cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ceftriaxone, a Beta-Lactam Antibiotic, Reduces Ethanol Consumption in Alcohol-Preferring Rats

Aims: Changes in glutamatergic transmission affect many aspects of neuroplasticity associated with ethanol and drug addiction. For instance, ethanol- and drug-seeking behavior is promoted by increased glutamate transmission in key regions of the motive circuit. We hypothesized that because glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1) is responsible for the removal of most extracellular glutamate, up-regulation or activation of GLT1 would attenuate ethanol consumption. Methods: Alcohol-preferring (P) rats were given 24 h/day concurrent access to 15 and 30% ethanol, water and food for 7 weeks. During Week 6, P rats received either 25, 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg ceftriaxone (CEF, i.p.), a β-lactam antibiotic known to elevate GLT1 expression, or a saline vehicle for five consecutive days. Water intake, ethanol consumption and body weight were measured daily for 15 days starting on Day 1 of injections. We also tested the effects of CEF (100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) on daily sucrose (10%) consumption as a control for motivated behavioral drinking. Results: Statistical analyses revealed a significant reduction in daily ethanol, but not sucrose, consumption following CEF treatment. During the post treatment period, there was a recovery of ethanol intake across days. Dose-dependent increases in water intake were manifest concurrent with the CEF-induced decreases in ethanol intake. Nevertheless, CEF did not affect body weight. An examination of a subset of the CEF-treated ethanol-drinking rats, on the third day post CEF treatment, revealed increases in GTL1 expression levels within the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. Conclusions: These results indicate that CEF effectively reduces ethanol intake, possibly through activation of GLT1, and may be a potential therapeutic drug for alcohol addiction treatment.
A prospective pilot study of predictors of acute stroke in emergency department patients with dizziness.

Objective: To prospectively examine undifferentiated emergency department (ED) patients with dizziness to identify clinical features associated with acute stroke. Patients and Methods: We conducted a pilot study from November 1, 2009, through October 30, 2010, of adult patients with dizziness presenting to 3 urban academic EDs. Data collected included demographic characteristics, medical history, presenting symptoms, examination findings, clinician pretest probability of stroke, and neuroimaging results. Logistic regression was used to identify variables with a significant association with acute stroke (P<.05).
A Complex Network Analysis of the United States Air Transportation

The air transportation industry has a great impact on the economy. In this paper, we analyze the air transportation network in the U.S. to better understand its characteristics. For this, we measure several complex network features including average shortest path, degree distribution, assortative mixing, clustering, betweenness centrality, and resiliency. We also analyzed changes over the previous two decades and compared the networks with earlier air transportation network studies. In our analysis, we did not observe considerable changes in the analyzed complex network features of the U.S. air transportation over the past two decade. Moreover, the U.S. air transportation network exhibits small world characteristics and has an assortative mixing by the degree similar to the earlier study on the world-wide air transportation network. However, the US air transportation network exhibits a partial power law degree distribution unlike the complete power law reported in earlier air transportation networks.
Enhancing Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation efficiency of perennial ryegrass and rice using heat and high maltose treatments during bacterial infection

Perennial ryegrass is one of the most widely cultivated grasses in temperate regions. However, it is recalcitrant for in vitro manipulation. In this study, various parameters affecting Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated infection were tested to optimize transformation efficiency in perennial ryegrass. The effects of heat shock and maltose concentration during Agrobacterium infection were evaluated along with variations in callus induction medium, bacterial infection media and callus age. Our results suggest that Agrobacterium infection at 42 °C for 3 min and co-cultivation of Agrobacterium-infected callus on a high maltose medium (6 %) significantly enhances the transformation efficiency in perennial ryegrass. The most optimal conditions proved to be use of four-month-old embryogenic callus induced on a modified N6 medium, infected with Agrobacterium grown on a modified Murashige and Skoog (MSM) medium, and a 42 °C heat shock treatment followed by the co-cultivation of the Agrobacterium and the callus on medium containing 6 % maltose (instead of 3 %). Using this optimized protocol, we were able to increase the transformation efficiencies for regenerated plants from approximately 1 % to over 20 %. Significant improvement in rice stable transformation efficiency was also observed when the optimized conditions were applied to this important cereal, indicating the method described here may apply to other monocots as well.
The Production of Modernization: Daniel Lerner, Mass Media, and the Passing of Traditional Society. HemantShah. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2011.

The Production of Modernization: Daniel Lerner, Mass Media, and the Passing of Traditional Society. Hemant Shah. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2011. Published in 1958, Daniel Lerner's The Passing of Traditional Society: Modernizing the Middle East represented an early attempt to outline a theory for societal transformation based on the superiority of Western - and more specifically, American - cultural, social, economic, and political structures. Written at the height of the Cold War, the book was an instant classic and became a foundational text in the studies of mass media and modernization. In The Production of Modernization, Hemant Shah explores the intellectual origins of Lerner's monograph by situating Lerner's network of military and academic benefactors and colleagues in the post- World War II context where social scientists like Lerner worked with the state and private foundations to battle communism. Shah's sources include Lerner's military records in addition to his published and private works, correspondence, and journals. Shah also cites personal correspondence with Lerner's surviving acquaintances. With the exception of the first chapter, the book is organized chronologically with each chapter addressing Lerner's experiences, and intellectual developments at various stages in his professional career. Chapter one explores the development of Lerner's unique version of modernization theory that broke in at least two ways with previous theories that conceived of Western superiority in biological or racial terms. First, he based his model on notions of cultural and intellectual superiority, identifying three phases in the process of cultural maturity - the traditional, the transitional, and the modern. Lerner situated the modern society (by which he meant the society that embraced capitalism, technology, and respect for women and education) as the most culturally (and economically) developed. He also recognized the importance of the elites and of mass media in the process of modernization, as they provided symbols to the masses while mass media served as propaganda driving the modernization process. Shah then summarizes Lerner's experiences as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he developed an admiration for the forms of scientific analysis used by his colleagues in the Psychological Warfare Division as he studied the use of propaganda in the mobilization of public opinion. Chapter three documents the earliest phase in Lerner's career as a social scientist, when he worked for Stanford University at the Hoover Institute for War, Revolution, and Peace. At Stanford, Lerner completed and published his dissertation, whereas he researched prestigious media publications and analyzed policy makers in strategic countries, and learned important methodologies for cross-cultural comparisons that he would use in The Passing of Traditional Society. …
Effect of formylation on the chromatographic behavior of methionyl transfer ribonucleic acid

Abstract The effect of formylation on the chromatographic behavior of Met-tRNA f Met on BD-cellulose has been investigated. Under conditions comparable to those routinely employed in analytical BD-cellulose chromatography, formylated Met-tRNA f Met was observed to elute at a significantly higher salt concentration than unformylated Met-tRNA f Met . Unformylated Met-tRNA f Met elutes well before Met-tRNA m Met , whereas fMet-tRNA f Met elutes slightly after Met-tRNA m Met ; thus the net effect of formylation is an apparent inversion of the elution order of the isoaccepting methionyl tRNA species, tRNA f Met and tRNA m Met . Although aminoacylated tRNA f Met and tRNA m Met elute slightly later than their respective unacylated forms, aminoacylation alone does not produce the inverted elution order observed upon formylation of Met-tRNA f Met .
Factors Influencing Alkaline Phosphatase Activity of Stream Epithilona

ABSTRACT Factors influencing the alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) of epilithon were assessed in Hoxie Gorge Creek, a small stream in central New York State. Wood and plexiglas stream channels with unglazed tiles as the substrate for epilithon were utilized for controlled experiments. Enrichment experiments with N and P alone and in combination showed that N-amended channels had high APA. At another site, P addition resulted in decreased APA. These data were consistent with the hypothesis that the streamwater N:P ratio is the important factor determining epilithon APA. APA varied seasonally, probably due to natural changes in the N and P concentrations of the stream water. Shading resulted in lower APA. The results indicate that APA measurement can provide useful information in properly designed experiments.
HPLC purification and separation of 5,5′-substituted-2,4-imidazolidinedithiones

Several 5,5'-substituted-2,4-imidazolidinedithiones, synthesized from aldehydes or ketones, have been purified by HPLC using poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) packings. Purified 5,5'-substituted-2,4-imidazolidinedithiones have been identified in column effluent by UV absorbance and corroborated by mass spectrometry. Several silica-based, polymeric, and poly(styrene-divinylbenzene)-based packings were evaluated as matrices for resolution of a mixture of purified 5,5'-substituted-2,4-imidazolidinedithiones.
Thickness optimization of organic solar cells by optical transfer matrix

The thickness of organic solar cells (OSCs) has been optimized by simulating current-voltage (J-V) behavior. Because the thickness of active layer (several hundred nanometers) in OSCs is comparable with the illumination wavelength, optical transfer matrix is applied to rigorously determine the optical electric field in thin-film devices, which is strongly affected by the optical interference. The simulation results indicate that there exists an optimal thickness, depending on both carrier mobility and recombination loss. The performance of OSCs becomes worse with increasing thickness from this optimal value because of the aggravated recombination loss. Moreover, it is revealed that improving carrier mobility is an effective way to boost the value of optimal thickness and hence further optimize the performance of OSCs.
Macroeconomics and Methodology

Probabilistic reasoning is essential to discourse in economics. This is true in any discipline in which, as in economics, data collection is constrained and beliefs about the phenomena being studied are crucial to decisions that cannot be delayed. Some economists have recently turned away from form probabilistic inference, in part because of legitimate discontent with the prescriptions of specialized econometricians. However, this turning away has gone in mutually inconsistent directions and is in the long run unsustainable. It should be more widely recognized that careful applied work in macroeconomics, using steadily advancing probabilistic modeling techniques, has been steadily increasing.
Continuous intraocular pressure recordings during lamellar microkeratotomy of enucleated human eyes

Purpose To analyze the course of intraocular pressure (IOP) during lamellar microkeratotomy (LMK) in enucleated human eyes using 3 microkeratome systems. Setting Department of Ophthalmology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, U.S.A. Methods Sixteen enucleated human globes were cannulated through the optic nerve, and IOP was recorded continuously while the eyes had standard LMK flap creation. Three microkeratomes were used: Carriazo-Barraquer (Moria Inc.), Innovatome (Innovative Optics Inc.), and Hansatome (Bausch & Lomb). Results During the vacuum affixation phase, the IOP reached a mean plateau of 97.9 mm Hg with the Hansatome, 135.8 mm Hg with the Innovatome, and 150.0 mm Hg with the Carriazo-Barraquer. During applanation and cutting, the IOP rose to mean plateau of 154.7 mm Hg, 151.8 mm Hg, and 175.8 mm Hg, respectively. Statistical analysis using Kruskal-Wallis testing suggested a difference in mean IOP elevation between the 3 microkeratomes during the vacuum affixation phase (P = .0394) but no difference during the applanation and cutting phase (P = .506). Conclusion The IOP during LMK was higher than previously reported, and this may increase the risk for complications in certain patient groups.
Self-avoiding walks in quenched random environments

The self-avoiding walk in a quenched random environment is studied using realspace and field-theoretic renormalization and "Flory" arguments. These methods indicate that the system is described, for d de, by a strong disorder fixed point corresponding to a "glass" state in which the polymer is confined to the lowest energy path. This fixed point is characterized by scaling laws for the size of the walk, L ~ N ~ with N the number of steps, and the fluctuations in the free energy, Af~ L% The bound 1/~ - co ~pore and suggests that this inequality holds for d = 2 and 3, although ~ = ~pure cannot be excluded, particularly for d= 2. For d> d c there is a transition between strong and weak disorder phases at which ~ = ~pure. The strong-disorder fixed point for SAWs on percolation clusters is discussed. The analogy with directed walks is emphasized.
Method for estimating the refractive index structure parameter Cn2 in very low stratus subcloud regions

This paper is an update of a paper of the same title presented to SPIE in 1989. A new perspective of C n 2 in low stratus clouds and their associated subcloud regions is developed in this paper. Two environments are still considered, that of a rising parcel and that of the ambient environment, resulting in two vertical profiles of C n 2 . An extension of Tatarski's formulations is used to characterize the environments, assuming that the turbulent parcels are weakly conservative and passive. Vertical profiles of the mean refractive index, the part of the gradient of the mean refractive index that does not adjust immediately when a parcel is displaced vertically, and C n 2 associated with the rising parcel and those associated with the ambient atmosphere are presented for one set of conditions in a stable atmosphere.
Flexible flatfoot treatment with arthroereisis: radiographic improvement and child health survey analysis

This study was designed to ascertain if there was a statistically significant correction in the foot and to determine the overall health of a child after an arthroereisis procedure. Thirty-seven patients (67 feet) who had undergone Maxwell-Brancheau arthroereisis were retrospectively reviewed at an average of 18.4 months after surgery. The pre- and postoperative lateral talo-first metatarsal and talar declination and the anteroposterior talo-first metatarsal and talocalcaneal angles were measured by using an X-Caliper device (Eisenlohr Technologies, Davis, CA); significance was determined with a t test. Child health questionnaire answers were calculated and converted to a 0 to 100 scaled score and statistically compared with population norms by using a single-sample t test. The lateral radiographic average preoperative talo-first metatarsal and talar declination angles were 11.3 and 27.5, respectively, and were 3.7 and 21.9, respectively, postoperatively. The preoperative average anteroposterior talo-first metatarsal and talocalcaneal angles were 13.8 and 25.6, respectively, and were 6.4 and 19.4, respectively, postoperatively. The t test showed the postoperative angles had a statistically significant (P <.01) change from the preoperative angles. The results of the Child health questionnaire of our 34 pediatric patients (92%) showed scores in 3 domains (role emotional behavior, global behavior, parent time) that were better than population norms, and there was no difference in the remaining domains.
Flirting Competence: An Experimental Study on Appropriate and Effective Opening Lines

An experiment was conducted to examine the appropriateness and effectiveness of five flirtatious opening lines enacted by a male participant to initiate conversation with a female participant. Video messages were constructed to represent the following opening lines: direct introductions, direct compliments, humor attempts, cute–flippant lines, and third-party introductions. Participants were 642 college students who viewed one of these five videos and reported on the appropriateness and effectiveness of an opening line after controlling for perceptions of actor physical attractiveness. Results indicated that participants rated the third-party introduction and direct introduction opening lines as the most appropriate, whereas the third-party introduction was perceived as the most effective. Direct compliments, humor attempts, and cute–flippant lines were rated as equally inappropriate and ineffective.
Arctic aerosol and Arctic climate: Results from an energy budget model

An energy budget model is used to study the effect on Arctic climate of optically active aerosol in the Arctic atmosphere. The dependence of the change in surface temperature on the vertical distribution of the aerosol and on the radiative properties of the aerosol-free atmosphere, the Arctic surface, and the aerosol, itself, are calculated. An extensive sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the degree to which the results of the model are dependent upon the assumptions underlying it.
The influence of the Thomson coefficient and variable resistivity on thermoelectric heat pump performance

Abstract Steady-state, closed form equations are presented for the temperature distribution, heat removal and coefficient of performance of a single stage, thermoelectric heat pump. The Seebeck coefficient is expressed as a logarithmic function of temperature. This expression permits the performance of elements made of thermoelectric materials with the same average Seebeck coefficient but with different values of Thomson coefficient to be compared. An expression for electrical resistivity as a linear function of temperature is also introduced. Thus, the performance of thermoelectric heat pumps made of materials having the same average resistivity but resistivities that are different linear functions of temperature can be compared. The results show that for positive Thomson coefficients, the Thomson effect increases both the rate of heat removal and the coefficient of performance. Negative Thomson coefficients have the opposite effect. For thermoelectric materials used in heat pumping applications, the electrical resistivity increases with temperature. This variation generally has less influence on performance than the Thomson effect. A numerical example is given which demonstrates that serious analytical errors can result by neglecting the influence of the Thomson effect and variable resistivity when calculating the performance of a thermoelectric heat pump.
Formation of Italian Nouns from English Equivalents

THE article on English-German Vocabulary by John Steinbugler in the December 1945 issue of the Journal has suggested to us to publish our tables which relate to the formation of Italian nouns from English equivalents. Due to the fact that English has borrowed greatly from Latin and that Latin is the basis of Italian, the number of these words is very large. The ability of the student to recognize such words will greatly enlarge his vocabulary with little effort on his part. The tables presuppose that the teacher has already discussed with his class the Italian noun. The presentation of the Italian noun can be clearly conveyed to the pupils by writing on the blackboard a simple table. Thus:
Percolation modeling investigation of TPB formation in a solid oxide fuel cell electrode–electrolyte interface

Abstract A Monte Carlo percolation model has been developed and utilized to characterize the factors controlling triple phase boundary (TPB) formation in an SOFC electrode. The model accounts for (1) electronic conductor, ionic conductor, and gas phase percolation, (2) competition between percolation of gas and electronically conducting phases, and (3) determination of continuous, though not necessarily fully percolating, paths from TPBs to the bulk phases. The model results show that physical processes near the TPB, such as sorbate transport, significantly affect TPB formation in a composite electrode. Active TPB formation is found to be most significantly dependent upon continuous and competing percolation of multiple phases. Simultaneously requiring continuous paths and accounting for non-continuous boundary conditions results in lower active TPB formation levels (up to 8% of possible sites) than presented in the literature (75% of possible sites). In addition, the varying ratio of active to potential TPB sites predicted by the current model (up to 80%) differs significantly from the constant reported in the literature (80%), which lacks analyses of three-phase percolation, gas phase paths, and gas/current collector boundary conditions. This dependence of active TPB formation on percolation of all three phases is important to understand as a basis for determining SOFC performance and optimization.
Energetically driven asymmetries in random copolymer miscibilities and their pressure dependence

The extension of random copolymer Flory−Huggins (FH) type theories to compressible systems is applied to describe the miscibilities of AxB1-x/C = A,B and AxB1-x/AyB1-y binary mixtures. The compress...
Stereo matching, error detection, and surface reconstruction

This paper summarizes recent research in two related areas. The main result concerns the stereo matching problem. The discussion of this result forms the bulk of the paper. The second area concerns the problem of visual surface reconstruction from sparse depth data, and in particular, the significance of errors (outliers) in the data. Sections 2 through 4 cover stereo matching. Section 5 discusses surface reconstruction.
Carotid artery replacement in conjunction with resection of squamous cell carcinoma of the neck: preliminary results.

Abstract Squamous cell carcinoma can invade the carotid artery. The treatment options then include irradiation, "palliative peeling" of tumor from the artery, and carotid resection with ligation or in-line grafting. Twelve patients with invasion of the carotid artery by cancer had en bloc resection of the artery and tumor. Reconstruction after in-line carotid artery grafting with autogenous vein was completed with a myocutaneous flap. No neurologic events occurred perioperatively or during the follow-up period of 3 to 50 months. Computed tomography and arteriography were unreliable in predicting tumor involvement of the carotid artery. Three patients died during the study — two of unrelated causes, and one of metastases. None of the patients showed evidence of local recurrence from 3 to 50 months. In two of four wound infections the carotid artery graft was exposed. This was successfully treated by a myocutaneous flap. The mean survival for the group was 18 months. Resection and in-line bypass grafting of the carotid artery invaded by cancer can safely be performed in irradiated and potentially infected fields. (J Vasc Surg 1992;15:324–30.)
Franciscan Limestones and Their Environments of Deposition

Detailed study of the distribution, petrography, and microfossils of the Calera and Laytonville Franciscan limestones allows us to describe their most probable areas of deposition. The Calera Limestone Member was deposited in shallow submerged basins situated on a ridge. Coccolith ooze and rarer radio-larian limestone were deposited on basin floors which were generally below the lysocline. Planktonic foraminifera deposited above the lysocline on basin walls were sporadically swept down into the basins as turbidity currents and, because of this rapid deposition, were preserved. The ridge along which the basins were located may have been located behind an island arc of Mesozoic age. The Laytonville limestone was deposited in deep water, possibly in the arc-trench gap, or as abyssal plain deposits that were subsequently subducted or accreted to the continent.
Metabolism of n-butyl, n-hexyl, and n-octyl benzene in the bile of rainbow trout

Exposure of fish to petroleum can occur directly in the aquatic environment, via the water, or indirectly through the diet. In previous investigations of petroleum metabolites extracted from the bile of fish, the analysis indicated the presence of ..beta..-glucuronides enriched with unsaturated vs saturated carbons, when comparing the metabolites mixture to No. 2 fuel oil. The naphthenic carbons represented a significant fraction of the total carbons and were observed at different chemical shifts than in the petroleum oil, strongly indicating that metabolic oxidations took place on the aliphatic carbons. Mass spectra analysis of the hydrolyzed metabolites isolated from the bile of trout exposed to No. 2 fuel oil, using ..beta..-glucuronidase, enabled the identification of at least eight metabolites. These two- and three-ring aromatic alcohols had side chains of two to six carbons. In order to answer some of the questions raised from the above observations, the metabolism of n-butyl benzene, n-hexyl benzene and n-octyl benzene was considered. The present study was undertaken in order to answer three questions: (1) For a given ring system, does the number of carbons in the alkyl side chain influence the rate of hydrocarbon uptake. (2) For n-alkyl aromatic molecules, are primary, secondary or aromaticmore » alcohols formed preferentially. (3) Are long alkyl side chains attached to aromatic rings degraded to a relatively shorter number of carbon atoms prior to excretion. To the authors knowledge, these questions had not been previously considered in the study of fish metabolites.« less
A fourth order finite difference method for the Dirichlet biharmonic problem

Using the coupled approach, we formulate a fourth order finite difference scheme for the solution of the Dirichlet biharmonic problem on the unit square. On an N × N uniform partition of the square the scheme is solved at a cost O(N 2 log2 N)+m8N 2 using fast Fourier transforms and m iterations of the preconditioned conjugate gradient method. Numerical tests confirm the fourth order accuracy of the scheme at the partition nodes with m proportional to log2 N.
Patterns and predictors of breast cancer chemotherapy use in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2004–2007

Chemotherapy regimens for early stage breast cancer have been tested by randomized clinical trials, and specified by evidence-based practice guidelines. However, little is known about the translation of trial results and guidelines to clinical practice. We extracted individual-level data on chemotherapy administration from the electronic medical records of Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), a pre-paid integrated healthcare system serving 29 % of the local population. We linked data to the California Cancer Registry, incorporating socio-demographic and tumor factors, and performed multivariable logistic regression analyses on the receipt of specific chemotherapy regimens. We identified 6,004 women diagnosed with Stage I–III breast cancer at KPNC during 2004–2007; 2,669 (44.5 %) received at least one chemotherapy infusion at KPNC within 12 months of diagnosis. Factors associated with receiving chemotherapy included 2 cm (OR 2.14, 95 % CI 1.75–2.61), involved lymph nodes (OR 11.3, 95 % CI 9.29–13.6), hormone receptor-negative (OR 6.94, 95 % CI 4.89–9.86), Her2/neu-positive (OR 2.71, 95 % CI 2.10–3.51), or high grade (OR 3.53, 95 % CI 2.77–4.49) tumors; comorbidities associated inversely with chemotherapy use [heart disease for anthracyclines (OR 0.24, 95 % CI 0.14–0.41), neuropathy for taxanes (OR 0.45, 95 % CI 0.22–0.89)]. Relative to high-socioeconomic status (SES) non-Hispanic Whites, we observed less anthracycline and taxane use by SES non-Hispanic Whites (OR 0.63, 95 % CI 0.49-0.82) and American Indians (OR 0.23, 95 % CI 0.06–0.93), and more anthracycline use by high-SES Asians/Pacific Islanders (OR 1.72, 95 % CI 1.02–2.90). In this equal-access healthcare system, chemotherapy use followed practice guidelines, but varied by race and socio-demographic factors. These findings may inform efforts to optimize quality in breast cancer care.
Glycine release from Y79 retinoblastoma cells.

: Glycine release, induced by a high concentration of potassium chloride (K+), was investigated in cultured human Y79 retinoblastoma cells. The cells were labeled by incubation with [2-3H]glycine prior to K+ depolarization. Depolarization with 55 mM K+ caused an immediate, Ca2+-dependent release of approximately 20% of the cellular radiolabeled glycine content. Chemical analysis of the intracellular free glycine content also showed that approximately 20%, 2.4 nmol/mg protein, was released after K+ depolarization. Glycine release from labeled Y79 cells was not stimulated by incubation with 55 mM choline chloride. Based on measurements with an amino acid analyzer, it is concluded that of the free amino acids contained in the Y79 cell, only glycine is specifically released into the extracellular fluid by K+ depolarization. Although the intracellular content of serine and glutamate decreased, these amino acids were not released from the cells. Further studies with [U-14C]serine suggest that serine is converted into glycine in Y79 cells. Veratridine also caused an immediate release of [2-3H]glycine from the cells, and this was blocked by tetrodotoxin. This suggests that the Y79 cells possess voltage-dependent Na+ channels. These results indicate that K + - and veratridine-stimulated glycine release occurs in Y79 retinoblastoma cells, providing additional evidence that this continuously cultured line may be a useful model for certain human retinal and central nervous system functions.
Inverse linking via function composition

The phenomenon of inverse linking, where a noun phrase embedded within another behaves with respect to binding as though it were structurally independent, has proven challenging for theories of the syntax–semantics interface. In this paper I show that, using an LF-movement style approach to the syntax–semantics interface, we can derive all and only the appropriate meanings for such constructions using no semantic operations other than function application and composition. The solution relies neither on a proliferation of lexical ambiguity nor on abandoning the idea that pronouns denote variables, but rather on a straightforward (and standard) reification of assignment functions, which allows us to define abstraction operators within our models.
Quaternary Even Positive Definite Quadratic Forms of Discriminant 4p

Abstract Letp>13 be a prime congruent to 1 modulo 4. Let G be the genus of a quaternary even positive definite Z -lattice of discriminant 4pwhose 2-adic localization has a proper 2-modular Jordan component. We show that the orthogonal group of any lattice from G is generated by −1 and the symmetries with respect to the roots of the lattice. The class number of G is computed. Furthermore, we show that the theta series of degree two coming from the classes in G with non-trivial automorphism groups are linearly independent.
MO‐E‐204B‐09: A Method to Evaluate the Effect of Automatic Brightness Control Tracking on Image Quality and Patient Dose for Interventional Fluoroscopic Systems

Purpose: Automatic‐brightness‐control (ABC) tracking is used to maintain a constant image‐receptor signal independent of changes in the attenuation of the patient. The manner of tracking impacts image quality as well as patient dose. We have developed a procedure to evaluate the effect of the ABC‐operation logic on both dose and contrast‐signal‐to‐noise ratio (CSNR) for interventional‐ fluoroscopic systems.Method and Materials: Two vascular‐angiography systems, one with an image intensifier (II) and the other with a flat‐panel detector(FPD), were used for assessment of the testing procedure. A phantom insert containing iodine‐filled disks was sandwiched within a variable‐thickness, uniform PMMA phantom. The variation of contrast visibility and patient dose was assessed as the ABC system automatically adjusted technique parameters to compensate for changes in phantom thickness. The x‐ray techniques, filter selected by the system, acquisition rate, patient entrance exposure and detector input exposure were recorded as a function of phantom thickness. The CSNR and CSNR per entrance exposure were plotted as a function of phantom thickness for all fluoroscopic modes. Results: All systems and modes had a decrease in CSNR and an increase in dose with patient thickness, but different modes resulted in different rates of change due to the manner of mAs and kVp selection. Although noise varied between fluoroscopy modes for the II and FPD, it was almost constant for a given mode as a function of thickness since the ABC tries to maintain a constant detector exposure rate. Conclusion: The method is easy to implement with a standard phantom and is an important adjunct to evaluate ABC system performance and to allow inter‐system comparisons. Understanding the tradeoffs between patient dose and CSNR due to the operation of a specific ABC mode can help optimize system utilization.
Majorizing functions and two-point Newton-type methods

The semi-local convergence of a Newton-type method used to solve nonlinear equations in a Banach space is studied. We also give, as two important applications, convergence analyses of two classes of two-point Newton-type methods including a method mentioned in [5] and the midpoint method studied in [1,2,12]. Recently, interest has been shown in such methods [3,4].
Microstructural evolution of a deformation zone in the upper ocean crust: Evidence from DSDP hole 504B

Abstract The deepest reference section through in-situ ocean crust lies at DSDP site 504B. Structural relations combined with existing detailed lithostratigraphy and alteration studies have been used to constrain the nature of deformation histories within a zone between 840 and 958.5 m. This zone lies close to the lithological transition zone between pillows and dykes. It is one of the most deformed intervals in the 540B core. Several discrete fault planes have been identified within this interval. Microstructures from these faults provide evidence for polyphase deformation persisting through one or more stages of alteration. A wide range of structures were generated during slip including cataclastic zones, isoclinal microfolds, crystallographic preferred orientation in quartz and preferred orientation of phyllosilicates. Repeated sequences of fracturing overprinted by non-coaxial (brittle and plastic) deformation are observed. The deformation zone is interpreted as a long-lived fault zone which may have nucleated as a result of the mechanical and transient thermal boundary at the top of the transition zone. Stockwork-like alteration may have developed in a dilational site generated during slip on a fault. Alteration histories imply that the fault was active during motion out of the main rift zone and local rotations of the minimum principal stress directions may have been related to flexure during this process. Reactivation of faults with a change in shear sense as material moved out of the rift may also account for the structures. Alternatively, the local stress field could have been modified during the evolution of a process zone associated with fault propagation.
Notes on American higher education: “Planning” for universal access in the context of uncertainty

This article presents an overview of developments in U.S. higher education at the present time. There is a large, continuing and inherent uncertainty about student demand and there is also uncertainty about the nature and extent of Federal support for higher education. A levelling-out in terms of size and of budgets is anticipated and the system is having to learn how to cope with the implications of a “steady state” rather than an expanding system. One of the results of a “steady state” is that state planning efforts are no longer aimed at merely managing growth; there is a new tendency towards seeking to evaluate and improve academic programs. The relations between higher education and the state, and the dangers of increasing state intervention into the heart of the teaching-learning process, are questions to which our best efforts at “planning” might be addressed.
Organic acid transport into the cochlear perilymph

The passage of exogenous organic and inorganic substances from blood into perilymph is likely to be controlled by the blood-perilymph barrier. This report reviews published data on the transfer of ten exogenous organic acids from the blood into the perilymph of experimental animal models. Although the range of the molecular weights of these acids is within half an order of magnitude, major differences exist in the perilymph concentration as a percentage of simultaneous serum concentration. Furthermore, these studies show that, contrary to previous suggestions, non-ototoxic compounds can achieve marked concentration gradients within the perilymph.
The unconscious regulation of emotion: nonconscious reappraisal goals modulate emotional reactivity.

People often encounter difficulty when making conscious attempts to regulate their emotions. We propose that nonconscious self-regulatory processes may be of help in these difficult circumstances because nonconscious processes are not subject to the same set of limitations as are conscious processes. Two experiments examined the effects of nonconsciously operating goals on people’s emotion regulatory success. In Experiment 1, participants engaged in an anxiety-eliciting task. Participants who had a reappraisal emotion control goal primed and operating nonconsciously achieved the same decrease in physiological reactivity as those explicitly instructed to reappraise. In Experiment 2, the effect of nonconscious reappraisal priming on physiological reactivity was shown to be most pronounced for those who do not habitually use reappraisal strategies. The findings highlight the potential importance of nonconscious goals for facilitating emotional control in complex real-world environments and have implications for contemporary models of emotion regulation.
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus complex-specific monoclonal antibody provides broad protection, in murine models, against airborne challenge with viruses from serogroups I, II and III

The alphavirus Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is highly infectious by the airborne route. It is a hazard to laboratory workers, has been developed as a biological weapon and is a potential bioterrorist agent. A suitable vaccine appears in an advanced stage of development but there remains a need for antiviral drugs, effective in prophylaxis of disease prior to or a short time after exposure to airborne virus. Using a murine model to study monoclonal antibody (MAB) a VEEV complex-specific, glycoprotein E2-binding MAB was identified, able to protect against disease induced by exposure to aerosolised VEEV from serogroups I, II and IIIA (mouse-virulent strains). There was no synergy in protection between anti-E1 and anti-E2 MAB. Assays of MAB virus neutralising activity in a homologous (mouse fibroblast) cell line suggested that neutralisation played a significant role in protection in addition to the previously reported mechanism of Fc receptor-binding [Mathews et al., 1985. J. Virol. 55, 594-600]. Development of an analogous human MAB with identical VEEV epitope specificity may be informed and monitored by reference to these properties.
The fine art of reducing and avoiding income taxes

Only three of a multitude of tax planning techniques have been discussed herein. If nothing else, it should be gleaned that careful analysis is the order of the day when attempting to reduce one's tax burden. Before implementing any tax planning device it is recommended that you seek professional advice. As someone once said, “a little knowledge may be dangerous”.
A novel, noninvasive method for the measurement of intestinal fat absorption.

Abstract Background & Aims: The goal of the study was to facilitate fat balance measurements with an appropriate intestinal marker for the transit of dietary fat and thereby eliminate the need for complete diet and fecal collections. Methods: Dietary fat containing 5% sucrose polybehenate was fed in a semisynthetic diet to rats and mice. Fat absorption was calculated from the ratios of behenic acid to other fatty acids in diet and feces as analyzed by gas chromatography of fatty acid methyl esters. The method was validated by measuring absorption of well-absorbed (safflower oil) and poorly absorbed (olestra; calcium soaps) dietary fats. The animals were fed meals containing test fats for 2 or 3 days, and fecal samples were collected. Fecal samples of approximately 10 mg (single fecal pellet from mice) were assayed. Results: The method yielded values that were consistent with complete absorption of safflower oil and the nonabsorbability of olestra and calcium soaps. The results were reproducible and consistent among individual fecal aliquots. The method was compared with traditional fat-balance methods in animals fed both high- and low-fat diets. Conclusions: Sucrose polybehenate is an appropriate marker that allows the rapid measurement of fat absorption by analyzing aliquots of
Introduction to the special issue on numerical modeling of hydrothermal fluids

This special issue on the numerical modeling of hydrothermal fluids is an outgrowth of a thematic session convened at the 2007 Geological Society of America meeting in Denver. Here we briefly review some of the previous research into numerical modeling of hydrothermal fluids and summarize the contributions in this special issue. We find that despite decades of progress, there is still great untapped potential for providing insights into the behavior of hydrothermal fluids by numerical modeling.
Body image: gender, ethnic, and age differences.

Abstract Using figure drawings (E. Fallon & P. Rozin, 1985), 120 male and female U.S. college students–African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian–indicated their current and ideal figures, the figures that they considered most attractive to the opposite sex, and the opposite-sex figures most attractive to themselves. Dissatisfaction with body shape was greater among the women regardless of ethnicity. Both the men and the women misjudged which shapes the opposite sex would rate as most attractive: The women guessed that the men preferred shapes thinner than those that they actually reported. The African American women had the most accurate perceptions of what the men found attractive, whereas the Caucasian women had the most distorted views. The men guessed that the women preferred shapes bulkier than those that they actually indicated. These findings may be relevant to the lower incidence of eating disorders among African American women and the higher incidence of such disorders among Caucasian women.
Microstructural characterization of catalyzed NaAlH4

Abstract A number of laboratories have now demonstrated that catalyst-assisted NaAlH 4 can reversibly absorb and desorb hydrogen in the solid state at moderate temperatures. An understanding of the mechanisms by which bulk decomposition and reformation of the compound can occur in the presence of a surface catalyst is important to improving the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of alanates for use in hydrogen storage applications. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), we have examined the microstructure and elemental composition of Na alanate samples, doped using a liquid Ti/Zr catalyst precursor, for a number of conditions. First, microscopy and compositional analyses were performed at different stages of the decomposition process within the first desorption cycle. Second, the material was characterized after multiple absorption/desorption cycles (five cycles). Finally, the effects of the catalyst doping procedure on particle size, surface morphology and surface composition were examined. Significant changes in particle morphology and in elemental distribution were found to be induced by the desorption and cycling processes. Importantly, our measurements indicate that the initial dehydriding reactions were accompanied by significant enhancement of Al concentration toward the surface of particles and that elemental segregation occurred with repeated absorption/desorption cycles.
Orbital resonance in a dissipative medium

Orbital characteristics of solar system bodies are reviewed with reference to their degree of circularity or eccentricity. Attention is given to orbital perturbations in the vicinity of Jupiter, Saturn, and the Asteroid Belt. The trapping of orbital periods is explained on the basis of relative velocity and gravitational interaction between particles. Enhancement of orbital eccentricity through resonance with other bodies is dampened by the drag-effect of small particles in the orbital path. This mechanism is seen operating in interactions between Titan and Hyperion, and between individual asteroids in the vicinity of Jupiter; with implications for the accretion dynamics of a proto-planetary nebula.
What is a Man? Heterosexuality and the Technology of Masculinity

The author argues that research into men and masculinities has failed to seriously engage with some central insights of queer theory. In particular, an interrogation of how the institution of heterosexuality underlies modern constructs of masculinity has been largely untouched. Although queer theory owes much to postwar French philosophy, the author draws here on its earlier German heritage, especially Heidegger's understanding of “technology,” to consider the historical production of the idea of a “male sex” and problematize its position as a secure foundation for theorizing about “masculinity.” The eighteenth century was a key period for the emergence of the modern gender regime, and the author suggests that changes during this period, particularly in terms of secularization and men's relationship to their mortality, were central in constructing a conception of masculinity that relies on heterosexuality. Finally, the author argues, against some recent commentators, that the historical reality of masculi...
Unleashing formins to remodel the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons

Formins are highly conserved proteins that have essential roles in remodelling the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons to influence eukaryotic cell shape and behaviour. Recent work has identified numerous cellular factors that locally recruit, activate or inactivate formins to bridle and unleash their potent effects on actin nucleation and elongation. The effects of formins on microtubules have also begun to be described, which places formins in a prime position to coordinate actin and microtubule dynamics. The emerging complexity in the mechanisms governing formins mirrors the wide range of essential functions that they perform in cell motility, cell division and cell and tissue morphogenesis.