cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of the Interval of Shell Deposition on Eggshell Quality

Abstract After selection for three generations, thick- and thin-shelled lines of Single Comb White Leghorns (SCWL) were developed which produced eggs having means of 10.7 and 7.9% shell, respectively, at twleve months of age. The average time interval between ovipositions of the first and second eggs in a laying cycle at 16 months of age was 27 hr 20 min for the thick-shelled line and 27 hr 35 min for the thin-shelled line, respectively. Through digital palpation, in utero times were determined at 17 months of age. Eggs from birds of the thick-shelled line spent an average of 20 hr 5 min and those from birds of the thin-shelled line spent 19 hr 38 min in the shell gland. The percent shell was 9.7 and 7.0 for the thick- and thin-shelled lines, respectively. It is concluded that the two lines differ in shell quality because of differences in the rate of shell deposition.
Decluttering methods for high density computer-generated graphic displays

Several decluttering methods were compared with respect to the speed and accuracy of user performance which resulted. The presence of a map background was also manipulated. Partial removal of nonessential graphic features through symbol simplification was as effective a decluttering technique as was total removal of nonessential graphic features. The presence of a map background interacted with decluttering conditions when response time was the dependent measure. Results indicate that the effectiveness of decluttering methods depends upon the degree to which each method makes essential graphic information distinctive from nonessential information. Practical implications are discussed.
Variation in content of available P and K (bray I) in soil samples from a cropped N, P, and K fertility experiment over 8 years

Abstract Plots from a N, P, and K field fertility experiment were soil sampled each spring and fall from 1971 to 1979 to study the effect of cropping and different rates of added P and K on the content of available soil P and K (Bray I). Phosphorus and K fertilization was in the spring after soil sampling and before planting in 1971, 1972,and 1973 and in the fall after sampling in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978. Over the 8‐year period, available soil P increased 1 kg/ ha for every 2.3 kg/ha of added P; while available soil K increased 1 kg/ha for every 5.7 kg/ha of added K. However, within a growing season and between growing seasons, contents of available soil P and K showed cyclic patterns, increasing and decreasing to a greater extent than the long‐term response. Changes in available P and K from spring to fall and from fall to spring are presented. Variability in the content of available soil P and K for 32 plots receiving a similar treatment of either P or K was greater for P as compared to K.
Contrast and frequency competition for orientation-contingent color aftereffects.

A “competition” paradigm was developed to examine separately the effects of pattern contrast and spatial frequency characteristics on the strength of orientation-contingent color aftereffects (McCollough effects). After adapting to alternately presented red/black and green/black square-wave gratings (one horizontal, one vertical), 11 subjects viewed seven different kinds of test patterns. Unlike Standard McCollough effect test stimuli, the present patterns had variable luminance profiles running both horizontally and vertically within each test pattern area. Forced choice responses were used to determine which aftereffect color (red or green) appeared, as characteristics of vertical and horizontal luminance profiles were varied separately among test stimulus types. We conclude that pattern contrast and human contrast sensitivity account for aftereffect colors in such stimuli. When contrast is taken into consideration, aftereffects are not predicted by similarity between adaptation and test pattern Fourier characteristics, nor are they predicted by the width, per se, of pattern elements.
FuzzyFusion: an application architecture for multisource information fusion

The correlation of information from disparate sources has long been an issue in data fusion research. Traditional data fusion addresses the correlation of information from sources as diverse as single-purpose sensors to all-source multi-media information. Information system vulnerability information is similar in its diversity of sources and content, and in the desire to draw a meaningful conclusion, namely, the security posture of the system under inspection. FuzzyFusion TM , A data fusion model that is being applied to the computer network operations domain is presented. This model has been successfully prototyped in an applied research environment and represents a next generation assurance tool for system and network security.
Public-Private Contracting and Political Reciprocity:

Prior research linking public-private contracts with political donations has not examined the dynamics of exchange. Evaluating data from Wisconsin, I test for a temporal association between the awarding of public-private construction contracts and political donations by construction firm owners and executives. My findings indicate that donation activity peaks near the months when contracts are approved; that contract-related donation premiums are comparable in magnitude to election cycle premiums; and that political giving varies across three separate procurement processes. I deduce that patterns of political giving reflect strategic expenditures during the negotiation phase of the public-private procurement process. These findings have implications for campaign finance reform and privatization policy.
Diabetes and the Kidney in Pregnancy

The prevalence of diabetes in pregnant women is increasing, with 4% of deliveries in the United States occurring in women with pregestational or gestational diabetes. The proteinuria of late pregnancy is exaggerated in women with diabetes. However, diabetic women with preserved renal function before pregnancy appear to have little risk of deterioration of kidney function during pregnancy. Women with impaired renal function before pregnancy may be at risk for permanent decline of renal function during pregnancy, although it is unclear whether this represents the effect of pregnancy or the natural history of their diabetic renal disease. Preeclampsia, which is more common in women with diabetes, may be difficult to diagnose in this group of women. From the currently available literature, there appears to be no negative effect of pregnancy on the long-term progression of diabetic renal disease if renal function is normal and marked proteinuria is absent, but in light of recent findings in which preeclampsia appears to be associated with an increased risk of end-stage renal disease, large cohort studies will be necessary before this question can be definitively answered.
Patterns of isozyme variation between maize and Mexican annual teosinte

Isozyme variation in 94 accessions of Mexican maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) and 37 collections of Mexican annual teosinte (Z. mays ssp. mexicana and var. parviglumis) are compared. Variety parviglumis (a predominantly wild plant) shows a closer genetic relationship to maize than does ssp. mexicana (a weedy teosinte often found in maize fields). The isozyme data suggest that maize and Z. mays var. parviglumis share a more recent common ancestor than either of these taxa share with other members of the genus Zea. In this sense, the isozyme data support the theory that maize is a domesticated form of teosinte. Isozyme data provide no evidence for independent origin of Mexican maize races from different taxa of teosinte. Isozyme analysis suggests that gene flow between maize and ssp. mexicana exists, but that it is highly restricted and more probably goes from weed into crop. Maize and var. parviglumis are isozymically too similar and too variable to allow patterns of gene flow between them (if any) to be discerned. The maize- teosinte complex does not fit a model applied to some other crops in that (I) weedy teosinte (ssp. mexicana) does not appear to be a hybrid of the wild form (var. parviglumis,) and maize and (2) the weedy form does not act as a genetic bridge between wild form and crop.
Elevated, sustained peroxynitrite levels as the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome

The etiology of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been both obscure and highly contentious, leading to substantial barriers to both clear diagnosis and effective treatment. I propose here a novel hypothesis of CFS in which either viral or bacterial infection induces one or more cytokines, IL-1beta IL-6, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. These induce nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), leading to increased nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide, in turn, reacts with superoxide radical to generate the potent oxidant peroxynitrite. Multiple amplification and positive feedback mechanisms are proposed by which once peroxynitrite levels are elevated, they tend to be sustained at a high level. This proposed mechanism may lower the HPA axis activity and be maintained by consequent lowered glucocorticoid levels. Similarities are discussed among CFS and autoimmune and other diseases previously shown to be associated with elevated peroxynitrite. Multiple pharmacological approaches to the treatment of CFS are suggested by this hypothesis.
PRimary melanoma of penis

Abstract The clinical and histologic findings in 3 patients with primary malignant melanoma of the penis are presented, increasing the number of reported cases in the literature to 33. The location of the lesions were varied with one arising on the undersurface of the foreskin, another on the ventral surface of the penile shaft near a hypospadiac urethral meatus, and the other from a melanotic freckle of Hutchinson on the glans. One patient has survived twelve and one-half years following local excision and pelvic perfusion.
Designing polyethylene glycol (PEG) – plasticized membranes of poly(vinyl alcohol-g-methyl methacrylate) and investigation of water sorption and blood compatibility behaviors

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based semi-IPNs have been widely used as hydrogel matrices in tissue engineering applications because of their inherent hydrophilicity and biocompatibility. Today, synthetic scaffolds are being widely used in tissue engineering and allied applications because they offer the ability to precisely control the mechanical properties, morphology, and blood compatibility of the materials. In this regard, an attempt has been made to develop scaffolds membranes by judiciously combining PEG, polyvinyl alcohol, and polymethyl methacrylate. The so prepared hydrogel membranes were undertaken for structural, morphological, and thermal characterization using FTIR, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and DSC techniques, respectively. The hydrogel films were investigated for water sorption capacity under various experimental conditions such as changing chemical composition of the membrane, different pH, and temperature of the swelling media and varying simulated biological fluids. The hydrogel me...
Magnesium deficiency and urea cycle enzymes in rat liver.

SummaryA statistically significant decrease in ornithine transcarbamylase in livers of magnesium deficient rats is reported. Since such an isolated enzymatic deficiency has usually been described in conditions where increased synthesis of pyrimidines is required and in view of certain manifestations of protein deficiency present in the experimental animals, this enzymatic alteration suggests the possibility of an increased incorporation of carbamyl phosphate into pyrimidine precursors in an attempt to compensate for a deranged protein anabolism.
Comparison of Epicardial Adipose Tissue Volume and Coronary Artery Disease Severity in Asymptomatic Adults With Versus Without Diabetes Mellitus

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been shown to have important effects on the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) through local paracrine influences on the vascular bed. We compared a cohort of asymptomatic patients with type II diabetes mellitus (DM) without known CAD to an age- and gender-matched group of asymptomatic patients without DM from the CTRAD (Cardiac CT's Role in Asymptomatic Patients with DM-II) study in which patients underwent a cardiac computed tomography angiogram, for early detection of CAD. Mean EAT volumes of 118.6 ± 43.0 and 70.0 ± 44.0 cm 3 were found in the DM and non-DM groups, respectively. When stratified by the presence and severity of CAD, it was found that in the DM (p = 0.003) and non-DM groups (p 120 cm 3 of EAT was found to be highly correlated with the presence of significant CAD (adjusted odds ratio 4.47, 95% confidence interval 1.35 to 14.82). We found that not only is EAT volume an independent predictor of CAD but that an increasing volume of EAT predicted increasing severity of CAD even after adjustment for CAC score.
Partial Breast Irradiation Techniques with a Clinical and Dosimetric Comparison of Balloon vs. Interstitial Brachytherapy vs. 3D-Conformal Technique

Accelerated partial breast irradiation as the sole radiation modality following lumpectomy has shown promising results for select breast cancer patients. Brachytherapy, as the method of delivery, required a large volume implant with catheters placed in and around the seroma cavity and was technically challenging. Image guided brachytherapy implants followed by image assisted 3D dosimetry planning has made the process more accurate. Due to its enormous demand of skill, time and physics resources, physician acceptance remained low. Development of Mammosite balloon has simplified both the implant procedure and the dosimetry planning. Recently, the development of an external beam technique that would mimic brachytherapy techniques has been developed. Since most radiation therapy clinics have a CT scanner, physics planning software and linear accelerator necessary to perform 3D conformal accelerated radiation, external beam modality of delivering radiation has become the obvious choice. This chapter reviews these three techniques and the rationale and dosimetric outcomes are highlighted in this review.
A novel, inexpensive, and sensitive method for analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase activity in tissue samples.

Abstract Tyrosine hydroxylase activity in whole mouse brains was measured in v vitro . The L-dihydroxyphenylaline (L-DOPA) formed by the enzyme was quantitated by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (LCEC). An investigation of the incubation factors (added Fe+2, DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor concentration, substrate concentration, amount of tissue, time of incubation) is reported. Under optimal conditions the activity was found to be 15.1 ± 0.6 (S.E.M.) nmol DOPA formed/hr./g. tissue.
CALORIC EQUIVALENT OF LIVE WEIGHT LOSS OF DAIRY CATTLE.

Abstract Two methods were used to investigate the caloric equivalent of live weight loss during undernutrition of first-lactation Holstein heifers. In one case estimates were made from a comparative slaughter trial and in the other from a carbon-nitrogen balance trial. Feed intakes were restricted by using rations calculated to provide 65% of the minimum TDN requirements of the heifers. The comparative slaughter experiment was conducted with 17 lactating heifers. Initial mean body composition was estimated from the carcasses of six representative heifers slaughtered at the beginning of the trial. After 49 days on the restricted ration, six more heifers were slaughtered. The remaining five were slaughtered after a total of 105 days on the restricted ration. Body composition of all heifers was predicted from the specific gravity of the carcasses. The six heifers slaughtered after 49 days on the restricted ration were subjected to a carbon-nitrogen balance trial from the 41st to the 46th day of the restriction period. The caloric equivalents calculated from the comparative slaughter trials were 2,146 and 2,353 kcal per pound of weight loss in the 49- and 105-day restriction periods, respectively. The value estimated from the carbon-nitrogen balance was 2,393 kcal per pound. The weighted mean from the comparative slaughter trials, 2,266 kcal per pound, was considered to be a reliable estimate of energy equivalent of live weight loss over an extended period of time.
Retail stocking decisions with order and stock sales

Abstract Key factors for success in competitive markets are to be able to offer the customer the product features he/she desires and still maintain low costs. We believe that, just as lean manufacturing has helped reduce inventories in factories, there is a need for lean retailing to reduce the large inventories at retailers. One way to do this is to exploit the potential for order-and-wait sales rather than hold a lot of inventory, especially in high-variety environments. This paper analyzes retailing operations from this perspective and looks at the issue of providing the customer with the option of purchasing from stock or by placing an order, when variety is an inherent feature of the product market. A multi-period, multiproduct model with a constraint on the amount of stock that can be held is developed, with both stock and order-and-wait sales possible. We provide an optimal procedure to solve the problem and develop other key results. First, we show that the optimal quantity of stock to be held by the retailer decreases when the option of placing an order is offered. The idea is that, through identifying and servicing segments of consumers with a propensity to waiting, retailers can reduce their stocking levels (and costs) needed to service those consumers who have no desire to wait for product delivery. Another key conclusion is that, in some contexts, the retailer should actually be offering discounts to those who will place an order and wait for the product they desire. However, under certain conditions, it may indeed be optimal to charge a premium for the ordered item (relative to in-stock items).
Effect of 5-fluorouracil on the multiplication of a virulent virus (pseudorabies) and an oncogenic virus (polyoma)☆

Abstract Incubation of mouse embryo cells with 5-fluorouracil and thymidine does not prevent the multiplication of pseudorabies virus, but does affect the multiplication of polyoma virus. The degree of inhibition of the growth of polyoma virus is dependent upon the length of time prior to infection that the cultures are exposed to the drug. This inhibition is not due to a direct effect of 5-fluorouracil on viral messenger RNA; it occurs even when 5-fluorouracil is not available in the intracellular pool for incorporation into viral messenger RNA. Inhibition by the drug of the multiplication of polyoma virus is an “all or none” phenomenon. While 5-fluorouracil suppresses completely in some of the cells all aspects of the infective process that were tested, in other cells in the drug-treated cultures infection appears to proceed at a normal rate, indicating that an early step in the infective process is sensitive to 5-fluorouracil. The nature of this early event is discussed.
Nonlinear parabolic problems in perforated domains

The behavior of the remainder term of the asymptotic expansion for solutions of a quasi-linear parabolic Cauchy-Dirichlet problem in a sequence of domains with fine-granulated boundary is studied. By using a modification of the asymptotic expansion and new pointwise estimates of solutions of the model problem, the uniform convergence of the remainder term to zero is proved.
Symmetric first-order Bragg interactions in an active dielectric waveguide

Simple and asymptotically exact dispersion relations describing the symmetric first-order Bragg interactions in an active planar dielectric waveguide have been deduced for the case of even TE modes. Either the index or the gain is assumed to have a sinusoidal variation in the propagation direction. The guided wave is absolutely unstable in the first-order Bragg region and the characteristics of this instability have been examined. The mode theory is used to obtain the exact dispersion relation from which, by a perturbation expansion, the first-order dispersion relations are determined.
Studies on the mechanism of spironolactone protection against indomethacin toxicity.

Abstract Pretreatment of rats for 4 days with spironolactone (75 mg/kg) increases the LD50 of indomethacin from 13 (12.7–14.5) mg/kg ip to 37 (34–41) mg/kg ip. In an attempt to determine the mechanism by which spironolactone decreases the toxicity of indomethacin, [14C]indomethacin (8 mg/kg) was administered ip to control and spironolactone-pretreated rats and the concentration of 14C in various tissues was determined at timed intervals up to 4 hr. The concentration of 14C in the tissues of the two groups 30 and 60 min after [14C]indomethacin administration were similar, but at the 2-, 3-, and 4-hr time intervals, the concentration of 14C was lower in the blood, plasma, lung, heart, spleen, and muscle of the spironolactone-pretreated rats. This indicates that spironolactone enhances the excretion of indomethacin. The mechanism of the enhanced excretion was studied using [14C]indomethacin administered iv (4 mg/kg) to control and spironolactone-pretreated rats. The amount of 14C in the plasma and bile was measured. Spironolactone markedly enhanced the plasma disappearance of 14C and more than doubled the rate of its excretion into the bile. The increased excretion of 14C into the bile of the spironolactone-pretreated rats was mostly in the form of more water-soluble metabolites. The increased plasma disappearance and biliary excretion of indomethacin is also observed after other microsomal enzyme inducers. Phenobarbital (75 mg/kg) and pregnenolone-16α-carbonitrile (75 mg/kg) produced a similar increase in the plasma disappearance and biliary excretion of indomethacin as did spironolactone, but 3-methylcholanthrene (20 mg/kg) was without effect. Thus, it appears that spironolactone decreases the toxicity of indomethacin by increasing its biotransformation and excretion into the bile.
Selectively Functionalized Glycerol/Diacid Dendrimers via Click Chemistry of Azido Fatty Acids

Dendrimers consisting of glycerol and dicarboxylic acid units were synthesized using a convergent or “outside-in” strategy. The multimeric arms, or dendrons, are joined to a central core in the final step using the azide/alkyne click reaction. The combination of these approaches allows the preparation of dendrimers with variable and controlled degrees of substitution at their periphery. For example, a single protected amino acid has been situated at the periphery, with all other substituents being hydrophobic. In another example, all the peripheral substituents are protected amino acids. The identity of the dendrimers is unambiguous due to the purification and characterization of all the synthetic intermediates. Functional groups have also been selectively incorporated along the arms (dicarboxylic acids) and at the cores.
Identification of the active site of gelatinase B as the structural element sufficient for converting a protein to a metalloprotease.

Gelatinase B is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase family that efficiently cleaves gelatin, elastin, and types V and X collagen. To understand the contribution of the active site of the enzyme (amino acid residues 373-456) in these activities, we studied catalytic properties of a fusion protein consisting of maltose binding protein and the active site region of gelatinase B. We found that addition of the active site of gelatinase B, which corresponds to 12% of the total protein molecule, to maltose binding protein is sufficient to endow the protein with the ability to cleave the peptide substrates Mca-PLGL(Dpa)AR-NH2 and DNP-PLGLWA-(D)-R-NH2. The fusion protein hydrolyzed the Mca-PLGL(Dpa)AR-NH2 peptide with the same efficiency as that of the stromelysin, k(cat)/K-m similar or equal to 1.07 x 10(6) M-1 h(-1). The fusion protein, however, was not able to degrade the large substrate, gelatin. Inhibition of the activity of the protein by EDTA suggested that its activity was metal dependent. ESR analyses indicated that the fusion protein bound one molecule of Zn2+. In addition, Z-Pro-Leu-Gly-hydroxamate and TIMP-1 inhibited the activity of the protein, suggesting that the structure of the active site of the fusion protein is similar to that of the other metalloproteinases. These data provide fundamental information about the structural elements required for transforming a protein to a metalloprotease.
Theory of hemoglobin facilitated oxygen transport.

The transport of oxygen in a hemoglobin-saturated medium is theoretically investigated using classical transport theory. It is found that all the chemical complexes can be expressed as a single function of oxygen pressure. A potential difference together with apH shift is predicted to occur across the medium.
The bifurcation of homoclinic orbits from two heteroclinic orbits-a topological approach

Conditions are found for a homoclinic orbit to bifurcate from a heteroclinic loop for autonomous ordinary differential equations. The results axe applied to prove the existence of traveling wave solutions of the FitzHugh-Nagumo equations and a system of reaction diffusion equations which arise as a model for a two step combustion process.
Spatial structures in a generalized Ginzburg-Landau free energy

Searching for characteristic signatures of a higher order phase transition (specifically of order three or four), we have calculated the spatial profiles and the energies of a spatially varying order parameter in one dimension. In the case of a $p^{th}$ order phase transition to a superconducting ground state, the free energy density depends on temperature as $a^p$, where $a = a_o(1-T/T_c)$ is the reduced temperature. The energy of a domain wall between two degenerate ground states is $\epsilon_p \simeq a^{p-1/2}$. We have also investigated the effects of a supercurrent in a narrow wire. These effects are limited by a critical current which has a temperature dependence $J_c(T) \simeq a^{(2p-1)/2}$. The phase slip center profiles and their energies are also calculated. Given the suggestion that the superconducting transtion in \bkbox, for $x = 0.4$, may be of order four, these predictions have relevance for future experiments.
Photoactivated Ferric Chloride Oxidation of Carotenoids by Near-UV to Visible Light

When canthaxanthin (I) and β-carotene (II) dichloromethane solutions are treated with small amounts of ferric chloride (≤0.26 mol equiv), extensive photodegradation of the remaining unreacted neutral carotenoid occurs upon subsequent irradiation with near-UV to visible light. The rate of this photodegradation is independent of the neutral carotenoid concentration at a given initial FeCl3 concentration and first-order in initial FeCl3 (k1 = 1.43 and 3.30 min-1 for I and II, respectively). The data are consistent with a mechanism in which Fe(II) is photochemically converted in the presence of CH2Cl2 to Fe(III), which then oxidizes unreacted neutral carotenoids. We also report that canthaxanthin radical cations in dichloromethane form cation dehydrodimers at low temperature or upon irradiation with near-UV to visible light, which have an absorption maximum near 770 nm and a reduction peak at 20 mV in cyclic voltammetry. It is proposed that radical cations associate with parent molecules and then undergo two ...
Pressure Distribution in Shallow Rectangular and Circular Dies Using Different Filling Methods

The process of die filling is a significant unit operation in many industries. The inhomogeneity of fill has been known to cause tablet and compact quality issues, such as lamination, capping, and distortion. Therefore, the goal of this research was to investigate and compare the uniformity of pressure distribution of four die filling methods, i.e., feed shoe, rotational rainy, point feed, and pneumatic. To study the powder deposition characteristics, rectangular (32 × 30 mm and 6.5 mm deep) and circular (35 mm in diameter and 6.5 mm deep) cross-sectional shallow dies of equal volume were used. Due to their industrial importance, test materials used were a battery powder mixture (BPM) and microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH102). A second-generation pressure deposition tester with circular and square feed shoe tube cross sections was used to measure the two powders’ pressure distribution characteristics. To evaluate the symmetry of measured pressure distribution profiles, variance metrics and uniformity ...
Flush and Bone: Funeralizing Alkaline Hydrolysis in the United States

This article examines the political controversy in the United States surrounding a new process for the disposition of human remains, alkaline hydrolysis (AH). AH technologies use a heated (sometime...
Room-temperature green upconversion fluorescence of an Er(3+)-doped laser liquid.

Room-temperature green upconversion fluorescence of an Er3+-doped POCl3–SnCl4 solution is achieved when the solution is pumped with an 800-nm GaAs laser diode. The upconversion emission at 550 nm is determined to be the result of a two-step absorption process. Numerical analysis reveals that laser systems that employ this erbium-doped laser liquid should be realizable with threshold pump powers as low as 45 mW.
Preparation of single crystals of binary and ternary transition metal and uranium arsenides and antimonides from reactive-fluxes

Abstract Single crystals as large as 2 mm of binary transition metal and uranium arsenides and antimonides can be grown from the reactions of titanium, chromium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum, rhenium, or uranium with alkali metal arsenides and antimonides from 500°C to 950°C. Single crystals of the ternary uranium copper arsenide phases UCuAs 2 and U 2 Cu 4 As 5 can also be grown from the reaction of uranium and copper with Cs 3 As 7 . The resulting crystals were analyzed by electron dispersive analysis by X-rays (EDX) and single crystal X-ray diffraction.
Catechol estrogen formation in MCF-7 cell culture and effects of bromoestrogen inhibitors

Agonist and antagonist activities have been reported for several catechol estrogens given exogenously. Since the metabolic clearance rate for catechol estrogens in the body is very rapid, catechol estrogens produced at other tissues will have minimal effect on breast tissue. Information of the extent of catechol estrogen formation within cells is critical in assessing the overall importance of these estrogen metabolites. Investigations of the conversion of estrogens to catechol estrogens were performed in the MCF-7 human mammary carcinoma cell culture system. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis demonstrated that very little metabolism of estradiol occurs after 48 h, with only small amounts of estrone, 2-hydroxyestradiol, 2-hydroxyestrone, and estriol being observed. The total amount of 2-hydroxyestrogen products formed from 1 microM estradiol was 406.2 pmol (SD = 60.9) per 3 x 10(7) cells in 48 h. Similar results were obtained using the simpler radiometric assay for estrogen 2-hydroxylase, which measures the release of 3H2O from [2(-3)H]estradiol. The effects of inhibitors of estrogen 2-hydroxylase were also examined in MCF-7 cells. 2-Bromoestradiol, 4-bromoestradiol, and 2,4-dibromoestradiol effectively block estrogen 2-hydroxylase in a dose-dependent manner in MCF-7 cultures, with ED50 of approximately 1 microM for each inhibitor. Furthermore, these bromoestrogens bind poorly to estrogen receptors in MCF-7 cells and do not alter cell growth. Thus, in MCF-7 mammary cell cultures, metabolism of estradiol occurs to only a minor degree, and it is unlikely that the levels of catechol estrogens would reach physiologically relevant concentrations in the intact breast cancer cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Repulsive solvent-induced interaction between C 60 fullerenes in water

The role of water-fullerene interactions in the behavior of C60 in aqueous solution was investigated utilizing realistic Lennard-Jones (LJ) and repulsive Weeks-Chandler-Anderson (WCA) potentials. Strong water-fullerene dispersion interactions in the LJ potential dramatically influence the hydration of the fullerene promoting the formation of a high-density hydration shell of water. In contrast to the WCA potential, the water liquid phase between fullerenes remains stable with decreasing fullerene separation, resulting in a repulsive solvent-induced contribution to the fullerene potential of mean force.
Cavitary lesions in sarcoidosis.

SUMMARY 1Three cases of sarcoidosis exhibiting three types of rarefactions on their chest x-ray films are presented.Type I: True Cavitary Lesions of Sarcoidosis which are characterized by well defined cavity walls and are probably formed by expulsion of hyalinized material.Type II: Emphysematous Bullae and Blebs which have thin poorly defined walls. One mechanism of their formation may be due to the partial obstruction caused by the lesions of sarcoidosis in the bronchi and bronchioles.Type III: Ectatic Bronchi and Cystic Bronchiectasis. There are small annular and usually multiple rarefactions. Their formation is related to bronchial and bronchiolar distortion and infection. 2The importance of bronchial biopsy and pulmonary function tests in sarcoidosis is emphasized.
Predicting continued participation in college chemistry for men and women

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a cognitive motivational model of course selection patterns to explain the continued participation of men and women in college science courses. A number of cognitive motivational constructs were analyzed in a path model and their effect on students' intention to continue in college chemistry was determined. Variables in the model included self-perceived ability in science, future expectations, level of past success, effort expended, subjective interpretations of both past success and task difficulty, and the intention to continue in college chemistry. The results showed no sex differences in course performance, the plan to continue in chemistry, perceived ability in science, or past achievement in science courses. The path analysis did confirm the usefulness of the cognitive motivational perspective to explain the intention of both men and women to continue in science. Central to that process appears to be a person's belief about their ability. Students who had confidence in their ability in chemistry expected to do well in the future and were more likely to take more chemistry. Ability ratings in turn were dependent on a number of past achievement experiences and the personal interpretation of those experiences.
Determining transcription factor profiles from fluorescent reporter systems involving regularization of inverse problems

The availability and quality of experimental data pose challenges for identifying the role of individual proteins in signal transduction pathways. To address this issue, this paper formulates and solves an inverse problem to determine the dynamics of transcription factors, i.e., one important class of proteins, from fluorescence intensity measurements of green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter systems. In the presented approach, a model describing transcription and translation of GFP is discretized and concentrations of transcription factor are estimated at discrete time points. Unlike previous works, this approach has no restrictions with regard to a particular shape of the profiles. However, the resulting inverse problem is ill-conditioned and requires the use of regularization techniques. Two regularization methods — truncated singular value decomposition and Tikhonov regularization — are investigated in this work and the characteristics of the results obtained are discussed in detail.
Stressful life events, absenteeism, and the use of school health services.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between stressful life events, children's absenteeism, and the use of school health services and to examine the effect of preexisting family characteristics on these relationships. One hundred twenty-four parents of 124 children aged 6 to 11 years attending a New York City elementary school were questioned. Undesirable stressful life events, baseline health status, and family structure, routines, and functioning were measured at entry into the study. Data on the number of absentee days and the number and reason for each visit to the health room made by the children in the study were collected from school records. Results indicated that stressful life events occurring during the study were associated with both absenteeism and visits to the health room. Even when previous health status was considered, stressful life events were associated with absenteeism and use of the health room. In addition, those children who experienced both stressful events and unstable family characteristics were more likely to be absent than those who had either alone. This effect was not true for the use of the health room, where those children who experienced stressful events were the highest users. Implications for the provision of school health services are discussed.
DECUBITUS ULCER OF THE HEEL. REPORT OF TWO CASES REQUIRING PARTIAL RESECTION OF THE OS CALCIS.

1. The cases of two patients with decubitus ulcers at the heels are reported; these required resection of the os calcis in addition to the excision of the ulcers because repeated buried epidermis grafts and, in one patient, also a cross-leg flap procedure failed. 2. Decubitus ulcers of the heel which require this operation are very rare; it becomes indicated when two attempts at grafting buried epidermis fail to produce a permanent cure. 3. The two cases are discussed in the light of the pertinent literature.
Cytology of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate in pleural effusions

Malignant pleural effusions due to prostatic carcinoma are rare. We examined the cytologic and clinical presentations of 14 malignant pleural effusions caused by prostate cancer. These cases represented 2.3% of all positive pleural effusions at our institution. All patients (n = 10) had high grade, high stage tumors, including three with small cell anaplastic carcinoma. Three cases had clinically documented metastases to pleura, and in two cases, metastases were documented at autopsy. Most tumor cells had large nucleoli and were arranged in small, loosely cohesive groups. Fluids due to the small cell type of prostate carcinoma often contained a mixture of cells similar to those seen in small cell carcinoma of other sites such as the lung, as well as cells resembling the more typical type of prostate cancer. Prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase were positive in less than 50% of these malignant effusions. We conclude that prostatic carcinoma in pleural effusions occurs most commonly in high grade, high stage tumors and has a characteristic cytologic appearance. Negative staining for PSA and PAP does not rule out a prostatic source for malignant cells in effusions.
Digraphs containing every possible pair of dicycles

Let D = (V, A) be a directed graph of order n ≥ 4. Suppose that the minimum degree of D is at least (3n - 3)-2. Then for any two integers s and t with s ≥ 2, t ≥ 2 and s + t ≤ n, D contains two vertex-disjoint directed cycles of lengths s and t, respectively. Moreover, the condition on the minimum degree is sharp. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 34: 154–162, 2000
The relation between developmental level and spontaneous behavior: The importance of sampling contexts

The study of development is substantially enriched when investigators combine structured assessment with analysis of spontaneous behavior.
An Entropy-Approach to the Duality Property

According to a previously introduced entropy approach, it is possible to clarify the confusions of the duality concept that electrons and light may behave as waves or particles. In other words, the electron is clearly defined in this paper as a particle and the light is neatly defined as waves. Such an approach considered the flow of electric charges as a flow of ionized waves and the magnetic flux as electromagnetic waves of magnetic potential. By a similar entropy approach, the particle’s kinetic energy is defined also as electromagnetic waves. So, the electron can be defined as an energized particle whose electric charge, magnetic energy and kinetic energy are forms of electromagnetic waves. According to these definitions and similarity of the mechanisms and laws characterizing the flow of mass and energy in general, the flow of electrons can be postulated as a simultaneous flow of two energy-components; particulized energy and wave energy. Hence, the electron doesn’t have a dual nature. Rather, its behavior as a particle or as waves depends on the relative contributions of such components in the electron’s flow. Reviewing the results of de-Broglie’s experiments, it is possible to consider the flow of any particles as a simultaneous flow of waves and particles. Introducing the definition of the flow of electric charges as ionized waves, the photoelectric-effect can be postulated as an ionization process of the incident radiation during its reflection into an electric field. Similarly, the photovoltaic phenomena are postulated as a result of a photorefractive effect that may induce an electric potential into the incident radiation when crossing the electrically biased p-n junctions of photocells. Such postulates eliminate the confusing particle-property of light and prove that light has a wave-nature only. The truth of the introduced postulates is proven through finding plausible explanation of the sintering phenomena and thermoelectricity. Finally, this paper succeeded in introducing plausible explanations of results of Thompson’s experiment and other phenomena that end the confusions in defining the true nature of light and electrons as waves and particles.
The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein: roles in cancer and oxygen sensing

Biallelic inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene is a common event in hereditary (von Hippel- Lindau disease) and sporadic hemangioblastomas and clear-cell renal carcinomas. Germ-line VHL mutations are also linked to some hereditary pheochromocytoma families. The VHL gene product, pVHL, interacts with a number of cellular proteins and is implicated in the control of angiogenesis, extracellular matrix formation, cell metabolism, and mitogenesis. The best understood function of pVHL relates to its role as the substrate recognition unit of an E3 ligase that targets the heterodimeric transcription factor HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor) for destruction in the presence of oxygen. Down-regulation of HIF appears to be both necessary and sufficient for renal tumor suppression by pVHL, and HIF is strongly suspected of contributing to hemangioblastoma development as well. Recent work suggests that pVHL's role in pheochromocytoma is not related to HIF but rather to the ability of pVHL to regulate neuronal apoptosis, which is mediated by c-Jun, when growth factors such as NGF become limiting. Loss of pVHL leads to up-regulation of JunB, which antagonizes c-Jun and blunts apoptosis.
Psychosocial correlates of sleep quality and architecture in women with metastatic breast cancer

Abstract Background Sleep disturbance is prevalent among women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Our study examined the relationship of depression and marital status to sleep assessed over three nights of polysomnography (PSG). Methods Women with MBC ( N =103) were recruited; they were predominately white (88.2%) and 57.8±7.7years of age. Linear regression analyses assessed relationships among depression, marital status, and sleep parameters. Results Women with MBC who reported more depressive symptoms had lighter sleep (e.g., stage 1 sleep; P P P P P P P P Conclusion Women with MBC and greater symptoms of depression had increased light sleep and reduced SWS and REM sleep, and single women had worse sleep quality and greater light sleep than married counterparts. Marriage was related to improved sleep for women with more depressive symptoms.
Neoliberalism at Work

Organizational decision-makers increasingly promote neoliberal work practices, which emphasize market processes and unrestricted deployment of organizational resources, as a means to optimize economic performance in an intensely competitive environment. A growing number of sociologists have raised questions about their tactics and pointed to negative consequences for employee well-being. We expand on this literature by using content-coded data on 217 work groups to investigate implications of neoliberalism at work for well-being of workers and firms. We especially emphasize on how neoliberal practices influence relationships and day-to-day behaviors that underwrite organizational functioning and success. Findings indicate negative ramifications, including increases in turnover and quitting, and reductions in informal peer training and effort as well as job quality. Importantly, these associations are net of any secular time trend. Qualitative materials capture how and why these relations exist and additio...
Autonomous diagnostics and prognostics in machining processes through competitive learning-driven HMM-based clustering

A prerequisite to widespread deployment of condition-based maintenance (CBM) systems in industry is autonomous yet effective diagnostics and prognostics algorithms. The concept of ‘autonomy’ in the context of diagnostics and prognostics is usually based on unsupervised clustering techniques. This paper employs an unsupervised competitive learning algorithm to perform hidden Markov model (HMM) based clustering of multivariate temporal observation sequences derived from sensor signal(s). This method improves autonomy of the diagnostic engine over the more traditional classifier based diagnostics models. Classifier models, such as the model presented by Baruah and Chinnam [Baruah, P. and Chinnam, R.B., 2005. HMM for diagnostics and prognostics in machining processes. International Journal of Production Research, 43 (6), 1275–1293] employ ‘labelled’ feature vectors for supervised model building and subsequent health-state classification during condition monitoring. Improving the autonomy of the diagnostics mo...
Extended inflationary cosmology

We present a new type of inflationary scenario based on metric formulations of gravity different from that of Einstein, e.g., a Brans-Dicke theory of gravity. Unlike previous inflation models, the inflationary phase transition can be completed via bubble nucleation. Hence, the fine tuning of an effective potential to obtain a slow-rollover transition is not required.
A role for hydrogen bonding in DNA recognition by the non-classical CCHHC type zinc finger, NZF-1

The non-classical zinc finger protein, Neural Zinc Finger Factor-1, contains six Cys2His2Cys domains. All three cysteines and the second histidine directly bind Zn(II). Using a combination of mutagenesis, metal coordination and DNA binding studies, we report that the first histidine is involved in a functionally important hydrogen bonding interaction.