cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hyperosmolality-induced GABA release from rat brain slices: studies of calcium dependency and sources of release.

— The effects of hyperosmolal superfusion upon the release of preloaded, radio-labeled GABA has been studied, using both first cortical and first pontine brain slices. GABA release was stimulated with either hyperosmolal Na+ or sucrose superfusion in cortical slices. This stimulated release of radio-labeled GABA was partially Ca2+-dependent in cortical slices. When barium ions replaced Ca2+ in hyperosmolal medium, a similar effect was seen. High concentration of magnesium in Ca2+ -free hyperosmolal medium did not induce stimulation. The increased release of α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIBA), a non-metabolized amino acid induced by hyperosmolality, was not Ca2+-dependent. GABA release was also stimulated with hyperosmolal sucrose superfusion in pontine slices. The effect of pre-treatment of cortical and pontine slices with β-alanine or L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DABA) was used to study the source of exogenous GABA release induced by hyperosmolality. In cortical slices, β-alanine blocked the hyperosmolal release of GABA and also slightly inhibited GABA uptake. DABA did not change hyperosmolal GABA release, although it inhibited GABA uptake. In pontine slices, both DABA and β-alanine inhibited GABA uptake, but were unable to inhibit the hyperosmolal release of GABA. The data suggest that hyperosmolality causes increased release of GABA from neurons, analogous to that seen with K+-depolarization. AIBA, unlike GABA, is released from brain cells as a non-Ca2+ -dependent response to osmotic equilibration. The observation that pre-treatment with β-alanine inhibits the hyperosmolal release of GABA suggests that hyperosmolality alters glial cell function.
Metamorphosis and the steady state anesthetic concentrations of tricaine, benzocaine and ethanol

Abstract In the classical tadpole assay employed for Meyer-Overton type correlations, tricaine and benzocaine are 7–8 times more potent than n -alkanols of equivalent lipid solubility. Median anesthetic concentrations for loss of the righting reflex, AC 50 (RR)s, were 0.165 and 0.103 mM for tricaine and benzocaine, and log P s (octanol: water) were 1.81 and 1.98, respectively. Tadpoles receiving a half AC 50 (RR) each of tricaine and ethanol showed less than additive effects, suggesting a substantial difference in their mechanism(s) of action. AC 50 (RR)s for both tricaine and benzocaine increased two fold coincident with metamorphosis, reflecting a change from an equilibrium to a nonequilibrium steady state.
Fast Monte Carlo methodology for multivariate particulate systems-II: τ-PEMC

Abstract The point ensemble Monte Carlo (PEMC) was introduced [Irizarry, R., 2007. Fast Monte Carlo methodology for multivariate particulate systems-I: point ensemble Monte Carlo. Chemical Engineering Science, in press, doi:10.1016/j.ces.2007.09.007 .] as a method to accelerate the simulation speed of particulate processes solved by Monte Carlo methods. The PEMC method is a “constructed” jump Markov model that approximates the dynamics of the original particulate process without losing a detailed description of individual particles. The PEMC method is integrated using the stochastic simulation algorithm, which is exact in time. A natural extension of the PEMC algorithm is to consider a coarse-graining strategy for the time to further accelerate the MC simulation. In this work, the τ -leap method is adapted to the PEMC. It is shown that when the τ -parameter is selected properly, the τ -PEMC can also give accurate results with faster computational speed than the PEMC method. Furthermore, similar to the PEMC, the dynamic of complex intra-particle phenomena can be represented accurately. Numerical experiments show that this algorithm can improve the computational load of the exact method by orders of magnitude without sacrificing computational accuracy. The methodology is useful especially in stochastic optimization applications where many function calls (simulations) are required.
The reduction of alkyl sulfate to alkane with lithium aluminum hydride

A general reaction is described for the reduction of alkyl sulfate esters to alkanes by use of lithium aluminum hydride. The method has been applied to sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium hexadecyl sulfate.
Measuring cost efficiency in presence of heteroskedasticity: The case of the banking industry in Taiwan

Abstract We measure cost efficiency of commercial banks in Taiwan using annual data for the 1996–2011 period. Following Caudill et al. (1995) , and Caudill and Ford (1993) , we develop a generalized dynamic model that accounts for heteroskedasticity in the cost inefficiency component of the error term in the stochastic frontier (SF) model and adopt a single-step approach (e.g., Battese and Coelli, 1995 , Wang and Schmidt, 2002 ) to circumvent the problems associated with the two-step estimation procedure used by prior studies. We show that the results based on the heteroskedastic stochastic frontier (HSF) model combined with the single-step estimation approach sharply contrast with that of the traditional ‘two-step’ approach. These are important findings because they point to the limitations of previous studies on cost efficiency that use a two-step estimation approach. Our findings suggest that asset size, loan quality, and bank equity-to-asset ratio have significant negative impact on cost efficiency of banks. Government-owned banks in Taiwan are more likely to be cost efficient than privately owned banks. Macroeconomic environmental factors such as money supply and foreign exchange reserve ratio are likely to influence the cost efficiency of banking industry in Taiwan.
Ethnic identity, region and attitudes towards male circumcision in a high HIV-prevalence country

We study how considerations of male circumcision (MC) as both a favourable practice and as protective against HIV are linked with ethnicity in sub-Saharan Africa, where many ethnic groups do not traditionally circumcise. We focus on Malawi, a country with a high HIV prevalence but low MC prevalence. Survey data from a population-based random sample in rural Malawi (N =3400) were analysed for ethnoregional patterns in attitudes towards MC. We used logit regression models to measure how reported circumcision status, region of residence and ethnic identity relate to attitudes towards circumcision. Overall, Malawians reported more negative than positive opinions about MC, but attitudes towards circumcision varied by ethnicity and region. The implications for agencies and governments aggressively scaling up the provision of MC are clear; acceptance of circumcision as a tool for HIV prevention could be low in societies divided by ethnoregional identities that also shape the practice of circumcision.
Scour Around Bankline and Setback Abutments in Compound Channels

Prediction of bridge abutment scour is particularly difficult in compound channels because of the effects of the flow interaction between the floodplain and main channel superimposed on the flow obstruction, and contraction caused by the bridge abutment and highway embankment. Previous laboratory studies have focused on rectangular channels, although it is generally recognized that compound channels can have an additional geometric influence on the maximum clear-water scour depth. It is the purpose of this paper to integrate experimental results for clear-water abutment scour for different compound channel geometries by taking into account the flow redistribution that occurs between floodplain and main channel in the contracted section created by the bridge opening. In addition, sediment size, bridge backwater, abutment shape, and approach velocity and depth are included in a proposed scour depth relationship. Both setback and bankline abutments are considered. Experimental evidence is presented for the characteristic nonuniform lateral velocity distributions associated with compound channels in the bridge approach section as affected by backwater, and for the entrainment of floodplain flow into the main channel between the approach and bridge opening cross sections. Scour depth patterns are shown as remnants of the floodplain flow acceleration and entrainment process. It is demonstrated that a common relationship for scour depth can be developed for both setback and bankline abutments provided that a consistent definition of scour depth is utilized. The experimental results are applied successfully to a field case of measured abutment scour, but the need for additional high-quality, real-time field data is emphasized.
Geometric Mean of Nonnegative Random Variable

In this article, we define the geometric mean of a nonnegative random variable in different cases and study the asymptotic unbiasedness of the sample geometric mean.
Extent of fungal growth on fiberglass duct liners with and without biocides under challenging environmental conditions.

Eight brands of fiberglass duct liners, including three that contained biocides, were exposed to challenging environmental conditions that would promote fungal growth. Twenty-four rectangular sheet metal ducts in three groups of eight ducts per group were lined with the eight selected liners. Each group of ducts was exposed to one of the three test conditions within an environmental chamber for a period of 15 days. These conditions were a) 75 percent RH, b) 75 percent RH plus water spray, c) 75 percent RH plus dry nutrient, and d) 75 percent RH plus water plus nutrient. Viable spores of Aspergillus niger were aerosolized into each duct as seed. On the 16th day, air and surface samples for fungal spores were collected from inside ducts. The results of air sampling using N6 sampler and visual inspection indicated that two out of three biocide-containing liners, Permacote and Toughgard, inhibited fungal growth but only under condition A. The third biocide-containing liner, Aeroflex Plus, was effective even w...
Peripheral nerve regeneration in the presence of collagen fibers: Effect of removal of the distal nerve stump

Abstract A previous report from our laboratory indicated that nerve regeneration through silicone tubes filled with self-assembled collagen fibers was affected by the biodegradation rate of the collagen. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of removal of the distal nerve stump from the silicone tube filled with collagen fibers. Results obtained indicate that in the absence of the distal nerve stump, an implant containing collagen fibers facilitates Schwann cell migration and axonal elongation only when the implant does not biodegrade prior to nerve regeneration (by 8 weeks post-implantation). These results and results of previous studies suggest that the presence or absence of the distal nerve stump affects the extent of regeneration through a silicone tube filled with collagen fibers. Nerve regeneration occurs less frequently in the absence of the distal stump. This model may be a more sensitive test of regeneration in the presence of entubulation devices.
The Generalized Lamé Problem—Part I: Coupled Poromechanical Solutions

Cylindrical geometries are known to present special problem simulation capabilities in engineering design. (For example, solid and hollow cylinder tests are routinely studied in soil and rock mechanics to gain insights into the geomechanical properties and to assess the stability of boreholes and cylindrical openings in the project design geomedia.) This paper identifies a unified and universal solution to all the three recognised right-cylindrical problem objects in poromechanics. A closed-form solution to the problem of the finite, homogeneous, isotropic, fully saturated, thick-milled hollow cylinder subjected to various loading modes is readily presented and described. The assumed loading modes encompass arbitrary temporal functions of uniformly distributed inner/outer pore pressure, inner/outer confining pressure, inner/outer deviatoric stress, and end axial compaction or extension. The time-dependent response derivations are outlined within the frameworks of the Biot's theory of linear poroelasticity and facilitated by the governing generalised plane-strain (GPS) principle. The (as presented) solution is shown to converge asymptotically to those of the two essential problem setups in geomechanics: the finite solid cylinder and the borehole core in an infinite medium. As such. a complete/ explicit solution to a generalised statement of the Lame problem is presented. The solution utilizes a fairly simple loading decomposition scheme which leads to two basic problem forms: a generalised poroelastic axisyminetric problem and a generalised, plane-strain. poroelastic deviatoric problem.
Exploring BSEP inhibition-mediated toxicity with a mechanistic model of drug-induced liver injury

Inhibition of the bile salt export pump (BSEP) has been linked to incidence of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), presumably by the accumulation of toxic bile acids in the liver. We have previously constructed and validated a model of bile acid disposition within DILIsym®, a mechanistic model of DILI. In this paper, we use DILIsym® to simulate the DILI response of the hepatotoxic BSEP inhibitors bosentan and CP-724,714 and the non-hepatotoxic BSEP inhibitor telmisartan in humans in order to explore whether we can predict that hepatotoxic BSEP inhibitors can cause bile acid accumulation to reach toxic levels. We also simulate bosentan in rats in order to illuminate potential reasons behind the lack of toxicity in rats compared to the toxicity observed in humans. DILIsym® predicts that bosentan, but not telmisartan, will cause mild hepatocellular ATP decline and serum ALT elevation in a simulated population of humans. The difference in hepatotoxic potential between bosentan and telmisartan is consistent with clinical observations. However, DILIsym® underpredicts the incidence of bosentan toxicity. DILIsym® also predicts that bosentan will not cause toxicity in a simulated population of rats, and that the difference between the response to bosentan in rats and in humans is primarily due to the less toxic bile acid pool in rats. Our simulations also suggest a potential synergistic role for bile acid accumulation and mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) inhibition in producing the observed toxicity in CP-724,714, and suggest that CP-724,714 metabolites may also play a role in the observed toxicity. Our work also compares the impact of competitive and noncompetitive BSEP inhibition for CP-724,714 and demonstrates that noncompetitive inhibition leads to much greater bile acid accumulation and potential toxicity. Our research demonstrates the potential for mechanistic modeling to contribute to the understanding of how bile acid transport inhibitors cause DILI.
Harmonization of biodiesel specifications

Worldwide biodiesel production has grown dramatically over the last several years. Biodiesel standards vary across countries and regions, and there is a call for harmonization. For harmonization to become a reality, standards have to be adapted to cover all feedstocks. Additionally, all feedstocks cannot meet all specifications, so harmonization will require standards to either tighten or relax. For harmonization to succeed, the biodiesel market must be expanded with the alignment of test methods and specification limits, not contracted.
Particulate matter air pollution causes oxidant-mediated increase in gut permeability in mice.

Background Exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution may be an important environmental factor leading to exacerbations of inflammatory illnesses in the GI tract. PM can gain access to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract via swallowing of air or secretions from the upper airways or mucociliary clearance of inhaled particles.
The connection between Labrador Sea buoyancy loss, deep western boundary current strength, and Gulf Stream path in an ocean circulation model

Abstract The sensitivity of the North Atlantic gyre circulation to high latitude buoyancy forcing is explored in a global, non-eddy resolving ocean general circulation model. Increased buoyancy forcing strengthens the deep western boundary current, the northern recirculation gyre, and the North Atlantic Current, which leads to a more realistic Gulf Stream path. High latitude density fluxes and surface water mass transformation are strongly dependent on the choice of sea ice and salinity restoring boundary conditions. Coupling the ocean model to a prognostic sea ice model results in much greater buoyancy loss in the Labrador Sea compared to simulations in which the ocean is forced by prescribed sea ice boundary conditions. A comparison of bulk flux forced hindcast simulations which differ only in their sea ice and salinity restoring forcings reveals the effects of a mixed thermohaline boundary condition transport feedback whereby small, positive temperature and salinity anomalies in subpolar regions are amplified when the gyre spins up as a result of increased buoyancy loss and convection. The primary buoyancy flux effects of the sea ice which cause the simulations to diverge are ice melt, which is less physical in the diagnostic sea ice model, and insulation of the ocean, which is less physical with the prognostic sea ice model. Increased salinity restoring ensures a more realistic net winter buoyancy loss in the Labrador Sea, but it is found that improvements in the Gulf Stream simulation can only be achieved with the excessive buoyancy loss associated with weak salinity restoring.
Tropical Plumes in a Barotropic Model: A Product of Rossby Wave Generation in the Tropical Upper Troposphere

Abstract A divergent barotropic model produces tropical cyclonic Rossby wave sources (RWSs) and tropical plumes (TPs) when forced by upper-tropospheric (UT) convergence and subsidence over the tropical central and eastern Pacific (TCEP). Experiments show that TPs form when equatorward amplification and zonal contraction of the TCEP trough cause rotationally balanced midlatitude flow to transition to buoyancy-driven, ageostrophic flow equatorward of 15°N. This transition results from the sharp reduction of the flow’s horizontal length scale below the Rossby radius of deformation in local near-equatorial regions. Sudden adjustment of mass and momentum fields in the absence of rotational balance produces concentrated convergence–divergence couplets and jet exit–entrance regions, which define actual TCEP TPs. Simulated TPs display remarkable feature agreement with observed TPs, even sharing a common length-scale evolution. Extensive UT cold advection, convergence, and subsidence exist west of the TCEP trough ...
Improving equation-of-state accuracy in the critical region; equations for carbon dioxide and neopentane as examples

Typical equations of state fail to accurately represent properties close to the critical point for reasons that are now understood. It is shown that the addition of a specially designed three-term function solves this problem for practical purposes. Although the limiting behavior at the critical point is not correct, the remaining deviations are negligible for more general applications. This method is related to work on H2O by Haar et al. (1980, 1984), and is here tested for CO2 and neopentane, for which equations are presented.
Algorithms for page retrieval and Hamiltonian paths on forward-convex line graphs

Abstract The problems of determining whether an undirected graph G is sequentially edge-connected, whether G has a dominating path, and whether there is a Hamiltonian path in the line graph of G are shown to be equivalent. These problems are NP-hard even if G is bipartite. They can be used to model certain page retrieval problems in relational database systems in which a graph called page connectivity graph is used to represent a join operation. Many page connectivity graphs encountered in practice are forward-convex . In this paper we develop an algorithm that solves the above-mentioned problems in O(| E ( G )|) time for forward-convex graphs G .
A Resource-Limited Approach to Estimating Algal Biomass Production With Geographical Fidelity

This paper discusses the potential for algal biofuel production under resource-limited conditions in Texas. Algal biomass and lipid production quantities are estimated using a fully integrated biological and engineering model that incorporates primary resources required for growth, such as carbon dioxide, sunlight and water. The biomass and lipid production are estimated at the county resolution in Texas, which accounts for geographic variation in primary resources from the Eastern half of the state, which has moderate solar resources and abundant water resources, to the Western half of the state, which has abundant solar resources and moderate water resources. Two resource-limited scenarios are analyzed in this paper: the variation in algal biomass production as a function of carbon dioxide concentration and as a function of water availability. The initial carbon dioxide concentration, ranging from low concentrations in ambient air to higher concentrations found in power plant flue gas streams, affects the growth rate and production of algal biomass. The model compares biomass production using carbon dioxide available from flue gas or refinery activities, which are present only in a limited number of counties, with ambient concentrations found in the atmosphere. Biomass production is also estimated first for counties containing terrestrial sources of water such as wastewater and/or saline aquifers, and compared with those with additional water available from the Gulf of Mexico. The results of these analyses are presented on a series of maps depicting algal biomass and lipid production in gallons per year under each of the resource-limited scenarios. Based on the analysis, between 13.9 and 154.1 thousand tons of algal biomass and 1.0 and 11.1 million gallons of lipids can be produced annually.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A carbonic anhydrase requirement for the synthesis of glutamine from pyruvate in the chameleon.

Summary Large amounts of glutamine were formed in chameleon liver from injected pyruvate or oxaloacetate via reactions which did not involve the citric acid cycle, and which required carbonic anhydrase. Glutamine was increased by injection of dipyruvate (γ-methyl, γ-hydroxy, α-ketoglutarate), but not by injection of glutamate, α-ketoglutarate, isocitrate, succinate, fumarate or malate. Glutamate and α-ketoglutarate increased glutamine if NH4HCO3 was added, but carbonic anhydrase was not required. Adding NH4HCO3 or carbamyl phosphate doubled the glutamine yield from pyruvate in reactions which required carbonic anhydrase. Dipyruvate may be an intermediate in the pyruvate pathway. Both pyruvate and dipyruvate formed glutamine in liver slices if NH4HCO3 was added.
NAD(P)H fluorescence transients after synaptic activity in brain slices: predominant role of mitochondrial function.

Excitatory stimulation in hippocampal slices results in biphasic NAD(P)H fluorescence transients. Previous studies using differing stimulus protocols agreed that the oxidation phase is a consequence of mitochondrial metabolism, but the reduction phase has been attributed to (1) mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) generation or (2) astrocytic glycolysis triggered by glutamate uptake. In an attempt to reconcile these two views, the present study examined NAD(P)H signals evoked by a wide range of stimulus durations (40 ms to 20 secs). A combination of ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) antagonists (6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3dione (CNQX), 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (APV)) virtually abolished responses to brief stimuli (40 to 200 ms, 50 Hz), but a significant fraction of the signal elicited by extended stimulation (20 secs, 32 Hz) was resistant to CNQX/APV. Glycolysis was inhibited by removal of glucose and addition of 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) (10 mmol/L) or iodoacetic acid (IAA, 1 mmol/L). Pyruvate was provided as an alternative substrate for oxidative phosphorylation and the A1 receptor antagonist 1,3-Dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX) included to prevent decreases in synaptic efficacy. If sufficient pyruvate was supplied, responses to brief and extended stimuli were unaffected by glycolytic inhibition and not significantly reduced by an inhibitor of glucose uptake (3-O-methyl glucose, 3 mmol/L). When timed to arrive at the peak of overshoots generated by extended synaptic stimulation, brief pyruvate applications (10 mmol/L, 2 mins) had little effect on evoked NAD(P)H increases. Flavoprotein autofluorescence transients after extended stimuli matched (with inverted sign) NAD(P)H responses. Responses to extended stimuli were not reduced by a nonselective inhibitor of glutamate uptake DL-Threo-b-benzyloxyaspartic acid (TBOA). These results suggest that NAD(P)H transients report mitochondrial dynamics, rather than recruitment of glycolytic metabolism, over a wide range of stimulus intensities.
Modeling the Function of Bacterial Virulence Factors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis has been shaped largely by what we have learned from genetic screens. Transposon mutagenesis, in particular, has streamlined genetic analysis and led to the identification of a multitude of virulence factors in a wide range of
Evidence for a molt inhibiting hormone in the barnacleBalanus improvisus (Crustacea, Cirripedia)

The type of neuroendocrine system regulating molting hormone production in the Cirripedia was investigated. Eyestalk extracts ofUca pugilator, when injected into Stage CBalanus improvisus, had no effect on the time to ecdysis, but significantly (p<0.01) increased the time to ecdysis when injected into Stage D0B. improvisus. Extracts prepared from the central nervous system of State CB. improvisus also significantly (p<0.001) increased the time to ecdysis when injected into Stage D0 animals. Injected CNS extracts of Stage D0B. improvisus had no effect on Stage C animals. These results suggest a molting hormone regulatory system for cirripeds that may be functionally similar to, or identical with the one operative in the malacostracans.
A Superior Polypyridine Ligand for Platinum(II) Lumaphors. Methyl Substituents with a Large Stereoelectronic Influence

This research deals with the synthesis and characterization of a new series of platinum(II) polypyridine complexes that incorporate a relatively rigid and hydrophobic ligand. The parent complex Pt(php)Cl(+), where php denotes 2-(2'-pyridyl)-1,10-phenanthroline, resembles Pt(trpy)Cl(+), where trpy denotes 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine, but is photoluminescent in solution. Hence php derivatives should prove to be superior tags and/or spectroscopic probes for biological systems. A theoretical analysis reveals some of the advantages of php over trpy as a platform. Due to a ligand pi system with a relatively small HOMO-LUMO gap, the emission from Pt(php)Cl(+) exhibits significant vibrational structure and a mixed (3)pi-pi*/(3)d-pi* orbital parentage. In deoxygenated dichloromethane solution the php complex exhibits an emission quantum yield of 3.1 x 10(-3) and an excited-state lifetime of 0.23 micros at room temperature. However, methyl groups have an unusually strong stereoelectronic influence, particularly at the 5,6-positions of the phenanthroline moiety. The platinum(II) complex with 2-(2'-pyridyl)-3,5,6,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline is the best emitter with an emission yield of 0.055 and a lifetime of 9.3 micros in dichloromethane. Strongly donating solvents like dimethylformamide are potent quenchers of the emission. The methods of characterization used include absorption and emission spectroscopies, electrochemistry, and, in the case of [Pt[2-(2'-pyridyl)-4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline]Cl]O(3)SCF(3), X-ray crystallography. Another intriguing finding is that methyl substituents have preferred orientations with respect to the phenanthroline ligand.
A Heuristic for the Prime Number Theorem

Might there be a chance of proving in a simple way thatx/π(x) is asymptotic to an increasing function, thus getting another proof of PNT? This is probably wishful thinking. However, there is a natural candidate for the increasing function. LetL(x) be the upper convex hull of the full graph ofxπ(x) (precise definition to follow). The piecewise linear functionL(x) is increasing becausex/π(x) → ∞ asx → ∞. Moreover, using PNT, we can give a proof thatL(x) is indeed asymptotic tox/π(x). But the point of our work in this article is that for someone who wishes to understand why the growth of primes is governed by natural logarithms, a reasonable approach is to convince oneself via computation that the convex hull just mentioned satisfies the hypothesis of our theorem, and then use the relatively simple proof to show that this hypothesis rigorously implies the prime number theorem.
Replacement of serum with a defined medium increases β-adrenergic receptor number in cultured glioma cells

Abstract β-Adrenergic receptors of C6 glioma cells were compared following growth in serum or in a serum-free defined medium. In the absence of serum there was an increase in β-receptor number by approx. 50% as measured by the binding of [ 125 I]iodohydroxybenzylpindolol. Other receptor properties, such as the affinities for β-adrenergic agonists and antagonists, were not different in the two growth conditions. The alteration in receptor number took over 3 days to occur and was not readily reversible. The increase in β-adrenergic receptor number of cells grown in a serum free medium indicates that replacement of serum with a defined medium is able to alter the expression of at least one cell surface marker, the β-adrenergic receptor. These results imply that growth of cells in defined media yields cells with properties of the plasma membrane that differ from those of cells grown in serum-containing media.
The congruence of creatinine and inulin clearances in children: Use of the Technicon Auto Analyzer

TI-IE U S ~ F U L N ~ . S S and validity of the clearance of endogenous creatinine as an estimate of the rate of glomerular filtration has generated continuous debate since its introduction by Rehberg 1 in 1926. Any other procedure provoking such controversy would have been discarded long ago; however, the lack of an acceptable substitute, offering to the clinician a practical, reasonably reliable estimate of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) , explains the continued popularity, of the creatinine clearance. One of the serious objections to the creatinine clearance is that the commonly employed Jaff6 reaction measures not only creatinine, but also a variety of other socalled noncreatinin6 chromogens. 2 Thus the apparent value of blood creatinine determined with this method is erroneously and unpredictably high, serving to depress clearance values. On the other hand, the moiety of urinary creatinine contributed by tubular secretion increases the clearance, particularly
Improvement of the Mechanical Properties of Soy Protein Isolate Based Plastics through Formulation and Processing

Abstract This paper reviews the characterization of the base strength and impact of water absorption on biodegradable, namely, soy protein-based plastics prepared by different methods. The initial approach included using different quantities of soy hydrolysate plasticized with glycerol, which is widely known for its plasticizing effect. With the second approach, the raw polymer was which plasticized with glycerol compounded with different additives such as polycaprolactone or zinc sterate, and was also heat-treated at various temperatures after injection molding. The results indicated the polycaprolactone and, respectively, a medium to high heat treatment significantly enhanced tensile strength and greatly decreased water absorption. The soy hydrolysate formulations that were studied enhanced tensile strength but didn not significantly improve elongation or water absorption.
Inhibition of Leydig Cell Function Through Hormonal Regulatory Mechanisms

The regulation of testicular endocrine function by hormonal mechanisms depends upon the integrated actions of gonadotropins (LH, FSH and prolactin) and steroids (estrogen and androgen) upon the Leydig cell. Withdrawal of gonadotropic support by hypophysectomy causes partial loss of LH receptors and testosterone responses, whereas cyclic AMP responses are normal or increased. Thus, the major effects of hypophysectomy are on processes beyond receptor activation and cyclic AMP formation. Treatment with FSH increases LH receptors and testosterone responses to hCG, and reduces the elevated cyclic AMP responses to hCG in vitro. In FSH-treated hypophysectomized rats, direct inhibitory actions of estrogen upon LH receptors and testosterone responses are demonstrable, indicating that intratesticular regulation of androgen biosynthesis could be exerted by locally formed estrogen. While low concentrations of LH are necessary for maintenance of Leydig cell function, elevation of plasma LH by treatment with LHRH or exogenous gonadotropin has a marked negative effect on LH receptors and subsequent steroidogenic responses. Such hormone-induced loss of LH receptors leads to decreased sensitivity of the Leydig cell to gonadotropin, an effect that is most evident after subcutaneous treatment with hCG. More acute increases in plasma gonadotropin are followed by a post-receptor lesion in the steroidogenic pathway, with loss of the maximum testosterone response during stimulation by gonadotropin or cyclic AMP in vitro. The retention of pregnenolone responses and the accumulation of progesterone and 17-hydroxylated steroids in partially desensitized Leydig cells indicates that a transitory block of the 17–20 desmolase step is rcsponsible for the second lesion in receptor-depleted Leydig cells. Thus, the negative effects of LH and hCG on Leydig cell responses result from the combination of receptor loss and enzymatic defect(s), attributable to the local inhibitory effects of steroids, such as estrogens, that are formed during the acute tcsticular response to gonadotropin.
Establishing the absolute configuration of the asbestinins: enantioselective total synthesis of 11-acetoxy-4-deoxyasbestinin D.

A highly stereoselective synthesis of 11-acetoxy-4-deoxyasbestinin D (1) has been completed in 26 linear steps. The synthesis hinges on a selective glycolate aldol addition to establish the C-2 stereocenter, a ring-closing metathesis reaction to complete the oxonene, and an intramolecular Diels−Alder cycloaddition to establish the relative configuration at C-1, C-10, and C-14. This initial total synthesis of an asbestinin also serves to confirm the absolute configuration of this subclass of the C-2−C-11-cyclized cembranoid natural products.
Potential for biocontrol of house flies, Musca domestica, using fungal biopesticides

Chemical control of house flies in poultry production facilities is becoming increasingly difficult due to insecticide resistance and regulatory constraints. Biopesticides based on entomopathogenic fungi could provide an alternative approach. Here we evaluated population control potential of two fungal pathogens, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae. Cohorts of adult flies were established in large plastic boxes in the laboratory and were exposed to residues of oil-formulated fungal conidia sprayed on strips of plastic sheeting attached to the box walls. Exposure to the biopesticide barrier treatments caused 100% mortality in adult populations within 8–16 days, depending on the fungal species. In contrast, control flies survived until 96–110 days. Additionally, fungal infections caused 13–20% reduction in egg viability and >70% reduction in fecundity of flies prior to death. The combined lethal and pre-lethal impacts resulted in 21- to 26-fold reduction in basic reproductive rate in the fungus-ex...
Utilization of aged detritus derived from different sources by the polychaete Capitella capitata

Because the rate of microbial degradation differs for the various sources contributing to the detrital pool in marine systems, their availability to detritivores might also vary. Carbon-14 tracer experiments were used to compare differences in the oxidation and net incorporation by the polychaete Capitella capitata of a nitrogenrich, easily-decomposable detritus derived from the red macrophytic algae Gracilaria sp. versus a nitrogen-poor, decay-resistant detritus derived from the eelgrass Zostera marina. The net incorporation of Gracilaria sp. detritus by C. capitata reached a maximum (91 μg dry weight of detritus/mg dry weight of worm/day) after only 14 days of decomposition, whereas that of z. marina detritus equaled this level after 30 days of aging, but continued to increase to 375 μg at 180 days. The oxidation rate of Gracilaria sp. detritus was consistently higher (peak of 61 mg dry weight of detritus/day at 30 day-aging) than z. marina detritus, which reached this level only after 180 days of aging. The presence or absence of C. capitata did not significantly alter the oxidation rate. The above difference might be attributed to a rapid exploitation and mineralization by bacteria of the more available Gracilaria sp. detritus, but a slow, “controlled” utilization by the microbes of the less available Z. marina detritus, especially during the early stage of decomposition. This would allow maximum exploitation of the substrate by macroconsumers, resulting in more of the detrital resource being tied up in detritivore biomass rather than being rapidly mineralized to CO2. Difference in the length of aging at which various detrital sources become available to detritivores could result in a temporal partitioning of food resources and should be considered in attempting to understand the dynamics of detrital-based food chains.
WE‐B‐L100F‐01: The Current State of 3D and 4D Imaging in Diagnostic Radiology

The most common 3D visualization applications in clinical diagnostic radiology now are cardiac and colon, but the technology is often used in vascular, orthopedics, craniofacial deformities, thoracic, and many other areas. In the past, dedicated workstations and highly skilled operators were required to produce CT or MR angiograms, body region or organ surface views, and analysis products. Many centers have dedicated technologists who work in a “3D lab” to extract vessel trees, disarticulate limbs, synthesize transparencies and cine sequences. These services are now reimbursed by 3rd party payors, and almost all CT & MRI scanners today have integrated post‐processing tools. Since generation of advanced visualizations is not a good use of scanner console time if the process cannot be accomplished unattended in a short time, new enterprise systems has been introduced that allow thin clients located anywhere to employ software tools and generate custom views interactively. In the surgeon's office, at the oncology clinic, or even in the operating room, it is now feasible to manipulate 3D imagedata sets. Very specialized tools for white matter tractography, MR spectroscopic imaging, functional MRI, and myocardial perfusion are examples of new software agents tailored to subspecialty requirements. Several vendors provide post‐processing services for prosthesis or implant custom sizing and design, based on 3D imagedata sets, where the advanced visualizationimages are quantified and synthesized in their facilities. 4D imaging and higher dimensions are increasingly common, since almost all cardiacCT and MRI examinations require them. Whole organ and body region perfusion, in the brain and elsewhere employ 4D methods. Multimodality and multitemporal data sets, as well as multispectral (e.g., dual energy 3D data, for example) are acquired and analyzed with software tools that focus on specific clinical issues in neuroradiology and cardiothoracic practice. So, the most important current trends involve routinely collecting 3D and 4D data sets which are intended for more than simple subjective image review, but are destined to be post‐processed and analyzed with enterprise software tools on thin clients, so immediate results can be obtained that are tailored to subspecialty needs. Educational Objectives: 1. To understand the sources of 3D and 4D images in clinical diagnostic radiology, including the data acquisition systems and protocols. 2. To learn how advanced visualization and image analysis are evolving from dedicated workstations to enterprise software applications. 3. To see how subspecialized software tools for highly specific imaging applications are used in clinical radiology. 4. To explain 4D datasets are used for cardiac and neuroimaging, where the image analysis results are often quantitative rather than morphologic.
Multiproxy probing of rainwater dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in coastal storms as a function of trajectory

Abstract Rainwater dissolved organic matter (DOM) was characterized in two sequential coastal rainstorms of different geographic origins: an Atlantic hurricane (Hurricane Irene [2011]) and a terrestrial squall. Using a multiproxy approach incorporating electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR), stable carbon isotope analysis, and excitation–emission fluorescence spectroscopy, we demonstrate the unique composition of marine-derived organic matter in Atlantic hurricane rainwater. Hurricane Irene rainwater DOM (DOMIrene) was molecularly distinct from that of the terrestrial squall (DOMsquall). For example, δ13CDOC of Irene rainwater was − 19.2 ± 0.13‰ while that of the squall was − 26.3 ± 0.01‰. Peaks assigned using FTICR which were unique to DOMIrene contained a greater relative number of molecular formulas containing nitrogen (representing any of several isomeric CHON, CHONS, CHONP compounds) relative to those unique to the DOMsquall. Although there was insufficient rainwater available to test DOMsquall for its bioavailability, a simple room-temperature incubation of Irene rainwater over 30 days in the dark resulted in its dissolved organic carbon decreasing from 2.3 to 1.5 mg L− 1. When coupled with the abundant precipitation generally-associated with hurricanes, these results suggest that marine DOM in rainwater may exert unique but substantial impacts to organic matter in coastal aquatic ecosystems.
Time-budget data : log-linear and analysis of variance compared

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and log-linear analyses of time-budget data from a study of sloth bear enclosure utilization are compared. Two sampling models that plausibly underlie such data are discussed. Either could lead to an analysis of variance, but only one to a log-linear analysis. Given an appropriate sampling model and appropriate data, there is much to recommend log-linear analysis, despite its unfamiliarity to most animal behaviorists. One need not worry whether distribution assumptions are violated. Moreover, the data analyzed are the data collected, not estimates derived from those data, and thus no power is lost through a data reduction step. No matter what analysis is used, effect size should be taken into consideration. Multiple R2 can be used for ANOVA, but no directly comparable statistic exists for log-linear analyses. One possible candidate for a log-linear R2 analog is discussed here, and appears to give sensible and interpretable results. © 1992 Wiley-Liss Inc.
STRATEGIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS PLANNING IN U.S. COUNTY GOVERNMENTS: Will the Real SISP Model Please Stand Up?

This paper is the second in a series of studies examining strategic information systems planning (SISP) in U.S. governments based on information technology performance data and ratings generated fo...
Circular DNA and DNA/RNA Hybrid Molecules as Scaffolds for Ricin Inhibitor Design

Ricin Toxin A-chain (RTA) catalyzes the hydrolytic depurination of A4324, the first adenosine of the GAGA tetra-loop portion of 28S eukaryotic ribosomal RNA. Truncated stem-loop versions of the 28S rRNA are RTA substrates. Here, we investigate circular DNA and DNA/RNA hybrid GAGA sequence oligonucleotides as minimal substrates and inhibitor scaffolds for RTA catalysis. Closing the 5’- and 3’-ends of a d(GAGA) tetraloop creates a substrate with 92-fold more activity with RTA (kcat /Km) than the d(GAGA) linear form. Circular substrates have catalytic rates (kcat) comparable to and exceeding RNA and DNA stem-loop substrates, respectively. RTA inhibition into the nanomolar range has been achieved by introducing an N-benzyl-hydroxypyrrolidine (N-Bn) transition state analogue at the RTA depurination site in a circular GAGA motif. The RNA/DNA hybrid oligonucleotide cyclic GdAGA provides a new scaffold for RTA inhibitor design and cyclic G(N-Bn)GA is the smallest tight-binding RTA inhibitor (Ki = 70 nM). The design of such molecules that lack the base-paired stem-loop architecture opens new chemical synthetic approaches to RTA inhibition.
Temporal Dynamics and Spatial Specificity of Arterial and Venous Blood Volume Changes during Visual Stimulation: Implication for Bold Quantification:

Determination of compartment-specific cerebral blood volume (CBV) changes is important for understanding neurovascular physiology and quantifying blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In isoflurane-anesthetized cats, we measured the spatiotemporal responses of arterial CBV (CBVa) and total CBV (CBVt) induced by a 40-second visual stimulation, using magnetization transfer (MT)-varied BOLD and contrast-agent fMRI techniques at 9.4 T. To determine the venous CBV (CBVv) change, we calculated the difference between CBVt and CBVa changes. The dynamic response of CBVa was an order of magnitude faster than that of CBVv, while the magnitude of change under steady-state conditions was similar between the two. Following stimulation offset, ΔCBVa showed small poststimulus undershoots, while ΔCBVv slowly returned to baseline. The largest CBVa and CBVt response occurred after 10 seconds of simulation in cortical layer 4, which we identified as the stripe of Gennari by T1-weighted MRI. The CBVv response, however, was not specific across the cortical layers during the entire stimulation period. Our data indicate that rapid, more-specific arterial vasodilation is followed by slow, less-specific venous dilation. Our finding implies that the contribution of CBVv changes to BOLD signals is significant for long, but not short, stimulation periods.