cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autophagy‐Induced Apoptosis in Lung Cancer Cells by a Novel Digitoxin Analog

We have synthesized a novel derivative of Digitoxin, termed "MonoD", which demonstrates cytotoxic effects in lung cancer cells with much higher potency as compared to Digitoxin. Our data show that within 1 h of MonoD treatment, H460 cells showed increased oxidative stress, increased formation of autophagic vacuoles, and increased expression of pro-autophagic markers Beclin-1 and LC3-II. Cells pretreated with MnTBAP, a superoxide scavenger not only lowered superoxide production, but also had lower levels of LC3-II and Beclin-1. Prolonged treatment with MonoD-induced apoptosis in lung cancer cells. We investigated MonoD-dependent regulation of Akt and Bcl2, proteins that are known regulators of both autophagy and apoptosis. Molecular and pharmacologic inhibitors of Bcl2 and Akt, when combined with MonoD, led to higher expression of LC3-II and Beclin-1 as compared to MonoD alone, suggesting a repressive effect for these proteins in MonoD-dependent autophagy. Pretreatment of cells with an autophagy inhibitor repressed the apoptotic potential of MonoD, confirming that early autophagic flux is important to drive apoptosis. Therapeutic entities such as MonoD that target multiple pathways such as autophagy and apoptosis may prove advantageous over current therapies that have unimodal basis for action and may drive sustained tumor regression, which is highly desirable. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 817-828, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Environment and Party Decentralization A Cross-National Analysis

Based on data from the International Comparative Political Parties Project, this article reports an assessment of the importance of environmental factors in explaining the vertical decentralization of power within national political parties. The findings from exploratory regression analyses and, especially, from analysis-of-variance, suggest that much of the cross-national variance in party decentralization may indeed be explained by environmental factors. Special attention is paid to the system-level factors of country size, type of polity (democratic or autocratic), vertical and horizontal distributions of power within the polity, sectionalism, and social heterogeneity.
Protein Disulfide Isomerases

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is a multifunctional protein that facilitates the formation of correct disulfide crosslinks between cysteine residues during the early stages of protein folding and secretion in the endoplasmic reticulum. It is a member of a large family of oxidoreductases that catalyse exchange reactions between thiols and disulfides. PDI is a multidomain protein, consisting of four tandem thioredoxin domains. The N- and C-terminal thioredoxin domains have catalytic disulfide/dithiol centers while the two internal domains are structural and provide additional interactions with the protein substrates. The catalysis of disulfide formation relies almost entirely on the high reactivity of PDI's active site disulfides. However, the ability to catalyse disulfide isomerisation requires multiple domains. In the cell, PDI's essential activity is the formation of disulfide bonds, but it does catalyse isomerisation. Key Concepts: PDI structure consists of four tandem thiredoxin domains. The ability to form disulfides between cysteines in substrate proteins results from highly reactive active site disulfides. PDI can correct (isomerise) misformed disulfides by reducing incorrect disulfides and reoxidising in a different configuration. The multidomain structure is needed for catalysis of isomerisation but a single catalytic domain is sufficient to catalyse substrate oxidation. In the cell, the essential activity of PDI is its ability to form substrate disulfides. Keywords: PDI; disulfide; protein folding; chaperone; disulfide isomerisation
Analysis of RF-MEMS switches using finite element-boundary integration with moment method

This paper presents a new hybrid methodology for modeling RF-MEMS switches. This method combines the usual finite element-boundary integration (FE-BI) method for the fixed section of the switch, and the method of moments for the movable beam. This approach is intended to address the large 100:1 scale variation within a single computational domain, which also spans a very small fraction of a wavelength.
Parenting Styles and Practices of Latino Parents and Latino Fifth Graders’ Academic, Cognitive, Social, and Behavioral Outcomes

A vast literature documents a host of advantages conferred upon middle class European American children whose parents employ an authoritative style of parenting, including enhanced academic achievement and positive behavioral outcomes. The literature is much less clear about the relationship between parental authority style and child outcomes in other cultural contexts. In this study, we examined the relations among authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles and practices and several academic and behavioral outcomes among fifth grade Latino/a students. We found significant positive relations between parental authoritativeness and grades, academic engagement, social competence, self-regulation, and perspective-taking as well as negative relations between authoritativeness and aggression. We found no relations between authoritarian or permissive parenting styles and child outcomes. We consider these findings in light of what other researchers have posited about collectivist parenting styl...
Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase-containing terminals synapse directly on sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the rat.

The ultrastructural morphology as well as neuronal and glial associations of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT)-containing terminals in the intermediolateral cell column (IML) of the thoracic spinal cord were examined in the rat utilizing the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method. The PNMT-immunoreactive terminals were 0.5-1.4 micron in diameter and contained a few mitochondria, a large population of small clear vesicles and from 1 to 6 large dense-core vesicles. The terminals formed synapses primarily with dendrites. The type of axodendritic association (i.e. symmetric or asymmetric) varied with the size of the dendrite, such that the majority of synapses on large dendrites were symmetric and those on smaller dendrites and dendritic spines were asymmetric. Moreover, most of the synaptic associations of PNMT-containing terminals were with the smaller dendritic processes. Many of the PNMT-labeled terminals, as well as their postsynaptic targets, were closely invested with, or apposed to fibrous astrocytic processes. In a subsequent set of experiments, we combined immunoautoradiographic labeling for PNMT with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) retrograde identification of sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs) in the IML to determine whether or not SPNs receive direct synaptic input from the adrenergic terminals. In these sections, PNMT-containing terminals directly synapsed on the HRP-containing (i.e. retrogradely labeled SPNs) perikarya and dendrites. The axosomatic synapses observed between PNMT-labeled terminals and SPN perikarya were exclusively symmetric; whereas the type of axodendritic association varied depending upon the size of the dendrite such that the majority were asymmetric. The findings provide ultrastructural evidence that in the rat IML, adrenergic (i.e. PNMT-containing) terminals (1) may be either excitatory (asymmetric) or inhibitory (symmetric) depending on their site of termination and (2) can influence sympathetic nerve discharge through a direct effect on the SPN cell membrane.
FACTORS INFLUENCING STRESS CRACKS IN FRANKFURTERS DURING COOKING AND IN STORAGE

Biological and food materials can develop stress cracks under the influence of variable temperature and moisture gradients. Frankfurter sausages, from a molecular concept are a heterogenous system, but for engineering purposes the molecular structure may be disregarded and can be treated as a continuum. In the present investigation a continuous Maxwell model was assumed to represent the frankfurters subject to variable temperature and moisture conditions. Utilizing the techniques of linear viscoelasticity, an expression for the mechanical stiesses in a cylinder was obtained. Uniaxial modulus as a function of time and temperature was determined experimentally and the resulting data were analyzed to obtain time-temperature shift factors, relaxation time and a master curve for the modulus. The temperature as a function of radius and time was determined during cooking, and an algebraic expression for axial, tangential and radial stresses was developed. The maximum shearing stresses exceeded failure stress of the frankfurters, thus explaining the development of cracks.
Weight Misperceptions and Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Adolescent Female Body Mass Index

This paper investigated weight misperceptions as determinants of racial/ethnic disparities in body mass index (BMI) among adolescent females using data from the National Survey of Youth 1997. Compared to their white counterparts, higher proportions of black and Hispanic adolescent females underperceived their weight status; that is, they misperceived themselves to have lower weight status compared to their clinically defined weight status. Compared to their black counterparts, higher proportions of white and Hispanic adolescent females misperceived themselves to be heavier than their clinical weight status. Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis showed that accounting for weight misperceptions, in addition to individual and contextual factors, increased the total explained portion of the black-white female BMI gap from 44.7% to 54.3% but only slightly increased the total explained portion of the Hispanic-white gap from 62.8% to 63.1%. Weight misperceptions explained 13.0% of the black-white female BMI gap and 3.3% of the Hispanic-white female BMI gap. The regression estimates showed that weight underperceptions were important determinants of adolescent female BMI, particularly among black and Hispanic adolescents. Education regarding identification and interpretation of weight status may play an important role to help reduce the incidence and racial disparity of female adolescent obesity.
Poliovirus protease 2A is required for interference with vesicular stomatitis virus-specified protein synthesis.

A subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor-4F (eIF-4F) which is a component of the protein complex which binds to the methylated cap structure at the 5′ end of most cellular mRNAs, is proteolytically cleaved in poliovirus-infected cells resulting in the shutoff of cellular protein synthesis. Poliovirus mRNA is selectively translated in infected cells, in part, because translation of the uncapped viral mRNA does not require an intact cap binding protein complex. Wild-type poliovirus also inhibits the translation of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) mRNAs in coinfected cells, however, it has been unclear whether similar mechanisms are employed by poliovirus to interfere with cellular and VSV protein synthesis. Degradation of eIF-4F appears to be an indirect function of the poliovirus-encoded protease 2A. A poliovirus mutant in 2A failed to mediate eIF-4F cleavage and selectively terminate translation of capped cellular mRNAs. Unlike wild-type poliovirus, 2A-1 does not interfere with VSV-specified protein synthesis. These results indicate that the same viral protein, 2A protease, is required not only to effectively terminate host protein synthesis, but also to interfere with expression of a heterologous virus, VSV. In addition, 2A-1 specifies a function, heretofore undescribed for poliovirus, which interferes with VSV-induced shutoff of protein synthesis.
Examining the moderating role of social norms between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in college students

Body dissatisfaction is a well-replicated risk factor for disordered eating, yet not all individuals with body dissatisfaction exhibit disordered eating. This study examined the role of perceptions of social norms on the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Perceptions of descriptive and injunctive peer norms, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating were examined in a non-clinical sample of college men and women using cross-sectional survey methods. For women, perceptions of the injunctive norms of peer thinness and peer acceptability moderated the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating with an additive effect; perceptions of the descriptive norm peer prevalence of disordered eating behaviors did not. In men, norms did not moderate the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Endorsement of injunctive norms is associated with reported disordered eating in women with high body dissatisfaction. Norm-based interventions may be best suited for women with high body dissatisfaction.
Cyclic voltammetry and 195Pt nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of graphite-supported commercial fuel cell grade platinum electrocatalysts

Abstract Three graphite-supported commercial fuel cell grade platinum electrocatalysts with different average particle sizes have been studied by cyclic voltammetry and 195 Pt nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. There is a strong correlation of platinum particle size with both NMR and cyclic voltammetric lineshapes. From cyclic voltammetric profiles it is possible to observe the transformation to a single crystallite geometry as the particle size increases from 2.0 to 8.8 nm. The particle-size-dependent NMR spectra give the first conclusive assignment of the signals from platinum atoms at surfaces wetted by electrolyte, and provide an opportunity for comparison with spectra from equivalent catalysts in the gas phase. We have also found that the application of multiple voltammetric cycles to such platinum particles increases the particle size.
Protonation thermodynamics of humic acid

Abstract The thermodynamic parameters (p K A , ΔH and ΔS ) of protonation of a soil humic acid were determined by pH and calorimetric titration. These parameters were adjusted for a state of no ionization to obtain the “monomer” values. Two acidic groups were observed with “monomer” p K A values of 4.0 and 9.0 respectively. Comparison with protonation data for organic anions indicated that the principle acidic groups in humic acid are probably benzoate, salicylate and phenolate.
Heuristic adjustment of long-range sales forecasts

The components of long-range sales forecasting are considered as an entire system. Thus, rather than dealing with the improvement of mathematical models to forecast sales, or to consider group dynamics for ‘ bottom-up ’ forecasting, attention is focused on an adjustment to the existing forecast. This enables the adjusted forecast to provide a more accurate estimate without modifying the basic procedures. In addition, this technique provides a confidence interval for the single-valued sales estimate.
Mouse models of lung squamous cell carcinomas

Although many mouse models of lung adenocarcinoma exist, only a few mouse lung squamous cell carcinoma models have been developed. Since most clinical chemoprevention trials of lung cancer are performed in subjects with bronchial dysplasia, development of a lung squamous cell carcinoma mouse model sufficient for chemoprevention studies is a high priority. We have shown that lung squamous cell carcinomas can be induced chemically in several strains of mice (1), and that this chemically induced lung squamous cell carcinoma model is applicable to cancer chemoprevention studies. Recently, Ji et al. (2) have shown that simultaneous activation of KrasG12D and inactivation of Lkb1 results in a broader histological range of lung tumors, with approximately 50 % of the lung tumors being squamous cell carcinomas. Here, we review the application of mouse lung squamous cell carcinoma models with different stages of squamous lesions and squamous cell carcinomas to cancer development and chemoprevention studies.
Exposure to inescapable shock produces both activity and associative deficits in the rat

Abstract Interference with shuttle-box escape learning following exposure to inescapable shock is often difficult to obtain in rats. The first experiment investigated the role of shock intensity during escape training in the apparent fragility of the effect. Experiment 1A demonstrated that the magnitude of the interference effect was systematically related to shock intensity during shuttle-box testing. At .6 mA, a robust effect was obtained, whereas at .8 mA and 1.0, little or no deficit in the escape performance of inescapably shocked rats was observed. Experiment 1B demonstrated that the deficit observed in Experiment 1A depended upon whether or not rats could control shock offset. Experiment 2 suggested that preshock may suppress activity and that higher shock levels may overcome this deficit. Experiment 3 tested this as the sole cause of the escape deficit by requiring an escape response which exceeded the level of activity readily elicited by a 1.0-mA shock in both restrained and preshocked rats. In such a task, preshocked rats performed more poorly than did restrained controls. These results are consistent with the possibility that inescapable shock may, in addition to reducing activity, produce an associative deficit. Experiment 4 more clearly demonstrated that inescapable shock produces deficits in performance which cannot be expleined by activity deficits and which appear to be associative in nature. It was shown that inescapable shock interfered with the acquisition of signaled punishment suppression but not CER suppression. The theoretical implications of these data for explanations of the manner in which prior exposure to inescapable shock interferes with escape learning were discussed.
Crowding and litter effects on retention and reversal learning by young rats.

72 rats both male and female from litters of 4 or 11, placed 1, 2, or 4/cage until age 65 days, acquired a position response under food deprivation. After 24 hr. each rat relearned to the same criterion, which was followed immediately by reversal training. Males acquired the response sooner, but females and litters of four retained more than their counterparts. Males housed 1/cage were slower to reverse than males housed 4/cage. When each group was subdivided into rats that consumed the reward upon the first correct response occurrence (immediate eaters) and those which did not consume the reward immediately (delay eaters), delay eaters required more trials to acquisition criterion, were slower to respond, had higher savings scores, and took longer to reverse. These findings, coupled with significant correlations of lower savings scores with greater increases in latency from acquisition to re-learning, suggested that emotionality interfered with retention by males and litters of 11. Similarly, emotionalit...
The Excavation of Santa Elena, A Spanish Town on Parris Island, S.C.

The town of Santa Elena was founded by the Spanish in 1566 and occupied by them until 1587 except for the period August 1576 to July 1577. At one time (1572–74) it was the designated capital of Spanish Florida and the residence of the wife and two daughters and sons-in-law of D.Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Adelantado of Florida. Its population prior to 1576 had more farmer-settlers than did St. Augustine and its garrison was sometimes larger than that in its better known sister. From those heights it fell into such complete oblivion that only a few scholars knew that it had been located on the southeastern end of Parris Island, and even they were not certain that anything survived save the partial remains of one of its forts.
Renal allograft loss due to overwhelming invasive Candida infection

A 36-year-old African-American woman who had received a cadaveric renal allograft 6 months earlier for end-stage renal disease secondary to diabetes presented to the clinic with a 2-week history of decreased urine output and worsening edema. Her baseline creatinine was 1.01 mg/dl, which had acutely increased to 5.77 mg/dl. Her immunosuppressive regimen included tacrolimus, prednisone, and azathioprine because of recalcitrant diarrhea with mycophenolate. Three weeks before this episode, she underwent an allograft ultrasound showing hydronephrosis and a renal biopsy for an asymptomatic rise in serum creatinine to 1.59 mg/dl, which showed mild chronic rejection. Concurrently, a percutaneous nephrostomy tube was inserted for ureteral obstruction. Urine cultures analyzed simultaneously to these procedures showed subclinical growth of urogenital flora. The repeat allograft biopsy shown here showed renal tubules separated by significant interstitial edema with a brisk acute and chronic inflammatory reaction. Immunostaining for CD3 highlighted numerous T cells within several renal tubules, and immunohistochemical staining for the BK virus was negative. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed the presence of granulomas and organisms with pseudohyphae (Figure 1). Urine culture showed a growth of >100,000 colony-forming units of non-albicans Candida species. Confirmatory staining with Gomori's methenamine silver (Figure 2) showed yeast elements in the interstitium, which prompted the initiation of combined oral fluconazole/voriconazole and removal of the nephrostomy tube. Despite these measures, the patient's allograft never recovered, and the transplanted kidney was surgically removed 4 weeks later. Explant gross pathology corroborated the overwhelming yeast infection.
Capillary electrophoresis of phosphate ester surfactants with adenosine monophosphate and indirect photometric detection

Abstract Capillary electrophoresis (CE) with indirect photometric detection (IPD) is being investigated in this laboratory as a complementary technique to reversed-phase ion chromatography (RPIC) for the separation and identification of mono- and diesters of C 1 C 6 phosphates. Separation efficiency, resolution and analysis time were examined by comparing CE with RPIC using suitable indirect photometric reagents such as adenosine monophosphate (AMP) for CE and napthalene trisulfonate (NTS) for RPIC. A CE optimization study indicated that a baseline separation of ten mono- and diester C 1 C 6 phosphates was possible in 10 min using 5 m M AMP-100 m M H 3 BO 3 (pH 7.2). The separation of the same mixture with isocratic RPIC required two different elution conditions. A mixture of eight mono- and diester C 1 C 4 phosphates required a 5% acetonitrile (ACN)-20 μM NTS mobile phase for separation in 24 min. The remaining two organophosphates, monoethylhexyl and diethylhexyl phosphate, needed 16 min for separation using an 85% ACN-10 μM NTS eluent. The use of diethylenetriamine as an electroosmotic flow suppressor increased the migration time but significantly improved the CE resolution of both aliphatic and aromatic ethoxylated phosphates. The results show that CE is a useful technique for the fingerprint analysis of commercial organophosphate surfactants such as branched- and straight-chain phosphates and polyphosphates.
Ultrastructure and morphometry of the alveolar type II cell of the ferret.

The type II pneumocyte of the ferret was studied with light and electron microscopy and morphometry. It was found that in addition to rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, multivescular bodies, and lamellar bodies, another cytoplasmic structure was present which was apparently formed within the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The volume density of these cisternal bodies in the cytoplasm of the type II cell was 2.02%. They exhibited no cellular polarity, and were not observed being discharged into the alveolar space. The periodicity of stacked components of this structure was 0.1 μm. Its function is speculative.
Speech avoidance, social class and parental awareness

Abstract This study was concerned with the testimony of speech defective children regarding their reaction in speaking situations as obtained by the Speech Avoidance Test (SAT). Seventy-five children with functional articulation errors from families representing low, middle and high socio-economic levels and their parents participated in this investigation. A modified form of the SAT was administered to the mothers and fathers of these children. Mean differences in SAT responses of the three groups of children were inconsequential. Only the correlations between the SAT responses of the most affluent parents and their children were significant. The number of discrepancies between the individual SAT responses of each parent and his child was a function of socio-economic level. The clinical and sociological implications of these findings may be of some importance.
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Ultrafast Chest CT for Diagnosis and Operative Planning in a Child With Right Pneumonectomy Syndrome

After receiving a neonatal right pneumonectomy for septic complications of unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis, a 2½-year-old girl was referred to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Service for evaluation of increasing symptoms of wheezing and stridor. Extensive workup included a three-dimensional ultrafast CT image reconstruction that aided in the diagnosis and operative planning. Successful relief of the airway obstruction was achieved by aortic suspension and by placing a Silastic tissue expander prosthesis. Before operation, this child had been admitted to the hospital on 18 different occasions for respiratory symptoms. Six months after surgery, she is not receiving any medications and is symptom free.
Lipid Membranes Supported on Optically Transparent Nanosilicas: Synthesis and Application in Characterization of Protein-Membrane Interactions

We describe methods of preparation of lipid membranes supported on optically transparent nanosilicas (20 and 30 nm diameter) and an initial application of these materials to characterize membrane-protein binding using conventional circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy.
The supervision of physicians in training: an educational and ethical dilemma.

The issue of faculty supervision of physicians in training has caused widespread controversy among both the medical and non-medical communities. The two primary issues are maintaining the quality of medical care and insuring an adequate physician education. It is important both to maximize the educational experience of physicians in training and to respect patients' rights for consistently high quality medical care. The system of credentialing clinical trainees in a manner similar to that under which hospital physicians are now credentialed may satisfy both requirements. It would enhance preceptor-trainee interaction and feedback, while allowing the use of independent judgment and procedural skills by trainees only when they are judged to be competent to do so.
Older Adult Suicide: Perceptions of Precipitants and Protective Factors

ABSTRACT Suicide is culturally patterned. A cultural perspective, however, is rarely used to examine suicidal behavior among dominant groups in industrialized countries. This study explored the culture of suicide in the U.S. Mountain West region. Specifically, it examined the perceived precipitants and protectors of older adult suicide in a Mountain West community with higher than national average rates of older adult suicide, particularly among males of European-American descent. Respondents read a fictional local obituary of an older male or older female who died by suicide. They indicated what they believed were the two most likely precipitants, the number of suicides due to those precipitants, and the three most effective protective factors. Physical illness and death of a first-degree relative were ranked as the most likely suicide precipitants. Illness was thought to be a more likely precipitant than interpersonal or impersonal problems. Family, friends, religious beliefs, and counseling were believ...
Filamentous bacterial viruses: XI. Molecular architecture of the class II (Pf1, Xf) virion

Abstract The X-ray diffraction patterns of the fd, If1 and IKe strains of filamentous bacterial viruses (class I) indicate that the arrangement of capsid proteins in the virion approximates a left-handed helix of 15 A pitch with 4.5 units per turn. The protein molecules are each elongated in an axial direction, and also slope radially, so as to overlap each other and give an arrangement of molecules reminiscent of scales on a fish. This helix of capsid proteins is related to the class II helix by a small twist about the helix axis. The protein molecules are also perturbed (by a few Angstrom units) away from the positions that they would occupy in a simple 4.5 units per turn helix. The perturbation repeats about every five protein molecules, and is mainly axial. This arrangement of proteins forms a tube with inner diameter about 20 A and outer diameter about 60 A, encapsulating the DNA.
Intelligent System Identification Using Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms of an Ultrasonic Positioning System

This paper presents an intelligent system identification methodology for the identification of a realistic model of an ultrasonic position estimation system that uses the difference in the time of arrivals of waves from a transmitter to various receivers. Even though a linearized formulation for the 3D system exists and is currently being used to estimate the position of the transmitter, its accuracy can still be improved further. A neural network approach is developed to train the system based on training sets obtained from the actual system, and it is proposed to use the final trained system to estimate the 3D position in real time. The weights of the neural network are obtained from an innovative procedure using genetic algorithms. Results for a simplified 1D system are presented as proof of concept. The performance of the identified 1D system using genetic algorithms is shown to be comparable to the one using the analytical model. Further, the identified system using genetic algorithms is also shown to be superior to the one using the traditional back propagation method for finding the weights for the neural networks. This work has significant applications in the identification of complex non-linear systems.© 2002 ASME
Population density and food dispersion on the development of prism-induced aftereffects in newly hatched chicks.

Newly hatched Leghorn cockerels (124) wearing hoods containing 8.5° prisms were reared in large or small groups and with high or low ratios of spatially distributed seeds on a sand filler. Only chicks reared in large groups demonstrated negative aftereffects when O° plates were substituted for the prisms on the seventh day. For large groups, high seed density resulted in smaller lateral pecking errors with prism displacement but larger negative aftereffect errors without displacement than did low seed density. For small groups, however, high seed density produced a reversal of negative aftereffect directions. High group density was necessary for negative aftereffect development, probably by its influence on socially mediated pecking rates.
Characterization of an Acousto-optic Tunable Filter and Use in Visible Spectrophotometry

The use of a paratellurite acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) is demonstrated as a monochromator for spectrophotometry. This device operates in the range of 400 to 700 nm with a resolution from 2.5 nm (at 633 nm) to 0.5 nm (at 400 nm). Results of the initial characterizations indicate that behavior follows the theoretical model in terms of frequency/wavelength relationships, dependence of the output wavelength upon the incident radiation angle, and bandpass as a function of wavelength. Initial results of spectroscopic characterizations of permanganate, cobalt(II), holmium(III), praseodymium(III), and neodymium(III) solutions are presented. Placing a polarizer in the light path reduced the amount of stray light reaching the detector. Two types of photomultiplier tubes were used as detectors. The sensitivity of the PMTs varied at different wavelengths, which affected spectral responses and the effects of scattered light.
One-Step Huber Estimates in the Linear Model

Abstract Simple “one-step” versions of Huber's (M) estimates for the linear model are introduced. Some relevant Monte Carlo results obtained in the Princeton project [1] are singled out and discussed. The large sample behavior of these procedures is examined under very mild regularity conditions.
Mobilizing cells to the injured myocardium: a novel rescue strategy or an unwelcome intrusion?

In acute myocardial infarction (MI), salvaging viable myocardium and minimizing adverse ventricular remodeling are effective strategies for preserving cardiac function and reducing mortality. Advances in stem cell biology have generated excitement that this paradigm may be expanded to include
An Improved Isolation Procedure for Adult Mouse Cardiomyocytes

Isolated adult mouse cardiomyocytes are an important tool in cardiovascular research, but are challenging to prepare. Because the energy supply determines cell function and viability, we compared total creatine ([Cr]) and [ATP] in isolated cardiomyocytes with the intact mouse heart. Isolated myocytes suffered severe losses of Cr (−70%) and ATP (−53%). Myocytes were not able to replete [Cr] during a 5 h incubation period in medium supplemented with 1 mM Cr. In contrast, adding 20 mM Cr to the digestion buffers was sufficient to maintain normal [Cr]. Supplementing buffers with 5 mM of inosine (Ino) and adenosine (Ado) to prevent loss of cellular nucleosides partially protected against loss of ATP. To test whether maintaining [ATP] and [Cr] improves contractile function, myocytes were challenged by varying pacing rate from 0.5 to 10 Hz and by adding isoproterenol (Iso) at 5 and 10 Hz. All groups performed well up to 5 Hz, showing a positive cell shortening–frequency relationship; however, only 16% of myocytes isolated under standard conditions were able to sustain pacing with Iso challenge at 10 Hz. In contrast, 30–50% of the myocytes with normal Cr levels were able to contract and maintain low diastolic [Ca2+]. Cell yield also improved in Cr and the Cr/Ino/Ado-treated groups (85–90% vs. 70–75% rod shaped in untreated myocytes). These data suggest that viability and performance of isolated myocytes are improved when they are protected from the severe loss of Cr and ATP during the isolation, making them an even better research tool.
Animal Behavior as a Predictor of Earthquakes? An Analysis of Rodent Activity Rhythms

and Summary We present a detailed analysis of patterns of wheel-running behavior surrounding the time of the Los Angeles Earthquake of 9 February 1971 for a group of 10 kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami). Our retrospective analysis of these fortuitously obtained data serves to identify a series of problems in the rigorous analysis of possible behavioral responses of animals to hypothetical geophysical stimuli generated prior to earthquakes. Our observation of a 5-day minimum of wheel-running activity preceding the earthquake is equivocal because of the uncertain influence of other kinds of transient disturbances unrelated to the earthquake. We urge a cautious interpretation of our data and offer suggestions for rigorous design of experiments and testing of hypotheses in future studies of this sort. Zusammenfassung Ausfuhrlich analysiert wurde die Laufradaktivitat von 10 Kanguruh-ratten (Dipodomys merriaml) uber einen Zeitabschnitt, der die Zeit des Los-Angeles-Erdbebens vom 9. Februar 1971 einschliest. Anhand dieser zufallig erhaltenen Daten lassen sich einige Probleme aufzeigen, die entstehen, wenn man mogliche Verhaltensreaktionen auf hypothetische geophysikalische Reize vor einem Erdbeben untersuchen will. Das beobachtete 5tagige Minimum der Laufradaktivitat vor dem Erdbeben etwa konnte auch auf andere vorubergehende Einflusse zuruckgehen, die nichts mit dem Erdbeben zu tun hatten. Wir empfehlen dringend, unsere Daten vorsichtig zu interpretieren, und machen Vorschlage fur sorgfaltig geplante Experimente und Prufung von Hypothesen in zukunftigen Untersuchungen solcher Art.
The upturn effect in the non-Newtonian viscosity of polymer solutions

Abstract Previously consideration of the hydrodynamic consequences of the separation of the segments of a macromolecule in laminar flow has led to the prediction that a very long polymer molecule in an extremely viscous solvent should have a limiting viscosity number which increases with the gradient G or, more precisely, with the parameter β = M [η] 0 η 0 G NkT which is defined below. Experiments in Cannon-Fenske and Single-Pass capillary viscometers reveal such upturns of viscosity in solutions of polymethylmethacrylate in Aroclor and polyisobutene in polybutene oligomers which, as predicted, are very sensitive to molecular weight (1 to 7 × 106) and solvent viscosity (η0 = 1 to 100 poise). A satisfactory comparison with theory is presented using values of [η] = η sp c , extrapolated to c=0, for solutions of polymethylmethacrylate in Aroclor in the concentration range 0.125 to 2.0 × 10−3 g/cm3.
Colonial canticles: The poetry of Dennis Chukude Osadebay

(1977). Colonial canticles: The poetry of Dennis Chukude Osadebay. World Literature Written in English: Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 25-37.
Negative synergism of rainfall patterns and predators affects frog egg survival

1. The importance of rainfall is recognized in arid habitats, but has rarely been explored in ecosystems not viewed as rainfall limited. In addition, most attempts to study how rainfall affects organismal survival have focused on long-term rainfall metrics (e.g. monthly or seasonal patterns) instead of short-term measures. For organisms that are short lived or are sensitive to desiccation, short-term patterns of rainfall may provide insight to understanding what determines survival in particular habitats. 2. We monitored daily rainfall and survival of arboreal eggs of the treefrog Dendropsophus ebraccatus at two ponds during the rainy season in central Panama. Desiccation and predation were the primary sources of egg mortality and their effects were not independent. Rainfall directly reduced desiccation mortality by hydrating and thickening the jelly surrounding eggs. In addition, rainfall reduced predation on egg clutches. 3. To elucidate the mechanism by which rainfall alters predation, we exposed experimentally hydrated and dehydrated egg clutches to the two D. ebraccatus egg predators most common at our site, ants and social wasps. Ants and wasps preferentially preyed on dehydrated clutches and ants consumed dehydrated eggs three times faster than hydrated eggs. 4. Rainfall patterns are expected to change and the responses of organisms that use rainfall as a reliable cue to reproduce may prove maladaptive. If rainfall becomes more sporadic, as is predicted to happen during this century, it may have negative consequences for desiccation-sensitive organisms.
The perforin-dependent immunological synapse allows T-cell activation-dependent tumor targeting by MLV vector particles.

We have reported that retroviral particles adhered to the surface of antigen-specific T cells can be carried to metastases following adoptive transfer in vivo, a process we have called viral hitch hiking. Following antigen-driven T-cell accumulation at tumors, viral particles productively infect tumor cells via envelope/receptor dependent interactions ('hand on' of virus from the T cell to the tumor cell). We describe here a second envelope/receptor independent pathway of viral hand on from T cells, dependent on T-cell activation. We show that the endosomolytic property of perforin promotes release of viral particles from endosomes into which they are co-delivered along with cytotoxic granules from the activated T cell. Therefore, hand on of MLV particles lacking any envelope can be used for in vivo delivery of vectors, where targeting is at the extremely specific level of recognition of antigen by the T-cell receptor, thereby dispensing with the need to engineer viral envelopes. These data reveal a novel pathway by which MLV viral particles exploit a functiol immunological synapse and present new opportunities both to improve the efficacy of adoptive T-cell transfer and to target vectors for systemic gene delivery.
Improvement of pharmaceutical near infrared calibrations by empirical target distribution optimisation

Using process samples to develop near infrared prediction models can generate artefacts in the calibration set, potentially reducing model performance. Due to the inherent variability of manufacturing processes, the assumption that all samples from a given batch have the same concentration for the compound of interest is incorrect. A tablet press will produce compacts with different drug concentrations, distributed around a nominal value, due to mechanical effects, vibrations and powder segregation that occur in the hopper. Differences in tablet crushing strength may also be observed for those same reasons. Consequently, using such samples and their associated nominal concentrations for the development of a calibration model for the prediction of content uniformity of tablets might produce models with rather high error while able to cope with a large range of process variability. The objective of this work was to investigate empirical approaches for optimising the target (reference) concentrations of pred...
A highly convergent synthesis of an N-linked glycopeptide presenting the H-type 2 human blood group determinant

Abstract The total synthesis of an H-type blood group determinant in a model biological setting is described. The construct is comprised of a high mannose core structure with projecting lactose spacers, culminating in a two-copy presentation of the H-type blood group determinant itself. Key reactions that were used in this construction include sulfonamidohydroxylation (see 15 → 18 ) and benzoate-directed glycosylation via an activated thiophenyl donor (see 34 → 36 ). Another key strategic element involved the epimerization of an interior core glucoside to reach the β-mannoside (see 37 → 38 ) required in the ring C sugar of the high mannose core.
Approach and landing aerodynamic technologies for advanced STOL fighter configurations

Providing next-generation fighter aircraft with STOL capability will require effective high-lift systems, methods of providing adequate longitudinal trim and control, and thrust reversers compatible with advanced configurations. Recent wind-tunnel tests in the NASA Langley 4 x 7-m tunnel have provided the opportunity to investigate some promising technologies for providing this STOL capability. These tests include investigations of the high-lift contribution of spanwise blowing on a trailing-edge flap system, the trim capability of a blown high-lift canard, and the deceleration contribution of a thrust reverser for ground-roll reduction. This paper reviews the results of each investigation and examines the integration of these technologies on a common advanced-fighter configuration to determine their compatibility and the resulting overall performance of the configurations.
Effect of Rotation on Jet Impingement Heat Transfer for Various Jet Configurations

The present study uses a novel transient liquid crystal technique to measure heat transfer on a rotating, radially outward coolant channel with jet impingement and a crossflow outlet condition. The jet impingement cooling scheme is studied on the leading and trailing sides of a gas turbine internal coolant channel with the jet impingement target surface oriented normal to the direction of rotation. Several aspects of jet impingement are studied under rotating conditions: effect of increasing Rotation number (Ro = 0–0.003), effect of jet inclination angle (90° and 70° from the vertical), and effect of jet-to-target surface distance (H/d = 1, 3, and 5). Heat transfer measurements are obtained on the target surface using the transient liquid crystal technique. All configurations studied have a constant jet-to-jet spacing, P/d = 5. The spacing between the two adjacent rows is P/d = 3. Corresponding flow measurements are taken from stationary conditions. Results show that rotation does not change the heat transfer magnitudes and distributions greatly compared to the stationary results for all H/d and jet orientation cases. As x/d increases, stationary H/d = 5 heat transfer results show a steady decrease, where effectiveness of the jets diminishes. As x/d increases for H/d = 3, the maximum and minimum heat transfer values dampen to a steady constant average value. As x/d increases for H/d = 1, the heat transfer begins very low then steadily increases for higher x/d.© 2012 ASME
Patterns of psychological function before, after unilateral, and after bilateral thalamic surgery.

St~mmasy.-Visual-perceptual, verbal, and short-term retention tests were administered to unilaterally operated, bilaterally operated, and unoperated parkinsonian patients. Principal component facror analyses derived for each group yielded 4 factors regardless of treatment condition. Similarities between groups pointed to consistency and overlapping among factor patterns obtaining in the presence or absence of subcortical surgery. Variations among factor structures suggested that unoperated patients are characterized by a gross, wholiscic approach to perceptual-cognitive tasks. Bilaterally operated individuals show more concern with detail and specific aspects in their perceprual-cognitive scyle. Unilateral brain operates occupy an intermediate position. Implications for behavioral activation and the relevance of diffuse bilateral subcorrical systems were emphasized. An attempt was made to identify the factors underlying psychological performance before and after unilateral or bilateral cryothalamectomy, a technique for the relief of parkinsonian tremor and rigidity (Cooper, 1964). The imporcance of a subcortical zone of incegration, in general, and a thalamic area, In particular, to so-called percept~~al or higher integrative behaviors has been repeatedly ~lnderlined (Levita & Riklan, 1965; Levita, Riklan, & Cooper, 1964a, 1964b; Levita, Riklan, & Cooper, in press; McFie, 1960; Penfield & Roberts, 1959; Riklan & Levita, 1965). Moreover, the apparent absence of differences between bilaterally operated and unoperated parkinsonians (Riklan, Levita, & Cooper, 1966) and between bilaterally, or unilaterally operated and unoperated patients (Levita, Riklan, & Cooper, in press) does not eliminate the possibility of differences among factors underlying test performance. In fact, identical scores on composite tests may have entirely different meanings if equivalence of underlying characteristics is lacking. The qualitative similaricy between factor structures relating to left or right basal ganglia surgery (Riklan & Levita, 1964) was later extended to include functional identity in a factorial report on laterality of subcortical involvement in unoperated parkinsonians (Levita & Riklan, 1965). Such functional similarity and identity justify the conclusion chat laterality of s~tbcortical involvement or unilateral lesion placement are generally irrelevant to verbal and visual-spatial functions (Levita, Riklan, & Cooper, 1964a, 1964b). None of these factor analyses dealt with the long-range effects of bilateral
The Diamagnetic Anisotropy of Natural and Synthetic Rubbers

Abstract The change in anisotropy with elongation has been found for natural rubber and for several synthetic rubbers. Unsaturated rubbers have a large principal susceptibility perpendicular to the direction of stretching, because of the presence of olefinic double bonds. The differences between natural rubber and polybutadiene are attributed to the presence of unsaturated side-groups caused by 1,2-addition in polybutadiene. Probably the magnetic anisotropy of these rubbers depends, not on the actual degree of crystallinity of the rubbers, but on the ability of the long-chain molecules to align themselves parallel to the direction of stretching. Therefore the changes in anisotropy with stretching are large when there is no cross-linking, and small when cross-linking occurs to any large extent. Saturated rubbers have an anisotropy opposite in sign to that of unsaturated rubbers. This must be caused by the broadening of electronic orbits perpendicular to the direction of stretching. Apparently methyl side-g...