cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dose- and age-dependent alterations in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity, learning and memory, and thyroid hormones in 15- and 30-day old rats exposed to 1.25 or 12.5 PPM polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) beginning at conception.

1. 1. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) were released into the environment through improper disposal for decades, causing widespread contamination. Slow biodegradation and lipophilic properties of PCB caused its persistence and concentration through food webs. Exposure to these environmental contaminants through maternal transfer during early development has been associated with neurological and endocrinological alterations in several different organisms. 2. 2. The present study extended a preliminary investigation which suggested low level exposure to PCB altered acetylcholine biosynthesis enzyme, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), activity in the hippocampus and basal forebain and caused aberrations in thyroid hormone and behavior. 3. 3. Dietary exposure of 15-day-old animals to 1.25 ppm of Aroclor 1254® (LPCB) during gestation and lactation significantly elevated ChAT activity in both areas of the brain. Animals exposed to 12.5 ppm of Aroclor 1254® (HPCB) until 15 days of age demonstrated significant elevations of ChAT activity in the basal forebrain. Thyroxine (T4) concentrations were slightly elevated in 15-day-old LPCB animals and significantly depressed in HPCB exposed pups; triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations were not altered. 4. 4. At 30 days both LPCB and HPCB treatment groups displayed significantly depressed ChAT activity in both areas of the brain. t3 and T4 concentrations were subnormal, although T4 was not significantly depressed in LPCB animals. 5. 5. In the Morris water maze all animals, when tested between 25 and 29 days of age, improved their latency time to the platform over 10 spatial learning trials. However, when combined means of trials 8–10 were compared, HPCB exposed animals had significantly increased latency time to the podium compared to control and LPCB animals.
Reversal of Isolation Rearing-Induced Deficits in Prepulse Inhibition by Seroquel and Olanzapine

Abstract Background: Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle provides an operational measure of sensorimotor gating in which a weak stimulus presented prior to a startling stimulus reduces the startle response. PPI deficits observed in schizophrenia patients can be modeled in rats by individual housing from weaning until adulthood. Deficits in PPI produced by isolation rearing can be reversed by antipsychotics. Methods: We evaluated the ability of Seroquel and olanzapine to reverse the isolation-induced disruption of PPI. Rats housed for 8 weeks singly or in groups of 3 were tested every 2 weeks after either Seroquel (0, 5.0 mg/kg) or olanzapine (0, 2.5, 5.0 mg/kg). Startle was elicited by 120-dB pulses presented either with or without prepulses (3, 6, or 12 dB above a 65-dB background). Results: Isolation rearing repeatedly disrupted PPI and sometimes increased startle reactivity. Seroquel reversed these deficits without affecting PPI in socially reared controls. Olanzapine (2.5 mg/kg) reversed the isolation rearing-induced PPI deficit and tended to increase basal PPI levels. Both antipsychotics antagonized the isolation rearing-induced increase in startle reactivity. Conclusions: Isolation rearing produces deficits in sensorimotor gating in rats that are reversible by atypical antipsychotics, and may therefore aid in identifying new treatments for schizophrenia.
Reconciling a geophysical model to data using a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm: An application to the Yellow Sea–Korean Peninsula region

[1] In an effort to build seismic models that are the most consistent with multiple data sets we have applied a new probabilistic inverse technique. This method uses a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to sample models from a prior distribution and test them against multiple data types to generate a posterior distribution. While computationally expensive, this approach has several advantages over deterministic models, notably the seamless reconciliation of different data types that constrain the model, the proper handling of both data and model uncertainties, and the ability to easily incorporate a variety of prior information, all in a straightforward, natural fashion. A real advantage of the technique is that it provides a more complete picture of the solution space. By mapping out the posterior probability density function, we can avoid simplistic assumptions about the model space and allow alternative solutions to be identified, compared, and ranked. Here we use this method to determine the crust and upper mantle structure of the Yellow Sea and Korean Peninsula region. The model is parameterized as a series of seven layers in a regular latitude-longitude grid, each of which is characterized by thickness and seismic parameters (Vp, Vs, and density). We use surface wave dispersion and body wave traveltime data to drive the model. We find that when properly tuned (i.e., the Markov chains have had adequate time to fully sample the model space and the inversion has converged), the technique behaves as expected. The posterior model reflects the prior information at the edge of the model where there is little or no data to constrain adjustments, but the range of acceptable models is significantly reduced in data-rich regions, producing values of sediment thickness, crustal thickness, and upper mantle velocities consistent with expectations based on knowledge of the regional tectonic setting.
Hypertext and knowledge management

This paper is a functional survey of knowledge management systems and characteristics from the standpoint of the contribution and relevance of hypertext to this discipline. There is the description of a typical KM architecture as well as some of the current KM and KM-like systems deployed in production at large corporations. This discussion will introduce the perceptions of KM and then emphasize the role of hypertext systems in tackling problems in processing distributed and collaborative knowledge. Although at the moment, hypertext is not seen as an architectural component of KM systems, its potential as an epistemic aid presents opportunities. Finally, I will show the appropriateness of hypertext research to KM development.
Health literacy: a challenge for American patients and their health care providers

Health literacy skills are increasingly important for both health and health care. Unfortunately many patients with the most extensive and complicated health care problems are at greatest risk for misunderstanding their diagnoses medications and instructions on how to take care of their medical problems. Much health promotion and patient education information has traditionally used printed materials written at reading levels at or above the 10th grade. Such material is not accessible to the millions of Americans with inadequate literacy. This paper gives an overview of the prevalence of poor health literacy skills in America and describes how poor health literacy affects their health care experience. (authors)
Managing smart grid information in the cloud: opportunities, model, and applications

Smart grid (SG), regarded as the next-generation electric grid, will use advanced power, communication, and information technologies to create an automated, intelligent, and widely distributed energy delivery network. In this article, we explore how cloud computing (CC), a next-generation computing paradigm, can be used for information management of the SG and present a novel SG information management paradigm, called Cloud Service-Based SG Information Management (CSSGIM). We analyze the benefits and opportunities from the perspectives of both the SG and CC domains. We further propose a model for CSSGIM and present four motivating applications.
Serum immunoglobulin levels, autoimmunity and cell-mediated immunity in primary ovarian failure☆

Abstract Serum immunoglobulin levels and autoantibodies to thyroid and ovary were estimated in patients with primary ovarian failure. IgG and IgM levels in 29 patients with 45X0 karyotype, 9 with pure gonadal dysgenesis with 46XX karyotype, 2 with 46XY karyotype, and 4 others with chromosomal mosaicism were significantly lower ( P
Wood smoke particles generate free radicals and cause lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, NFκB activation and TNF-α release in macrophages

Abstract The present study investigated the generation of free radicals by wood smoke and cellular injuries caused by these radicals. Wood smoke was collected after thermolysis of western bark. Electron spin resonance (ESR) techniques were used to measure both carbon-centered radicals and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by wood smoke. Wood smoke, in the presence of H 2 O 2 , was found to be able to generate hydroxyl radical ( OH). DNA strand breakage was measured by exposing wood smoke to λ Hind III fragments using gel electrophoresis. Wood smoke combined with H 2 O 2 caused DNA damage. Sodium formate, an OH radical scavenger, or deferoxamine, a metal chelator, inhibited the DNA damage. Cellular DNA damage was also measured in cultured RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells by the single cell gel (SCG) electrophoresis assay. Cells were exposed to wood smoke samples for various times and significant DNA damage was observed. Elemental analysis was performed on the filter samples and the presence of Fe was noteworthy. Wood smoke is also able to cause lipid peroxidation, activate nuclear transcription factor, NFκB, and enhance the release of TNF-α from RAW 264.7 cells. The results indicate that the free radicals generated by wood smoke through the reaction of Fe with H 2 O 2 are able to cause DNA and cellular damage and may act as a fibrogenic agent.
Trait anxiety is reflected in EEG alpha response to stress.

Abstract The Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale was used to rank 24 healthy student volunteers according to trait anxiety level. A bipolar occipital scalp electrode was used to record the resting eyes-closed EEG responses to 15 ‘neutral’ tone stimuli and response to stress inducing questions. Eighteen subjects responded to the experimental paradigm by showing phasic changes in alpha-type synchronization. In response to 15 neutral tone stimuli, 13 (73%) subjects yielded mean alpha blocking scores, while 5 subjects (28%) had mean augmentation scores. Across all 18 subjects, trait anxiety was found to be significantly correlated with alpha response tendency to tone. The high trait anxiety group, when compared to low anxiety group, showed a significantly greater tendency toward alpha augmentation both in response to sound stimuli and stress questions. No significant correlation was found between trait anxiety and the resting alpha index. Alpha response tendency to tone stimuli was significantly correlated with the resting alpha index over the entire population of 24 subjects, and for 12 subjects of the high anxiety group alone. When alpha responses were measured regardless of direction (alpha blocking or augmenting), the high anxiety group, compared to the low anxiety group, was much more homogeneous in the magnitude of responses, as shown by smaller group mean values during various phases of acute stress and significantly smaller variance of the means. When the individual mean responses during various phases of stress were measured, taking into account the direction and magnitude of responses and particularly their variance, subjects in the high anxiety group were significantly more consistent and predictable than subjects in the low anxiety group. The possible relationship between alpha enhancement, internal inhibitory processes, and behavioral rigidity was discussed. Six subjects responded to the experimental paradigm with predominance of 5–6/sec theta activity which was felt to be a genuine neocortical pattern associated with internal inhibitory processes. The results were analyzed by excluding and including the ‘theta subjects’.
POLICE CYNICISM: POLICE SURVIVAL TOOL?

This article broadly defines cynicism as a pessimistic and suspicious outlook on the part of police officers towards their job, the public and society as a whole. Cynicism is an evolving characteri...
Gill ammonia transport

Ammonia theoretically can traverse the gill epithelium of aquatic animals in a variety of ways. Recent experiments utilizing both whole animals (fish and arthropods), and perfused heads of fishes indicate that diffusional movement of both NH3 and NH4+ takes place, as well as basolateral (serosal) Na+/NH4+ exchange. Data supporting the presence of apical (mucosal) Na+/NH4+ exchange are more equivocal, and there is no published evidence for transport via basolateral NH4Cl + NaCl co-transport. The relative roles of various pathways may depend upon the species and its salinity of acclimation.
Windmills, incinerators, and siting

Abstract The public reaction to proposals for the siting of hazardous waste disposal facilities results largely from fear and from distrust of technologists. Several case histories are presented with inferences drawn as to possible future actions to reduce the problem.
In-Hospital Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea During Decompensation of Heart Failure

Background Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in outpatients with systolic heart failure improves cardiac function. We evaluated the impact of immediate inpatient diagnosis and treatment of OSA in hospitalized patients with acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF) on in-hospital cardiac outcomes. Methods A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted in an academic heart hospital. Patients with ADHF underwent an attended in-hospital sleep study within 2 days of hospital admission to establish the diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing. The participants were 46 consecutive patients with ADHF who had OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI], ≥ 15 events per hour). Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention arm (n = 23), with in-hospital treatment of OSA using auto-adjusting positive airway pressure along with standard treatment of ADHF, or to the control arm (n = 23), in which they received only standard treatment for ADHF. The primary outcome was the change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 3 nights postrandomization. Results The change in LVEF from baseline to 3 days postrandomization in the intervention arm was significantly superior to that of the control group. The difference in LVEF improvement was 4.6% (p = 0.03). LVEF increased in the intervention group by 4.5% (SE, 1.7%). The LVEF change in the control arm was − 0.3% (SE, 1.5%). The difference in LVEF improvement between the two groups persisted after adjustment for baseline LVEF, type of cardiomyopathy, BMI, AHI, and sex. Conclusions An approach of early identification and in-hospital treatment of OSA in patients with ADHF is feasible and resulted in improvement in systolic function. The impact of this approach on out-of-hospital outcomes requires further investigation. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00701038
Clinical evaluation of aprotinin

H EMOSTASIS DEPENDS on several factors: platelets, coagulation factors, blood vessel endothelium, and fibrinolysis. The coagulation cascade represents the mechanism by which a stable fibrin clot is formed (Fig 1). Most of the coagulation factors are glycoproteins synthesized in the liver. The cascade is composed of intrinsic, extrinsic, and common pathways. Factor XII, high molecular weight kininogen, prekallikrein, and factor XI form the surface activation group. Disruption in the endothelial cell layer initiates the conversion of factor XII to factor XIIa. High molecular weight kininogen together with factor XIIa, cause transformation of prekallikrein to kallikrein and activation of factor XI to factor XIa. The end product of the intrinsic pathway is factor X conversion to Xa that is catalyzed by factor IXa and VIII. Factor X, which is the junction of both pathways, starts what is called the common pathway. Activation of factor X can be achieved via the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. The extrinsic pathways refers to the location of these factors with regard to the vasculature. The extrinsic pathway is initiated with tissue thromboplastin (factor III) that transforms factor VII to VIIa. Factor VIIa and X then act as coinitiators with the help of platelets, phospholipids, and Ca ++, to generate Factor Xa. In the common pathway, factor Xa in combination with Ca ++, phospholipids and factor Va cleaves prothrombin to produce thrombin. Fibrin (the product of thrombin cleavage of fibrinogen) is then crosslinked to form a stable clot by factor XIIIa. Platelet function is one of the most important factors in hemostasis. The platelets that are free flowing in the blood vessels initially respond to damaged or injured vessel endothelium by adhesion. On contact, platelets release several factors that propogate further platelet activation and aggregation. Once the clot is formed, some natural fibrin breakdown occurs as part of the normal healing process. Fibrinolysis is initiated by plasminogen, which is a serine protease synthesized by the liver. The degradation ofplasminogen is caused by tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and factor XIIa to plasmin. Plasmin splits fibrin or fibrinogen to produce fibrin or fibrinogen split products (Fig 2). There is normal local fibrinolysis wherever normal hemostasis occurs. Fibrinolysis is one of the most important causes of bleeding after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). A number of pharmocological strategies exist to inhibit excessive fibrinolysis. Epsilon Amino-Caproic Acid (EACA) and tranexamic acid (TA) are two synthetic antifibrinolytics that bind to plasminogen and plasmin (Fig 2) and inhibit the effect of plasmin on fibrin. Aprotinin is a serine protease inhibitor, which is isolated from bovine lung. Aprotinin was isolated and its activity then defined both as a kallikrein and a trypsin inhibitor in the 1930s. I
Measuring ecosystem function: consequences arising from variation in biomass-productivity relationships

Species diversity loss is expected to alter ecosystem function, but previous work has demonstrated inconsistent relationships between these two factors. Productivity is the most common measure of ecosystem function, but given the difficulty in measuring productivity, standing biomass or change in biomass are frequently used as proxy measures. A review of the recent ecosystem-function literature revealed that 93% of studies measure productivity as biomass, thereby assuming a strong positive relationship between these two variables. We tested this assumption by measuring biomass and productivity in seagrass beds in the Gulf of Mexico. We found that the relationship between standing biomass and productivity could be positive or negative, depending on site. Change in biomass over months inconsistently underestimated short-term productivity. The relationship between biomass and productivity may depend on plant age, successional stage, or site-specific rates of tissue loss to herbivory, senescence, or disturbance. Our results suggest that if biomass continues to be used as a measure of productivity without justification, highly productive communities that typically show little change in biomass, such as healthy climax communities, will not be interpreted as such. The conflicting results of previous studies investigating the relationship between diversity and productivity may be due to differences in the inherently variable relationship between biomass and productivity at different sites and scales.
A case of Ménétrier's disease localized to the gastric antrum without helicobacter infection or hypoalbuminemia

INTRODUCTION Menetrier's disease (MD) is a rare gastric disorder closely associated with Helicobacter pylori infection characterized by enlarged gastric mucosal folds and hyperplasia of surface mucus-secreting cells classically localized to the gastric body. This disease has significant morbidity and mortality secondary to hypoproteinemia, gastric obstruction, hemorrhage, and increased risk of adenocarcinoma.
Recent enhancements in MUDPACK, a multigrid software package for elliptic partial differential equations

Enhancements in a new version of the multigrid software package MUDPACKare discussed and illustrated with examples.
Testing theoretical relationships and non‐relationships of genetically‐based predictors: Getting started with communibiology

Communibiology has emerged recently as a new paradigm for the study of communication. A model for the study of communibiology is advanced and two studies are presented which exemplify one method of beginning research under this paradigm. The results indicate how theories related to whether variables are or are not genetically based can be preliminarily tested.
Depositional Trends in Carbonate-Dominated and Clastic-Dominated Late Pennsylvanian Cycles in North Texas: ABSTRACT

Late Pennsylvanian cycles with thin, carbonate-dominated transgressive sequences and thick clastic-dominated regressive sequences have been considered the norm for cyclic sequences in north Texas, but they represent only a special case associated with higher rates of clastic sedimentation prevailing during falling sea levels. There are many cycles with carbonates in regressive as well as transgressive portions of cycles. Completely exposed cycles usually begin on an exposure surface and, between the exposure surface and the transgressive carbonate, have a thin clastic sequence showing upward change to normal marine conditions. Transgressive carbonates generally contain large amounts of clay muds and quartzose silts. The transgressive sequence culminates in a deeper water, dark-colored phosphatic shale. The regressive sequence is thicker, begins with a richly fossiliferous offshore marine shale, and continues upward into either limestone or sand-dominated sediments. Regressive limestones tend to be thicker and composed of more pure carbonate than transgressive ones, and to be capped with shoal calcarenites. These usually are overlain by nonmarine clastics, which may contain redbed layers, and a paleosol horizon at the top. In clastic-dominated regressive sequences, the offshore marine shales are overlain by an interval with upward-increasing sand content, and are capped by nonmarine deposits. Carbonate deposition in these cycles occurred only within a limited range of water depths. These cycles are similar to mid-continent cyclothems, and support the case or allogenic control and major fluctuations in sea level during cycle deposition. End_of_Article - Last_Page 147------------
Relationship dynamics and consistency of condom use among adolescents.

CONTEXT: Research on adolescent condom use often focuses on the infl uence of parents, peers and environmental factors. Although most sexually active teenagers have sex within dating relationships, little is known about associations between the characteristics of these relationships and consistency of condom use. METHODS: Data on 269 participants in Wave 1 of the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study who had had sex in their current or most recent dating relationship were analyzed in logistic regression models to examine how positive and negative relationship qualities are associated with consistent condom use. RESULTS: Among teenagers who had had sex with their dating partner, both negative relationship dynamics (confl ict, partner’s controlling behavior, mistrust, jealousy, perceived partner inferiority) and positive qualities (love, enmeshment, salience, self-disclosure) were negatively associated with consistent condom use (odds ratios, 0.7–0.9). Asymmetries in partners’ age, race and school were not related to consistent condom use. Relationship duration was negatively associated with consistency (0.98–0.99), but the association was explained by feelings of relationship importance. Findings for relationship qualities were similar for males and females, with the exception of confl ict, which was positively associated with consistent condom use among females but not males. CONCLUSIONS: Although the relationship processes associated with consistent condom use are complex, such processes appeared to be more strongly associated with consistent condom use than were social and demographic characteristics. Programs should focus on relationship qualities and dynamics, recognizing that both negative and positive relationship features are associated with consistent condom use.
Minimal Effects of Macromolecular Crowding on an Intrinsically Disordered Protein: A Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Study

Small-angle neutron scattering was used to study the effects of macromolecular crowding by two globular proteins, i.e., bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and equine metmyoglobin, on the conformational ensemble of an intrinsically disordered protein, the N protein of bacteriophage λ. The λ N protein was uniformly labeled with 2H, and the concentrations of D2O in the samples were adjusted to match the neutron scattering contrast of the unlabeled crowding proteins, thereby masking their contribution to the scattering profiles. Scattering from the deuterated λ N was recorded for samples containing up to 0.12 g/mL bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor or 0.2 g/mL metmyoglobin. The radius of gyration of the uncrowded protein was estimated to be 30 A and was found to be remarkably insensitive to the presence of crowders, varying by <2 A for the highest crowder concentrations. The scattering profiles were also used to estimate the fractal dimension of λ N, which was found to be ∼1.8 in the absence or presence of crowders, indicative of a well-solvated and expanded random coil under all of the conditions examined. These results are contrary to the predictions of theoretical treatments and previous experimental studies demonstrating compaction of unfolded proteins by crowding with polymers such as dextran and Ficoll. A computational simulation suggests that some previous treatments may have overestimated the effective volumes of disordered proteins and the variation of these volumes within an ensemble. The apparent insensitivity of λ N to crowding may also be due in part to weak attractive interactions with the crowding proteins, which may compensate for the effects of steric exclusion.
Role of enzymes in homeostasts—VI. Effect of triamcinolone and other steroids on enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis

Abstract In view of the reports that adrenocorticosteroids induced de novo synthesis of enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis, systematic studies were carried out to compare the potency of the various steroids and to establish the smallest dose necessary and shortest time required to detect enzyme synthesis for the key hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes, glucose 6-phosphatase and fructose 1,6-diphosphatase. The potency of triamcinolone, cortisone, hydrocortisone, and methylprednisolone (Medrol) as inducers of the gluconeogenic enzymes was compared in a 3-day injection schedule in rats and it was found that triamcinolone was the most effective inducer. Dose-response studies showed that daily injections of 10 mg of cortisone i.m. for 5 days or 1 mg of triamcinolone i.p. for 3 days achieved the highest increases in hepatic enzyme activities and nitrogen and glycogen content. In an effort to achieve a more rapid induction in enzyme synthesis cortisone and triamcinolone (25 mg/100 g) were injected i.p. Both steroids brought about a rapid rise in fructose 1,6-diphosphatase activity (128–145%) in 4–6 hr. Only triamcinolone, however, was capable of causing a significant increase in glucose 6-phosphatase activity during the same period. Further dose-response studies with triamcinolone revealed that a single i.p. dose of 0–25 mg/100 g was sufficient to induce statistically significant increases in hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase (140%) and in fructose 1,6-diphosphatase (159%) activity in 24 hr. A dose of 0.5 mg was capable of causing a statistically significant rise (117–121%,) in hepatic gluconeogenic enzyme activity in 6 hr. Since rapid increases in liver glucose 6-phosphatase and fructose 1,6-diphosphatase activity can be induced by triamcinolone administration, it appears that the mechanism of effect of the gluconeogenic corticosteroid hormones at the molecular level entails an early stepping up of the rate of synthesis of these key gluconeogenic enzymes.
Factitious Appearance of Aortic Dissection During Portable Cardiopulmonary Bypass—A Case Report

The use of percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass support (PCPS) has in creased as an aggressive resuscitative measure for hemodynamically compromised patients and for support during high-risk coronary angioplasty or valvuloplasty. The authors present a patient with an acute myocardial infarction and shock, in whom aortography during PCPS simulated the appearance of a Type B aor tic dissection, with apparent compression of contrast dye by a nonopacified false channel. The etiology appears to be the competitive flow between the normal forward cardiac ejection and the retrograde cardiopulmonary flow. Low cardi ac output and the differences in density between blood and radiographic dye exaggerate this phenomenon.
Diabetes enhances apoptosis induced by cerebral ischemia

Abstract The aim of this study is to explore the mechanism by which diabetes exaggerates cerebral stroke and its outcome. Since ischemia can be related to not only necrosis but apoptosis as well, we compared the development of apoptosis in STZ-diabetic rats and STZ-diabetic rats subjected to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). 24–48 hr following MCA occlusion the animals were killed, the brain removed and prepared for evaluation by several indexes of apoptosis: nucleosomal DNA fragmentation, TUNEL staining, activation of caspase-3 and alteration in the expression of Bax and Bcl 2 . DNA fragmentation was not detected in the cortex of normal and diabetic animals, but was evident following MCA occlusion in diabetic rats. Bax expression was increased in the cortex of normal rats following MCA occlusion and this expression was further increased in the cortex of MCA occluded diabetic rats. Bcl 2 expression was not changed in any of the groups. In the hippocampus, DNA fragmentation was not evident in control rats but was observed in diabetic rats. Ischemic injury did not enhance DNA laddering in diabetic animals. The expression of Bax was increased in diabetic rats but was not increased following MCA occlusion. Bcl 2 expression was not changed by ischemia in any of the animal models. These data suggest that diabetes may enhance the development of stroke via increased cortical apoptotic activity but this was not additive in the hippocampus following ischemic injury.
Efficient Incremental Character Optimization

Phylogenetic computer programs work by examining sequences of tree topologies, searching for those trees which yield minimal length. Rather than optimizing each tree from scratch, programs can use computational shortcuts to reduce the work required to compute each new tree's length; however, at least some of the techniques currently in use are approximate, and can miscalculate tree lengths. I describe a new incremental character optimization algorithm which is exact, correct, and comparable in speed to current methods.
Intimate Partner Abuse among Gay and Bisexual Men: Risk Correlates and Health Outcomes

Little is known about the patterns and types of intimate partner abuse in same-sex male couples, and few studies have examined the psychosocial characteristics and health problems of gay and bisexual men who experience such abuse. Using a cross-sectional survey sample of 817 men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Chicago area, this study tested the effect of psychological and demographic factors generally associated with intimate partner abuse and examined their relationship to various health problems. Overall, 32.4% (n = 265) of participants reported any form of relationship abuse in a past or current relationship; 20.6% (n = 168) reported a history of verbal abuse (“threatened physically or sexually, publicly humiliated, or controlled”), 19.2% (n = 157) reported physical violence (“hit, kicked, shoved, burned, cut, or otherwise physically hurt”), and 18.5% (n = 151) reported unwanted sexual activity. Fifty-four percent (n = 144) of men reporting any history of abuse reported more than one form. Age and ethnic group were unrelated to reports of abuse. Depression and substance abuse were among the strongest correlates of intimate partner abuse. Men reporting recent unprotected anal sex were more likely to also report abuse, Wald (1, n = 773) = 9.02, p < .05, Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.61, Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.18–2.21. We discuss psychosocial issues faced by gay and bisexual men who experience intimate partner abuse as they may pertain to interventions among this group.
Odd creatures in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid.

Years ago, when Warren Wheeler was the Editor of theJournal, he anonymously penned a charming, opinion-molding editorial with the catchy title, "Water Bugs in the Bassinet." 1 From that moment, "water bugs" entered the lexicon of medical jargon and, more importantly, pediatricians first became aware of the pathogenic potential of a host of saprophytic, free-living bacteria that we had all been taught were nonpathogenic. Soon, physicians were taking seriously the bacteriology laboratory reports of Erwinia herbicola, Aeromonas hydrophila , and other strange things previously disregarded as contaminants. The list of exotic microorganisms causing disease in newborns and other compromised hosts has grown over the years. Now, physicians who hardly know a Petri dish from Royal Crown Derby china more or less comfortably toss around names like Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas cepacia , and Flavobacterium species—a veritable index from Bergey's Manual . It has been a challenge to physicians to learn to respect these
Amylase changes accompanying stimulated salivary gland growth.

Abstract The rat's salivary gland histology and amylase activity, as changed by chronically injected pharmacological dosages of a salivary stimulant (isoproterenol) or by dietary supplements of pancreatin, were compared to those of normal animals. Both treatments induced an enlargement of the submaxillary glands and an increase in amylase activity of the gland homogenates. Isoproterenol induced a greater change in the histology of the gland; there was a greater increase in acinar cell size, loss of tubular granulation, and a greater loss of compression of tubules. Similar changes of smaller magnitude were detected in animals receiving dietary supplements of pancreatin. Parotid gland enlargement followed either treatment but isoproterenol caused a decrease in amylase activity of parotid homogenates while pancreatin increased the enzyme's activity. In addition there was a loss of body-weight with pancreatin feeding while none occured with the administration of isoproterenol. Thus a difference in mode of action of the two stimuli seems to result in several differences in physiological response, despite the induction of similar changes in salivary gland growth and histology.
Opaque Nerve Fibers

The report of this case is interesting because accompanied by a color sketch showing the appearance of the fundus, and chart showing the limitation of the visual field.
Imaging structural details in closely related molecular adsorbate systems

Abstract Monolayer and submonolayer coverages of naphthalene, azulene and methylazulene adsorbed onto Pt(111) have been imaged with molecular resolution. Comparisons of the adsorbate images of azulene with those obtained from its isomer, naphthalene, reveal that binding for the two closely related species is quite different. Naphthalene occupies an adsorption site on the Pt(111) surface with three equivalent orientational minima, while azulene exhibits no clear orientation with the metal substrate lattice. At less than saturation coverage, naphthalene undergoes discrete rotation among the three allowed orientations and translation between adjacent binding sites on a time scale of minutes, but azulene diffusion rates at room temperature are approximately two orders of magnitude faster. Substitution of a single methyl group onto azulene slows the molecular diffusion to an intermediate rate and enables imaging of the distinct adsorbate asymmetry for two methylazulene isomers. Coadsorbing naphthalene with azulene or methylazulene allows direct comparison of localization characteristics as well as internal structure and orientation.
A constraint-based architecture for local search

Combinatorial optimization problems are ubiquitous in numerous practical applications. Yet most of them are challenging, both from computational complexity and programming standpoints. Local search is one of the main approaches to address these problems. However, it often requires sophisticated incremental algorithms and data structures, and considerable experimentation. This paper proposes a constraint-based, object-oriented, architecture to reduce the development time of local search algorithms significantly. The architecture consists of declarative and search components. The declarative component includes invariants, which maintain complex expressions incrementally, and differentiable objects, which maintain properties that can be queried to evaluate the effect of local moves. Differentiable objects are high-level modeling concepts, such as constraints and functions, that capture combinatorial substructures arising in many applications. The search component supports various abstractions to specify heuristics and meta-heuristics. We illustrate the architecture with the language Comet and several applications, such as car sequencing and the progressive party problem. The applications indicate that the architecture allows for very high-level modeling of local search algorithms, while preserving excellent performance.
Using Lasswell's decision seminars to assure appropriate knowledge base in teacher education programs

Suite aux nouveaux standards imposes par le Conseil National pour l'Habilitation des Formations des Enseignants (NCATE) en 1986, des changements dans les programmes et les politiques de formation des enseignants ont ete demandes. Chaque etablissement doit s'assurer de la conformite de ses formations avec les recommandations du NCATE. Les AA. presentent l'initiative du centre de formation des enseignants
Spontaneous release of endogenous aspartate and glutamate from rat striatal slices is increased following destruction of local neurons by ibotenic acid.

We sought to determine in rat striatum whether the release of neurotransmitter amino acids aspartate (Asp), glutamate (Glu) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were affected by local neurons. To do so, unilateral microinjections of ibotenic acid, an excitotoxin that destroys local neurons without affecting fibers of passage, were made into the striatum. Release of endogenous amino acids from lesioned and intact striatal slices were measured by HPLC one week later. The effectiveness and specificity of the lesion were confirmed by measuring the enzyme activity associated with extrinsic dopamine neurons (tyrosine hydroxylase; 111±14%), intrinsic GABA neurons (glutamic acid decarboxylase; 19±7%) and intrinsic acetylcholine neurons (choline acetyltransferase; 37±10%). Destruction of local striatal neurons markedly attenuated the release of GABA (41±12% of control) elicited by depolarization with K+ (35 mM), but did not significantly reduce the K+-evoked release of Asp (80±17%) and Glu (92±8%). However, spontaneous release of Asp and Glu was significantly greater than that observed in unlesioned tissue (159±18% and 209±27%, respectively), while the spontaneous release of GABA was not significantly reduced (75±43%). Although release of the neurotransmitter amino acids Asp, Glu and GABA were affected by the lesion, the release of the non-neurotransmitter amino acid tyrosine was unaffected. These data are consistent with the hypotheses that: 1) the predominant source of releasable stores of endogenous Asp and Glu in the striatum arises from extinsic neurons, and 2) that the spontaneous release of Asp and Glu from axon terminals in the striatum may be regulated, at least in part, by local inhibitory neurons.
Solomon receives 2005 Harry H. Hess medal

Sean C. Solomon received the Harry H. Hess Medal at the 2005 Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, which was held on 7 December in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is given for outstanding achievements in research on the constitution and evolution of the Earth and other planets.
Energies and structures in biradical chemistry from the parametric two-electron reduced-density matrix method: applications to the benzene and cyclobutadiene biradicals.

The treatment of biradical chemistry presents a challenge for electronic structure theory, especially single-reference methods, as it requires the description of varying degrees and kinds of electron correlation. In this work we assess the ability of the parametric two-electron reduced-density matrix (p2-RDM) method to describe biradical chemistry through application to the benzene and cyclobutadiene biradicals. The relative energy of o- and m-benzynes predicted by the p2-RDM method is consistent with Wenthold et al.'s experimental determinations, while the more difficult relative energy prediction of the more multi-referenced p-benzyne is within 1.4 kcal mol−1 of the experimental value [P. G. Wenthold et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1998, 120, 5279], which is significantly better than traditional single-reference methods. We observe that the degree of multireference correlation in the biradicals depends upon the distance between their radical centers, with the largest radical separation displaying the largest degree of multireference correlation. In addition to relative and absolute electronic energies, we report molecular geometries, natural orbitals, and natural-orbital occupations for the benzene and cyclobutadiene biradicals.
Character ethics and the transformation of governance

A focus on character ethics has the power to transform public adminstration, and transform governance as we know it. Virtue demands of us many things that professionalism, efficiency, effectiveness, and ordinary bureaucratic practices do not. It requires that we be perceptive and discerning, and that we have a predisposition to make judgments and act with courage. Focusing on character ethics would transform governance because a public service characterized by virtue and the attending fundamental respect for the dignity and worth of others, would not deny the public their rightful role in self-governance. A virtuous public servant will be an enabling and empowering force in our institutions of governance, helping reinvigorate civic virtue among both public administrators and the general citizenry. But if an ethic of character is to take hold in public administration, we need to design organizational environments and management practices more conducive to the development of virtuous habits. Fortunately suc...
IS THE POMERANCHON A FIXED POLE.

It is shown that the Mandelstam cut mechanism, which allows the existence of fixed poles at negative values of angular momentum, is not sufficient to allow the Pomeranchon to have zero slope. It is suggested that this fact makes it unlikely that the Pomeranchon is a fixed pole.
Terahertz emitting devices based on intersubband transitions in SiGe quantum wells

Terahertz electroluminescence was produced by intersubband transitions in silicongermanium quantum wells. The devices were grown by solid-source molecular-beam epitaxy on high-resistivity silicon substrates, and were fabricated by standard photolithography and processing techniques. Using FTIR spectroscopy at at temperature of 5 K, electroluminescence was observed around 9 THz. The emission was attributed to heavy-hole-to-light-hole transitions and demonstrates the potential for SiGe technology as terahertz emitters.
Market structure, opportunity costs, and tax avoidance

There have been several studies examining the relationship between an industry's market structure and its ability to affect political outcomes. These studies have assumed that political outcomes are likely to be influenced by a variety of traditional market structure characteristics, but these studies have ignored the impact of differences in the opportunity cost of lobbying that undoubtedly exist across industries. A model is developed that directly incorporates the opportunity cost of lobbying for tax breaks. Using data on tax avoidance rates in 1963, it is then suggested that in industries with high opportunity costs of lobbying, fewer tax benefits were received.
Striatal Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter Transcript Expression in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder

Because abnormalities of glutamatergic neurotransmission in psychiatric illness are likely not limited to glutamate receptor expression, we investigated expression of excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) in the striatum. The EAATs, normally expressed in both glia (EAAT1 and EAAT2) and neurons (EAAT3 and EAAT4), have previously been implicated in Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and schizophrenia. In this study, we investigated striatal expression of transcripts encoding EAATs in tissue from mood disordered and schizophrenic subjects. With probes designed for the human EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT3, and EAAT4 transcripts, we performed in situ hybridization and detected decreased expression of EAAT3 and EAAT4 transcripts in the striatum in bipolar disorder. We also detected decreased EAAT3 transcript expression in schizophrenia and decreased EAAT4 transcript expression in major depressive disorder. These results suggest that changes in striatal transporter mRNA expression are restricted to neuronal EAATs and extend the body of evidence implicating abnormal glutamatergic neurotransmission in schizophrenia and mood disorders.
Electrical conductivity and defect equilibria of Pr0.1Ce0.9O2−δ

Praseodymium-cerium oxide (PCO) solid solutions exhibit mixed ionic electronic conductivity (MIEC) behavior in a relatively high and readily accessible oxygen partial pressure (PO2) regime and as such serve as a model system for investigating the correlation between thermodynamic and kinetic properties and performance figures of merit in the areas of high temperature energy conversion, automotive control, and gas sensing applications. In this paper, we present measurements on the non-stoichiometry of Pr0.1Ce0.9O2−δ and develop a defect equilibria model to predict the dependence of the concentration of all the dominant charge carriers on temperature, PO2, and Pr fraction. The predictive model is then employed to describe the measured electrical conductivity and oxygen nonstoichiometry whereby pre-exponentials and enthalpies of defect formation and migration are extracted.
Location-oriented evolutionary games for spectrum sharing

Spectrum sharing between primary users (PUs) and secondary users (SUs) can be realized using economic approaches. In this paper, we propose a method for multiple PUs to share with multiple SUs different idle channels in overlapped licensed areas. Due to the fluctuations of supply and demand in different areas, the SUs are grouped according to their suppliers and the PUs set channel transaction quotas for these SU groups. By applying evolutionary games, the PUs can obtain quotas of evolutionary stable strategy (ESS) and achieve their maximum payoffs theoretically. Furthermore, we design a learning process for the PUs to attain best integer quotas that are realizable. In our simulation, we obtain under two pricing schemes both ESS and best integer quotas that render payoffs close to each other.