cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interleukin‐4 inhibits prostaglandin G/H synthase‐2 and cytosolic phospholipase A2 induction in neonatal mouse parietal bone cultures

We have shown previously that prostaglandin (PG) production in 7-day-old neonatal mouse calvarial cultures is regulated largely by changes in prostaglandin G/H synthase-2 (PGHS-2) expression and to a lesser extent by changes in arachidonic acid (AA) release. In this study, we examined the effects of interleukin-4 (IL-4), and its interactions with other cytokines and with parathyroid hormone (PTH), on mRNA levels of PGHS-2, PGHS-1, and cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ) and on medium protaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) levels in calvarial cultures. IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), both at 1-100 ng/ml, and PTH at 0.1-10 nM increased PGHS-2 and cPLA 2 mRNA and medium PGE 2 levels dose-dependently after 4 h of treatment. IL-6 and IL-11 at 1-100 ng/ml did not affect mRNA or PGE 2 levels. IL-4 at 1-100 ng/ml decreased PGHS-2 and cPLA 2 mRNA and PGE 2 levels in control as well as IL-1, TNF-α, and PTH-stimulated cultures. The inhibition of PGHS-2 and cPLA 2 mRNA expression by IL-4 (10 ng/ml) was present at 1 h, reached a maximum at 4 h, and persisted for 24 h. The effects were maintained in the presence of cycloheximide. IL-4 also decreased PGHS-2 protein levels in control and IL-1-stimulated cultures. PGHS-1 mRNA levels were not stimulated by any of the factors studied nor inhibited by IL-4. IL-4 partially inhibited control and PTH-stimulated 45 Ca release from prelabeled mouse calvariae at 4 days. However, neither the inhibition of resorption by IL-4 nor the stimulation by IL-1 and PTH were altered by indomethacin (1 μM). We conclude that (1) IL-1, TNF-α, and PTH, but not IL-6 nor IL-11, can increase the expression of PGHS-2, cPLA 2 , and PGE 2 production in cultured mouse calvariae ; (2) IL-4 inhibits PGE 2 production in both control and stimulated calvarial cultures by inhibiting PGHS-2 and cPLA 2 ; and (3) IL-4 has an inhibitory effect on bone resorption which is independent of PG production.
Reduced gradient computation in prediction error identification

One way to design practical identification algorithms using the prediction error method is to find a computationally efficient expression for the gradient of the prediction error cost function. Here, results on adjoint equations are used to derive an efficient gradient expression which reduces the computational burden of evaluating it.
Mutation of a conserved active site residue converts tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase I into a DNA topoisomerase I-dependent poison.

Abstract Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (Tdp1) catalyzes the resolution of 3′ and 5′ phospho-DNA adducts. A defective mutant, associated with the recessive neurodegenerative disease SCAN1, accumulates Tdp1–DNA complexes in vitro. To assess the conservation of enzyme architecture, a 2.0 A crystal structure of yeast Tdp1 was determined that is very similar to human Tdp1. Poorly conserved regions of primary structure are peripheral to an essentially identical catalytic core. Enzyme mechanism was also conserved, because the yeast SCAN1 mutant (H432R) enhanced cell sensitivity to the DNA topoisomerase I (Top1) poison camptothecin. A more severe Top1-dependent lethality of Tdp1H432N was drug-independent, coinciding with increased covalent Top1–DNA and Tdp1–DNA complex formation in vivo. However, both H432 mutants were recessive to wild-type Tdp1. Thus, yeast H432 acts in the general acid/base catalytic mechanism of Tdp1 to resolve 3′ phosphotyrosyl and 3′ phosphoamide linkages. However, the distinct pattern of mutant Tdp1 activity evident in yeast cells, suggests a more severe defect in Tdp1H432N-catalyzed resolution of 3′ phospho-adducts.
Vendler on what is stated

Suppose that Tom states that Nixon resigned. Since Nixon did resign, we may say in acceptable, everyday English that (1) What Tom stated is true, and (2) What Tom stated is a fact. Given that what Tom stated is that Nixon resigned, we may, by substitution, get two equivalent and equally true statements: (3) That Nixon resigned is true;and (4) That Nixon resigned is a fact. In (3) and (4), the expression 'that Nixon resigned' appears to function univocally. (3) and (4) are both true, and their compatibility seems to display the fact that a that-clause can function both as grammatical subject of the predicate 'true' and as a device for specifying a fact. As Joseph Margolis points out, ". . .no grammatical equivocation on 'that p ' is required, only alternative interpretations of what 'that p ' designates..."a Of course, in (3) we do not know, apart from adopting some theory of truth, what 'that Nixon resigned' should be taken as designating. We only know that whatever it is, it is claimed to be true. Although (3) and (4) seem to be compatible, (1) and (2) from which (3) and (4) were derived by substitution are clearly incompatible. That clauses may be used to specify both what is true and what is a fact, as in (3) and (4), but what Tom stated cannot at once
Tachyphylaxis after intravitreal bevacizumab for exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose To describe tachyphylaxis to intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The In Vivo Response of Novel Buprenorphine Metabolites, M1 and M3, to Antiretroviral Inducers and Inhibitors of Buprenorphine Metabolism

Buprenorphine metabolism was recently expanded by in vitro identification of a number of hydroxylated metabolites. The identification of two, M1 and M3, in urine suggests that they may be quantitatively significant metabolites. To further understand the in vivo regulation of this mode of metabolism, we evaluated 24-hr urine from subjects (10 per treatment group) on buprenorphine alone or with the antiretroviral agents: efavirenz, delavirdine, nelfinavir, ritonavir, and lopinavir/ritonavir. Quantitative analysis for buprenorphine and traditional metabolites and semi-quantitative analysis of M1 and M3 in urine were performed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. The renal clearance of buprenorphine and traditional metabolites were similar for all treatments except for lopinavir/ritonavir, suggesting that urine amounts of M1 and M3 would adequately reflect systemic changes (except lopinavir/ritonavir). Efavirenz decreased M1 and increased M3 consistent with its ability to induce cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A. Delavirdine increased M1 and decreased M3 consistent with its ability to inhibit CYP3A. Both nelfinavir and ritonavir decreased both M1 and M3, consistent with their ability to inhibit CYP3A and 2C8. These results provide further information on the in vivo response of novel secondary metabolites of buprenorphine to metabolic inhibitors and inducers.
Large Eddy Simulation of Aircraft Wake Vortices in a Homogeneous Atmospheric Turbulence: Vortex Decay and Descent

The effects of ambient turbulence on decay and descent of aircraft wake vortices are studied using a validated, three-dimensional, large-eddy simulation model. Numerical simulations are performed in order to isolate the effect of ambient turbulence on the wake vortex decay rate within a neutrally-stratified atmosphere. Simulations are conducted for a range of turbulence intensities, by injecting wake vortex pairs into an approximately homogeneous and isotropic turbulence field. The decay rate of the vortex circulation increases clearly with increasing ambient turbulence level, which is consistent with field observations. Based on the results from the numerical simulations, simple decay models are proposed as functions of dimensionless ambient turbulence intensity (n) and demisnionless time (T) for the circulation averaged over a range of radial distances. With good agreement with the numerical results, a Gaussian type of vortex decay model is proposed for weak turbulence, while an exponential type of vortex decay model can be applied for strong turbulence. A relationship for the vortex descent based on above vortex decay model is also proposed. Although the proposed models are based on simulations assuming neutral stratification, the model predictions are compared to Lidar vortex measurements observed during stable, neutral, and unstable atmospheric conditions. In the neutral and unstable atmospere, the model predictions appear to be in reasonable agreement with the observational data, while in the stably-stratified atmosphere, they largely underestimate the observed circulation decay with consistent overestimation of the observed vortex descent. The underestimation of vortex decay during stably-stratified conditions suggests that stratification has an important influence on vortex decay when ambient levels of turbulence are weak.
Quantitative analysis of contrast to noise ratio using a phase contrast x-ray imaging prototype

The purpose of this study was to determine the Contrast to Noise Ratio (CNR) of the x-ray images taken with the phase contrast imaging mode and compare them with the CNR of the images taken under the conventional mode. For each mode, three images were taken under three exposure conditions of 100 kVp (2.8mAs), 120 kVp (1.9mAs) and 140kVp (1.42mAs). A 1.61cm thick contrast detail phantom was used as an imaging object. For phase contrast, the source to image detector distance (SID) was 182.88 cm and the source to object (SOD) distance was 73.15 cm. The SOD was the same as SID in the conventional imaging mode. A computed radiography (CR) plate was used as a detector and the output CR images were converted to linear form in relation with the incident x-ray exposure. To calculate CNR, an image processing software was used to determine the mean pixel value and the standard deviation of the pixels in the region of interest (ROI) and in the nearby background around ROI. At any given exposure condition investigated in this study, the CNR values for the phase contrast images were better as compared to the corresponding conventional mode images. The superior image quality in terms of CNR is contributed by the phase-shifts resulted contrast, as well as the reduced scatters due to the air gap between the object and the detector.
STEREOSCOPIC DISTORTION AND STRUCTURALLY-IMPOSED RETINAL-IMAGE-SIZE-DIFFERENCES.

When the optical images formed on the two retinas differ in magnification (size), stereoscopically-based spatial distortions are expected to occur due to the ‘spurious’ binocular disparities generated. Whereas lens experiments bear out this expectation, it is not clear that distortion also accompanies the inherent image-size-differences that stem from structural differences between the two eyes. In the present study an attempt was made to compare the actual incidence of stereoscopic distortion in a given population with the expected incidence due to structurally-imposed image-size-differences. Stereoscopic distortion was measured on a space eikonometer. The expected incidence of stereoscopic distortion was computed from data reported in the ophthalmic literature. The results indicated a far lesser degree of distortion present than expected, thus suggesting that image-size-differences are somehow compensated when structurally imposed.
Modulation of Mitochondrial Adenylate Kinase by Citric-Acid-Cycle Intermediates

Modulation of rat liver mitochondrial adenylate kinase by citric acid cycle intermediates is reported. Activation of adenylate kinase in the presence of Mg2+ was dependent upon the following. (1) It was activated by citrate, cis-aconitate, isocitrate, fumarate, and malate but not by 2-oxo-glutarate, succinate, or oxaloacetate. (2) Protonated forms of the intermediates were most effective. (3) Citrate caused a decrease from 6.9 to 4.1 in the Km for ATP. (4) The activation was not a simple citrate-Mg2+ chelation phenomenon. (5) The Ka for citrate was 90 μM. (6) Activation was very rapid. (7) Citrate caused a decrease from 2.1 to 1.3 in the slopes of Hill plots with increasing ATP. (8) Measurements in differential absorbancies in the presence and absence of citrate and Mg2+ indicated structural changes in adenylate kinase upon modulator binding. (9) Non-additive effects of saturating concentrations of several citric acid cycle intermediates could be interpreted as a common binding site for each of the intermediates. It is postulated that the citrate modulation of adenylate kinase involves an alteration in the structure of the enzyme.
Desolvation penalty for burying hydrogen-bonded peptide groups in protein folding

A novel analysis of the enthalpy of protein unfolding is proposed and used to test for a desolvation penalty when hydrogen-bonded peptide groups are desolvated via folding. The unfolding enthalpy has three components, (1) the change when peptide hydrogen bonds are broken and the exposed -CO and -NH groups are solvated, (2) the change when protein-protein van der Waals interactions are broken and replaced by protein-water van der Waals interactions, and (3) the change produced by the hydrophobic interaction when nonpolar groups in the protein interior (represented as a liquid hydrocarbon) are transferred to water. A key feature of the analysis is that the enthalpy change from the hydrophobic interaction goes through 0 at 22 °C according to the liquid hydrocarbon model. Protein unfolding enthalpies are smaller at 22 °C than the enthalpy change for unfolding an alanine peptide helix. Data in the literature indicate that the van der Waals contribution to the unfolding enthalpy is considerably larger than the unfolding enthalpy itself at 22 °C, and therefore, a sizable desolvation penalty is predicted. Such a desolvation penalty was predicted earlier from electrostatic calculations of a stabilizing interaction between water and the hydrogen-bonded peptide group.
The Virtual Ecomap: A Diagrammatic Tool for Assessing the Digital World of Clients:

Most Americans access the virtual world through the Internet and computer-mediated communication. However, the digital divide, or disparities in access, remains a concern, as does digital literacy, or having the skills necessary for effective use of digital technology. Limited access or skills put clients at a disadvantage, such as restricted life opportunities and increased vulnerabilities. We identify challenges of access, skill, and risk that clients face regarding the virtual world. A virtual ecomap summarizes these challenges and interactions with the virtual world much as the ecomap does for the real world. The task for the social worker is to identify and overcome barriers to this technology, and guide and educate clients about technology use to locate resources, expand opportunities, strengthen support systems, and enhance well-being.
The production of pulp from Marsh Grass

With an adequate technology, the Romanian Government mechanically harvests 125,000 tons of dry marsh grass (Phragmites communis Trinius) annually from the vast reedlands of the Danube Delta which, when processed, yield up to 60% in unbleached pulp. The reed pulp is mixed with wood pulp in the production of fabricated paper. At $85.00 per ton of reed raw material, the reed pulp industry amounts to over $10 million annual revenue.
Self-assembled art

Code (computer software and the technologies that it enables) is changing fundamentally how human beings interact with each other, and think about themselves and the world. It is a medium through which artists are increasingly expressing themselves. Code can serve as the tool which the artist uses to produce their work, or more interestingly, the artist takes the role of programmer and designs and implements an algorithm that generates the work of art. Thus, the artist's ideas are filtered and constrained through the filter of code, whose limitations and capabilities shape and inform the consequent artistic vision. For example, Casey Reas through his {Software} Structures takes verbal descriptions of processes to produce visual components and turns them into programs[Reas 2009]. In what follows, a Turing-universal model of some natural and manmade phenomena, Self-Assembly, is adapted to the automatic creation of visual art.
Publius's Guile and the Paranoid Style

When foreign dangers become domestic threats, how should governments respond? This article turns to the past to better understand the present. Three rebellions in early American history—Shays's Rebellion, the Whiskey Rebellion, and Fries's Rebellion—illustrate how similar domestic events elicited different governmental responses, depending on changes in the international environment. The ethical implications are mixed, but the policy recommendations suggest that quick executive action and slow judicial action are appropriate responses. A necessary cause of these events, both in government officials and those opposing them, is traced back to imbalances of power. The argument builds on Richard Hofstadter's Paranoid Style in American Politics, and elaborates the strategic logic of political paranoia.
African Diplacodes: the status of the small species and the genus Philonomon (Odonata: Libellulidae)

Abstract The small African species of Diplacodes have been confused for a long time, in part because the black mature males are difficult to separate. The holotype of D. deminuta belongs to the species commonly known as D. okavangoensis, the former name taking priority, while its paratypes belong to that known erroneously as D. deminuta, which is described as the new species D. pumila. Philonomon is considered a junior synonym of Diplacodes and the sole species, P. luminans, is transferred accordingly. Species identification relative to sex and developmental state is clarified: some specimens, either very old or young, will be difficult to separate without reference material.
Chest trauma: Evaluation by two-dimensional echocardiography

Patients with either blunt or penetrating chest injuries may develop a variety of cardiac complications. The studies of 76 patients with suspected cardiac injury obtained over a 30-month period were reviewed in order to determine how frequently and in what manner two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) is of value in the assessment of such patients. Thirty-nine patients had blunt trauma (group I), and 37 had penetrating trauma (group II). The 2DE findings in group I were: no visible abnormality in 19, pericardial effusions in six, and wall motion abnormalities in two; the studies were technically inadequate in six. In group II patients, the 2DE findings were: no visible abnormality in 14, pericardial effusions in 12, wall motion abnormalities in three, and unusual abnormalities such as foreign body or intrathoracic air in three; the studies were technically inadequate in four. This study shows that satisfactory 2DE can be performed in up to 87% of unselected patients who sustain chest injuries and does provide clinically valuable information that cannot be easily obtained by other noninvasive tests. In this series, 2DE was of greatest value in the detection of pericardial effusions that were present in 27% and of unusual abnormalities including intrathoracic air and foreign bodies such as a bullet.
Room temperature fatigue response of γ-TiAl to impact damage

Gamma based titanium aluminides have received considerable attention recently as candidate materials in gas turbine applications, particularly low pressure turbine blades. Their low density and high specific stiffness, result in potentially significant weight savings in structures such as gas turbine engines if substituted for current materials. The objective of the present study is to characterize and quantify the damage resulting from low-speed impacts on {gamma}-TiAl and to relate this impact damage to reductions in fatigue failure stress by the use of a threshold-based model.
Connecting obesity, aging and diabetes

Rexford S. Ahima is in the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. e-mail: ahima@mail.med.upenn.edu Obesity accelerates the aging of adipose tissue, a process only now beginning to come to light at the molecular level. Experiments in mice suggest that obesity increases the formation of reactive oxygen species in fat cells, shortens telomeres—and ultimately results in activation of the p53 tumor suppressor, inflammation and the promotion of insulin resistance (pages 1082–1087). Key words: Connecting obesity, aging and diabetes
Electrophysiologic and mechanical properties of single feline RV and LV myocytes

Abstract With the advent of techniques to isolate large numbers of single adult mammalian ventricular myocytes, it has become possible to determine whether, as a result of the different pressure loading of the right and left ventricles (RV and LV), RV and LV myocytes differ in electromechanical properties. We studied the morphology, contraction and electrophysiology of the L-type slow inward calcium current (Isi) in isolated adult feline RV and LV myocytes. The maximum width of LV myocytes was slightly greater than for RV myocytes (25.9 ± 7.0 μm vs. 25.1 ± 7.9 μm, P = 0.05), but RV and LV myocytes did not differ significantly in maximum length or two-dimensional surface area. RV and LV myocytes did not differ significantly in the extent of shortening or rates of shortening and relaxation. The voltage dependence of activation and inactivation and the time course of activation and recovery from inactivation of Isi also did not differ significantly between RV and LV myocytes. We conclude that despite the different pressure loads on the RV and LV, single myocytes from either ventricle have similar physiologic properties.
Coexpression of skeletal muscle voltage-dependent calcium channel alpha 1 and beta cDNAs in mouse Ltk- cells increases the amount of alpha 1 protein in the cell membrane.

Abstract Coexpression of α 1 and β subunits for all tissue-specific isotypes of calcium channels results in an increase in Ca 2+ channel current density and drug receptor function. The quantification of the photoaffinity labeled skeletal muscle α 1 subunit polypeptide by two alternative immunoadsorption techniques showed that 3 times higher amount of calcium channel α 1 protein appears in the cell membrane when α 1 and β subunits were coexpressed compared to α 1 alone. Using Western blotting and immunodetection techniques, we identified two polypeptide bands of α 1 with 210 kD and 170 kD molecular mass, respectively. The combined intensity of these bands was 7-9 times higher when α 1 and β were coexpressed compared to α 1 alone. The data provide evidence that coexpression of α 1 and β results in an increased amount of α 1 protein in the cell membrane.
Simulations of phase transitions in Rb2ZnCl4.

Structural relaxations, molecular-dynamics simulations, and lattice-dynamics calculations were performed to study the phase transitions in Rb2ZnCl4, using intermolecular and intramolecular potentials generated from ab initio quantum-chemistry calculations for the whole molecular ion ZnCl4. Compared with an earlier treatment of the system by a polarizable-ion model, the present approach emphasizes the static effect of the electron covalency within the molecular ions that affects strongly both the intermolecular and intramolecular interactions. The calculations gave a close agreement with experiment on the static structures of the Pnam and the Pna21 phases and the transition temperature from the former to the latter. For the lower-temperature, monoclinic phase of Rb2ZnCl4, the detailed structure of which is unknown, our simulations predict a structure with C1c1 space-group symmetry, which doubles the Pna21 structure along both the b and c axes and thus has 48 formula units per unit cell. The lattice-dynamics calculations for the Pna21 structure clearly revealed the lattice instability responsible for the Pna21-monoclinic transition and provided a more convincing explanation of a previous Raman measurement. We have shown that the potential-energy surface in Rb2ZnCl4 pertinent to the phase transitions contains a double-well structure, very similar to that of K2SeO4, except that the double well is much deeper, causing the much more severe disordering in the Pnam structure of Rb2ZnCl4 observed experimentally. ©1992 The American Physical Society. Used by permission. URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.45.7609 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.45.7609
Follow-up of implanted pacemakers.

Summary A waveform analysis clinic augmented by telephone transmission of pacemaker interval in the late stages of pacemaker life will yield a considerable amount of information and will permit elective replacement of pacemakers in about 90 per cent of cases. The clinic has an advantage over other surveillance systems in the accuracy of the diagnosis, the identification of abnormalities that do not require pacemaker replacement, and the multiple benefits of a direct doctor-patient relationship. No system of surveillance can be recommended over all others in all circumstances. It is sufficient here to indicate the merits of each system, and to allow the various centers to develop according to their particular needs and desires. There is no objection to telephone monitoring alone as long as one realizes that only about 80 per cent of the problems will be detected and that there will be an irreducible percentage of false-negative and false-positive diagnoses. The danger of errors of this type is not great but it does exist and should be avoided if possible. Other methods of pacemaker follow-up, such as simple examination and an ECG in a doctor's office, or changing the pace-maker on the basis of the manufacturer's prediction, are relatively unsatisfactory. It should be stressed that pacemaker surveillance of some type is essential to satisfactory patient care because it provides for maximum utilization of the pacemaker, for replacement only if and when necessary, for detection of 90 per cent of pacemaker problems, and for protection of the patient against unexpected pacemaker failure.
Toward a productive ageing paradigm for geriatric practice

An alternative frame of reference for geriatric practice is presented centering on the concept of productive ageing. This perspective underscores two distinct but compatible conceptualizations of the ageing experience: 1) an external, utilitarian view that emphasizes concrete societal contributions made by older adults to others whether they be individuals, families, groups, organizations, or communities; and 2) an internal, affective view which emphasizes the older person subscribing to personal philosophies positively impacting one’s own well-being and quality of life. Both emphasize engagement by older adults in the economic, social, and physical environment as well as the importance of elders having direction, structure, purpose in life, engaged in activity, and accomplishing tasks. Assets, resources, capacities, and skills of older adults are underscored rather than problems, deficiencies, and needs. A productive ageing paradigm is seen to transcend the physical or functional status of the older person and have direct implications for health and human service personnel assuming an expanded set of professional functions in both traditional and nontraditional community service settings.
A precision tooth-pulp stimulation technique for the assessment of pain threshold

Accurate and consistent pain threshold measurements for the tooth pulp can be achieved with careful preparation of a moisture-proof appliance and the use of a high-quality constant-current stimulator. Using an extant dental filling as the cathode, the usual problems associated with the control of the stimulation area and locus and, consequently, current density can be overcome. Repeated measurements showing less than ±5% variation over many months can be routinely achieved on the same individual. The technique has shown a high degree of sensitivity to common analgesic agents and is potentially useful for the investigation of variations in pain threshold over extended periods of time.
TIME ALLOCATION AND RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY AMONG COUNSELING FACULTY

51 counseling and counseling psychology faculty reported their allocation of time to various work activities and the number of manuscripts accepted for publication in the previous year. There was no gender difference in productivity. Time spent on teaching and service were comparable for high and low producers, but high producers reported spending 7 more hours per week working and spent that additional time on research. High producers spent twice as much time on research while producing seven times as many publications, suggesting a more effective use of research time. High producers' suggestions for efficient management of time are presented.
Sample Size in Psychological Research

This study was conducted to provide information on the typical sample size employed in psychological research, as it is reported in selected American Psychological Association journals. All the art...
The Production of Food, Energy and Fresh Water From the Sea Through Artificial Upwelling

The tropical oceans are the world’s largest collector and storage system of solar energy. This heat can be utilized to generate mechanical energy and fresh water by using the cold deep water, only about 1000 m below this vast heat reservoir as the heat sink. After its utilization in the condenser of the power generating or desalination plant, the deep water can be utilized in a mariculture system to produce plant and animal protein. In a small shore-based pilot plant on the north shore of St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands, the technical feasibility of Artificial Upwelling mariculture has been demonstrated. Its economic potential is now under evaluation. The plant protein yield per unit surface area achieved in St. Croix is 8.1 tons/hectare/year. At current market prices, the gross sales value of the meat which can be obtained from a given volume of deep sea water pumped to the surface is considerably greater than that of the energy which can be generated from the same volume of deep water, according to OTEC power systems presently under consideration in the United States. The combined utilization of the ΔT and the nutrient content of deep water in the tropical ocean could be economical and would contribute to solving current shortages of food and energy.Copyright © 1979 by ASME
Arginine vasotocin in the rabbit subcommissural organ.

Subcommissural organs of young and mature rabbits were analyzed for their content of arginine vasotocin by radioimmunoassay. Younger animals had significantly greater quantities of this peptide. There was no detectable arginine vasopressin or oxytocin in subcommissural organ extracts. It is concluded that the subcommissural organ represents, in addition to the pineal and the fetal neurohypophysis, another significant source of arginine vasotocin in the mammalian central nervous system. (Endocrinology 96: 1038, 1975)
Star-tracker-based, all-sky, autonomous attitude determination

An automatic star identification program, which has previously been demonstrated only in computer simulation, has been integrated and tested with the tracker test lab prototype star tracker at Table Mountain Observatory. Thirteen of sixteen sky frames were matched correctly with no a priori attitude knowledge. The cause of failure in the frames that failed was determined to be algorithmic, and the flaws in the algorithm causing the failure were identified. The methodology of both Table Mountain Observatory test runs and computer simulated test runs are described, as well as results and recommendations.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Influence of the social environment on children's school travel.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the association between parental perceptions of the social environment and walking and biking to school among 10-14-year-olds. METHODS: Surveys were conducted with 432 parents of 10-14-year-olds in the San Francisco Bay Area during 2006 and 2007; the final sample size was 357. The social environment was measured with a 3-item scale assessing child-centered social control. Unadjusted and adjusted differences in rates of active travel to school were compared between families reporting high levels of social control in their neighborhood and those reporting low or neutral levels of social control. Adjusted differences were computed by matching respondents on child and household characteristics and distance to school. RESULTS: Of children whose parents reported high levels of social control, 37% walked or biked to school, compared with 24% of children whose parents reported low or neutral levels. The adjusted difference between the two groups was 10 percentage points (p=0.04). The association was strongest for girls and non-Hispanic whites. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of parent-perceived child-centered social control are associated with more walking and biking to school. Increasing physical activity through active travel to school may require intervention programs to address the social environment. KW: SR2S Language: en
Associations of plasma-soluble fas ligand with aging and age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE. To evaluate the associations between plasma-soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS. Plasma samples were obtained from 230 individuals (age range, 45– 85), with or without AMD. The concentrations of sFasL were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The measured sFasL levels were transformed into cubic roots and were fitted into linear regression models against AMD status, with adjustment for age and sex. RESULTS. Plasma sFasL increased with age and AMD. There was a linear correlation between age and the cubic roots of sFasL. The plasma sFasL concentrations in non-AMD subjects ranged from 0 to 1.63 ng/mL (median, 0.69 ng/mL), whereas in patients with AMD, sFasL ranged from 0 to 2.43 ng/mL (median, 0.18 ng/mL). Between the ages of 61 and 84, the subjects with AMD had significantly higher sFasL than did the non-AMD subjects. There was a sexual dimorphism of the plasma sFasL levels. In non-AMD subjects, sFasL was lower in the females. In patients with AMD, sFasL was higher in the females. CONCLUSIONS. An elevation of plasma sFasL with aging may play a role in the development of AMD and is a potential peripheral marker for monitoring disease progression. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008;49:1345–1349) DOI:10.1167/iovs.07-0308
A Position Paper of the Association for Childhood Education International: The Child's Right to Creative Thought and Expression

(2003). A Position Paper of the Association for Childhood Education International: The Child's Right to Creative Thought and Expression. Childhood Education: Vol. 79, No. 4, pp. 218-228.
Effects of drift-gas polarizability on glycine peptides in ion mobility spectrometry

This investigation is a continuation of our previous work on the feasibility of utilizing ultra-high resolution electrospray ionization/ion mobility spectrometry (ESI/IMS) for in situ analysis of biomolecular compounds. The compounds we studied, in this investigation, were glycine, the smallest amino acid and four of its oligomers, namely triglycine, tetraglycine, pentaglycine, and hexaglycine. Experimental effects of drift-gas polarizability on target ions in IMS were explored by utilizing four different drift-gases with differing polarizability values (He, Ar, N 2, and CO2). The gas-phase ion radii for all five compounds were calculated from the reduced ion mobilities, K m 0 , and the effective drift-gas radii employing a simple hard-sphere model. When ion radii were plotted against the polarizabilities of the drift-gases, linear plots with different slopes were produced. This empirical observation indicated that the polarizing of drift-gas can change the calculated ion radii in a linear fashion over a limited range of polarizability values and does not affect all ions equally. This effect can be exploited in order to alter the separation factors between different ions since all ions that yield different slopes can, theoretically, be separated with IMS using different drift-gases. We demonstrated that the separation factor ( α) is highly dependent on the drift-gas. The maximum separability and, hence, unique identification of target ions was achieved when He and CO 2 were used. (Int J Mass Spectrom 216 (2002) 257–268) © 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
Measuring goodness of story narratives: Implications for traumatic brain injury

Background: This study examined the utility of story “goodness”, a measure of organisation and completeness, in quantifying narrative discourse deficits following traumatic brain injury (TBI). In an initial study, the story goodness measure demonstrated sensitivity and reliability in distinguishing individuals who had TBI from those who were non-brain-injured. Aims: The purpose of the current study was to validate previous findings of the story goodness index, specifically in discriminating performance between groups and identifying performance subgroups, in a larger sample of participants with TBI. Methods & Procedures: A total of 46 non-brain-injured adults and 171 adults with TBI participated. Story retellings were analysed for story grammar and story completeness. The two discourse scores were then plotted as coordinates, which allowed for quantification of story goodness. Statistical analyses included a multivariate analysis of variance and calculation of Pearson correlation coefficients for the disc...
Formation of adherent monolayers of murine lymphocytes in vitro: The use of serum-free medium and concanavalin a-coated surfaces to promote adherence

Murine thymus and spleen cells formed adherent monolayers in polystyrene tissue culture flasks when plated in serum-free medium. In the presence of 2% serum, thymus cells adhered poorly, but adherence was greatly enhanced if the flasks had been coated noncovalently with the lectin, concanavalin A. Adherence of leukemic lymphocytes (L1210) required both serum-free medium and concanavalin A-coated flasks; the extent of attachment was proportional to the concentration of the lectin used to coat the flasks at concentrations up to 0.1 mg/ml. Once L1210 cells had attached, they could not be removed by exposure to serum, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, trypsin, or alpha-methyl mannoside. Adherent L1210 cells remained capable of metabolism and proliferation during intervals of up to 7 days. The use of adherent monolayers for cytotoxicity assays was demonstrated by an assay for Pseudomonas aeruginosa toxin in EL4 murine leukemia cells.
Echocardiographic correlates of left ventricular structure among 844 mildly hypertensive men and women in the Treatment of Mild Hypertension Study (TOMHS).

BACKGROUND Echocardiography provides a noninvasive means of assessing left ventricular (LV) structure and evidence of LV wall remodeling in hypertensive persons. The relation of demographic, biological, and other factors with LV structure can be assessed. METHODS AND RESULTS LV structure was assessed by M-mode echocardiograms for 511 men and 333 women with mild hypertension (average blood pressure, 140/91 mm Hg). Measurements of LV wall thicknesses and internal dimensions were made, and estimates of LV mass indexes and other derivations of structure were calculated. LV hypertrophy criteria were based on previously reported echocardiographic population studies of normal subjects. These measures were compared by age, sex, race, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, antihypertensive drug use, physical activity, alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, and urinary sodium excretion. Despite virtual absence of ECG-determined LV hypertrophy, 13% of men and 20% of women had echocardiographically determined LV hypertrophy indexed by body surface area (g/m2), and 24% of men and 45% of women had LV hypertrophy indexed by height (g/m). Black participants had slightly higher mean levels of wall thickness than nonblack participants but similar LV mass. Systolic blood pressure and urinary sodium excretion were significantly and independently associated with LV mass index and LV hypertrophy using both g/m2 and g/m. Body mass index was significantly related to LV mass index and LV hypertrophy using g/m. Smoking was significantly associated with LV mass index, i.e., using continuous measurement but not using the dichotomy for LV hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS This study of a large population of men and women with mild primary hypertension, largely without ECG evidence of LV hypertrophy, showed a substantial percentage of participants with echocardiographically determined LV hypertrophy. LV mass indexes correlated positively with systolic blood pressure, body mass index, urinary sodium excretion, and smoking.
Noise Radiation from a Leading-Edge Slat

This paper extends our previous computations of unsteady flow within the slat cove region of a multi-element high-lift airfoil configuration, which showed that both statistical and structural aspects of the experimentally observed unsteady flow behavior can be captured via 3D simulations over a computational domain of narrow spanwise extent. Although such narrow domain simulation can account for the spanwise decorrelation of the slat cove fluctuations, the resulting database cannot be applied towards acoustic predictions of the slat without invoking additional approximations to synthesize the fluctuation field over the rest of the span. This deficiency is partially alleviated in the present work by increasing the spanwise extent of the computational domain from 37.3% of the slat chord to nearly 226% (i.e., 15% of the model span). The simulation database is used to verify consistency with previous computational results and, then, to develop predictions of the far-field noise radiation in conjunction with a frequency-domain Ffowcs-Williams Hawkings solver.
35S incorporation into bacterial RNA.

Abstract When Escherichia Coli MRE600 was grown in the presence of Na 2 35 SO 4 as the only source of sulfur in the medium, 35 S was incorporated into 4S RNA. 35 S incorporation could not be detected in the ribosomal RNA species: 5S, 16S and 23S.
Potential for gene transfer from recombinant Escherichia coli K-12 used in bovine somatotropin production to indigenous bacteria in river water.

This study examined the transfer of the plasmid pBGH1, an expression vector for bovine somatotropin (BST), fromEscherichia coli K-12 strain W3110G [pBGH1] to indigenous microorganisms present in flasks containing Missouri River water. Strain LBB269 is a nalidixic acid-resistant derivative of W3110G which was used as a plasmid-free control strain in these studies. Water samples were inoculated with strains W3110G [pBGH1] and LBB269; after 21 days of incubation the number of viable colony-forming units (CFU) of W3110G [pBGH1] and LBB269 were reduced from an initial level of about 1×107 CFU per ml to less than 1 CFU per 100 ml. At this time indigenous microbes resistant to both ampicillin and tetracycline (the antibiotic resistance markers on pBGH1) were isolated from 100 ml of water from each of the flasks inoculated with either strain W3110G [pBGH1] or LBB269. Plasmid DNA was isolated from these organisms and examined for sequences containing the gene for BST from pBGH1, using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. As expected, the day 0 sample from the flask inoculated withE. coli K-12 strain W3110G [pBGH1] gave a positive PCR response and the day 0 sample from the flask inoculated withE. coli K-12 strain LBB269 gave a negative PCR response. All of the day 21 samples containing indigenous microbes isolated from flasks that were inoculated with either W3110G [pBGH1] or LBB269 were negative in the PCR assay, indicating that the target sequence from pBGH1 was not present in any of these indigenous microorganisms. The results of this particular assay indicate that pBGH1 or the portion of pBGH1 including the BST structural gene had not been transferred from W3110G [pBGH1] to indigenous microbial inhabitants of the Missouri River water flasks during this study.
The BALB/c mouse: Effect of standard vivarium lighting on retinal pathology during aging

BALB/cJ mice housed under normal vivarium lighting conditions can exhibit profound retinal abnormalities, including retinal infoldings, autofluorescent inflammatory cells, and photoreceptor degeneration. To explore the sensitivity of the outer retina to cyclic lighting during aging, a cohort of BALB/cJ mice was evaluated with Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy (SLO), Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and conventional histopathology. Mice were bred and reared in a low-illuminance (extracage/intracage: 13 lx/1 lx) vivarium under cyclic light (14 h light: 10 h dark). Retinal imaging (around postnatal day 70) was performed to screen for any pre-existing abnormalities and to establish a baseline. Mice with normal retinas were separated into groups (A, B, C) and placed on bottom (Groups A & B) or top (Group C) of the cage racks where cage illumination was <10 & 150 lx respectively. Experimental groups B & C were imaged multiple times over a 17 month period. Mice from group A (controls) were imaged only once post-baseline at various times for comparison to groups B & C. Mice were assessed by histology at 8, 15, 20, 36, and 56 weeks and immunohistochemistry at 15 weeks post-baseline. SLO and OCT retinal images were measured and the resulting trends displayed as a function of age and light exposure. Retinal lesions (RL) and autofluorescent foci (AFF) were identified with histology as photoreceptor layer infoldings (IF) and localized microglia/macrophages (MM), respectively. Few RL and AFF were evident at baseline. Retinal infoldings were the earliest changes followed by subjacent punctate autofluorescent MM. The colocalization of IF and MM suggests a causal relationship. The incidence of these pathological features increased in all groups relative to baseline. OCT imaging revealed thinning of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) in all groups at 1 year relative to baseline. ONL thinning followed an exponential rate of change but the decay constant varied depending on intensity of illumination of the groups. Advanced age and top row illuminance conditions resulted in significant photoreceptor cell loss as judged by decreased thickness of the ONL. Photoreceptor loss was preceded by both retinal infoldings and the presence of autofluorescent inflammatory cells in the outer retina, suggesting that these changes are early indicators of light toxicity in the BALB/cJ mouse.
Proposed structure of putative glucose channel in GLUT1 facilitative glucose transporter

A family of structurally related intrinsic membrane proteins (facilitative glucose transporters) catalyzes the movement of glucose across the plasma membrane of animal cells. Evidence indicates that these proteins show a common structural motif where approximately 50% of the mass is embedded in lipid bilayer (transmembrane domain) in 12 alpha-helices (transmembrane helices; TMHs) and accommodates a water-filled channel for substrate passage (glucose channel) whose tertiary structure is currently unknown. Using recent advances in protein structure prediction algorithms we proposed here two three-dimensional structural models for the transmembrane glucose channel of GLUT1 glucose transporter. Our models emphasize the physical dimension and water accessibility of the channel, loop lengths between TMHs, the macrodipole orientation in four-helix bundle motif, and helix packing energy. Our models predict that five TMHs, either TMHs 3, 4, 7, 8, 11 (Model 1) or TMHs 2, 5, 11, 8, 7 (Model 2), line the channel, and the remaining TMHs surround these channel-lining TMHs. We discuss how our models are compatible with the experimental data obtained with this protein, and how they can be used in designing new biochemical and molecular biological experiments in elucidation of the structural basis of this important protein function.