cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Roles of corticotropin-releasing factor signaling in the lateral habenula in anxiety-like and alcohol drinking behaviors in male rats

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling in the mesocorticolimbic system is known to modulate anxiety-like behavior and alcohol consumption, behaviors that also have been associated with the hyper-glutamatergic state of the lateral habenula (LHb) neurons in rats. However, the role of CRF signaling in the LHb on the glutamate transmission, anxiety-like behaviors and alcohol consumption is unknown. Here, we used male rats that had been consuming alcohol for three months to address this gap in the literature. First, using electrophysiological techniques, we evaluated CRF's effects on the glutamate transmission in LHb neurons in brain slices. CRF facilitated glutamate transmission. The facilitation was greater in neurons of alcohol-withdrawing rats than in those of naive rats. The facilitation was mimicked by the activation of CRF receptor 1 (CRF1R) but attenuated by the activation of CRF receptor 2 (CRF2R). This facilitation was mediated by upregulating CRF1R-protein kinase A signaling. Conversely, protein kinase C blockade attenuated CRF's facilitation in neurons of naive rats but promoted it in neurons of alcohol-withdrawing rats. Next, using site-direct pharmacology, we evaluated the role of CRF signaling in the LHb on anxiety-like behaviors and alcohol consumption. Intra-LHb inhibition of CRF1R or activation of CRF2R ameliorated the anxiety-like behaviors in alcohol-withdrawing rats and reduced their alcohol intake when drinking was resumed. These observations provide the first direct behavioral pharmacological and cellular evidence that CRF signaling in the LHb modulates glutamate transmission, anxiety-like behaviors and alcohol consumption, and that adaptation occurs in CRF signaling in the LHb after chronic alcohol consumption.
Kidney utilization and outcomes of liver transplant recipients who were listed for kidney after liver transplant after the implementation of safety net policy.

In 2017, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) established the safety net policy with set criteria for offering kidney transplantation (KT) for patients who developed end-stage renal disease between 60 and 365 days after liver transplant (LT). We provide an update on the impact of the policy. We analyzed UNOS data of liver recipients transplanted between 1987 and 2020 who developed acute kidney injury requiring dialysis within 60 days before or after LT and subsequently listed for KT. We identified 407 patients who were listed for kidney after LT before policy and 248 patients after policy. Median waiting time to KT was shorter after policy (324 days vs. 2827 days). There was a higher proportion of candidates who were listed for subsequent KT within 1-year after policy (94.8% vs. 63.6%). KT rate was also higher after policy (87.7 vs. 30.7 per 100 patient-years at risk). Most importantly, we started to observe a net negative kidney utilization in end-stage liver disease setting (i.e., summation of simultaneous liver kidney and kidney after liver transplant in the first-year after LT has decreased from 1086 to 876 transplants in 2019). Such findings are consistent with a more efficient system and more appropriate allocation of organs.
Policy Management Fundamentals

This chapter introduces the basic terms and definitions that are used in the study of policy management, as well as a simplified conceptual model of policy. It also describes the high-level system requirements of a policy-based network management system. Policy-based management is defined as the usage of policy rules to manage the configuration and behavior of one or more entities. This chapter's policy terminology section begins with a detailed comparison of essential terms from RFC3198 and provided enhanced definitions that made the terminology more generic, fixed definitions based on implementation experience, or disambiguated terms that were overloaded with multiple meanings. The second section introduced important new terminology not covered by RFC3198, but which is essential for understanding the design and implementation of policy-based network management (PBNM) systems. One primary goal of PBNM systems is to enable the network to be operated as profit center instead of a cost center.
Using a Root Cause Analysis Curriculum for Practice-Based Learning and Improvement in General Surgery Residency

Objective To describe and evaluate a root cause analysis (RCA)−based educational curriculum for quality improvement (QI) practice-based learning and implementation in general surgery residency. Design A QI curriculum was designed using RCA and spaced-learning approaches to education. The program included a didactic session about the RCA methodology. Resident teams comprising multiple postgraduate years then selected a personal complication, completed an RCA, and presented the findings to the Department of Surgery. Mixed methods consisting of quantitative assessment of performance and qualitative feedback about the program were used to assess the value, strengths, and limitations of the program. Setting Urban tertiary academic medical center. Participants General surgery residents, faculty, and medical students. Results An RCA was completed by 4 resident teams for the following 4 adverse outcomes: postoperative neck hematoma, suboptimal massive transfusion for trauma, venous thromboembolism, and decubitus ulcer complications. Quantitative peer assessment of their performance revealed proficiency in selecting an appropriate case, defining the central problem, identifying root causes, and proposing solutions. During the qualitative feedback assessment, residents noted value of the course, with the greatest limitation being time constraints and equal participation. Conclusion An RCA-based curriculum can provide general surgery residents with QI exposure and training that they value. Barriers to successful implementation include time restrictions and equal participation from all involved members.
The Problem Solving Approach Of International Salespeople: The Experience Effect

Sales research has established the importance of experience in buyer–seller interactions. While this is intuitively appealing, the experience variable has had minimal attention at the international level. This study explores the relationship between experience and the problem solving strategy of international salespeople. Specifically, experience is defined based on three popular measures used in the extant literature: tenure with the organization, general sales experience, and international sales experience. Results indicate that a U-shaped relationship exists between tenure in the organization and problem solving. A plateau effect was identified between sales experience and problem solving early. These results run counter to findings in domestic studies assessing experience and negotiation encounters.
Long-term effects of land application of poultry manure on crop production, and soil and water quality under a corn-soybean rotation system in Iowa

In recent years, the poultry industry has seen a steady growth in Iowa. With the increase in the broiler and egg industry, the public is concerned about the potential threat to environmental quality (surface and subsurface water and air quality) from increased volumes of poultry manure. Although the effect of poultry manure on crop production has been studied, its effects on water quality, under corn and soybean rotation, in Iowa have not been extensively studied. Therefore, a long-term study was initiated in 1998 to investigate the impacts of poultry manure on crop production and environmental quality (soil and water quality). This thesis will present the results of this eight year study (1998 to 2005) on land application of poultry manure on (i) crop yields and crop quality; (ii) subsurface drain water quality, and (iii) soil quality. Eleven experimental field plots of sizes varying from 0.14 to 0.4 ha were used in this study. Each field plot was drained by a single subsurface drain line passing through the center of the plot. These subsurface drain lines were intercepted at the end of the plot to collect water samples for water quality analyses. Corn and soybeans were planted in the same plot with corn on half of the plot and soybean on the other half. Only the corn side received the N fertilizer (poultry manure or Urea Ammonium Nitrate, UAN). Subsurface drain water samples were collected weekly during the growing season (MarchOctober) and analyzed for NO3-N and PO4-P concentration. Soil samples were collected before planting and after harvesting each year and analyzed for NO3-N and PO4-P at 5 different depths of the soil profile. Corn stalk samples were also collected after harvest at the height of 20-25 cm from the ground and analyzed for nitrogen concentration. Two application rates of poultry manure (168 kg-N/ha and 336 kg-N/ha) and one application rate of UAN (168 kg-N/ha) were applied in split plot design with unbalance replications. A check
Reconstitution of Rabbit Liver Microsomal N-Nitrosopyrrolidine α-Hydroxylase Activity

Abstract The in vitro α-hydroxylation of N -nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) by both isolated rabbit liver microsomes and purified cytochrome P-450 isozymes was investigated. Microsomes from untreated rabbits catalyzed the α-hydroxylation of NPYR at rates similar to those reported previously for rats, mice, and hamsters. The effect of established inducers of microsomal P-450 caused complex changes in apparent rates of α-hydroxylation of NPYR which made interpretation of responses to inducer pretreatment difficult and suggested the participation of multiple cytochrome P-450 isozymes in the metabolism of NPYR. Partial inhibition of α-hydroxylase activity by antibodies against rabbit isozymes 2, 3a, and 5 indicated the participation of at least these three isozymes in microsomal catalysis. Reconstitution studies using purified rabbit isozymes 2, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4, and 6 indicated that isozymes 2, 3a, 4, and 6 possessed significant α-hydroxylase activity with isozymes 3a and 6 exhibiting the highest activity when assayed at 20 mm NPYR. As NPYR concentrations were decreased, the rates of catalysis for the reconstituted systems were differentially decreased such that isozyme 3a exhibited the highest activity at low NPYR concentrations. These data indicate that isozyme 3a is the preferred catalyst for the α-hydroxylation of NPYR at low substrate concentrations and suggest that conditions such as chronic ethanol consumption which lead to the induction of isozyme 3a in rabbits or its orthologue in other species can account for enhanced rates of α-hydroxylation and metabolic activation of NPYR.
Multiwavelength Observations of the Second-largest Known Fanaroff-Riley Type II Radio Galaxy, NVSS 2146+82

We present multifrequency VLA observations, multicolor CCD imaging, optical spectroscopy, and ROSAT HRI observations of the giant FR II radio galaxy NVSS 2146+82. This galaxy, which was discovered by the NRAO VLA Sky Survey, has an angular extent of nearly 20' from lobe to lobe. The radio structure is normal for an FR II source except for its large size and regions in the lobes with unusually flat radio spectra. Our spectroscopy indicates that the optical counterpart of the radio core is at redshift z = 0.145, so the linear size of the radio structure is ~4 h Mpc, H0 = 50 h50 km s-1 Mpc-1. This object is therefore the second-largest FR II galaxy known (3C 236 is ~6 h Mpc). Optical imaging of the field surrounding the host galaxy reveals an excess of candidate galaxy cluster members above the number typically found in the field surrounding a giant radio galaxy. WIYN Hydra spectra of a sample of the candidate cluster members reveal that six share the same redshift as NVSS 2146+82, indicating the presence of at least a rich group containing the FR II host galaxy. ROSAT HRI observations of NVSS 2146+82 place upper limits on the X-ray flux of 1.33 × 10-13 ergs cm-2 s-1 for any hot intergalactic medium and 3.52 × 10-14 ergs cm-2 s-1 for an X-ray active galactic nucleus (AGN), thereby limiting any X-ray emission at the distance of the radio galaxy to that typical of a poor group or weak AGN. Several other giant radio galaxies have been found in regions with overdensities of nearby galaxies, and a separate study has shown that groups containing FR II galaxies are underluminous in X-rays compared with groups without radio sources. We speculate that the presence of the host galaxy in an optically rich group of galaxies that is underluminous in X-rays may be related to the giant radio galaxy phenomenon.
Macromolecular composition of an amoeba plasma membrane.

The isolated plasma membrane of Acanthamoeba castellanii consists of approximately 27% lipid, 37% phosphoglycan, and 37% protein. About 60% of the protein migrates as a polypeptide of 15,000 daltons in sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The phosphoglycan is resolved electrophoretically into two components which migrate ahead of the major polypeptide band. These three components are also detectable upon electrophoretic analysis of whole amoebae and they do not change in concentration when amoeba homogenates are incubated for 6 hours at 25°. These and other controls support the conclusion that the apparently simple macromolecular composition of the amoeba plasma membrane is not an artifact of the isolation procedure. In some preparations actin is associated with the plasma membranes as a nonmembranous component.
NEUTRONIC IMPLICATIONS OF LEAD-LITHIUM BLANKETS

Lead-lithium alloys have been proposed for use in several conceptual blanket designs for both inertial and magnetic confinement fusion reactors. In most cases, Pb 83 Li 17 , a eutectic with a melting point of 235°C, is the chosen composition. The primary reasons for using Pb 83 Li 17 instead of Li as the tritium breeding material are the perceived safety advantages, low tritium solubility, and favorable neutronic characteristics. This paper describes the neutronic characteristics of Pb 83 Li 17 blankets with emphasis on the enhanced neutron leakage through chamber ports and the degradation in blanket performance parameters that occurs as a result of the enhanced leakage.
An Alternative Semantics for Linguistic Variables

The concept of a linguistic variable, first introduced by Zadeh [5], is here modified and reinterpreted with the aim of producing a computationally more manageable model of natural human reasoning with linguistic imprecision. An important characteristic of the new interpretation is that it establishes the meaning of linguistic terms relative to a context comprised of the available atomic linguistic terms. This in turn leads to a formal distinction between the precision of linguistic terms and their specificity.
The Role of National Identity in Conflict Resolution: Experiences from Israeli-Palestinian Problem-Solving Workshops (2001)

My colleagues’ and my work as scholar-practitioners has focused on analysis and resolution of protracted, seemingly intractable conflicts between national, ethnic, or other kinds of identity groups, best exemplified by intercommunal conflicts, such as those in Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, Bosnia, and apartheid South Africa.
The Tritium Systems Test Assembly self-assaying portable uranium bed

Tritium storage at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA), and at proposed tritium-burning fusion reactors, is accomplished with uranium beds. Inventory determination at TSTA is performed by off-loading the beds into a known volume and using PVT measurement combined with mass spectroscopic analysis to compute the tritium quantity. The accuracy of this approach is approximately 3 per cent. Transferring tritium at TSTA to experiments not part of the main flow loop is done with pressurized, secondarily contained gaseous cylinders. Both inventory determination and tritium transfer involve more tritium handling than would be necessary if the uranium storage beds had a self-assay feature and if the beds were portable with a means of connecting to glovebox experimental piping. A uranium bed having a self-assaying feature, portable and with means to make transfer connections to glovebox-contained piping, has been designed and is in operation at TSTA. The bed is insulated within a highly evacuated secondary enclosure which provides containment in the event of a tritium leak from the uranium bed. The high thermal resistance between the bed and the secondary enclosure surfaces, which are at room temperature, causes any heat generation within the uranium bed to result in a large, easily measurable, and repeatable temperature rise. The decay heat of tritium is approximately 0.309 watt per gram. In the TSTA uranium bed, this causes a temperature rise of 15 degrees Celsius which is sensed by three platinum resistance thermometers sandwiched in the wall of the bed. Because of the very small quantities of heat transferred and because of the high thermal resistance from the bed to the environment, the bed is essentially isothermal. The temperature rise of the bed (compared to the temperature of the vacuum jacket) can be sensed to less than 0.1 degree Celsius, which results in an ability to detect tritium down to 100 curies. Stabilization time is minimized by sizing the bed thermal mass so that the temperature rise resulting from hydriding is approximately the same as the steady state temperature rise caused by decay heating. Several tritium loadings have been performed with this bed and transfers between gloveboxes accomplished. This paper describes the design of the uranium bed and the results of the self-assay measurement.
Model for a Patient-Centered Comparative Effectiveness Research Center

This special report describes the systematic approach the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) undertook in creating an infrastructure for comparative effectiveness and patient-centered outcomes research resources. We specifically highlight the administrative structure, communication and training opportunities, stakeholder engagement resources, and support services offered.
Towards a framework for concurrent design

By a “framework for concurrent design” we mean three things: (1) formal ways of stating the problems of concurrent design, (2) visualization (conceptualization) aids to help devise strategies for solving these problems, and (3) implementation aids to help translate the strategies into working systems.
DISTRIBUTION OF AMMONIA IN CELLS AND PLASMA.

A method for the determination of plasma and whole blood ammonia is outlined which incorporates the desirable features of several older methods. By means of this method it has been demonstrated that the distribution of ammonia in erythrocytes and plasma of normal individuals is nearly equal to that of hydrogen ions. The ratio remains constant in cirrhosis, alkalemia, and ammonemia. It was observed in 82 consecutive admissions of cirrhotic patients that alkalemia was present in only a small percentage of the cases.
Variable frequency-controlled, zero-voltage switching, current-fed, single-ended DC-to-AC converter with output isolation

A zero-voltage switching (ZVS), current-fed, single-ended DC-to-AC power converter with output isolation, symmetrical AC output voltage and transformer volt-second balance is proposed. Using variable switching frequency control and operating its two active complementary switches at 50% duty ratio, the power converter regulates output power via an LCC resonant link circuit. ZVS is achieved by a resonant circuit mainly formed by the switch parasitic capacitance and transformer magnetizing inductance. Continuous input current and near-sinusoidal output voltage and current result in low electromagnetic interference. >
Calculations of Molecular Rotors and Motor

We use Newton equations of motion and Universal Force Field to simulate large systems containing altitudinal and azimuthal molecular rotors. Gas flow, water flow, electric fields and light absorption are used to drive the rotors. These devices might be useful in electronics, molecular electronics and to decrease the friction of surfaces and interfaces. While most of the investigated structures work fine in gas flow, only little response was found in water flow. We want to implement massive new simulations to find out what rotors are needed to work also in the water flow. Recently we have also designed a synthetically accessible active rotor molecule that contains a paddlewheel on an axis, and performed molecular dynamics simulations that suggest that the absorption of a pulse of light will cause the rotor to make half a turn in the course of a few picoseconds, soon thereafter completed to a full turn. A train of light pulses would thus be expected to induce a fast and steady unidirectional rotation of the rotor, which could be used to propel a thin layer of a fluid along a surface ("molecular pump") if the rotors were mounted in an organized array on a surface. The principle behind the drive is charge separation upon excitation followed by electrostatic attraction of the now positively charged donor (one of the paddles on the wheel) to the now negatively charged acceptor (located asymmetrically next to the paddlewheel), and thermal relaxation to the starting position. The structure has been designed in a way that favors unidirectional motion. A customized molecular dynamics simulation program was used in the calculations.
A comparison of four methods of variance component estimation for heritability of embryonic mortality in turkeys.

A comparison of four methods for variance component estimation to compute heritability of embryonic mortality in the early (Days 1 to 10) and late (Days 21 to 28) incubation period, was performed using Henderson's Method 3, maximum likelihood (ML), restricted maximum likelihood (REML), and minimum variance quadratic unbiased estimator (MIVQUE). Incubation records from Wrolstad Medium White turkeys divergently selected for semen ejaculate volume were the source of data for the present study. Negative sire components of variance were obtained for early mortality by both Henderson's Method 3 and the MIVQUE procedure. Estimates of the sire variance component for the late mortality period were lower (P less than .05) for ML than those obtained using Henderson's Method 3, REML, and MIVQUE. It was concluded that likelihood procedures (ML and REML) are superior for estimating variance components and genetic parameters from unbalanced data.
The rise in managerial stock ownership

Despite the widespread view from Berle and Means onward that ownership of U.S. companies has become increasingly separated from managerial control, the authors report that managerial ownership of public corporations is markedly higher today than in 1935. Using a comprehensive sample of the 1,500 publicly traded firms in 1935 and a comparable sample of 4,200 firms in 1995, their study finds that managerial ownership increased from an average of 13% in 1935 to 21% in 1995. In terms of real (1995) dollar values, average managerial ownership increased from $18 million to $73 million over the same 60-year period. One potential explanation for this increase is that greater reliance on managerial ownership has substituted for less reliance on other incentive alignment devices, such as pay-for performance and the market for corporate control. The authors, however, report just the opposite. The use of such other corporate governance mechanisms has generally also increased over time, suggesting that the top managements of today's publicly traded corporations face greater pressure from investors and boards of directors than managements earlier in the century. An alternative explanation concern possible changes over time in the effects of certain company characteristics on the costs and benefits of using managerial ownership as a control device. While most of the characteristics the authors examined had the same relationship to managerial ownership in both periods, the role of volatility was different. In 1935, managerial ownership was inversely related to firm volatility; that is, higher volatility was associated with lower managerial ownership. In 1995, however, the relationship of managerial ownership to volatility was “nonlinear”; managerial ownership was positively related to firm volatility at low and moderate levels of volatility but the relationship turns negative when firm volatility is high. The overall lower level of volatility today, together with advances in capital markets and financial theory that have reduced the costs of hedging, appear to have reduced the costs of managers holding large stakes in their firms.
Base Miscoding and Strand Misalignment Errors by Mutator Klenow Polymerases with Amino Acid Substitutions at Tyrosine 766 in the O Helix of the Fingers Subdomain

A mutant derivative of Klenow fragment DNA polymerase containing serine substituted for tyrosine at residue 766 has been shown by kinetic analysis to have an increased misinsertion rate relative to wild-type Klenow fragment, but a decreased rate of extension from the resulting mispairs (Carroll, S. S., Cowart, M., and Benkovic, S. J. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 804-813). In the present study we use an M13mp2-based fidelity assay to study the error specificity of this mutator polymerase. Despite its compromised ability to extend mispairs, the Y766S polymerase and a Y766A mutant both have elevated base substitution error rates. The magnitude of the mutator effect is mispair-specific, from no effect for some mispairs to rates elevated by 60-fold for misincorporation of TMP opposite template G. The results with the Y766S mutant are remarkably consistent with the earlier kinetic analysis of misinsertion, demonstrating that either approach can be used to identify and characterize mutator polymerases. Both the Y766S and Y766A mutant polymerases are also frameshift mutators, having elevated rates for two-base deletions and a 276-base deletion between a direct repeat sequence. However, neither mutant polymerase has an increased error rate for single-base frameshifts in repetitive sequences. This error specificity suggests that the deletions generated by the mutator polymerases are initiated by misinsertion rather than by strand slippage. When considered with recent structure-function studies of other polymerases, the data indicate that the nucleotide misinsertion and strand-slippage mechanisms for polymerization infidelity are differentially affected by changes in distinct structural elements of DNA polymerases that share similar subdomain structures.
Sample Size Calculations in Exponential Life Testing

Various transfomantions of chi-square to an approximate normal varialte are compared in the context of determining sample size in exponential life testing procedures for a given level of significance and probability of Type II error.
Intentional Weight Loss and All-Cause Mortality: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Background Obesity is associated with increased mortality, and weight loss trials show rapid improvement in many mortality risk factors. Yet, observational studies typically associate weight loss with higher mortality risk. The purpose of this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of weight loss was to clarify the effects of intentional weight loss on mortality. Methods 2,484 abstracts were identified and reviewed in PUBMED, yielding 15 RCTs reporting (1) randomization to weight loss or non-weight loss arms, (2) duration of ≥18 months, and (3) deaths by intervention arm. Weight loss interventions were all lifestyle-based. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated for each trial. For trials reporting at least one death (n = 12), a summary estimate was calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method. Sensitivity analysis using sparse data methods included remaining trials. Results Trials enrolled 17,186 participants (53% female, mean age at randomization = 52 years). Mean body mass indices ranged from 30–46 kg/m2, follow-up times ranged from 18 months to 12.6 years (mean: 27 months), and average weight loss in reported trials was 5.5±4.0 kg. A total of 264 deaths were reported in weight loss groups and 310 in non-weight loss groups. The weight loss groups experienced a 15% lower all-cause mortality risk (RR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.73–1.00). There was no evidence for heterogeneity of effect (Cochran’s Q = 5.59 (11 d.f.; p = 0.90); I2 = 0). Results were similar in trials with a mean age at randomization ≥55 years (RR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.71–0.99) and a follow-up time of ≥4 years (RR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.72–1.00). Conclusions In obese adults, intentional weight loss may be associated with approximately a 15% reduction in all-cause mortality.
Combination of vitamin E and selenium causes an induction of apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells by enhancing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio

BACKGROUND The Selenium and Vitamin E Chemoprevention Trial (SELECT) is aimed at determining the usefulness of a combination of vitamin E and selenium for Prostate cancer (PCa) prevention in humans. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and mechanistic basis of this combination. METHODS We determined the effect of vitamin E (+-α-tocopheryl succinate, VES) and selenium (methylselenic acid, MSA), alone and in combination, on the proliferation of LNCaP, DU145, and PC-3 cells as well as normal prostate PrEC cells. We also determined the involvement of Bcl-2 family proteins as a mechanism of the biological effects of vitamin E and selenium combination. RESULTS VES or MSA alone led to a modest inhibition in the viability and growth of PCa cells. However, a combination of these two agents resulted in a dramatic increase in growth inhibition of PCa cells. Interestingly, VES and/or MSA were not found to have any effect on the growth or viability of normal PrEC cells. VES and MSA treatment to human PCa cells resulted in (i) induction of apoptosis, (ii) increase in Bax, Bak, and Bid proteins, and (iii) decrease in Bcl-2 protein. Furthermore, Bax knockdown via shRNA and Bcl-2 overexpression via Bcl-2 plasmid resulted in a rescue of PCa cells from apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested that vitamin E and selenium combination may be more effective than either of these agents alone. Further, our data demonstrated a causal connection between Bax and Bcl-2 modulation and induction of apoptosis by VES and MSA combination. Prostate 68: 1624–1634, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The status of Vsystem

Abstract The different general software architectures for experimental physics control systems are described in order to place Vsystem in context. The requirements for an experimental physics control system are listed and the components of Vsystem are described briefly.
Receptor-regulated calcium entry.

A wide variety of hormones and neurotransmitters activate cellular responses by mobilizing cellular Ca2+. In general, this Ca2+ mobilization response is comprised of a release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores, as well as increased entry of Ca2+ into the cytoplasm from the extracellular space. The mechanism for release of intracellular Ca2+ results from the Ca2+-mobilizing actions of a second messenger, d-myo-inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate. Inositol polyphosphates appear also to be involved in the activation of Ca2+ entry, but the mechanism by which this is accomplished is less clear. According to the capacitative model for Ca2+ entry, the depletion of the agonist-regulated intracellular Ca2+ pool by the action of d-myo-inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate is somehow coupled to the activation of Ca2+ entry. The evidence for this model comes from the demonstration, by diverse strategies, that the same Ca2+ entry mechanism normally activated by Ca2+-mobilizing agonists can be equally well triggered by depletion of the intracellular Ca2+ pool, even in the absence of receptor activation or elevated cellular levels of inositol polyphosphates.
Building hierarchical vision model of objects with multiple representations

Building a hierarchical vision model of an object with multiple representations requires two steps: (1) decomposing the object into parts/subparts and obtaining appropriate representations, and (2) constructing relational links between decomposed parts/subparts obtained in step 1. In this paper, we describe volume-based decomposition and surface-based decomposition of 3-D objects into parts, where the objects are designed by a B-spline based geometric modeler called Alpha-1. Multiple-representation descriptions can be derived for each of these subparts using various techniques such as polygonal approximation, concave/convex edge detection, curvature extrema, and surface normals. For example, subparts of a hammer can be described by two generalized cylinders or one generalized cylinder and one polyhedron. Several examples are presented.
Nadaraya-Watson estimator for stochastic processes driven by stable Lévy motions

We discuss the nonparametric Nadaraya-Watson (N-W) estimator of the drift function for ergodic stochastic processes driven by $\alpha$-stable noises and observed at discrete instants. Under geometrical mixing condition, we derive consistency and rate of convergence of the N-W estimator of the drift function. Furthermore, we obtain a central limit theorem for stable stochastic integrals. The central limit theorem has its own interest and is the crucial tool for the proofs. A simulation study illustrates the finite sample properties of the N-W estimator.
Antibody production in BALB/c mice following injection of lyophilized tumor S621 in Freund's adjuvant.

Summary1. Antibodies were demonstrated in BALB/c mice which had received an injection of lyophilized homologous tumor S621 in Freund's adjuvant by the following technics: tumor regression; in vitro anaphylaxis using the Schultz-Dale reaction; decrease in the number of exudate cells when cells were incubated with antigen and complement. 2. Mice which recovered from a challenge injection of viable tumor were shown to react when tested by the Schultz-Dale technic.
Reductive hydrodechlorination of trichloroethylene by palladium-on-alumina catalyst: 13C solid-state NMR study of surface reaction precursors.

Adsorption of trichloroethylene (TCE) on alumina-supported palladium catalysts (Pd/Al2O3) was studied in the presence and absence of hydrogen using 13C-solid state NMR. Carbon-13 NMR spectra indica...
Social evolution: kinship is relative.

Kinship fosters the evolution of cooperation. However, a once-heretical theory and an unconventional social organism show that the cooperation-enhancing effect of kinship is sometimes negated.
Microcomputer-based graphic display systems

Abstract Many systems could be made more effective if their output were displayed in a graphic manner; namely as pictures on a cathode ray tube screen (CRT). Typical systems which could effectively use CRT display are communication terminals 1 , numerical control consoles, remote plant-control consoles and games. In the past, this type of display was not used owing to the high cost of the computer and related electronics which controlled the picture on the CRT screen. Since the advent of microcomputers and a family of smart input/output (I/O) devices, this type of display can be cheaply built.
“Losers” and the Sub‐Prime Mortgage Crisis

Until early 2009, “loser” was a sympathetic term identifying victims of the 2008-2009 recession. That use shifted to a derogatory label for people who benefit from government largesse — sub-prime mortgage borrowers — at the expense of “honest” and “hardworking” Americans. Labels “transform and magnify” behavior into a character failing. Gans (1995) sees a “war of words” in American culture that uses pejorative labels “that stereotype, stigmatize, and harass the poor by questioning their morality and their values.” This essay examines the case of CNBC reporter Rick Santelli's use of “loser” as a pejorative label and the influence of that use on media punditry about the mortgage crisis of 2008-2009.
Three-dimensional topological field theory and symplectic algebraic geometry I

Motivated by the path-integral analysis [6] of boundary conditions in a three-dimensional topological sigma model, we suggest a definition of the two-category ¨L(X) associated with a holomorphic symplectic manifold X and study its properties. The simplest objects of ¨L(X) are holomorphic lagrangian submanifolds Y ⊂ X. We pay special attention to the case when X is the total space of the cotangent bundle of a complex manifold U or a deformation thereof. In the latter case, the endomorphism category of the zero section is a monoidal category which is an A_∞ deformation of the two-periodic derived category of U.
The Germans As They Are and Will Be

THIS is not a glorification but a description of the German mentality, the forces which produced it, and a query as to what may be expected of it. For reference we will note Miiller Freienfels, the best psychological analyst of the German mentality, and Friedrich Ratzel, the author of anthropogeography, and the new science of geopolitics. Our first inquiry must be into the nature of the German mentality. What do we mean by a German? One who belongs to the Reich politically? Not necessarily, for there are since the Treaty of Versailles some twenty million Germans in Europe outside of Germany. Or do we mean one who is biologically German? Perhaps, but who is biologically German? The race in purity should be dolicocephalic, blue-eyed, and blond, but under this test in the North only 40 per cent, in Middle Germany only 20 per cent, in South Germany only 10 per cent would qualify. Language again is not a criterion or rather is a criterion only in so far as identical language has meant identical culture. Culture is, however, not a product of individuals but of the group; rather is the individual the product of the culture. One is a German not by blood or political membership but by identical forms of feeling and thinking which express themselves best through the German language and culture. Now it is impossible to set up a psychological scheme to which every German will correspond. The scheme must, however, truly describe the group character and more particularly the betterthan-average individuals of the group. This better-than-average individual, and the group show certain characteristics in their social-economic behavior, in their art, religion, and philosophy. Here we must be careful to exclude those traits which are a part of culture in general and fix on those which are peculiarly German. The chief of these characteristics is a different relation, which obtains among Germans, between the volitional-emotional life (Gemiit) and emotional states (Stimmungen). In fact these words are untranslatable, for Gemiit does not mean fullness of soul but denotes a qualitative, not quantitative difference. In the German feelings tend to spend themselves inwardly, whereas in most other peoples they spend themselves outwardly. Nor does Stimmung
Alienation and its correlates: A meta-analysis

Abstract We provide a meta-analysis of alienation, outlining the extent to which it is predicted by individual differences (need for achievement), role stressors (role conflict), leader dimensions (initiating structure), and aspects of the work context (formalization). We also examine its relationship with outcomes such as employee attitudes (job satisfaction), performance (task performance), withdrawal (absenteeism), and side effects (drinking). We examined these relationships based on data from 45 primary studies and 227 statistically independent relationships. Our meta-analysis provides cumulative evidence for effect sizes across multiple settings and respondents, clarifies ambiguous aspects of the construct, and presents more information on the extent to which alienation can be seen as the opposite of job involvement.
Chlorophyllous Nature and Growth Characteristics of Teratoma and Habituated Tissue Cultures of Tobacco

The growth characteristics of three types of tissue cultures of tobacco have been investigated. They are (i) pigmented and differentiated teratoma tissue; (ii) pigmented and non-differentiated habituated tissue and (iii) non-pigmented and non-differentiated habituated tissue. All the tissues were grown on a 10 × White's medium without any exogenous supply of auxin. The comparative growth rate of the tissues was related to their nature of differentiation, viz., either organelle differentiation with chloroplast or organ differentiation with buds, leafy appendages, etc. Teratoma and pigmented habituated tissues had normal chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and showed more favorable growth in light than in the dark. The pigmented tissues showed a higher protein content than the non-pigmented tissues irrespective of whether they were of tumorous or normal origin. The pigmented tissues showed less dependence on sucrose availability in the medium than the non-pigmented tissues. Recovery after sucrose starvation was higher in the pigmented tissues than in the non-pigmented tissues. The results indicate that the growth rate of highly differentiated tissues is much slower than non-differentiated tissues and that the pigmented tissues photosynthesize and survive on reserve food products manufactured as a result of photosynthetic activity.
Quantitative analysis of ethanol effects on Purkinje cell dendritic tree

Abstract An animal's age at the time of ethanol treatment is related to dendritic vulnerability to ethanol damage. The dendritic networks of Purkinje neurons of 5-month-old rats treated with ethanol were quantitavely similar to those of age-matched pair-fed rats, but dendritic networks of 14-month-old rats treated with ethanol were significantly reduced compared with those of their age-matched pair-fed controls.
Supervisory Power Bases, Styles of Handling Conflict with Subordinates, and Subordinate Compliance and Satisfaction

ABSTRACT Data from 301 American students of business administration who had at least 1 year of full-time work experience with their present supervisors showed that a reward power base was positively correlated with integrating and avoiding styles of handling conflict with subordinates; legitimate power was positively correlated with dominating style; expert power was positively correlated with integrating and dominating styles but negatively correlated with avoiding style; and referent power was positively correlated with integrating, obliging, and compromising styles but negatively correlated with dominating style. Legitimate power was positively correlated with behavioral and attitudinal compliance, and in addition, referent power was positively correlated with satisfaction with supervision. Integrating style was positively correlated with attitudinal and behavioral compliance and satisfaction with supervision; obliging style was positively correlated with attitudinal compliance; and compromising style ...
Effects of Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone on Phosphoinositides and Cytoplasmic Free Calcium in Thyrotropic Pituitary Cells*

We have previously demonstrated differences in several cellular responses to TRH in mouse thyrotropic pituitary (TtT) cells and in rat mammotropic pituitary (GH3) cells. In this report, we further explore the mechanism of TRH action in TtT cells by measuring its effects on phosphoinositides and on cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). We demonstrate that TRH stimulates rapid hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] by a phospholipase C and elevates [Ca2+]i. Furthermore, we present evidence that hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 is not secondary to the elevation of [Ca2+]i. TRH caused a rapid decrease in the level of PtdIns(4,5)P2 to 57% of control and stimulated an increase in inositoltriphosphate, the unique product of phospholipase C-mediated hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2, to a peak of 280% of control. In control cells, resting [Ca2+]i was 106 ± (se) 27 nM, and TRH stimulated a rapid elevation to 700 ± 210 nM. In experiments performed to determine whether PtdIns(4,5)P2 hydrol...
Does Model Sensitivity to Changes in CO2 Provide a Measure of Sensitivity to Other Forcings

Abstract Simulation of both the climate of the twentieth century and a future climate change requires taking into account numerous forcings, while climate sensitivities of general circulation models are defined as the equilibrium surface warming due to a doubling of atmospheric CO2 concentration. A number of simulations with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) climate model of intermediate complexity with different forcings have been carried out to study to what extent sensitivity to changes in CO2 concentration (SCO2) represent sensitivities to other forcings. The MIT model, similar to other models, shows a strong dependency of the simulated surface warming on the vertical structure of the imposed forcing. This dependency is a result of “semidirect” effects in the simulations with localized tropospheric heating. A method for estimating semidirect effects associated with different feedback mechanisms is presented. It is shown that forcing that includes these effects is a better measure of expe...
Economic analysis of agrochemical use for weed control in field-grown celery: A case study for Turkey

Abstract Weeds are one of the major limiting factors for economically viable celery production. Agrochemicals are useful for control of weeds and their benefits may be estimated in terms of reduced crop losses. This study was conducted to analyse the farm-level economics of agrochemical use for weeds in celery grown in Izmir, Turkey. Data were collected from 24 farmers using a random sampling method. According to the results of the study, the treatment index of agrochemicals used for weed control varied between 0.48 and 1.60. The number of farmers who used a lot of agrochemicals for weeds was 9 (38%). The average usage of agrochemicals per hectare (as active ingredient) for weeds and all pests in celery production was estimated to be 1.76 and 1.90 kg/ha, respectively. The average agrochemical use and application cost was determined as $111/ha. Agrochemicals and their application costs formed 3.79% of variable costs and 2.90% of total costs, respectively. The share of the costs of weed control in total agrochemical costs for pests was 40.29%.
Chemical characterization of biodegradative threonine dehydratases from two enteric bacteria.

Abstract Some chemical properties of the purified biodegredative threonine dehydratases ( l -threonine hydro-lyase (deaminating), EC 4.2.1.16) from Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium are described. The overall amino acid compositions of the two enzymes appear similar with some variations in several amino acid residues. Tryptic peptide maps show that in S. typhimurium four peptides of E. coli origin are missing, whereas six peptides unique to Salmonella protein are present. Carboxymethylation reaction with iodo[14C]acetate to detect half-cystine residues indicates that peptides 21 and S5 in S. typhimurium, but not in E. coli enzyme, are labeled, and the reverse is true for peptide 22; four other peptides of S. typhimurium have more half-cystine residues than their counterparts in E. coli. In addition, the Salmonella enzyme appears to have several disulfide bonds. Despite these differences, the amino acid sequence of the amino termini of the two proteins reveals a highly conserved structure, with only three out of 25 residues being different. Reduction with tritium-labeled borohydride followed by tryptic fingerprinting of the two proteins shows that one peptide contains active-site pyridoxal phosphate. Modifier binding studies with the S. typhimurium enzyme indicate that pyruvate and glyoxylate occupy separate sites on the enzyme molecules. Further, there are two distinct sites for glyoxylate binding: in the monoglyoxylated form of the enzyme, only peptide 22 becomes labeled, whereas both peptides 22 and 21 of the tetraglyoxylated form of the dehydratase contain bound glyoxylate. These results support the earlier findings that these two metabolites regulate enzyme activity by two separate, mutually exclusive, mechanisms.