cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Levormeloxifene inhibits vaginal tropoelastin and transforming growth factor beta 1 production.

Purpose: To measure the effects of levormeloxifene on vaginal smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation, tropoelastin and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 production. Methods: Primary SMC cultures were performed from vaginal wall biopsies. SMC were incubated with levormeloxifene (0.1 μM, 1 μM), in 96-well plates and cell proliferation was assessed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay at 24 hours. Tropoelastin production was measured by the Fastin Assay kit and TGF-β1 levels were assessed by ELISA. Results: SMC proliferation was significantly increased by levormeloxifene [relative cell number, mean ± SE, levormeloxifene 0.1 μM 130 ± 13% of control (P=NS), 1 μM 151 ± 19% of control (P<0.05)]. Tropoelastin production was significantly decreased by levormeloxifene [mean ± SE, levormeloxifene 0.1 μM 75 ± 4% of control (P=NS), 1 μM 64 ± 2% of control (P<0.05)]. In addition, TGF-β1 production was significantly decreased [mean ± SE, levormeloxifene 0.1 μM 79 ± 11% of control (P=NS), 1 μM 72 ± 14% of control (P<0.05)]. Conclusions: Levormeloxifene increases vaginal SMC proliferation, inhibits tropoelastin and TGF- β1 production.
Electrospinning of hydroxypropyl cellulose fibers and their application in synthesis of nano and submicron tin oxide fibers

Abstract Synthesis of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) fibers via electrospinning has been demonstrated, for the first time, in this investigation. The HPC solution in two different solvents, anhydrous ethanol and 2-propanol, has been utilized with two different tip-to-collector distance (10 and 15 cm) for synthesizing HPC fibers by varying applied voltage within the range of 10–30 kV. It has been shown that, nano ( 100 nm) HPC fibers can be obtained under the described electrospinning conditions. Average HPC fiber diameter and its bead formation tendency appear to be a function of nature of the solvent and the applied voltage. Characteristic features of electrospinning of HPC fibers appear to be in consonance with the established mechanism of polymer fiber formation via electrospinning. Use of electrospun HPC fibers in synthesizing and depositing highly porous network of nano and submicron tin oxide (SnO2) fibers on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device has been demonstrated.
Temporal separation of cough-induced urethral and bladder pressure spikes in women with urinary incontinence.

Abstract The time separation of cough-induced urethral and bladder pressure spikes were studied in 32 female patients: 16 with urinary incontinence due to sphincter incompetence, 9 with urinary incontinence and a competent, urethral closure mechanism, and 7 after incontinence surgery. There were no significant differences in time separation between the three groups at different positions in the urethra. Age and menopausal status did not affect time separation of pressure spikes. It is concluded that time separation of pressure spikes during cough cannot be used as a discriminator of the etiologic of urinary incontinence. Surgery does not restore the latency seen in normal continent women and may restore continence by a mechanism different from that of normal continent women.
TREATMENT OF DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS (DKA) WITH CONTINUOUS LOW-DOSE INSULIN INFUSION

Continuous low-dose insulin infusion was employed in 14 children aged 5 to 18 years with DKA based on the method of Kaufman et al. (J. Pediatr. 87:846, 1975). Regular insulin 0.1 unit/kg was given initially by IV push, followed by 0.1 unit/kg/hr by continuous infusion, piggybacked into the non-glucose containing rehydrating fluid. When blood glucose fell to 300 mg%, 5% dextrose was substituted and when it reached 250 mg% the insulin infusion was discontinued. If acetonemia persisted, the insulin infusion was continued at a 0.02 to 0.05 unit/kg/hr until acetonemia cleared. Initial blood glucose levels ranged from 310 to 945 mg% and fell at a mean rate of 82.6 mg%/hr and normoglycemia was achieved 2.0 to 13.5 hrs after onset of treatment. When acetonemia persisted it was not accompanied by acidemia. No patients developed hypokalemia or hypoglycemia. This method has several advantages over the traditional large-dose insulin regimens: (1) the rate of fall of glucose is steady and predictable (2) the risk of hypoglycemia and hypokalemia is minimized (3) clinical and metabolic recovery is rapid. Our findings also support the view that insulin resistance is not a characteristic feature of DKA.
Efficacy of pork loin as a source of zinc and effect of added cysteine on zinc bioavailability

Based upon Zn uptake in chick tibia, Zn in raw and cooked pork loin was about 40% more bioavailable than that in ZnSO4-H2O. Neither roasting nor braising affected Zn bioavailability in the loin preparations. Adding 0.40% cysteine to diets containing ZnSO4 improved Zn bioavailability by 73%. Pork loin is an excellent source of bioavailable Zn, and SH-containing compounds such as cysteine and glutathione that are present in meat may contribute to enhanced gut absorption of meat-source Zn.
Mycorrhizal Colonization of Hypericum perforatum L. (Hypericaceae) from Serpentine and Granite Outcrops on the Deer Isles, Maine

Given the paucity of literature on plant-fungal interactions on serpentine soils and limited investigation of serpentine geoecology in eastern North America, we examined mycorrhizal colonization of Hypericum perforatum from adjacent serpentine and granite outcrops on the Deer Isles, ME to determine whether plants were differentially colonized based on substrate. We coincided our sampling with three phenologic stages of H. perforatum (preflowering, flowering, postflowering) to determine possible differences in colonization based on plant phenology. The levels of mycorrhizal colonization in H. perforatum were not significantly different between serpentine and granite sites, while levels of colonization in postflowering plants were significantly higher than in those at preflowering and flowering stages.
Doubling Time of Labeled Periodontal Cells of Rats

The tritiated thymidine labeled and non-labeled connective-tissue cells in the periodontium of the mesial root of 37 60-day-old rat molars were counted. The doubling time of the labeled cells occurred at the 16 hour interval.
An integrated model for halide chemical vapor deposition of silicon carbide epitaxial films

Abstract Halide chemical vapor deposition emerges as a potent technique for growing silicon carbide epitaxial layers with a high deposition rate in the range of 50–300 μm/h. Experimental studies suggest that the gas composition in the reactor has profound influence on the deposition rate, the quality, and the properties of the as-deposited films. In this study, a comprehensive model was developed for halide chemical vapor deposition process including gas dynamics, heat and mass transfer, gas phase and surface chemistry, and radio-frequency induction heating. Numerical simulations of the deposition process in a horizontal hot-wall reactor using silicon tetrachloride, propane, and hydrogen as precursors were performed over a wide range of operational parameters to quantify the effects of deposition temperature, precursor flow rate, and reactor configuration. Special attention was directed to the etching of silicon carbide films by hydrogen chloride and its impact on the film deposition rate at different processing conditions. Improved gas delivery method was proposed for controlling the formation of hydrogen chloride and the associated etching effect.
Antibodies to colony-stimulating factors block Lewis lung carcinoma cell stimulation of immune-suppressive bone marrow cells

Progressive growth of metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumors results in a concurrent stimulation of myelopoiesis and the appearance of immune-suppressive bone marrow cells. The present study has shown that normal bone marrow cells could be induced to become immune-suppressive by 3 days of culture with supernatants of cloned metastatic LLC-LN7 variant cells. The capacity of the LLC-LN7 supernatants to stimulate the appearance of suppressor cells was directly proportional to the concentration of supernatant used in the bone marrow culture. When adoptively transferred with a LLC-LN7 tumor inoculum, the supernatant-induced suppressor bone marrow cells increased the rate of appearance of palpable tumors and the frequency of tumor establishment. The LLC-LN7 supernatants containing suppressor-cell-inducing activity also had colony-stimulating factor (CSF) activity. The CSF activity produced by the LLC-LN7 cells could be diminished with neutralizing antibodies to either granulocyte/monocyte(GM-) CSF or to interleukin-3 (IL-3). Likewise, the suppressor-inducing activity in the LLC-LN7 supernatants was diminished by pretreatment with anti-GM-CSF or anti-IL-3. The combination of anti-GM-CSF and anti-IL-3 completely neutralized all suppressor-inducing activity produced by the LLC-LN7 cells. These results suggest that the secretion of IL-3 and GM-CSF by LLC-LN7 tumor cells is a mechanism by which the tumors stimulate myelopoiesis and induce normal bone marrow cells to become immune-suppressive. Bone marrow cells that are induced to become immune-suppressive by culture with LLC-LN7 supernatants can, in turn, facilitate the establishment of tumor in vivo.
The role of ontology in the philosophy of gilles deleuze

This essay discusses the role of being and ontology in the work of Gilles Deleuze. Starting from an examination of Alain Badiou's ontology and theory of the event, I discuss the possible opposition of being and the event in Deleuze's work. Though famous for his discussions of the univocity of being, Deleuze does discuss the event as that which is not being. Deleuze's theory of the event is similar to that of Badiou in that he considers the event to be extra-ontological. The essay closes by considering the differences between Deleuze and Badiou on the subject of the event.
Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a dermoid cyst of the ovary.

Abstract Background Unlike ordinary germ cell tumors of the ovary, squamous cell carcinoma arising in a dermoid affects elderly persons. Prognosis is poor when the disease has spread beyond the ovary. Case The case of a 67-year-old woman with stage III squamous cell carcinoma arising in a dermoid cyst of the ovary and extending to the serosa and myometrium of the uterus, pelvic peritoneum, the serosa, and muscularis of the distal ileum and penetrating entirely through the wall of the sigmoid is presented. She underwent total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, partial small bowel resection with anastomosis, partial colectomy with anastomosis, and excision of tumor from the pelvic peritoneum. She was treated with six cycles of Taxol and cisplatin chemotherapy at monthly intervals. She has remained disease-free for over 4 years. Conclusion This is the fourth report of a prolonged disease-free survival of a patient with stage III squamous cell carcinoma arising in a dermoid cyst of the ovary. This result is encouraging, but the best treatment for advanced cancer of this type has yet to be determined.
Antibacterial Studies of Cationic Polymers with Alternating, Random, and Uniform Backbones

Antibacterial polymers have potential as pharmaceuticals and as coatings for implantation devices. The design of these materials will be optimized when we have a complete understanding of the structural features that impart activity toward target organisms and those that are benign with respect to the mammalian host. In this work, four series of polymers in which cationic and hydrophobic groups were distributed along the backbone were tested against six different bacterial species (both Gram-positive and Gram-negative) and for host cytotoxicities (red blood cell lysis). The most effective of the polymers studied are regularly spaced, featuring a 6−8 carbon stretch along the backbone between side chains that present positively charged groups. They cause potassium efflux, disorder the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, and disrupt the membrane potential. These polymers, available from alternating ring-opening metathesis polymerization (AROMP), offer proof of principle for the importance of regular spacing in a...
Patch Antenna Modeling Issues Using Commercial Software

The method of moments, implemented in 2.5-D for multilayer antenna structures, or implemented as a fully 3-D solution of Maxwell's equations, is a popular method for microwave antenna simulations. Commercial software was used to simulate an aperture-coupled patch and a pin-fed patch antenna element. The simulation results are compared with experimental data measured for antenna prototypes having finite substrate and ground plane dimensions. The aperture coupled patch has microstrip feed line extending to the edge of the substrate where a coaxial connector is installed between the microstrip and ground plane. The pin- fed patch has coaxial connector feed with finite size ground plane and radome without dielectric substrates. A 3-D simulation is used to capture the effect of a finite ground plane compared to a 2.5-D model. The calculated and measured antenna performance are compared indicating that the 2.5-D simulations are sufficient for the design of conventional patch antennas but detailed analysis or novel designs may require a fully 3-D model.
Consistency Conditions for Chiral Symmetry and Scale Invariance. I. Dimensions of Operators

It is demonstrated that in the contemporary models of chiral-symmetry and scale-invariance breaking, the matrix elements of the trace of the energy-momentum tensor $\ensuremath{\Theta}$ are necessarily rapidly varying in the low-energy region. It is further shown that the limit of exact scale invariance cannot be achieved smoothly. An alternative energy-momentum tensor is proposed, which is related to the "new improved" tensor with finite matrix elements in perturbation theory, and whose matrix elements do not possess this singular behavior. By demanding maximal smoothness, the scale dimension of the divergence of the axial-vector current is found to be one.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: NEW STRATEGIES FOR COMPANIES OPERATING IN DEVELOPING NATIONS

ABSTRACT As oil exploration and development move into less developed countries, many companies are faced with the problem of environmental compliance. New countries, such as Azerbaijan, and rapidly developing countries, such as Indonesia, have the potential to change the structure of oil supply and demand in the future, but have not yet fully developed the environmental parameters that will govern oil and gas operations. Environmental managers of companies doing business or considering investing in these new markets now have new environmental issues to consider. The types of issues often encountered include the following: Should companies apply the same environmental standards and environmental management to their activities in less developed countries as they do in their own country? How do companies protect themselves from evolving and changing regulations in developing nations? What is the role of Western companies in transferring environmental technologies to developing nations? To answer these questi...
Observational constraints on the identification and distribution of chaotic terrain on icy satellites

Abstract We outline the observational constraints required to identify chaos regions on Europa. Large incidence angle, rather than high resolution, appears to be the primary observational requirement for identifying chaos. At incidence angles >70°, chaos can be identified on Europa at image resolutions as low as 1.5 km/pixel. Similar images obtained at moderate or low incidence angles (
The effects of live and dead roots on soil fungi in spodosolic soils of the New Jersey Pinelands

The effects of live and dead roots on soil fungi were investigated experimentally in a spodosolic soil of the New Jersey Pinelands. Field mesocosm plots were constructed to have a layer of either C- and N-rich organic soil or a vermiculite substitute overlying a layer of sandy mineral soil with a very low organic content. The plots were also supplied with live pitch pine and blueberry roots or dead pitch pine roots in varying quantities based on anturally occurring densities (half, same, and double the ambient quantities). All plots were sampled 1 year after construction (June 1991), and three more times in two subsequent years (November 1991, June 1992, June 1993). In the presence of live roots, fluorescein diacetate-determined (FDA-active) fungal hyphae, total fungal hyphae, and soil moisture decreased significantly in the organic material, while no change was associated with the dead roots. The FDA-active fungal length in the live-root plots ranged from 40 to 165 mg-1 soil, and from 55 to 335 mg-1 soil in the dead-root plots. While the total fungal length in live-root plots remained constant over time (∼3000 mg-1 soil), the total fungal length in the dead-root plots increased from an initial value of 3000 to >4000 mg-1 soil at the conclusion of the study. Fungal lengths in mineral soil were higher under organic material than under the vermiculite substitute. Soil moisture was higher in the presence of live roots in mineral soils, but this did not increase the fungal abundance. Inputs of dead roots did not alter the fungal abundance. Overall, we demonstrated that live and dead roots had different effects on fungal abundance in soils with contrasting qualities, and in a spodosolic forest soil, roots could have ecosystem effects very different from those in agricultural soils.
New work on the history of the family.

This article reviews three books on the history of the family: Jack Goodys "The Development of Family and Marriage in Europe" 1983; Michael Mitterauer and Reinhard Sieders "The European Family" (1982); and Martin Segalens "Love and Power in the Peasant Family: Rural France in the Nineteenth Century" (1983). These books are an improvement over the literature on the history of the family produced during the late 1960s and 1970s. All three books address the issue of individualism as reflected in the modern Western family. Goodys earlier work focused on the importance of inheritance in structuring family relationships. His new book introduces the concept of "diverging devolution" whereby women receive property through inheritance or dowry. Diverging devolution occurred simultaneously with other social changes in marriage customs and was found among countries bordering the Mediterranean. Family patterns changed during the fourth century due to the Christian churchs efforts to regulate the rules of marriage. By the 10th century the Church became one of the largest landowners in Europe. The churchs regulations resulted in a strengthening of the elementary family over the extended kind. The Mitterauer and Sieder book continues the discussion of family and focuses on the importance of removing production from the home and of shifting traditional family functions to the state. The German and Central European stem family prevailed. The Segalen book was more focused on family life. Rural peasants family life until the 19th century was socially organized for survival. Womens role was cooperative and reciprocal. The Segalen book indicates that Christianity shaped the sexual and parental functions of marriage and linked it with other socially necessary relationships. Recent social history has focused on the interdependence between marriage and the larger community.
Structure and developmental expression of the chicken NGF receptor

The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of a cDNA clone of the chicken NGF receptor (NGFR) is reported and is compared with sequences of mammalian NGF receptors. A model is presented in which monodentate or bidentate binding of NGF dimers to repeated cysteine-rich sequence elements of the receptor yields low- or high-affinity NGF binding, respectively. In situ hybridization is used to characterize expression of NGFR in developing chick from 40 hr to 10 days of embryogenesis. NGFR mRNA expression is detected in premigratory neural crest cells, in epibranchial placode cells, and in all sensory, sympathetic and parasympathetic derivatives of these structures. In the embryonic CNS, NGFR mRNA is detected in the mantle zone but not the periventricular germinal zone throughout most of the neural tube. By Embryonic Day 8, NGFR mRNA is detected in a substantial fraction of cells in every brain region, with highest levels present in developing motor neurons. NGFR mRNA also is transiently expressed in many mesenchymal cell populations including cells in branchial arch, sclerotome, muscle anlagen, and feather follicles. The functional significance of wide-spread embryonic expression of the NGF receptor is discussed.
Conditions permitting short‐term engraftment of human T cells in RAG‐1 mutant mice

: The ability to reconstitute RAG-1 deficient (R-) mice with human peripheral blood cells was examined using four different host preparative regimens. Our results indicate that while untreated R- mice could be reconstituted with human cells, pre-conditioning with either 5Gy whole body irradiation (WBI) or anti-asialo GM1 rabbit anti-serum led to an increase in the frequency of CD45+ human cells that could be detected in the circulation. Pre-conditioning with both anti-asialo GM1 and WBI led to a further increase in the frequency of circulating human cells in reconstituted R- mice. Human CD45+ cells were detected in the spleen and lymph nodes, but not the thymus of reconstituted mice pre-conditioned with WBI and anti-asialo GM1. Our results suggest that mouse NK cells and a limitation in physical space are limiting factors mediating resistance I to human cell engraftment in R- mice.
Cyber situational awareness and differential hardening

The advent of cyber threats has created a need for a new network planning, design, architecture, operations, control, situational awareness, management, and maintenance paradigms. Primary considerations include the ability to assess cyber attack resiliency of the network, and rapidly detect, isolate, and operate during deliberate simultaneous attacks against the network nodes and links. Legacy network planning relied on automatic protection of a network in the event of a single fault or a very few simultaneous faults in mesh networks, but in the future it must be augmented to include improved network resiliency and vulnerability awareness to cyber attacks. Ability to design a resilient network requires the development of methods to define, and quantify the network resiliency to attacks, and to be able to develop new optimization strategies for maintaining operations in the midst of these newly emerging cyber threats. Ways to quantify resiliency, and its use in visualizing cyber vulnerability awareness and in identifying node or link criticality, are presented in the current work, as well as a methodology of differential network hardening based on the criticality profile of cyber network components.
Ischemic Preconditioning Does Not Protect Against Contractile Dysfunction in the Presence of Residual Flow Studies in the Isolated, Blood-Perfused Rat Heart

Background We have previously demonstrated that ischemic preconditioning (PC) does not protect when oxygen deprivation is accompanied by a high level of perfusion (hypoxia). Since clinical ischemia can vary from mild to severe, we wished to determine whether PC could protect against injury arising from low-flow ischemia. Methods and Results Functional recovery after 30 minutes of reperfusion was assessed in isolated, blood-perfused rat hearts (n=6 per group) subjected to (A) 30 minutes of zero-flow ischemia, (B) 30 minutes of zero-flow ischemia preceded by 3×PC (PC=5 minutes of ischemia+5 minutes of reperfusion), (C) 90 minutes of low-flow ischemia at 10% of baseline coronary flow (0.31±0.02 mL/min per gram wet wt), (D) 90 minutes of low-flow ischemia at 10% of baseline coronary flow (0.29±0.02 mL/min per gram wet wt) preceded by 3×PC. PC significantly protected against injury resulting from zero-flow ischemia (developed pressure recovered to 67±6% versus 31±12% in B and A, respectively; P <.05) but not resulting from low-flow ischemia (recovery of developed pressure was 40±8% versus 37±7% in C and D, respectively). Protein kinase C (PKC) is widely considered to be involved in the mechanism of PC such that prior activation and translocation of PKC by the PC protocol allows phosphorylation of the end-effector protein early during the subsequent ischemic insult, before loss of adenosine triphosphate occurs. However, because adenosine triphosphate content falls slowly during low-flow ischemia, PKC may be activated and translocated early enough to be active during this insult. If so, inhibition of PKC should decrease functional recovery in the control group. However, functional recovery in control groups was not decreased in the presence of the PKC inhibitor polymyxin B (50±6%), suggesting that if activation of PKC occurred during low-flow ischemia, it was not protective. Conclusions PC does not protect against contractile dysfunction in the rat when a low level (10% of baseline flow) of ischemic perfusion remains during the prolonged insult.
On the Dynamic Behaviour of High-Low Junction Devices†

ABSTRACT The transient and steady-state sinusoidal properties of semiconductor devices wherein high-low junctions are present are considered both theoretically and experimentally. It is shown that these structures may exhibit either inductive, capacitive or purely resistive behaviour depending upon the bias conditions and frequency ranges employed. The analysis is carried out without the usual assumption of unity injection efficiency at the high—low interface, and it is observed that in the limit of very small injection levels the results agree with the earlier models.
Prevention of significant deterioration. A critical review.

Prevention of significant deterioration has been a subject of study and discussion for about ten years. An extensive survey of the legislative and legal aspects of this concept is presented in this...
Anaerobic treatment of beet waste in a stationary fixed-film reactor

Abstract Laboratory scale, downflow stationary fixed-film reactors with polyester cloth support and a surface-to-volume ratio of 86 m 2 m −3 , operated continuously at 35°C, were capable of treating red beet wastewater with an organic strength between 5000 and 15 000 mg COD liter −1 , at up to 87% COD removal efficiency. Organic loadings of up to 24 kg COD m −3 day −1 were achieved with COD removal rates of up to 16 kg COD m −3 day −1 and methane production rates exceeding 4 m 3 m −3 (reactor volume) day −1 . Loadings of 30 kg COD m −3 day −1 and HRT of 5 h were achieved without process failure. The actual amount of waste organics converted and methane gas produced increased with increased loading, even though COD removal efficiencies decreased. A wide range of waste organic strengths could readily be treated but maximum methane production and COD conversion rates would be achieved with increased waste organic strength. Biomass yield increased with increased organic loading and was slightly influenced by waste organic strength.
Time domain analysis of ultrasonic propagation in a five-region layered structure

Abstract This paper presents the results of a study of the propagation of ultrasonic waves incident normally on a five-region model consisting of water/ aluminium/adhesive/aluminium/water layers. The ultrasonic signal power reflected from various interfaces in the multi-layered structure was calculated using the energy partition principle; the ultrasonic attenuation in the various media was taken into account in the study. The phase relationship between the incident and reflected portions of each ultrasonic pulse was followed in detailed calculation. Results of the analysis show excellent correlation with experimental results obtained by pulsing ultrasound at a three-layered structure immersed in water.
A general equilibrium model with agglomerative economies and decentralized employment

Abstract The standard urban general equilibrium model is extended in two ways. First, the central part of the city is occupied by the officer sector; the office sector is subject to agglomerative economies arising from the need for face-to-face contact. Second, residents choose between two employment areas: in addition to the employment opportunities in the centralized office sector, employment opportunities exist in a decentralized manufacturing sector. The model is used to explore the general equilibrium effects of zoning policies.
Vacuolar H+-ATPase Activity and Expression in Mouse Bone Marrow Cultures

We examined vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) structure, enzymatic properties, and protein and mRNA expression from mouse marrow cultured in the presence or absence of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), which stimulates formation of bone-resorptive osteoclasts. V-ATPases from osteoclast-containing cultures were similar in ion and inhibitor sensitivities to the enzyme from kidney-derived sources. Immunopurified V-ATPase from 1,25(OH)2D3-stimulated cultures exhibited 20-fold greater ATPase activity than the enzyme from unstimulated cultures, which do not contain osteoclasts. In contrast, 1,25(OH)2D3-treated cultures contained only 2-fold more assembled V-ATPase, as determined by immunoprecipitation. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblot analysis similarly showed ∼2-fold increases of V-ATPase mRNA and protein levels in 1,25(OH)2D3-treated cultures. The bulk of the relative difference in V-ATPase activity between the two cultures was due to a 10-fold difference in enzyme specific activity. Quantitative RT-PCR also revealed that expression levels of V-ATPase mRNAs reflected the stoichiometry of enzyme subunits in the assembled complex. These data indicate that in mouse bone marrow cultures, V-ATPase expression is controlled at the level of mRNA, and that increases in subunit expression and assembly cannot account for the 20-fold difference in enzyme activity in osteoclast-containing cultures. Therefore, osteoclast V-ATPase activity may be regulated by subtle alterations in enzyme structure or associated factors.
Defective gap-junctional communication associated with imaginal disc overgrowth and degeneration caused by mutations of the dco gene in Drosophila

The lethal(3)discs overgrown (dco) locus of Drosophila melanogaster, located on the third chromosome at cytogenetic position 100A5,6–100B1,2, is necessary for normal development and growth control in the imaginal discs of the larva. Three recessive lethal alleles (dco^2, dco^3, and dco^(18)) in heteroallelic combinations and one allele (dco^3) when homozygous cause the imaginal discs to continue to grow beyond the normal disc-intrinsic limit during an extended larval period. Some degeneration also occurs in the overgrowing discs. The discs overgrow even when transplanted early in their development into wild-type hosts, whereas normal discs stop growth at about the normal final size under such conditions, indicating that the overgrowth is a disc-autonomous effect of the mutations. During overgrowth the imaginal discs retain their single-layered epithelial structure except near regions of degeneration, and they differentiate into disc-appropriate but abnormal adult structures when transplanted into wild-type larval hosts. When the mutant larvae are reared under certain conditions a small percentage develop to the pharate adult stage, and these animals show a characteristic syndrome of abnormalities including swollen leg segments with many extra bristles, small or missing eyes, duplicated antennae and palpi, and separated vesicles of cuticle. A fourth recessive lethal allele (dco^(le88)), when homozygous or in heteroallelic combination with the overgrowth alleles, causes the imaginal discs to degenerate, producing a “discless” phenotype. Gap junction-mediated communication was assayed by observing the intercellular transfer of injected fluorescein complexon (dye coupling). Dye coupling in the imaginal discs of the dco genotypes that cause overgrowth was dramatically reduced at 4 days after egg laying (AEL) compared with wild-type controls. Coupling was more normal although still significantly reduced at 7–8 and 12–14 days AEL. In c43^(hs1), another disc overgrowth mutant, the imaginal disc cells also showed very reduced dye coupling at 4 days and incomplete coupling at 9 days. In contrast, discs from wild-type larvae, two other imaginal disc overgrowth mutants, and a cell death mutant showed extensive dye coupling at all stages tested. Electron microscopic morphometry revealed a reduction in gap-junction length per unit lateral plasma membrane length in dco3dco18 and c43^(hs1) wing discs, although not in dco2dco3, compared with wild-type wing discs. The results suggest that gap-junctional cell communication may be involved in the cell interactions that limit cell proliferation in vivo.
Lysine metabolism in the rat brain: the pipecolic acid-forming pathway.

— Employing both the intraventricular and intraperitoneal injection techniques, 14C-l-lysine at non-overloading concentrations was found to be metabolized to l-14C-pipecolic acid at significantly high levels in the rat. Labeled pipecolic acid in the brain and liver was only found at rather low levels 24 h after intraperitoneal administration of 14C-l-lysine regardless of non-labeled lysine metabolite overload. A marked enhancement of pipecolic acid labeling was only found in the brain when 14C-l-lysine was intraventricularly administered to animals under various lysine metabolite overloads. While overloading doses of non-labeled saccharopine or α-aminoadipate did not significantly alter the labeling patterns of pipecolic acid in the brain, liver or urine when 14C-l-lysine was intraperitoneally administered, pipecolate overloading markedly reduced labeled pipecolic acid levels in the brain, liver and urine. These results indicate: pipecolic acid formation is subject to product inhibition, and saccharopine is not in the pathway of pipecolic acid synthesis from l-lysine. The labeling pattern of lysine metabolites was not significantly affected by the overloading injection of pipecolic acid when 14C-l-lysine was intraventricularly administered suggesting a blood-brain barrier for pipecolate. Besides 14C-pipecolic acid, labeled α-aminoadipic acid was also found at significant levels mostly in the brain. Labeled saccharopine was not detected in any tissues or urine samples analyzed. The 14C-l-lysine metabolic pattern of the newborn rats did not seem to be any different from the adult rats, i.e. labeled pipecolic acid was also detected in substantial quantities in the brain, liver and urine 5 h after injection. 14C-d-Lysine was mainly metabolized to l-14C-pipecolic acid through either route of administration. These experimental evidences indicate that the pipecolic acid-forming pathway is a significant route for lysine metabolism in the rat, and that the rat brain probably utilizes this pathway mainly for lysine metabolism. The present study also discusses the potential neurological significance of the pipecolic acid pathway in relation to the major lysine metabolic pathway (the saccharopine pathway).
In-Situ Observation of Stress in Cu/Pd Multilayers

Stress evolution was studied during growth of Cu/Pd multilayers using an in-situ, laserbased wafer curvature technique which allowed measurement of stress changes associated with sub-monolayer thickness increases. The apparent stress in the Cu layers changes during growth, from compressive, for thickness less than about 0.5 nm, to tensile for thicknesses above this. The stress behavior in the Pd layers depends on the thickness of the underlying Cu layer. Pd deposited on thick (2 nm) Cu layers is under an apparent compressive stress, while Pd deposited on thin (
Pharmacotherapies for alcoholism: promising agents and clinical issues.

The past 10 years have witnessed important advances in research on pharmacotherapy for alcoholism. Promising drugs are discussed under six headings: agents to treat alcohol withdrawal; anticraving agents; agents that make drinking an aversive experience; agents to alleviate concomitant psychiatric problems; agents to treat concurrent drug abuse; and amethystic (“sobering-up”) agents. Research on the drug classes is summarized and clinical issues surrounding specific agents and alcoholism pharmacotherapy in general are discussed. Finally, long-range therapeutic implications of recent findings on the actions of alcohol on basic mechanisms of the brain are offered.
A new analytical/iterative approach to statistical delay characterization of cmos digital combinational circuits

This paper is believed to be one of the first attempts to statistically characterize signal delays of basic CMOS digital building blocks. Analytic expressions in terms of the transistor geometries and technological process variations are provided for fast delay computations, to be used for manufacturing yield optimization, delay variability reduction and general VLSI circuit design for quality. the proposed approach is novel in several ways: (1) It is a combination of an accurate, semi-empirical MOS transistor model with the use of an efficient interpolation technique to link the non-physical model parameters to the ‘designable’ and ‘noise’ factors. (2) It uses several newly developed analytical delay formulae where possible and simple iterative solutions where direct analytical solutions do not exist. (3) the resulting hybrid analytical/iterative models are tuned, if necessary, to enhance the overall statistical accuracy. (4) Local delays are combined together for the analysis of complex combinational VLSI circuits. (5) C-code is generated for specific delay paths to further increase efficiency (improvement in analysis times by two to four orders of magnitude with respect to SPICE, with about 5%-10% accuracy). Examples of statistical delay characterization are used to illustrate the high accuracy of the proposed approach in modelling the influence of the ‘noise’ parameters on circuit delay relative to direct SPICE-based Monte Carlo analysis. the important impact of the proposed approach is that statistical evaluation and optimization of delays in much larger VLSI circuits will become possible.
Tetratrichomonas spp. and Pentatrichomonas hominis are not persistently detectable after intravaginal inoculation of estrous heifers.

Abstract Virgin heifers (44) were intravaginally inoculated at estrus with low (106) or high (108) doses of live Tetratrichomonas sp., Pentatrichomonas hominis (P. hominis), or Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus). Controls were inoculated with Diamond's trypticase yeast extract maltose media. Genital infection was determined by culture of cervico-vaginal mucus (CVM) in Schneider's media and InPouch TF® as well as by polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR/RFLP). The presence of trichomonads in fecal samples was determined by culture in Schneider's medium and PCR/RFLP. In CVM samples, tetratrichomonads were found by PCR/RFLP and Schneider's culture only sporadically at intermittent weeks. The presence of tetratrichomonads was not associated with the dose in the experimental vaginal inoculation since Tetratrichomonas sp. appeared more frequently in heifers inoculated with a low dose of tetratrichomonads than in heifers inoculated with a high dose of tetratrichomonads. Moreover, Tetratrichomonas spp. were isolated not only in heifers inoculated with tetratrichomonads but also in control heifers and in heifers inoculated with P. hominis. In feces, Tetratrichomonas spp. were frequently identified by culture in Schneider's and by PCR/RFLP in heifers of all groups. P. hominis was never found in CVM or feces by any method. Based on the common appearance of tetratrichomonads in feces and vaginal secretions, it appears that tetratrichomonads were detected periodically in the vagina of heifers as a consequence of repeated contamination from feces and not as a result of experimental infection. In summary, in this study, the strains of Tetratrichomonas sp. and P. hominis did not establish persistent infection in heifers.
Women doctors and crime: A review of california physician sanctioning data 1990-1994

This article evaluates the participation of women doctors prosecuted for physician-related violation and crimes in California during the 1990-1994 period. The first section emphasizes how opportunity has changed the way we study women and crime including their participation in white-collar crime. Section 2 provides an overview of the physician population including the occupational characteristics of women doctors in the United States. These figures support the influx of women into American medical schools and the profession. Section 3 and Section 4 focuses on methodology and the interpretation of the data set. Research is based on the original data collected by Public Citizens group published in the 1996 edition of Questionable Doctors . Generalizations are limited but the data are useful in comparing sanctioning rates and varieties of female and male physician-related offenses. The final section discusses the propriety of female physicians as an object of criminological research, and explains how female ...
Empirical Power of Procedures for Comparing Two Groups on p Variables.

Monte Carlo results are used to evaluate several procedures for discriminating between two groups on two or more variables. Depending on the conditions examined, either a multiple testing version of Hotelling’sT2 or a Bonferroni procedure is shown to be the most powerful for detecting at least one true difference between the groups. A multiple Bonferroni procedure is shown to be generally superior in power for detecting all true differences.
Randomized controlled trial of the effects of nurse case manager and community health worker interventions on risk factors for diabetes-related complications in urban African Americans.

Abstract Background African Americans suffer disproportionately from diabetes complications, but little research has focused on how to improve diabetic control in this population. There are also few or no data on a combined primary care and community-based intervention approach. Methods We randomly assigned 186 urban African Americans with type 2 diabetes (76% female, mean A SD age 59 A 9 years) to 1 of 4 parallel arms: (1) usual care only; (2) usual care + nurse case manager (NCM); (3) usual care + community health worker (CHW); (4) usual care + nurse case manager/community health worker team. Using the framework of the Precede–Proceed behavioral model, interventions included patient counseling regarding self-care practices and physician reminders. Results The 2-year follow-up visit was completed by 149 individuals (84%). Compared to the Usual care group, the NCM group and the CHW group had modest declines in HbA 1c over 2 years (0.3 and 0.3%, respectively), and the combined NCM/CHW group had a greater decline in HbA 1c (0.8%. P = 0.137). After adjustment for baseline differences and/or follow-up time, the combined NCM/CHW group showed improvements in triglycerides (−35.5 mg/dl; P = 0.041) and diastolic blood pressure, compared to the usual care group (−5.6 mmHg; P = 0.042). Conclusions Combined NCM/CHW interventions may improve diabetic control in urban African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Although results were clinically important, they did not reach statistical significance. This approach deserves further attention as a means to reduce the excess risk of diabetic complications in African Americans.
Sensitivity of Citrus fruit decay fungi to gamma irradiation

Abstract Dose-response curves were established for spores of seven of the most damaging Citrus fruit decay fungi. Experimental determinations were made of the doses required to inactivate every cell in a high proportion of fungus populations of various sizes. Particular attention was given to Penicillium italicum and P. digitatum , causes of the very destructive blue and green mold decays. Comparisons were made of sensitivity between irradiation in vitro and in vivo ; with or without cold storage between irradiation and incubation; and between conidia and young hyphal cells.
Evaluation of the Streaming Current Detector (SCD) for Coagulation Control

Abstract A streaming current detector (SCD) is an instrument for measuring the charge that exists on small, suspended particles in water. The SCD is the instrument that can be used to measure coagulated particle stability for the feedback control of coagulant dosage. This report discusses the application of SCD as an instrument for coagulation dosage control. The SCD with automatic control of coagulant dosage consistently produced acceptable water quality, even during periods of changing raw water turbidity and varying flow rates. It minimizes under and overdosing of coagulant. It requires regular cleaning and maintenance to ensure optimum operation. The SCD is no substitute for efficient water treatment management.
Duplicate detection in click streams

We consider the problem of finding duplicates in data streams. Duplicate detection in data streams is utilized in various applications including fraud detection. We develop a solution based on Bloom Filters [9], and discuss the space and time requirements for running the proposed algorithm in both the contexts of sliding, and landmark stream windows. We run a comprehensive set of experiments, using both real and synthetic click streams, to evaluate the performance of the proposed solution. The results demonstrate that the proposed solution yields extremely low error rates.
Vasculopathies affecting the eye

The retinal arteries and veins may be involved in isolation or as the result of a systemic vasculitis. This article emphasizes neurologic diseases in which the ocular vasculature is affected.
Equilibria in solutions of methanol or ethanol, sulfuric acid, and alkyl sulfates

Abstract Equilibria in reactions of methanol and ethanol with sulfuric acid or in hydrolyses of alkyl sulfates were followed using 13 C NMR, anion-exchange HPLC, and titrations. Variations of equilibrium constant K = [ester][H 2 O]/[ROH][HSO 4 - ] with acidity indicate participation of reactions ROH 2 + + HSO 4 - ⇌ ROH + SO 3 - + H 2 O, accompanied by acid base equilibria involving the alcohol and the ester. For mixtures containing initially 20% (w/w) alcohol, pK MeOH 2 + = −4.2, pK EtOH 2 + = −3.7, pK MeOH + SO 3 - = −3.3 and pK EtOH + SO 3 - = −2.7.
Hacking hexokinase halts tumor growth.

Commentary to:Stable RNA interference of hexokinase II gene inhibits human colon cancer loVo cell growth in vitro and in vivo Qiuping Peng , Qi Zhou , Daping Zhong , Feng Pan , Houjie Liang
Brain stimulation therapies for psychiatric disorders: The first decade of the new millennium—A review

Three new brain stimulation therapies have emerged in the last decade for clinical use in psychiatric disorders. Combined with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), these therapies offer much hope to patients with medication refractory depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and auditory hallucinations of schizophrenia. In this article we briefly review the history, development and evidence for each of the four stimulation therapies and describe the current state-of-the-art. Neuromodulation is considered as a possible common mechanism mediating the effects of these therapies. Finally, empirical guidelines are suggested for the practicing psychiatrist for the optimal utilization of stimulation therapies. It is concluded that with increasing technological sophistication, research on optimal protocols and emergence of newer modalities of stimulation, the future holds much promise for neuromodulatory therapies in psychiatric disorders.