cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of glucagon on amino acid and nitrogen metabolism in fasting man

Abstract The infusion of small amounts of glucagon into fasting subjects has been reported to paradoxically decrease urinary urea nitrogen excretion. The mechanism and tissues by which this apparent protein sparing was accomplished was examined in the current study by infusing glucagon ( 0.1 mg 24 hr × 4 days ) into subjects who had fasted for 5–6 wk. It was found that circulating levels of alanine and glutamine declined while urinary urea nitrogen excretion decreased and ammonia nitrogen excretion increased. These findings suggested that hepatic gluconeogenesis had been diminished while renal ammoniagenesis and gluconeogenesis had increased. The further finding of a significant prolongation of the t , 1 2 of 14C-lalanine (U) 24 hr after the start of the infusion appeared to substantiate this diminution in hepatic gluconeogenesis. In addition, while serum insulin levels had declined significantly by the end of the infusion, circulating levels of the branched-chain amino acids had increased. It was concluded that the infusion of small amounts of glucagon may have resulted in a diminution of portal glucagon levels, which in turn resulted in a decrease in hepatic gluconeogenesis and, directly or indirectly, a compensatory increase in renal ammoniagenesis and gluconeogenesis. The coincidental decline in alamine and the increase in levels of the branched-chain amino acids suggest that the infused glucagon had affected peripheral amino acid metabolism as well.
UV light resistance of biocides for PVC/wood fiber composites

Several of the biocides most commonly used in PVC compositions were exposed to UV-A radiation for periods up to 2000 hr in order to determine the effects on their ability to protect various wood fibers from colonization by bacteria and fungi. Three species of bacteria and three fungi, all known to metabolize cellulose, were used. The ability of these species to exist by predation on their competitors also was studied. J. VINYL. ADDIT. TECHNOL. 12:124–126, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers
Terminal transferase in patients hospitalized for malnutrition

Abstract Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) is a DNa polymerase which is used as a marker for immature T lymphocytes. Elevated levels of TdT have previously been demonstrated in the peripheral blood of malnourished Indian children. In this study, 50% of a group of adult patients, referred for total parenteral nutrition had elevated levels of TdT in their lymphocytes compared to a group of normal healthy volunteers. Elevated TdT levels were associated with the presence of malnutrition and were partially related to the presence of sepsis and cancer. The level of TdT correlated significantly with a composite index of nutritional status, the Hospital Nutritional Index, that predicts hospital morbidity and mortality. TdT may be useful as a rapid test of critical protein malnutrition.
The Impact of the Offshore Wind Farm Switching Transient Operation on Power System

In this paper, a practical method to establish Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) based wind farm equivalent model for switching transient analysis is demonstrated. In order to verify this method, a 3.6MW equivalent wind farm model is built. The steady state results and load switching results are verified with those of detailed models of four 0.9MW generators. Using this method, a model of 40MW wind farm, representing the capacity for a proposed South Carolina offshore wind farm is established. To study large wind farm switching transient impacts on a system, different switching operations such as cable energizing and three phase faults at different locations in wind farm are investigated and their impact on system are analysed. Finally, conclusions based on the switching cases are presented.
Socio-Moral Emotions Motivate Action to Sustain Relationships

Building on the foundation of commitment theory (Frank, 1988; Nesse, 2001), a new proxy theory of emotions posits that emotions promote adaptive relational action that tends to create and sustain important social relationships. The theory indicates that emotions are immediate motivational proxies for the long-run expected adaptive value of relationships and relational strategies. Emotions motivate action that is likely to improve a person's social prospects, given his or her history and situation. The theory predicts that emotions correspond to cultural implementations of four basic relational models, modulated to reflect the relationships that are important and problematic in each person's specific local network. Proxy theory analyzes twelve social functions of emotions reflecting the state of a person's relationships, his or her relational needs and prospects, and promising relational strategies.
Algal bioassay of the portage lakes, summit County, Ohio

The Portage Lakes are a series of natural lakes and man-made reservoirs in the upper Tuscarawas River of northeastern Ohio. Algal assays with Selenastrum capriconutum Printz suggested that the temporal pattern of water fertility differed between the more lentic water bodies and those with more lotic characteristics, probably reflecting differences in nutrient availability. Algal growth rates in the lentic water bodies ranged from approximately 0·6 doublings a day in early summer to <0·2 doublings a day in late summer. In contrast, algal growth rates in the lotic water bodies increased from 0·2–0·3 doublings a day in June to 0·3–0·5 doublings a day in July, and then declined in August to <0·3 doublings a day. Nutrient enrichments with PO4-P and NO3-N indicated that P was usually the major limiting nutrient in both groups of lakes. NO3-N additions sometimes stimulated algal growth in the lotic water bodies.
Is It Worth It? Lintott and Ethically Evaluating Environmental Art

The question ‘Is it worth it?’, as originally applied to artworks by Tolstoy and here reintroduced by Sheila Lintott, opens a fruitful avenue for understanding land art. It is, however, a question ...
Radiosynthesis of a potent endothelin receptor antagonist: [11C] L-753,037

[ 11 ]L-753,037, [(+)-(5S,6R,7R)-2-butyl-7-[2-((2S)-2-carboxypropyl)-4-[ 11 C]-methoxyphenyl]-5-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-cyclopenteno[1,2-b]pyridine-6-carboxylate], a potent mixed antagonist of endothelin receptor subtypes ET A and ET B , was synthesized by [ 11 C]-methylation of a phenolic precursor. The time for synthesis, purification, and formulation was 17 minutes with an average specific radioactivity of 2535 mCi/μmol (EOS) and average decay corrected radiochemical yield of 3% based on [C]-methyl iodide.
Relationships between rainfall rate and 35-GHz attenuation and differential attenuation: modeling the effects of raindrop size distribution, canting, and oscillation

Power law relationships of the form R=aA/sup b/ are derived, where R is the rainfall rate, and A is the 35-GHz specific attenuation A/sub h/ or specific differential attenuation /spl Delta/A=A/sub h/-A/sub v/, where the subscripts h and v indicate horizontal and vertical polarizations. The effects of raindrop size distribution, canting, and oscillation on these relationships are evaluated quantitatively. The drop size distributions (DSDs) are obtained from ground-based disdrometer measurements from three different geographical locations around the world. The R-A/sub h/ relationship is negligibly affected by raindrop canting and oscillation. It is affected to some extent by DSD variations, with less than 15% fractional standard error (FSE) in the estimated rainfall rate R/sub Ah/. On the other hand, the R-/spl Delta/A relationship is most sensitive to raindrop oscillation, up to about 35% difference in R/sub /spl Delta/A/ compared to the no-oscillation case, and the effect of canting is about 9% for a standard deviation of 10/spl deg/ of the polar canting angle compared with no canting. The FSE due to variations in the DSD for R 20 mm h/sup -1/, the FSE in R/sub /spl Delta/A/ is comparable (and even lower for R>30 mm h/sup -1/) to that of R/sub Ah/. The exceptions to this are rainfall rates with DSDs dominated by smaller raindrops (diameters less than 2.4 mm). It is also emphasized that because oscillation and canting affect /spl Delta/A but not A/sub h/, they could be used in combination for determining the presence of drop oscillation and canting and for estimating an effective raindrop shape model (axial ratio versus size).
Pulsed laser deposited porous nano-carpets of indium tin oxide and their use as charge collectors in core-shell structures for dye sensitized solar cells.

Porous In2O3:Sn (ITO) films resembling from brush carpets to open moss-like discrete nanostructures were grown by pulsed laser deposition under low to high background gas pressures, respectively. The charge transport properties of these mesoporous substrates were probed by pulsed laser photo-current and -voltage transient measurements in N719 dye sensitized devices. Although the cyclic voltammetry and dye adsorption measurements suggest a lower proportion of electro-active dye molecules for films deposited at the high-end background gas pressures, the transient measurements indicate similar electron transport rates within the films. Solar cell operation was achieved by the deposition of a conformal TiO2 shell layer by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Much of the device improvement was shown to be due to the TiO2 shell blocking the recombination of photoelectrons with the electrolyte as recombination lifetimes increased drastically from a few seconds in uncoated ITO to over 50 minutes in the ITO with a TiO2 shell layer. Additionally, an order of magnitude increase in the electron transport rate in ITO/TiO2 (core/shell) films was observed, giving the core–shell structure a superior ratio of recombination/transport times.
Ultrasonic machining effects on the surface finish and strength of silicon carbide ceramics

Ultrasonic machining experimental investigation was conducted on Silicon Carbide (SiC) and 20% volume titanium diboride-silicon carbide (TiB 2 /SiC) composite. Rectangular 304 stainless steel tools were used with three different abrasive grit sizes of silicon carbide (SIC) and boron carbide (B 4 C) abrasives were used while all other machining parameters were kept constant. The effects of the different abrasive sizes and types on the workpiece materials in terms of material removal rate, surface integrity, and flexural strength are presented. The #220 grit size for both abrasive types yielded the best overall results. Although both materials responded well to the ultrasonic machining process, the TiB2/SiC composite exhibited the better surface roughness and characteristic bending strength.
Dynamic mechanical studies of irradiated polypropylene

The internal friction and the dynamic modulus of isotactic polypropylene samples subject to varying degrees of pile irradiation have been studied at low audio frequencies and over the temperature range from 100°K. to over 400°K. The radiation dosages used varied from 5.4 × 1017 to 14 × 1018 nvt. For irradiation doses up to about 3 × 1018 nvt, one observed change is a decrease in the temperature at which the final upswing in damping and drop in modulus occurs, presumably as a result of defects produced in the crystallites by the irradiation. As the irradiation dose increases above 3 × 1018 nvt, all evidence of crystallinity is lost, and the internal friction peak which occurs in the neighborhood of 300°K. and which is associated with the glass transition of the amorphous regions moves to higher temperatures as a result of the increasing chainstiffening effect due to crosslinking. The secondary loss peak at 250°K. attributed to the motion of a small number of segments in the amorphous regions is found to increase in magnitude with increasing dose. The results of density determinations made before and after irradiation and also after subsequent exposure of the irradiated samples to melting temperatures and of solvent extraction studies of the irradiated samples confirm the simultaneous occurrence of crosslinking and of crystalline degradation upon pile irradiation of polypropylene samples.
The Effect of High School Psychology on Pre-Course Knowledge, Midterm Grades, and Final Grades in Introductory Psychology

(1980). The Effect of High School Psychology on Pre-Course Knowledge, Midterm Grades, and Final Grades in Introductory Psychology. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 221-223.
N-docosahexaenoylethanolamine regulates Hedgehog signaling and promotes growth of cortical axons

Axonogenesis, a process for the establishment of neuron connectivity, is central to brain function. The role of metabolites derived from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) that is specifically enriched in the brain, has not been addressed in axon development. In this study, we tested if synaptamide (N-docosahexaenoylethanolamine), an endogenous metabolite of DHA, affects axon growth in cultured cortical neurons. We found that synaptamide increased the average axon length, inhibited GLI family zinc finger 1 (GLI1) transcription and sonic hedgehog (Shh) target gene expression while inducing cAMP elevation. Similar effects were produced by cyclopamine, a regulator of the Shh pathway. Conversely, Shh antagonized elevation of cAMP and blocked synaptamide-mediated increase in axon length. Activation of Shh pathway by a smoothened (SMO) agonist (SAG) or overexpression of SMO did not inhibit axon growth mediated by synaptamide or cyclopamine. Instead, adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ22536 abolished synaptamide-mediated axon growth indicating requirement of cAMP elevation for this process. Our findings establish that synaptamide promotes axon growth while Shh antagonizes synaptamide-mediated cAMP elevation and axon growth by a SMO-independent, non-canonical pathway.
Amplitude Stability in Oscillating Systems

As a supplement to the Kryloff and Bogoliuboff method of determining amplitude of oscillation in quasilinear systems, a method based upon energy balance is presented. From the energy balance condition, a criterion for stability of oscillation is deduced for the case of one degree of freedom. The treatment is then generalized to systems of n degrees of freedom, and the n stability criteria are derived in terms of rates of change, with respect to amplitude, of the power supplied and dissipated in the n oscillations
Language in and out of the classroom: Connecting contexts of language use with learning and teaching practices

A colloquium presented at the Second Language Research Forum on 16 October 2008 at the University of Hawaii at Manoa
Masculinity and Sexuality: Impact on Intimate Relationships of African American Men

In the absence of specific literature, this article provides information about racial identity and masculinity in regard to issues of sex, sexuality, and intimate relationships among African American men. To aid counselors in their understanding and response to these sex-related issues, culturally relevant practices are identified. Recommendations for counseling practice are discussed.
Benchmarking of gene prediction programs for metagenomic data

This manuscript presents the most rigorous benchmarking of gene annotation algorithms for metagenomic datasets to date. We compare three different programs: GeneMark, MetaGeneAnnotator (MGA) and Orphelia. The comparisons are based on their performances over simulated fragments from one hundred species of diverse lineages. We defined four different types of fragments; two types come from the inter- and intra-coding regions and the other types are from the gene edges. Hoff et al. used only 12 species in their comparison; therefore, their sample is too small to represent an environmental sample. Also, no predecessors has separately examined fragments that contain gene edges as opposed to intra-coding regions. General observations in our results are that performances of all these programs improve as we increase the length of the fragment. On the other hand, intra-coding fragments of our data show low annotation error in all of the programs if compared to the gene edge fragments. Overall, we found an upper-bound performance by combining all the methods.
A decoupled time-domain Simulation method via Invariant subspace partition for power system analysis

A decoupled method is proposed to deal with time-domain simulation for power system dynamic analysis. Traditionally, there are two main categories of numerical integration methods: explicit methods and implicit methods. The implicit methods are numerically stable but require more computational time to solve the nonlinear equations, while explicit methods are relatively efficient but may cause a numerical stability problem. This paper proposes a new hybrid method to take advantage of both explicit and implicit methods based on the invariant subspace partition. The original power system equations are decoupled into two parts that correspond to the stiff and nonstiff subspaces. For the stiff invariant subspace, the implicit method is applied to achieve numerical stability, and the explicit method is employed to handle nonstiff invariant subspace for the computational efficiency. As a result, the new hybrid method is both numerically stable and efficient. The approach is demonstrated through New England 39-bus and IEEE 118-bus systems.
Aphasia for Morse code

The ability to communicate by Morse code at high speed has, to our knowledge, not been localized within the cerebral cortex, but might be suspected as residing within the left (dominant) hemisphere. We report a case of a 54-year-old male who suffered a left temporal tip intracerebral hematoma and who temporarily lost his ability to communicate in Morse code, but who was minimally aphasic.
Early pancreatic splenosis presented 2 years after splenectomy.

Abstract Splenosis is defined as the autotransplantation of splenic tissue resulting from the spillage of cells from the pulp of damaged spleen after splenic injury or splenectomy. The splenic tissue implants are generally numerous, and the preferred location is the grater omentum. Pancreatic splenosis is a rare condition with only two previous cases reported in the English literature. We describe a case of pancreatic splenosis with unusual characteristics, in which a definitive diagnosis was obtained with the use of 99m Technetium-sulfur-colloid scintigraphy avoiding invasive procedures or surgical removal.
Effect of added sugar on preference and intake by sheep of hay cut in the morning versus the afternoon

Ruminants prefer hay cut in the afternoon to hay cut in the morning, presumably because hay cut in the afternoon contains higher concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates than hay cut in the morning. We determined if adding sugars (glucose and sucrose) to ground hay would account for differences in preference and affect intake of hay. Alfalfa hay cut either in the afternoon (PM) or the following morning (AM) was used in the trials. Glucose and sucrose were added to AM hay (AMS) to make its sugar content similar to PM hay. During the first trial, lambs received a choice of either: (1) AM and PM hay; (2) AMS and PM hay; or (3) AMS and AM hay. Lambs preferred PM to AMS or AM hay. We also studied how increasing the concentration of added sugars affected preference for hay. Lambs received a choice of AM hay and AM hay with either 1, 2, 3, or 4% added sugar. On the first day of the trial, lambs ate similar amounts of each hay type, regardless of the amount of sugar added. By the end of the trial, lambs preferred hay with 2, 3, or 4% added sugar compared with AM hay without added sugar. During the intake trial, lambs ate similar amounts of AM, AM hay with added starch and sugar (AMSS), and PM hay. After the intake trial, a final preference trial determined that prolonged exposure to AMSS hay increased preference for AMSS hay compared with AM hay. Our results indicate that preference for PM hay is likely related to increased levels of sugars, such as glucose and sucrose, and that lambs learn about the post-ingestive benefits of exogenous sugars added to hay.
Pursuing manufacturing-based export-led growth: Are developing countries increasingly crowding each other out?

This study empirically investigates the presence of crowding out efiects emerging from intradeveloping country competition in export markets for manufactured goods. Export equations are estimated for a panel consisting of twenty major developing country exporters of manufactures, after developing weighted price and quantity indexes based on their exports to thirteen major industrialized countries. The results indicate that in spite of an increase in the elasticity of industrialized country expenditures on imported products, crowding out efiects became much more signiflcant in the 1990s. The estimated crowding out efiects vary across time periods, SITC categories, and levels of technological sophistication of exports.
Laser direct write of silicon nanowires

Using laser direct writing in combination with chemical vapor deposition to produce nanometer scale electronics holds several advantages over current large scale photolithography methods. These include single step electrical interconnect deposition, mask-less patterning, and parallel processing. When taken together they make quick production of individualized electronic circuits possible. This work demonstrates the ability of combining laser direct write and chemical vapor deposition to produce silicon wires a few hundred nanometers wide. Optimized parameters will be discussed, with a particular emphasis paid to the laser-material interactions. The feasibility for electronic applications will be shown by examining the deposition formation on a silicon dioxide surface without degrading the surface's integrity, and by evaluating the resistivity of the deposited silicon wires.
Biophysical Analyses of Sequential Bands of Enamel Related to Ruffle-ended and Smooth-ended Maturation Ameloblasts

During amelogenesis in the rat incisor, modulating ruffle-ended (RA) and smooth-ended (SA) ameloblasts are distributed as bands in the enamel organ of the maturation zone. This distribution of the two cell types has been shown to be precisely correlated with a banding of the underlying enamel, as shown by staining and other cyclical indicators (Takano et al., 1982a,b). Several biophysical approaches have been taken here to characterize the enamel bands sequentially and to determine whether the appearance of such bands is attributable to differences in inorganic composition possibly related to RA and SA. Sprague-Dawley rats were decapitated under ether anesthesia, lower incisors were dissected from surrounding alveolar bone, and enamel organs were wiped from the teeth with moistened gauze. Analyses were performed on either the surface of intact enamel or on individual strips of enamel dissected from the tooth surface, by use of the translucent bands that appear during drying as reference marks for the positions of the overlying cell type. X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and wave-length-dispersive electron probe x-ray micro-analysis (WDS) all failed to detect significant differences between analysis areas; data were characteristic of enamel apatite having typical XRD maxima (hkl = 002, 211, 112, 300), IR absorption bands (PO4(3-) and CO3(2-], XPS Ca and P binding energies (Ca2p = 350.5, 346.9 eV; P2p = 133.7, 132.7 eV), and WDS Ca/P molar ratios (1.33-1.49).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Territorial Reproduction and Transformation in a Local Labor Market; The Animated Film Workers of Los Angeles

The paper opens with a brief account of the economic and technical characteristics of the animated film industry, The specifications of a questionnaire survey of the animated film workers of Los Angeles are outlined, and some initial statistical summaries highlighted. The geographical outlines of the local labor market for animated film workers are described, An attempt is then made to analyze the observed spatial patterns by means of standard gravity-entropy equations, It is demonstrated that there is a trade-off between commuting distances and wage rates in this labor market. The relations between labor turnover, employment, and location are examined, and it is hypothesized that there is a positive correlation between high turnover rates and the geographical agglomeration of employment places. The politico-geographical consequences of these manifold relations are examined. It is indicated that animated film studios are in practice engaging in strategies of the redeployment of production capabilities and...
An Ecological Approach to Understanding Incarcerated Women's Responses to Abuse

SUMMARY Although women are often criticized for not leaving abusive relationships, most abused women actively attempt to protect themselves. This study proposed an ecological model to explain strategic responses to abuse, evaluating factors at four levels: Childhood, Relationship, Individual Impact of Abuse, and Community. Data was retrospectively collected from 85 incarcerated women, a population that is disproportionately affected by trauma and has unique intervention needs. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses confirmed that the proposed ecological model accounts for variance in six strategic response categories: placating, resisting, safety, legal, formal, and informal. Findings are discussed in terms of intervention implications.
The antimicrobial efficacy of silver on antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from burn wounds.

The antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a major concern to wound care because of their ability to resist many of the antibiotics used today to treat infections. Consequently, other antimicrobials, in particular ionic silver, are considered ideal topical agents for effectively helping to manage and prevent local infections. Little is known about the antimicrobial efficacy of ionic silver on antibiotic-resistant bacteria at different pH values. Consequently, in this study our aim was to evaluate the effect of pH on the antimicrobial efficacy of a silver alginate (SA) and a silver carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC) dressing on antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from burn patients. Forty-nine antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MDR Vibrio sp, MDR Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, extended-spectrum s-lactamase (ESBL) producing Salmonella sp, ESBL producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, ESBL producing Proteus mirabilis, ESBL producing Escherichia coli and MDR Acinetobacter baumannii, routinely isolated from burn wounds were used in the study and evaluated for their susceptibility to two silver containing wound dressings using a standardised antimicrobial efficacy screening assay [corrected zone of inhibition (CZOI)]. The mean overall CZOI for the Gram-positive isolates at a pH of 5·5 were very similar for both dressings. A mean CZOI of 5 mm was recorded for the SCMC dressing, which was slightly higher, at 5·4 mm for the SA dressing. At a pH of 7·0 both dressings, in general, showed a similar activity. However, at a pH of 8·5 the mean CZOI of the SCMC dressing was found to be significantly (P < 0·05) higher than the SA dressing for a select number of isolates. The mean overall CZOI for the Gram-negative bacteria followed a similar pattern as observed with the Gram-positive bacteria. Susceptibility to silver ions did vary significantly between genera and species of bacteria. Interestingly, when pH was changed from 8·5 to 5·5 antimicrobial activity for both dressings in general increased significantly (P < 0·05). Overall, all forty-nine antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from burn wounds showed susceptibility to the antimicrobial activity of both silver containing wound dressings over all pH ranges. In addition, the study showed that the performance of both dressings apparently increased when pH became more acidic. The findings in this study may help to further enhance our knowledge of the role pH plays in affecting both bacterial susceptibility and antimicrobial activity of silver containing wound dressings.
The importance of the small intestine in gut ammonium production in the fasting dog.

Abstract The colon is thought to be the major source of portal venous ammonium, but the cleansed small intestine also releases ammonium. The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of jejunum and ileum to portal ammonium relative to the colon, and to identify the possible arterial precursors of ammonium produced in different areas of the gut. In situ segments of jejunum, ileum, or colon, weighing 15–40 g, were studied in fasted, anesthetized dogs. Only jejunal and ileal segments were cleansed. Ammonium, amino acids, and urea were determined in arterial and mesenteric venous blood over 1 hr. The entire small intestine and colon (less feces) were weighed and measured. When expressed per total intestinal segment, jejunum and ileum released into venous blood 28 and 22%, respectively, of gut ammonium and the colon, 50%. Expressed per gram tissue, the colon released approximately three to four times the quantity of ammonium released by jejunum or ileum. There was a similar uptake of glutamine from arterial blood by jejunum and ileum (3.1 ± 0.4, 3.1 ± 0.6, mean ± SEM, μmoles/g/hr respectively) that was equivalent to ammonium released. Significantly less glutamine was taken up by the colon. There was also an uptake from arterial blood by jejunum, ileum, and colon of smaller quantities of amino acids other than glutamine, including serine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. Urea was taken up from arterial blood only by the colon (2.9 ± 0.7 μmoles/g/hr). The results indicate that: (a) The large quantity of ammonium released by the small intestine into portal blood is equal to that released by the uncleansed colon. (b) Ammonium released by the jejunum and ileum can be largely accounted for by the metabolism of glutamine. (c) Fifty-one percent of ammonium released by the colon can be accounted for by the uptake of glutamine and urea.
Dysregulated Estrogen Receptor Signaling in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis Leads to Ovarian Epithelial Tumorigenesis in Mice

The etiology of ovarian epithelial cancer is poorly understood, mainly due to the lack of an appropriate experimental model for studying the onset and progression of this disease. We have created a mutant mouse model in which aberrant estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signaling in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis leads to ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis. In these mice, termed ERαd/d, the ERα gene was conditionally deleted in the anterior pituitary, but remained intact in the hypothalamus and the ovary. The loss of negative-feedback regulation by estrogen (E) at the level of the pituitary led to increased production of luteinizing hormone (LH) by this tissue. Hyperstimulation of the ovarian cells by LH resulted in elevated steroidogenesis, producing high circulating levels of steroid hormones, including E. The ERαd/d mice exhibited formation of palpable ovarian epithelial tumors starting at 5 months of age with 100% penetrance. By 15 months of age, 80% of ERαd/d mice die. Besides proliferating epithelial cells, these tumors also contained an expanded population of luteinized stromal cells, which acquire the ability to express P450 aromatase and synthesize E locally. In response to the elevated levels of E, the ERα signaling was accentuated in the ovarian epithelial cells of ERαd/d mice, triggering increased ERα-dependent gene expression, abnormal cell proliferation, and tumorigenesis. Consistent with these findings, treatment of ERαd/d mice with letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, markedly reduced circulating E and ovarian tumor volume. We have, therefore, developed a unique animal model, which serves as a useful tool for exploring the involvement of E-dependent signaling pathways in ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis.
Immunohistochemical characterization of canine hyperplastic hepatic lesions and hepatocellular and biliary neoplasms with monoclonal antibody hepatocyte paraffin 1 and a monoclonal antibody to cytokeratin 7.

Immunostaining with monoclonal antibody (MoAb) hepatocyte paraffi n1( Hep Par 1) and an MoAb to cytokeratin 7 (CK7) was performed on 105 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded canine hyperplastic and neoplastic hepatic lesions. Hep Par 1 was detected in 12/12 hyperplastic nodules, 17/17 hepatocellular adenomas, and 37/40 hepatocellular carcinomas. The staining was disseminated, granular, and cytoplasmic. This antibody did not react with normal or neoplastic biliary epithelium. Other hepatic tumors or tumors metastatic to the liver did not bind Hep Par 1 except one metastatic intestinal carcinoma. MoAb to CK 7 stained all hyperplastic biliary epithelium and benign cholangiocellular tumors (5/5) and 14/18 cholangiocellular carci- nomas. One hepatocellular carcinoma had cells positive for both Hep Par 1 and CK 7. Liver was the only normal tissue tested that reacted with MoAb Hep Par 1. Only five nonhepatic tumors (one adrenocortical carcinoma, one interstitial cell tumor of the testis, one melanoma, and two salivary adenocarcinomas) of 277 tumors tested had focal/multifocal staining for Hep Par 1. Prolonged fixation did not alter the staining with Hep Par 1. We conclude that Hep Par 1 is a specific and sensitive marker for canine hepatocellular tumors and allows distinction between hepatocellular and biliary neoplasms.
The Checkpoint Kinase Inhibitor AZD7762 Potentiates Chemotherapy-Induced Apoptosis of p53-Mutated Multiple Myeloma Cells

DNA cross-linking agents are frequently used in the treatment of multiple myeloma–generating lesions, which activate checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), a critical transducer of the DNA damage response. Chk1 activation promotes cell survival by regulating cell-cycle arrest and DNA repair following genotoxic stress. The ability of AZD7762, an ATP-competitive Chk1/2 inhibitor to increase the efficacy of the DNA-damaging agents bendamustine, melphalan, and doxorubicin was examined using four human myeloma cell lines, KMS-12BM,KMS-12-PE,RPMI-8226,andU266B1.TheinvitroactivityofAZD7762asmonotherapyandcombinedwith alkylating agents and the "novel" drug bortezomib was evaluated by studying its effects on cytotoxicity, signaling, and apoptotic pathways. The Chk1/2 inhibitor AZD7762 potentiated the antiproliferative effects of bendamustine, melphalan, and doxorubicin but not bortezomib in multiple myeloma cell lines that were p53deficient.Increased gH2AXstainingincellstreatedwithbendamustineormelphalanplusAZD7762indicatesa greater degree of DNA damage with combined therapy. Abrogation of the G2–M checkpoint by AZD7762 resulted in mitotic catastrophe with ensuing apoptosis evidenced by PARP and caspase-3 cleavage. In summary, the cytotoxic effects of bendamustine, melphalan and doxorubicin on p53-deficient multiple myeloma cell lines were enhanced by the coadministration of AZD7762. These data provide a rationale for testing these combinations in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma.Mol Cancer Ther; 11(8); 1781–8. � 2012 AACR.
Digital-primitive art research: animation permeates centuries-old rawhides

This work provides a brief introduction and an inspection of my "Digital-Primitive Art" series of artwork and research in 2004. The visual creations of "Digital-Primitive Art" consist of 3D animation/modeling images that are digitalized on centuries-old rawhides, parchments and natural wood, as well as being projected onto both sides of rawhides through video projectors. It offers new dialogue among old and new technologies; early and modern American spiritualities, ephemeral and timeless art forms, and digital and primitive art significations. Artistic perception and technical comprehension are twin brothers in the digital animation family. They mutually accelerate the expansion of computer animation. Maintaining equilibrium among electronic and primitive spirituality, digital technology and ethno-technology is a focus in this art exploration.
Radiology of the Chiari Malformations

Neuroimaging is a key tool in evaluating and diagnosing those disorders of the craniocervical junction known as “Chiari malformations.” Although linked by their name, these are very different disorders, linked by a need to image the entire brain and the entire spine for proper evaluation. The Chiari I malformation is a disorder in which a small bony posterior fossa results in the herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum; as a result, the cerebellar tonsils and cervicomedullary junction are compressed, and CSF flow through the foramen magnum is impeded, putting the patient at risk for syringohydromyelia. Proper imaging evaluation is essential to differentiate this condition from tonsillar herniation due to intracranial hypotension (from CSF leaks) or intracranial hypertension (idiopathic or from masses/hydrocephalus) in which treatment is quite different. The Chiari II malformation results from intracranial hypotension in utero due to chronic CSF leakage at the site of an open neural tube defect (myelomeningocele). The myelomeningocele may be repaired prenatally or soon after birth. The many forebrain and hindbrain malformations that result from the chronic intracranial hypotension in utero are described. The definition of the Chiari III malformation is in transition but is most easily described as herniation of upper cervical spinal cord and hindbrain structures (combined cephalocele and myelocele) through a dorsal low occipital and dorsal upper cervical bony defect. Optimal imaging evaluation for these disorders is discussed.
A Critical Approach to Pedagogy in Mental Health

SUMMARY In the current global era, social work educators struggle with the notions of mental health and illness as they are configured in western conceptions of psychiatry. Committed to social justice, human rights, and multiple perspectives, the authors resist the idea that individual pathology alone constitutes an adequate framework for understanding and working with mental illness. Given that social work has a predominant presence in the mental health system, this issue has serious repercussion for the profession. Educators are charged with the preparation of practitioners to take up distinctive and meaningful roles in the mental health system that reflect the profession's value base and contribute to its mission. In the US, the social work contribution has often required adoption of a medicalized focus as its own. This paper will explore the development of a pedagogical approach that supports a uniquely social work voice in mental health. It both teaches and critiques the most widely used contemporary...
Docking Screens for Novel Ligands Conferring New Biology.

It is now plausible to dock libraries of 10 million molecules against targets over several days or weeks. When the molecules screened are commercially available, they may be rapidly tested to find new leads. Although docking retains important liabilities (it cannot calculate affinities accurately nor even reliably rank order high-scoring molecules), it can often can distinguish likely from unlikely ligands, often with hit rates above 10%. Here we summarize the improvements in libraries, target quality, and methods that have supported these advances, and the open access resources that make docking accessible. Recent docking screens for new ligands are sketched, as are the binding, crystallographic, and in vivo assays that support them. Like any technique, controls are crucial, and key experimental ones are reviewed. With such controls, docking campaigns can find ligands with new chemotypes, often revealing the new biology that may be docking’s greatest impact over the next few years.
Niacin protects the isolated heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Nicotinic acid (niacin) has been shown to decrease myocyte injury. Because interventions that lower the cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio improve glycolysis and limit infarct size, we hypothesized that 1) ...
Una Virgen mexicana: Los usos del simbolismo, folklore y etnicidad en la creación de la identidad mexicana

Este articulo argumenta que los mitos, leyendas y cuentos populares jugaron un papel fundamental en la creacion y desarrollo de una identidad mexicana. Los trabajos de estudiosos como David Brading, Enrique Florescano y Anthony Pagden, entre otros, junto con las fuentes primarias de la epoca colonial, como el Teatro de virtudes politicas de Carlos de Siguenza y Gongora y Storia antica del Messico de Francisco Clavijero, se analizan en este ensayo. Por lo tanto, este segmento habla de como se utilizaron los mitos y leyendas indi- genas por parte de la elite criolla de para una identidad mestiza/hibrida que tuvo una fuerte influencia en los discursos del nacionalismo y la formacion de la identidad. El papel de la Virgen de Guadalupe como simbolo clave tambien se discute en este ensayo.
Please exit safely: maternal and twin pair neonatal outcomes according to delivery mode when twin A is vertex.

AbstractObjective: To investigate maternal and infant outcomes associated with delivery mode for twins with a cephalic presenting twin.Methods: Linked birth certificate and ICD hospital discharge data were analyzed retrospectively for 5573 mothers and their respective twin pairs born live at 34–42 weeks’ gestation, with twin A vertex, in Washington State from 1997–2007. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals of adverse maternal and twin pair outcomes were calculated for vaginal delivery or cesarean during labor in comparison to cesarean without labor.Results: Vaginal delivery or cesarean during labor was associated with significantly elevated rates of maternal hemorrhage (RR = 2.8 [2.2,3.7]), infection (RR = 2.2 [1.5,3.3]), twin pair birth injury (RR = 2.6 [1.2,5.4]) and low 5-min Apgar scores (RR = 1.4 [1.1,1.8]) and with significantly lower rates of ventilation among preterm twin pairs only (RR = 0.8 [0.7,0.9]). The lowest rate of combined poor short-term outcomes occurred in mothers and twin ...
Documenting Contested Racial Identities Among Self-Identified Latina/os, Asians, Blacks, and Whites

A contested racial identity refers to incongruence between personal racial identification and external racial categorization. For example, an individual may self-identify as White, but be perceived...
Differential secretion pathways of proteins fused to the Escherichia coli maltose binding protein (MBP) in Pichia pastoris

The Escherichia coli maltose binding protein (MBP) is an N-terminal fusion partner that was shown to enhance the secretion of some heterologous proteins from the yeast Pichia pastoris, a popular host for recombinant protein expression. The amount of increase in secretion was dependent on the identity of the cargo protein, and the fusions were proteolyzed prior to secretion, limiting its use as a purification tag. In order to overcome these obstacles, we used the MBP as C-terminal partner for several cargo peptides. While the Cargo-MBP proteins were no longer proteolyzed in between these two moieties when the MBP was in this relative position, the secretion efficiency of several fusions was lower than when MBP was located at the opposite end of the cargo protein (MBP-Cargo). Furthermore, fluorescence analysis suggested that the MBP-EGFP and EGFP-MBP proteins followed different routes within the cell. The effect of several Pichia pastoris beta-galactosidase supersecretion (bgs) strains, mutants showing enhanced secretion of select reporters, was also investigated on both MBP-EGFP and EGFP-MBP. While the secretion efficiency, proteolysis and localization of the MBP-EGFP was influenced by the modified function of Bgs13, EGFP-MBP behavior was not affected in the bgs strain. Taken together, these results indicate that the location of the MBP in a fusion affects the pathway and trans-acting factors regulating secretion in P. pastoris.
Virulence of Coccidioides immitis Determined By Intracerebral Inoculation in Mice

SummaryThe virulence of 2 strains of Coccidioides immitis was evaluated by intracerebral inoculation in albino mice. The LD50 for the 2 strains was found to be between 1 to 6 and 1 to 9 fungus particles.
Molybdenum-Sulfate Interrelationship in the Growing Chicks1,2

Abstract MANY studies have been made on the toxicity of molybdenum in domestic and experimental animals. Kratzer (1952) reported that chicks can tolerate higher levels of molybdenum in the diet than ruminants can, although, the addition of 300 ppm. molybdenum to the chick's diet depressed growth by 25 percent. Dick (1956) demonstrated that adding inorganic sulfate to the diet will reduce the molybdenum concentration of the blood. Miller et al. (1956) found that inorganic sulfate would overcome the molybdenum induced growth inhibition in rats. Davies et al. (1957) reported that the addition of sodium sulfate to the chick's diet would partially overcome the growth depressing effect of feeding high levels of molybdenum. The purpose of the experiments presented here was to determine if other compounds containing sulfur would be more effective than sulfate in overcoming the growth inhibition caused by feeding high levels of molybdenum to the chick. EXPERIMENTAL New Hampshire …
Electrical insulation at cryogenic temperatures

The rapidly increasing activity in the field of cryogenics has established the need for a precise understanding of the physical and electrical behavior of insulating materials at the very low temperatures involved. Unlike the normal and higher temperature properties which are well-known, there is little background information and accumulated knowledge available to the design and application engineers. Consequently, it is necessary to start almost from scratch to study the electrical properties of insulating materials at cryogenic temperatures.
A View From the US Food and Drug Administration

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is first and foremost a public health and consumer protection agency. It regulates products, including implantable prosthetic devices, worth more than $1 trillion per year and accounting for one-fourth of all dollars spent annually by US consumers (1). The agency is responsible, through enforcement of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “Act”) and several related public health laws, for ensuring that (a) foods are safe, wholesome, sanitary, and properly labeled; human and veterinary drugs are safe and effective; there is reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of devices intended for human use; cosmetics are safe and properly labeled; and public health and safety are protected from electronic product radiation; (b) regulated products are honestly, accurately, and informatively represented; and (c) these products are in compliance with the law and FDA regulations; noncompliance is identified and corrected; and any unsafe or unlawful products are removed from the marketplace (2)
Riccati or Square Root Equation? The Semi-separable Case

The quadratic matrix Riccati equation has been celebrated as the main ingredient in many problems of system inversion, estimation and control. However, it is an indirect equation, many of these problems can be viewed as special cases of some type of inner-outer factorization, which then can be solved through a linear equation called a ‘square root equation’ – as it involves a matrix square root of the unknown in the Riccati equation. The paper reviews the major cases systematically in the setting of semi separable, discrete time systems. When possible, the Riccati equation should be avoided in favor of the direct square root equation. The main reason (aside from simplicity and unicity) is numerical: the numerical condition of the squared equation is also the square of the original. The paper parallels, from the “square root equation” point of view, the great insights, which J. William (Bill) Helton has developed over the years, and which are extensively documented in the two books [11, 10].
How a Piggyback Synapse Listens in to Tune Excitatory Terminals.

In this issue of Neuron, Mende et al. (2016) report how axo-axonic synapses of interneurons balance the strength of glutamatergic terminals in the spinal cord. The results highlight presynaptic roles of mGluR1 receptors and of BDNF as a retrograde signal to regulate GABA synthesis and tune transmission.