cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuromuscular properties of mesenteries from the sea-anemone metridium.

1. A method is described for a simultaneous electrical and mechanical recording from isolated mesenteries of the sea-anemone Metridium senile (L.). 2. The retractor muscle gives quick and slow contractions. Shock intervals of 0.15-2 sec. produce facilitated twitches on all stimuli after the first, usually followed by a slow contraction. Trains of stimuli at lower frequencies are followed by slow contractions only. Slow contractions may also arise spontaneously. 3. Two types of potential were found using external suction electrodes, provisionally interpreted as nerve-net impulses and muscle action potentials. The first is an all-or-none compound pulse, whose brief components summate (1-3 msec, height up to 0.4 mV.). Conduction speed in an expanded anemone would be 70-120 cm./sec. at 14-16° C., corresponding to that of the through-conduction system. The second always precedes a twitch and is a smooth, graded potential lasting 50-100 msec. Its size, up to 1.2 mV., is inversely related to stimulus interval, but unlike the quick mechanical rseponse it shows but slight initial facilitation. A muscle potential follows a nerve-net impulse and is propagated at the same speed. The refractory period of the nerve-net probably exceeds that of the muscle. Potentials showing similar features have been recorded from the oral disk and tentacles. 4. These results support the suggestion that the sites of facilitation and initiation of contractions are neuromuscular junctions throughout the retractor muscle. Quick contractions are co-ordinated by the nerve-net, whereas it is possible that slow contractions, however initiated, may at least in part be propagated in the muscle itself.
Effects of the Maternal Thyroid Status on Embryo Physiology and Hatchability of Commercial Turkey Eggs

Fertile turkey eggs produced by commercial hens fed iodine or triiodothyronine were compared with those from hens fed a control diet to observe the effects of the maternal thyroid status on the energy budget of turkey eggs. Dietary iodine improved hatchability, decreased the number of dead pips, and maintained blood glucose concentrations during pipping and hatching with less reliance on hepatic gluconeogenesis (as assessed by glucose-6-phosphatase activity) compared with controls. Hatchability of eggs from hens fed triiodothyronine was not different from that of control hens but was less than those of iodine-fed hens. The data suggest that the maternal thyroid function of commercial breeder hens can influence hatchability of their eggs and that dietary iodine may be a means to improve hatchability of commercial turkey eggs.
Differential kinetics of hypocretins in the cerebrospinal fluid after intracerebroventricular administration in rats.

Abstract Different potencies for hypocretin-1 and -2 in sleep–wake regulation and feeding after intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration have been reported. These differences were often explained by the selectivity of the two hypocretins for hypocretin receptor-1 and -2, but little attention has been paid to kinetics of hypocretin peptides. We investigated the kinetics of the ICV hypocretin-1 and -2 in rats. ICV hypocretin-1 (10 nmol) increased hypocretin-1 peptide level in the CSF by 800-fold from baseline with the elevation lasting over 4 h. In contrast, after ICV hypocretin-2 (10 nmol), no significant rise in the CSF was found. CSF hypocretin levels were significantly correlated with the biological activities of CSF hypocretin-1 and -2 using the Ca2+ mobilization assay. Difference in the kinetics of hypocretins should be considered for interpreting ICV effects of hypocretins.
Popular Music and Television in Britain

Popular Music and Television in Britain IAN INGLIS (Ed.) Surrey/Burlington, Ashgate, 2010 xi+252 pp., bibliography, index, £60.00 (cloth) This collection is a well-arranged and highly necessary con...
Jumonji Regulates Cardiomyocyte Proliferation via Interaction with Retinoblastoma Protein

Jumonji (JMJ) can function as a transcriptional repressor and plays critical roles in embryonic development including heart development in mice. Although JMJ has been suggested to play a role in cell growth, the molecular mechanisms have not been resolved. The present data demonstrate that JMJ interacts with the retinoblastoma protein (Rb), one of the master regulatory genes of cell cycle. JMJ potentiates the repression function of Rb on E2F activities, leading to reduced cell cycle progression. The transcriptional repression domain of JMJ is critical for the interaction with Rb as well as repression of cell cycle. The physiological relevance of the association between Rb and JMJ was assessed in cardiomyocytes. Primary cardiomyocytes cultured from homozygous jmj knock-out mouse embryos (jmj mutants) show increased cell mitosis in a cardiomyocyte-specific manner. Reporter gene analyses demonstrate that promoter activities of cyclin D1, cyclin D2, and Cdc2 are up-regulated in jmj mutant cardiomyocytes. These data suggest that JMJ down-regulates the cell growth via interaction with Rb, which would provide important insights into the cardiac defects observed in jmj mutant mice.
Distribution of testican expression in human brain

Testican is a putative extracellular heparan/chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan of unknown function that is expressed in a variety of human tissues at widely different levels but is most abundant in the brain. In mice, testican mRNA has been detected only in brain and it is therefore likely to have an important function in the central nervous system. RNA blot analysis reveals the relative intensity of testican in various regions of the human brain. Levels of testican message are most pronounced in the thalamus, hippocampus, occipital lobe, nucleus accumbens, temporal lobe, and caudate nucleus, with somewhat lower levels in the cerebral cortex, medulla oblongata, frontal lobe, amygdala, putamen, spinal cord, substantia nigra, and cerebellum. In situ hybridization reveals the cellular distribution of the mRNA within these areas to be highest in neurons and in choroid plexus epithelium, and moderately lower in ependymal cells lining the ventricles and in vascular endothelial cells. Testican mRNA is not detected in oligodendrocytes or in most astrocytes. However, astrocytes in regions of reactive gliosis do express testican mRNA. These findings, along with a cysteine-rich pattern similarity to neurocan, brevican, versican, and other proteoglycans found in brain, suggest that testican may be a part of the specialized extracellular matrix of the brain.
A liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric method for simultaneous analysis of arachidonic acid and its endogenous eicosanoid metabolites prostaglandins, dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in rat brain tissue

A sensitive, specific, and robust liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric (LC/MS) method was developed and validated that allows simultaneous analysis of arachidonic acid (AA) and its cyclooxygenase, cytochrome P450, and lipoxygenase pathway metabolites prostaglandins (PGs), dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DiHETrEs), hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), including PGF2α, PGE2, PGD2, PGJ2, 14,15-DiHETrE, 11,12-DiHETrE, 8,9-DiHETrE, 5,6-DiHETrE, 20-HETE, 15-HETE, 12-HETE, 9-HETE, 8-HETE, 5-HETE, 14,15-EET, 11,12-EET, 8,9-EET, and 5,6-EET in rat brain tissues. Deuterium labeled PGF2α-d4, PGD2-d4, 15(S)-HETE-d8, 14,15-EET-d8, 11,12-EET-d8, 8,9-EET-d8, and AA-d8 were used as internal standards. Solid phase extraction was used for sample preparation. A gradient LC/MS method using a C18 column and electrospray ionization source under negative ion mode was optimized for the best sensitivity and separation within 35 min. The method validation, including LC/MS instrument qualification, specificity, calibration model, accuracy, precision (without brain matrix and with brain matrix), and extraction efficiency were performed. The linear ranges of the calibration curves were 2–1000 pg for PGs, DiHETrEs, HETEs, and EETs, 10–2400 pg for PGE2 and PGD2, and 20–2000 ng for AA, respectively.
Motivations to Participate in Riparian Improvement Programs: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior

This study utilized the theory of planned behavior, a model of attitudinal factors related to behavioral intention, to investigate the lack of participation in government-sponsored programs to conserve riparian areas. A telephone survey of 209 rural landowners whose property abutted a waterway revealed that financial motivations, past behaviors, exposure to government information, and self-efficacy predicted 29 percent of the variance in intent to participate in future conservation programs. The findings suggest that external constraints and social barriers (such as financial variables) are important moderators of perceived behavioral control and deserve closer scrutiny.
The Prevalence and Family Correlates of Eating Disorder Tendencies in Older Women

ABSTRACT Questions regarding the incidence of eating disorder tendencies and support for a conceptual model of specific family correlates of such tendencies were examined in a non-clinical sample of 92 women over the age of 50. It was predicted that older women assessed as at-risk for developing eating disorders would perceive their families as more conflictual, less cohesive and expressive, and themselves as less independent of or differentiated from their family of origin. Results provided support for these predictions and also showed Achievement and Control factors to be significantly related to eating disorder tendencies. Implications for further research and clinical practice are discussed.
A Microcomputer-Based Neuromuscular Blockade Monitor

A portable device has been developed and tested for monitoring the effects of neuromuscular blocking drugs. It incorporates a nerve stimulator, force transducer, and microcomputer for quantitating the level of neuromuscular block. The nerve stimulator, under microcomputer control, is capable of delivering single shocks at 0.1 Hz, train-of-four stimulation at 2 Hz, and tetanic stimulation at 30, 100, or 200 Hz. Stimuli are applied to the ulnar nerve. The response, adduction of the thumb, is sensed by a flexible beam force transducer. The output of the transducer is amplified and then processed by the microcomputer. The microcomputer quantitates twitch and train-of-four responses, and calculates the ratio between the first and fourth responses of train-of-four. The ratio is used to estimate the level of block. The device has clinical potential as a trend monitor of neuromuscular function during anesthesia and surgery. It also has research potential for determining the effects of newer neuromuscular blocking drugs for comparison with presently used drugs or, alternatively, for determining the effects of blocking drugs in altered physiological states.
Factor analytical approaches for evaluating groundwater trace element chemistry data

Abstract The multivariate statistical techniques principal component analysis (PCA), Q-mode factor analysis (QFA), and correspondence analysis (CA) were applied to a dataset containing trace element concentrations in groundwater samples collected from a number of wells located downgradient from the potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. PCA results reflect the similarities in the concentrations of trace elements in the water samples resulting from different geochemical processes. QFA results reflect similarities in the trace element compositions, whereas CA reflects similarities in the trace elements that are dominant in the waters relative to all other groundwater samples included in the dataset. These differences are mainly due to the ways in which data are preprocessed by each of the three methods. The highly concentrated, and thus possibly more mature (i.e. older), groundwaters are separated from the more dilute waters using principal component 1 (PC 1). PC 2, as well as dimension 1 of the CA results, describe differences in the trace element chemistry of the groundwaters resulting from the different aquifer materials through which they have flowed. Groundwaters thought to be representative of those flowing through an aquifer composed dominantly of volcanic rocks are characterized by elevated concentrations of Li, Be, Ge, Rb, Cs, and Ba, whereas those associated with an aquifer dominated by carbonate rocks exhibit greater concentrations of Ti, Ni, Sr, Rh, and Bi. PC 3, and to a lesser extent dimension 2 of the CA results, show a strong monotonic relationship with the percentage of As(III) in the groundwater suggesting that these multivariate statistical results reflect, in a qualitative sense, the oxidizing/reducing conditions within the groundwater. Groundwaters that are relatively more reducing exhibit greater concentrations of Mn, Cs, Co, Ba, Rb, and Be, and those that are more oxidizing are characterized by greater concentrations of V, Cr, Ga, As, W, and U.
The harms and benefits of modern screening mammography

Women need more balanced information The Swiss Medical Board, an independent health technology assessment consortium, recently reviewed the evidence for breast cancer screening and made recommendations to its government. The board noted that the current debate on the benefits and harms of mammography screening is based on outdated randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and that it was “non-obvious” that the benefits outweighed the harms.1 They recommended that no new mammography screening programmes should be introduced in Switzerland and that the existing ones should be phased out.1 The Swiss Medical Board relied on a review by another panel: the Independent United Kingdom Panel on Breast Cancer Screening.2 Using data from the published RCTs, the UK panel estimated that for every 10 000 women aged 50 invited to screen for the next 20 years, about 43 would avoid a death from breast cancer and the remaining 9957 would receive no mortality benefit. About 129 women would be treated unnecessarily as a result of overdiagnosis, a ratio of three women with overdiagnosed cancers to one woman with a breast cancer death avoided. As both panels noted, data from older RCTs are not ideal for determining the benefits and harms of modern day screening. Instead, observational studies such …
Cell lineage relationships in Drosophila melanogaster: The relationships of cuticular to internal tissues.

Abstract We have studied cell lineages within several internal structures and have also studied the relationship of such internal lineages to cuticular structures. Such observations were carried out by coupling various cuticular markers with enzyme or morphological markers for internal tissues and using these in both somatic recombination and Minute -gynandromorph manipulations. We have further explored the relationships among cuticular and internal tissues by studying the impact of mutations of the bithorax gene complex on cuticular structures and the internal organs which underly them. In brief, we are unable to demonstrate the existence of “compartments” in the internal tissues examined; we have shown that the cuticular and internal structures examined in this study are, in most cases, not demonstrably related in a clonal sense. Additionally, we show that changes in the internal tissues examined here in response to mutations in the bithorax complex are either not detected by our methods of analysis or are very different from the well-characterized responses of the imaginal disc derivatives.
NMDA receptor blockade prevents the increase in protein kinase C substrate (protein F1) phosphorylation produced by long-term potentiation.

Recent evidence has implicated activation of theN-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) class of glutamate receptor in the initiation of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), an electrophysiological model of information storage in the brain. A separate line of evidence has suggested that activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and the consequent phosphorylation of it substrates is necessary for the maintenance of the LTP response. To determine if PKC activation is a consequence of NMDA receptor activation during LTP, we applied the NMDA receptor antagonist drug,dl-aminophosphonovalerate (APV) both immediately prior to and following high frequency stimulation, resulting in successful and unsuccessful blockade of LTP initiation, respectively. We then measured the phosphorylation of a PKC substrate (protein F1) in hippocampal tissue dissected from these animals. Only successful blockade of LTP initiation by prior application of APV was seen to block the LTP-associated increase in protein F1 phosphorylation measured in vitro (P < 0.0001 by ANOVA). This suggests that NMDA receptor-mediated initiation triggers maintenance processes that are, at least in part, mediated by protein F1 phosphorylation. These data provide the first evidence linking two mechanisms associated with LTP, NMDA receptor activation and PKC substrate phosphorylation.
Characterization of a lipid mobilizing factor from tumors.

Many observations have indicated that a growing tumor is able to derive the fatty acids necessary for membrane formation from the host tissues. It seems evident that in mammals, at least, the major source of rapidly available fatty acid must be adipose tissue and many observations of tumor-bearing animals and human cancer patients have revealed a picture of fat depletion with advanced malignancies but the mechanism of this type of mobilization of fatty acids has remained obscure. 1-6 The present experiments make use of AKR mice with implanted adipose tissue labeled with [1-14C]linoleic acid to address this question.
Measuring Communicative Participation: A Review of Self-Report Instruments in Speech-Language Pathology

Purpose To assess the adequacy of self-report instruments in speech-language pathology for measuring a construct called communicative participation. Method Six instruments were evaluated relative t...
Regulation of Phospholipase C-γ Activity by Glycosphingolipids

Abstract Glycosphingolipid-enriched domains are hot spots for cell signaling within plasma membranes and are characterized by the enrichment of glycosphingolipids. A role for glucosylceramide-based glycosphingolipids in phospholipase C-mediated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation has been previously documented. These earlier studies utilized a first generation glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor to deplete cells of their glycosphingolipids. Recently, more active and specific glucosylceramide synthase inhibitors, includingd-threo-ethylendioxyphenyl-2-palmitoylamino-3-pyrrolidinopropanol (d-t-EtDO-P4), have been designed.d-t-EtDO-P4 has the advantage of blocking glucosylceramide synthase at low nanomolar concentrations but does not cause secondary elevations in cell ceramide levels. In the present study, d-t-EtDO-P4 depleted cellular glucosylceramide and lactosylceramide in cultured ECV304 cells at nanomolar concentrations without obvious cellular toxicity. The expression of several signaling proteins was evaluated in glycosphingolipid-depleted ECV304 cells to study the role of glycosphingolipids in phospholipase C-mediated signaling. No difference was observed in the cellular expression of phospholipase C-γ between controls and glycolipid-depleted cells. Western blot analysis, however, revealed that depletion of endogenous glycosphingolipids in cultured ECV304 cells with d-t-EtDO-P4 induced tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-γ in a concentration-dependent manner with maximum induction at 100 nm. The phosphorylation of phospholipase C-γ induced by d-t-EtDO-P4 was abolished by exogenously added glucosylceramide, consistent with a specific glycosphingolipid-phospholipase C-γ interaction. The phospholipase C-γ phosphorylation was maximally enhanced by bradykinin when cells were exposed to 100 nm d-t-EtDO-P4. The measurement of cellular activity of phospholipase C-γ, bymyo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate radioreceptor assay, demonstrated that depletion of glucosylceramide-based glycosphingolipids in cultured ECV304 cells withd-t-EtDO-P4 resulted in significantly increased formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate above base line, and an increased sensitivity of phospholipase C-γ to bradykinin stimulation. Thus, the activation of phospholipase C-γ is negatively regulated by membrane glycosphingolipids in ECV304 cells.
SCE evaluations in human lymphocytes after G0 exposure to mitomycin C. Lack of expression of MMC-induced SCEs in cells that have undergone greater than two in vitro divisions.

Abstract We conducted a series of experiments designed to determine whether DNA damage induced in G 0 lymphocytes by mitomycin C (MMC) would be expressed as sister-chromatid exchanges during the second and third post-treatment cell cycles. Lymphocytes from normal donors were exposed to MMC for 2 h prior to culture in the presence of phytohemagglutinin. MMC-treated and control cells were subsequently exposed to bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) for the entire culture period (i.e. 48 h or 72 h) or for the terminal 24 h of 72-h cultures. We observed a 3–4-fold increase in SCEs in MII metaphases from lymphocytes treated with MMC and cultured in the presence of BrdUrd for the entire culture period. In contrast, in replicate cultures of MMC-treated lymphocytes that were exposed to BrdUrd for the terminal 24 h only, the SCE frequency in uniformly harlequinized metaphases was not significantly different from that observed in control cultures. We interpret these data as providing evidence that MMC-induced lesions (or alterations) in the DNA of G 0 lymphocytes are probably expressed as SCEs during the first period of mitogeninduced DNA synthesis, and that these lesions do not persist and give rise to SCEs in subsequent cell divisions.
Urinary secretion of acetone bodies in diabetic ketosis.

SummaryA study has been made of the acetone bodies in blood and urine from a group of patients with diabetic ketosis, including 2 coma patients with urine giving a negative reaction with ferric chloride. The concentrations of free acetone in blood and urine were found to be similar in all cases; this observation supports the view that acetone is secreted into the urine by the physical processes of filtration and diffusion. The observed results were compatible with the suggestion that the cause of a negative urinary reaction with ferric chloride in certain cases of diabetic coma is due to a functional disturbance of the renal tubules, with elevation of the threshold for diacetic acid.
The Impact of the Space Radiation Environment on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and Microstructures

Micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) and microstructures yield great promise for future space applications and the requirements to understand their relationship to the uniqueness of space. A key enabler for inserting MEMS in critical flight applications is an understanding of the environmental impacts including radiation effects. MEMS devices used in space missions are exposed to many different types of environments. These environments include manufacturing, assembly, test and qualification at the part, board and assembly levels. Subsystem and system level environments include pre-launch, launch, and mission. Each of these environments contributes unique stress factors. An overview of these stress factors is given along with a discussion of the environments with an emphasis on the radiation environment.
Peripheral Arterial Disease

The circulatory system is a network of specialized tubes (known as blood vessels) that carry oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the organs and tissues of the body. There are 3 types of blood vessels: arteries, veins, and lymphatics. The heart is the pumping organ of the body. It pumps oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood into the aorta, which is the main artery of the body. The branches of the aorta, known as the arteries, carry blood to the organs of the body, such as the kidneys, the liver, and the intestines, as well as to the arms and legs (extremities). The veins return blood from the organs and the extremities to the heart to replenish the blood with oxygen and restart the process. This cycle repeats thousands of times each day. The lymphatics are the third type of blood vessels of the circulation. Lymphatics collect fluid from the tissues of the body and filter it through the lymph nodes. The lymphatics eventually connect with veins to return fluid from the tissues to the blood and the heart. This article focuses on a disorder of the arteries known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD is a medical condition caused by blockages of the arteries that provide blood flow to the arms or legs. You may have also heard of this problem referred to as peripheral vascular disease (PVD) or “bad circulation.” In PAD, the arteries become blocked by cholesterol plaque caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a common problem in Western societies. Atherosclerosis can involve almost all of the major arteries of the body. Atherosclerosis of the arteries of the heart is known as coronary artery disease, the process that causes chest pain (angina) and heart attack (myocardial infarction). Atherosclerosis of the arteries of the neck and brain, known as cerebrovascular disease, causes …
Estimating use of non-motorized infrastructure: Models of bicycle and pedestrian traffic in Minneapolis, MN

Abstract Traffic counts and models for describing use of non-motorized facilities such as sidewalks, trails, and bike lanes are generally unavailable. Because officials lack the data and tools needed to estimate use of facilities, their ability to make evidence-based choices among investment alternatives is limited. This paper (1) summarizes counts of cyclists and pedestrians between 2007 and 2010 at 259 locations in the city of Minneapolis, MN, (2) develops scaling factors for estimating 12-h (6:30 am–6:30 pm) “daily” counts from hourly counts, (3) presents models for estimating non-motorized traffic using ordinary least squares and negative binomial regressions, (4) validates each model using bicycle and pedestrian counts for 85 locations, and (5) estimates non-motorized traffic for every street in Minneapolis, MN. Across all locations, mean pedestrian traffic (51/h) exceeded mean bicycle traffic (38/h) by 35%. One-hour counts were highly correlated with 12-h “daily” counts suggesting that planners may focus on short time scales without compromising data quality. Significant correlates of non-motorized traffic vary by mode and model and include weather (temperature, precipitation), neighborhood socio-demographics (household income, education), built environment characteristics (land use mix), and street (or bicycle facility) type. When controlling for these factors, bicycle traffic increased over time and was higher on streets with bicycle facilities than without (and highest on off-street facilities). Our models can be used by policy-makers to estimate non-motorized traffic for streets where counts are unavailable or to estimate changes in non-motorized traffic associated with other changes in the built environment (e.g., adding bicycle lanes or changing land use).
Mental imagery of high- and low-resolution gratings activates area 17.

Abstract Some, but not all, previous neuroimaging studies of visual mental imagery have found that Area 17 (primary visual cortex) is activated when people visualize objects. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that the necessary degree of resolution of the mental image is a determining factor in whether Area 17 is activated during imagery. Eight male subjects visualized and compared sets of stripes that required high or low resolution to resolve, while their brains were scanned using 15OCO2 positron emission tomography (PET). When imagery in general (visualization of high- and low-resolution gratings stimuli combined) was compared to an auditory baseline condition where subjects did not visualize, Area 17 was activated. However, region of interest (ROI) and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analyses revealed no difference between imagery conditions using high- and low-resolution stimuli. These results indicate that the resolution of the stimuli alone does not necessarily determine whether Area 17 will be activated during visual mental imagery.
Pregnancy and hormonal influences on malignant melanoma.

This article presents the case of a 30-year-old woman who developed halo cutaneous melanoma. She had been taking oral contraceptives (Norinyl) for about 5 years before diagnosis. Following wide excision of the melanoma the patient remained clinically free of tumor for 5 years. However in a subsequent pregnancy she developed metastases to the liver that became evident in the immediate postpartum period. Long-term survival associated with cutaneous hypopigmentation has been reported and occurred in this patient. There is considerable debate as to whether oral contraceptives or pregnancy can influence the occurrence and course of melanoma. Also unclear is whether oral contraceptive use or a subsequent pregnancy in women with a history of melanoma will accelerate the growth of latent metastases stimulate a benign pigmented lesion to become malignant or cause a previously removed melanoma to recur and metastasize. Given the lack of uncertainty in this area it is recommended that women with a history of melanoma use a nonhormonal method of contraception. Frequent follow up and thorough physical examinations during pregnancy are essential and any suspicious skin lesions should be biopsied early. To better answer the questions raised by cases such as this establishment of an organized mechanism for the registry of patients with melanoma who subsequently become pregnant is suggested. A cooperative prospective melanoma study could accumulate the necessary data on tumor site and thickness staging parity and the use of hormonal contraception.
Machine vision platform requirements for successful implementation and support in the semiconductor assembly manufacturing environment

In todays Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry it is becoming more difficult to utilize the human operator as the visual process control vehicle so as to cost-effectively achieve statistical process defect goals. Machine vision continues to make inroads cost-effectively improving manufacturing visual inspection requirements driving and sustaining desired process control capabilities. This paper will attempt to survey the attributes of automatic visual process monitoring within the Motorola Semiconductor Assembly Manufacturing environment. Such factors as defect control objectives inspection requirements vision engine platform application engineering and long-term application maintenance all of which contribute to the costeffectiveness of the automatic visual inspection task.
Optical alignment procedure for the analytical ultracentrifuge

Abstract A complete alignment procedure, utilizing new adjustable optical elecments, is presented for the schlieren/interference optical system of the analytical ultracentrifuge. The practical and theoretical considerations underlying each individual alignment method are presented as well as a “troubleshooting” chart for evaluating and eliminating anomalies appearing in schlieren and interference patterns.
Transcriptional regulation of mouse αB- and γF-crystallin genes in lens: Opposite promoter-specific interactions between Pax6 and large Maf transcription factors

Mammalian alphaB-crystallin is highly expressed both in lens epithelium and lens fibers. In contrast, gammaF-crystallin is highly expressed in the lens fiber cells. Crystallin gene expression in lens is regulated at the level of transcription by a sparse number of specific DNA-binding transcription factors. Here, we report studies on transcriptional regulation of mouse alphaB- and gammaF-crystallin promoters by specific combinations of Pax6/Pax6(5a), large Mafs (MafA, MafB, c-Maf, and NRL), Sox1, Sox2, Six3, and RARbeta/RXRbeta. Two sets of these factors, co-expressed both in lens epithelium and in lens fibers, were tested in co-transfection assays using cultured lens and non-lens cells. Regulation of alphaB-crystallin was studied in the presence of lens epithelial-factors Pax6, MafB, and RARbeta/RXRbeta, and lens fiber-factors Pax6, MafA, c-Maf, and NRL. Pax6 proteins activated the alphaB-crystallin promoter (-162 to +45) with any combination of Mafs. Addition of RARbeta/RXRbeta further increased its promoter activity. Gel shift assays using lens nuclear extracts demonstrated interactions of Pax6, Maf, and retinoic acid nuclear receptor proteins with two lens-specific regions, the distal LSR1 (-147/-118) and proximal LSR2 (-78/-40), of the alphaB-crystallin promoter. In contrast, Pax6 proteins acted as repressors of gammaF-crystallin promoter activity elicited by a combination of large Mafs, Sox, and RARbeta/RXRbeta proteins in transiently transfected lens and non-lens cells. The results show that Pax6 conversely regulates these two lens crystallin promoters. We propose that the opposite roles of Pax6 in crystallin gene regulation are results of different promoter architectures of the alphaB- and gammaF-crystallin genes, developmentally regulated association of transcription factors with the corresponding cis-regulatory sites, and specific recruitment of transcriptional co-activators and co-repressors by Pax6.
Direct method of measuring transfer ribonucleic acid binding to polyribosomes and to single ribosomes in cells of higher organisms

Abstract The transfer ribonucleic acid content of ribosomal preparations is measured by a method which employs electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. Peptidyl tRNA is measured separately after controlled proteolytic digestion of the ribosomes. Unlike previous methods of analysis, this method does not require radioactively labeled tRNA, is generally applicable to all types of cells, and does not require use of a cell-free system. Drug- or virus-induced modifications of tRNA binding to ribosomes can now be routinely analyzed in cellular systems under physiological conditions. The method was used with reticulocytes and with embryo skeletal muscle in the absence of inhibitors of protein synthesis and in the presence of NaF and of puromycin. In agreement with previous results, native polysomal ribosomes carry approximately two tRNA molecules, one being covalently bonded to a nascent peptidyl chain. On the other hand, single ribosomes contain only one relatively weakly bound tRNA unliked to a peptidyl chain. Brief treatment of reticulocytes with puromycin caused release from polysomes of their nascent peptide chains, apparently without causing release of the previously associated tRNA molecules from the donor ribosome sites. However, it is found here that puromycin does cause a significant release of approximately 0.4 tRNA molecules from the polysomal ribosomes, and it is suggested that this loss occurs from the ribosome acceptor sites by a noncompetitive mechanism.
Operative management of recurrent choledocholithiasis.

Introduction With the advent of endoscopic and image-directed percutaneous approaches, it is increasingly uncommon to require a surgical approach for recurrent bile duct stones.
Recycling and urban water conservation

The possibilities and problems associated with the saving of water by means of internal recycling are demonstrated with the aid of an example drawn from the paper and textile industries.
Dinuclear, Tetranuclear and Chain (MnII, CoII) Complexes of Multifunctional Hydrazone Ligands – Structural and Magnetic Studies

The coordination chemistry of a group of hydrazone-based ligands, modified with carboxylate and heterocyclic terminal donor groups, with MnII and CoII has been investigated. The multifunctional nature of the ligands allows coordinative flexibility based on the hydrazone core, which is well established to lead to spin-coupled polymetallic assemblies through μ-Ohydrazone bridging. Examples of dinuclear, tetranuclear and chain complexes are reported with hydrazone, carboxylate and triazole bridging. Spin exchange through the μ-O and μ-N,N bridging connections leads to antiferromagnetic exchange in most cases, except for the central subunit in the MnII4 chain complex, where small (< 90°) bridge angles result in contributing ferromagnetic interactions.
The photochemical synthesis of novel heterocyclic compounds from s-triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazine (II)†

s-Triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazine (I) photochemically reacted with cyclooctene, cyclododecene, bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene, bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene and indene to form tri and tetracyclic triazoles (II-X). Generally, two or more products were formed. For example the reaction with cyclooctene gave 4a,5,7,8,9,10,10a,11-octahydro-11-methylene-6H-cycloocta[4,5]-pyrrole[1,2-b]-s-triazole (II) and the corresponding 11-cyanomethyl product (III). When I was reacted with open chain alkenes, various isomers of the substituted pyrrolo[1,2-b]triazoles (XI-XV) were formed. Since the reaction was not stereospecific, cycloaddition must be a two step process.
Theory of the production and depth distribution of helium defect complexes by ion implantation

Abstract The complex defect formations and migrations occurring under helium ion bombardment of Cu have been modeled by a system of coupled equations, including diffusion. Atomistic binding and migration energies were determined from two-body calculations. A new mathematical scheme was developed in order to take diffusion into account in a self-consistent fashion. The calculations were applied to the low temperature implantation and annealing experiments of Bauer and also to the (proton backscattering) profiling experiments of Blewer. The calculations indicate that the ~0° C release peak of Bauer may be due to helium interstitial migration. When applied to the Blewer experiments, the calculations indicate that the dominant defect after room temperature implantation is six helium atoms in a vacancy (He 6 V). The shape and position of the total helium distribution is not altered by isochronal annealing (because of the trapping of vacancies by the helium), but the helium is released directly from the damage which traps it.
Use of a tablet personal computer to enhance patient care on multidisciplinary rounds.

The presence of a pharmacist on clinical rounds as a member of a multidisciplinary team has been associated with a substantially lower rate of adverse drug events (ADEs).[1][1] Critical to the effectiveness of the pharmacist is the ability to access patient and pharmaceutical databases and
Psoriasis: In vivo models for topical drug evaluation

Psoriasis is a common skin disease characterized by scaling erythematous skin plaques, which in severe cases can cover the entire skin. It affects about 2% of the population of the USA. The etiology is unknown, but the diseased skin shows a benign epidermal hyperplasia and abnormal differentiation plus dermal inflammation. There is no reproducible naturally occurring animal model for psoriasis. As a result, a variety of simulated animal models have been produced that possess some of the characteristic features, e.g., epidermal hyperplasia. These have been used to study epidermal kinetics and biochemical abnormalities associated with epidermal hyperplasia. Some of these models have also been used to study and screen for potentially effective and antipsoriatic drugs. There will always be, however, the need to study effects of new agents in carefully conducted studies on psoriasis patients to confirm efficacy.
Forming partnerships in a virtual factory

In the evolving paradigm known as ‘agile operations’, conceptual and visionary descriptions are progressively becoming abundant. Rigorous treatments leading to operable solutions, on the other hand, are scarce and in need of development. Formation of partnerships ranging from rudimentary supplier type relationships to strategic alliances comprise an aspect of agile operations called the ‘virtual factory’ in the new paradigm. We develop a model to determine an optimal alliance of partners for executing a given project composed of a set of activities and their precedence network. Possible alliances amongst partners are given in a ‘partnership matrix’, induced by a set of operating characteristics for each partner. Using the above information we formulate the problem of assigning project activities to eligible partners so that every pair of adjacent activities is assigned to a pair of compatible (or allied) partners. Our objective is to minimize the project duration. Lower bounds and heuristic algorithms are developed for the above problem, that take advantage of a mathematical formulation and the structure of the problem. Supporting computational experiments are also reported.
Nanocomposite Derived from Intercalative Spontaneous Polymerization of 2-Ethynylpyridine within Layered Aluminosilicate: Montmorillonite

Intercalation complexes of a conjugated substituted polyacetylene and montmorillonite were prepared through spontaneous polymerization of 2-ethynylpyridine within the galleries of montmorillonite. Protons are thought to be at the origin of spontaneous polymerization of 2-ethynylpyridine. X-ray data support the model of a single inserted polyacetylene layer with the backbone extended “flat” on the lamellar surface and pyridine rings of the repeating unit oriented nearly perpendicular to the surface.
Continuous process control using neural networks

We present some adaptive control strategies based on neural networks that can be used for designing controllers for continuous process control problems. Specifically, a learning algorithm has been formulated based on reinforcement learning, a weakly supervised learning technique, to solve set-point control and control scheduling for continuous processes where the process cannot be modeled easily. It is shown how reinforcement learning can be used to learn the control strategy adaptively based on exploration of the control space without making assumptions about the process model. A new learning scheme, ‘handicapped learning’, was developed to learn a control schedule that specifies a schedule of set points. Applications studied include the control of a nonisothermal continuously stirred tank reactor at its unstable state and the learning of the daily time-temperature schedule for an environment controller. Experimental results demonstrate good learning performance, indicating that the learning algorithm can be used for solving transient startup and boundary value control problems.
THE TERMS-OF-TRADE EFFECTS OF DEVALUATION UPON REAL INCOME AND THE BALANCE OF TRADE

SUMMARY The question how currency devaluation would affect the net terms of trade has been debated for many years, chiefly because one wanted to know what this change in the terms of trade would do to real national income, and also how this income change in turn would alter the trade balance. Yet, changes in the net terms of trade can have determinate effects on real income only if the productivity of resources is unchanged, and devaluation usually affects productivity through the resource reallocation which it induces; indeed, where there is no such reallocation the net terms cannot be affected by devaluation. Hence, even if the net terms should be adversely affected by devaluation, this may be associated with an improved use of resources which raises productivity enough to cause real national income to be increased rather than reduced. A deterioration of the net terms of trade may sometimes be a pre-condition for an increase in real national income as well as for an improvement in the balance of trade. The presumption is strong that the devaluation of an overvalued currency will lead to a more efficient allocation of resources. The contention that a deterioration of the net terms of trade will normally cause a reduction of the real national income and a worsening of the balance of trade by equal amounts must surely be rejected. The conceptual identity between real output and real income cannot be maintained when the terms of trade change. Clear analysis of the problems under discussion requires distinctions between “real output”, “real intake”, and “real income”. If the idea of a “change in the real balance of trade” is to make sense, it must relate to the difference between changes in real domestic output and real domestic intake. The socalled “primary burden” of devaluation may be interpreted as the fall in real intake when real output and terms of trade are unchanged; if there is any “secondary burden”, it need not be another reduction in real intake, but rather a reduction in real income. Since real output and real income may move simultaneously in different directions, it becomes necessary to ask on which of them the spending propensities—investment, consumption, imports, hoarding—are based. Depending on the incidence of changes in “income”, it will sometimes be real output, sometimes real income that will determine expenditures. Yet in most algebraic models there is just a simple Y for both.
Ordering and kinetics in graphite intercalated with nitric acid

Abstract Molecular ordering in HNO 3 -graphite is studied by X-ray scattering. Two stable in-plane configurations coexist at T ⪅ 250 K and both appear to be registered with graphite. One configuration is hexagonal and the other oblique, the latter possibly stabilized by a ∼ 12° tilt of the nitrate group. Time resolved X-ray scattering shows that the evolution of the oblique phase is very sluggish.
SPATIAL RESONANCE OVERLAP IN BOSE–EINSTEIN CONDENSATES IN SUPERLATTICE POTENTIALS

We employ Chirikov's overlap criterion to investigate interactions between subharmonic resonances of coherent structure solutions of the Gross–Pitaveskii (GP) equation governing the mean-field dynamics of cigar-shaped Bose–Einstein condensates in optical superlattices. We apply a standing wave ansatz to the GP equation to obtain a parametrically forced Duffing equation describing the BEC's spatial dynamics. We then investigate analytically the dependence of spatial resonances on the depth of the superlattice potential, deriving an order-of-magnitude estimate for the critical depth at which spatial resonances with respect to different lattice harmonics first overlap. We also derive a formula for the size of resonance zones and examine changes in our estimates as the relative superlattice amplitudes corresponding to the different harmonics are adjusted. We investigate the onset of global chaos and support our analytical work with numerical simulations.
α-Linolenic acid prevents the hypercholesteremic effects of cholesterol addition to a corn oil diet

Abstract The effects of three different diets to which cholesterol with or without cholic acid were compared for their hyperlipemic effect in C57BL 6J mice. The addition of 1% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid (CC) to a standard Laboratory Rodent Chow diet that contains 4.5% total mixed fat, had little effect on serum lipids. In contrast, addition of CC to a AIN76A diet that contains 5% corn oil and low levels of α-linolenic acid (18:3 ϵ, α LNA) resulted in a 76% increase in total plasma cholesterol levels. The fat content of a semipurified (ANFAT) hypercholesteremic diet (ANFAT + CC) had to be raised to 18% lard to obtain a similar elevation in plasma total lipid levels. Neither dietary corn oil, ANFAT, nor CC alone caused an increase in plasma cholesterol and total lipid levels. The addition of α LNA to the AIN76A diet resulted in a decrease in plasma cholesterol and total lipid concentrations. We conclude that the addition of CC to AIN76A diet unmasked an α-linolenic acid insufficiency in this diet, leading to elevation of plasma cholesterol levels. The addition of α LNA restored the dietary lipid balance and reestablished a normocholesteremic level.
Further results on instrumental variables estimation of average treatment effects in the correlated random coefficient model

Abstract I show that standard instrumental variables estimators, applied to an equation containing levels and interactions, consistently estimate the average treatment effect under weaker conditions than those needed for the two-stage plug-in estimators proposed by Heckman and Vytlacil [Journal of Human Resources 33 (1998) 974].