cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypothyroidism and dyslipidemia: Modern concepts and approaches

Subclinical and overt hypothyroidism are relatively common disorders in the general population. Thyroid hormone is known to play a role in regulating the synthesis, metabolism, and mobilization of lipids. In patients with overt hypothyroidism there is an increase in serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein(a) levels, and possibly triglyceride levels. The effects of subclinical hypothyroidism on serum lipid values are less clear. The preponderance of evidence suggests that total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and possibly triglycerides are increased in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, whereas high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and Lp(a) remain unchanged. Most lipid abnormalities in patients with overt hypothyroidism will resolve with thyroid hormone replacement therapy. However, clinical trials to date have not shown a beneficial effect of thyroid hormone treatment on serum lipid levels in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. The lipid-altering effects of thyroid hormone make it an appealing target for drug development. The development of specifically targeted thyroid hormone analogues that could potentially treat hyperlipidemia without causing systemic thyrotoxicosis is currently ongoing.
Effects of stress and glucocorticoids on CNS oxytocin receptor binding

Oxytocin receptors in several regions of the limbic system are regulated by gonadal steroids and play an important role in the mediation of maternal, sexual and affiliative behaviors. We have previously reported oxytocin receptor regulation by glucocorticoids in hippocampus and subiculum-neuroanatomical regions implicated in memory and stress regulation. In the current study we examined oxytocin receptor regulation by stress and high glucocorticoid concentration in adrenally intact male rats. Single prolonged stress and chronic non-habituating stress were used as experimental conditions in the first study, and chronic non-habituating and high dose corticosterone implants in the second. Oxytocin receptor concentration was assessed using in vitro receptor autoradiography with [125I]OVTA at the approximate KD concentration. Both stress paradigms increased oxytocin receptor binding (F = 3.7, df = 2, p = .03) across brain regions in the first study. Chronic non-habituating stress and corticosterone implants increased oxytocin receptor binding in the ventral hippocampus only (one-way ANOVA, F = 3.88, df = 2, p < .05). The current studies demonstrate that stress increases oxytocin receptor binding in areas of the CNS that are rich in glucocorticoid receptors, such as hippocampus. This suggests differential regulation of oxytocin receptors in CNS, depending upon their functional role in different regions. Oxytocin receptor modulation could mediate some of the long-term effects of stress on memory, and possibly play a role in the regulation of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal stress response. The ability of circulating glucocorticoids to up-regulate these receptors suggests a plausible mechanism for this stress-sensitive regulation.
A polymeric domain that promotes cellular internalization

Polymers have emerged as powerful biological tools; however, their ability to gain access to the intracellular environment is limited. To expand the biological utility of polymer scaffolds, we have synthesized an internalization domain using the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). A polymer functionalized with guanidinium groups is effectively internalized by cells and localized in both vesicles and the cytoplasm. Because the synthesis of such materials is modular, we anticipate that compounds of this type can be fashioned that facilitate the delivery of cargo via end-cap derivatization or block copolymer synthesis.
Ultrastructure of Endosymbiotic Chlorella in a Vorticella

SYNOPSIS Observations were made on the ultrastructure of a species of Vorticella containing endosymbiotic Chlorella. The Vorticella, which were collected from nature, bore conspicuous tubercles of irregular size and distribution on the pellicle. Each endosymbiotic algal cell was located in a separate vacuole and possessed a cell wall and cup-shaped chloroplast with a large pyrenoid. The pyrenoid was bisected by thylakoids and surrounded by starch plates. No dividing or degenerating algal cells were observed.
A framework for machine vision based on neuro-mimetic front end processing and clustering

Convolutional deep neural nets have emerged as a highly effective approach for machine vision, but there are a number of open issues regarding training (e.g., a large number of model parameters to be learned, and a number of manually tuned algorithm parameters) and interpretation (e.g., geometric interpretations of neurons at various levels of the hierarchy). In this paper, our goal is to explore alternative convolutional architectures which are easier to interpret and simpler to implement. In particular, we investigate a framework that combines a front end based on the known neuroscientific findings about the visual pathway, together with unsupervised feature extraction based on clustering. Supervised classification, using a generic radial basis function (RBF) support vector machine (SVM), is applied at the end. We obtain competitive classification results on standard image databases, beating the state of the art for NORB (uniform-normalized) and approaching it for MNIST.
Evidence supporting an extensive new synonymy for Pseudopyrochroa basalis (PIC) (Coleoptera: Pyrochroidae: Pyrochroinae), with description of the mature larva and redescription of the adult

Abstract Evidence from field collections, laboratory rearings, comparative anatomy of larvae and adults, and a study of all types leads me to propose that 12 southeast Asian species of Pseudopyrochroa described by Maurice Pic between 1909 and 1943 be considered junior synonyms of P. basalis (Pic). The names in question include Pseudopyrochroa atra, Schizotus dohertyi, Pyrochroa fruhstorferi, Pyrochroa inapicalis, Schizotus javanus, Pyrochroa (Schizotus) javanus reductus, Pseudopyrochroa latenigra, Pyrochroa maculata, Pseudopyrochroa multiimpressa, Pseudopyrochroa opacicollis, Pyrochroa (Schizotus) sulcaticeps, and Pyrochroa (Schizotus) testaceipennis. Additionally, three species described by Kenneth Blair in 1912 from Indonesia (Java) and Malaysia (Borneo) should be considered synonymous with P. basalis. These names are Pyrochroa apicipennis, Pyrochroa fulvipennis, and Pyrochroa ruficollis, the latter of which had previously been synonymized with Pseudopyrochroa dohertyi (Pic). The discovery of the larva ...
Immersion in heated water as a quarantine treatment for California stone fruits infested with the Caribbean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Heated water was tested as a quarantine treatment to control Anastrepha Suspense (Loew) egg infestations in California plums, nectarines, and peaches. Immersing the stone fruits in water at 49.4-50°C for 5-25 min reduced numbers of eggs surviving the treatment. The market quality of the treated fruit (regardless of cultivar) was unacceptable when the fruits were immersed for ≥ 10 min because of shriveling, scald, and bruising, and unusual flavor, aroma, and color. Immersion in water at 49.4-50°C is not recommended as a quarantine treatment for A. suspense eggs in plums, nectarines, and peaches because immersion times effective against eggs produce unacceptable fruit damage.
Stereochemistries of electron impact induced hydrogen abstraction reactions proceeding through 6-membered transition states

The stereochemistries of nine electron-impact induced eliminations proceeding from derivatives of the cis-4-t-butyl system have been determined. The predominant cis elimination observed in every case is consistent with the substantial integrity of the cyclohexyl ring prior to fragmentation, and with a cyclic transition state for hydrogen abstraction. The stereochemistries of electron impact induced eliminations from 11 derivatives of the trans-4-t-butylcyclohexyl system exhibit a dichotomy. The predominatn trans stereochemistry observed in six electron impact induced eliminations, and the nonstereospecific electron impact induced dehydration of trans-4′-t-butylcyclohexyl-ethanol are consistent with nonconcerted elimination from a chair-like cyclohexyl ring. Conversely, the McLafferty rearrangement of trans-4′-t-butyl-cyclohexyl-2-propanone proceeds nonstereospecifically. trans-4-t-Butylcyclohexyl acetaldehyde, 2-methyl-3-(trans-4′-t-butylcyclohexyl)-1-propane and trans-4-t-butylcyclohexyl-S-methyl xanthate exhibit predominant cis McLafferty rearrangement stereochemistry. This result may be due to fragmentation through boat-like conformers in these compounds.
Early Equivalence of Uncemented Press-fit and Compress® Femoral Fixation

Bone ingrowth promises more durable biologic fixation of megaprostheses. The relative performance of different types of fixation is unknown. We compared the fixation of two forms of biologically fixed femoral components: an intramedullary uncemented press-fit stem (UCS; Group 1, 50 patients) and a Compress® uncemented fixation (CPS; Group 2, 41 patients). In Group 1, the overall Kaplan-Meier prosthetic survival rates were 85% at 5 and 71% at 10 years. Most failures were long-term developments. Aseptic loosening was the primary cause of failure. Stem diameters less than 13.5 mm and a diaphyseal/stem coefficient greater than 2.5 mm were associated with decreased prosthetic survival. In Group 2, the overall rate of CPS survival was 88% at 5 years. Failure of femoral fixation or fracture during the first year was the main reason for revision. Five-year survival rates were similar between the groups and we observed no difference in the functional success of the implants. We found no failures after 1-year followup in Group 2 (CPS). Any difference in prosthetic survival can only be proven by longer-term study or a randomized trial.
Ascertainment of Medicaid Payment for Delivery on the Iowa Birth Certificate: Is Accuracy Sufficient for Timely Policy and Program Relevant Analysis?

The Iowa Department of Public Health annually links Medicaid claims data to the birth certificate. Because the latest version of the birth certificate provides more timely and less costly information on delivery payment source, we were interested in assessing the validity and reliability of the birth certificate payment source compared to Medicaid paid claims. We linked Medicaid paid claims to birth certificates for calendar years 2007-2009 (n = 120,626). We measured reliability by Kappa statistic and validity by sensitivity, specificity, predictive value positive and negative. We examined reliability and validity overall and by maternal characteristics (e.g. age, race, ethnicity, education). The Kappa statistic for the birth certificate payment source indicated substantial agreement (0.78; 95 % CL 0.78-0.79). Sensitivity and specificity were also high, 86.3 % (95 % CL 86.0-86 6 %) and 91.9 % (95 % CL 91.7-92.1 %), respectively. The predictive value positive was 87.0 %. The predictive value negative was 91.4 %. Kappa and specificity were lower among women of racial and ethnic minorities, women younger than age 24, and women with less education. The overall Kappa, sensitivity and specificity generally suggest the birth certificate payment source is as valid and reliable as the linked data source. The birth certificate payment source is less valid and reliable for women of racial and ethnic minorities, women younger than age 24, and those with less education. Consequently caution should be exercised when using the birth certificate payment source for monitoring service use by the Medicaid population within specific population subgroups.
Some relationships between environment, corpora allata, and egg maturation in aedine mosquitoes

Abstract By extirpation of the paired corpus allatum-complex, the role of the corpus allatum in both autogenous and anautogenous reproduction has been studied in four species of mosquitoes. Allatectomy performed within 1 hr of emergence: (1) stopped all autogenous yolk deposition in A. taeniorhynchus ; (2) prevented any yolk synthesis in blood-fed A. aegypti ; (3) limited yolk deposition in most blood-fed A. sollicitans to not more than that found in sugar-fed controls; (4) did not prevent egg maturation in blood-fed A. triseriatus . Follicular growth and yolk synthesis in autogenous taeniorhynchus and blood-fed aegypti , prevented by allatectomy, could be initiated by the implantation of a pair of corpora allata from any donor tested. It has been concluded, from the effect on egg development of delaying allatectomy for varying periods after emergence and of delaying blood-feeding following allatectomy, that the corpora allata of the anautogenous female was active before the first blood meal. Therefore, the difference between autogenous and anautogenous reproduction in Aedes is dependent on some other factor. Such environmental conditions as the larval diet, the adult diet (when allatectomy was delayed after emergence), and the adult holding temperature prior to allatectomy, were shown to influence the effect of the operation on egg development in blood-fed sollicitans .
Referenceless phase velocity mapping using balanced SSFP

Phase contrast MRI (PC-MRI) is an established technique for measuring blood flow velocities in vivo. Although spoiled gradient recalled echo (GRE) PC-MRI is the most widely used pulse sequence today, balanced steady state free precession (SSFP) PC-MRI has been shown to produce accurate velocity estimates with superior SNR efficiency. We propose a referenceless approach to flow imaging that exploits the intrinsic refocusing property of balanced SSFP, and achieves up to a 50% reduction in total scan time. With the echo time set to exactly one half of the sequence repetition time (TE = TR/2), we show that non-flow-related image phase tends to vary smoothly across the field-of-view, and can be estimated from static tissue regions to produce a phase reference for nearby voxels containing flowing blood. This approach produces accurate in vivo one-dimensional velocity estimates in half the scan time compared with conventional balanced SSFP phase-contrast methods. We also demonstrate the feasibility of referenceless time-resolved 3D flow imaging (called “7D” flow) in the carotid bifurcation from just three acquisitions. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Immunohistochemical characterization of the mononuclear cells infiltrating muscle of patients with inflammatory and noninflammatory myopathies.

Abstract The immunopathogenetic mechanisms associated with the development of inflammatory myopathies are not well defined. In order to identify cells in affected muscle tissue, mononuclear cells infiltrating muscle biopsies from patients with inflammatory myopathies and controls with other neuromuscular diseases were analyzed in situ by an avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique. Serial frozen sections were stained for cells expressing total T, helper-induced T, suppressor-cytotoxic T, B, monocyte/macrophage, and HLA-DR phenotypes. A significant increase in the percentage of helper-induced T cells was noted in the inflammatory myopathies when compared to the disease control group. Furthermore, most of the mononuclear cells in the inflammatory myopathy biopsies were HLA-DR positive, suggesting that the infiltrating T lymphocytes were activated. No significant differences in mononuclear cell distributions were found when the inflammatory myopathy group was broken down into individual groups of patients with polymyositis, polymyositis with associated connective tissue disease, and dermatomyositis.
Multiphysics design optimization model for structural walls incorporating phase-change materials

The development of energy-efficient building envelopes has been an ongoing effort in many countries owing to the pressing need to achieve energy independence. In this study numerical optimization techniques and finite element analysis provide the means to find a compromise point between adding phase-change materials (PCMs) to a concrete wall, the energy savings and the wall's structural capacity. The primary objective is to minimize the overall lifetime cost of a wall by understanding the implications of PCM layer thickness, material properties and position in the wall on the overall energy consumption. While it is difficult to manually configure a typical wall for the lowest total cost, the developed computational framework provides an automated tool for searching for the best design. The results show that successful designs can be obtained where material and energy costs can be minimized through a judicious combination of existing building materials with thermal energy storage materials.
Three-dimensional mammary primary culture model systems.

Model systems have been developed to investigate the complex and coordinated regulation of mammary gland development and transformation. Primary cultures, using newly isolated cells or tissue, are optimal for such studies since, in comparison to immortalized cell lines, the normal signal transduction pathways are prsumed to be intact. Three such models are described, including whole organ culture, mammary epithelial cell (MEC) organoids, and MEC-stromal cocultures. Studies using whole-organ culture have the advantage that the normal glandular architecture remains intact, the MEC can undergo lobuloalveolar development and express milk proteins in a hormone dependent manner, and, following hormonal withdrawal, undergo involution. Moreover, transformation of the MEC is readily accomplished. Culture of isolated MEC organoids within an EHS-derived reconstituted basement membrane permits extensive proliferation, branching end bud and alveolar morphogenesis, and accumulation of milk protein and lipid in a physiologically relevant hormone- and growth factor-dependent manner. This model can thus be utilized to investigate the mechanism by which various modulators exert their direct effects on the epithelium. Finally, in view of compelling evidence for stromal-epithelial interactions during normal mammary gland development, and potentially also during the development of malignancy, models in which MEC can be cocultured with enriched populations of stroma offer considerable potential as a tool to understand the nature and mechanisms of the interactions that occur during the various developmental states, and how such interactions may go awry during carcinogenesis.
Enteric fistula formation secondary to necrotizing enterocolitis

We report two cases of enterocolonic fistula formation following necrotizing enterocolitis, and a review of the six previously published cases. Ischemic mechanism is the most likely cause. The fistulas were diagnosed by upper gastrointestinal series and contrast enema.
Effects of α-methyl-meta-tyrosine, α-methyl-meta-tyramine and metaraminol on the serotonin content in preparations of whole tissue and synaptosomes from the telencephalon of the pigeon

Abstract Whole tissue and preparations of synaptosomes from the telencephalon of the pigeon were used to study the effects of α-methyl-m-tyrosine (α-MMT), α-methyl-m-tyramine (α-MMTA) and metaraminol on the metabolism, uptake and release of serotonin (5-HT). Approximately 3·5 hr after an intramuscular injection of α-MMT (100 mg/kg), the levels of 5-HT decreased from 5·95 to 4·90 nmol/g tissue and the levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) decreased from 1·57 to 1·09 nmol/g tissue. Using an incubated crude synaptosomal preparation, it appeared that neither the uptake of [14C]-5-HT nor its conversion to 5-HIAA was inhibited by α-MMT. In addition, α-MMT did not seem to have an effect on the release of [14C]-5-HT from synaptosomes preloaded with radioactive 5-HT. However, two metabolites of α-MMT, namely, α-MMTA and metaraminol, significantly increased the release of (14C]-5-HT. Individually, at concentrations of 0·25 mg/ml, these two metabolites increased the efflux of [14C]-5-HT 14–17 fold from isolated synaptosomes. In combination and at lower concentrations of 0·025 and 0·005 mg/ml, there was a 6- and 2-fold increase, respectively, in efflux of [14C]-5-HT from isolated synaptosomes. α-MMTA and metaraminol also decreased the efflux of [14C]-5-HIAA; α-MMT did not appear to have any noticeable effect on the release of 5-HIAA. The results are discussed in terms of the behavioral effects produced by α-MMT in pigeons working on a multiple FR 50 FI 10 schedule of reinforcement.
Analysis of clonal diversity in mouse immunoglobulin heavy chain genes selected for size of the antigen combining site.

Size-diversity of lg and T cell receptor antigen binding (CDR3) regions can be visualized by “CDR3 fingerprinting”, and provides an estimate of B- or T-cell repertoire complexity. The method does not identify clonal diversity, however, which can only be determined by random sequencing of the CDR3s. In this study we demonstrate that a combination of fingerprinting and single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis can be used for a rapid estimatation of clonal diversity within mouse lg antigen binding regions selected for size. This application may be useful in the analysis of clonal expansion within B- and T-cell repertoires.
Modeling of CO2 sorption on coal

Abstract This paper discusses moderate pressure CO 2 sorption behavior of Illinois coals. The results fit the Langmuir and Dubinin–Astakhov (D–A) sorption models satisfactorily although the fit is better for D–A equation. Since factors like swelling of coal with CO 2 sorption and CO 2 dissolution in coal matrix contribute to uncertainties in estimating the void volume in and around the sample, an attempt was made to account for these by modifying the conventional adsorption equation. Re-fitting the experimental data using the modified equation results in improved fit for both models. The adsorption capacities of coals tested, as predicted by the equations, also reduce by 7% to 32%. The effect of volumetric uncertainty is more in lower rank coals than the higher rank ones. Furthermore, it explains the excess sorption behavior observed by others when extrapolated beyond the experimental pressure range.
A study of the negative ion states of selected cyclodienes by electron transmission spectroscopy

Abstract Electron transmission spectroscopy is employed to locate sharp variations in the total cross sections for electrons scattered from several cyclic compounds containing two carboncarbon bonds. For each molecule, structure is observed which we associate with the temporary occupation of the two low-lying, normally unfilled, π * orbitals by impacting electrons. Electron affinities are reported for 1,5-cyclooctadiene, 1,4-and1,3-cyclohexadiene, norbornadiene and also cyclohexene, propene, and cis -butene.
Collaborating for Family Safety: Results From the Greenbook Multisite Evaluation

Over the past three decades, children exposed to domestic violence have moved from being considered “invisible victims” to being the focus of extensive social science research and the target of innovative interventions. Class action suits such as the Nicholson case have accelerated attention to these children and their families as well as accelerated changes in policy and practice. As this interest was growing nationwide, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), supported by the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, convened a national working group in the late 1990s to focus on the fragmentation of services provided to families with children where adult domestic violence was occurring. The children in these families may have been direct victims of child abuse and neglect and/or exposed to the violence between adults in their homes. The result was a set of best practice guidelines published in 1999 as Effective Intervention in Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment: Guidelines for Policy and Practice. This document has become known as the Greenbook, deriving its name from the color of its cover.
Postmortem studies in mood disorders indicate altered numbers of neurons and glial cells

The influence of stress and glucocorticoids on neuronal pathology has been demonstrated in animal and clinical studies. It has been proposed that stress-induced changes in the hippocampus may be central to the development of depression in genetically vulnerable individuals. New evidence implicates the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in addition to the hippocampus as a site of neuropathology in depression. The PFC may be involved in stress-mediated neurotoxicity because stress alters PFC functions and glucocorticoid receptors, the PFC is directly interconnected with the hippocampus, and metabolic alterations are present in the PFC in depressed patients. Postmortem studies in major depression and bipolar disorder provide the first evidence for specific neuronal and glial histopathology in mood disorders. Three patterns of morphometric cellular changes are noted: cell loss (subgenual PFC), cell atrophy (dorsolateral PFC and orbitofrontal cortex), and increased numbers of cells (hypothalamus, dorsal raphe nucleus). The relevance of cellular changes in mood disorders to stress and prolonged PFC development and a role of neurotrophic/neuroprotective factors are suggested, and a link between cellular changes and the action of therapeutic drugs is discussed. The precise anatomic localization of dysfunctional neurons and glia in mood disorders may reveal cortical targets for novel antidepressants and mood stabilizers.
Structure of Solvated Fe(CO)5: FTIR Measurements and Density Functional Theory Calculations

The structure of iron pentacarbonyl, Fe(CO)5, solvated in various solvents has been investigated by FTIR measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The primary focus rested on the solvation properties of iron pentacarbonyl in aromatic solvents ranging from benzene to increasingly fluorinated derivatives. While, in the gas phase, most iron pentacarbonyl molecules have D3h symmetry, about 60−90% of them have C2v or C4v symmetry in aromatic solvents at room temperature. The C4v structure exists in the gas phase as a transition state during a Berry pseudorotation. In solution, this transition state is stabilized by interaction with a solvent molecule located trans to the apical ligand of Fe(CO)5(∼C4v), forming a weakly interacting solute−solvent complex. Benzene, for instance, does not coordinate to the iron with its π-system but with one of its aryl hydrogens. The equilibrium populations of conformers with various symmetries were investigated through (i) calculations of the Gibbs free ene...
Perils of transitive trust in the domain name system

The Domain Name System, DNS, is based on nameserver delegations, which introduce complex and subtle dependencies between names and nameservers. In this paper, we present results from a large scale survey of DNS, and show that these dependencies lead to a highly insecure naming system. We report specifically on three aspects of DNS security: the properties of the DNS trusted computing base, the extent and impact of existing vulnerabilities in the DNS infrastructure, and the ease with which attacks against DNS can be launched. The survey shows that a typical name depends on 46 servers on average, whose compromise can lead to domain hijacks, while names belonging to some countries depend on a few hundred servers. An attacker exploiting well-documented vulnerabilities in DNS nameservers can hijack more than 30% of the names appearing in the Yahoo and DMOZ.org directories. And certain nameservers, especially in educational institutions, control as much as 10% of the namespace.
Extracting volatile compounds from single plants using supercritical fluid extraction

Analysis of plant volatile compounds typically requires large amounts of plant tissue, thus preventing sampling from specific morphological regions of individual plants. We used supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), with CO 2 as the solvent, to extract plant volatiles from 1.5 g of fresh alfalfa germplasm tissue (Medicago sativa L. and M. glandulosa David). More than 100 volatile and semi-volatile compounds were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS); most of these (>80) were in sufficient quantity for accurate spectral analysis [...]
Positron labeled muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist: 2- and 4-[18F]fluorodexetimide. Syntheses and biodistribution.

Two 18F-labeled analogues of dexetimides, 2-[18F]fluorodexetimide (2-FDEX) and 4-[18F]fluorodexetimide (4-FDEX), were prepared and evaluated in vivo as possible agents for the study of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) with PET. Two synthetic approaches, a 2-step reductive alkylation procedure and a 4-step alkylation approach, were investigated. The alkylation approach with higher overall radiochemical yields was used to prepare 2- and 4-FDEX for biodistribution studies. The overall synthesis time for both compounds was 2.5 h and the overall radiochemical yield at end-of-synthesis was 12%. The specific activity was found to be greater than 600 mCi/μmol. Biodistribution studies of 2-FDEX in rats produced striatum-to-cerebellum and cortex-to-cerebellum ratios of 8.6 ± 1.1 and 8.4 ± 1.0 at 1 h after injection, and 12.1 ± 2.1 and 10.7 ± 2.2 at 3 h, respectively. Substantial radioactivity detected in bone indicated the in vivo defluorination of 2-FDEX. The striatum-to-cerebellum ratio for 4-FDEX was slightly lower at 1 h (5.9 ± 0.9) but equally high at 3 h (12.3 ± 2.0) when compared to 2-FDEX, and there was little bone uptake. The uptake of both 2-FDEX and 4-FDEX into mAChR rich brain regions (e.g. striatum, cortex) was blocked by a dose of dexetimide (5 mg/kg). Our results suggest 4-FDEX is a potential PET agent for study mAChR in vivo.
Psychology’s Lost Boy: Will the Real Little Albert Please Stand Up?

This article is concerned with the recent debate about the identity of psychology’s lost boy—Little Albert, the infant subject in Watson and Rayner’s classic experiment on fear conditioning. For decades, psychologists and psychology students have been intrigued by the mystery of Albert’s fate. Now two evidentiary-based solutions to this mystery have been proposed. Given the present absence of coverage in introductory textbooks, the purpose of this article is to provide a cornerstone resource for teachers to use as an advance organizer to the literature on this debate. Synopses of the search and resulting evidence for each candidate are provided. A summative comparison of the evidence indicates that Albert Barger is likely Little Albert and that Douglas Merritte is not.
Hydrodynamics of explosion: models and software for modeling explosions and estimation of their consequences

Physical and hydrodynamic processes accompanying explosions of condensed explosives and fuel–air mixtures have been considered. Wide-range equations of state of explosion products and air have been used. A physical model and a program code based on the gas dynamics equations in the Lagrangian form have been developed for modeling one-dimensional hydrodynamic processes in the near zone of explosion. This firmware forms the basis for estimation of explosion consequences. The described model has shown its working efficiency within a wide range of explosion energies and environmental conditions.
Influence of economic and demographic factors on quality of life in renal transplant recipients.

Abstract: Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of annual income, Medicare status, and demographic variables on the health-related quality of life (HQoL) of renal transplant recipients. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was mailed to 146 Georgia renal transplant recipients who had functional grafts. Data were collected using the SF-12 Health Survey (version 2), a demographics survey, and 2003 tax documents. One-way ANOVAs and Pearson's R correlations were used to examine relationships between annual income, Medicare status, demographic variables and SF-12 scores. Significant variables were included in stepwise multiple regression analyses. Results: Data from 130 participants (89% response rate) were collected. Recipients with no Medicare coverage had significantly higher scores on the Physical Functioning and Role Physical SF-12 scales (p = 0.005) compared to recipients with Medicare. Annual income was positively correlated with General Health (p < 0.05). Age and race were significant predictors of Vitality (p = 0.004) and Physical Component Summary (p < 0.001) scores. Age, race, and Medicare status were significant predictors of Physical Functioning and Role Physical scores (p < 0.001). Age, annual income, race, and years post-transplant were significant predictors of General Health score (p < 0.001). Age was the sole predictor of Bodily Pain score (p = 0.002), and marital status was the sole predictor of Social Functioning score (p = 0.005). Conclusions: Interventions designed to offset financial barriers may be needed to bolster renal transplant recipients’ HQoL.
The Complex Mechanism of Glutamate Dehydrogenase in Insulin Secretion

Leucine is the only physiologic amino acid that can stimulate insulin release by itself, and a great deal of evidence suggests that leucine does this by allosterically activating glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). GDH catalyzes the oxidative deamination of endogenous glutamate, which is present at a high concentration in the pancreatic β-cell. Studies that support this role of leucine include the fact that leucine and 2-aminobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH), a nonmetabolizable leucine analog, are activators of GDH and promote insulin release from pancreatic islets (1–4). Although the addition to pancreatic islets of glutamine alone—which by its conversion to glutamate enormously increases the intracellular concentration of glutamate—does not stimulate insulin release, adding glutamine in the presence of leucine or BCH causes a robust stimulation of insulin release. Patients with mutations in the region of the GDH gene that encodes the part of the GDH protein where the allosteric inhibitor guanosine triphosphate (GTP) binds to the enzyme suffer from hyperinsulinism and hypoglycemia (5), and this indicates that GDH is involved in insulin secretion in humans. In addition, recent studies showed that short-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCHAD) deficiency causes hyperinsulinism secondary to a loss of inhibition of GDH by SCHAD (6). Antischizophrenic drugs can produce hyperglycemia in patients (7,8) perhaps due to their ability to inhibit GDH. Both insulin release and GDH activity are decreased by SIRT4 (9), a mitochondrial ADP-ribosyl transferase, and deletion of GDH in β-cells partially abolishes the insulin secretory response (10). GDH catalyzes the reaction NAD(P) + Glutamate ⇆ NAD(P)H + α-ketoglutarate + NH4+ (Fig. 1). The catalytically active form of the enzyme is six identical 5.7 × 104 molecular weight monomers configured as a hexamer (11–13). When the concentration of the hexamer is high, it polymerizes (12,13). In addition to …
Hardware assisted volume rendering of unstructured grids by incremental slicing

Some of the more important research results in computational science rely on the use of simulation methods that operate on unstructured grids. However, these grids, composed of a set of polyhedra, introduce exceptional problems with respect to data visualization. Volume rendering techniques, originally developed to handle rectangular grids, show significant promise for general use with unstructured grids as well. The main disadvantage of this approach, compared to isosurfaces, particles or other visualization tools is its non-interactive performance. We describe an efficient method for rendering unstructured grids that is based on incremental slicing and hardware polygon rendering. For a given view direction, the grid vertices are transformed to image space using available graphics hardware. We then incrementally compute the 2D polygon-meshes that result from letting a set of planes, parallel to the screen plane, intersect (slice) the transformed grid. Finally, we use the graphics hardware to render (interpolate-fill) the polygon-meshes and composite them in visibility order. We show that, in addition to being faster than existing methods, our approach also provides adaptive control and progressive image generation. The adaptive method provides user control to ensure that the contribution of every cell is included in the final image or to limit the number of cells that are missed.
Time scale for proton emission from highly excited projectiles

Abstract Highly fragmented exit channels produced by the decay of excited 24Mg projectiles were detected. The longitudinal velocity spectra of protons and alpha particles from such channels are offset. This offset is consistent with post-breakup Coulomb accelerations from the 197Au target nuclei implying that the protons were emitted within 3 X 10−22 s after the target-projectile separation.
Congressional modification of benefit-cost analysis as a vehicle for particularized benefits and a limitation on agency discretion: the case of the federal contract tower program

The literature on Congressional control of the bureaucracy has examined how members of Congress pursue strategies such as oversight, the limitation of discretion in legislation [Moe, T. (1989). The politics of bureaucratic structure. In J. E. Chubb & P. E. Peterson (Eds.), Can the Government Govern? Washington, DC: Brookings Institution); Huber, J. D., & Shipan, C. R. (2002). Deliberate discretion: The institutional foundations of bureaucratic autonomy. New York: Cambridge University Press], and the use of tools such as administrative procedures [McCubbins, M., & Schwartz, T. (1984). Congressional oversight overlooked: police patrols vs. fire alarms. American Journal of Political Science, 21(1), 165–179; McCubbins, M., Noll, R., & Weingast, B. (1987). Administrative procedures as instruments of political control. Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 3, 243–277] and limitation riders [MacDonald, J. A. (2010). Limitation riders and congressional influence over bureaucratic policy decisions. American Political Science Review, 104 (November), 766–782] to exert influence over executive agency decision making. One area where Congress has attempted to exert control over agency decision-making is through the legislative modification of one of the most common bureaucratic decision-making tools: benefit-cost analysis (BCA). While scholars have examined political influence in agency regulatory impact analysis BCAs for proposed rules [Shapiro, S., & Morrall III, J. F. (2012). The triumph of regulatory politics. Benefit-cost analysis and political salience. Regulation and Governance, 6(2), 189–206], there has been a lack of examination of Congressional modification of agency BCA processes to justify and protect particularized [Mayhew, D. (1974). Congress: The electoral connection. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press] infrastructure projects in their districts. This paper will examine the effect of Congressional control over agency BCA processes to secure particularized benefits by developing an in-depth case study of the Federal Contact Tower Program (FCTP) operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that examines the political and public management implications of Congress’s limitation of the FAA’s autonomy to operate the FCTP under current benefit-cost guidance. Building upon the literature on particularized benefits and Congressional delegation, the results of this study indicate that members of Congress use BCA processes to insulate infrastructure projects in their districts by restricting the ability of agencies to optimize program effectiveness.
Consistency of response style across types of response formats

Effects of response style on various commonly used fixed-response formats are examined. Data suggest that Likert-type formats are relatively consistently affected by response style regardless of th...
Race and the Decision to Arrest: An Analysis of Warrants Issued

Both the conflict perspective and the labeling perspective provide a the oretical base for the hypothesis that nonwhites are more likely than whites to be arrested on less than sufficient evidence. All 1974 adult arrests (N = 28,- 235) in a large midwestern city are analyzed to assess the relationship between race and the subsequent issuance of a warrant by the prosecutor's office. Con trols for type of offense, age, sex, and racial composition of neighborhood are introduced, yet nonwhites continue to have a larger proportion of arrests which are not upheld by the issuance of a warrant. These results are discussed in terms of the conflict and labeling perspectives.
Serotonin and cocaine-sensitive inactivation of human serotonin transporters by methanethiosulfonates targeted to transmembrane domain I.

To explore aqueous accessibility and functional contributions of transmembrane domain (TM) 1 in human serotonin transporter (hSERT) proteins, we utilized the largely methanethiosulfonate (MTS) insensitive hSERT C109A mutant and mutated individual residues of hSERT TM1 to Cys followed by tests of MTS inactivation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transport. Residues in TM1 cytoplasmic to Gly-94 were largely unaffected by Cys substitution, whereas the mutation of residues extracellular to Ile-93 variably diminished transport activity. TM1 Cys substitutions displayed differential sensitivity to MTS reagents, with residues more cytoplasmic to Asp-98 being largely insensitive to MTS inactivation. Aminoethylmethanethiosulfonate (MTSEA), [2-(trimethylammonium) ethyl]methanethiosulfonate bromide (MTSET), and sodium (2-sulfonatoethyl)-methanethiosulfonate (MTSES) similarly and profoundly inactivated 5-HT transport by SERT mutants D98C, G100C, W103C, and Y107C. MTSEA uniquely inactivated transport activity of S91C, G94C, Y95C but increased activity at I108C. MTSEA and MTSET, but not MTSES, inactivated transport function at N101C. Notably, 5-HT provided partial to complete protection from MTSET inactivation for D98C, G100C, N101C, and Y107C. Equivalent blockade of MTSET inactivation at N101C was observed with 5-HT at both room temperature and at 4 °C, inconsistent with major conformational changes leading to protection. Notably, cocaine also protected MTSET inactivation of G100C and N101C, although MTS incubations with N101C that eliminate 5-HT transport do not preclude cocaine analog binding nor its inhibition by 5-HT. 5-HT modestly enhanced the inactivation by MTSET at I93C and Y95C, whereas cocaine significantly enhanced MTSET sensitivity at Y107C and I108C. In summary, our studies reveal physical differences in TM1 accessibility to externally applied MTS reagents and reveal sites supporting substrate and antagonist modulation of MTS inactivation. Moreover, we identify a limit to accessibility for membrane-impermeant MTS reagents that may reflect aspects of an occluded permeation pathway.
Decreased Protection by HDL From Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetic Subjects Against LDL Oxidation May Be Due to the Abnormal Composition of HDL

Abstract—High plasma triglyceride concentrations in diabetic subjects increase their risk for developing coronary heart disease. Numerous studies have shown that the high density lipoprotein (HDL) composition is abnormal in type 2 diabetic subjects. One study has shown that HDL (lipoprotein A-I) isolated from subjects with non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus exhibits a decreased capacity to induce cholesterol efflux. The current study examined the effect of HDL2 and HDL3 subfractions from poorly controlled type 2 diabetic and control subjects on THP-1 macrophage–mediated low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. The composition and protective effects of HDL2, but not of HDL3, differed significantly between control and diabetic subjects. HDL2 from diabetics were triglyceride enriched and cholesterol depleted compared with those from controls. Control HDL2 inhibited LDL oxidation, as assessed by lipid peroxides and electrophoretic mobility, significantly (P<0.05) more than did diabetic HDL2 in both the f...
Self-Reports in Organizational Research: Problems and Prospects

Self-reports figure prominently in organizational and management research, but there are several problems associated with their use. This article identifies six categories of self-reports and discusses such problems as common method variance, the consistency motif, and social desirability. Statistical and post hoc remedies and some procedural methods for dealing with artifactual bias are presented and evaluated. Recommendations for future research are also offered.
Removal of 137Cs from Dissolved Hanford Tank Saltcake by Treatment with IONSIV® IE-911

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Richland Operations Office plans to accelerate the cleanup of the Hanford Site. Testing new technology for the accelerated cleanup will require dissolved saltcake from single-shell tanks. However, the 137Cs will need to be removed from the saltcake to alleviate radiation hazards. A saltcake composite constructed from archived samples from Hanford Site single-shell tanks 241-S-101, 241-S-109, 241-S-110, 241-S-111, 241-U-106, and 241-U-109 was dissolved in water, adjusted to 5 M Na, and transferred from the 222-S Laboratory to the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL). At the RPL, the approximately 5.5 liters of solution was passed through a 0.2-micron polyethersulfone filter, collected, and homogenized. The filtered solution then was passed through an ion exchange column containing approximately 150 mL IONSIV® IE-911, an engineered form of crystalline silicotitanate available from UOP, at approximately 200 mL/hour in a continuous operation until all of the feed solution had been run through the column. An analysis of the 137Cs concentrations in the initial feed solution and combined column effluent indicates that > 99.999 percent of the Cs in the feed solution was removed by this operation. PNNR
Pushing the limits of NAA: Accuracy, uncertainty and detection limits

This paper describes some highlights from the author’s efforts to improve neutron activation analysis (NAA) detection limits through development and optimization of radiochemical separations, as well as to improve the overall accuracy of NAA measurements by identifying, quantifying and reducing measurement biases and uncertainties. Efforts to demonstrate the metrological basis of NAA, and to establish it as a “Primary Method of Measurement” will be discussed.
Global Civil Society

There has been much discussion recently of “global civil society”. This concept evidently draws on the more familiar civil society concept as related to national societies. What are the consequences of extending the concept in this way? Is global civil society simply civil society writ large, an extension to the international plane of basically the same kinds of institutions and practices as are found in national societies? Or do we need new tools of description and analysis? This article considers various theories of global civil society, and the extent to which they map onto traditional concepts of civil society. It concludes that global civil society may express the same mixture of strengths and weaknesses as the parent concept of civil society, but with additional features of its own that may – somewhat surprisingly – make it more robust than the earlier concept from which it derives.