cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WAY-100635 is a potent dopamine D4 receptor agonist.

WAY-100635 is a prototypical 5-HT1A receptor antagonist and has been used widely as a pharmacological probe to investigate the distribution and function of 5-HT1A receptors. Results from our studies suggested that WAY-100635 was potently inducing effects unrelated to its 5-HT1A receptor affinity. In the present work, we evaluated the in vitro pharmacology of this compound at two D2-like receptor subtypes. The functional properties and binding affinities of WAY-100635 were evaluated in HEK 293 cells stably expressing dopamine D2L or D4.4 receptors. Initial screens performed by the NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program indicated that WAY-100635 displayed 940, 370, and 16 nM binding affinities at D2L, D3, and D4.2 receptors, respectively. Subsequent saturation analyses demonstrated that the K d of [3H]WAY-100635 at D4.2 receptors was 2.4 nM, only tenfold higher than 5-HT1A. WAY-100635 and its major metabolite, WAY-100634, were potent agonists in HEK-D4.4 cells (EC50=9.7±2.2 and 0.65±0.2 nM, respectively). WAY-100635 behaved as a full agonist, and WAY-100634 was a nearly full agonist. In HEK-D2L cells, WAY-100635 weakly antagonized the effects of 300 nM quinpirole. Subsequent radioligand binding studies confirmed that WAY-100635 possesses high affinity for D4.4 receptors but binds weakly to D2L receptors (3.3±0.6 and 420±11 nM, respectively). This study demonstrates that WAY-100635 is not a “selective” 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, as previously reported, and conclusions drawn from studies that employed WAY-100635 as a selective 5-HT1A antagonist may need to be reevaluated.
“A Constituency Suitable for Ladies” and Other Social Histories of Indian Elections – By Wendy Singer

Separate electorates for India's Muslim minority were first introduced early in the last century by the British and were later extended to other minorities as well, as part of British India's “affi...
Spinal distribution and collateral projections of rat spinomesencephalic tract cells.

The distribution of cells belonging to the rat spinomesencephalic tract was studied by means of the retrograde transport of fluorescent dyes. Bilateral midbrain injections of cytoplasmic and nuclear tracers were made in order to evaluate the location of ipsilateral, contralateral, or bilaterally projecting cells. Spinal neurons with ascending projections to midbrain and descending propriospinal projections were identified by midbrain and spinal injections of different cytoplasmic labels. The locations of spinomesencephalic tract cells included seven regions of the spinal gray matter: marginal zone, lateral neck of the dorsal horn, nucleus proprius, the region around the central canal, the lateral cervical and spinal nuclei and the ventral horn. Cells projecting to the ipsilateral or contralateral midbrain had similar distributions and were frequently found in clusters with overlapping dendritic fields. Approximately 75% of spinomesencephalic cells projected to the contralateral midbrain. The largest contribution to the spinomesencephalic tract cell population was found in cervical cord segments 1-4. Cells with bilateral projections accounted for nearly 2% of all labeled cells, whereas 5% had both ascending and descending projections. Spinomesencephalic cells were found to have varying dendritic fields and morphology, e.g. fusiform, pyramidal, round/oval, and multipolar. The results of the present study lend further support to the view that the spinomesencephalic tract is a multi-component pathway with varied origins and projection targets.
Mechanism of the Regulation of Food Intake

THE regulation of energy intake both in the growing and in the adult animal is one of the most important physiological regulations. The essential characteristics of this regulation in the adult, its precision, sensitivity and accuracy, the individual and strain differences, the differences due to environmental factors (essentially temperature) as well as the alterations in metabolism and body composition correlated with these changes in food intake, have been studied by A. Mayer and his collaborators1. The importance of the integrity of the hypothalamic region of the brain as well as the hyperphagia and resulting obesity due to the hypothalamic lesion have been studied by J. Brobeck and reviewed by him2.
Techniques to cool the anger

A wide variety of techniques are proposed to cool Mary's anger in the context of a therapeutic relationship. Additional stress reduction and life-enriching strategies are proposed.
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide: increased tone, enhancement of acetylcholine release, and stimulation of adenylate cyclase in intestinal smooth muscle.

Abstract Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was examined in vitro for effects on tone and neuronal release mechanisms in intestinal smooth muscle since this is a site of high peptide concentration. VIP contracted the guinea pig ileum and rabbit jejunum in concentrations ranging from 10 −9 to 10 −7 M. Increased tone in the guinea pig ileum was partially antagonized by the anticholinergic agent, atropine (4.38 × 10 −6 M) suggesting that one component of the contractile response was due to the indirect release of acetylcholine. The H 1 receptor antagonist, pyrilamine, did not alter the increased tone produced by VIP indicating that histamine release did not contribute to the ileal contractile response and that VIP exerted a selective effect to enhance neuronal release of acetylcholine. The ability of VIP to modulate acetylcholine release was confirmed in field stimulated ileal preparations where VIP increased the force developed to endogenously released acetylcholine without altering the direct response to acetylcholine. In rabbit jejunum and ileal smooth muscle, VIP related cyclic AMP levels. However, inhibition of phosphodiesterase with papaverine did not potentiate either the VIP-induced ileal contraction or enhancement of the field stimulated response. This raises the possibility that increases in intestinal cyclic AMP may be involved more in VIP-induced alterations in ion transport or secretory phenomenon than in intestinal motility. These studies describing the ability of VIP to modulate acetylcholine release and to increase ileal tone are consistent with the proposed role of VIP in intestinal patholgies involving excessive mucous secretion and motility.
Theoretical study of carotene as a molecular wire

Abstract Carotenoid molecules have important photo-chemical properties and may serve as molecular wires in a molecular electronic circuit. We have theoretically studied the intrinsic conducting properties of sulfur-terminated carotene between gold contacts using local orbital density functional theory. The dependence of the tunneling decay parameter “ β ” on the degree of single–double bond alternation within the polyene backbone is determined from the polyene complex band-structure. The electron tunneling current–voltage characteristics is calculated using the Landauer–Buttiker formalism. The calculations are in qualitative agreement with experiments.
Strain, Coping, and Socioeconomic Status: Coping Histories and Present Choices

Using household survey data from three major cities in foreign countries, we add to research concerning General Strain Theory (GST) by focusing on aspects that have been ignored or under-researched. First, we address questions concerning SES variations in the operation of the processes of GST, with particular focus on whether various relationships specified by the theory are more likely in the lower SES group. Second, we explore the extent to which prior coping strategies influence subsequent coping choices. Finally, we seek to determine the links between SES, coping histories, and subsequent coping choices. The study analyzes the effects of past and contemporaneous strain/negative emotions and prior coping efforts on various coping strategies across three SES groupings using negative binomial, ordered logit, and OLS regression. We find that, with some variations, the basic processes of GST are operative across all SES categories. However, whereas strain appears to have a moderate association with alcohol-related and criminal coping strategies, avoidant coping appears to be largely irrelevant for anybody who faces strain. Our data also demonstrate that specific forms of prior coping partially influence the types of coping employed later. But, with few exceptions, these effects are not more pronounced among those of lower SES. In sum, our findings suggest that individuals in various SES groupings may prefer certain types of coping, whereas different types of attempted coping may predispose individuals to specific forms of subsequent adaptation.
Energy barriers for flux lines in three dimensions

I determine the scaling behavior of the free energy barriers encountered by a flux line in moving through a three-dimensional random potential. A combination of numerical simulations and analytic arguments suggests that these barriers scale with the length of the line in the same way as the fluctuation in the free energy.
Integrated magneto-optic Bragg-cell-device modules for information processing

There have been a number of significant advances in recent years in the conception, experimentation, and related integration technology for the realization of magnetostatic waves- based integrated magneto-optic (MO) Bragg cell device modules in a common YIG-GGG waveguide substrate. In this paper, two such integrated MO device modules are reported. An integrated MO Bragg cell module that consists of an X-band MO Bragg cell and a pair of ion- milled curved hybrid lenses in a tapered waveguide, 6.0 X 16.0 mm2 in size, has been realized for the first time. An integrated MO frequency shifter/modulator module fabricated in a waveguide (6.0 X 10.0 mm2 in size) that is capable of providing multigigahertz bandwidth with tunable center carrier frequency at X-band and high speed has also been realized for the first time. Some unique applications of such integrated MO Bragg cell device modules to the areas of rf signal processing and optical communications also are suggested.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Stereocontrolled synthesis of 20,21-dihydro N-methylwelwitindolinone B isothiocyanate

Described is a concise synthesis of the 20,21-dihydro analog of N-methylwelwitindolinone B isothiocyanate, wherein a cationic homoallyl to cyclopropylmethyl rearrangement is circumvented by hydrogenation of the offending double bond.
Abstract 3406: Activity of catechol-O-methyltransferase gene promoter polymorphisms in renal cancer cells

Catechol-compounds such as 4-hydroxy-estrogen have been shown to play a role in the renal carcinogenesis process. To counter the effects of the highly reactive and mutagenic catechol-estrogens, the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene detoxifies these compounds by forming methoxy compounds, which have been shown to be biologically inactive. Proper COMT function is thus vital for cells and a mechanism by which activity levels can be affected is through polymorphisms. The Val(158)Met polymorphism that correlates with renal cancer has been shown to reduce COMT enzymatic activity, but also of importance are those variants in the promoter region which can lead to alterations in gene expression levels. The aim of this study was to determine if polymorphisms of the COMT promoter can influence their transcription levels. To examine this, plasmids containing wildtype regions of the COMT promoter were obtained and site-directed mutagenesis used to create polymorphic variants. Constructs were then transfected into the Caki-1 renal cell line to measure their effects on gene expression by using a luciferase reporter assay. A total of 8 polymorphic sites covering the distal and proximal promoter region were evaluated. Results indicate that the variant at polymorphic sites rs2020917 (C to T), rs13306278 (C to T), and rs6269 (A to G) caused a significant reduction (P Citation Format: Inik Chang, Shinichiro Fukuhara, Darryn K. Wong, Ankurpreet Gill, Varahram Shahryari, Soichiro Yamamura, Shahana Majid, Sharanjot Saini, Hiroshi Hirata, Koji Ueno, Guoren Deng, Rajvir Dahiya, Yuichiro Tanaka. Activity of catechol-O-methyltransferase gene promoter polymorphisms in renal cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3406. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3406
Isolation and Identification of Metabolites of Porfiromycin Formed in the Presence of a Rat Liver Preparation

Abstract The isolation and identification of the major metabolites of porfiromycin formed in the presence of a rat liver preparation under aerobic conditions were performed with high‐performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Porfiromycin was extensively metabolized by the rat liver preparation in an aqueous 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) containing an NADPH generating system at 37°C. A total of eight metabolites was identified as mitosene analogs. Of these, three primary metabolites are 2‐methylamino‐7‐aminomitosene, 1,2‐ cis and 1,2‐ trans ‐1‐hydroxy‐2‐methylamino‐7‐aminomitosene, which are consistent with those previously observed in hypoxia using purified rat liver NADPH‐cytochrome c reductase. Interestingly, 2‐methylamino‐7‐aminomitosene is a reactive metabolite, which undergoes further activation at the C‐10 position by the loss of carbamic acid and then links with the 7‐amino group of the primary metabolites to yield two dimeric adducts. In addition, three phosphate adducts, 10‐decarbamoyl‐2‐methylamino‐7‐aminomitosene‐10‐phosphate, 1,2‐ cis and 1,2‐ trans ‐2‐methylamino‐7‐aminomitosene‐1‐phosphate, were also identified in the incubation system. The configurations of the diastereoisomeric metabolites were determined with 1 HNMR and phosphatase digestion. On the basis of the metabolite profile, we propose in vitro metabolic pathways for porfiromycin. The findings provide direct evidence for understanding the reactive nature and hepatic metabolism of the drug currently in phase III clinical trials. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 89:191–198, 2000
Induction of ovalbumin and conalbumin synthesis in immature chick oviducts by ethionine.

PROLONGED feeding of rats with ethionine results in a high frequency of hepatic carcinoma. Ethionine induces other pathological manifestations in other organs and tissues of experimental animals1, and some of its effects can be reversed rapidly by the administration of methionine. At the molecular level ethionine induces a rapid decrease in hepatic ATP concentration2–4, followed by inhibition of RNA5 and protein synthesis6. The decrease in ATP concentration is due to formation of S-adenosyl-ethionine7, an inhibitor of tRNA methyltransferases8,9, and so tRNA isolated from the liver of rats injected with adenine and ethionine is hypomethylated10,11. It is well established that several eukaryotic mRNAs are methylated on the 5′ terminus and that such modification is essential for translation12,13. To study the mechanism of methylation we attempted to produce a specific methyl-deficient mRNA by the administration of ethionine. To monitor the effectiveness of the deprivation of methyl groups the synthesis of hormone-induced ovalbumin in immature chick oviducts was followed. Administration of oestrogen to immature chicks causes cytodifferentiation and growth of the primitive oviduct14–17. The tubular gland cells synthesise ovalbumin, conalbumin, ovomucoid and lysozyme which comprise 85–90% of the egg-white proteins18. The continuous presence of oestrogen is required for sustained synthesis of these proteins in immature chicks; withdrawal of oestrogen is accompanied by a gradual decline in cell-specific protein synthesis as well as in the weight of the oviduct and the RNA content of the tissue17. But, the tubular gland cells in the oviduct magnum during withdrawal are retained although they do not synthesise cell-specific secretory proteins17,19. Readministration of hormone to chicks after withdrawal (secondary stimulation) results in restoration of cell-specific protein synthesis without concomitant need for DNA synthesis17. During these studies ethionine unexpectedly simulated the effects of the injection of oestrogen for secondary stimulation.
Characterization of functionally active subribosomal particles from Thermus aquaticus

Peptidyl transferase activity of Thermus aquaticus ribosomes is resistant to the removal of a significant number of ribosomal proteins by protease digestion, SDS, and phenol extraction. To define the upper limit for the number of macromolecular components required for peptidyl transferase, particles obtained by extraction of T. aquaticus large ribosomal subunits were isolated and their RNA and protein composition was characterized. Active subribosomal particles contained both 23S and 5S rRNA associated with notable amounts of eight ribosomal proteins. N-terminal sequencing of the proteins identified them as L2, L3, L13, L15, L17, L18, L21, and L22. Ribosomal protein L4, which previously was thought to be essential for the reconstitution of particles active in peptide bond formation, was not found. These findings, together with the results of previous reconstitution experiments, reduce the number of possible essential macromolecular components of the peptidyl transferase center to 23S rRNA and ribosomal proteins L2 and L3. Complete removal of ribosomal proteins from T. aquaticus rRNA resulted in loss of tertiary folding of the particles and inactivation of peptidyl transferase. The accessibility of proteins in active subribosomal particles to proteinase hydrolysis was increased significantly after RNase treatment. These results and the observation that 50S ribosomal subunits exhibited much higher resistance to SDS extraction than 30S subunits are compatible with a proposed structural organization of the 50S subunit involving an RNA “cage” surrounding a core of a subset of ribosomal proteins.
Precipitation in Cu-3.4 at% be solid solution during heavy-ion irradiation: I. Influence of irradiation parameters

Abstract A comprehensive study was performed on the microstructure of supersaturated and undersaturated Cu-3.4 at% Be solid solutions following irradiation with 14 MeV Cu ions. CuBe precipitates, which formed quickly during irradiation at 575–750 K, were characterized quantitatively by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Precipitate size, number density, and crystallography were determined from specimens irradiated to doses of 0.25–10 dpa at a dose rate of about 10−3 dpa/s. Some effects of dose-rate observed using a cross-sectional TEM thinning technique are also reported here. From the TEM data, the fraction of precipitated solute was found to be greatest at 665–695 K, i.e. near the equilibrium solvus temperature and near the temperature where irradiation-induced solute segregation is predicted to be most efficient. Crystallographically, the precipitate platelets shared characteristics of both the γ-CuBe equilibrium phase and the γ'-CuBe intermediate phase. Post-irradiation annealing studies indicated that the fine-particle morphology induced by irradiation was unstable during annealing even at a temperature below the equilibrium solvus.
Differential effects of pilocarpine and scopolamine on the performance of a light-dark discrimination maintained by electrical stimulation of the brain.

Four rats were first trained to make a light-dark discrimination by making electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) available to them for responses made in the presence of one stimulus (SD), but not in the presence of another stimulus (SΔ). Subjects were then tested following treatment with pilocarpine, scopolamine, and combinations of the two. Pilocarpine (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) significantly reduced the rate of reinforced responding, in the presence of SD, but did not affect the rate of unreinforced responding, in the presence of SD. On the other hand, scopolamine (2.5 mg/kg) did not affect response rates during SD, but did significantly enhance responding during SD. Furthermore, when given in combination, the two drugs failed to antagonize eath other's actions. Instead, the outcome was equivalent to the sum of the two separate effects: i.e., decreased responding during SD and increased responding during SΔ.
Influence of preview uncertainties in the preview control of vehicle suspensions

AbstractActive control of vehicle suspensions has long been known as an effective way of enhancing isolation of unwanted vibrations. It is further shown in the literature that obtaining ‘preview’ information of the ‘future’ road inputs will result in smoother control with less control effort. Most of these studies assume perfect preview measurements. This paper is a simulation analysis to verify if the benefits of preview are valid in the presence of uncertainty. The optimal control scheme for preview control of a quarter-car suspension model is briefly presented, followed by numerical simulations. The analysis addresses two different possible sources of uncertainty in preview measurements. Comparison of the performance for various levels of uncertainty in the preview shows that noise/uncertainty can be an issue, with an adverse effect that sometimes increases with preview length. In other words, it is shown that controllers with longer preview can be more susceptible to noise. However, the limits of tole...
HMG-I/Y in human breast cancer cell lines

The HMG-I/Y gene encodes the HMG-I and -Y architectural, chromatin binding proteins originally identified based on their association with chromosomal DNA. HMG-I/Y proteins bind to AT-rich regions in chromosomal DNA and alter gene expression. Increased HMG-I/Y protein expression also correlates with neoplastic transformation. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that HMG-I/Y is a direct c-Myc target gene involved in neoplastic transformation in Burkitt's lymphoma. We also observed that HMG-I/Y proteins have several oncogenic properties. In this report, we show that HMG-I/Y proteins are increased in several human breast cancer cell lines compared to a human breast cell line derived from normal breast cells. Decreasing HMG-I/Y proteins using an antisense ribozyme approach inhibits transformation in human breast cancer cells, suggesting that HMG-I/Y is important for the transformed phenotype observed in these cells. In addition, increased expression of the HMG-I isoform in normal human breast cells leads to transformation. These results suggest that HMG-I/Y is an oncogene important in the pathogenesis of human breast cancer. Although additional studies with animal models are needed, the antisense experiments, which result in blocking transformation suggest that this approach may have therapeutic potential in patients with breast cancer characterized by increased HMG-I/Y expression.
Automated critiquing of medical decision trees

The authors developed a decision tree-critiquing program (called BUNYAN) that identifies potential modeling errors in medical decision trees. The program's critiques are based on the structure of a...
Automatic Dependent Surveillance for Oceanic Air Traffic Control Applications

This paper addresses the requirement for an automatic dependent surveillance (ADS) function in oceanic areas. It includes a description of the present oceanic air traffic control (ATC) system and its functional limitations. It also provides a historical perspective on the National Airspace System, as well as background on oceanic ATC modernization and improvements leading to development of the FAA ADS program. Also included are a brief overview of the Oceanic Display and Planning System (ODAPS), which is the baseline for ADS, and a synopsis of the ADS function, program, demonstrations, implementation, and resulting benefits.
Contrasting roles for CD4 vs. CD8 T-cells in a murine model of virally induced "T1 black hole" formation.

MRI is sensitive to tissue pathology in multiple sclerosis (MS); however, most lesional MRI findings have limited correlation with disability. Chronic T1 hypointense lesions or “T1 black holes” (T1BH), observed in a subset of MS patients and thought to represent axonal damage, show moderate to strong correlation with disability. The pathogenesis of T1BH remains unclear. We previously reported the first and as of yet only model of T1BH formation in the Theiler's murine encephalitis virus induced model of acute CNS neuroinflammation induced injury, where CD8 T-cells are critical mediators of axonal damage and related T1BH formation. The purpose of this study was to further analyze the role of CD8 and CD4 T-cells through adoptive transfer experiments and to determine if the relevant CD8 T-cells are classic epitope specific lymphocytes or different subsets. C57BL/6 mice were used as donors and RAG-1 deficient mice as hosts in our adoptive transfer experiments. In vivo 3-dimensional MRI images were acquired using a 7 Tesla small animal MRI system. For image analysis, we used semi-automated methods in Analyze 9.1; transfer efficiency was monitored using FACS of brain infiltrating lymphocytes. Using a peptide depletion method, we demonstrated that the majority of CD8 T-cells are classic epitope specific cytotoxic cells. CD8 T-cell transfer successfully restored the immune system's capability to mediate T1BH formation in animals that lack adaptive immune system, whereas CD4 T-cell transfer results in an attenuated phenotype with significantly less T1BH formation. These findings demonstrate contrasting roles for these cell types, with additional evidence for a direct pathogenic role of CD8 T-cells in our model of T1 black hole formation.
Parameter estimation versus homogenization techniques in time-domain characterization of composite dielectrics

We compare an inverse problem approach to parameter estimation with homogenization techniques for characterizing the electrical response of composite dielectric materials in the time domain. We first consider an homogenization method, based on the periodic unfolding method, to identify the dielectric response of a complex material with heterogeneous micro-structures which are described by spatially periodic parameters. We also consider electromagnetic interrogation problems for complex materials assuming multiple polarization mechanisms with distributions of parameters. An inverse problem formulation is devised to determine effective polarization parameters specific to the interrogation problem. We compare the results of these two approaches with the classical Maxwell-Garnett mixing model and a simplified model with a weighted average of parameters. Numerical results are presented for a specific example involving a mixture of ethanol and water (modeled with multiple Debye mechanisms). A comparison between each approach is made in the frequency domain (e.g., Cole-Cole diagrams), as well as in the time domain (e.g., plots of suscepti- In this paper, we consider composite materials that are mixtures of linear, isotropic and temporally dispersive dielectrics. Composite materials are often used in indus- try as they have better properties (e.g., electrical, structural) as compared with their constituents. The dielectric properties of mixtures can differ significantly from the individual materials from which they are composed. We compare three different time- domain approaches to characterizing the electrical response of composite dielectrics. We also consider the approach of using the weighted average of the model parameters from each of the constituent materials. First we consider an homogenization method to identify the dielectric response of a material presenting heterogeneous micro-structures which are described by spatially periodic parameters. When such composite materials are subjected to electromagnetic fields generated by currents of varying frequencies, and the period of the structure is small compared to the wavelength, the spatially dependent coefficients in Maxwell's equations oscillate rapidly. These spatially oscillating coefficients are difficult to treat
Changes in Pituitary Prolactin Release and Hypothalamic PIF Content During the Estrous Cycle of Rats.

SummaryComparisons were made of pituitary prolactin content, pituitary prolactin release in vitro and hypothalamic PIF content at different stages of the estrous cycle of the rat. The anterior pituitaries of proestrous and estrous rats contained significantly more prolactin than anterior pituitaries of diestrous rats; the former released significantly more prolactin when incubated in vitro than the latter, and proestrous and estrous rats had significantly less PIF in the hypothalamus than diestrous rats. Ovarian estrogen secreted during proestrus and estrus is believed to increase prolactin release by depressing hypothalamic PIF production and by directly stimulating the pituitary.
Mechanisms of action of intravenous immune serum globulin in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases

Intravenous immune serum globulin (IVIG) is primarily used as replacement therapy in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia. It has been over 15 years since IVIG was first shown to be effective in the treatment of patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura. Over the past decade, IVIG has been used in the treatment of a number of autoimmune and systemic inflammatory disorders. Although the use of IVIG in many of these immune-mediated disorders was purely speculative initially, we now have a much better understanding of the mechanisms by which IVIG exerts its effects in these autoimmune diseases. IVIG exhibits a number of immune modulatory activities that are mediated by the Fc portion of IgG through the Fc gamma receptor on a variety of cell types. Although the major component in IVIG is IgG, other minor components such as solubilized lymphocyte surface membrane determinants and specific antibodies to lymphocyte surface molecules may have important immunoregulatory effects on T- and B-cell immune responses. This review discusses the proposed mechanisms of action of IVIG in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.
Growth of Holstein Calves on Pasture from Six to Twenty Weeks of Age

Summary A total of 48 Holstein calves was used to study a system of management in which the animals were placed on pasture after weaning. In each of three seasons eight calves were fed pasture as the only source of roughage between 6 and 20 wk of age. Eight controls were maintained under barn-feeding conditions. Growth by the two groups during the experimental period was similar, and appeared to be affected somewhat by season and by forage quality. Calves on pasture gained an average of 157.5 lb during the 14-wk experimental period; those in the barn averaged 149.8. The standard errors of these two means were ± 5.2 and ± 5.5 lb, respectively. The pasture consumed substituted for 400 to 657 lb of hay per calf, depending upon the season.
Impact of uncertainty on the prediction of airspace complexity of congested sectors

The ability of traffic controllers to separate aircraft determines the capacity of the region of airspace under their control, referred to as a sector. Complexity metrics, specifically dynamic density, is used as an estimate for controller workload. The prediction of dynamic density is required for the development of efficient long-term air traffic plans. This paper explores the influence of trajectory errors on the prediction of dynamic density and uses a worst-case analysis to describe the conditions under which forecast errors may lead to excessive complexity. Although the approach has general applicability, it is described using one definition of complexity. Depending on the sector and the complexity function, when a sector is highly congested, the method identifies aircraft entering the sector at certain locations, boundaries and altitudes, whose errors in prediction contribute significantly to the increase in workload. If these errors cannot be reduced, it may be necessary to limit the traffic approaching the sector from these altitudes and boundaries.
Horner's syndrome: a complication following carotid endarterectomy: a case report

Extracranial nerve injury following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has been the subject of numerous reports. Horner's syndrome has been associated with a number of disorders of carotid artery but has not been reported in the literature following CEA. Horner's syndrome is characterized by specific neurologic and ophthalmologic findings and has been associated with carotid artery dissection, occlusion, aneurysm, fibromuscular dysplasia, and carotid body tumor. The authors report a persistent ipsilateral Horner's syndrome that developed in a sixty-four-year-old woman following CEA. Since 1977, 290 CEAs have been performed by the authors, and this is the only instance of this complication. The anatomy of the sympathetic chain and a review of Horner's syndrome are presented
Social contingency detection and infant development.

The developmental origins and determinants of social contingency detection are discussed. Based on recent research, the author proposes that the origins of social contingency detection correspond to the early propensity developing in the first 6 months of life to differentiate between what pertains to the self (i.e., one's own body) and what pertains to others. Furthermore, from the second month of life, what infants appear to gain from contingency detection while interacting with others is a sense of shared experience or intersubjectivity. Research suggests that although the development of intersubjectivity is a central feature of infant behavior and development, the meaning of contingency detection, hence the source of intersubjectivity, changes radically between birth and 18 months of age. In general, it is proposed that the origins and determinants of social contingency detection must be construed in relation to (1) the developing sense of self in infancy, (2) the infant's developing sense of reciprocity with others, and (3) the infant's developing sense of participation with others. The author concludes by proposing a relevant map of changing social stances adopted by infants in the course of early development.
Sexual function in women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To compare sexual function in women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse and to determine the effects of therapy on sexual function. METHODS: 343 community-dwelling women older than 45 years with urinary incontinence or advanced prolapse were recruited into a multi-armed clinical trial. Women with incontinence were stratified to receive estrogen therapy, behavioral therapy, or surgical therapy. Women with prolapse were enrolled in a randomized surgical trial. All women completed a standardized urogynecologic evaluation and a sexual function questionnaire at baseline and after therapy. RESULTS: Women with prolapse or detrusor instability were more likely to cite pelvic floor symptoms as a reason for sexual inactivity than were women with other conditions. One third of patients with prolapse reported that their pelvic floor condition affected their ability to have sexual relations “moderately” or “greatly” significantly more than did other groups. Patients with genuine stress incontinence who underwent surgical or behavioral therapy were less likely to report being worried about urine leakage during intercourse after therapy than at baseline. After surgery, women with prolapse were less likely to report that their symptoms affected their ability to have sexual relations compared with baseline. Overall sexual satisfaction was the same at baseline and remained unchanged in all therapeutic groups at 6 months. CONCLUSION: Prolapse is more likely than urinary incontinence to result in sexual inactivity and to be perceived as affecting sexual relations. However, overall sexual satisfaction appears to be independent of diagnosis of or therapy for urinary incontinence or prolapse.
The Effects of Halofuginone and Salinomycin, Alone and in Combination, on Live Performance and Skin Characteristics of Broilers

Live performance and skin characteristics of male and female broilers were evaluated under four coccidiostat feed additive programs. Treatments consisted of halofuginone (H) and salinomycin (S), fed either continuously (HH and SS) or in rotational programs (HS and SH) during the starter (1 to 21 d) and grower (22 to 35 d) periods, respectively. An unmedicated withdrawal feed was provided from 36 to 42 d of age. Body weights, feed efficiency, and mortality (by pen) were determined, in addition to skin puncture strength measurements taken at Days 21, 35, and 42 on five birds per pen. At 43 d of age, all birds were processed and individually graded for skin defects. There were no treatment by sex interactions for any variable measured. Male body weights, feed efficiency, and total mortality exceeded those of females (P < .05). Skin puncture strength was reduced at 21 d in the HH and HS groups, at 35 d in the HH and SH groups, and at 42 d in the HH, HS, and SH groups. Thigh sores and scratches were higher for the HH group (P < .05), and thigh skin tears were higher for the HH and HS groups (P < .01). Males had more swollen hock joints and breast blisters than females (P < .001). Females had more thigh skin tears (P < .01) and broken wings (P < .001) than males. Results of the present study demonstrated that halofuginone affected skin strength of broilers, especially when used continuously or only in the starter feed (1 to 21 d).
The Response of the Adrenergic System in the Cadmium-Induced Hypertensive Rat

Previous investigators, using an in vitro system, have shown that cadmium inhibits neuronal uptake of norepinephrine (NE). The current studies were performed to determine if the adrenergic system is altered in the cadmium-induced hypertensive rat. The results show that the Fischer and Sprague-Dawley rats develop hypertension, whereas the Wistar normotensive and Wistar hypertensive rats develop hypotension when exposed to 5 ppm of cadmium via drinking water. Results from these studies also show that in the cadmium-induced hypertensive rat, plasma NE is significantly elevated and that plasma clearance of (/sup 3/H)NE is significantly reduced. However, the changes in NE metabolism observed in the hypertensive rats were also observed in hypotensive rats. Furthermore in the Wistar strain, renal artery cadmium levels were significantly higher than observed in the other two strains. The authors suggest that the direction of change in blood following cadmium treatment is associated with both the plasma level of norepinephrine and the arterial level of cadmium.
The matrix protein CCN1 (CYR61) induces apoptosis in fibroblasts.

Integrin-mediated cell adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins is known to promote cell survival, whereas detachment from the matrix can cause rapid apoptotic death in some cell types. Contrary to this paradigm, we show that fibroblast adhesion to the angiogenic matrix protein CCN1 (CYR61) induces apoptosis, whereas endothelial cell adhesion to CCN1 promotes cell survival. CCN1 induces fibroblast apoptosis through its adhesion receptors, integrin α6β1 and the heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) syndecan-4, triggering the transcription-independent p53 activation of Bax to render cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-9 and -3. Neither caspase-8 activity nor de novo transcription or translation is required for this process. These results show that cellular interaction with a specific matrix protein can either induce or suppress apoptosis in a cell type–specific manner and that integrin α6β1-HSPGs can function as receptors to induce p53-dependent apoptosis.
Treatment of vitamin D deficiency due to Crohn's disease with tanning bed ultraviolet B radiation☆☆☆

In Crohn's disease, severe skeletal demineralization, secondary hyperparathyroidism, and muscle weakness can occur. This may be caused by impaired vitamin D absorption, resulting from extensive intestinal disease and resection of duodenum and jejunum, where vitamin D is absorbed. We report a 57-year-old woman with a long history of Crohn's disease and short-bowel syndrome who had only 2 feet of small intestine remaining after 3 bowel resections. She was taking a daily multivitamin containing 400 IU of vitamin D(3) and was dependent on total parenteral nutrition that contained 200 IU of vitamin D and calcium (18 mEq in a 1-L bag infused over 8 hours daily) for a period of 36 months. Despite the above replacement, she complained of bone pain and muscle weakness, and she continued to be vitamin D-deficient with a 25(OH)D level <20 ng/mL. She was then exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation in a tanning bed wearing a 1-piece bathing suit for 10 minutes, 3 times a week for 6 months at the General Clinical Research Center, Boston University Medical Center. She tolerated the irradiation well without evidence of erythema. After 4 weeks, her serum 25(OH)D level increased by 357% from 7 to 32 ng/mL, parathyroid hormone level decreased by 52% from 92 to 44 pg/mL, and the serum calcium level increased from 7.8 to 8.5 mg/dL. After 6 months of UVB treatment, her serum 25(OH)D level was maintained in the normal range and was free of muscle weakness, and bone and muscle pain.
Altered regulation of insulin signaling components in adipocytes of insulin-resistant type II diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats

We investigated the cellular mechanism(s) of insulin resistance associated with non—insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using adipocytes isolated from non-obese, insulin-resistant type II diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, a well-known genetic rat model for type II diabetic humans. In adipocytes isolated from control rats, insulin (5 nmol/L) stimulated particulate serine/threonine protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) activity (56% increase over the basal value after 5 minutes). In contrast, adipocytes from diabetic GK rats exhibited a 32% decrease in basal (P < .05) and a 65% decrease in insulin-stimulated PP-1 activity compared with values in control Wistar rats. Conversely, cytosolic PP-2A activity was elevated in diabetic GK rats in the basal state (twofold increase v controls, P < .05). Insulin treatment resulted in a 50% to 60% inhibition in PP-2A activity in control rats, but failed to inhibit PP-2A activity in diabetic GK rat adipocytes. The defects in PP-1PP-2A activation/inactivation were accompanied by inhibition of insulin's effect on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. In addition, insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR) substrate-1- (IRS-1) was decreased more than 90% compared with control values, while a twofold increase in basal IRS-1 phosphorylation status was observed in diabetic GK rats. The abnormalities in IRS-1 phosphorylation were accompanied by a severe impairment of insulin-mediated targeting of the Grb2/Sos complex to the plasma membrane. We conclude that (1) a rapid activation of PP-1 along with concomitant inhibition of cytosolic PP-2A may be important in the mechanism of insulin action in a normal cell, and (2) the resistance to insulin in terms of glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis observed in diabetic GK rats is partly due to defective regulation of PP-1, PP-2A, and MAPK caused by multiple defects in the upstream insulin signaling components (IRS-1/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase [PI3-kinase] and Grb2/Sos) that participate in insulin-mediated activation of PP-1 and inactivation of PP-2A.
Comment on "A Look at the Multiphase Mixture Model for PEM Fuel Cell Simulations" (Electrochem. Solid-State Lett., 11, B132 (2008))

The article of Gurau et al. discusses the multiphase mixture M2 model developed by Wang and co-workers over the last 15 years for the modeling of multiphase flow through porous media with liquid-vapor phase change. I would like to offer the following comments. 1. All published works on PEM fuel cell PEMFC simulations, based on either the classical multifluid approach e.g., Ref. 19, 20, and 22 in Ref. 1 and numerous others available in more recent literature or the M2 model, use two-phase Darcy’s law as the momentum equation for individual phase motion, which can be specifically written as
Mouse WRN Helicase Domain Is Not Required for Spontaneous Homologous Recombination-Mediated DNA Deletion

Werner syndrome is a rare disorder that manifests as premature aging and age-related diseases. WRN is the gene mutated in WS, and is one of five human RecQ helicase family members. WS cells exhibit genomic instability and altered proliferation, and in vitro studies suggest that WRN has a role in suppressing homologous recombination. However, more recent studies propose that other RecQ helicases (including WRN) promote early events of homologous recombination. To study the role of WRN helicase on spontaneous homologous recombination, we obtained a mouse with a deleted WRN helicase domain and combined it with the in vivo pink-eyed unstable homologous recombination system. In this paper, we demonstrate that WRN helicase is not necessary for suppressing homologous recombination in vivo contrary to previous reports using a similar mouse model.
Photocatalytic reduction of divalent zinc and cadmium ions in aqueous TiO2 suspensions: an interfacial induced adsorption-reduction pathway mediated by formate ions

A new pathway is described for the photocatalytic reduction of metal ions in organic-loaded aqueous TiO2 suspensions. Thus, formate ions act as interfacial anchors to initially sequester Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions onto the TiO2 particle surfaces. Subsequent UV illumination of the suspensions results in the facile photoreduction of these metal ions. In the absence of formate, the metal ions show little proclivity either to adsorb on the TiO2 particle surfaces or to undergo photoreduction.
Radiation by aperture antennas of arbitrary shape fed by a covered microstrip line

Conformal antenna arrays are widely used in wireless communications. In order to design such arrays precisely a CAD tool which can handle complicated configurations is needed. A printed aperture antennas fed by a covered microstrip line in a triplate structure is an example of such arrays. The mixed potential integral equation (MPIE) CAD tool has been successfully used to investigate the behavior of the arbitrarily-shaped aperture antenna, fed by a covered microstrip line.
Communal Nesting and Reproduction of the Southern Flying Squirrel in Montane Virginia

Abstract We used nest boxes to study communal nesting and breeding habits of Glaucomys volans (Southern Flying Squirrel) at high elevations over a wide geographic range in western Virginia from 1985 to 1996. Of 320 occupied nest boxes, 19.1% contained litters, 20.3% contained solitary adults, 45.9% had adult aggregations, and 14.7% contained individuals or aggregations of unknown age. Aggregation size ranged from 2–12 individuals. Group size appeared larger during winter months, while the greatest number of aggregations peaked between June and August; however, neither trend was significant. Females were significantly more numerous than males in mixed-age aggregations, while males were significantly more abundant than females in adult aggregations. The breeding season, from first conception to last weaning, lasted 46–48 weeks, from the fourth week of January through the second week of December. Two distinct parturition peaks were evident in late March to mid-April and mid-August to mid-September. Our data ...