cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thyrotropin (TSH)-Releasing Hormone Decreases Phosphatidylinositol and Increases Unesterified Arachidonic Acid in Thyrotropic Cells: Possible Early Events in Stimulation of TSH Secretion

TRH stimulated the metabolism of lipids of the phosphatidylinositol (PI)-phosphatidic acid (PA) cycle and caused an increase in the level of free or unesterified arachidonic acid in mouse pituitary thyrotropic tumor (TtT) cells. In cells labeled with [32P]orthophosphate for 45 min, TRH caused a rapid specific increase in [32P]PA to 190 +/- 8% (+/- SE) of the control value at 15 sec (P less than 0.005) and in [32P]PI to 158 +/- 8% at 2 min (P less than 0.005). In cells labeled to isotopic steady state with [3H]inositol, TRH caused a decrease in [3H]PI to 92 +/- 1.8% of the control value at 1 min (P less than 0.01) and increased the level of [3H]inositolmonophosphate. In cells labeled to isotopic steady state with [14C]stearic acid, TRH caused a transient rise in [14C]diacylglycerol and a more prolonged increase in [14C]PA. In cells labeled to isotopic steady state with [3H]arachidonic acid, TRH stimulated a rise in free [3H]arachidonic acid to 210 +/- 8% of the control value at 15 sec (P less than 0.001), with a return to a level of 125 +/- 2% of the control value by 5 min. Arachidonic acid added exogenously caused efflux of 45Ca2+ from prelabeled cells and stimulated TSH secretion. Hence, in TtT cells, TRH 1) rapidly stimulated a decrease in the level of PI and increased inositolmonophosphate, diacylglycerol, and PA; and 2) caused a rapid increase in the level of free arachidonic acid. These effects may be important in stimulation of TSH secretion by TRH. Because arachidonic acid, when added exogenously, mobilized cellular Ca2+ and stimulated TSH secretion, arachidonic acid may mediate, at least in part, TRH-stimulated TSH secretion. The action of TRH on lipid metabolism in TtT cells is different from that in mammotropic pituitary cells, since TRH does not cause an increase in the level of free arachidonic acid in GH3 cells.
Effects of Hydrostatic Loading on a Self-Aggregating, Suspension Culture-Derived Cartilage Tissue Analog.

Objective:Many approaches are being taken to generate cartilage replacement materials. The goal of this study was to use a self-aggregating suspension culture model of chondrocytes with mechanical ...
Communicating with parents

It is difficult to help a child whose parents are unavailable to the professional working with the child. Parents whose children have problems tend to be fearful of being judged and criticized. Anger or expressions of guilt may mask their fears about their own inadequacies and problems. All parents need to be listened to and understood before professionals can help the children. Communicating this understanding to the parents requires more than works. Listening, enabling parents to talk and talking with parents often needs to be supplemented by actions concrete services and even by play to enable the parents to trust enough to want to learn how to be better parents. Foster parents must also be drawn into a cooperative effort to help children in their care.
Protecting the Privacy of Family Members in Survey and Pedigree Research

The recent controversy at Virginia Commonwealth University involving research ethics raises important and complex issues in survey and pedigree research. The primary questions are whether family members of survey respondents themselves become subjects of the project and if they are subjects whether informed consent must be obtained for investigators to retain private information on these individuals. This article provides an analysis of the ethical issues and regulatory standards involved in this debate for consideration by investigators and institutional review boards. The analysis suggests that strong protections for the rights and welfare of subjects and their family members can be incorporated into survey and pedigree research protocols without hindering projects with extensive consent requirements.
A stream-pollution model with random deoxygenation and reaeration coefficients

Abstract When the deoxygenation and reaeration coefficients and the initial conditions are random variables, a random differential equation arises whose mean square solution gives the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen deficit (OD) at downstream points from a source of pollution in a stream. A Liouville-type theorem is used to obtain the probability density function of the BOD and OD at each downstream point, completely characterizing the BOD and OD processes. Some examples, with computations of the means, variances, and marginal densities, are given and compared with previous results.
Femoral Strain Profiles Under Simulated 3-D Muscle and Joint Loads for Heel Strike, Midstance, and Toe Off

A universal static hip joint simulation apparatus was designed to simulate both 3-D joint and 3-D muscle forces for each of the three load-bearing phases of normal gait. The adjustability provided by the apparatus allowed for the consideration of femoral orientation, hip joint contact force, and primary active muscle loads for each simulated activity. Use of this apparatus enables the biomechanical response of the femur to be more fully and accurately determined under a full range of everyday activities. Results demonstrate that the proximal femur experiences significantly higher levels of strain during the activities of toe off and heel strike than during midstance. This evaluation underscores the importance of considering each phase of gait when investigating the biomechanical response of the femur, which should be especially relevant in the design and evaluation of femoral components for hip joint arthroplasty. Future studies are planned for femoral strain evaluation following simulated hip joint replacement. By providing a more complete strain profile evaluation of the femur as a function of implant design, the use of this apparatus should contribute to the development of new femoral component designs for improved patient care.
Use of soil catena field data for estimating relative ages of moraines

Soils at the crests of moraines are commonly used to estimate the relative ages of moraines. However, for various pedologic and geomorphic reasons, soil development at crest sites may not truly reflect the time since moraine formation; for example, some crest soils on moraines of greatly different age are similar in morphology and development. Soil catena data for soils at several sites aligned downslope from the crest can greatly improve on the usefulness of soil data for estimating moraine ages. For this purpose, the authors use the weighted mean catena profile development index, which condenses field data for all of the soils in each catena into a single value.
Prognostic significance of the signal-averaged ECG depends on the time of recording in the postinfarction period.

Abstract Serial recordings of the signal-averaged ECG and the 24-hour ambulatory ECG were obtained from 156 patients with acute myocardial infarction up to 5 days (phase 1), 6 to 30 days (phase 2), and 31 to 60 days (phase 3) after the infarction. Left ventricular ejection fraction by radionuclide ventriculography was also determined in phase 2. The signal-averaged ECG was abnormal during one or more of the three phases in 51 patients (31%). In 35 of these patients (69%) the recording changed category between normal and abnormal with the highest prevalence of abnormal recording occurring during phase 2. Eight patients had ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation in the first 48 hours after myocardial infarction. The signal-averaged ECG was abnormal in only one of these patients. Twelve patients had late arrhythmic events during the first year of follow-up (four sudden deaths and eight instances of documented ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation). Nine of the 12 patients had an abnormal signal-averaged ECG in phase 2 and four of these nine had a normal recording in phase 1. Five patients had a transient abnormal signal-averaged ECG in phase 1, whereas six patients had an abnormal recording only in phase 3. None of these 11 patients had an arrhythmic event. Stepwice logistic regression showed that an abnormal signal-averaged ECG in phase 2 has the most significant relation to late arrhythmic events. Both an abnormal signal-averaged ECG and a left ventricular ejection fraction
Buckminsterfullerenol Free Radical Scavengers Reduce Excitotoxic and Apoptotic Death of Cultured Cortical Neurons

Novel anti-oxidants based on the buckminsterfullerene molecule were explored as neuroprotective agents in cortical cell cultures exposed to excitotoxic and apoptotic injuries. Two polyhydroxylated C60derivatives, C60(OH)n,n= 12, and C60(OH)nOm,n= 18–20,m= 3–7 hemiketal groups, demonstrated excellent anti-oxidant capabilities when tested by electron paramagnetic spectroscopy with a spin-trapping agent and a hydroxyl radical-generating system. These water-soluble agents decreased excitotoxic neuronal death following brief exposure to NMDA (by 80%), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA; by 65%), or kainate (by 50%). Electrophysiology and tracer45Ca2+-uptake studies verified that buckminsterfullerenols are not NMDA or AMPA/kainate receptor antagonists. Buckminsterfullerenols also reduced neuronal apoptosis induced by serum deprivation. These results support the idea that oxidative stress contributes to both excitotoxic and apoptotic neuronal death, and furthermore suggest that fullerenols represent a novel type of biological anti-oxidant compound.
A Cluster Ensemble Framework for Large Data sets

Combining multiple clustering solutions is important for obtaining a robust clustering solution, merging distributed clustering solutions, and scaling to large data sets. The combination of multiple clustering solutions within a scalable and robust framework for large data sets is discussed. A scalable framework requires both cluster ensemble creation and merging to be efficient in terms of time and memory complexity. We also introduce the concept of filtering malformed clusters from the ensemble. They result from unfortunate initialization or unbalanced data distribution or noise. Experimental results on real data sets show that this approach will scale and provide cluster partitions which are functionally better or equivalent when compared to clustering all the data at once and clustering solutions contained in the ensemble. We have also compared our algorithm with other ensemble merging and scalable algorithms to point out its strengths and limitations.
Sensory Evaluation of Irradiated Ground Beef Patties for the National School Lunch Program

: The 2002 Farm Bill allows irradiated ground beef to be distributed in the Natl. School Lunch Program (NSLP). Sensory properties of irradiated ground beef specified for the NSLP were evaluated. Frozen ground beef patties with 15% fat content were either not irradiated or irradiated at doses of 1.35 and 3.0 kGy. Aroma, taste, aftertaste, and texture as well as overall liking of cooked patties after 0 and 6 mo of storage were evaluated using nontrained panels. Results showed that irradiation had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on the ratings of any of the sensory attributes either at 0 or after 6 mo of storage. Average ratings of liking of aroma, taste, aftertaste, and overall were higher at 6 mo than at 0 mo.
Pharmacological characterization of the vesamicol analogue (+)-[125I]MIBT in primate brain

Abstract The vesamicol analogue, meta-[ 125 I ]iodobenzyltrozamicol [(+)-[ 125 I ]MIBT] was evaluated as a probe for the in vitro labeling of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter in primate brain. In the striatum, (+)-[ 125 I ]MIBT bound a single high-affinity site with a Kd value of 4.4±0.7 nM. Competition for (+)-[ 125 I ]MIBT binding to the striatum by a group of vesamicol analogues displayed a pharmacological profile similar to the rank order of potency previously observed for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter on Torpedo synaptic vesicles. High-affinity binding of (+)-[ 125 I ]MIBT in the occipital cortex was characterized by a Kd value of 4.6±1.1 nM. However, the rank order of potency for inhibition of (+)-[ 125 I ]MIBT binding to the occipital cortex by the same test compounds differed from that observed in the striatum. The results suggest that (+)-[ 125 I ]MIBT is a reliable probe of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter in primate striatum, but its binding in primate occipital cortex is more complex.
Simple Technique for Predicting Type 11 and IV Shock Interference

3 Simpson, C. J. S. M, Chandler, T. R. D., and Bridgman, K. B., "Measurements of the Opening Times of Diaphragms in a Shock Tube and the Effects of the Opening Process on Shock Trajectories," Aero Rept. 1194, 1966, National Physical Lab., Teddington, Middlesex, England. 4 Drewry, J. E. and Walenta, Z. A., "Determination of Diaphragm Opening-Times and Use of Diaphragm Particle Traps in a Hypersonic Shock Tube," TN 90, 1965, University of Toronto, Institute for Aerospace Studies, Toronto, Canada. 5 Kirev, V. T., "On Motion of a Shock Wave During Noninstantaneous Opening of Diaphragm in Shock Tube," News of Academy of Science USSR, Technology Section, Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering, No. 6, 1962, pp. 144-146. 6 Sandeman, R. J. and Alien, G. H., "A Double Diaphragm Shock Tube for the 10-20 km/sec Range," Proceedings of the Eighth International Shock Tube Symposium, edited by J. L. Stollery, A. G. Gaydon, and P. R. Owen, Chapman and Hall, London, England, 1971. 7 Glass, I. I, Chan, S. K, and Erode, H. L., "Strong Planar Shock Waves Generated by Explosively-Driven Spherical Implosions," A1AA Journal, Vol. 12, No. 3, March 1974, pp. 367-374. 8 Chan, S. K., "An Analytical and Experimental Study of an Implosion-Driven Shock Tube," Rept. 191,1973, University of Toronto, Institute for Aerospace Studies, Toronto, Canada. 9 Weiss, V., ed., Aerospace Structural Metals Handbook, Vol. 1: Ferrous Alloys, Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, N.Y., 1963.
Articulatory comparison of Tamil liquids and stops using real‐time magnetic resonance imaging.

It has been hypothesized that liquid consonants differ from stops in that they exhibit more global control over tongue shapes. This has been demonstrated by ongoing work showing greater vowel context effects in the production of stops than liquids in Spanish and Russian. Languages with rich inventories of coronal consonants, like Tamil, provide an interesting challenge for this view, as the presence of retroflex‐dental contrasts among the stops may require substantial global tongue control, and therefore inhibit context effects. To test this, dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to investigate the midsagittal production of Tamil liquids in intervocalic environments. MRI sequences were acquired at a frame rate of 22.4 Hz. The five liquids of Brahmin Tamil were elicited from three speakers in three different vowel contexts. Nasal stop consonants were also elicited at the same places of articulation to compare the influence of vocalic coarticulation on liquids and stops. Greater coarticulatory i...
Halo model analysis of cluster statistics

We use the halo model formalism to provide expressions for cluster abundances and bias, as well as estimates for the correlation matrix between these observables. Off-diagonal elements due to scatter in the mass-tracer scaling with mass are included, as are observational effects such as biases/scatter in the data, detection rates (completeness), and false detections (purity). We apply the formalism to a hypothetical volume limited optical survey where the cluster mass-tracer is chosen to be the number of satellite galaxies assigned to a cluster. Such a survey can strongly constrain {sigma}{sub 8} ({delta}{sigma}{sub 8}{approx_equal}0.05), the power law index {alpha} where =(m/M{sub 1}){sup {alpha}} ({delta}{alpha}{approx_equal}0.03), and perhaps even the Hubble parameter ({delta}h{approx_equal}0.07). We find cluster abundances and bias are not well suited for constraining {omega}{sub m} or the amplitude M{sub 1}. We also find that without bias information {sigma}{sub 8} and {alpha} are degenerate, implying constraints on the former are strongly dependent on priors used for the latter and vice-versa. The degeneracy stems from an intrinsic scaling relation of the halo mass function, and hence it should be present regardless of the mass-tracer used in the survey.
Optimizing outcomes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase: Comparative safety profiles of newer agents

Imatinib is broadly used in the frontline treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Although long-term safety and efficacy have been established, some patients will not respond to imatinib. Nilotinib and dasatinib successfully recapture responses for most patients with imatinib-refractory or -intolerant disease. These drugs have different safety profiles, which are likely associated with their divergent inhibitory targets. The presence of Bcr–Abl mutations and safety profiles of available therapies in relation to patient history should be considered when choosing a second-line agent. This review evaluates the safety and tolerability of agents approved for CML treatment and briefly discusses newer third-line agents.
Reproductive maturation in the pitcher‐plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii

. Females of Wyeomyia smithii (Coquillett) mate immediately following adult eclosion. Those from Massachusetts emerge with their ovaries at a more advanced stage of development than those from Florida. Decapitation of teneral females prevented the completion of ovarian maturation among individuals from Florida but not from Massachusetts. Application of a JH analogue to Florida pupae induced precocious ovarian development and compensated for decapitation of adults. Juvenile hormone analogue (Altosid) treatment after decapitation at emergence did not stimulate egg development in Florida females beyond the previtellogenic stage (Stage II). Precocious ovarian maturation apparently results from the action in pupae of JH which mediates an early release of a gonotropic factor from the head.
Symptomatic failure of snap-on bipolar radial head prosthesis.

As the design of prosthetic radial head components improves, and the understanding of the necessity for early restoration of elbow and forearm stability in complex elbow trauma increases, prosthetic radial head replacement is becoming more common. In fact, open reduction and internal fixation of complex radial head fractures has been shown to have relatively poor results and is susceptible to early failure, nonunion, and poor forearm rotation. Few long-term results of radial head replacements have been published, and the current reports are in small series with a low level of evidence. Some of the largest series are with the Judet bipolar radial head prosthesis (Tornier SAS, Saint-Ismier, France), which uses a bipolar metal/polyethylene component that articulates with a monoblock metal head and stem. The Judet prosthesis has a snap-on mechanism to prevent disengagement. As with polyethylene bipolar inserts in hip replacement surgery, concerns exist with respect to polyethylene wear, especially in younger patients. We have used the Judet bipolar radial head prosthesis for revision radial head replacement surgery because it has the benefit of a longer radial stem. However, of the 14 inserted by the senior author in the last 6 years (between February 2001 and February 2007), we have noted 2 cases of failure of the snap-on mechanism, permitting axial slippage of the bipolar component off and on the head/stem. Both patients presented to us with a new lateral elbow pain that was constant and aching in nature and different from any pain they had had before. We believe the pain was caused by polyethylene wear particles. This condition has not been reported in the literature
Plasmonic photoconductive antennas for high power terahertz generation

A plasmonic photoconductive antenna architecture is presented and characterized experimentally. This architecture incorporates plasmonic gratings as a part of the terahertz radiating antenna, enabling both high quantum efficiency and ultrafast operation, simultaneously. Also, this photoconductive antenna architecture circumvents the need of a short-carrier lifetime substrate, allowing use of high-mobility crystalline substrates. Experimental results on the first generation plasmonic photoconductive antennas indicate significant terahertz power enhancement compared to the state-of-the art.
Electro-Optic Shutter Devices Utilizing Lead Lanthanum Zirconate Titanate (PLZT) Ceramic Wafers

In 1969 at Sandia Laboratories, optical transparency was achieved in lead zirconate-titanate ferroelectric ceramics by substituting moderate amounts of the element lanthanum (8-12%) for lead. These compositions exhibit the quadratic (Kerr) electrooptic effect. The excellent optical qualities of these materials (designated PLZT) has permitted the practical utilization of their electrooptic properties in a number of devices. All of these devices utilize the classic Kerr cell arrangement. A PLZT wafer with optical axis oriented at 45° with respect to the axes of polarization is sandwiched between crossed polarizers. Since the PLZT material is optically isotropic in the zero field state, the crossed polarizers provide the "OFF" or closed state and large "ON/OFF" contrast ratios may be achieved.
Mattering and Wives Perceived Fairness of the Division of Household Labor

Abstract Using data on married women from the sixth survey wave of the Marital Instability over the Life Course (2000, N = 489), we examine the influence of mattering, or the extent to which wives believe they are important to their husbands, on wives’ perceptions of fairness of the division of household labor. Mattering taps into wives’ beliefs about their husbands’ supportiveness of them, as evidenced by respect, concern, and appreciation. We find that the more wives believe they matter to their husbands, the more likely they are to report the division of housework is fair, regardless of the share of housework wives perform, time availability, relative resources, and gender role attitudes. This research contributes to prior work on wives’ perceived fairness of the division of household labor by demonstrating the salience of broader emotional dynamics in the marriage.
Vaccinia Virus A28L Gene Encodes an Essential Protein Component of the Virion Membrane with Intramolecular Disulfide Bonds Formed by the Viral Cytoplasmic Redox Pathway

We report the initial characterization of the product of the vaccinia virus A28L gene, which is highly conserved in all sequenced poxviruses. Our studies showed that the A28 protein is expressed at late times during the virus replication cycle and is a membrane component of the intracellular mature virion. An N-terminal hydrophobic sequence, present in all poxvirus A28 orthologs, anchors the protein in the virion surface membrane so that most of it is exposed to the cytoplasm. The cytoplasmic domain contains four conserved cysteines, which form two intramolecular disulfide bonds. Disulfide bond formation depended on the expression of three viral proteins, E10, A2.5, and G4, which together comprise a conserved cytoplasmic redox pathway. A28 is the third identified substrate of this pathway; the others are the L1 and F9 proteins. We constructed a conditional-lethal recombinant vaccinia virus with an inducible A28L gene. The recombinant virus was propagated in the presence of inducer but was unable to replicate and spread in its absence. During a single round of an abortive infection in the absence of inducer, the synthesis and processing of viral proteins, assembly of intra- and extracellular virions, and formation of actin tails occurred normally. In another paper (T. Senkevich, B. M. Ward, and B. Moss, J. Virol. 78:2357-2366, 2004), we have demonstrated that virions assembled without A28 cannot carry out a second round of infection because they are defective in cell penetration.
Transmitter induced cyclostationarity for blind channel equalization

Fractional sampling has received considerable interest recently as a means of developing blind equalization techniques without resorting to higher order statistics. Instead, cyclostationarity introduced at the receiver by fractional sampling is exploited. We show that simpler solutions are possible if cyclostationarity is introduced at the transmitter instead of the receiver. We propose specific coding and interleaving strategies at the transmitter that induce cyclostationarity and facilitate the equalization task. Novel batch and adaptive equalization algorithms are derived that make no assumptions on the channel zeros locations. Subspace methods are also proposed and, in the absence of noise, guarantee perfect estimation from finite data. Synchronization issues and bandwidth considerations are briefly discussed, and simulation examples are presented.
Percutaneous transcatheter embolization for arterial trauma.

Abstract With increasing technologic advances in interventional radiology, the vascular surgeon should be well versed in the indications, limitations, complications, and result of percutaneous transcatheter embolization for arterial trauma. Three hundred twenty-eight angiographically determined arterial injuries occurred in 242 patients from 1977 to 1984 in a major city hospital trauma center and were studied prospectively. Transcatheter embolizations performed for 107 arterial injuries in 100 patients were successful in 82.2% of injuries. Gelfoam, minicoils, microcoils, intimal dissections, or a combination of modalities was utilized. Anterior and posterior element pelvic fractures associated with hypotension and transfusion of 6 units or more of blood required embolization in 28 patients. Bleeding was controlled in 85.7% of patients. Percutaneous transcatheter embolization was also effective in controlling 84.2% of arteriovenous fistulas, 88.9% of penetrating neck arterial injuries, and 73.3% of postoperative intra-abdominal hemorrhage. Therapeutic transcatheter embolization is a valuable adjunct to the vascular surgeon dealing with the spectrum of vascular trauma. (J VASC SURG 1985;2:54-64.)
Western diet enhances hepatic inflammation in mice exposed to cecal ligation and puncture

Obese patients display an exaggerated morbidity during sepsis. Since consumption of a western-style diet (WD) is a major factor for obesity in the United States, the purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of chronic WD consumption on hepatic inflammation in mice made septic via cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Feeding mice diets high in fat has been shown to enhance evidence of TLR signaling and this pathway also mediates the hepatic response to invading bacteria. Therefore, we hypothesized that the combined effects of sepsis and feeding WD on TRL-4 signaling would exacerbate hepatic inflammation. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed purified control diet (CD) or WD that was enriched in butter fat (34.4% of calories) for 3 weeks prior to CLP. Intravital microscopy was used to evaluate leukocyte adhesion in the hepatic microcirculation. To demonstrate the direct effect of saturated fatty acid on hepatocytes, C3A human hepatocytes were cultured in medium containing 100 μM palmitic acid (PA). Quantitative real-time PCR was used to assess mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) and interleukin-8 (IL-8). Feeding WD increased firm adhesion of leukocytes in the sinusoids and terminal hepatic venules by 8-fold six hours after CLP; the increase in platelet adhesion was similar to the response observed with leukocytes. Adhesion was accompanied by enhanced expression of TNF-α, MCP-1 and ICAM-1. Messenger RNA expression of TLR-4 was also exacerbated in the WD+CLP group. Exposure of C3A cells to PA up-regulated IL-8 and TLR-4 expression. In addition, PA stimulated the static adhesion of U937 monocytes to C3A cells, a phenomenon blocked by inclusion of an anti-TLR-4/MD2 antibody in the culture medium. These findings indicate a link between obesity-enhanced susceptibility to sepsis and consumption of a western-style diet.
Neuropsychological effects of exposure to naphtha among automotive workers

The association between exposure to naphtha and neurobehavioural measures was examined prospectively over one year among workers employed at an automotive plant that used naphtha to calibrate fuel injectors. The neurobehavioural tests included those that assess mood, basic intelligence, and functioning of the cerebral frontal lobes and limbic system and were designed so that acute, reversible, and chronic effects of solvent exposure could be assessed. Participants were 248 workers in June 1988, and the testing was repeated on 185 of these workers in 1989. Concentrations of naphtha at the plant ranged from six to 709 mg/m3, although exposure was greater in 1988 than in 1989. Duration of exposure for individual subjects ranged from 0.8 to 7.3 years. Cross sectional data analyses showed significant associations between level of exposure to naphtha and slower timed scores on trails A, and greater reports of negative affective symptoms on profile of mood states scales in 1988 but not 1989. Threshold model analyses of the 1989 data showed an association between score on visual reproductions immediate recall and daily exposure to naphtha at or above 1050 h x mg/m3. Models of chronic exposure showed no associations between chronic exposure and negative neurobehavioural outcome. Results suggest that naphtha produces mild acute reversible effects on function of the central nervous system at or above daily exposures of 540 h x mg/m3 (approximately 90 ppm/h).
Density-dependent population dynamics in juvenile Panulirus argus (Latreille) : The impact of artificial density enhancement

The use of artificial structures to enhance marine animal populations, or as an aid to fishing, is widespread and increasing. While most investigators have studied the efficacy of artificial structure by measuring population abundance of the target species, or by comparison of the resulting community structure with that of natural communities, the effect of habitat enhancement on the processes creating such patterns is largely unknown. We enhanced density with the addition of artificial structures to examine the effect of local population density on the population dynamics (e.g., movement, mortality, and nutritional condition) of juvenile Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) at natural and habitat-manipulated sites in the Florida Keys (USA). We artificially enhanced lobster density using small, scattered crevice-bearing structures that mimicked the natural shelters sought by juvenile lobsters. Enhanced density had no measurable effect on juvenile lobster mortality from predation or nutritional condition (as measured by hemolymph refractive index), but it increased the short-term residency of juvenile lobsters. The gregarious nature of spiny lobsters coupled with access to abundant prey may make them robust to high population density.
Orbit Determination Covariance Analysis for the Cassini Solstice Mission

The accurate navigation of the Cassini spacecraft achieved during the Prime and Equinox Cassini Missions around Saturn will enable further exploration of this planet and its satellites. A seven-year extension beyond the Equinox Mission was proposed and approved by NASA. This paper summarizes the results of an orbit determination covariance analysis that was undertaken to assess the navigational capabilities for this future mission referred to as the Solstice Mission. The predicted uncertainties in the Cassini spacecraft ephemeris help establish a V budget for the maneuvers needed to keep the spacecraft on the reference trajectory, while the predicted pointing accuracies at the satellite ybys are used for science planning. The overall results will serve as a guideline during the mission.
Bellows design for the PEP-II High Energy Ring arc chambers

An overview of the current bellows module design and performance parameters is presented. Performance requirements based on external chamber design constraints, and operational needs are discussed. Parameters include beam impedance of the RF shield, and electrical resistance of the shield gap joint. Also discussed is the analysis of the high-current thermal management, and structural and cyclic behavior of the bellows and RF shield. Experiments of the tribology and electrical resistance of the shield sliding joint are summarized, and their results presented. Existing and new design options are discussed in light of the analyses and experiments. The final design is presented as the optimal compromise between the varying parameters.
Pasteurella multocida Gene Expression in Response to Iron Limitation

Pasteurella multocida is the causative agent of a wide range of diseases in avian and mammalian hosts. Gene expression in response to low iron conditions was analyzed in P. multocida using whole-genome microarrays. The analysis shows that the expression of genes involved in energy metabolism and electron transport generally decreased 2.1- to 6-fold while that of genes used for iron binding and transport increased 2.1- to 7.7-fold in P. multocida during the first 2 h of growth under iron-limiting conditions compared with controls. Notably, 27% of the genes with significantly altered expression had no known function, illustrating the limitations of using publicly available databases to identify genes involved in microbial metabolism and pathogenesis. Taken together, the results of our investigations demonstrate the utility of whole-genome microarray analyses for the identification of genes with altered expression profiles during varying growth conditions and provide a framework for the detailed analysis of the molecular mechanisms of iron acquisition and metabolism in P. multocida and other gram-negative bacteria.
Strongly interacting WW system: Gold-plated modes.

In this paper we survey the signals and backgrounds for a strongly interacting electroweak symmetry-breaking sector at hadron supercolliders in the TeV region. We study the process $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{WWX}$, and compute the rates for the "gold-plated" channels, where ${W}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{l}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}\ensuremath{\nu}$ and $Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{l}^{+}{l}^{\ensuremath{-}}(l=e,\ensuremath{\mu})$, for a wide variety of models. Using a forward jet-tag, a central jet-veto, and a back-to-back lepton cut to suppress the standard model backgrounds, we demonstrate that the SSC and CERN LHC have substantial sensitivity to strong interactions in the electroweak symmetry-breaking sector.
Pulmonary venous flow by doppler echocardiography: revisited 12 years later

In 2003, pulmonary venous flow (PVF) evaluation by Doppler echocardiography is being used daily in clinical practice. Twelve years ago, we reviewed the potential uses of PVF in various conditions. Some of its important uses in cardiology have materialized, while others have not and have been supplanted by newer approaches. Current applications of measuring PVF have included: differentiating constrictive pericarditis from restriction, estimation of left ventricular (LV) filling pressures, evaluation of LV diastolic dysfunction and left atrial (LA) function, and grading the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR). However, there have been a number of controversies raised in the use of PVF profiles. Using transthoracic echocardiography, there may be technical issues in measuring the atrial reversal flow velocity. The use of PVF in the evaluation of the severity of MR is not always specific and can be affected by atrial fibrillation (AF) and elevated mean LA pressure. Mitral valvuloplasty and radiofrequency ablation for AF, which are the newer applications of PVF in monitoring invasive procedures, are mentioned. This article reviews the important clinical role of Doppler evaluation of PVF, discusses its limitations and pitfalls, and highlights its newer applications.
Possible Application of Silicon Photomultiplier Technology to Detect the Presence of Spirit and Intention: Three Proof-of-Concept Experiments

Context Research investigating the survival of consciousness hypothesis has been hampered by the lack of an independent measure of the purported presence of spirit (POS). Although numerous anecdotes involving electronic devices (including tape recorders, answering machines, and computers) claim that POS can be detected with sensitive electromagnetic sensors, little systematic laboratory research has investigated this possibility. Objective The purpose of this exploratory laboratory research was to test the feasibility of using a state-of-the-art silicon photomultiplier system to detect low photon levels potentially associated with POS. A PCDMini photon counting device manufactured by sensL provided a sensitive measure of sums of photons over time. Design Three proof-of-concept experiments were conducted. Each included multiple five-minute trials of “invited spirit” conditions as well as baseline controls. One experiment included a set of 10 noninvited control trials as well as controls for experimenter intention per se. Setting Data were collected as part of a university laboratory devoted to researching advances in consciousness and health. Participants The participants were purported spirits presumably motivated to participate in the research. Intervention The primary intervention was the experimenter's intention for purported spirits to enter the light-tight chamber on specified trials. Main Outcome Measures In a light-tight chamber, the PCDMini device software counted and displayed individual sums of typically 13 to 25 photon detections per approximately 90-milliseconds time periods (in complete darkness, most time periods contained zero photons detected); the number of photon sums could be counted precisely in five-minute periods. Results The average number of photon sums was found to be significantly higher in purported POS trials compared with noninvited trials. Matched control trials as well as explicit experimenter intention trials showed no effects. Conclusion Silicon photomultiplier devices may be sufficiently sensitive to investigate the POS and experimenter intention (psychokinesis) hypotheses.
Dendritic Compartmentalization Could Underlie Competition and Attentional Biasing of Simultaneous Visual Stimuli

Neurons in area V4 have relatively large receptive fields (RFs), so multiple visual features are simultaneously "seen" by these cells. Recordings from single V4 neurons suggest that simultaneously presented stimuli compete to set the output firing rate, and that attention acts to isolate individual features by biasing the competition in favor of the attended object. We propose that both stimulus competition and attentional biasing arise from the spatial segregation of afferent synapses onto different regions of the excitable dendritic tree of V4 neurons. The pattern of feedforward, stimulus-driven inputs follows from a Hebbian rule: excitatory afferents with similar RFs tend to group together on the dendritic tree, avoiding randomly located inhibitory inputs with similar RFs. The same principle guides the formation of inputs that mediate attentional modulation. Using both biophysically detailed compartmental models and simplified models of computation in single neurons, we demonstrate that such an architecture could account for the response properties and attentional modulation of V4 neurons. Our results suggest an important role for nonlinear dendritic conductances in extrastriate cortical processing.
NITROGEN FIXATION IN AN ESTUARINE ENVIRONMENT: THE WACCASASSA ON THE FLORIDA GULF COAST1

Nitrogen fixation has been detected by the acetylene reduction method in the sediments of the Waccasassa estuary, a shallow embayment on the Florida Gulf Coast. Fixation rates in the range 1.6-15.0 ng C2H4/g sediment-hr were found within the top 2-5cm stratum of sediments. Expressed in terms of equivalent nitrogen fixed, the range was 0.64-6.0 ng N/g-hr. Much lower rates (0.03-0.40 ng GHa/g-hr) were found at greater depths in the sediment, and no fixation was observed in the flocculent unconsolidated l-2 cm at the sediment surface. All evidence indicates that the reduction of acetylene to ethylene is a biological phenomenon, directly related to the activity of nitrogen-fixing organisms in the sediments. Nitrogen-free media produced growths of Gram-positive spore-forming rods from sediments under an Nz atmosphere. A pure culture similar to Clostridium sp. was isolated on nitrogen-free media from Waccasassa sediments and was shown capable of nitrogen fixation by the acetylene reduction method.
Three-dimensional extracellular matrix culture models of EGFR signalling and drug response.

Three-dimensional extracellular matrix culture, on substrata such as Matrigel, restores many aspects of the differentiated state to non-malignant cells from a variety of tissues. We have adapted these techniques to study EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) signalling and drug response in breast cancer cell lines. EGFR- dependent breast cancer cell lines undergo a striking reversion of the malignant phenotype upon treatment with inhibitors targeting the receptor, or downstream signalling intermediates such as mitogen-activated protein kinase and PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase). Using this approach, we have recently reported that EGFR signalling in breast cancer can be effectively inhibited by blocking the activity of a key protease, TACE (TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α)-converting enzyme), which regulates the bioavailability of EGFR ligands. These results suggest a new way to target EGFR signalling in tumours of the breast and other epithelial tissues and underline the value of three-dimensional extracellular matrix culture models for exploring cancer-relevant signalling processes ex vivo.
Seasonal changes in protein composition of whey from commercial manufacture of caprine and ovine specialty cheeses.

Abstract Pooled whey from the production of one variety of ovine cheese and two varieties of caprine cheeses was studied for gross composition and individual whey protein composition over one production season. Individual proteins were quantified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE and digital imaging technology. The mean proportion of α -lactalbumin (LA) from caprine wheys from the manufacture of Chevre and Cheddar-type cheeses was higher than values previously reported for bovine whey from Cheddar cheese; proportions of serum albumin, immunoglobulin (Ig)G, and β -lactoglobulin (LG) were lower. Ovine whey from Manchego-type cheese showed a higher proportion of β -LG, about the same proportion of α -LA, and lower proportions of serum albumin and IgG than did the bovine whey. Relative amounts of α -LA decreased throughout the season, but β -LG rose in midlactation and then gradually decreased toward the end of lactation. Relative proportions of serum albumin remained fairly stable throughout the year, and IgG decreased.
Stability of dynamical systems: A constructive approach

A set A of n \times n complex matrices is stable if for every neighborhood of the origin U \subset C^{n} , there exists another neighborhood of the origin V , such that for each M \in A' (the set of finite products of matrices in A), MV\subset U . Matrix and Liapunov stability are related. Theorem: A set of matrices A is stable if and only if there exists a norm, |\cdot | , such that for all M \in A , and all z \in C^{n} , |Mz| . The norm is a Liapunov function for the set A . It need not be smooth; using smooth norms to prove stability can be inadequate. A novel central result is a constructive algorithm which can determine the stability of A based on the following. Theorem: A,={M0,Mj,. .,Mmi) is a set of m distinct complex matrices. Let Wo be a bounded neighborhood of the origin. Define for k > 0 , Wk =convexhbull ~ Mk'Wk - I where k'=(k- 1) mod m . Then A isstableifand only if V-U Q,_ is bounded. W* is the norm of the first theorem. The constructive algorithm represents a convex set by its extreme points and uses linear programming to construct the successive W_k . Sufficient conditions for the finiteness of constructing W_k from W_{k-1} , and for stopping the algorithm when either the set is proved stable or unstable are presented. A is generalized to be any convex set of matrices. A dynamical system of differential equations is stable if a corresponding set of matrices --associated with the logarithmic norms of the matrices of the linearized equations--is stable. The concept of the stability of a set of matrices is related to the existence of a matrix norm. Such a norm is an induced matrix norm if and only if the set of matrices is maximally stable (ie., it cannot be enlarged and remain stable).
Towards Optimal Data Replication Across Data Centers

There has been proliferation of data centers that provide both computation and storage resources at diverse geographic locations. In a variety of wide area applications, data can be replicated to serve users with lower latency. This paper presents a technique that can effectively reduce the overall data access delay through gradual migration of data replicas. In contrast to previous solutions that either randomly select replica locations or process a large log of past data accesses, this new technique maintains only a small, decentralized summary of recent data accesses while achieving near optimal performance. This paper also includes an evaluation study that substantiates the effectiveness of the developed technique, and plans for extending the current research outcomes.
MR Imaging of Benign and Malignant Pleural Disease

MR imaging serves as a problem-solving tool in the diagnosis of inflammatory and infectious pleural diseases and primary and secondary pleural malignancies. Knowledge of MR imaging appearance of pleural diseases, including pleural effusions and empyema, benign and malignant pleural tumors, and especially mesothelioma, helps guide treatment decisions and surgical planning.
Disclosure requirements for biological materials in patent law.

Publisher Summary In the early days of biotechnology, trade secrecy has been often considered sufficient protection for the inventor, but modern-day biotechnologists are relying more and more on the protection afforded by patents for their inventions. The ability to select and manipulate genetic material has generated heightened interest in the commercial uses of living organisms. One result of this development of biotechnology is the creation of inventions that are themselves alive. Since the landmark Chakrabarty decision, which allowed the patenting of new life forms such as microorganisms, the patent activity in the biotechnology industry has escalated rapidly. The deposition of living organisms in culture collections has helped in solving the problem of the reproducibility of the written disclosure. With this increased patent activity, culture collections have been recognized as playing a significant role in the development of modern biotechnological patent systems.