cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental Feeding of Hydrilla verticillata Colonized by Stigonematales Cyanobacteria Induces Vacuolar Myelinopathy in Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta)

Vacuolar myelinopathy (VM) is a neurologic disease primarily found in birds that occurs when wildlife ingest submerged aquatic vegetation colonized by an uncharacterized toxin-producing cyanobacterium (hereafter “UCB” for “uncharacterized cyanobacterium”). Turtles are among the closest extant relatives of birds and many species directly and/or indirectly consume aquatic vegetation. However, it is unknown whether turtles can develop VM. We conducted a feeding trial to determine whether painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) would develop VM after feeding on Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), colonized by the UCB (Hydrilla is the most common “host” of UCB). We hypothesized turtles fed Hydrilla colonized by the UCB would exhibit neurologic impairment and vacuolation of nervous tissues, whereas turtles fed Hydrilla free of the UCB would not. The ability of Hydrilla colonized by the UCB to cause VM (hereafter, “toxicity”) was verified by feeding it to domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) or necropsy of field collected American coots (Fulica americana) captured at the site of Hydrilla collections. We randomly assigned ten wild-caught turtles into toxic or non-toxic Hydrilla feeding groups and delivered the diets for up to 97 days. Between days 82 and 89, all turtles fed toxic Hydrilla displayed physical and/or neurologic impairment. Histologic examination of the brain and spinal cord revealed vacuolations in all treatment turtles. None of the control turtles exhibited neurologic impairment or had detectable brain or spinal cord vacuolations. This is the first evidence that freshwater turtles can become neurologically impaired and develop vacuolations after consuming toxic Hydrilla colonized with the UCB. The southeastern United States, where outbreaks of VM occur regularly and where vegetation colonized by the UCB is common, is also a global hotspot of freshwater turtle diversity. Our results suggest that further investigations into the effect of the putative UCB toxin on wild turtles in situ are warranted.
5-Methyltetrahydrohomofolate: A substrate for cobalamin methyltransferases and an inhibitor of cell growth

Abstract 5-Methyltetrahydrohomofolate (5-MeH 4 -homofolate) is a substrate for the cobalamin (B-12) methyltransferases in Escherichia coli B, rabbit liver, HeLa S 3 cells, and Chinese hamster ovary cells. Each of these B-12 enzymes catalyzes 5-MeH 4 -homofolate-homocysteine transmethylation at one-tenth the rate of methionine synthesis from 5-MeH 4 -folate. Only one stereoisomer in dl -5-MeH 4 -homofolate is active enzymically. Reduced higher 5-alkyl homofolates and folates are weak competitive inhibitors of 5-MeH 4 -folate, but are inactive as substrates. The K m of l -5-MeH 4 -homofolate for the E. coli B enzyme (80 μ m ) is greater than that of 5-MeH 4 -folate (35 μ m ), but its K m for the Chinese hamster ovary cell transmethylase (20 μ m ) is less than that of 5-MeH 4 -folate (35 μ m ). l -H 4 -Homofolate is a potent competitive inhibitor ( K i = 56 nM) for the E. coli B thymidylate synthetase compared to 5-MeH 4 -homofolate ( K i = 56 μM); it is also inactive as a cofactor. However, l -H 4 -homofolate is a cofactor for both the HeLa S 3 and Chinese hamster ovary cell thymidylate synthetases, giving 22% of the activity observable with l -H 4 -folate. Moreover, its K m as a cofactor is only 2.1 μ m compared to 17 μ m for l -H 4 -folate. dl -5-MeH 4 -Homofolate inhibits the growth of Chinese hamster ovary cells in a reversible manner, but the inhibition is not related to the amount of B-12 holomethyltransferase in the cells.
The metabolism of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the lobster nervous system--uptake of GABA in the nerve-muscle preparations.

— The lack of information on the mechanism of inactivation of the crustacean neuromuscular inhibitory transmitter compound prompted a study of the disposition of radioactive γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in lobster nerve-muscle preparations. A specific GABA transport system was found. Radioactive GABA was concentrated by the tissues to levels several times those in the medium, and net uptake could be demonstrated. The process was dependent on sodium ions in the medium; neither lithium nor choline could substitute for sodium. Incubations with increasing GABA concentrations indicated that uptake was a saturable mechanism with an apparent Km of 5.8 × 10−5m. Of many compounds tested, only desmethylimipramine, chlopromazine (and several related compounds), and certain close structural analogues (guanidinoacetic acid, β-guani-dinopropionic acid and,β-hydroxy-GAB A) were effective inhibitors of uptake. The inhibition with all these compounds, however, was at high concentrations (5 × 10−4 to 10−3m) which limited their usefulness for physiological studies. A separate uptake mechanism for glutamate was found in the lobster nerve-muscle preparations. This process was not described in detail, but certain properties are similar to those of the GABA transport system. The cellular location of the GABA uptake system remains unknown. By analogy with noradrenaline inactivation, however, it is postulated that uptake could serve to terminate the physiological actions of GABA by rapidly removing it from its sites of action in synaptic clefts.
Nonlinear regression and the solution of simultaneous equations

If one has a set of observables (z1, ··· , zm) which are bound in a relation with certain parameters (a1, ··· , an) by an equation z(z1, ··· , a1, ···) = 0, one frequently has the problem of determining a set of values of the ai which minimizes the sum of squares of differences between observed and calculated values of a distinguished observable, say zm. If the solution of the above equation for zm, zm = e(z1, ··· ; a1, ···) gives rise to a function e which is nonlinear in the ai, then one may rely on a version of Gaussian regression [1, 2] for an iteration scheme that converges to a minimizing set of values. It is shown here that this same minimization technique may be used for the solution of simultaneous (not necessarily linear) equations.
Photon Counter Measurements of Solar X-Rays and Extreme Ultraviolet Light

Data telemetered continuously from photon counters in a V-2 rocket, which rose to 150 km at 10:00 A.M. on September 29, 1949, showed solar 8A x-rays above 87 km, and ultraviolet light around 1200A and 1500A above 70 km and 95 km, respectively. The results indicated that solar soft x-rays are important in $E$-layer ionization, that Lyman $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-radiation of hydrogen penetrates well below $E$-layer, and that molecular oxygen is rapidly changed to atomic above 100 km.
Reply to “A Note on Phonetic Ability”

vocalizations of chimpanzees (Lieberman, Crelin, and Klatt 1972:298-299) which were analyzed in detail in two of our previous papers (Lieberman 1968; Lieberman et al. 1969). These animals, in fact, make use of a subset of the phonetic contrasts that our computer simulation predicts. The computer simulation is thus, if anything, too generous. We discuss (Lieberman et al. 1972:297-298) the actual vocalizations of newborn humans which are again analyzed in detail in Lieberman, Harris, et al. (1972), as well as by Irwin (1957). The results of the simulation match with the actual vocalizations of newborn humans. We did not dwell on the
The function of graphs and gestures in algorithmatization

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present evidence supporting the conjecture that graphs and gestures may function in different capacities depending on whether they are used to develop an algorithm or whether they extend or apply a previously developed algorithm in a new context. I illustrate these ideas using an example from undergraduate differential equations in which students move through a sequence of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME)-inspired instructional materials to create the Euler method algorithm for approximating solutions to differential equations. The function of graphs and gestures in the creation and subsequent use of the Euler method algorithm is explored. If students’ primary goal was algorithmatizing ‘from scratch’, they used imagery of graphing and gesturing as a tool for reasoning. However if students’ primary goal was to make predictions in a new context, they used their previously developed Euler algorithm to reason and used graphs and gestures to clarify their ideas.
Modified Hemoglobin Solution, with Desired Pharmacological Properties, Does not Activate Nuclear Transcription Factor NF-kappa B in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of hemoglobin (Hb) and the contribution of chemically modified Hb solutions on the activation of nuclear transcription factor, NF-kappa B, and propagation of oxidative stress within human vascular endothelial cells. The activation of an oxidative stress-sensitive NF-kappa B can be linked with the propagation of an inflammatory state via rapid induction of genes for several pro-inflammatory mediators. Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) were cultured on glass coverslips or cell culture plates to confluence. Then, the cells were incubated for up to 18 hours with endothelial basal medium (EBM) supplemented with 5% FBS and test agents in a concentration of 0.1 and 0.2 mmol: 1) unmodified bovine Hb (UHb); 2) modified Hb solution polymerized with glutaraldehyde (GLUT-Hb), and 3) a novel modified Hb solution (Hb-PP-GSH) prepared according to our patented procedure (U.S. Patent No. 5,439,882). The positive control for the NF-kappa B activation stud...
An autoradiographic study of tryptophane-H3 incorporation into rat enamel and dentine matrices.

Abstract l -tryptophane-H3 was administered intraperitoneally, 1 μc/g of body weight, to 9-day-old NMRI-D rats. The rats were killed, 1, 4, 8 and 24 hr and 7 days post-injection. The incorporation and distribution of tryptophane-H3 were evaluated in autoradiographs of the developing mandibular first molars. At 1 hr the cytoplasm labelling of the ameloblasts was considerably greater than the odontoblast labelling. The cytoplasm grain density over the ameloblasts gradually decreased as the labelling of the enamel matrix increased. At 4 and 8 hr the labelling was primarily concentrated over the predentine and the first 4 layers (layer = 9·3μ × 130.2μ) of enamel matrix. At 7 days the dense labelling of the enamel matrix was diffusely spread throughout; whereas, the dentine remained sparsely labelled. The observation that tryptophane is a component of the organic matrices of enamel in developing rat molars is confirmed by autoradiography.
Characterization of on-die power supply noise in FCBGA (Flip-chip ball grid array) packages

In this work, the authors demonstrate Core-type and IO-type on-die noise characterization to enhance CPU PDN (Power Delivery Network) performance in microprocessor. The two representative power supply noise characteristics are simulated using excitation models and an impedance modeled of the power delivery network. Then, the design metrics for the PDN are analyzed based on excitation. Behavior of PDN current activity is also estimated in order to be anticipated the power supply noise efficiently.
Simplified methods for the estimation of iron in mitochondria and submitochondrial fractions

Abstract Two rapid and simple methods for the determination of iron in mitochondrial fractions arc described. One, which estimates total iron, is based on the quantitative extraction of both protein-bound heme and non-heme iron after treatment with mercaptoacetic acid and glacial acetic acid. The second, which estimates only non-heme iron, is based on the extractibility of non-heme iron into ethanol after reduction with sodium dithionite.
A harmful algal bloom of Karenia brevis in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico as revealed by MODIS and VIIRS: a comparison.

The most recent Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is not equipped with a spectral band to detect solar-stimulated phytoplankton fluorescence. The lack of such a band may affect the ability of VIIRS to detect and quantify harmful algal blooms (HABs) in coastal waters rich in colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) because of the overlap of CDOM and chlorophyll absorption within the blue-green spectrum. A recent HAB dominated by the toxin-producing dinoflagellate Karenia brevis in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, offshore of Florida's Big Bend region, allowed for comparison of the capacities of VIIRS and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to detect blooms in CDOM-rich waters. Both VIIRS and MODIS showed general consistency in mapping the CDOM-rich dark water, which measured a maximum area of 8900 km2 by mid-July 2014. However, within the dark water, only MODIS allowed detection of bloom patches—as indicated by high normalized fluorescence line height (nFLH). Field surveys between late July and mid-September confirmed Karenia brevis at bloom abundances up to 20 million cells·L−1 within these patches. The bloom patches were well captured by the MODIS nFLH images, but not by the default chlorophyll a concentration (Chla) images from either MODIS or VIIRS. Spectral analysis showed that VIIRS could not discriminate these high-phytoplankton water patches within the dark water due to its lack of fluorescence band. Such a deficiency may be overcome with new algorithms or future satellite missions such as the U.S. NASA's Pre-Aerosol-Clouds-Ecology mission and the European Space Agency's Sentinel-3 mission.
Influence of irradiated bacon lipids on body growth, incidence of cancer, and other pathologic changes in mice.

For 3 months mice (757) were fed diets containing uncured bacon, irradiated with 5.58 megarad of gamma rays, or uncured unirradiated bacon. There were no major differences between the control and experimental groups. No gross or histopathological lesions attributable to irradiation of the lipid were observed. The incidence of spontaneous cancers showed no significant differences among the diet groups and indicated that irradiation of the bacon did not produce carcinogens or growth-altering substances demonstrable under the conditions of the experiments. No significant differences between the degree of unsaturation and peroxide numbers of irradiated and unirradiated bacon lipid was found. Storage of the bacon lipid at room temperature for up to 2 months resulted in a higher peroxide number for the irradiated lipid. (H.H.D.)
Efficient Finite Difference Solutions to the Time-Dependent Schrödinger Equation

The matrix elements of the exponential of a finite difference realization of the one-dimensional Laplacian are found exactly. This matrix is used to formulate an efficient algorithm for the numerical solution to the time-dependent quantum mechanical scattering of a single particle from a time-independent potential in one-space and one-time dimension. The method generalizes to higher spatial dimensions, as well as to multiparticle problems.
Radiotracer Determination of Supernatant Liquid entrapped among Centrifuged Red Blood Cells

WE are conducting experiments to measure the rate of permeation of glycerol through the red blood cell membrane. The procedure involves mixing glycerol solutions with red blood cells and letting them stand for different periods of time, then centrifuging the mixtures to separate supernatant glycerol solution from the red blood cells containing glycerol. The red blood cell fractions are then analysed chemically for glycerol content. The questior arises as to how much glycerol solution is entrapped among the red blood cells after centrifugation. The answer to this question would have some effect on the results of analyses for glycerol in the red blood cells with subsequent effects on the permeation rates; a knowledge of the amount of extracellular glycerol will enable us to make proper corrections. The present experiment was carried out to determine the percentage of extracellular glycerol.
Photoelectron-photofragment coincidence studies of NO(-)-X clusters (X = H2O, CD4).

The dissociative photodetachment of NO−(H2O)and NO−(CD4) anion clusters was studied at 775 nm (1.60 eV) using photoelectron–photofragment coincidence spectroscopy. The correlation between the photoelectron and photodetached neutral spectra indicates vibrational excitation in the recoiling NO neutral fragments from NO-(H2O), with a progression consistent with vibrational excitation up to v(NO) = 3 in the products. The correlation remains when D2O is substituted for H2O, implying the NO vibrational mode plays a role in the dissociation coordinate of the complex. In contrast, no correlation was observed between photoelectron kinetic energy and kinetic energy release from NO−(CD4). Consideration of the maximum available kinetic energy allows the binding energies to be detemined as 0.57 and 0.07 eV for NO−(H2O) and NO−(CD4), respectively.
Radiological diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.

Cysticercosis, once thought to be confined to discrete geographical areas, such as Central America and Central Europe, is now increasingly recognized in many other parts of the world. In the USAthere has been a dramatic increase in the number of cases found, especially in those states where there is a large population of migrants from Mexico or Central America I. As new imaging techniques such as X-ray Computed Tomography (XRCT) and Magnetic Res-onance Computed Tomography (MRCT), are employed in endemic areas, our concept of the disease is changing. It seems for example, that the mean age of infection may be younger than previously thought, and cysticercosis is becoming recognized as a prevalent pediatric disease in developing countries (see Box I ). The development of XRCT and MRCT (Box 2) has greatly facilitated the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis; in conjunction with the clinical picture and serological studies of blood and spinal fluid, they now offer a high degree of accur-acy in diagnosis 3. Human infection with adult tapeworms of Taenia solium is usually associated with only minor symptoms, but infection with oncospheres developing cysticerci, can produce severe, even life-threatening disFig. 2, Intraventricular Cyst," this form does not
Squeeze film between two spheres in a power-law fluid

An asymptotic solution for the squeezing motion of two nearly touching rigid spheres imbedded in a power-law fluid is presented. It is shown that the resistance to the motion is dominated by the flow in the gap only if m ≥ 13, where m is the exponent that relates the shear stress τ and the corresponding strain rate γ, τ∞γm. For m < 13, the resistance depends upon details of the flow in the outer region. Also, in this case, the resistance is reduced to such a level that the gap can be closed in a finite time. A connection between the asymptotic solution for two spheres and the asymptotic solution for two nearly touching circular plates is discussed. Also the force-velocity relationships are given for the parallel problems for long cylinders and rectangular plates.
Transcranial Doppler for predicting delayed cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is widely used to monitor the temporal course of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but its ability to predict clinical deterioration or infarction from delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) remains controversial. We sought to determine the prognostic utility of serial TCD examination after SAH. METHODS: We analyzed 1877 TCD examinations in 441 aneurysmal SAH patients within 14 days of onset. The highest mean blood flow velocity (mBFV) value in any vessel before DCI onset was recorded. DCI was defined as clinical deterioration or computed tomographic evidence of infarction caused by vasospasm, with adjudication by consensus of the study team. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios for DCI risk after controlling for other risk factors. RESULTS: DCI occurred in 21 % of patients (n = 92). Multivariate predictors of DCI included modified Fisher computed tomographic score (P = 0.001), poor clinical grade (P = 0.04), and female sex (P = 0.008). After controlling for these variables, all TCD mBFV thresholds between 120 and 180 cm/s added a modest degree of incremental predictive value for DCI at nearly all time points, with maximal sensitivity by SAH day 8. However, the sensitivity of any mBFV more than 120 cm/s for subsequent DCI was only 63%, with a positive predictive value of 22% among patients with Hunt and Hess grades I to III and 36% in patients with Hunt and Hess grades IV and V. Positive predictive value was only slightly higher if mBFV exceeded 180 cm/s. CONCLUSION: Increased TCD flow velocities imply only a mild incremental risk of DCI after SAH, with maximal sensitivity by day 8. Nearly 40% of patients with DCI never attained an mBFV more than 120 cm/s during the course of monitoring. Given the poor overall sensitivity of TCD, improved methods for identifying patients at high risk for DCI after SAH are needed.
Post-receptor modulation of the effects of cyclic AMP in isolated cardiac myocytes

The actions of cyclic AMP are subject to several levels of post-receptor modulation in cardiac tissue. Isoproterenol and prostaglandin E1 both stimulate cAMP accumulation, but only isoproterenol causes activation of particulate cAMP-dependent protein kinase, leading to activation of phosphorylase kinase and glycogen phosphorylase, and inhibition of glycogen synthase. Through the use of isolated, adult ventricular myocytes, we have determined that the hormone-specific activation of glycogen phosphorylase is due to subcellular compartmentation of cAMP. There is some evidence that cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, whose activity is stimulated by alpha1-adrenergic agonists in isolated myocytes, may have a role in compartmentation. Phosphoinositide hydrolysis is stimulated by alpha, and muscarinic agonists, presumably leading to activation of protein kinase C, which in turn has multiple effects on hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase.
Sex differences in androgen-regulated expression of cytochrome P450 aromatase in the rat brain ☆

The basis of functional gender differences in adult responsiveness to testosterone (T) is not yet understood. Conversion of T to estradiol by cytochrome P450 aromatase in the medial preoptic area is required for the full expression of male sexual behavior in rats. High levels of aromatase are found in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) and in an interconnected group of sexually dimorphic nuclei which mediate masculine sexual behavior. Within this neural circuit, aromatase is regulated by T, acting through an androgen receptor (AR)-mediated mechanism. This arrangement constitutes a feedforward system because T is both the regulator and the major substrate of aromatase. Preoptic aromatase is thus more active in adult males than in females because of normal sex differences in circulating androgen levels. However, the mechanism of enzyme induction also appears to be sexually dimorphic because equivalent physiological doses of T stimulate aromatase to a greater extent in males than in females. Dose-response studies indicate that the sex difference is apparent over a range of circulating T concentrations and constitute a gender difference in T efficacy, but not potency. Sex differences in aromatase correlate with sex differences in nuclear AR concentrations in most regions of the sexually dimorphic neural circuit, but not in MPN. These results suggest that males may have larger populations of target cells in which aromatase is regulated by androgen, but the lack of a gender difference in AR levels in the MPN suggests that differences in post-receptor mechanisms could also be involved. Measurements of aromatase mRNA in androgen-treated gonadectomized rats demonstrate that sex difference in regulation is exerted pretranslationally. Taken together these results demonstrate a sexually dimorphic mechanism that could potentially limit the action of T in females, and may relate to the enhanced expression of T-stimulated sexual behaviors in males.
SK channel selective opening by SKA-31 induces hyperpolarization and decreases contractility in human urinary bladder smooth muscle

Overactive bladder (OAB) is often associated with increased involuntary detrusor smooth muscle (DSM) contractions during the bladder-filling phase. To develop novel therapies for OAB, it is critica...
Survey of the total arsenic content in soils in louisiana

Abstract Arsenic (As) is a widely distributed soil contaminant because of past use of As‐containing pesticides. The total As content of representative soils used for agriculture in the major soil areas of Louisiana was determined. The As content of > 450 samples ranged from near zero to 73 mg/kg with a mean of 23.2 mg/kg. Generally, alluvial soils of the Red and Mississippi Rivers Valleys had the highest As contents, while the Ouachita River alluvial soils had the lowest As contents. In general, As levels increased or remained about the same with increasing profile depths. Total As was significantly related to soil texture; soils with higher clay content having higher As contents. Arsenic level was weakly related to organic matter and As level was weakly inversely related to soil pH. Past widespread use of As‐containing pesticides did not appear to have substantially increased the As content of agricultural soils in Louisiana.
GAP-43 is critical for normal development of the serotonergic innervation in forebrain

Serotonergic (5-HT) axons from the raphe nuclei are among the earliest afferents to innervate the developing forebrain. The present study examined whether GAP-43, a growth-associated protein expressed on growing 5-HT axons, is necessary for normal 5-HT axonal outgrowth and terminal arborization during the perinatal period. We found a nearly complete failure of 5-HT immunoreactive axons to innervate the cortex and hippocampus in GAP-43-null (GAP43-/-) mice. Abnormal ingrowth of 5-HT axons was apparent on postnatal day 0 (P0); quantitative analysis of P7 brains revealed significant reductions in the density of 5-HT axons in the cortex and hippocampus of GAP43-/- mice relative to wild-type (WT) controls. In contrast, 5-HT axon density was normal in the striatum, septum, and amygdala and dramatically higher than normal in the thalamus of GAP43-/- mice. Concentrations of serotonin and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, and norepinephrine were decreased markedly in the anterior and posterior cerebrum but increased in the brainstem of GAP43-/- mice. Cell loss could not account for these abnormalities, because unbiased stereological analysis showed no significant difference in the number of 5-HT dorsal raphe neurons in P7 GAP43-/- versus WT mice. The aberrant 5-HT innervation pattern persisted at P21, indicating a long-term alteration of 5-HT projections to forebrain in the absence of GAP-43. In heterozygotes, the density and morphology of 5-HT axons was intermediate between WT and homozygous GAP43-/- mice. These results suggest that GAP-43 is a key regulator in normal pathfinding and arborization of 5-HT axons during early brain development.
Gender Social and Personal Identity, Sex Dissimilarity, Relationship Conflict, and Asymmetrical Effects

Research on the linkage between sex diversity and relationship conflict has yielded inconsistent findings. In efforts to address this inconsistency and to better understand what contributes to group member perceptions of relationship conflict, interrelationships among sex dissimilarity, gender identity, and relationship conflict were examined utilizing theoretical frameworks from the literatures on identity, status, sex diversity, and asymmetrical effects. Results show that gender social identity moderated the effects of sex dissimilarity on relationship conflict such that in the presence of a strong gender social identity, sex dissimilarity increased perceptions of relationship conflict. This effect was stronger for men than for women, such that men with strong gender social identities in groups in which they were sex dissimilar had greater perceptions of relationship conflict. In addition, a significant three-way interaction was found, in which sex-dissimilar individuals with strong gender social and pe...
Advancing Personality Assessment Terminology: Time to Retire "Objective" and "Projective" As Personality Test Descriptors

(2006). Advancing Personality Assessment Terminology: Time to Retire 'Objective' and 'Projective' As Personality Test Descriptors. Journal of Personality Assessment: Vol. 87, No. 3, pp. 223-225.
Comparison of the Effects of Synthetic Human Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)-(l–34)-Related Peptide of Malignancy and Bovine PTH-(l–34) on Bone Formation and Resorption in Organ Culture

We have compared the effects of synthetic amino-terminal human PTH-(l–34)-related peptide (PTHrP) of malignancy with those of synthetic bovine PTH-(l–34) in cultures of half-calvariae from 21-day-old fetal rats and of parietal bones from 7-day neonatal mice. Incorporation of [3H] proline into collagenase-digestible protein (CDP) and noncollagen protein (NCP), and percent collagen synthesis (PCS) were measured in both systems. Incorporation of [3H]thymidine and cAMP production were measured in fetal rat calvariae. Production of prostaglandin E2 and I2 and bone resorption, as assessed by release of previously incorporated 45Ca, were measured in mouse parietal bones. The effects of PTHrP and PTH were qualitatively similar. At 96 h CDP in rat calvariae was decreased by PTH at a concentration as low as 0.01 nM, while similar effects were seen with PTHrP at 0.1 nM. Effects on NCP were small, so PCS was reduced. At 24 h [3H]thymidine was not altered, but CDP and PCS were decreased by both PTH and PTHrP. cAMP pro...
Transient response of encapsulated enzymes in hollow‐fiber reactor

A mathematical model for the transient response of encapsulated enzymes is developed showing the effects of the outer boundary layer, the encapsulating membrane, the partition coefficient, and diffusion with reaction within the encapsulating medium. The model incorporates both first-order kinetics and Michaelis–Menten kinetics for the reaction rate. Using typical hollow-fiber or microcapsule parameters, the model shows that (a) the partition coefficient affects the overall rate only when the rate-limiting step is diffusion through the membrane, (b) the transient overall effectiveness factor rises sharply with time and approaches an asymptotic value for most situations, and (c) the first-order approximation to Michaelis–Menten kinetics is not valid when the initial outside bulk concentration is higher than the Michaelis constant and the overall rate is reaction limited. The model is compared with experimental data using uricase in a hollow-fiber enzyme reactor configuration. Batch assay and CSTUER (continuous-stirred ultrafiltration enzyme reactor) studies were conducted on the free enzyme to provide some of the parameters used in the model. The CSTUER data fit the case of substrate inhibition kinetics with the apparent Michaelis constant approaching zero. The hollow-fiber reactor was conducted with uricase dissolved in both a buffer solution and a concentrated hemoglobin solution. Diffusivities of the solute were measured in both solutions as was the osmotic pressure of the hemoglobin solution. While experimental data for uricase in buffer solution could easily be matched by the model, that in the concentrated hemoglobin solution could not.
Al2O3 incorporation in MgSiO3 perovskite and ilmenite

First-principles calculations in the MgSiO3-Al2O3 system predict that MgSiO3-perovskite dissolves about 15 mol% Al2O3 at the top of the lower mantle, limited by coexistence with Al-rich ilmenite (corundum). The solubility increases with pressure so that the lower mantle is likely undersaturated in alumina in all but the coldest parts of the uppermost lower mantle. The akimotoite-corundum solid solution is highly non-ideal with a symmetric regular solution parameter W=66 kJ/mol per formula unit at the top of the lower mantle. The critical temperature for exsolution of ilmenite is predicted to be 2000 K. The MgSiO3 solution is also significantly non-ideal; assuming only Tschermak substitutions, the value of W=12 kJ/mol per formula unit. Total energy calculations over a range of compositions and several configurations for each composition are based on density functional theory in the local density approximation. We find that the entropy of solution of both structures is nearly ideal on the basis of random sampling of simulations using semi-empirical interatomic potentials. Results also confirm previous experimental and computational results showing that aluminum has little effect on the elasticity of MgSiO3 perovskite. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Lymphocyte–HEV Interactions in Lymph Nodes of a Sulfotransferase-deficient Mouse

The interaction of L-selectin expressed on lymphocytes with sulfated sialomucin ligands such as CD34 and GlyCAM-1 on high endothelial venules (HEV) of lymph nodes results in lymphocyte rolling and is essential for lymphocyte recruitment. HEC-GlcNAc6ST–deficient mice lack an HEV-restricted sulfotransferase with selectivity for the C-6 position of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). HEC-GlcNAc6ST−/− animals exhibit faster lymphocyte rolling and reduced lymphocyte sticking in HEV, accounting for the diminished lymphocyte homing. Isolated CD34 and GlyCAM-1 from HEC-GlcNAc6ST−/− animals incorporate ∼70% less sulfate than ligands from wild-type animals. Furthermore, these ligands exhibit a comparable reduction of the epitope recognized by MECA79, a function-blocking antibody that reacts with L-selectin ligands in a GlcNAc-6-sulfate–dependent manner. Whereas MECA79 dramatically inhibits lymphocyte rolling and homing to lymph nodes in wild-type mice, it has no effect on HEC-GlcNAc6ST−/− mice. In contrast, in vitro rolling on purified GlyCAM-1 from HEC-GlcNAc6ST−/− mice, although greatly diminished compared with that on the wild-type ligand, is inhibited by MECA79. Our results demonstrate that HEC-GlcNAc6ST contributes predominantly, but not exclusively, to the sulfation of HEV ligands for L-selectin and that alternative, non-MECA79–reactive ligands are present in the absence of HEC-GlcNAc6ST.
Design issues and an architecture for the monolithic implementation of a parallel digital signal processor

Design issues in the implementation of a parallel digital signal processor for measurement systems are discussed. Constraints imposed by the application and VLSI technology are shown to lead to the design criteria of modularity, flexibility, programmability, and high speed. An architecture for the monolithic implementation of a parallel digital signal processor based upon these criteria is then presented. The use of asynchronous, self-timed function units each consisting of an instruction queue, data queues, and combinational logic is supported. Data and control interlocks are used for synchronization within the processor to facilitate both fine and coarse-grain parallelism. A programming example and simulation results are presented for a finite impulse response (FIR) filter. These results confirm the digital signal processor's efficiency. Using a conventional synchronous design, the simulation of a single prototype processor is presented. This design requires six clock cycles to compute a radix-2 fast Fourier transform (FFT) butterfly compared to 12 instruction cycles for a TI TMS320C30. Compared to a Motorola DSP 56001, the prototype processor permits a faster instruction cycle and less I/O overhead. It is estimated that a 1024-point FFT can be sped up 10 times using 10 processors. >
The influence of spin fluctuations on the physical properties of high Tc materials

Abstract The interaction of holes with antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations in doped cuprates is discussed in both the weak and strong coupling limits. The elementary excitations in the normal phase are spin bags corresponding to a hole of spin 1 2 and charge e surrounded by a region of suppressed spin fluctuations. The relation to photoemission spectra, including the pinning of the chemical potential in the gap, is presented. Finally, a new approach to the strongly correlated metal state is presented, based on a quantum generalization of the quartic Ginzburg-Landau action functional. This method holds promise for treating all coupling strengths.
Toward econometric models of the security risk from remote attacks

Security risk models have successfully estimated the likelihood of attack for simple security threats such as burglary and auto theft. Before we can forecast the risks to computer systems, we must first learn to measure the strength of their security
Development of treatment strategies to combat Ebola and Marburg viruses

Ebola and Marburg viruses are emerging/re-emerging pathogens that pose a significant threat to human health. These naturally occurring viral infections frequently cause a lethal hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates. The disastrous consequences of infection with these viruses have been pursued as potential biological weapons. To date, there are no therapeutic options available for the prophylaxis or treatment of infected individuals. The recognition that Ebola and Marburg viruses may be exploited as biological weapons has resulted in major efforts to develop modalities to counter infection. In this review, select technologies and approaches will be highlighted as part of the critical path for the development of therapeutics to ameliorate the invariably devastating outcomes of human filoviral infections.
A meta-analysis of insect pest behavioral manipulation with plant volatiles

Many insect pests utilize plant volatiles for host location and untangling the mechanisms of this process can provide tools for pest management. Numerous experimental results have been published on the effect of plant volatiles on insect pests. We used a meta-analysis to summarize this knowledge and to look for patterns. Our goal was to identify herbivore and plant traits that might explain the herbivores’ behavioral response to plant volatiles in field applications. We scored a total of 374 unique plant volatile-insect herbivore interactions obtained from 34 published studies investigating 50 herbivore pest species. Attractants had a significant effect on insect herbivore abundance but repellents did not; this latter result could be a result of the comparatively small number of field studies that tested plant volatiles as repellents (3%). Females were significantly more attracted to plant volatile baits than males. The diet breadth of herbivores was independent of a behavioral response to plant volatiles, but more case studies show effects of volatiles on chewers, followed by wood-borers and sap-feeders. There are more demonstrations of attraction to plant volatiles in Lepidoptera than in Thysanoptera. The method of plant volatile application had a significant effect on herbivore abundance and increasing the number of chemicals in individual baits attracted more herbivores. The magnitude of the response of herbivores to plant volatiles in forest and agricultural habitats was similar. We explore consistent patterns and highlight areas needing research in using plant volatiles to manage insect pests.
Teamwork in the Operating Room

Like all dramas, a surgical operation has certain important plots and sub-plots, a cast of characters, and a spatial setting. In narrative form, surgery at a large general hospital often occurs in a sequence such as the following:"At seven o'clock in the morning, nurses have arrived on the surgical floor. They find maids finishing the cleaning of the operating suites and corridors. Notices of scheduled operations for the day are posted in prominent places, listing the patient's name, type of case, operating surgeon, and appropriate operating room. Orderlies and nurses aides are wheeling small tables into the rooms, with sterile equipment laid out ready for use. The charge nurse assigns to their respective cases the scrub nurses (who will actually assist the surgeon) and the circulating nurses (who will perform general tasks around the operating room such as fetching water and counting sponges).
Differential sensitivity of medium- and large-sized striatal neurons to NMDA but not kainate receptor activation in the rat

Infrared videomicroscopy and differential interference contrast optics were used to identify medium- and large-sized neurons in striatal slices from young rats. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained to compare membrane currents evoked by application of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate. Inward currents and current densities induced by NMDA were significantly smaller in large- than in medium-sized striatal neurons. The negative slope conductance for NMDA currents was greater in medium- than in large-sized neurons and more depolarization was required to remove the Mg2+ blockade. In contrast, currents induced by kainate were significantly greater in large-sized neurons whilst current densities were approximately equal in both cell types. Spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents occurred frequently in medium-sized neurons but were relatively infrequent in large-sized neurons. Excitatory postsynaptic currents evoked by electrical stimulation were smaller in large- than in medium-sized neurons. A final set of experiments assessed a functional consequence of the differential sensitivity of medium- and large-sized neurons to NMDA. Cell swelling was used to examine changes in somatic area in both neuronal types after prolonged application of NMDA or kainate. NMDA produced a time-dependent increase in somatic area in medium-sized neurons whilst it produced only minimal changes in large interneurons. In contrast, application of kainate produced significant swelling in both medium- and large-sized cells. We hypothesize that reduced sensitivity to NMDA may be due to variations in receptor subunit composition and/or the relative density of receptors in the two cell types. These findings help define the conditions that put neurons at risk for excitotoxic damage in neurological disorders.
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR EARLY WORK CONFLICTS

To improve college students’ skills in resolving workplace conflict, the authors studied the types of workplace conflicts that students encounter with peers or supervisors in part-time or seasonal ...
Encoding properties of the wing hinge stretch receptor in the hawkmoth Manduca sexta.

To characterize the in vivo responses of the wing hinge stretch receptor of Manduca sexta , I recorded its activity and simultaneously tracked the up-and-down motion of the wing while the hawkmoth flew tethered in a wind tunnel. The stretch receptor fires a high-frequency burst of spikes near each dorsal stroke reversal. The onset of the burst is tightly tuned to a set-point in wing elevation, and the number of spikes contained within the burst encodes the maximal degree of wing elevation during the stroke. In an effort to characterize its mechanical encoding properties, I constructed an actuator that delivered deformations to the wing hinge and simultaneously recorded the resultant stretch and tension and the activity of the stretch receptor. Stimuli included stepwise changes in length as well as more natural dynamic deformation that was measured in vivo . Step changes in length reveal that the stretch receptor encodes the static amplitude of stretch with both phasic and tonic firing dynamics. In vivo sinusoidal deformation revealed (i) that the timing of stretch receptor activity is tightly phase-locked within the oscillation cycle, (ii) that the number of spikes per burst is inversely related to oscillation frequency and (iii) that the instantaneous frequency of the burst increases with oscillation rate. At all oscillation rates tested, the instantaneous frequency of the burst increases with amplitude.
Effects of noise on the adaptive damping of low-frequency oscillations in power systems

This paper examines the effects of noise on the adaptive damping of low-frequency oscillations in power systems. Recursive extended least squares (RELS) is incorporated in a self-tuning adaptive controller which uses an enhanced linear-quadratic control algorithm. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the controller in a noisy power system environment. These results demonstrate that recursive extended least squares (RELS) can be beneficial to adaptive damping by determining colored noise parameters in addition to system parameters. >
GROWING APART TOGETHER: THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTRASTING SEXUAL SIZE DIMORPHISMS IN SYMPATRIC SCELOPORUS LIZARDS

Comparative biologists often conceptualize sexual size dimorphism (SSD) as a static characteristic of adult populations, but recent work has emphasized that SSD reflects a developmental process in which males and females “grow apart” in body size. This ontogenetic perspective requires knowledge of (1) the demographic factors that give rise to SSD (e.g., differential survival, migration, or growth) and (2) the ontogenetic timing of these sexual differences (e.g., juvenile, maturational, or adult divergence). Together, such data help formulate testable hypotheses concerning proximate physiological mechanisms responsible for the development of SSD. To illustrate this approach, we present a case study of two sympatric lizard congeners with opposite patterns of SSD (Sceloporus virgatus: female-larger; S. jarrovii: male-larger). Using mark-recapture data, we show that (1) sex differences in survival and migration cannot account for SSD, and (2) both nonlinear growth models and age-specific linear growth rates i...
Familial Factors and Substance Use Disorders

The most recent large-scale epidemiologic study of psychopathology in the United States indicates that nearly half of the population will experience a major psychiatric illness at some point over their lifetime (Kessler, et al., 1994). Moreover, alcohol abuse and dependence were the most frequently occurring of all disorders, affecting one in every 5 males and one in every 12 females. Drug use disorders, though less common, are highly prevalent and are often associated with alcoholism and other forms of psychopathology. There is also a particularly disturbing trend for substance use among adolescents, with the age of onset of substance dependence steadily decreasing. Substance use disorders (i.e., alcohol and drug use disorders) are often associated with intense suffering, physical and emotional illness, and social and occupational impairment. They have a dramatic impact on the family (particularly among children), important consequences for economic productivity, and high mortality stemming from alcohol- and drug-related accidents, homicide and suicide (e.g., Dawson & Grant, 1993; Lewinsohn, Rohde, & Seeley, 1995). In summary, substance use disorders are a major public health concern that warrants the aggressive pursuit of effective strategies for prevention.
Coronary collaterals, stenoses, and stents: is a new era of physiologic-guided percutaneous revascularization emerging?

Experimental models of acute myocardial infarction (MI) have demonstrated that, for a given duration of vessel occlusion, the amount of collateral circulation together with the area of myocardium at risk are the two major determinants of final infarct size [(1–3)][1]. The degree of recruitable
Let us be cautious and prevent unnecessary patient harm

Foi utilizada uma tecnica de ECMO moderna, e a paciente sobreviveu. Esta claro que a ECMO e uma tecnica de suporte dramatica, e a sobrevivencia de um paciente propenso ao obito pode facilmente levar os clinicos a crer na eficacia da tecnica. Contudo, a cognicao e a crenca humanas sao processos complexos os quais tem limites importantes e frequentemente levam a conclusoes incorretas.