cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiphoton absorption spectra using thermal blooming. II. Two-photon spectrum of benzene

Abstract The two-photon absorption spectrum of benzene obtained from a thermal blooming experiment is presented. The feasibility of using thermal blooming to obtain two-photon spectra, discussed in the preceding paper, is thus verified. The dependence of the thermal blooming signal on laser energy and the time behavior of the thermal lens are also shown to agree with theoretical predictions. The two-photon spectrum of benzene enables us to locate the 1B2u. 1B1u, and 1E2g states. We thus definitively establish the state ordering in benzene as 1B2u
Using Beryllium to Explore Stellar Structure and Evolution

In order of increasing depth of survival, Lithium (Li), Beryllium (Be) and Boron (B) are all destroyed by (p,α) reactions, and survive only in the outermost layers of stars. When used simultaneously, these elements can provide strong clues about what physical processes might be important in stellar interiors. Yet, the literature on Li alone dominates by far. This in part due to the difficulties of observing Be and B: Be can only be observed near the atmospheric UV cutoff at 3130 A, and B can only be observed from space, further in the UV. Fortunately, as telescopes become larger and the UV efficiencies of spectrographs and ccds increase, it becomes feasible to use Be (and B, using HST) effectively as probes of stellar structure. In this review I discuss several (though not all) contexts where Be, often together with other elements, has provided and continues to provide insight, and I point out potentially interesting areas for future research.
Effect of Chronic Ethanol Feeding on Bile Formation and Secretion of Lipids in the Rat

To determine the effect of ethanol on composition and formation of bile, male Sprague-Dawley rats were pair-fed a liquid formula diet for 4 weeks containing 36% of calories as either ethanol or Dextri-Maltose. Canalicular flow was estimated by determining the biliary clearance of 14C-erythritol. Following bile duct cannulation, bile was collected immediately before and during infusions of sodium taurocholate (40 μmoles per hr) and analyzed for bile salts, lecithin, and cholesterol. Alcohol-fed rats developed an increase in liver weight (10.3 ± 2.5 versus 8.3 ± 1.2 g), augmented 2-hr bile volumes (2.47 ± 0.52 versus 1.95 ± 0.19 ml), and a greater rate of bile salt secretion both before (608 ± 257 versus 470 ± 154 mμmoles per min) and after (870 ± 150 versus 660 ± 130 mμmoles per min) the infusion of sodium taurocholate. Bile was formed predominantly from the canaliculus in both groups. Hepatic triglyceride levels were increased in rats fed alcohol and each developed microscopic evidence of fatty infiltration of the liver. Nevertheless, ethanol feeding neither altered the bile phospholipid-cholesterol ratio, nor the relative proportions of biliary cholesterol, lecithin, and bile salts. Thus, despite producing abnormalities in hepatic lipid metabolism, chronic ethanol administration was associated with an increase in bile formation and bile salt secretion and did not induce a lithogenic bile in the rat.
Amyloid-beta levels are significantly reduced and spatial memory defects are rescued in a novel neuroserpin-deficient Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mouse model

Amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Several proteases including plasmin are thought to promote proteolytic cleavage and clearance of Aβ from brain. The activity of both plasmin and tissue plasminogen activator are reduced in Alzheimer's disease brain, while the tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor neuroserpin is up-regulated. Here, the relationship of tissue plasminogen activator and neuroserpin to Aβ levels is explored in mouse models. Aβ(1-42) peptide injected into the frontal cortex of tissue plasminogen activator knockout mice is slow to disappear compared to wildtype mice, whereas neuroserpin knockout mice show a rapid clearance of Aβ(1-42). The relationship of neuroserpin and tissue plasminogen activator to Aβ plaque formation was studied further by knocking-out neuroserpin in the human amyloid precursor protein-J20 transgenic mouse. Compared to the J20-transgenic mouse, the neuroserpin-deficient J20-transgenic mice have a dramatic reduction of Aβ peptides, fewer and smaller plaques, and more active tissue plasminogen activator associated with plaques. Furthermore, neuroserpin-deficient J20-transgenic mice have near normal performances in the Morris water maze, in contrast to the spatial memory defects seen in J20-transgenic mice. These results support the concept that neuroserpin inhibition of tissue plasminogen activator plays an important role both in the accumulation of brain amyloid plaques and loss of cognitive abilities.
Association between sleep stages and hunger scores in 36 children.

SummaryBackground Childhood obesity is a growing health challenge. Recent studies show that children with late bedtime and late awakening are more obese independent of total sleep time. In adolescents and adults, a delayed sleep phase has been associated with higher caloric intake. Furthermore, an adult study showed a positive correlation between REM sleep and energy balance. This relationship has not been demonstrated in children. However, it may be important as a delayed sleep phase would increase the proportion of REM sleep. Objectives This study investigated the relationship between hunger score and sleep physiology in a paediatric population. Methods Thirty-six patients referred for a polysomnogram for suspected obstructive sleep apnoea were enrolled in the study. Sleep stages were recorded as part of the polysomnogram. Hunger scores were obtained using a visual analogue scale. Mean age was 9.6 ± 3.5 years. Results Mean hunger scores were 2.07 ± 2.78. Hunger scores were positively correlated with percentage of total rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (r = 0.438, P < 0.01) and REM sleep duration in minutes (r = 0.471, P < 0.05). Percentage slow wave sleep (SWS) was negatively correlated with hunger score (r = −0.360, P < 0.05). There were no correlations between age, sex, body mass index percentiles, apnoea–hypopnoea index, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, stage 2 sleep duration and hunger scores. Conclusions These findings suggest that delayed bedtime, which increases the proportion of REM sleep and decreases the proportion of SWS, results in higher hunger levels in children.
Bacteriorhodopsin as a model for proton pumps

According to a long-standing hypothesis, membrane pumps function by flip-flopping between two protein conformations that allow alternative access of the ion binding site to the two membrane surfaces. Site-specific mutagenesis, time-resolved spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction confirm this mechanism for bacteriorhodopsin, and implicate change of electrostatic interaction at the active site as the trigger for the global protein conformation change during the proton transport cycle.
THE STRANGE DEATH OF BRITISH HISTORY? REFLECTIONS ON ANGLO-AMERICAN SCHOLARSHIP

After the disavowal of Marxian socialism, the major obstacle to historical studies in the West increasingly appears to be the U.S.A.'s intellectual exceptionalism. That nation's unprecedentedly powerful and self-referential historical profession is largely committed to echo this exceptionalism by its engagement with the demands of the U.S.A.'s ‘civil religion’. For U.S. historiography, the main index of self-absorption or international engagement is nevertheless still its relationship to British historiography. This article argues that the alleged death of British history in the U.S.A. is not a consequence of any loss of intellectual vitality in the subject; it is, rather, a result partly of growing intellectual introversion in the host culture, partly of the inadequate versions of British history often exported to the American market.
School-Based Family Support: Evidence From an Exploratory Field Study

The use of family support interventions to address the needs of at-risk families and children has proliferated over the last 2 decades. In particular, family support has been used to strengthen involvement of parents in their child’s academic life as a means of preventing academic failure and other problem behaviors. This article presents empirical data from a field-based study of one leading family support model, Families and Schools Together (FAST), based on over 400 families served over a 4-year period. Child participants showed statistically significant declines in behavior problems, and their families showed improved adaptability and cohesion. Observations about program operations and the differential results for subgroups of children are also presented, along with the study limitations. Please note that the Alliance for Children and Families publishes Families in Society and trains human service organizations to implement the FAST program evaluated in this study. However, neither Families in Society nor the Alliance solicited this article, adjusted the peer review process, or influenced the author’s analysis or conclusions. — Publisher
Clinical judgement and therapeutic decision making

Clinical decision making is under increased scrutiny due to concerns about the cost and quality of medical care. Variability in physician decision making is common, in part because of deficiencies in the knowledge base, but also due to the difference in physicians' approaches to clinical problem solving. Evaluation of patient prognosis is a critical factor in the selection of therapy, and careful attention to methodology is essential to provide reliable information. Randomized controlled clinical trials provide the most solid basis for the establishment of broad therapeutic principles. Because randomized studies cannot be performed to address every question, observational studies will continue to play a complementary role in the evaluation of therapy. Randomized studies in progress, meta analyses of existing data, and increased use of administrative and collaborative clinical data bases will improve the knowledge base for decision making in the future.
Electrical nerve stimulation and locoregional anesthesia: New modalities

Electrical nerve stimulation (ENS) is a proven modality for ascertaining close needle-to-nerve proximity. ENS has been used for decades and has been associated with high success rates and extremely low complication rates. Ultrasonographic (U/S) guidance has been used increasingly to assist in the placement of peripheral and plexus nerve blocks. U/S guidance allows for real-time imaging of the needle, targeted nerve or nerves, and other relevant anatomical structures that are in close proximity. Each modality alone has distinct advantages as well as limitations. Each can be used alone for many regional blocks or the two can be combined, more optimally, to take advantage of the positive attributes of both techniques. Both ultrasonographic imaging equipment and techniques devices used for electrical nerve stimulation continue to evolve, improving success and user friendliness.
Neural Networks as a Decision Maker for Stock Trading: A Technical Analysis Approach

There has been a growing interest in applying neural networks and technical analysis indicators for predicting future stock behavior. However, previous studies have not practically evaluated the predictive power of technical indicators by employing neural networks as a decision maker to uncover the underlying nonlinear pattern of these indicators. The objective of this paper is to investigate if using these indicators as the input variables to a neural network will provide more accurate stock trend predictions, and whether they will yield higher trading profits than the traditional technical indicators. Three neural networks are examined in the study to predict the short-term trend signals of three stocks across different market industries. The overall results indicate that the proportion of correct predictions and the profitability of stock trading guided by these neural networks are higher than those guided by their benchmarks.
Competitive interactions between retinal ganglion cells during prenatal development

In the mammalian visual system, retinal ganglion cell axons terminate within the LGN in a series of alternating eye-specific layers. These layers are not present initially during development. In the cat they emerge secondarily following a prenatal period in which originally intermixed inputs from the two eyes gradually segregate from each other to give rise to the characteristic set of layers by birth. Many lines of evidence suggest that activity-dependent competitive interactions between ganglion cell axons from the two eyes for LGN neurons play an important role in the final patterning of retinogeniculate connections. Studies of the branching patterns of individual ganglion cell axons suggest that during the period when inputs from the two eyes are intermixed, axons from one eye send side branches into territory later occupied exclusively by axons from the other eye. Ultrastructural studies indicate that these branches in fact are sites of synaptic contacts, which are later eliminated since the side branches disappear as axons form their mature terminal arbors in appropriate territory. In vitro microelectrode recordings from LGN neurons indicate that they can receive convergent synaptic excitation from electrical stimulation of the optic nerves before but not after the eye-specific layers form, suggesting that at least some of the synaptic contacts seen at the ultrastructural level are functional. Finally, experiments in which tetrodotoxin was infused intracranially during the two week period during which the eye-specific layers normally form demonstrate that it is possible to prevent, or at least delay, the formation of the layers. Accordingly, individual axons fail to develop their restricted terminal arbor branching pattern and instead branch widely throughout the LGN. These results indicate that all of the machinery necessary for synaptic function and competition is present during fetal life. Moreover, it is highly likely that neuronal activity is required for the formation of the eye-specific layers. If so, then activity would have to be present in the form of spontaneously generated action potentials, since vision is not possible at these early ages. Thus, the functioning of the retinogeniculate system many weeks before it is put to the use for which it is ultimately designed may contribute to the final patterning of connections present in the adult.
The impact of age on the prognostic capacity of CD8+ T-cell activation during suppressive antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE To assess whether CD8 T-cell activation predicts risk of AIDS and non-AIDS morbidity during suppressive antiretroviral treatment (ART). DESIGN Post-hoc analyses of ART-naive participants in prospective ART studies. Participants with HIV-RNA levels 200 copies/ml or less and CD8 T-cell activation data (%CD38HLA-DR) at year-1 of ART were selected to determine years 2-5 incidence of AIDS and non-AIDS events. METHODS We censored data at time of ART interruption or virologic failure. Inverse probability of censoring-weighted logistic regression was used to correct for informative censoring. RESULTS We included 1025 participants; 82% were men, median age 38 years, pre-ART CD4 cell count 255 cells/μl, and year-1-activated CD8 T cells 24%. Of these, 752 had 5 years of follow-up; 379 remained on ART and had no confirmed plasma HIV-RNA more than 200 copies/ml. The overall probability of an AIDS or non-AIDS event in years 2-5 was estimated at 13% [95% confidence interval (CI) 10-15%] had everyone remained on suppressive ART. Higher year-1-activated CD8 T-cell percentage increased the probability of subsequent events [odds ratio 1.22 per 10% higher (95% CI 1.04-1.44)]; this effect was not significant after adjusting for age. Among those age 50 years at least (n=108 at year 1), the probability of an event in years 2-5 was 37% and the effect of CD8 T-cell activation was more apparent (odds ratio=1.42, P=0.02 unadjusted and adjusted for age). CONCLUSION CD8 T-cell activation is prognostic of clinical events during suppressive ART, although this association is confounded by age. The consequences of HIV-associated immune activation may be more important in patients 50 years and older.
THE PREPARATION OF SUBJECT‐HEADING LISTS BY AUTOMATIC PUNCHED‐CARD TECHNIQUES

The uses of punched‐cards in documentation are already so varied as to confuse the potential user. Consequently, many organizations and individuals who could efficiently employ existing techniques are not aware of these possibilities. Even in the specialized problem of preparing subject‐heading lists various approaches are in use. The purpose of this paper is to outline the uses of punched‐cards in this special area.
Polluter Versus Polluter: The Pennsylvania Railroad and the Manufacturing of Pollution Policies in the 1920s

In 1920 the Pennsylvania Railroad sued several small coal companies over water pollution. The lawsuit, ultimately decided in the railroad's favor, overturned an earlier Pennsylvania court decision that granted a property right to pollute, and, more important, now represents a major transitional period in American water policy history. The period marked the end of water policy generated from court decisions and case law, and the beginning of an era dominated by legislative statute and agency interpretation. With the Pennsylvania case, the impacts of nineteenth-century court decisions that sanctioned pollution to encourage business waned as concern for the nation's public health demanded more expansive attention, and industry itself began to experience excessive costs from corrupted water resources. In Pennsylvania and elsewhere, lawmakers attempted to institute a new strategy for economic interest in harmony with efforts to improve environmental quality.
Contrast-agent gas bodies enhance hemolysis induced by lithotripter shock waves and high-intensity focused ultrasound in whole blood.

Fresh canine whole blood was exposed in 1.3-mL disposable pipette bulbs with or without added Albunex contrast agent to lithotripter shock waves (rate: 2 Hz; mean pressure amplitude: 14.8 MPa) or 1.28-MHz high-intensity focused ultrasound up to a mean pressure amplitude of 17.8 MPa. Significant shock-wave-induced hemolysis up to about 10% was detected after 500 or more shock waves without added agent, after 200 with 1% added agent and after 100 with 10% added contrast agent. Hemolysis was increased somewhat with added contrast agent, but this enhancement was not statistically significant. For ultrasound exposure, significant hemolysis approaching 100% was detected for 100-ms continuous exposure at 17.8 MPa without added gas bodies. Addition of 1% contrast agent enhanced the hemolysis by reducing the apparent threshold to 10 MPa. Burst mode exposure with a 100-ms total on-time (20 μs, 100 μs and 1-ms bursts) also yielded hemolysis enhancement with added contrast agent, with results similar to the 100-ms continuous exposure. The added gas bodies appear to lower cavitation thresholds by serving as cavitation nuclei in the blood.
Methanol Electrooxidation on PtRu Bulk Alloys and Carbon-Supported PtRu Nanoparticle Catalysts: A Quantitative DEMS Study

Methanol electrooxidation on smooth Pt and PtRu bulk alloys and carbon-supported Pt and PtRu nanoparticle catalysts has been studied using cyclic voltammetry and potential step chronoamperometry combined with differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS). The current efficiencies for generated CO2 and methyl formate were calculated from Faradaic current (coulometric charge) and mass spectrometric currents (charges) at m/z = 44 and m/z = 60. The effects of Ru content in PtRu catalysts, catalyst loading/roughness, and the concentration of sulfuric acid as supporting electrolyte on the reaction kinetics and product distribution during methanol electrooxidation have been investigated. The results indicate that Pt-rich PtRu alloys and carbon-supported PtRu catalysts with ca. 20 atom % Ru content exhibit the highest catalytic activity for methanol electrooxidation, that is, the highest Faradaic current and the highest current efficiency for CO2 generation at low applied potentials. As the catalyst loadi...
The role of near terrain turbulence in the prediction of ground level pollutant concentrations in complex terrain

Abstract Seven cases from the EPA Small Hill Impaction Study that included stable flow with a stagnating streamline are analyzed. Although each case was quite similar meteorologically, the stimulated plumes released on the stagnation streamline produced high surface concentrations of tracer gas in four cases, and quite low concentrations in the remaining three cases. The difference is explained by examining near terrain turbulence, with higher near terrain turbulence producing the higher surface concentrations. The actual concentrations are compared to a standard Gaussian dispersion model. A modified model demonstrating improved prediction capability is presented.
Purinergic mechanisms of the nucleus of the solitary tract and neural cardiovascular control.

Abstract Objectives: This review addresses the role of central purinergic receptors in the operation of the cardiovascular reflexes. Methods: Potential physiological role of purinergic receptors operating in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) was assessed via comparison of the regional patterns of hemodynamic and sympathetic responses evoked by selective stimulation/inhibition of NTS purinergic receptor subtypes, with the patterns evoked by stimulation and unloading of arterial baroreceptors, and other known patterns of autonomic responses. The effects of sino-aortic denervation plus vagotomy and ionotropic glutamatergic blockade of NTS mechanisms on the patterns of the responses were also considered. Results: Selective stimulation of NTS A1 receptors with CPA evoked a pattern of regional autonomic responses consistent with inhibition of baroreflex mechanisms and facilitation/ disinhibition of chemoreflex mechanisms. Selective stimulation of NTS A2a receptors with CGS 21680-evoked pattern of the resp...
Magnetohydrodynamically enhanced heat transfer in a liquid metal system

Abstract The phenomena of liquid metal flow under the influence of magnetic and electric fields are important in the development and design of nuclear and metallurgical plants, such as the blanket cooling systems of fusion or fast breeder reactors and electromagnetic stirring devices. In this study, a computer code that models recirculating flows in two dimensions using a k − ϵ turbulence model is expanded to include the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects of applied electric and magnetic fields. This modified code is then used to examine the effect of MHD stirring on the heat transfer characteristics of a liquid metal cooling system. Using liquid sodium properties, various thermophysical properties are investigated. The results indicate that a significant increase in the rate of heat transfer is obtainable when the heat transfer system is operated in the presence of MHD stirring.
The Role of the Airborne Traffic Situation Display in Future ATC Systems

The historical evolution and current status of the airborne traffic situation display concept is presented as well as a survey of related technological developments in collision-avoidance systems, area navigation equipment, and data links. Two alternative ATSD systems configurations are discussed: one deriving aircraft positions from ATC surveillance, the other deriving aircraft positions from air-to-air data exchanges. Based on the results of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology simulation study of airborne traffic situation display capabilities, a review of the many possible applications of the device is presented. Significant benefits in greater system capacity, greater safety, and an overall improvement in operational efficiency are predicted. A reduction in ATC capital and operating costs appears to be realizable if the ATSD is accepted as an integral element in future ATC system designs. Finally, the airborne computer-display capability required for the ATSD provides a fresh opportunity to combine, enhance, and integrate many of the cockpit functions that are now carried out by a proliferation of separate devices.
Biodegradation of Crude Oil Contaminating Marine Shorelines and Freshwater Wetlands

Abstract This paper is a summary of the various factors influencing weathering of oil after it has been released into the environment from a spill incident. Special emphasis has been placed on biodegradation processes. Results from two field studies conducted in 1994 and 1999 involving bioremediation of an experimental oil spill on a marine sandy shoreline in Delaware and a freshwater wetland on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada have been presented in the paper.
Copper inhibits the induction of stress protein synthesis by elevated temperatures in embryos of the sea urchin Strongylocentrus purpuratus

Abstract A major component of the cellular stress response entails the induced synthesis of a suite of stress proteins under environmentally adverse conditions that functions to protect organisms from environmentally induced damage. Here, we examined induction of the stress response in the embryos of the sea urchin Strongylocentrus purpuratus under a combination of environmentally realistic conditions. First, we examined the response elicited over a range of free cupric ion activities, {Cu 2+ }, using a metal buffer system to control trace metal speciation. We observed no pronounced differences in translational patterns in embryos exposed to free cupric ion activities, {Cu 2+ }, of 10 −13 −10 −9 M by metabolic labeling, 1-dimensional electrophoresis and autoradiography. Further separation by 2-dimensional electrophoresis, however, revealed electrophoretically discernable variants of several groups of proteins at the higher Cu concentrations and the synthesis of a 60 kDa protein at {Cu 2+ } of 10 −9 M. In addition, there were differences in the stress response induced by heat-shock treatment in embryos cultured in seawater with different Cu concentrations; radiolabel was incorporated into a greater number of cellular proteins in embryos at lower {Cu 2+ } and the induced synthesis of stress proteins was greater. These data suggest that elevations in {Cu 2+ } impair the ability of the embryos to mount the stress response upon exposure to elevated temperatures and that Cu may alter critical developmental pathways by inhibiting the synthesis of regulatory proteins. Such effects on gene expression can result in manifestations that have been widely attributed to Cu toxicity, including developmental abnormalities and increased sensitivity to environmental extremes. We suggest that the particular sensitivity of embryonic systems upon exposure to multiple Stressors may be a consequence of these mechanisms.
Characterization of 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex: a microiontophoretic study

Abstract The microiontophoretic application of the selective 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT 3 ) agonist 2-methylserotonin suppresses medial prefrontal cortex cell firing. This effect is blocked by the 5-HT 3 antagonists BRL 43694 and ICS205930, but not by metergoline or (±)-pindolol. Continuous microiontophoretic administration of magnesium chloride or the γ-aminobutyric acid A antagonist SR 95103 did not alter 2-methylserotonin's suppressant action, suggesting that this effect is direct. Our results suggest that 5-HT 3 receptors have a functional role in the medial prefrontal cortex.
Kissing in Marital and Cohabiting Relationships: Effects on Blood Lipids, Stress, and Relationship Satisfaction

Affection exchange theory and previous research suggest that affectionate behavior has stress-ameliorating effects. On this basis, we hypothesized that increasing affectionate behavior would effect improvements in physical and psychological conditions known to be exacerbated by stress. This study tested this proposition by examining the effects of increased romantic kissing on blood lipids, perceived stress, depression, and relationship satisfaction. Fifty-two healthy adults who were in marital or cohabiting romantic relationships provided self-report data for psychological outcomes and blood samples for hematological tests, and were then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups for a 6-week trial. Those in the experimental group were instructed to increase the frequency of romantic kissing in their relationships; those in the control group received no such instructions. After 6 weeks, psychological and hematological tests were repeated. Relative to the control group, the experimental group ex...
American response to Darwin

Darwin in America: The Intellectual Response, 1865–1912. By Cynthia Eagle Russett. Pp. ix + 228. (Freeman: San Francisco and Reading, May 1976.) Cloth £6.30; paper £3.20.
Stress and headache: A critical review

Almost all of us, at one time or another, have headaches. A belief held by many is that difficult, stressful, or depressing environmental demands are responsible for their onset. This commonplace notion is among the most compelling in the psychophysiological literature, yet attempts to empirically validate the relationship have been problematic. Examination of the available literature reveals a dearth of evidence from epidemiological and other sources that have traditionally been used to link stress with other disorders such as hypertension and coronary heart disease. In contrast, the wealth of laboratory data designed to examine the effects of acute stress on the physiological responses implicated in headache genesis have yielded contradictory findings. Refinements in knowledge of the biochemical and psychological pathophysiology of chronic headaches would enhance the ability to establish a firm link in the stress-headache relationship. In the meantime, the available evidence warrants a decidedly less sanguine attitude towards the association than that held by most patients, and indeed. by most medical practitioners.
Effects of Mycobacterium bovis BCG Infection on Regulation of l-Arginine Uptake and Synthesis of Reactive Nitrogen Intermediates in J774.1 Murine Macrophages

The generation of nitric oxide (NO) by activated macrophages is believed to control mycobacterial infection in the murine system. In this study we examined the effect of Mycobacterium bovis BCG infection on the L-arginine-dependent NO pathway in J774.1 murine macrophages. We have confirmed previous results by demonstrating that stimulation of J774.1 with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) results in an increase in the uptake of 3H-labeled L-arginine and a concomitant increase in the production of NO. We have also shown that BCG can mimic LPS treatment, leading to enhanced L-[3H]arginine uptake by IFN-gamma-stimulated macrophages. Lipoarabinomannan, a component of the BCG cell wall that is structurally similar to LPS, is not responsible for the uptake stimulation in IFN-gamma stimulated macrophages. Although we demonstrated that there was a 2.5-fold increase in NO production by macrophages 4 h after LPS-IFN-gamma stimulation, BCG infection (with or without IFN-gamma stimulation) did not lead to the production of NO by the macrophages by 4 h postinfection. At 24 h postinfection, the infected macrophages that were stimulated with IFN-gamma produced amounts of NO similar to those of macrophages stimulated with LPS-IFN-gamma. This suggests that there are multiple regulatory pathways involved in the production of NO. Finally, our data suggest that increased expression of the arginine permease, MCAT2B, after 4 h of LPS-IFN-gamma treatment or BCG infection-IFN-gamma treatment is not sufficient to account for the increases in L-[3H]arginine uptake detected. This suggests that the activity of the L-arginine transporter(s) is also altered in response to macrophage activation.
Large scale production of DC-Chol cationic liposomes by microfluidization

In this report, we describe the large scale production and testing of DC-Chol cationic liposomes by microfluidization. These liposomes are produced in a GMP acceptable manner to a 500 ml batch size and are shown to be sterile. Further, when stored at 4°C, DC-Chol liposomes will retain their original size, remain suspended in solution, and retain activity for a period exceeding 1.5 years. In-process QA and QC procedures have identified problems in processing and methods to produce a final product of pharmaceutical quality have been developed to overcome these obstacles. Assays for product content (DC-Chol and DOPE assays), size, sterility, endotoxin determination, storage conditions and shelf life have been developed. Successful lots have been used in a human gene therapy clinical trial for cystic fibrosis at Oxford University as well as many pre-clinical experiments throughout the world. Implications for application to further gene therapy clinical trials as well as the development of liposome vector programs are discussed in detail.
The microstructures of rapidly solidified and heat-treated Al8Fe2MoSi alloys

Abstract This paper is concerned with the development of rapidly solidified Al8Fe2MoSi alloys for elevated temperature applications. Rapidly solidified Al8Fe2MoSi alloys containing silicon in the range of 0 to 1 wt.% were produced by melt spinning. The effect of silicon on the formation of the Zone A microstructure and on subsequent changes of this structure during heat-treatment are described. It is shown that addition of silicon has a dramatic effect on the transformation behavior and microstructure of heat-treated ribbons. In contrast to the thermally unstable, multiphase precipitate distribution in the ternary alloy, quaternary silicon-containing alloys showed a uniform dispersion of fine cuboidal-polygonal precipitates, which displayed a remarkable resistance to coarsening. These results are presented and discussed.
Psychological Characteristics of People with Parkinson's Disease Who Prematurely Drop Out of Professionally Led Internet Chat Support Groups

Researchers of Internet health interventions have begun to address the problems of high attrition rates. Attrition has been a problem for psychosocial interventions for nearly 50 years. It is ubiquitous no matter what the type of intervention or the modality of delivery. Consistent are the repeated findings that demographic characteristics are the most robust variables. We tested the hypothesis that the greater the fear and apprehension experienced in professionally led Internet support groups, the more likely the participants would not complete the 25-week intervention. The sample consisted of 66 people with Parkinson’s disease; each participant was assigned to one of six chat groups. To assess psychological states, we used PCAD, a text analysis program analyzing each person’s postings during each chat room session. There was a statistically significant difference between those who terminated the group early and those who completed the intervention on the Anxiety-Fear dimension, F � 2.35, (6,63), p � 0.03. People who dropped out demonstrated higher death and shame anxiety. A number of possible designs for online groups that may reduce premature attrition are discussed.
A pilot scale bioreactor using EMMC for carbon and nitrogen removal

A pilot scale (100 l reactor) of an entrapped mixed microbial cell (EMMC) process was fabricated and tested for simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen. Process performance, operational stability, and maintenance requirements were all determined. Two sources of actual agricultural processing wastewater containing a high concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (about 800–1,000 mg/l) and domestic sewage containing a low concentration of COD (about 150–200 mg/l) were investigated in this study. Various HRT (hydraulic retention time) and aeration schedules were operated. It was found that soluble COD (SCOD) and soluble total nitrogen (STN) could be removed in the range of 40–70% and 20–90%, respectively, for domestic sewage depending on the operational conditions provided. For agricultural processing wastewater, removal efficiencies of SCOD and STN are 89–91% and 60–75%, respectively, depending on the HRTs and aeration schedules applied. Economic evaluation for the application of domestic sewage was conducted. It was found that at an HRT of 6 h with 24 h of aeration it costs U.S.$1.75 for the treatment of 1,000 gal/day (3.8 m3/day). It is apparent that the EMMC process is technically feasible for simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen under the operation of an alternated schedule of the aeration in one single bioreactor. Ultimately, it can replace or upgrade the existing conventional wastewater treatment plant by combining the secondary and tertiary wastewater treatment plant in one bioreactor and provides simple maintenance and operation. This will also assist in providing the high quality of treated effluent meeting current and future environmental regulation for reuse.
Use of the ultrasonic aspirator to strip the mesentery in construction of the continent ileostomy

Debulking the mesenteric fat with the ultrasonic surgical aspirator facilitates intussusception of the ileum in the construction of a continent ileostomy
“Raíces Americanas”: Indigenist Art, América, and Arguments for Ecuadorian Nationalism

Drawing on Douglas Powell's assertion that “region making [is] a practice of cultural politics” (8), this essay traces the nationalist force of mid-twentieth-century Ecuadorian appeals to America as a strategic ethno-historic region. It suggests that such arguments bound national, regional, and transnational concerns together, using indigenous roots and cultural landscape as their anchors. Ecuadorian intellectuals who made nationalist arguments by building a larger, American moral geography drew on a racialized sense of history and landscape to re-imagine their relationship with their Spanish ex-colonizer and to distinguish an autochthonous American Ecuador from its diluted American neighbors. These arguments from America gave their small country greater cultural weight through regional identification. Tracing those tactical claims to America as they played out within Ecuador and across its regional commitments contributes to a broader understanding of the rhetorical force of place. The Ecuadorian example...
Other People's Voices: The Coarticulation of Texts and Subjectivities.

Abstract In this article we present an argument for construing the processes of text construction and the construction of subjectivity as mutually constitutive. We argue not only that these processes are coimplicated, but also that both are historical, intertextual, social, and political. To illustrate our argument we provide interpretive analyses of the essays of two fourth-grade children. These analyses foreground the extent to which the children's texts are saturated with intertextual links, and they demonstrate some of the ways in which these intertextual links implicate and are implicated in particular social formations and political ideologies. We articulate some consequences that our arguments might have for exploring the meanings of intertextuality, voice, and children's writing. We also suggest some implications of our work for enacting critical pedagogical practices in literacy classrooms.
Preliminary serological survey for bluetongue and toxoplasmosis in sheep in Niger.

Epidemiologic studies to assess the prevalence of infectious disease in small ruminants in the Sahel have been limited. Previous work by Abu Elzein (1985) on bluetongue and Zain Eldin, Elkhawad and Kheir (1985) on toxoplasmosis has established that these two diseases have contributed significantly to the morbidity and mortality of ruminants in the Sudan. To date, however, few studies have been done to assess the prevalence of either disease among small ruminants as far west as Niger. The present study was conducted to assess antibody prevalence for bluetongue and toxoplasmosis in a flock of 70 sheep in south-western Niger. Sera were tested for the presence of antibodies to bluetongue by the agar gel immunodiffusion method and a commercially prepared test for toxoplasma antibody usingant igen covalently bound to latex particles by an indirect agglutination microtitre method was supplied by TechAmerica Inc. (Kansas City, MO 64141). Seropositivity for bluetongue in the study region reached 22% while that for toxoplasmosis was 14%. While both diseases can deplete flock numbers and seriously affect production, neither were determined to be significant enough a threat to animal health to warrant a full scale control programme in that country.
A neural network for tactile sensing: the Hertzian contact problem

A neural network has been developed for use with local closed-loop gripper control using a tactile sensor array. The specific task considered is to solve part of the inverse Hertzian contact problem. Backpropagation is used to train a single hidden-layer network to recognize the angle of contact between a cylindrical finger with an embedded sensor array and a cylindrical rod. Simulation results are presented and discussed. >
Further Cytophysiologic Evidence for the Identity of the Cells That Produce Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone1

To provide further evidence for the identification of the cell type responsible for the production of adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH), the effects of acute and chronic administration of cortisol on the cells of the pituitaries of intact and adrenalectomized rats were studied by electron microscopy. Hypertrophied ACTH-cells, previously described as adrenalectomy-cells, were scarce in controls and became more numerous after adrenalectomy. Adrenalectomy-cells are characterized by their secretory granules, which are dense, sparse, and measure 200 μn or more in maximal diameter, and by the irregularity of their cell outlines, determined by their interior position in the cell cords and their tendency to send processes of cytoplasm around neighboring cells toward the capillaries. Normal ACTH-cells are identified by similar criteria, although they are less voluminous and their cell outlines tend to be less complex and varied. Acute administration of cortisol caused a striking accumulation of secretory granules in bot...
Molecular genetic evidence of the occurrence of breast cancer as an integral tumor in patients with the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal carcinoma syndrome

BACKGROUND The hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal carcinoma (HNPCC) syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder caused by the inheritance of a mutation in one of a family of genes encoding DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins. HNPCC manifests as genetic instability in linked tumors. Clinically, the syndrome is characterized by early onset malignancies, primarily of the colon and endometrium, with an increased incidence of tumors at other gastrointestinal sites, upper urologic tract, ovary, and pancreas as well. However, the inclusion of breast cancer as an integral tumor of this syndrome is controversial. METHODS Mutation screening of MMR genes was carried out by single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and sequencing analyses of genomic DNA prepared from normal lymphocytes. Expression analysis was performed by SSCP. Sequence analyses of cDNA was prepared from breast tumor tissue and normal lymphocytes. Genetic instability was assessed by comparing the electrophoretic mobility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products using multiple microsatellite markers. RESULTS A 4-bp frameshift mutation in the hMLH1 gene was found to segregate with disease in the germlines of the affected members of a large kindred HNPCC. Expression of only the mutant allele was observed in the breast cancer tissue of one family member, however both alleles were observed in her normal tissue. This breast cancer exhibited widespread microsatellite instability, as did breast cancers obtained from several other HNPCC kindreds. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that breast cancer may result from the inheritance of a mutant MMR gene, and that breast cancer may occur as an integral tumor in the HNPCC syndrome. Cancer 1996;77:1836-43.
The gastric epithelial progenitor cell niche and differentiation of the zymogenic (chief) cell lineage

In the mammalian gastrointestinal tract, the cell fate decisions that specify the development of multiple, diverse lineages are governed in large part by interactions of stem and early lineage progenitor cells with their microenvironment, or niche. Here, we show that the gastric parietal cell (PC) is a key cellular component of the previously undescribed niche for the gastric epithelial neck cell, the progenitor of the digestive enzyme secreting zymogenic (chief) cell (ZC). Genetic ablation of PCs led to failed patterning of the entire zymogenic lineage: progenitors showed premature expression of differentiated cell markers, and fully differentiated ZCs failed to develop. We developed a separate mouse model in which PCs localized not only to the progenitor niche, but also ectopically to the gastric unit base, which is normally occupied by terminally differentiated ZCs. Surprisingly, these mislocalized PCs did not maintain adjacent zymogenic lineage cells in the progenitor state, demonstrating that PCs, though necessary, are not sufficient to define the progenitor niche. We induced this PC mislocalization by knocking out the cytoskeleton-regulating gene Cd2ap in Mist1(-/-) mice, which led to aberrant E-cadherin localization in ZCs, irregular ZC-ZC junctions, and disruption of the ZC monolayer by PCs. Thus, the characteristic histology of the gastric unit, with PCs in the middle and ZCs in the base, may depend on establishment of an ordered adherens junction network in ZCs as they migrate into the base.
Energy transfer pathways in semiconducting carbon nanotubes revealed using two-dimensional white-light spectroscopy

Thin films of carbon nanotubes are been considered for energy harvesting and optoelectronic devices but their energy transfer pathways are largely unknown. Here, Mehlenbacher et al. use two-dimensional white-light spectroscopy to investigate the ultrafast energy redistribution in carbon nanotube films.
The bound states of He on (0001) graphite with and without screening of the van der Waals interaction

Abstract Calculations are reported on the effect on the bound state spectrum of the He adatoms on (0001) graphite of including a screening function ƒ in the atom-lattice van der Waals interaction potential. With three different screening functions of the form ƒ=1−P(x)e −2x , it is shown that very little difference is found in the calculated bound state energies if screening is included. It is also suggested that this result is probably true of other physical properties of the He-graphite system.