cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring Nontraditional Benefits and Costs of Inland Navigation

The evaluation of navigation projects has evolved from a standard procedure done strictly by engineers and economists to a process that involves a wide range of stakeholders. Not surprisingly, these diverse stakeholders have different views regarding what should count in the benefit-cost analysis of water resource development projects and how the effects are to be economically valued. The methodologies that are described have been used to measure and monetize some of the externalities of inland navigation, the benefits and costs of which have not traditionally been included in benefit-cost ratios. The emphasis is the benefits (lower air emissions) associated with freight transport via water compared with those of other modes, particularly truck.
Local Government in Portuguese America: A Study in Cultural Divergence

The expansion of Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries had brought Europeans, primarily English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, into contact with the lands, peoples and civilizations of Africa, Asia and the Americas. In Asia the effects of the European discoveries had been less far-reaching than had been the case in Africa and the Americas where barter had soon given way to slavery, peaceful proselitization to forced conversion, trade and commerce to extortion and monopolies, and coexistence to armed domination by the European intruders. Whereas in New France, Brazil, and the British colonies agricultural and commerical considerations had predominated, in counterdistinction to Spanish America where the initial emphasis had been militaristic, nevertheless the results of European settlement had been remarkably similar throughout the Americas.
Glucose regulation in birds

Birds maintain higher plasma glucose concentrations (P(Glu)) than other vertebrates of similar body mass and, in most cases, appear to store comparatively very little glucose intracellularly as glycogen. In general, birds are insensitive to the regulation of P(Glu) by insulin. However, there appears to be no phylogenetic or dietary pattern in the avian response to exogenous insulin. Moreover, the high levels of P(Glu) do not appear to lead to significant oxidative stress as birds are longer-lived compared to mammals. Glucose is absorbed by the avian gastrointestinal tract by sodium-glucose co-transporters (SGLTs; apical side of cells) and glucose transport proteins (GLUTs; basolateral side of cells). In the kidney, both types of glucose transporters appear to be upregulated as no glucose appears in the urine. Data also indicate that the avian nervous system utilizes glucose as a metabolic substrate. In this review, we have attempted to bring together information from a variety of sources to portray how glucose serves as a metabolic substrate for birds by considering each organ system involved in glucose homeostasis.
Prolonged stimulation for respiration by endogenous central serotonin

Abstract We have recently reported a new neural brainstem mechanism which is uniquely activated by stimulation of carotid body afferent input to the brain and which facililtates respiration for hours after the immediate affects of the stimulation have dissipated (Millhorn, eldridge and Waldrop, 1980). In the present study respiratory responses to carotid boyd or sinus nerve stimulation were measured in vagotomized, anesthetized, and paralyzed cats whose end-tidal P CO 2 and temperature were servocontrolled and kept constant. The responses of animal pretreated with various serotonin antagonists and a dopamine-norepinephrine antagonist were compared to the resonses of untreated control animals. All three differently acting serotonin antagonist (methysergide, parachlorophenylalanine, and 5, 7-dihydroxytryptamine) either prevented or significantly reduced the magnitude of the long-lasting respiratory response whereas the dopamine-norepinephrine antagonist (α-methyltyrosine) failed to alter it. We conclude that the long-lasting increase of respiratory activiting following stimulation of carotid body afferents is due to activation of an endogenous central serotoninergic mechanism which facilitates respiration.
Speculation on the Origin and Non-Symmetry of Two Thin Layers D'' and F Embracing the Liquid Core inside the Earth

Speculation on the Origin and Non-Symmetry of Two Thin Layers D″ and F Embracing the Liquid Core inside the Earth
Pharmacogenetics of cardiac inotropy

The ability to stimulate cardiac contractility is known as positive inotropy. Endogenous hormones, such as adrenaline and several natural or synthetic compounds possess this biological property, which is invaluable in the modern cardiovascular therapy setting, especially in acute heart failure or in cardiogenic shock. A number of proteins inside the cardiac myocyte participate in the molecular pathways that translate the initial stimulus, that is, the hormone or drug, into the effect of increased contractility (positive inotropy). Genetic variations (polymorphisms) in several genes encoding these proteins have been identified and characterized in humans with potentially significant consequences on cardiac inotropic function. The present review discusses these polymorphisms and their effects on cardiac inotropy, along with the individual pharmacogenomics of the most important positive inotropic agents in clinical use today. Important areas for future investigations in the field are also highlighted.
Risk assessment of the impact on human health of resistant Campylobacter jejuni from fluoroquinolone use in beef cattle

Abstract Use of antimicrobials in livestock is controversial and may lead to the emergence of resistant organisms that could be transmitted to humans through the food supply. Our quantitative risk assessment employs Monte Carlo methodology to analyze the potential public health risk from Campylobacter jejuni and fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant C. jejuni because of fresh beef and ground beef consumption. The quantitative study begins with beef products in the retail display case. Data from a variety of sources have been assembled into the model as predictors of the prevalence and quantity of C. jejuni in specific types of beef. Consumer behaviors – handling, cooking and consumption — are modeled in our study to predict exposure. The consequences of exposure in some individuals are infection, illness, hospitalization, or even death. We estimated that approximately 16,000 individuals in the US might be infected by C. jejuni derived from both ground beef and fresh beef sources. Furthermore, we predicted the probability of adverse consequences arising from both C. jejuni and FQ-resistant C. jejuni. Results from our quantitative risk assessment model are lower when compared to similar public health outcomes for beef products estimated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA-ERS). However, incorporation of uncertainty and variability in estimates from our model and the CDC and USDA-ERS suggest that the disparity among the estimates is small.
Ultrasonic Velocities in Molten Bismuth, Tin, and a 50-at.% Alloy under Pressures up to 8.5 kbar

Ultrasonic velocities in the melts of bismuth, tin, and a 50-at.% alloy of the two have been determined up to 8.5 kbar using pulse-echo techniques. For bismuth melt, one region exhibits increases in velocity with increasing temperature up to about 7.7 kbar, and from melting to the 270\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C isotherm. The temperature behavior of the velocity goes through a maximum around the 275\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C isotherm; and in the second region the velocity increases, but much less slowly, with increasing temperature. This behavior is related to a change in the liquid structure. Both regions show a normal increase in velocity with increasing pressure. Molten tin exhibits a normal decrease in velocity with increasing temperature over the range studied, and no structural changes in the liquid state were indicated. The 50-at.% alloy showed normal temperature behavior of the velocity over the limited pressure-temperature domain of 160-180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C and up to 2.5 kbar, and an anomalous pressure and temperature behavior of the velocity above 2.5 kbar. The possibility of structural changes in the liquid state, under pressure, and the increase in velocity with increasing temperature shown by molten bismuth lead to the conclusion that the completely molten state per se need not necessarily yield a decrease in velocity with increasing temperature.
Rapid, robotic, small‐scale protein production for NMR screening and structure determination

Three-dimensional protein structure determination is a costly process due in part to the low success rate within groups of potential targets. Conventional validation methods eliminate the vast majority of proteins from further consideration through a time-consuming succession of screens for expression, solubility, purification, and folding. False negatives at each stage incur unwarranted reductions in the overall success rate. We developed a semi-automated protocol for isotopically-labeled protein production using the Maxwell-16, a commercially available bench top robot, that allows for single-step target screening by 2D NMR. In the span of a week, one person can express, purify, and screen 48 different (15)N-labeled proteins, accelerating the validation process by more than 10-fold. The yield from a single channel of the Maxwell-16 is sufficient for acquisition of a high-quality 2D (1)H-(15)N-HSQC spectrum using a 3-mm sample cell and 5-mm cryogenic NMR probe. Maxwell-16 screening of a control group of proteins reproduced previous validation results from conventional small-scale expression screening and large-scale production approaches currently employed by our structural genomics pipeline. Analysis of 18 new protein constructs identified two potential structure targets that included the second PDZ domain of human Par-3. To further demonstrate the broad utility of this production strategy, we solved the PDZ2 NMR structure using [U-(15)N,(13)C] protein prepared using the Maxwell-16. This novel semi-automated protein production protocol reduces the time and cost associated with NMR structure determination by eliminating unnecessary screening and scale-up steps.
Infrared imaging of microwave negative index metamaterials

Microwave negative index metamaterials have been recently characterized by using primarily far-field transmission of flat slabs and wedges to determine transmission losses and index of refraction, respectively. Although these methods are adequate for most purposes, a more complete characterization of spatial transmission is useful to analyze metamaterials in 3-D, for examples, to characterize irregular forms of metamaterials, such as gradients, prisms, and conformal surfaces. We report here the infrared imaging of the transmitted intensity of microwave electromagnetic waves through a prism of the negative index metamaterials.
Nursing Home Resources and Tranquilizer Use among the Institutionalized Elderly

Objective. To examine the relationship between selected resident and facility characteristics and the frequency and quality of tranquilizer prescribing and use in skilled nursing facilities. Design. Retrospective review of medication profiles and pharmacy billing records using standardized protocol. Settings. Seven skilled nursing facilities. Participants. All residents aged 65 years or older were eligible. Consent was given by 760 residents or guardians. Six refused permission. Outcome Measures. Drug use measures included the presence or absence of a tranquilizer order, any tranquilizer use during previous 30 days, and any deviation from selected drug use criteria. Results. Of 760 residents, 38% had an order for an antipsychotic or antianxiety agent, and 28% actually received a tranquilizer. Comparing tranquilizer practices with specific drug-use criteria showed that nearly 19% of all elderly residents were exposed to some type of excess use such as long duration, polymedicine, or therapeutic duplication. Residents in facilities with less adequate staffing and other resources were significantly more likely to have a tranquilizer order, to have a tranquilizer administered, and to have any deviation from drug-use criteria. The data also show higher rates of deviation from criteria among residents with a diagnosed mental disorder, younger residents, and Medicaid recipients. Conclusion. More attention must be paid to environmental factors that may undermine current efforts to improve psychotropic drug prescribing and use in skilled nursing facilities.
Single-aperture far-infrared observatory (SAFIR)

Development of large, far-infrared telescopes in space has taken on a new urgency with breakthroughs in detector technology and recognition of the fundamental importance of the far-infrared spectral region to cosmological questions as well as to understanding how our own Solar System came into being. SAFIR is 10m-class far-infrared observatory that would begin development later in this decade to meet these needs. Its operating temperature (T ≤ 4 K) and instrument complement would be optimized to reach the natural sky confusion limit in the far-infrared with diffraction-limited peformance down to at least the atmospheric cutoff, λ g 40 μm. This would provide a point source sensitivity improvement of several orders of magnitude over that of SIRTF. SAFIR's science goals are driven by the fact that youngest stages of almost all phenomena in the universe are shrouded in absorption by and emission from cool dust that emits strongly in the far-infrared, 20 μm - 1mm. The main drivers on the telescope are operating temperature and aperture. SAFIR can take advantage of much of the technology under development for NGST. Because of the much less stringent requirements on optical accuracy, however, SAFIR can be developed at substantially lower cost.
Non-syncopal falls in the elderly in relation to home environments.

Methods of prevention of falls in the home may differ for healthy and frail individuals. We therefore sought to determine whether measures of health and functioning in older persons are more useful in predicting falls at home not involving home hazards (non-environmental falls) than falls at home related to home hazards (environmental falls), and whether these relationships differ among those who fell once and those who fell multiple times during follow-up. Data for this analysis are from a 1-year prospective cohort study of 325 community-dwelling volunteers aged 60–93 years who had fallen during the year before baseline. In general, associations were stronger between poor functional ability and non-environmental falls than between poor functional ability and environmental falls. Independent predictors of non-environmental first falls during follow-up included Parkinson's disease (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 7.66, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.15–51.1) and being home alone 10 or more hours per day (AOR 2.36, 95% CI 1.20–4.61); independent predictors of environmental first falls during follow-up included arthritis (AOR 2.60, 95% CI 1.32–5.09) and poor depth perception (AOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.59–0.89, for each unit increase in depth perception score). Also, associations between poor function and falls were generally stronger among participants who fell repeatedly than among individuals who fell only once during the follow-up year. In conclusion, poor function predisposes to non-environmental falls at home in older persons and, to a lesser extent, environmental falls in those who fall repeatedly. Certain functional characteristics such as poor depth perception may predispose to environmental falls to a greater extent than do other disabilities.
Pheromone-trap monitoring system for sweet potato weevil (Coleoptera: Apionidae): effects of pheromone source and purity.

Abstract Studies were conducted to develop a pheromone‐trap monitoring system for the sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius), in sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., fields in four states: Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas. The present studies examined the attractiveness of sex pheromone synthesized by two sources (USDA and AgriSense) and pheromone of different purities (75–99%) to weevils in the field. In all but one trial, weevil counts did not differ between traps baited with pheromone from the two sources for each of two doses (10 and 100 μg). Percentages of weevils caught per replicate per sample date were not consistently positively correlated with purity (significant in four of 10 trials); however, slope estimates were steeper in regions with lower trap counts (North Carolina and Louisiana) than in those with higher trap counts (Florida). Because the pheromone will be used to monitor weevils In both weevil‐free and weevil‐infested regions, the use of pheromone with a pur...
General parallel computations on desktop grid and P2P systems

This paper defines the requirements for effective execution of iterative computations requiring communication on a desktop grid. It then proposes a combination of a p2p communication model, an algorithmic approach (asynchronous iterations) and a programming model which has promise for satisfying those requirements. Experimental results from an implementation of asynchronous algorithms in pure p2p system will be given. The integration of the p2p communication model with a commercially supported implementation of the SETI@Home desktop grid system to yield a prototype implementation of a desktop grid with communication among its hosts is described and some very preliminary results from application of the extended desktop grid for computation of Google pageranks and solution of linear systems are given. The desktop grid prototype preserves anonymity among desktop hosts, supports dynamic communication set membership and enables transparent replication of computations for fault tolerance.
A Practical Method for Evalutating Foot Placement During Gait

The purpose of this report is to describe a method for measuring foot placement during gait using a weight sensitive paper. Data collected in this study are consistent with data from other studies when comparing walking base, foot angle, step length and stride length of normal 18-month-old children. This method may be easily used clinically to document patient progress or may be used to provide objective data for clinical research.
Epidemiological aspects of cancer of the cervix. II. Hereditary and environmental factors.

Data based on records of 2 Massachusetts state cancer hospitals and on personal interviews were analyzed for 523 women with cancer of the cervix. Numerous variables were considered. The syphilitic rate was higher for cancer patients. Long-term douching with coal tar derivatives showed significance in the zero order but failed to meet the criterion used for significance. Unrepaired lacerations were present in 26% cancer patients compared with 13.2% with cervical cancer. The reasons for the relationship between low economic status and cancer of the cervix are not clearly defined. Such parallel factors as poor obstetrical care improper housing and poor nutrition are important. Persons who had been either separated or divorced were 20.7% of the cancer group compared with 6.7% of the controls. The significance of this is not apparent. Marriage before age 20 occurred in 44.6% of the cancer group 23.7% of the controls. Infections chronic irritation and hormonal imbalance are considered important in the cause of cancer of the cervix.
Oligosaccharide analysis using anion attachment in negative mode electrospray mass spectrometry.

Eleven different anionic species were able to form adducts with neutral oligosaccharides at low cone voltage in negative ion mode electrospray mass spectrometry. Among them, fluoride and acetate have the ability to significantly enhance the absolute abundance of [M − H]− for neutral oliogosaccharides, which otherwise have low tendencies to deprotonate due to the lack of a highly acidic group. Evidence shows that the source of high abundances of [M − H]− for neutral oligosaccharides arises from the decomposition of [M + F]− and [M + Ac]− with neutral losses of HF and HAc, respectively. The chloride adducts have the best stability among all the adduct species investigated, and chloride adducts consistently appeared in higher abundances relative to [M − H]−. In tandem mass spectrometry (ES-MS/MS) experiments, upon collision induced dissociation (CID), F− and Ac− adducts gave purely analyte-related product ions, i.e., no detection of the attaching anion and no incorporation of these anions into decomposition products. Cl− adducts produced both Cl− and analyte-related product ions. For the above three anions, CID of adduct species may be used for structural determination of neutral oligosaccharides because, in each case, structurally-informative fragment ions were produced. In the presence of F− and Ac−, simultaneous detection of acidic and neutral oligosaccharides was achieved, because the problem of the presence of an acidic group that can impede the deprotonation of a neutral oligosaccharide was minimized. The ratio of Cl−:non-Cl-containing product ions obtained in CID spectra of chloride adducts of disaccharides was used to differentiate anomeric configurations of disaccharides. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to evaluate the optimized structures of chloride adducts of disaccharides, and it was found that chloride anions favor close contact with the hydrogen from the anomeric hydroxyl group. Multiple hydrogen bonding further stabilizes the chloride adduct.
Diapause Induction by Photoperiod and Temperature in the Elm Spanworm Egg Parasitoid, Ooencyrtus sp.

Diapause in Ooencyrtus sp. is facultative and occurs near the end of larval development. Photoperiodic induction occurs in the maternal generation and the adult is probably the most important sensitive stage though the pupa is also sensitive. Photoperiod had no effect on the developing larva. The diapause induction curve is of the long-day/short-day type. This is the first report of this type of curve for a species outside of the Lepidoptera. The critical photoperiod at 23°C was between 14 and 15 h of light per day. Low temperature (18°C) which was independent of photoperiods induced diapause by acting directly on the developing larva. Diapause was not induced at 28°C at either 16-h or 12-h photophases. The number of adult generations is determined in large part by the photoperiod to which the adults are exposed. This species may have three generations a year in Connecticut.
Urine fluorescence using a Wood's lamp to detect the antifreeze additive sodium fluorescein: a qualitative adjunctive test in suspected ethylene glycol ingestions.

Antifreeze ingestions require rapid and accurate differential diagnosis to prevent fatal outcomes. Sodium fluorescein is added to some commercial antifreeze preparations (ethylene glycol) to a final concentration of ∼20 μ g/mL as a colorant to aid in detection of automobile cooling-system leaks. For an adult human being, a potentially toxic volume of antifreeze is 30 mL, which contains 0.4 to 0.6 mg sodium fluorescein. Six male volunteers were given a 0.6-mg oral bolus of sodium fluorescein on an empty stomach. Urine was collected at two-hour intervals. Using a Wood's lamp, visually detectable fluorescence was seen with 100% reliability for two hours and 60% reliability for four hours. A second group of male volunteers was given the same dose of sodium fluorescein, and fluorescence was measured with a fluorometer during a six-hour period. Detectable fluorescence was present in all samples except the zero time point, including those with no fluorescence present by visual examination. We conclude that exposing urine to a Wood's lamp may be a useful adjunctive diagnostic test for early evaluation of patients with suspected antifreeze ingestion while awaiting definitive quantitative analysis of serum ethylene glycol concentration. A prospective clinical trial is needed to evaluate the frequency of false-positives and false-negatives.
Relative bioavailability and DNA adduct formation of benzo[a]pyrene and metabolites in the diet of the winter flounder.

Abstract 1. 1. Radiolabeled metabolites of the carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) were shown to be absorbed through the diet of the winter flounder, Pseudo pleuronectes americanus. 2. 2. Oral bioavailability of a mixture of naturally produced metabolites was significantly less than that of the parent BaP. 3. 3. Oral bioavailability of a pure metabolite, BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol (7,8-D) was found to be similar to that of BaP. 4. 4. Both metabolites and BaP formed DNA adducts in liver.
Prescribing habits and caregiver satisfaction with resources for dosing children: Rationale for more informative dosing guidance

Background Physicians, nurses and hospital pharmacists were surveyed to assess attitudes of hospital-based pediatric caregivers regarding the dosing of medicine to children. Our objectives were to gauge how current resources are utilized to guide the management of pediatric pharmacotherapy, assess drugs and drug classes where guidance is most critical and examine the prevalence and practice of dose adjustment in pediatric patients.
Representing Shape Primitives In Neural Networks

tems have been appealing for their ability to perform self- organization and learning [7, 8,11]. However, whilesimple systems of this type can perform interesting tasks, results from such systems perform little better thanexisting template matchers in some real world applications [9,10]. The definition of a more complex structuremade from simple units can be used to enhance performance of these models [4, 5], but the addition of extracomplexity raises representational issues. This paper reports on attempts to code information and featureswhich have classically been useful to shape analysis into a neural network system.1. INTRODUCTIONAs neural network systems become more established as part of mainstream computer science it becomesincreasingly necessary to define representations which exploit their most powerful properties while maintain-ing the useful paradigms established through more traditional symbolic artificial intelligence. This paperdescribes methods for coding forms of information, which have been shown to be useful from established pat-tern recognition approaches, into a neural network so as to exploit the best of both approaches in a single
Evidence for altered polar and lateral auxin transport in the gravity persistent signal (gps) mutants of Arabidopsis

Plant shoots do not respond when they are reoriented relative to gravity at 4 °C. However, when returned to vertical at room temperature, these organs bend in response to the previous cold gravistimulation. The inflorescence stem of the Arabidopsis thaliana gravity persistent signal (gps) mutants respond abnormally after the cold gravistimulation: gps1 does not bend when returned to room temperature, gps2 bends the wrong way and gps3 over-responds, curving past the predicted angle. In wild type and the mutants, basipetal auxin transport in the inflorescence stem was abolished at 4 °C but restored when plants were returned to room temperature. In gps1, auxin transport was increased; in both gps2 and gps3, no significant difference was found when compared to wild type. Expression of the auxin-inducible P[subscript IAA2]::GUS reporter gene, indicated that auxin-induced gene expression was redistributed to the lower side of the inflorescence stem in wild type after gravistimulation at 4 °C. In gps1, no asymmetries in P[subscript IAA2]::GUS expression were seen. In gps2, P[subscript IAA2]::GUS expression was localized to the upper side of the stem and in gps3, asymmetric P[subscript IAA2]::GUS expression was extended throughout the elongation zone of the inflorescence stem. These results are consistent with altered lateral Indole-3-acetic-acid (IAA) gradients being responsible for the phenotype of each mutant.
Examining the effects of academic beliefs and behaviors on changes in substance use among urban adolescents.

This study examines substance use between 10th and 12th grades in a predominantly African American sample of 785 adolescents from an urban environment. Psychological distress, academic factors, and perceptions of parents and peers are used to explain 10th-grade substance use and changes in use using hierarchical linear modeling. Results indicate that low achievement and motivation, high truancy, and perceptions of peer substance use are associated with higher 10th-grade substance use. Growth curve analyses reveal that adolescents who perceive negative school attitudes among peers are more likely to increase their cigarette and marijuana use. Among high-achieving students, low motivation is a risk factor for increased cigarette use. Implications focused on enhancing motivation, reducing truancy, and understanding adolescents perceptions of their peers.
Parent-Training Groups for Fathers of Head Start Children: A Pilot Study of Their Feasibility and Impact on Child Behavior and Intra-Familial Relationships

ABSTRACT Group parent-training interventions for the treatment and prevention of externalizing problems in young children have been empirically validated almost exclusively with mother-only groups or with groups where the majority of participants are mothers. One reason for this focus has been the difficulty in attracting fathers to parent-training groups. In order to examine the idea that father-only groups would produce high rates of acceptance and attendance among fathers, we randomly assigned 39 ethnic minority fathers of 3 to 5-year-old children attending Head Start preschool either to an 8-week father-only parent-training intervention or to a no-treatment control group. Initial interest and attendance was strong, although dropout became a major problem, with 70% of fathers assigned to the experimental group attending fewer than half of the sessions. While statistical power was too low to uncover significant treatment effects, some trends nonetheless support the utility of this approach. Father and t...
Asymmetric neural networks with multispin interactions.

A dilute nonsymmetric ferromagnetic neural network with multispin interactions and a version of the Hopfield model with multispin interactions are solved in the limit where the average number of inputs per spin is finite. It is found that in such asymmetric systems the critical exponents of local quantities can take a few different values, instead of just one.
Ethanol induces rotational behavior in 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned mice

Mice with unilateral striatal lesions created by 6-hydroxydopamine (6HDA) injection were screened for rotational (circling) behavior in response to injection of amphetamine and apomorphine. Those that rotated ipsilaterally in response to amphetamine and contralaterally in response to apomorphine were subsequently challenged with 1 to 3 g/kg (i.p.) ethanol. Surprisingly, ethanol induced dose related contralateral (apomorphine-like) rotation which, despite gross intoxication, was quite marked in most animals. No significant correlation was found between the number of turns made following ethanol and made after apomorphine or amphetamine.
Electron Tunneling Study of Coulomb Correlations across the Metal-Isulator Transition in Si:B

Electron tunneling gives an empirical description of how Coulomb correlations evolve across the metal-insulator transition (MIT) in Si:B. For clearly insulating or metallic samples, the tunneling conductance displays a parabolic or a square-root shape, respectively. Just below the MIT, the conductance shows some metallic features before the samples become truly metallic. Very close to the MIT, the conductance spectra are unusually broad and frequency dependent. We interpret this last feature as a result of long-wavelength screening arising from a divergence of the dielectric constant.
Muscle atrophy at diagnosis of carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome.

Purpose This study was designed to test the hypothesis that patients with an initial diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome are more likely to present with muscle atrophy than patients with an initial diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods A list of patients presenting to the office of a single hand surgeon from January 2000 to June 2005 with an initial diagnosis of isolated, idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome was generated from billing records. The medical records of 58 patients with cubital tunnel syndrome and 370 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were reviewed for age, gender, diabetes, and presence of atrophy. Results Twenty-three of 58 patients with an initial diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome had atrophy compared with only 62 out 370 patients with an initial diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Multiple logistic regression revealed that age (odds ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04–1.08) and diagnosis (cubital tunnel patients were more likely than carpal tunnel patients to present with atrophy; odds ratio, 4.5; 95% CI, 2.7–8.6) were factors significantly associated with atrophy at presentation. Conclusions Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome present earlier in the course of their disease than patients with cubital tunnel syndrome. Patients with cubital tunnel syndrome are more likely to present with muscle atrophy, reflecting advanced nerve damage that may not respond to surgery. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic IV.
Family functioning and suicidality in depressed adults

This study examined the association between suicidality, family factors, and clinical and diagnostic variables in depressed adult inpatients. The subjects were 121 depressed adult inpatients living with a family member or significant other. Demographic, clinical, and diagnostic information about the patient, and subjective and observer ratings of family functioning were obtained. Trained interviewers rated families of suicidal depressed patients as more dysfunctional than families of patients with no history of attempted suicide. In a logistic regression model, earlier age of depression onset, number of psychiatric hospitalizations, and objectively rated poorer family communication were associated with a history of a prior suicide attempt. Also, modest evidence suggested that patients with a prior suicide attempt perceived their families as more dysfunctional than did their respective family members. Variations in family functioning are associated with different degrees of suicidality. However, prospective longitudinal designs would elucidate the causal relation between family dysfunction and suicidal behavior.
The CXC motif: a functional mimic of protein disulfide isomerase.

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) utilizes the active site sequence Cys-Gly-His-Cys (CGHC; E°‘ = −180 mV) to effect thiol−disulfide interchange during oxidative protein folding. Here, the Cys-Gly-Cys-NH2 (CGC) peptide is shown to have a disulfide reduction potential (E°‘ = −167 mV) that is close to that of PDI. This peptide has a thiol acid dissociation constant (pKa = 8.7) that is lower than that of glutathione. These attributes endow the CGC peptide with substantial disulfide isomerization activity. Escherichia coli thioredoxin (Trx) utilizes the active site sequence Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys (CGPC; E°‘ = −270 mV) to effect disulfide reduction. Removal of the proline residue from the Trx active site yields a CGC active site with a greatly destabilized disulfide bond (E°‘ ≥ −200 mV). The ΔP34 variant retains high conformational stability and remains a substrate for thioredoxin reductase. In contrast to the reduced form of the wild-type enzyme, the reduced form of ΔP34 Trx has disulfide isomerization activity, whic...
CAD for CT colonography: current status and future

Abstract Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) for CT colonography (CTC) detects the locations of suspicious polyps and masses in CTC and provides them to radiologists as a second opinion. Technical developments have advanced CAD for CTC substantially during the last several years, and a fundamental scheme for the detection of polyps has been established. The latest CAD systems based on this scheme yield a clinically acceptable high sensitivity and a low false-positive rate. However, CAD for CTC is still under active development, and the technology needs to be improved further. This paper briefly reviews the current status and the future of CAD for CTC.
Effect of feeding whole compared with cell-free colostrum on calf immune status: The neonatal period

Mortality and decreased weight gain resulting from infection and disease in dairy calves are problems within the dairy industry. The bovine neonate relies solely on colostrum to acquire antibodies through passive transfer. To date, colostrum quality is determined by the concentration of antibodies. However, proteins and cells in the colostrum might also enhance immune development in the neonate. To determine the effect of maternal colostral immune cells on calf health and immune status, maternal colostrum was fed either fresh or after lysis of cells by flash-freezing in liquid nitrogen. Thirty-seven female Holstein and Jersey dairy calves were fed 4 quarts total of whole colostrum (WC) or cell-free colostrum (CFC) at birth. Respiratory and fecal scores were measured from birth to d 45 of life. Calf peripheral blood samples were obtained before and after feeding colostrum as well as on d 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 of life. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected and analyzed for cellular parameters by flow cytometry. Total respiratory scores were greater in CFC-fed calves compared with WC-fed calves on d 38 of life. There were fewer CD4+ T cells and CD4+CD62L+CD45RO− T cells on d 1 and fewer CD4+CD62L+CD45RO+ T cells on d 1 and 3 in CFC-fed calves compared with WC-fed calves. Compared with WC-fed calves, CFC-fed calves had a greater percentage of CD4+CD62L−CD45RO+ T cells on d 0.25, 1, 3, and 7, and a greater percentage of monocytes on d 7. Our data suggest that colostral cells adoptively transfer and enhance neonatal immunity during the first month of life.
Techniques for monitoring crop nitrogen status in corn

Abstract Nitrogen (N) fertilizers used in corn production contribute to the occurrence of nitrate to ground water. Tissue testing is a tool that can aid in fertilizer N management. Several tissue testing techniques were evaluated for their potential to aid in N management of irrigated corn in Nebraska. Leaf N content provided a traditional means of identifying N deficiencies in corn. Leaf N concentrations were difficult to interpret because of luxury consumption and the lack of consistent critical levels across hybrids and growth stages. Chlorophyll meters showed little sensitivity to luxury consumption and provided instantaneous results, but required an in‐field reference fertilized with extra N. Chlorophyll meter readings were highly correlated with grain yield and provided early detection of a N deficiency. The combination of chlorophyll meter data and irrigation demonstrated the merits of a “fertilization‐as‐needed”; approach to N management. The post‐harvest stalk nitrate test accurately identified s...
Fate and toxicity of high density missile fuels RJ-5 and JP-9 in aquatic test systems

Abstract The high density missile fuels RJ-5 and JP-9 resisted biodegradation when incubated with water/sediment suspensions collected from aquatic habitats. RJ-5 and JP-9 were not toxic to the microbial communities at concentrations of 400 mg per liter, but RJ-5 was toxic to Mysidopsis bahia in 96-hour acute tests (LC50 88 μg/l).
Ah receptor and ARNT protein and mRNA concentrations in rat prostate: effects of stage of development and 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin treatment.

Effects of stage of development and 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure on aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) protein concentrations in reproductive organs of male rats were determined. AhR protein levels in developing rat ventral and dorsolateral prostate decreased with age, declining approximately 70% between Postnatal Days (PND) 1 and 21. ARNT protein levels also decreased with age in dorsolateral, but not ventral prostate. The developmental decreases in prostatic AhR and ARNT protein were associated with decreases in AhR and ARNT mRNA. AhR and ARNT protein concentrations in fetal urogenital sinus on Gestation Days (GD) 16, 18, and 20 were similar to levels in ventral prostate on PND 7. TCDD exposure of adult male rats (0.2, 1, 5, or 25 micrograms/kg po, 24 h) decreased AhR but not ARNT protein in ventral and dorsolateral prostate, vas deferens, and epididymis. In utero and lactational TCDD exposure (1.0 micrograms/kg dam po, GD 15) did not alter ARNT levels but reduced prostatic AhR protein levels on PND 7 and delayed the developmental decrease in AhR protein in ventral and dorsolateral prostate. Finally, pretreatment of rat pups for 24 h with TCDD (5 micrograms/kg ip) down-regulated prostatic AhR protein on PND 7, but not on PND 1. Thus, prostatic AhR and ARNT protein and mRNA levels are regulated with age, whereas only AhR protein concentration is altered by TCDD exposure. Because in utero and lactational TCDD exposure only decreased prostatic AhR on PND 7, it is unlikely that down-regulation of AhR is the mechanism by which perinatal TCDD exposure impairs prostate development.
Representation of the cochlea within the inferior colliculus of the cat.

The representation of the cochlear partition within the 3 dimensions of the inferior colliculus of the cat was studied by determining the best frequency of neurons isolated in series of parallel electrode penetrations. Cats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. There was a systematic representation of the cochlea within the pericentral nucleus of the inferior colliculus. The boundary between the pericentral nucleus and underlying central nucleus could be sharply drawn on physiological bases. There was a highly ordered representation of the cochlea across the 3 dimensions of the central nucleus. Neurons within the dorsomedial nucleus and external nucleus of the inferior colliculus were not driven by simple tonal stimulation. The change in best frequency as a function of depth in the colliculus was the same for parallel penetrations entering over almost the entire dorsal surface of the central nucleus. This indicated that a given frequency-band was represented across a laminar figure completely sectioning the nucleus; and that laminae were flat except along the extreme margins of the nucleus. Definition of ‘isofrequency contours’ from reconstruction of rows of parallel penetrations confirmed these conclusions. Frequency-band laminae were tilted down rostrally, especially in the middle and lateral aspects of the central nucleus. They were also tilted down laterally. Orientation of isofrequency contours paralleled that of laminae described within anatomical studies of the central nucleus29. The disk-shaped regions representing lowest frequency octaves were not as thick nor as extensive as those representing middle and high frequency octaves. However, when best frequency values were converted to corresponding cochlear place, cochlear place was observed to be a nearly linear function of colliculus depth for the representation of the apical half of the cochlear partition. There was a somewhat larger representation, across colliculus depth, of the basal half of the cochlea. The change in best frequency with change of depth in the central nucleus was stepwise. This suggested that small sectors of the basilar membrane of approximately equal length were represented across individual anatomically defined cellular laminae within the nucleus.
Aberrant cell cycle progression contributes to the early-stage accelerated carcinogenesis in transgenic epidermis expressing the dominant negative TGFβRII

Mutations in the transforming growth factor β type II receptor (TGFβRII) have been found in various malignant tumors, suggesting that loss of TGFβ signaling plays a causal role in late-stage cancer development. To test whether loss of TGFβRII is involved in early-stage carcinogenesis, we have generated transgenic mice expressing a dominant negative TGFβRII (ΔβRII) in the epidermis. These mice exhibited an increased susceptibility to chemical carcinogenesis protocols at both early and late stages. In the current study, parameters for cell cycle progression and chromosome instability were analysed in ΔβRII tumors. ΔβRII papillomas showed an increased S phase in flow cytometry. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling and mitotic indices in ΔβRII papillomas also showed a threefold increase compared to papillomas developing in non-transgenic mice. When papillomas further progressed to squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), both control and ΔβRII SCC showed similar BrdU labeling indices and percentages of S phase cells. However, ΔβRII SCC cells showed a sixfold increase in the G2/M population. Mitotic indices in ΔβRII SCC also showed a threefold increase compared to non-transgenic SCC. Consistent with a perturbed cell cycle, ΔβRII papillomas and SCC showed reduced expression of the TGFβ target genes p15 (INK4b), p21 (WAF-1) and p27 (Kip1), inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks). However, most ΔβRII papilloma cells exhibited normal centrosome numbers, and ΔβRII SCC exhibited a similar extent of centrosome abnormalities compared to control SCC (35–40% cells). Most of ΔβRII SCC exhibited diploid chromosome profiles. These data indicate that inactivation of TGFβRII accelerates skin tumorigenesis at early stages by the acceleration of loss of cell cycle control, but not by increased chromosome instability.
DNA–nanoparticle micelles as supramolecular fluorogenic substrates enabling catalytic signal amplification and detection by DNAzyme probes

Catalytic DNA molecules have tremendous potential in propagating detection events vianucleic acid sequence selective signal amplification. However, they suffer from product inhibition limiting their widespread utility. Herein, this limitation is overcome utilizing a novel fluorogenic substrate design consisting of cooperatively assembled DNA–nanoparticle micelles.
Online microwave D-cleavage LC-ESI-MS/MS of intact proteins: site-specific cleavages at aspartic acid residues and disulfide bonds.

An online nonenzymatic digestion method utilizing a microwave-heated flow cell and mild acid hydrolysis at aspartic acid (D) for rapid protein identification is described. This methodology, here termed microwave D-cleavage, was tested with proteins ranging in size from 5 kDa (insulin) to 67 kDa (bovine serum albumin) and a bacterial cell lysate (Escherichia coli). A microwave flow cell consisting of a 5 µL total volume reaction loop connected to a sealed reaction vessel was introduced into a research grade microwave oven. With this dynamic arrangement, the injected sample was subjected to microwave radiation as it flowed through the reaction loop and was digested in less than 5 min. Different digestion times can be achieved by varying the sample flow rate and/or length of the loop inside the microwave flow cell. The microwave flow cell can be operated individually with the output being collected for matrix assisted laser ionization/desorption (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) or connected online for liquid c...
Predicting the steady-state performance of a switched reluctance machine

The modeling and computational techniques for predicting the steady-state characteristics of a switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive over a wide range of torque/speed variations is presented. Proper switching strategies, such as the current limit (chopping) and angle controls, are used in stimulating the drive for different speeds and loadings. The instantaneous torque and flux linkage, inductances, and back EMF are obtained from accurately calculated static characteristics of the motor using surface interpolation techniques. Special techniques are used in he mesh modeling of the high gradient field within the airgap and in the postprocessing of the field solution. This ensures good accuracy in the motor parameters and static characteristics that are essential to producing steady-state predictions, which agree favorably with experimental results. >