cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical and pharmacological experience with LJP-394.

LJP-394 is a synthetic biological with immunomodulatory functions. Composed of four double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides attached to a central branched platform, the drug acts as an anti-‘anti-ds-DNA’ B-cell toleragen by rendering specific B-lymphocytes unresponsive to immunogen so they do not produce autoantibodies. Extensive animal studies and Phase II clinical trials suggested that the effects of LJP-394 are effective and safe when used as a weekly dose of 100 mg intravenously. Analysis of a multicentre, international Phase II/III clinical trial showed that patients with lupus nephritis and high affinity IgG antibodies to LJP-394 have clinical benefits. This includes increased time to renal flares, reduced number of renal flares, time to institution of high-dose corticosteroids and/or cyclophosphamide and lower anti-ds-DNA levels. A definitive trial is in progress. LJP-394 appears to be free of serious adverse reactions. Though promising, the role of LJP-394 in patients with active, organ-threatening ...
Alteration of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of recombinant hirudin (rHV2-Lys 47) after repeated intravenous administration in dogs

Abstract Native hirudin is a heterogenous polypeptide obtained from the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis. Recent advances in molecular biological techniques have led to the availability of large amounts of hirudin in the recombinant form. Recombinant hirudins (rH) are currently being investigated for potential use in the prophylaxis and treatment of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and during cardiovascular bypass surgery. In this study, one specific variant of rH with a lysine residue in position 47 (rHV2-Lys 47) was administered in dogs in a multiple dose regimen of 2 mg/kg (i.v. bolus) for three weeks with a dosing interval of one week. After each dose, blood samples were collected at regular time intervals, plasma separated and stored at −4°C. Concentrations of rHV2-Lys 47 in each sample were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Ex vivo antithrombin responses measured included activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), calcium-thrombin time (Ca++TT-10 NIH units/ml) and a chromogenic anti-IIa assay. It was the purpose of this study to detect any sensitization or desensitization of antithrombin responses when rHV2-Lys 47 is used in a repeated fashion such as would be expected in the prophylaxis of DVT. The results indicated that there was no attenuation in the responses; however, there was a sensitization of response as measured by the Ca++TT (10 NIH units/ml). These findings could have major implications in the clinical use of rH where this drug is expected to be used in a multiple dose regimen.
The Nixon Presidency : Power and Politics in Turbulent Times

Preface The Making of Richard Nixon Nixon in the White House Economic, Domestic, and Social Policy Foreign and Defense Policy Watergate and the Collapse of the Nixon Presidency Conclusion: The Nixon Legacy Bibliography Index
Economies of scale in advertising

In this article a flexible quadratic model is used to generate sales elasticity estimates for own advertising, competitor advertising and media concentration. On the basis of these estimates, moderate and declining economies of scale in advertising are indicated for firms at the highest end of the advertising per firm distribution. No advertising economies, however, are obvious for the levels of advertising common across the broad spectrum of US industry. Thus, any competitive harm due to economies of scale in advertising would seem quite minor.
Individual responsibility in a global age

As the twentieth century begins to draw to a close, Europe is undergoing a process of political transformation whose outcome cannot be predicted with confidence, in part because the process is being driven by two powerful but conflicting tendencies. The first is the movement toward greater economic and political union among the countries of Western Europe. The second is the pressure, in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union, for the countries of Eastern Europe to fragment along ethnic and communal lines.
Legislative accountability in a semi-presidential system: Analysis of the single-member district elections to the Russian state Duma

The central proposition of modern democratic theory is that repeated elections function as a mechanism of accountability. The underlying logic behind this claim is simple: if politicians want to be...
Microscopy and microindentation mechanics of single crystal Fe−3 wt. % Si: Part II. TEM of the indentation plastic zone

Direct observations of dislocation arrangements about a range of microindentations into the [100] face of an Fe−3 wt. % Si single crystal have been accomplished. Dislocations of both large loop character initiated from the indenter and small loop character initiated as secondary reactions are found. Analysis of these allows the various contributions to the plastic strain gradient around the indentation to be assessed, with the experimental observations being reasonably consistent with continuum models.
Alignment additivity in the two-quasiparticle superdeformed bands of 192Tl.

Four superdeformed bands have been confirmed in {sup 192}Tl. Two of these bands have I{sup (2)} dynamic moments of inertia which are nearly constant with rotational frequency {h_bar}{omega}. The other two bands show the characteristic rise of I{sup (2)} with increasing {h_bar}{omega} seen in most superdeformed bands of the {ital A} = 190 region of superdeformation. From comparisons with the odd-{ital A} neighbors, it was found that the alignments of these bands relative to a {sup 192}Hg core can be accounted for from the additive contributions of the assigned quasiproton and quasineutron orbitals. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Perception and Politics in Intelligence Assessment: U.S. Estimates of the Soviet and “Rogue-State” Nuclear Threats

United States estimates of Soviet nuclear goals and capabilities and the current “rogue-state” nuclear threat reflected prevailing beliefs about threat within the U.S. government and the relative influence of agencies charged with threat assessment. This article establishes that the patterns in formal Soviet threat assessment: (i) did not reflect a uniform response to “external threat,” (ii) were inevitably tied to underlying assumptions about adversary intent, and (iii) were susceptible then to perceptual, organizational, and/or political influences within government. Thus, threat assessments reflected the optimism and pessimism—and political interests and ideologies—of those who participated in the estimating process. The article concludes by examining these lessons in light of the experiences and challenges of assessing threat from small states harboring nuclear ambitions.
A finite element solution to a general two-dimensional nonsymmetric parabolic partial differential equation

Abstract A general solution for a two-dimensional nonsymmetric parabolic partial differential equation is obtained using the Galerkin method in which the weighting function is taken equal to the shape function defining the dependent variable approximation. The solution domain was divided into finite elements having space-time coordinates. The solution technique was applied to the motion of dissolved constituents in groundwater flow. The results are compared with the analytical and a finite-difference solution to the same problem. The finite element results compared extremely well with the analytical solution and did not display the numerical dispersion problems that occur in the finite difference solution.
NOTE New Upper Bounds for a Canonical Ramsey Problem

(l,k) be the minimum n with the property that every coloring \(\) yields either \(\) with \(\), or \(\) with \(\) all distinct. We prove that if \(\), then \(\) as \(\). This supports the conjecture of Lefmann, Rodl, and Thomas that \(\).
A Novel Surface Reconstruction Framework From 3D Contours

In many applications, such as computer vision, medical imaging, scene forming, and motion animation, surface data is available in the form of two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) contours. Reconstruction of the surface integrates this information into a three-dimensional format. A good surface reconstruction framework must be able to include the surface characteristics inherited in the local structures of the contours. In order to achieve this goal, we have developed a novel surface reconstruction framework which consists of the formulation and solution of three separate sub-problems: (0 contour segmentation; (ii) matching of segments on adjoining contours; (iii) creation of parametric surface patches for joining matched pairs of segments on adjoining contours. New techniques for the solution of the first two subproblems were described in proceeding papers. In the present paper, we discuss a new method for surface patch formation by blending curve segments using spline and sinc blending functions. These blending functions interpolate simultaneously several segments and are chosen such that the boundary conditions are satisfied, and the shape of a segment is propagated along the surface beyond neighboring segments.
Work and family in the 1990s

This review highlights four themes emerging from the work and family literature of the 1990s. The first theme evolves from the historical legacy of the maternal employment literature with its focus on children's well-being. The second theme, work socialization, is based on the premise that occupational conditions, such as autonomy and complexity, shape the values of workers who in turn generalize these lessons off the job. Research on work stress, the third theme, explores how experiences of short- and long-term stress at work make their mark on workers' behavior and well-being off the job. Finally, the multiple roles literature focuses on how individuals balance roles, such as parent, spouse, and worker, and the consequences for health and family relationships. In addition to these four major themes, advances in work and family policy initiatives over the past decade are discussed. Suggestions for future research focus on addressing issues of causality, attending to the complexity of social contexts, linking research to policy, and developing interdisciplinary theories and research designs.
Influence of chemical structures on low-temperature rheology, oxidative stability, and physical properties of group II and III base oils

The effect of base oil composition on lubricant properties has been studied to better understand low-temperature rheology, oxidative stability, and other physical properties. A simple approach has been adopted using low-temperature rheology to develop a multi-linear regression model to estimate Brookfield viscosity. Six base oils from API groups II and III were studied using different nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods. One method involved determination of average structural parameters from quantitative 13C NMR data, while the other method involved measurement of spin−lattice relaxation times at variable temperatures. The structural information obtained from these two methods was used to develop meaningful correlations for low-temperature, oxidative, and physical properties of these base oils. The study suggests that a deeper knowledge of chemical composition will help in selecting base oils to meet future product specifications.
Personal Motivation, Exercise, and Smoking Behaviors Among Young Adults

This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of change for exercise. The authors compared physically active nonsmokers with physically active smokers in a college student population. Half of regular exercisers identified themselves as smokers. Compared with their nonsmoking peers, young smokers have higher rates of physical and emotional distress. Those participants who exercise and do not smoke are more likely to exhibit intrinsic factors for exercise. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 614) completed an Internet survey on exercise and smoking behavior as well as motivational factors for exercise. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that intrinsic motivational factors for exercise were significantly higher for the active nonsmokers than for the active smokers. Interventions promoting consistent exercise and smoking abstinence should continue to be directed toward young adults, focusing on fostering intrinsic motivational factors for exercise.
ADIABATIC DEMAGNETIZATION WITH YTTRIUM-RARE EARTH ALLOYS

Alloys of yttrium with 0.3 and 1.0 atomic percent gadolinium, 1.0 at.% dysprosium, and 0.6 and 1.0 at.% holmium have been investigated to determine their usefulness as the working substance for adiabatic demagnetization. In addition, single crystals of 0.6 and 1.0 at.% holmium-yttrium alloys were studied. Those alloys which exhibited paramagnetic susceptibility behavior in the temperature range 1.2-4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K were demagnetized adiabatically from about 11 koe and 1.25\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The lowest temperature attained was 0.76\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K for the single crystal of 1.0 at.% holmium with the magnetic field parallel to the $a$ axis of the hexagonal crystal. Magnetization measurements obtained for the single crystals in the temperature range 1.2-4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K indicated strong anisotropy with the $a$ axis as the easy axis of magnetization. Hysteresis was observed in the magnetization of the 1.0 at.% holmium single crystal with the $a$ axis parallel to the field. Entropy removal during magnetization was calculated from the magnetization data for the single crystals and found to be only about 15% of that expected if the alloy behaved like an ideal paramagnetic substance.
Downtown branding as an engine of downtown business success in small communities

This study examined the congruence of responses of downtown business owners with three downtown branding components: image, vision and culture, and tested whether congruence was a significant predictor of perceived downtown performance and individual business performance. Stepwise regression results indicated that congruence with downtown image, vision and culture positively predicts business owners’ perception of downtown performance. Congruence with downtown culture was the only significant predictor for business performance. Positive downtown branding impacts were greater for the downtown performance than individual business performance. Findings suggest that ‘branding the downtown’ can be an effective tool for assisting downtown businesses.
Expression and subcellular distribution of mouse cytochrome P1-450 mRNA as determined by molecular hybridization with cloned P1-450 DNA.

Abstract Cytochrome P1-450 (P1-450) is defined as that cytochrome most closely associated with 3-methylcholanthrene (MC)-induced aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity. Recently a cloned DNA sequence (clone 46) was shown to represent a portion of the P1-450 structural gene [Negishi et al. , Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78 : 800–804 (1981)]. Poly(A+)-enriched RNA was isolated from total liver homogenate, membrane-bound polysomes and from free polysomes at various times after MC treatment of Ah -responsive C57BL 6N (B6) and Ah -nonresponsive DBA 2N (D2) inbred mice. The poly(A+)-enriched RNA was separated by methylmercury-agarose gel electrophoresis and hybridized to nick-translated [32P]DNA from clone 46. By means of this RNA-DNA hybridization, only 6% of total polysomal P1-450 mRNA exists in free polysomes after 24 h of MC treatment. The data indicate that the endoplasmic reticulum is the principal site of synthesis for this integral microsomal protein. Studies of induction kinetics following MC treatment provided the evidence of the rapid increase of total liver and membrane bound P1-450 mRNA preceding the synthesis of apo-P1-450 and the increase of AHH activity.
Ray Rappaport chronology: Twenty-five years of seminal papers on cytokinesis in the Journal of Experimental Zoology.

Between 1960 and 1993 Ray Rappaport (Fig. 1) published a series of seminal articles in the Journal of Experimental Zoology that defined the fundamental rules for how the mitotic apparatus determines the position of the cleavage furrow. This lasting achievement is recognized in every cell biology textbook and his story is told in every cell biology class. His legendary experiments remain fresh and his papers still make exciting reading. This appeal comes in part from Ray’s gift as a storyteller, but it’s mainly the events in these riveting stories that hold one’s attention. The work is so important that his strategies and ideas strongly influence current research on cell division. We still debate the meaning of his experiments. This remarkable accomplishment was achieved in a manner that has been all but lost in contemporary biological research. Ray did virtually all of his experiments with his own two hands during summers at the Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Salisbury Cove Maine. During the rest of the year he taught at Union College in Schenectady New York. The Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory is a rustic collection of wooden buildings, a world apart from the pretentious palaces designed by signature architects that house many biological research labs today. Ray’s equipment was as modest as the lab in Maine. It consisted of a Unitron inverted microscope, a deFonbrune microforge, a dissecting microscope, micromanipulators, a simple centrifuge, and various observation chambers that he fabricated himself from materials available at a hardware store. Ray used a rowboat to collect sand dollars from the local waters for his experiments. He never used an electron microscope or a fluorescence microscope. The work was done without large research grants, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or research assistants. A couple of undergraduates helped with two early papers. Ray’s wife Barbara was a constant source of support, helped with writing, and co-authored some later papers. Although Ray never worked with a gene, protein, or antibody, he defined the rules for how the mitotic apparatus stimulates the cortex to form a furrow. He showed that the asters of the mitotic spindle are the source of this positive signal (at least in echinoderm eggs), measured the rate that the stimulus moves from the mitotic asters to the cortex, identified the time required for the stimulus to make a lasting impression on the cortex, and discovered a latent period between receipt of the signal and the formation of a visible
Incoherent control of photodissociation pathways in I2- cluster ions

Detailed time-resolved photodissociation and caging dynamics are reported for an I2(OCS)11 model system. The observed product channel-dependent nuclear coherence in the dissociated chromophore reflects complex dynamics of the solvent cage. The evolving pump-probe product distribution offers the possibility of incoherent control of two-photon dissociation pathways by appropriately delaying the probe laser pulse. As an example of such control, I2(OCS2 is produced most effectively by a limited set of pump-probe excitations. We emphasize generality of these results that relate to caging dynamics in nay cluster ions.
Applying a Sociocultural Approach to Vygotskian Academia: `Our Tsar Isn't Like Yours, and Yours Isn't Like Ours':

A Vygotskian approach to education and psychology involves attention to culture, history, society, and institutions that shape educational and psychological processes. Yet, Vygotskian academia itse...
The hepatitis C virus core protein can modulate RNA-dependent RNA synthesis by the 2a polymerase.

Abstract RNA replication enzymes are multi-subunit protein complexes whose activity can be modulated by other viral and cellular factors. For genotype 1b Hepatitis C virus (HCV), the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) subunit of the replicase, NS5B, has been reported to interact with the HCV Core protein to decrease RNA synthesis ( Kang et al., 2009 ). Here we used a cell-based assay for RNA synthesis to examine the Core–NS5B interaction of genotype 2a HCV. Unlike the 1b NS5B, the activity of the 2a NS5B was stimulated by the Core protein. Using the bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay, the 2a Core co-localized with 2a NS5B when they were transiently expressed in cells. The two proteins can form a co-immunoprecipitable complex. Deletion analysis showed that the N-terminal 75 residues of 2a Core were required to contact 2a NS5B to modulate its activity. The C-terminal transmembrane helix of 2a NS5B also contributes to the interaction with the 2a Core. To determine the basis for the differential effects of the Core–RdRp interaction, we found that the 2a RdRp activity was enhanced by both the 1b Core and 2a Core. However, the 1b NS5B activity was slightly inhibited by either Core protein. The replication of the 2a JFH-1 replicon was increased by co-expressed 2a Core while the genotype 1b Con1 replicon was not significantly affected by the corresponding Core. Mutations in 2a NS5B that affected the closed RdRp structure were found to be less responsive to 2a Core. Finally, we determined that RNA synthesis by the RdRps from genotypes 2a, 3a and 4a HCV were increased by the Core proteins from HCV of genotypes 1–4. These results reveal another difference between RNA syntheses by the different genotype RdRps and add additional examples of a viral structural protein regulating viral RNA synthesis.
Educational Requirements for Management Level Positions in Major Retail Organizations

The purpose of this study was to determine the qualifications and academic preparation necessary to succeed in management careers in retailing, and also to determine if these requirements differ according to type of retailing format. The results of the study are based on a survey of the largest U.S. department store, specialty store, and discount store retailers (n = 285). An analysis of response frequencies indicated that managerial skills are most important to retailers. Few differences existed among responding stores when data were analyzed according to the type of retailing format or the type of merchandise sold using the Pearson Chi-square (p < .05). The results are important for college programs that prepare undergraduates for retailing careers and are useful for assessing the relevance of course offerings to current industry expectations.
An experimental investigation of the impact of domain complexity on knowledge acquisition (KA) methods

This paper experimentally examines the effects of domain complexity on the quality of knowledge acquired and the efficiency with which knowledge acquisition (KA) is accomplished. The experiment is performed using two of the most prominent KA methods: unstructured interviews and protocol analysis. One contribution of the research is that it employs an experimental strategy that pays particular attention to addressing problematic issues of measurement and control. The experimental results indicate that domain complexity strongly influences the quality of knowledge acquired when protocol analysis is used for KA. While finding the other hypotheses to be inconclusive, some interesting trends were also identified regarding the quality and efficiency of knowledge acquisition methods.
Environmental, health, and safety effects of engineered nanomaterials: challenges and research needs

ABSTRACT The number of technologies and consumer products that incorporate engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) has grown rapidly. Indeed, ENMs such as carbon nanotubes and nano-silver, are revolutionizing many commercial technologies and have already been incorporated into more than 800 commercial products, including polymer composites, cell phone batteries, sporting equipment and cosmetics. The global market for ENMs has grown steadily from $7.5 billion in 2003 to $12.7 billion in 2008. Over the next five years, their market value is expected to exceed $27 billion. This surge in demand has been responsible for a corresponding increase in the annual production rates of ENMs. For example, Bayer anticipates that single and multi-walle d carbon nanotubes (SWNT a nd MWNT) production rates will reach 3,000 tons/yr by 2012. Inevitably, some of these synthetic materials will enter the environment either from incidental release during manufacture and transport, or following use and disposal. Consequently, intense scientific research is now being directed towards understanding the environmental, health and safety (EHS) risks posed by ENMs. I will highlight some of the key research challenges and needs in this area, include (i) developing structure-property relationships that will enable physicochemical properties of ENMs to be correlated with environmentally releva nt behavior (e.g. colloidal properties, toxicity), (ii) determining the behavior of nanoproducts, and (iii) developing anal ytical techniques capable of detecting and quantifying the concentration of ENMs in the environment. Keywords: Engineered nanomaterials, health, environment, surface chemistry, car bon nanotubes, nano-Ag, structure-property relationships, nanoproducts, release rates, detection
Intersubband optical absorption in a quantum well with an applied electric field.

We present new results for the electric field dependence of the intersubband optical absorption within the conduction band of a quantum well. We show that for increasing electric field the absorption peak corresponding to the transition of states 1\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2 is shifted higher in energy and the peak amplitude is increased. These features are different from those of the exciton absorption. It is also found that the transition 1\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3, forbidden when F=0, is possible when F is nonzero.
Apparatus and procedure to measure binary total pressure at high temperature fluorene-phenanthrene vapor-liquid equilibria and data reduction by the four-suffix margules model to obtain infinite-dilution activity coefficients

Abstract Infinite-dilution fugacity coefficients were obtained for the binary fluorene—phenanthrene system at thirteen temperatures by fitting total pressure across the entire mole fraction range using a computer routine. The four-suffix Margules activity coefficient model, that allows for both positive and negative experimentally observed pressure deviations from the ideal values, was used to correlate data over the full mole fraction range from 0 to 1 by a thermodynamically consistent routine. Samples were well degassed by essentially total sample reflux under sustained vacuum prior to attachment to the vapor pressure apparatus.
Substitution of Redox Chemicals for Radiation in Phytochrome-Mediated Photomorphogenesis1

The reducing agents, potassium ferrocyanide, β-mercaptoethylamine, cysteine, reduced DPN, ferrous sulfate, methyl viologen and ascorbic acid caused the expansion in darkness of disks of primary leaf tissue cut from dark-grown bean plants. The reducing agents interacted synergistically with low irradiances of red radiation and additively with high irradiance of red light. Exposure of disks treated with reducing agents to far red light repressed disk expansion and the decay in sensitivity to far red radiation showed the same time relations as sequential exposure to red and far red radiation. The oxidizing agents, 1,4-naphthoquinone, ferric sulfate, hydrogen peroxide, t -butyl hydroperoxide, cystine, and potassium ferricyanide repressed the expansion of leaf disks initiated by exposure to red radiation. The oxidizing agents interacted synergistically with low irradiances of far red light and additively with irradiances of far red light.
Nanomaterials enhance osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells similar to a short peptide of BMP-7.

Background Nanomaterials have unique advantages in controlling stem cell function due to their biomimetic characteristics and special biological and mechanical properties. Controlling adhesion and differentiation of stem cells is critical for tissue regeneration.
Jumping Mechanography: A Potential Tool for Sarcopenia Evaluation in Older Individuals

Muscular function declines with advancing age and is associated with increased risk for falls and fragility fractures. No single methodology ideally quantitatively evaluates this decline. Jumping mechanography (JM) may prove useful to quantitatively measure muscular function in older adults. This study begins to evaluate the safety of JM and the relationship of jump power and lean mass in older adults. Eighty adults, 40 aged 20e30 yr and 40 aged 60 yr or older, distributed equally by gender, participated. They performed countermovement jumps to assess jump power and height. Self-reported pain before and after jumping and need for assistance was recorded. In the older group, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure bone mineral density, to estimate lean body mass, and to determine vertebral fracture status. Jumping was well tolerated without injury or increased pain. No new vertebral fractures occurred with jumping in the older group. Young individuals had greater jump power and height compared with the older group. Older age was negatively correlated, whereas lean mass positively correlated with jump power and height. JM appears to be a safe and potentially useful method to assess muscular function in older adults.
Experimental tests of a theoretical method for predicting light scattering by aggregates

A recent method for predicting light scattering by random aggregates of particles is experimentally examined. This approximate method is here tested in terms of its ability to predict the effects of aggregation of latex spheres of five different sizes on nine different transmitted and scattered light fluxes. In each case two degrees of aggregation were used. For an aggregated sample, each photometric quantity was measured and compared to its counterpart for an unaggregated one. The degrees of aggregation of the samples were estimated microscopically. These data were used with the method to calculate theoretical photometric effects of aggregation. The predictions are found to agree approximately with experimental findings. The results support the method.
HYDROXYLATION OF TRYPTOPHAN BY BRAIN TISSUE IN VIVO AND RELATED ASPECTS OF 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE METABOLISM.

Abstract As an evidence for the hydroxylation of l -tryptophan (Try) to 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) in the brain, it was demonstrated that intracerebrally injected (14C)- l -Try led to the appearance of (14C)-5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the brains of pigeons and rats. Under identical conditions, the injection of the d -isomer did not give labeled 5-HT, but it decreased the 5-HT level in the brain. Intraperitoneal injection of(14C)-Try in amounts equal to or 17 times larger than those injected i.e. did not lead to the appearance of labeled 5-HT in the central nervous system. Identification of label in 5-HT was proved by column, paper chromatography, enzymatic conversion to 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and by recovery of (14C)-5-HT from its picrate salt. Results of the studies of the efflux and turnover of Try, 5-HTP, and 5-HT are also presented.
Microcracking behavior of monoclinic GD2O3

Abstract Young's modulus versus temperature measurements were made for ten Gd2O3 specimens ranging in grain size from 15 to 40 μm. The Young's modulus versus temperature curve for each specimen exhibited hysteresis and, upon cooling, the curves departed from the expected linear behavior at some temperature (TMB) above room temperature; thus, each specimen apparently microcracked. The TMB and grain size (GS) data fit the relation T MB = − C(GS) − 1 2 + T 0 relatively well. The critical grain size of monoclinic Gd2O3 was estimated to be approximately 14 μm, in agreement with experimental determination.
Summarizing the Evidence on the International Trade in Illegal Wildlife

The global trade in illegal wildlife is a multi-billion dollar industry that threatens biodiversity and acts as a potential avenue for invasive species and disease spread. Despite the broad-sweeping implications of illegal wildlife sales, scientists have yet to describe the scope and scale of the trade. Here, we provide the most thorough and current description of the illegal wildlife trade using 12 years of seizure records compiled by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. These records comprise 967 seizures including massive quantities of ivory, tiger skins, live reptiles, and other endangered wildlife and wildlife products. Most seizures originate in Southeast Asia, a recently identified hotspot for future emerging infectious diseases. To date, regulation and enforcement have been insufficient to effectively control the global trade in illegal wildlife at national and international scales. Effective control will require a multi-pronged approach including community-scale education and empowering local people to value wildlife, coordinated international regulation, and a greater allocation of national resources to on-the-ground enforcement.
A Level Specific Prediction of Spans of Control Examining the Effects of Size, Technology, and Specialization

This paper develops and tests a model which states in level specific fashion the effects that size, routineness, and the number of different specialties have on the span of control. The number of s...
Influence of Asymmetric Hot Rolling on Microstructures of Vessel Steel

The symmetric/asymmetric hot rolling experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of shear deformation on microstructure of vessel steel by using electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) and field emission transmission electron microscope. The study shows that gradient distribution grain size through the thickness is formed in asymmetric rolled specimen. The grain size in surface is smaller than the one in center. The grain distribution is homogeneous in symmetric rolled specimen. The grain in asymmetric rolled specimen is smaller than the one in symmetric rolled specimen in the same thickness position. The precipitate particles morphology are random precipitate and interphase precipitate in symmetric and asymmetric rolled specimen. The precipitate particles tend to nucleate and grow in the grain in symmetric rolled specimen. The precipitate particles located in grain boundary are observed in asymmetric rolled specimen.
Design and VLSI implementation of an address generation coprocessor

Most applications of general purpose VLSI processors are developed using high level languages. In these languages, information is generally handled in a structured form. Compilers generate a considerable amount of code to navigate through the data structures and considerable processing time is spent performing address calculations required to access the data structures. An alternative to software address generation, a hardware memory reconfiguring unit or an address generation coprocessor is presented. To demonstrate the VLSI feasibility of the designed device, it is implemented in VLSI using the Octtool suite of tools. The tools used and the implementation procedure are described. VLSI design aspects such as regularity, modularity, scalability, etc. are discussed. The performance of the device is evaluated using assembly language programs that implement popular signal processing algorithms such as convolution, correlation, FFT and matrix multiplication. A system with the address generation unit exhibits a speed up of between approximately 1.5 and 2.5.
The nature of worry in generalized anxiety disorder : a predominance of thought activity

Abstract Indirect evidence suggests that worry primarily involves thought, rather than imaginal, activity, a distinction within cognitive process that is potentially crucial to some theories of anxiety maintenance and modification. The present study constrasted the frequencies of reporting the presence of thoughts and images among generalized anxiety disorder clients and matched, nonanxious control subjects during a self-relaxation period and a worry period. Repetition of the assessment was conducted with clients after they completed 12 sessions of therapy. Sampling of mentation during these periods revealed that (a) during relaxation, nonanxious subjects reported a predominance of imagery whereas clients show equal amounts of thought and imagery, (b) nonanxious subjects shifted to a predominance of thought during worry, and (c) clients showed a normalization of thought and image frequencies after successful therapy. This combination of results suggests that worry is principally thought-like in content. The speculation is offered that worry may function as motivated avoidance of emotional imagery and its attendant somatic sensations.
Comparison results for related properly and improperly posed Cauchy problems for second-order operator equations

Solutions of Cauchy problems for certain classes of second-order operator equations are compared with solutions of associated perturbed equations. Neither the original problem nor the perturbed problem is required to be well posed in the sense of Hadamard. The logarithmic convexity method is used to derive Ho¨lder stability inequalities relating solutions of the perturbed and unperturbed problems in a suitably chosen measure. A special case is treated in order to indicate how certain data assumptions and requirements on the solutions can be relaxed as well as to demonstrate the applicability of these results to physical models.
Library-free methylation sequencing with bisulfite padlock probes

Targeted quantification of DNA methylation allows for interrogation of the most informative loci across many samples quickly and cost-effectively. Here we report improved bisulfite padlock probes (BSPPs) with a design algorithm to generate efficient padlock probes, a library-free protocol that dramatically reduces sample-preparation cost and time and is compatible with automation, and an efficient bioinformatics pipeline to accurately obtain both methylation levels and genotypes from sequencing of bisulfite-converted DNA.
blood cholinesterase inhibition after dermal absorption of two organophosphorus agents.

Abstract The rate of whole-blood cholinesterase inhibition as a result of the dermal absorption of Trithion and Methyl Trithion has been studied over a 6-hour posttreatment period in the anesthetized rat. The linear regressions of mean values of delta pH plotted against time indicate that the rate of drop in cholinesterase activity is virtually identical for the two agents, despite wide differences in acute oral toxicities (6.7 times).
Collective modes in colour superconducting matter

The properties of plasmons, Nambu–Goldstone bosons and gapless Carlson–Goldman collective modes in colour–flavour locked phase of colour superconducting dense quark matter at finite temperature are reviewed. A possibility of a kaon condensation with an abnormal number of NG bosons is also discussed.
Bayesian-logit model for risk assessment in coronary artery bypass grafting

Predictive models for the assessment of operative risk using patient risk factors have gained popularity in the medical community as an important tool for the adjustment of surgical outcome. The Bayes' theorem model is among the various models used to predict mortality among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting procedures. Comparative studies of the various classic statistical techniques, such as logistic regression, cluster of variables followed by a logistic regression, a subjectively created sickness score, classification trees model, and the Bayes' theorem model, have shown that the Bayes' model is among those with the highest predictive power. In this study, the Bayes' theorem model is reformulated as a logistic equation and extended to include qualitative and quantitative risk factors. We show that the resulting model, the Bayesian-logit model, is a mixture of logistic regression and linear discriminant analysis. This new model can be created easily without complex computer programs. Using 12,712 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting procedures at the Department of Veterans Affairs Continuous Improvement in Cardiac Surgery Study between April 1987 and March 1990, the predictive power of the Bayesian-logit model is compared with the Bayes' theorem model, logistic regression, and discriminant analysis. The ability of the Bayesian-logit model to discriminate between operative deaths and operative survivors is comparable with that of logistic regression and discriminant analysis.
Selecting expert system frameworks within the Bayesian theory

Because of the impact that the choice of an expert system framework has on the success of expert system projects, it is important for anyone evaluating expert systems and expert system tools, whether casually or critically, to consider a variety of issues. As background, this paper provides a general description of the expert systems paradigm, and detailed descriptions of two expert system frameworks for reasoning under uncertainty. Although both of the expert systems described have roots in the Bayesian theory, their differences are significant enough to fuel a discussion of the most significant issues in evaluating the applicability of particular expert system frameworks. We cover knowledge representation and knowledge structures, the initial phases of knowledge engineering, tuning and validating the knowledge base, as well as utilization of the finished expert system.
Serum vitamin D insufficiency and diabetes status in three ethnic minority groups.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and diabetes status in three ethnicities. This cross sectional study included Cuban Americans (n = 199), Haitian Americans (n = 253) and African Americans (n = 248) with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) from Florida, U.S. Recruitment of participants was through mailing lists (Cuban Americans and African Americans) and community based sources (Haitian Americans). Adjusted logistic regression analysis indicated significant differences in the odds of having insufficient 25(OH)D levels by ethnicity [P < 0.001], diabetes status [P < 0.001], and their interaction [P < 0.001]. Holm’s modified Bonferroni method showed that only Cuban Americans without T2D had significantly lower odds of having insufficient 25(OH)D compared to all other groups. Haitian American and African American participants and participants having T2D had the greatest risk of 25(OH)D insufficiency. Future studies should focus on the role of vitamin D supplementation and diabetes outcomes across ethnic groups.
Theories and measurement of visual attentional processing in anxiety

Most theoretical models of anxiety disorders implicate maladaptive visuo-spatial attentional processing of threat-relevant information in the onset and maintenance of symptoms. We discuss the central mechanistic hypotheses in clinical science regarding problematic attentional processing of threat in anxiety, reconcile what appear to be contradictory predictions, and integrate those hypotheses to describe comprehensively the overt and covert mechanisms of attentional processing within discrete perceptual episodes. In so doing, we examine critically the prevailing theoretical assumptions and measurement models underlying the current investigations of attention and anxiety, and we advocate for increased precision in the translation of models from vision science to the examination of the mechanisms of attentional processing in anxiety. Finally, we discuss the implications of this approach for future translational research that examines the role of attention in anxiety and its treatment.
Effect of amphetamine on cerebral blood flow and capillary perfusion.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the cerebral regional microvascular and vascular responses to amphetamine sulfate at a dose (5 mg/kg) known to affect neuronal function. Cerebral blood flow ( 14 C-iodoantipyrine method) and percent of perfused capillaries (fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran and alkaline phosphatase staining method) were determined during control and after intravenous administration of amphetamine in conscious Long-Evans rats. Amphetamine caused an increase in blood pressure (34%) and heart rate (31%). There was a significant increase in averaged cerebral blood flow from 98 ± 8 to 166 ± 9 ml/min/100 g after amphetamine. This flow increase was significant in the cortex, basal ganglia, pons and medulla, however the increase was not significant in the hypothalamus. In control rats, there were approximately 325 ± 17 capillaries/mm 2 of brain tissue and 52 ± 1% of them were perfused. Amphetamine increased the percent perfused significantly to 72 ± 1% in all examined regions. There was a similar significant increase in the percent of perfused cerebral capillary volume fraction. There were both vascular and microvascular responsesto amphetamine, increasing cerebral blood flow as well as reducing the diffusion distance for oxygen.
Comments on adiabatic calculations of the electrical properties of molecules

Abstract The Hamiltonian used in recent calculations (by Silverman, Bishop and others) of the electrical properties of one-electron diatomic molecules is compared, in the adiabatic approximation, with the Stark Hamiltonian.
Mutation fixation in MNNG-treated Haemophilus influenzae as determined by transformation.

Abstract A transformation assay has been used to follow the fixation of mutations to novobiocin resistance induced by N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in Haemophilus influenzae. Very few mutations are produced by recently treated DNA, but many are produced by the DNA from cells that have been incubated for a time after exposure to MNNG. The time course of this mutation fixation is shown to coincide reasonably well with the time course of semiconservative DNA synthesis, as judged by uptake studies and by isopycnic centrifugation of density-labeled cells. Incubation with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) during the fixation period decreases the number of mutations that are fixed, showing in another way the importance of DNA synthesis for fixation. Mutations fixed in the presence of BrdUrd are not more sensitive to 313-nm radiation than those fixed in its absence, suggesting that these residual mutations are fixed in the absence of extensive DNA replication. Mutations newly fixed in the absence of BrdUrd are much more sensitive to 313-nm radiation than are the same mutations some cell generations later. This shows that the newly fixed mutations are in a state that is different from their final form, either because they are in regions of DNA with special configurations of the strands or because they are in a region of DNA that is a hybrid between an old, alkylated strand and a new strand with some bases different from normal. The data suggest that it is unlikely that anything like all the mutations that are fixed in H. influenzae arise by direct action of MNNG on the replication fork. Many of the results can be explained in terms of fixation during semiconservative replication of premutational lesions, some of which are initially located some distance from the replication fork. The final yield would then depend on the relative rates of removal of the lesions by repair and of fixation by replication.
Biotechnology: alternatives to human plasma-derived therapeutic proteins.

Proteins derived from human plasma have become critically important therapeutic products since their introduction in the 1940s. In the last 20 years, the tools of molecular biology have provided alternatives to the administration of the natural products. Recombinant analogues of Factor VIII and Factor IX are commercially available, and recombinant forms of other plasma proteins are under development. Genetic engineering also provides the opportunity to modify a natural protein to improve the efficiency with which it can be produced in vitro, or to change its therapeutic profile. More efficient production systems, such as transgenic plants or animals, may yield less costly therapies and a wider availability of products that are now in limited supply. Finally, gene therapy offers the prospect of permanently correcting conditions arising from deficiencies in any one of several plasma proteins, freeing individuals from the need to undergo periodic treatments with exogenous proteins.