cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A single mutation in one of the core elements of moloney murine leukemia virus reduced binding of a 42‐kDa T lymphoma cell nuclear factor but did not affect lymphomagenesis

The genetic determinant responsible for virulence in Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV) induced T-cell lymphomagenesis has recently been mapped [J Virol 63:471-480, 1989] by homologous genomic fragment exchange between MoMuLV and MoMuLV-TB to the Clal/Xbal at the 3' end of the genome. This region of MoMuLV and MoMuLV-TB differs in 11 nucleotides. Of these 11 nucleotide differences, 9 are distributed within the two CORE, the two distal NF1, and the two GRE/LVa elements of the enhancer. Since both the CORE binding sites of MoMuLV-TB are mutated with respect to those of MoMuLV, we compared nuclear proteins of a thymus-bone marrow cell line and a T-lymphoma cell line (EMT), which bind to the wild-type and mutant CORE binding sites. Using both the bandshift assay and southwestern analysis with labeled synthetic deoxyoligonucleotides, we showed that a 42-kDa protein from TB and EMT cells bound specifically to the MoMuLV CORE element. The T----C transversion of nucleotide 6 of the CORE consensus, TGTGGT/CTAA, significantly reduced binding of the 42-kDa TB and EMT cell factors. However, the transversion of nucleotide 3 from T----C had little effect on the binding of the 42-kDa protein to the CORE element. In addition, the 42-kDa protein bound weakly to the CCAAT element of MoMuLV. A recombinant virus, NwtTB-6, was generated by introducing the two CORE mutations of MoMuLV-TB into the MoMuLV genome. Although the latency period of NwtTB-6 in the induction of lymphoma was not significantly different from that of MoMuLV, preliminary findings suggest that the lymphoma induced by NwtTB-6 may be more widely distributed.
THE EFFECTS OF VITAMIN E ON HEMOLYSIS IN PREMATURE INFANTS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF LIFE

Although it is recognized that vitamin E deficiency may be associated with a hemolytic anemia in premature infants at 6 to 10 weeks of age, no information is available to indicate if the vitamin E deficiency normally present at birth has hematologic consequences. A study was designed to determine if the presence of vitamin E deficiency during the first week of life played a contributory role in the shortened red cell lifespan observed in the premature infant. Carboxyhemoglobin values were used as an index of hemolysis. Ten healthy, preterm infants received intramuscular vitamin E in a total dose of 125 mg/Kg during days 3 to 7 of life and ten infants served as controls. The percent carboxyhemoglobin levels fell significantly from day 3 to day 8 in the treated sroup (1.03% to 0.78%) while the mean value remained unchanged at 0.96% in the control group. The administration of vitamin E during the first week of life appears to reduce, but not eliminate, the accelerated red cell destruction that is characteristic of the premature infant.
Allograft rejection in pediatric recipients of living related liver transplants

The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence and severity of rejection episodes in a group of children receiving living related orthotopic liver transplants (LRLT) versus children receiving cadaveric liver transplants (CLT). Thirty-eight patients received primary LRLT and 54 patients received CLT during a 3-year period ending June 1993. Baseline immunosuppression consisted of cyclosporin, azathioprine, and corticosteroids. Rejection episodes were confirmed by liver histology and were treated initially with pulse intravenous methylprednisolone, 10 mg/kg/d for 3 days. Steroid-resistant rejection was treated with OKT3 or FK506. The median patient ages were 1.3 years for the CLT and .8 years for the LRLT recipients. Acute cellular rejection developed in 78% of the CLT grafts and 74% of the LRLT grafts (P = ns). However, steroid-resistant rejection was significantly less frequent in the LRLT recipients, 13% versus 43% in the CLT recipients (P < .01). Ductopenic rejection was diagnosed in 20% of CLT and 8% of LRLT grafts (P < .10), and graft loss caused by rejection was 9% in the CLT and 3% in the LRLT group (P = ns). In conclusion, the overall incidence of rejection is the same in LRLT and CLT recipients, but LRLT recipients are less likely than CLT recipients to develop steroid-resistant rejection or ductopenic rejection.
Role of different material processing methods on the fatigue behavior of an AZ31 magnesium alloy

Abstract The influence of extrusion, plate rolling, and sheet rolling on the fatigue life of an AZ31 magnesium alloy is investigated with a microstructure-sensitive fatigue model that comprises both crack incubation and growth stages. The model describes the effect of primary processing on the microstructure by incorporating specific mechanical properties and microstructural attributes such as grain and inclusion sizes. As such, the fatigue model successfully captured the experimentally observed differences in fatigue lifetimes of the Mg alloy due to the induced in-plane constraint effects resulting from different material processing methods. Quantitative prediction of cumulative damage due to cyclic loading and its comparison with experimental data is described in detail.
Dopaminergic Regulation of Growth Hormone (GH) Secretion in Normal Man: Correlationof L-Dopa and Dopamine Levels with the GH Response

Although it is clear that dopamine (DA) can affect PRL and GH release at the level ofthe hypothalamus and median eminence⁄pituitary gland, the relative importance of the site of control remains unclear. Consequently, we differentially altered central or peripheral DA levelsby administering L-dopa (250 mg) orally to six healthy male volunteers after pretreatment with theperipheral decarboxylase inhibitor carbidopa (central action), iv DA (4 µg⁄kg-min,peripheral action),and L-dopa (500 mg orally, both central and peripheral actions). The changes inGHand PRL observed were correlated with the concentrations of L-dopa and DA measured by the radioenzymatic technique. Peak L-dopa and DA levels were 1.2 ± 0.3 jug⁄ml and 8.4 ± 1.9 ng⁄ml after L-dopa and 2.5 ± 0.6 jug⁄ml and 1.7 ± 0.5 ng⁄ml, respectively, when half the L-dopa dose was combined with carbidopa. While DA and L-dopa concentrations were significantly correlated after L-dopa (r = 0.9), this relationship was abolished by carbidopa.Peak GH levels were comp...
When Race Becomes Even More Complex: Toward Understanding the Landscape of Multiracial Identity and Experiences

The explosion in the number of people coming from a multiracial heritage has generated an increased need for understanding the experiences and consequences associated with coming from a multiracial background. In addition, the emergence of a multiracial identity challenges current thinking about race, forcing scholars to generate new ideas about intergroup relations, racial stigmatization, social identity, social perception, discrimination, and the intersectionality of race with other social categories such as social class. The present issue brings together research and theory in psychology, sociology, education, culture studies, and public policy surrounding multiracial identity and introduces new advances in thinking about race, intergroup relations, and racial identity. In exploring multiracial identity, the issue will reexamine conceptualization of race and racial identification by examining the social experiences of multiracial individuals.
An open label pilot study of transcranial magnetic stimulation for pregnant women with major depressive disorder.

Abstract Objective: Despite the data that major depressive disorder (MDD) is common during pregnancy and that pregnant women prefer nonmedication treatment options, there is a paucity of research examining alternative treatments for this special population. We present the results of an open label pilot study examining treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in pregnant women with MDD. Methods: Ten women with MDD in the second or third trimester of pregnancy were treated with 20 sessions of 1-Hz TMS at 100% of motor threshold (MT) to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The total study dose was 6000 pulses. Antenatal monitoring was performed during treatment sessions 1, 10, and 20. Results: Seven of ten (70%) subjects responded (decrease ≥50% in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HDRS-17] scores). No adverse pregnancy or fetal outcomes were observed. All infants were admitted to the well baby nursery and were discharged with the mother. Mild headache was the only common adverse event and...
Overinsurance and Public Provision of Insurance: The Roles of Moral Hazard and Adverse Selection

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses overinsurance and public provision of insurance. In the absence of perfect information, the competitive outcome in markets for insurance may be nonoptimal not only compared to the infeasible optimum that would have occurred if information were perfect but also compared to optima that are feasible. If the government had or could obtain perfect information about the purchase-date state of the world, it could in principle provide the optimal insurance or at least achieve a result superior to that of the imperfectly informed market. The chapter presents a case in which the insurance purchaser has control over actions in the present that affect the future state of nature but in which the insurer cannot directly observe the insured's actions. An optimal solution in this kind of a moral hazard situation is for the insured to retain some part of his losses. Thus, the optimal policy is one that achieves the optimal trade-off between the conflicting goals of furthering risk spreading and providing appropriate incentives.
The role of serotonin in schizophrenia and the place of serotonin-dopamine antagonist antipsychotics.

After four decades of the use of antipsychotic drugs that target the dopamine D2 receptor as the initial site of action, a new strategy for antipsychotic therapy has emerged and, with it, new hope for greater efficacy and fewer side effects. This new strategy involves identifying drugs with strong serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) 5-HT2A receptor relative to dopamine D2 receptor blocking properties. Clozapine is now known to have these properties, but risperidone is the first drug to be designed intentionally to have these properties. Others are being developed. These drugs, the serotonin-dopamine antagonists (SDAs), may prove to have many other uses in psychiatry beyond schizophrenia because of their low propensity to cause extrapyramidal symptoms. Their pharmacologic mechanism of action may be more complex than only strong 5-HT2A and weak D2 block, e.g., 5-HT2C and D4 receptor blockade. Nevertheless, the SDAs are proving to be valuable tools in the analysis of both normal brain function and the etiology of schizophrenia.
Changes in strength of a antigen in children with acute leukemia.

Changes in the agglutinability of group A red blood cells were detected in 11 of 30 group A children with acute leukemia over a 12-month period. There were significant differences in the number of changes associated with forms of chemotherapy, but there were no significant differences in the number of changes related to the status of the disease. It is concluded that these changes are related to chemotherapy.
Validation of the Pediatric Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective To evaluate the concurrent validity and diagnostic accuracy of the pediatric Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (Ped-ANAM) when used in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Formal neuropsychological testing and the Ped-ANAM were performed on 27 children with SLE who had not been previously diagnosed with neuropsychiatric SLE. Performance when completing the 10 Ped-ANAM tests was based on accuracy (AC), mean time to correct response, coefficient of variation of the time required for a correct response (CVc), and throughput. Formal neuropsychological testing was used as a criterion standard for diagnosing neurocognitive dysfunction (NCD; yes/no). Results NCD was common and present in 16 (59%) of 27 participants. Ped-ANAM performance parameters were often moderately correlated with the Z scores on formal neuropsychological testing. The NCD group differed significantly (P Conclusion The Ped-ANAM has concurrent validity when used in children with SLE. Initial validation suggests that the Ped-ANAM could be a useful screening tool for NCD in children with SLE.
Methylcellulose gel is a superior contrast agent for ultrasound examination of the cervix in obstetric patients.

Objective To determine the superior contrast agent for cervical sonography: water-soluble methylcellulose gel vs. normal saline. Methods Women with an indication for cervical sonography underwent placement of 10 mL water-soluble methylcellulose gel or normal saline. Assessment of cervical dimensions and contour was performed via transperineal sonography prior to and after contrast placement. Results Twenty-five patients with similar demographic characteristics and indications for ultrasonography were enrolled into each group. Administration of contrast improved the ability to visualize the external os or vaginal fornices in 18 women in the gel group vs. six in the saline group (P = 0.002). In the gel group, 17 patients had easier identification of the external os and visualization of the fornices was enhanced in 13 patients. The assessment of cervical length prior to and after contrast administration was not statistically different with the use of either of these agents. Conclusion Intravaginal soluble gel is superior to normal saline as a cervical contrast agent. Intravaginal contrast may allow for easier identification of cervical anatomy during ultrasonographic examination in selected patients. Copyright © 2003 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regional variation in the age-specific natural fertility curve.

This paper examines the question of whether there are consistent regional variations in the level and shape of the age-specific natural fertility curve using data for 45 less-developed countries drawn from a recent US Census Bureau compilation. The 45 countries were grouped into 4 regional categories: sub-Saharan Africa; Middle East and North Africa; South and Southeast Asia; and Latin America. In general there do not appear to be variations. A consistent age pattern of natural fertility emerges once the rates have been normalized and an adjustment made for age at 1st exposure to the risk of pregnancy. The results strongly support Coales original natural fertility paradigm. The differences in the absolute fertility rates among the 4 regions correspond to the differences in proportion of females aged 15 and over who are currently married. The differences among 3 of the regions are relatively small whereas sub-Saharan Africas proportion currently married is significantly higher.
A continuous-flow, variable mixing valve for perfusion experiments.

The device described here continuously mixes two solutions in any required ratio and has been used at flow rates of 6 ml/min in tissue perfusion experiments. Its low-cost construction consists of a three-way miniature solenoid valve driven by a simple electronic circuit. Mixing is stable, reproducible and accurate to ±1% of dial setting.
An evaluation of the corporate culture of Southwest Airlines

The attached paper describes the keys to success for Southwest Airlines, including its approach to quality management. Southwest did not implement a formalized “quality management program.” Numerous companies in the USA have implemented formalized “quality management programs” and they failed because they were “programs of the month.” Implementing “quality” throughout a company is not the result of a formalized program but requires a cultural change in the way daily activities are conducted. The requirement of “doing it right the first time” must be integrated into the daily activities or culture of the company. The chairman of the board and president of a company must establish the tone for quality in not only what they communicate but also in their daily actions. Quality must be ingrained in the overall business model and strategies of a company. Southwest is very effective in integrating the importance of quality in its overall business model, strategic plan and its daily operational activities. Southwest did not engage outside consultants to develop a “quality program” but its style, culture and emphasis on quality were implemented in Southwest’s daily activities by Herb Kelleher, Chairman of the Board, and his management team.
A multidisciplinary renal clinic for corticosteroid-induced bone disease.

A multidisciplinary clinic to manage complicated bone disease was established due to the high prevalence of osteoporosis in corticosteroid-treated patients with a history of organ transplantation or chronic glomerulonephritis. Assessments were performed by a renal clinical pharmacist, nephrology nurse, and rheumatologist. Of 70 patients (27 men, 43 women) evaluated from December 1997-June 1999, 37% had osteoporosis (30% spine, 23% hip, 16% both sites) and 34% had a history of fracture. Analysis revealed low 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 levels (15 patients), hormone deficiency (16), elevated parathyroid hormone (27), and history of taking at least one other risk drug in addition to corticosteroids (58). Thirty-nine percent of patients had a documented height loss (mean 1.0 in.). Other risk factors included 32 episodes of graft rejection requiring additional corticosteroids, history of smoking (24 patients), poor physical activity (40), and low dietary calcium intake (47). Drug interventions included calcium and/or vitamin D (44 patients), calcitonin (7), alendronate (20), and hormone replacement therapy (11). Preliminary results showed an increase in bone mineral density (a surrogate marker for fracture risk) of 3-5%. An organized clinic to assess osteoporosis risks can unmask a large population of patients with documented bone loss. Appropriate interventions such as drug therapy and lifestyle changes may increase bone mineral density. A long-term benefit of therapy, although not measured in this study, may be a decreased predisposition to fractures and their sequelae.
Inelastic collapse of three particles.

A system of three particles undergoing inelastic collisions in arbitrary spatial dimensions is studied with the aim of establishing the domain of {open_quote}{open_quote}inelastic collapse{close_quote}{close_quote}{emdash}an infinite number of collisions which take place in a finite time. Analytic and simulation results show that for a sufficiently small restitution coefficient, 0{le}{ital r}{lt}7{minus}4{radical}3{approx_equal}0.072, collapse can occur. In one dimension, such a collapse is stable against small perturbations within this entire range. In higher dimensions, the collapse can be stable against small variations of initial conditions, within a smaller {ital r} range, 0{le}{ital r}{lt}9{minus}4{radical}5{approx_equal}0.056. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
The origin of the Moon: Theories involving joint formation with the Earth

A planet the size of the Earth or the Moon is much like a blast furnace; it produces slag-like rock floating on a mass of liquid metal. In the Earth, the mantle and crust are the slag, and the core is the liquid iron.
Pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium flavoviride (Deuteromycotina) to Schistocerca americana (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

The entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and Metarhizium flavoviride Gams and Rozspal have been widely tested for the suppression of grasshoppers. However, with the exception of Melanoplus sanguinipes (F.), there has been little research on Nearctic species. We examined the potential of these 2 microbial agents for control of the American grasshopper, Schistocerca Americana (Drury), and the migratory grasshopper, M. sanguinipes. M. flavoviride was much more virulent than B. bassiana to both grasshopper species. At the conidial dosage of 1.2 x 105, M. flavoviride produced 69.2 and 74.2% mean mortality 7 d after treatment in S. americana and M. sanguinipes , respectively. In contrast, B. bassiana produced 1.7 and 11.7% mean mortality 7 d after treatment in S. americana and M. sanguinipes , respectively. Treatment with M. flavoviride also caused a significant reduction in feeding beginning 48 h after treatment of 6th-instar S. americana . Furthermore, M. flavoviride -treated S. americana showed an average reduction of 36.6% mean cumulative consumption, 5-8 d after treatment, when compared with untreated grasshoppers.
Compensatory eye movements during active head rotation for near targets effects of imagination rapid head oscillation and vergence

Because the center of natural head rotation lies some distance behind the centers of eye rotation, the VOR has to operate with a gain substantially above 1 for there to be stable fixation of targets lying near the head. In humans, VOR gain was increased inversely proportional to fixation distance and changed with the angle of the head for very near targets. These effects were also evident when the subject imagined the target. However, this "high-gain" VOR was found to deteriorate substantially at frequencies beyond ca 2.5 Hz. In conditions without visual feedback, the VOR gain enhancement due to near fixation was disrupted by monocular viewing. When the subjects wore lenses to relax or increase accommodation, the lenses were found to have no effect on VOR gain. On the other hand, prisms of equivalent power to the lenses had a large effect whereby gain was adjusted according to the vergence state of the eyes. This suggests that VOR gain modulation is under the direct control of convergence.
Permanent vs. shifting cultivation in the Eastern Woodlands of North America prior to European contact

Native food production in the Eastern Woodlands of North America before, and at the time of, European contact has been described by several writers as “slash-and-burn agriculture,” “shifting cultivation,” and even “swidden.” Select quotes from various early explorers, such as John Smith of Pocahontas fame, have been used out of context to support this position. Solid archaeological evidence of such practices is next to non-existent, as are ethnographic parallels from the region. In reality, the best data are documentary. Unlike previous assessments, this paper evaluates sixteenth and seventeenth century ethnohistorical references to anything that can be even remotely construed as supportive of previous claims. Analyzed as a group these sources reveal something completely different from what common knowledge would have us believe. References to the slashing, the burning, and the shifting of fields are reasonably abundant. Rarely, however, are all three activities mentioned in a single passage, or by one chronicler. Furthermore, subtleties often overlooked in these quotes reveal great insight into native practices. This paper assesses explorers' and early settlers' descriptions in the context of the larger body of literature dealing with the ecology of swidden agriculture today. Indigenous fields in the Eastern Woodlands tended to be large, numerous, contiguous, and cleared of roots and stumps. Fields previously cleared of trees were covered with grass prior to preparation for planting. They were permanently cultivated. This condition stands in marked contrast to present-day swidden fields in other parts of the world that tend to be small, few, scattered, partially cleared of trees, and cultivated for only a year or two before being abandoned. Slash-and-burn shifting cultivation became common only after European settlers introduced steel axes. It was then practiced on uplands, not the formerly cultivated floodplains that were usurped by interlopers.
Knee laxity in symptomatic osteoarthritis

Twenty-two patients with primary osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee were studied to determine the effects of OA on laxity of the knee joint. Laxity was measured with a Genucom Knee Analysis System. Ten knees had mild OA (> 50% preservation of joint space). Fifteen knees had moderate OA (some preservation of joint space, but < 50%). Eighteen knees had severe OA (no joint space). A group of 18 knees from 9 healthy (asymptomatic) subjects of ages similar to those of the OA patients were used as controls. Compared to control knees, severe OA knees had less total anteroposterior (AP) translation (12.2 versus 6.6 mm, p < 0.025) and less total tibial rotation (79 versus 59 degrees, p < 0.01). Compared to early OA knees, knees with severe OA had 57% less average total AP translation (15.2 versus 6.6 mm, p < 0.01), 31% less total varus/valgus rotation (15 degrees versus 10.4 degrees, p < 0.016), and 26% less total internal/external tibial rotation (80.1 degrees versus 59 degrees, p < 0.007). These data indicate that osteoarthritic knees tend to have less laxity than normal knees, probably because of a combination of contracture of the ligaments and pressure of osteophytes against ligaments and other capsular structures.
Community justice and public safety: Assessing criminal justice policy through the lens of the social contract:

A reconceptualization of the idea of “community justice” is framed in the logic of the social contract and emphasizes the responsibility of the justice system for the provision of public safety. Fi...
Prion-like Properties of tau protein: The importance of extracellular tau as a therapeutic target.

Work over the past 4 years indicates that multiple proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases, especially Tau and α-synuclein, can propagate aggregates between cells in a prion-like manner. This means that once an aggregate is formed it can escape the cell of origin, contact a connected cell, enter the cell, and induce further aggregation via templated conformational change. The prion model predicts a key role for extracellular protein aggregates in mediating progression of disease. This suggests new therapeutic approaches based on blocking neuronal uptake of protein aggregates and promoting their clearance. This will likely include therapeutic antibodies or small molecules, both of which can be developed and optimized in vitro prior to preclinical studies.
Renal tubular basement membrane and collagen type IV in diabetes mellitus

Renal tubular basement membrane and collagen type IV in diabetes mellitus. The pathogenesis of the multiple structural lesions in diabetic nephropathy remains debated, and likely is multifactorial. The uniform thickening of the renal basement membranes lining the glomerular and tubular elements appears to be a consequence of the metabolic perturbations which are directly related to hyperglycemia. While most investigations have focused on the increased accumulation of extracellular matrix in the glomerular basement membrane and the mesangium, and their relation to derangements in glomerular function, little is known regarding the pathogenesis and the significance Of the tubulointerstitial changes and the thickened tubular basement membrane (TBM). It is possible that these latter changes are causally related to the cellular hypertrophy of the renal tubular epithelium that lines the TBM. It has been postulated that in the earlier stages of the disease, hyperglycemia induces renal tubular hypertrophy and stimulates the synthesis of the various matrix components which are normal constituents of the TBM. Later, the structural composition of the TBM is susceptible to further modifications by non-enzymatic glycation, and this aberrant process may impart a relative resistance to matrix degradation leading to a slow turnover. In vitro investigations on murine proximal tubule cells in culture have provided evidence that elevated ambient glucose is a sufficient stimulus for cellular hypertrophy and increased biosynthesis of collagen type IV, the predominant constituent of TBM. High glucose levels increase steady-state collagen IV mRNA, partly due to transcriptional activation of cis -acting elements of the gene which are controlled by putative glucose-responsive trans -acting proteins. This effect of hyperglycemia may be the consequence of increased activity of the polyol pathway, with attendant alterations in cellular myo -inositol metabolism. Treatment with sorbinil, an aldose reductase inhibitor, or supplementation of the medium with supra-physiologic levels of myo -inositol, prevents the stimulation by high glucose of the increased secretion and biosynthesis of collagen IV. The glucose-induced cellular hypertrophy, however, is minimally aifected by these maneuvers, and may result from activation of humoral or local mediators including transforming growth factor-β.
Vulnerability of Shallow Groundwater and Drinking-Water Wells to Nitrate in the United States

Two nonlinear models were developed at the national scale to (1) predict contamination of shallow ground water (typically < 5 m deep) by nitrate from nonpoint sources and (2) to predict ambient nitrate concentration in deeper supplies used for drinking. The new models have several advantages over previous national-scale approaches. First, they predict nitrate concentration (rather than probability of occurrence), which can be directly compared with water-quality criteria. Second, the models share a mechanistic structure that segregates nitrogen (N) sources and physical factors that enhance or restrict nitrate transport and accumulation in ground water. Finally, data were spatially averaged to minimize small-scale variability so that the large-scale influences of N loading, climate, and aquifer characteristics could more readily be identified. Results indicate that areas with high N application, high water input, well-drained soils, fractured rocks or those with high effective porosity, and lack of attenua...
Transplacental movements of inorganic lead from mother to fetus

Placental transport of lead in the guinea pig was measured by perfusing the fetal circulation of placentas (at 60 days of gestation) in situ. The clearance of lead from mother to fetus was linearly related to umbilical flow rate and measured 0.047 +- 0.004 ml/min at an umbilical flow rate of 2.5 ml/min. Our data indicate that lead crosses the placenta from the maternal circulation to the fetal circulation at a lower clearance rate than either cadmium or methylmercury but at a greater rate than inorganic mercury.
FRACTURE OF HIGHWAY AND AIRPORT PAVEMENTS

Abstract Existing solutions for the stresses in a cracked slab containing a crack and supported by an elastic foundation are extended to obtain the stress intensity factor (SIF) for a crack in a pavement subjected to moving vehicular loads. In the existing solutions the stresses can be obtained only for a uniform bending stress (before the crack occurs) along the crack surface. For pavements subjected to moving vehicular loads, the stress distribution along the crack surface is not uniform and the approximation of a uniform stress is often unsatisfactory. The present work extends the above solutions to cover more realistic loading of highway and airport pavements. This facilitates the application of the principles of fracture mechanics to the fatigue crack propagation and fracture of pavements. Beginning with a part-through semi-elliptical starter crack, the crack is assumed to grow under load and the SIF is presented at various stages of crack growth, from the starter crack into a short through-crack that eventually becomes a very long through-crack. Some examples of the fracture of typical rigid and flexible highway and airport pavements are presented to show the need to consider fracture in the design of pavements.
Concise modulation strategies for four-leg voltage source inverters

The continuous, discontinuous pulse-width modulation (PWM) schemes and a novel space vector modulation methodology are proposed in this paper for four-leg dc-ac inverters. Using a space vector definition that includes the zero sequence voltage component and partitioning the feasible sixteen modes into two separate sets - one set having zero sequence voltages with positive magnitudes and the other set with negative magnitudes - the novel space vector implementation technique is determined as also the discontinuous carrier based PWM scheme. For the continuous carrier based PWM scheme, the indeterminate defining output voltage equations expressed in terms of the existence functions of the switching devices are solved using an optimization technique. The modulation schemes determined are shown by experimental results to synthesis any desirable balanced or unbalanced three-phase voltage sets when operating in the linear modulation region.
Asymptotically efficient estimation of the sparsity function at a point

The sparsity function is important in nonparametric inference based on order statistics. In this paper, we consider kernel estimation of the sparsity function. We establish an invariance principle for the kernel estimator and then construct a simple adaptive estimator which we show is asymptotically efficient in the mean squared error sense.
On a hybrid close-coupling—wave packet approach to molecular scattering

A new time-dependent quantum-mechanical method which combines a coupled-channel expansion with a wave packet formalism is described. This method is applied to the study of rotationally inelastic scattering of H2 from a flat, rigid surface. Comparison with the results from a time-independent coupled-channel calculation shows the new method to be highly accurate.
Direct Numerical Simulation of Acoustic/Shear Flow Interactions in Two-Dimensional Ducts

The interaction between an imposed monochromatic, time-dependent acoustic disturbance and a steady mean shear flow in a two-dimensional duct is studied using direct numerical simulation. Unlike previously reported numerical results, the long-time acoustic response is captured through implementation of accurate nonreflecting boundary conditions. Below a certain cutoff frequency, the acoustic field is a nearly planar traveling wave propagating axially along the duct. Above this cutoff frequency, oblique waves are generated due to both acoustic refraction and cross-stream dependent source oscillation, leading to an alternating pattern of higher acoustic pressures at the wall and the centerline, downstream of the disturbance source. At resonant conditions, the growth of the oblique wave, which is nearly transverse, dominates the axial wave, leading to a phase change of 180 deg after their interaction. The thickness of the acoustic boundary layer and its response to imposed disturbances are also in good agreement with theory. These results are consistent with previously published theoretical predictions and represent their first numerical verification. Nomenclature #00 = reference speed of sound, also reference velocity Cp = constant pressure specific heat, temperature independent et = internal energy per unit volume h = duct half-width i, j,k = coordinate directions in Cartesian tensor notation L = computational length of duct M = mean flow Mach number Pr = Prandtl number p = pressure qj = heat flux vector component in the jth direction Re = acoustic Reynolds number in the calculation Rec = duct Reynolds number T = temperature t = time variable uk -• velocity component in the &th coordinate direction
Recent advances in micro-sample preparation with forensic applications

Sample preparation in forensic science offers special challenges in that the sample matrix and the analytes change depending on the circumstances of the case. It is difficult to standardize the sample preparation step for many types of cases due to sample and matrix complexity and the total unknown nature of the target analytes present within the matrix. Secondly, the analytical results obtained from forensic samples often undergo rigorous legal scrutiny and challenges. As such, maintaining the integrity of the sample chain of custody should be considered during the sampling and sample preparation prior to analysis. Finally, for those sample matrices where the sample preparation can be standardized (i.e., fire debris analysis and toxicology), utmost care should be taken to minimize the possible interferents and maximize the analyte concentration to meet the analytical requirements. In this article, we discuss the nature and the types of forensic samples of interest, and recent developments and innovations in micro-sample preparation techniques in different disciplines within forensic science. We also discuss the future outlook of forensic sample preparation. a 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Past as a Public Good

At least since Adam Smith’s time, economists have acknowledged the benefits associated with specialization within the academy and within economics. Notwithstanding this appreciation, they fail to appreciate the benefits associated with knowing their past. The costs of walking away from that past in economics have been substantial and have been substantially underappreciated. This paper makes a case for studying, learning and teaching our past in economics, for reuniting economics with its more literary, historical and philosophical roots. It makes the case for specialization and then trade— trade amongst economists and amongst disciplines. Indeed, colleagues in political theory, American studies, literature and so on with an interest in markets and incentives, and economists have a great deal to talk about together. Economists have a place in those conversations and they have too readily ceded that place. In their absence, others have stepped up to read, write and teach about the past of economics. That has not always been good for economics as a discipline or perhaps more significantly for the world of policy-making. It is well known that economics became much more technical in the last three decades. In so doing it crowded out more historically inclined courses and analyses such as the history of the discipline, economic history, history of financial institutions, or development economics, the sorts of analyses that Austrian economists, constitutional political economists or historians of economics use. Debates then began about the usefulness (or not) of the history of economic thought and the right “place” for its study. Some argued for history of economics to be located in history and philosophy of science departments. Others simply took the position that history (of the discipline) was unnecessary; since economics progressed from wrong to right ideas, the study of old (wrong) ideas served no useful purpose. The history of the discipline subsequently declined precipitously as subject matter for graduate programs. 1 This was very much a market-driven response to developments in economics training. For Ph.D. candidates to obtain employment, they needed to be technically trained, so soon there was little room in the curriculum for anything else. A consequence of these developments is that the private returns to specializing in the history of the discipline are now quite low in economics. The public returns—the returns within the academy and for society at large—are, however, much higher than the private. As we in economics say, the past is a public good. All can consume a “history” (whether a correct one or not) once a “history” is published. Public goods are characteristically under-provided by the market. As Levy and Peart have argued, this may be especially true for the past of economics. What has been the cost of under-provision? Levy and Peart argue that the cost is larger than once thought. The paper next presents three examples of how the past has been badly misconstrued in the absence of good historical analysis within economics.
Differences in Novice and Experienced Driver Response to Lane Departure Warnings that Provide Active Intervention

It is widely known that young drivers are over-represented in the crash data for reasons such as risk perception and acceptance, age, gender, experience, exposure, and social contexts. The current mitigations implemented to address this issue consist mainly of graduated driver's licenses and parental involvement programs. However, as technology begins to find its way into transportation in the form of advanced driver assistance systems, there is a need to understand whether these technologies will be a benefit or a detriment to young novice drivers. This effort investigates the reactions of young novice drivers to a control intervention lane departure warning. The results show less urgent reactions to the warning from novice drivers compared to the older more experienced drivers tested. Young novice males were found to have degraded performance compared to their novice female peers as well as older more experienced male drivers. This study provides useful insights concerning the necessary investigations of effects of advanced driver assistance systems on young novice drivers and the associated young driver safety epidemic. Language: en
Growth factor treatment of demyelinating disease: at last, a leap into the light

Researchers seeking treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) have long dreamed of using neurotrophic factors to enhance remyelination. Previous attempts to apply trophic support for oligodendrocytes in experimental demyelination uniformly produced complicated outcomes that reflected unexpected effects on immune or inflammatory responses and could be interpreted only with caution. Now, two recent publications have demonstrated convincingly that cytokines of the interleukin (IL)-6 superfamily can ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and promote oligodendrocyte survival, without demonstrable effect on inflammation or immune responses.
Palmoplantar eccrine hidradenitis induced by subacute cold injury: the same entity as childhood pernio?1

A 12-year-old healthy female added on urgently to clinic for red, painful feet. Three days prior she developed fever, myalgias, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and painful red bumps on the feet. All symptoms resolved after two days except foot pain, which progressed. The patient complained of burning, aching foot pain with severe TTP and inability to walk. In the past three weeks she had ridden her horse into a cold river on numerous occasions, most recently two days before her skin eruption. She had no prior history of skin disease. Examination revealed swollen, shiny, tense plantar skin bilaterally with numerous ill-defined bluish-red exquisitely tender nodules and macules on the plantar surfaces and sides of her feet. There was a suggestion of blanching around the lesions. The exam was otherwise normal.
Religion in the Legislative Arena: Affiliation, Salience, Advocacy, and Public Policymaking

Religion is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that informs politics in various ways. This article examines the effects of religious affiliation, religious salience, and religious group advocacy on roll-call voting in the Wisconsin state legislature. Various studies have demonstrated the impact of religious affiliation on legislative politics, but our use of additional religious indicators allows us to model the religious effect in a more accurate and nuanced manner. Using data from an original survey of state legislators, we utilized structural equation modeling to measure the direct and indirect effects of these religious factors on both the general pattern of roll-call voting and voting on a high-salience issue, abortion. Ultimately, the findings indicate that, even when we control for political party affiliation, which is a dominant influence on roll-call voting, conservative Protestant religious affiliation and high religious salience influence legislative voting. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for future studies of religion in the legislative arena.
Decent Democratic Centralism

Are there any coherent and defensible alternatives to liberal democracy? The author examines the possibility that a reformed democratic centralism—the principle around which China’s current polity is officially organized—might be legitimate, according to both an inside and an outside perspective. The inside perspective builds on contemporary Chinese political theory; the outside perspective critically deploys Rawls’s notion of a “decent society” as its standard. Along the way, the author pays particular attention to the kinds and degree of pluralism a decent society can countenance, and to the specific institutions in China that might enable the realization of a genuine and/or decent democratic centralism. The author argues that by considering both inside and outside perspectives, and the degrees to which they inter-penetrate and critically inform one another, we can engage in a global philosophy that neither pre-judges alternative political traditions nor falls prey to false conceptual barriers.
Analysis of the interactions of human ribonuclease inhibitor with angiogenin and ribonuclease A by mutagenesis: importance of inhibitor residues inside versus outside the C-terminal "hot spot".

Ribonuclease inhibitor (RI) binds diverse mammalian RNases with extraordinary avidity. Here, we have investigated the structural basis for this tight binding and broad specificity by mutational analysis of the complexes of RI with angiogenin (Ang) and RNase A (KD=0.5 fM and 43 fM, respectively). Both crystal structures are known; the interfaces are large, and the ligands dock similarly, although few of the specific interactions formed are analogous. Our previous mutagenesis studies focused primarily on one contact region, containing RI 434–438 and the enzymatic active site. Many single-residue replacements produced extensive losses of binding energy (2.3–5.9 kcal/mol), suggesting that this region constitutes a “hot spot” in both cases. We have now explored the roles of most of the remaining RI residues that interact with Ang and/or RNase A. One major cluster in each complex lies in a Trp-rich area of RI, containing Trp261, Trp263, Trp318, and Trp375. Although the energy losses from individual replacements in this portion of the Ang complex were small-to-moderate (0–1.5 kcal/mol), the changes from multiple substitutions were much greater than additive, and the binding energy provided by this region is estimated to be ∼6 kcal/mol (30 % of total). Effects of replacing combinations of hot spot components had also been found to be superadditive, and this negative cooperativity is now shown to extend to the neighboring contact residue RI Ser460. The overall contribution of the hot spot, taking superadditivity into account, is then ∼14–15 kcal/mol. The hot spot and Trp-rich regions, although spatially well separated, are themselves functionally linked. No other parts of the RI-Ang interface appear to be energetically important. Binding of RNase A is more sensitive to substitutions throughout the interface, with free energy losses⩾1 kcal/mol produced by nearly all replacements examined, so that the sum of losses greatly exceeds the binding energy of the complex. This discrepancy can be explained, in part, by positive cooperativity, as evident from the subadditive effects observed when combinations of residues in either the hot spot or Trp-rich region are replaced. These findings suggest that the binding energy may be more widely distributed in the RNase A complex than in the Ang complex.
Mass transfer from large single bubbles at high reynolds numbers

Single bubbles of carbon dioxide were formed in a fixed position surrounded by a thin conical film of water flowing at average film Reynolds numbers in the range of 40 to 300. Measurements of interphase mass transfer at 32°C. and various bubble pressures agreed with predicted values only for the smallest bubbles. For larger bubbles, mixing perpendicular to the bubble interface was enhanced by waves, believed to be generated by the unstable interface. A comparison of interphase transfer coefficients between this investigation and previous work indicated that the bubbles at the lowest flow rates qualitatively fell in line with other measurements, but that the highest water flow rates gave distinctly higher coefficients.