cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Festinger's Theory of Cognitive Dissonance Applied to School Counseling

Aspects of Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance were partially integrated with a Rogerian type of orientation to school counseling. Festinger's term “dissonance” was presented as complementary to Rogers' term “incongruence.” A number of counselor activities were derived from the two complementary orientations which, if employed, would seem to enhance the probability of a self-directed change occurring within the student. These included such activities as the school counselor attempting to: (a) provide an accepting non-threatening atmosphere; (b) assist students or counselees in developing sufficient dissonance; (c) have his counselees inform significant others (teachers, parents, or peers) of the outcomes or decisions they arrived at during the counseling process (public commitment).
Fermiology and Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov Phase Formation

The Bogoliubov–de Gennes equations for singlet superconductivity in an exchange field are analyzed with real materials having complex Fermi surfaces in mind. The resulting gap equation is reformulated in terms of a velocity spectrum on the Fermi surface in which the surface geometry is built in. The resulting analysis can readily be used for arbitrary dispersion relations. Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov FFLO phases are studied in the temperature-field plane, with results providing a physically clear interpretation of why certain directions of pair momentum q are energetically favored. We present clarifying results for models the two-dimensional square Fermi surface, one-, two-, and three-dimensional isotropic surfaces and provide an application to the weak ferromagnetic ZrZn2 showing it is not a favorable case for an FFLO phase.
Calcium transient prevalence across the dendritic arbour predicts place field properties

In vivo evidence for the existence of regenerative dendritic events in place cell dendrites of awake, behaving mice suggests an active role for dendritic spikes in building the representation of space in the hippocampus. Modelling has predicted that place fields in the hippocampus can arise from the variety of inputs arriving onto individual place cells, but more recent work proposes a more active roll for place cells. Mark Sheffield and Daniel Dombeck present in vivo evidence for the existence of regenerative dendritic events in place-cell dendrites of awake behaving mice. These patterns of regenerative events were variable across dendrites, but their prevalence predicted the stability and precision of place fields. These data suggest an active role for dendritic spikes in building the representation of space in the hippocampus. Establishing the hippocampal cellular ensemble that represents an animal’s environment involves the emergence and disappearance of place fields in specific CA1 pyramidal neurons1,2,3,4, and the acquisition of different spatial firing properties across the active population5. While such firing flexibility and diversity have been linked to spatial memory, attention and task performance6,7, the cellular and network origin of these place cell features is unknown. Basic integrate-and-fire models of place firing propose that such features result solely from varying inputs to place cells8,9, but recent studies3,10 suggest instead that place cells themselves may play an active role through regenerative dendritic events. However, owing to the difficulty of performing functional recordings from place cell dendrites, no direct evidence of regenerative dendritic events exists, leaving any possible connection to place coding unknown. Using multi-plane two-photon calcium imaging of CA1 place cell somata, axons and dendrites in mice navigating a virtual environment, here we show that regenerative dendritic events do exist in place cells of behaving mice, and, surprisingly, their prevalence throughout the arbour is highly spatiotemporally variable. Furthermore, we show that the prevalence of such events predicts the spatial precision and persistence or disappearance of place fields. This suggests that the dynamics of spiking throughout the dendritic arbour may play a key role in forming the hippocampal representation of space.
Solid state excimer lasers

Two photon pumping of alkali halide crystals is discussed as a possible UV laser source. An experimental characterization of NaI is presented including one and two photon excited luminescence spectra, temporal behavior of the excited state, and the measurement of the two photon absorption coefficient and 351 nm.
Chemical equilibrium and mass balance relationships associated with the Long Valley hydrothermal system, California, U.S.A.

Abstract Recent drilling and sampling of hydrothermal fluids from Long Valley permit an accurate characterization of chemical concentrations and equilibrium conditions in the hydrothermal reservoir. Hydrothermal fluids are thermodynamically saturated with secondary quartz, calcite, and pyrite but are in disequilibrium with respect to aqueous sulfide-sulfate speciation. Hydrothermal fluids are enriched in 18 O by approximately 1‰ relative to recharge waters. 18 O and Cl concentrations in well cuttings and core from high-temperature zones of the reservoir are extensively depleted relative to fresh rhyolitic tuff compositions. Approximately 80% of the Li and 50% of the B are retained in the altered reservoir rock. Cl mass balance and open-system 18 O fractionation models produce similar water-rock ratios of between 1.0 and 2.5 kg kg −1 . These water-rock ratios coupled with estimates of reservoir porosity and density produce a minimum fluid residence time of 1.3 ka. The low fluid Cl concentrations in Long Valley correlate with corresponding low rock concentrations. Mass balance calculations indicate that leaching of these reservoir rocks accounts for Cl losses during hydrothermal activity over the last 40 ka.
AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTOPHER A. SIMS

Christopher Sims is a well-known intellectual leader in time-series econometrics and applied macroeconomics. Among his many honors and distinctions, he has been the President of the Econometric Society and he is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He has made fundamental contributions to both statistical theory of time series and empirical macroeconomics. Sims' work is influential precisely because it was motivated by important problems in macroeconomics. Not only did Sims study questions of statistical approximation in abstract environments, he showed how to apply the resulting apparatus to a variety of specific problems confronting applied researchers. The applications include seasonality in economic time series, aggregation over time, and approximation in formulating statistical models with economic underpinnings. Moreover, Sims' contributions to causality in time series and to the development of vector autoregressive methods were complemented by an important body of empirical research. Sims has served as an effective advocate and critic of the extensively used vector autoregressive statistical methods. Motivated by his own and related empirical research, Sims is one of the leaders in rethinking how monetary policy should be modeled and reconsidering the channels by which monetary policy influences economic aggregates. This interview with Chris Sims gives an opportunity to explore further the context of many of these contributions. Sims typically has a unique perspective on many economic problems, a perspective that is articulated in his answers to a variety of questions.
The relationship between alexithymia and perinatal depressive symptomatology

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between alexithymia and perinatal depressive symptoms and the stability of the alexithymia construct in a sample of low-income, predominantly Latina women during pregnancy and the early postpartum period. Methods Seventy-seven pregnant women completed self-report questionnaires and were classified as “high risk” or “low risk” for developing a major depressive episode based on a history of depression and/or current high depressive symptom scores. Measures included the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the Maternal Mood Screener, and were completed during pregnancy and at postpartum month 2. Results Alexithymia was positively associated with depressive symptoms during pregnancy and early postpartum. Women at high risk for depression had significantly higher alexithymia levels than low-risk women during pregnancy but not during postpartum. Alexithymia and depressive symptoms were independently and strongly correlated across the ante- and postpartum periods. Hierarchical regression analyses indicate that alexithymia scores at postpartum were predicted by alexithymia scores during pregnancy, above and beyond the variance explained by the depressive symptom scores during pregnancy and postpartum. Conclusion Alexithymia is positively correlated with depressive symptoms during the perinatal period and is a stable phenomenon.
Characterizations of Banach spaces whose duals areL1 spaces

We characterize those Banach spaces whose duals are isometric toL1 spaces in terms of the structure of the spaces of absolutely summing, integral, nuclear, and fully nuclear operators from or into these spaces.
The pRSET family of T7 promoter expression vectors for Escherichia coli

A family of eight T7 promoter-based expression plasmids is presented. These are high-copy-number vectors featuring translational start and stop elements and a multiple cloning site (polylinker) with eleven unique restriction sites in all six reading frames. Depending on the cloning strategy used, recombinant proteins may contain either short vector-encoded fusion fragments or no fusion fragments at all. Following promoter induction, proteins are usually produced at a high level.
Combining a new data classification technique and regression analysis to predict the Cost-To-Serve new customers

Identifying the Cost-To-Serve (CTS) of customers is one of the most challenging problems in Supply Chain Management because of the diversity in their business activities. For the particular case of the industrial gas business, we are interested in predicting the cost to deliver bulk (liquefied) gas to new customers using a multifactor linear regression model. Developing a single model, i.e. analyzing the observations all at once, produces poor prediction results. Therefore prior to the regression analysis, a new supervised learning technique is used to group customers who are similar in some sense. Classes of customers are represented by hyper-boxes and a linear regression model is subsequently built within each class. The combination of data classification and regression is proven to increase the accuracy of the prediction. Two Mixed-Integer-Linear Programming (MILP) models are developed for data classification purposes. Although we are dealing with a supervised learning method, classes are not predefined in our case. Rather, we input a continuous ''classification'' attribute that is optimally discretized by the MILP's in order to minimize the number of misclassifications. Therefore our data classification model offers a broader range of applications. A number of illustrative examples are used to prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Multiphase microfluidics: from flow characteristics to chemical and materials synthesis

We review transport characteristics of pressure-driven, multiphase flows through microchannel networks tens of nanometres to several hundred of micrometres wide with emphasis on conditions resulting in enhanced mixing and reduced axial dispersion. Dimensionless scaling parameters useful in characterizing multiphase flows are summarized along with experimental flow visualization techniques. Static and dynamic stability considerations are also included along with methods for stabilizing multiphase flows through surface modifications. Observed gas–liquid and immiscible liquid–liquid flows are summarized in terms of flow regime diagrams and the different flows are related to applications in chemistry and materials synthesis. Means to completely separate multiphase flows on the microscale and guidelines for design of scalable multiphase systems are also discussed.
Structural characteristics of marsupial brood pouches of the antarctic sea urchins Abatus nimrodi and Abatus shackletoni (Echinoidea: Spatangoida)

Marsupial spines, tubercles, and pedicellariae of the antarctic brooding spatangoids Abatus nimrodi and Abatus shackletoni have been examined by scanning electron microscopy. Individual brood pouches of A. nimrodi may hold up to 28 embryos and juveniles and those of A. shackletoni may hold up to 38 lecithotrophic embryos and juveniles. Juveniles can be divided into (a) those with early development of external elements and a mean size of 2.0 and 1.6 mm, respectively, and (b) those equipped with fully developed external elements and a mean length of 4.3 and 2.8 mm, respectively. Mean diameters of aboral brood pouch openings of A. nimrodi and A. shackletoni were 6.5 and 4.1 mm, respectively. Brood pouches contain tall, distally enlarged spines, and smaller, layered cover-spines, which form a protective arch over the marsupia. There are also slender brood-pouch-bottom spines, which have an extremely thickened spinal epidermis. A. nimrodi has mainly bidentate, but also triand quadrodentate pedicellariae. A. shackletoni has two forms of tridentate, rostrate, and globiferous pedicellariae. In A. shackletoni, marsupial spine density is significantly lower than in A. nimrodi. These differences may be related to distinct sediment characteristics in their respective habitats. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Increasing carbohydrate diversity via amine oxidation: aminosugar, hydroxyaminosugar, nitrososugar, and nitrosugar biosynthesis in bacteria

Bacterial secondary metabolites often contain carbohydrate attachments that play a significant role in conferring biological activity. A small proportion of these bioactive sugars are derived from aminosugar oxidation to ultimately provide hydroxyaminosugars, nitrososugars, and nitrosugars. Recent advances in the elucidation of hydroxyaminosugar-, nitrososugar-, and nitrosugar-containing natural product gene clusters have enabled the proposal of biosynthetic pathways, the in vitro characterization of aminosugar oxidases, and the structure determination of key enzymes. This article focuses upon the key enzymatic transformations in aminosugar, hydroxyaminosugar, nitrososugar, and nitrosugar biosynthesis, as well as the unique chemical reactivity of alkoxyaminosugars, with a particular focus upon developments within the past two years.
Thermodynamics of fe-based ternary solid solutions containing nitrogen and a substitutional solute

Abstract Simple two-energy level models for ternary solid solutions containing a substitutional (u) solute and an interstitial solute (i) can be used to extract from thermodynamic data and energy needed to insert an i-atom into an interstitial site whose nearest neighbor shell of lattice atoms contains only one U-atom. However, such models are only valid, even in the high-temperature limit, when the U-concentration is small. It has been shown that such models can be extended so as to include all interstitial site types and that the energy parameters extracted from solutions dilute in the U-component may be used to predict the solubility of the i-component up to U-contentrations of more than 10 at.%.
Lack of gender differences in neuroleptic response in patients with schizophrenia

Objective: The authors sought to determine if there were gender differences in neuroleptic response in male and female patients with schizophrenia who were matched for clinical and demographic variables and participated in a double-blind trial of traditional antipsychotic drugs. Methods: 24 males (m) and 20 females (f) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who did not differ in clinical characteristics (age of onset, course of illness, prior hospitalizations, premorbid functioning) participated in an extended drug-free period followed by a neuroleptic trial under double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions. Results: Males and females showed significant improvement in total, positive and negative BPRS symptoms during neuroleptic treatment. However, there were no significant differences in treatment response between sexes. No sex differences were found in baseline drug-free symptomatology, neuroleptic dose or dosage by weight. Conclusions: There were no significant sex differences in neuroleptic treatment response in male and female patients well-matched for clinical, treatment and demographic characteristics. Methodological issues which distinguish this study from prior studies reporting gender differences in neuroleptic response are examined.
The dynamics of helical scroll waves in excitable media

Abstract The complicated motion of scroll waves in a three-dimensional excitable medium can be decomposed into a rapid rotation of the scroll around its central filament and a slow movement of the filament through space. We propose a nonlinear function to describe the principal normal component of the filament's velocity vector. This velocity function accounts qualitatively for certain unusual features of the evolution of helical scroll filaments observed in numerical solutions of excitable reaction-diffusion equations.
Comparative study on the use of the purified digitalis glycosides, digoxin, digitoxin, and lanatoside C, for the management of ambulatory patients with congestive heart failure.

Abstract 1. 1. Comparative studies on three purified digitalis glycosides, digoxin, digitoxin, and lanatoside C, were performed in a group of seventy-four ambulatory patients. 2. 2. For reasons of safety in administration and satisfactory maintenance, digoxin is the glycoside of choice. 3. 3. Lanatoside C administered orally is not satisfactory for the routine daily management of the patient with congestive heart failure. 4. 4. Other than the assurance of obtaining uniformity in various lots, the glycosides have no particular advantage over digitalis leaf. 5. 5. The incidence and degree of toxic symptoms is the same for the three glycosides. The duration of toxicity is much greater with digitoxin than with lanatoside C or digoxin.
Attenuation of lipopolysaccharide-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in fetal pulmonary artery endothelial cells by hypoxia

Pulmonary vascular endothelial injury resulting from lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and oxygen toxicity contributes to vascular simplification seen in the lungs of premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Whether the severity of endotoxin-induced endothelial injury is modulated by ambient oxygen tension (hypoxic intrauterine environment vs. hyperoxic postnatal environment) remains unknown. We posited that ovine fetal pulmonary artery endothelial cells (FPAEC) will be more resistant to LPS toxicity under hypoxic conditions (20-25 Torr) mimicking the fetal milieu. LPS (10 microg/ml) inhibited FPAEC proliferation and induced apoptosis under normoxic conditions (21% O(2)) in vitro. LPS-induced FPAEC apoptosis was attenuated in hypoxia (5% O(2)) and exacerbated by hyperoxia (55% O(2)). LPS increased intracellular superoxide formation, as measured by 2-hydroxyethidium (2-HE) formation, in FPAEC in normoxia and hypoxia. 2-HE formation in LPS-treated FPAEC increased in parallel with the severity of LPS-induced apoptosis in FPAEC, increasing from hypoxia to normoxia to hyperoxia. Differences in LPS-induced apoptosis between hypoxia and normoxia were abolished when LPS-treated FPAEC incubated in hypoxia were pretreated with menadione to increase superoxide production. Apocynin decreased 2-HE formation, and attenuated LPS-induced FPAEC apoptosis under normoxic conditions. We conclude that ambient oxygen concentration modulates the severity of LPS-mediated injury in FPAEC by regulating superoxide levels produced in response to LPS.
The neuropsychiatry of Parkinson's disease and related disorders

Parkinson's disease is associated with classical Parkinsonian features that respond to dopaminergic therapy. Neuropsychiatric sequelae include dementia, major depression, dysthymia, anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, and sexual disorders. Panic attacks are particularly common. With treatment, visual hallucinations, paranoid delusions, mania, or delirium may evolve. Psychosis is a key factor in nursing home placement, and depression is the most significant predictor of quality of life. Clozapine may be the safest treatment for psychotic features, but more research is needed to establish the efficacy of antidepressant treatments. Dementia with Lewy bodies, the second most common dementia in the elderly, may present in association with systematized delusions, depression, or RBD. Early evidence suggests the utility of rivastigmine, donepezil, low-dose olanzapine, and quetiapine in treating DLB. Parkinson-plus syndromes generally lack a good response to dopaminergic treatment and evidence additional features, including dysautonomia, cerebellar and pontine features, eye signs, and other movement disorders. MSA is associated with dysautonomia and RBD. SND (MSA-P) is associated with frontal cognitive impairments, but dementia, psychosis, and mood disorders have not been strikingly apparent unless additional pathological findings are present. In SDS (MSA-A), impotence is almost ubiquitous; urinary incontinence is frequent; depression is occasional, and sleep apnea should be treated to avoid sudden death during sleep. OPCA neuropsychiatric correlates await further definition. Progressive supranuclear palsy neuropsychiatric features include apathy, subcortical dementia, pathological emotionality, mild depression and anxiety, and lack of appreciable response to donepezil. CBD usually is recognized by early frontal dementia with ideomotor apraxia, often in the right upper extremity, attended later by poorly responsive unilateral Parkinsonism, with additional signs including cortical reflex myoclonus, limb dystonia, alien limb, oculomotor apraxia when asked to look horizontally, depression, personality changes, and, occasionally, Kluver-Bucy syndrome. The neuropsychiatry of FTDP-17 involves apraxia, executive impairment, personality changes, hyperorality, and occasional psychosis. Future research in these Parkinsonian disorders should target the characterization of neuropsychiatric sequelae and their treatment.
Ab initio thermal transport in compound semiconductors

We use a recently developed ab initio approach to calculate the lattice thermal conductivities of compound semiconductors. An exact numerical solution of the phonon Boltzmann transport equation is implemented, which uses harmonic and anharmonic interatomic force constants determined from density functional theory as inputs. We discuss the method for calculating the anharmonic interatomic force constants in some detail, and we describe their role in providing accurate thermal conductivities in a range of systems. This first-principles approach obtains good agreement with experimental results for well-characterized systems (Si, Ge, and GaAs). We determine the intrinsic upper bound to the thermal conductivities of cubic aluminum-V, gallium-V, and indium-V compounds as limited by anharmonic phonon scattering. The effects of phonon-isotope scattering on the thermal conductivities are examined in these materials and compared to available experimental data. We also obtain the lattice thermal conductivities of other technologically important materials, AlN and SiC. For most materials, good agreement with the experimental lattice thermal conductivities for naturally occurring isotopic compositions is found. We show that the overall frequency scale of the acoustic phonons and the size of the gap between acoustic and optic phonons play important roles in determining the lattice thermal conductivity of each system. The first-principles approach used here can provide quantitative predictions of thermal transport in a wide range of systems.
Information-optimal adaptive compressive imaging

We adopt a sequential Bayesian experiment design framework for compressive imaging wherein the measurement basis is data dependent and therefore adaptive. The criteria for measurement basis design employs the task-specific information (TSI), an information theoretic metric, that is conditioned on the past measurements. A Gaussian scale mixture prior model is used to represent compressible natural scenes in theWavelet basis. The resulting adaptive compressive imager design yields significant performance improvements compared to a static compressive imager using random projections.
Effects of estrogen on basal forebrain cholinergic neurons vary as a function of dose and duration of treatment

Studies suggest that estrogen replacement can influence learning and memory processes via effects on cholinergic neurons located in specific regions of the basal forebrain. In the present study, immunocytochemical techniques were used to examine the effects of estrogen on basal forebrain cholinergic neurons as a function of the dose and duration of estrogen treatment. Ovariectomized rats received 2, 10, 25, or 100 microg estradiol every other day for a period of 1, 2, or 4 weeks. Sections through the basal forebrain were then processed for the detection of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or the low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor (p75NGFR), and the number of immunoreactive cells in the medial septum (MS), the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) and the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) were counted. The effects of dose and duration of estrogen treatment were evaluated by analysis of variance and individual group means were compared with ovariectomized controls using a two-tailed Dunnets test. Administration of 2, 10, or 25 microg estradiol for 1 week produced a dose-related increase in the number of ChAT-like immunoreactive (IR) cells detected in the MS. Likewise treatment with 10 microg estradiol for 1 week, or with 2 microg estradiol for 2 weeks resulted in a significant increase in the number of ChAT-IR cells detected in the NBM. These effects were not observed following treatment with higher doses of estradiol. Nor were they maintained following repeated administration of estradiol for longer periods of time. In contrast, repeated administration of estradiol for 2 or 4 weeks resulted in significant decreases in the number of p75NGFR-IR cells detected in the MS, with the greatest effects observed following treatment with the higher doses of estradiol for longer periods of time. These findings demonstrate that (1) estrogen replacement produces regionally selective effects on basal forebrain cholinergic neurons which vary as a function of both the dose and duration of estrogen treatment, and (2) estrogen has both short-term and longer-term effects on basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, each of which may contribute to the effects of estrogen on learning and memory process and the development of age- and disease-related cognitive decline.
Dissociation between biochemical and behavioral recovery in MPTP-treated mice.

Abstract Injection of a low dose of haloperidol, that has no obvious behavioral effects in normal mice, produces akinesia, catalepsy, and somatosensory neglect in MPTP-treated mice. These neuroleptic-induced sensorimotor impairments are exhibited soon after MPTP treatments and coincide with a decrease in both striatal DA and DOPAC levels. DA and DOPAC content gradually return to near-control levels over a 3–5 month period. Interestingly, while the haloperidol-induced somatosensory deficits declined in parallel with the rise in DA and DOPAC levels, the motor deficits persisted for up to 5 months after MPTP administration. These data suggest subtle differences in the neurochemical mediation of these behaviors and that the persistence of neuronal impairments may not necessarily be revealed by near-normal transmitter levels.
Interpreting logit regressions with interaction terms: an application to the management turnover literature

Abstract Logit and probit models of turnover=f(performance, firm type, firm type*performance, controls) are often used when testing whether turnover is “more sensitive to performance” for different types of firms. Researchers using this specification typically focus on the significance of the interaction term coefficient. If the intent is to show that the likelihood (rather than the odds) of turnover changes by more for one type of firm as performance varies, then this is an inappropriate test. Simulations are used to demonstrate how focusing on this particular coefficient can generate incorrect inferences. I then show how analyzing marginal effects eliminates this inference problem.
Synaptic Mitochondrial Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease

Significance: Synaptic degeneration, an early pathological feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD), is closely correlated to impaired cognitive function and memory loss. Recent studies suggest that involvement of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) in synaptic mitochondrial alteration underlies these synaptic lesions. Thus, to understand the Aβ-associated synaptic mitochondrial perturbations would fortify our understanding of synaptic stress in the pathogenesis of AD. Recent Advances: Increasing evidence suggests that synaptic mitochondrial dysfunction is strongly associated with synaptic failure in many neurodegenerative diseases including AD. Based on recent findings in human AD subjects, AD animal models, and AD cellular models, synaptic mitochondria undergo multiple malfunctions including Aβ accumulation, increased oxidative stress, decreased respiration, and compromised calcium handling capacity, all of which occur earlier than changes seen in nonsynaptic mitochondria before predominant AD pathology. Of note, the impact of Aβ on mitochondrial motility and dynamics exacerbates synaptic mitochondrial alterations. Critical Issues: Synaptic mitochondria demonstrate early deficits in AD; in combination with the role that synaptic mitochondria play in sustaining synaptic functions, deficits in synaptic mitochondria may be a key factor involved in an early synaptic pathology in AD. Future Directions: The importance of synaptic mitochondria in supporting synapses and the high vulnerability of synaptic mitochondria to Aβ make them a promising target of new therapeutic strategy for AD. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 16, 1467–1475.
The persistent loop sign in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: a new cause.

A case of necrotizing enterocolitis is presented in which a persistently distended loop of intestine was caused by obstruction secondary to adhesions rather than necrotic bowel.
Electrostatic contributions to indole-lipid interactions.

The role of electrostatic forces in indole−lipid interactions was studied by 1H and 2H NMR in ether- and ester-linked phospholipid bilayers with incorporated indole. Indole-ring-current-induced 1H ...
Rat ovarian nuclear protein kinases.

Abstract Studies were conducted to evaluate cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in the nuclear fraction of rat ovaries obtained during prepubertal ovarian maturation. When nuclei were solubilized with the detergent Triton X-100, cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase activity, identified by its resistance to inhibition by the protein kinase inhibitor, predominated over the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity was low and remained relatively stable during ovarian maturation. However, when nonhistone proteins were extracted from ovarian nuclei with 0.5 M NaCl, the majority of the cyclic AMP-independent protein kinases were also removed, leaving the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases as the predominate kinase in this nonhistone protein extract. Cyclic AMP-stimulated kinase activity was 3-fold higher in the nonhistone protein extracts than in Triton-solubilized nuclei of 6-day-old rats, and showed a 10-fold increase during the time period of prepubertal ovarian maturation (days 6–37). DEAE-cellulose chromatography of nonhistone nuclear protein extract demonstrated the presence of only a single holoenzyme form of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in extracts from all ovaries of prepubertal rats older than 12 days of age as well as in extracts from corpora lutea. The peak of protein kinase was characterized by a variety of criteria as the type II isozymic form of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Estimated specific activity determinations of the type II isozyme of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase showed its activity to be very low in nuclear extracts of longterm hypophysectomized rats, and to increase 6-fold with ovarian maturation. Studies with the cyclic AMP photoaffinity analog, 8-N 3 -cyclic[ 32 P]AMP, confirmed the presence of the regulatory subunit of the type II isozyme form of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (R II ) in the nonhistone nuclear protein extract of ovaries from prepubertal rats and corpora lutea from pregnant rats. R I was also identified in all nuclear extracts. It is concluded that prepubertal ovarian maturation is accompanied by a substantial increase in the activity of the type II isozymic form of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in ovarian nuclei.
Detection of Type-Specific Antigenic Determinants of Murine Mammary Tumor Viruses with Cell-Mediated Immune Assays

AbstractExposure of lymphoid cells from normal and mammary tumor-bearing Balb/cCrgl mice to MMTV antigens result in positive responses in blastogenic transformation and migration inhibition reactions. The levels of these responses appear to depend on the murine strain source of the viral preparations. Enhanced reactivities were observed in cultures exposed to purified MMTV from culture fluids of mammary tumor cells of spontaneous origin in the C3H strain when compared to purified MMTV derived from milk of mice from the RIII strain. To ensure the virus relatedness of the differences observed, MMTVs obtained from a common source, i.e., the Crandall feline embryo kidney cell line, were employed in blastogenesis assays. Parallel testing of feline cell-derived C3H, RIII, and GR mammary tumor viruses resulted in different levels of [3H]thymidine incorporation by spleen cells from Balb/cCrgl mice over a range of viral concentrations. These results indicate that it is possible to detect various types of MMTV vari...
Acquisition and reconstruction of Raman and fluorescence signals for rat leg imaging

Recovery of Raman or Fluorescence signatures from within thin tissues benefits from model-based estimation of where the signal came from, especially if the signal passes through layers in which the absorption or scattering signatures distort the signal. Estimation of the signal strength requires appropriate normalization or model-based recovery, but the key to achieving good results is a good model of light transport. While diffusion models are routinely used for optical tomography of tissue, there's some thought that more precise radiation transport modeling is required for accurate estimation. However, diffusion is often used for small animal imaging, because it's a practical approach, which doesn't require knowledge of the scatter phase function at each point in the tissue. The question asked in this study is, whether experimentally acquired data in small volumes such as a rodent leg can be accurately modeled and reconstructed using diffusion theory. This study uses leg geometries extracted from animal CT scans and liquid phantoms to study the diffusion approximations. The preliminary results show that under certain conditions the collected data follows the expected trend.
How Do We Thank Thee? Let Us (Try to) Count the Ways

About four years ago, we at the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry realized the thankless don’t get thanked enough. It is, of course, built into the very definition of the category. And, yet, all those who fit this bill ceaselessly beat on—be it reviewing articles namelessly and without reward; offering guidance on papers and protocols; managing and editing manuscripts; taking on the tiring role of taskmaster; processing, paginating, promoting, and publishing; and generally engaging excitedly in the scholarly pursuit. We thus began an annual tradition of taking a few paragraphs every year in an attempt to thank our peer reviewers by name and all those who make the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry possible. We know that it is not much and that we are Beven poor in our thanks.^ As Colley Cibber (though not very successfully) once pointed out, B[w]ords are but empty thanks^ (Woman’s Wit, V.393) and offer little real compensation and recognition. Of course, we also know that everyone involved with the JBI assumes such responsibilities out of other, greater intentions, making the sharing of one’s expertise that much more honorable. Over the past year, several members of the JBI community have retired, at least from the journal, in order to focus on different areas and contribute to other worthy goals. We cannot offer enough thanks to Margaret Otlowski, who served on our Editorial Board; Steven Wainwright, associate editor of Sociology and Bioethics; Elizabeth Peter, associate editor of Nursing and guest editor of a recent symposium on “Moral Distress”; and especially Cameron Stewart, associate editor of Law, a founding member of the journal, and a key contributor to the initial and continuing development of the entire JBI project. We also have been incredibly fortunate to welcome new members to the JBI. Our International Advisory Board has expanded to include Amnon Carmi, UNESCOChair of Bioethics, University of Haifa, Israel; Zabidi Hussin, Universiti Sains Malaysia; Sastrowijoto Soenarto, University of Gadjah Mada, Indonesia; and Duujian Tsai, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan. Several new associate editors have joined the ranks as well and have been hard at work from day one: in Cross-Cultural Bioethics, Peter Omonzejele, University of Benin, Nigeria; in Globalization, Ted Schrecker, Durham University; in Nursing Ethics, Sarah Breier, University of Missouri-Columbia, and Felicia Stokes, District of Columbia Board of Nursing; in Public Bioethics, LisaM. Lee of the U.S. Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues; and in Science and Genetics, Ainsley Newson, University of Sydney, and Robin Pierce, Harvard Law School. (Other associate editors who came on board a few years back but were never formally welcomed include Gail Van Norman, University of Washington, in Clinical Ethics and Jan Deckers, University of Newcastle, Wendy Lipworth, University Bioethical Inquiry (2015) 12:15–18 DOI 10.1007/s11673-015-9628-6
X-linked alport syndrome in females

Alport syndrome (AS) is in the differential diagnosis of hematuria. Variability in clinical presentation and in the ultrastructural changes of the glomerulus can make the diagnosis of AS a challenge in female patients. The purpose of this report is to present immunostaining for glomerular basement membrane (GBM) expression of alpha5(IV) as an adjunctive diagnostic method. Renal biopsy specimens from eight female patients with clinical presentation suggestive of AS were studied. The patients were between 7 and 36 years of age; six were between 12 and 15 years. Light microscopy and immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody to alpha5(IV) were performed. Controls showed a continuous linear pattern along the GBM in normal kidneys and absence in renal biopsy specimens from male X-linked AS patients. To express the variability of the ultrastructural GBM changes among the patients in the series, we developed a semi-quantitative Alport Index, obtained by quantification of severity and extent of ultrastructural GBM changes. With immunohistochemistry, we showed an interrupted, discontinuous linear pattern for alpha5(IV) in glomeruli from the eight patients in the series, confirming the diagnosis of X-linked AS. The ultrastructural Alport Index varied between 6 and 47, showing the heterogeneity in the severity of the GBM changes, even among the six patients aged between 12 and 15 years. In three of the eight biopsy specimens, the predominant change was thin GBM, and the Alport Index was below 20. Immunohistochemistry for alpha5(IV) in renal biopsy specimens can identify female patients heterozygous for X-linked AS. In this series, the method led to the diagnosis of AS in female patients in whom the predominant ultrastructural change was thin basement membrane.
Speed of Hatching and the Resistance of Chickens to Ascaridia Galli

Abstract EVIDENCE has been presented which indicated that the resistance of chickens to infection by the large roundworm may be affected by several factors. Among these factors are genetic constitution (Ackert and Wilmoth, 1934; and Ackert et al., 1935a) and diet (Ackert and Beach, 1933; Ackert et al., 1927; Ackert and Spindler, 1929; and Riedel and Ackert, 1950a). Age as a factor of resistance was reported by Herrick (1926); Ackert et al. (1935b); and Riedel and Ackert (1950b). Histological studies made by Ackert and Edgar (1938) disclosed a progressive increase of goblet cells in the chicken duodenum. This increase of the number of goblet cells correlated with the increase of age resistance established formerly by Herrick (1926). The mucus secreted by the goblet cells was tested (Ackert, Todd and Tanner, 1938; and Frick and Ackert, 1948) and the results showed that the growth of young Ascaridia was retarded when placed in . . .
Primary caregivers' descriptions of Alzheimer patients' personality traits: temporal stability and sensitivity to change.

SummaryCaregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients provided characterizations of the patients' premorbid personality traits and current personality traits on two occasions nearly 1 year apart. Characterizations of pre-illness personality traits did not differ between the two assessments. Changes in p
Assessing the work budget and efficiency of fault systems using mechanical models

[1] We examine the work energy budget of actively deforming fault systems in order to develop a means of examining the systemic behavior of complex fault networks. Work done in the deformation of a faulted area consists of five components: (1) work done against gravity in uplift of topography (Wgrav); (2) internal energy of the strained host rock (Wint); (3) work done resisting friction during slip on faults (Wfric); (4) seismic energy released in earthquake events as ground shaking (Wseis); and (5) work done in initializing new faults and propagating existing faults (Wprop). The energy budget of a fault system can be expressed as WTOT = Wgrav + Wint + Wfric + Wseis + Wprop. For a balanced energy budget the total of these five components will equal the external tectonic work applied to the system. We examine the work balance within hypothetical and simulated two-dimensional static fault systems using mechanical models. The boundary element method models produce a balanced work budget for both simple and complex fault system models. The presence of slipping faults reduces the internal strain energy of the faulted area (Wint), at a “cost” of work done against friction and gravity (and propagation and seismic energy, where applicable). Calculations of minimum work deformation match expected deformation paths, indicating the usefulness of this approach for evaluating efficiency in more complex systems. The partitioning of various work terms may express the relative efficiency or maturity of fault systems. Furthermore, calculation of potential seismic energy release can provide an upper bound to earthquake seismic moment assessments.
Climate change implications for wind power resources in the Northwest United States

Abstract Using statistically downscaled output from four general circulation models (GCMs), we have investigated scenarios of climate change impacts on wind power generation potential in a five-state region within the Northwest United States (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming). All GCM simulations were extracted from the standardized set of runs created for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Analysis of model runs for the 20th century (20c3m) simulations revealed that the direct output of wind statistics from these models is of relatively poor quality compared with observations at airport weather stations within each state. When the GCM output was statistically downscaled, the resulting estimates of current climate wind statistics are substantially better. Furthermore, in looking at the GCM wind statistics for two IPCC future climate scenarios from the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES A1B and A2), there was significant disagreement in the direct model output from the four GCMs. When statistical downscaling was applied to the future climate simulations, a more coherent story unfolded related to the likely impact of climate change on the region's wind power resource. Specifically, the results suggest that summertime wind speeds in the Northwest may decrease by 5–10%, while wintertime wind speeds may decrease by relatively little, or possibly increase slightly. When these wind statistics are projected to typical turbine hub heights and nominal wind turbine power curves are applied, the impact of the climate change scenarios on wind power may be as high as a 40% reduction in summertime generation potential.
Outstanding questions regarding the permeation, selectivity, and regulation of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter.

Abstract The recent discovery of genes encoding the mitochondrial calcium (Ca2+) uniporter has revealed new opportunities for studying how abnormal Ca2+ signals cause disease. Ca2+ transport across the mitochondrial inner membrane is highly regulated, and the uniporter is the channel that acts as a major portal for Ca2+ influx. Low amounts of mitochondrial Ca2+ can boost ATP synthesis, but excess amounts, such as following cytoplasmic Ca2+ overload in heart failure, triggers mitochondrial failure and cell death. In fact, precisely because mitochondrial Ca2+ transport is so tightly regulated, a fundamental understanding of how the uniporter functions is necessary. Two key uniporter features allow Ca2+ influx without mitochondrial damage during normal physiology. First, the channel is significantly more selective than other known Ca2+ channels. This prevents the permeation of other ions and uncoupling of the electrochemical gradient. Second, the uniporter becomes active at only high Ca2+ concentrations, preventing a resting leak of cytoplasmic Ca2+ itself. Now possessing the identities of the various proteins forming the uniporter, we can proceed with efforts to define the molecular determinants of permeation, selectivity and Ca2+-regulation.
Effect of microsomal enzyme activity modulation on N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl) succinimide-induced nephrotoxicity

N-(3,5-Dichlorophenyl)succinimide (NDPS) is an experimental agricultural fungicide which has been shown to be a selective nephrotoxin. The purpose of this study was to determine if a NDPS metabolite contributes to acute NDPS-induced nephrotoxicity. Male Sprague-Dawley or Fischer 344 rats were pretreated with a microsomal enzyme inducer [phenobarbital (PB) or 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC)] or inhibitor [cobalt chloride (CoCl2) or piperonyl butoxide (PIBX)] followed by a single intraperitoneal injection of NDPS (0.2, 0.4 or 1.0 mmol/kg) or vehicle (sesame oil, 2.5 ml/kg). Renal function was monitored at 24 and 48 h. CoCl2 or PIBX pretreatment reduced NDPS-induced diuresis, proteinuria and hematuria, and reduced the increases seen in the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration and kidney weight. NDPS-induced decreases in organic ion accumulation were not markedly altered by CoCl2 or PIBX pretreatment. PB pretreatment enhanced all NDPS- (0.2 mmol/kg) induced renal effects, while 3-MC pretreatment protected against NDPS-induced diuresis, proteinuria, hematuria, and increases in the BUN concentration observed in both rat strains. Kidney weight and organic ion uptake changes were not substantially different between NDPS-treated rats with or without 3-MC pretreatment. It was concluded that a metabolite(s) contributes to or is responsible for acute NDPS-induced nephrotoxicity and that at least 1 toxic metabolite might be of extrarenal origin.