cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spinal cord injury causes sustained disruption of the blood-testis barrier in the rat.

There is a high incidence of infertility in males following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Quality of semen is frequently poor in these patients, but the pathophysiological mechanism(s) causing this are not known. Blood-testis barrier (BTB) integrity following SCI has not previously been examined. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of spinal contusion injury on the BTB in the rat. 63 adult, male Sprague Dawley rats received SCI (n = 28), laminectomy only (n = 7) or served as uninjured, age-matched controls (n = 28). Using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), BTB permeability to the vascular contrast agent gadopentate dimeglumine (Gd) was assessed at either 72 hours-, or 10 months post-SCI. DCE-MRI data revealed that BTB permeability to Gd was greater than controls at both 72 h and 10 mo post-SCI. Histological evaluation of testis tissue showed increased BTB permeability to immunoglobulin G at both 72 hours- and 10 months post-SCI, compared to age-matched sham-operated and uninjured controls. Tight junctional integrity within the seminiferous epithelium was assessed; at 72 hours post-SCI, decreased expression of the tight junction protein occludin was observed. Presence of inflammation in the testes was also examined. High expression of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 beta was detected in testis tissue. CD68+ immune cell infiltrate and mast cells were also detected within the seminiferous epithelium of both acute and chronic SCI groups but not in controls. In addition, extensive germ cell apoptosis was observed at 72 h post-SCI. Based on these results, we conclude that SCI is followed by compromised BTB integrity by as early as 72 hours post-injury in rats and is accompanied by a substantial immune response within the testis. Furthermore, our results indicate that the BTB remains compromised and testis immune cell infiltration persists for months after the initial injury.
Theory and measurement of generalized problematic Internet use: A two-step approach

This study tested an updated cognitive-behavioral model of generalized problematic Internet use and reports results of a confirmatory analysis of the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2). Overall, the results indicated that a preference for online social interaction and use of the Internet for mood regulation, predict deficient self-regulation of Internet use (i.e., compulsive Internet use and a cognitive preoccupation with the Internet). In turn, deficient self-regulation was a significant predictor of the extent to which one's Internet use led to negative outcomes. Results indicated the model fit the data well and variables in the model accounted for 27% of the variance in mood regulation scores, 65% of variance in participants' deficient self-regulation scores, and 61% of variance in the negative outcome scores.
Semi-parametric hybrid empirical likelihood inference for two-sample comparison with censored data

Two-sample comparison problems are often encountered in practical projects and have widely been studied in literature. Owing to practical demands, the research for this topic under special settings such as a semiparametric framework have also attracted great attentions. Zhou and Liang (Biometrika 92:271–282, 2005) proposed an empirical likelihood-based semi-parametric inference for the comparison of treatment effects in a two-sample problem with censored data. However, their approach is actually a pseudo-empirical likelihood and the method may not be fully efficient. In this study, we develop a new empirical likelihood-based inference under more general framework by using the hazard formulation of censored data for two sample semi-parametric hybrid models. We demonstrate that our empirical likelihood statistic converges to a standard chi-squared distribution under the null hypothesis. We further illustrate the use of the proposed test by testing the ROC curve with censored data, among others. Numerical performance of the proposed method is also examined.
Using High Intensity Ultrasound as a Tool To Change the Functional Properties of Interesterified Soybean Oil

High intensity ultrasound (HIU) was used to change the crystallization behavior, generate small crystals, and improve the texture of a low saturated shortening (interesterified soybean oil). Samples were crystallized at different temperatures (26, 28, 30, and 32 °C) without and with the application of HIU. Different acoustic power levels (110, 72, 61, 54, and 44 W) were used. Results show that higher acoustic powers had a greater effect on crystal size reduction, induced crystallization, and generated harder, more elastic and viscous materials. These effects were more significant when HIU was applied in the presence of crystals and when the sample was crystallized at 32 °C.
Applications of real‐time GPS for science and hazard monitoring

Real-Time GPS Position Data Products and Formats Boulder, Colorado, 26–28 March 2012 Recent advances in GPS technology and data processing are providing position solutions with centimeter-level precision at a high rate (1 hertz) and low latency (i.e., the time required for data to arrive for analysis, in this case less than 1 second). These data will have the potential to improve scientists' understanding in diverse areas of geophysics including properties of seismic, volcanic, magmatic, and tsunami sources, and profoundly transform rapid event characterization and warning. Scientific and operational applications also include glacier and ice sheet motions, tropospheric modeling, and space weather. Processed Real-Time GPS (RT-GPS) data will require formats and standards that allow this broad community to utilize these data and associated metadata in existing research infrastructure.
MODELS OF CORONAL HOLE FLOWS

Models of plasma flow in a coronal hole fall naturally into four classes. These are: (i) radial flow on a streamline along which the divergence is assumed to vary differently than as the square of the radial distance from the Sun; (ii) global flow along streamlines determined in some independent manner; (iii) empirical models originating in, or based strongly on observation; (iv) dynamic models using magnetic and plasma boundary conditions low in the corona to find both the geometry of streamlines and the flow field. To date, models both of ideal coronal holes and of specific observed coronal holes indicate that flow velocities above 100 km s+1, and temperatures of perhaps 2 × 106K are possible at 2R ⊙ heliocentric distance, where densities of 2 × 105 cm+3 have been reported. These velocities are at, or just above the sound speed, although still sub-Alfvenic. There is also general agreement among models of large polar holes that conversion of mechanical wave energy flux into solar wind kinetic energy is occurring in the 2R ⊙ to 5R ⊙ range, perhaps occurs even further outwards, and that the magnitude and extent of this energy deposition depends on the size and on the geometrical divergence of the hole. However, each model exhibits distinct weaknesses counteracted only by the complimentary nature of the various types of models. Models in class (i) are simply not global representations, but are tractable when dealing with complex forms of the energy equation or with several ion species. Class (ii) models lack any geometrical information beyond the ad hoc assumption of known streamline geometry, but have the same advantages as those in class (i). Class (iii) models cannot determine streamline geometry within a hole and do not extend further from the Sun than the available data — although they place important constraints on models in the other classes. Class (iv) models are limited to simple forms of the energy equation and/or to quasi-radial flow, but are the only models producing self-consistent streamline geometries through inclusion of transverse magnetic stresses in the momentum equation. Most limitations in coronal hole flow models can be eliminated by using known numerical techniques to combine models in classes (i), (ii), and (iv). This would allow detailed models of coronal holes and corresponding interplanetary conditions to be developed for specific time periods, at the cost of flexibility and possibly also general conceptual understanding. Nevertheless, the concept of a coronal hole is now reasonably well established, and acceptable modelling approaches are rapidly filling the literature. It can be anticipated that the evolution of these models, together with present and future observations, will bring us much nearer to understanding coronal energetics and dynamics.
Infection with a gram-negative organism stimulates gingival collagenase production in nondiabetic and diabetic germfree rats

Experimental diabetes in the rat rapidly produces a shift in the gingival crevicular microflora which is followed, within weeks, by increased production of collagenase by the gingival tissues. To assess the contribution of endogenous (hormonal or metabolic) and exogenous (altered crevicular microflora) factors on this diabetes-induced abnormality in collagenase production, the following series of experiments was undertaken: In each experiment, the germfree rats were housed in two isolators. Half of the animals in both isolators were rendered diabetic (D) with streptozotocin while the remainder were left untreated (non-diabetic (ND) controls). All of the germfree ND and D rats in one isolator of the pair were then infected with either a Gram-positive (S. mitis or A. odontolyticus) or a Gram-negative (Capnocytophaga, A. aclmomycetemcomitans or B. gingivalis) organism. In the other isolator, the ND and D rats were maintained in their germfree state. After 3 wk, the germfree and monoinfected rats were killed and the gingiva (and in one experiment, skin) were dissected. Collagenase activity produced by gingiva in culture (or extracted from gingiva or from skin) was measured using 14C-collagen fibrils (or [3Hmethyl] collagen molecules) as the substrate. Diabetes increased the collagenolytic activity in the gingiva and skin of the germfree rats. Infecting the germfree rats with a Gram-positive organism had no effect on collagenase activity generated by the gingival explants in the tissue culture system. In contrast, infection with any of the Gram-negative organisms dramatically increased the collagenase activity in the gingival tissues of the ND rats in culture, an effect not seen in the D group of rats using this system. However, monoinfection with B. gingivalis did increase collagenase activity in the extracts of gingiva (but not in skin) from both ND and D rats, with the latter group showing the highest level of enzyme activity. We suggest (i) that experimental diabetes stimulates collagenase production in gingiva by both endogenous (hormonal) and exogenous (bacterial) mechanisms, and (ii) that crevicular Gram-negative organisms stimulate collagenolysis in the adjacent gingival tissues by releasing bacterial products (e.g. endotoxins) which penetrate into the connective tissue and enhance host cell collagenase production.
Cytokine-mediated modulation of cisplatin sensitivity in ovarian cancer cells

Abstract Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer cells are known to produce interleukin-6 (IL-6) and are known to express IL-6 receptors. Serum and peritoneal fluid concentrations of IL-6 are elevated in patients with epithelial ovarian cancers. Metallothioneins are a group of proteins with high affinity for heavy metal ions, including platinum; they are inducible by IL-6 and may confer resistance of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin chemotherapy. Objective: To determine whether IL-6 induces cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells and to assess whether it does so by increasing intracellular metallothionein. Methods: Two ovarian cancer cell lines (SKOV3, OC194) were incubated with either recombinant IL-6, anti-IL-6 antibody, anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, or IL-10 for 24 hours. Cisplatin was then added, and an MTT (3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cytotoxicity assay was performed after 48 hours. Western blot probing for metallothionein was performed after a 24-hour incubation of SKOV3 cells with IL-6. Results: Pretreatment of ovarian cancer cells with IL-6 before adding cisplatin resulted in a significant reduction in cytotoxicity. Reversal of this IL-6 effect with anti-IL-6 antibody, anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, and IL-10 was demonstrated. Western blot analysis of IL-6–treated cells revealed a positive correlation between IL-6 exposure and cellular metallothionein content. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that expression of IL-6 by ovarian cancer cells confers resistance to cisplatin cytotoxicity by upregulation of metallothione. In addition, inhibition of IL-6 effect reverses this cisplatin resistance. Clinically, suppression of IL-6 effect may be exploited to potentiate cisplatin chemotherapy, leading to better survival rates in ovarian cancer patients.
Investigation of Discrete Out-of-Plane Waviness in Composite Wind Turbine Blades Using Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation

With the need for larger and more efficient wind turbine blades, thicker composite sections are manufactured and waviness becomes difficult to control. Thus, there is a need for more effective and field implementable NDE. In this paper we propose a method of detection and quantification of waviness in composite wind turbine blades using ultrasonics. By employing air coupled ultrasonics to facilitate faster and easier scans, we formulated a two step process. Detection was performed with single sided air coupled ultrasonics, and characterization was performed with the help of high frequency contact probes. Severity of the wave was defined with the help of aspect ratio, and several samples with different aspect ratio waves were made. A finite element model for wave propagation in wavy composites was developed, and compared with the experimental results.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Algorithmic improvements for fast concurrent Cuckoo hashing

Fast concurrent hash tables are an increasingly important building block as we scale systems to greater numbers of cores and threads. This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a high-throughput and memory-efficient concurrent hash table that supports multiple readers and writers. The design arises from careful attention to systems-level optimizations such as minimizing critical section length and reducing interprocessor coherence traffic through algorithm re-engineering. As part of the architectural basis for this engineering, we include a discussion of our experience and results adopting Intel's recent hardware transactional memory (HTM) support to this critical building block. We find that naively allowing concurrent access using a coarse-grained lock on existing data structures reduces overall performance with more threads. While HTM mitigates this slowdown somewhat, it does not eliminate it. Algorithmic optimizations that benefit both HTM and designs for fine-grained locking are needed to achieve high performance.Our performance results demonstrate that our new hash table design---based around optimistic cuckoo hashing---outperforms other optimized concurrent hash tables by up to 2.5x for write-heavy workloads, even while using substantially less memory for small key-value items. On a 16-core machine, our hash table executes almost 40 million insert and more than 70 million lookup operations per second.
Superfluid turbulence in non-uniform thermal counterflow

Abstract We report preliminary results from a study of superfluid turbulence in a non-uniform thermal counterflow. These results are important for understanding how a vortex tangle is distributed in a spacially varying velocity field, and for describing the radial transport of heat in He II. Using a specially designed flow tube and a very high sensitivity thermocouple we are able to measure the temperature difference associated with thermal counterflow in a known non-uniform flow. We observe laminar flow, a critical heat current, and a single state of turbulent flow. The results indicate that the vortex line density in the supefluid turbulence is determined simply by the local velocity.
Adsorption Profiles of Chelating Aromatic Dithiols and Disulfides: Comparison to Those of Normal Alkanethiols and Disulfides

This study provides a comparison of the rates of adsorption of the following thiols onto the surface of gold: 1,2-bis(mercaptomethyl)-4,5-dihexadecylbenzene (1), 1-mercaptomethyl-3,4-dihexadecyl-b...
Catecholamine Metabolism in Experimental Hypertension in the Rat

The role of catecholamines was investigated in uninephrectomized Sprague-Dawley male rats made hypertensive by administration of desoxycorticosterone and a high salt diet. The accumulation of tritiated norepinephrine and the endogenous norepinephrine levels were measured in the various organs. The content of endogenous norepinephrine and the accumulation of 3H-norepinephrine 1 hour after its injection were reduced in the heart, spleen, intestine, skeletal muscle, and kidney of hypertensive rats as compared to controls. Simultaneously, an increase in total 3H-metabolites was also found in the hypertensive animals. A highly significant inverse relation was established between the level of blood pressure and the accumulation of 3H-norepinephrine or endogenous norepinephrine levels in the heart. The abnormalities observed in the disposition of exogenously administered and endogenous norepinephrine do not appear to be secondary to a change in the distribution of cardiac output to the various organs. Since the ...
Kane Fracture Zone

The Kane Fracture Zone probably is better covered by geophysical survey data, acquired both by design and incidentally, than any other fracture zone in the North Atlantic Ocean. We have used this data to map the basement morphology of the fracture zone and the adjacent crust for nearly 5700 km, from near Cape Hatteras to the middle of the Mesozoic magnetic anomalies west of Cap Blanc, northwest Africa. We use the trends of the Kane transform valley and its inactive fracture valley to determine the record of plate-motion changes, and we interpret the basement structural data to examine how the Kane transform evolved in response to changes in plate motion. Prior to about 133 Ma the Kane was a small-offset transform and its fracture valley is structurally expressed only as a shallow ( < 0.5 km) trough. In younger crust, the offset may have increased to as much as 190 km (present offset 150 km) and the fracture valley typically is up to 1.2 km deep. This part of the fracture valley records significant changes in direction of relative plate motion (5°–30°) near 102 Ma, 92 Ma, 59 Ma, 22 Ma, and 17 Ma. Each change corresponds to a major reorganization of plate boundaries in areas around the Atlantic, and the fracture-zone orientation appears to be a sensitive recorder of these events.
Surgical treatment of cloacal anomalies

From 1989-1998 14 patients were treated with cloacal anomalies: 5 typical cloacas (PC), 5 posterior cloacas, and 4 cloacal exstrophies (CE); 12 underwent surgery. Four typical cloacas were resolved with posterior sagittal anorectovagino-urethroplasty (PSARVUP), whereas in the 5th total urogenital mobilization (TUM) was used. Three PCs were managed with transanorectal TUM and 2 with anterior TUM without opening the anal canal and rectum (without a protective colostomy). Two CEs were treated with atypical procedures. Two patients with CE died without surgery and 2 died after surgery due to complex associated anomalies. During postoperative follow-up of 1-8 years, 5 children had voluntary bowel movements and no soiling while the others had soiling with or without enemas; 1 had stress incontinence; 3 were on clean intermittent catheterization due to neurogenic bladder and were dry. PSARVUP provides a satisfactory result if there is no sacral anomaly. TUM makes this operation easier to perform. In patients with a PC it is sometimes possible using TUM to separate the urinary from the genital tract and remove the accessory urethra without opening the anus and rectum.
Rapid development of tolerance to the behavioural actions of cholecystokinin

Cholecystokinin (CCK) acts acutely to inhibit food consumption in fasted rats, mice, sheep, pigs, monkeys and humans. CCK has been proposed as a satiety signal, inducing the behavioural sequence of satiety, or as an aversive internal stimulus, which inhibits food intake by inducing malaise. Reductions in food intake and related exploratory behaviours are initiated by CCK at its peripheral receptor in the gut, which appears to transmit sensory feedback via the vagus nerve to brain regions mediating appetitive behaviours. The therapeutic potential of CCK as an appetite suppressant in obesity syndromes rests on the demonstration of significant, long-lasting body weight reduction. Chronic CCK administration by repeated injections is problematic, since this peptide is rapidly degraded in vivo. We chose the Alzet constant infusion osmotic minipump to investigate possible alterations in body weight and food intake during continuous infusion of CCK. We now report that no change was detected in either body weight or total daily food consumption at any time point during 2 weeks of intraperitoneally (i.p.) infused CCK. The mechanism underlying the lack of chronic CCK effects appears to be a rapid development of behavioural tolerance. Acute challenge doses of CCK which induced satiety-related behaviours in saline-infused rats were ineffective in CCK-infused rats. The behavioural tolerance was apparent within a few hours of minipump implantation. These results provide the first evidence that rapid and reversible tolerance develops to the actions of a gut peptide.
Chromatographic studies on trypsin, trypsinogen and the activation process.

Abstract Crystalline preparations of trypsin and trypsinogen were chromatographed on carboxymethylcellulose at pH 3.2 using gradient elution of increasing salt concentration. Crystalline trypsin contained an inert component which could be quantitatively precipitated with 0.05 M CaCl 2 at pH 8. This permitted the recovery of trypsin which was chromatographically homogeneous. A chromatographic study of the autocatalytic activation of trypsinogen in the presence and absence of calcium ions suggested that this inert protein may be the result of activation in the absence of calcium ions. It was also demonstrated that this Chromatographic technique could be applied to the large-scale preparation of trypsinogen which is relatively low in trypsin.
Dopaminergic defect in hypertension.

Reverse genetics and the candidate gene approach have been utilized to identify the genetic defect(s) in hypertension. We have proposed the dopamine receptor gene as one candidate in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Because some forms of hypertension are sodium dependent or aggravated by sodium loading and because dopamine is important in aiding the organism to eliminate “excess” sodium, an abnormality in the renal dopaminergic system may be responsible for the sodium retention in hypertension. Both human and animal models of hypertension are associated with renal dopamine production and/or post first messenger defects. The Dahl salt-sensitive rat, which has a decreased ability to generate renal dopamine, and the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), which has no such limitation, have a defective coupling of a D1 receptor to a G protein/adenylyl cyclase complex. This coupling defect is: (1) genetic, since it precedes the onset of hypertension and co-segregates with the hypertensive phenotype, (2) receptor specific, since it is not shared by other humoral agents, and (3) organ and nephron segment selective, since it occurs in proximal tubules but not in cortical collecting ducts or the brain striatum. A consequence of the defective dopamine receptor/adenylyl cyclase coupling in the SHR is a decreased ability of D1 agonists to inhibit Na+/H+ exchange activity. A resistance to the natriuretic effect of dopamine and D1 agonists in the SHR is due mainly to decreased cyclic AMP production, although with maturation a post cyclic AMP defect is acquired. Radioligand binding studies suggest a “loss” of the high-affinity D1 binding site in the SHR. However, sequencing of a limited segment of the D1 receptor genes expressed in renal proximal tubule has not shown any difference between and the SHR and the normotensive Wistar Kyoto strain. Whether the defect is in the primary or tertiary structure of the receptor or due to a novel dopamine receptor that has not yet been cloned remains to be demonstrated.
Postoperative nausea and vomiting--can it be eliminated?

POSTOPERATIVE NAUSEA AND VOMiting (PONV) frequently complicates recovery from surgery. Before the 1960s, when older inhalational anesthetic agents such as ether and cyclopropane were widely used, the incidence of vomiting was as high as 60%. Better anesthetic techniques, along with a new generation of antiemetics and shorter-acting anesthetic drugs, have reduced the overall incidence of PONV to approximately 30%. However, PONV occurs in as many as 70% of high-risk patients, and pediatric populations are not spared. Although the overall incidence may be lower in children younger than 2 years, procedures such as tonsillectomies and strabismus surgery have a PONV incidence as high as 60%. Ambulatory patients appear to have a lower incidence of PONV compared with inpatients, but this incidence may be related to underrecognition of postdischarge nausea and vomiting. Although PONV is rarely fatal, it is an unpleasant postoperative symptom (BOX). Even mild PONV can delay hospital discharge, decrease patient satisfaction, and increase use of resources. Avoiding PONV is important to patients, more so than avoiding postoperative pain. In one study, patients were willing to spend up to $100, at their own expense, for an effective antiemetic.
Layered MPEG video transmission over IP DiffServ

Multimedia applications have become one of the major traffic to be transported through networks. These applications require high bandwidth and stringent quality of service (QoS). The end video quality is determined not only by the network QoS but also by the encoded video quality. We consider video quality from these two aspects and propose to transport spatial scalable encoded videos with different dropping priorities over DiffServ (differentiated service). Performance analysis and simulation results show that this can provision QoS guarantees. The dropping policy we propose at the egress router can reduce the traffic load as well as the risk of congestion in other domains.
Template specific inhibitor of mammalian DNA polymerases.

A studyof theinhibition ofmousecellularDNApolymerases by polynucleotides andtheirvinylanalogsispresented. Poly(dT)-directed poly(dA) synthesis by representatives of allthreeclassesof cellularDNApolymerasecouldbe completely inhibited bypoly(9-vinyladenine), althoughhigher concentrations wererequiredin thecaseof thegammaclassenzyme.Studies on themechanismof theinhibition usingthealphaclassDNApolymeraseand differenttemplatesshowedthattheenzymeactivitywasinhibited inall caseswherebase-pairing betweenthevinylpolymerandthetemplateoccurred; poly(9-vinyladenine) didrnot interferewiththereplication of templatesto whichitdoesnotbind. Theinhibition occurredshortlyafteradditionof poly(9-vinyladenine) toongoingreactions, yettheenzymewasnotdisplaced fromthetemplate- primercomplex.
The spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a rural community: will it become a common microorganism colonizing among the general population?

At Fujiwara Memorial Hospital (FMH), a community hospital with 140 beds located near a large agricultural area in Akita prefecture, the annual number of patients colonized with methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been increasing in recent years. To elucidate the current status of MRSA spread, the frequency of its isolation among a total of 10598 bacteriological specimens obtained from patients treated at FMH between July 1989 and December 1994 was evaluated. The frequency increased from 3.8% in 1990 to 9.6% in 1994, and of all the patients colonized with MRSA, outpatients accounted for 4.5% in 1990 and 34.9% in 1994. These outpatients included patients from long-term care facilities, those cared for at home with chronic diseases, and those who had been hospitalized in tertiary general hospitals. This remarkable increase in the percentage of outpatients colonized with MRSA may suggest the spread of MRSA in our community.
Sexual transmission of predicted CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 likely originating from the source partner's seminal cells

We present a case of sexual transmission of HIV-1 predicted to have CXCR4-tropism during male-to-male sexual exposure. Phylogenetic analyses exclude cell-free virus in the seminal plasma of the source partner and possibly point to the seminal cells as the origin of the transmission event.
Fayochytriomyces, a new genus within Chytridiales

Chytriomyces is a complex genus in Chytridiales. The morphological concept of the genus expanded as new taxa were added, and studies of zoospore ultrastructure and molecular phylogenies have revealed the genus to be polyphyletic. One problematic taxon is C. spinosus Fay, a distinctive species characterized by whorls of spines on the zoosporangium and a large accumulation of vesicle material beneath the operculum. With light-, scanning-electron and transmission-electron microscopy, we examined a culture (WJD186) isolated from a muck sample collected from a temporary forest pond. We also analyzed the D1–D2 variable domains of the nuc 28S rDNA (28S) sequences to confirm the phylogenetic placement of the species relative to the type of Chytriomyces, C. hyalinus Karling. The morphology of culture WJD186 is consistent with features Fay described for C. spinosus, and the zoospore ultrastructure is consistent with the Group I-type zoospore characters of Chytriomycetaceae (Chytridiales). In our molecular phylogeny...
The Relationship of Certain Blood Parameters to Aflatoxin Resistance in Japanese Quail

Blood chemistry profiles were obtained for two lines of Japanese quail selected for resistance to aflatoxin, and for a nonselected control line. Nine of the 18 plasma components measured in samples taken at 4 weeks of age changed as a result of selection. Plasma concentrations of total protein, albumin, cholesterol, and potassium, and the activities of lactic dehydrogenase, glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase, and cholinesterase were significantly elevated in aflatoxin-resistant quail compared with the nonselected line. The activities of beta-glucuronidase and alpha-amylase changed most dramatically; both activities were much lower in the resistant lines than in the control line. In another experiment, serum total protein, albumin, alpha-amylase, and beta-glucuronidase were tested as identifiers of aflatoxin-resistant individuals within a nonselected population of quail. Serum samples obtained from 150 nonselected quail immediately before and 24 hr after administration of an oral dose of aflatoxin were analyzed for each of the four components. The acute toxicosis decreased body weight, serum alpha-amylase activity, total protein, and albumin; whereas, serum beta-glucuronidase activity and the coefficients of variation for each parameter were increased. Correlations between measurements made prior to dosing and parameters reflecting aflatoxin susceptibility were not significant. However, postdose determinations of albumin, protein, and beta-glucuronidase were significantly related to susceptibility parameters. These data indicate that the four blood components tested cannot be utilized to identify resistant birds within a nonselected population of quail without an aflatoxin challenge; but albumin, protein, and beta-glucuronidase are correlated with resistance when measured during an aflatoxin stress.
On the linear stability of spiral flow between rotating cylinders

A numerical study is made of the effects of both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric disturbances on the stability of spiral flow between rotating cylinders. If we let $\Omega\_1$ and $\Omega\_2$ be the angular speeds of the inner and outer cylinders, and R$\_1$ and R$\_2$ be their respective radii, then for fixed values of $\eta$ = R$\_1$/R$\_2$ and $\mu$ = $\Omega\_2$/$\Omega\_1$, the onset of instability depends on both the Taylor number T and the axial Reynolds number R. Here R is based on the gap width between the cylinders and the average axial velocity of the basic flow, while T is based on the average angular speeds of the cylinders. Using the compound matrix method, we have computed the complete stability boundary in the R, T-plane for axisymmetric disturbances with $\eta$ = 0.95 and $\mu$ = 0. We find that, for sufficiently high Reynolds numbers, there are two distinct axisymmetric modes corresponding to the usual shear and rotational instabilities. We have also obtained the stability boundaries for non-axisymmetric disturbances for R $\leqslant$ 6000 for $\eta$ = 0.95 and 0.77 with $\mu$ = 0. These last results are found to be in substantial agreement with the experimental observations of Snyder (1962, 1965), Nagih (1972) and Mavec (1973) in the low and moderate axial Reynolds number regimes.
Testing for rare blood donors by DNA analysis

Alloantibodies to blood group antigens are produced because there are differences between the blood group antigens on recipient and donor red blood cells. Historically, and currently, blood group antibodies and antigens are detected by haemagglutination, which requires appropriate reagents and considerable skill. Over the past two decades there has been an astounding pace of growth in the field of molecular biology techniques and even more recently in the understanding of the basis of many blood group antigens and phenotypes. Thus, we are now able to determine blood group polymorphisms and predict blood group antigen expression using molecular approaches. This article reviews molecular approaches to identify donors with rare blood types, either due to the absence of a high prevalence antigen or an absence of a combination of antigens.
Nanofractography Of Composition B Fracture Surfaces with AFM

The characteristics of TNT (trinitrotoluene) crystals in the fracture surface of Composition B (a melt-cast mixture of TNT and RDX) have been studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The size of TNT crystals has been examined by analyzing the surface structure that is exhibited after mechanical failure of the Composition B. The failure occurs when the material is subjected to high acceleration in an ultracentrifuge and the shear or tensile strength is exceeded. AFM examination of the topography of the Composition B fracture surface reveals fracture across columnar grains of the TNT. The width of the columnar TNT grains ranges in size from ∼ 1 μm to ∼ 2 μm. Their height ranges in size from ∼ 50 nm to ∼ 300 nm. Flat TNT columns alternate with TNT columns containing river patterns that identify the direction of crack growth. Steps in the river patterns are a few nanometers in depth. The TNT constitutent fracture surface morphology is shown to occur on such fine scale, beginning from adjacent columnar crystals only 1–2 μm in width, and including river marking step heights of only a few nanometers, that AFM-type resolution is required.
Left atrial receptor inhibition of cardiac efferent vagal activity in the dog.

SUMMARY 1. The tachycardia produced by atrial receptor stimulation has been reported to be ‘solely’ due to an increased sympathetic activity, but not inhibitable by propranolol. We examined the effect of left atrial balloon inflation in chloralose-anaesthetized dogs on heart rate with and without propranolol (l. Omg/kg) and on the activity in single cardiac efferent fibres of the vagus nerve. 2. Propranolol reduced the cardiac response to balloon inflation by one-third, but did not abolish the tachycardia. Efferent cardiac vagal activity was 3.8 ± 0.4 spikes/s and 2.3 ± 0.7 spikes/s prior to and during balloon inflation respectively. 3. It was concluded that the left atrial receptors produce a tachycardia by decreasing cardiac parasympathetic and increasing sympathetic efferent activities.
Quantitative immunoelectron microscopy of type VI collagen in glomeruli in type I diabetic patients.

Quantitative immunoelectron microscopy of type VI collagen in glomeruli in type I diabetic patients. Background The nature of the extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulating in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and mesangium (Mes) in diabetes is unknown. Type IV collagen (Col IV) as estimated by quantitative immunoelectron microscopy was reduced in type I diabetic patients (D) with rapid ("fast-track") compared with slow ("slow-track") development of diabetic nephropathy (DN) lesions and controls (C). Col VI is another ECM component suggested to account for Mes matrix (MM) expansion in DN. Methods Col VI ECM density was evaluated in eight "slow-track" {Mes fractional volume [Vv(Mes/glom)] 20 years} and seven "fast-track" patients [Vv(Mes/glom)> 0.37, duration G ) in MM and the inner layer (IL) of the GBM was measured using stereologic methods. Results GBM IL PD G was decreased in both fast-track (1.7 ± 1.6/μm 2 , mean ± SD, P P G was also lower in the fast-track versus slow-track D ( P G /μm 2 was decreased in fast-track D (3.2 ± 3.6) versus C (14.1 ± 14.6, P P G between the slow-track and fast-track D. Conclusion Col VI density in MM and GBM is decreased in diabetic patients with slowly and rapidly developing renal lesions. This leaves the nature of ECM accumulation in DN unexplained. At least in part, glomerular ECM compositional change is related to diabetes per se and may be independent of the severity of lesions.
Variation in the thyroxine-secretion rate of cattle.

Summary A total of 104 individual estimations of thyroxine secretion rates in 29 animals was made in dairy cattle during various months of the year, along with the determinations of the rate constants for hormone release normally and when the recycling of iodine was blocked with thiouracil. The relationship of thyroxine-secretion rates with hormonal release rates was rather poor. This is believed to be due to the variation in the size of the thyroid gland with identical or different release rates. None of the indices of thyroid activity satisfactorily measured the actual amount of thyroxine secretion. The average thyroxine-secretion rate for the cows was 0.56mg. (range 0.2–1.0), l-thyroxine/100lb. body weight in winter, and 0.6mg. (range 0.2–1.0) l -thyroxine/100lb. body weight for calves during the same period. Thyroxine-secretion rates were reduced threefold in the summer, but the extent of depression varied with the individual. There was an average threefold variation in thyroxine-secretion rate between individuals during the same season. The rate of change in thyroxine secretion was not in direct proportion to the rate of seasonal change under decreasing ambient temperature, and it is thought that an increasingly warm environment may be a greater stimulus to a reduction in thyrotropic hormone secretion than a gradually colder environment for increased thyrotropic activity.
Stimulation of synaptosomal proline uptake by serum albumin.

— The accumulation of proline by synaptosomal fractions from adult brain cortices is strongly stimulated by serum albumin. Albumin at a concentration of 1 mg/ml increased the recovery of proline from the fraction by approx 2-fold. This effect was not due to any contaminant but rather due to the albumin molecule itself. Several other proteins tested failed to stimulate synaptosomal accumulation of proline, indicating that the stimulation due to albumin is not a general protein effect. The possibility that albumin stimulates synaptosomal proline accumulation by virtue of its fatty acid binding property is discussed.
Theory of Intrinsic Defects in a-SiO2

In this paper we discuss recent advances in the theory of intrinsic defects in amorphous SiO2. We pay particular attention to the E' centers, and to the oxygen-related hole traps.
Communications in troubled times

We show that the links between Ireland and Newfoundland are not merely restricted to cable telegraphs. Radio links for air traffic and the exchange of weather data continue to the present day. The links in troubled times have been particularly significant. The evidence that has been collected as part of this research confirms that, contrary to popular belief, Ireland's neutrality was probably as biased toward the Allied cause as that of Portugal. However, bad press and the pursuit of gratuitous political aims have successfully concealed these facts for almost 60 years.
Protection of Salmonella by ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli in the presence of otherwise lethal drug concentrations

Microbial systems have become the preferred testing grounds for experimental work on the evolution of traits that benefit other group members. This work, based on conceptual and theoretical models of frequency-dependent selection within populations, has proven fruitful in terms of understanding the dynamics of group beneficial or ‘public goods’ traits within species . Here, we expand the scope of microbial work on the evolution of group-beneficial traits to the case of multi-species communities , particularly those that affect human health. We examined whether β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli could protect ampicillin-sensitive cohorts of other species, particularly species that could cause human disease. Both β-lactamase-secreting E. coli and, surprisingly, those engineered to retain it, allowed for survival of a large number of ampicillin-sensitive cohorts of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, including both laboratory and clinical isolates. The Salmonella survivors, however, remained sensitive to ampicillin when re-plated onto solid medium and there was no evidence of gene transfer. Salmonella survival did not even require direct physical contact with the resistant E. coli . The observed phenomenon appears to involve increased release of β-lactamase from the E. coli when present with S. enterica . Significantly, these findings imply that resistant E. coli , that are not themselves pathogenic, may be exploited, even when they are normally selfish with respect to other E. coli . Thus, Salmonella can gain protection against antibiotics from E. coli without gene transfer, a phenomenon not previously known. As a consequence, antibiotic-resistant E. coli can play a decisive role in the survival of a species that causes disease and may thereby interfere with successful treatment.
Differential quality-of-service in multiple-access communication via distributed rate splitting

We introduce a new distributed multiple-access coding strategy called asymmetric distributed rate splitting for the additive white Gaussian noise multiple-access channel and discrete memoryless multiple-access channel. This strategy uses a rate splitting approach or a random switching approach to accommodate differential user rate requirements in a distributed manner. The achieved rates under this scheme are asymptotically optimal from a fundamental information theoretic viewpoint.
Reasons for Device Use Among Caregivers of the Frail Elderly

While the effectiveness of assistive devices has been demonstrated, few clinicians have reported on the relationship of caregiving to assistive device use among the elderly. This pilot study explored the reasons for device use when a caregiver is present and compared the reasons for device use by female caregivers versus male caregivers. Reasons for device use stated by caregivers of elders who have many assistive devices that address physical impairments (physical devices) were compared to caregivers for those with fewer devices. Thirty caregivers from the Consumer Assessments Study (CAS) of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Aging (RERC-Aging) at the State University of New York at Buffalo were the sample pool for this portion of the study.Results suggest that interaction between caregivers and care recipients might negatively influence device use. Conversely, if devices were perceived useful by both caregivers and care recipients, this was strongly related to device use. A difference was...
Reproductive and biochemical biomarkers in largemouth bass sampled downstream of a pulp and paper mill in Florida.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of bleached/unbleached kraft mill effluents (B/UKME) on the reproductive parameters of free-ranging Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus). The reproductive parameters measured included gonadosomatic index (GSI), histological evaluation of gonads, and plasma concentrations of vitellogenin (VTG), 17β-estradiol, and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT). Hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity was measured as a marker of exposure to cytochrome P450-inducing agents in these effluents. Endpoints were compared among adult bass sampled from tributary and mainstream effluent-contaminated and reference sites. Females sampled from the site closest to the mill outfall had a significant five-fold increase in EROD activity compared to bass sampled from reference streams. Although sex hormones were significantly reduced in bass from exposed sites, there were no differences in VTG and GSI across sites. The absence of organism-level responses was probably not related to a lack of sensitivity, as previous studies in our laboratory have shown that bass exposed to these effluents exhibit changes in GSI and in other measures associated with reproductive success. In females, inverse relationships were observed between VTG and GSI and EROD activity. These relationship, however, were not consistent within all of the sites studied. Collectively, our findings indicate that hepatic EROD induction is an effective marker of B/UKME exposure in largemouth bass and that it might be associated with antiestrogenic effects in this species.
Cardiac function analysis with low field magnetic resonance imaging

The use of low-field-strength magnetic resonance imagers is now becoming possible and offers many opportunities in terms of lower cost, easier siting, and hence greater availability of imaging systems. The authors have investigated the use of one such imager to quantify common functional parameters of the human heart in comparison to those measured using left ventriculography. It is believed that left ventriculography overestimates the left ventricular volumes. The mean volume data illustrates that left ventricular volumes found from left ventriculography tend to be larger than the same volume measured using MRI. This is consistent with the hope that MRI provides a more accurate method for measuring left ventricular volume. The values given illustrate the variability of volume measurements from patient to patient, especially in the diseased population that was studied. The authors noted strong agreement of heart wall motion measurements between cine MR and those from left ventriculography. >