cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LOWERING OF BLOOD ACETALDEHYDE LEVELS AS A THERAPERTIC APPROACH TO ALCOHOLISM

Approaches that can lower blood AcH have been considered. D-Penicillamine, a metabolically inert sulfhydryl amino acid, when administered with ethanol-1−14C, condensed non-enzymatically with the AcH generated in vivo leading to the urinary excretion of 14C-labeled 2,5,5-trimethylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA). Disulfiram and pargyline treatment tripled and quadrupled, respectively, the amount of TTCA excreted, whereas pyrogallol administration had no effect. Blood AcH levels were reduced 90% and AcH in expired air was reduced 75% by D-penicillamine treatment, but blood ethanol levels were unaffected. The catecholamine responses of AcH infusion to anesthetized dogs were reversed by simultaneous infusion of D-penicillamine, concomitant to a lowering of blood AcH levels caused by the trapping of AcH by D-penicillamine.
Range safety requirements and methods for sounding rocket launches

Abstract This article describes requirements and methods employed to ensure safety during sounding rocket launches. Sounding rockets are typically rail launched on suborbital trajectories with no active guidance systems; instead fins are used to stabilize the rocket by moving the center of pressure behind the center of gravity. Fins mounted at an angle to induce spin about the roll axis are a particularly effective means to maintain flight along the intended trajectory. This article reports on the application of high fidelity trajectory and debris impact dispersion analysis methods and launcher setting optimization techniques to prevent debris impacts outside of the pre-determined hazard areas for multi-stage spin-stabilized sounding rockets. Accurate trajectory analyses, for nominal and malfunction conditions, are critical to the safety of sounding rocket launches, whether or not a risk assessment is performed. Therefore, a significant section of this article addresses requirements and methods for high fidelity trajectory analyses, including lessons learned from recent experiences. Examples are presented to demonstrate that a full 6DOF trajectory analysis is necessary to compute accurate impact dispersions for sounding rockets with significant angular momentum. The importance of angular momentum to the flight dynamics of a typical spin stabilized rocket highlights the desirability of a nominal impact dispersion analysis that uses the Monte Carlo technique to account for the non-linear effects of various combinations of input parameter perturbations, such as launch elevation and thrust angle, or thrust offset and thrust angle. This article also describes requirements and methods used for public risk management of sounding rockets, including risks to people in various transportation modes such as aircraft, ships, and automobiles. This article assesses generic types of sounding rocket anomalies, such as fin failures, motor case ruptures, or staging anomalies, and illustrates methods to address these types of events from a range safety perspective.
On the role of cholecystokinin in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States (1). There are no effective treatments for the disease, and no screening techniques are available for detecting tumors at an early stage. In most patients, the diagnosis is made too late for curative surgery; the tumor has often already spread beyond the pancreas or has metastasized at the time of the first symptoms (2). Over 90% of the patients die within 1 yr after the disease is diagnosed, and the 5-yr survival rate is negligible (1, 3). The reason for the aggressive nature of pancreatic cancer is unknown, but hormonal growth factors are likely to be important. In the past few years, considerable attention has been given to the possible hormone responsiveness of pancreatic cancer. Much of this work has focused on the gastrointestinal hormone cholecystokinin (CCK). Recent reviews on the role of CCK in pancreatic cancer (4-15) have emphasized the experiments that suggest that CCK receptors are present on pancreatic cancer cells, that CCK stimulates growth of tumor cells, and that CCK receptor blockade retards tumor development. However, the results of many other experiments do not support the hypothesis that CCK plays an important role in pancreatic cancer. The current review gives an overview of this controversial subject. Some investigations of CCK and pancreatic cancer have been conducted using fresh human pancre-
Encapsulation of Nitrate Salts Using Vinylmethylpolysiloxane

The Department of Energy has an immediate need for multiple technologies to transport and dispose of low level mixed waste. Solidification/stabilization (S/S) processes offer one possible solution that encapsulates sludge and dry hazardous wastes in a low permeability solid form. The advantage of vinylmethylpolysiloxane over other organic solidification processes is its ability to cure at ambient temperature. This paper examined compressive strength, metal leaching, and void area measurements of vinylmethylpolysiloxane-encapsulated waste as a function of waste loading (28–48wt%) for three surrogate wastes having compositions similar to those found at national laboratories. Compressive strength was greater than 4,390 kPa for all but one sample (48 wt% waste load-High Chloride waste). Image analysis shows void area increases linearly with increasing waste load, attributed to an increasing total sample volume physically occupied by the waste. Leaching test results indicate metal specific behavior and waste composition effects on Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) concentrations. Cadmium diffusion from the encapsulated waste is slow (leach index >10 at all waste loads). Cost comparison of vinylmethylpolysiloxane to cement shows that it could be an economical waste disposal alternative.
Introduction to Myths and Realities Associated with Research and Theorizing for Human Development

The five papers in this issue address myths and realities associated with human development research and theorizing. The papers represent diverse perspectives on sexual minority youth, resilience a...
Coordinated Lane Changing Using V2V Communications

Lane changing behavior is one source of vehicle accidents on the road. Before changing to another lane, the driver needs to carefully assess the distances to surrounding vehicles. Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications provide an opportunity to make lane changing decisions more safe and efficient. Within a vehicular network, all connected vehicles are sharing drive information in real-time, which improves the vehicle's situational awareness regarding the surrounding traffic conditions. This paper presents two lane changing schemes for connected vehicles based on V2V communications. The proposed schemes use simple ACK to make sure the messages communicated during the lane changing process is reliable. Furthermore, the proposed schemes are evaluated by a custom-built VANET simulator created using the MATLAB Discrete-Event System environment. The simulation results prove that the proposed lane changing schemes not only guarantee the safety of lane changes but also improve the efficiency of road traffic.
Life Threatening haemoptysis in primary lung cancer-signet ring cell carcinoma

Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the lung is a rare non-small cell carcinoma of the lung with extremely aggressive features and poor prognosis. The diagnosis mainly required tissue biopsy with immunohistochemical analysis and gene mutation studies. We describe a unique case of primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the lung presenting with life threatening haemoptysis along with literature review of prognosis and management of this rare clinical entity.
Lessons learned in engineering interrupted adenylation domains when attempting to create trifunctional enzymes from three independent monofunctional ones

Interrupted adenylation (A) domains are fascinating examples of multifunctional enzymes. They are found in nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), which biosynthesize nonribosomal peptides (NRPs), a major class of medically relevant natural products (NPs). Interrupted A domains contain the catalytic portion of another domain within them, typically a methylation (M) domain, thus combining both adenylation and methylation capabilities. In recent years, interrupted A domains have demonstrated tremendous enzyme engineering potential as they are able to be constructed artificially in a laboratory setting by combining the A and M domains of two separate NRPS proteins. A recent discovery and characterization of a naturally occurring interrupted A domain that harbored two M domains back-to-back, a trifunctional protein, showed the ingenuity of Nature to both N- and O-methylate amino acids, the building blocks of NRPs. Since we have shown that a single M domain could be added to an uninterrupted A domain to create an artificial interrupted A domain, we set out to investigate if: (i) an A domain could be engineered to contain two back-to-back M domains and (ii) the added M domains would have to reflect the pattern in Nature, a side chain (O-) methylating M domain (Ms) followed by a backbone (N-) methylating M domain (Mb), or if the order of the M domains could be reversed. To address these questions, we set out to create our own AMsMbA and AMbMsA engineered interrupted A domains. We evaluated these engineered proteins connected (in cis) and/or disconnected (in trans) from the native thiolation (T) domain, through a series of radiometric assays, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and mass spectrometry (MS) for adenylation, loading, and methylation ability. We found that although adenylation activity was preserved in both versions (AMsMbA and AMbMsA), addition of the M domains, in natural and unnatural order, did not result in the desired added methylation capability. This study offers valuable insights into the limits of constructing engineered interrupted A domains as potential tools for modifications of NRPs.
Avoiding the Curves: Direct Elicitation of Time Preferences

We propose and test a new method for eliciting curvature-controlled discount rates that are invariant to the form of the utility function. The advantage of this method is that individual discount rates can be obtained without knowledge of risk attitude or parametric assumptions about the form of the utility function. We compare our single elicitation method that does not require estimation of the utility function to the Andersen et al. (2008) double elicitation technique in which the utility function and discount rates are jointly estimated. We use a laboratory experiment to perform a within-subjects comparison of discount rates from these two methods and consistent results, which is reassuring given the wide range of estimates in the literature. In addition, the estimated discount rates in our study are plausibly low in contrast to the vast majority of other discount rate studies. Average discount rates are estimated to be between 12.2 and 14.1 percent. Our results are robust to relaxing the expected utility assumption of linearity in the probabilities, as we find little evidence of probability weighting in our data.
Resilient Power: A home-based electricity generation and storage solution for the medically vulnerable during climate-induced power outages

Abstract Climate-related power outages have increasingly compromised the lives and well-being of medically vulnerable populations. For the millions reliant on electricity for home medical equipment, even short-term power outages can lead to a potentially life-threatening situation. Society’s most vulnerable populations— elders, the ill, and the poor—face the greatest risks. Yet, technologies that provide backup energy in the face of power outages are limited and existing resources are often inaccessible outside of healthcare settings and mostly do not directly reach low-income populations. With the increasing prevalence of climate-related events that induce power outages such as hurricanes, wildfires and windstorms, there is an imminent need to increase access to backup power, for both residences and critical community facilities. This paper sheds light on the increasingly relevant problem of power outages and offers a view toward a socio-technically-based solution to protect vulnerable populations and improve health outcomes in the event of an outage. It provides a comprehensive overview of the impacts of power outages on electricity-dependent populations by highlighting existing research on affected populations, describing the gaps in the field, and featuring two case studies in Puerto Rico and California that provide preliminary evidence for the potential uses of resilient power resources. Resilient power systems-- battery storage ideally paired with solar photovoltaics-- can provide clean, reliable emergency backup power by storing electricity for use when grid power is unavailable. Backup power can mitigate the adverse health impacts of power outages on electricity-dependent populations, many of whom are medically and socioeconomically vulnerable. We describe a future of energy that is resilient and just, by presenting the possibility for access to clean energy technologies that can support healthcare that is home-based and features multiple co-benefits in light of climate change. With additional evidence, policies, incentives, and market designs in place, resilient power technologies can serve all populations in need of reliable and resilient access to electricity in the near future.
Quantification of Retinal Ganglion Cell Morphology in Human Glaucomatous Eyes.

Purpose To characterize retinal ganglion cell morphological changes in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma associated with hemifield defect (HD) using adaptive optics-optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT). Methods Six patients with early to moderate primary open-angle glaucoma with an average age of 58 years associated with HD and six age-matched healthy controls with an average age of 61 years were included. All participants underwent in vivo retinal ganglion cell (RGC) imaging at six primary locations across the macula with AO-OCT. Ganglion cell layer (GCL) somas were manually counted, and morphological parameters of GCL soma density, size, and symmetry were calculated. RGC cellular characteristics were correlated with functional visual field measurements. Results GCL soma density was 12,799 ± 7747 cells/mm2, 9370 ± 5572 cells/mm2, and 2134 ± 1494 cells/mm2 at 3°, 6°, and 12°, respectively, in glaucoma patients compared with 25,058 ± 4649 cells/mm2, 15,551 ± 2301 cells/mm2, and 3891 ± 1105 cells/mm2 (P < 0.05 for all locations) at the corresponding retinal locations in healthy participants. Mean soma diameter was significantly larger in glaucoma patients (14.20 ± 2.30 µm) compared with the health controls (12.32 ± 1.94 µm, P < 0.05 for all locations); symmetry was 0.36 ± 0.32 and 0.86 ± 0.13 in glaucoma and control cohorts, respectively. Conclusions Glaucoma patients had lower GCL soma density and symmetry, greater soma size, and increased variation of GCL soma reflectance compared with age-matched control subjects. The morphological changes corresponded with HD, and the cellular level structural loss correlated with visual function loss in glaucoma. AO-based morphological parameters could be potential sensitive biomarkers for glaucoma.
Cisplatin-induced pulse of germ cell apoptosis precedes long-term elevated apoptotic rates in C57/BL/6 mouse testis.

Chemotherapeutic doses of cisplatin impair spermatogenesis and ultimately cause azoospermia and infertility in some men. The mechanism by which cisplatin damages testicular germ cells is poorly understood. Cisplatin's impact is first detected hours after exposure in the formation of DNA cross-links followed by weeks of testicular damage. Here, we report in 11-week-old male mice an early and massive rise of germ cell apoptosis after a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of either 5 or 10 mg/kg cisplatin. For the lower dose, a roughly 9-fold peak increase in the apoptotic index over the control level is observed at 36 h, and for the higher dose, a 24-fold rise is seen at 24 h. At these peak levels, the lower dose produced a higher ratio of apoptotic early spermatocytes to apoptotic spermatogonia than did the higher dose. In addition to this early wave of germ cell die-off, our data show that while the post-wave apoptotic rates for both dose regimes diminish, at 12 days the apoptotic rates appear significantly higher (5 mg/kg) than controls. In summary, our findings show two events set in motion by acute cisplatin exposure: (1) a previously unreported massive apoptotic die-off of germ cells followed by (2) an elevated apoptotic rate possibly reflecting long-term or permanent damage to the seminiferous tubule.
China-raw materials: WTO rules on Chinese natural resources export dispute

In February 2012, the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) adopted the Appellate Body and panel reports on the China — Raw Materials dispute brought by the EU, Mexico, and the United States against Chinese export restrictions and export taxes on bauxite, coke, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon carbide, silicon metal, yellow phosphorus, and zinc. The decisions offer some first impressions on the intersection between WTO law, a WTO member government’s ability to regulate trade in its natural resources, and public international law norms regarding sovereignty of natural resources.
Flow of Fluids

Fluids are substances that flow without disintegration when pressure is applied. This definition of a fluid includes gases, liquids, and certain solids. A number of foods are fluids. In addition, gases such as compressed air and steam are also used in food processing, and they exhibit resistance to flow just as liquids do. In this chapter, the subject of fluid flow will be discussed from two standpoints: (1) the resistance to flow and its implications for the design of a fluid-handling system and (2) evaluation of the rheological properties of fluid foods.
Task Decomposition and Dynamic Role Assignment for Real-Time Strategic Teamwork

Multi-agent domains consisting of teams of agents that need to collaborate in an adversarial environment offer challenging research opportunities. In this paper, we introduce periodic team synchronization domains, as timecritical environments in which agents act autonomouslywith limited communication, but they can periodically synchronize in a full-communication setting. We present a team agent structure that allows for an agent to capture and reason about team agreements. We achieve collaboration between agents through the introduction of formations. A formation decomposes the task space defining a set of roles. Homogeneous agents can flexibly switch roles within formations, and agents can change formations dynamically, according to pre-defined triggers to be evaluated at run-time. This flexibility increases the performance of the overall team. Our team structure further includes pre-planning for frequent situations. We fully implemented this approach in the domain of robotic soccer. Our simulator team made it to the semi-finals of the RoboCup-97 competition, in which 29 teams participated. It achieved a total score of 67-9 over six different games, and successfully demonstrated its flexible team structure. Using the same team structure, our small robot team won the RoboCup-97 small-robot competition, in which 4 teams participated. It achieved a total score of 13-1 over 4 games and also demonstrated its flexible team structure.
Properties of Galactic Winds and Their Impact on the IGM

Galaxies play an important role in the evolution of the intergalactic medium (IGM). A significant fraction of the star formation in the local universe, and perhaps the majority of star formation at high redshift, occurs in starburst galaxies. The high spatial and temporal density of supernovae in starburst galaxies fuels galactic-scale outflows of interstellar gas. These outflows have been observed in galaxies over a broad mass range but only during the brief starburst phase. I review the measured properties of galactic winds here to aid comparisons to the kinematics and metallicities of quasar absorption line system. If some absorption line systems were clearly identifiable with relic winds, then the frequency and extent of galactic winds could be derived directly from statistical analysis of random sight lines.
Viewing Turnover through a Wide-Angle Lens: Conceptualizing Locality Turnover

Prior studies of employee turnover have inherently included employees who depart due to dissatisfaction with the locality of their employment, though the search for factors contributing to turnover generally ignores locality. We introduce the construct of "locality turnover" defined as an employee's voluntary departure from the region or district. In a field study of 244 workers, we examined the effect of organizational embeddedness and community embeddedness on intention to leave the locality. Results indicate community embeddedness fit, sacrifice, and links explain variance in locality turnover intention above and beyond the variance explained by organizational turnover intention.
The International Trading System and Its Future

This chapter describes the evolution and structure of the international trading system, focusing on the tension between the fundamental GATT/WTO principle of most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment and the proliferation of discriminatory trading arrangements, including regional agreements as well as new versions of special and differential treatment of low-income countries. It also discusses the increasing pressure to use the enforcement power of the GATT/WTO system to achieve member compliance with social norms in the areas of labor and environment. The chapter concludes by considering some significant challenges that currently face the international trading system and possible directions of the system’s evolution in response to these challenges.
Determination of electron temperature in a penning discharge by the helium line ratio method

The helium line ratio technique was used to determine electron temperatures in a toroidal steady-state Penning discharge operating in helium. Due to the low background pressure, less than .0001 torr, and the low electron density, the corona model is expected to provide a good description of the excitation processes in this discharge. In addition, by varying the Penning discharge anode voltage and background pressure, it is possible to vary the electron temperature as measured by the line ratio technique over a wide range (10 to 100+ eV). These discharge characteristics allow a detailed comparison of electron temperatures measured from different possible line ratios over a wide range of temperatures and under reproducible steady-state conditions. Good agreement is found between temperatures determined from different neutral line ratios, but use of the helium ion line results in a temperature systematically 10 eV high compared to that from the neutral lines.
ENDOMETRIAL ASPIRATION SMEAR IN DIAGNOSIS OF MALIGNANCY OF THE UTERINE CORPUS.

Abstract 1. A vaginal and endometrial aspiration smear were obtained on 6,416 patients admitted to the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for diagnostic curettage. 2. One hundred three malignancies of the endometrium were diagnosed in this group of patients. 3. The accuracy of the diagnosis by the vaginal smear was 74.2 per cent. 4. The accuracy of diagnosis by the endometrial smear was 92.6 per cent. 5. The accuracy rate of diagnoses which were made by the curettage was approximately 98 per cent. 6. When both the smear and curettage were used the accuracy of diagnosis was 100 per cent.
Effect of horizontal pushing and pulling exertions on neck muscle activity

In this study the effect of horizontal pushing and pulling exertions on the activity of major neck muscles, stern- ocleidomastoid and cervical trapezius, was studied biomechanically by using electromyography (EMG). Twenty-two (11 males and 11 females) healthy individuals participated in this study. Each participant performed constrained horizontal pushing and pulling exertions, in a seated posture, exerting 25%, 50%, and 75% of their respective maximum strengths. The activity of the neck muscles increased with the increase in the pushing and pulling force. The direction of force application had a minimal effect on the activation of neck muscles. The effect of gender on the activity of the neck muscles was significant. Female participants used sternocleidomastoid muscle to a significantly greater extent than male participants. A significantly higher activation of cervical trapezius muscle was observed for male participants than female participants.
Functional changes associated with structural alterations induced by mobilization of a P element inserted in the Sex-lethal gene of Drosophila.

Genetic analysis of rearrangements within the multifunctional sex determining gene Sex-lethal has allowed correlation of changes in specific functions with DNA alterations. Rearrangements were isolated by mobilization of a P element which is on the 5′ side of the gene, at coordinate 0. Previous work has shown that rearrangements associated with alterations in Sxl gene function are found within an 11-kb region between coordinates -11 and 0. Here it is shown that insertion of foreign DNA, per se , at coordinate 0 is compatible with wild-type gene function. However, deletion of sequences on either side of this point generates a mutant phenotype. Deletions extending distally beyond coordinate -6.5 kb result in a null phenotype, whereas smaller distal deletions or proximal deletions eliminate only some Sxl functions.
Alfalfa blotch leafminer, Agromyza frontella (Diptera: Agromyzidae), effects on alfalfa in Vermont.

Seven years of field evaluation has shown the alfalfa blotch leafminer, Agromyza frontella (Rondani), to be of minor economic importance in Vermont. Although response to certain insecticidal treatments resulted in highly significant reduction in leaf mining at time of cut, no other differences were shown. Analyses of fiber content as measured by lignin, cell wall constituents, acid detergent fiber, quality as measured by % protein and % digestibility, and yields in dry weight (kg/ha) showed no significant differences. Comparison of leaflet dehiscence from field-cured and baled samples failed to indicate differences between blotched and healthy alfalfa. Two imported parasite species, Chrysocharis punctifacies Delucchi and Dacnusa dryas (Nixon), are established within the state; we predict that these parasites combined with native species will effect a decline in alfalfa blotch leafminer levels below any conceivable economic threshold.
Game asset considerations for facial animation

Though slowly improving, the majority of modern real-time productions-chiefly consisting of video games-tend to be lacking detail and flexibility in facial animation. A new facial rig is devised by investigating both the game asset development pipeline as well as current facial setup and animation schemes. The resultant rig hybridizes several of these solutions and not only attempts to address the issue of detail in facial animation but also usability and efficiency.
Effects of repeated administration of cocaine to the fetal sheep in the last days of pregnancy.

Objective : There are no reports on the direct effects of repeated cocaine administration to the fetus in late pregnancy. The aim of our study was therefore to examine the effects of repeated fetal exposure to cocaine on fetal development. Study design : Ten fetal sheep were instrumented at 123 ± 1 days' gestation. Five fetuses received a single daily intravenous injection of cocaine (2 mg/kg) commencing at 130 to 131 days of gestation until delivery at 132 to 144 days of gestation; those fetuses were compared with fetuses that did not receive cocaine ( n = 5). Results : Basal fetal arterial blood gas values, blood pressure, heart rate, and nuchal and diaphragmatic activities did not change in the days preceding labor. Fetal arterial Po 2 fell after cocaine administration, but this was significant only on the first day. Cocaine induced consistent significant alterations in fetal pH and Pco 2 , blood pressure, and heart rate. During labor cocaine stimulated diaphragmatic and nuchal muscle activity when compared with the other days. There was no increase in diaphragmatic and nuchal muscle activity in the controls. Conclusions : Our studies indicate that in fetal sheep the cardiovascular and blood gas response to cocaine in late pregnancy is not altered by repeated exposure to cocaine and that cocaine stimulates fetal breathing during labor.
Critical role of sodium in cytosolic [Ca2+] elevations in cultured hippocampal CA1 neurons during anoxic depolarization

Although the extent of ischemic brain damage is directly proportional to the duration of anoxic depolarization (AD), the mechanism of cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]c) elevation during AD is poorly understood. To address the mechanism in this study, [Ca2+]c was monitored in cultured rat hippocampal CA1 neurons loaded with a Ca-sensitive dye, fura-2FF, and exposed to an AD-simulating medium containing (in mmol/L): K+ 65, Na+ 50, Ca2+ 0.13, glutamate 0.1, and pH reduced to 6.6. Application of this medium promptly elevated [Ca2+]c to about 30 µmol/L, but only if oxygen was removed, the respiratory chain was inhibited, or if the mitochondria were uncoupled. These high [Ca2+]c elevations depended on external Ca2+ and could not be prevented by inhibiting NMDA or α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA)/kainate receptors, or gadolinium-sensitive channels. However, they could be prevented by removing external Na+ or simultaneously inhibiting NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptors; 2-[2-[4-(4-nitrobenzyloxy)phenyl]ethyl]isothiourea methanesulfonate (KB-R7943), an inhibitor of plasmalemmal Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, partly suppressed them. The data indicate that the [Ca2+]c elevations to 30 µmol/L during AD result from Na+ influx. Activation of either NMDA or AMPA/kainate channels provides adequate Na+ influx to induce these [Ca2+]c elevations, which are mediated by KB-R7943-sensitive and KB-R7943-resistant mechanisms.
A Conserved African Swine Fever Virus IκB Homolog, 5EL, Is Nonessential for Growthin Vitroand Virulence in Domestic Swine

Abstract An African swine fever virus (ASFV) gene with similarity to the cellular inhibitor of NFκB (IκB) was described in the pathogenic African isolate Malawi Lil-20/1 (ORF 5EL) and a cell-culture-adapted European virus, BA71V (ORF A238L). Recently, this gene was shown to be a functional IκB homolog capable of downregulating NFκB-regulated gene expression. This observation suggests the gene may be of significance to aspects of ASFV pathogenesis and virulence in domestic swine by interfering with a normal antiviral host response. Here we show, using nucleotide sequence analysis, that 5EL is highly conserved among various African and European pathogenic field isolates and that in all cases its similarity to IκB genes is limited to the presence of four low complexity ankyrin repeats in the ASFV gene. The 5EL gene of Malawi Lil-20/1 encodes a 28-kDa protein which was expressed early in virus-infected macrophage cell cultures with maximum levels observed at 3 to 5 hr postinfection. To study gene function, a Malawi Lil-20/1 5EL gene deletion mutant (Δ5EL) was constructed. Growth characteristics of Δ5EL in porcine macrophage cell cultures were indistinguishable from those of the parental virus. And, Δ 5EL exhibited an unaltered parental Malawi Lil-20/1 disease and virulence phenotype in domestic swine. Thus, although highly conserved among ASFV isolates, 5EL is nonessential for growth in porcine macrophages in vitro and for viral virulence in domestic swine. A possible role for this gene in transmission of ASFV in nature, a setting which involves the cycling of ASFV between two highly adapted hosts, Ornithodoros ticks and warthogs or bush pigs, in sub-Saharan Africa is discussed.
407 ORAL CLONIDINE AS A TEST FOR GROWTH HORMONE RELEASE IN SHORT STATURE (SS) AND TOURETTE'S SYNDROME (TS)

The administration of C, an α2 adrenergic agonist, induces GH secretion, sedation and hypotension. To test the hypothesis that these effects are independent of one another, we measured GH responses to oral C (4 μg/kg) in 14 SS patients whose post-exercise GH was <7 ng/ml and in 5 TS patients. Plasma C levels, blood pressure and degree of sedation were recorded as were plasma levels of 3-methoxy-4 hydroxyphenyl glycol (MHPG). To determine the persistence of GH responsiveness the 5 TS were restudied after 3 mos Rx with C. GH peaks (mean 17.4±3 ng/ml) occurred at 60-90 min. in all TS and 9/14 SS patients. There was no tendency for responsiveness to diminish after Rx with C with mean post Rx GH peaks of 22±5ng/ml in the 5 TS. In 5/14 SS, all GH deficient on insulin testing, peak GH was <3 ng/ml. C levels rose to a peak of 1.2±3ng/ml at 60′, preceding the GH peak by 30′. An observed 12% fall in MHPG levels (attributable to a C-mediated reduction in central nervous system (CNS) noradrenergic activity) was not related to the timing or extent of the GH peaks. These peaks also bore little temporal relationship to the slight hypotension or marked sedation occurring after oral C. We conclude that C is a highly effective tool for the diagnosis of GH deficiency and that the GH response to C is sustained during chronic Rx with C. Our data support animal studies which suggest that C exerts its various effects at multiple sites in the CNS.
Arthroscopic Labralization of the Hip: An Alternative to Labral Reconstruction

Labralization, which may be performed by open or arthroscopic means, may be an attractive alternative to hip labral reconstruction. By preserving the articular cartilage in the region of labral deficit with meticulous rim trimming, the resultant undermined free chondral margin (“pseudolabrum”) may immediately restore a fluid seal function and may theoretically enhance hip preservation. Arthroscopic hip labralization is a relatively simple and fast procedure without graft harvest morbidity. It may be performed in patients tolerating rim reduction with encouraging preliminary outcomes.
Nickel concentrations in plasma and urine of shipyard workers

Nickel concentrations were analyzed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry in plasma from workers at a repair shipyard and a construction shipyard. Four groups of workers were studied: (a) 62 welders, (b) 31 painters, (c) 27 riggers/carpenters, and (d) 21 shipfitters/pipefitters. Controls were 15 hospital workers and 28 retirees at the repair shipyard. In the combined groups of all tested workers at the repair shipyard, increased plasma Ni concentrations (greater than 5.2 micrograms/liter) occurred in 32 of 82 subjects (39%): (p less than .05 vs increased plasma Ni concentrations in 13 of 59 workers at the construction shipyard [22%], and p less than .001 vs increased plasma Ni concentrations in 1 of 43 controls [2%]). At both shipyards, plasma Ni concentrations were higher in the groups of painters and shipfitters/pipefitters than in the groups of welders and riggers/carpenters. In random urine specimens from workers at the construction shipyard. Ni concentrations exceeded 5.2 micrograms/liter in 9 of 24 welders [38%], (p less than .01 vs increased urine Ni concentrations in 1 of 15 controls [hospital workers]). The ratios of plasma/urine nickel concentrations were higher in painters (p less than .05) and lower in welders (p less than .05) than in other workers at the construction shipyard. Increased concentrations of nickel in body fluids of shipyard workers are attributed to exposures to nickel compounds and alloys in the working environment.
Pain is a salient “stressor” that is mediated by corticotropin-releasing factor-1 receptors

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a major role in controlling the body's response to stress. Because painful conditions are inherently stressful, we hypothesize that CRF may act via CRF-1 receptors to contribute to the pain experience. Studies were designed to investigate whether blocking CRF-1 receptors with selective antagonists or reducing their expression with CRF-Saporin, would attenuate ulcer, inflammatory- and neuropathic-like pain. Five experimental designs were undertaken. In experiment 1, ulcer pain was induced in mice following oral administration of indomethacin, while in experiments 2 and 3, inflammatory pain was induced in rats with either carrageenan or FCA, respectively. For these studies, animals were dosed with CP-154,526 (3, 10, 30 mg/kg) and NBI 27914 (1-30 mg/kg) 1 h prior to the assessment of tactile, thermal or mechanical hypersensitivity, respectively. In experiment 4, neuropathic pain was induced. Twenty-one days following spinal nerve ligation (SNL), animals received CRF-Saporin or control. Three weeks later tactile allodynia was assessed. Similarly, in experiment 5, a separate set of rats received CRF-Saporin or control. Twenty-one days later, mechanical hyperalgesia was assessed following intraplantar carrageenan. Results from the antagonist studies showed that CP-154,526 and NBI 27914 either fully or partially reversed the referred ulcer pain with minimal effective doses (MED) equal to 3 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Similarly, both NBI 27914 and CP-154,526 reversed the thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity elicited by carrageenan and FCA with MEDs </= 5 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Findings from the two CRF-Saporin studies determined that pre-treatment with this toxin significantly attenuated SNL- and carrageenan-induced tactile hypersensitivity. Together, these findings suggest that CRF-1 receptors mediate pain and implicate CRF in this regard.
Bluetongue: the disease in cattle

Most researchers in South Africa found that although BT virus could be isolated from apparently healthy cattle and from inoculated cattle the virus did not produce overt clinical disease in cattle. However, when epizootics were reported outside Africa, clinical signs were observed in cattle in Israel, Palestine, Syria, Portugal, and Spain. Most natural BT infections in cattle in the United States do not result in overt clinical signs. However, in certain infected herds, approximately 5% of the cattle show from mild to severe disease. Except for severe cases, spontaneous recovery is usual. The clinical diagnosis of BT in cattle is difficult and requires laboratory assistance. Culicoides variipennis can serve as a vector of BT virus from cattle to cattle, cattle to sheep, sheep to cattle, and sheep to sheep. In utero transmission occurs in cattle and can result in abortion, hydraencephaly, congenital deformity, and birth of viraemic calves which may or may not develop BT antibody. Calves inoculated in utero or those born to infected dams may have a persistent viraemia with or without BT antibody. tone such animal has been held in insect-secure quarters and has continued to harbour virus for 3 years. Bluetongue virus was isolated from the semen of experimentally infected bulls. Calves inoculated with BT virus and also given an immuno-suppressant developed marked clinical disease in 8 to 12 days. Bluetongue virus is very closely associated with the erythrocytes of infected cattle, sheep, and goats. Cattle are considered important and relatively long-term virus reservoirs. In attempts to determine the maximum period of viraemia in cattle it is necessary to inoculate washed erythrocytes, rather than whole blood, and to use susceptible sheep as the assay system rather than embryonated chicken eggs.
Benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia

Intense cyanosis in a previously well, 30-month-old, white girl was found to be due to the ingestion of benzocaine. A wide variety of chemical compounds present in many proprietary products, when ingested, can cause this presentation in individuals with structurally normal hemoglobin and normal activity of methemoglobin reductase. The phenomenon appears to be dose-related. Immediate recognition and initiation of appropriate therapy will effect a rapid reversal of the methemoglobinemia, and in some cases, may be life-saving. Caution should be exercised in the use of benzocaine-containing preparations.
The disruption of Grassy Creek: implications concerning catastrophic events and thresholds

Two catastrophic events, occurring simultaneously in the valley of Little Grassy Creek, IL, allow for an examination of the threshold concept in geomorphology. Movement of debris associated with failure and sliding of valley-side material, caused damming and avulsion of Little Grassy Creek. Slope and river disruptions, both severe in character, were linked because the effect of one event (slope failure) was the cause of the second event (fluvial avulsion). The slope failure represents a true threshold-crossing event because the results are irreversible on a graded-time scale. In contrast, the fluvial disruption was not a threshold crossing, although the event was catastrophic and short-term instability occurred. In the fluvial case, a new channel developed, and the re-establishment of equilibrium, as estimated by channel characteristics, occurred within 10 years. The river system functions as it did before the slope failure/avulsion, though the channel reach is now in a different location. Criteria needed to employ thresholds to explain geomorphic events are suggested, and a definition of thresholds as time-dependent phenomena is presented as a means of reducing confusion over the use of the threshold concept.
Solid state structure of oxalato-(bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)-ethane) platinum(II)-acetonitrile solvate

C30H51NO4P2Pt-[C2H3N], orthorhombic,Pbca, a=16.132(1),b=16.610(2),c=24.001(2) A.Z=8,D c=1.54 g cm−3,R=0.042,R w=0.048, GOF=1.33. The platinaoxalate (PtC2O2) ring fragment is essentially planar with Pt−O bond lengths of 2.067(8) and 2.058(7) A.
Modeling subsurface water resource systems involving heterogeneous porous media using the variational multiscale formulation

Summary This work compares two popular mixed finite element formulations used to model subsurface flow and transport in heterogeneous porous media, namely, the lowest order Raviart–Thomas and the variational multiscale stabilized formulations. Comparison is made based on performance for several problems of engineering relevance that involve highly heterogeneous material properties (permeability ratios of up to 1 × 10 5 ), open flow boundary conditions (pressure driven flows), and large scale domains in two dimensions. Numerical experiments are performed to show the degree to which mass conservation is violated when a flow field computed using either element is used as the advection velocity in a transport model. The results reveal that the equal-order interpolation under the variational multiscale formulation shows considerable mass production or loss for problems that involve flow tangential to layers of differing permeability. But the violation of local mass balance is marginal for problems in which flow is orthogonal to the layers of differing permeability. For problems involving pressure dependent viscosity, we show that models with a high degree of pressure dependence exhibit improved performance for the variational multiscale method. The results are useful in establishing rudimentary estimates of the error produced by using the variational mutliscale formulation for several different types of problems related to subsurface water resource systems.
Medication-related problems in the elderly : defining the issues and identifying solutions.

The elderly population is at great risk for medication-related problems as a result of age-related physiological changes, the presence of multiple chronic diseases and conditions, and the types and numbers of prescription and nonprescription medications they consume.
Effects of chronic alcohol feeding and murine AIDS virus infection on liver antioxidant defense systems in mice

Whether ethanol (ETOH) abuse could contribute to the development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among human immunodeficiency virus (HlV)-positive drug abusers is a critical question for which little experimental information is available. This study was designed to determine if chronic ETOH feeding and murine AIDS virus infection cooperatively affected liver antioxidant defense systems in C57B1/6 female mice. Mice were divided into two groups and fed the Lieber-DeCarli liquid ETOH diet containing ETOH at a concentration to provide 31% of total caloric intake or an isocaloric liquid control (control) diet in which dextrin-maltose replaced ETOH. One week after the initiation of ETOH feeding, half of the mice in each diet group (8 mice) were injected intraperitoneally with murine retrovirus (MAIDS) stock. After 3 and 5 weeks of ETOH feeding, half of the mice in each of the four treatment groups (4 mice) were killed, and livers were excised for biochemical analysis. Liver reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GP), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione transferase (GT), cat-alase and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and serum ETOH concentrations were determined. The results demonstrated that serum ETOH concentrations were significantly elevated in ETOH-MAIDS group when compared with the ETOH group. Moreover, chronic ETOH feeding and MAIDS infection independently depressed liver antioxidant defense capability, and together led to an additive inhibition of GSH and SOD activities. In addition, MAIDS infection inhibited an ETOH-induced increase in catalase and GT activities. These results suggest that alcohol abuse could contribute to the development of AIDS by inhibiting the protective capability of an infected individual against oxidative stress. These combined suppressive effects could potentially lead to more tissue damage during MAIDS infection and associated opportunistic infections. The results that MAIDS infection significantly decreased liver GT activities suggest that the detoxifying capacity of the liver may also be compromised during retroviral-induced immunodeficiency disease.
Residential demand response with interruptible tasks: Duality and algorithms

This paper deals with optimal scheduling of demand response in a residential setup when the electricity prices are known ahead of time. Each end-user has a “must-run” load, and two types of adjustable loads. The first type must consume a specified total amount of energy over the scheduling horizon, but its consumption can be adjusted across the horizon. The second type of load has adjustable power consumption without a total energy requirement, but operation of the load at reduced power results in dissatisfaction of the end-user. Each adjustable load is interruptible in the sense that the load can be either operated (resulting in nonzero power consumption), or not operated (resulting in zero power consumption). Examples of such adjustable interruptible loads are charging a plugin hybrid electric vehicle or operating a pool pump. The problem amounts to minimizing the cost of electricity plus user dissatisfaction, subject to individual load consumption constraints. The problem is nonconvex, but surprisingly it is shown to have zero duality gap if a continuous-time horizon is considered. This opens up the possibility of using Lagrangian dual algorithms without loss of optimality in order to come up with efficient demand response scheduling schemes.
Enzyme mutants induced by low-dose-rate γ-irradiation in drosophila: Frequency and characterization

One thousand lines of a balanced lethal strain of Drosophila melanogaster heterozygous at seven allozyme loci were subjected to chronic (0.15 rad/min) gamma-irradiation (137Cs). After 15 generations of exposure they were screened by gel electrophoresis for newly arisen null mutants and/or mobility variants. Seven independent nulls were recovered. 1) None were associated with a cytogenetically detectable aberration; 2) one of six analyzed was associated with recessive lethality, suggesting association with a submicroscopic interlocus deficiency; 3) three of five which could be analyzed for cross-reacting material (CRM) production were CRM-positive; and 4) two of six produced an active heterodimer with an active normal allele. The results taken together suggest that most of the mutations are point mutations rather than small deficiencies.