cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of LH and oestrogen on the growth of feminising testicular tumours in mice.

Testicular tumours in mice with testicular feminisation (tfm/y) are made up of masses of large Leydig and lipid-laden cells, surrounded by darkly-stained smaller Leydig cells. The activity of 3 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 β-HSDH) is more apparent in the small cells of the peripheral than in the larger cells of the central part of the tumour. Oestrogen alone can stimulate the incorporation of thymidine into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by cultured cells but not the activity of 3β-HSDH. On the other hand, luteinizing hormone (LH) promotes activity of the enzyme, but not the synthesis of DNA. Together, they have a greater effect on DNA synthesis and enzyme activity than if present separately. It seems that in tfm/y mice gonadotrophin is necessary for the proper action of oestrogen in control of testicular tumour growth.
Pregnancy complications and neuropsychological outcomes: A review

Pregnancy complications elevate risk of associated adverse medical, socioenvironmental, and behavioral outcomes in children. These are likely to have a substantial impact on neuropsychological functioning and mental health across the child's lifespan. Thus, an understanding of the complex relationships between pregnancy complications and neuropsychological outcomes is critical for both practitioners and researchers. This review summarizes prevalent pregnancy complications and the associated psychological and neuropsychological findings, highlighting methodological challenges that have restricted investigations of these outcomes and identifying opportune areas for future study.
Influences of liquid electrolyte and polyimide identity on the structure and conductivity of polyimide–poly(ethylene glycol) materials

Current fuel cell technology demands improvements for widespread use, and novel polymer materials may be able to achieve the necessary enhancements. This work inspects the composition, structure, and properties of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)–aromatic polyimide systems aimed at polymer electrolyte membrane applications, as PEG is a known ion conductor and aromatic polyimides are quite stable. Liquid electrolytes were incorporated into the polymers through soaking to achieve ionic conductivity. By varying polyimide and liquid electrolyte, the polymers were analyzed for their structure and conductivity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, small-angle X-ray scattering, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry were used as characterization tools. Electrolyte identity impacts liquid uptake and conductivity. Polyimide identity can influence the size and variability of the doped polymer structure, which ultimately can change conductivity by up to 28%, with the maximum conductivity being 102 mS/cm at 80°C and 70% RH. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41675.
Biolocalization and cell labeling properties of neutral-lipophilic 99mTc-amine-phenol chelates.

Abstract 99m Tc-diamine-diphenol chelates are neutral lipophilic chelates exhibiting good stability in aqueous solutions. The cell labeling and biolocalization properties of four different 99m Tc-amine-phenol complexes were determined. All four chelates readily labeled leukocytes and RCBs in high yields. Even though 99m Tc was retained by the cells, the elution rate of 99m Tc from the labeled cells in plasma at 37 °C was unacceptably high for potential utility in scintigraphic imaging. The uptake of 99m Tc in brain or heart following i.v. injection of the chelates in rats was low and clearance of activity from the blood was slow.
Sources of Conflict Between Parents and Their Offspring in Nineteenth-Century American Parricides: An Archival Exploration

Parricide research in the twentieth century has been overwhelmingly framed as an adolescent phenomenon, the killing of a parent often explained as a function of severe child abuse. Using archival data from the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune, 1851–1899, this article examines the actual sources of conflict between parents and their offspring in nineteenth-century America. Results suggest that four common sources of conflict between parents and their offspring culminated in parricides in nineteenth-century America. The implications of a context-based classification of parricide for criminological theory and parricide research are discussed.
Thyrotropin (TSH)-Releasing Hormone-Stimulated TSH Release and TSH Concentration in the Guinea Pig Pituitary, as Determined by a Heterologous Radioimmunoassay*

Little is known regarding how the guinea pig (GP) compares with the rat in terms of TSH economy. To develop a heterologous RIA for GP TSH, rabbits were injected with GP TSH. In one rabbit (anti-gpTSH-8), antibodies that bound 125I-labeled bovine (b) TSH and rat (r) TSH but not 125I-labeled bLH or rPRL were generated. The binding of anti-gpTSH-8 to [125I]bTSH was inhibited in a parallel manner by bTSH over a range of 0.047-5.42 ng, rTSH over a range of 0.24-25 ng, and dilutions of GP pituitary extracts. This system, with bTSH as the standard, was employed as the basis for a heterologous TSH RIA (GP TSH RIA). The cross-reactions of rTSH and bLH in the GP TSH RIA were 45% and 7%, respectively. Rat and bovine FSH, GH, and PRL had little or no cross-reaction. GP pituitaries were incubated in vitro and dosed with LHRH and TRH. The GP TSH RIA detected an 11-fold increase in TSH in the medium in response to TRH and no change in immunoreactivity in response to LHRH. In contrast, a RIA for bLH detected a 25-fold increase in LH in the medium in response to LHRH and no increase in response to TRH. The TSH content in GP pituitaries was significantly lower than that in the rat (GP, 16.8 +/- 1.6 ng/mg; rat, 80.3 +/- 6.2 ng/mg; P less than 0.05) as were serum TSH concentrations (GP, 0.8 +/- 0.4 ng/ml; rat, 4.5 +/- 1.1 ng/ml; P less than 0.05). Thyroid hormone administration (T4 Rx) in both GP and rat produced a significant reduction in pituitary TSH content (GP control, 4.8 +/- 0.4 ng/mg; T4 Rx, 2.1 ng/mg; P less than 0.05; rat control, 52.4 +/- 4.0 ng/mg; T4 Rx, 20.5 +/- 1.6 ng/mg; P less than 0.05) and TSH release (GP control, 9.4 +/- 2.3 ng/ml; T4 Rx, 4.3 +/- 1.5 ng/ml; P less than 0.05; rat control, 357 +/- 81 ng/ml; T4 Rx, 133 +/- 27 ng/ml; P less than 0.05) from incubated hemipituitaries. Thyroidectomy in the rat was associated with a decrease in pituitary TSH content, but no change in pituitary content was found in thyroidectomized GPs. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of estimating GP TSH with a heterologous RIA that employs polyvalent antiserum against GP TSH as the first antibody and bTSH as the tracer and standard.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Unambiguous probabilities in an eternally inflating universe

``Constants of Nature'' and cosmological parameters may in fact be variables related to some slowly-varying fields. In models of eternal inflation, such fields will take different values in different parts of the universe. Here I show how one can assign probabilities to values of the ``constants'' measured by a typical observer. This method does not suffer from ambiguities previously discussed in the literature.
Determination of sulphur forms in hydrodesulphurized coal

Abstract The ASTM method for the analysis of sulphur forms in coal is applied to a hydrodesulphurized coal. Precautions necessary to prevent the calculation of erroneous high values of organic sulphur are illustrated. The reduction of sulphate ion to sulphite ion by the hydrogen is reported. A complete sulphur balance shows the amounts of each sulphur form reacting with hydrogen.
Hemodynamic mechanisms of emerging portal hypertension caused by schistosomiasis in the hamster

A hamster model of schistosomiasis has provided the first opportunity to sequentially examine the early phases of the development of portal hypertension in a natural model of chronic liver disease. Groups of hamsters were infected with 50 cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni and underwent hemodynamic evaluation at intervals of 5, 8, 12 and 20 wk after infection. A progressive rise in intrahepatic resistance (from 4.0 +/- 0.4 to 8.4 +/- 1.0 mm Hg min.ml-1.gm liver weight [p less than 0.01]) appeared to play a major role in the initial stages of evolving portal hypertension. A gradual decline in portal blood flow (from 2.1 +/- 0.3 to 1.3 +/- 0.1 ml.min-1.gm-1 liver weight [p less than 0.01]) was only partially compensated for by an increase in hepatic arterial flow. Accordingly, by week 20, total hepatic blood flow decreased 23%. Liver weight that increased markedly between 5 and 12 wk after infection, as a result of the acute accumulation of obstructing granulomas, stabilized between wk 12 and 20, while a gradual but progressive rise in hepatic collagen content was seen. Portal pressure increased 75% during the study period. Chronic examination of this natural model should help define the pathogenesis of the complications of portal hypertension and contribute to the basis for effective intervention in this disease process.
Guest Editorial: Special Section on Biomedical Image Representation

This PDF file contains the editorial “Guest Editorial: Special Section on Biomedical Image Representation” for JBO Vol. 8 Issue 01
Translocation specificity of the Tn3 element: Characterization of sites of multiple insertions

Abstract 247 independent events involving insertion of the Tn3 transposable element into a 4 kb constructed plasmid (pTU4) of partially known DNA sequence were studied by restriction endonuclease mapping, and 65 of these insertion sites were examined further by DNA sequence analysis. Our results show that the previously proposed regional specificity for Tn3 insertion is associated with a strong preference for AT-rich segments as insertion sites. Moreover, multiple insertions of the Tn3 occurred at certain AT-rich nucleotide positions, and 23 of 26 independent insertion events at a single nucleotide position were found to be in the same orientation. A region of the recipient plasmid showing major homology with the terminal 18 bp of Tn3 was identified in the vicinity of an 11 nucleotide segment that included three insertional hot spots and 36 independent insertions. Our results indicate that the site and orientation of insertion of Tn3 are at least partly determined by the primary nucleotide sequence of the recipient genome, and suggest that insertional hot spots may result from the combined effects of AT richness plus homology of the recipient genome with the terminal sequences of Tn3.
Rapid assessment of organic pollution in a west-central Mexican River using a family-level biotic index

The cost-effectiveness of rapid assessment approaches make their adaptation for use in developing countries appealing, but biological assessment methods need to be validated before use in new geographic areas. The authors tested the suitability of a family-level biotic index for use in a river in west-central Mexico that receives organic point-source pollution from untreated municipal sewage and sugar-cane processing. The biotic index was highly correlated to dissolved oxygen, and could detect different levels of pollution. Information from rapid assessment biomonitoring was used successfully by local natural resource managers to help bring about improvements in water resource management.
Protein processing as a regulatory mechanism in the synthesis of the photosynthetic antenna in Chloroflexus

Chloroflexus aurantiacus can be induced to shift from respiratory to photosynthetic energy production by introducing light and/or lowering the oxygen concentration of a culture. After induction, cells synthesize bacteriochlorophyll and proteins for the formation of a functional photosynthetic apparatus. Bacteriochlorophyll is detectable within 2 h after induction. Chlorosome polypeptides are detected after 8–12 h. Two proteins, Mr 60,000 and Mr 47,000, are present in both induced and noninduced cells and react specifically with antibodies against chlorosome polypeptides. Immunological data suggest that these proteins (Mr 60,000 and 47,000) are polyproteins which are transcribed and translated in the dark. When cells are exposed to light or low oxygen tension these proteins are processed into functional polypeptides required in the assembly of the chlorosome. The reaction center polypeptide (Mr 26,000) appears to be part of a separate genetic control system.
Studies on the chemical composition of nuclei and cytoplasmic granules.

Abstract A new method is described for the isolation of nuclei and large and small cytoplasmic granules, using glycerol-water solutions. The nuclei and large and small cytoplasmic granules were isolated from dog kidney, rat kidney, rat spleen, rabbit liver, and rabbit kidney. By a series of extractions there were obtained from each preparation: an “albumin-globulin” fraction, a nucleoprotein fraction, and a lipoprotein fraction. A globulin was precipitated from each “albumin-globulin” fraction by half-saturation with ammonium sulfate, and each globulin showed only one component in electrophoresis studies. Quantitative chemical analyses show that the lipoproteins obtained from the various sources are similar. Electrophoretic likeness of the lipoproteins is discussed. The role of the lipoprotein as the structural material of the cell is discussed.
Probe microloading effect of in-situ etch in EPROM stack-gate process

An unpredictable significant microloading effect occurs between array and low photoresist ratio area when C 2 F 6 ,Cl 2 and HBr are used as etch gas to define EPROM stack gate. Although we have examined etch time for array area is enough, much poly residue still exist on those test keys with low photoresist ratio areas that lead to failure of electric parameter. On array area, polymer formed from C2F6 reactant gas trends to accumulate upon side-wall. Oppositely, on the low photoresist area, there is almost not any side-wall that can offer the medium absorbed by polymer. It will fall down and deposits upon poly surface. That will be a barrier. In the beginning, insufficient etch time often results from under-etch issue. We have modified etch time to get best optimal condition. Now, this issue doesn't occur any more.
The sagittal alignment of the cervical spine in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

To assess the sagittal orientation of the cervical and thoracolumbar spine, 38 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis were studied. The C7 plumb line and Cobb angles from C2-6, T1-12, and L1-S1 were measured on preoperative films. Lateral radiographs with > 1-year follow-up after surgical correction were available for the same measurements in 28 patients. The preoperative curve from C2-6 was 6 +/- 11 degrees of kyphosis. There was a significant correlation between the loss of thoracic kyphosis and the development of cervical kyphosis for the entire group preoperatively (p = 0.009). Postoperatively, cervical kyphosis increased to 11 +/- 9 degrees at 1-year follow-up (p = 0.05). There was no progression of cervical kyphosis in patients with "thoracic hypokyphosis" (kyphosis 40 degrees) after surgery, despite preservation of thoracolumbar sagittal contour. There were no significant differences between the sagittal contour of patients treated with Cotrel-Dubousset or Harrington instrumentation.
Effects of isolated right and left ventricular stretch on regional arteriolar resistance

In order to evaluate right and left ventricular stretch receptors without concomitantly stimulating those of the contralateral ventricle, 12 dogs were placed on total cardiopulmonary bypass. Balloons connected to compliant reservoirs were introduced into the right and left ventricles. Changes in systemic, gracilis muscle, and paw perfusion pressure at a constant flow were used as indices of systemic, muscle, and cutaneous vascular resistance. To induce left ventricular stretch, the balloon in that chanber was rapidly inflated from a mean pressure of 1.33 kPa (10 mmHg) to a mean pressure of 7.32 kPa (55 mmHg) for 15 s (6.00 kPa [45 mmHg] increment). For right ventricular stretch, the pressure was increased from 0.67 to 4.00 kPa (5 to 30 mmHg) for 30 s (3.34 kPa [25 mmHg] increment). Both left and right ventricular stretch produced a significant fall in systemic (-4.92 kPa [-37 mmHg], -36%) and gracilis muscle (-5.59 kPa [-42 mmHg],-30%) perfusion pressure, with only minimal changes in cutaneous vascular resistance (-0.80 kPa [-6 mmHg], -4%). This reflex was found to be vagally mediated, to have a low threshold for stimulation (left ventricle, 0.67 kPa [5 mmHg] increment; right ventricle, 1.33 kPa [10 mmHg] increment), and to have a neurogenic sympathetic alpha-adrenergic efferent limb. The low threshold for stimulation suggests that these reflexes may play a physiological role with changes in body position and may be important in such pathological conditions as semilunar valvular stenosis and myocardial infarction.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Augments Sympathetic Nerve Activity Responses to Physiological Stressors in Humans

An inverse relation exists between omega-3 fatty acid intake and risk of cardiovascular disease development/mortality and sudden cardiac death in humans. Mechanisms underlying this cardioprotective effect are unknown, but could involve the autonomic nervous system. We tested the hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation ("fish oil") would reduce muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) at rest and attenuate increases during physiological stressors. MSNA (peroneal microneurography) was measured during rest, ischemic handgrip to fatigue (IHG), and a cold pressor test (CPT). Measurements were obtained before (PRE) and after (POST) 1 month of daily ingestion of either fish oil (experimental group, n=9) or olive oil capsules (control group, n=9). MSNA at rest was comparable PRE and POST in control (3+/-1 versus 3+/-1 bursts/30 seconds) and experimental (4+/-1 versus 5+/-1 bursts/30 seconds) subjects. IHG and CPT increased MSNA in both groups PRE and POST. MSNA, arterial blood pressure, and heart rate responses to the stressors were similar PRE and POST in the control group. In contrast, MSNA responses to IHG (Delta4+/-2 and Delta9+/-2 bursts/30 seconds; P<0.05 for PRE and POST, respectively) and CPT (Delta4+/-1 versus Delta10+/-2 bursts/30 seconds; P<0.05) were augmented after omega-3 fatty acid supplementation whereas arterial blood pressure and heart rate responses were unchanged. These data indicate that 1 month of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation does not change MSNA at rest but augments sympathetic outflow to physiological stressors. The mechanism underlying augmented MSNA responses to physiological stressors after omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is unknown, but may involve impaired peripheral vasoconstriction.
Complete analytical framework for throughput calculation in WCDMA downlink TDD mode

Throughput and spectral efficiency are two important metrics that are used in performance evaluation of next generation cellular systems known as 3G. Wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) has been adopted as an air interface technology for such systems. Tedious and time consuming Monte Carlo simulation schemes are usually needed to assess the performance of WCDMA in terms of throughput and spectral efficiency. In this paper, we present a simple analytical framework that can be used to evaluate the performance of downlink WCDMA operating in the time division duplex (TDD) mode without using computer simulations. An approximate closed form expression for the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the user carrier-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (CINR) is first obtained, based on the 3GPP pathloss model, assuming lognormal shadowing and uniform cell loading. The throughput is then expressed in terms of this distribution and other system parameters. Numerical results are presented and show good agreement between both the proposed analytical framework and Monte Carlo simulations.
Comparison of 18F SPECT with PET in myocardial imaging: A realistic thorax-cardiac phantom study

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with fluorine-18 (18F) Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and flow tracer such as Rubidium-82 (82Rb) is an established method for evaluating an ischemic but viable myocardium. However, the high cost of PET imaging restricts its wider clinical use. Therefore, less expensive 18F FDG single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging has been considered as an alternative to 18F FDG PET imaging. The purpose of the work is to compare SPECT with PET in myocardial perfusion/viability imaging. A nonuniform RH-2 thorax-heart phantom was used in the SPECT and PET acquisitions. Three inserts, 3 cm, 2 cm and 1 cm in diameter, were placed in the left ventricular (LV) wall to simulate infarcts. The phantom acquisition was performed sequentially with 7.4 MBq of 18F and 22.2 MBq of Technetium-99m (99mTc) in the SPECT study and with 7.4 MBq of 18F and 370 MBq of 82Rb in the PET study. SPECT and PET data were processed using standard reconstruction software provided by vendors. Circumferential profiles of the short-axis slices, the contrast and viability of the inserts were used to evaluate the SPECT and PET images. The contrast for 3 cm, 2 cm and 1 cm inserts were for 18F PET data, 1.0 ± 0.01, 0.67 ± 0.02 and 0.25 ± 0.01, respectively. For 82Rb PET data, the corresponding contrast values were 0.61 ± 0.02, 0.37 ± 0.02 and 0.19 ± 0.01, respectively. For 18F SPECT the contrast values were, 0.31 ± 0.03 and 0.20 ± 0.05 for 3 cm and 2 cm inserts, respectively. For 99mTc SPECT the contrast values were, 0.63 ± 0.04 and 0.24 ± 0.05 for 3 cm and 2 cm inserts respectively. In SPECT, the 1 cm insert was not detectable. In the SPECT study, all three inserts were falsely diagnosed as "viable", while in the PET study, only the 1 cm insert was diagnosed falsely "viable". For smaller defects the 99mTc/18F SPECT imaging cannot entirely replace the more expensive 82Rb/18F PET for myocardial perfusion/viability imaging, due to poorer image spatial resolution and poorer defect contrast.
Hemodynamic patterns of women with chronic hypertension during pregnancy.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the hemodynamic changes during an initial and subsequent gestation of 15 patients with chronic hypertension. Study Design: Data on mean arterial pressure, rapid ejection time, and pulse wave arrival time, recorded at 26 weeks and 37 weeks, were correlated with birth weight and gestational age. Hemodynamic data were acquired with a noninvasive cardiovascular monitor, and blood pressure was recorded with an oscillometric technique. Statistical analyses were performed with the paired Student t test and simple correlation. Results: The birth weights increased in 9 patients and decreased in 6, although more babies were delivered before 37 weeks in the subsequent pregnancy (7 vs 4 patients). No differences were found between the groups of index and repeated pregnancies or among the subgroups whose infant birth weights increased or decreased, except for the pulse wave arrival time at 37 weeks (172 ± 21 ms vs 143 ± 29 ms, P r = 0.81, P = .0013) and the repeated pregnancy's rapid ejection time at week 26 versus the gestational age ( r = –0.95, P = .00003). Conclusion: These observations suggest that rapid ejection time, an empiric indicator of vascular compliance, may have a role in the evaluation and management of hypertension in pregnancy. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:1584-92.)
Electromagnetic scattering from dielectric bodies

Far-field results obtained by two different methods are compared for the problem of electromagnetic scattering from dielectric objects. The two methods are the surface integral formulation, utilizing equivalent electric and magnetic surface currents, and the volume formulation, utilizing the equivalent electric polarization current. Triangular patches are used in the surface formulation and cubical cells are used in the volume formulation. The far-scattered fields obtained by the two methods are in good agreement, thereby validating both the approaches for the analysis of scattering problems. Numerical problems associated with the fields in the source region are also addressed. >
A Half‐Century with Solar Neutrinos (Nobel Lecture)

The Sun derives its energy from fusion reactions in which hydrogen is transformed into helium. Every time four protons are turned into a helium nucleus, two neutrinos are produced. These neutrinos take only two seconds to reach the surface of the Sun and another eight minutes or so to reach the Earth. Thus, neutrinos tell us what happened in the center of the Sun eight minutes ago. The Sun produces one-third as many neutrinos as predicted by the standard solar model of particle physics. The author's pioneering work proved that nothing was wrong with the experiments or the theory; something was "wrong" with the neutrinos, in the sense that they behave in ways beyond the standard model.
Photo-induced bending in a light-activated polymer laminated composite

Light activated polymers (LAPs) have attracted increasing attention since these materials change their shape and/or behavior in response to light exposure, which serves as an instant, remote and precisely controllable stimulus that enables non-contact control of the material shape and behavior through simple variation in light intensity, wavelength and spatially controlled exposure. These features distinguish LAPs from other active polymers triggered by other stimuli such as heat, electrical field or humidity. Previous examples have resulted in demonstrations in applications such as surface patterning, photo-induced shape memory behavior, and photo-origami. However, in many of these applications, an undesirable limitation has been the requirement to apply and maintain an external load during light irradiation. In this paper, a laminated structure is introduced to provide a pre-programmed stress field, which is then used for photo-induced deformation. This laminated structure is fabricated by bonding a stretched elastomer (NOA65) sheet between two LAP layers. Releasing the elastomer causes contraction and introduces a compressive stress in the LAPs, which are relaxed optically to trigger the desired deformation. A theoretical model is developed to quantitatively examine the laminated composite system, allowing exploration of the design space and optimum design of the laminate.
Plastid Lysophosphatidyl Acyltransferase Is Essential for Embryo Development in Arabidopsis

Lysophosphatidyl acyltransferase (LPAAT) is a pivotal enzyme controlling the metabolic flow of lysophosphatidic acid into different phosphatidic acids in diverse tissues. A search of the Arabidopsis genome database revealed five genes that could encode LPAAT-like proteins. We identified one of them, LPAAT1, to be the lone gene that encodes the plastid LPAAT. LPAAT1 could functionally complement a bacterial mutant that has defective LPAAT. Bacteria transformed with LPAAT1 produced LPAAT that had in vitro enzyme activity much higher on 16:0-coenzyme A than on 18:1-coenzyme A in the presence of 18:1-lysophosphatidic acid. LPAAT1 transcript was present in diverse organs, with the highest level in green leaves. A mutant having a T-DNA inserted into LPAAT1 was identified. The heterozygous mutant has no overt phenotype, and its leaf acyl composition is similar to that of the wild type. Selfing of a heterozygous mutant produced normal-sized and shrunken seeds in the Mendelian ratio of 3:1, and the shrunken seeds could not germinate. The shrunken seeds apparently were homozygous of the T-DNA-inserted LPAAT1, and development of the embryo within them was arrested at the heart-torpedo stage. This embryo lethality could be rescued by transformation of the heterozygous mutant with a 35S:LPAAT1 construct. The current findings of embryo death in the homozygous knockout mutant of the plastid LPAAT contrasts with earlier findings of a normal phenotype in the homozygous mutant deficient of the plastid glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase; both mutations block the synthesis of plastid phosphatidic acid. Reasons for the discrepancy between the contrasting phenotypes of the two mutants are discussed.
In Situ Mechanical Characterization of One Dimensional Nanoscale Building Blocks Using Novel Microfabricated Devices

We report the development of simple micro-devices that can be used to perform in situ quantitative nanomechanical characterization of one-dimensional nanoscale building blocks, such as metallic nanowires and carbon nanotubes, within a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or a transmission electron microscope (TEM) chamber equipped with a quantitative nanoindenter. The unique design of these devices makes it possible to convert compression from nanoindentation to uni-axial tension at the sample stages. Fabrication of the micro-devices was carried out on both standard p doped wafers and on silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers using established micro-fabrication processes. Finite element analysis was employed to model the device behavior under mechanical loading in order to ascertain loading parameters. Nanoscratch and in situ nanoindentation experiments were performed in order to obtain the applied force vs. top shuttle displacement curves for the devices. Finally, individual Ni nanowires were picked up, placed and clamped onto the sample stages to act as tensile specimens.
Oviducal sperm storage in turkeys: Spatial distribution of sperm within the uterovaginal junction sperm‐storage tubules

The spatial distribution of sperm within the sperm storage tubules (SST) found in the uterovaginal junction (UVJ) of the turkey is not known. In this study, we inseminated sperm stained with a fluorescent dye (Hoechst 33342) to determine their distribution in SST in the ventral, dorsal, and lateral regions of the proximal, middle, and distal regions of the UVJ. There was no preferential filling in the ventral-dorsal axis of the UVJ. In contrast, preferential filling of the SST was observed in the middle section of the UVJ. Here the individual SST were clearly longer and more pleomorphic than the SST in the more proximal and distal aspects of the UVJ. While no information on the temporal aspect of SST filling by sperm could be gleaned, it is evident that the more morphologically developed SST either accept sperm more readily or store sperm more efficiently than SST elsewhere in the UVJ.
Plasma Leptin Concentrations Do Not Appear to Decrease Insulin-Mediated Glucose Disposal or Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion in Women With Normal Glucose Tolerance

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that plasma leptin concentrations contributed to the pathophysiology of NIDDM by decreasing both insulin-mediated glucose disposal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The study was performed in 60 women with normal oral glucose tolerance. Differences in insulin-mediated glucose disposal were determined by comparing the steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) concentrations attained at the end of a 180-min constant infusion of somatostatin, glucose, and insulin, while comparisons of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion were based on the incremental increase in insulin concentration 30 min after an oral glucose challenge (deltaIns) as compared with the fasting value. The results showed that the higher the fasting plasma leptin concentration, the greater the degree of insulin resistance (r = 0.47, P < 0.01). Furthermore, multiple regression analysis indicated that the relationship between leptin and SSPG was independent of age and degree of obesity as estimated by BMI. However, since the total integrated plasma insulin response was highly correlated with both SSPG (r = 0.80, P < 0.001) and leptin (r = 0.55, P < 0.01), multiple regression analysis was repeated, adding total insulin response to the model. When this was done, the significant relationship between leptin and SSPG disappeared, whereas both BMI (P < 0.03) and insulin response (P < 0.001) were correlated with SSPG. A significant relationship between leptin and deltaIns was seen, but it was a positive one (r = 0.31, P < 0.02), not a negative one as would be expected if circulating levels of leptin inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis could only confirm an independent relationship between deltaIns and SSPG, but not between deltaIns and leptin. The results of these studies do not support the view that circulating leptin has a primary effect on either insulin action or secretion in normal female volunteers. It seems more likely that chronic hyperinsulinemia in insulin-resistant individuals acts to increase adipose tissue leptin synthesis and secretion, leading to higher ambient leptin concentrations.
Proposal for metric standardized scrapless E-I laminations

A family of strapless transformer laminations is proposed with whole-valued metric dimensions for the center (tongue) dimensions X A (mm). The designation for the proposed laminations is EI- X_{A}-X_{T} with X A = center dimension in millimeters and X A = lamination thickness in millimeters. Following letters would be used to designate standard hole locations. Part of the family sequence (minimal power rating in watts in parenthesis) would be: EI-15(9.10), EI-18(17.13), EI-22(34.37), EI-25(53.56), EI-30(100.8), EI-35(172.2), EI-42(324.1), EI-50(593.5), EI-58(993.4), EI-68(1,725), EI-80(3,032), EI-95(5,504), and EI-113(10,051).
The congruity principle and television commercials

A point that is often overlooked is that “who” says something, or “how” it is said, is as important as “what” is being said—and vice versa. Some years ago, Tannenbaum and Osgood (at the University of Illinois) developed what was called the “congruity principle” to provide a predictive model for linking these factors. The field of attitude measurement in which they worked is closely allied to the persuasive purposes of advertising. The following use of relatively sophisticated research techniques should be of particular interest to those in the field of mass consumer persuasion who have heretofore considered “attitudes” or “images” and the various techniques of advertising as separate concepts, whose possible interrelationships need not be considered.
Incorporating computational sustainability into AI education through a freely-available, collectively-composed supplementary lab text

We introduce a laboratory text on environmental and societal sustainability applications that can be a supplemental resource for any undergraduate AI course. The lab text, entitled Artificial Intelligence for Computational Sustainability: A Lab Companion, is brand new and incomplete; freely available through Wikibooks; and open to community additions of projects, assignments, and explanatory material on AI for sustainability. The project adds to existing educational efforts of the computational sustainability community, encouraging the flow of knowledge from research to education and public outreach. Besides summarizing the laboratory book, this paper touches on its implications for integration of research and education, for communicating science to the public, and other broader impacts.
A Plan to Cut Military Spending in Half

Reversing the military buildup, while increasing stability, should proceed in three stages over the next decade. By the year 2000, depending on circumstances, the United States could get by with an annual defense budget of $160 billion instead of $300 billion.
The validity of self-reported nicotine product use in the 2001-2008 national health and nutrition examination survey

Background:Many researchers rely on high-quality face-to-face national surveys conducted by the federal government to estimate the prevalence of nicotine product use, but some scholars have suggested that adults' self-reports in such surveys are intentionally distorted by social desirability respons
Societal and physician perspectives on sinonasal diagnosis and treatment.

BACKGROUND Sinusitis is diagnosed in 31 million individuals annually and has a significant impact on health care expenditures. Otolaryngologists understand that patient expectations, health knowledge, and the use of therapeutic options by patients and primary care physicians (PCPs) vary greatly. The intent of this study was to elucidate differences in the perspectives of patients, PCPs and otolaryngologists regarding the diagnosis and treatment of sinonasal disease. METHODS Three surveys were developed with questions targeting sinonasal infections: specifically, prevalence, diagnosis, physician prescribing patterns, treatment alternatives, and referral patterns to tertiary level physicians. Surveys were distributed to adult patients (n = 113) at general health fairs, whereas surveys for PCPs (n = 54) and otolaryngologists (n = 40) were obtained from teaching conferences and professional networking events. RESULTS In a description of viral upper respiratory tract infections (URIs), 43% of patients attributed symptoms to allergic rhinitis, 28% to URIs, and 28% to sinus infections. Despite this, 37% of patients still expected anti-bacterial agents. In patients with acute rhinosinusitis (ARS), 44% of patients would wait <1 week to see a physician whereas 82% of otolaryngologists and 57% of PCPs felt waiting 1 week or more was appropriate. In an ambulatory care setting, 45% of PCPs would chose to treat patients with 5 days of ARS symptoms whereas 32% of otolaryngologists would treat patients (p = .22). For ARS, 70% of patients expected antibiotics. Seventy percent of PCPs stated that they would refer a patient to an otolaryngologist after a single episode of sinusitis. CONCLUSION Patients with sinonasal symptoms confuse URIs for sinusitis and expect unnecessary treatment with antibiotics. PCPs and otolaryngologists vary regarding indications for presentation to a physician, approaches to therapy, and indications for referral to a tertiary provider in their respective practices.
Using hydrogen-deuterium exchange to monitor protein structure in the presence of gold nanoparticles.

The potential applications of protein-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have motivated many studies characterizing protein–AuNP interactions. However, the lack of detailed structural information has hindered our ability to understand the mechanism of protein adsorption on AuNPs. In order to determine the structural perturbations that occur during adsorption, hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) of amide protons was measured for two proteins by NMR. Specifically, we measured both slow (5–300 min) and fast (10–500 ms) H/D exchange rates for GB3 and ubiquitin, two well-characterized proteins. Overall, amide exchange rates are very similar in the presence and absence of AuNPs, supporting a model where the adsorbed protein remains largely folded on the AuNP surface. Small differences in exchange rates are observed for several loop residues, suggesting that the secondary structure remains relatively rigid while loops and surface residues can experience perturbations upon binding. Strikingly, several of the...
Nitric oxide as a mediator of estrogen effects in osteocytes

Postmenopausal osteoporosis due to estrogen deficiency is a major health problem, and available therapies rely largely on the inhibition of bone resorption, because estrogen replacement is associated with risks. Estrogen promotes bone health in large part by increasing osteocyte survival, but the molecular mechanisms involved are only partly understood. We showed that estradiol stimulates nitric oxide (NO) production in osteocytes, leading to increased cGMP synthesis and activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinases (PKGs). Moreover, we found that 17β-estradiol protects osteocytes against apoptosis via the NO/cGMP signaling pathway: type II PKG mediates estradiol-induced activation of the prosurvival kinases Erk and Akt, whereas type I PKG contributes to prosurvival signaling by directly phosphorylating and inactivating the cell death protein BAD. Preclinical data support an important role of NO in bone biology, and clinical trials suggest that NO donors may prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women. Our data provide novel insights into estrogen signaling through the NO/cGMP/PKG pathway and a rationale for using NO donors and other cGMP-elevating agents for treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Quantitative Assessment on Needlestick Injuries and Risk of Blood-borne Pathogens among Grass-roots Medical Staff

[Objective]To quantitatively assess the risk of infection of blood borne diseases among the medical staff.[Methods]The status of needlestick injuries and hepatitis B vaccination coverage rate of grass-roots medical staff in township hospitals were investigated.Kane model was adopted to calculate individual infection probability annually.[Results]The average rate of needlestick injuries of 429 medical workers was 50.82%.The frequence of annual injury for each person was 1.05,hepatitis B vaccination coverage rate was 72.03%.The risk infection number per 10 000 medical workers for HBV,HCV and HIV were 239,99 and 0.08.[Conclusion]The risk of blood borne diseases can be quantitatively accessed by surveying the frequency of needlestick injuries and hepatitis B vaccination coverage rate.
Healthy Family Functioning: Cross-Cultural Perspectives

Writing about healthy family functioning is expected to provoke questions. What is it? How is it defined? What are its implications for public health services, training, and research in different lands? As will be seen, adaptation and coping with diverse forms of sociocultural, environmental, economic, and physical stress are not the province of any one discipline, re-search orientation, or ideology. The widely dispersed international, behavioral, and biomedical literature does not yield any shared or systematic conceptualization of healthy family functioning or its determinants. While environmental circumstances placing increasing stress on family functioning are generally recognized, and family dysfunction is of growing public health concern, there are few studies identifying elements likely to strengthen family capabilities for coping and prevention.
THE CHILD'S CONCEPT OF REALITY

This chapter discusses a child's concept of reality. Reality of the child is different from that in which the adult lives. Reality implies a definite concept of space. The spatial concept of the adult is conditioned by his long experience in perceiving and representing things. For the young child, the constancy of position is not yet developed. Playing is the first attempt to establish social contacts and to realize the meaning of leadership and subordination. Playing becomes a rehearsal for life activities, a pantomime of the child's wishes and duties. In his play, the child produces situations of his own imagining, and it is very characteristic that the main contents of children's plays are sudden changes and menacing situations. The accumulation of tension demands an outlet and relaxation, which the child finds in his play. Rules, which gradually appear in the child's play, reflect his first attempts at organization in the emotional, mental, and social fields.
A Corpus Linguistic Investigation of Vocabulary-based Discourse Units in University Registers

The present study introduces an approach that combines corpus-linguistic and discourseanalytic perspectives to analyze the discourse patterns in a large multi-register corpus. The primary goals of the study were to identify Vocabulary-Based Discourse Units (VBDUs) using computational techniques, and to describe the basic types of VBDUs as distinguished by their primary linguistic characteristics, using Multi-Dimensional analytical techniques. The secondary goals were to compare the distributional patterns of spoken and written academic registers in their reliance on the different VBDU types, and to illustrate the analysis of the internal organization of a text as sequences of VBDUs. The three major registers analyzed in this study – university classroom teaching, university textbooks, and academic research articles – represent a continuum in the extent to which VBDUs are explicitly marked by surface/textual features.
An Activity-Based Statistics Course

So that students can acquire a conceptual understanding of basic statistical concepts, the orientation of the introductory statistics course must change from a lecture-and-listen format to one that...
Abstract A34: Estrogen induces RAD51C expression and localization to sites of DNA damage

Homologous recombination (HR) is a conserved process that maintains genome stability and cell survival by repairing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The RAD51-related family of proteins is involved in repair of DSBs, consequently, deregulation of RAD51 causes chromosomal rearrangements and stimulates tumorigenesis. RAD51C has been identified as a potential tumor suppressor and a breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene. Recent studies implicated estrogen as a DNA-damaging agent that causes DSBs. We found that in estrogen receptor (ER)α-positive breast cancer cells, estrogen transcriptionally regulates RAD51C expression in ERα-dependent mechanism. Moreover, estrogen induces RAD51C assembly into nuclear foci at DSBs, which is a precursor to RAD51 complex recruitment to the nucleus. These findings provide insight into the mechanism of genomic instability in ERα-positive breast cancer and suggest that individuals with mutations in RAD51C that are treated with estrogen would be more susceptible to accumulation of DNA damage, leading to cancer progression. Citation Format: Marina K. Holz. Estrogen induces RAD51C expression and localization to sites of DNA damage. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Cancer Cell Cycle - Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Response; Feb 28-Mar 2, 2016; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(11_Suppl):Abstract nr A34.
Acute recapitulation of the hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidemia characteristic of metabolic syndrome suppresses gonadotropins.

Objective To determine the effect of lipid/heparin versus saline infusion, with or without concurrent euglycemic hyperinsulinemia, on serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Obesity is associated with hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and relative hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. It was hypothesized that acutely elevated fatty acids and insulin would impair gonadotropin secretion. Methods Regularly cycling women and men without obesity underwent a crossover 6-hour infusion study over four visits. Participants received infusions of saline-control, lipid/heparin, insulin, and lipid/heparin plus insulin. Serum FSH and LH were measured by immunoassay. Results In women (n = 10), infusion of lipid plus insulin significantly reduced LH, from 4.6 IU/L (3.7-5.4) (mean [95% confidence interval]) to 3.3 IU/L (2.3-4.4); P = 0.03, and FSH, from 3.9 IU/L (3.2-4.6) to 3.1 IU/L (2.3-3.8); P = 0.03, compared to saline-control. Similarly, in men (n = 10), LH, 3.3 IU/L (2.4-4.1), and FSH, 2.1 IU/L (1.4-2.8), were significantly reduced after the combined infusion (2.2 [1.3-3.1] IU/L and 1.5 [0.8-2.1] IU/L; P = 0.03, P = 0.02, respectively). Neither lipid nor insulin alone significantly impacted gonadotropin levels compared to saline-control. Conclusions Hyperinsulinemia combined with elevated lipids acutely suppresses LH and FSH, providing a possible mechanism underlying the relative hypogonadotropic hypogonadism of obesity. Effects of insulin on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis may be dependent on the concomitant metabolic environment.