cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of ecdysone and juvenile hormone on DNA metabolism of imaginal disks of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract Imaginal disks of Drosophila melanogaster isolated en masse and incubated in Robb's tissue culture medium incorporate 3 H-thymidine into nuclear DNA. Both α- and β-ecdysone stimulate the rate of 3 H-thymidine incorporation into disk DNA. Concentrations of ecdysone that induce complete evagination of disks in vitro cause the initiation of DNA synthesis in some disk cells. Juvenile hormone has no effect on DNA synthesis in control disks. However, juvenile hormone blocks the ecdysone stimulation of DNA synthesis. It is proposed that juvenile hormone and ecdysone act in a balanced fashion to regulate DNA synthesis in imaginal disks.
β-Adrenergic modulation of human type-1/type-2 cytokine balance

Abstract Background: Neuroendocrine mediators are increasingly recognized as immunomodulatory agents. Lymphocytes and monocytes express receptors for a variety of neuroendocrine mediators, including catecholamines. It has been reported that β-adrenergic agonists decrease IFN-γ production, with varying effects on IL-4 and IL-5 production. Objective: Our purpose was to determine the effects of catecholamines (including β-adrenergic agonists) on the type-1/type-2 cytokine balance in tetanus-stimulated human PBMCs. Method: Human PBMCs were stimulated with tetanus in the presence of epinephrine (EPI), norepinephrine, or terbutaline. IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 levels in the supernatants were determined by ELISA. Results: PBMCs stimulated in the presence of EPI produced decreased levels of IFN-γ and increased levels of IL-10, IL-4, and IL-5. A small decrease in IFN-γ production and an increase in IL-10, IL-4, and IL-5 production were also observed with norepinephrine. Terbutaline induced similar alterations in the type-1/type-2 cytokine balance compared with EPI, indicating that the β 2 adrenergic receptor is involved in these cytokine alterations. Furthermore, these cytokine alterations were blocked by propranolol. Finally, IL-12p70 prevented the cytokine alterations, suggesting that the mechanism of β-adrenergic–induced cytokine alterations involves a decrease in IL-12. Conclusion: β-Adrenergic agonists induce a shift in the human type-1/type-2 cytokine balance toward a type-2 response. These data provide a potential mechanism to explain the paradoxical increase in asthma morbidity and mortality associated with the chronic use of scheduled dosing of short-acting β-adrenergic agonists. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;105:91-8.)
Molecular monodisperse mobility and mass standards from electrosprays of tetra-alkyl ammonium halides

Abstract The mobility distributions of electrosprays from solutions of relatively large tetraalkyl ammonium halide salts A + B - produce a series of sharp peaks associated to clusters of the form ( A + ) z ( AB ) n , dominated by the bare cation A + . In order to facilitate their use as standards of mass and mobility (in air), these properties are characterized via tandem use of a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and a mass spectrometer (MS) with an atmospheric pressure inlet. Mobility diameters (based on Millikan's conventional size vs. mobility relation) in excess of 3 nm are obtained from singly and doubly charged clusters. The mobilities of the ions A + ( AB ) 3 are anomalously large for alkyl groups from methyl to butyl, presumably due to their relatively high symmetry.
Operative outcomes of 546 Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center peripheral nerve tumors

The surgical management of benign PNSTs and some other benign tumors can result in successful outcomes. Schwannomas and nonplexiform neurofibromas can be resected with minimal deficit by sparing all but the fascicles entering and exiting the tumor. These fascicles, if not functional by NAP testing, can be resected, and the tumor can be removed. Surgery to remove other benign lesions, such as intraneural ganglion cysts, hemangiomas,and ganglioneuromas, has become more timely. The desmoid tumor, although microscopically benign, is locally and regionally invasive, and chemotherapy and radiation therapy may need to be used as adjunctive therapy. Neurogenic sarcomas and other malignancies have high morbidity and mortality despite aggressive limb ablation or limb-sparing surgery with adjunctive therapy. Thus, surgery involving decompression as well as the most complete resection possible remains the essential initial step in the management of most malignancies.
Proactive and retroactive effects of diethyl ether on spatial discrimination learning in inbred mouse strains DBA/2J and C57BL/6J

Diethyl ether was given before or after a single daily spatial discrimination trial in a water maze. Both C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice made more errors than controls of these same strains when they were etherized after a trial, although the decremental effect on performance was more notable in the former strain. Pretrial etherization had no effect on errors, but mice etherized prior to each trial showend faster swimming times than control Ss. These data were discussed in terms of strain differences in ether-stimulated arousal or activity level.
Documenting the language demands of mainstream content-area assessment for English learners: participant structures, communicative modes and genre in science performance assessments

We report on the development and use of an analytical framework designed to articulate the language demands English learners (ELs) encounter on performance assessments such as those used in inquiry-based science classrooms. The Science Assessment Language Demands (SALD) Framework, grounded in functional and interactional views of language and language use, focuses on participant structures utilized in performance assessments, associated modes of communication called for and written texts and genres that students are required to read and produce. We employed the SALD Framework to document the range of language demands present in the performance assessments that accompany three fifth-grade science units. The assessments collectively call upon students to engage in four participant structures (whole class, small group, pair and individual), three communicative modes (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational) and a broad array of genres. These demands may present barriers with regard to ELs' ability to ...
Effect of stress on the voluntary intake of a sweetened ethanol solution in pair-housed adolescent and adult rats.

Background: Data regarding the effects of stressors on ethanol intake are mixed. Previous experiments reporting greater voluntary intake of ethanol in adolescent than adult rats have examined intake in isolate-housed animals. Given that the stress of isolate housing may differ ontogenetically as well as confound interpretation of other stressor effects, the present study examined stressor/ethanol interactions among pair-housed adolescent and adult rats. Methods: Sprague-Dawley male rats were implanted with identification tags that allowed individual monitoring of homecage intake of water and either a 10% (v/v) ethanol solution containing 0.1% (w/v) saccharin or saccharin alone over a 14-day access period. Animals were given zero, one, or eight daily 15-min footshock sessions, with shock-induced freezing and pre-, post-, and recovery corticosterone levels determined on the first and last footshock exposure days. After the access period, withdrawal was assessed with a plus maze, and tolerance to ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex was examined. Results: Nonstressed adolescents drank considerably more sweetened ethanol than did adults, with chronic stress suppressing this adolescent consumption. Ethanol access in adolescents disrupted within-session adaptation to footshock in terms of freezing behavior, although no such disruption was evident at either age when indexed hormonally. Despite relatively high ethanol intakes (up to 6 g/kg/day in the adolescents), no evidence for withdrawal-associated anxiogenesis emerged. Evidence for tolerance was mixed and, to the extent that it was present, was metabolic in nature. Conclusions: Previous reports of heightened voluntary ethanol intake among adolescent rats are not a function of isolate stress but are evident in pair-housed animals. Adolescents were more sensitive to ethanol/stress interactions than were adults, with the elevated ethanol intake of pair-housed adolescents selectively disrupted by chronic stress, a stress-induced disruption not evident in adults. Likewise, ethanol disrupted behavioral adaptation to the footshock stressor among adolescents but not adults.
Dear Mr. President: Changing Media Environments and the Social Construction of the President

Although there has been a great deal of research on the impact of new media on the ways in which presidents present themselves, less attention has been given to the ways in which these media shape the social construction of the president. This study focuses on how one public, those who write letters to presidents, expresses their sense of the role of the president in different media environments. Letters written to Lincoln, Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, and London Johnson were examined for clues as to how changes in media environments were linked to changes in the letter-writers’ constructions of presidents. The results of this research suggest that changes in the media environment do indeed have an impact on the social construction of the president.
Phosphorylation of eIF2 directs ATF5 translational control in response to diverse stress conditions.

Phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2) is an important mechanism regulating global and gene-specific translation in response to different environmental stresses. Central to the eIF2 kinase response is the preferential translation of ATF4 mRNA, encoding a transcriptional activator of genes involved in stress remediation. In this report, we addressed whether there are additional transcription factors whose translational expression is regulated by eIF2 kinases. We show that the expression of the basic zipper transcriptional regulator ATF5 is induced in response to many different stresses, including endoplasmic reticulum stress, arsenite exposure, and proteasome inhibition, by a mechanism requiring eIF2 phosphorylation. ATF5 is subject to translational control as illustrated by the preferential association of ATF5 mRNA with large polyribosomes in response to stress. ATF5 translational control involves two upstream open reading frames (uORFs) located in the 5′-leader of the ATF5 mRNA, a feature shared with ATF4. Mutational analyses of the 5′-leader of ATF5 mRNA fused to a luciferase reporter suggest that the 5′-proximal uORF1 is positive-acting, allowing scanning ribosomes to reinitiate translation of a downstream ORF. During non-stressed conditions, when eIF2 phosphorylation is low, ribosomes reinitiate translation at the next ORF, the inhibitory uORF2. Phosphorylation of eIF2 during stress delays translation reinitiation, allowing scanning ribosomes to bypass uORF2, and instead translate the ATF5 coding region. In addition to translational control, ATF5 mRNA levels are significantly reduced in ATF4-/- mouse embryo fibroblasts, suggesting that ATF4 contributes to basal ATF5 transcription. These results demonstrate that eIF2 kinases direct the translational expression of multiple transcription regulators by a mechanism involving delayed translation reinitiation.
Nature and assessments of torque ripples of permanent-magnet adjustable-speed motors

Torque ripple of permanent magnet motors can be classified into four types depending on the nature of their origin. The four types are pulsating torque, fluctuating torque, reluctance cogging torque, and inertia and mechanical system torque. Pulsating torques are inherently produced by the trapezoidal back-EMFs and trapezoidal currents used in certain permanent magnet adjustable-speed motors. The torque ripples caused by pulsating torques may be reduced by purposely produced fluctuating counter torques. Air-gap torque assessments are conducted on a sample motor. Experimental results agree with theoretical expectations.
Parallel Sieve algorithms on a hypercube multiprocessor

Two sieve algorithms, a pipeline and a parallel version are presented for a distributed-memory multiprocessor. Traditionally, the sieve algorithm is solved using a pipeline approach. This algorithm has a high communication to computation ratio and as a result performs poorly. The parallel algorithm is a substantial improvement over the traditional pipeline algorithm. It has a low communication to computation ratio. The speedup for this algorithm is nearly linear. Further, unlike the pipeline algorithm, the parallel algorithm performs just as well or even better on a shared memory multiprocessor system.
Ensuring Quality of Regulatory Clinical Documents

A large number of clinical documents are generated during the clinical stage of drug development. These documents are used to obtain regulatory permission for clinical trial initiation, to execute clinical trials, and eventually to get regulatory approval for new products or indications. The types of clinical documents required are numerous and complex and include study protocols, informed consent forms, investigator brochures, investigational new drug annual reports, and clinical study reports. In addition, clinical documents that summarize clinical study results are part of a new drug application or biological license application. Because clinical documents are critical for drug development and business, they must be of the highest quality. Towards that end, we have developed a comprehensive QC program and implemented a QC step in the clinical document preparation process. This program is process driven with an SOP for QC review and a QC step is formalized in each document-specific SOP. We also applied quality audit principles in the QC review. Independent reviewers perform each QC review using checklists to provide a consistent and objective evaluation of clinical documents. The document author addresses each QC finding and subsequent QC changes are verified. The scope of a QC review is tailored to each document. The QC review is an inherent step of the clinical document preparation process, providing necessary assurance that clinical documents generated are of the highest quality possible. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measurement and Characterization of Stiction Force in Microstructures With Tapered Features

Modeling and measurement of stiction or adhesion due to van der Waals force between microstructures and micro-gripper tools are important for contact-based manipulation and assembly of microstructures. Microfabricated structures commonly feature rough tapered curved surfaces due to undercutting and surface alterations inherent in the microfabrication processes. While several theoretical models exist for calculating adhesive forces between microstructures featuring spherical, cylindrical and flat surfaces, a model for estimating adhesive forces between microstructures featuring tapered curved surfaces is lacking in the literature. This paper presents experimentally measured values of adhesion or pull-off force between a rough tapered curved microstructure from a rough plane surface using a custom micro-cantilever beam as a force sensing mechanism. The paper also introduces an approach to estimate adhesive force between a tapered curved surface and a flat surface by considering the tapered curved surface as a frustum of a cone bound between two cylinders and using the van der Waals force model for cylinders. It is shown that the experimentally measured adhesive force values lie within the upper and lower values of the theoretically estimated van der Waals force values for the two cylinders that define the tapered curved surface geometry.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Corrosion by external polarization of soldered orthodontic wires in cleanser solutions.

Abstract Surface degradation and corrosion has been associated with metallic orthodontic appliances after immersion in cleanser solutions. Appliances containing either a gold- or a silver-soldered connection in cleanser solutions have, in addition, been related to increased corrosion and deterioration of the joint strength. This study systematically analyzes the corrosion susceptibility of stainless steel and cobalt-chrome orthodontic wires with soldered connections in the cleanser systems of Kleenite, DOC, Efferdent, and Polident. The corrosion of the alloy-cleanser systems was monitored by following the electrochemical polarization trends. Comparison of the polarization behavior for the base alloy wires, for the gold and silver solders, and for the wire-solder couples in the cleanser systems indicates a variation in corrosion resistance for the alloy-cleans er combinations. The cleansers with high pH (11.5) and a high ppm Cl − content (10 3 to 10 4 ), Kleenite and DOC, exhibit lower corrosion resistance toward all base wires, solders, and wire-solder couples than the mildly basic (pH = 7 to 8.5) and low Cl − content (10 to 10 2 ppm) cleansers, Efferdent and Polident. Elgiloy and stainless steel with a gold-soldered connection is more corrosion resistant in Efferdent and Polident than the same agents with a silver-soldered connection. This distinction for wire-solder combinations cannot be made with the Kleenite and DOC cleansers. The incorporation of oxidizing agents, such as perborate, in the cleanser formulations is thought to be a factor responsible for the significantly lower corrosion resistance of the Co-Cr alloys in cleansers relative to a saline solution.
Transition Metal Catalyst Assisted Reductive Dechlorination of Perchloroethylene by Anaerobic Aquifer Enrichments

Bioremediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents, such as perchloroethylene (PCE) or carbon tetrachloride, can be accomplished by adding nutrients to stimulate a microbial community capable of reductive dechlorination. However, biotransformation of these solvents, especially PCE, typically occurs very slowly or not at all. Experiments were conducted to evaluate whether the addition of transition metal tetrapyrrole catalysts would increase the reductive transformation of PCE to trichloroethylene (TCE) by sulfate-reducing enrichment cultures. Batch assays were used to test vitamin B12 and two synthetic sulfonatophenyl porphine catalysts for the stimulation of reductive dechlorination of PCE by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) enriched from aquifer sediments from two locations at Dover Air Force Base. Cells from the enrichments were concentrated and added to batch assay vials. Vials containing SRB cells amended with vitamin B12 exhibited enhanced transformation of PCE to TCE compared with ...
Hybrid troponin reconstituted from vertebrate and arthropod subunits.

TROPONIN, a regulatory protein modifying muscular contraction is found in all the chordate striated muscles as well as in many of the invertebrate muscles which have been studied1,3. The complex of troponin and tropomyosin is bound to the actin containing thin filaments, and both components are required for thin filament-linked regulation1–3,10. In the absence of calcium the troponin–tropomyosin complex blocks the myosin combining sites, inhibiting ATPase activity and therefore contraction. When present in micromolar amounts, calcium binds to troponin and releases the inhibition. Vertebrate troponin consists of three subunits: TN-I, TN-C, and TN-T (ref. 4). TN-1 by itself (molecular weight 24,000) inhibits the actin–myosin interaction irrespective of calcium ion concentration. TN-C (molecular weight 18,000) binds calcium ions and this releases the TN-I imposed inhibition. TN-T (molecular weight 37,000) attaches the subunit complex to tropomyosin. The troponin found on arthropod thin filaments is also composed of subunits3,5,6. Components with chain weights of 29,000 and 18,000 have features analogous to those of vertebrate TN-I and TN-C respectively6. A third component is also found in arthropod troponin preparations (chain weight 55,000–59,000), but its function is not yet fully understood5,6. For convenience, this chain will be referred to here as TN-T. In spite of the overall similarity of vertebrate and arthropod troponin, invertebrate troponin differs from vertebrate troponin in calcium binding properties, and binds one-half to one-quarter of the calcium in conditions where the thin filament is maximally switchedon3,6. Moreover, the thin filament-based regulation in invertebrates is usually coupled with a myosin-linked regulatory system which is apparently not present in chordate striated muscle3,10.
Bicultural harmonization and prevention of demoralization: clinical, therapeutic, and programmatic implications

This article examines how bicultural harmonization was achieved in a society exposed to acculturative stress for almost two centuries and discusses the implications of the historical experience of this bicultural society to clinical practice, cultural psychotherapy, and program development for bicultural populations. The setting being studied is Goa, a former Portuguese state on the western coast of India. Two cultural sub-groups, Hindus and Christians, continued to interact despite attempts to eliminate their bicultural exchange. The result was the formation of a vibrant hybrid culture, the Indo-Portuguese culture of Goa, and the minimization or prevention of demoralization. The findings highlight the importance of encouraging bicultural individuals to borrow values and norms from both cultures, switch between them in response to cultural cues, adapt themselves to both, synthesize norms of both, and apply those norms judiciously to particular situations. Programs designed to relieve distress and demorali...
Random lasing in organo-lead halide perovskite microcrystal networks

We report optically pumped random lasing in planar methylammonium lead iodide perovskite microcrystal networks that form spontaneously from spin coating. Low thresholds ( 100 μm and spatially overlap with one another, resulting in chaotic pulse-to-pulse intensity fluctuations due to gain competition. These results demonstrate this class of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite as a platform to study random lasing with well-defined, low-level disorder, and support the potential of these materials for use in semiconductor laser applications.
Statistical Considerations in Pharmacokinetic Study Design

Pharmacokinetic studies may generally be categorised into 3 types: (a) population-based investigations, (b) individual-based compartmental, or (c) individual-based noncompartmental research projects. Each type of study has advantages and limitations. Population-based investigations pool drug concentrations across more than 1 individual subject. From these data, estimates of pharmacokinetic parameters are calculated. NONMEM is the only computer program available to evaluate this type of information. Recently a method has been proposed which derives individual estimates from the information available from NONMEM. By combining these 2 procedures it is possible for the clinician to review and adjust the dosage regimen if necessary. Population-based studies require fewer design criteria than other methods and are adaptable to the clinical setting, i.e. subjects can be patients currently being treated with the drug under consideration. One distinct advantage to this type of study is the flexibility of sampling times and the capability of the clinician to use information from the critically ill, the geriatric patient or the very young child. These subjects would not be available for the individual-based type of study because of the relatively large number of samples needed. Individual-based pharmacokinetic studies can be divided into 2 types with respect to their evaluation: (a) compartmental and (b) noncompartmental investigations. The latter type of study was originally thought to require fewer assumptions than the former but subsequently it has been shown that noncompartmental analyses are more restrictive and are basically compartmental in their approach. These studies estimate parameters which the compartmental investigation does not usually consider. These include area under the moment curve (AUMC) and mean residence time (MRT).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Surgical dual-axis confocal microscope for brain tumor resection

A 1.8-mm diameter gradient-index relay lens has been incorporated into a miniature dual-axis confocal microscope for image-guided surgery. A biaxial MEMS mirror is actuated at resonance along each axis to create a non-repeating Lissajous scan pattern for achieving large fields of view.
An autoradiographic study in μ-opioid receptor knockout mice

An autoradiographic study was carried out to study the opioid binding sites in a μ-opioid receptor knock-out mouse line whose exon 2 and 3 were deleted. μ-Opioid binding sites were undetectable in this knock-out mouse line while the binding of the other two types of receptors were unaltered. Our results suggest destroying functional μ-opioid receptor does not affect the expression of the other two opioid receptors.
Age-Associated Abnormalities of Water Homeostasis

Findley first proposed the presence of age-related dysfunction of the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal-renal axis more than 60 years ago. More sophisticated studies have since corroborated his findings. As a result, it is now clear that multiple abnormalities in water homeostasis occur commonly with aging, and that the elderly are uniquely susceptible to disorders of body volume and osmolality. This article summarizes the distinct points along the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal-renal axis where these changes have been characterized, as well as the clinical significance of these changes, with special attention to effects on cognition, gait instability, osteoporosis, fractures, and morbidity and mortality.
Review: some interventions may reduce catheter-related bloodstream infections and colonisation in the ICU.

N Graves Dr N Graves, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; n.graves@qut.edu.au How do various interventions compare for reducing catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) and colonisation in the intensive care unit (ICU)? Studies selected evaluated short-term (<21 d) non-tunnelled catheters and reported incidence of CRBSI in patients ⩾18 years of age in the ICU. Exclusion criteria included studies evaluating totally implantable or peripherally inserted central venous catheters or haemodialysis catheters, arterial venous catheters, and those conducted in diverse settings. Outcomes were CRBSI and colonisation. Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Current Contents, Cochrane Library , Health Services Technology, Centre for Disease Control guideline and reports, and 8 other databases were searched (from 1985 to …
Cortical elasticity in aging rats with and without growth hormone treatments.

This study quantified the orthotropic elastic changes in cortical bone due to aging as well as determined any elastic changes after acute treatments of growth hormone (GH). Three groups of twenty rats represented three age groups of young adult (9 months), middle age (20 months), and old (31 months) rats. During a ten day period, half of the rats in each age group were given twice-daily doses of recombinant human GH while the remaining half were injected with a vehicle control (saline). The effects of aging and GH on the elastic characteristics of cortical bone were quantified via ultrasonic wave propagation. Propagation velocities of longitudinal and shear waves were measured through cubic cortical specimens from the posterior femoral diaphysis. Density was measured by Archimedes’ technique. The normalized, orthotropic elastic properties of Young's moduli (Eii), shear moduli (Gii), and Poisson's ratios (vii) were calculated and used to compare the groups (where i and j = 1, 2, or 3 reference the radial, ...
Subsequent pregnancy outcome in women with a history of HELLP syndrome at ≤ 28 weeks of gestation

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe subsequent pregnancy outcome in women with a history of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome for which delivery occurred at ≤ 28 weeks of gestation during the index pregnancy. Study Design: A descriptive report of women with previous hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome who were delivered between August 1984 and July 1998 at the E.H. Crump Women's Hospital (Memphis, Tenn) and between March 1994 and July 1998 at the Central Baptist Hospital (Lexington, Ky). To have adequate time to study subsequent pregnancy outcome, only patients who were delivered >2 years before the analysis were included. Medical records of the index pregnancy and subsequent outcomes were available for review. Results: Adequate follow-up data were available in 69 patients; the median duration of follow-up was 5 years (range: 2-14 years). There were 76 subsequent pregnancies among 48 women, of which 62 pregnancies (82%) progressed beyond 20 weeks of gestation. Preeclampsia developed in 34 of 62 subsequent pregnancies (55%). Recurrent hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome developed in 4 of these pregnancies (6%), and abruptio placentae developed in 3 of these pregnancies (5%). There were no cases of eclampsia in our population. Delivery before 37 weeks of gestation occurred in 33 of the cases (53%), and 17 of the newborn infants (27%) were small for gestational age ( Conclusion: Patients with a history of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome at ≤ 28 weeks of gestation during the index pregnancy are at increased risk for obstetric complications in subsequent pregnancies. Overall, however, the rate of recurrent hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome is only 6%. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:1504-8.)
Expression of protein kinase C isozymes in nonpregnant and pregnant human myometrium.

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the distributions of protein kinase C isozymes in human nonpregnant and pregnant myometrial tissues and primary cell cultures. Study Design: Myometrial tissues were obtained at hysterectomy from nonpregnant women and at cesarean delivery from women both before and during early labor at term. Western immunoblot analysis was performed on homogenates of myometrial tissues and primary cell cultures with monoclonal antibodies specific for protein kinase C isozymes. Redistribution and translocation of protein kinase C were examined by means of immunocytochemical methods. Results: Nonpregnant myometrial tissues contained protein kinase C isozymes α, γ, δ, μ, ι, and ζ but not β 1 , β 2 , θ, or ϵ. Pregnant myometrial tissues both before and during early labor contained the same protein kinase C isozymes and also β 1 and β 2 . The protein kinase C isozyme distribution in primary myometrial cell cultures was identical to that in the myometrial tissues. Protein kinase C redistribution and translocation were demonstrated in these cultured myometrial cells. Conclusion: Both human myometrial tissues and primary cell cultures expressed a broad range of protein kinase C isozymes. Protein kinase C isozymes β 1 and β 2 were absent in nonpregnant myometrium but were induced during pregnancy. Labor at term did not alter protein kinase C isozyme expression. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;183:1525-31.)
Day-to-day variation of the Frank electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram in heart disease

Abstract Day-to-day variation of the Frank electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram was studied in 20 patients with clinically stable hypertensive and/or coronary heart disease. Ten recordings were made on each patient during two consecutive five-day periods separated by a two-day weekend. Fifty-four selected measurements including durations, amplitudes, amplitude ratios, spatial magnitudes, and angles were computed on each of the records. Mean and maximal day-to-day variations of these measurements were compared with variations observed in 20 normal subjects reported in a previous study. Although considerable repeat variability was observed for several parameters, the magnitude of variability was not significantly different from that in normal subjects. However, abrupt and marked change in the electrocardiographic pattern seen in two patients suggests that sudden alterations in conduction may be common in patients with heart disease. The data presented can be helpful in assessing the significance of variations observed in serial electrocardiography in clinical practice.
Can you trust a dictator: A strategic model of authoritarian regimes’ signing and compliance with international treaties

Building on recent studies that focus on institutional variation among authoritarian regimes, this paper asks whether this variation leads to meaningful differences in the tendencies to reach and c...
Superimposed Coherent Terahertz Wave Radiation from Mono-Energetically Bunched Multi-Beam

Intense coherent radiation is obtained from multiple electron beams monochromatically bunched over the wide higher-order-mode (HOM) spectral band in the THz regime. The overmoded waveguide corrugated by dielectric-implanted staggered gratings superimposes evanescent waves emitted from the low energy electron beams. The dispersion and transmission simulations of the three-beam slow wave structure show that the first two fundamental modes (TE10 and TE20) are considerably suppressed (∼−50 dB) below the multi-beam resonating mode (TE30) at the THz regime (0.8–1.24 THz). The theoretical calculations and particle-in-cell simulations show that with significantly higher interaction impedance and power growth rate radiation of the TE30 mode is ∼23 dBm and ∼50 dBm stronger than the TE10 and TE20 modes around 1 THz, respectively. This highly selective HOM multi-beam interaction has potential applications for power THz sources and high intensity accelerators.
PROTEOSE INTOXICATIONS AND INJURY OF BODY PROTEIN : III. TOXIC PROTEIN CATABOLISM AND ITS INFLUENCE UPON THE NON-PROTEIN NITROGEN PARTITION OF THE BLOOD.

The acute intoxication following an injection of a toxic proteose is usually associated with a large increase (40 per cent or more) in the non-protein nitrogen of the blood. This increase is found chiefly in the blood urea nitrogen, but the amino and peptide nitrogens also may show small increases. The changes observed in the blood non-protein nitrogen are identical with those which follow the feeding of large amounts of meat (8). These facts indicate that the proteose intoxication causes an abnormally rapid autodigestion of tissue proteins, but that the nitrogenous end-products are, in chief part at least, the same that result from normal catabolism of food proteins. There is no evidence that the autolytic products play any part in causing the intoxication. The possibility of such a part and a resultant vicious circle is not excluded, but from the available facts the autolysis appears more as a result rather than cause of the intoxication. It appears possible that in disease or intoxication tissue catabolism may be enormously accelerated and yet yield the end-products of normal protein metabolism.
On the occurrence of P-type plastids in sieve elements of sugarcane short communication.

Sieve element plastids of sugarcane were studied in their early stages of development at the electron microscope level. In their earliest forms, sieve element plastids are spherical and have a moderately electron dense stroma. They resemble the plastids of procambial cells and the microbodies found in higher plant species in regard to stroma characters and their general morphology. In later stages, pronounced changes occur in shape, size and contents of the plastids. They acquire one to several highly electron dense inclusions commonly known as the cuneate proteinaceous inclusions, which belong to P-type plastids and are charac-teristically found in sieve element plastids of monocotyledon species.
Subset selection procedures based on sample ranges

This paper is concerned with subset selection procedures which are based on the sample ranges. The k Independent populations are assumed ordered by unknown scale parameters and it is desired to choose a (small nonempty) subset of these populations with a probabilistic guarantee that the population with the smallest scale parameter is contained in the chosen subset. Location parameters can be either known or unknown since the proposed rules are translation invariant. A class of selection procedures based on the sample ranges from n independent observations are considered and the probability of a correct selection investigated. The constants required to actually implement a particular member of this class of procedures are tabulated for selected values of k and n assuming the underlying populations are normally distributed. An expression for the expected subset size is derived and its maximum value investigated with particular emphasis on normal distributions. A Monte Carlo comparison is made between the ne...
Using NicAlert strips to verify smoking status among pregnant cigarette smokers.

Abstract Background Decreasing smoking during pregnancy is an important public health priority. An important step towards decreasing smoking during pregnancy is wider dissemination of evidence-based smoking cessation interventions. One such intervention is contingency management wherein mothers earn vouchers exchangeable for retail items contingent on biochemically verified smoking abstinence. Wider dissemination may be possible by using smoking verification methods that require minimal training and equipment. One possibility is to use a cotinine-sensitive dipstick (NicAlert) rather than a bench-top cotinine analyzer, which is expensive and requires relatively extensive technician expertise, or breath carbon monoxide analysis, which is relatively nonspecific. The present study was conducted to begin examining the utility of cotinine-sensitive dipsticks for this purpose. Methods Fifty urine samples from pregnant women enrolled in a smoking cessation program were analyzed to compare three different methods for verifying smoking status: NicAlert strips, a bench-top enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT) analyzer, and gas chromatography (GC), the current gold standard for determining cotinine levels in urine. Results Agreement between GC and NicAlert results were high (96%) and comparable to agreement between GC and EMIT results (94%). Semi-quantitative measurements using NicAlert were low with only 30% of samples in agreement between GC and specific ranges given on the strips. Conclusions NicAlert strips appear to be a valid measure of determining smoking status among pregnant smokers although not of absolute cotinine concentration. With minimal training and equipment required, NicAlert strips provide a potentially practical method for using urine cotinine to verify smoking status in community treatment settings.
The Impact of Stuttering on Employment Opportunities and Job Performance.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that stuttering has on job performance and employability. The method involved administration of a 17-item survey that was completed by 232 people who stutter, age 18 years or older. Results indicated that more than 70% of people who stutter agreed that stuttering decreases one's chances of being hired or promoted. More than 33% of people who stutter believed stuttering interferes with their job performance, and 20% had actually turned down a job or promotion because of their stuttering. Results also indicated that men and minorities were more likely to view stuttering as handicapping than were women and Caucasians. These findings suggest that people who stutter believe stuttering to be handicapping in the workplace. The results may be helpful for clinicians who work with people who stutter. Educational objectives: The reader will be able to: (1) describe the impact that stuttering can have on employability and job performance and (2) be better able to explain how factors such as gender, ethnicity, and stuttering severity can impact the belief that stuttering is a handicapping condition.
Multifunctional hybrid optical/digital neural net

A multi-functional hybrid neural net is described. It is hybrid since it uses a digital hardware Hecht-Nielsen Corporation (HNC) neural net for adaptive learning and an optical neural net for on-line processing/classification. It is also hybrid in its combination of pattern recognition and neural net techniques. The system is multi-functional. It can function as an optimization and adaptive pattern recognition neural net as well as an auto and heteroassociative processor. I . W. JTRODUCTION Neural nets (NNs) have recently received enormous attention [1 -2] with increasing attention to the use of optical processors and a variety of new learning algorithms. Section 2 describes our hybrid NN with attention to Its fabrication and the role for optical and digital processors. Section 3 details Its use as an associative processor. Section 4 highlights is use in 3 optimization NN problems (a mixture NN a multitarget tracker (MTT) NN and a matrix inversion NN). Section 5 briefly notes it use as a production NN system and symbolic NN. Section 6 describes its use as an adaptive pattern recognition (PR) NN (that marries PR and NN techniques). 2. HYBRID ARCHITECTURE Figure 1 shows our basic hybrid NN [3]. The optical portion of the system is a matrix-vector (M-V) processor whose vector output P3 is the product of the vector at P1 and the matrix at P2. An HNC digital hardware NN is used during learning determine the interconnection weights forP2. If P2 is a spatial light modulator (SLM) its contents can be updated (using gated learning) from thedigital NN. The operations in most adaptive PR NN learning algorithms are sufficiently complex thatthey are best implemented digitally. In addition the learning operations required are often not well suited for optical realization for optimization NNs the weights are fixed and in adaptive learning learning is off-line and once completed the weights can often be fixed. Four gates are shown that determine the final output or the new P1 input neurons (Depending on the application). We briefly discuss these cases now and detail how each arises in subsequent sections. In most optimization NNs an external vector a is added to the P3 output (Gate I achieves this). In all NNJs a nonlinear thresholding (P3 outputs are 0 or 1 ) truncation (allP3 outputs lie between 0 and 1 ) or maximum selection (the maximum P3 output is set to 1 and all other P3 outputs to 0) SPIE Vol. 1294 Applications of Artificial Neural Networks (1990) / 31© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Endoscopic-assisted microsurgical techniques at the craniovertebral junction: 4 illustrative cases and literature review.

Abstract Background Endoscopic-assisted microsurgery (EAM) techniques are employed to improve visualization of the surgical field while minimizing brain retraction and trauma to neurovascular structures. There have been several reports in the literature on the indications and advantages of endoscopic-assisted techniques when operating at the craniovertebral junction (CVJ). The purpose of this study was to present illustrative cases and to perform a literature review of endoscopic-assisted microsurgical techniques at the CVJ. Methods A review of the literature was compiled through MEDLINE/OVID and using cross-references of articles on Pubmed. Illustrative cases from the senior author's clinical series are presented to highlight indications and the utility of EAM at the CVJ. Results Our literature review supports the utility of the endoscope in the transoral, transcervical, lateral, far lateral and posterolateral approaches. In particular EAM can be used in the transoral approach to increase surgical exposure of the clivus and minimize the need to split the soft palate while in the far lateral and posterolateral approaches, EAM can improve visualization down narrow or deep surgical corridors to help identify critical neurovascular structures and minimize the need for extensive bony removal. In general, the endoscope can be used to look around bony, vascular, or neoplastic lesions to visualize the surgical space behind these structures as well as to assess for tumor remnants after microsurgical resection. Conclusion EAM techniques can improve illumination and visualization of the surgical field at the CVJ. In addition, the EAM techniques can help to minimize the need for brain retraction or extensive exposures. Utilization of both the endoscope and the microscope allows the surgeon to benefit from the advantages of each modality.
Clinical and Virological Course of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection With Hepatitis C and D Virus Markers

Clinical and Virological Course of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection With Hepatitis C and D Virus Markers
Effect of hydrogen sulfide on the catalytic activity of Ni-YSZ cermets

Ability to operate solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) on fuels containing carbon and sulfur with a minimal amount of deactivation is an important technical hurdle. For this reason, the influence of H2S upon the activity and stability of Ni-YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia) cermets was examined for model anode chamber reactions. Reactions with H2O (water-gas shift reaction, steam reforming) were more strongly affected by sulfur compared to CO or CH4 oxidation reactions. For reactions involving CH4, hydrocarbon decomposition was the dominant reaction pathway at higher temperatures; however, this reaction path was inhibited by sulfur exposure. Changes in the steam reforming activity of sulfur-treated samples with increasing temperature or with high-temperature H2 treatment suggested sulfur migration to more active sites or surface restructuring. Such changes in active sites appear to be accelerated in the presence of H2O. Direct poisoning of YSZ was eliminated since activity differences for the water-gas shift reaction, CH4–H2O reforming, and partial CH4 oxidation were negligible with and without H2S exposure. Reaction results were complemented by X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) with CO as a probe molecule.
"Don't Argue with the Members"

Mel Pollner regularly cautioned researchers not to argue with the members of settings under consideration. He warned against substituting the researcher’s meaning for the meanings of those being studied. This article discusses facets of the caution as they relate to the research process. Seemingly simple, the tenet is nuanced in application. The article adds to the nuance by distinguishing what is called the “replacement” of meaning with the “displacement” of meaning, providing a way of understanding what members could mean if the contexts and settings of their accounts were taken into consideration.
Sustained Ingestion of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and the operant behavior of stump-tailed macaques ☆

Abstract Three stump-tailed macaques were trained to press a lever for liquid reinforcement on a tandem schedule which required the animal to delay responding for at least 30 sec after each reinforcer. If the animal responded during that interval, a clock was reset thus re-establishing the delay requirement. If he delayed responding appropriately, the monkey was shifted to a fixed-interval schedule of 135 sec duration. The FI component was terminated with a drop of flavored liquid at which point the delay requirement began anew. Following a stable baseline performance, two monkeys received 2 mg/kg of THC orally every third day for 90 days with the placebo administered on intervening days. The third animal received the placebo throughout testing. Each monkey's performance was described in terms of response rate and response patterning between reinforcers. Despite the sustained ingestion of THC, neither animal showed appreciable change in test behavior attributable to tolerance to the drug. Although the drug continued to have a powerful effect throughout testing on the days it was administered, there was no evidence of any consistent or cumulative drug effect on placebo-day performance.