cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relationship With Iron and Health Outcomes in Persons With Restless Legs Syndrome

Background Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder cause by inadequate iron metabolism. However, no studies have identified the impact of iron in RLS patients on sleep, depression, fatigue, or quality of life (QoL). Objective The aims of this secondary data analysis was to determine relationships (a) between serum iron with RLS symptom severity, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, depression, fatigue, and quality of life (QoL); and (b) based on demographics, specifically age and ethnicity. Method Data were collected on iron and ferritin concentrations in 48 persons with RLS. Results Low serum iron levels were measured in 32% of the participants with only 1 person (4%) treated with iron supplementation. General linear models identified age and race as covariants: (a) being White (p = .047) and higher iron levels (p = .019) were independent predictors of higher social functioning; (b) being White (p = .047) and higher iron levels (p = .004) were independent predictors of less sleepiness; (c) younger age (p = .001) and lower iron levels (p = .025) were independent predictors of depression; and (d) younger age (p = .006) and lower iron levels (p = .005) were independent predictors of fatigue. Discussion Findings from this study show that iron supplementation for persons with RLS not only improves motor and sensory symptoms but might also improve sleep, sleepiness, depression, fatigue, and QoL and should be considered by health care providers for treatment of RLS.
Experimental neonatal syphilis in a susceptible (C4D) and a resistant (Albany) strain of guinea pig.

Abstract Despite similar levels of natural antibodies and treponemicidal activity, 83% of fourth complement component-deficient (C4D) mother guinea pigs developed ulcerative lesions to a challenge of 5 × 107Treponema pallidum, whereas 75% of offspring 1 to 5 days old were temporarily (2–3 months) resistant to development of dermal lesions. In contrast, only 17% of Albany-strain mothers developed small papular lesions, while 68% of 1- to 5-day-old newborns developed large papular or ulcerative lesions within 9–15 days postinfection. These findings, together with the late development of both dermal lesions and antibodies in C4D neonates, preclude the concept of an antibody-associated natural resistance. T. pallidum infection in either C4D or Albany neonates was not associated with depletion of any particular cell population in lymphoid tissue. However, marked age- and strain-dependent histologic difference were noted. Histologic examination of lymph nodes and spleens from 17-day-old and 3- to 4-month-old animals showed that maturation of lymphoid tissues in C4D animals lagged behind the Albany strain at either age. Moreover, 75% of C4D newborns contained significantly higher levels of immunomodulatory α1 fetoprotein than Albany neonates. The possibility that differences in susceptibility of T. pallidum infection between C4D and Albany guinea pigs as neonates and again as adults is the result of genetically associated changes in immunologic recognition is discussed.
A Regional Climatography of West Nile, Uganda, to Support Human Plague Modeling

AbstractThe West Nile region in northwestern Uganda is a focal point for human plague, which peaks in boreal autumn and is spread by fleas that travel on rodent hosts. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is collaborating with the National Center for Atmospheric Research to quantitatively address the linkages between climate and human plague in this region. The aim of this paper is to advance knowledge of the climatic conditions required to maintain enzootic cycles and to trigger epizootic cycles and ultimately to target limited surveillance, prevention, and control resources. A hybrid dynamical–statistical downscaling technique was applied to simulations from the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) to generate a multiyear 2-km climate dataset for modeling plague in the West Nile region. The resulting dataset resolves the spatial variability and annual cycle of temperature, humidity, and rainfall in West Nile relative to satellite-based and in situ records. Topography exerts a firs...
Laboratory-induced cue reactivity among individuals with prescription opioid dependence

Prescription opioid (PO) dependence is a critical health problem. Although examination of drug cue reactivity paradigms has advanced the understanding of risk factors for relapse for a variety of substances (e.g., cocaine, alcohol, nicotine), no PO specific drug cue paradigm has been developed. The current study addressed this gap in the literature and evaluated the ability of a newly developed PO drug cue paradigm to elicit subjective, physiological, and neuroendocrine changes among PO-dependent participants (n = 20) as compared to controls (n = 17). The drug cue paradigm included an induction script, viewing and handling paraphernalia (e.g., bottle of oxycontin pills, pill crusher) and watching a video depicting people using POs as well as places related to POs (e.g., pharmacies). Consistent with hypotheses, the PO group demonstrated significant pre- to post-cue increases on subjective ratings of craving, difficulty resisting POs, stress, and anger. The control group did not demonstrate significant changes on any of the subjective measures. Both the PO group and the control group evidenced significant pre- to post-cue increases in physiological responses (e.g., blood pressure, skin conductance), as expected given the arousing nature of the drug cue stimuli. The PO group, but not the control group, evidenced a significant pre- to post-cue increase in heart rate and salivary cortisol levels. The development and validation of a drug cue paradigm for POs may help inform future research and treatment development efforts for patients with PO dependence.
Differential remodeling responses of cerebral and skeletal muscle arterioles in a novel organ culture system

Evidence suggests that maladaptive changes in the cerebral microcirculation may contribute to ischemia in numerous diseases. We sought, therefore, to develop an ex vivo organ culture system to study early changes in cerebral arteriolar structure and function, and to compare associated findings to those for non-cerebral arterioles. Pilot studies revealed that rabbit cerebral arterioles maintained contractility longer when cultured in media containing rabbit-specific plasma rather than fetal bovine serum. Cerebral and skeletal muscle arterioles were cultured in a pressure myograph for 5 days; maximum dilatory and contractile responses were measured at 0, 1, 3, and 5 days. Passive properties were preserved in cerebral arterioles over the entire culture period, although skeletal muscle arterioles underwent constrictive remodeling. Cerebral arterioles also maintained a myogenic capability over the entire culture period, albeit at progressively larger diameters, whereas the skeletal muscle arterioles did so only over 3 days. Culture in rabbit serum, which contains numerous growth factors and clotting factors, did not induce or increase inward remodeling in cerebral or skeletal arterioles. These results suggest inherent, organ-specific differences in arteriolar remodeling, and that extensive results in the literature on non-cerebral arterioles should not be extrapolated to predict responses in the cerebral microcirculation.
Comparison of mortality and morbidity in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure with preserved versus decreased left ventricular ejection fraction.

Almost 50% of patients with congestive heart failure (HF) have preserved ejection fraction (PEF). Data on the effect of HF-PEF on atrial fibrillation outcomes are lacking. We assessed the prognostic significance of HF-PEF in an atrial fibrillation population compared to a systolic heart failure (SHF) population. A post hoc analysis of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-limited access data set of the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) trial was carried out. The patients with a history of congestive HF and a preserved ejection fraction (EF >50%) were classified as having HF-PEF (n = 320). The patients with congestive HF and a qualitatively depressed EF (EF
Spectral inhomogeneity of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in orientationally ordered solid hydrogen

The results of calculations of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time of orientationally ordered ortho-hydrogen molecules for the case of the local ordering in the orientational “glass” phase of ortho-para-hydrogen mixtures are given. A strong dependence on the position of the NMR isochromat in the line shape is found and this is in good agreement with the experimental results of the Duke group, provided that the cross-relaxation is taken into account. The relaxation is found to deviate considerably from an exponential recovery.
Three-dimensional elasticity solution for static response of simply supported orthotropic cylindrical shells

This paper deals with the analysis of homogeneous and laminated cylindrical panels made of an orthotropic material, such as the fiber reinforced composites, using the three-dimensional elasticity equations. Solution is obtained by utilizing the assumption that the ratio of the panel thickness to its middle surface radius is negligible as compared to unity. However, it is shown that by sub-dividing the panel thickness into sub-layers of smaller thickness and matching the interface displacement and stress continuity conditions, very accurate results can be obtained. The two-dimensional shell theories have been compared for their accuracy in the light of the present three-dimensional elasticity analysis. Numerical results for some orthotropic panels show that the two-dimensional shell theories are very inaccurate when the thickness to length ratio of the panel is more than 120. Also, it is observed that the predictions of the two-dimensional shell theories are relatively poor in the case of two-layered panels as compared to three-layered and homogeneous panels.
The ABC's of movement literacy

Who is a better athlete the body builder or basketball player (e.g. Michael Jordan). Many people can lift heavy objects, but they are not good athletes. Why? Because they lack quickness, speed, power, or the ability to change direction rapidly. Another example is from track and field. Why do you think the world’s fastest runners rarely make good American football running backs or wide receivers or soccer stars? Because they only have straight ahead speed, but lack the power and agility to stop and start or to speedily change directions. An American football player hardly ever runs more than 30 yards at one time. This is why short, powerful bursts of speed define our athletes from football, basketball, baseball, tennis, etc. (Vescovi et al., 2008; Vissing et al., 2008). Many years ago in Russia a new training approach called plyometrics was developed to train the ABC’s of agility, balance, and coordination. The essence of plyometrics is that it involves exercise where the time spent on the ground is minimized while the distance jumped is maximized (Hewett et al., 2002; Newton et al., 1997). This involves training both shock absorption ability upon landing and spring or elastic recoil ability when jumping. Traditional strength and flexibility involves slow, static movements and thus did not build dynamic stability, tissue elasticity, speed or power. It is the rapid
Fiber delivery of high power nanosecond pulses for ignition in aerospace engines

We have shown spark delivery through large clad step index silica fibers and a means to deliver >20 mJ pulse energies which can be used for ignition applications in aero-turbines. Delivery of higher pulse energies with longer pulses and at high repetition rate is possible. Fiber delivery approach for laser ignition may allow a multiplexed scheme where a single remotely located laser source (away from the engine) is coupled to multiple fibers and used for ignition at different locations within the aero-turbine's combustor. The laser ignition system may possibly be integrated with the fuel nozzles. The presence of optical window in a fiber-delivered laser ignition system may also enable in-situ combustion diagnostics.
1609 POST-NEONATAL HYPERTENSION SCREENING IN NICU GRADUATES WHO HAVE HAD INDWELLING UMBILICAL ARTERY (UA) CATHETERS

Most reported neonatal hypertension has been renovascular in origin, with the majority caused by renal artery thrombosis as the result of indwelling UA catheters. The incidence of such catheter related hypertension during the neonatal period is reported to be about 3%. But the long term, post neonatal effect of UA catheterization on the kidney is not known. We have systematically followed the blood pressure (BP) of 112 NICU graduates who have had indwelling catheter during the past 3 years. BP was measured by Roche Doppler ultrasound BP monitor on each scheduled follow-up visit (1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 1½ yers, 2 years and 3 years). Post neonatal hypertension were defined as a BP of over 113 mmHg at age 4 wks or older (95th percentile of Brompton study). Seventy-nine percent were preterm, 14% term and 7% post term infants. Infants with congenital heart diseases and increased intracranial pressure were excluded from the study. Duration of follow-up was between 1 to 3 years. Mean BP at 1 to 3 months of age was 75.4 mmHg, at 3 to 6 months was 78.0 mmHg, at 6 mos to 1 year was 81.1 mmHg, at 1-2 years was 88.1 mmHg and at 2 to 3 years was 83.6 mmHg. No one was found to be hypertensive during the study period. We conclude that if NICU graduates survive the neonatal period without hypertension, the chance of developing hypertension during the next 3 years is minimal.
The Influence of Exterior Dust and Soil Lead on Interior Dust Lead Levels in Housing That Had Undergone Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control

To aid in understanding the contribution of exterior dust/soil lead to postintervention interior dust lead, a subset of housing from the HUD Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program Evaluation was selected for study. Housing from 12 state and local governments was included. Exterior entry and street dust samples were obtained by a vacuum method, and soil samples were building perimeter core composites. Interior dust wipe lead data (μg/ft2) and paint lead data (mg/cm2) were also available for each of the dwelling units and included in the modeling. Results from 541 dwelling units revealed a wide range of exterior dust and soil lead levels, within and between grantees. Minimum and maximum geometric mean lead levels, by grantee, were 126 and 14,400 μg/ft2 for exterior entry dust; 325 and 4,610 μg/ft2 for street dust; and, for soil concentration, 383 and 2640 ppm. Geometric mean exterior entry dust lead concentration (1641 ppm) was almost four times as high as street dust lead concentration (431 ppm), su...
The craniofacial skeleton in anencephalic human fetuses. III. Facial skeleton

A sample of 12 anencephalic fetuses with gestational ages ranging from 26 to 40 weeks and exhibiting varying degrees of severity of the dorsal cranial defect was compared to three normal fetuses of comparable gestational ages with regard to the morphology and positional relationships of the maxillofacial skeletal complex. Gross dissection, alizarin red S staining, radiographs, cephalometric tracings, and histologic techniques were utilized. It was found that some facial bones were severely affected in morphology, size, spatial and angular relationships. The manner in which these were altered suggests that their morphogenesis is an adaptation to the primary defect of the neurocranium.
Calculation of Anisotropic Excitation Cross Sections and the Polarization of Impact Radiation of He Atoms Induced by Electron and Proton Impacts

The excitation cross sections of helium atoms for the transitions 1s→2pm, 1s→3pm, 1s→3dm, and 1s→4dm induced by the proton impact (5–40 keV) and electron impact (50–200 eV) have been calculated. These excitation cross sections have been used in calculating the polarization of impact radiation for the radiative transitions 1D→1P and 1P→1S. The theoretical values of excitation cross sections and polarization of impact radiation are compared with the experimental results.
Alpha-deuteron structure of 6Li as predicted by a separable-potential three-body model

Abstract Schroedinger's equation with separable n-p (3S1) and n -α ( 2 P 3 2 ) potentials solved to obtain a three-body model of the 6Li ground-state wave function. This model predicts the α-n-p binding energy of 6Li to be 4.67 MeV [Exp.: 4.53 MeV = 3.697 + 0.834 (Coulomb)], the asymptotic normalization constant of the d-α tail to be 2.39, and the amount of d+α component to be 65%. The 6Li→α+d vertex function is slightly more momentum dependent than present experiments suggest.
A Comparison of the Nedelsky and Angoff Cutting Score Procedures Using Generalizability Theory

Nedelsky (1954) and Angoff (1971) have sug gested procedures for establishing a cutting score based on raters' judgments about the likely perfor mance of minimally competent examinees on each item ...
Active dendrites regulate spatio-temporal synaptic integration in hippocampal dentate granule cells

Abstract Compartmental modeling experiments were carried out to compare spatio-temporal synaptic integration in a model of a fully reconstructed hippocampal dentate granule (DG) cell containing either passive dendrites or dendrites with voltage-dependent conductances. The presence of active channels in dendrites increased the elastic properties of dendritic membrane, increased the sensitivity of the response to synapse clustering (up to an optimal degree of clustering), decreased the input location dependent variability of the response at the soma, and facilitated coincidence detection in the dendritic arbor. We conclude that active channels in dendrites may alter significantly both spatial and temporal integrative processes.
Medicare Non-Payment of Hospital-Acquired Infections: Infection Rates Three Years Post Implementation

BACKGROUND Medicare ceased payment for some hospital-acquired infections beginning October 1, 2008, following provisions in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 and the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. OBJECTIVE We examined the association of this policy with declines in rates of vascular catheter-associated infections (VCAI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). DATA Discharge data from the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration from 2007 to 2011. STUDY DESIGN We compared rates of hospital-acquired vascular catheter-associated infections (HA-VCAI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (HA-CAUTI) before and after implementation of the new policy (January 2007 to September 2008 vs. October 2008 to September 2011). This pre-post, retrospective, interrupted time series study was further analyzed with a generalized hierarchical logistic regression, by estimating the probability of a patient acquiring these infections in the hospital, post-policy compared to pre-policy. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Pre-policy, 0.12% of admitted patients were diagnosed with CAUTI; of these, 32% were HA-CAUTI. Similarly, 0.24% of admissions were diagnosed as VCAI; of these, 60% were HA-VCAI. Post-policy, 0.16% of admissions were CAUTIs; of these, 31% were HA-CAUTI. Similarly, 0.3% of admissions were VCAIs and, of these, 45% were HA-VCAI. There was a statistically significant decrease in HA-VCAIs (OR: 0.571 (p < 0.0001)) post-policy, but the reduction in HA-CAUTI (OR: 0.968 (p < 0.4484)) was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest Medicare non payment policy is associated with both a decline in the rate of hospital-acquired VCAI (HA-VCAI) per quarter, and the probability of acquiring HA-VCAI post- policy. The strength of the association could be overestimated, because of concurrent ongoing infection control interventions.
Simultaneous comparison of techniques for x-ray analysis of proximal tubule cells

Simultaneous comparison of techniques for x-ray analysis of proximal tubule cells. Major differences in elemental and water content in cells of rat papillae in antidiuresis have been reported using x-ray microanalysis. The reason for these reported differences is unknown. In order to determine if the differing microprobe techniques used in these reports could account for the differences measured, we analyzed elemental concentrations in rat proximal tubule cells using both methods simultaneously on the same cells. Both methods provided comparable results. Furthermore, no differences in element or water content of proximal tubule cells cryosectioned with albumin at -53°C and those cells cryosectioned at -80°C were seen. Therefore, the differing values previously reported for elemental analysis of rat kidney cannot be ascribed to either cryosectioning at a warmer temperature or to the analytical algorithm used by either group.
Lyapunov-Schmidt Reduction and Melnikov Integrals for Bifurcation of Periodic Solutions in Coupled Oscillators

Abstract We consider a system of autonomous ordinary differential equations depending on a small parameter such that the unperturbed system has an invariant manifold of periodic solutions. The problem addressed here is the determination of sufficient geometric conditions for some of the periodic solutions on this invariant manifold to survive after perturbation. The main idea is to use a Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction for an appropriate displacement function in order to obtain the bifurcation function for the problem in a form which can be recognized as a generalization of the subharmonic Melnikov function. Thus, the multidimensional bifurcation problem can be cast in a form where the geometry of the problem is clearly incorporated. An important application can be made in case the uncoupled system of differential equations is a system of oscillators in resonance. In this case the invariant manifold of periodic solutions is just the product of the uncoupled oscillations. When each of the oscillators has one degree of freedom, the bifurcation function is computed by quadrature along the unperturbed oscillations. Additional applications include the computation of entrainment domains for a sinusoidally forced van der Pol oscillator and the computation of mutual synchronization domains for a system of inductively coupled van der Pol oscillators.
Assembly and Disassembly of Langmuir−Blodgett Films on Poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne]: The Uniqueness of Calix[6]arene Multilayers as Permeation-Selective Membranes

A series of calix[6]arene-based surfactants have been synthesized, which contain amide oxime head groups on their upper rim and 5,5-dimethylhexyl (I), n-octyl (II), n-dodecyl (III), and n-hexadecyl (IV) groups on their lower rim. Composite membranes that were fabricated from Langmuir−Blodgett (LB) multilayers derived from each surfactant plus poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] (PTMSP) cast film showed a significant increase in their selectivity toward helium and nitrogen, relative to bare PTMSP. In sharp contrast, analogous composites that were prepared with LB multilayers of conventional single chain surfactants [arachidic acid (AA), cadmium arachidate (AA/Cd2+), and stearoamideoxime (SA)] exhibited permeation properties that were identical with those of bare PTMSP. When a polymeric surfactant [poly(1-octadecene-co-maleic anhydride), POM] was used for LB film construction, a modest increase in selectivity was observed. These findings, together with an analysis of representative composites by X-ray photoe...
Metal and associated phases in Bishunpur, a highly unequilibrated ordinary chondrite

Bishunpur is one of the most unequilibrated ordinary chondrites, and preserves a relatively unaltered record of solar nebular processes. A survey of three polished thin sections of Bishunpur revealed that metal occurs in three textural domains: (1) in the matrix, (2) within chondrules and (3) in coatings on chondrules. A table provides a textural classification of the various metal types found in Bishunpur and their composition. Electron-microprobe analyses are discussed, and similarities between Bishunpur metal and opaques and those in carbonaceous chondrites are considered. Attention is given to low-Ni kamacite grains in chondrule olivine, Si-bearing chondrule metal, spheroidal metal in chondrules, metal and sulfide-bearing rims, coarse matrix metal, and fine matrix metal formation.
Gender Capital and Male Bodybuilders

Cultural capital and hegemonic masculinity are two concepts that have received intense attention. While both have received serious consideration, critique and analysis, the context or field-specificity of each is sometimes ignored. They have been used in a diversity of ways. Using ethnographic and interview data from a US male bodybuilding community, this study highlights one useful employment. Hegemonic masculinity takes different shapes in different fields of interaction, acting as a form of cultural capital: gender capital. Inherent in this discussion are the cultural contradictions apparent among individuals striving for either physical or ideological embodiments of gender capital. Individuals can attempt to embody hegemonic idealizations, but bodies are not only inscribed with gender, inscriptions are read, and read differently by different social actors and in different settings. The capacity of gender capital to remain elusive is precisely what enables gender practices and projects like bodybuildin...
Gibbs-Duhem integration in lattice systems

Gibbs-Duhem integrations are performed to trace the vapor-liquid coexistence curves of homopolymers on a lattice. The integration entails simultaneous grand canonical simulations for the two coexisting phases and, consequently, no pressure evaluations or volume moves are necessary. Since mechanical equilibration of lattice systems can be troublesome, the proposed method offers some advantages over alternative approaches for phase equilibrium simulation, such as the integration of Clapeyron's equation and the Gibbs ensemble. Simulation results are presented for homopolymers and block copolymers; good agreement is found with previous Gibbs-ensemble results for homopolymers.
Insulin and Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Diabetes Mellitus

The alterations in the metabolism of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin I 2 (prostacyclin), a vasodilator antiaggregatory substance, and thromboxane A 2 , a vasoconstrictor proaggregatory substance, in diabetes mellitus are reviewed in this article. When tested in vitro, platelet aggregation is enhanced in some patients with diabetes mellitus. The synthesis of thromboxane B 2 . the stable metabolite of thromboxane A 2 , by platelets is increased in patients with diabetes mellitus compared with control subjects. This increased synthesis appears to play a role in the enhanced platelet aggregation since the latter can be reversed by aspirin treatment and in vitro by the thromboxane receptor-antagonist 13-azaprostanoic acid. Vascular prostacyclin synthesis is decreased in both patients and experimental animals with diabetes mellitus. Treatment of experimental animals with insulin reverses the decreased synthesis of prostacyclin. The etiology of the altered arachidonic acid metabolism remains uncertain but appears to be multifactorial and includes alterations in metabolic control and circulating immune complexes. The increased ratio of thromboxane A 2 to prostacyclin, which favors an enhanced thrombotic state, may play a role in the accelerated vascular disease of diabetes mellitus.
Oxidative Stress Activates the Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type 1 (PAI-1) Promoter through an AP-1 Response Element and Cooperates with Insulin for Additive Effects on PAI-1 Transcription

Oxidative stress is one of the characteristics of diabetes and is thought to be responsible for many of the pathophysiological changes caused by the disease. We previously identified an insulin response element in the promoter of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) that was activated by an unidentified member of the forkhead/winged helix (Fox) family of transcription factors. This element mediated a 5-7-fold increase in PAI-1 transcription because of insulin. Here we report that oxidative stress also caused a 3-fold increase in PAI-1 transcription and that the effect was additive with that of insulin. Antioxidants prevent this response. Mutational analysis of the PAI-1 promoter revealed that oxidative stress acted at an AP-1 site at -60/52 of the promoter. Gel mobility shift analysis demonstrated that binding to an AP-1 oligonucleotide was increased 4-fold by oxidative stress. Jun levels were increased by oxidants as assessed by reverse transcriptase-PCR. Western blotting demonstrated that a rapid and prolonged nuclear accumulation of phospho-c-Jun followed oxidant stimulation. The nuclear c-Jun phosphorylation was not observed in cells treated with reduced glutathione. Finally, JNK/SAPK activity was found to increase in response to oxidants, and inhibition of JNK/SAP blocked TBHQ-increased PAI-1-luciferase expression. Thus, oxidative stress stimulated AP-1 and activated the PAI-1 promoter.
The juvenile hormone titer of Trichoplusia ni and its potential role in embryogenesis of the polyembryonic wasp CopidosomaFloridanum

Abstract The hemolymph juvenile hormone (JH) titer of third through fifth stadia Trichoplusia ni parasitized by the polyembryonic parasitoid, Copidosoma floridanum , was measured by radioimmunoassay and compared to the titers of unparasitized larvae. The JH titer of parasitized larvae fluctuated from 28 pg/μl to undetectable levels. Maximum levels of hormone were present at ecdysis to the fourth and fifth stadium, and at the prepupal stage. Qualitatively, similar fluctuations were observed in unparasitized larvae. However, the titers in unparasitized larvae were much lower than those of parasitized larvae in the third and early fourth stadia, and the titer fell to undetectable levels in the fifth stadium 24 h earlier (48 h) than in parasitized larvae (72 h). Preventing the JH titer from falling during the fourth and fifth stadia by topical application of ( RS )-methoprene or JH II had a juvenilizing effect on parasitized T. ni , and inhibited C. floridanum embryo morphogenesis. The effect of exogenous methoprene and JH on C. floridanum development depended on timing of application and dosage. Application of 100 pmol per day of methoprene beginning at 2 h of the host fourth stadium, prior to the large drop in the endogenous JH titer, inhibited morphogenesis in the majority of C. floridanum embryos. Application of methoprene at later times of host development did not inhibit morphogenesis although other developmental alterations were observed. The potential significance of host JH and ecdysteroid titers on polyembryonic development are discussed.
A National Effort Requiring Local Solutions: Regionalization of Pediatric Emergency Care

Regionalization of pediatric emergency care is a necessary and enormous task assigned to Emergency Medical Services for Children. One of the founders of medical regionalization, perinatology, has experienced difficulties over the past decade maintaining the structure and systems that had so dramatically improved patient care. Pediatric trauma regionalization, as a component of pediatric emergency care as well as adult trauma care, is foreseeing similar degradation of their system if key issues are not addressed soon. Pediatric emergency care, under the leadership of Emergency Medical Services for Children, is seeking to build strong and sustainable systems of regionalization as the next step toward improving access to high-quality emergency and definitive care for children of all ages throughout the United States.
A 32,000-dalton nucleic acid-binding protein from avian retravirus cores possesses DNA endonuclease activity.

Abstract A 32,000-dalton nucleic acid-binding protein (p32), possessing DNA endonuclease activity, has been identified in avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) and Rous sarcoma virus (Prague B strain) cores. The p32 nucleic acid-binding protein was purified from AMV virions by phosphocellulose, poly (U)-Sepharose 4B, and poly(C)-agarose chromatography and glycerol gradient centrifugation. A DNA endonuclease activity was found associated with p32 throughout purification, but the protein possessed no detectable exonuclease activity with natural or synthetic DNA or RNA substrates. In the presence of Mg 2+ , the p32-associated DNA endonuclease activity was able to convert a variety of supercoiled DNA molecules to the relaxed form by introducing single-stranded nicks into the DNA. There was only one nick per supercoiled Escherichia coli ColE 1 DNA strand whether the molecular ratio of p32 to DNA was 12, 60, 130, or 260 to 1. Under the same reaction conditions, the p32-associated endonuclease activity was much less efficient in nicking single- or double-stranded linear DNA molecules. Alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation analysis of ColE 1 DNA which was nicked by p32 and subsequently digested by EcoRI endonuclease suggested that a limited number of preferred regions for p32 endonuclease activity existed on this DNA. This site-specificity was lost in the presence of Mn 2+ , but the efficiency of the DNA endonuclease activity was increased approximately 10-fold.
MODELS OF PAY SATISFACTION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Sunmzary.-Data from 133 industrial employees were used to assess the validity of five alternative models of pay satisfaction. The models differ systematically from each other in terms of their input data and the measuring process used to determine each model's estimate of pay satisfaction. The models were evaluated against the pay satisfaction sub-scale of the Job Descriptive Index. The social comparison-cost of living model yielded the best results followed by the three discrepancy models and finally by the objective pay distribution model. The findings suggest the three discrepancy models, although different conceptually and in the measurement process, are very similar in their ability to predict pay satisfaction. The objective pay distribution model, although exhibiting the lowest predictive power of all the models tested, may be able to provide a useful and readily available measure of pay satisfaction without resorting to employees' self-reporting. The role played by money in organizations had been recognized by early writers of the "Scientific Management" era at the turn of this century. It was proposed by them, following the "economic man" doctrine, money could be used to increase productivity. Consequently most of the writing has been concerned with the development of various piece-rate incentive plans. It was not until psychologists and behavioral scientists became interested in the subject of pay that a second role had been assigned to money, namely, the impact of pay on employee's work attitude, particularly satisfaction with pay. Recently, the subject of pay satisfaction has bee0 discussed by a number of writers (1, 2, 10, 11). As pointed out by Lawler ( lo), the subject of pay in itself is of great importance both for the employee as a reward and the employer as an expense. This reason alone justifies additional research in the area. However, there is a more important reason for the study of pay satisfaction, namely, studies in pay satisfaction can contribute substantially to our understanding of much larger areas in the work situation such as motivation, attitude, commitment to organizations and social comparison. Unfortunately, however, most writing in pay satisfaction has been theoretical in name and little empirical research has been carried out. The purpose of this paper is to test empirically the concurrent validity of several models that are proposed to explain variations in the satisfaction with pay. A search of the literature showed that there are five alternative models of pay satisfaction. These models were tested to determine which of them explains the largest proportion of variance in pay satisfaction when evaluated against the Job Descriptive Index's pay satisfaction sub-scale ( 14). Three of the five models
MONITORING PERFORMANCE WITH A TIME-SHARED ENCODING TASK

52 college students performed a task requiring the detection of a critical signal and subsequent differential serial recall. The effects of auditory vs visual mode and independent vs time-shared presentation were investigated. Detection was significantly enhanced under the time-shared presentation mode while serial recall was unaffected. For detection visual presentation yielded significantly better performance. Effects of time-sharing seem differentially related to the characteristics of the task.
Impregnation of mortars with monomers and their radiolytic polymerization

Mortars were cured for a sufficient period to give sufficient strength and were then dried to remove the free water without dehydrating the compounds formed. Dried specimens were evacuated and impregnated with a mixture of styrene and acrylonitrile monomers which gives high mechanical properties after polymerization. Positive pressure was then applied, and polymerization was done radiolytically. The effect of degree and period of evacuation, the positive pressure and the irradiation dose on monomer loading, tensile and compressive strength were studied, and the optimum operating conditions were established. The achieved strength was correlated with the fraction of open pores impregnated. The composites investigated have the same volume fraction of mortar, and the polymer is added at the expense of the open porosity causing nearly an exponential increase in strength. Only 80% of the open pores were filled with polymers due to the difference in density between the polymer and the monomer, loss of monomer, and the presence of entrapped gas consisting of residual air and residual water vapor and monomer vapor, as well as due to the inability to fill all the micropores with monomer. A compressive strengh four times that of plain mortar and a tensile strength eight times thatmore » of plain mortar were achieved. 18 references, 12 figures.« less
Open-Set Nearest Shrunken Centroid Classification

Nearest Shrunken Centroid (NSC) classification has proven successful in ultra-high-dimensional classification problems involving thousands of features measured on relatively few individuals, such as in the analysis of DNA microarrays. The method requires the set of candidate classes to be closed. However, open-set classification is essential in many other applications including speaker identification, facial recognition, and authorship attribution. The authors review closed-set NSC classification, and then propose a diagnostic for whether open-set classification is needed. The diagnostic involves graphical and statistical comparison of posterior predictions of the test vectors to the observed test vectors. The authors propose a simple modification to NSC that allows the set of classes to be open. The open-set modification posits an unobserved class with a distribution of features just barely consistent with the test sample. A tuning constant reflects the combined considerations of power, specificity, mult...
Bleaching in Amphistegina gibbosa d'Orbigny (Class Foraminifera): observations from laboratory experiments using visible and ultraviolet light

Bleaching (visible loss of symbiont color) in populations of the diatom-bearing foraminifer Amph- istegina has been recorded from reefs worldwide since 1991. Field studies and previous laboratory experiments have strongly implicated solar radiation as a factor in bleaching stress. The influence of spectral quality and quantity of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet radiation (UV) on growth rates and bleaching in Amphistegina gibbosa was investigated in the laboratory using fluorescent sources of PAR ('blue' with a spectral peak at 450 nm and 'white' with a 600- nm spectral peak) and biologically effective ultraviolet radiation (UVB (280-320 nm)). Growth rate, as indi- cated by increase in maximum shell diameter, saturated at a PAR of 6-8 lmol photon m )2 s )1 , increased in 'blue' light, and was not influenced by UVB £ 0.0162 W m )2 . Frequency of bleaching increased with increasing PAR photon flux density and with exposure to shorter wavelengths, with or without an increase in total energy. Growth was significantly inhibited by UVB at 0.105 W m )2 . Specimens in treatments exposed to UVB to PAR ratios >0.003 became dark in color, rather than bleaching, which previous cytological studies indicate is a photo-protective response. Implications of these experiments are that environmental factors that affect either the spectral quality or quantity of solar radiation can influence bleaching in Amphistegina.
Growth hormone secretion in the stunted head-irradiated rat.

ABSTRACT: Pulsatile secretion profiles of pituitary growth hormone (GH) and size and number of cells of brain, heart ventricles, liver, kidney, and gastrocnemius muscle were determined in male Long-Evans rats which received 600 rad x-irradiation to the head only at 2 days of age. Controls consisted of sham-irradiated littermates. The irradiated rats showed significant stunting of body weight and tail length beginning prior to weaning and lasting throughout the period (64 days) of observation. In irradiated rats at 20–21 days of age, just prior to weaning, organ weight was significantly reduced in all organs studied. Brain showed a decrease in organ/body ratio (p < 0.0005) and in total DNA content {p < 0.0005), but these values were not significantly changed in the other organs. DNA/organ ratio was increased significantly in heart (P < 0.025) and gastrocnemius muscle (p < 0.025); brain, liver, and kidney had nonsignificant increases. Protein/DNA ratios were decreased significantly in brain (p < 0.005), heart (p < 0.01), and gastrocnemius muscle (p < 0.05); liver and kidney had nonsignificant decreases. Blood samples were removed for GH determination from cannulated undisturbed irradiated and control rats at 15-min intervals for 18-h periods (9 h light and 9 h dark) at 47–64 days of age. Irradiated rats had normal periodicity of bursts of GH secretion. The area under the curve of GH concentration versus time of the irradiated rat was decreased in light (p < 0.025) and in dark (p < 0.05). Assessments of cell size and cell number suggest that neonatal hypopituitarism and/or undernutrition are unlikely causes of the delayed growth of the head-irradiated rat, and the GH results show that brain controls of rhythmic secretion of GH are intact in this model. The finding of reduced GH secretion, is compatible with the hypothesis that the head irradiation has altered a centrally located control of catch-up growth.
Control of particle size distribution described by a population balance model of semibatch emulsion polymerization

Abstract This work addresses the computation of surfactant feed profiles for shaping a particle size distribution to a bimodal target distribution. A fundamental population balance model of styrene semibatch emulsion polymerization is used in this control study. Both surfactant feed rate and free surfactant concentration are considered as alternative control variables and a comparison is made of the two approaches. A comparison is also made of several different objective function norms in the optimization. Results suggest that a min–max norm, tied to the distribution modes, is the most appropriate metric.
Prevention and treatment of skin aging

Skin aging is a complex biological process that is a consequence of both intrinsic or genetically programmed aging that occurs with time, and extrinsic aging caused by environmental factors. The dramatic increase in the aging population and the psychosocial impact of skin aging has created a demand for effective interventions. The advances that have been made in the past 25 years in our understanding of the clinical, biochemical, and molecular changes associated with aging have led to the development of many different approaches to reduce, postpone, and in some cases, repair the untoward effects of intrinsic programmed aging and extrinsic environmental injury.
Family Traditions, Political Periods, and the Development of Partisan Orientations

Two of the most important influences on adult political orientations are the political proclivities of their family of origin and the pressures of the times in which they first enter the electorate. Drawing upon a three-wave panel study of young Americans over the 1965-1982 time period and conceiving of parental orientations as producing a broad familial environment, this article traces the influence of parents on the partisanship and politicization of their children as the youth mature from adolescence to middle adulthood during a particularly turbulent period of American politics. The parental partisan legacy remained strong even though it was eroded by the antipartisan period pressures of the late 1960s and early 1970s. By contrast, family levels of politicization were reproduced only modestly throughout, leaving ample room for attentiveness to politics to develop outside of the family tradition. However, the interaction between the partisanship and the politicization of the family environment governs ...
Cardioprotection by ε-Protein Kinase C Activation From Ischemia Continuous Delivery and Antiarrhythmic Effect of an ε-Protein Kinase C-Activating Peptide

Background— We previously showed that a selective activator peptide of e-protein kinase C (PKC), ψeRACK, conferred cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion when delivered ex vivo before the ischemic event. Here, we tested whether in vivo continuous systemic delivery of ψeRACK confers sustained cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion in isolated mouse hearts and whether ψeRACK treatment reduces infarct size or lethal arrhythmias in porcine hearts in vivo. Methods and Results— After ψeRACK was systemically administered in mice either acutely or continuously, hearts were subjected to ischemia-reperfusion in an isolated perfused model. Whereas ψeRACK-induced cardioprotection lasted 1 hour after a single intraperitoneal injection, continuous treatment with ψeRACK induced a sustained preconditioned state during the 10 days of delivery. There was no desensitization to the therapeutic effect, no downregulation of ePKC, and no adverse effects after sustained ψeRACK delivery. Porcine hearts were subjecte...
Safety and tolerability of emerging pharmacological treatments for bipolar disorder.

Objectives: Over the past few years numerous new agents have been examined for their efficacy in bipolar disorder (BPD). New antiepileptic agents and atypical antipsychotics currently form the bulk of these emerging agents. As the armamentarium for treating BPD increases, it allows for the possibility of choosing drugs on the basis of their tolerability as well as their efficacy, rather than on efficacy alone. Methods: Efficacy data for newer antiepileptic drugs (lamotrigine, topiramate, gabapentin, oxcarbazepine) and atypical antipsychotics (olanzapine, clozapine, risperidone, quetiapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole) are briefly reviewed. The article focuses on relative safety and tolerability of these agents. Results: In general, most of these newer agents have better side effect and tolerability profiles than older agents commonly used to treat BPD (lithium, valproate, carbamazepine); however, these must be weighed against efficacy demonstrated to date in randomized, controlled trials. Cognitive impairment is a concern with topiramate, weight gain and risk of diabetes with some of the atypical antipsychotic agents, and rash with lamotrigine. Conclusions: Side effects of newer emerging agents for the treatment of BPD can be effectively managed and the risks reduced by instituting practical strategies early in management.