cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synergistic interactions between airway afferent nerve subtypes regulating the cough reflex in guinea-pigs

Cough initiated from the trachea and larynx in anaesthetized guinea-pigs is mediated by capsaicin-insensitive, mechanically sensitive vagal afferent neurones. Tachykinin-containing, capsaicin-sensitive C-fibres also innervate the airways and have been implicated in the cough reflex. Capsaicin-sensitive nerves act centrally and synergistically to modify reflex bronchospasm initiated by airway mechanoreceptor stimulation. The hypothesis that polymodal mechanoreceptors and capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves similarly interact centrally to regulate coughing was addressed in this study. Cough was evoked from the tracheal mucosa either electrically (16 Hz, 10 s trains, 1-10 V) or by citric acid (0.001-2 m). Neither capsaicin nor bradykinin evoked a cough when applied to the trachea of anaesthetized guinea-pigs, but they substantially reduced the electrical threshold for initiating the cough reflex. The TRPV1 receptor antagonist capsazepine prevented the increased cough sensitivity induced by capsaicin. These effects of topically applied capsaicin and bradykinin were not due to interactions between afferent nerve subtypes within the tracheal wall or a direct effect on the cough receptors, as they were mimicked by nebulizing 1 mg ml(-1) bradykinin into the lower airways and by microinjecting 0.5 nmol capsaicin into nucleus of the solitary tract (nTS). Citric acid-induced coughing was also potentiated by inhalation of bradykinin. The effects of tracheal capsaicin challenge on cough were mimicked by microinjecting substance P (0.5-5 nmol) into the nTS and prevented by intracerebroventricular administration (20 nmol h(-1)) of the neurokinin receptor antagonists CP99994 or SB223412. Tracheal application of these antagonists was without effect. C-fibre activation may thus sensitize the cough reflex via central mechanisms.
Membrane glycoproteins of the rat small intestine. Chemical composition of membrane glycoproteins.

Abstract The glycoprotein and glycolipid content of brush border and submicrosomal membranes from the mucosa of the rat small intestine was investigated. The microsomal preparations were treated to remove the “non-membranous” material before analysis. In all of the membranes nearly 80% of the carbohydrate was associated with the protein fraction, and 20% with the lipid fraction. The carbohydrate of the protein fraction consisted mainly of mannose, galactose, glucose, fucose, glucosamine and galactosamine. With the exception of ribose which was found only in the rough microsomal membrane all the other sugars were present in similar quantities in all the membranes. The sugars in the lipid portion of the membranes consisted primarily of galactose and glucose. Amino sugars associated with the lipid fraction were found in the brush border membrane but were nearly absent in the internal membranes. Sialic acid was low in the protein and lipid fractions of all membranes. When sodium dodecylsulfate–gel electrophoresis of the membrane protein fractions was performed, many protein and glycoprotein bands were revealed. Each membrane had a different electrophoretic pattern both with respect to protein and to glycoprotein. The data obtained from this study suggest that internal membranes as well as the brush border membranes of the intestinal cells contain glycoproteins and glycolipids.
Anion Binding to Bovine Erythrocyte Superoxide Dismutase EVIDENCE FOR MULTIPLE BINDING SITES WITH QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT PROPERTIES

Abstract The binding of azide, thiocyanate, cyanate, and cyanide to bovine erythrocyte superoxide dismutase has been studied by means of optical spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD). The results show that there are at least four anion binding sites on the protein, and these are divided equally into two classes. One of these classes of binding sites strongly binds 2 moles of azide producing an altered EPR spectrum, no change in the NMRD, and only a minor change in the visible optical spectrum. These two binding sites are considered to be the Zn2+ ions of the protein. The other class of binding sites binds 2 moles of cyanide, lowering the NMRD to the diamagnetic level, and producing substantial changes in the optical and EPR spectra. These two binding sites are considered to be the 2 Cu2+ ions of the protein. Thiocyanate and cyanate appear to bind only to the Zn2+, having no effect on the NMRD and minor effects on the optical spectrum, although each ion produces a characteristic EPR spectrum. Addition of excess azide to the protein results in the appearance of an intense charge transfer band near 373 nm, produces minor changes in the 2-azide complex EPR spectrum and lowers the NMRD to the diamagnetic level. The presence of excess cyanide produces an absorption band at 530 nm and a unique EPR spectrum (Rotilio, G., Finazzi Agro, A., Calabrese, L., Bossa, F., Guerrieri, P., and Mandovi, B. (1971) Biochemistry, 10, 611). The data have been rationalized in terms of a model in which zinc and copper are relatively close to each other in the protein, perhaps existing in a ligand-bridged bimetal complex.
DIFFERENTIATED STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF PRIMARY CULTURES OF MONKEY OVIDUCTAL EPITHELIUM

We have established well-differentiated, polarized cultures of monkey oviductal epithelium. Oviductal epithelial cells were isolated by protease digestion and plated on collagen-coated, porous cell culture inserts. About 5 d after plating, cells developed detectable transepithelial electrical resistance of up to 2000 Omega.cm(2) (an index of tight junction formation) and transepithelial voltages of up to 20 mV (an index of vectorial transepithelial ion transport). Measurements of short-circuit current in Ussing chambers indicated that active secretion of Cl was the major transepithelial active ion transport process, and that this was stimulated by elevation of either cAMP or Ca(i). Furthermore, estimates of the volume of mucosal liquid were consistent with Cl secretion mediating fluid secretion. Various microscopical methods showed that the cultures were densely ciliated and contained mature secretory cells. Transport across the oviductal epithelium determines the composition of the oviductal fluid, and the study of the relevant transport processes will be greatly enhanced by well-differentiated cultures of oviductal epithelium of the kind established here.
Effects of pH on basolateral tetraethylammonium transport in snake renal proximal tubules

Previous work on snake renal proximal tubules suggested that pH might influence tetraethylammonium (TEA) transport across the basolateral membrane. To examine this more directly, we determined the effects of altering either extracellular pH (pHo) or intracellular pH (pHi) on TEA uptake and efflux across the basolateral membrane of isolated snake renal proximal tubules. We found no evidence for trans-stimulation of either TEA uptake or efflux by H+. Therefore, there was no evidence for a TEA/H+ exchanger. However, we found evidence for trans-inhibition of both TEA uptake and efflux as well as for cis-inhibition of TEA uptake by increasing H+ concentration. H+ concentration appeared to have some type of direct effect on basolateral transport independent of any effect on membrane potential. Moreover, there appeared to be an optimal intracellular H+ concentration for entry of TEA into the cells that corresponded to the one found at the physiological pHi of 7.1. There also appeared to be an optimal extracellular H+ concentration for efflux of TEA from the cells that corresponded to the one found at the physiological pHo of 7.4. The mechanism involved in this relationship is unknown, but the data support a concept derived from previous studies that TEA transport across the basolateral membrane is asymmetric.
Anaphylaxis to celecoxib

Background Adverse reactions such as urticaria, angioedema, asthma, and anaphylaxis are known to be associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs). Celecoxib (Pfizer/Searle, Caguas, PR) is a new NSAID that differs in structure and mechanism of action of other similar drugs of this class. Objective Evaluation of a case of anaphylaxis to celecoxib (Celebrex). Methods and results This report describes a 55-year-old woman who experienced the acute onset of pruritus, urticaria, respiratory distress, and hypotension minutes after ingesting a celecoxib capsule. She had taken the drug a previous time for tendonitis without difficulty. Treatment with epinephrine, corticosteroids, and intravenous fluids was successful. An IgE mechanism could not be detected. She has avoided the drug and has had no further problems. Conclusions This is the first patient report of anaphylaxis attributable to celecoxib, a new NSAID. This suggests that physicians and other health care professionals should be aware of the potential serious side effects of this drug.
Effect of Information Asymmetry and Relationship Lending on Financial Intermediation of Small Firms in USA

The study applies a transaction costs framework to understand the economic behavior of financial institutions serving financial needs of small businesses in the U.S.A. Using survey data obtained from small- business- friendly financial institutions, hypotheses postulated by the Transaction Costs Theory were tested. This theory was also used to examine the potential for adoption of promising lender-borrower relationships to mitigate transaction costs incurred in financial intermediation. Measures of transaction costs and relationship lending variables were the opinions of key lending institutions towards performance of small businesses undertaking loan contracting in credit markets. These opinions were ranked on likert scales ranging from 1 to 6. An Ordered Multinomial Probit analysis was performed on the model of transaction costs and hypothesized determinants. Results show that a model of transaction costs of financial contracting that put into consideration the lender-borrower relationships had a greater explanatory power than one which ignored these relationships. The study concluded that lending technologies that incorporate relationship lending have potential of minimizing transaction costs especially in economies that experience severe information asymmetries. Key words: information asymmetry, lender-borrower relationships, relationship lending, small business, transaction costs Eastern African Journal of Rural Development Vol.20(1) 2004: 57-71
Semi-automated collection evaluation for large-scale aggregations

Library and museum digital collections are increasingly aggregated at various levels. Large-scale aggregations, often characterized by heterogeneous or messy metadata, pose unique and growing challenges to aggregation administrators – not only in facilitating end-user discovery and access, but in performing basic administrative and curatorial tasks in a scalable way, such as finding messy data and determining the overall topical landscape of the aggregation. This poster describes early findings on using statistical text analysis techniques to improve the scalability of an aggregation development workflow for a large-scale aggregation. These techniques hold great promise for automating historically labor-intensive evaluative aspects of aggregation development and form the basis for the development of an aggregator's dashboard. The aggregator's dashboard is planned as a statistical text-analysis-driven tool for supporting large-scale aggregation development and maintenance, through multifaceted, automatic visualization of an aggregation's metadata quality and topical coverage. The administrator's dashboard will support principled yet scalable aggregation development.
Femtosecond laser machining of single-crystal superalloys through thermal barrier coatings

Abstract Femtosecond laser machining of single-crystal superalloys coated with thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) has been investigated. The investigations were carried out in air using a titanium:sapphire laser system (λ = 780 nm) operating at a repetition rate of 1 kHz and delivering individual pulses of 150 fs in duration. The ablation threshold of 7 wt.% yttria stabilized zirconia (7YSZ) has been measured to be 1.52 ± 0.21 J/cm2. Microstructural investigations indicated a complete absence of conventional processing defects such as recast layers and microcracking in the vicinity of the machining area. The absence of machining-induced melting or delamination along interfaces of the TBC system demonstrates a significant advantage in comparison with conventional laser machining.
New methods for educating and credentialing professionals in child care

In the growing field of child care, there is a need for more and better qualified workers who have the recognition their talents and skills deserve. One way of meeting this need is the Child Development Associate program, but it has both its critics and supporters. As a case example, it serves to highlight key issues in the training, assessment, and credentialing of child care personnel.
Solvent Effects on the Two-Photon Absorption of Distyrylbenzene Chromophores

A series of organic- and water-soluble distyrylbenzene-based two-photon absorption (TPA) fluorophores containing dialkylamino donor groups at the termini was designed, synthesized, and characterized. The central core was systematically substituted to modulate intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). These molecules allow an examination of solvent effects on the TPA cross section (delta) and on the TPA action cross section. In toluene, the delta values follow the order of ICT strength. The effect of solvent on delta is nonmonotonic: maximum delta was measured in an intermediate polarity solvent (THF) and was lowest in water. We failed to find a correlation between the observed solvent effect and previous theoretical predictions. Hydrogen bonding to the donor groups and aggregation of the optical units in water, which are not included in calculational analysis, may be responsible for the discrepancies between experimental results and theory.
Step width, spacing, and resolution in gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis. Part 2. Results from experiment

In Part 1 of this work, a theoretical description of gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis (GEMBE) is presented along with a comparison between GEMBE and the more conventional technique of CZE. In this second part, experimental results are presented for comparison with the theoretical predictions of Part 1. Results for the step width, spacing, and resolution are examined as a function of the salient parameters affecting the results of a GEMBE separation (starting pressure, counterflow acceleration, and electric field strength).
Tumor endothelial cells have features of adult stem cells.

We recently reported that prostate tumor-specific endothelial cells had features of mesenchymal stem cells and could trans-differentiate to form cartilage and bone-like tissues. Plasticity in the tumor vasculature may be related to well-known tumor blood vessel abnormalities and could underlie an intrinsic adaptive mechanism in tumor endothelial cells for circumventing anti-angiogenic strategies.
Empire & 'civilizing' missions, past & present

Daedalus Spring 2005 Imperialism’ is a frustratingly vague term, but a useful one–and not only for outside observers and protesting subjects.1 Historically, rulers have often sought to make their empires visible as such by following regional–and in recent centuries, global–standards for acting imperially. Even the past century, in which empires often shunned that designation, is only a partial exception. Imperialism is also topical. While some compare the contemporary United States to imperial Rome, more analysts see it as the latest of a series of militarymercantile hegemons that set the rules for their eras’ global political economies. Depending on where they locate the start of the world economy, some stretch that series back many centuries, while most identify only an Anglo-American succession spanning two centuries of liberal industrial capitalism. Others mark out the last two hundred years for a different, though complementary, reason: as an era in which Western empires, influenced by the Enlightenment, cast themselves as agents of progress. In this essay I will also emphasize the self-assigned ‘civilizing’ mission of modern empires, but will argue that the twohundred-year, Atlantic-centered framework is both too narrow and too broad. On the one hand, civilizing empires have emerged outside the Enlightenment West; an East/West dichotomy often proves less useful than one between contiguous and overseas empires. On the other hand, since the 1970s the American government’s approach to ‘development’ and ‘nation building’–the twentieth-century version of ‘civilizing’–has broken with basic ideas about how empire could confer bene1⁄2ts on subject peoples that had evolved over the previous two centuries. This makes today’s American empire different both in word and deed.
Differential Action of Deoxynucleosides on Mammalian Cell Cultures Infected with Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2

Cytopathic effects induced by eight serologically defined isolates of herpes simplex virus type 2 (tested on human amnion cells) were markedly inhibited by thymidine at a concentration of 5 mM; eight serologically defined isolates of herpes simplex virus type 1, however, were not significantly inhibited. A similar effect was seen with thymidine, deoxyguanosine, and deoxycytidine at 1-mM concentrations in tests with rabbit kidney cultures. The inhibitory effect of thymidine was not blocked by the simultaneous presence of deoxycytidine, which has been shown by others to release mammalian cells from thymidine suppression. Differential suppression of herpes simplex cytopathic effects by these deoxynucleosides provides further evidence of biochemical differences between herpes simplex types 1 and 2. This phenomenon offers a basis for rapid differentiation of type 1 from type 2.
Circumcision: II. Effects upon mother-infant interaction

Abstract The effects of circumcision upon mother-infant interaction were examined in an observational study of 59 mother-infant pairs during hospital feedings on days 2 and 3 of life. Each pair was observed during 4 hospital feedings using a specifically designed mother-infant interaction observation system that examined 43 discreet behaviours relating to feeding, gaze, facial expression, vocalizations and touch. The experimental group was circumcised after the second feeding and the control group after the fourth feeding. Analysis revealed no major behavioral differences between the experimental and control groups. Yet, different trends between the two groups were observed regarding two variables shortly after surgery. These differences disappeared by 24 h post-operatively. Differences related to the frequency of feeding intervals and infant availability scores. The study also revealed a surprisingly limited repertoire of behavior exhibited by both the mother and infant during feeding sessions. Our data suggest that circumcision has brief and transitory effects on mother-infant interactions observed during hospital feeding sessions, the only time mothers who are not rooming-in have an opportunity to be with their infants.
Determining the Effectiveness of Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), a Nationally Available Nonprofit Weight Loss Program

Obesity is a major public health issue in the United States. Many commercial weight loss programs are available, but their costs prohibit some people from participating. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), a low-cost, nonprofit weight loss program. Longitudinal mixed-effects repeated-measures modeling of the TOPS national database was used to model changes in weight for TOPS participants who joined in 2005, 2006, and 2007 and had at least one annual renewal between 2006 and 2008. Separate analyses were performed on individuals with consecutive annual renewal and those with nonconsecutive annual renewal. During the study period, 42,481 individuals renewed their membership at least once, including 2,427 individuals with nonconsecutive renewals. Individuals with consecutive renewals in TOPS lost 5.9-7.1% of their initial weight over a period of 1-3 years. People who remained in the program lost ~6% of initial weight in the first year and maintained that weight loss for up to 3 years. TOPS participants with nonconsecutive renewal generally lost less weight than those with consecutive renewal. TOPS is associated with moderate weight loss among participants who remain in the program for at least 1 year. This degree of weight loss is likely to be clinically important for many individuals. TOPS is available at substantially lower cost than commercial weight loss programs, with similar results. Head-to-head trials of TOPS and popular commercial programs are needed.
Social Identity in the Classroom: An Examination of Age Identification Between Students and Instructors

Social Identity Theory (SIT) posits that individuals gain a sense of personal worth from the groups they identify with. Age group identification has been shown in the literature to have positive esteem consequences for its members. This study extends the current literature by broadening SIT to the instructional context. The results demonstrate that students who mention their instructor's age in an open-ended description of an ideal instructor are more likely to be high age-group identifiers, and are more likely to imagine a younger instructor. Students who mention their instructor's age in an open-ended description of a dis favored instructor are also more likely to be high age-group identifiers, but they are likely to imagine an older instructor.
Amantadine may facilitate detoxification of cocaine addicts

The effectiveness of amantadine hydrochloride was evaluated in a double-blind placebo controlled drug trial. The subjects were 42 cocaine dependent men enrolled in a day hospital program. Twenty-one patients were prescribed 100 mg/bid of amantadine to be taken over 10.5 days and 21 were prescribed an equivalent amount of placebo. The primary outcome measures were the Addiction Severity Index at 1 month after study entry and urines during the drug trial (end of weeks 1 and 2) and 1 month after study entry. Urines obtained at the end of the drug trial (2 weeks) indicated that the subjects receiving amantadine (93%) were more likely (P = 0.040) to be free of cocaine than the placebo (60%) subjects. Urine toxicology data at 1-month follow-up again indicated that more of the amantadine subjects (83%) were free of cocaine than the placebo (53%) subjects (p = 0.049); although no differences were found in self-reports of cocaine or other substance use in the past 30 days. The urine findings provided preliminary indication that amantadine may have some effectiveness in reducing cocaine use in cocaine dependent patients.
The Price of Performance: An Economic Case for Chip Multiprocessing

In the late 1990s, our research group at DEC was one of a growing number of teams advocating the CMP (chip multiprocessor) as an alternative to highly complex single-threaded CPUs. We were designing the Piranha system,1 which was a radical point in the CMP design space in that we used very simple cores (similar to the early RISC designs of the late ’80s) to provide a higher level of thread-level parallelism. Our main goal was to achieve the best commercial workload performance for a given silicon budget. Today, in developing Google’s computing infrastructure, our focus is broader than performance alone. The merits of a particular architecture are measured by answering the following question: Are you able to afford the computational capacity you need? The high-computational demands that are inherent in most of Google’s services have led us to develop a deep understanding of the overall cost of computing, and continually to look for hardware/software designs that optimize performance per unit of cost.
Topoisomerase I Alone Is Sufficient to Produce Short DNA Deletions and Can Also Reverse Nicks at Ribonucleotide Sites

Abstract Ribonucleotide monophosphates (rNMPs) are among the most frequent form of DNA aberration, as high ratios of ribonucleotide triphosphate:deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate pools result in approximately two misincorporated rNMPs/kb of DNA. The main pathway for the removal of rNMPs is by RNase H2. However, in a RNase H2 knock-out yeast strain, a topoisomerase I (Top1)-dependent mutator effect develops with accumulation of short deletions within tandem repeats. Proposed models for these deletions implicated processing of Top1-generated nicks at rNMP sites and/or sequential Top1 binding, but experimental support has been lacking thus far. Here, we investigated the biochemical mechanism of the Top1-induced short deletions at the rNMP sites by generating nicked DNA substrates bearing 2′,3′-cyclic phosphates at the nick sites, mimicking the Top1-induced nicks. We demonstrate that a second Top1 cleavage complex adjacent to the nick and subsequent faulty Top1 religation led to the short deletions. Moreover, when acting on the nicked DNA substrates containing 2′,3′-cyclic phosphates, Top1 generated not only the short deletion, but also a full-length religated DNA product. A catalytically inactive Top1 mutant (Top1-Y723F) also induced the full-length products, indicating that Top1 binding independent of its enzymatic activity promotes the sealing of DNA backbones via nucleophilic attacks by the 5′-hydroxyl on the 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate. The resealed DNA would allow renewed attempt for repair by the error-free RNase H2-dependent pathway in vivo. Our results provide direct evidence for the generation of short deletions by sequential Top1 cleavage events and for the promotion of nick religation at rNMP sites by Top1.
Conventional sinus surgery in the pediatric population

Nasosinus disease in pediatrics has long been overlooked. Some have thought that frequent rhinitis was a natural plight of normal childhood and others have felt that the sinuses in children are too small to cause significant disease. However, the impact of chronic rhinitis in children can be important. The aesthetics of mucopurulent nasal drainage, the annoyance of repetitive coughing, and the disruption and behavioral changes should not be minimized. The heightened general interest in adult sinus disease has spread to the pediatric population. This is most likely secondary to improvements in the ability to examine the sinuses using fiberoptic illumination and advances in diagnostic imaging and endoscopic surgical techniques. These technical innovations in conjunction with a more detailed understanding of nasal and sinus anatomy and physiology have improved the physician’s ability to understand and treat these problems in adults, as well as in children. Although this relatively new interest in pediatric nasal sinusitis has enthusiastically embraced endoscopic sinus surgery, traditional surgical approaches should not be abandoned. Many have begun to think of the antral lavage, naso-antral windows, the Caldwell-Luc procedure, and external ethmoidectomy techniques as archaic; however, it is important to remember that they continue to play a role as the primary surgical modality in certain cases as well as a backup in cases that have proved refractory to endoscopic surgery. Cases such as antral choanal polyps or inverting papilloma may be best served with an open approach. Additionally, patients with complications of sinus disease, such as orbital cellulitis, mucopyocele, and fungal infection, may be more safely treated by open techniques that provide better exposure. Revision surgery where anatomic landmarks may be altered or missing may also be approached using the more traditional techniques in a safer manner, particularly for the less experienced surgeon. Traditional sinus surgery is easily taught and learned, safe, tried and true, and familiar to most currently practicing surgeons. It has withstood the test of time and most surgeons and patients are satisfied with the results. The specific traditional sinus procedures discussed
Error as opportunity: learning in a cooperative task

In this article, we examine learning within a cooperative system. We focus on the role of learning from errors in a context where regular attrition of group members occurs. Specifically, the study involved observation of distributed activity in the team navigation of a large naval vessel. Analyses revealed frequent individual errors; however, successful detection and correction of errors also occurred. Thus, the cooperative system simultaneously allowed high component error and ensured low system output error. This robustness is an especially valuable feature for distributed systems because it provides for needed on-the-job learning while maintaining a high level of overall performance. Errors were observed to function as opportunities for instruction based on a novice's demonstrated "need to know." The distributed system was found to contain certain design tradeoffs that are exploited for their utility in learning (viz., distributing knowledge across the team and providing multiple perspectives for error detection). The results are applicable to the design of computer-supported cooperative tasks and provide guidelines for task organization that facilitates performance while incorporating the ability to learn from errors.
Temperature-adaptable fibers containing substances with solid—solid transitions

Abstract Incorporation of 50% aqueous solutions of compounds (exhibiting high Δ H values due to solid—solid transitions prior to melting or crystallization) into hollow fibers or treatment of conventional fibers with these solutions, produced after drying and conditioning, modified fibers with 2–4 times the heat content ( Q ) of the corresponding untreated fibers in a given temperature interval. Of the compounds evaluated, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol and 2-hydroxymethyl-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol produced the most reliable and reproducible thermal effects in the modified fibers that lasted through 50 heating and cooling cycles. Of the treated fibers, hollow rayon was the most effective, followed by cotton, then hollow polypropylene relative to the corresponding untreated fibers. As monitored by differential scanning calorimetry, these modified fibers had thermal storage and release values useful at temperatures as high as 72–102°C on heating and as low as 37-7°C on cooling, with generally little variability in their Q values within the same fiber or between different batches of the same fiber. Other compounds of this type were not effective for use with the fibers due to sublimation/high vapor pressure characteristics (2,2-dimethyl-1-propanol and pentaerythritol) or because of their anomalous and inconsistent thermal behavior (2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol).
Ethanol-induced HO-1 and NQO1 Are Differentially Regulated by HIF-1α and Nrf2 to Attenuate Inflammatory Cytokine Expression

Oxidative stress plays an important role in alcohol-induced inflammation and liver injury. Relatively less is known about how Kupffer cells respond to oxidative stress-induced expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) to blunt inflammation and liver injury. We showed that Kupffer cells from ethanol-fed rats and ethanol-treated rat Kupffer cells and THP-1 cells displayed increased mRNA expression of HO-1, NQO1, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Our studies showed that silencing with HIF-1α and JNK-1 siRNAs attenuated ethanol-mediated mRNA expression of HO-1, but not NQO1, whereas Nrf2 siRNA attenuated the mRNA expression of both HO-1 and NQO1. Additionally, JunD but not JunB formed an activator protein-1 (AP-1) oligomeric complex to augment HO-1 promoter activity. Ethanol-induced HO-1 transcription involved antioxidant response elements, hypoxia-response elements, and an AP-1 binding motif in its promoter, as demonstrated by mutation analysis of the promoter, EMSA, and ChIP. Furthermore, livers of ethanol-fed c-Junfl/fl mice showed reduced levels of mRNA for HO-1 but not of NQO1 compared with ethanol-fed control rats, supporting the role of c-Jun or the AP-1 transcriptional complex in ethanol-induced HO-1 expression. Additionally, attenuation of HO-1 levels in ethanol-fed c-Junfl/fl mice led to increased proinflammatory cytokine expression in the liver. These results for the first time show that ethanol regulates HO-1 and NQO1 transcription by different signaling pathways. Additionally, up-regulation of HO-1 protects the liver from excessive formation of inflammatory cytokines. These studies provide novel therapeutic targets to ameliorate alcohol induced inflammation and liver injury.
Evidence that BCL-2 represses apoptosis by regulating endoplasmic reticulum-associated Ca2+ fluxes

Abstract BCL-2 is a 26-kDa integral membrane protein that represses apoptosis by an unknown mechanism. Recent findings indicate that Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) mediates apoptosis in mouse lymphoma cells. In view of growing evidence that BCL-2 localizes to the ER, as well as mitochondria and the perinuclear membrane, we investigated the possibility that BCL-2 represses apoptosis by regulating Ca2+ fluxes through the ER membrane. A cDNA encoding BCL-2 was introduced into WEHI7.2 cells and two subclones, W.Hb12 and W.Hb13, which express high and low levels of BCL-2 mRNA and protein, respectively, were isolated. WEHI7.2 cells underwent apoptosis in response to treatment with the glucocorticoid hormone dexamethasone, whereas W.Hb12 and W.Hb13 cells were protected from apoptosis, revealing a direct relationship between the level of BCL-2 expression and the degree of protection. Significantly, BCL-2 also blocked induction of apoptosis by thapsigargin (TG), a highly specific inhibitor of the ER-associated Ca2+ pump. TG completely inhibited ER Ca2+ pumping in both WEHI7.2 and W.Hb12 cells, but the release of Ca2+ into the cytosol after inhibition of ER Ca2+ pumping was significantly less in W.Hb12 cells than in WEHI7.2 cells, indicating that BCL-2 reduces Ca2+ efflux through the ER membrane. By reducing ER Ca2+ efflux, BCL-2 interfered with a signal for "capacitative" entry of extracellular Ca2+, preventing a sustained increase of cytosolic Ca2+ in TG-treated cells. These findings suggest that BCL-2 either directly or indirectly regulates the flux of Ca2+ across the ER membrane, thereby abrogating Ca2+ signaling of apoptosis.
FDA drug approval intervals from 1997 to 2006: analysis and comparison during information technology implementation

The implementation of new Information Technology (IT) has been a persistent target for improving FDA review intervals. Three main categories of new drugs are studied: New Drug Application (NDA), the Supplemental New Drug Application (SNDA) and the Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA). This paper finds that the median review time for an ANDA was significantly longer than that of an NDA and SDNA. A comparison of application class medians revealed significant differences. Regardless of the recent focus on IT implementations at the FDA pertaining to review intervals, that focus has not yet yielded a statistically significant improvement in review times.
Effects of sex and seating arrangement on selection of leader.

Summary Effects of a person's sex and seating arrangement were tested with 310 participants (151 men and 159 women; M age = 20.0, SD = 3.3) from a large southwestern U.S. university who were asked to select a leader from among five persons depicted around a rectangular table. Participants chose a person shown seated at the head of the table as the leader of a group, regardless of that person's sex. This conflicts with prior research indicating gender bias against women as leaders.
The determinants of market-wide issue cycles for initial public offerings☆

Abstract This paper identifies the determinants of market-wide issue cycles for initial public offerings (IPOs) using an autoregressive conditional count model. We consider whether IPO volume is related to business conditions, investor sentiment, and time variation in adverse selection costs caused by asymmetric information between managers and investors. We provide evidence indicating that time variation in business conditions and investor sentiment are important determinants of monthly issue activity. By contrast, time variation in adverse selection costs does not significantly affect IPO volume.
Burnout in Spurned Medical Caregivers and the Impact of Job Expectancy Training

This study represents an extrapolation to the practical realm of a theoretical model that has been supported thus far only by laboratory studies. The model regards the rejection of help by people in need as being stressful for caregivers partly because it violates their expectations of acceptance and threatens their self-image as competent caregivers. It was hypothesized that high levels of perceived rejection by patients and others at work would contribute to burnout in medical caregivers. It was also predicted that high levels of stress preparation in caregivers' training with regard to job expectancies and patient (non)compliance would lessen burnout and buffer the effects of spurning. Responses to a questionnaire by a sample of physicians and hospital nurses revealed a direct association of perceived spurning, as well as an inverse association of stress preparation with burnout, and gave some indication of buffering, as hypothesized. Expressions of violated expectancies and of job disillusionment were directly associated with burnout and inversely associated with stress preparation. Informal job expectancy shaped by coworkers was found to be directly associated with burnout in physicians, but it was inversely associated with burn out in nurses. The implications of these findings are considered
Arthroscopy of the human temporomandibular joint

Diagnostic arthroscopy of the human temporomandibular joint was investigated on both fresh human cadavers and presurgical arthrotomy patients. It was possible to visualize all of the major anatomic structures in the superior joint space. Inferior joint space techniques were explored on cadavers but not perfected for clinical use. Closed arthroscopic surgical techniques were performed on the cadaver specimens using a variety of instruments such as probes, miniature biopsy forceps, and motorized soft tissue resection and bone abraiding devices.
Partially Informative Signaling

Abstract This paper shows that a signaling game has separating equilibria if and only if a monotonicity condition holds. This condition requires that, once the sender's types have been ordered according to the single-crossing condition, higher types elicit higher valuations. When this condition fails there may be many D1 outcomes, and the D1 criterion no longer guarantees Pareto dominance. For signaling games that violate this monotonicity condition, we select an equilibrium that conveys as much information as is possible, Pareto dominates all other equilibria that are equally informative, and survives the D1 criterion. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C72, D82.
Synthesis and aikylation of CIS‐α‐hydroxyisopropylindanone‐2‐carboxylic acid lactone

The Meldrum's acid adduct of isobutyrophenone was cyclized directly and in high yield to the title compound, which could then be alkylated at the 2-position with methyl iodide or ethyl 6-bromohexanoate. In the latter case, acid hydrolysis of the resultant ester gave the analogous acid, but alkaline hydrolysis resulted in ring opening of the indanone portion of the molecule.
Galaxy Cluster Gas Mass Fractions from Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect Measurements: Constraints on ΩM

Using sensitive centimeter-wave receivers mounted on the Owens Valley Radio Observatory and Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association millimeter arrays, we have obtained interferometric measurements of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich(SZ) effect toward massive galaxy clusters. We use the SZ data to determine the pressure distribution of the cluster gas and, in combination with published X-ray temperatures, to infer the gas mass and total gravitational mass of 18 clusters. The gas mass fraction, f(g), is calculated for each cluster and is extrapolated to the fiducial radius r(500) using the results of numerical simulations. The mean f(g) within r(500) is 0.081(+ 0.009 / - 0.011) per h(100) (statistical uncertainty at 68% confidence level, assuming Omega(M) = 0.3, Omega(Lambda) = 0.7). We discuss possible sources of systematic errors in the mean f(sub g) measurement. We derive an upper limit for Omega(M) from this sample under the assumption that the mass composition of clusters within r(500) reflects the universal mass composition: Omega(M)h is less than or equal to Omega(B)/f(g). The gas mass fractions depend on cosmology through the angular diameter distance and the r(500) correction factors. For a flat universe (Omega(Lambda) is identical with 1 - Omega(M)) and h = 0.7, we find the measured gas mass fractions are consistent with Omega(M) is less than 0.40, at 68% confidence. Including estimates of the baryons contained in galaxies and the baryons which failed to become bound during the cluster formation process, we find Omega(M) is approximately equal to 0.25.
The highly sensitive brain: an fMRI study of sensory processing sensitivity and response to others' emotions

Theory and research suggest that sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), found in roughly 20% of humans and over 100 other species, is a trait associated with greater sensitivity and responsiveness to the environment and to social stimuli. Self-report studies have shown that high-SPS individuals are strongly affected by others' moods, but no previous study has examined neural systems engaged in response to others' emotions.
Anatomy of an avulsion

The Cumberland Marshes in east-central Saskatchewan, Canada, occupy over 5000 km2 and contain a variety of active and abandoned fluvial features, including straight to sinuous isolated channels, anastomosed channel systems, levees, and crevasse splays in addition to marshes, lakes and bogs. In 1873, an avulsion of the Saskatchewan River diverted most of its flow into a portion of the Cumberland Marshes (locally termed the breakout area), and altered the alluvial terrain as the invaded wetlands adjusted to the influx of sediment and water. These adjustments continue today, and so far over 500 km2 of wetlands have been affected by the avulsion. Avulsion-controlled modification of the wetlands involves the initiation and evolution of crevasse splays and splay complexes. Three intergradational forms are recognized, each associated with characteristic sand-body geometries. Stage I splays are small, lobate in plan, crossed by unstable distributary channels, and form wedge-shaped sheets which depositionally overlie fine-grained, organic-rich wetland sediments. Stage II splays and splay complexes evolve both spatially and temporally from Stage I splays. They are larger, contain dense networks of anastomosed channels, and form disconnected tabular sand bodies or continuous sand sheets, some of which incise underlying wetland sediments. Stage III splays develop from either Stage I or II splays and contain few but stable anastomosed channels that deposit isolated stringer sands encased in fine-grained floodplain sediments. Although sand bodies deposited by splays comprise important components of the evolving floodplain, various fine-grained facies occurring in levees, shallow lakes, abandoned splay channels, and interchannel floodplains dominate the avulsion deposits. The post-1873 record of deposition and terrain modification in the breakout area suggests four stages of floodplain evolution following avulsion. In the initial avulsion stage, new channels and splay complexes increase in numbers rapidly as diverted discharge of water and sediment overwhelm the adjacent floodbasin. The anastomosed stage is characterized by an approximate balance between rates of new channel and splay development, and abandonment of old ones. This stage continues for as long as new floodplain areas are invaded. The rate of new splay development eventually decreases as accessible floodplain becomes aggraded, forcing a higher rate of channel abandonment and concentration of remaining flow into fewer but larger channels (reversion stage). The result of reversion is eventual return to a single channel stage, completing the avulsive sequence and initiating a new alluvial ridge. For the Saskatchewan River, this final-stage single channel will likely produce a meander belt which occupies only a portion of the more extensive avulsion belt which preceded it.
On the optimum conditions for vapor epitaxy of GaAs1−xPx with 0.3 < x < 0.5

Growth conditions have been established which optimize the morphology of GaAs1−xPx (0.3 < x < 0.5) grown by vapor epitaxy in 〈100〉 orientation. Such criteria achieved through the following two investigations: (1) the influence of growth conditions on crystal morphology, and (2) the relationship between crystal composition and growth conditions.
Effects of 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol and Phytase on Zinc Utilization in Broiler Chicks

Abstract Studies were conducted with corn-soybean meal diets to evaluate the effects of phytate phosphorus utilization on zinc absorption and retention in broiler chicks. In the first two experiments, zinc-65 was used to determine zinc absorption. Experiment 1 was a 2 × 2 factorial with 0 or 5 μg/kg dihydroxycholecalciferol and 0 or 40 ppm supplemental zinc. In Experiment 2, 5 μg/kg 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [l,25-(OH)2 D3] or 750 units/kg phytase or both were added to a diet containing 35 ppm zinc. The diets in Experiment 3 were similar to Experiment 2 except that 600 units/kg phytase was fed. Experiment 4 was similar to Experiment 3 except that dietary phosphorus was decreased by .15%. There were no treatment effects on body weight in Experiments 1 and 2. Zinc absorption was higher in zinc-deficient birds in Experiment 1, but there were no other effects on zinc-65 absorption or retention. Body weight was increased by l,25-(OH)2 D3 in Experiments 3 and 4 and by phytase in Experiment 4. Phytate phosphorus retention was increased by phytase and l,25-(OH)2 D3 and was increased additively when both sources were fed. Dietary l,25-(OH)2 D3 increased zinc retention at times during Experiments 3 and 4, but this response was inconsistent. Phytase did not affect zinc retention. Phytase plus l,25-(OH)2 D3 increased zinc retention synergistically in Experiment 3. Bone zinc was increased by l,25-(OH)2 D3 and phytase, and there was an additive effect in Experiment 3. Plasma zinc and alkaline phosphatase were not affected. The results suggest that supplemental zinc may be decreased in a corn-soybean meal diet when phytate phosphorus utilization is enhanced.
Feeling Controlled and Drinking Motives Among College Students: Contingent Self-Esteem as a Mediator

This article presents an examination of college student drinking motives from a self-determination perspective. We predicted positive associations between controlled orientation (a chronic orientation toward pressures and experiencing a lack of choice in one's behaviors), and drinking as a means of regulating affect (enhancement and coping motives) and social approval (social rewards and conformity motives). Contingent self-esteem involves deriving self-worth from meeting expectations and was expected to mediate the relation between controlled orientation and drinking motives, which were in turn expected to predict alcohol consumption and related consequences. College students' (N = 204) controlled orientation, contingent self-esteem, motives for drinking, and patterns of alcohol use were assessed. Mediation analyses provided support for our theoretical framework. Results suggest that “controlled” individuals drink to regulate affect and social approval in part because they have a greater tendency to base...