitting, scattering and heat generating medium has been considered. The specific problem of a plane parallel system with isotropic scattering was chosen. For this system, it is shown that the effects of scattering are small.
Spontaneous mutations decrease sensitivity of gene expression to random environmental variation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Background Biological phenotypes are described as “canalized” if they are robust to minor variation of environment and/or genetic background. The existence of a robust phenotype logically implies that some underlying mechanism must be variable, in the sense of “able to vary”, in order to compensate for variation in the environment and/or genetic effects. Several lines of evidence lead to the conclusion that deleterious mutations predictably render morphological, developmental, and life-history traits more sensitive to small random environmental perturbations - that is, mutations de-canalize the phenotype. Methodology/Principal Findings Using conventional dye-swap microarray methodology, we compared transcript abundance in a sample of >7,000 genes between four mutation accumulation (MA) lines of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the common (unmutated) ancestor. There was significantly less environmental variance in the MA lines than in the ancestor, both among replicates of the same gene and among genes. Conclusions/Significance Deleterious mutations consistently decrease the within-line component of variance in transcript abundance, which is straightforwardly interpreted as reducing the sensitivity of gene expression to small random variation in the environment. This finding is consistent with the idea that underlying variability in gene expression might be mechanistically responsible for phenotypic robustness.
All-Optical Big BAM

An optical bidirectional associative memory (BAM) offering a potential of operating up to 106 neurons with 1012 interconnections is described. Except possibly, for input and output, all operations are optical and parallel.
Minimal access cochlear implant fixation: temporalis pocket with a plate.

OBJECTIVE Minimal access approaches for cochlear implants have recently gained popularity, offering a smaller incision and minimal hair shave. The current generation of thinner internal receiver stimulators is adaptable for these approaches. However, conventional bony fixation of the internal receiver stimulator is difficult through this limited exposure, and some minimal access techniques rely on soft tissue fixation only. Inadequate fixation can result in device migration, extrusion, and electrode migration. We compare wound complications and electrode migration for a group undergoing conventional exposure and device fixation using a bone well and sutures with a group undergoing minimal access with plate fixation. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case review. SETTING Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Adults and children undergoing primary cochlear implant surgery using either technique. INTERVENTION(S) Therapeutic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Wound complications including device exposure or extrusion, electrode migration, wound breakdown, abscess, or cellulitis. RESULTS There were 193 implants in the conventional group and 103 in the minimal access with plate group. The conventional group experienced an overall complication rate of 3.6%, and the minimal access with plate group experienced an overall complication rate of 2%. Major complications occurred in 1% of patients in either group. There were no incidents of device migration, extrusion, or electrode migration in either group. CONCLUSION Cochlear implant surgery using the minimal access with plate fixation results in a similar wound complication rate as the conventional approach.
Response of Prochlorococcus to varying CO2:O2 ratios.

Carbon fixation has a central role in determining cellular redox poise, increasingly understood to be a key parameter in cyanobacterial physiology. In the cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus—the most abundant phototroph in the oligotrophic oceans—the carbon-concentrating mechanism is reduced to the bare essentials. Given the ability of Prochlorococcus populations to grow under a wide range of oxygen concentrations in the ocean, we wondered how carbon and oxygen physiology intersect in this minimal phototroph. Thus, we examined how CO2:O2 gas balance influenced growth and chlorophyll fluorescence in Prochlorococcus strain MED4. Under O2 limitation, per-cell chlorophyll fluorescence fell at all CO2 levels, but still permitted substantial growth at moderate and high CO2. Under CO2 limitation, we observed little growth at any O2 level, although per-cell chlorophyll fluorescence fell less sharply when O2 was available. We explored this pattern further by monitoring genome-wide transcription in cells shocked with acute limitation of CO2, O2 or both. O2 limitation produced much smaller transcriptional changes than the broad suppression seen under CO2 limitation and CO2/O2 co-limitation. Strikingly, both CO2 limitation conditions initially evoked a transcriptional response that resembled the pattern previously seen in high-light stress, but at later timepoints we observed O2-dependent recovery of photosynthesis-related transcripts. These results suggest that oxygen has a protective role in Prochlorococcus when carbon fixation is not a sufficient sink for light energy.
Isolation and characterization of 10 polymorphic microsatellite markers from striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax

We present the isolation and characterization of 10 microsatellite loci for striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax. Thirty individuals from each of four locations revealed that all loci were polymorphic with two to 31 alleles per locus. Observed levels of heterozygosity ranged from 0.3000 to 0.9667. Significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were detected in two loci, TA105 in Hawaii and New Zealand and TA155 in Hawaii, and null alleles may be present in loci TA105 and TA155 in those locations, and in locus TA193 in Mexico. No significant linkage disequilibrium was detected in any pairwise-locus comparison.
Does early excision of burn wounds change the pattern of mortality

Ninety-five patients died at the University of Washington Burn Center from 1980 to 1985. Fifty-seven patients (60%) survived more than 3 days. Thirty-five of these patients underwent excision and grafting. The major causes of death were pneumonia, burn wound sepsis, and sepsis from multiple sources. Thus infection was the cause of death in 26 (74%) of these 35 patients. The other 22 patients who survived longer than 3 days did not undergo excision and grafting before death. The primary cause of death was pneumonia. Infection was the cause of death in 12 patients of this group (55%) and thus was the major cause of death in 62% of all patients who survived more than 3 days. Although early wound closure may affect overall mortality, it does not appear to materially change the pattern of the causes of death in those that die after 3 days of hospitalization.
ESTIMATES OF STANDARD DEVIATION OF SPEARMAN'S RANK CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS WITH DEPENDENT OBSERVATIONS

We consider the problem of estimating the standard deviation of the Fisher-transformed Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between two random variables X and Y when both or either of them is serially correlated. When X or Y is not i.i.d., Efron's bootstrap (EB) and the jackknife fail to capture the autocorrelation structure in the data. The circular block bootstrap (CBB) and the stationary bootstrap (SB) can be applied as alternative nonparametric resampling schemes for stationary time series. When we can assume a time series regression model, we can apply the parametric bootstrap (PB) and the bootstrap of residuals from the model (RB) to estimate the standard deviation. We compare these six methods—EB, the jackknife, CBB, SB, PB, and RB—of estimating the standard deviation, using the simulated data which have a highly correlated first order autoregression model. As we expect, the conventional bootstrap and the jackknife perform most poorly, and the PB and RB taking into account the time series model ...
ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE HARVEST PHASE OF GEODUCK (PANOPEA GENEROSA GOULD, 1850) AQUACULTURE ON INFAUNAL COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHERN PUGET SOUND, WASHINGTON

Intertidal aquaculture for geoducks (Panopea generosa Gould, 1850) is expanding in southern Puget Sound, Washington, where gently sloping sandy beaches are used for field culture. Geoduck aquaculture contributes significantly to the regional economy, but has become controversial because of a range of unresolved questions involving potential biological impacts on marine ecosystems. From 2008 through 2012, the authors used a ''before-after-control-impact'' experimental design, emphasizing spatial scales comparable with those used by geoduck culturists to evaluate the effects of harvesting market-ready geoducks on associated benthic infaunal communities. Infauna were sampled at three different study locations in southern Puget Sound at monthly intervals before, during, and after harvests of clams, and along extralimital transects extending away from the edges of cultured plots to assess the effects of harvest activities in adjacent uncultured habitat. Using multivariate statistical approaches, strong seasonal and spatial signals in patterns of abundance were found, but there was scant evidence of effects on the community structure associated with geoduck harvest disturbances within cultured plots. Likewise, no indications of significant ''spillover'' effects of harvest on uncultured habitat adjacent to cultured plots were noted. Complementary univariate approaches revealed little evidence of harvest effects on infaunal biodiversity and indications of modest effects on populations of individual infaunal taxa. Of 10 common taxa analyzed, only three showed evidence of reduced densities, although minor, after harvests whereas the remaining seven taxa indicated either neutral responses to harvest disturbances or increased abundance either during or in the months after harvest events. It is suggested that a relatively active natural disturbance regime, including both small-scale and large-scale events that occur with comparable intensity but more frequently than geoduck harvest events in cultured plots, has facilitated assemblage-level infaunal resistance and resilience to harvest disturbances.
Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Interactions with Dopamine Function: Implications for Therapeutics in Cocaine Use Disorder

Cocaine exhibits prominent abuse liability, and chronic abuse can result in cocaine use disorder with significant morbidity. Major advances have been made in delineating neurobiological mechanisms of cocaine abuse; however, effective medications to treat cocaine use disorder remain to be discovered. The present review will focus on the role of serotonin (5-HT; 5-hydroxytryptamine) neurotransmission in the neuropharmacology of cocaine and related abused stimulants. Extensive research suggests that the primary contribution of 5-HT to cocaine addiction is a consequence of interactions with dopamine (DA) neurotransmission. The literature on the neurobiological and behavioral effects of cocaine is well developed, so the focus of the review will be on cocaine with inferences made about other monoamine uptake inhibitors and releasers based on mechanistic considerations. 5-HT receptors are widely expressed throughout the brain, and several different 5-HT receptor subtypes have been implicated in mediating the effects of endogenous 5-HT on DA. However, the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors in particular have been implicated as likely candidates for mediating the influence of 5-HT in cocaine abuse as well as to traits (e.g., impulsivity) that contribute to the development of cocaine use disorder and relapse in humans. Lastly, new approaches are proposed to guide targeted development of serotonergic ligands for the treatment of cocaine use disorder.
A study of the structural integration of the marketing and PR functions in the C-suite

Recently, a number of firms have structurally integrated the distinct yet related functions of marketing and public relations (PR), under the leadership of a single corporate-, or C-level, executive. Such actions, as well as turf wars between the functions over social media ownership and related stakeholder management conflicts, have reignited the debate over whether marketing and PR should be separated or unified. By drawing on the pros and cons of integration, as suggested by prior conceptual research on integrated marketing communications, and using secondary data for a set of Fortune 500 firms, this study empirically tests this issue for multiple outcomes and contingencies. Results show that the integration of marketing and PR has positive benefits for firm reputation, an effect that is weakened as firm size increases, and positive effects for firm profitability in service-oriented firms.
Opioids suppress spontaneous and NMDA-induced inhibitory postsynaptic currents in the dorsal raphe nucleus of the rat in vitro

Recently, local injection of morphine in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) has been shown to increase serotonin release in the forebrain of unanesthetized rats. This study investigated the site of action of opioids in rat brain slices containing the DRN. Postsynaptic currents (PSCs), measured intracellularly under voltage clamp, were induced in serotonergic neurons with bath and microiontophoretic applications of NMDA to activate local neurons. Met-enkephalin (ENK) suppressed spontaneous and NMDA-induced GABAergic inhibitory PSCs. This effect, which was mimicked by the mu agonist DAMGO but not the kappa-agonist U50488 or the delta-agonist DPDPE, was reversed by the mu antagonist CTOP. ENK also suppressed spontaneous and NMDA-induced glutamatergic excitatory PSCs. By searching with focal microiontophoretic NMDA applications, GABAergic and glutamatergic cells projecting on serotonergic neurons were found in the DRN and the adjacent periaqueductal gray. Consistent with the reduction in PSCs, ENK inhibited/hyperpolarized the great majority (81%) of non-serotonergic neurons recorded extra- and intracellularly in the DRN; the ENK effect reversed polarity at -99 +/- 9 mV, close to the potassium reversal potential. In contrast, ENK inhibited/hyperpolarized only 28% of serotonergic neurons; in the affected cells, the ENK effect, blocked by CTOP, had its reversal potential shifted with change of extracellular potassium in agreement with the value predicted by the Nernst equation for a potassium conductance; serotonin occluded the ENK inhibition. Taken together, these results indicate that opioids inhibit both local GABAergic and glutamatergic cells projecting onto DRN serotonergic neurons.
Correlations Between Fatty Acid and Glucose Metabolism: Potential Explanation of Insulin Resistance of Puberty

In vivo resistance to the action of insulin on glucose uptake has been documented during puberty. To test the hypothesis that the glucose-fatty acid cycle, as proposed by Randle et al. (Randle PJ, Garland PB, Hales CN, Newsholme EA: The glucose fatty-acid cycle: its role in insulin sensitivity and the metabolic disturbances of diabetes mellitus. Lancet 1:785-789, 1963), may be responsible for this phenomenon, we studied nine prepubertal (Tanner I), nine pubertal (Tanner II-IV), and five young adult healthy subjects. The rate of lipolysis was measured with [d-5]glycerol tracer during basal state and during a stepwise hyperinsulinemic (10 and 40 mU.m-2.min-1)-euglycemic clamp. The rates of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (Rd) were measured during the clamp, whereas glucose and fat oxidation were measured by using indirect respiratory calorimetry. Basal glycerol rate of appearance (Ra; lipolysis) and fat oxidation were similar between prepubertal and pubertal subjects but higher than adults when the data were expressed per kilogram body weight or per kilogram fat-free mass (FFM; glycerol Ra: 2.5 +/- 0.2, 2.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.2 mumol.min-1.kg FFM-1, P < 0.05; fat oxidation: 4.4 +/- 0.6, 4.8 +/- 0.3 vs. 3.2 +/- 0.6 mumol.min-1.kg FFM-1, P < 0.05). However, when expressed for total body, glycerol Ra and fat oxidation were higher in pubertal versus prepubertal and adult subjects. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels correlated with total-body lipolysis (r = 0.52, P = 0.006) and with total lipid oxidation (r = 0.44, P = 0.016) at baseline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
LYMPHOCYTIC THYROIDITIS IN CHILDREN.

The findings in the cases of 27 children with lymphocytic thyroiditis are summarized. A presumptive diagnosis was made on the basis of history and physical examination and was established by needle biopsy. Administration of thyroid hormone is an effective means of treatment if continued indefinitely. The patients in this series have progressed satisfactorily during the period of observation.
Data acquisition software for high data rate experiments

A computerized perceptual laboratory operates a variety of stimulus devices, including static and dynamic graphics displays, and records both discrete and analog data in a diverse and complex set of experimental paradigms. The software requirement to accommodate this variety of paradigms and high input and output data rates has been met by a single multitasked acquisition program that interprets unitary event commands to display graphics or nongraphics stimuli, record responses, control timing, or provide appropriate feedback. Event lists are created and modified with a text editor, then assembled into binary experiment definition files by dialogue with a parsing program. Graphics stimuli are referenced by a file name that contains stimulus attributes for later data extraction. All protocols and stimulus files are loaded prior to the block of trials, so no disk accesses that would delay events are required during a block. The resulting data file contains a record of all variable stimulus and timing information, as well as the discrete and analog responses, in a uniform format which facilitates data extraction.
Influence of regional crossbreeding between rhesus macaques on the rate of weight gain of their offspring

To evaluate potential heterosis resulting from breeding between rhesus macaques of Chinese and Indian origin in a captive social group, the rates of weight gain of Indian (nonhybrid) rhesus monkeys were compared with those of their hybrid (half Chinese/half Indian) peers. The coefficients for the linear regression of age on weight were estimated for each animal for each exact age between 1 and 4, when that regression is strictly linear, at which he/she lived in the group. The average rates of weight gain of hybrids and nonhybrids were compared using the t statistic. Both male and female hybrids exhibited statistically significantly higher rates of weight gain than their nonhybrid peers before, but not after, age 4. No evidence could be found that either hybrid status or rate of weight gain increases fitness, at least under captive conditions. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dynamics of angular momentum accumulation in damped nuclear reactions

The dynamical evolution of the correlated angular momentum distribution in a damped nuclear reaction is discussed within the framework of the nucleon exchange transport model. 13 references.
GABA Transporters Regulate a Standing GABAC Receptor-Mediated Current at a Retinal Presynaptic Terminal

At the axon terminal of goldfish retinal bipolar cells, GABAC receptors have been shown to mediate inhibitory reciprocal synaptic currents. Here, we demonstrate a novel standing GABAergic current mediated exclusively by GABAC receptors. Selective inhibition of GAT-1 GABA transporters on amacrine cells increases this tonic current and reveals a specific functional coupling between GAT-1 transporters and GABAC receptors. We propose that this GABAC receptor-mediated standing current serves to regulate synaptic gain by shunting depolarizing potentials that can produce Ca2+-dependent action potentials at the bipolar cell terminal. Furthermore, we find that the amount of GABAC receptor-mediated reciprocal feedback between bipolar cell terminals and amacrine cells is greatly increased when GAT-1 transporters are specifically blocked by NO-711 (1-[2-[[(diphenylmethylene)imino]oxy]ethyl]-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid hydrochloride). The involvement of GAT-1 transporters in regulating this standing (or tonic) GABAC current implicates them in a novel role as major determinants of presynaptic excitability.
Effect of selective blockade of mu(1) or delta opioid receptors on reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior by drug-associated stimuli in rats

This study examined the effects of a nonselective opiate antagonist and antagonists selective for the mu(1) versus delta opioid receptor on ethanol-seeking behavior induced by alcohol-related environmental stimuli in an animal model of relapse. Rats were trained to self-administer ethanol (10% w/v) or water on an FR 1 schedule in 30-min daily sessions. The availability of ethanol was signaled by an olfactory discriminative stimulus (S(+)). A different olfactory stimulus (S(-)) signaled water availability. In addition, each lever-response resulting in delivery of ethanol was paired with illumination of a visual cue for 5 s (SC(+)), whereas a 5-s white noise (SC(-)) was associated with water. The rats were then subjected to a 20-day extinction phase where lever presses had no programmed consequences. Reexposure to the S(+)/CS(+) stimulus condition in the absence of further ethanol availability elicited strong recovery of responding. No effect was observed following presentation of S(-)/CS(-). Subsequently, ethanol-seeking behavior associated with the S(+)/CS(+) stimulus condition was studied in rats treated with the nonselective opiate antagonist naltrexone (0.25-1 mg/kg, SC), the delta selective antagonist naltrindole (1-5 mg/kg, IP), and the mu(1) selective antagonist naloxonazine (1-15 mg/kg, IP). Naltrexone (1 mg/kg) and naltrindole (5 mg/kg) selectively inhibited alcohol-seeking behavior. Naloxonazine (15 mg/kg) also reduced ethanol-seeking behavior but produced some nonselective behavioral suppression as well. The results provide evidence that selective blockade of either mu(1) or delta opioid receptors inhibits ethanol-seeking behavior elicited by drug-related environmental stimuli. Moreover, the data suggest that drugs aimed at the delta opioid receptor may offer advantages in the treatment and prevention of relapse compared with agents that also block the mu(1) receptor.
Media Research Contributes to the Battle Against Childhood Obesity

Concern about childhood obesity has mushroomed in recent years from an esoteric focus to page-one news headlines that identify the issue as one of the most serious threats to the nation's public he...
The Effects of Uranium on the Structure of Iron Phosphate Glasses

Because of their high chemical durability and waste loading capacity, iron phosphate glasses are a natural candidate for a nuclear waste disposal medium. The authors have studied the effects of uranium on the structure of iron phosphate glasses with both neutron and high-energy x-ray diffraction. The results of neutron scattering, which is mostly sensitive to pair correlations involving light atoms, i.e., O-O, Fe-O and P-O, indicate the main structural features of the base glass are largely unaffected by the addition of UO{sub 2}. The nearest-neighbor P-O, Fe-O and O-O peaks remain at the same position in real space and their intensities scale approximately with concentration. These findings are consistent with earlier results using Raman scattering and EXAFS on the Fe-K edge, where in both cases the spectra remain similar to the base glass. The results of high-energy x-ray scattering, which is sensitive to correlations involving the heavier atoms and thus complements the neutron measurements, are also consistent with the overall picture of uranium occupying interstitial sites in the relatively undisturbed base glass structure. Combining the neutron and x-ray data for a 10 mol% UO{sub 2} glass suggests the intriguing possibility of a U{sup 6+} uranyl ion configuration although further workmore » is needed to establish the precise local structure and valence state of uranium in these glasses.« less
Survival and quality of life: short-term versus long-term ventilator patients.

Objective Examine postdischarge mortality, quality of life, and charges for care for short-term (>24 and ≤96 hrs of ventilation) and long-term (>96 hrs) ventilator patients. Design Prospective longitudinal descriptive study. Setting Posthospital discharge follow-up in homes, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers. Patients Intensive care unit patients who required >24 hrs of continuous in-hospital mechanical ventilation were enrolled from February 1997 through March 1999. Patients living to hospital discharge were followed for 1 yr postdischarge. Interventions None. Measurements and Results A total of 538 patients were studied. In-hospital mortality was 47.4%, with a 1-yr mortality rate of 64.7%; survival analysis showed that the different survival risks for short-term and long-term ventilator patients over time were not statistically significant. Long-term patients were more likely to be discharged to a nursing home (45.2%). Short-term ventilator patients had better overall quality of life at all points postdischarge. Charges to produce a long-term survivor were significantly higher than for short-term patients; on average $86,360 more charges were required to produce a long-term ventilator patient survivor for 1 yr postdischarge. Conclusions There were no significant demographic or clinical differences between short-term and long-term ventilator patients. Our results suggest that the likelihood of need for continued care in an extended-care facility for months and the risk of death during the first year postdischarge are sufficiently common features of this population and need to be included in discussions of treatment options with patients and their families.
LACTOGENIC HORMONE CONTENT OF ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND OF ALBINO MOUSE AS COMPARED TO OTHER SPECIES1,2

THE TREND of recent research has more and more emphasized the pituitary gland as the integrator of mammary physiology (i). Evidence has been accumulating that the lactogenic hormone is associated with the initiation and maintenance of milk secretion and an extensive series of studies has been carried out to demon-strate this association- in numerous mammals. The amount of lactogenic hormone present in the pituitary gland has been suggested as an index of the amount of hor-mone being secreted into the blood for the stimulation of milk synthesis. The rapid increase in lactogen in the anterior pituitary gland post partum, as intense lactation is initiated, is indicative of this relationship. Further support has been given this contention by the work of Meites and Turner (2) who have shown that injected estrone increases the amount of lactogen in the rabbit pituitary and simultaneously the amount of lactogen fn the blood.
Therapeutic effects of coenzyme Q10 in neurodegenerative diseases.

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes the therapeutic effects of coenzyme Q 10 (CoQ 10 ) in neurodegenerative diseases. There is increasing interest in the potential usefulness of CoQ 10 to treat both mitochondrial disorders as well as neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). CoQ 10 administration can increase brain concentrations in mature and older animals. It can also increase brain mitochondrial concentrations. There is substantial evidence that CoQ 10 can act in concert with alphatocopherol as an antioxidant within mitochondria. CoQ 10 administration has been demonstrated to be efficacious in experimental models of neurodegenerative diseases. It is neuroprotective against lesions produced by mitochondrial toxins including malonate, 3-nitropropionic acid and MPTP. CoQ 10 extends survival in a transgenic mouse model of ALS, and it extends survival and exerts significant neuroprotective effects in a transgenic mouse model of HD. CoQ 10 and idebenone appear to be promising for treatment of Friedriech's ataxia. Initial clinical trials in both HD and PD have shown beneficial effects. The initial results of utilizing CoQ 10 administration for treatment of neurodegenerative disease appear promising as a treatment to slow the inexorable progression of these disorders.
Life history and natural enemies of an undescribed sawfly near Pontania pacifica (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) that forms leaf galls on arroyo willow, Salix lasiolepis

Life history and natural enemies of an undescribed species of Pontania sawfly forming leaf galls on the arroyo willow, Salix lasiolepis Bentham, were studied at Flagstaff, Ariz., from 1980 to 1984. Adults were morphologically indistinguishable from Pontania pacifica Marlatt, but galls, life history, and gall growth patterns were different, suggesting that the Pontania leaf-galler in Arizona is an undescribed species near P. pacifica that occurs on the same host plant. Arizona Pontania prepupae overwintered in cocoons in soil and adults emerged to oviposit into young willow leaves in July and August. Larval development was completed in ca. 9 weeks, and larvae emerged from galls in September and October. Adult oviposition behavior and development of immature stages and galls are described. Proportion of larvae surviving per generation varied from 8 to 23% from 1981 to 1983. From 55 to 79% of the sawflies died in the egg or early instars from abortion, unknown causes, and attack by two inquilines, Eurytoma fossae Bugbee and Batrachedra striolata Zeller. Ectoparasitoids, Bracon angelesius Provancher and Pteromalus sp., attacked later instars and killed 13–26% of the sawflies. Endoparasitoids were not found. Sawfly gall densities declined dramatically from an average of 56.4 galls per 100 leaves in 1980 to 3.1 in 1983.
Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Trichloroethanol, Chloral Hydrate, Trichloroacetic Acid, and Trichloroethanol Glucuronide

A sensitive and specific assay has been developed for trichloroethanol, chloral hydrate, trichloroacetic acid, and trichloroethanol glucuronide utilizing gas chromatography and electron capture detection. Trichloroethanol and chloral hydrate are extracted from alkalinized water or urine with ether, and a portion of the ether extract is assayed with chlorobutanol and chloroform as internal standards. Trichloroacetic acid and trichloroethanol glucuronide are not extracted under these conditions. The trichloroacetic acid is decarboxylated as the potassium salt and the resultant chloroform extracted into ether and assayed. The trichloroethanol glucuronide is enzymatically hydrolyzed and the hydrolysate assayed for the trichloroethanol formed. Sensitivities obtained were 0.5 mcg. of trichloroethanol and chloral hydrate (3.3 and 3.02 mμmoles, 10 −9 moles, respectively), 1.0 mcg. of trichloroacetic acid (6.1 mμmoles) in 2.0 ml. of sample and 0.5 mcg. of trichloroethanol glucuronide (1.54 mμmoles) in 3.0 ml. of sample. Statistical analysis of assays on urinary mixtures of the four compounds demonstrates the reliability of the method.
Quantum Expansion of Soliton Solutions

A method for giving quantum mechanical meaning to particle-like (soliton) classical solutions is described in an attempt to relate particle-like solutions of classical nonlinear field theory to physical hadrons. The method uses the familiar canonical Hilbert space formalism of quantum mechanics and has been applied to the quantum mechanical interpretation of both static and time- dependent classical soliton solutions. (SDF)