cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing patient risk undergoing diagnostic imaging with99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid as a function of waist size, renal volume, and renal depth

476 Objectives: Current guidelines for administered activity to pediatric patients undergoing diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging are obtained through expert consensus. The recommended minimum injected activity is a function of whole body weight designed to yield diagnostic quality images. In previous work, it has been shown that body morphometry is an important factor when minimizing injected activity while maintaining diagnostic quality images. The present study focuses on 99mTc-DMSA for assessing renal function for 5-year-old patients. The objective of this study was to quantify the change in patient risk as a function of the minimum injected activity required to obtain a diagnostic quality image, while varying patient anatomy about the region of diagnostic interest. To achieve this goal three factors were considered: waist circumference, kidney depth, and kidney volume. Methods: To assess dependence of waist circumference the UF/NCI anthropomorphic 5-year-old reference male and female phantom were scaled to match the 5th, 50th and 95th percentile waist circumference according to the CDC’s NHANES database. To assess the impact of kidney volume the 95th percentile waist circumference phantom’s kidneys were scaled from reference volume to the correct volume according to patient weight and subsequently varied +15% and -15%. To assess the impact of kidney depth the 95th percentile waist circumference phantom’s kidneys were shifted to proper depth based on height and weight and then varied as far as anatomically reasonable posteriorly and anteriorly. To illustrate the impact of these anatomic variations on dose optimization effective dose for each phantom using weight-based 99mTc-DMSA activity administration was calculated using PHITS version 3.02. Results: A series of pediatric male and female phantoms were created representing current population waist circumference, renal depth, and renal volume variations. Organ level dosimetry was assessed and effective doses were computed. Conclusion: The phantoms in this study can be used to tailor dosing guidelines for pediatric nuclear medicine imaging studies about the area of interest while taking account the effects of radiation dose and image quality.
PUG-View: programmatic access to chemical annotations integrated in PubChem

PubChem is a chemical data repository that provides comprehensive information on various chemical entities. It contains a wealth of chemical information from hundreds of data sources. Programmatic access to this large amount of data provides researchers with new opportunities for data-intensive research. PubChem provides several programmatic access routes. One of these is PUG-View, which is a Representational State Transfer (REST)-style web service interface specialized for accessing annotation data contained in PubChem. The present paper describes various aspects of PUG-View, including the scope of data accessible through PUG-View, the syntax for formulating a PUG-View request URL, the difference of PUG-View from other web service interfaces in PubChem, and its limitations and usage policies.
#Blockade: Social Media and the Gulf Diplomatic Crisis

The online public sphere, and the ways in which its digital media platforms influence discourse, is a crucial but understudied area of research in the six Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf. Through a case study of the ongoing Gulf diplomatic crisis, which began in June 2017, this essay draws on the disciplines of political science, communication, and digital media studies to analyze qualitative examples of digital discourse: the role of women, territorial boundaries, and the FIFA World Cup 2022. Linking these flash points to historical struggles between the countries, this essay suggests that the politicization of the online public sphere in the region does not represent a fundamental change in the diplomacy of the region but rather a new battleground for old regional rivalries.
Abstract PO-011: CiRCL: A psychosocial program facilitating communication and care to patients, families, and frontline health care teams during COVID-19

The need for strict social distancing measures preventing visitors on inpatient oncology, ICU, and COVID units during the COVID-19 pandemic has had the unintended consequence of leading to significant psychological and spiritual distress for patients and families and “moral distress” for frontline health care teams tasked with supporting patients who are suffering or dying alone without the support of their loved ones. The trauma of these deaths is sometimes further compounded for families by their inability to provide the final rituals of patients’ faith communities in their last moments, leading to complicated and ongoing grief after the loss. To address these complex psychosocial needs among COVID-19 and advanced cancer oncology patients, and the health care teams caring for them, the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, in collaboration with colleagues at the UCLA Anderson School of Business and a team of diverse faith leaders, developed an innovative digitally mediated program for connection, communication, and care. This program, CiRCL (Caring in Remote Communities of Love), leveraged ZOOM and smartphone recording technology to accomplish the following goals: 1) provide psychological support to family members and friends to facilitate the recording of meaningful personal messages to the patient, including curated playlists of evocative songs from the patient’s life to be played at the bedside; 2) facilitate more meaningful communication between loved ones and frontline workers, including messages of gratitude and support to reduce feelings of isolation and moral distress for frontline workers; and 3) create a liturgical library of recorded ecumenical and faith-based blessings from various traditions, available during illness and at time of dying. Blessings include and encompass the health care teams as well as patients. This program, recently developed and being piloted at UCLA, is intended to extend compassion to all within the health care system during the unique challenges of COVID-19 and, by facilitating connection and support among patients, families, and frontline teams, extend the definition of healing and mitigate the impact of loss and grief for all during the many phases of this pandemic. Citation Format: Kauser Ahmed, Peter Phung, Noah Goldstein, John Glaspy. CiRCL: A psychosocial program facilitating communication and care to patients, families, and frontline health care teams during COVID-19 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer; 2020 Jul 20-22. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(18_Suppl):Abstract nr PO-011.
Anesthetic Management for Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is being applied with increasing frequency to patients suffering from symptomatic chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). CTEPH is defined as a persistent mean pulmonary arterial pressure greater than 25 mmHg for 6 months after an inciting embolic event. CTEPH is progressive in nature and carries a poor prognosis due to the limited efficacy of medical therapy. Surgical intervention by pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) or lung transplantation are the only effective cures. However, the scarcity of available organs limits the viability of transplantation as a therapeutic option and the mortality rate of untreated CTEPH approaches 90% after 3 years. Therefore, PTE is becoming the therapy of choice for patients with CTEPH and a suitable distribution of pulmonary artery occlusive disease on imaging studies.
Roundtable on Intersectionality and Strengths and Challenges in Leadership - Introduction

An introduction to a round-table on intersectionality and the strengths and challenges in leadership at the Fourth National People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference in 2019.
Continuing cancer care delivery during the peak of COVID-19 in the Bronx, New York: experience from a public teaching hospital

Introduction We report our experience with cancer care delivery during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Methods Retrospective analysis of the patients treated from the 1st of March, 2020 to the 8th of May, 2020. Results Team huddles, infection screening and patient selection strategies were implemented. One hundred and seventy patients were treated in 576 visits. Six developed severe COVID-19 requiring hospitalization, two died. Their median Charlson Comorbidity Index was 9, higher than the rest of the cohort. Conclusions Cancer care delivery is safe and feasible using an approach focused on careful patient selection, team communication and infection control.
Co-occurrence of anxiety and depressive symptoms following breast cancer surgery and its impact on quality of life.

Abstract Purpose Little is known about the prevalence of combined anxiety and depressive symptoms (CADS) in breast cancer patients. Purpose was to evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics and quality of life (QOL) prior to breast cancer surgery among women classified into one of four distinct anxiety and/or depressive symptom groups. Methods A total of 335 patients completed measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms and QOL prior to and for 6 months following breast cancer surgery. Growth Mixture Modelling (GMM) was used to identify subgroups of women with distinct trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms. These results were used to create four distinct anxiety and/or depressive symptom groups. Differences in demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics, among these groups were evaluated using analyses of variance and Chi square analyses. Results A total of 44.5% of patients were categorized with CADS. Women with CADS were younger, non-white, had lower performance status, received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, had greater difficulty dealing with their disease and treatment, and reported less support from others to meet their needs. These women had lower physical, psychological, social well-being, and total QOL scores. Higher levels of anxiety with or without subsyndromal depressive symptoms were associated with increased fears of recurrence, hopelessness, uncertainty, loss of control, and a decrease in life satisfaction. Conclusions Findings suggest that CADS occurs in a high percentage of women following breast cancer surgery and results in a poorer QOL. Assessments of anxiety and depressive symptoms are warranted prior to surgery for breast cancer.
The mechanism of uridine diphosphate-sugar-4-epimerase reactions. Isotope discrimination with 4-tritiated substrates.

Abstract The rates of epimerization of UDP-[4-3H]glucose, UDP-[4-3H]galactose, and UDP-[4-3H]xylose with UDP-galactose 4-epimerase from Escherichia coli and that of UDP-[4-3H]glucuronate with UDP-galacturonate 4-epimerase from Anabaena flos-aquae were determined. In all cases the initial rates with the tritiated substrates were approximately one-half those of the corresponding nontritiated species. No isotope discrimination was observed at equilibrium. In analogy to the epimerization of UDP-galactose and UDP-glucose, for which a 4-keto intermediate has been directly demonstrated, the data suggest that corresponding intermediates are also formed during epimerization of UDP-xylose to UDP-l-arabinose and of UDP-glucuronate to UDP-galacturonate.
Aristomakhou as a Proper Noun in the Prooimial Priamel of Pindar's Pythian 10

‘Aristomachus’, not the scholiast’s adjective but the proper name of a Thessalian ancestor linked to the Heraclidae, completes and clarifies the scope of praise of the victor at the start of the ode.
Morse Theory for Implicit Surface Modeling

Morse theory describes the relationship between a function’s critical points and the homotopy type of the function’s domain. The theorems of Morse theory were developed specifically for functions on a manifold. This work adapts these theorems for use with parameterized families of implicit surfaces in computer graphics. The result is a theoretical basis for the determination of the global topology of an implicit surface, and supports the interactive modeling of implicit surfaces by direct manipulation of a topologically-correct triangulated representation.
Community Network Development: A Dialectical View

Drawing on an ongoing longitudinal research study, we discuss problems in the development of Urban-net, a next generation community network in a city in central New York. The project was funded under a state program to diffuse broadband technologies in economically depressed areas of the state. The network is technologically complex and entails high costs for subscribers. The political economy of the development process has biased the subscriber base toward the resource rich and away from the resource poor, and toward uses like intra-organizational connectivity and Internet access and away from community-oriented uses as originally envisaged. These trends raise troubling questions about network ontology and function, and about the relation between the network and its physical host community.
Heller's Future in the Lower Courts

The Supreme Court's recent decision in District of Columbia v. Heller not only established an individual right to gun ownership, but also overturned - by a 9-0 margin - lower-court caselaw based on a "collective right" interpretation of the Second Amendment. This article looks at how Heller is likely to fare in the lower courts, based on experience with other recent Supreme Court decisions, and incorporates new scholarship on decision rules and the so-called "new doctrinalism."
Panel: When will the cost of dependability end innovation in computer design?

As silicon feature sizes approach atomic scales, device reliability is waning and the cost of dependability is on the rise. Post silicon devices, such as CNTs or TFETs, promise better performance but at the cost of even worse reliability. Will we reach the point where the cost of reliability for future silicon substrates is too expensive to justify their existence? Or will we discover new ways to contain the cost of dependability? If we do discover low-cost reliability mechanisms, how much time do we have before we must deploy them? If not, how much life does silicon have left?
Gigabit-access-link feasibility considerations for optical Ethernet

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Ethernet in the First Mile task force, IEEE 802.3ah, is concentrating on a standard aimed at making optical access affordable and ubiquitous. Subscribers will be able to get 1-Gbit/s bidirectional capacity to the central offices. This gigabit passive-optical-network (PON) system implies the use of low-cost optoelectronics and standard single-mode fibers. Historically, dispersion of single-mode fibers in these systems has not been an issue, because of the relatively low data rates and limited distance. However, for optical Ethernet access, distances up to 20 km and extended temperature ranges are being considered. Therefore there are now system limitations resulting from various dispersion penalties. Here we explore the fundamental issues of dispersion and its effect on the access network from a statistical point of view.
Experience Plays a Role in Female Preference for Symmetry in the Swordtail Fish Xiphophorus malinche

Variation in female mating preferences was previously detected in wild-caught Xiphophorus cortezi and Xiphophorus malinche females: smaller (presumed younger) females preferred symmetrical males, while larger (presumed older) females preferred asymmetrical males. We examined the influence of experience on this variation in female preference by determining if X. malinche females would express a preference for symmetry as virgins, shift their preferences for bar symmetry as they got larger (older) and if experience with males of different bar number symmetry could explain the variation in female preference previously detected. Virgin females exhibited no preference for vertical bar number symmetry when tested in the young- or old-age classes. However, young virgins spent more time with the opposite treatment in the second when compared with first test, indicating an ability to detect the difference between symmetry and asymmetry, and potentially a preference to mate with multiple males. When females were reared in one of three treatments, housed with symmetrical, barless or both symmetrical and asymmetrical males, we detected both a treatment and tank effect on strength of preference for symmetry, suggesting that barring pattern and some other aspect of the social environment influenced the development of this mating preference. Finally, we detected no effect of age class on mean strength of preference for symmetry; however, there was a statistically different relationship between female size and strength of preference for symmetry across the two age classes, suggesting that the preference function for symmetry may not be linear in relation to female size.
Renal Failure Following Cardiac Surgery in a 2.8-kg Infant Managed with Continuous Arteriovenous Hemofiltration

Renal failure occurred after repair of transposition of the great vessels with ventricular septal defect in a 2.8-kg infant and was managed successfully with continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration. The infant lost the weight that had been gained as extravascular water, thereby simplifying her fluid, electrolyte, and nutritional management. She ultimately died of cardiac failure.
The Occlusion Effect in Bone Conduction Hearing

This experiment tested the hypothesis that the occlusion effect is accompanied by an increase in sound pressure level in the external auditory canal. Pure tone bone conduction thresholds and sound ...
Insect steroid metabolism.

Insects are unable to biosynthesize the steroid nucleus and generally require an exogenous source of sterols. Two salient areas of insect steroid metabolism are the dealkylation and conversion of dietary C28 and C29 plant sterols to cholesterol and other C27 sterols, and the biosynthesis and metabolism of the steroidal insect molting hormones. Certain azasteroids and nonsteroidal amines block this conversion of 24-alkyl sterols to cholesterol and/or disrupt molting and development in insects. These inhibitors have served in charting metabolic pathways for steroids in insects and are serving as models in developing selective pesticidal chemicals and chemotherapeutic agents for use against insects and other invertebrate pests and parasites. The mode of action of some of these inhibitors on molting and development has been investigated in vivo and in vitro. Certain of these inhibitors represent a new class of insect hormonal compounds with a novel mode of action—the disruption of molting hormone metabolism. Research on sterol metabolism in insects provides important information on the comparative biochemistry and physiological functions of steroids in living systems.
Menthol cigarettes: Research needs and challenges

The First Conference on Menthol Cigarettes: Setting the Research Agenda provided a forum for discussion of the origins, uses, and health consequences of adding menthol to cigarettes. A major purpose of the conference was to review the state of the science on menthol cigarettes, identify knowledge gaps, and set an agenda for research that would lay the foundation for improving public health by reducing tobaccocaused disease. The conference planning process made evident the many ways that addition of menthol to cigarettes may have contributed to tobacco-attributable addiction, morbidity, disability, and mortality as well as to tobacco use and health disparities among specific population groups. Thus, individuals representing wide tobacco research diversity were invited to present papers on menthol cigarettes and participate in discussions in order to thoroughly evaluate the state of knowledge and the needs for future research. Papers published in this supplement to Nicotine & Tobacco Research are based on those presentations and provide an invaluable platform for drawing general conclusions about the potential role of menthol in initiation and progression of smoking as well as in the augmentation of tobacco-related disease burden. These conclusions have major implications for public health interventions. Equally important, the papers identified major gaps in knowledge that stand as barriers to tobacco disease control. Addressing the research needs and challenges implied by these knowledge gaps could significantly contribute to improved public health. This paper summarizes research needs and challenges discussed at the conference as well as several that emerged as the presenters prepared their papers for publication in this volume. Some general conclusions and observations from the conference are summarized in the following list.
Volatile hydride and methyl compounds of selected elements formed in the marine environment

Abstract This review selectively describes volatile compounds of phosphorus, arsenic, sulfur, selenium, tin, lead and mercury in the marine environment with an emphasis on mercury. The discussion includes formation of volatile hydride, methyl, and mixed methyl/hydride compounds by biotic, abiotic, and mixed biotic/abiotic paths. The review also describes stabilities of the volatile compounds to water and oxygen, their environmental concentrations, and their marine fluxes to the atmosphere. Gross approximations of marine-to-atmosphere fluxes are: sulfur (9×1011 mol yr−1), selenium (2×108 mol yr−1), mercury (5×106 mol yr−1 in calm weather; 1×108 in stormy weather), and arsenic (8×107 mol yr−1).
Oxygen consumption in Plasmodium berghei-infected murine red cells: A direct spectrophotometric assay in intact erythrocytes

A spectrophotometric assay has been devised to measure oxygen consumption non-invasively in intact murine red cells parasitized by Plasmodium berghei. The method uses oxyhemoglobin in the erythrocytes both as a source of oxygen and as an indicator of oxygen consumption. Spectra of intact cells show broad peaks and sloping baselines due to light-scattering. In order to ascertain the number of varying components in the 370-450 nm range, the resolution of the spectra was enhanced using Fourier transforms of the frequency domain spectra. Calculation of oxygen consumption was carried out for two-component systems (oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin) using absorbances at 415 and 431 nm. Samples prepared from highly parasitized mice (greater than 80% parasitemia, 5% hematocrit) showed oxygen consumption rates of (4-8) X 10(-8) microliter/cell per h. This rate was not attributable to the presence of white cells or reticulocytes. The rate of oxygen consumption in the erythrocytes is shown to be modulated by various agents: the respiratory inhibitors NaN3 and KCN (1 mM) reduced oxygen consumption 2-3-fold; salicylhydroxamic acid (2.5 mM) caused a 20% reduction in rate and 10 mM NaN3, completely blocked deoxygenation. Antimalarial drugs and metal-chelating agents were also tested. Chloroquine, EDTA and desferal (desferoxamine mesylate) did not decrease the deoxygenation rate of hemoglobin in parasitized cells. Quinacrine, quinine and primaquine reduced the rate of formation of deoxyhemoglobin but also produced substantial quantities of methemoglobin. The lipophilic chelator, 5-hydroxyquinoline, decreased the rate of deoxygenation one-third. The spectrophotometric assay provides a convenient means to monitor oxygen consumption in parasitized red cells, to test the effects of various agents thereon, and potentially to explore possible mechanisms for oxygen utilization.
Image Potential Surface States Localized at Chemisorbed Dielectric−Metal Interfaces

The work reported herein involves an extensive examination of alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on roughened Au and Ag surfaces by surface-enhanced electronic Raman scattering. The obser...
Nuclear structure of 16N

Abstract Excitation energies of 36 levels of 16N below 8.4 MeV have been determined by high resolution studies of the 14N(t, p)16N, 15N(d, p)16N and 18O(d, α)16N reactions. Angular distributions have been measured for all levels observed in the 14N(t, p)16N reaction. Several new spin and parity assignments have been made, and two states have been identified as the (1 p 1 2 ) −1 1 d 3 2 single-particle levels.
Elderly Suicide in Western Europe 1975–1989: A Different Approach to Durkheim's Theory of Political Integration:

Using data on attitudes to measure political integration, it was found that political integration and suicide are negatively associated for the elderly in nine western European countries from 1975 to 1989. Also associated with elderly suicide are the divorce rate and deaths due to cirrhosis of the liver. Religious book production, however, was not found to be associated with suicide in the normative manner. Reasons for these associations are discussed.
SU‐FF‐T‐04: Experimental Method Development for Direct Dosimetry of Permanent Prostate Brachytherapy Implants

Purpose: To ascertain if PET DICOM data can be used for the quantitative description of dose distribution in support of direct prostate seed dosimetry. Method and Materials: Simulated brachytherapy seeds were constructed containing trace amounts of a positron emitter F-18, such that all annihilation events took place in the encapsulation wall. An acrylic prostate phantom containing these seeds was imaged with a GE Discovery PET/CT scanner. The PET scan data was used as source in the input for Monte Carlo calculation of dose distribution due to the F-18. This dose distribution was then compared to computations wherein the source was restricted to the encapsulation wall. This was done to determine if the measured data could be used to accurately compute the annihilation dose, which in turn could be used to compute the therapeutic dose due to known seed activity. Results: Examination of the dose distributions indicates a close agreement between the measured data and theoretical computational experiments for certain cases. We found that 2D acquisition with default reconstruction resulted in a maximum difference in transaxial dose distribution of 15% in a single voxel and a mean difference of 4% for the remaining voxels. The mean discrepancy between the ideal and PET based computations are within or close to calculation error of 2% to 4%. These results do not reflect any optimized acquisition protocol that can further reduce the observed differences. Conclusion: This work indicates there is potential for using PET data for the proposed link between the therapeutic brachytherapy dose and the dose due to a trace amount of encapsulated positron emitter developed by Sajo and Williams. Without needing seed location information, clinical implementation of this method could significantly reduce the time needed for post-implant evaluation, and several of the uncertainties and limitations inherent in current prostate brachytherapy dosimetry.
EXCITATION OF ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC LATERAL WAVES IN A COMPRESSIBLE PLASMA BY A NON-ELECTROMAGNETIC SOURCE.

This paper considers the possibility of excitation of lateral waves in a hot plasma in contact with a perfectly conducting boundary by a mechanical body source. These lateral waves being incident on the conducting surface at a critical angle from the source travel a certain distance along the surface with the phase velocity of light in a cold plasma and the waves are then reflected back at the critical angle to the observer in the compressible plasma. The incident and reflected portions of the path are traversed by the waves with the phase velocity of an acoustic wave in a compressible plasma. It is shown that these electro-acoustic lateral waves can be excited also by an electric dipole oriented in the same direction as the mechanical body source. The amplitudes of the waves excited by these two different sources are compared.
Crystallization kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate) studied by rapid scanning Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Rapid scanning Raman spectroscopy is used to follow the process of crystallization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) in the solid state. This new application of Raman spectroscopy to a chemical problem indicates the presence of multiple stages in the crystallization. The origin of these stages is discussed. The technique also permits the first examination of crystallization kinetics at the functional group level. The results show that activation energies as well as the Avrami n and k parameters are different for different functional groups. Data from rapid scanning Raman spectroscopy are compared with recent i.r. data on this process, and with results from other techniques.
Phytosterols decrease prostaglandin release in cultured P388D1/MAB macrophages

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in Western societies. Atherosclerosis is a major cardiovascular related disorder that is responsible for 50% of all mortality in the United States. Several epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of a plant-based diet is associated with a decreased incidence of cardiovascular abnormalities. Phytosterols, especially beta-sitosterol, are plant sterols that have been shown to exert protective effects against cardiovascular diseases as well as many types of cancer. Monocyte/macrophage cells are involved with the inflammatory process. Accumulation of these cells in arteries is one of the initial events leading to atherosclerosis. Macrophages are capable of supplying the atherosclerotic vessel with substantial amounts of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins have been shown by numerous studies to play a key role in the atherosclerosis process. They can affect platelet aggregation, vasodilation or constriction of blood vessels, and the adherence of monocytes to the vessel walls. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of phytosterols on the release of PGE(2) and PGI(2) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated P388D(1)/MAB macrophage cells. P388D(1)/MAB cells were supplemented with 16 microM cholesterol, beta-sitosterol or campesterol using cyclodextrin as a vehicle. Phytosterol supplementation led to a significant decrease in cellular growth at various time points throughout a 7-day treatment period, especially after 3 days of treatment. Macrophages incorporated the supplemented phytosterols into their membranes which accounted for 26% of total membrane sterols. Cholesterol supplementation at 16 microM however, had no effect on membrane sterols. Supplementation with 16 microM concentration of beta-sitosterol or campesterol resulted in a significant inhibition of PGE(2) and PGI(2) release from macrophage cells as compared to the vehicle control. Of the two phytosterols, beta-sitosterol supplementation exhibited a greater inhibitory effect. PGE(2) release was decreased 68% by beta-sitosterol and 55% by campesterol, while cholesterol supplementation was not as effective, as it led to a 37% decrease. Similarly, release of PGI(2) from macrophages was inhibited 67% by beta-sitosterol and 52% by campesterol treatment, while enrichment of the cells with cholesterol, led to a 35% decrease in PGI(2) release. The decrease in prostaglandin release was not due to alteration in the expression of cPLA(2) and COX-2 enzymes which suggests that alterations in the activities of these enzymes may be responsible for the observed changes in prostaglandin release. It was concluded that phytosterol incorporation into macrophages may offer protection from atherosclerosis by reducing their prostaglandin release and thus slowing down the atheroma development.
GRLD-1 regulates cell-wide abundance of glutamate receptor through post-transcriptional regulation

AMPA receptors mediate most of the fast postsynaptic response at glutamatergic synapses. The abundance of AMPA receptors in neurons and at postsynaptic membranes is tightly regulated. It has been suggested that changes in synaptic AMPA receptor levels are an important regulatory event in synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. Although the local, synapse-specific regulation of AMPA receptors has been intensely studied, global, cell-wide control is less well understood. Using a forward genetic approach, we identified glutamate receptor level decreased-1 (GRLD-1), a putative RNA-binding protein that was required for efficient production of GLR-1 in the AVE interneurons in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In grld-1 mutants, GLR-1 levels were markedly reduced. Consistently, glutamate-induced currents in AVE were diminished and glr-1-dependent nose-touch avoidance behavior was defective in grld-1 mutants. We propose that this evolutionarily conserved family of proteins controls the abundance of GLR-1 by regulating glr-1 transcript splicing.
The role, function, and contribution of attribution theory to leadership: A review

The purpose of this article is to review literature that has focused on the role of attributions in leadership processes and to explore and explain how the study of attributions does, and can, contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of leadership. The historical roots of attribution research are discussed, along with early attributional research in the leadership area. Two streams of attributional criticisms are addressed and recent attributional research relevant to leadership is reviewed. We argue and demonstrate that attributions account for significant proportions of the variance in leadership behaviors. We conclude with suggestions for including attributional perspectives in comprehensive models of leader behavior.
The trajectory towards basin closure of a European river: Guadalquivir

The objective of this research is to gain knowledge in the process of basin closure of a Mediterranean European river. The paper analyses the evolution of water demand and interactions between users and water resources, focusing on irrigation as the main actor of change. The Guadalquivir River Basin has been managed through a centralized and hierarchical system for almost 80 years, which facilitated the evolution of a large and profitable agricultural sector that in turn has driven the basin towards closure, defined as those basins with a relatively small amount of uncommitted run-off. We distinguish the following elements in the evolution towards closure: (a) decreasing farm income; (b) increase in irrigated area and factor intensification as a response to this; (c) expansion of irrigation to formerly rainfed crops (i.e. olive groves); (d) new demand from other sectors; (e) increase in environmental flow control; (f) reduction in water allocation; (g) increase in water costs; (h) introduction of water sa...
Effects of zaprinast and dissolved nitric oxide on the pulmonary circulation of fetal sheep.

This study was designed to determine indirectly if the changes in ovine fetal pulmonary vascular tone caused by i.v. injections of nitric oxide-containing solutions are mediated by cGMP. We first characterized the dose-response relationship of bolus intrapulmonary injections of zaprinast (a cGMP-selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor) and nitric oxide solutions. Injections of nitric oxide solutions as well as zaprinast solutions resulted in dose-dependent decreases in pulmonary arterial pressure that were greater than reductions in systemic arterial pressure. We also evaluated the effects of simultaneous infusions of zaprinast and U46619 (a thromboxane mimetic) on the response to bolus injections of 1.0 μg of acetylcholine, 100 ng of endothelin-1, and 10.0 μL of ethanol saturated with nitric oxide. Zaprinast was infused at a rate of 1.5 mg/min, and the concentration of U46619 was titrated to raise mean left pulmonary arterial pressure (LPAP) to the steady state level that was present before infusing zaprinast. All bolus injections reduced left pulmonary arterial pressure more than they reduced mean systemic arterial pressure. However, neither the response magnitudes nor the response durations were affected by simultaneous infusions of zaprinast and U46619. We therefore suggest that modulation of fetal pulmonary vascular tone by endogenously produced nitric oxide may involve mechanisms other than raising smooth muscle cytoplasmic cGMP concentrations.
Community, Trade, and Networks: Southern Fujian Province from the Third to the Thirteenth Century

List of maps and tables Acknowledgments 1. Problems and approaches 2. The late Tang 3. The interregnum: politics, structure, and administration 4. The interregnum: society and economics 5. The song: demography and networks 6. The song: trade and economy 7. Conclusions Appendices Notes Glossary Bibliography Index.
Functional characterization of an AQP0 missense mutation, R33C, that causes dominant congenital lens cataract, reveals impaired cell-to-cell adhesion.

Aquaporin 0 (AQP0) performs dual functions in the lens fiber cells, as a water pore and as a cell-to-cell adhesion molecule. Mutations in AQP0 cause severe lens cataract in both humans and mice. An arginine to cysteine missense mutation at amino acid 33 (R33C) produced congenital autosomal dominant cataract in a Chinese family for five generations. We re-created this mutation in wild type human AQP0 (WT-AQP0) cDNA by site-directed mutagenesis, and cloned and expressed the mutant AQP0 (AQP0-R33C) in heterologous expression systems. Mutant AQP0-R33C showed proper trafficking and membrane localization like WT-AQP0. Functional studies conducted in Xenopus oocytes showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) in water permeability between AQP0-R33C and WT-AQP0. However, the cell-to-cell adhesion property of AQP0-R33C was significantly reduced (P < 0.001) compared to that of WT-AQP0, indicated by cell aggregation and cell-to-cell adhesion assays. Scrape-loading assay using Lucifer Yellow dye showed reduction in cell-to-cell adhesion affecting gap junction coupling (P < 0.001). The data provided suggest that this mutation might not have caused significant alterations in protein folding since there was no obstruction in protein trafficking or water permeation. Reduction in cell-to-cell adhesion and development of cataract suggest that the conserved positive charge of Extracellular Loop A may play an important role in bringing fiber cells closer. The proposed schematic models illustrate that cell-to-cell adhesion elicited by AQP0 is vital for lens transparency and homeostasis.
In vitro immune responsiveness of rats lacking active dipeptidylpeptidase IV.

Abstract DPPIV (CD26) is a cell surface serine exoprotease recently described as a T cell activation molecule. A substrain of German Fischer 344 rats expressing a truncated, inactive form of DPPIV were used to determine whether the absence of enzymatic activity affected the overall immunological competence of these rats as compared to American Fischer 344 rats that express normal levels of DPPIV activity. The proliferative responses of splenic leukocytes obtained from both strains of rats were assessed in vitro following stimulation by T cell (Con A), B cell (LPS), and T and B cell (PWM) mitogens. In addition, proliferation was determined in the presence and absence of N-MMA, an inhibitor of nitric oxide production which is known to be a potent regulator of lymphocyte proliferation in vitro . Finally, the ability of these rats to produce a secondary response to KLH-primed lymphocytes was compared. No significant differences were found between the magnitude of either the mitogen or antigen-driven responses of immune cells obtained from American and German rats. The response to restimulation by KLH resulted in equivalent levels of KLH-specific immunoglobulin and IFN-γ production as well. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the proteolytic activity of DPPIV may not be necessary for the generation of immune competence or that in the absence of functional DPPIV, German Fischer rats have developed a compensatory proteolytic mechanism.
Genetic association of cyclic AMP signaling genes with bipolar disorder

The genetic basis for bipolar disorder (BPD) is complex with the involvement of multiple genes. As it is well established that cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling regulates behavior, we tested variants in 29 genes that encode components of this signaling pathway for associations with BPD type I (BPD I) and BPD type II (BPD II). A total of 1172 individuals with BPD I, 516 individuals with BPD II and 1728 controls were analyzed. Single SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism), haplotype and SNP × SNP interactions were examined for association with BPD. Several statistically significant single-SNP associations were observed between BPD I and variants in the PDE10A gene and between BPD II and variants in the DISC1 and GNAS genes. Haplotype analysis supported the conclusion that variation in these genes is associated with BPD. We followed-up PDE10A’s association with BPD I by sequencing a 23-kb region in 30 subjects homozygous for seven minor allele risk SNPs and discovered eight additional rare variants (minor allele frequency <1%). These single-nucleotide variants were genotyped in 999 BPD cases and 801 controls. We obtained a significant association for these variants in the combined sample using multiple methods for rare variant analysis. After using newly developed methods to account for potential bias from sequencing BPD cases only, the results remained significant. In addition, SNP × SNP interaction studies suggested that variants in several cAMP signaling pathway genes interact to increase the risk of BPD. This report is among the first to use multiple rare variant analysis methods following common tagSNPs associations with BPD.
Bone marrow cells from young and old New Zealand black mice can reconstitute B lymphocytes in severe combined immunodeficient recipients.

The formation of B lymphocytes in young New Zealand Black (NZB) mice proceeds at an accelerated rate, resulting in a deficiency of B lineage progenitors in mice of 15 weeks of age and older. Multiple studies have indicated that intrinsic defects in B lineage cells as well as in the hemopoietic microenvironment in which they develop contribute to these cellular abnormalities. To determine whether the B-cell hyperactivity observed in young mice could be observed in a normal environment, bone marrow cells from young (4 weeks or less) NZB donors were transplanted into Severe Combined Immunodeficient (SCID) mice that have a marked deficiency of lymphocytes but an apparently normal hemopoietic microenvironment. Engraftment of donor lymphoid cells can occur without pretransplant conditioning regimens, thus minimizing the chances of transferring microenvironmental elements. Marrow from young NZB donors reconstituted surface IgM-expressing B cells and CFU-B (B-cell colony-forming unit) in the marrow of SCID mouse recipients to levels comparable to that observed with donor NZB.xid marrow. The latter mice carry the xid gene that ameliorates the defects exhibited by B lineage cells of NZB mice. Both the number of surface IgM-expressing B cells and CFU-B were higher in the spleen of SCID mice that received NZB grafts than marrow cells from donor BALBc or NZB.xid mice. Marrow from young NZB donors also reconstituted Thy-1, L3T4 and Lyt2-expressing cells in the spleen to levels higher than observed with young NZB.xid donor cells. The transplantation of marrow from 6-month-old NZB donors made it possible to test whether B lineage cells were present in that tissue and could mediate reconstitution in the normal SCID environment. Marrow from old NZB donors did reconstitute B cells in the marrow and spleen of SCID recipients. The level of reconstitution was comparable to that mediated by young BALBc cells and twice that of old NZB.xid donor cells. The absolute number of splenic CFU-B was also higher in recipients of old NZB marrow as compared to young BALBc cells. Old NZB.xid donor marrow reconstituted splenic Thy-1, L3T4 and Lyt2 T cells to levels less than observed with NZB donor cells. Analysis of serum Ig in recipients of old NZB cells indicated higher levels of total IgM as compared to mice engrafted with NZB.xid cells, and anti-single stranded DNA antibodies were detected.
Isolation of bovine cytochrome c1 as a single non-denatured subunit using gel filtration or high pressure liquid chromatography in deoxycholate.

Abstract The non-denatured cytochrome c 1 subunit of bovine ubiquinone-cytochrome c reductase was isolated using either gel filtration or high pressure liquid chromatography in 1% deoxycholate. The preparation was a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in dodecyl sulfate, had a heme content of 31 nmol heme/mg protein, had an absorbance ratio A 417 A 278 = 2.65 , a visible spectrum with maxima at 553, 530, 523.5, 417, 317, and 277 nm for the reduced protein, and an amino acid analysis identical to that previously reported for the isolated denatured protein. The Stokes' radius of this non-denatured deoxycholate solubilized protein was 34A, indicating that the protein either is a dimer in deoxycholate, is asymmetric, or binds large amounts of detergent.
Clients' Views of Juvenile Justice Personnel: Perceptions of Continuing and Noncontinuing Delinquents in Israel:

The perceptions and the attitudes of the "clients" of the juvenile justice system in Israel toward the personnel of the agencies of this system were solicited and analyzed. Generally, juvenile delinquents in Israel expressed favorable perceptions of the probation officers and juvenile court judges, but their perceptions ofpolicemen tended to be negative especially among those who had a more extensive involvement with the juvenile justice system. Those who had more experience with the system tended to have less positive views of these officials than those who had a more limited experience. However, these findings are not so clear-cut that they could either substantiate or negate the existence of the "sense of injustice" claimed by Matza and several other scholars.
Prognostic value of myocardial perfusion imaging in predicting outcome after renal transplantation

Cardiovascular disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after renal transplantation. Pretransplant screening in a subset of these patients for occult coronary artery disease (CAD) may improve outcome. The objective of this study was to examine the outcome of 600 patients after renal transplantation for end-stage renal disease. Prospective outcome data were collected on 600 consecutive patients who had renal transplantation between 1996 and 1998 at our institution at 42 +/- 12 months after surgery. Stress single-photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging was performed in 174 patients before surgery, 136 (78%) of whom had diabetes mellitus. There were a total of 59 events: 17 cardiac deaths, 14 nonfatal myocardial infarctions, and 28 noncardiac deaths. There were 12 cardiac events and 11 noncardiac deaths among those who had SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging. In a multivariate analysis that included important risk factors, age (p = 0.03 and 0.003, respectively) and diabetes (p = 0.02 and 0.005, respectively) were the predictors of total events and cardiac events in patients who did not undergo stress SPECT perfusion imaging. In the subgroup who had stress perfusion imaging, an abnormal perfusion SPECT study was the only predictor of cardiac events (p = 0.006). The 42-month cardiac event-free survival rate was 97% in patients with normal SPECT images and 85% in patients with abnormal SPECT images (RR 5.04, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 17.6, p = 0.006). Thus, there is a 2.8% event rate per year after renal transplantation, and approximately 50% of these events are noncardiac. In high-risk patients (most of whom had diabetes) with preoperative stress perfusion imaging, those with normal images had significantly lower cardiac events than those with abnormal images. These results have important implications in patient screening and postoperative management.
On restricting the base component of transformational grammars

We investigate the effects of placing various restrictions on the base component of a transformational grammar as defined by Chomsky (1965) . It is shown that by utilizing the so-called filter function of transformations the descriptive power of transformational grammars can be preserved unreduced even when their base components are subjected to drastic restrictions.